Change of Government only thru legal process: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

BANGLADESH NEWS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has vowed once again to follow the constitutional process for the change of government and urged the opposition BNP to join parliament if they have any proposal in this regard.

"The democratic process will continue in the country … the change of government will come about through democratic and constitutional process," she said while addressing a discussion in the city on Thursday.

Her statement came amid the opposition BNP-led alliance's long-standing demand for restoration of the caretaker government system.

The Prime Minister also promised to cooperate with the lawmakers if they want to discuss formation of future governments.

She said over 5,000 elections -- including by-polls and city corporation and municipality polls – had so far been held in a peaceful manner during the tenure of the present government. "There was no irregularity, no one was killed either."

The ruling Awami League organised the discussion at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre marking the 37th anniversary of assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members.

Ruling out the notion that free and fair elections were not possible under a political government, Hasina, also the President of the Awami League, said her party was not born from the pocket of any military dictator or through any authoritarian order to grab the state power.

She called upon the people of the country to remain alert against those 'players' who were always busy making their own fortune instead of working for changing the fate of the common people.

"We won't allow anyone to play ducks and drakes with the fate of the people of the country," she said.

Recalling the horrific incident of Aug 15, 1975, Hasina said only 15 days before the carnage she along with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana had left for Germany for a few days. But their stay abroad lasted for six years.

"We left here (Dhaka) my parents, dear brothers. But after 15 days, we were informed that none of them was alive. We became orphans," said an emotional Hasina.

She said Bangabandhu loved the people of Bangladesh more than his own children.

The Prime Minister criticised the post-1975 governments particularly that of H M Ershad and Khaleda Zia for giving diplomatic postings to the killers of Bangabandhu. They even made the killers parliament members, she noted.

Awami League General Secretary and LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, party's Advisory Council Members Matia Chowdhury, also the Agriculture Minister, Suranjit Sengupta and Durgadas Bhattachariya, central committee leader Mohammad Nasim, President of party's USA chapter Dr Siddiqur Rahman and General Secretary of Dhaka city unit Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya spoke on the occasion, among others.

Aditmari, Kaliganj, Hatibandha and Patgram Eid-ul-Fitr brings little joy to erosion victims,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

The coming Eid-ul-Fitr will make hardly any difference to about two lakh people in Sadar, Aditmari, Kaliganj, Hatibandha and Patgram upazilas in the district as the recent floods and erosion in Teesta and Dharla river basin areas turned them homeless and helpless.

A large number of them also lost their standing crops, domestic animals and other belongings due to the natural calamity.

Lalmonirhat District Relief and Rehabilitation Office distributed 1,05061 VGF cards as Eid special allocation for the hapless people but 10 kg of rice, given against each card, is too scanty to celebrate the festival.

"We are not in a position to spend any money for observing Eid as we are now struggling for our daily food," said Atiar Rahman, 58, a farmer of flood hit Gobordhon village under Aditmari upazila.

Altafur Rahman, 68, a farmer of Sindurna village in Hatibandha upazila, said, "Eid will not bring any joy to us as erosion by the Teesta River has robbed me of my assets, rendering my six-member family shelterless.”

Afroza Begum, 50, of Dawabari village of Hatibandha upazila said, "My husband Motaleb Hossain is a farmer. We cultivated four bighas of land for early variety aman paddy but half of the plants were damaged by the recent floods. We have no alternative job in the village. So Eid enjoy is not for us."

Flood-hit Alema Bewa, 55, of Gokunda village in Lalmonirhat Sadar said, "I got 10 kg of rice as special allocation ahead of the Eid. But where will I get the money to buy new cloth, vermicelli and sugar for observing Eid?" Khotib Uddin, chairman of Sindurna union parishad (UP) at Hatibandha upazila, said, "A large number of people of this union have lost their belongings due to the flood and erosion. 2300 VGF cards were given here as special allocation for the Eid but there are at least 7,000 badly affected families."

Habibur Rahman Habib, chairman of Mogholhat UP in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila, said there are at least 5,000 helpless families in his union but he got only 2100 VGF cards for them.

During this correspondent's visit to different villages in Teesta and Dharla river basin on Monday and Tuesday, many people, now staying on government road after losing their homesteads, croplands and other assets by Teesta and Dhara river erosion, said they did not get any support from the authorities to observe the Eid.

They alleged that the UP chairman and members distributed government allocated VGF cards to the people other than the really needy ones.

“The government's special relief was not distributed among us. We may have to pass the Eid day without food,” said Mokter Hossain, 65, a victim of Teesta erosion at Kalmati village in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila.

Lalmonirhat District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Anwarul Islam said, his office distributed 1,05,061 VGF cards as special allocation for the Eid at 45 unions and two municipalities under five upazilas in the district. Each card holder was given 10 kg of rice through the UP chairman and members concerned. The cards are meant for all the vulnerable families, not for only flood and erosion affected people."

Chittagong boutique hub bustling ahead of ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

A small tin-roofed house with some wooden frames stretching saris and kamizes and seven to eight children and teenagers are sewing beads, sequins or spangles on them. This is what is seen now in the bustling Bihari Palli, a hub of handicraft in Chittagong city, ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Artisans are working tirelessly at more than 40-50 small old handicraft factories to do “Jardowsi” and “Karchupi” decoration on women's wear at the Palli in Jhawtola area. Most of the workers here are small boys and girls.

Every Eid season, the handicraft artisans get busier with increasing demand and orders from the beginning of Ramadan.

“During Eid festival our work increases manifold, and we do not get a single moment of recess,” said Khalid Jafar Pappo, owner of Pappo Boutiques, the largest boutique house in Bihari Palli.

“This year, I have received orders for designing clothes from different stores at Mimi Super Market, Teri Bazar and Bipani Bitan in the city,” he said.

Shops apart, individual women with tastes in sequined and decorated clothes also come to these factories with orders ahead of Eid, he said.

The handicraft factory owners however were worried over the spiraling costs of decoration accessories and intrusion of Indian products.

“Two years ago the cost of a packet of beads was only Tk 45. Now it is Tk 120. But we cannot increase our selling price,” said Mohammed Murad, owner of Murad Boutiques.

“Despite a heavy demand of our handicraft works, we do not get suitable prices because we are entirely dependent on raw materials imported from India,” he added.

A handicraftsman, Abdur Rahim, pointed out the impact of intrusion of Indian products. “Many readymade handicraft products come from India and flood our markets, causing decline of demand of our products.”

Distinguishing between Bangladeshi and Indian products, Mohammed Raju, another artisan, said, “We handcraft our designs unlike the Indian ones which are done through machine.”

“Every year we create new designs and apply these in saris and kamizes. The price also varies on the elegance of designs,” he added.

Despite facing a competition with Indian products, Raju said they would retain their traditional family profession.

3 Women were Killed and 15 others injured Zakat Clothes Fakirapool Dhaka,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Three destitute women have died in a stampede in Fakirerpool area of the city where they had gone to a house to collect 'Zakat' clothes.

The incident took place at House No. 105 in Fakirerpool on Thursday afternoon, Officer-in-Charge of the Motijheel Police Station Mohammad Hayatuzzaman Molla told bdnews24.com.

For affluent Muslims, Zakat is the compulsory giving of a proportion of their wealth to charity.

"Three women died in the stampede as people rushed to get clothes at the house of one Mr Malek. Another woman was seriously injured in the incident," he said.

Two of the deceased women were identified as Zarina Begum, 36, and Myna, 30. The third deceased was aged around 65.

Injured Renu Begum was sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, the OC said.

Motijheel Zone Deputy Commissioner Anwar Hossain told. "The building where the incident took place is seven-storied, with market up to the second floor, and Lucky-7 Hotel is located on the next three floors."

"It is known to be owned by Mr Malek, though he died many years ago," he said

One Aktar, the manager of their family-owned firm, was distributing the clothes, he said.

Women of different ages had queued up to collect the clothes and their number went on swelling with the clock, Anwar said.

"As the chaos ensued, Aktar's men pushed the crowd back to keep clear of them. It was then that the stampede took place and the three died," he said.

"They were distributing clothes in a disorderedly manner. They didn't even inform police before starting the distribution," he added.

Aktar was arrested immediately after the incident. "Steps will be taken against any other person involved with the incident," the police official said.

The process to file a murder case over the deaths was underway, he added.  

Rajshahi Train Accident Khulna bound inter-city train Kapotakka,Bangladesh

 

BANGLADESH NEWS

RAJSHAHI: Rail communications of Rajshahi with other parts of the country resumed after 19 hours haltage as the salvage operation has been completed successfully.

Source said Khulna-bound inter-city train Kapotakka Express left the station around 2:00pm while Barendra Express, a Nilphamari-bound train, and Dhaka-bound Padma Express are scheduled to leave the station around 3:00pm and 4:00pm respectively.  

Salvage trains from Rajshahi and Ishwardi rushed to the spot around 9:00pm Wednesday and completed the rescue operation around 1:00pm Thursday, said Railway’s (West Zone).

Earlier on Wednesday, the Dhaka-bound Padma Express turned off the rail track at about 5:15pm, leaving at least 15 passengers injured.

Later, a four-member committee headed by Pakshi’s Divisional Transport Officer Sajeeb Kumar was formed to probe into the incident.

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

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir:Successful politics impossible sans Khaleda, Hasina,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said those who are thinking about politics excluding Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, chiefs of two major political parties, are living in a fool’s paradise.

“The country’s politics will not be successful keeping them away from politics. If anyone thinks it, he lives in a fool’s paradise or he is a daydreamer,” Fakhrul said when asked about Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad’s New Delhi visit and possible emergence of a third force in politics.

He said the politics of the country depends on them - BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina. So politics without them is an absurd thinking.

The BNP leader was talking to reporters while visiting missing BNP leader M Ilias Ali’s family members at his Banani residence. Ilias, an organising secretary of BNP, went missing on April 17 midnight from the capital but the government failed to rescue him.

Mirza Alamgir alleged that the government as well as the law enforcement agencies is not serious to trace the whereabouts of Ilias. “But I am still hopeful as the prime minister assured Ilias’s family. So I hope the government will give Ilias back to his family.”

He once again alleged that government’s men picked up Ilias from the street. “We believe that good sense of the government will prevail and Ilias will return to his family.”

Replying a query, the BNP leader said the government has showed absolute failure to maintain law and order situation. “We will go for oust-government movement after Eid as the people don’t want to see this government anymore,” he said.