Humayun Ahmed in his favourite haunt

DHAKA NEWS

Gazipur, May 11 Popular Bengali fiction writer Humayun Ahmed is spending time with family, friends and relatives at Nuhash Polli in Gazipur, his country retreat, after flying back home after eight months.

He came back with wife Meher Afroz Shaon and their two sons 'Nishad' and 'Ninit' on Friday morning and headed straight for Nuhash Polli. The writer had been in New York for the last eight months for his colon cancer treatment and will return there for a surgery in three weeks' time.

"What I missed most is my Nuhash Polli. I have missed the garden and the trees there. Then I missed my friends. Missed my mother and the relatives," said Ahmed as he talked with the journalists at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the morning.

His friends and relatives could not help but throng Nuhash Polli too.

Humayun's mother Ayesha Foyez, sisters Sufia Haider and Mamtaj Shaheed, mother-in-law Tahura Ali, architect friend Fazlul Karim and personal physician MA Karim were with him.

Ayesha Foyez was ecstatic having her son back.

"I pray to Allah for my son's recovery even in exchange for my own life," said Ayesha, who in the last eight months talked only with Shaon on the phone.

Winner of The Ekushey Padak and The Bangla Academy award, Humayun walked around the garden he had grown at Nuhash Polli. He watched people catch fish from the pond he had made before going for a rest prescribed by the doctors.

A large number of journalists thronged Nuhash Polli but could not reach him for comment as the writer has been advised to meet people sparingly.

"Humayun is resting as he has travelled down a long way. Doctors have restriction over Humayun appearing in public places," said M A Karim.

"He (Humayun) could not bear the pain of people and that's why he loathed to stay in the hospital. He even won't visit relatives in hospital. But this is what has become the routine of his life," sighed Humayun's sister Sufia Haider.

Former vice-Principal of Kabi Nazrul Government College, Haider, however, believed people's love will get her brother back in good health.

Besides relatives, the publication house Anyaprakash owner Majharul Islam and its director Sirajul Kabir Chowdhury also went to Nuhash Polli to meet the writer.

Jewel Rana, Chief Assistant Director at Nuhash Films, the production house owned by the writer, told bdnews24.com Ahmed has brought along a screenplay he prepared while undergoing treatment in America.

The screenplay was made from his own story 'Pipra' (Ants) and has been named as 'Pipilika'. Rana said that they expected to air the drama during the next Eid festival.

Humayun had left country for cancer treatment on Sept 13 last year.

After his brief return, the writer said after arriving at the airport, "If I had returned forever after getting done with my treatment, then I would have said I am very happy. But after setting my foot in the country today, I thought one of the 20 days have gone. Only 19 days are left."

Doctors treating the writer have decided to operate on his colon as he has already taken twelve chemo-therapies to contain the spread of cancer.  

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directs steps to avert road mishaps

BANGLADESH NEWS

Dhaka, May 11  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has expressed deep shock at the death of senior reporter of English daily The Independent Bibhash Chandra Saha and photojournalist of Barisal-based daily Matobad Shahiduzzaman Titu in road accidents on Friday.

Her Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said the Prime Minister directed the appropriate authorities to take quick action against bus drivers responsible for the deadly accidents and arrest them and adopt measures to avert such accidents.

"The Prime Minister conveyed profound sympathy to members of the bereaved families of the journalists and prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls," he added.

Senior Reporter Bibhash was killed on the spot at Dhanmondi near his office in the afternoon as a speedy bus knocked down his motorcycle.

Hours earlier, a bus ran over the rickshaw carrying Titu, who came to Dhaka three days ago to get his wife medical treatment, killing him in front of Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in Shahbagh.

Journalists' organisations Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) president Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury and Secretary General Abdul Jalil Bhuyian, Dhaka Union of Journalists President Omar Faruk and General Secretary Saban Mahmud in separate statements also expressed shock over the death of their colleagues and demanded exemplary punishment to the drivers. 

Tremor jolts country

DHAKA NEWS

A 5.3-magnitue earthquake jolted the capital and other parts of the country on Friday evening.

There were no immediate reports of casualty or damage from the earthquake that took place at 6:42pm.

The epicentre of the quake was 210kms north-east of Dhaka, Prof Humayun, director of the Earthquake Observatory Centre of Dhaka University, told .

According to the US Geological Survey, the tremor originated at the depth of 11.5 km under the earth at a place which is 113 km (70 miles) east of Guwahati in Assam, India.

Our Dinajpur correspondent says an earthquake of moderate intensity jolted Dinajpur and its adjacent districts Friday evening forcing many people to come out of their houses.

Bus kills journalist in city

DHAKA NEWS

A journalist was killed when a bus rammed his motorbike at Dhanmondi in the capital on Friday.

Bibhas Chandra Saha, 45, was a senior reporter of The Independent, a national English daily.

A tea vendor, who witnessed the accident, said a Mohammadpur-bound bus of Maitree Paribahan hit the motorcycle on Road-2 around 5:45pm.

Abdul Jabbar also said the bus ran him over after he fell on the road, killing him on the spot.

Bibhas was going to his office on Road-1, around 100 yards off the crash site.

Angry people vandalised the bus while its driver managed to flee.

Some Dhaka university students obstructed law enforcers when they tried to take away the bus from the spot.

Later, police used truncheons and fired blank shots to disperse the protesters.

Vehicular movement on one side of the road remained suspended more than an hour following the accident.

The body was kept at Popular Medical College Hospital in the area.

The accident comes around four hours after a photojournalist was killed as a speedy bus hit a rickshaw he was travelling in from behind near Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the capital.

Shahiduzzaman, 38, of daily Matobad, a local newspaper in Barisal, died on the spot around 1:30pm.

AL leader among 8 killed in Sylhet

SYLHET NEWS

At least eight people including an Awami League leader died when a bus collided head-on with a truck on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Osmaninagar upazila of Sylhet early Friday.

Police say 15 others were injured in the collision between the Sylhet-bound luxury Volvo bus of Green Line Paribahan and the stone-laden truck around 5:15am in Brahmanshahson area.

Iftekhar Hossain Shamim, Sylhet district senior vice-president of AL and a freedom fighter, and six others died on the spot, said Al-Amin, officer-in-charge of Osmaninagar Police Station.

Shamim's wife Naznin Hossain, and their daughter Sezin Hossain, were among the injured that were undergoing treatment at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, said Ehtesham Ul Haque Chowdhury, a deputy director of the hospital.

One of the injured died at the hospital.

Four other deceased were identified as Haji Abdul Baten, 45, of village Kalindi, and his son Abir Hossain, 20, and Opu, 24, of Rahmatpur in Keraniganj upazila, and Rajeshwar Sinha, 27, of South Shahjahanpur of Dhaka.

Two others remained unidentified, reports our Sylhet correspondent.

Government must hold poll under CG: Moudud Ahmed

DHAKA NEWS

BNP leaders on Friday said the government would be forced to hold the next general election under a non-party, neutral caretaker government following the pressure mounted by vigorous movement.

Addressing a human chain, BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said the present movement will be stepped up in phases in such a way that they would be compelled to amend the constitution to hold next poll under a caretaker administration.

Diploma Engineers’ Association of Bangladesh organised the human chain in front of the National Press Club demanding immediate halt to plunder in the name of quick rental power.

It also demanded holding next general election under a non-party caretaker government and urged the return of missing BNP leader M Ilias Ali.

Moudud said the government will have to come to an understanding, otherwise BNP will continue its movement on the caretaker government issue.

The former law minister said if the government does not want to hold election under caretaker government it will have to give election under non-party neutral interim government.

Addressing another human chain in front of the National Press Club, another standing committee member of BNP Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia said the movement will continue until Ilias Ali is returned.

He said BNP will not participate in national election without the restoration of non-party and neutral government

Photojournalist killed in city road crash

DHAKA NEWS

A photojournalist was killed as a speedy bus hit a rickshaw from behind near Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the capital Friday afternoon.

The victim is Shahiduzzaman, 38, a photojournalist of daily Matobad, a local newspaper in Barisal, Shah Alam, officer-in-charge of Ramna Police Station, said.

Jannatul Ferdous Sohel, a friend of Shahiduzzaman, who was also riding the rickshaw, and rickshaw puller Altaf sustained minor injuries.

The accident occurred while a Sadarghat-bound bus of United paribahan hit their rickshaw from behind near Ruposhi Bangla Hotel around 1:30pm, leaving Shahiduzzaman dead on the spot and injuring two others, the OC said quoting Sohel.

Police seized the vehicle right away and arrested driver Naimul Islam. 40.

The body was sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

Adverse weather affects litchi yield in Dinajpur

DINAJPUR NEWS

The luscious litchi of Dinajpur and its adjacent districts is likely to be dear this season as inclement weather has already affected the production.

Hailstorms and high temperature have reduced the chances of bumper production of the popular tropical fruit in the area, said locals.

Litchi growers in different upazilas of Dinajpur, who had expected high yield in view of sufficient flowering early this year, are now worried as adverse weather has affected the fruiting.

"The weather was favourable for litchi in early April but it turned bad in the middle of the month. I fear getting 30 per cent less than expected production from 100 litchi trees in my orchard as they got damaged due to hailstorms and heat," said Nurul Islam, owner of a litchi orchard at Uttar Ulipur in Dinajpur Sadar upazila.

Litchi orchards in different areas of Sadar, Biral, Birganj, Khansama, Chirirbandar, Nawabganj and Hakimpur upazilas of Dinajpur district are in similar condition due to hailstorms and excessive heat, said farmers.

District horticulture department sources said litchi is cultivated in approximately 2,000 hectares of land in Dinajpur and there are 3,000 commercial litchi orchards in the district.

Litchi trees are also found at almost every household in the district.

A full grown tree generally produces 3,000 to 8,000 pieces of litchi weighing 100 to 180 kg and able to yield the fruit for next 50 years, officials said.

At least 40 lakh kg of litchi production was expected this year, but it will be much less due to adverse weather, said farmers and horticulture officials of Dinajpur.

The litchi grown in Dinajpur and adjacent districts is very much in demand in the national and international markets.

At present, several varieties of litchi including bedana, bombai, china and madraji are grown and marketed.

Last year ordinary varieties of litchi sold for Tk 250 to 300 per 100 pieces while bedana sold at Tk 600 to 1,000 for 100 pieces, market sources said.

Growers predicted higher prices this year as the production is likely to be lower than last year's.

Experts of horticulture department in Dinajpur suggested the farmers to clean and nurse the stems and regularly spray pesticides on the litchi trees.

During a visit to different places, this correspondent saw farmers watering the trees to protect them from heat. Litchi trees need to be watered three to four times a day.

Md Moududul Haque, district horticulturist of Dinajpur, however, expressed hope that the production will be near the target if weather conditions improve shortly.

Ashraf makes light of microcredit, Yunus Grameen Bank

BANGLADESH NEWS

Dhaka, May Local Government Minister Syed Ashraful Islam once again on Thursday criticised the country's top microcredit operator Grameen Bank and its Nobel prize-winning former managing director Muhammad Yunus.

"The country cannot be developed through multilevel marketing companies and NGOs based on illegal money from abroad. Microcredit won't change our fates and it won't be able to change Bangladesh in the next 100 years," he said at a programme at the capital's Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.

Ashraf's remarks came in presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, five days after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her concern over the Grameen Bank imbroglio during her 24-hour visit to Dhaka.

Criticising Yunus winning the Nobel prize, he said, "His [Yunus] basic subject was Economics. But he did not get the prize for Economics. He got the Nobel prize in peace though he did not play any role in stopping a war."

"Now, many people in our country know how to 'get a Nobel prize'," the ruling Awami League general secretary added.

Following a 'confrontation' with Sheikh Hasina government and allegation of transferring funds without donor's permission, Yunus had been removed from the bank as its managing director last year. The government also said that he was overage as per the law to continue in the office.

During her visit to Bangladesh on Sunday, Hillary Clinton told a programme in Dhaka, "We do not want to see any action taken that would in any way undermine or interfere in the operations of the Grameen Bank or its unique organisational structure.

"I don't want anything that would in any way undermine what has been a wonderful model."

Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Tuesday also criticised Clinton for her remarks saying the government has not changed its stance about the microfinance organisation.

"Hillary's statement on the Grameen Bank was undue. The Grameen Bank is an organisation established by the government. It is because of the government that Mr Yunus could come this far," Muhith said.    

No 'need for guard of honour'

DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka, May 10 The High Court has said there should be no 'guard of honour' in a democratic country like Bangladesh.

The bench of justices A H M Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Jahangir Hossain made the observation in an order upon a writ petition on Thursday.

Advocate Asaduzzaman Siddiqui filed the petition on behalf of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) on May 3. The plea alleged that ignoring the warrant of precedence, the Bandarban district administration did not provide protocol and guard of honour to a judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court while he had gone an official visit there in 2010.

The High Court has also asked the home ministry to revise by May 25 its directives on providing protocol and guard of honour pursuant to the warrant of precedence.

The court in its order said barring security reasons, there should be no guard of honour and if one needed to be given, the warrant of precedence must be followed.

After the initial hearing on the petition on May 3, the bench had summoned the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent Of Police (SP) of Bandarban district.

The DC, Mizanur Rahman, now Joint Secretary at the LGRD ministry, and SP Kamrul Islam appeared before the court on Thursday.

At the hearing, counsel for the petitioner Advocate Manzill Murshid referred to a 'covert direction' of the home ministry on protocol and guard of honour.

"They (administration) provide guard of honour to the secretaries, divisional commissioner and the DIGs (deputy inspectors general) of police. But there is no provision of providing guard of honour to the High Court judges," he said.

Senior lawyer Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud said at the hearing that norms and values were apparently done away with.

State counsel Deputy Attorney General A B M Altaf Hossain told  "Though the rank of the Appellate Division judges is in eighth in the warrant of precedence, there is no mention about them in the ministry's direction. It's also the same with the High Court judges."

Advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun argued for Mizanur Rahman and Kamrul Islam at the hearing.

RAB dismisses 'call from Ilias'

DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka, May 10 The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has dismissed as 'baseless' a Jubo Dal leader's claim about a call coming from the cell phone of missing BNP leader M Ilias Ali. 

"The news is baseless. We looked into the claim, but found that Ilias Ali's cell phone has been switched off ever since he went missing," said RAB Director (Intelligence) Ziaul Ahsan.

On Thursday afternoon, Abdul Latif, Joint Convener of the BNP's youth front in Ilias' constituency, claimed to have received a call from Ilias' phone number at 4:48pm.

Latif, however, said he could not receive the call as it came when he was talking over his phone. The call was registered as a 'missed call' on Latif's phone.

He called back to the number immediately only to find the phone switched off. Latif claimed the call came from the Ilias' mobile-phone number (01732293744).

Bishwanath upazila Chhatra Dal joint convener Shamsuddin told  that he found the number active at around 5:25pm on Thursday. None, however, received the call before switching it off, he added.

The word prompted RAB to launch an immediate investigation into the matter.

Earlier, the elite force had confirmed that Ilias had used his cell phone last time from the city's Eskaton area before he had gone missing.

Bloody violence erupted at Bishwanath during the countrywide shutdown enforced protesting the disappearance of Ilias. Latif and Shamsuddin stand accused in the case filed by police in connection with the violence. None of them are staying at their addresses currently.

"Both of them are absconding. They might have some other motive behind spreading the news of call coming from Ilias' switched-off cell phone," said the RAB's Intelligence Director Ziaul.

One of the BNP's organising secretaries, Ilias Ali and his driver Ansar Ali have been missing since the wee hours of Apr 18. Police found his private car abandoned at Mohakhali.

Police became certain about the vehicle belonging to Ilias Ali on finding Ansar Ali's cell phone inside the abandoned private car.

Police have failed to trace the BNP leader despite conducting numerous drives in and outside the capital.

The BNP has been alleging that Ilias was picked up by RAB personnel, an allegation refuted by the government who says the law-enforcing agencies are trying their best to trace him. 

Opposition leaders charged with arson Fakhrul among 45 accused

DHAKA NEWS

Detectives yesterday pressed charges against 45 leaders and activists of BNP-led 18-party alliance, including BNP acting secretary general, for torching a vehicle near Prime Minister's Office (PMO) during April 29 shutdown.

Inspector of the Detective Branch of Police Nurul Amin, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka yesterday around 10:45am.

The court will decide on May 13 whether it will take into cognisance the charges brought against the accused.

BNP, however, termed the cases and charge sheet “false and politically motivated” and asked the government to withdraw both without any delay.

On April 29, two cases had been filed with Tejgaon and Ramna police stations against leaders and activists of 18-party alliance in connection with torching a bus in front of the PMO and a blast at the secretariat on that day.

“The government has filed the cases and charge sheet only to divert public attention from the ongoing anti-government movement but they won't succeed,” said BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain while addressing a human chain in front of Jatiya Press Club.

Talking to , defence counsel Masud Ahmed Talukder said the court would not be able to give any order on the charge sheet on May 13, as the third bench of the High Court was yet to pass any order on the dissenting orders of the division bench regarding bail of the 30 accused in the two cases.

Of the accused, Mohammad Sohel alias Sohan Miah, conductor of the bus torched; Mohammad Jasim Uddin and Manik Ratan, helpers of the vehicle; Mohammad Kamruzzaman Ratan, former student leader; Mohammad Ismail Khan Shahin, president of Titumir College unit Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD);

Mohammad Mannan Hossain Shahin, Swechchhasebak Dal president of Mohammadpur Police Station area; and BNP joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed were earlier arrested and sent to jail.

Another accused in the arson case Mahbub Uddin Khokon got bail on May 9 on his surrender before a Dhaka metropolitan magistrate's court till May 20.

The IO yesterday showed BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 36 others as fugitives in the court since he [the IO] did not receive the copies of their bail order. The IO also sought issuance of arrest warrant against them and an order to attach their moveable property.

Meanwhile, the IO dropped the name of Chhatra Shibir General Secretary Abdur Jabbar as his full address was not found during investigation. He showed 18 people, including the owner and the driver of the vehicle torched as prosecution witnesses.

If the charges are proved, the minimum punishment for arson is two years' rigorous imprisonment while the maximum is five years' rigorous imprisonment.

BACKGROUND

Tejgaon police filed a case against a number of leaders and workers of 18-party alliance, including Mirza Fakhrul, Mirza Abbas and Oli Ahmed, hours after a vehicle was set ablaze near the PMO during hartal hours on April 29.

The same day, Ramna police filed another case against top leaders of the alliance for exploding a bomb at the Bangladesh Secretariat that day.

After the cases were filed, the top BNP leaders accused went into hiding and turned up at the High Court on May 7 to seek bail.

That day, the HC delivered dissenting orders on the bail petitions filed by 30 leaders accused in the two cases.

Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury, senor judge of the bench, granted anticipatory bail to the accused till the submission of police reports on the cases. He issued seven separate rules upon the government to explain in four weeks as to why the petitioners should not be granted regular bail.

Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder, the other judge, however, directed the politicians accused to surrender before the magistrate's court concerned within seven days and ordered law enforcers not to harass or arrest them during the period.

Additional Attorney General MK Rahman said the two judges would now send the bail petitions along with their orders to Chief Justice Muzammel Hossain. The chief justice will then forward the petitions to a third HC bench for disposal, he added.

THE CHARGE-SHEETED ACCUSED

BNP leaders Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, MK Anwar, Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah, Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Mirza Abbas, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Amanullah Aman, Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, AKM Fazlul Haque Milon, Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anne, Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Lutfor Rahman and Nabi Solaiman; JCD President Sultan Salauddin Tuku; Liberal

Democratic Party President Col (retd) Oli Ahmed; Jamaat-e-Islami acting Ameer Maqbul Ahmad; BJP President Andalib Rahman Partha; Swechchhasebak Dal President Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel; Jagpa President Shafiul Alam Pradhan and Pragatishil Ganotantrik Shakti Chairman Sheikh Shawkat Hossain Nilu.

Mohammad Sohel alias Sohan Miah, conductor of the bus torched; Mohammad Jasim Uddin and Manik Ratan, helpers of the vehicle.

The other charge-sheeted accused are, BNP leader Nazimuddin Alam; Swechchhasebak Dal General Secretary Mir Sharafat Ali Safu; JCD General Secretary Amirul Islam Khan Alim; JCD Organising Secretary

Anisur Rahman Khokon; Dhaka South Juba Dal President SM Jahangir Hossain Sarder; its General Secretary Rafiqul Islam alias Mojnu; Swechchhasebak Dal Convenor Yeasin Ali; its general Secretary Saiful Islam Nirob; DU unit JCD Convenor Abdul Matin; its Joint Convenor Obaidul Haque Nasir; Dhaka South JCD general Secretary Habibur Rashid; Dhaka North JCD General Secretary Kamal Anwar Ahmed; former

Dhaka City Corporation ward councillors Kazi Abul Bashar, Yunus Mridha and Anwaruzzaman alias Anwar; former student leader Mohammad Kamruzzaman Ratan; president of Titumir College unit JCD Mohammad Ismail Khan Shahin; Swechchhasebak Dal president of Mohammadpur Police Station area Mohammad Mannan Hossain Shahin and Chhatra Shibir leaders Nurul Islam Bulbul and Delwar Hossain Sayedee.

News Analysis No to Resignation Speaker crossed his jurisdiction

DHAKA NEWS

Speaker Abdul Hamid has overstepped his jurisdiction having declined to "accept" the resignation of Awami League lawmaker Tanjim Ahmad Sohel Taj from the Jatiya Sangsad.

In his effort to justify the decision, the Speaker said Sohel Taj, now in the US, did not write the letter in his own hand, rather it was typed. Moreover, he did not submit it in person and the letter did not mention the phrase "willing to resign," which is mandatory under article 67 of the constitution.

Sohel Taj's resignation letter, in Hamid's view, was not written in line with constitutional provisions and the Rules of Procedure of the House. "Therefore, I did not accept his resignation letter," he told reporters on Wednesday.

Former attorney general Mahmudul Islam in his book titled "Constitutional Law of Bangladesh" writes that the article 67 (2) of the constitution provides an MP with unilateral right to resign from his seat. Effectiveness of such resignation does not depend on its acceptance by any authority, Mahmudul writes, citing court orders in Bangladesh and India.

According to a 1995 High Court judgment, the constitution does not have any provision authorising the Speaker to accept or reject an MP's resignation letter.

On submitting the letter in person, the HC said "the letter need not be written by the lawmaker concerned; it is sufficient if it is signed by him or her."

The HC gave the judgment in response to a writ petition filed after 147 opposition lawmakers resigned en masse from the Fifth Parliament on December 28, 1994.

The then Speaker Sheikh Razzak Ali had declined to accept those and told the House that the en masse resignation in his view was not in accordance with the article 67 (2) of the country's charter.

Speaker Abdul Hamid himself was one of the 147 MPs.

Talking to journalists at his JS office on Wednesday, Hamid cited his predecessor's decision. But he might have forgotten to cite the HC judgment on the issue.

Sections 177 and 178 of the Rules of Procedure of the Jatiya Sangsad empower the Speaker to verify the authenticity of the resignation letter and ascertain the intention of the resigning parliamentarian.

The 1995 HC verdict says the Speaker can easily determine the genuineness of the signature by comparing it

with the signature of the MP in the Roll of Members in the Parliament Secretariat.

It further observes that in case of allegations of fraud or coercion applied to the MP in obtaining his signature, the Speaker is also to examine the voluntariness of the signature in the letter of resignation to ascertain the intention of the MP for quitting.

Abdul Hamid did ascertain the intent of Sohel -- he talked to him over the phone lately. The Speaker himself said Sohel wanted to know when his resignation would come into effect. He did not have any confusion about the authenticity of Sohel's signature on the letter.

Theoretically, the Speaker should not have any doubt as to why Sohel resigned form the JS. Yet, he said he had.

The Speaker's delayed rejection has already led to the public perception that his office might have acted in conformity with the prime minister's stance on Sohel's resignation from the council of ministers.

A few days after Sohel resigned from the JS on April 23, some newspapers citing government sources ran reports that his resignation as MP might be kept hanging as was his resignation from the home ministry.

He was made a state minister without portfolio after his resignation on May 31, 2009 as the PM did not "accept" his resignation.

The media reports were then proved right when the Speaker on Wednesday made known his decision declining to "accept" Sohel's resignation.

In the process, Hamid's confusion has dragged the Speaker's office into controversy. This will in no way uphold the dignity of the office of the Speaker. Rather the hullabaloo may be damaging for the office.

Chittagong public library in bad shape

CHITTAGONG NEWS

dent of mass communication and journalism at the University of Chittagong.

Abbas said every year they send a list of books including those in demand to the Dhaka based central committee of public libraries that decides the number and kinds of books to be sent.

"Some books are selected from the list and sent to us," he said adding that it is very difficult to fulfil the demand of all users.

Md Noor Hossain Talukder, director (joint secretary) of the Central Public Library in Dhaka, said "We select some books from the list. Some books are also selected by the central committee. We provide funds for the most of the books readers demand."

But Abbas said the fund is not adequate. "We get a very small fund from the committee. After paying newspaper bills, no money is usually left for buying books," he said.

An official requesting anonymity said, "During load shedding, we have to sit idle in the dark, as we do not have any alternate power generator."

Some people get inside the building masquerading as readers, and steal books taking the chance of power outage, he said adding that the library had a 15-volume collection of documents on the country's Liberation War, 13 volumes of which went missing.

After the incident the authorities of the library said they would take actions against the personnel who are supposed to look after the library's collection, for negligence in duty, but no action has been taken yet, he said.

Four employees of the library are also now on deputation in Dhaka. They however take salaries from the Chittagong Public Library. As a result, the library is largely understaffed now with 10 class III and class IV 

posts remaining vacant.

"We face many problems due to a shortage of employees," said Abbas.

The library also has only one photocopy machine, which is currently out of order. As a result, readers cannot photocopy books. The authorities also do not allow any user to take any book outside the library.

Use pollution-free cruise boats at Kaptai Lake

BANGLADESH NEWS

Congratulations to the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) for making six crore taka profit from its commercial ventures during the last nine months. It is a rare achievement for a semi-government organisation in Bangladesh. I would like to take this opportunity to make a request to BPC. A good number of domestic

and foreign tourists go to Rangamati for boating in the picturesque Kaptai Lake. The cruise boats in the lake, including the one belonging to BPC, use shallow tube well engine to run. This engine makes deafening noise and emits black smoke continuously, from burning diesel, and thus turns the boat ride in the lake into a

nightmare. The noise and the smoke of the boat pollute the environment of the lake as well.

My request to BPC is to replace the shallow tube well engine of its tourist boat(s) with the chargeable battery engine which is used by the battery driven three-wheeler commonly known as Easy Bike. This engine does not make noise and emits no smoke. A tourist boat run by this engine will make the boating in the Kaptai

Lake an unforgettable experience. Once BPC takes this step, the owners of the private tourist boats will follow it soon. And finally, the Kaptai Lake in Rangmati will become free from noise and smoke. The price of a chargeable battery engine is much less than the marine engine. So, the boat owners will also be able to get those at an affordable price.