Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Going nuclear: Are we ready to face the challenges?,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

The draft bill of Bangla- desh Atomic Energy Control Act 2012 has been approved by the cabinet last week, paving the way for the formation of a separate regulator to look after nuclear safety issues that will eventually come when the Rooppur nuclear power plant is commissioned. The bill has several interesting provisions. Section 43 states that the Russian operator Rosatom will take total responsibility for any damages caused due to accident at the plant, subject to proof of negligence by operator. Secondly, the operator will also bear responsibility for theft, loss or abandonment of nuclear material. The company will provide fuel for the lifespan of the power plant and spent fuel will be taken away for safe storage.
From what has been stated above, there is room for further scrutiny on a number of issues. According to Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority, the country will need 400 engineers to build the plant. Timeline for plant commissioning ranges between 8 12 years from now. This will prove to be a major challenge for the engineering universities and whether or not the country will be able to pool together necessary human resources to pull off this feat is a subject matter of another discussion.
Though the proposed Act states that the operator is going to be held responsible for physical safety of nuclear material, the risks associated with theft affect not only national but regional security. Of more concern is to what extent safeguards are going to be taken from a future accident leading to a meltdown. Needless to say, any such accident along the lines of Fukushima Daichi plant in Japan will have disastrous effects in a densely populated country like Bangladesh that has, of late, been experiencing increased seismic activity. Unlike Japan with its four decades of experience in generating nuclear power, Bangladesh lacks the experience, the emergency response institutions and the financial resourcefulness to tackle any such incident. Ruling aside the financial aspect, building up capabilities in other areas will require a timeline that extend into decades of operating nuclear technology.
Though the agreement allows for Rosatom to take spent nuclear fuel (SNF) back to Russia, the complexities involved in transportation of SNF in terms of specialised casks and equipment are another area of concern. According to a case study published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) titled "Return of Research Reactor Spent Fuel to the Country of Origin: Requirements for Technical and Administrative Preparations and National Experiences," German companies specialising in transport casks for SNF were contracted to transport back Brazilian SNF to the United States. These casks are built to very high safety standards: "The transport cask GNS 11 and GNS 16 are designed in a sandwich construction. The cylindrical cask basically consists of the following components: inner liner with inner liner bottom, lead filling, and wall with bottom plate, side wall cover sheet with spacer wire, head ring, primary lid and protective plate. The components of the cask body and the primary lid are manufactured in stainless steel. In the terms of the transport regulations, the 'leak-tight containment' consists of the inner liner, the inner bottom plate, head ring, primary lid, with the bolt joint, and the internal seal of the two concentrical Viton seals. Cap screws are used in order to fasten the primary lid. The closure lid is also fastened to the primary lid using cap screws. In order to achieve the shielding effect, the space between the inner liner and the shell is filled with lead casting. A pair of trunnions is bolted on to the head ring in order to attach handling devices. During transport, the cask is provided with a protective plate. In order to reduce the shock loads arising during the eventual drop of the cask, as stipulated for type B packaging, impact limiters made of wood with a steel-plate shell are attached to the ends of the cask body on the lid and bases sides."
That is not all, transportation of these "casks" required a massive security operation involving several law enforcement agencies and the highway and main avenues and streets in Sao Paulo were closed during the operation. Personnel involved in shipment of containers were constantly monitored by radiation protection teams and IAEA members. The boat, once it left port, was escorted by a naval vessel until it reached international waters.
Given the elaborate security and safety measures involved in the case presented above, one could easily be led to question whether such measures can be undertaken to transport SNF from the Rooppur site all the way to Chittagong port for shipment back to country of source, i.e. Russia. These are matters that cannot be relegated to later years; rather, they must be fully addressed in the draft bill before it is enacted into law. Should more time be required to bring in international technical experts to scrutinise the nitty-gritty details of the Act so that Bangladesh is not left high-and-dry at the end of the day, then such time should be taken.

Annie walks out of jail on HC bail.Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

BNP lawmaker Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie who secured bail from the High Court on May 27 in an arson case, walked out of Kashimpur jail on Tuesday.

Forman Ali, superintendent of Kashimpur Central Jail-2, told  that Annie was released around 3:25pm.

BNP lawmakers MK Anwar and Mahbub Uddin Khokon; Liberal Democratic Party President Oli Ahmed and Bangladesh Jatiya Party President Andalib Rahman Partha along with Annie got the HC bail on May 27 in the same case.

Earlier on Monday, MK Anwar, Khokon, Oli and Partha were released from jail.

Police filed the arson case on April 29 accusing a number of BNP-led 18-party alliance leaders and activists as a vehicle was torched near the Prime Minister's Office during the hartal hours on the day.

Of the accused, only MK Anwar, Khokon, Annie, Oli and Partha secured the bail from the HC.

The court also rejected the bail petitions of 34 other opposition leaders accused in the case.

On May 16 and 21, a metropolitan magistrate sent the leaders to jail after rejecting their bail petitions.

On May 10, detectives pressed charges against 45 leaders, including BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in the arson case, filed with Tejgaon Police Station after the torching of a bus in front of Prime Minister's Office during the April 29 hartal hours.

Jamaat calls hartal in Ctg for Wednesday,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

Jamaat-e-Islami has called a half-day hartal in Chittagong city for Wednesday as its lawmaker ANM Shamsul Islam was sent to jail after rejection of his bail petition in a torching case.

On May 13, a case was filed with Kotwali Police Station under Speedy Trial Act hours after a series of clashes between BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami supporters and law enforcers in Chittagong left at least 100 people including police personnel and journalists injured.

During the clash, a vehicle was torched at WASA intersection in the port city.

Mahmud Ullah, publication secretary of Chittagong city unit of Jamaat, said on Tuesday that they called the strike in the port city from 6:00am to 12:00am Wednesday protesting the court order.

Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbubur Rahman on Tuesday ordered to send Shamsul Islam to jail rejecting his bail prayer in the case.

Earlier on Monday, the same court granted an ad-interim bail to Shamsul Islam until the next hearing day of the case which was today.

Kotwali police in Chittagong submitted charge sheet to Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate court on May 23 accusing the Jamaat MP along with 22 others in the case.

5 robbers lynched in Bhola,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

Mob lynched five robbers during a shootout and two bullet-hit robbers were arrested by police at the mouth of Meghna River in Charfashion upazila on Tuesday afternoon.

Identity of the deceased and the injured could not be ascertained immediately.

Police also recovered 9 different types of firearms, 18 bullets, 24 sharp weapons and a trawler from the pirates' den.

A contingent of police, lead by Charfashion thana OC Reaz Hossain, conducted simultaneous drives at remote Dhalchar and Bhashanchar, known as pirates` hideouts, at 12 noon following secret information that a gang of robbers was preparing to commit robbery in the area.

Sensing police presence the pirates attempted to escape opening fire on police who retaliated triggering a 1-and-half-hour gunfight.

During the gunfire people from surrounding villages chased a gang of fleeing dacoits and managed to capture five of them and beat them black and blue, leaving them dead on the spot at about 1:30 pm.

After the end of the gunfight police conducted a search in the area and recovered two bullet-wounded robbers in senseless condition.

They also recovered six locally-made rifles, three .22 bore foreign-made rifles, 18 rounds of bullets, 24 large sharp weapons, mobile sets and a trawler from the two spots.

OC Reaz Hossain claimed that the five robbers died in mob beating and the two bullet-hit bandits were sent to the Upazila Health Complex.

He said that the bandits fired at least 24 rounds of gun shots at police who returned 10 rounds in `self defence`.

Non-stop power supply on Industries grumble over the higher rate effective from June 1,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (Berc) yesterday announced an uninterrupted power supply scheme for industrial use fixing charge for per unit of electricity at more than double the existing price.
The idea has triggered mixed reaction among businesses as they welcomed it but termed the price fixed “too high”.
Currently, the average price of per unit of power for industrial use is Tk 5.55. The Berc set the average price of per unit electricity for the premium connection at Tk 14.44.
The new rate will come into effect from June 1. However, the uninterrupted power supply is still an option, not mandatory, to industries.
The energy regulatory commission has introduced three premium rates for the uninterrupted power subscribers, who are termed as “Q Class power consumers”.
For 132KV voltage level, per unit power will cost Tk 13.88 while for 33KV voltage level Tk 14.45 and 11KV voltage level Tk 14.99 per unit, according to the new scheme.
Industry owners said the uninterrupted power would create discrimination in production cost, if the prices were not lowered.
MA Momen, acting president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said the government's concept was good, but the prices were too high.
“Businesses will not remain competitive if we buy power at this price,” he said, adding, “On the other hand, we have no choice but to say yes to the Berc decision as our units are now running on high-cost diesel and furnace oil for seven to eight hours a day.”
Considering this, the option is good but the government should come up with a uniform price for the premium packages keeping competitiveness in mind, he said.
Amjad Khan Chowdhury, president of Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also welcomed the uninterrupted supply of power.
“But the price of electricity should be reasonable as the production cost has already gone up due to various reasons,” he said.
Asif Ibrahim, president of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also urged the government to lower the electricity price.
The supply would definitely increase production in industrial units, he added.
Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, vice-president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said the system would make the production cost vary, as big industries would be able to purchase electricity at high prices but the small factories would find it harder to afford non-stop power supply at this price.
“No doubt we need uninterrupted power supply, but the government should revise the prices,” said Jahangir Alamin, president of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association.
Berc Chairman Syed Yusuf Hossain at a press briefing yesterday said the government had introduced the system to reduce subsidies and inflation.
“Once the system is launched we will not need to increase power prices frequently, as the sale value and the production cost is almost the same,” he said.
On May 2, Berc held a public hearing in its office as per an application from Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB). According to the hearing, BPDB will primarily sell 500MW of electricity under the scheme throughout the month.

4 opposition MPs released on bail Jamaat MP, 12 BNP leaders of Ctg get bail,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

Four of the five 18-party alliance lawmakers, who are the accused in an arson case, were released from jail last evening following a High Court bail.
Of them, BNP standing committee member MK Anwar and Joint Secretary General Mahbub Uddin Khokon walked out of Dhaka Central Jail around 6:30pm while Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) President Oli Ahmed and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) President Andalib Rahman Partha from Kashimpur-2 Jail around 7:30pm.
The HC on Sunday granted the four and BNP's Student Affairs Secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anne six-week advance interim bail so that they could attend the ongoing budget session of the parliament.
But Anne was not released as he was accused in another case filed with Dhanmondi Police Station on June 8 last year, said Forman Ali, senior superintendent of Kashimpur-2 Jail.
"We have already received an order from a Dhaka court which has asked us to produce him before it tomorrow (Tuesday),” he added.
Only the five were granted bail although 29 other opposition leaders submitted 16 bail prayers before the HC after their bail were rejected by the magistrate and sessions judge's courts.
On May 16 and 21, the leaders were sent to jail after a metropolitan magistrate rejected their bail petitions.
On May 10, detectives pressed charges against 45 leaders, including BNP's acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in the arson case, filed with Tejgaon Police Station in connection with bus torching.
Police earlier arrested BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and seven others in the same case.
Jamaat-e-Islami acting ameer Maqbul Ahmed and two others went into hiding after the case was filed.
Meanwhile, our Chittagong Correspondent reports that Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker ANM Shamsul Islam yesterday was granted an ad-interim bail until June 5 in a case filed for torching vehicles at WASA intersection in the port city on May 13.
Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbubur Rahman passed the order when Shamsul Islam prayed for bail after he surrendered to the court.
Kotwali police in Chittagong submitted charge sheet to Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate court on May 23 accusing the Jamaat MP along with twenty two others in the case.
Besides this, a Chittagong court yesterday granted bail to 12 BNP leaders and activists in three separate cases filed under Speedy Trial Act with two police stations on May 13.
Four BNP activists including Abul Hashem Bakkar, former president of Chittagong city unit of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, was granted bail in two cases filed with Kotwali police.
Eight other BNP activists were granted bail in a case filed with Khulshi Police Station.
Abdus Sattar, an attorney of the defence, said the accused in the case with Kotwali Police Station were granted bail until today while the others, accused in the case with Khulshi Police Station, were granted bail until June 5.

War Crimes Trial Nizami, Mollah indicted,Jamaat-e-Islami,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami and its Assistant Secretary General Abdul Quader Mollah have been indicted separately for crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War. The two international crimes tribunals that had been formed to deal with such crimes framed 16 specific charges against Nizami and six against Mollah yesterday. Trial against Nizami will start at Tribunal-1 on July 1 while trial against Mollah will begin at tribunal-2 on June 20. Both Jamaat leaders, however, pleaded not guilty. If the charges against them are proved, the duo could face death sentence, the maximum punishment for such crimes.

Nizami Faces 16 charges


Julfikar Ali Manik and Rizanuzzaman Laskar
Motiur Rahman Nizami has been accused of being involved in murders and torture of unarmed people and hatching conspiracy, planning, incitement and complicity to commit genocide and crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.
Currently the ameer (chief) of Jamaat-e-Islami, Nizami was the president of Islami Chhatra Sangha (ICS), student wing of Jamaat during the War. He had campaigned across the then East Pakistan in an attempt to foil the birth of Bangladesh.
The most notable of the sixteen charges brought against Nizami is his role in eliminating the best brains of the nation through planned killing of intellectuals and professionals just before Bangladesh's victory on December 16, 1971.
“Towards the period when international crimes were being committed in Bangladesh, you [Nizami] were president of ICS and head of the Al Badr, an auxiliary force that committed the said crimes all over Bangladesh,” said the International Crimes Tribunal-1 reading out the charges against Nizami.
However, sensing defeat, the Pakistani occupation and auxiliary forces especially Al Badr formed with the members of ICS carried out “selective elimination of respected professionals and intellectuals” in the country to give a “mortal blow” to independent Bangladesh, the tribunal said.
The victims' houses were burnt; they were drugged out, often blindfolded, tortured, murdered, and their bodies then dumped in mass graves and other places.
“Such attacks had largely spread out on around December 14, 1971 -- hours of victory of Bangladesh against Pakistani occupation and auxiliary forces,” said the tribunal.
"These were orchestrated and silently executed plans to eliminate a group of individuals, who were all members of a national ethnic and racial group," it added.
"Through your [Nizami's] above acts and commissions, you have committed the crime of genocide as intended to eliminate the above victims [intellectuals and professionals] and others in whole and in part as members of a national ethnic and racial group as crime of genocide."
Tribunal-1 Chairman Justice Md Nizamul Huq yesterday read out the charges with an introduction to the formation of the tribunal, a brief history of the Liberation War, a profile of Nizami and submissions of the prosecution and the defence along with the court's views on the case.
Justice Md Anwarul Haque and AKM Zaheer Ahmed are the other members of the three-member tribunal.
Justice Huq said the materials in hand support that Nizami had conspired with the occupation forces, planned and incited crimes, and was complicit in crimes against humanity; and he was responsible for commissioning of international crimes in 1971.
"We are of the opinion that there are sufficient grounds to presume that the accused Motiur Rahman Nizami had committed offences under section 3(2), 4(1) and 4(2) of the International Crimes Tribunal Act, as such we find that there is a prima facie case against the accused," said Justice Huq.
Sixty-nine-year-old Nizami had assisted Ghulam Azam, who is facing similar charges at the tribunal, in forming different auxiliary forces including Shanti [peace] Committee, Razakar, Al Badr and Al Shams, said Justice Huq.
Two weeks ago when the Tribunal-1 framed charges against Ghulam Azam, it said he played a key role in forming these auxiliary forces. Three million people were killed and over two lakh women were raped during the nine-month-long war.
These forces helped the Pakistani forces commit such atrocities across the country.
According to the charges, Nizami had conspired with the Pakistani occupation forces, planned and incited crimes, and was complicit in murders, rapes, looting, destruction of property and was responsible for commissioning of international crimes in 1971.
He did these by delivering speeches on different occasions in and outside of Dhaka during the War, issuing directives, among other means.
"The tribunal also found that the trial can be held [against Nizami] for offences committed in 1971 under this [International Crimes Tribunal] act of 1973."
Nizami sat still in the dock as the tribunal chairman read out the charges. He was wearing a Jinnah cap [a dark brown cap named after Pakistani leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah] and cardigan over white punjabi and white pyjamas.
He was produced before the tribunal at 10:30am. He first took a seat in the dock at the back of the courtroom. Before starting the proceedings of framing charges, the tribunal asked Nizami to sit in the dock near the judges' bench.
Other charges brought against Nizami include his involvement in the killing of 450 civilians in Bausgari village in Pabna on May 14, 1971, where Pakistani army gathered the victims in front of a large ditch and shot them to death.
Some 30 to 40 women were also raped in the incident. Many of the rape victims were forced to leave the country, and as such effectively deported to India.
Nizami in a speech on May 10, 1971 told the villagers that Pakistani army will arrive there to "secure peace" in the area.
According to the charges, Nizami accompanied by another Jamaat leader and war crimes accused Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed visited the army camp at the old MP hostel in Dhaka.
"You [Nizami] verbally abused detained Jalal, Bodi, Rumi, Jewel and Azad. You told the Pakistani captain to kill all of them before the president declared general amnesty," said the tribunal.
"Excepting one, all of them were killed following your [Nizami's] suggestion."
After the charges were read out, he was asked if he pleaded guilty or not.
At that, he stood up and delivered around a 15-minute speech.
Nizami pleaded not guilty saying, "I want to say clearly that during the Liberation War of 1971 I was not involved in anything other than politics."
If convicted, he could get the death penalty. The International Crimes (Tribunal) Act, 1973 only allows a convict to appeal to the Appellate Division against his conviction and sentence.
The tribunal took the charges into cognisance on January 9 this year. Nizami was one among the first four who were shown arrested in the war crimes charges in 2010.
After the proceedings, Abdur Razzaq, chief counsel for the Jamaat leaders, told the media the prosecution placed 15 charges against Nizami, but the tribunal framed 16 charges, which was "not correct".
He said the tribunal has legal right to add the additional charge, but they are unhappy as they did not get an opportunity to argue against the additional charge.
Razzaq added they will file a petition seeking review of the indictment order.

Mollah Faces 6 charges


Tuhin Shubhna Adhikary
A war crimes tribunal yesterday framed all the six charges against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Mollah for involvement in murders and mass killings during the Liberation War, 1971.
He was charged for “actively participating” in the killing of at least 381 unarmed people in Dhaka's Mirpur and Keraniganj areas in six different incidents during the war.
The International Crimes Tribunal-2 led by ChairmanATM Fazle Kabir framed the charges that include mass killing and murdering of unarmed Bangalees, abetting and aiding the Pakistan army to kill and rape civilians.
This was first charge framing by the Tribunal-2 against any war crimes suspect since its formation on March 22 and the first case at the court to go into trial.
The tribunal fixed June 20 for hearing of the opening statement from the prosecution and examination of prosecution witness.
It also directed the defence counsels to submit the list of their witnesses and other documents.
“The proceedings shall continue on every working day until further order,” the court said.
The tribunal charged Quader Mollah, considering his role during the war as a prominent leader of Jamaat's student wing Islami Chhatra Sangha and also a significant member of auxiliary force Al Badr.
In 1971, the court said, the then president of Dhaka University Shahidullah Hall unit Chhatra Sangha, Quader Mollah led the formation of Al-Badar with the members of the student body.
Yesterday, Justice ATM Fazle Kabir started his one-hour long order with a brief introduction. Later, he said about formation of the tribunal, its historical context, brief account of the accused, procedural history, submission of prosecution and defence side, discussion and decision and the charges.
Quader Mollah, assistant secretary of Jamaat, was born in Amirabad village under Sadarpur of Faridpur in 1948. He was arrested on charges of killing 345 people during the war on July 13, 2010. Later, he was shown arrested in a case for crimes against humanity committed in 1971.
The prosecution on December 18 last year submitted formal charges against the Jamaat leader before Tribunal-1, which took the charges into cognisance on December 28.
On April 16, the case was transferred to Tribunal-2, where both the prosecution and the defence placed their submission on May 2, 8, 9, 14 and 16. The court fixed yesterday for passing order.
CHARGES
On Quader Mollah's instruction, one of his aides named Akhter killed Pallab, a student of Bangla College and an organiser of the Liberation War, on April 5, 1971 and buried him by the side of Kalapani Jheel along with several other bodies.
A group of anti-liberation people forcibly brought Pallab to Quader Mollah at Mirpur-12. From there, on the Jamaat leader's order, they dragged the youth to Shah Ali Majar at Mirpur-1, said the charge.
Pallab was then taken to an Eidgah at Mirpur-12, where he was hanged from a tree to death.
On March 27, 1971, Quader Mollah and his aides murdered pro-liberation poet Meherun Nesa, her mother and two brothers at their house at Mirpur-6.
Quader Mollah accompanied by other members of Al Badr, Razakar and non-Bangalees detained one Khandakar Abu Taleb from Mirpur-10 bus stand on March 29, 1971 and tied him up with a rope. He was brought to the Mirpur Jallad Khana Pump House and killed.
On November 25 1971, Quader Mollah along with his 60/70 accomplices went to the village of Khanbari and Ghotan Char, now Shaheed Nagar of Keraniganj, and caught two unarmed freedom fighters from the house of Mozaffar Ahmed Khan.
Freedom fighters Osman Gani and Golam Mostafa were brutally murdered by charging bayonet in broad daylight.
As part of their systematic attack and indiscriminating gun firing caused death of hundreds of unarmed people of the two villages that day. Among them, 24 persons were named in the charge.
On the early morning of April 24, members of Pakistan occupation forces and around 50 non-Bangalees led by Quader Mollah raided Alubdi village of Mirpur and suddenly launched attack on unarmed villagers, killing 344 people. Of the victims, names of 24 people were mentioned in the charge.
In the evening of March 26 1971, under the leadership of Quader Mollah, some Biharis and Pakistani soldiers killed one Hazrat Ali and five members of his family at city's Mirpur.
Entering Hazrat's house at Mirpur-12 that day, accomplices of Quader Mollah shot dead Hazrat and killed the latter's wife Amina and daughters Khadija and Tahmina.
They killed his two-year-old son Babu by dashing the baby against the ground and when his 11-year-old daughter came out from hiding, 12 army personnel raped and killed her. His first daughter Momena, however, escaped.
The charge also said that the accused actively participated, facilitated and substantially contributed all the murders.
After reading out of the charges finished, the tribunal chairman asked the accused, “Do you plead guilty or not?”
“I am totally innocent. I was not in Dhaka during the Liberation War. All charges are fabricated,” replied Quader Mollah.
The Jamaat leader said he left Dhaka on March 12 or 13 in 1971 and had come to Dhaka once in July for some 15 days to take part in examination.
After the court proceeding, Abdur Razzaq, chief of defence counsels, told the reporters that they would file petition seeking review of the indictment order.
TRIBUNAL REBUKES PROSECUTION
The tribunal yesterday expressed deep dissatisfaction, as no prosecutor was present at the courtroom as the proceeding started at 10:30am.
Prosecution AKM Saiful Islam arrived at 10:40am while Mohammad Ali, the engage prosecutor of Quader Mollah's case came at the court at 10:43am.
“Mr Mohammad Ali, why you are 10-minute late? Is it the norms?” asked Judge M Shahinur Islam, one of the members of the tribunal.
When Mohammad Ali stood to say something, Justice ATM Fazle Kabir said, “We express our deep dissatisfaction. None of you was present at the courtroom [when the proceeding started]. Is it the conduct of prosecution?”
When Mohammad Ali said, “Sorry”, Shahinur Islam said, “Sorry is not enough always. If you cannot handle, just quit.”
Earlier on the day, the tribunal granted two prosecution's petitions seeking permission to allow six additional witnesses in the case but rejected another prosecution's petition to make some charge in the formal charge.

UK minister insists on need for talks,BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia,Bangladesh


BANGLADESH NEWS

Visiting British Foreign Office Minister for South Asia Alistair Burt MP has underscored the need for dialogue to find out a way to hold next national elections in a free and fair manner with participation of all parties.

The UK official said this at a meeting with Leader of the Opposition and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan office in the city on Monday noon, former foreign secretary and BNP Vice Chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury told reporters.

"During the meeting, Khaleda Zia told him that the next elections should be held under a non-party neutral government system to make the elections acceptable to all. It's the principled stand of BNP. The British minister also expressed hope on reaching an acceptable resolution through dialogue."

Explaining the position of her party, Khaleda said that her party would sit for a dialogue with the government over its demand to hold the next elections under a non-party and neutral government.

Khaleda said they have no objection if the word caretaker is changed, but it must be a non-party and neutral government.

Chowdhury also underscored the need for dialogue to find a way out of the prevailing political conundrum.

"The UK thinks that fair and credible polls need to be held in Bangladesh, so that the country's unstable political atmosphere melts down and the country moves towards economic and social stability," he said.

During the 40-minute meeting, Khaleda and Burt also discussed bilateral issues between the two friendly countries.

Responding to a query, Chowdhury said that meeting also discussed the incidents of disappearance, including that of BNP organising secretary M Ilias Ali.

'Expressing his concern over the issue, the British minister said that the matter was also discussed in the House of Lords and House of Commons of the UK. His country thinks that such incident should come to an end."

Alistair Burt, a lawmaker of the ruling Conservative Party of the UK, reached Dhaka on Monday morning on a three-day official visit.

British High Commissioner in Dhaka Robert Gibson was also present in the meeting.