Bangladesh: Death warrant issued for Quader Molla

The International Crimes Tribunal’s registrar on Sunday issued the execution warrant for Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Molla on war crimes charges. 

The registrar, AKM Nasiruddin, told reporters in his office that he had issued the warrant about 4:00pm at the instruction of International Crimes Tribunal 2 after the Appellate Division’s verdict had reached the tribunal from the Supreme Court register’s office about midday.

The Appellate Division on September 17 sentenced him to death penalty on a government appeal against the Tribunal 2 verdict that on February 5 had sentenced him to life in prison.

The five-member Appellate Division bench delivered a majority verdict of four judges to one.

This is the first execution warrant for any convict among the nine — seven sentenced to death, one to life in prison, another to 90 years in prison on war crimes charges. Tribunal verdicts against five are still pending with the appeals court; three convicts are in hiding.

The tribunal issued the death warrant after the full text of the appeals verdict had reached the tribunal from the Supreme Court on Sunday. The Supreme Court released the full text on December 5.

The ICT registrar also said that copies of the warrant were served to the home affairs ministry, the Dhaka district magistrate and the Dhaka central jail.

Senior superintendent at the Dhaka central jail Forman Ali told New Age that he had received the warrant from the tribunal about 4:30pm.

‘A death warrant does not wrap up everything. We will take the next course of action in keeping with the law,’ Forman said.

Quader Molla’s defence team in a statement issued to the media said that their advocate-on-record Jainul Abedin had notified the attorney general’s office as part of the process of filing a petition for a revision of the Appellate Division’s verdict.

The statement said that it was Quader Molla’s right under Article 105 of the constitution to seek a revision of the Appellate Division verdict. ‘This constitutional right cannot be curtailed by any other law.’

It said that the warrant could only be executed following the Jail Code if the sentence is upheld after the disposal of the review petition or the expiry of 30 days that the defence is entitled to under the Appellate Division Rules to file the review petition.      

The authorities will need to take the responsibility if the sentence is executed hastily in violation of the stipulations laid out in the constitution and the law, the statement said.  

Quader’s Molla’s counsel Khandker Mahbub Hossain, Abdur Razzaq, Matiur Rahman Akond, Tazul Islam and Shishir Manir in an application to the jail superintendent also sought an appointment with the condemned prisoner for  December 10 to discuss the issue of filing a petition seeking to review the Appellate Division verdict.

The jail authorities are yet to make a decision on the matter, one of the five counsel said. 

The minister of state for law, Quamrul Islam, and the additional attorney general MK Rahman, also the chief coordinator of war crimes prosecutors, at a news briefing on Thursday, however, said that Quader could only seek presidential clemency and there was no scope in the ICT (Tribunals) Act 1973 for filing a petition seeking a review of the Appellate Division verdict.

Section 20 (3) of the ICT (Tribunals) Act 1973 states: ‘The sentence awarded under this act shall be carried out in accordance with the orders of the government.’

A five-member Appellate Division bench that the chief justice, Md Muzammel Hossain, presided over on September 17 overturned the tribunal verdict that on February 5 had sentenced Quader Molla to life in prison.

Three judges — Justice SK Sinha, Justice Md Abdul Wahhab Miah and Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury — wrote the 790-page full verdict the Appellate Division delivered. Of them, only Justice Wahhab Miah upheld the tribunal court verdict.

The appeals court sentenced Quader to death for killing six members of the family of Momena Begum at Mirpur in the capital city on July 26, 1971, the offence for which he had earlier been sentenced to life imprisonment.

Quader Molla along with his cohorts had surrounded the house of Momena’s father Hazarat Ali Laskar, killed her parents, her minor brother and three minor sisters and raped one of them because Hazrat Ali was an Awami League supporter and admirer of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the verdict observed quoting Momena.

Sheikh Mujib is the founding president of Bangladesh.

The tribunal verdict that was delivered on February 5 triggered protests first at Shahbagh in Dhaka and then elsewhere in the country, with thousands demanding that he should be hanged for his crimes.

Amid such protests, the government on February 18 amended the law to allow the state to appeal against an acquittal and inadequacy of the sentence the tribunal ordered.

The tribunal acquitted Quader Molla of one count of crimes, sentenced him to life in prison on two counts and to varying terms of imprisonment on three counts.

The appeals court sentenced him to death on one of the counts for which had earlier been jailed for life.

The chief war crimes prosecutor, Golam Arief Tipoo, on March 3 filed an appeal against the ‘inadequacy of the sentence’ of Quader on five charges and against his acquittal of the other charge.

Quader filed his appeal petition the next day seeking to be acquitted of all the charges. (source)

Bangladesh: Taranco asks EC if polls could be deferred

The visiting UN assistant secretary general Oscar Fernández-Taranco on Sunday inquired whether it was possible for the Election Commission to defer the polls after political parties and civic forum leaders preferred its rescheduling for an inclusive election. 

The chief election commissioner, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, in reply to Fernández-Taranco’s quiry said that it could defer the election schedules by some days within the legal and constitutional framework if the United Nations could broker an agreement between the ruling and opposition camps.

A delegation of senior citizens also told Fernández-Taranco that the process for holding a unilateral election on January 5 should be stopped for a while and that still there was legal scope to defer the polls so that the election could be held with participation of all parties.

The CEC after a meeting with Fernández-Taranco said two weeks had passed since the election schedules were announced and the situation worsened as there was no progress towards a consensus between the rival camps.

Rakibuddin said he thought many things could be done if there was a consensus between the rival political parties but that should happen under the legal frameworks.

‘As the UN delegation is holding talks with all the stakeholders to find a way for a peaceful and inclusive election, we should not talk much right at the moment. We, rather, should wait with a hope for a solution,’ Rakibuddin told newsmen after his meeting with Fernández-Taranco. 

Senior jurist Kamal Hossain met Fernández-Taranco with a delegation of senior citizens at Sonargaon hotel where they told the UN assistant secretary general that ‘the train of a one-sided election should be stopped for a while.’

Emerging from the meeting with Fernández-Taranco, the delegation comprising senior jurist Kamal Hossain, jurist Shahdeen Malik, Citizens for Good Governance secretary Badiul Alam Majumder and former caretaker government adviser Jamilur Reza Chowdhury said the UN preferred an inclusive election and had not offered any formula. It wanted a homegrown solution to ensure a credible and non-violent election participated by all political parties, they added.

The delegation members said Fernández-Taranco had some queries over the country’s situation and they tried 

to explain but there was no discussion on caretaker government which was the prime demand of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies for joining the polls.

Two members of the delegation – Badiul Alam Majumdar and Shahdeen Malik – said there was no discussion on caretaker government in their hour-long meeting with Fernández-Taranco.   

‘Nobody wants a one-sided election. What is happening now is unexpected…We told them [UN team] that the train for holding a one-sided election should be stopped for a while,’ said Kamal Hossain after the meeting.    

Kamal said Fernández-Taranco wanted to know whether it was possible to defer the election schedule and in reply he said there was no legal bar to rescheduling the polls. ‘The chief election commissioner several times said he is ready to reschedule the polls if the parties reach an understanding. He had referred to “reaching an understanding” thrice in recent past,’ he added. 

‘We need a peaceful election. We must have the patience to have a peaceful election…They [UN] also want a peaceful and acceptable election with the participation of all,’ Kamal said. 

Shahdeen Malik said they wanted holding of a peaceful election with the participation of all like the past one held on December 29, 2008 which was contested by all parties and the turnout was above 87 per cent.

Jatiya Party secretary general ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader said the party had requested the United Nations to take initiatives for rescheduling of the polls so that all political parties could participate.

‘Our chairman [Ershad] told the UN team that Jatiya Party would contest the polls only if all political parties contest it,’ Hawlader told newsmen immediately after a meeting between Jatiya Party and Fernández-Taranco at the Baridhara office of HM Ershad.

‘Ershad reiterated that his party would contest the polls only if all political parties participate in it,’ Hawlader told newsmen.

‘Jatiya Party wants the UN to play a role,’ Hawlader said but did not explain the nitty-gritty of the ‘role’.

‘Election is not possible right now as the atmosphere is not conducive,’ said party presidium member GM Quader, also the minister for commerce.

Fernández-Taranco also met the Indian high commissioner in Dhaka, Pankaj Saran, at the high commission in Gulshan in the afternoon. 

He also met BNP vice-chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury in the evening at his house in Banani and talked for about an hour. 

After the meeting, Shamsher, also a former secretary for foreign affairs, told reporters that discussions were going on between BNP and the visiting UN team. He declined to divulge the contents of their discussion since ‘the matter is sensitive’.

Shamsher said that Fernández-Taranco had met BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Saturday and would meet her again on Monday. ‘Nothing more can be said right at the moment,’ he added.

A meeting between Fernández-Taranco’s and a Jamaat-e-Islami delegation was scheduled for the day but it was postponed. Jamaat’s assistant secretary general Abdur Razzaque said the meeting was postponed by the UN.

Fernández-Taranco arrived in Dhaka on Friday evening amid the country’s murky political situation that has cast a shadow on its January 5 general election.   

The UN envoy had meetings with prime minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia Saturday evening. (source)

Bangladesh: One killed on 2nd day of blockade

Sporadic clashes between the police and opposition activists, torching of vehicles and crude bomb blasts at places across the country marked the second day of the 72-hour rail-road-waterway blockade on Sunday leaving one killed.

Besides, another victim of bus arson by blockaders succumbed to her injuries in Savar on Sunday night.

Chhatra League activist Masud Ahmed, 24, who suffered severe injuries in clashes with blockaders at Sunamganj around noon on Sunday died at MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital in Sylhet at about 8:30pm, said the hospital’s on-duty doctor Md Rajib.

Rehana Akhter, who suffered appalling burns after blockaders set fire to a bus at Rajphoolbaria in Savar on December 2, died at the intensive care unit of Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar around 8:00pm on Sunday, hospital sources said. 

A daylong general strike in Dhaka and some districts, also called by the opposition alliance, coincided with the blockade. 

The blockade continued to disrupt communications between the capital and the rest of the country imposing a heavy toll on the economy and causing suffering to the people.

The blockade – third in a series in past couple of weeks enforced by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance – will end at 6:00am Tuesday if it is not extended further as done in the cases of the past two spells.

Besides, the Dhaka city unit of BNP and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal enforced a 12-hour hartal in the capital on the day in protest at the arrest of the city unit convener Sadeque Hossain Khoka and Chhatra Dal president Abdul Kader Bhuiyan.   

Opposition activists blasted crude bombs and marched in processions in different parts of the capital, including Uttar Badda, Naya Bazar and Basabo, and set a bus ablaze at Matuail in Demra around 6:00am.     

Activists of Jamaat-e-Islami clashed with the police at Bijaynagar Sunday night and torched a bus at Gulshan after it announced a daylong strike for today in protest against the issuance of death warrant for war crimes convict Abdul Quader Molla.

Reports from Barisal said pickets had set fire to a bus and an auto-tempo at Kalizira on the outskirts of the southern city and also tried to torch a truck a Rupatali but failed as their rivals chased them away.

Activists of the BNP-led alliance blocked roads, exploded crude bombs and held demonstrations on Nabagram road, Bogra road and Kawnia and BM College areas of the city in the morning. They also blocked Barisal-Dhaka highway, Barisal-Banaripara road and Barisal-Babuganj road at different points. 

The police also arrested city unit Chhatra Dal organising secretary Riazur Rahman Riaz on charge of vandalism.

In Sylhet, police picked up six activists of Swechchhasebak Dal and Chhatra Dal from a procession in front of Shahjalal’s shrine. The police chased the marchers as they were approaching Ambarkhana from Chowhatta area and arrested the six men. Pickets also vandalised nine CNG-run auto-rickshaws in different areas of the city. 

The correspondent in Lalmonirhat reported that police had arrested acting amir of Hatibandha unit Jamaat-e-Islami Hossain Ali and five more activists of Jamaat and BNP in connection with recent acts of railway sabotage in Hatibandha, Patgram and Kaliganj upazilas in the district.

Assistant superintendent of police in Lalmonirhat Mahfuzul Islam said those detained had been involved in the sabotage in Hatibandha and Kaliganj upazilas.

At least 10 people were injured as blockaders clashed with police at Sonaimuri in Noakhali when the police tried to disperse them in the morning.  

Reports from Laxmipur said that Jamaat-Shibir activists put barricades at different points on Laxmipur-Dhaka highway.

Blockaders vandalised a covered van of a courier service at Harishpur bypass crossing in Natore.   

They also blocked Bogra-Rangpur highway by burning tyres and putting logs at Matidali crossing.

In Narail, blockaders put up barricade at Taltala on Narail-Lohagara road and at Tolaram on Narail-Jessore road and blasted several crude bombs.   

Opposition activists also held a rally at Kadamtala on Satkhira-Jessore road and put barricade there.  (source) 

Bangladesh: Promotion in admin on hold

Promotions of several hundred officials to the rank of additional secretary and deputy secretary have been kept on hold, apparently in fear of adverse reactions in civil bureaucracy ahead of the 10th parliamentary polls.    

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, recently sent back a summary of the proposal for the promotion of around 90 joint secretaries to additional secretary amidst volatile political situation over the elections scheduled for January 5, 2014, said officials concerned. 

A group of aggrieved officials, who were either made officers on special duty or deprived of promotions allegedly on political considerations in last five years, on Sunday again called on public administration ministry senior secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder at the secretariat seeking redress. 

‘They have raised their demands for postings and promotions, but there are no vacancies for postings in the joint secretary level and above at the moment due to recent promotions in excess of the approved posts,’ Abdus Sobhan told New Age. 

A section of aggrieved officials in a kind of ‘showdown’ moved in the secretariat for the second time as the countdown to the national election began on November 25, a number of officers observed. 

The public administration ministry, meanwhile, has also prepared the list of about 300 senior assistant secretaries based on the recommendations of the Superior Selection Board for promotion to deputy secretary, allegedly to please a section of officials ahead of the polls. 

‘The lists of candidates for promotions to additional secretary and deputy secretary have been made on the basis of the SSB recommendations…The ministry is prepared to give the promotions anytime subject to the prime minister’s approval,’ Abdus Sobhan had said earlier. 

He agreed that the promotion might cause adverse reactions since all the aspirants would not be promoted at a time as there were no vacancies.    

Replying to a question, the secretary said that the promotion was a routine work of the public administration ministry and it had got nothing to do with the election.  

The Superior Selection Board led by cabinet secretary Mohammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan in the last month finalised the lists of around 80 joint secretaries, mostly from the 1984 batch of the Bangladesh Civil Service, and nearly 300 senior assistant secretaries, mostly from 20th BCS batch, for the promotions, a senior official said.

‘One of the main purposes of the planned promotions is to please a section of civil bureaucrats ahead of the national polls although there are no vacancies in the organogram. But it is now evident that many will be deprived again if the promotions are given at this moment,’ a senior official said.

He said that the aspirants including those who were left out earlier from the promotion process were mounting pressure on the government for the promotions.

The fresh promotion might fuel agitations in the administration ahead of the national polls scheduled for January 5, 2014, the officials involved in the promotion process told New Age. 

The latest bid at the fag end of the Awami League government’s five-year tenure and just ahead of the election has raised many eyebrows. The move came following a huge pressure from a section of officials known as loyal to the ruling quarter in the public administration, according to the officials.   

Sobhan Sikder said that the promotions were given recently beyond the formal structure in bureaucracy, in many cases on ‘humanitarian ground’ not on political considerations.  

On November 27, over 100 aggrieved officials, most of them have remained as OSDs in last five years, called on the cabinet secretary and the public administration ministry’s senior secretary.  

They pressed for overdue promotions and postings to create a level-playing field in administration just a couple of days after the Election Commission had declared the schedule for the national poll, officials said. 

There are already over 1,317 deputy secretaries against 830 approved posts as set out in the formal structure of the administration. In addition, there are around 1016 joint secretaries against 350 posts and 239 additional secretaries against 120 posts, according to official records. (source) 

Bangladesh: Jamaat calls hartal for today

The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has called nationwide dawn-to-dusk general strike for today protesting at ‘the government conspiracy to kill its assistant secretary general Abdul Quader Molla in a planned manner.’

The Islamist party called the general strike immediately after the International Crimes Tribunal in the afternoon issued a death warrant for Quader, who was sentenced to death by the Appellate Division on charge of crimes against humanity and genocide committed during the war of independence in 1971.

Calling for the shutdown in a statement, Jamaat acting secretary general Shafiqur 

Rahman alleged that the government was going to ‘kill Abdul Quader Molla to deflect people’s attention from the ongoing movement demanding non-party caretaker government to oversee the parliamentary polls.’

Alleging that the government did not follow the due legal process in trying Quader, the statement said, ‘The government will have to face dire consequences if it kills Quader Molla by trampling on the legal process and constitutional rights.’ (source) 

Bangladesh: AL candidates, grass-roots leaders want inclusive polls

Most of the Awami League’s incumbent lawmakers, candidates and grass-roots leaders want inclusive elections after resolution of the current political crisis.

As New Age spoke to least 50 AL leaders, mostly incumbent lawmakers, and candidates from across the country for the national polls scheduled for January 5, they said that the Election Commission should consider changing the polls schedule if the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and other parties agreed to join elections within the constitutional framework.

They also said that it would be difficult for the government to establish the elections as credible and acceptable if major political parties did not join the elections.

Most of the AL candidates feared whether they could conduct election campaigns and ensure voter turnout. They said that they might face strong resistance from the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami during campaigns and on the polling day.

Former Sylhet mayor Badruddin Kamran, also president of the Sylhet city Awami League, told New Age that the elections would not be acceptable and credible if there were no competition in the elections. 

‘So I personally want the elections to be inclusive. If required, the Election Commission should defer the polls schedule for this,’ he said. 

AL lawmaker Sanjida Khatun, also a candidate for the Dhaka 4 constituency, told New Age that she did not want to be elected unopposed.

‘I had two competitors. The commission has already cancelled the nomination of one of the candidates. If all the parties, including the BNP, had participated, there could have been a competition,’ she said. 

ASM Firoj, the AL candidate for the Patuakhali 2 constituency, said that there was no alternative to elections for the continuity of the democratic process but the elections must be participatory.

‘We never want one-sided elections. We are still hopeful about a resolution to the political crisis and the participation of all parties in the elections,’ he said. 

Iqbalur Rahim, the AL candidate for the Dinajpur 3 constituency, said that he was still hopeful about a consensus being reached among the parties. He said said that the AL-led government would need to hold the elections in the interest of the continuity of the democratic process but the elections would not be acceptable by keeping two major political parties — the BNP and the Jatiya Party — outside the electoral race.

‘I hope that the Jatiya Party would remain in the polls race and the BNP would also join the polls after reaching an understanding with the government,’ he said. 

An AL candidate from Rajshahi said that he had fears of more violence before the elections and was afraid of going to his constituency for campaigns as the BNP and Jamaat might attack ruling party men during the campaigns.

AL lawmaker Afaz Uddin Ahmed, whis is a candidate for the Kustia 1 constituency, said that they were making preparations for elections. ‘As part of our preparations, we have already asked grass-roots leaders and activists to convince people to go to the polling centres so that the democratic process could continue,’ he said.

The AL candidate of the Jessore 5 constituency Khan Tipu Sultan said that the elections would be held with more than 60 per cent voter turnout if HM Ershald-led Jatiya Party stayed in the race and the law enforcement agencies could ensure safety of voters.

A leader of Chittagong district Awami League said that it would not be wise for his party to hold elections without the Jatiya Party and the BNP.

‘The Awami League at least should try its best to convince Ershad to stay in the race even by meeting his demand. The elections will, otherwise, be one-sided and not acceptable,’ he said.

The Awami League’s candidate for the Bogra 5 constituency Habibur Rahman said they did not want violence and loss of lives and public property before and after the elections.

‘We want a permanent solution so that no violence can take place in future,’ he said adding that they were likely to face strong resistance from the BNP and Jamaat during campaigns if their participation in the elections could not be ensured.  (source) 

Bangladesh: JP to post resignations to PM

The Jatiya Party faction led by HM Ershad on Sunday said that the resignations of all its six ministers and an adviser to the prime minister would be posted to the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.

‘We decided to sent the resignations to the prime minister by post for submission to the president as we had sought appointment with her, but got no response since Saturday,’ party secretary general Ruhul Amin Hawlader told reporters at party chairman Ershad’s Baridhara house.

Ruhul later at night met the president Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban. Coming out from Bangabhaban, he told reporters that the ministers belonging to his party would not attend the regular cabinet meeting today. 

He, however, declined to disclose anything discussed with president. 

According to Article 58(1) of the constitution, the office of a minister falls vacant if he resigns from office by placing his resignation in the hands of the prime minister for submission to the president.

Civil aviation and tourism minister Ruhul Amin Hawlader, health minister Rawshan Ershad, water resources minister Anisul Islam Mahmud, commerce minister GM Quader, youth and sports minister Mujibul Hoque Chunnu, state minister for women and children affairs, Salma Islam and prime minister’s adviser Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu already submitted their resignations to Ershad, said Ruhul.

Ershad, the deposed military dictator, on December 3, a day after the closure of submission of nominations for the 10th parliament elections scheduled for January 5, 2014, announced that his party would boycott the polls and asked his party candidates to withdraw their nominations.

On December 4, Ersahd asked his party leaders to quit the polls-time cabinet and from the post of adviser to the prime minister. 

Earlier on November 18, Ershad had announced that the party quitted the Awami League-led alliance and urged the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to join the election ‘to save the nation and to continue democratic process.’ 

On December 5, Ruhul, Quder, Mujibul and Salma submitted their resignations as ministers to Ershad and the party had then said that Ershad would sumbit them to the president seeing him at Bangabhaban.

Ershad, however, on December 6 asked the party minister and adviser to submit their resignations to the prime minister.

Rawshan, Anisul and Ziauddin were reportedly unwilling to resign. Ruhul claimed that Ershad already got their resignations too.

None of the seven ministers and adviser went to their offices on Sunday. ( source)

Bangladesh: AL likely to decide seat sharing with allies in 2 days

The Awami League is likely to sharing of parliamentary seats for the national elections with partners in the ruling alliance in a day or two.

The ruling Awami League is thinking about sharing 10 parliamentary seats with its partners in the alliance against their demand for 40 seats to contest the national polls,  scheduled for January 5, from the alliance.

The alliance leaders said that Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal

had demanded 18 seats, Workers Party of Bangladesh 10 seats, Ganatantri Party 2 seats, the National Awami Party 2 seats, and the Bangladesh Tariqat Federation 10 seats.

According to the Election Commission, scandidates of the Workers Party, 51 of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, 12 of the National Awami Party and 2 of Ganatantri Party had submitted nomination papers. The Tariqat Federation fielded 11 candidates.

‘Alliance partners are putting forth their demand but we are thinking about giving 10 parliamentary seats more to alliance partners. The matter will be settled in a day or two,’ an Awami League presidium member told New Age on Sunday.

Awami League presidium member Mohammad Nasim also said that the issue of seat sharing would be settled very soon.

During an alliance meeting on Wednesday night, the partners primarily decided that five lawmakers elected in the past national elections held on December 29, 2008, three from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and two from the Workers Party, will get alliance nominations.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal lawmakers were Hasanul Haque Inu (Kushtia 2), Shah Jikrul Ahmed (Brahmanbaria 5) and Moeenuddin Khan Badal (Chittagong 7).

Workers Party lawmakers are Rashed Khan Menon (Dhaka 8) and Fazle Hasan Badshah (Rajshahi 2).

Awami League leaders also said that they were holding discussions with the Jatiya Party faction led by Anwar Hossain Manju, which are not in the alliance.

AL leaders said that JSD leader Shirin Akter for Feni 1, Tariqat Federation leaders Nazibul Bashar Maijbhandari for Chittagong 2 and his deputy MA Awal for Lakshmipur 1, might get alliance nominations.

After Wednesday’s meeting, the Awami League’s advisory council member Amir Hossain Amu said that they would hold more meetings before making a final decision.

An alliance leader said that Workers Party leaders were bargaining for alliance support for Bimal Biswas for the Narail 2 constituency and Mostafa Lutfullah for the Satkhira 2 constituency and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal leaders were bargaining for Shirin Akhter and Nazmul Haque Prodhan.

Two hundred and ninety-seven Awami League leaders had submitted nominations papers . There are 300 constituencies.

The ruling party did not name any candidates for the constituencies for which Jatiya Praty chairman HM Ershad (Dhaka 17), Rashed Khan Menon (Dhaka 8) and Hasanul Haque Inu (Kustia 2) might contest the elections.

The Awami League’s general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said that seat-sharing talks would be held with alliance partners to decide the party nominations.

In the past national elections, the Awami League gave only four seats to Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and three to the Workers Party. (source) 

Bangladesh: Nanak, Azam cleared of 2004 bus arson charge

A magistrate’s court on Sunday acquitted all the 18 accused including ruling Awami League leader Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mirza Azam and Sayed Khokan of the charges of arson attack on a double-decker bus in Dhaka Sheraton Hotel crossing on June 4, 2004 that killed 11 people.

Dhaka metropolitan magistrate Keshab Roy Chowdhury dismissed the case accepting the final report submitted by Criminal

Investigation Department assistant superintendent of police Khandaker Md Abdul Halim, also the investigation officer of the case, on February 7, 2013 after a further investigation.

The court observed that the further investigation failed to unearth the arson and there was no possibility of unearthing it in future.

The court mentioned that the police had earlier submitted a final report on January 14, 2009 meaning that the investigation failed to gather evidence to prove the charges against the accused.

The court had, however, ordered a further investigation in the case. 

The final report, the CID officer submitted after the further investigation, stated that the confessional statements made by some people earlier were false and obtained forcibly.

Awami League leaders Shafiqul Islam and Mohammad Masum told the investigation officer that they had earlier made confessional statements being threatened to be killed by Detective Branch of police who took them in custody for interrogation, the probe report said.

A staff of the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation bus and his assistant also made confessional statements which were ‘false’ and ‘fabricated’, said the report.

Shafiqul’s confession was false as he was in fact in police custody on June 4, 2004 when the arson attack was made, the report said, adding that the Ramna police had arrested Kalu on June 3, 2004 in a mugging case and produced him before a court that remanded him in custody for a day for interrogation. 

The acquitted accused include Awami League leaders Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mirza Azam, city AL organising secretary Sayed Khokan, AFM Mizanur Rahman, Shafiqul Islam, Mohammad Masum, Mohammad Monir, Dinesh Sarker, Abdul Mannan, Md Jahangir Alam and Shahidul Islam Thandu.

Shafiqul, son of Hazrat Ali of Baligaon village under Tongibari upazila of Munshiganj, in his confessional statement on July 28, 2004 named Nanak, Mirza Azam and Sayed Khokan as the masterminds of the arson. 

Masum also made confessional statement on July 14, 2004 and named them as the masterminds of the bus arson. (source) 

Bangladesh: Sabotage feared at power and energy sector establishments

The power and energy ministry, fearing sabotage in power and energy sector installations, has asked local administrations to increase vigilance at the sites concerned, officials said.

Although the establishments like power stations and substations, petroleum oil storage, gas fields and gas transmission switching stations are treated as key point installations the authorities concerned have requested the local administrations to increase vigilance at the sites, they said.

The officials also said that the ministry had asked the power and energy sector agencies to communicate with the local administrations through the deputy commissioners to prevent

possible sabotage amid growing political tension and violence.

Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation chairman Md Eunusur Rahman told New Age, ‘The BPC subsidiaries — Padma, Meghan and Jamuna — have their own security system employing the Ansar force.’

Besides, he said that the corporation had issued letters asking the deputy commissioners concerned to increase vigilance at the sites of fuel oil storages and other sensitive establishments of its subsidiaries in different districts.

Earlier, two secretaries of energy and power divisions had issued letters to the deputy commissioners concerned in this regard as attacks on roads and rail lines increased during blockades and general strikes.

The police on Friday arrested five Jamaat and three Bangladesh Nationalist Party men on charge of planning to blow up a power office at Phultala in Khulna.

On February 28, 2013, Jamaat and Islami Chhatra Shibir activists burned down a power substation at Kansat in Chapainawabganj protesting against the death sentence of Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Syedee on charge of crimes against humanity committed during the war of independence in 1971.

The Jamaat and Shibir men also looted the office and residential buildings of the substation.

The arson attack on the substation caused a total loss of about Tk 200 crore to the Rural Electrification Board. It had also kept about 25,000 consumers in dark for over a month and hampered boro irrigation over the period.

Power Development Board chairman Abduhu Ruhulullah said, ‘Usually the army units are always deployed for the big power stations. The other power plants are also secured with proper precaution as all they are key point installations.’

Besides, the power board alerted the chief engineers and executive engineers attached with the power plants amid political unrest. (source) 

Bangladesh government to shoulder responsibility for any unwarranted situation: BNP

BNP standing committee member RA Gani on Sunday warned that the government would be held responsible for any unwarranted situation in the country due to its rejection of the opposition’s demand for arranging the polls under a non-party administration.

‘We hope that the government, realising the sentiment of people, will accept the demand for holding the

next election in a free and fair manner under a non-parry caretaker government,’ he said.

The BNP policymaker came up with the remarks while addressing press a briefing at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office on the second day of the 18-party’s 72-hour blockade programme.

Gani was the first BNP leader to appear before the media after the arrest of its joint secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on November 30.

After Rizvi’s arrest, another party joint secretary general Salauddin was made party spokesperson but he neither came to BNP’s central office nor met the media as he was also made accused in the case for torching a bus at Shahbagh that left three dead and 15 others injured.

Salauddin, however, has been sending statements and video messages from an undisclosed place since he was made the party spokesman.

Explaining why Salauddin was sending messages from his hideout, Gani said the government was repeatedly attacking the BNP office and besieging it and not allowing anybody to enter it. ‘They’re shooting the leaders and activists and raiding their houses. Under the circumstances, it’s not possible to announce the party programmes in public.’

He mentioned that the government after being alienated from people has resorted to barbaric torture and repression to suppress the opposition.

The senior BNP leader urged the government to stop killing, repression and acts of sabotage. (source)

Bangladesh: Non use of jute bags to be penalised by mobile courts

The jute and textile ministry has requested the home ministry to make violation of the Mandatory Jute Packaging Act-2010 as a punishable offence under the mobile court law, senior officials told New Age.

They said that the ministry would start enforcing the Mandatory Jute Packaging Act from January.

The law requires all government and private organizations to use jute bags and sacks in packaging products, they said.

The Mandatory Jute Packaging Act was enacted in October 2010 and the rules under the law were framed in June 2013 to facilitate the enforcement of the law for boosting domestic use of jute bags instead of polythene or polypropylene.

Proper enforcement would immediately increase the domestic use of jute and jute goods by 50 per cent and ensure fair price of  jute to growers, said officials.

The jute and textile ministry, in a recent circular, asked the millers and wholesalers only to use jute bags and sacks while marketing rice from December. 

The food department, became the lone 100 per cent compliant of the circular using only jute sacks in packing paddy, rice and wheat, said officials. 

The circular made it mandatory to package from the current year at least 50 per cent of fertilizers for marketing, both imported and produced in the country.

The circular requires Bangladesh Jute Mill Corporation and the Bangladesh Jute Mill Association to ensure supply of enough jute sacks for packaging 50 per cent of paddy, rice, wheat and fertilizers procured by the government.

The circular requires packaging at least 50 per cent of sugar in laminated hessian bags by mills under the Sugar and Food Industries Corporation as well as those in the private sector. 

For maize, the requirement is packaging only in jute sacks.  

The ministry of jute and textiles in a recent letter requested the home ministry to make it a punishable offence under the mobile court law not to use jute bags in packaging these items, joint secretary Nasima Begum told New Age.

She said that the home ministry sent the draft papers in this regard to the law ministry for vetting.

Jute department director Mohammed Kefayet Ullah told New Age that government was trying to increase the domestic use. 

Neighboring India made it mandatory use jute bags since 1987.

Bangladesh enacted the Mandatory Jute Packaging Act in 2010, he said. (source) 

Bangladesh: BPC battles to avert diesel crisis during irrigation season

Bangladesh Petrolium Corporation (BPC) is battling to avert diesel crisis during the current irrigation season as the special supply operation launched for farmers suffers setback due to blockade enforced by opposition alliance, concerned officials said.

As the blockade disrupts the transportation of  fuel from the major depots, BPC wrote letters to concerned administrative chiefs including divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners (DC) of vulnerable regions seeking their help for providing necessary escort by law enforcers to ensure timely supply of diesel to farmers for irrigation, they said. 

‘We already launcheda special supply operation to support the farmers with uninterrupted supply of diesel for irrigation required for boro crop cultivation, but it faced problems due to the blockade,’ said the chairman of BPC,  Eunusur Rahman.

‘It’s now a challenge for us to ensure uninterrupted supply of diesel to the farmers for irrigation though we are trying to overcome it to avert any crisis,’ he added.

‘We opened control cells to coordinate and monitor the supply of diesel to the farmers engaged in boro cultivation across the country,’ he said, adding, ‘We are making all efforts to tackle the situation.’

BPC engaged its general manager (marketing) Yusuf Hossain Bhuiyan as chief coordinator and opened a central monitoring room at its head office based in the port city of Chittagong.

When contacted Yusuf Hossain informed that five regional control cells were opened in Dhaka,Chittagong, Khulna, Bogra and Barisal respectively.

The major oil depots based at Godnail and Fatullah in Narayanganj, Baghabari in Sirajganj and Doulatpur in Khulna were activated with special importance to ensure uninterrupted supply of diesel to farmers, he said.

‘We send the consignment of fuel to our major depots through river routes, but it has become a little bit difficult to ensure supply to local destinations due to blockade,’ he said.

He said that BPC has sought the support of local administration for providing escort to fuel laden lorry-tankers or train-tankers to reach the destination points. 

The local administration must come forward to provide escort by law enforcers to ensure transportation of fuel to the northern parts of the country from the major depots, he said.  

BPC officials pointed out that carrying of fuel by train, especially from Doulatpur depot, could be very risky without escort by law enforcers during blockade.

Despite all such impediments, BPC is trying to ensure the supply of diesel for irrigation. BPC has a sound stock of 3,20,000 MT of diesel, they assured. 

State-owned BPC is the lone importer and distributor of petroleum products in the country. (source) 

Bangladesh: Test for primary teachers' recruitment in 17 dists cancelled

The primary and mass education ministry has cancelled the written tests for recruiting assistant teachers for primary schools in 17 districts after the ministry probe committee found that question papers of the test were leaked.

The ministry took the decision on Sunday after the committee to probe the allegations of question leaks submitted its report.

The ministry additional secretary SM Ashraful Islam told New Age that the decision was taken after the probe committee had found that questions were leaked in the districts.

The districts in which questions were leaked are Dhaka, Narayanganj, Mymensingh, Netrakona, Sherpur, Rajshahi, Lalmonirhat, Cox’s Bazar, Satkhira, Pabna, Jhenaidah, Rajbari, Meherpur, Khulna, Sunamganj, Moulvibazaar and Habiganj.

Fresh written tests will be taken in these districts, said SM Ashraful Islam. 

Ministry sources said the probe had found that two sets of questions, namely Huang Ho and Mississippi, were fully leaked. There were seven sets of questions for the test.

The ministry had formed a four-member probe committee on November 12 to investigate the allegation that questions for written tests held on November 8 for recruiting assistant teachers in primary schools in different districts had been leaked. 

About 9.68 lakh candidates took the written tests for around 7,000 posts of assistant teachers for pre-primary classes in 61 districts except three hill districts of Rangamati, Khagrachari and Bandarban. (source) 

Bangladesh: BSF men torch house

Members of Indian Border Security Force intruded into the Bangladesh territory and torched a house in Tiapara along Ghagra frontier under the sadar upazila in Panchagarh on Sunday.

Local people said a group of BSF members, numbering 10/15, from Tiapara camp entered Bangladesh in the morning.

Later, they stormed into the house of farmer Asadur Rahman and vandalised it before setting it fire.

When contacted, Asadur Rahman said the BSF men forbade him to build the house. 

As he constructed the house, the BSF men torched it in the morning.

On information, commanding officer of Border Guard Bangladesh Battalion-18 

Lieutenant Colonel Ariful Haque and deputy commanding officer Major AKM Shamim Rana visited the spot.

The BGB also sent a letter to BSF protesting at the incident. (source) 

Bangladesh: Rokeya Day today

The nation will pay tributes to Begum Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain today marking the 133nd anniversary of her birth and the 81th anniversary her the death today. 

The government and socio-cultural and women’s organisations have chalked up programmes to observe Rokeya Day 2013 in a befitting manner. 

Begum Rokeya, a fighter for gender equality, was born at Pairaband of Mithapukur in Rangpur on December 9, 1880. She died on December 9, 1932 in Kolkata.

She established the first school for Muslim girls in the undivided Bengal in the early 20th century, which is now situated on Lord Sinha Road in Kolkata.

A prolific writer and essayist, Rokeya made a remarkable contribution to the Bangla literature. Her major works include Matichur, Padmarag, Abarodhbasini and Sultana’s Dream. 

She also founded the Anjuman-e-Khawateen-e-Islam (Islamic Women’s Association), which campaigned for raising the status and education of women.

The president, Abdul Hamid, and the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, issued messages on the eve of the day.

Newspapers will publish special supplements on the occasion.

The Bangla Academy will hold lecture by the academy’s fellow Ghulam Mursid on ‘Begum Rokeya: first feminist’ at the Kabi Shamsur Rahman Seminar Hall of the academy at 4:00pm.

In Rangpur, the district administration has chalked up a three-day programme marking the occasion, beginning today, in her birthplace by placing wreaths at Begum Rokeya Smriti Stambha at 11:00am.

The first day’s programmes include a prayer session, an open discussion on ‘Child Marriage and Women Empowerment,’ blood donation and blood group test camp, launch of three-day traditional Rokeya Fair followed by cultural programmes.

A drawing competitions for the children, recitation of the poem ‘Chand’ written by Begum Rokeya, an essay writing competition on the ‘Philosophy of Begum Rokeya and her working life’ for the school students, and cultural programmes will be held on December 10.

An award ceremony will be held on the concluding day on December 11 in the evening to be followed by cultural programmes. (source)

Bangladesh: Sadeque Hossain Khoka sent to jail

A court in Dhaka on Sunday sent Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Sadeque Hossain to jail  after rejecting both bail and remand prayer.

Metropolitan magistrate Syed Atiqur Rahman passed the order after the Tejgaon police sub-inspector Md Abu Zafar Talukder Manik produced Sadeque seeking him to be remanded in custody for 10 days for interrogation in a case filed following an incident that took place in front of Halim Community Centre under Tejgaon police station on October 26.

Defence counsel Sanaullah Mia pleaded for bail for Sadeque.

Earlier, Sadeque was remanded in police custody for two days for interrogation in a case filed with Shahbagh police station for setting a bus on fire on November 28 that killed three people and injured 16 others.

Sadeque was arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion at Uattra in the capital  on December 5. 

The court ordered the prison authority to provide him with division facilities in jail. (source) 

Bangladesh President to attend Mandela’s funeral

The president, Abdul Hamid, will be going to South Africa to attend a sweeping, emotional farewell to Nelson Mandela - a funeral that will draw an unprecedented gathering of world leaders and luminaries, reflecting the anti-apartheid icon’s transcendent influence.

Preparation is going on for the president’s visit to South Africa, the foreign ministry said. 

They, however, added that the schedule of the president’s visit is yet to be finalised. (source) 

Bangladesh: ‘Madi’ turns into severe cyclone

The cyclonic storm ‘Madi’ over southwest bay and adjoining area moved slightly north-northeastwards, intensifying into a very severe cyclonic storm over southwest bay and adjoining west-central Bay.

It was centred at 6:00pm on Sunday about 1330 kilometres southwest of Chittagong port, 1265 kms southwest of Cox’s Bazar port and 1210 kms south-southwest of Mongla port (near lat 12.60 n and long 84.70 e), said a met office bulletin. It is likely to intensify further and move in a northerly direction.

Maximum sustained wind speed within 74 kms of the storm centre is about 120 kilometres per hour rising to 140 kph in gusts/squalls. Sea will remain very high near the storm centre.

Maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and Mongla have been advised to keep hoisted distant warning signal 2.

All fishing boats and trawlers over deep sea have been advised to remain close to north Bay and proceed with caution till further notice.  (source)