Dhaka, Dec 14 (The New Age): The ruling Awami League has failed to convince the Jatiya Party to
revise its decision to boycott the 10th parliamentary elections
scheduled for January 5, JP leaders told New Age.
The JP chairman, HM
Ershad, meanwhile on Friday night, said that he was not ill and had
been detained in the name of treatment in Combined Military Hospital in
Dhaka since Thursday night.
Law enforcers picked up him from his house at Baridhara about 11:40pm on Thursday and took him to the CMH.
As
part of the Awami League’s efforts for a negotiation, Tofail Ahmed and
Gowher Rizvi met JP presidium member Rawshan Ershad at her hosue at
Gulshan in the evening.
JP presidium members Anisul Islam Mahmud and
Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu who are known to be inclined towards the Awami
League, also attended the meeting at Rawshan’s house.
After the
meeting with Rawshan that continued for an hour, Tofail, also the
industries minister, and Rizvi, the international affairs adviser to the
prime minister, left Rawshan’s house and told reporters that it was
just a ‘courtesy call.’
More than one JP presidium members confirmed
to New Age that Tofail and Rizvi had also spoken to Ershad at the CMH in
the evening but without any understanding being reached.
With
rumours rife for all day long over a split in the Jatiya Party, change
in the top leadership and participation in the national elections, the
JP secretary general, ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader, at a press conference in
the afternoon told reporters that Ershad would remain chairman of the
party as long as he was alive.
‘Ershad was taken to the CMH as he was
demanding inclusive and neutral elections,’ Hawlader said. ‘Agitation
programmes will begin soon demanding the release of our leader.’
Ershad’s
younger GM Qader at another press conference in the afternoon told
reporters that his brother was quite well but he was taken to the CMH.
‘Ershad is, however, fine now. He will be allowed to come back home at
his will,’ Qader said but declined comments when he was asked whether
Ersahd was ‘arrested.’
The Jatiya Party will not contest the polls.
Ershad is the party chief,’ Qader said. ‘I met my brother at the CMH and
asked me to talk to the press to brief on his situation.’
‘All JP candidates have been asked to withdraw their nominations on time. This is the order of Ershad,’ Qader said.
Ershad
in a press statement, meanwhile, on Friday night said that he was not
ill and had been detained in the name of treatment in the CMH.
Ershad’s special adviser Bobby Hajjaj e-mailed the statement to journalists.
Ershad in the statement iterated his party’s stance on not participating in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
‘The
Jatiya Party will not contest the elections if all parties do not do
that. For this reason, party candidates have withdrawn their nomination
papers,’ according to the statement.
He also denounced JP leader
Mujibul Haque Chunnu’s acting as the party’s spokesperson and insisted
that Mujibul’s statements should be regarded as his personal views, not
the party’s.
‘I have not appointed anyone the party’s spokesperson. I will convey my messages to the media through Bobby,’ it said.
‘Do not be confused by statements, campaigns or propaganda from anyone else,’ the JP chief added.
Ruhul Amin Hawlader and GM Quader will lead the party in keeping with Ershad’s guidelines, the statement said.
Bobby told New Age that Ershad had told him to send the statement to the press.
Hundreds
of JP leaders and activists, meanwhile, gathered at the party office in
Dhaka, shouted slogan against the government for detaining their chief
and demanded his immediate release.
They said that their chief was quite well but had forcibly been taken to the CMH.
The expelled Jaitya Party presidium member Kazi Zafar in a statement in the evening demanded the release of Ershad.
Bangladesh: Polls boycott led to arrest of Ershad: BNP
Dhaka, Dec 14 (The New Age): The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Friday alleged that the arrest of
the Jatiya Party chairman, Hussein Muhammad Ershad, had resulted from
his unwillingness to take part in the next parliamentary elections.
The acting BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a statement also demanded an immediate release of Ershad.
He said, ‘Ershad was arrested as he refused to take part in the stage-managed polls.’
‘We are worried because of the way he was arrested. The arrest of Ershad proves that there is not an iota of democracy in the country,’ he added.
Ersahd announced the boycott of the next polls severing ties with the Awami League-led ruling alliance.
His being ‘picked up’ by the Rapid Action Battalion and being taken to Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka on Thursday night soon after the execution of Jamaat’s assistant secretary general Abdul Quader Molla had given rise to speculations in the political arena.
Jatiya Party presidium member Kazi Firoz Rashid on Thursday night claimed that his party chief had been arrested on Thursday night.
But the battalion’s director (legal and media wing) Habibur Rahman, however, set it aside saying that they had taken Ershad to the CMH as he had suddenly felt sick.
On Friday noon, GM Quader, younger brother of Ershad, also criticised the authorities concerned for detaining Ershad adding that the way Ershad had been taken to the hospital was not usual.
At a news conference, he said that in keeping with Ershad’s order, all party candidates would withdraw their nomination papers as Ershad was still the party chief.
The acting BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a statement also demanded an immediate release of Ershad.
He said, ‘Ershad was arrested as he refused to take part in the stage-managed polls.’
‘We are worried because of the way he was arrested. The arrest of Ershad proves that there is not an iota of democracy in the country,’ he added.
Ersahd announced the boycott of the next polls severing ties with the Awami League-led ruling alliance.
His being ‘picked up’ by the Rapid Action Battalion and being taken to Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka on Thursday night soon after the execution of Jamaat’s assistant secretary general Abdul Quader Molla had given rise to speculations in the political arena.
Jatiya Party presidium member Kazi Firoz Rashid on Thursday night claimed that his party chief had been arrested on Thursday night.
But the battalion’s director (legal and media wing) Habibur Rahman, however, set it aside saying that they had taken Ershad to the CMH as he had suddenly felt sick.
On Friday noon, GM Quader, younger brother of Ershad, also criticised the authorities concerned for detaining Ershad adding that the way Ershad had been taken to the hospital was not usual.
At a news conference, he said that in keeping with Ershad’s order, all party candidates would withdraw their nomination papers as Ershad was still the party chief.
Bangladesh: Shoot Jamaat, Shibir rioters Says Shahriar Kabir
Dhaka, Dec 14 (The New Age): Writer Shahriar Kabir on Friday called upon the government to shoot the
Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir men who would be found running
atrocities in the streets.
He made the call at a rally at Shahbagh organised by Ganajagaran Mancha, the youth-led platform campaigning for the capital punishment for the war criminals.
Shahriar, also the executive president of Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, sought military
intervention in resisting the ongoing countrywide atrocities of Jamaat and Shibir men.
He said that the government should not rely only upon the law enforcers to face the Jamaat and Shibir men.
‘Also the ordinary people, led by the Ganajagaran Mancha, should be involved in fighting against the Jamaat, Shibr and fanatic Hefajat-e-Islam who declared war against the country,’ he said.
Pointing at the Hefajat programme scheduled for December 24 in the capital, Shahriar said Ganajagaran Mancha must strongly resist Hefajat’s entry to the capital.
Ganajagaran Mancha spokesman Imran H Sarkar echoed him regarding the Hefajat programme.
Imran said that banning Jamaat and Shibir was the key to defeating anti-liberation forces.
Rights activist Khushi Kabir termed the execution of Jamaat assistant general Abdul Quader Molla as the first chapter to make the country collaborators-free.
Among others, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote president Nasiruddin Yusuf Bachchu, Martyred intellectual Dr Abdul Alim Chowdhury’s widow Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury, Bangladesh Chhatra Maitree president Bappaditya Basu and Bangladesh Chhatra Union president SM Shuvo addressed the rally.
He made the call at a rally at Shahbagh organised by Ganajagaran Mancha, the youth-led platform campaigning for the capital punishment for the war criminals.
Shahriar, also the executive president of Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, sought military
intervention in resisting the ongoing countrywide atrocities of Jamaat and Shibir men.
He said that the government should not rely only upon the law enforcers to face the Jamaat and Shibir men.
‘Also the ordinary people, led by the Ganajagaran Mancha, should be involved in fighting against the Jamaat, Shibr and fanatic Hefajat-e-Islam who declared war against the country,’ he said.
Pointing at the Hefajat programme scheduled for December 24 in the capital, Shahriar said Ganajagaran Mancha must strongly resist Hefajat’s entry to the capital.
Ganajagaran Mancha spokesman Imran H Sarkar echoed him regarding the Hefajat programme.
Imran said that banning Jamaat and Shibir was the key to defeating anti-liberation forces.
Rights activist Khushi Kabir termed the execution of Jamaat assistant general Abdul Quader Molla as the first chapter to make the country collaborators-free.
Among others, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote president Nasiruddin Yusuf Bachchu, Martyred intellectual Dr Abdul Alim Chowdhury’s widow Shyamoli Nasrin Chowdhury, Bangladesh Chhatra Maitree president Bappaditya Basu and Bangladesh Chhatra Union president SM Shuvo addressed the rally.
Bangladesh: Chances slim for making Jan 5 polls participatory: CEC
Dhaka, Dec 14 (The New Age): The chief election commissioner, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, said on Friday
that it was becoming increasingly difficult for the commission to ensure
participation of all political parties in the January 5 general
election.
When reporters asked him whether there were still chances for making the January 5 polls participatory, Rakib said, ‘Things are getting difficult.’
Talking to newsmen at the EC secretariat in the city, the CEC, however, said chances would remain for the parties to take part in the polls if all political parties made a ‘realistic decision’ and arrived at a political consensus.
‘And if a consensus is arrived at finally, it would be the parties which would instruct us what to do,’ he said.
A total of 1,107 candidates from 20 political parties, mostly belonging to the Awami League-led ruling alliance, had submitted nomination papers for the 10th parliamentary elections with most of the political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led opposition alliance, boycotting the polls.
After the scrutiny, the number of valid candidates stood at 880 on Thursday and many others, including those nominated by HM Ershad’s Jatiya Party, withdrew their candidatures by Friday, the last date for doing so.
EC officials said about 70 candidates of Awami League and Anwar Hossain Manju-led Jatiya Party-JP had so far been elected unopposed. They said the number was expected to increase.
When reporters asked him whether there were still chances for making the January 5 polls participatory, Rakib said, ‘Things are getting difficult.’
Talking to newsmen at the EC secretariat in the city, the CEC, however, said chances would remain for the parties to take part in the polls if all political parties made a ‘realistic decision’ and arrived at a political consensus.
‘And if a consensus is arrived at finally, it would be the parties which would instruct us what to do,’ he said.
A total of 1,107 candidates from 20 political parties, mostly belonging to the Awami League-led ruling alliance, had submitted nomination papers for the 10th parliamentary elections with most of the political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led opposition alliance, boycotting the polls.
After the scrutiny, the number of valid candidates stood at 880 on Thursday and many others, including those nominated by HM Ershad’s Jatiya Party, withdrew their candidatures by Friday, the last date for doing so.
EC officials said about 70 candidates of Awami League and Anwar Hossain Manju-led Jatiya Party-JP had so far been elected unopposed. They said the number was expected to increase.
Bangladesh: US urges political parties to refrain from violence
Dhaka, Dec 14 (The New Age): Terming the current situation in Bangladesh a ‘sensitive moment’, the
United States has strongly urged all parties to exercise restraint and
refrain from violence and express views peacefully.
‘Well, we’re aware that his (Quader Mollah’s) execution took place on Thursday, and I think would underscore a few points - that now is a very sensitive moment in Bangladesh… we strongly urge all parties to exercise restraint, to refrain from violence - I think that’s a very key point - and express their views peacefully,’ said Marie Harf, the deputy spokesperson of the US Department of State, in a regular briefing in Washington on December 12.
The reply came when a question was raised on the execution of war criminal and Jamaat leader Abudl Quader Mollah and violence in different parts of the country following the execution.
‘We’ve long urged the authorities to assure that trials are free, transparent, and in accordance with international standards, but we’ve also urged all parties and their supporters to express their views peacefully, and again, to refrain from violence. That’s really what we want to see here going forward,’ Marie Harf said.
Condemned war criminal Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary general Abdul Quader Mollah was hanged at Dhaka Central Jail at 10:01pm Thursday.
Street violence across the country flared up following the execution, leaving five people killed so far.
‘Well, we’re aware that his (Quader Mollah’s) execution took place on Thursday, and I think would underscore a few points - that now is a very sensitive moment in Bangladesh… we strongly urge all parties to exercise restraint, to refrain from violence - I think that’s a very key point - and express their views peacefully,’ said Marie Harf, the deputy spokesperson of the US Department of State, in a regular briefing in Washington on December 12.
The reply came when a question was raised on the execution of war criminal and Jamaat leader Abudl Quader Mollah and violence in different parts of the country following the execution.
‘We’ve long urged the authorities to assure that trials are free, transparent, and in accordance with international standards, but we’ve also urged all parties and their supporters to express their views peacefully, and again, to refrain from violence. That’s really what we want to see here going forward,’ Marie Harf said.
Condemned war criminal Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary general Abdul Quader Mollah was hanged at Dhaka Central Jail at 10:01pm Thursday.
Street violence across the country flared up following the execution, leaving five people killed so far.
Bangladesh: Finance ministry mulls sanctioning Tk 100cr for upgrading major land ports
Dhaka, Dec 14 (The New Age): The finance ministry plans to sanction Tk 100 crore to upgrade 12 major
land ports of the country, a lion’s share of which would be spent to
enlarge the small areas of the ports to ease the export-import
activities.
Above 170 acres of private land are to be purchased out of the proposed fund to make the ports spacious so that goods at the ports are stored safely and goods-laden trucks are parked comfortably, officials said.
The prime objective of the investment is to facilitate export-import activities worth above $2 billion that take place through the ports concerned, mainly to and from India—the largest trading partner of the country, a senior official in the finance ministry said.
He said they were now examining a proposal of shipping ministry in this regard, and exploring funding arrangement from the revenue budget.
‘We have just started work towards providing Tk 100 crore in favour of BLPA after repeated demands made from the authority and endorsed by the shipping ministry subsequently for immediate release of funds to upgrade the land ports,’ a top finance official told New Age.
He, citing previous examples, said the allocations earlier given to BLPA on the similar head, were refunded by the authority in phases, and the proposed fund must follow suit.
Earlier, the BLPA in a letter promised to refund the allocation if extended to them by the finance ministry. The letter also had named the ports to be upgraded through enlarging their areas to erect storage facilities for goods and parking spaces for trucks.
The ports against which funding are being considered are—Bhomra, Hili, Banapole, Gorbakura, Bilonia, Sonahat, Nakugaon, Ramgar, Tegamukh, Chilahati, Jibannagor and Mujibnagor. The last four ports in the list are proposed, according to the letter of BLPA.
Currently, the country has 18 land ports. The combined trading volume
takes place through the ports is worth about $3.5 billion, according to an estimate of National Board of Revenue.
The finance officials said they would be able to know next week about the exact amount to be sanctioned in favour of BLPA from the allocation of the current budget.
‘The disbursement could be made from current and next fiscals’ budgets,’ an official in the budget wing of the finance division under the finance ministry told New Age.
Officials in the BLPA said export-import activities would be largely benefitted once they can upgrade the infrastructure of the ports through enlarging their premises.
‘Land prices keep on soaring day by day,’ a BLPA official said, reminding that the authority had never been defaulter in repaying the government’s fund borrowed in 2004 and 2005 for the purpose of developing infrastructure.
‘Once the areas of land ports become larger, income of the port authority becomes larger too.’
Above 170 acres of private land are to be purchased out of the proposed fund to make the ports spacious so that goods at the ports are stored safely and goods-laden trucks are parked comfortably, officials said.
The prime objective of the investment is to facilitate export-import activities worth above $2 billion that take place through the ports concerned, mainly to and from India—the largest trading partner of the country, a senior official in the finance ministry said.
He said they were now examining a proposal of shipping ministry in this regard, and exploring funding arrangement from the revenue budget.
‘We have just started work towards providing Tk 100 crore in favour of BLPA after repeated demands made from the authority and endorsed by the shipping ministry subsequently for immediate release of funds to upgrade the land ports,’ a top finance official told New Age.
He, citing previous examples, said the allocations earlier given to BLPA on the similar head, were refunded by the authority in phases, and the proposed fund must follow suit.
Earlier, the BLPA in a letter promised to refund the allocation if extended to them by the finance ministry. The letter also had named the ports to be upgraded through enlarging their areas to erect storage facilities for goods and parking spaces for trucks.
The ports against which funding are being considered are—Bhomra, Hili, Banapole, Gorbakura, Bilonia, Sonahat, Nakugaon, Ramgar, Tegamukh, Chilahati, Jibannagor and Mujibnagor. The last four ports in the list are proposed, according to the letter of BLPA.
Currently, the country has 18 land ports. The combined trading volume
takes place through the ports is worth about $3.5 billion, according to an estimate of National Board of Revenue.
The finance officials said they would be able to know next week about the exact amount to be sanctioned in favour of BLPA from the allocation of the current budget.
‘The disbursement could be made from current and next fiscals’ budgets,’ an official in the budget wing of the finance division under the finance ministry told New Age.
Officials in the BLPA said export-import activities would be largely benefitted once they can upgrade the infrastructure of the ports through enlarging their premises.
‘Land prices keep on soaring day by day,’ a BLPA official said, reminding that the authority had never been defaulter in repaying the government’s fund borrowed in 2004 and 2005 for the purpose of developing infrastructure.
‘Once the areas of land ports become larger, income of the port authority becomes larger too.’
Bangladesh: Railway official suspended
Dhaka, Dec 14 (The New Age): Mohammad Zahirul Haque, the chief train controller of Bangladesh
Railway, Dhaka has been suspended for providing wrong information to
news media about rail communications.
He was suspended on Friday following an order issued by railways minister Mohammad Mazibul Hoque, said a press release.
The release issued by the ministry’s information officer Mohammad Shariful Alam said that even though railway service was normal all over the country, the chief train controller provided wrong information to media.
Divisional railway manager (Dhaka), Sardar Shahadat Ali, told New Age on Friday that after execution of war crimes convict Abdul Quader Molla Thursday night, trains were delayed for taking security measures. ‘But, we did not suspend service. It was just delayed.’
He said that most of the trains throughout the country still were running behind the schedule due to ongoing political unrest. ‘Some trains are leaving stations about four hours behind the schedule while some others about half an hour.’
An advance locomotive pilot system, in which a locomotive is sent to check the rail tracks, sleepers and other security facilities before an important train departs the station, has slowed down train movement, the official said.
‘A train normally runs with maximum speed of 80km, but at present a train is running with maximum speed of 40km and advance locomotives are running with maximum speed of 25km,’ he added.
Chittagong railway divisional officials said that all trains from Chittagong to other destinations also were delayed for security measures.
He was suspended on Friday following an order issued by railways minister Mohammad Mazibul Hoque, said a press release.
The release issued by the ministry’s information officer Mohammad Shariful Alam said that even though railway service was normal all over the country, the chief train controller provided wrong information to media.
Divisional railway manager (Dhaka), Sardar Shahadat Ali, told New Age on Friday that after execution of war crimes convict Abdul Quader Molla Thursday night, trains were delayed for taking security measures. ‘But, we did not suspend service. It was just delayed.’
He said that most of the trains throughout the country still were running behind the schedule due to ongoing political unrest. ‘Some trains are leaving stations about four hours behind the schedule while some others about half an hour.’
An advance locomotive pilot system, in which a locomotive is sent to check the rail tracks, sleepers and other security facilities before an important train departs the station, has slowed down train movement, the official said.
‘A train normally runs with maximum speed of 80km, but at present a train is running with maximum speed of 40km and advance locomotives are running with maximum speed of 25km,’ he added.
Chittagong railway divisional officials said that all trains from Chittagong to other destinations also were delayed for security measures.
Bangladesh: Ban also had talks with president
Dhaka, Dec 14 (The New Age): Voicing deep concern over widespread violence in Bangladesh, UN
secretary general Ban Ki-moon also spoke to president Abdul Hamid the
day when he called on prime minister Sheikh Hasina to resolve
differences over upcoming parliamentary elections through dialogue.
He spoke with the prime minister and president over phone as a senior UN political official, assistant secretary-general for political affairs Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, wrapped up a five-day visit to Bangladesh with a warning that the current political crisis is exacting a heavy, human, social and economic toll, seriously threatening the hard-earned economic and social progress that Bangladesh has achieved, according to a news release of UN News Centre.
He spoke with the prime minister and president over phone as a senior UN political official, assistant secretary-general for political affairs Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, wrapped up a five-day visit to Bangladesh with a warning that the current political crisis is exacting a heavy, human, social and economic toll, seriously threatening the hard-earned economic and social progress that Bangladesh has achieved, according to a news release of UN News Centre.
Bangladesh: Cold related diseases spread with onset of winter
Dhaka, Dec 14 (The New Age): The number of patients with cold related diseases has increased in the
last couple of weeks since countrywide winter is stepping in.
The physicians said they were getting patients, specially children and old-aged people, suffering from different cold related diseases at their hospitals as well as at their private chambers.
Common cold-related illnesses such as asthma, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, bronchitis, rotavirus diarrhoea and skin diseases are spreading, physicians said.
Dhaka Shishu Hospital received patients mostly with cold related diseases in last couple of weeks, resident physician Prabir Kumar Sarkar told New Age.
‘About 70 per cent of the patients we received are cold related disease patients,’ he said.
‘But many patients could not come to the hospitals due to country wide blockade. Mainly the severe patients come to the hospital emergency,’ he said.
Prabir Kumar Sarkar said the patients living in the city were mainly visiting the out patient department in the last few weeks.
‘The regular and normal patients do not come with risk during hartals and blockades,’ he said.
Dhaka Shishu Hospital records showed that only 432 patients visited the OPD on Wednesday while the number was 700 to 1,000 in regular time. The number of admitted patient was 487 of whom 98 patients were admitted on Wednesday.
A total of 394 patients visited the OPD and emergency department on Thursday till 12:45pm, the officials said.
‘But it would not reflect the real picture. The real number is very high,’ Prabir Kumar Sarkar said adding that many parents living outside the city phoned them. ‘We asked them to go to the nearby hospital.’
Mostly, children and aged persons are patients of cold-related illnesses, said doctors.
Hospital officials said several children with respiratory illnesses, rotavirus and common cold and cough took treatment at the out patient department at Dhaka Shishu Hospital over the last few days.
People having respiratory problem or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease should take antibiotics in consultation with physicians, said Be-Nazir Ahmed, director of disease control under the directorate general of health services.
The old aged people and also the people having respiratory illness were also suffering from the cold, he said
He emphasised on early treatment as he said it could save lives and cure patients quickly.
The DGHS had started campaign asking the parents to bring their children having pneumonia symptoms or breathing problems to the nearby hospitals immediately.
The doctors said unwillingness of breastfeeding of the children, fast breathing, breathing with sounds and chest restriction were the common symptoms of respiratory illness.
The physicians said they were getting patients, specially children and old-aged people, suffering from different cold related diseases at their hospitals as well as at their private chambers.
Common cold-related illnesses such as asthma, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, bronchitis, rotavirus diarrhoea and skin diseases are spreading, physicians said.
Dhaka Shishu Hospital received patients mostly with cold related diseases in last couple of weeks, resident physician Prabir Kumar Sarkar told New Age.
‘About 70 per cent of the patients we received are cold related disease patients,’ he said.
‘But many patients could not come to the hospitals due to country wide blockade. Mainly the severe patients come to the hospital emergency,’ he said.
Prabir Kumar Sarkar said the patients living in the city were mainly visiting the out patient department in the last few weeks.
‘The regular and normal patients do not come with risk during hartals and blockades,’ he said.
Dhaka Shishu Hospital records showed that only 432 patients visited the OPD on Wednesday while the number was 700 to 1,000 in regular time. The number of admitted patient was 487 of whom 98 patients were admitted on Wednesday.
A total of 394 patients visited the OPD and emergency department on Thursday till 12:45pm, the officials said.
‘But it would not reflect the real picture. The real number is very high,’ Prabir Kumar Sarkar said adding that many parents living outside the city phoned them. ‘We asked them to go to the nearby hospital.’
Mostly, children and aged persons are patients of cold-related illnesses, said doctors.
Hospital officials said several children with respiratory illnesses, rotavirus and common cold and cough took treatment at the out patient department at Dhaka Shishu Hospital over the last few days.
People having respiratory problem or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease should take antibiotics in consultation with physicians, said Be-Nazir Ahmed, director of disease control under the directorate general of health services.
The old aged people and also the people having respiratory illness were also suffering from the cold, he said
He emphasised on early treatment as he said it could save lives and cure patients quickly.
The DGHS had started campaign asking the parents to bring their children having pneumonia symptoms or breathing problems to the nearby hospitals immediately.
The doctors said unwillingness of breastfeeding of the children, fast breathing, breathing with sounds and chest restriction were the common symptoms of respiratory illness.
Bangladesh: Justice Jahangir’s village home attacked
Dhaka, Dec 14 (The New Age): Miscreants hurled crude bombs at the village home of Justice Jahangir
Hossain, a member of International Crimes Tribunal -1, at Mehedipur
under Senbagh upazila in Noakhali early Friday.
None of the house inmates was, however, injured in the bomb attack. Justice Jahangir now lives in Dhaka.
The Senbagh police officer-in-charge, Saiful Islam Bhuiyan, said that unidentified miscreants hurled crude bombs at the house of Justice Jahangir at around 12:45am where his brother Shahadat Hossain lives in.
The attackers also threw brick bats at the house and later fled the place sensing the presence of police, deployed at the house for ensuring security, he said.
The OC said that a case was lodged with the police station, but none was arrested.
Shahadat Hossain said that all of his family members escaped unhurt.
Their house came under attack, only a day after an attack on the house of the tribunal’s presiding judge, Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, in Chapainawabganj.
In the early hours of Wednesday, Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha’s ancestral home at Tilakpur in Kamalganj of Moulvibazar also came under arson attack.
Both Justice Fazle Kabir and Justice Jahangir Hossain are the judges of ICT, set up to try the suspects of war crimes committed during the liberation war in 1971.
Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha is a judge of the Appellate Division which is hearing appeal petitions related to the war crimes case verdicts delivered by ICTs.
None of the house inmates was, however, injured in the bomb attack. Justice Jahangir now lives in Dhaka.
The Senbagh police officer-in-charge, Saiful Islam Bhuiyan, said that unidentified miscreants hurled crude bombs at the house of Justice Jahangir at around 12:45am where his brother Shahadat Hossain lives in.
The attackers also threw brick bats at the house and later fled the place sensing the presence of police, deployed at the house for ensuring security, he said.
The OC said that a case was lodged with the police station, but none was arrested.
Shahadat Hossain said that all of his family members escaped unhurt.
Their house came under attack, only a day after an attack on the house of the tribunal’s presiding judge, Justice ATM Fazle Kabir, in Chapainawabganj.
In the early hours of Wednesday, Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha’s ancestral home at Tilakpur in Kamalganj of Moulvibazar also came under arson attack.
Both Justice Fazle Kabir and Justice Jahangir Hossain are the judges of ICT, set up to try the suspects of war crimes committed during the liberation war in 1971.
Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha is a judge of the Appellate Division which is hearing appeal petitions related to the war crimes case verdicts delivered by ICTs.
Bangladesh: Navy chief hopes to win arbitration on maritime boundary dispute with India
Dhaka, Dec 14 (The New Age): The chief of naval staff, vice admiral M Farid Habib, on Friday
expressed the hope that Bangladesh would win in the maritime boundary
dispute with India at the international court that is expected to
deliver its judgement in mid-2014.
‘I believe the judgement will be in our favour as the documents we have submitted to the court are accurate… ’ the navy chief told a group of reporters on the occasion of arrival of the Bangladesh Navy Ship Somudro Joy (F-28) to Chittagong Naval Base.
The maritime boundary dispute is pending with the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which is based in the Hague, the Netherlands.
‘A team representing the judges from the Court has recently visited the maritime zone of Bangladesh. They also verified the data that we have provided to them,’ the naval chief said, adding, ‘We have submitted the actual documents regarding our maritime zone. We’ve submitted exactly what we found inside.’
Bangladesh submitted the required papers to lay its claim to territorial waters, Exclusive Economic Zone up to 200 nautical miles and Continental Shelf up to 350 nautical miles from the baseline. Both the countries co-occupy 180 kms of a maritime borderline.
The function was organised following 49-day of journey of Bangladesh’s largest guided missile frigate, which was named after the victory of maritime boundary dispute with neighboring Myanmar.
The Somudra Joy, formerly the United States Coast Guard Cutter Jarvis commissioned in Hawaii in 1972, was transferred to Bangladesh Navy under the excess defense articles programme on May 21.
After an extensive programme for training and new equipment installation in California, the 133-man crew have successfully conducted a six week transit of the Pacific Ocean.
Bangladesh has spent Tk 70 crore for training of crews and bringing the ship to Chittagong, said the officials.
The ship will be expected to provide the navy two decades of service, the officials said.
Admiral Farid announced two more frigates constructed in China would reach Bangladesh in January.
About the frigate, the United State ambassador, Dan W Mozena, said the Bay of Bangal would be more secure, which is good for the Bangladesh, for the region and for the United States.
‘America is the largest market for Bangladeshi exports. Almost entire exports go by sea. And now, because of the ship the sea will be more secure than ever,’ the ambassador said.
Mozena announced that another ship, just like of Somudra Joy, will be inducted in the navy and those could work together to ensure security of Bangladeshi maritime from trafficking in persons, drugs and arms, and terrorist threat.
‘I believe the judgement will be in our favour as the documents we have submitted to the court are accurate… ’ the navy chief told a group of reporters on the occasion of arrival of the Bangladesh Navy Ship Somudro Joy (F-28) to Chittagong Naval Base.
The maritime boundary dispute is pending with the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which is based in the Hague, the Netherlands.
‘A team representing the judges from the Court has recently visited the maritime zone of Bangladesh. They also verified the data that we have provided to them,’ the naval chief said, adding, ‘We have submitted the actual documents regarding our maritime zone. We’ve submitted exactly what we found inside.’
Bangladesh submitted the required papers to lay its claim to territorial waters, Exclusive Economic Zone up to 200 nautical miles and Continental Shelf up to 350 nautical miles from the baseline. Both the countries co-occupy 180 kms of a maritime borderline.
The function was organised following 49-day of journey of Bangladesh’s largest guided missile frigate, which was named after the victory of maritime boundary dispute with neighboring Myanmar.
The Somudra Joy, formerly the United States Coast Guard Cutter Jarvis commissioned in Hawaii in 1972, was transferred to Bangladesh Navy under the excess defense articles programme on May 21.
After an extensive programme for training and new equipment installation in California, the 133-man crew have successfully conducted a six week transit of the Pacific Ocean.
Bangladesh has spent Tk 70 crore for training of crews and bringing the ship to Chittagong, said the officials.
The ship will be expected to provide the navy two decades of service, the officials said.
Admiral Farid announced two more frigates constructed in China would reach Bangladesh in January.
About the frigate, the United State ambassador, Dan W Mozena, said the Bay of Bangal would be more secure, which is good for the Bangladesh, for the region and for the United States.
‘America is the largest market for Bangladeshi exports. Almost entire exports go by sea. And now, because of the ship the sea will be more secure than ever,’ the ambassador said.
Mozena announced that another ship, just like of Somudra Joy, will be inducted in the navy and those could work together to ensure security of Bangladeshi maritime from trafficking in persons, drugs and arms, and terrorist threat.
Bangladesh: Quader Molla buried
Dhaka, Dec 14 (The New Age): Executed war criminal Abdul Quader Molla was buried in his family
graveyard in Sadarpur upazila of Faridpur early Friday amid tight
security.
His family said that the 66-year-old Jamaat-e-Islami leader was buried beside the graves of his parents at his ancestral home at Amirabad in Bhashanchar union at about 4:15am.
Quader Molla, convicted of committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, was hanged in Dhaka Central Jail on Thursday night after the government ordered the prison authorities to execute his death warrant.
The family members of Quader Molla, assistant secretary general of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, including his widow, daughters and sons, and other relatives who were staying in the capital, could not attend the burial due to security concern.
‘We will visit the grave when time arrives,’ said Quader’s son Hasan Jamil, adding, ‘My father instructed us not to construct any permanent structure on the grave...’
New Age correspondent in Faridpur reported that an ambulance carrying the body escorted by more than 10 vehicles of law enforcers arrived at Amirabad village around 3:15am. Relatives and party fellows were seen wailing.
Mainuddin Molla, younger brother of Quader Molla and Bhashanchar union council chairman, received the body in presence of Sadarpur upazila nirbahi officer Lokman Hossain, executive magistrate Muhammad Mamun Shiblee and additional superintendent of police Bijoy Basak.
His namaz-e-janaza was led by Moulana Abu Taleb, a Jamaat activist and imam of Tepakhola jam-e-mosque, was held in the home yard. The local administration allowed about three hundred Jamaat leaders and his relatives to attend the janaza amid tight security.
A gayebana janaza was held at Amirabad Fazlul Haque Pilot Institute High School ground in the afternoon.
Jamaat-e-Islami and his followers also held gayebana-janaza on Friday across the country, the party sources said.
His family said that the 66-year-old Jamaat-e-Islami leader was buried beside the graves of his parents at his ancestral home at Amirabad in Bhashanchar union at about 4:15am.
Quader Molla, convicted of committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, was hanged in Dhaka Central Jail on Thursday night after the government ordered the prison authorities to execute his death warrant.
The family members of Quader Molla, assistant secretary general of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, including his widow, daughters and sons, and other relatives who were staying in the capital, could not attend the burial due to security concern.
‘We will visit the grave when time arrives,’ said Quader’s son Hasan Jamil, adding, ‘My father instructed us not to construct any permanent structure on the grave...’
New Age correspondent in Faridpur reported that an ambulance carrying the body escorted by more than 10 vehicles of law enforcers arrived at Amirabad village around 3:15am. Relatives and party fellows were seen wailing.
Mainuddin Molla, younger brother of Quader Molla and Bhashanchar union council chairman, received the body in presence of Sadarpur upazila nirbahi officer Lokman Hossain, executive magistrate Muhammad Mamun Shiblee and additional superintendent of police Bijoy Basak.
His namaz-e-janaza was led by Moulana Abu Taleb, a Jamaat activist and imam of Tepakhola jam-e-mosque, was held in the home yard. The local administration allowed about three hundred Jamaat leaders and his relatives to attend the janaza amid tight security.
A gayebana janaza was held at Amirabad Fazlul Haque Pilot Institute High School ground in the afternoon.
Jamaat-e-Islami and his followers also held gayebana-janaza on Friday across the country, the party sources said.
Bangladesh: Schoolboy fighting for life
Dhaka, Dec 14 (The New Age): A 10-year boy is fighting for life in hospital bed at Dhaka Medical
College Hospital after being shot in a fire exchange between the police
and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir at Fakirerpul
in the capital on Friday.
Shanto Islam, a Class III student of Agarpara primary school at Rupganj in Narayanganj, came to Dhaka to visit his aunt at Fakirerpul.
Since Shanto came to Dhaka, his father Md Sobhan Mia asked him to assist at the makeshift cigarette and tea shop Sobhan ran in front of Motijheel Ideal School and College.
At about 1:15pm on Friday, Sobhan asked Shanto to go to his aunt’s house and have lunch. Sobhan also gave Shnato a bowl and asked him to bring meal for Sobhan.
As Shanto was heading to his aunt’s house through a Fakirerpul by-lane, Jamaat and Shibir men went on rampage and fought with the police in the area.
Shanto was caught in the exchange of fire and fell on the road sustaining injuries in birdshots.
He was rushed to Dhaka Medical Hospital and he was still unconscious till the report was filed at 8:30pm.
After primary medical tests and CT scan, doctors found that there were numbers of birdshots at his head, back and shoulder.
Sobhan Mia became puzzled with the incident. ‘What a curse and wrath on our family! We even cannot afford daily livelihood, how would we be able to manage the expanses of treatment,’ Sobhan added.
A 10-year schoolboy Alamgir Rahman Sumon was caught in the crossfire and killed during a gunfight between the police and activists of the BNP and Jamaat in Sirajganj sadar on Tuesday, the fourth day of the latest spell of blockade the BNP-led alliance enforced across the country.
Scores of children fell victim to political violence in 2013, with at least 20 dying and many others still fighting for life.
At least 6 out of the 20 have died since November 8, when the BNP-led opposition alliance started enforcing general strikes and blockades of road, railway and waterways.
Shanto Islam, a Class III student of Agarpara primary school at Rupganj in Narayanganj, came to Dhaka to visit his aunt at Fakirerpul.
Since Shanto came to Dhaka, his father Md Sobhan Mia asked him to assist at the makeshift cigarette and tea shop Sobhan ran in front of Motijheel Ideal School and College.
At about 1:15pm on Friday, Sobhan asked Shanto to go to his aunt’s house and have lunch. Sobhan also gave Shnato a bowl and asked him to bring meal for Sobhan.
As Shanto was heading to his aunt’s house through a Fakirerpul by-lane, Jamaat and Shibir men went on rampage and fought with the police in the area.
Shanto was caught in the exchange of fire and fell on the road sustaining injuries in birdshots.
He was rushed to Dhaka Medical Hospital and he was still unconscious till the report was filed at 8:30pm.
After primary medical tests and CT scan, doctors found that there were numbers of birdshots at his head, back and shoulder.
Sobhan Mia became puzzled with the incident. ‘What a curse and wrath on our family! We even cannot afford daily livelihood, how would we be able to manage the expanses of treatment,’ Sobhan added.
A 10-year schoolboy Alamgir Rahman Sumon was caught in the crossfire and killed during a gunfight between the police and activists of the BNP and Jamaat in Sirajganj sadar on Tuesday, the fourth day of the latest spell of blockade the BNP-led alliance enforced across the country.
Scores of children fell victim to political violence in 2013, with at least 20 dying and many others still fighting for life.
At least 6 out of the 20 have died since November 8, when the BNP-led opposition alliance started enforcing general strikes and blockades of road, railway and waterways.
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