Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) students ask VC, pro-VC to quit by Sunday,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Agitating students of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) on Saturday warned of tougher movement if the vice chancellor and his deputy do not resign by Sunday.

The students, who thronged in front of the VC's residence around 1:30pm demanding the resignation of VC Prof SM Nazrul Islam and pro-VC Prof M Habibur Rahman, also declared to resume their agitation programmes including human chain and procession tomorrow morning.

They continued their demonstration till 2:45pm.

Earlier, more than 500 Buet students formed a human chain in front of Civil Engineering Building around 11:10am for 20 minutes and also brought out a procession, which paraded the whole campus demanding removal of their VC and pro-VC.

Meanwhile, demonstrating teachers of Buet sat with the vice chancellor and his deputy at their respective offices and urged them to resign immediately 'to protect the institution'.

During the hour-long meeting since noon, the VC told the teachers that he would inform his next steps after holding a talk the minister concerned.

Pro-VC Prof M Habibur Rahman however said he would talk to the appointing authorities in this regard during the half an hour meeting since 1:00pm.

"I will not make any comment right now," the VC said when reporters asked about his next initiative after the meeting.

The agitating students gathered in front of the VC residence, when Prof Nazrul returned to his residence from his office around 1:30pm.

A number of teachers joined the students' agitation programme today.

The teachers have joined the agitation individually, not under the banner of Buet Teachers' Association as the High Court directed the association not to stage any demonstration in the interest of smooth academic activities, Prof Ashraful Islam, general secretary of the association,

"This is not an anti-government movement. This is a movement for protecting the Buet and for removal of the VC and his deputy," the general secretary said.

The students resumed their demonstration on Saturday when Buet authorities insist the teachers to return to the classes, the latter stand rigid to their demand for removal of the duo.

The authorities issued a notice to all deans, heads of departments, teachers and officials concerned asking them to resume classes and start the process of admission test for first year immediately.

The teachers, however, did not declare any new programmes after they had called off their demonstration on July 31 following the HC order.

Buet Teachers' Association launched the agitation along with work abstention on April 7, bringing 16 allegations against the VC and Pro-VC. The general students and officials joined the agitation in mid July.

The virtually stagnant Buet reopened on Saturday after a 44-day closure but no classes have been held since then, hampering education of the students.

Since last week, no initiative is visible on the part of the government to settle the crisis at the country's leading engineering university.

While asked about the HC order, the protesters on Saturday said the HC order directed the teachers' association and its two leaders -- president and general secretary -- not to stage any agitation involving officials or students but the directive did not say anything about processions or meetings of the students.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia vows tougher movement,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

In its 34th founding anniversary on Saturday, BNP vowed to forge a tougher anti-government movement to bring back the non-party neutral government system into constitution to oversee the next general elections.

Leaders, workers and supporters led by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia placed a wreath at the grave of late president Ziaur Rahman, also founder of the party, at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the city.

A huge number of leaders and workers of the main opposition party and its front and associate bodies thronged the grave premises and paid rich tributes to him.

They also prayed for the peace of the late leader's departed soul. Zia Cultural Organisation, a pro-BNP body, held a voluntary blood donation programme there.

The national and party flags were hoisted at all BNP offices across the country.

Earlier in the morning after placing a wreath at the grave, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir talked to reporters on behalf of the party.

Replying to a query, the BNP leader said restoration of caretaker government system and democracy are the key challenges for his party and hoped that they will be successful with the support of the people.

“We are in movement. Now it’s our challenge to intensify the movement to restore the non-party caretaker government provision,” he added.

Alamgir remembered the party founder with due respect and applauded Khaleda for her outstanding leadership for the party as well as the country.

Zia, country’s first military administrator, founded the party in 1978 but he was assassinated in May 1981. Later Khaleda had brought at the helm of the party leadership and the party led by her came back to power through 1991 election.

In 1996 election, the party faced defeat while in 2001 election BNP got a landslide victory. In 2008 election, the party led by Khaleda suffered a humiliating defeat.

The party is now in movement for the reinstatement of the caretaker government system, which was scrapped from the constitution in June last year.

Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday reiterated that the next election due in January 2014 must be held under a neutral administration.

Another Dr Narayan Chandra Dutta Nitai murder suspect held Mintu confesses to his involvement in the killing,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Hours into his arrest, one of the main suspects on Saturday confessed to his involvement in the killing of Dr Narayan Chandra Dutta Nitai.

Detective Branch (DB) of police detained Mintu in Sylhet on Friday night.

In primary interrogation, Mintu confessed that he along with his associates entered into the house of Nitai for committing robbery.

He said that Nitai obstructed them when they tried to tie him.

At one stage, they stabbed Nitai and flee the scene, he said.

Mintu also confessed that he got information about the wealth of Nitai from his (Nitai) driver, said a press release of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Nitai, an assistant professor of the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital (NIDCH), was stabbed to death by unknown criminals at his quarters on the NIDCH compound at Mohakhali in the capital on August 23.

The 47-year-old physician was also an executive councillor of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) and a central committee member of Swadhinata Chikitshak Parishad.

Mintu is suspected to have masterminded the stealing that ultimately led to the killing of Dr Nitai, five suspects who were held on August 25 told police.

He was at large besides two other suspects – Masud and an unnamed one.

Dr Nitai might have been a victim of robbery, but relatives suspect it was a planned murder, police said following the murder.

A day after the killing, the case was handed over to DB police for investigation.

Government given a day to reinstate Medical admission students admission test,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

In an ultimatum to the government, agitating students on Saturday urged reinstatement of medical admission test within a day and threatened to go for tougher movement otherwise.

Around 200 students and guardians declared the ultimatum at a citizens' rally in front of the Dhaka University's Raju sculpture.

Columnist Syed Abul Moksud and actress Rokeya Prachi expressed their solidarity with the agitating students.

Earlier on August 12, the government came up with the decision of student enrolment in the public and private medical colleges on the basis of SSC and HSC results instead of admission test.

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader visits Ishwardi Railway Station slaps rail staff

BANGLADESH NEWS

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader slapped a train attendant at Ishwardi Railway Station after he found poor service and irregularities in an intercity train service on Saturday.

The minister also cancelled the lease of Mahananda Express, which plies between Khulna and Chapainawabganj via Rajshahi, after fining unhygienic environment in its compartments.

Quader slapped Boloram Das after a passenger complained that the attendant the train had demanded extra fare though he got into the train with a ticket.

The minister visited the railway station around 10:15am following a complaint of poor service on the train, Sujit Kumar, divisional traffic officer of Railway Western Zone,

The minister also punished three railway staffs with transfer nd suspension orders on receiving a passenger’s complaint of anomalies and poor service, said Md Fardous Alam, general manager of Railway Western zone.

Immediate transfers were also ordered for Gazi Fardous Hassan, station master of Chatmohar rail station and Nasima Khanam, ticket master of Ishwardi station for selling tickets in black market while temporarily suspension went to Md Amirul Islam, an estate official of Pakshey Divisional office.

The minister said, “A few corrupted officials of railway are destroying this sector,” during his visit.

“Black marketing of tickets, fuel misappropriation, thieving of rail slippers and such other corruption are devouring the railway,” he said.

“I will take step against all the culprit officials and the corrupted will be punished. ACC will investigate them all,” the minister said.

Later, he also visited the illegal occupation in Pakshey divisional rail zone and asked its officials for taking steps to recover the illegally occupied lands in the division within a month, said Kiron Chandra Roy, divisional estate officer (DEO) of Pakshey divisional rail zone.

“There are 1800 acres of land in Pakshey and Ishwardi area of which 140 acres are illegally occupied,” the DEO said.

The minister then visited Pakshey Lalon Shah Bridge and asked its officials to submit an inquiry report on the irregularities of Toll plaza within 15 days to the ministry.

State minister for Science, Information and Communication Yafes Osman, Shamsur Rahman Sharif Dilu, lawmaker of Pabna-4 and high officials of railway and communication ministry accompanied the minister.

The minister’s visit ended with a public meeting on Pabna circuit house premises around 12:00pm.

“Three and half years of this government have gone away. We have to move forward and work instead of speaking.” the minister said.

Honda motorcycle joint venture in Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Honda Motor Co plans to form a joint venture in Bangladesh as early as this year to produce motorcycles, the Nikkei reported.

Honda used to sell motorcycles in Bangladesh through Indian motorcycle maker Hero MotoCorp Ltd.

The Japanese company cancelled its tie-up with Hero in 2011, the daily reported.

The venture, with a local business, will set up a low-cost assembly facility with an annual sales target of 10,000 to 20,000 units, the business daily said.

The motorcycles will be built for the local market from components shipped from India and Pakistan, the Nikkei reported.

Annual motorcycle sales in Bangladesh are about 100,000 units,