The police have ramped up security in and around the secretariat as the country is headed towards political confrontation over the next election.
Surveillance over secretariat officers and employees has also been increased, said intelligence officials.
Besides, there would be increased patrols in and around the secretariat, they said.
Officials said that the watch had been enhanced during the transition to the election with the ruling Awami League and the main opposition BNP confronting each other over the issue of poll time administration.
The intelligence agencies said a section officials and employees were under the scanner since the 90-day countdown to the election began on October 27.
Security checking at all the entrances to the secretariat has been enhanced to ensure that no unauthorized visitor enters, said a home ministry official.
‘We asked the security personnel to ensure that none without valid entry passes enters,’ he said.
No car without secretariat sticker is allowed entry, he added.
The surveillance was enhanced last week after photocopies of a leaflet, which branded the Sheikh Hasina government as ‘autocratic,’ were found in the secretariat.
The leaflet urged ‘patriotic officers and employees’ to build resistance against the AL-led government.
It named several secretaries and two advisers of the PM, who allegedly made money using their influence.
‘We have tightened surveillance as the government is passing through a transition,’ said additional deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Mashiur Rahman, who looks after secretariat security.
He told New Age that the overall security had been enhanced due to the prevailing situation.
He, however, said the police had been asked to remain alert against any unofficial meetings, mobilization or gatherings at canteens or other places inside the secretariat. (source)
Citycell focusing on wireless broadband to face 3G push
Mehboob Chowdhury, chief executive officer of Citycell, talks about the present situation of the mobile company and the challenges it faces in the 3G era in an interview with New Age on Saturday. Interviewed by Ahmed Shawki
New Age: What is the current situation of Citycell, the only CDMA technology mobile phone operator in the country?
Mehboob Chowdhury: Our situation is not bad at all. We are in the phase of reorganisation in terms of nationwide network expansion to provide clients wireless broadband services as well as to improve our voice services. At this moment, we are focusing on rural or semi-urban market to provide clients there the quality facilities available in the urban areas.
NA: Do you see any threat to the existence of Citycell as all mobile operators except Citycell got 3G licences?
Mehboob: Not really. You see the destination of all operators is the long-term evaluation or LTE technology. You can reach to LTE by using CDMA technology or GSM technology. All other mobile operators chose the GSM and we took a different path. That is the only difference. As long as the data communication is concerned, which the 3G is all about, Citycell picked the concept before anyone else by introducing wireless internet. As a matter of fact, I see the 3G service as a blessing in disguise. It will increase the use of internet and we are now focusing on the nationwide network expansion for wireless broadband.
NA: How Citycell is designing its network expansion?
Mehboob: We will build a nationwide wireless internet network to spread the internet-based facility in the rural areas. Currently we have a capacity of providing up to 11MB speed which we will increase up to 14.7 MB. We are planning to start this by March next year. The regulatory approval and investment formalities are in progress for the expansion.
NA: Citycell is witnessing a continuous downward trend in subscribers’ number for the last few months. How will you explain the trend?
Mehboob: It is a fact and we are very much aware of that. To be honest, we could not serve our customers to the best of our ability because of many reasons. But now we are working on that. We will ensure better customer experience in coming days. We will deliver what we promise. And off course, the recent hype surrounding the 3G also took a toll on our subscribers’ base.
NA: What do you think about the change of focus of mobile phone technology from voice service to data-based service?
Mehboob: That is the beauty of technology. I believe that Bangladesh is entering into a data technology era and we have to be very careful how we brand this. High speed internet has so many usages and we should focus on the productive ones. Financial inclusion using internet should be one of the best possible use of data service. (source)
BNP, allies announce fresh 60-hr hartal for Nov 4-6
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance on Saturday announced a fresh spell of countrywide 60-hour general strike for November 4-6 to press for holding of the next general elections under a ‘non-party’ neutral government.
The acting BNP secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, flanked by the secretary level leaders of the alliance at a news briefing at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office announced the hartal.
The hartal would be enforced from 6:00am Monday to 6:00pm Wednesday demanding free, fair and inclusive elections under a non-party government, Fakhrul said.
The BNP-led alliance earlier enforced a 60-hour countrywide shutdown from October 27.
Fakhrul said ambulance, fire service and media transports would be out of the purview of the hartal. He said movement of pilgrims who would returned from Saudi Arabia after performing hajj would also remain out of purview of the hartal.
Asked whether public examinations would remain out of the purview of the hartal, Fakhrul said the alliance would announce if a decision over the matter was taken.
Before the news briefing, the acting BNP secretary general held a meeting with secretaries of the components of the alliance at Khaleda’s Gulshan office.
Fakhrul said it was the responsibility of the government to set a date again for dialogue and take a fresh initiative for it.
But he alleged that without doing so the conversation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia was broadcast ‘unlawfully’ and ‘unethically’ by the mass media without consent of the opposition leader.
‘It is clear that the government has done it deliberately to block the path of dialogue and consensus,’ he said.
Fakhrul said the opposition leader during the phone conversation with the prime minister on October 26 had said that she was ready to talk anytime and anywhere after the hartal that ended on October 29.
He claimed that the ruling party was giving ‘lip service’ to dialogue, but actually it did not want talks and a consensus. ‘They [ruling party] staged various dramas so that there is no dialogue and consensus,’ he alleged.
Fakhrul referred to Khaleda Zia’s call on October 21 at a press conference for ‘unity through dialogue and consensus’. He said The BNP chairperson had presented an ‘alternative formula’ for election-time government. Besides, Fakhrul said, he had sent a letter to the Awami League general secretary requesting initiatives for dialogue and placed Khaleda’s proposal for an election time ‘non-party’ government in parliament.
He said the treasury bench members had rejected the opposition’s proposal through bitter criticism forcing the opposition to go for movement.
Fakhrul said participation of all political parties was essential for making the next general elections free, fair and acceptable to all.
He said the issue of a non-party government for holding the elections has turned into a ‘national demand to let democracy take its own course, to let people exercise their right to form a government by their choice through vote and to protect their fundamental rights’.
Fakhrul alleged that the government had incorporated the provision for holding the general elections under a ‘partisan’ government by bringing the 15th amendment to the constitution cancelling the provision for an election-time ‘non-party’ caretaker government with an ‘ill motive’ to ‘cling to power’.
He said the government was going to hold a one-sided election defying the opinions of all political parties, noted citizens and lawyers and international opinions.
The government was proceeding with a plan for establishing a ‘one-party’ rule, he alleged. (source)
The acting BNP secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, flanked by the secretary level leaders of the alliance at a news briefing at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office announced the hartal.
The hartal would be enforced from 6:00am Monday to 6:00pm Wednesday demanding free, fair and inclusive elections under a non-party government, Fakhrul said.
The BNP-led alliance earlier enforced a 60-hour countrywide shutdown from October 27.
Fakhrul said ambulance, fire service and media transports would be out of the purview of the hartal. He said movement of pilgrims who would returned from Saudi Arabia after performing hajj would also remain out of purview of the hartal.
Asked whether public examinations would remain out of the purview of the hartal, Fakhrul said the alliance would announce if a decision over the matter was taken.
Before the news briefing, the acting BNP secretary general held a meeting with secretaries of the components of the alliance at Khaleda’s Gulshan office.
Fakhrul said it was the responsibility of the government to set a date again for dialogue and take a fresh initiative for it.
But he alleged that without doing so the conversation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia was broadcast ‘unlawfully’ and ‘unethically’ by the mass media without consent of the opposition leader.
‘It is clear that the government has done it deliberately to block the path of dialogue and consensus,’ he said.
Fakhrul said the opposition leader during the phone conversation with the prime minister on October 26 had said that she was ready to talk anytime and anywhere after the hartal that ended on October 29.
He claimed that the ruling party was giving ‘lip service’ to dialogue, but actually it did not want talks and a consensus. ‘They [ruling party] staged various dramas so that there is no dialogue and consensus,’ he alleged.
Fakhrul referred to Khaleda Zia’s call on October 21 at a press conference for ‘unity through dialogue and consensus’. He said The BNP chairperson had presented an ‘alternative formula’ for election-time government. Besides, Fakhrul said, he had sent a letter to the Awami League general secretary requesting initiatives for dialogue and placed Khaleda’s proposal for an election time ‘non-party’ government in parliament.
He said the treasury bench members had rejected the opposition’s proposal through bitter criticism forcing the opposition to go for movement.
Fakhrul said participation of all political parties was essential for making the next general elections free, fair and acceptable to all.
He said the issue of a non-party government for holding the elections has turned into a ‘national demand to let democracy take its own course, to let people exercise their right to form a government by their choice through vote and to protect their fundamental rights’.
Fakhrul alleged that the government had incorporated the provision for holding the general elections under a ‘partisan’ government by bringing the 15th amendment to the constitution cancelling the provision for an election-time ‘non-party’ caretaker government with an ‘ill motive’ to ‘cling to power’.
He said the government was going to hold a one-sided election defying the opinions of all political parties, noted citizens and lawyers and international opinions.
The government was proceeding with a plan for establishing a ‘one-party’ rule, he alleged. (source)
Cyprus bank deposits levy risk to economy: analysts
AFP, Nicosia: The unprecedented decision to tap all bank
accounts in Cyprus as part of an EU bailout is a threat to the entire economy
of the Mediterranean island, an important financial centre, analysts say.
“The damage will be long-lasting,” said Fiona Mullen, an
economic analyst specialising in Cyprus.
“Business and financial services were the only sectors
generating jobs and tax revenue and they have just had a double whammy with
both the increase in corporate tax and the hit on deposits,” she told AFP.
Early on Saturday, the government agreed to the levy on
bank deposits in return for a desperately needed 10-billion-euro ($13 billion)
bailout that will also see an increase in corporate tax from 10 percent to 12.5
percent.
Savers reacted with shock and anger at the bank deposit
levy of up to 9.9 percent—the first eurozone bailout in which private
depositors are having to help foot the bill.
At the same time, an additional “withholding tax” will be
imposed on interest on bank deposits.
According to Marios Skandalis, vice president of the
Cyprus Institute of Certified Public Accountants, “There is a very high risk
that this could be the end of Cyprus as a strong and reliable financial centre.
“Both measures target a major sector of the Cypriot
economy and will in the end have a negative impact on GDP,” he said.
“The whole banking system is based on trust. If the trust
is lost, the whole system is going to collapse.”
The announcement early on Saturday ahead of a long
holiday weekend in Cyprus sparked a brief run on banks, with depositors
withdrawing cash from ATM machines in a desperate bid to reduce the amount they
will have to pay on their deposits.
For German political analyst Hubert Faustmann, tapping
the bank accounts of ordinary depositors is “an experiment.”
“Economic analysts don’t know how investors will react,”
the Nicosia-based analyst told AFP. “The fallout is unpredictable,” with no-one
knowing what will happen on Tuesday when the banks reopen after the long
weekend.
“People who benefit from the status of the island as a
tax haven and potential money launderers will pay their share, and that should
satisfy German public opinion—but these measures also hit everybody else, and
they can potentially kill the island,” Faustmann said.
Economist George Theocharides told private Cypriot
channel Sigma TV that the levy on bank deposits could raise a potential 20
billion euros.
“It seems all deposits are affected and each account at
each bank will be cut. The consequences are not just bad for Cyprus but negative
for other eurozone countries and financial sectors,” he said.
According to Faustmann, “They opened a Pandora’s box. The
question is: can it happen elsewhere?” he asked of a levy on deposits.
“They set a precedent which might have a domino effect:
what if investors in all bailed out EU countries decide to withdraw money?”
The Cyprus parliament, originally due to meet later on
Sunday to discuss emergency legislation pushing through the painful EU bailout,
will now meet on Monday at 1400 GMT instead, state broadcaster CyBC reported.
As the scale of opposition to the measures became clear,
President Nicos Anastasiades also postponed a planned address to the nation, it
added.
CyBC said there was a possibility that Tuesday may now
also be declared a bank holiday as the legislative process falters.
However, Faustmann believes that despite the opposition
of the communist AKEL party, which has 19 of the 56 seats in parliament, the
measure will have to pass—albeit experiencing a tough ride first.
“Parliament will have
to vote it through because the alternative is bankruptcy. They cannot amend it,
as far as I know, it is a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote—and a ‘no’ means bankruptcy,” he
said.
Formula One: Troubled start to the season for Red Bulls
AFP, Melbourne: The world champion Red Bull team had a
troubled start to the new Formula One season with Sebastian Vettel failing to
convert his pole position into a victory in the Australian Grand Prix on
Sunday.
The young German, tilting at his fourth consecutive world
driver’s title this year, dropped back after leading the field for the first
few laps, blaming tyre degradation before finishing third behind Lotus winner
Kimi Raikkonen.
His Australian teammate Mark Webber’s dream of winning
his home GP at the 12th attempt also dissolved amid issues with his
Red Bull car as he battled home in sixth place.
It was not the outcome the Formula One world was
expecting after both Red Bull cars qualified on the front row of the grid with
the fastest times.
Vettel got away smartly and avoided any traffic
congestion at the notorious first right-hander out of the home straight, while
Webber had a sluggish start and was beaten to the first bend by six cars.
“I think you’re always a little disappointed when you
start first and don’t finish first, but overall it was a good weekend for us,”
Vettel said.
“We had a good day today with a pole and a podium - but
in the race we were a little too aggressive with the tyres and lost the front
and the rears, while others did a little better.
“There are always areas where you can improve, but the
result we got today is fair.
“We didn’t see Kimi on the track, he was too quick and
Fernando (Alonso) jumped us at a vulnerable time - but we can be happy with
third.”
Webber said he had problems at the start which cost him a
forward position to mount a challenge.
“We had a few issues on the grid, getting the telemetry
from the car to the pits, which wasn’t ideal in terms of the guys knowing where
to set everything up for the start,” said Webber, who is yet to make the podium
in Melbourne.
Webber said he had further problems with the first set of
tyres and had a slow pit stop, which was due to a front jack failure.
“We salvaged something in the end, but that was Melbourne
today and it was disappointing not to get more out of it. It was hard to fight
against others on a two-stop,” he said.
Team principal
Christian Horner said Red Bull were looking forward to the warmer temperatures
in Malaysia next weekend to get their season campaign back on track.
Bangladeshis in Melbourne express solidarity with Shahbag protests
Bangladeshis living in Australia demanded death penalty
for Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla at the Angel Statue in Melbourne
on Sunday expressing solidarity with the Shahbagh protests.
A release said that around 300 expatriate Bangladeshis
gathered in the place and read out the demands, held posters, formed a human
chain and sang patriotic songs.
They also signed a petition to be sent to the prime minister,
Sheikh Hasina, through Bangladesh’s high commissioner.
They demanded proper financial and manpower to strengthen
the prosecution team. (Read the original story)
Spontaneous but sustained, political but not partisan
IT IS indeed a tribute to the unflappable commitment of
the young generation to justice in respect of war crimes and crimes against
humanity perpetrated during the war of liberation in 1971 that what began as a
spontaneous outpouring of anger and frustration with the sentencing of the
assistant secretary general of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami to life-term
imprisonment by International Crimes Tribunal 2 to ever-burgeoning popular
protests, with the Shahbagh crossing in the capital Dhaka as the nucleus. It is
also remarkable that the protests, despite being political, have not been
allowed to be politicised along partisan lines. Suffice it to say, there seem
to have been overt and covert attempts to tinge the protests with partisan colours
but such attempts have thus far proved abortive, courtesy again of the young
generation that has decidedly been at the forefront. Meanwhile, the protests
seem to have acquired not just a momentum, but a life, so to speak, of their
own, growing almost organically, with men, women and even children of different
backgrounds—social, cultural, religious and otherwise—pouring in from different
corners. While the focus has been primarily on the protests, marked by mostly
young men and women shouting slogans, staging sit-in and candle-light vigil,
bringing out torch processions, singing songs, etc, the fever and fervour have
also gripped other major cities and towns across the country.
With the protests set to continue for the sixth
consecutive day today and beyond, the mainstream political parties, especially
the ruling Awami League and the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, have
found themselves in an increasingly tight corner. According to a report
front-paged in New Age on Sunday, the BNP-led alliance cancelled at the last
moment a rally scheduled for Saturday. While the joint secretary general of the
BNP on Friday night attributed the cancellation to the police’s refusal to
grant permission for the rally, a BNP leader talked of the party’s fear that
Jamaat might try to capitalise on the programme to push its own partisan agenda
of securing release of its top leaders currently under trial for crimes against
humanity. Meanwhile, the ruling Awami League and the alliance government that
it leads have been at pains since the verdict against Abdul Quader Molla to
dispel the suspicion that the apparently lenient sentencing is indicative of an
overt or covert AL-BNP entente. That the suspicion prevails in the public mind
has found expression in the slogan, ‘Apaser Ray Mani Na’ (We will not accept
the verdict of compromise), which has made its round during the protests at
Shahbagh and elsewhere.
In other words, the youth-led people’s protests, which
the participants have vowed will continue until Abdul Quader Molla and other
war criminals are handed death sentences for war crimes, have also translated
into a tremendous pressures especially on the Awami League and the BNP in
respect of their perceived and proven electoral plans involving Jamaat. As they
carry on with their protests, the protesters need to turn on the heat and
sustain the pressure so that Jamaat no longer finds a willing shoulder to
piggyback on. (Read the original story)
BCL activists assault Lucky
Chhatra League activists on Sunday night assaulted Lucky
Akter, a frontline activist at the Shahbagh protests seeking death penalty of
all war criminals, protesters said.
Lucky, who became known for shouting slogans
at the protests, was sent to BIRDEM Hospital, the
Bangladesh Students Union general secretary, Hasan Tarek, said.
Protesters said that a group of Chhatra League activists
had assaulted Lucky, also a leader of Bangladesh Students Union and student of
English in Jagannath University, about 10:30pm.
They said that incident took place when Awami League
leader Tofail Ahmed reached the place and Chhatra League activists insisted on
Tofail’s saying something expressing solidarity.
‘Lucky at that time said that in keeping with an earlier
decision no politician could be allowed to make speeches here. At one point,
the Chhatra League’s general secretary snatched away the microphone from Lucky
and a group of his followers assaulted her,’ a protester said.
Some of the protesters stopped Tofail from saying
anything. Tofail then left the place.
Protest organisers, however, said that she had fallen sick
because of dehydration and would join the protests once she started feeling
better.
The protests continued amid tension, witnesses said.
The Communist Party of Bangladesh president, Mujahidul
Islam Selim, and the prime minister’s assistant private secretary Mahbubul
Hoque Shakil, about 11:45pm took her back onto the protest platform. (Read theoriginal story)
Shahbagh protesters submit memo to Speaker
The Shahbagh demonstrators on Sunday submitted a
memorandum to the speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad to press home 6-point charter
of demands.
The demands include death sentence for all war criminals
including Abdul Quader Molla, immediate amendment to the International Crimes
(Tribunals) Act making allowing the prosecution to appeal against verdict and
ensuring verdict from Appellate Division in three months.
A delegation of the protesters, on the sixth day of their
spontaneous protests, met speaker Abdul Hamid at his office in the afternoon
and handed over the memorandum.
The 3-page memorandum also demanded immediate arrest and
tough action against Jamaat-Shibir activists who had threatened for launching
civil war and stern actions against the political parties, force, persons and
institutions been trying to save war criminals and opposing the process of the
ongoing war crimes trial.
They also demanded the immediate arrest of collaborators,
who had been sentenced, and those who were under the trial and was released
after 1975 and their trial under the war crimes tribunals.
They also demanded a ban on all the enterprises, Islami
Bank, IBN Sina hospital, Focus and Retina Coaching Centre, media including
Digangta TV, Daily Nayadiganta, Daily Amardesh, Daily Sangram and Sonar Bangla
Blog. and all cultural institutions run by war criminals. (Read the originalstory)
Govt forms high-powered committee for RMG sector
The government has formed a cabinet committee on garment
industry for further improvement of conditions in the sector and ensuring its
workers’ safety and rights, officials said.
Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, minister for labour and employment,
will head the 11-member committee, said a cabinet division official quoting a
notification of the same division.
The committee, formed with 10 others ministers and
state-ministers, has been asked to suggest the government to amend any law, if
necessary, for safeguarding the interests of the garment workers.
The fast-growing garment industry which accounted for
US$19.09 billion of the country’s total $24.3 billion exports earnings in
2011-12 fiscal year and employed some four million workers is facing manifold
problems—safety and rights of the workers being the most pressing ones.
At least 112 people were killed in a devastating fire at
Tazreen Fashions at Ashulia on November 24,
2012.
Besides, demonstration by the workers for payment of
wages and others issues often hit the headlines of the local and international
media.
The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has
threatened to scrap the generalised system of preference (GSP) for Bangladeshi
products in the US market on the ground that Bangladesh is not taking steps to
improve labour rights.
Bangladesh Garments and Industries Workers Federation
president Babul Akhtar, however, told New Age that the committee was mere an
eye-wash ahead the USTR hearing scheduled to take place next month.
‘The existing labour law was fair enough to ensure the
workers’ right,’ he said, adding that the government was not implementing the
law properly.
Minister for jute and textile, LGRD, home, industries,
commerce, foreign, shipping and disaster management and relief, and state
ministers for labour and employment, and housing are included in the
high-powered committee.
Eleven secretaries, including principle secretary and
secretaries of the ministries of home, jute and textile, commerce, LGRD, labour
and employment, foreign and shipping will assist the committee.
The main task of the committee is to work out plans and
recommendations for overall development of the sector.
The committee will suggest the government to change laws,
if necessary, regarding fire safety, factory infrastructure and workers’
health.
It will monitor activities of ministries and divisions to
ensure compliance in the sector. It will work out plans to set up fair hydrant
points in garment intensive areas and ensure workers’ welfare. (Read theoriginal story)
Bangladesh private universities hedge research
Eleven private universities spent nothing on research in
2011, a feature that does not go with such institutions as there is no
alternative to conducting research for maintaining the standard of tertiary and
higher education, said the University Grants Commission.
The UGC in its yet-to-be-published report for 2011 also
said research in many private universities was limited to just one to three
research projects. But under Section 9(6) of the Private Universities Act,
2010, a private university is bound to spend a significant portion of its
budget for conducting research.
Many private universities have very limited scope for
research as they lack the required infrastructure, library facilities, etc,
said UGC officials.
UGC chairman professor AK Azad Chowdhury said no
university would be allowed to run without conducting necessary research work,
because it is essential for tertiary and higher education.
The Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh
vice-chairman Abul Quasem Haider said it was tough for private universities to
conduct research as they lacked the funds required.
There were 54 private universities in 2011 and now the
number has increased to 71, with 16 set up in 2012 and one this year.
According to the UGC report, the universities that did
not spend a single penny on research are Darul Ihsan University, the People’s
University of Bangladesh, Sylhet International University, South East
University, IBAIS University, City University, United International University,
the University of
South Asia, the University of International Technology
and Science, the Royal University of Dhaka, and Central Women’s University.
The report says six universities conducted just one
research project that year, two of them two, and two others three.
It shows that the remaining 41 universities together
spent around Tk 25.91 crore, or on average Tk 63.20 lakh, on research in 2011.
The UGC chair said they were continuing with pressing the
universities to increase research activities.
‘Because of the continuous pressure for the last
two/three years from the UGC, several renowned private institutions have
started spending significant amounts for carrying out research projects. And we
surely will pressure the rest into doing that,’ he added.
Abul Quasem, however, has a quite different view of the
picture. He said as tuition fees were the main source of funding the
operations, maintenance, and expansion of the universities, ‘it is really tough
for them to allocate funds for research’. (Read the original story)
People in other places jump onto bandwagon
Protests at Shahbagh seeking death penalty for all who
have committed crimes against humanity in 1971 passed the sixth consecutive day
on Sunday with national cricketers expressing solidarity.
Protests spilled over to Chittagong, Rajshahi, Barisal,
Rangpur, Mymansingh, Sherpur, Kishoreganj, Sylhet, Chandpur, Brahmanbaria,
Bandarban, Dinajpur, Moulvibazar, Sunamganj, Comilla, Satkhira, Khulna,
Kushtia, Gazipur and Bogra.
The protesters at Shahbagh held a symbolic execution of
war criminals in the
afternoon as people from all walks of life continued
streaming into the place.
A five-member delegation, led by blogger Imran H Sarkar,
submitted a memorandum to the speaker, Abdul Hamid, at 3:30pm to push for their
demands.
The demands include an amendment to the International
Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973, a ban on Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra
Shibir, and the closing all their financial and other establishments linked to
Jamaat and Shibir such as Islami Bank, Ibn Sina Hospital, and Focus and Retina
coaching centres.
The other demand is trial of political parties and
organisations that helped war criminals.
The protests on the day brought out a large torch procession
after dusk with people taking a fresh vow not to leave the streets until all
war criminals, including Jamaat’s assistant secretary general Abdul Quader
Molla, were sentenced to death.
People continued expressing solidarity with the protests
with artistes shouting slogans such as ‘Phanshi, phanshi, phanshi chai, Quader
Mollar phanshi chai’ (Hang Quader Molla), ‘Ka te Quader Molla, tui razakar, (Ka
for Quader Molla, you are a collaborator)’ and ‘Ga te Ghulam Azam, tui razakar’
(Ga for Ghulam Azam, you are a collaborator),’ ‘Apaser Ray mani na, manbo na
(We will not accept the verdict of compromise),’ and ‘Apaser parinam Bangla
habe Pakistan (Such a compromise will turn Bangladesh into Pakistan).’
The protests spilling over to other places across the
country also continued in a similar fashion.
The protesters sported the national flag, marched in
small processions carrying banners and festoons, screened films on the
independence war, painted road stretches, staged street plays and sang
patriotic songs.
The foreign minister, Dipu Moni, the Bangladesh Cricket
Board president, Nazmul Hasan Papon, Bangladesh’s cricket captain Mushfiqur
Rahim, cricketers Mohammed Ashraful, Abdur Razzaq, Mashrafe Mortaza, Nasir
Hossain, Elias Sunny, Shohag Gazi, Anamul Haque Bijoy and Mominul Haque, the
chief selector, Akram Khan, and selector Habibul Bashar, and the Bangladesh
Premier League team Duronto Rajhsahi expressed solidarity with the protests
where they were given a standing ovation.
Muktijhuddho Prajanma Command held a symbolic execution
of Quader Molla while another group set up symbolic scaffold near Pubali Bank.
Organisers said collaborators would later be hanged there in effigy. The
dramatics department of Dhaka University also set up a symbolic scaffold.
On Sunday, students of schools, colleges and universities
poured in for the protests in their thousands.
Students of Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University,
Jagannath University, Dhaka Medical College, Eden Girls’ College, Dhaka City
College, Ideal College, East West University, University of Liberal Arts,
Viqarunnesa Noon School and College, Notre Dame College, Holy Cross School and
College and other educational institutions flocked to the place in small processions,
shouting slogans all day long.
A minor boy named Apurba recited the historic March 7
address mimicking the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
People from neighbouring districts of Naryanganj,
Munshiganj, Gazipur and Comilla and the outlying Barisal also joined the
protests at Shahbagh.
The protesters said that anyone trying to compromise with
the forces that worked against Bangladesh during the independence war would be
branded as ‘neo-collaborators’ and rejected.
Many people stood in queues to sign on a long piece of
white cloth extending their support for the protests. A group of young
journalists also began a mass signature campaign.
The Dhaka University Film Society screened several films
on the war of independence on a big screen the organisation set up in the
place.
A concert was held at Shahbagh at night.
Protesters, meanwhile, alleged that some people were
threatening the life of Lucky Akhter. Lucky told New Age that she and the
family were receiving many such calls a day.
A lane of the road between BIRDEM Hospital and Matsya
Bhaban was opened to traffic in the morning but as the day rolled on, people
streaming in blocked it again after 3:00pm, the Ramna police deputy
commissioner, Nurul Islam Khan, said.
Young people also held similar protests at Mirpur Circle
10, Kafrul, Sobhanbagh and Uttara demanding death penalty for Quader Molla.
In Chittagong, protests were held in front of the
Chittagong Press Club. In Rajshahi, protests were held in Tukitaki Square and
in Barisal in the Ashwini Kumar Town Hall.
People held a rally at the Rangpur Town Hall. In
Mymansingh, a rally was held in Feroz-Jahangir Square. In Sherpur, rallies were
held in the thana crossing. In Kishoreganj, protests began in the Rangmahal
area.
People of Sylhet, Chandpur, Brahmanbaria, Bandarban,
Dinajpur, Moulvibazar and Sunamganj held similar protests near shaheed minars.
Protests were also held at the Town Hall in Comilla, in
Razzak Park in Satkhira, in the Shibbari crossing in Khulna and Char-Rasta
crossing in Kushtia.
Students of Dhaka University of Engineering and
Technology in Gazipur and Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College in Bogra also
held protests on campuses. (Read the original story)
PM Hasina asks judges to consider people’s aspirations
The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Sunday urged judges
of the international crimes tribunals to ‘consider the aspiration of the people
while delivering verdicts’ and vowed to do ‘everything to ensure the maximum
punishment of war criminals.’
Hasina, also the leader of the house, said this speaking
on a point of order in the parliament. She expressed solidarity with the
ongoing Shahbagh protests that passed the sixth consecutive day on Sunday
pushing for death penalty for war criminals.
‘It is the tribunal which will dispose of the cases in
line with the law. Even after that, I ask them to consider people’s aspirations
in giving verdicts,’ Hasina said.
Congratulating the youths, Hasina said, ‘Their vow and
each of their demands are very much logical. We support them and will do
whatever is needed to fulfil their aspirations.’
‘We also want that the accused are given the maximum
punishment. We all express solidarity with you [youths protesters at
Shahbagh],’ she added.
The prime minister said that the government would amend
the ICT law to enable the prosecution to appeal against the verdict.
Hasina, also president of the ruling Awami League, called
on all to cooperate with the government to execute final verdicts against the
war criminals.
She proposed to call the Shahbagh crossing ‘Tarun
Prajanma Square’ (New Generation Square) as she said that there was a ‘smell of
Pakistan’ in the name of Shahbagh.
The prime minister praised the youths for their
‘unprecedented role’ and said that she would now ‘die in peace’ after being
assured that ‘razakars’ (collaborators) would get no place in Bangladesh which,
she said, was manifested in the protests of the youths against the forces that
worked against Bangladesh during the war in 1971.
After the prime minister’s speech, the speaker, Abdul
Hamid, on behalf of the parliament expressed solidarity with the Shahbagh
protests.
The foreign minister, Dipu Moni, earlier said that war
criminals would be meted out the ‘maximum punishment’ (death penalty) in line
with the ‘aspirations of the entire nation.’
Echoing several ruling alliance lawmakers who spoke
before her, the agriculture minister, Matia Chowdhury, saluted the youths for
their untiring protests that would ‘guide the trial onto the right track.’
Coming down heavily on opposition leaders for their
‘anti-trial remarks,’ the lawmakers demanded ‘exemplary punishment’ of leaders
of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party who ‘demanded dissolution of international
crimes tribunals and are speaking against the tribunals.’
They also asked the government to take immediate steps to
ban the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami
saying as ‘the entire nation has now stood united against anti-liberation
elements.’
The lone independent lawmaker, Fazlul Azim, however,
asked the political parties not to ‘show curiosity’ about the Shahbagh protest
as ‘it is in the real sense a people’s protest.’
He also asked why the process of war crimes trial ‘has
been called into question’ and stressed ‘the need for keeping the trial free of
politicisation and for ensuring international standards in the trial.’
He also asked ruling party lawmakers to visit Shahbagh
instead of speaking in the parliament.
But the independent lawmaker could not finish his speech
amid opposition by ruling alliance lawmakers that prompted him to walk out
later when the speaker switched off his microphone.
The unscheduled debate began when treasury bench member
Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim stood up on a point of order and started speaking
about the Shahbagh protests.
Citing a statement of the former Bangladesh Supreme Court
Bar Association president Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, also an adviser to the BNP
chairperson, Khaleda Zia, Sheikh Selim said that Khandaker Mahbub had called
for dissolution of the international crimes tribunal.
He said, ‘Khandaker Mahbub demanded the trial under the
supervision of the United Nations dissolving the tribunals and other BNP
leaders, including Moudud Ahmed, MK Anwar, Mahbubur Rahman, are speaking
against the tribunal.’
He said that any of them had neither taken part in the
independence war nor gone to India. ‘Mahbubur Rahman [BNP standing committee
member] was a razakar [collaborator],’ he added.
‘Earlier Khaleda Zia had also demanded the release of war
crimes suspects,’ he added.
Asking the BNP to stop hatching ‘conspiracy against the
trial,’ the lawmaker said, ‘Those who are now speaking against the trial should
be also be tried and meted out an exemplary punishment.’
Former law minister Abdul Matin Khashru said that the
Shahbag protests ‘will strengthen the hands of the tribunals trying war
criminals.’
Although AL lawmakr Tofail Ahmed and JP lawmaker Mujibul
Haque Chunnu asked the speaker to pass a resolution expressing solidarity with
the Shahbagh protests, the chief whip, Abdus Shahee, opposed it, resulting in
no resolution being taken in this regard.
The state minister for housing and public works, Abdul
Mannan Khan, Murad Hassan, Abdul Mannan, Tarana Halim, Chemon Ara Begum, Kamal
Ahmed Majumder, Subed Ali Bhuiya, Zunaed Ahmed Palak, AKM Mozammel Haque, Tajul
Islam and Israfil Alam , among others, spoke on the point of order.
The Workers Party of Bangladesh president, Rashed Khan
Menon, and the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal executive president, Mainuddin Khan
Badal, also spoke. (Read the original story)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)