Vegetable prices go up in Dhaka due to general strike

Vendors wait for customers at Karwan Bazar kitchen market in Dhaka on Monday. The prices of the vegetables increased in the city’s retail markets on Monday as a result of supply shortage due to the general strike enforced by the opposition alliance. — New Age photo

The prices of the vegetables increased in the city’s retail markets on Monday as a result of supply shortage due to the general strike enforced by the opposition alliance, traders said.
Prices of most of the vegetables increased by Tk 10-Tk 15 a kg in the different markets in the city.
The prices of aubergine, cucumber, okra and bitter gourd increased by Tk 10 a kg and were selling at Tk 60 a kg, Tk 40 a kg, Tk 70 a kg and Tk 60 a kg respectively on Monday.
The prices of bean and green chilli increased by Tk 15 a kg and were selling at Tk 80 a kg and Tk 115 a kg respectively on
the day.
The prices of potato and papaya increased by Tk 5 a kg and were retailing at Tk 25 a kg and Tk 20 a kg respectively on Monday.
Habibur Rahman, a retailer at Rampura kitchen market, told New Age that the price of potato increased in the market in last two days due to supply shortage as the hartal disrupted the supply chain.

Emran Master, president of Bangladesh Kanchamaal Arot Malik Samity, said that a supply shortage took place in the market as vegetables from various parts of the country could not reach Dhaka due
to hartal.
Transport owners were not ready to carry the goods during hartal in fear of vandalism and arson, he said.
Though a very small number of trucks agreed to carry the goods they were charging extra money due to hartal which also pushed the prices high, Emran added. (source)

Dhaka stocks extend gain to third day

Dhaka stocks advanced for the third trading session on Monday with a higher turnover thanks to soaring prices of banks’ shares and optimism fuelled by media reports that foreign investors’ participation had increased in October.
The benchmark general index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, DSEX, increased to 4,085.20 points, gaining 2.30 per cent, or 91.87 points.


DS30, the blue-chip index of the bourse, added 0.93 per cent, or 13.46 points, to close at 1,447.31 points.
The turnover of the bourse increased to Tk 412.05 crore from the previous trading session’s Tk 315.23 crore.
Of the 284 shares and mutual funds traded on the day, 232 advanced, 40 declined and 12 remained unchanged.
Shares prices of all the 30 listed banks increased significantly on the day as the sector gained 4.85 per cent.
Market operators said the investors’ confidence was boosted by media reports that participation of foreign investors had increased in October.
Rise in prices of banks’ shares was an important reason behind the significant jump of indices due to their large market capitalisation, they also said.
Active participation of the institutional investors was another reason behind the significant rise, added the operators.
‘News of increased net foreign investment despite political plight exerted a bullish vibe from 
the very beginning of today’s [Monday] session,’ IDLC Investments said in its daily market commentary.
‘In spite of gloomy political state of affairs and nationwide shutdown being on progress, the bourse marched on,’ it said.
‘Consequently, DSEX crossed the much-observed 4000 mark early in the session and closed at 4085.21 points, highest in 27 sessions. The robustness tempted inactive fund from the sideline, which ultimately found its way in significantly undervalued scrips,’ it added.
UCB led the turnover chart on the day as its shares worth Tk 20.13 crore changed hands.
Generation Next Fashions, Padma Oil, Envoy Textile Mills, Meghna Petroleum, Square Pharmaceuticals, Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, Malek 
Spinning, Argon Denims and Grameenphone were the day’s other turnover leaders.
Desh Garments gained the most on Monday as the price of its shares increased by 10 per cent, while Legacy Footwear lost the most, 4.63 per cent. (source)

Bangladesh Biman to launch Dhaka-Yangon flight Dec 9

Biman Bangladesh Airlines will launch direct flights to the Myanmar capital of Yangon from Dhaka with its own Boeing 737-800 on December 9.
‘Biman will operate two flights a week to Yangon from December 9 following the air service agreement between the Civil Aviation Authorities of Bangladesh and Myanmar,’ Biman CEO and managing director Kevin Steel told journalists at a press conference at Balaka, its headquarters.


He said Biman would resume its domestic flights by end December or early January after procuring two turboprops. As per the earlier commitment Biman is supposed to resume domestic flights by this month.
‘Unfortunately, we have still not procured the two turboprop aircraft despite issuance of three RFPs (Request for Proposal). The last RFP did show three responsive bidders, so we are now hopeful that this can be finally resolved and we can launch domestic flights by early January,’ he said.
After procuring the two turboprops, Kevin said the airlines would deploy these small aircraft on Dhaka-Yangon route to make the air fare cheap.
The Biman chief said unaudited results indicate a loss of around $25 million in 2012-13 fiscal year, which was around $75 million in 2011-12 FY.
‘The trend shows that we will be able to make Biman profitable in 2014-15 fiscal as per our promise made to prime minister Sheikh Hasina,’ he said.
Kevin said the national flag carrier had made a profit of around Tk 40 crore in September thanks to Hajj flights.
From the next year, he said Biman would not lease any aircraft for operating Hajj flights. 
‘Before April, we will receive two more brand new wide- body Boeings and with those we will be able to operate entire Hajj flights,’ he said. (source)

Bangladesh opposition’s hartal enters second day

The 60-hour countrywide shutdown, enforced by the BNP-led 18-party alliance on Monday to force the government for arranging the next polls under a non-partisan administration, entered the second day today (Tuesday). The first of the hartal was marked by incidents of violent clashes, vandalism and crude bomb blasts across the country, leaving two people killed. (Go to source)

20 injured in AL-BNP clash in Patuakhali

At least 20 people were injured in a clash between local Awami League and BNP activists in Rangabali upazila during the opposition’s 60-hour hartal on Monday.

Witnesses said the clash erupted when local Awami League men obstructed a procession the BNP activists brought out in support of the ongoing hartal in the upazila headquarters around 12:30pm.

- See more at: http://unbconnect.com/clash-injury-32/#&panel1-7

At least 20 people were injured in a clash between local Awami League and BNP activists in Rangabali upazila during the opposition’s 60-hour hartal on Monday.

Witnesses said the clash erupted when local Awami League men obstructed a procession the BNP activists brought out in support of the ongoing hartal in the upazila headquarters around 12:30pm.

At one stage, both groups attacked each other, leaving 2O people injured from both sides.

- See more at: http://unbconnect.com/clash-injury-32/#&panel1-8

At least 20 people were injured in a clash between local Awami League and BNP activists in Rangabali upazila during the opposition’s 60-hour hartal on Monday.

Witnesses said the clash erupted when local Awami League men obstructed a procession the BNP activists brought out in support of the ongoing hartal in the upazila headquarters around 12:30pm.

At one stage, both groups attacked each other, leaving 2O people injured from both sides. (Read more on UNB)

Bangladesh cabinet apporves 10-year jail for illegal possession of formalin

The cabinet on Monday approved in principle a draft bill proposing imprisonment for 10 years and a fine of Tk five lakh as the maximum punishment for illegal possession of formalin. 
The draft Formalin Control Bill 2013 placed in the weekly cabinet meeting by the commerce ministry seeking approval stipulates a minimum punishment of two years’ jail term for the offence.


The meeting, held in the secretariat, was chaired by prime minister Sheikh Hasina. 
Massive public outcry led by rights groups against the rampant use of formalin in treating fruits, vegetables, fish and other perishable foods prompted the commerce ministry to draft the bill prescribing the punishments. 
As food items treated by formalin could cause cancer and a host of other harms to consumers, health experts and rights groups have been demanding a ban on the import and use of the dangerous chemical substance.
When the bill become law, anyone possessing formalin without license could get a maximum punishment of 10 years in jail and a fine of Tk 5 lakh, cabinet secretary Mohammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told a news briefing later. 
The cabinet asked the commerce ministry to further examine the draft bill so that it did not contradict with the recently enacted Safe Food Act.
The cabinet secretary said that the minimum punishment for any offence under the proposed law would be two-year imprisonment.
The cabinet gave final approval to the draft of Bangladesh Journalist Welfare Trust Bill 2013 subject to its vetting by the law ministry.
A draft bill proposes establishment of a statutory authority to provide assistances to needy journalists or their families from the fund to be created with contributions from the government allocations and the private sector. 
It proposes a 13-member board for the authority with the information minister as the chairman and the information secretary as the vice-chairman.
To be appointed by the government, the managing director would be its chief executive officer, Musharraf Hossain said.
He said government officials and representatives of journalists would also be in the board.
The cabinet also approved the Early Childhood Care and Development Coordination Policy 2013 to ensure proper physical and mental growth of children from the prenatal stage until they reach the age of eight.
The cabinet secretary said that the policy would also address cultural development of children.
The ministry of women and children affairs drafted the policy.  

Hartal enforcers to be charged with murder, says Bangladesh home minister

The enforcers of the recent hartals would be prosecuted for murder after investigation for the death of 12 people during the opposition-sponsored  60-hour nationwide shutdown. 
 ‘We think those who enforced the immoral shutdown cannot avoid the responsibility of the killings. They are responsible for the killings. We will prosecute them under sections 302, 304 and 307 after investigation,’ said home minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir while speaking on rule 300 in parliament.


The minister said 12 innocent people were killed, 167 people injured, 87 vehicles were torched and 109 more damaged by the strike enforcers.
He said the opposition was enforcing shutdown at the instruction of their foreign lords. They are sparing examinations like O-level and A-level under foreign authorities but ruining the academic life of majority of the students who take examinations under local authorities, he said.
Earlier, treasury bench member Abdul Matin Khasru and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal lawmaker Mainuddin Khan Badal wanted to know what action the government was taking against those who were killing innocent people in the name of enforcing hartal.
Badal said an orphan was killed in his constituency by strike enforcers and he had found no answer despite being a representative of the people in front of the mother who was wailing.
‘I feel like taking up arms to fight against these terrors,’ an angry Badal said.
Khasru said he had earlier called for prosecution of strike enforcers but no steps were taken.
Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir in response to Suranjit Sengupta said the government would not allow anything that would threaten communal harmony. ‘The government is taking appropriate measures so that incidents like Ramu, Chandpur and Santhia do not recur,’ he said.
Suranjit citing reports from a newspaper condemned the attacks on Hindu community in Santhia of Pabna. ‘Babul Saha was a rich trader and he came under attack for his wealth. It cannot be accepted,’ he said. (source)

Bangladesh: Hindu village attacked, looted in Lamonirhat

Houses at a Hindu village in Lamonirhat were attacked, vandalised and robbed and 15 Hindu people, including five women, were injured on Monday afternoon.
The villagers said that a group of 15-18 people carried out the violence at Satpatki Majhipara, where a bunch of fishermen live.
The injured were admitted to Lalmonirhat sadar hospital, villagers said.


Police were deployed at the village following the attack.
Many Hindus, especially women and children of 125 Hindu families, fled and took shelters at the neighbouring Muslim houses, said Lalmonirhat sadar police station officer-in-charge Jamir Uddin.
He said that the police rushed the village and chased the attackers away.
He, however, said, that none of the attackers was arrested.
Additional superintendent of police Aslam Khan said that he initially heard names of some persons to be involved in the attack.
‘I have told Hindu community people to lodge a case. If they do not dare to do so, we will record a case and take legal actions against the attackers,’ he said.
The gang attacked 40 Hindu families, vandalised the houses and looted four of them, the villagers said.
Local resident Narayan Chandra Das said he believed that the violence was committed by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal activist Shawn Islam and his gang, who, according to him, had demanded Tk 5,000 in extortion from each of the 15 fish trading families on Sunday evening.
‘The gang members said that the money was needed to meet the expenses for the 60-hour general strike,’ he alleged.
He said that the villagers denied the demand of the gang and complained about the matter to Bangladesh Nationalist Party Mohendranagar union unit general secretary Abdul Mazid Mandal.
Mazid said that the local Hindus complained about the matter to him and he had cautioned his men not to do any harm to the Hindus.’
He claimed that no BNP or Chhatra Dal man was involved in the attack.
Injured woman Sumitra Rani Roy, 65, alleged that she was assaulted by the gang when she tried to save her son Nikhil Chandra Roy.
‘My son Nikhil was beaten up mercilessly by the attackers in my presence at my home, but I had nothing to do but crying,’ she said.
Mohana Rani Das, 55, another resident, said, the gang looted valuables including Tk 30,000 in cash after vandalising her house.
‘Although police have been deployed, we are still scared as the gang may attack us again anytime,’ she said.

Sheikh Hasina says section of Bangladesh press spreading false information

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Monday lamented that a section of the press is spreading ‘sugar coated’ false information and they are not ready to follow the basic principles of journalism and democracy.
‘They even don’t obey the constitution. They’re out to misguide people by giving false news and indulgence in terrorism and militancy.


Their activities would only encourage the anti-liberation force and their followers,’ she said. The prime minister said this while
inaugurating the newly constructed eight-storied building of Bangladesh Press Institute in Dhaka.
Pointing out the current political situation, she said, her government wants to uphold the constitution. In this regard, she urged the journalists to support holding a free, fair and neutral election in the country.
Information minister Hasanul Haque Inu, lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon, PM’s media advisor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, chairman of PIB Habibur Rahman Milon attended the function as special guests.  Director general of PIB Shah Alamgir gave the welcome address while acting secretary of the Ministry of Information Murtaza Ahmed was in the chair.
Recalling the speech of Bangladesh’s founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the first annual general meeting of Dhaka Journalists Union on July 16, 1972, the prime minister said, ‘Bangabandhu told that democracy lies on a principle. Journalism has a principle too. We can resolve many problems if we keep it in mind.’
In today’s context, the quote of Bangabandhu is still relevant. Democracy might be endangered if responsible persons act opposite to their words, she said.
Mentioning the attachment of Bangabandhu with media people, the prime minister said, Bangabandhu, if he would not be a politician and pathfinder of the nation, would surely be a journalist. During his student life, Bangabandhu was the local correspondent of the Daily Ittehad published from Kolkata.
Sheikh Hasina said media is now enjoying highest freedom than ever before. However, misuse of this freedom might bring detriment for the media itself and people of the country, she warned.
The prime minister said, now-a-days, we see ‘expertise opinion’ on all issues from a section of people. They neither have any responsibility nor accountability to people. But, media should play a role to bring every people under the jurisdiction of accountability for their words and actions.
Terming the media as one of the important pillars of the state, the prime minister said, journalists are the lifeline of media. So their professional excellence is required in country’s interests.
Pointing out her party’s electoral pledge in 2008 for building a Digital Bangladesh by 2021, the prime minister said, her government has guaranteed the full freedom of media and free flow of information.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh is more or less a digital country now. Digital facilities were extended to rural areas over the last five years. All media, students, professionals, rural women, farmers, patients and people of every section are enjoying this facility, she said.
The prime minister said online media is now booming in the country while use of social websites is on the rise day by day.  But, the digital facilities are also being misused. So social awareness is required to check its abuse, she said.
The prime minister announced constituting a trust fund for welfare of journalists saying the fund will be created with seed money from the government. Journalists can collect money for this fund from other sources.
Awami League government laid the foundation stone of the PIB building on February 8, 2000. But, the project made no progress during the five years of BNP and caretaker government.
The present government refurbished the project creating more facilities in the building and completed the construction at a total cost of Tk 9.54 crore, she said. (source)

Jahangirnagar University VC confined again as teachers begin indefinite sit-in

A section of teachers of Jahangirnagar University again took position in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s residence from Sunday night to press home their demand for immediate resignation of the VC, Professor Anwar Hossain.
JUTA president Professor Ajit Kumar Majumdar announced the indefinite sit-in in front of the VC’s residence protesting a warning notice against him where the VC mentioned that JUTA president was patronising the movement.


The VC, however, said that the teachers’ sit-in in front of anyone’s residence was a violation of fundamental right.
‘They also behaved rudely with me while I was silent as altercating with the teachers would push JU into an unending stalemate,’ he said.
The VC also alleged that the teachers were practicing falsehood against him and expressed shock at the teachers’ behavior against VC.     
‘I requested them to go from my residence peacefully but they behaved with me roughly’, he alleged. 
The agitating teachers also put barricades on the entrance to the VC’s office.
At one stage on Monday morning, Pro-VC and Treasurer came to his office and tried to meet with the VC but they were forced to return back.
At a press conference, convener of General Teachers Forum professor Anwar Hossain said that the warning notice against a teacher could not be issued without syndicate meeting,
Sit-in would be continued until the declaration of the resignation of the VC who is a ‘persona non grata’, he said, adding that the university was not a paternal property of the VC.
Earlier on Sunday night, a good number of teachers asked the VC why he issued the warning notice against JUTA president but the VC, without answering them, entered his residence and the agitating teachers hurled abusive words on him.
On the other hand, JUTA in a separate conference declared non-cooperation movement against the VC and sought corporation from all concerned.
They also expressed worry about the upcoming first year admission test under the VC and urged him to resign from his post and not to play with admission seekers’ fate.
Meanwhile, a panic was prevailing on the campus as the VC was determined to hold the JUCSU polls on Dec 5 amid the ongoing volatile situation while the teachers vowed to resist the JUCSU polls.   (source)

Grameen Bank Bill submitted to Bangladesh Parliament

The parliamentary standing committee on finance ministry on Monday submitted its report on Grameen Bank Bill 2013 to the parliament.
Committee chairman AHM Mustafa Kamal submitted the much-talked about Grameen Bank Bill which is expected to be passed in parliament very soon.


Earlier on October 30, the parliamentary watchdog finalised its recommendation for the passage of the Grameen Bank Bill that had sought enactment of a new law to bring the microcredit institution under the strong watch of the central bank.
The parliamentary watchdog assigned to scrutinise the bill, enactment of which would repeal the Grameen Bank Ordinance 1983, at its meeting finalised its recommendation for the passage of the bill without any major change.
It observed that the authorities could make the Grameen Bank accountable to the central bank as the government itself was its major shareholder.
It said the microcredit institution pursued the regime of HM Ershad to reduce the government’s share in the bank to 25 per cent from 60 per cent.
Earlier on October 27, finance minister AMA Muhith tabled the Grameen Bank Bill 2013 in parliament.
The draft law has proposed that two firms would audit the Grameen Bank transactions and place the reports to the central bank.
Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus and the government had serious disagreement over the appointment of the managing director of the bank.
The bill proposed that the government would appoint a chairman from the three government-nominated directors to the Grameen Bank management board.
In consultation with the board of management, the chairman will form a select committee with three to five members, which will prepare a panel of three candidates for the post of the managing director, the chief executive of the microcredit institution having 8.3 million borrowers, the bill proposed.
The central bank is the authority for the appointment of the managing director who must have knowledge on rural economics, economics or micro-finance. The managing director will be a full-timer and serve up to 60 years of age.
The bill says that the government can issue any order to resolve any inconvenience that comes to the fore for the execution of the proposed Grameen Bank Act. (source)

4 satellite towns to be developed near Dhaka

Housing and public works minister Abdul Mannan Khan on Monday told the Jatiya Sangsad that the government has planned to develop four satellite towns surrounding the capital to ease housing crisis in Dhaka City.
Of the four towns, three will be developed by National Housing Authority and one by the Public Works Ministry, said the minister while replying to a question from treasury bench member Pinu Khan.


Four satellite towns are Dhaka-Kamrangir Char Satellite Town, Bangshi-Dhamrai Satellite Town, Ichhamati-Sirajdikhan Satellite Town in Munsiganj and Dhaleswari-Singair Satellite Town in Manikganj.
A Malaysian company visited the site of Dhaka-Kamrangir Char Satellite Town project on June 23, 2011.
The government appointed a consultancy firm on July 24, 2012 that has already submitted inception report, mid-term report and draft final report. It will soon submit the final report, he added.
An MoU has already been signed with Malaysia on October 18, 2011 to implement Bangshi-Dhamrai Satellite Town under government to government agreement.
Besides, steps have already been taken to implement Ichhamati-Sirajdikhan Satellite Town and Dhaleswari-Singair Satellite Town under public-private partnership initiative, the minister added. (source)

Ashura to be observed in Bangladesh on November 15

The holy Ashura will be observed across the country on November 15 (Friday) as the moon of Muharram month was not sighted in Bangladesh sky on Monday.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee held at the Baitul Mukarram Islamic Foundation conference room on Monday evening.


Religious affairs secretary Quazi Habibul Awal, also vice-president of the committee, presided over the meeting.
Principal information officer Aminul Islam, Islamic Foundation director general Shamim Mohammad Afzal, and joint secretaries to the ministries of Information and Religious affairs M Bazlur Rahman and Hasan Jahangir Alamgir respectively were, among others, present at the meeting.
Ashura is observed on the 10th of Muharram of Hijri calendar to commemorate the Karbala tragedy in which Hazrat Imam Hossain (RA) along with his family members and followers embraced martyrdom. The day is a public holiday. (source)

BNP to hold rally at Suhrawardy Udyan on November 7

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party will hold a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital on November 7.
BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi in a press release on Monday said that they would hold the rally at 2:00pm, marking the National Revolution and Solidarity Day.


The BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, along with the party leaders would place wreaths and offer fateha at the grave of Ziaur Rahman, the founder of the BNP, at 10:00am on the day, the release added. Besides, the party and national flags would be hoisted atop all the party offices across the country, including the central office.  (source)

40 hurt in AL infighting at Chitalmari of Bagerhat

At least 40 people, including children and women, were injured in a clash between two rival groups of the ruling party Awami League at village Charchinguria in Chitalmari upazila of Bagerhat on Sunday.
Of the injured, 24 were admitted to different hospitals of the district in critical condition.


Chitalmari Police Station officer-in-charge M Maniruzzaman Mollah, said two rival groups, led by local AL leaders Badsha and Ekhlas, also Kolatala union parishad member, had long been at loggerheads over establishing supremacy in the village.
As a sequel to it, a brawl ensued between the supporters of both the groups in the morning, who later, equipped with lethal weapons, attacked each other, leaving 40 people from both sides injured, the OC added.
On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.
Later, police conducted a drive in the village and arrested six people along with machetes and sticks in connection with the incident.
Contacted, both leaders blamed each other for the clash. (source)

Fakhrul says BNP to join talks if govt sets a date

Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Monday iterated that it would not join an all-party interim government that might be formed by November 15.
‘Let us make it clear that BNP would never participate in the all-party interim government, nor take part in elections under it,’ BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said at a news briefing at the party central office on Monday afternoon.


At another press conference earlier in the day, Fakhrul alleged that the government was not taking any steps to end the stalemate over the polls-time government rather forcing the opposition to take to the streets.
‘We want resolution of the crisis through discussions. We will join the discussion anytime if they [government] set a specific date and agree to discuss the issue of a non-party election-time administration’, Fakhrul said.
He was speaking to reporters at the BNP’s central office at Naya Paltan Monday.
Fakhrul said the 90-day countdown to the elections had already begun but the government was holding power ‘illegally’ by ‘flexing muscles.’
He said the people had taken to the streets in support of the opposition’s movement for a ‘non-party caretaker’ government but the government was indifferent to their demand.
In reply to a question, Fakhrul said, ‘The prime minister is spreading confusion over discussion. Withdrawal of general strike cannot be a condition for discussion.’
Fakhrul said, ‘Awami League had enforced hartal for 173 days demanding the caretaker government before…Many people were killed during those hartals. How could she ask us now to withdraw hartal?’
The BNP secretary general said his party did not want bloodshed [during hartals] but it was the government which was killing people.
‘If the government does not take any steps for resolution [of the caretaker issue], there would be no option left for us but to continue the movement, including hartals.’
About the businessmen’s proposal for a ‘secretary general-level’ discussion between the two major parties, Fakhrul said, ‘The BNP chairperson has accepted the proposal but what is the response of the prime minister?
To a question about the prime minister’s proposal that the opposition colud ask for any ministry in interim government, Fakhrul said: ‘She is playing a trick. She talks like this but when specific proposals [from BNP] go to her, she does not talk’.
Fakhrul said that the prime minister had invited the opposition leader to talks over dinner on an interim government, but, he said, ‘We would not talk about an interim government but on caretaker government’.
Fakhrul censured the comments prime minister had made on Sunday at a rally quoting a report of CNN that BNP and its leaders were involved in the BDR carnage at Pilkhana. He termed Sheikh Hasina’s claims ‘untrue’ and ‘motivated’.  Fakhrul said it was not a CNN report but an individual post on CNN-iReport.  (source)

Bangladesh may soon exit FATF ‘grey list’

Bangladesh is likely to find its global image ‘clean’ soon in combating money laundering and terrorist financing as the policymakers are upbeat of  being delisted from the current ‘grey list’ of Financial Action Task Force (FATF).


The FATF, an inter-governmental body to combat money laundering, listed Bangladesh under the category of ‘grey’ in 2008 for its significant deficiencies in Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT).
The FATF in its latest statement after its October plenary meeting in Paris lauded Bangladesh for adequately implementing measures in combating AML/CFT.
An Onsite Supervision mission of FATF will visit the country on November 24-25 to confirm that the process of implementing the required reforms and actions is underway to address deficiencies previously identified by the FATF.
The formal decision of delisting is expected to be announced in next February, a Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank (BB) said.
‘It is now a matter of time as the FATF in its next plenary meeting in February 2014 is expected to delist Bangladesh from the grey list as we adequately implemented a raft of policy measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing,’ the Deputy Governor of BB told New Age on Monday.
He said the statement released by the FATF recently demonstrates that Bangladesh is now a compliant country in terms of addressing money laundering, which has brightened the image of the country in international forum.
The statement of the FATF said since October 2010, when Bangladesh made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and APG (Asia Pacific Group) to address its strategic AML/CFT deficiencies, Bangladesh has made significant progress to improve its AML/CFT regime.
‘Bangladesh has largely addressed its action plan, by adequately criminalising money laundering and terrorist financing; establishing and implementing adequate procedures to identify and freeze terrorist assets; implementing adequate procedures for the confiscation of funds related to money laundering; ensuring a fully operational and effectively functioning Financial Intelligence Unit; improving suspicious transaction reporting requirements; and improving international cooperation,’ reads the statement.
The FATF will conduct an on-site visit to confirm that the process of implementing the required reforms and actions is underway to address deficiencies previously identified by the FATF, the statement added.
The FATF is an inter-governmental body, the purpose of which is to develop and promote policies, both at national and international levels, to combat money laundering and terror financing.
The task force is a ‘policy-making body’ of the FATF. It works to help foster the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms, a central banker said.
He said a team of FATF would visit Bangladesh soon to conduct an onsite visit to assess the country’s preparedness for addressing the problems of money laundering and terrorist financing and to examine the implementation status of the action plan.
The government submitted the Action Plan to the FATF in October 2010. (source)

Bangladesh may soon exit FATF ‘grey list’

Bangladesh is likely to find its global image ‘clean’ soon in combating money laundering and terrorist financing as the policymakers are upbeat of  being delisted from the current ‘grey list’ of Financial Action Task Force (FATF).


The FATF, an inter-governmental body to combat money laundering, listed Bangladesh under the category of ‘grey’ in 2008 for its significant deficiencies in Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT).
The FATF in its latest statement after its October plenary meeting in Paris lauded Bangladesh for adequately implementing measures in combating AML/CFT.
An Onsite Supervision mission of FATF will visit the country on November 24-25 to confirm that the process of implementing the required reforms and actions is underway to address deficiencies previously identified by the FATF.
The formal decision of delisting is expected to be announced in next February, a Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank (BB) said.
‘It is now a matter of time as the FATF in its next plenary meeting in February 2014 is expected to delist Bangladesh from the grey list as we adequately implemented a raft of policy measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing,’ the Deputy Governor of BB told New Age on Monday.
He said the statement released by the FATF recently demonstrates that Bangladesh is now a compliant country in terms of addressing money laundering, which has brightened the image of the country in international forum.
The statement of the FATF said since October 2010, when Bangladesh made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and APG (Asia Pacific Group) to address its strategic AML/CFT deficiencies, Bangladesh has made significant progress to improve its AML/CFT regime.
‘Bangladesh has largely addressed its action plan, by adequately criminalising money laundering and terrorist financing; establishing and implementing adequate procedures to identify and freeze terrorist assets; implementing adequate procedures for the confiscation of funds related to money laundering; ensuring a fully operational and effectively functioning Financial Intelligence Unit; improving suspicious transaction reporting requirements; and improving international cooperation,’ reads the statement.
The FATF will conduct an on-site visit to confirm that the process of implementing the required reforms and actions is underway to address deficiencies previously identified by the FATF, the statement added.
The FATF is an inter-governmental body, the purpose of which is to develop and promote policies, both at national and international levels, to combat money laundering and terror financing.
The task force is a ‘policy-making body’ of the FATF. It works to help foster the necessary political will to bring about national legislative and regulatory reforms, a central banker said.
He said a team of FATF would visit Bangladesh soon to conduct an onsite visit to assess the country’s preparedness for addressing the problems of money laundering and terrorist financing and to examine the implementation status of the action plan.
The government submitted the Action Plan to the FATF in October 2010. (source)

Bangladesh Election Commission mulls army deployment during polls

The Election Commission is contemplating to deploy army for law and order maintenance during the coming parliamentary election, due before January 24, election commissioner Shah Nawaz said on Monday
He told reporters at his office that EC would meet soon to decide when the election schedule would be announced.

Asked whether the EC would be able to hold the election if political violence continues, Shah Nawaz said, ‘Look, we have no alternative but to follow the Constitution and hold the election.’
‘We cannot by pass the law,’ he said.
‘We have the constitutional obligation to hold the election,’ he said.
‘But we expect that all the political parties will take part in the election,’ he said.    
He said that the EC hoped that the registered political parties would reach a consensus and take part in the election.
‘And we hope that we will be able to hold a violence-free election without any obstacles,’ said the election commissioner.
‘Besides the regular law enforcement agencies, we will deploy military to maintain law and order during the polls,’ he said.
‘If necessary, we will request the president to deploy military,’ he said.
Asked how the EC would deploy military troops after the armed forces have been excluded from the definition of law enforcers in the amended Representation of the People Order 1972, he said the EC could engage anybody in the elections.
‘The army was deployed in earlier elections though the definition of the law enforces in the RPO did not include the armed forces,’ he recalled.
He said, ‘It would be very difficult for the regular law enforcers alone to maintain law and order in so many polling stations across the country.’
‘That is why, we are thinking to seek cooperation from the armed forces,’ he said.
Asked when the army would be deployed, he said that the EC would take a decision in this regarding as the situation evolved.
Asked when the EC would announce the election schedule, the election commissioner said that the EC would meet soon to take a decision in this regard.
‘We do not have enough time at hand as the 90-day countdown to the election had begun days before,’ he said.
‘We will take a decision soon,’ he added. 
The RPO amendment of 2009 excluded the armed forces from the definition of law enforcers.
The election commission can always deploy armed forces ‘in aid of civil administration’ under the Section 127-132 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898, said several EC officials. (source)

Bangladesh hartal takes its toll on innocents

Schoolboy Monir Hossain, who lives in Kaliakoir of Gazipur, had long wished to visit Dhaka. After repeated requests, his father Ramzan Ali, a covered van driver, took him to the capital on Saturday.
But who would know Monir’s long-cherished dream would be shattered by political violence?
Like many innocent people, Monir, a student of class V at a local primary school, has become a victim of political violence. He suffered appalling burns after pickets set fire to the covered van he was sitting in Gazipur Chourasta area on Monday, the first day of the 60-hour countrywide hartal enforced by the BNP-led alliance. 
He is fighting a grim battle for life at the burn unit in Dhaka Medical College Hospital.  
Ramzan Ali said that he had taken his son to Dhaka to fulfill his wishes. 

‘We spent a day in Dhaka and stayed here overnight before starting for Gazipur on Sunday after delivering some plastic goods to traders and loading the van with cosmetics,’ he said. 
Ramzan said that after reaching Gazipur on Monday morning, he parked the van at the intersection, to see the situation as the hartal had already begun. 
He asked his son to wait in the van before he went to see the situation on the highway.
The tragedy struck after he left his son alone in the van. ‘My son was waiting inside when miscreants attacked and set the van on fire,’ he added.
Doctors at DMCH said Monir was not out of danger as nearly 100 per cent of his body was burnt.    
In another arson attack on Sunday night, a passenger of a CNG-run auto-rickshaw was burnt to death. 
The deceased was identified as Mustafizur Rahman Mukul, 35, purchasing officer of a private trading company. 
Mustafiz, who came from Kushtia, succumbed to burn injuries at DMCH around 9:45am Monday.
Two others, including the driver of the three-wheeler, were also badly burnt in the attack. 
The driver, Md Asad, 33, was undergoing treatment in DMCH. Doctors said his condition was critical.
Md Hasu Mia, 35, technician of the company, who also suffered burns, told New Age that they were returning to Savar’s Nabinagar from Nawabpur in Dhaka after buying raw materials for the company. 
‘As our vehicle was approaching Cantonment Public School, a group of miscreants started attacking vehicles on the road with sticks. A bus in front of us escaped the attack and sped away. The pickets then targeted our vehicle. As we tried to escape the attack, they hurled a petrol bomb at the three-wheeler and it was in flames,’ recalled Hasu Mia.
Hasu alleged that locals, including some army personnel standing nearby, watched the horrendous incident as passive onlookers.    
Wailing over the body at DMCH, the victim’s wife Bina said, ‘Why they killed my husband? What was his fault? 
In a similar incident, an elderly woman and her granddaughter suffered burns when a bus was torched by pro-hartal pickets in Gazipur Chourasta area on Sunday evening.
Lying in the bed in DMCH, the woman, Rahima Begum, 55, said they were going to her son-in-law’s house at Uttra sector-4 when the arson was carried out. 
‘We were feeling sleepy as the bus reached the Chourasta area. Sudden, we heard the co-passengers scream ‘fire! fire!’ All the passengers left the bus. But my granddaughter, eight-year-old Sumi hid herself under the seat out of fear,’ said Rahima.
As Rahima tried to rescue her granddaughter, the fire engulfed the bus and they both were burnt.
Sumi, a student of class I, who is also taking treatment in DMCH, is yet to recover from the trauma. She said she had been preparing for her final examinations which would start in a few days.
Partha Shankar Pal, residential surgeon at the DMCH burn and plastic surgery department, told New Age that at least 30 patients, who had sustained burn injuries in bomb attacks or torching of vehicles, had been admitted to the burn unit since October 25.
Of them, one victim died on Monday morning and the conditions of two others were critical, said Partha.
When asked two days ago, the inspector general of police, Hassan Mahmood Khandker, told New Age that they had intensified vigilance and would do everything within the frame of law to ensure the security of people. (source)

BDR carnage verdict today

The verdict in the case of killings in a rebellion at the border force headquarters in 2009 is scheduled to be delivered today, officials said.
Third additional metropolitan sessions court judge Md Akhtaruzaman is likely to start delivering the verdict at about 9:30am at the makeshift courtroom at Bakshibazar Alia Madrasa playground in the capital. 
The court had earlier set October 30 for pronouncing the verdict on the completion of the final arguments by the prosecution and the defence on October 20 but deferred the date to November 5 due to unavoidable circumstances.
Law enforcement agencies in a meeting decided that a four-tier security would be in place for the day of the verdict while prison authorities also tightened security.

‘Foolproof security will be in place for the day,’ Lalbagh division deputy commissioner Harun-or-Rashid told New Age after the meeting.
Only police units, including Rapid Action Battalion and armed police battalion, would be deployed to the makeshift court and its surroundings, the police added.
The rebellion broke out in the headquarters of the 
Border Guard Bangladesh, then known as Bangladesh Rifles, in the capital Dhaka on February 25 and spilled over to other battalion and sector headquarters. 
The rebellion continued for two days and 75 people, including 57 army officers deputed to the border force, were killed. 
The BDR was renamed as BGB and its uniform and formations were also changed after the rebellion.
The police later filed two cases – one for the killings and criminal offences and the other for other crimes under the Explosive Substances Act – with the nearby New Market police.
A 350-member Criminal Investigation Department team led by special superintendent Abdul Kahar Akand investigated the cases for 16 months before charge-sheet submission.
Kahar told the court that he had talked with prime minister Sheikh Hasina and taken ‘notes’ but did not name her as a prosecution witness. 
The CID in two phases pressed charges against 850 people, mostly officers and soldiers, on charge of dozens of criminal offences such as killing, arson, conspiracy and other crimes.
Of the accused, four already died and the trial of 20 BDR personnel was held in their absence while 761 were riflemen, 41 civilian personnel, one Ansar member and 23 civilians, including former Bangladesh Nationalist Party lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu.
Of the accused, 13 have so far obtained bail from the court.
The trial in both the cases began on January 5, 2011 in a makeshift courtroom set up at Bakshibazar in Dhaka. The verdict in the murder case will be delivered today. The other case is still pending.
On the 231st working day, chief prosecutor Anisul Huq, who flew to Canada on October 29 before the scheduled date for delivery of the verdict, had appealed for exemplary punishment of the culprits so that none could dare to commit such crimes in future.
On October 20, the chief prosecutor said that the accused had committed murders and loot through conspiracy. He argued that the charges that they had brought against the 846 accused had been proved ‘beyond reasonable doubt.’
According to the prosecution, Syed Tawhidul Alam, the then deputy assistant director, along with 13 other BDR personnel had held a meeting with prime minister Sheikh Hasina, at her then official residence Jamuna where they had concealed the fact that many officers had already been killed.
The prosecution said that the BDR personnel had plotted the carnage in separate meetings, distributed leaflets to instigate soldiers and finally killed the officers. 
A number of ministers, lawmakers, the then chiefs of the navy and the air force, and the then inspector general of police, among others, gave depositions in the case.
Army officers deputed to the BDR at that time, family members of the victims or victims themselves and BDR personnel also gave depositions against the accused.   
The defence, however, argued that the prosecution had failed to establish the involvement of all the accused in the killings and other crimes committed during the bloody rebellion that broke out from the Durbar Hall in the BDR Week 2009.
On September 2, the court wrapped up the depositions of prosecution witnesses with the recording of the depositions of 654 out of 1,345 prosecution witnesses, mostly BGB soldiers and army officers, against the accused.
One of the defence counsels, Khandaker Jamal Uddin, said many important prosecution witnesses were not produced before the court.   
A total of 24 defence witnesses, including accused Selim Reza, 35, the then sepoy (clerk assistant) of the BDR, also gave deposition pleading not guilty.
Selim Reza told the court that he had met some officers in jail who told him they had been dismissed from the army for shouting at the prime minister’s programme at Senakunja after the BDR mutiny.
‘The [dismissed] officers told me that a group of 12 men from India had entered the Peelkhana on the day of the mutiny... Intelligence agencies later sent the team back by air,’ he said.
The rebellion broke out two months after the Awami League-led government had assumed office.
After the carnage, a number of special courts of the border force led by army officers deputed to the BGB sentenced 5,926 soldiers to imprisonment for various terms – from four months to seven years – on charges of taking up arms against their officers in 57 cases, including 11 in Dhaka.
According to the government, 18,520 personnel of the border force have been tried for taking part in the rebellion. (source)

Polls-time govt in the making in Bangladesh as Hasina asks cabinet colleagues to resign

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has initiated a move to constitute an ‘interim cabinet’ with members of the incumbent parliament probably by November 20 to run the interim administration although the constitution says nothing about such type of government, according to policymakers. 
Presiding over the weekly cabinet meeting at the secretariat on Monday, the prime minister asked the ministers to resign so that she could induct some new faces in the planned smaller cabinet, several ministers confirmed.  
Hasina called upon the party leaders to get prepared for the parliamentary elections.

‘The interim cabinet would be formed with around 20 elected representatives from the parties having representation in parliament and willing to join the polls-time administration to be led by the prime minister,’ a senior minister said, adding that the prime minister had made it clear that door was open to all parties in parliament, expect Jamaat-e-Islami. 
He said the prime minister would drop many of her cabinet colleagues and induct new faces in the ‘small cabinet’ ahead of the elections due before January 24.  
The minister said that the Awami League-led alliance was making all preparations 
for the 10th parliamentary polls, keeping in mind that the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party might boycott the polls without a non-party caretaker government. 
Several ministers have asserted that the elections would be held by January 10 in line with the constitution – no matter whether the opposition camp joined it or not.  
‘The interim cabinet would start functioning after the announcement of the election schedule,’ food minister Muhammad Abdur Razzaque told New Age on Sunday. 
He said that the government would run the country in keeping with the Representation of the People Order and the cabinet would carry out the routine work only. 
Finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith said on Monday that the prime minister would constitute the poll-time cabinet anytime after November 17 on her return from a three-day visit to Sri Lanka. 
Hasina, also president of Awami League, earlier offered formation of an all-party government – a proposal turned down by the opposition BNP.  
A policymaker in the ruling Awami League said that the major allies of the ruling alliance, including Jatiya Party and Workers Party of Bangladesh, would have their representations in the ‘all-party government’.  
Minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta on Saturday said that the cabinet members would soon submit their resignations to the prime minister. 
‘After the resignation of the cabinet members, the prime minister will start work on constituting an all-party election-time cabinet to oversee the next polls,’ Suranjit, also a member of the AL advisory council, told a function in the city.  
Several senior bureaucrats said that the interim administration would not be different from the present government legally or constitutionally. 
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on several occasions said that they would neither join the polls-time government nor take part in the elections with Sheikh Hasina at the helm of the administration. 
The 90-day countdown to the next general elections began on October 27 with the cabinet and parliament continuing as usual as there are no legal or constitutional guidelines as to how the polls-time administration should run, said a retired secretary.  
He said the system of non-party caretaker government was annulled by the Constitution (15th Amendment) Act, 2011, but nothing was incorporated in place of the provision. 
As a result, the present government could continue until the next elected government takes over, the ex-bureaucrat added. 
Chief election commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad on Sunday hinted that the election schedule would be announced towards the end of November.
He earlier said that the polls-time government could not take any ‘policy decisions’ and it would carry out only ‘routine work’ the way the caretaker government used to do.   
Sheikh Hasina on several occasions affirmed her stand that the next polls would be held under the elected government although the BNP has been pressing for restoration of the non-party caretaker government system through a constitutional amendment.  (source)

Board fixes Tk 5,300 as minimum wage for Bangladesh RMG workers

The minimum wages board for the garment workers on Monday recommended Tk 5,300 as minimum monthly wage for entry-level workers, up by Tk 2,300 from the existing structure amid opposition from owners’ representatives.
The minimum wage was decided through vote among the board members after the representatives of workers and owners failed to reach a consensus after long discussions at the ninth meeting of the wages board.
Both the employers’ representatives on the six-member wage board refrained from voting and signing the recommendations, alleging that the upward adjustment would hurt the apparel industry badly.

The rest four members, including the independent one, agreed on the minimum wage recommendation. The decision on the minimum wage was taken in the ninth meeting at the board’s Topkhana Road office.
‘It is a unilateral decision… The apparel industry which is facing great challenges both at home and on international market will be affected badly if the proposed wage of Tk5,300 is implemented,’ BGMEA president Atiqul Islam told New Age.
‘We cannot afford to pay more than Tk 4,200 as minimum wage,’ he said.
The $21 billion plus apparel industry currently employs more than four million workers. The current minimum wage for a Bangladeshi garment worker is the lowest in the world.
Of the Tk5,300, Tk3,200 has been suggested as basic wage, Tk1,280 as house rent (40 per cent of the basic pay), Tk320 as medical allowance (10 per cent of the basic pay), Tk 200 as transport allowance and Tk 300 as food subsidy.
‘The draft of the minimum wage of Tk5,300 for the garment workers has been finalised through voting among
the wage board members as per the section seven of the wage board ordinance. The recommendation will now be sent to the government press for gazette notification,’ the board chairman AK Roy said in a briefing after the meeting.
The objections and opinions, if any, on the recommendations, will be received and examined for 15 days after the gazette notification of the draft wage structure is published, he added.
‘After scrutiny of the objections, the board will prepare a final proposal, which will be sent to the labour ministry for next course of action,’ AK Roy said.
‘The wages in six other grades in the garment factories will be increased proportionately.’
Kazi Saifuddin Ahmed, a permanent representative of owners to the wage board, also labour adviser to Bangladesh Employers Federation, said that he did not sign the draft recommendation as the sector owners’ representatives on the board opted to stay out.
‘Being a representative of the employers, I could not sign the draft proposal as representative from the sector did not agree to
the proposal,’ Saifuddin said.
Fazlul Haque Montu, a permanent representative of workers to the wage board, said he had accepted the minimum wage proposal though the amount was insufficient to lead a decent life.
‘After a protracted bargain with the factory owners, we have achieved the new minimum wage for the garment workers and hope all apparel workers will accept the recommendation,’ Montu told reporters.
Sirajul Islam Rony, workers’ representative and member of the board, said he had accepted the proposal for Tk5,300 as minimum wage considering the overall situation in the apparel industry, though originally the demand of the workers was Tk8,114.
He lamented the stance of the factory owners, who did not budge from their previous position on minimum wage.
‘At on point of discussion, we proposed Tk5,300 as minimum wage but the employers did not agree. They preferred to fix the minimum wage at Tk 4,500 at  the meeting,’ Rony told reporters.
The sector representative of garment factory owners, Arshad Jamal Dipu, also a member of the board, declined comments on the decision.

The government on June 6 formed the six-member minimum wage board with retired district judge AK Roy as its chairman.
Other members on the wage board are Professor Kamaluddin Ahmed, Bangladesh Employers Federation labour adviser Kazi Saifuddin Ahmed , Jatiya Sramik League executive president Fazlul Haque Montu, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) director Arshad Jamal Dipu and garment workers’ leader Sirajul Islam Rony.
The garment workers have long been demanding Tk 8,000 as minimum monthly wage, while the factory owners on October 31 offered Tk 4,250.
The existing minimum wage of Tk 3,000 has been effective from July, 2010. The first minimum wage board for garment workers was constituted in 1994 that fixed Tk 940 as minimum wage per month and the second one, formed in 2006, fixed the minimum wage at Tk 1,662.50.
The government formed the board on June 13 and published gazette of the board on June 26 for finalising the wage structure for the garment workers.
On October 31, the garment factory owners proposed a minimum wage of Tk 4,250 per month. (source)

Four die in Bangladesh as 60-hour hartal begins

Four people were killed as vehicles were set on fire and pickets hurled bricks and clashed with police and ruling party men at places across the country on Monday, the first day of the 60-hour general strike being enforced by the BNP-led opposition alliance.
Several hundred people, mostly pickets, were also injured.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance enforces a fresh spell of countrywide general strike from Monday morning to Wednesday evening pressing for holding the next general elections under a ‘non-party’ government.
The deaths were reported from Lalmonirhat, Natore and Chittagong districts and the capital’s suburb Savar. 
Of the four killed, one was an opposition activist, two apparel workers and the rest one was an agricultural worker.
BNP-backed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal activist Nasir Uddin was killed in police firing during a triangular clash between pickets, the police and the ruling Awami League activists at Patgram upazila in Lalmonirhat.
Agricultural worker Ishaq Molla killed as the pickets hurled brickbats at a truck carrying labours in the morning at Gurudaspur upazila in Natore.
Apparel factory employee Mohammad Jakir died as a human-hauler overturned after being chased by pickets in Chittagong. 
Another apparel factory employee Mustafizur Rahman Mukul died at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital of burn injuries he received when pickets set a CNG-run auto rickshaw, which was carrying him, on the previous night at Savar.
Pickets blasted crude bombs, vandalised vehicles, set vehicles on fire and fought pitched battles with the police and ruling party activists at places across the country.
Acting BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, ‘Two BNP activists were killed by law enforcers and Awami League terrorists.’
He said more than 1,800 activists were injured, 500
arrested and 8,000 prosecuted and four were jailed for different terms by mobile court.
Normal life across the country has been disrupted since Monday morning as no long-route transports remain off the highways,  markets, shops and commercial establishments and most of the educational institutions remained closed.
Commercial banks and government offices were open on Monday.
Examinations for the first two days of Junior School Certificate and equivalent Junior Dakhil Certificate have been deferred due to the hartal. National University authorities also postponed their examinations.
New Age correspondent in Lalmonirhat reported that, Chhatra Dal activist Nasir Uddin was killed as police opened fire during a clash between the pickets and Awami League men near Dharla bridge at Patgram in the morning. 
At least 25 were injured, including four by bullets, and they were admitted to Patgram upazila health complex and Rangpur Medical College Hospital.
Witness said that the clash erupted when Awami League activists barred a BNP-Jamaat procession. Both the groups blasted over 20 crude bombs. 
Patgram police officer-in-charge Sohrab Hossain said that they fired tear gas shells and bullets to disperse the clashers.
New Age correspondent in Natore reported that agricultural worker Ishaq Molla was killed when pickets hurled bricks at a truck carrying labours in Arhmari bridge area on the Banpara-Hatikumrul road at Gurudaspur upazila in the morning.
Ishaq Molla hailed from of Tarash upazila in Sirajganj and went to Natore seeking work.
Ishaq was rushed to Gurudaspur upazila health complex and later died at the hospital, Gurudaspur police officer-in-charge Shafiqul Islam said.
Mohammad Jakir, the C&F Garment Factory commercial manager, was killed as a human-hauler overturned after being chased by pickets in the Chittagong’s Chandgaon area. 
Jakir was rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital and later died there.
Mustafizur Rahman Mukul, a purchasing official of Biswas Group died at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Monday of burn injuries he received when a CNG-run auto rickshaw was set on fire at Savar at about 10:30pm on Sunday.
Two others — Hasu Mia, a technician of the group, and the auto-rickshaw driver Mohammad Asad — were also injured in the incident.
A human hauler drive and another boy were injured as crude bombs were hurled at the vehicle at Kamrangirchar in the city in the evening.
In Dhaka, sporadic incidents of arson and bomb explosion took place. Heavy contingent of law enforcers was deployed at key points.
Border Guard Bangladesh joined law enforcers and were seen patrolling streets in the capital.
A crude bomb was hurled targeting at the house of prime minister’s adviser HT Imam at Gulshan at about 7:30pm.
Gulshan police officer-in-charge Rafiqul Islam said that a crude bomb hit the boundary wall of the house. The official added that the adviser was not at his house during the blast.
Several crude bombs were also blasted in different areas of the capital including Azimpur, Rayerbagh, Moghbazar, Malibagh, Bashabo and Jatrbari.
A crude bomb was also hurled at a military vehicle, but it was not exploded and the police fired several bullets at Mughda.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police said that till 6:00pm on Monday, they arrested 21 pickets. Ten of them were jailed for different terms.
Sramik League activists attacked a Swechachasebok Dal processions at Bangshal and later assaulted some journalist who were on duty at the spot. 
The police cordoned off the main opposition BNP’s central office during the day’s general strike. 
Awami Juba League activists held an anti-hartal rally in front of AL central office at Bangabandhu Avenue.  
Two people, including an assistant prosecutor were injured when two crude bombs were exploded on court premises in Bogra.
Earlier in the morning, pickets set fire to a motorcycle at Mahasthan Garh. At about 4:00am, a goods-laden truck lost control and fell on a roadside ditch in Noymail area of Shahjahanpur upazila after the pickets hurled brickbats at it.
New Age correspondent in Patuakhali reported that at least 30 people were injured in a clash between Awami League and BNP activists at Baherchar under Rangabali upazila. (source)