Most editors in favour of involving opposition

Editors of national dailies, but for one or two, on Wednesday called for involving the opposition to amend the Constitution of the Republic through consensus to avoid controversies in the future.

Invited to a consultation meet, they told parliamentary special committee on Constitution amendment that consensus was necessary to avoid unnecessary controversy on the national issue.

The editors suggested for amending Article 70 to allow the lawmakers to express their views in parliament freely, even if goes against the party line, without the fear of losing membership of parliament.

Safeguarding the citizens' fundamental rights and increasing the number of parliamentary constituencies also came up for discussion, meeting sources said.

Responding to the editors suggestion for involving the opposition with the amendment process, the committee chairperson Syeda Ssajeda Chowdhury said, 'We have invited them but they did not turn up. You can also play a role to bring them to the dialogue. We will welcome the move.'

The editor of Bangla daily Samakal Golam Sarwar told reporters after the meeting, 'I suggested for ensuring the involvement of the main opposition party with the process of constitution amendment process. Otherwise, the people would consider it as a unilateral affair.'     

He said that he also suggested for bringing the amendment to the Constitution through consensus between the ruling party and the opposition parties on the question of selecting the head of the election time caretaker government other than a retired chief justice to keep the judiciary beyond controversy.

The News Today editor, Reazuddin Ahmed said that the government should do everything to involve the opposition with the process of amendment to the Constitution.

He said the opposition should come to the committee to make their contribution in the amendment process.

Reazuddin told New Age, 'It would not be possible to fully restore the Constitution as it was on adoption in 1972, as the prime minister had said.

That's why, he said, he suggested for appointing a constitution commission to recommend the amendment to the Constitution of the Republic after examining every aspect and perspective involved.

The Kaler Kantha editor, Abed Khan said that involvement of the opposition was essential for amending the Constitution.

He said he suggested that the committee should take the initiative to involve the opposition with the amendment process.

He said that he suggested for incorporating a provision to make 'illegal take over of state power as an act of treason.'

He also suggested for incorporating a provision for trying and punishing the person illegally taking over state power under sedition charge.

He suggested for limiting the tenure of the election time caretaker government to a maximum of 90 days.

The Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman said that he told the JS panel that questions would crop up regarding the amendment, if the opposition was not involved with the process.

He also told the committee that the Constitution should be amended unanimously.

The daily Sun editor, Syed Anwar Husain said that there should be unanimity between the ruling and the opposition parties on the question of the Constitution amendment.

He said he also suggested for finding out an alternative to the election time caretaker government.

He suggested that strengthening the election commission could be an alternative to the undemocratic system of election time caretaker government.

Syed Anwar said that the caretaker system was introduced under special circumstances to save democracy.

He also suggested for change the name of the republic from People's Republic of Bangladesh to Republic of Bangladesh.

The Daily Star editor, Mahfuz Anam suggested for keeping retired chief justices away from caretaker administrations.

He also suggested for increase the number of parliamentary constituencies to 600, and 300 for women.

He called for strengthening parliamentary standing committees.

The Manabjamin editor, Motiur Rahman Chowdhury suggested that the government should continue, till the last, with its initiative to involve the opposition with process of amending the Constitution as it was very important to involve it with the process.

He said that he also suggested for the incorporation of a provision in the Constitution stipulating punishment for illegal take over of state power.

The Janakantha editor, Mohammad Atiqullah Khan Masud suggested for doing away with the election time system of caretaker government and for strengthening the election commission instead for holding free, fair and credible elections.

He told New Age after the meeting that he also suggested for the incorporation of a provision in the Constitution to punish autocrat rulers for illegal takeover of state power.

The Inqilab editor, AMM Bahauddin suggested for retaining in the Constitution, Islam as state religion and Bismillah-ar-Rahman-Rahim in its Preamable.

The Amar Desh editor, Mahmudur Rahman suggested for electing a constituent assembly for amending the Constitution.

He said that the amendment could be brought only by a constituent assembly.

He told reporters after the meeting that he suggested for ensuring participation of the opposition with the Constitution amendment process.

He suggested that bringing the amendment could be delayed, if necessary, to ensure the involvement of the opposition.

The New Age editor, Nurul Kabir suggested for making the citizens' right to food, clothing, shelter, education and health services as their fundamental rights with a legal provision to ensure the rights.

He suggested for dropping Article 70 that debars lawmakers from voting against the party line.

 He also suggested to the committee to repeal the stipulation in the constitution that allows suspension of the citizens' fundamental rights during emergency rule.

He said that there could be state religion.

Kabir suggested for immediate separation of the legislature and the executive. He said  this could be done by making it necessary to elect two persons as the prime minister and the leader of the house.

He also said that bringing any fundamental change to the Constitution required the people's endorsement through referendum.

The prime minister on July 21, 2010 constituted a 15-member special parliamentary committee, headed by the deputy leader of the house, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, to recommend proposals to amend the Constitution following a High Court verdict that declared illegal its Fifth Amendment.

After the second and final review by the committee, a bill for amending the Constitution  is expected to be placed in parliament towards the close of May.

Source: New Age

Minimum wages of millions below MDG poverty line

The legally set minimum wage levels for tens of millions of workers in Bangladesh's industrial sectors keep workers below the internationally drawn poverty line.

The United Nation's Millennium Development Goals require that countries should achieve at least $2 daily [$60 monthly] income for all citizens.

But an analysis by New Age has found that 33 of the 42 established wage levels set by the Minimum Wage Board mean that it is not possible for workers to move above the poverty line.

The levels include the salary of $42 a month in the export-orientated apparel sector, $37 a month in the shrimp processing sector, and $50 a month in the pharmaceutical sector.

The level set by the board for workers in automobile workshops is only $27 a month, for jute mill workers it is $31 a month, in hotel and restaurants, the level is $24 a month and in the iron and foundry sector, it is $59 a month.

Labour leaders and rights activists said that although the industrial sectors had advanced significantly in recent years, neither employers nor the government properly thought through the crucial human perspective of proper living standards for the workers.

'We hear politicians and government officials often making speeches on the Millennium Development Goals but it is astonishing that minimum wage even in the largest industrial sector is much below the poverty line requirement of $2 a day,' Nazma Akter, a leader of apparel workers, said.

'Really, neither the employers nor the government here is sincere in uplifting the standards of living of the workers,' said Nazma, who represented workers in 2006's tripartite negotiation for revising minimum wage for apparel workers.

The wages set for workers in the more risky and hazardous sectors tend to be a little higher. The minimum wage of a worker in ship-breaking yards, where deaths and injuries of workers are common, is $64 a month, with workers in re-rolling mill drawing a similar amount monthly.

The Minimum Wage Board recently recommended that considering the risks relating to work in tanneries, the workers should receive $122 a month. The minimum wage in tanneries was last revised more than 17 years ago.

Abul Kalam Azad, general secretary of the Bangladesh Tannery Workers' Union, told New Age that some employers were opposing the introduction of this agreed amount and hindering the finalisation of this upward revision on minimum wages.'

Industry insiders admitted that tannery workers even in many Asian countries draw monthly between $300 and $500.

Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed, director of the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies, thinks that the mission of the government and others to try and uplift the economic wealth of the country is praiseworthy but this will be worthless if millions of workers continue to live below the poverty line.

'The most important priority of the MDG strategies of Bangladesh should be eliminating working poverty,' he said.

Iktedar Ahmed, the immediate-past chairman of the Minimum Wage Board, pointed out that social awareness in Bangladesh regarding fair minimum wages of workers is very weak and that make scopes for employers to exploit workers.

Echoing BILS's Sultan, Iktedar said that the government and social stakeholders here should sensitize employers to the issue of 'working poverty' and oblige them to arrange wages to ensure good living standards of the workers.

'It should be on the national agenda to ensure that workers are paid adequately. This mission will have to be achieved before achieving the Millennium Development Goals.'

Source: New Age

Saline crisis intensifies sufferings of diarrhoea patients

Inadequate supply of oral saline in the retail market is intensifying the sufferings of the diarrhoea patients across the country as their number has been rising with the increase of seasonal heat and water crisis.

Medicine shop owners in different city areas said that they were selling oral saline of a particular brand at a higher price as the supply was insufficient against demand.

The wholesale medicine sellers and retailers alleged that the pharmaceutical company had created an artificial crisis. They also complained that the company sold the saline to them subject to conditions that they have to buy their other products, which further intensified the crisis.

Mozammel Haque, owner of Fahmida Medical Hall in city's Karwan Bazar area, said that supply of ORS was not sufficient to meet the current demand. 'We have been facing the shortage of saline for last two months. We have to buy saline form the whole sellers at higher cost.'  

'On the other hand, if we buy saline directly from the Social Marketing Company distributors, the main producer of ORS, we have to buy other slow items worth about Tk 1,500 from the company,' he said adding that the company also do not supply saline according to their requirements.

The factory rate of one packet of saline is Tk 3 while the maximum retail price of one packet of saline is fixed at Tk 3.44.

Unscrupulous dealers, taking the advantage of the high demand, have raised the price of saline from Tk 1.5 to Tk 2.5 per packet after creating a shortage in supply at the retail market, said the traders and the people concerned.

Delwar, owner of Promi Medicne Shop in city's Khilgaon area, said that they sold 20 packets of saline at Tk 100.

The government, however, has suggested people to drink home-made oral saline instead of buying packets of saline from the market.

Monir Hossain, deputy secretary of Bangladesh Chemist and Druggist Society, said that Social Marketing Company was the main supplier of oral saline which was more popular than any other brand. 'But it cannot meet the suddenly increased demand for saline. The price has been hiked as the demand is rising rapidly,' he added.

He pointed out that shortage of oral saline is a regular occurrence this time of the year when most people want to buy saline produced by SMC. 'SMC authorities know this, but we fail to understand why they don't increase their supply,' he questioned.

Mahbubur Rahman, head of marketing of SMC said that a section of unscrupulous traders stocked the products to create an artificial shortage of oral saline to make windfall profits during the current outbreak of diarrhoeal diseases.

He said that the SMC currently produces around 300 million packets of oral saline every year.

'We produce 200 million packets in our own factory which is our maximum capacity. We also manufacture about 100 packets of saline on contract with three other companies including the state-owned Essential Drugs Company Limited and Renata Limited,' Rahman added.

He denied the allegation of their imposing condition of selling saline. 'The company has no policy like that. But there might have been some isolated incidents.'

Rahman said the retailers and whole sellers did not send such complain to them directly. 'They can directly complain to us so that we can take action in this regard.'

Director general of directorate general of health services Khandaker M Shefayetullah said the government would take initiative to increase the production of ORS.

He also advised people to take home-made saline instead of buying saline from the medicine shops.

Source: New Age

Phulbari people protest at open pit mining

At least two members of Phulbari unit of the national committee to protect oil, gas, mineral resources, power, and ports were injured on Wednesday in a clash with Barapukuria coal mine workers when the committee was holding a highway and railway blockade at Phulbari in Dinajpur district.  The national committee also claimed the police picked up its leader and Phulbari Upazila Parishad chairman Aminul Islam Bablu and another activist, Nuruzzaman, although the police denied the allegation.

There had been no road or railway communication in Phulbari since 10:00am Wednesday till filing of this report at 9:00pm. 

Dinajpur district unit of the national committee, which had been running a protest programme since Monday to realise its three-point charter of demands, issued an ultimatum to the coal mining company on Tuesday to fulfil the demands by 10:00am Wednesday, saying otherwise it would launch a highway and railway blockade programme.

The demands include paying compensations to the people affected by the mining activities for the damage to the last Aman crop, putting an end to filing cases against and harassing the people involved in the movement to protect their rights, and stopping for good all conspiracies to start open-pit coal mining in Barapukuria.

Locals and witnesses said the clash between the committee activists and coal mine workers erupted when the first side asked the second group as they were living the mine after work to abstain from working from today [Thursday].

National committee leaders alleged that plainclothesmen, posing as coal mine workers, swooped on the committee activists and it was when they took away Aminul Islam and Nuruzzaman.   

The news of arrest of the two committee leaders prompted locals along with the committee activists to bring out protest processions, spreading a wave of panic in the area.

Later, the committee leaders said they would continue with the road and railway blockade until Aminul Islam and Nuruzzaman were released.

Phulbari police station officer-in-charge Shawkat Ali, however, denied the committee's claim that Aminul and Nuruzzaman had been picked up by police in civil dress.

Source: New Age

Khaleda likely to announce programmes at Paltan rally on May 9

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, is likely to address the party's rally scheduled for May 9 in Dhaka where she might announce 'tough programmes' to push for its demand for the resignation of the government and the holding of mid-term polls.

Although the main opposition has planned to hold the rally in Paltan Maidan in the capital, it has yet to get approval from authorities concerned.

The party, however, warned the government against putting hindrance on holding rally in Paltan Maidan and issued a threat of holding the rally in front of Bangabhaban, the office of the president of the republic.      

The party's ranking leaders said that Khaleda was scheduled to announce at the rally on May 9 the party's next anti-government programmes, which might include a series of long marches.

The BNP has, meanwhile, made all-out preparations to make the rally successful. The party leaders said that more than a lakh of people would join the rally.

'[Khaleda] is likely to address the rally on May 9 and we have been instructed to ensure the presence of more than a lakh of people at the rally,' a senior joint secretary general of the party told New Age.

'Party activists from five districts around Dhaka have been asked to attend the rally along with the supporters and well-wishers,' he said.

As the Dhaka Metropolitan Police has declined permission for the party to use Paltan ground, the BNP at a press conference at its central office at Naya Paltan on Wednesday protested at the decision of the authorities on not allowing the party to hold a rally in Paltan Maidan and on imposing a ban on rallies in Muktangan as well for an indefinite period.

The BNP after a standing committee meeting announced five-day agitation programmes to press home its demands for uninterrupted power and gas supply, arrest of price spiral, trial of people behind the share market scam and the holding of mid-term polls.

The five-day programmes include submission of memorandum to the deputy commissioners across the country and holding a central rally in Muktangan, scheduled for today, protesting at share market scam and holding a rally in Paltan Maidan on May 9 to demand mid-term polls.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police has, meanwhile, imposed a ban for an indefinite period on rallies and processions in Muktangan, after some of the religion-based political parties had announced to hold rallies in the place in protest against the women development policy.

'We have written to authorities concerned seeking permission to hold the rally in Paltan Maidan but they have declined to allow us to use the ground,' Mirza Fakhrul said at the media briefing on Wednesday. 'The authorities concerned have, meanwhile, imposed a ban on rallies and processions in Muktangan where we are scheduled to hold a rally on Thursday.'

'We have for long been claiming that this fascist government is out to stop all democratic practices in the country by snatching people's democratic rights,' Fakhrul said.

Referring to the DMP decision on not allowing the party to hold the rally in Paltan Maidan and ban on rallies in Muktangan, the BNP's acting secretary general said, 'It is a brazen interference in people's fundamental rights.'

He, however, vowed to hold the programmes by any means. 'We will hold our programmes by any means.'

'If we are not allowed to hold the rally in Paltan Maidan,' he said, 'we will hold it in Muktangan. If we are not allowed to hold the rally there as well, we will hold the rally in front of the party office and if we are also not allowed there, we will hold the rally on Manik Mia Avenue.'

Fakhrul said, 'Even if the government does not allow us to hold the rally on Manik Mia Avenue, we will hold the rally in front of Bangabhaban.'

The party's joint secretary general Amanullah Aman, who was sitting next to Mirza Fakhrul, however, requested journalists not to quote the statement of Mirza Fakhrul regarding holding the rally in front of Bangabhaban.

Source: New Age

Court to deliver judgement today

The chief justice said on Wednesday that the Appellate Division would rule today (Thursday) on the various applications filed before it concerning the legality of Bangladesh Bank's attempt to remove Muhammad Yunus from his position of managing director of Grameen Bank.

On 9 March the High Court ruled that that neither  Yunus nor the nine elected shareholder directors of the Grameen Bank had a legal right to challenge the Bangladesh Bank's letter sent on 2 March to the chairman of GB, informing him that Yunus should have retired from his position at the age of 60.

Yunus and the nine directors then separately sought leave from the Appellate Division to appeal against the High Court order. On 5 April the seven-member court dismissed Yunus's application but later, on the same day, agreed to hear an application by his lawyers to recall the unsigned order on the grounds that they had not been given the opportunity to present all their arguments to the court.

The court on Wednesday continued to hear arguments by Sara Hossain, acting for nine Grameen Bank directors, on why it should give them leave to appeal against the High Court order.

Sara argued that the High Court was wrong to argue that her clients — all women borrowers elected by other members of the Grameen Bank — had no legal right to seek a remedy from the court.

'They have a proprietary right as shareholders, they have also been elected as directors by shareholders and as directors they have control of the bank's management,' she said.

She argued that her clients' power as directors to appoint and to remove the managing director had been subject to 'arbitrary, petty, perverse interference by state authority, highly belatedly.'

'The Bangladesh Bank is trying to usurp [the directors'] authority, against [their] wishes and remove the managing director without [their] consent. It is trespassing on [their] rights as directors of Grameen Bank,' she argued.

She also argued that it was not correct for the High Court to rule that no one should interfere with a public body as the Grameen Bank was a 'private body set up by statute', not a public body.

'That the bank was set up by statute does not make it a public body, nor makes its employees public servants,' she said.

She pointed to various sections of the Grameen Bank Ordinance 1983 that indicated the non-governmental nature of the bank.

'Only 25 per cent of the paid-up share capital of the bank is given by the government, 75 per cent is given by borrowers,' she said. 'The employees are paid from Grameen Bank's money. No money comes from the public exchequer.'

She said that if the High Court order remained intact, it would mean that the directors had no right to enforce their interests, that the managing directorship would have been 'arbitrarily usurped', that the confidence of the Grameen Bank's members would be shaken and the stability of the organisation would be under threat.

Sara called on the court to 'resist the arbitrary action' by the Bangladesh Bank and to 'step in and do what is necessary'.

Attorney-general Mahbubey Alam, however, told the court that the nine directors had no right to make any decision which 'goes against the law'.

He was referring to his previous argument that the law did not allow Mohammad Yunus to remain in office beyond the retirement age of 60.

He argued that the women directors had no right to come to court. 'The directors cannot come individually and say they are personally affected. The board can only come in its totality.'

'The petitioners say that they are aggrieved, but how are they aggrieved?' he asked.

Tawfique Nawaz, the lawyer for Bangladesh Bank, agreed with the attorney-general's argument that the directors 'have come before the court without holding a board meeting, without a board resolution and not in an official capacity'.

He emphasised that the will of the majority of the board must be reflected in a resolution.

He said that a collection of individuals cannot 'have standing before the court'.

He also argued that the Grameen Bank was a public body, so Yunus's attempt to stay on as managing director is an attempt to 'exercise the power of the state without entitlement'.'

Source: New Age

Have patience, war criminals will be tried: Hasina

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Wednesday reiterated her government's firm commitment for holding trial of war criminals who committed crimes against humanity during the country's War of Liberation in 1971 and urged the countrymen to have patience in this regard.

'The trial should not be held hurriedly. You have to keep in mind that we have started the process of the trial after 40 years of the country's independence. So, we have to proceed cautiously in this regard as any mistakes can hamper the trail process,' she said.

The prime minister said this while laying the foundation stone of the much- expected permanent complex of Liberation War Museum in the city's Agargaon area.

Describing the trial of war criminals as a continuous process, Sheikh Hasina said the trial had already been started and it would continue in future. She requested the next generation to keep continue the trail of the war criminals.

Regarding the Liberation War Museum, that started its journey on March 22, 1996 in a rented house in the city's Segunbagicha area, she said construction of the permanent complex would facilitate the new generation to know the true history of the war.

'The museum will help facilitate to uphold the undistorted history of liberation war to the new generation,' she added.

She said the post-1975 unconstitutional governments had distorted the country's history by using state power and misguided the people through false propaganda.

But, the prime minister said spirit of patriotism can never arise among the new generation without proper knowledge about the country's emergence, and sacrifice of their predecessors.

The Prime Minister said it is a matter of satisfaction that the new generation has awaken up with the spirit of War of Liberation and they want to know the greatest achievement of the Bangalees in thousands of years in establishing an independent and sovereign home land.

She expressed the hope that the Liberation War Museum will lead the whole nation to the light of truth from the distortion of history and it will also inspire the people to take part in nation building effort with honesty, sincerity and devotion.

The prime minister said her government will continue to assist the freedom fighters and their families so that they can enjoy a much better life. 'I don't want to see that a freedom fighter is suffering for want of food and health services.'

In this context, she referred various programmes undertaken by her government to preserve the memories of Liberation War as well as ensuring welfare of the freedom fighters' families.

The prime minister said the freedom fighter allowances was raised up to Tk 15,00 from Tk 900 in her previous term and it has been further raised in the current fiscal to Tk 2000.

Mentioning her government's endeavours to build a happy and prosperous Bangladesh with the spirit of the country's War of Liberation, she called upon all concerned to work united to this end.

Trustees of Liberation War Museum Dr Sarwar Ali, Mofidul Haq, Ziauddin Tariq Ali, Akku Chowdhury, Ali Zaker, Sara Zaker and Robiul Hossain also spoke at the function conducted by Asaduzaman Noor.

A munajat was offered seeking peace, progress and prosperity of the country after laying the foundation stone.

Source: New Age

Limon admitted to SBMCH

Limon Hossain, whose left leg had to be amputated after being shot at by the Rapid Action Battalion on March 23, was admitted to prison cell at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barisal about 3:00am on Wednesday after being sent from the Jhalakati jail.

The National Human Rights Commission chairman, Mizanur Rahman, meanwhile on the day, questioned the legality of the court order for police remand of Limon.

He also questioned the late-night discharge of Limon from the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation hospital in Dhaka and handing him over to police.

Limon's mother Henoara Begum, father Tofazzal Hossain and uncle Iliyas Hossain alleged that the police had taken Limon from Jhalakati to Barisal without informing them.

They said that had visited the hospital after coming to know of the matter from other sources but the police had not allowed them to meet Limon and give him any food. Limon was not given breakfast and was given lunch after 1:30pm, they said.

He had not fully recovered and he cannot be produced in court or cannot travel frequently, the family said.

Babul Kumar Saha, in-charge of the orthopaedics causality department at the hospital, said he had visited Limon after 11:00am and found his condition to be stable.

Limon was duly given breakfast but he did not take it fearing that he might need to go to toilet, the physician said. He later had lunch at 1:30 pm after assured being assured of assistance in going to toilet, Babul added.

As his condition was stable, the nurses and the patient were asked to follow the prescription advised by NITOR, the attending physician said.

On March 23, immediately after the shooting incident, the battalion filed two cases against him and seven others and the police on April 24 filed the charge sheet in the case filed under the arms act.

Limon was granted bail on Monday in the other case and the prayer for Limon's bail in arms case filed by the battalion has been deferred for hearing till May 9 by the Jhalakati district judge's court.

Limon was discharged from NITOR Hospital in Dhaka about 10:00am Tuesday and was taken to Jhalakathi in the evening by the police for his production in court in the case in which the charge sheet has been submitted.

On Tuesday night Jhalakathi  senior judicial magistrate Nusrat Jahan sent Limon to jail and asked the prison authorities to inform the court by Wednesday morning of steps to be taken for Limon's treatment.

The Rajapur police earlier on April 26 recorded the case filed against six battalion personnel by Limon's mother on a court order, 16 days after the issuance of the first directive by the court and 33 days after the shooting.

Subinspector Ariful Islam, investigation officer of all the three cases lodged against and in favour of Limon, submitted the charge sheet in the arms act against Limon and seven others.

On April 29, the investigation officer of the case filed by Lilmon's family against the battalion personnel was and subinspector Abdul Halim, second officer of the Rajapur police station, was ordered to investigate this case.

The National Human Rights Commission chair questioned the legality of the court order for police remand of Limon and the late-night discharge from NITOR Hospital and handing him over to police as he addressed a programme on the launch of a web portal in the CIRDAP auditorium.

The Population Services and Training Centre launched a new web portal named Nagorik Kantha.

Mizanur said, 'The chief justice and the judiciary should explain whether Limon, who is an adolescent boy, can be sent to jail and whether such order of the court violates the Children Act 1974.'

Jhalakati senior judicial magistrate Nusrat Jahan on Tuesday sent Limon to jail and asked the prison authorities to inform the court by Wednesday morning of the steps taken for his treatment.

The National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation released Limon on Tuesday and handed him over to the police.

Criticising the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation director for discharging Limon, he questioned how a crippled boy could be discharged from the hospital without completion of his treatment.

The NHRC chairman also criticised the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation director, Khandaker Abdul Awal Rizvi, for permitting the issuance of discharge certificate for Limon.

'The hospital authorities claimed that Limon was discharged as his condition was "somewhat well",' Mizanur said, questioning, 'what the expression "somewhat well" means.'

Raising the questions, Miaznur said not only the Human Rights Commission, but also the nation wanted to know the answers from the chief justice, the judiciary and doctors.

Deputy editor of Prothom Alo Anisul Haque and National Committee on Health Rights Movement president Rashid E Mahbub, among others, also spoke at the function.

Source: New Age

Politicised teacher recruitment a bane for public universities

SUCCESSIVE governments and authorities of the four major public universities—Dhaka University, Chittagong University, Rajshahi University and Jahangirnagar University—have violated the 1973 University Act in the appointment of vice-chancellor, claims the outgoing chairman of the University Grants Commission, Professor Nazrul Islam.

'Sadly, it is now a reality that if you do not belong to the pro-government group, your chance to become the vice-chancellor is very slim,' he said in an exclusive interview with New Age on Tuesday.

'…teacher recruitment has become politicised,' said Professor Islam, whose tenure at the helm of the commission expires tomorrow. 'As a result, party-neutral people become victims.'

He believes the quality of higher education in general has gone down because of poor teaching environment.

Professor Islam, a teacher of geography and environment at Dhaka University, insisted that low-quality private universities should be closed down if they fail to comply with the requirements.

He stressed the need for partnership between universities and businesses.

Professor Islam, whose tenure at the statutory body for supervision, maintenance, promotion and coordination of university education ran through both elected and unelected governments, believes a democratically elected government is better than a military-backed regime for the higher education system.

Source: New Age

Nizami and Mojaheed to be grilled in safe house

The detained amir of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Motiur Rahman Nizami, will be interrogated in the safe house on Road 27 at Dhanmondi on Thursday in connection with charges of war crimes.

The investigation agency will also interrogate Jamaat's detained secretary-general, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, in the safe house on May 8.

The period of interrogation of both of them will be from 10:00am and 5:00pm.

Investigator Md Abdur Razzak Khan sent a letter to Nizami and Mojaheed's counsel Tajul Islam on Tuesday, informing him that his clients will be questioned.

Tajul said that he had received the letter on Wednesday.

The International Crimes Tribunal on April 21 ordered the investigation agency to notify Tajul 48 hours before the interrogation of his clients.

On April 13 the tribunal, better known as the war crimes tribunal set up to try those responsible for crimes against humanity committed during the War of Independence in 1971, allowed the investigation officer to interrogate Nizami and Mojaheed in the safe house in the presence of one of their lawyers and a physician from Dhaka Central Jail.

According to the tribunal's order, the defence counsel and physician will be allowed to sit in an adjacent room so that they cannot hear but can see the interrogation of the Jamaat leaders.

The doctor will examine the health of the Jamaat leaders after the interrogation, the tribunal ordered.

On April 21 Tajul moved a petition seeking modification of the order issued on April 13.

While moving the petition Tajul argued that Nizami and Mojaheed should not be subjected to interrogation in the safe house as they might be subjected to torture, coercion and duress to extract information from them that will be used against them in the trial.

He also argued that a defence counsel should be allowed to be present within earshot during the interrogation.

The tribunal, however, told Tajul that the investigation agency, in its petition to be allowed to interrogate Nizami and Mojaheed, had said that they needed to be questioned to enable investigators to examine the various evidence including video-audio records, newspapers, magazines and other documents gathered against the two.

There will be no scope for torture, coercion and duress of the two Jamaat leaders during interrogation as a defence counsel will be allowed to stay in the adjacent room, said the court, adding that there is no national or international law that makes it mandatory to allow the presence of defence counsel within hearing distance during the interrogation of any accused person.

Source: New Age

Nizami shown arrested in Ctg arms case

Matiur Rahman Nizami, former Minister for Industries in the last BNP regime, was shown arrested on Wednesday in two cases filed in connection with the seizure of 10 truck-loads of arms and ammunition in Chittagong on 2 April, 2004.

Metropolitan magistrate HM Fazlul Bari directed the Criminal Investigation Department of the police to show Nizami, chief of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami who has been imprisoned for committing war crimes in 1971, arrested in the cases and granted the concerned investigator the permission to interrogate him in the jail's gatehouse.

The court passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the investigation officer in the cases, Mohammed Muniruzzaman, an assistant superintendent of police at the CID, in the afternoon.

Nazrul Islam Shentu, an assistant public prosecutor, said during the hearing that though Nizami was industries minister during the incident he had had taken no steps to probe the biggest haul of arms in the country's history.

'The Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Ltd, where the arms and ammunition were unloaded, is a state-owned factory under the industries ministry. The person who was the minister at that time cannot duck his responsibility in this regard,' he added.

The police seized a total of 4,930 different types of sophisticated firearms, 27,020 grenades, 840 rocket-launchers, 300 rockets, 2,000 grenade-launching tubes, 6,392 magazines and 11,40,520 bullets while they were being loaded on to 10 trucks from two motorized boats at the jetty of the Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Ltd on 2 April, 2004.

The NSI's former directors-general Major General (Retd) Rezzakul Haider

and Brigadier General (Retd) Abdur Rahim, former directors Wing Commander (Retd) Shahabuddin Ahmed and Major (Retd) Liakat Hossain, field officer Akbar Hossain, former managing director of CUFL Mohsin Talukdar and former general manager AKM Enamul Haque are in jail in connection with the case.

A Chittagong court has also shown former State Minister for Home Affairs, Lutfuzzaman Babar, arrested in the sensational case following a petition filed by investigation officer Mohammed Moniruzzaman on 3 October last year.

Source: New Age

Police prevent Amini from joining Islamic Morcha confce

The police on Wednesday prevented Islami Oikkya Jote chairman Fazlul Haq Amini from joining a conference of Islamic Morcha at the National Press Club.

IOJ publicity secretary Ahalullah Wasel told New Age that the police, which cordoned off Amini's residence at Lalbagh, prevented him from leaving the house.

He said that the police asked the Amini not to leave the house.

He said that the police told Amini that they were doing everything on orders from high ups.

Wasel said, when Amini wanted to know why they were preventing him from leaving his house, the police told him they were acting on orders from high ups.

Amini was scheduled to join the representatives' conference of Islamic Morcha at press club at 10 AM.

The police later allowed him to go to the IOJ office at Lalbagh, he said.

Lalbagh police station officer-in-charge Azizul Haque said that the police did not allow Amini to join the Islamic Morcha conference for his own security.

'We did not allow him to join the programme on security grounds as he had filed a general diary with the police station requesting for ensuring security of his family members,' he said.

Witnesses said that a large police contingent, deployed at Amini's residence at 9 AM, asked him not to leave the house.

IOJ is a component of Islamic Law Implementation Committee which announced countrywide demonstrations for May 6, 7, 11, 12, 16, and 22 in divisional cities and on May 27 in the capital to oppose the government's policies on women's development and education.

Source: New Age

Maritime ports to hoist sign 3

A deep depression is taking place over North Bay. Squally weather may affect North Bay and the adjoining coastal area of the country, met office said.

Maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Mongla have been advised to hoist local signal number three.

All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay have been advised to come close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice.

Source: New Age