Arrest sand trader, probe role of OC: Demand families of 6 students beaten to death

Families of the six students killed in mob beating in Aminbazar on the outskirts of the city last week have demanded arrest of sand trader Abdul Malek and investigation into the role of the officer-in-charge of Savar Police Station.

The actual incident will come to light if the two are interrogated, they said in separate written statements to a high-powered police probe team yesterday.

The families also demanded withdrawal of the robbery case filed by the sand trader against the six and one injured.

They alleged that OC Mahbubur Rahman is acting mysteriously since the killings on July 18.

Contacted, the OC refused to comment on the matter.

Yesterday, the investigation team took statements of the relatives for the second time at the office of the deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Tejgaon division) from 9:00am to 2:00pm.

After giving the depositions, the family members told reporters that their boys did not go to Aminbazar for robbery. They claimed miscreants stabbed and beat to death them in police presence.

Three of the deceased were from Mirpur Bangla College, and one each from Tejgaon College, Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT) and Maple Leaf International School.

Sirajul Islam, brother of slain Touhidur Rahman Palash, told The Daily Star that those responsible for the incident are very powerful and remain beyond reach.

Savar police filed a murder case against some 600 unnamed villagers in connection with the killings and arrested two accused on Saturday.

Sanwar Hossain and Md Selim of Baradeshi, the arrested, were taken on a two-day remand for interrogation on Sunday. However, they were sent to jail the day after as they fell sick.

The case was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department last night.

Source : The Daily Star

Free Suchitra Sen's house from grabbers: HC asks govt

The High Court yesterday directed the government to take over the family house of Bangla film icon Suchitra Sen in Pabna within a week and ensure all necessary steps for its protection.

However, before the HC directive came, religious bigots had occupied the house for 24 years. Suchitra Sen along with her family left Pabna a few months before the partition of the sub-continent in 1947.

Over the years successive governments extended the single-year lease Jamaat-e-Islami took of the house in 1987 in phases, ignoring demands from intellectuals and general people to reclaim the house from the clutch of religious fundamentalists, reports our Pabna correspondent.

Finally the HC directive came as a beckon of hope for the local people to have the house reinstituted in accordance with their long-standing demand of turning it into a museum, shedding lights on the life of the heartthrob actress and evolution of Bangla film as well.

"The entire Pabna is happy with the verdict. I believe it is news of joy and hope for every conscious and progressive individual of the country," said Saidul Haque Chunnu, convener of Suchitra Sen Smrity Shangrakkhan Parishad in Pabna, a forum comprising cultural activists and intellectuals to press home their demands.

The HC directive to take appropriate legal action against the grabbers holds great importance for the local people, who witnessed how the house on 21 decimal of land underwent a change in construction as the Imam Gazzali Trust run by Jamaat-e-Islami extended its business in education using the land.

Once accommodating only five brick-built rooms, the house now has extra five corrugated-iron-sheet-made rooms to accommodate about three hundred students of Imam Gazzali Institution, a kindergarten run by the Gazzali trust.

Earlier, the trust ran a high school and college on the compound. The institutions were relocated to their own property at Raghabpur village after those were listed on the MPO.

"We are maintaining the school in Suchitra Sen's residence after taking lease of the land from the district administration," said Abid Hassan, secretary of the Gazzali trust and ameer of Jamaat's municipal unit.

"People labelled the institution as one of Jamaat's organisations, but this is only an educational institution, not an institution of a particular party," he claimed.

However, Jamaat even tried to have the house as its own property in 1991, immediately after the BNP-led alliance assumed power.

The then government could not hand over the house due to some technical difficulties over the land survey but suggested that the trust continue occupying it by renewing the lease every year until the matter is finally settled, Hassan informed.

Against increasing demand of reclaiming the house after the AL-led grand alliance assumed power, the district administration cancelled the lease last year. The kindergarten however challenged the cancellation with the HC, drawing a stay order on operation of the cancellation.

"On receipt of the court order we will take next decision after consulting our counsels," said Aiyub Ali, a teacher of the kindergarten who challenged the cancellation order.

The HC has made the deputy commissioner, superintendent of police and officer-in-charge of Pabna police to act in compliance with its directives and report back in 10 days.

A public interest litigation filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) drew a series of directives from the HC that ruled the government to explain in two weeks why its inaction to take action against the grabbers should not be declared illegal.

The HRPB filed the petition following a report published in Shokaler Khobor on July 13.

Born in April of 1931, Suchitra Sen stayed in the house till a few months before the partition. She made her debut in film with Shesh Kothaay in 1952. The films in which she paired with another icon actor Uttam Kumar became classics in the history of Bangla film.

Suchitra is the first Indian actress to be awarded in an international competition. She received Best Actress award for the movie Saat Paake Bandha in Moscow Film Festival, 1963.

Source : The Daily Star

Drama over arrest of Rajshahi militant: Arrest warrant found missing; cops capture him on duplicate order

Police yesterday "discovered" that arrest warrant against the chief of a banned militant outfit was missing for the last three years and arrested him in the evening after obtaining a duplicate from the court.

Sayed Kawsar Hussain Siddiki alias Raja, chief of outlawed Shahadat-e Al Hikma, was arrested at his house in Haragram Pashchimpara in the city at 8:00pm.

The Court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Rajshahi issued the arrest warrant against him in a sedition case on July 10, 2008. However, the warrant went missing, allowing Kawsar to remain at large and pursue his activities.

Taking this opportunity, Kawsar, who had affiliation with Freedom Party, was developing a big-budget beverage company in Rajshahi city.

Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Commissioner M Obaidullah told The Daily Star that both the police stations concerned and the court police had no whereabouts of the warrant. They found it missing while looking into the documents of the cases filed against Kawsar, he said.

"We are trying to detect how such an important document went missing and whether an insider was involved," the city police chief added.

The sedition case (non-FIR prosecution) was filed against Kawsar on April 13, 2005 for his involvement in militant activities.

He was also accused in another sedition case filed on March 25, 2003. Both the sedition cases filed by the Detective Branch of RMP are now pending with the CMM court.

Kawsar appeared with Al-Hikma in late 90s with leaflets and posters that carried the slogan "Good use of arms is the only way of eradicating injustice" and termed the Liberation War a "terrorist activity".

He was arrested thrice in 2002 for his involvement with Al-Hikma and the sedition cases were filed following the outfit was banned on February 9, 2003. He was arrested for the last time in February 2003 and was out on bail three years later.

Kawsar had meanwhile started setting up Himaloy Beverage Company Ltd renting a four-storey building at Dingadoba Nimtala in the city.

During a recent interview at his office, Kawsar told newspersons he is the managing director of the company. He rented the house at Tk 40,000 per month for the last three months.

On his link with Al-Hikma, Kawsar said he is no more with the outfit. "I was young and stupid then. I am a businessman now."

Asked about his investment, Kawsar, who lived on khas land only eight years ago, claimed he inherited property from his in-laws and earned huge amount as a contractor.

He also claimed his Tk 300-crore beverage project would generate employment for around 40,000 people. He also said he would get foreign funding for the company but did not elaborate.

During a visit to his office, it was found there was nothing but a chair and a table in every room of the first two floors. Kawsar lives with his family on the third floor, while the fourth floor is still under construction.

To prove himself a real businessman, he showed this correspondent several copies of licences and certificates.

Asked how Kawsar obtained business documents, Assistant Commissioner (Tax) Jahangir Alam of Circle-3 and Ziaul Haque, in-charge of Rajshahi office of the Joint Stock Companies and Firms, said they don't need to verify criminal records while issuing certificates.

They said they would consider criminal records only when anyone files any complaint against a person.

Source : The Daily Star 

Death at Construction Site: HC orders arrest of builders

The High Court yesterday ordered immediate arrest of builders Sagufta Group's managing director and director in connection with the death of a college student.

The officers-in-charge of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and Pallabi police stations were ordered to arrest Khalled Mohammad Jewel Mollah, managing director, and Walid Mohammad Mollah, director.

Hearing a suo moto rule, an HC bench also directed the two OCs, Khaled , Walid and contractor Md Osman Ali to appear before it tomorrow along with relevant papers to explain their responsibilities concerning construction of the building in violation of safety rules, and the death of the student.

The bench comprised of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore, however, exempted Chairman of Sagufta Group Noor Mohammad from personal appearance before it considering his old age.

Habibur Rahman Munna, 18, an HSC examinee from Tejgaon College, was killed on the spot on July 16 as a brick fell on his head from the 10th floor of an under-construction 15-storey building of a Sagufta project on Panthapath in the capital.

On July 19, the court issued a rule upon the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, the two OCs and Sagufta Group to explain within two weeks why the company should not be punished for not taking appropriate safety measures at the construction site.

Noor Mohammad and Khalled appeared before the HC bench yesterday as per its July 19 rule.

Their counsel Anisul Huq told the court that the two were not responsible for the death of a student as they had given all responsibilities of the construction to the director and contractor.

The court said nobody will be allowed to evade justice after committing such a serious offence.

Deputy Attorney General ABM Altaf Hossain stood for the government.

Source : The Daily Star 

Tourism in Bangladesh

This video shows the beautiful tourist spots in Bangladesh.

Beautiful Bangladesh Tourism Video (World Cup 2011)

Beautiful Bangladesh tourism video shown during ICC World Cup Cricket 2011

Military plane crash kills 80 in Morocco

A military transport plane slammed into a mountainside in bad weather in southern Morocco yesterday, killing all 80 people on board, hospital and military sources said.

The army said 78 people were killed on the spot and two rushed to hospital after the Hercules C-130 crashed on the edge of the Sahara desert in Morocco's worst military aviation disaster.

A hospital source later told AFP that the injured died of their wounds.

The plane crashed into a mountain northeast of Guelmim, located about 830 kilometres south of the capital Rabat, the army said in a statement.

Most of those onboard the aircraft were soldiers flying from Laayoune in Western Sahara to the coastal city of Agadir. But the army said civilians, including family members, were also on the flight.

King Mohammed VI has sent a message of condolence to the families of the victims, an official said.

The army statement blamed the accident on "bad weather conditions".

"Above all, it was the fog and bad weather conditions that are believed to be behind this accident. But for the moment, we don't have enough information," an interior ministry official said.

The plane slammed into a mountain around 10 kilometres (six miles) from Guelmin, known as the gateway to the Sahara desert.

Another provincial official said the plane had been preparing to land at the local military airport at Guelmin when "a huge pall of smoke came from the mountain".

He said the plane had hit the well known mountain of Sayyert.

The bodies of several victims have been recovered from the mountainside and taken to the military hospital at Guelmin, the army said in the statement.

Source : The Daily Star

Beautiful Bangladesh Exclusive Video Clip

GlaxoSmithKline Bangladesh chairman due today

Duncan Learmouth, senior vice-president, developing countries and market access business unit, emerging markets, GlaxoSmithKline, UK and chairman, GSK Bangladesh Limited, arrives in Dhaka today on a three-day visit.

Duncan Learmouth joined GSK in 1991. Before taking up the current assignment of leading the operations in about 50 countries, Duncan, in his role of SVP Global Communications, was also a member of GSK's global corporate executive team. Prior to that, he worked as vice-president, global investor relations and competitive excellence, said a news release.

Duncan joined the board of GSK Bangladesh as chairman in August 2010. He is also a board member of ViiV Healthcare, a global specialist HIV company which is established by GSK and Pfizer to deliver advances in treatment and care for people living with HIV.

Source : New Age

Oil mixed as traders eye US debt standoff

Oil was mixed in Asian trade Tuesday, with sentiment muted amid a budget standoff in Washington as lawmakers struggle to agree on a plan to avoid a default by the world's biggest economy.

New York's main contract, light sweet crude for September delivery, advanced 37 cents to $99.57 a barrel and Brent North Sea crude for September delivery eased 29 cents to $117.65.

'Investors (are) keeping to the sidelines as Washington debates the debt ceiling,' analysts from Phillip Futures said in a commentary.

The US Treasury says Congress must raise the government's $14.29 trillion debt limit by August 2 to prevent a default, which would have devastating repercussions on the global economy.

But Democrats and Republicans are deadlocked, with bitter disagreements over tax increases and spending cuts.

US President Barack Obama warned in a primetime televised speech to the nation on Monday that a default would risk 'a deep economic crisis'.

Washington hit its debt ceiling on May 16 but has used spending and accounting adjustments, as well as higher-than-expected tax receipts, to continue operating normally. However, it can only do so until August 2.

At that point, US leaders will have to cut an estimated 40 per cent from spending and stop paying either its debts or other obligations such as government health or retirement benefits.

Source : New Age

market Disclosures

Gemini Sea Food
As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 3rd quarter ended on 30th June 2011 (April '11 to June '11), the company has reported net profit after tax of Tk 1.31 million with EPS of Tk 11.86 as against Tk 1.09 million and Tk 9.88 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Whereas net profit after tax was Tk 9.52 million with EPS of Tk 86.53 for the period of nine months (Oct '10 to June '11) ended on 30.06.2011 as against Tk 4.07 million and Tk 36.97 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Accumulated profit/ (loss) of the company was Tk (10.86) million as on 30.06.11.

Barakatullah Electro Dynamics Ltd
The company has informed that Barakatullah Electro Dynamics Ltd. (51 per cent shareholding company of Baraka Patenga Power Limited) has received a letter from Bangladesh Power Development Board to sign the Power Purchase Agreements ('PPA') for the development of a HFO-Fired Power Generation Facility of 50.00 MW at Patenga, Chittagong, Bangladesh with Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) along with the implementation agreements ('IA') with the government for the facilities on July 31, 2011.

CMC Kamal
The company has informed that it has credited the Bonus shares for the year 2010 to the respective shareholders' BO accounts.

Aims 1st MF
In response to a DSE query, the trustee of the fund has informed that there is no undisclosed price sensitive information of the fund for recent unusual price hike.

Aramit
The company has informed that it has already sent cash dividend warrants through courier to respective shareholders' mailing address.

Safko Spinnings
In response to a DSE query dated 25.07.11, the company has informed that there is no undisclosed price sensitive information of the company for recent unusual price hike.
    Source: DSE

Source : New Age

Indian rate hike spooks business

Business leaders in India expressed alarm on Tuesday after the country's central bank raised interest rates by a larger-than-expected 50 basis points.

The Confederation of Indian Industry umbrella group led the charge following the Reserve Bank of India's rate rise, the 11th in less than 18 months.

CII director-general Chandrajit Banerjee accepted that policymakers were aggressively trying to curb inflation but warned there could be a tipping point beyond which recovering from a downward spiral could prove difficult.

'At a time when data indicates a clear slowdown in industrial output, this (the sharp rate rise) is a matter of great concern,' he said in a statement, repeating industry-wide calls for a pause in monetary tightening.

India's annual industrial output growth slowed in May to 5.6 per cent, its weakest pace in nine months, down from 8.5 per cent expansion a year earlier.

'The current hike coupled with the past actions will have an impact on overall growth,' said Anis Chakravarty, director of global consultants Deloitte, Haskins and Sells.

The RBI's repo rate, at which it lends to commercial banks, stands at 8.0 per cent and the reverse repo — the rate it pays to banks for deposits — is at 7.0 per cent.

Rate-sensitive real estate firms in particular expressed dismay and concern that the rising cost of borrowing will put off home buyers.

'(Tuesday's hike) will make cost of funds expensive for both developers and buyers and make the business environment very complex across industries,' said Pradeep Jain, chairman of Parsvnath Developers.

Jain said property developers had no option but to pass on the burden to buyers.

Source : New Age

Maruti Q1 beats forecast

Maruti Suzuki, India's top car maker, beat estimates with an 18 per cent rise in June-quarter profit, helped by higher other income, even as yet another rate hike by the central bank made the sector's outlook murkier.

Car makers in the country are set to see a sharp drop in demand amid surging interest rates and fuel prices in the world's second-fastest growing auto market after China.

Indian car sales, which grew at a breakneck 30 per cent in the fiscal year that ended in April, are now expected to grow by just 10 to 12 per cent this fiscal year, down from an earlier forecast of 16 to 18 per cent, an industry group has said.

The demand outlook has weakened further after the central bank stunned investors by raising interest rates by 50 basis points on Tuesday, showing unexpected resolve in fighting persistently high inflation.

Source : New Age