Monday, March 19, 2012

Tauqir, Bipasha Sued for Fraud


DHAKA NEWS

A sister of actor Tauqir Ahmed filed a case against Tauqir and his wife Bipasha Hayat on Monday for allegedly misappropriating about Tk 1.57 crore.

Tanzin Haider, an expatriate living in Sweden, filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka in the morning.

After hearing the case, Metropolitan Magistrate Shahadat Hossain recorded statement of the complainant and took the charges into congnisance.

In her complaint, Tanzin alleged that the couple received $1,77,482 and Tk 15 lakh from her through bank and cash in two phases for setting up a firm named ‘Nakshatra Bari Resort and Convention Centre Limited’.

But the celebrity couple later refused to return the money or give her any share, the complainant alleged.

A legal notice, served on the Tauqir and Bipasha on January 26, which asked them to return the money or hand over the share. Otherwise, legal action would be taken against them, the legal notice said.

After getting no response from the couple, Tanzin filed the case on Monday.

Dhaka to seek ex-ISI Chief tesTimony Transcript


DHAKA NEWS

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said on Monday the ministry would seek transcript of ex-ISI chief Asad Durrani’s testimony before Pakistan’s Supreme Court where he admitted to funding the BNP during the 1991 general elections.

"We can provide more details after getting the transcript in our hands. This is necessary to be clear about what actually happened. We also need to know what is actually written in the transcript,” the minister said.

 “What we know is from a report run by the Khaleej Times.”

She hoped that after the ministry receives a transcript, it will be clear what is exactly stated by the Pakistani former spy agency chief.

But, she emphasised that the Dubai-based Khaleej Times quoted the matter of funding from the transcript.

According to press reports, former International Services Intelligence chief Asad Durrani made the admission that his agency gave 50 million rupees to Khaleda Zia to help her win the 1991 parliamentary polls.

Khaleej Times published the news article titled ‘Asghar Khan’s petition finally comes up for hearing’ on March 3.

The report chiefly dealt with a petition of Pakistan’s former Air Force commander-in-chief Air Marshal Asghar Khan against 140 million Pakistani rupees doled out by the establishment through the ISI to a select group of anti-Benazir Bhutto politicians in 1990.

“Another Rs50 million was allegedly paid to Bangladesh’s Khalida (Khaleda) Zia to help her in polls against Hasina Wajid’s (Wajed’s) Awami League generally perceived by Pakistan’s security establishment as pro-India,” the report said.

Hasina Gives Reception to Sachin

DHAKA NEWS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given a warm reception to India's legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar for smashing 100th hundred for the first time in the world cricket history.

The superstar batsman made the record in an Asia Cup encounter against Bangladesh in Dhaka on Friday.

Sachin arrived at Gono Bhaban, the official residence of the prime minister, around 5:30pm and stayed there for around an hour.

The premier presented the little master a bouquet and sweets, the official at the Gono Bhaban .

Dhaka rejects Delhi’s Curfew Suggestion


DHAKA NEWS

Bangladesh has rejected India’s suggestion to impose night curfew along its areas very close to the border to check illegal cross-border movement.

The rejection came during a four-day director general-level talks between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) that ended on Monday, our New Delhi correspondent reported.

“We don’t believe in curfew. Every citizen of country has equal right to movement within the boundary of the country. We don’t believe in imposing restrictions on movement of our people,” BGB chief Maj Gen Anwar Hussain said at a joint media interaction after the meeting.

“However, we have to sensitise our people to respect the border and not to cross the border without documents,” he added.

The two forces agreed to implement a three-pronged initiative to reduce incidents of border firing to the minimum level possible.

“Both sides agreed for additional vigilance particularly in the areas earmarked sensitive Border Outposts and examine other possible measures that could be taken to restrict movement of smugglers and drug traffickers in bordering areas during hours of darkness,” reads a joint press statement issued after the meeting.

Addressing the joint media interaction with his counterpart, BSF DG UK Bansal said: “We have decided to take further measures to minimise the use of lethal weapons, and we shall avoid at all costs use of lethal force against unarmed people and those inadvertently crossing the border.”

Detailing the three-pronged initiative, Hussain said additional security forces would be deployed by the two sides at several “vulnerable patches” along the porous border, people residing in border areas will be sensitised against illegal cross-border movement, and information would be shared real-time by BGB and BSF on movement of smugglers and other criminals during “hours of darkness”.

Border guards on both sides have the responsibility to ensure safety and security of the people living along the bordering areas, Hussain said.

“We made it very clear in this meeting that we don’t expect any killing of unarmed civilian and both sides have taken measures towards ensuring this.”

Bansal said the policy decision to bring down the incidence of border firing along the border was taken by the two governments and the home ministers of the two countries when they had met in New Delhi in February and to implement that decision “is our shared concern”.

Regarding border violence, the meeting also agreed to introduce an effective working system of communication particularly at operational level to swiftly inform the counterpart of important incidents.

The meeting reached an understanding on practical modalities for implementing the decisions taken during the meeting of Bangladesh Home Minister Shahara Khatun and her counterpart P Chidambaram in New Delhi recently.

“We have common enemies to fight. We reached a consensus. We agreed to go beyond the limits of our jurisdiction to solve issues by implementing certain decisions on the ground instead of allowing the issues to linger on,” Hussain said.

Asked if BGB would, as a confidence-building measure, consider using non-lethal weapons to reciprocate BSF’s use of the same, the BGB chief ruled it out saying “We don’t have any plan to introduce non-lethal weapons because we don’t believe in killing unarmed people.”

On Bangladesh’s concern over smuggling of phensedyl from India, Bansal said: “We have taken some extraordinary measures” to stop the menace by seizing 33 lakh bottles in the last five years.

There are reports to indicate that people wanted in India escape to Bangladesh and are sheltered in that country and we have given a list of 21 such people and 51 insurgent camps in Bangladesh, he said, adding that the Bangladesh side had agreed to check the lists.

“We’re fully satisfied with the level of cooperation we got from Bangladesh to apprehend the insurgents.”

Replying to a query, Hussain said Bangladesh territory will never be allowed to be used against any other country, particularly a friendly country like India.

Smuggling of phensedyl into Bangladesh and smuggling of fake currencies into India “is of equal concern, Bansal said, adding: “Both sides are talking in terms of exchanging photos of smugglers and exchanging interrogation reports of wanted people.”

Regarding fencing within 150 yards of the international border in 185 patches, both sides agreed to start joint survey in first week of April by joint teams comprising BGB and BSF men, the joint statement said.

“Realising the growing threat posed by the criminals and pirates in the Sunderbans, both sides agreed to intensify patrolling,” it added.

On the contentious issue of undertaking developmental works within 150 yards of international border, the two sides agreed to inform each other well in advance before starting any such work.

Hussain led a 22-member delegation at the talks with the BSF