United Airways (BD) Limited:to resume Dhaka-Bangkok flight from August 12, 2012,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

United Airways (BD) Limited, the country’s leading largest private airline, will resume flying on Dhaka-Bangkok route from August 12, 2012.

The one way special fare for Dhaka-Bangkok is starting from Tk 13,613 and return fare is 21861 (inclusive of all taxes).

Weekly two flights from Dhaka to Bangkok will operate on Sunday and Thursday. Dhaka-Bangkok flight will operate by MD-83 aircraft which is safer, reliable, and speedy with comfortable seats.

United Airways, the first ever public limited company in aviation sector of Bangladesh, is now operating more international routes from Dhaka to Jeddah, Dubai, Muscat, Kuala Lumpur, Kathmandu and Kolkata and also from Chittagong to Muscat and Kolkata.

The airline is operating flights to all major domestic sectors from Dhaka.

Now United Airways (BD) Ltd has total 9 aircraft which are two DASH 8-100, two ATR-72, three MD-83 and two Airbus-310.

On  July 10 in 2007, United Airways first took to the skies with a slogan “Fly Your Own Airline” and has been providing committed services ever since.

Since its inception, United received positive market response and presently holds a major share of the domestic, regional and international market.

In a span of just five years of operation, United Airways has established its brand reputation for its maintenance of schedule, service and safety.

Remittance dives 11.48 percent Bangladesh Bank

BANGLADESH NEWS

The rate of remittance into the country increased to 11.48 percent in the first month of new fiscal year 2012-13, according to Bangladesh Bank.

The expatriates have sent $ 119.37 crore in July which is 11.48 percent more than June and 17.55 percent than July of 2010-11 fiscal year, said foreign exchange policy department source of the central bank.

It is being estimated that the expatriates have sent more remittance ahead of upcoming Eid.

Besides, the remittance might have been increased as the expatriate Bangladeshis in London sent their extra income earned following the Olympic Games.

Opposition BNP standing committee member Sadek Hossain Khoka:gets bail in arson case,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Opposition BNP standing committee member Sadek Hossain Khoka got bail in a case of vehicle torching in front of PMO.

Judge of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-5 Harun-or Rashid granted the bail to Khoka after hearing bail plea of him.

Earlier in the morning, he appeared before the court and sought bail.

On July 31, 18 party leaders including BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir were indicted in the case.

The court also issued arrest warrant against Khoka as he did not appear before the court on the day.

Dhaka Bar president Advocate Md. Borhan Uddin stood for the defendant.

He said Khoka went to Singapore for treatment with permission from higher court. He returned home on Wednesday night after taking treatment. He pled for upholding bail term to the client as he was in bail in the case.

Of the 46 accused, 39 got bail and three are staying in jail.

On April 30, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir among a number of alliance leaders were sued for their alleged involvement in cocktail explosion at secretariat, vehicle vandalism and arson in PM office area during Sunday’s dawn-to-dusk hartal.

Police filed two cases with Tejgaon and Shahbagh Thanas. Fakhrul was made accused in the both cases.

Prof Muhammad Yunus fears Government's takeover of Grameen Bank's,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Prof Muhammad Yunus on Thursday expressed deep shock at the government's attempt to reduce the power of Grameen Bank's board and give more authority to its chairman to pick the managing director of the microcredit organisation.

In a statement, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who founded the microcredit organisation said he had always expressed his apprehension about the possibility of the government's taking over of the bank.

"Now my apprehension has started to become a reality. I am so disheartened that I am unable to express my feeling," the statement quoted the 'Banker to the Poor' as saying.

His comments came hours after the cabinet approved the proposals for amending the Grameen Bank Ordinance 1983 to reduce the power of the bank's board and give more authority to its chairman to pick the managing director of the microcredit organisation.

Earlier in the day, the cabinet in a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair approved the proposal.

The cabinet also directed the finance ministry to inform it of the facilities that the Nobel laureate availed during his extended tenure as managing director of the bank after reaching the age of 60.

As per the direction, the finance ministry will have to verify whether those facilities were in accordance with the bank’s rules and regulations.

The cabinet also asked the finance ministry to inform it whether Prof Yunus fetched foreign currencies from abroad as 'wage earner'.

If so, the finance ministry has to inform the cabinet whether the currencies were exempted of tax, the cabinet secretary said.

Three changes will be made in the ordinance through the amendment, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan briefed reporters after the cabinet meeting.

The changes are:

1. The changes will allow the Grameen Bank chairman to form a selection committee in consultation with the board for selecting the bank’s managing director.

2. The chairman will be able to select a three-member panel for the appointment of the MD.

3. To be the MD of the Grameen Bank, the candidate must have expertise in the field of rural economy or finance or microfinance.

“The (proposed) amendment will make it easier to get the right candidate as the bank’s managing director and this will speed up the appointment,” Musharraf said.

President Zillur Rahman will soon issue an ordinance on the matter as there is no parliament session at present, he said.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia:renews threat of tougher agitation after Eid-ul-Fitr,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday once again threatened to go for a tougher movement after Eid-ul-Fitr to compel the government to meet their demand of restoring the non-party neutral government system.

“BNP won’t accept any proposal except restoration of the non-party neutral government system. We want free and fair elections,” she said while addressing an Iftar party at LD hall of the parliament complex.

The main opposition party hosted the Iftar in honor of elected local government representative including former and incumbent mayors of different city corporations, chairmen and vice-chairmen of upazila and municipalities. Mainly pro-BNP elected representatives attended the programme.

The opposition leader asked the government to take steps to hold elections after restoring neutral government system by amending the constitution. “Nothing would be acceptable to us except neutral government system to oversee elections."

She alleged that elected representatives of local government could not perform properly due to the non-cooperation from the government while the government did not allow BNP lawmakers to speak in the parliament.

She urged all to be prepared for upcoming agitation, saying that there is no alternative but to forge movement to oust the government.

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, former deputy minister Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu, Chittagong city Mayor M Manjur Alam, upazila parishad chairman association president Ataur Rahman Ata, Union Parishad forum general secretary Morshed Alam also spoke in the programme.

Murder case against Humayun Ahmed's wife Meher Afroz Shaon and Anya Prokash publisher Mazharul Islam,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

A defamation suit was filed Thursday against a lawyer who had filed a murder case against Humayun Ahmed's wife Meher Afroz Shaon and Anya Prokash publisher Mazharul Islam.

Nurjahan Akhter Nupur, an apprentice lawyer, filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court of Dhaka accusing Advocate Nazrul Islam and one of his close friends Abdul Hye.

After the hearing, Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Atiqur Rahman fixed August 5 for passing an order on the issue.

In her complaint, Nurjahan said that the murder case which was filed by Nazrul was only to tarnish the image of the family members of the illustrious writer. The case was filed on the basis of vague allegations as Humayun’s family members did not bring any allegation against the duo in this connection.

“I was shocked at the case filed by Nazrul and it was filed only to quench his bad interest. The case hurt his (Humayun) family members and fans,” she added.

The complainant also appealed to issue an arrest warrants against them.

In the case statement filed with Chittagong court on Wednesday, the complainant claimed that Shaon and Mazharul carried out their pre-planned murder to misappropriate Humayun Ahmed’s cash and property.

The renowned writer and filmmaker died in a New York hospital on July 19 at the age of 64.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC):to renew telcos' licences August 7

BANGLADESH NEWS

After a stand-off with the BTRC for more than eight months, four mobile phone operators - Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi and Citycell - will get their 2G licences renewed on Tuesday for the next 15 years.

Zia Ahmed, chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), said they have sent letters to the operators on Thursday asking them to send their representatives to collect the licences.

The telecom regulator made the move upon receiving a letter from the telecommunications ministry on Wednesday. The letter asked the BTRC to issue the licences to the operators within a week and sign a tripartite agreement with the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the operators.

Following the latest development, the mobile phone operators on Thursday expressed their gratitude to the regulator and ministry officials concerned.

The validity of the four operators’ licences ended on November 10 last year; but disagreement between the regulator and the operators over determining the renewal fees and collection of valued added tax (VAT) delayed the licence renewal process.

The four operators will pay around Tk 9,200 crore including VAT as their licence renewal fees. They paid 49 percent of the amount in November last year as the first instalment.

The second instalment (29 percent) was due by August 1, but the BTRC has extended the deadline to August 31 as per the recommendations made by the ministry, mentioned Zia.

The operators will now be able to deposit the second instalment within the extended deadline without paying any late fee.

The third instalment, however, is payable within December.

Violence-torn Jahangirnagar University closed till August 25 Road barricade withdrawn,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Jahangirnagar University has been closed till August 25 following the violence on campus brewed over police firing on the students Wednesday night.

The decision was taken at an emergency syndicate meeting of the university Thursday afternoon, Abu Bakar Siddique, registrar of the university,

The authorities also asked the male students to vacate their dormitories by 6:00pm today and female students by 9:00am Friday.

A probe body led by Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Farhad Hossain was formed to investigate into the violence that resulted in the closure.

The probe body was asked to submit its report within 21 days.

Earlier on Wednesday night, six students of the university were injured when police fired rubber bullets on them while they were trying to foil an arrest attempt of one of their fellows by the law enforcers.

Protesting the police attack, the students blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway since 12:05am Thursday, reports our JU correspondent.

They put barricades in front of the gate No.1, 2 and 3 of the university, halting transport movement on the highway creating a 12-km traffic jam on both sides.

The students however withdrew the blockade around 3:45pm after the authorities asked the students to vacate their dormitories.

A chase and counter-chase also took place between the law enforcers and students at noon when police trying to use water canon to disperse the agitating students from the highway.

Academic activities at the university remained suspended on Thursday following the agitation.

The JU authorities have postponed dean election at four faculties scheduled to be held today, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Farhad Hossain.

The violence erupted on the university campus when some unruly youths stabbed Towhidul Islam Likhon, an activist of president-secretary group of Bangladesh Chhatra League, a faction of JU BCL unit, near the dairy gate around 10:30pm Wednesday.

Likhon, a student of economics department and a resident of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, was rushed to the university’s medical centre from where he was shifted to Enam Medical College and Hospital at Savar.

Protesting the attack, general students brought out processions on the campus around 11:00pm, demanding punishment of the attackers.

After few moments, police entered Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall of the university and tried to arrest Nahid, a third year student of anthropology department, on charge of attacking Likhon.

Police shot blank fire when other students resisted them from arresting Nahid.

At one stage of altercation, police shot rubber bullets on the students, injuring six of them, students claimed.

The law enforcers left the scene immediately with empty hands in face of student protest.

Among the bullet-hit students, five – Rakib of pharmacy department, Bashir of statistics, Maruf of information technology, Robin of mathematics and Nahid of finance and banking department— were rushed to Enam Medical College Hospital. They however were discharged from the hospital later.

After the firing, students took to the streets soon after the midnight and put barricades on the highway, demanding resignation of the provost and proctorial body and punitive action against the responsible police personnel.

They claimed that police entered the campus as per the instruction of the university authorities.

On information, the VC rushed to the spot and tried in vain to quell the agitating students.

The students also vandalised a vehicle carrying proctorial body when they reached the spot to settle the matter.

Around 6:00am Thursday, Proctor Tapan Kumar Saha, Pro-VC Farhad and Treasurer Nasirudddin talked to the students but they refused to withdraw the barricades.

Contacted, Mohammad Asaduzzaman, officer-in-charge of Savar Police Station, said they went to arrest Nahid as a complaint was lodged against him on charge of attacking BCL man Likhon.

“We were compelled to open fire in face of student protest,” the OC said.

The general students claimed that people, who killed JU student Zubair Ahmed in January, might have made the attack on Likhon as he along with the other students formed a human chain on the campus on Wednesday demanding punishment of the Zubair’s killers.

Awami League advisory council member and minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta:Khaleda Zia delays Bangabandhu killing trial,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Awami League advisory council member and minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta Wednesday alleged Bangabandhu killing trial remained delayed for seven years on former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s direction.

The AL leader came up with the allegation while addressing at a discussion organized by Bangabandhu Academy at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) of the city.

“Khaleda Zia tried to halt the trial of Bangabandhu’s killers exercising power during the four-party led government. But, AL has accomplished the trial,” said Suranjit.

He also alleged that BNP leaders including Ziaur Rahman and Khandaker Mushtaq helped the murderers by providing jobs in home and abroad.

Regarding Padma Bridge, he said, “BNP is feeling headache as JICA and ADP extended the tenure loan deal.”

Suranjit said that the World Bank would also extend the tenure of loan deal like JICA and ADB.

With advisor of Bangabandhu Academy Lion Mujibur Rahman in the chair, the discussion was also addressed, among others, by AL organizing secretary Ahmed Hossain, World University VC Professor Dr Abdul Mannan Chowdhury, vice president of Krishak League MA Karim and Dhaka Metropolitan AL joint general secretary Hazi Md Selim.

Agriculture university to be set up in Rajshahi:Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also ruling Awami League president, said one more agriculture university in the country would be set up in Rajshahi.

The premier made the disclosure when a delegation of newly elected leaders of Sher-e-Bangla Agriculture University (SAU) Teachers’ Association called on her at her office on Wednesday.

Professor Alok Kumar Paul and Professor Mofazzal Hossain, president and general secretary of the association respectively, led the delegation while Vice Chancellor Professor Shadat Ulla and other office bearers were included in the delegation.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, PM’s Advisor Professor Alauddin Ahmed, Principal Secretary Sheikh M Wahid Uz Zaman, PMO Secretary Mollah Wahiduzzaman and Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad were among others present on the occasion.

During meeting, Hasina urged the agriculturists to give importance on processing of food.

She added: “We can earn huge foreign currency if we can export processed food for around eight million Bangladeshi expatriates living abroad.”

The association leaders informed the Prime Minister that the SAU has established Wazed Mia Research Centre.

They also placed different demands to the PM.

The PM assured them of taking necessary measures in this regard.

Polls under a non-party neutral Government a must:BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Two days after BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia reiterated that the next general elections must be held under a non-party neutral government, party’s acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday also echoed her.

“BNP will not allow the parliamentary polls without a neutral government,” he told journalists in the party's central office at Nayapaltan in the afternoon.

Fakhrul termed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s suggestion of forming an interim government ‘vague’.

He alleged that the PM had suggested this to mislead people, and to stop the BNP’s ongoing movement against the government.

About holding talks with the government, the BNP leader said the party is ready to talk on neutral administration before parliamentary polls, if the prime minister wants.

Protesting the oppression and cases filed against the opposition men, Fakhrul said the cases were filed to keep our leaders away from the election.

Apparently rejecting the prime minister’s proposal to form an interim government with opposition, the BNP chairperson on Monday said, “People don't want to see this government anymore. And that is why the next election must be held under a neutral administration. Political parties will not accept any other form of government to hold elections.”

Another accused admits killing:Saudi embassy official Khalaf Al Ali

BANGLADESH NEWS

Another accused in Saudi embassy official Khalaf Al Ali murder case admitted his involvement in the killing before a metropolitan magistrate of Dhaka on Wednesday.

Metropolitan Magistrate Shahriar Mahmud Adnan recorded the statement of Akbar Ali alias Lalu, one of the four accused in the case, for over two and a half hours at his chamber.

Khalaf, 45, an official with the consular section of the Saudi embassy in Dhaka, was shot dead near his house in the diplomatic enclave in the wee hours of March 6.

Akbar Ali said he along with four others – Saiful Islam Mamun, 20, Rafiqul Islam Khokon, 22, Al Amin, 25, and Md Selim – were present at the scene of occurrence.

Saiful shot Khalaf, he said, echoing Al Amin who confessed to the killing before the magistrate on July 30.

Before shooting him, the muggers locked into a brawl with Khalaf when the gang demanded some dollars from him and he refused to do so, the accused told the magistrate.

After recording the statement, the court sent Akbar Ali to jail.

Detectives recently arrested the four and shown them arrested in the case while Selim is on the run.

The case was included as a sensational one under the home ministry's monitoring cell on July 1.

Four months and 19 days into the killing of Khalaf, detectives on July 25 at a press briefing claimed that the incident was of simply mugging.

National interests to be scrutinised before Padma deal: Communications Minister Obaidul Quader

BANGLADESH NEWS

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader on Wednesday said the government would scrutinise issues related to national interests before signing the final agreement with Malaysia for implementing the Padma Bridge project.

“Signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) doesn’t mean signing of the deal, we’ve just signed a MoU with the Malaysian government,” he told reporters after visiting Dhaka-Narayanganj-Pagla and Dhaka-Naraynaganj link roads.

Quader, also in-charge of Railways Ministry, said things will become clear after the meeting with the delegation of Malaysian government on August 5 2012.

“We’ve received proposals from both Korea and China, too… not that the proposals will have to be accepted,” he added.

Referring to the prime minister’s roadmap to construct the bridge, he said the construction work on the bridge will start within the current fiscal year.

“There has been too much talk over the issue, it makes people bored. We want to concentrate on works instead of talking too much,” the minister said.

Malaysia and Bangladesh will hold a meeting this week in Dhaka to finalise matters related to the Padma Multipurpose Bridge (PMB) project.

Special Envoy to India and South Asia, Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu, will lead the Malaysian delegation to Dhaka, Malaysian official news agency Bernama reported quoting official sources.

The report says Samy Vellu will hold talks with Bangladesh Minister of Communications Obaidul Quader on the project and seek a firm commitment on many key issues. He is also scheduled to visit the PMB project site.

Malaysia has almost resolved all the outstanding issues on the technical and financial aspects of the project. "During the visit, the Malaysian side will present its final draft agreement to the Bangladesh government after getting a full commitment from Dhaka," the source added.

'Special Security Forces failed to make BDR team list visited Jamuna Feb 25'Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

The former director general of Special Security Forces said they could not list all names of a 14-member BDR delegation, who went to Jamuna guesthouse to negotiate with the government on the first day of the mutiny.

The then SSF DG, Major General Mia Mohammad Joynul Abedin, said they could only list the names of 12 BDR (now Border Guard Bangladesh) members as a chaotic situation created there on February 25, 2009.

The former SSF DG was giving his testimony in the BDR carnage case before the Metropolitan Sessions Judges' Court set up temporarily at the Alia Madrasa playground in the capital's Bakshibazar.

He said the prime minister was holding a meeting with the SSF officials at Prime Minister's Office around 9:30am on that day and from where he came to know that a crisis was brewing at BDR’s Hardar Hall.

He reached at Jamuna around 10:15am and found that some senior leaders of ruling Awami League and high officials of security agencies were rushing there, he said.

At one stage, SSF officials came to know about the firing at Darbal Hall, the former SSF official added.

He said the BDR delegation led by then Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) Syed Towhidul Alamd went to Jamuna to negotiate with the government around 3:45pm on that day.

SSF men searched the delegation, asked their names and made a list of their names on a white paper when they were going to the main building at Jamuna, Joynul Abedin said.

But due to indiscipline at Jamuna, SSF men could not list all the names. As there were no name plates on the uniforms of the BDR men, the SSF men had to write down the names which were told by the BDR men that time, he said.

Later, the SSF men found some mistakes in spelling of the names, he said adding that the delegation left Jamuna around 6:00am.

Another SSF official Col Syed Ahmed Ali while giving testimony before the court on Wednesday said the then SSF DG handed over the recorded video CD of that day's and the name list to CID's Special Superintendent of Police Abdul Kahar Akhand, also the investigation officer (IO) of the cases, on December 30, 2009.

A total of 74 people, including 57 army officers, were killed by the mutinous soldiers of defunct BDR on February 25-26, 2009.

Shaon, Mazharul sued over writer Humayun Ahmed death Court accepts charges, asks CID to submit report after investigation,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Meher Afroz Shaon, wife of illustrious writer Humayun Ahmed, and Mazharul Islam, publisher of Annya Prokash Publications Ltd, were sued on Wednesday on charge of killing the litterateur.

Thirteen days after the death of Humayun Ahmed, lawyer and writer advocate Nazrul Islam filed the case with the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Chittagong ABM Nizamul Haque.

The court however took the charges into cognisance and asked Criminal Investigation Department to submit report after investigation, reports our Chittagong correspondent.

The legendary writer and filmmaker died of colon cancer in a New York hospital on July 19 at the age of 64.

In the case statement, the plaintiff claimed that it was a pre-planned murder.

Shaon and Mazharul committed the murder in connivance with each other to misappropriate the cash and property of Humayun Ahmed, the case statement said.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in separate drives detained 25 Rohingya refugees in Teknaf Cox’s Bazar

BANGLADESH NEWS

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in separate drives detained 25 Rohingya refugees in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar early Wednesday on charge of trespassing on Bangladesh territory.

A petrol team of BGB held four male Rohingyas from Hnila area around 1:00am, our Chittagong correspondent reports, quoting Commanding Officer Lt Col Zahid Hasan of BGB 42 battalion.

The four were sent back to Myanmar immediately, he said.

BGB men conducted another drive at Sabrang union and held nine more Rohingyas, including six female, one male and two children, around 4:00am, the BGB official said.

The nine Rohingyas entered Bangladesh by a boat, he said. The BGB men however failed to find out the boat.

Meanwhile, BGB members seized a boat carrying 12 Rohingyas including five females, three males and four children near Shahporidwip coast.

The process of sending the 21 Rohingyas back to Myanmar was under process, the BGB commanding officer said.

Zahid said intrusion by the Rohingyas increases during the month of Ramadan every year as many Rohingyas tried to enter Bangladesh this time to collect jakat and fitra.