City Corporation Girls’ High School in Chittagong:Is it my fault coaching class during hartal hours

It was a hartal day, not a holiday. So she woke up, got dressed and stepped out on the road to attend a coaching class she had on schedule yesterday.
Fourteen -year-old Antu Barua at that time had no idea of the price she would have to pay for her “mistake”. Yes, to those who took the onus on themselves to enforce the hartal at any cost, she made a mistake.
So, it was her fault that she received injuries from cocktail explosions carried out by hartal supporters — because she was out and found herself before a pro-hartal procession.
Lying on a hospital bed with a bandage on her right eye, Antu, a student of class nine of Aparnacharan City Corporation Girls’ High School in Chittagong, said, “Is it my fault that I went to attend my coaching class during hartal hours?”
Accompanied by her mother, Antu left her residence in the city’s Hemsen Lane area around 7:00am yesterday, the second day of the 36-hour countrywide shutdown called by the BNP-led 18-party alliance.
“As soon as we both got on the main road from our alley, I saw a procession marching from Bouddha Mandir intersection, chanting pro-hartal slogans,” Antu’s mother Shilpi Rani Barua said.
They saw some torched tyres on Momin Road at the time, said Shilpi, a health officer of Raozan upazila in Chittagong.
In a state of panic, they rushed towards their destination but then heard two loud bangs.
“Immediately I found that my daughter was on the ground, holding her right eye,” said Shilpy while trying to hold back tears.
Antu was rushed to Chittagong Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) and admitted to its eye care ward, Nayek Abul Bashar of CMCH Police Camp said.
Subrata Das, a doctor at the eye care ward of CMCH, said, “Luckily, the splinters missed the cornea as they hit somewhere between the cornea and the eyebrow of her [Antu's] right eye.”
The eye was out of danger and Antu would be able to see as normally as she did before, he added.
“Now she is suffering more from shock than from physical injuries,” he noted.
The victim’s father Anjan Barua was seen sitting beside his daughter on the hospital bed.
The parents said they expected that no such incident would happen to anyone’s children in future.
Mirza Saiem Mahmud, assistant commissioner of Kotwali zone of Chittagong Metropolitan Police, said police were conducting drives to nab the culprits involved in the incident.

Injured students Khuniyagachh Govt Primary School in Lalmonirhat Attacked by Hartal Supporters

When eight to 10 men were beating up the headmaster, Jahanara Akhter of class-II and her classmates scattered in panic. But, a man with a cricket bat appeared out of nowhere and bashed her with it.
Screams and cries of children echoed from the walls of Khuniyagachh Government Primary School in Lalmonirhat yesterday morning when BNP men in procession stormed the school to enforce the 18-party opposition alliance hartal.
The rampaging hartal supporters vandalised the school and beat up at least 60 little children of class-II and class-III and three teachers.
Their “crime”: they went to school on a hartal day.
It was around 10:45am when about 35 hartal supporters, led by Khuniyagachh union BNP unit President Aminul Islam, stormed the school breaking through the main gate.
They had brought out a procession, which was passing the school.
Headmaster Abdul Hai of the school said, “After vandalising the main gate, they began screaming at me for keeping the school open defying the hartal.”
About 10 of the intruders pinned him down and beat him up in front of other teachers and students. They also beat up two female assistant teachers, Sabina Yasmin Kakuli and Taznin Akhter.
“We pleaded not to attack the kids but they did not listen,” said injured Kakuli, adding that the intruders were carrying sticks, iron rods, sharp weapons and cricket bats.
Storming the teachers’ lounge, some pro-hartal men vandalised furniture and tore up books, said teachers of the school.
The students of class-II and class-II came under attack when they were trying to flee the horror.
The headmaster said apart from slapping and jabbing the children, the hartal supporters beat them up with canes they found in the teachers’ lounge, and with three to four cricket bats they were carrying.
Jamir Uddin, officer-in-charge of Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station, said locals rushed to school in their hundreds hearing the news and the BNP men were forced to retreat.
The injured teachers and 20 students of class-II and class-II were treated at Khuniyagachh Union Health Complex.
President of the school managing committee, Mozammel Haq Sarker, filed a case against 65 people, mentioning names of 44, with the local police station. BNP unit President Aminul Islam was number one in the list of accused.
Officer-in-Charge Jamir Uddin said they had already started conducting raids to arrest the “BNP men responsible for the attack”.
However, contacted Aminul and he denied having anything to do with the attack.
“It is true that we brought out a procession in support of the hartal and passed by the school,” he said, claiming ignorance of the attack.
Solaiman Ali, father of injured Ankhi Moni, a class-II student, said: “It was beyond our wildest imagination that such little kids will come under attack inside a school.”
Primary and Mass Education Minister Afsarul Ameen yesterday termed the attack on the school, its teachers and students heinous and barbaric.
“We saw many agitations in the past but we never saw such an attack on any primary schoolteachers and kids. These kids are between five to 10 years old. They are just kids … they don’t understand politics,” he told over the phone yesterday evening.
Mentioning that the state minister of his ministry was already in Lalmonirhat, he said, “We’ll definitely do whatever necessary for the injured teachers and students and repair the school.”
contacted BNP Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed for the party’s reaction to the incident. Salahuddin, at around 7:00pm yesterday, said they were unaware of the incident.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asks armed forces to resist any move against democracy, alerts them about conspiracies, pledges not to use the forces for party interest

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the armed forces to employ all their strength to resist any move against the country’s constitution and democracy.
Reminding the forces of previous moves by vested quarters to jeopardise democracy, she asked them to remain fully loyal to the country’s charter and the democratically elected government.
“You have to ensure that no undemocratic force can capture state power using the armed forces ever again,” Hasina said, addressing the armed forces officers at Senakunja in Dhaka Cantonment.
Her call came hot on the heels of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s March 24 speech in Bogra where she said the army would not play the role of “a silent spectator as people get killed” and that it would “play its role in due time”.
Criticism of Khaleda’s remarks has been mounting, with many describing it as a provocation.
Hasina reminded the armed forces of the struggle and sacrifices the nation had to make to establish democracy, and said: “Members of the armed forces will have to be built up in the light of democratic norms so that they become respectful to democracy and fully loyal and respectful to the country’s constitution and democratic government.”
In this context, she directed the forces to prepare themselves to face any threat to protect the constitution and maintain continuation of democracy as in other independent countries.
The prime minister said the forces would be kept out of any untoward interference and that her government in no circumstances would allow them to be used for partisan interests.
“I firmly believe that it is absolutely crucial to keep the armed forces above political influence in order for them to give all their activities and management an institutional shape,” she said.
The premier also directed armed forces officers to remain vigilant against conspiracies and propaganda, saying a vested quarter was running various campaigns with an ill motive to create a chasm between the armed forces and the Awami League.
Journalists were not allowed to cover the programme, which was originally scheduled for March 21. Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) later distributed copies of the prime minister’s written speech among the newsmen.
Highly praising the armed forces for earning a good reputation at home and abroad through their activities, Hasina said all members of the armed forces would have to mould themselves with the spirit of the Liberation War and the chain of command at all levels would have to be maintained without any hesitation.
She said her government would consider with the highest priority any proposal to tighten the chain of command and improve the professional and ethical standards of the forces.
Hasina also said any gap between seniors and their subordinates was not expected. “You [seniors] will have to watch out for the activities, movements and thoughts of the subordinates and also ensure that they [juniors] do not engage in anti-disciplinary activities.”
VIOLENCE, WAR  CRIMES TRIAL
The prime minister said a radical, fanatic quarter had been running various forms of ill-motivated publicity and hatching conspiracies and describing the pro-liberation forces, including the Awami League, as anti-Islam.
Cashing in on religion, the quarter has become active to hinder the war crimes trial, push the country towards division and spoil the spirit of the Liberation War, she added.
“Over the past few weeks, you [officers] have noticed that some political parties have resorted to killing, vandalism, arson and attacks on police and religious minorities across the country. They have become desperate to turn Bangladesh into a militant state.
“At this critical juncture in the life of the nation, we will have to decide if we want a militant state or a democratic and progressive country.”
PILKHANA MUTINY
The PM said some misguided soldiers of the then BDR (now BGB) revolted on December 1 and 3 in 1991 at Naogaon battalion and Pilkhana respectively and attacked different establishments, offices and houses.
But the then BNP government did not take any action against the mutineers and even did not change the law for punishing the rebels, she said.
And although 25 army officers were killed in the name of the so-called sepoy-janata revolution on November 7, 1975, no investigation or justice had been done. Rather the families of those officers had been evicted from their cantonment residences, she added.
Hasina said many of the BDR soldiers who took part in the 1991 mutiny led the February 25-26 mutiny in 2009. “I think the gruesome mutiny in 2009 could have been avoided had proper action been taken against the mutineers of 1991.”
Many people are now making various comments about the mutiny but nobody stood by the government during the crisis, she said.
The premier went on to say that her government had taken tough action against the mutineers and that 18,520 mutineers had already been tried. Of them, 5,926 have been sentenced to different terms in prison ranging from four months to seven years.
The trial of 850 people on charges of murder and other criminal offences were underway and would be completed soon, she said.
She said the government had taken all possible measurers so that no such tragic mutiny occurred in the border force again.
Chief of Army Staff General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan, Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral M Farid Habib, acting chief of Air Force Air Vice Marshal Abu Esrar and Principal Staff Officer Lt Gen Abu Belal Muhammad Shafiul Huq welcomed the prime minister at the programme

BNP MP Salauddin Quader Chowdhury’s:ICT prosecutor, judge in verbal spat

BANGLADESH NEWS

Prosecutor Zead-Al-Malum and tribunal Justice Jahangir Hossain had a heated exchanged that eventually came to a stop with the intervention of the tribunal Chairman Justice ATM Fazle Kabir.
One of the Jamaat-e-Islami defence counsels, Tajul Islam, prayed that his senior Abdur Razzaq would deal with the final part of closing argument in the

war crimes case against Jamaat guru Ghulam Azam on Wednesday.

The three-judge International Crimes Tribunal-1 is in the midst of hearing the closing arguments in the Azam case and has indicated that it wants to get through it sooner rather than later.

Tajul Islam told the tribunal, set up to try crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, that senior defence counsel Mizanul Islam would argue through the day and conclude his part.

He also prayed on behalf of BNP MP Salauddin Quader Chowdhury’s lawyer, who was present at the court, that witness cross-examination be adjourned for the day and kept for Monday.

The tribunal appeared to have taken the prayer well but Prosecutor Zead-Al-Malum went up to oppose it. He said that the prosecution was being deprived of justice because of such delays where the witnesses had to stay in Dhaka, away from their homes, for weeks together. “This seriously prejudices our case.”

During his prayer, he mentioned Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, also indicted for war crimes, as ‘Saka’, after the first two initials of the politician’s name in Bengali, which Chowdhury disapproves of very strongly.

Chowdhury’s lawyer Ahsanul Huq stood up to protest immediately and said he had strong objections to the prosecutor calling his client ‘Saka’.

When the tribunal told the prosecutor to refrain from calling the accused in any name other than the real one, the prosecutor complained, “But they call me a lot of things inside the court and outside, my lord.”

On a previous occasion, when Salauddin Quader was present and objected in habitually voluble manner, the prosecutor had told the court, “But he calls me ‘Halum’, my lord.”

Halum is the Bengali word for the growl of tigers and lions, used mostly with children.

Justice Jahangir Hossain explained that the prosecutor should not be calling the accused in any other name. “Please be careful not to repeat it.”

The prosecutor said, “Alright I have said ‘Sorry’,” and continued on a similar vein speaking on how he faced harassment at the hands of Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and his defence.

Justice Jahangir Hossain had to repeat himself to put a stop to it, and this time he did so loudly. “This should not be repeated!”

The prosecutor stopped for a second and took on a different tone. “Why can’t you stand me, my lord? You rebuke me right and left.”

Justice Hossain said, “Why would I do that? What could possibly be my benefit?!”

The prosecutor insisted that the judge was harsh on him all the time.

Justice Hossain said, “What are you saying? It is not you in particular, I cautioned everyone here that this should not be repeated.”

Prosecutor Malum kept protesting and insisted that the judge would come down heavily upon him in particular all the time.

Tribunal Chairman, Justice Fazle Kabir intervened at this point. “You may be aggrieved Mr Malum. But you cannot discuss this in the open court.”

This put a stop to the prosecutor complaining and he moved on to his argument.

The tribunal granted the defence prayer and adjourned Salauddin Quader Chowdhury’s case for the day and asked the defence counsel to begin.

Mizanul Islam went through his submissions through the day drawing the tribunal’s attention to the investigator’s cross-examination where he admitted that he had no idea how ‘auxiliary forces’ were run and maintained.

The defence lawyer stressed upon this point since Ghulam Azam, as head of Jamaat’s East Pakistan (that later became Bangladesh) in 1971, is being held accountable for the actions of auxiliary forces said to have been mobilised by his party.

The defence counsel concluded his arguments saying that charges against his client were laughable and the evidence contradicted one another.

Jamaat Guru in ICT-1

On Dec 12, 2011, the prosecution brought a 52-point charter of charges against Azam and appealed for his arrest. Later, following the tribunal order, charges were re-arranged and presented to the tribunal on Jan 5. There are 61 counts under five charges against the former Jamaat leader.

He was produced before the tribunal on Jan 11 and sent to jail the same day. Since that evening, the 90-year old former Carmichael College professor has been kept at the prison cell of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University for better treatment considering his delicate health.

Ghulam Azam’s indictment hearing began on Feb 15 and the court charged him on May 13.

A former chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, arguably the largest Islamist organisation in the subcontinent, Azam is allegedly among the key people who pioneered anti-liberation efforts in 1971 colluding with the Pakistani military junta of that time.

He is widely perceived to have been among core group of right-wing supporters of the Pakistani Army, who came out strongly in support of a united Pakistan.

Ghulam Azam, then chief of Jamaat, was instrumental in setting up the infamous Peace Committee at the national level. The Razakars, an auxiliary force set up mainly to actively thwart the liberation forces, are said to have been mobilised through the Peace Committees across Bangladesh.

Among the most notorious vigilante militia are the Al Badr, whose membership is said to have been mainly dominated by the Jamaat's student wing called the Islami Chhatra Sangha at that time.

The Al Badr is alleged to have spearheaded execution of the intellectual elites of Bangladesh just days before the victory on Dec 16, 1971.

Azam also spoke in favour of Pakistan to the Middle Eastern countries during the war, according to the prosecution.

He stayed in London for seven years after 1971 and returned to Bangladesh in 1978 during BNP founder Ziaur Rahman's rule. Having led Jamaat for long, Azam retired from active politics in 1999.

His party remains a key ally of the main opposition BNP. Two Jamaat leaders, also behind bars for war crimes charges, have even served as ministers during the BNP's last tenure in government between 2001 and 2006, when Azam's party was part of the ruling coalition.

Azam was indicted on five charges — 61 counts — including incitement, conspiracy, planning and complicity on May 13, 2012 

I was out of the country when Twaki went Missing:Awami League MP Shamim Osman

BANGLADESH NEWS

Twaki , son of Narayanganj’s ‘Ganajagaran Mancha’ convener Rafiur Rabbi was found dead in a canal in Narayanganj’s Charargop area on Mar 8, two days after he went missing.
The ruling party MP made the statement at a press brief under the banner ‘Swacheton Nagarik Shomaj’ on Sunday.

He said, “I was out of the country when Twaki went missing and later when his body was found. So the allegation of my active involvement in his murder can never be true.”
He said this alone proves that he and his son Ayon Osman have been wrongly accused of Twaki’s murder, “in an attempt to save the real killers.”
“I will take legal action if the charges against me are not withdrawn in the next 48 hours.”
This is the second press brief by Shamim Osman after Twaki’s death, the first one being on Mar 16 at Hira Mahal, his residence in Chashara.
Shamim Osman held up his passport during Sunday’s press brief saying, “this has stamps that can prove my departure and return.”
The Awami League leader however did not mention the country where he was visiting.
Rafiur Rabbi, father of the murdered teenager Tanvir Mohammad Twaki filed a written complaint with the police on Mar 20 accusing seven people, including Shamim Osman and his son Ayon Osman, for their active involvement in his son’s murder.
Shamim Osman, however, claimed that he and the others were being implicated to ‘hide the real killers and to mislead the case’.
SP Syed Nurul Islam told reporters that the complaint of Rabbi against all, including Shamim Osman, would be looked into.
In his earlier press meet at Chashara, the Awami League MP criticised Communist Party of Bangladesh President Mujahidul Islam Selim for the comments he made regarding his involvement in the murder.
He also said that Selina Hayat Ivy, Mayor of Narayanganj should not have given a statement accusing him of Twaki’s murder.
The body of the 17-year-old A-Level student of the ABC International School was recovered from the bank of the Shitalakkhya River on Mar 8, two days after he went missing.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) threatens amarblog.com

BANGLADESH NEWS

The telecom watchdog clarified its legal authorities in a media statement, two days after the blog refused to provide it with information it had earlier sought.
BTRC on Thursday sent a letter to amarblog.com asking for information about six of its bloggers. But amarblog.com refused to do so and talked about providing those bloggers with legal assistance.
”As per Bangladesh Telecommunication Control Act, BTRC can ask for information from anyone having telecommunication license or any Internet user to ensure proper usage of information technology,” BTRC said in the statement.
It also said according to law, not providing it with the sought information was a punishable crime.
The government has already formed a committee in wake of the recent allegations against some blogs and Facebook pages that they were hurting people’s religious feeling misusing social networking sites. The committee will recommend taking actions against those involved in such acts.
On Feb 20, BTRC closed 12 blogs and Facebook pages including ‘Sonar Bangla’ and ‘Basher Kella’ reportedly run by people tied to Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing over last few days.

The closure by the BTRC’s Computer Security Incident Response Team came as those blogs and pages had been accused of spreading hatred and hurting religious sentiment of the people.
The BTRC formed the security response team on Jan 25 last year and launched a special drive to thwart cyber crimes to ensure national security.
The team started receiving complaints and suggestions through email: contact@csirt.gov.bd to thwart cyber crime from Apr 22 the same year.
The government on May 29, 2010 temporarily blocked access to Facebook following the arrest of a youth for uploading satiric images of some leading politicians including the Prime Minister and leader of the opposition.

Malaysian jobs Registration for women starts Apr 7

BANGLADESH NEWS

Online registration of female workers for foreign jobs will begin on April 7 across the country.
The move comes after the government in January successfully ended registration of male workers for Malaysian jobs.
Considering the demand for female workers in different Asian and Middle- Eastern countries, the government has decided to prepare a database of qualified female workers, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, minister for expatriates welfare and overseas employment, said yesterday.
“We want to register the names of prospective female workers who will work abroad as domestic helps, caregivers, garment workers, cleaners and also in other professions,” he told a press conference at his ministry office.
The registration in Rajshahi, Rangpur and Sylhet divisions will commence on April 7 and end on April 11.
Females from Khulna and Chittagong divisions will register their names on April 12-16, while those from Dhaka and Barisal divisions will be registered on April 17-21.
Jobseekers will register at information service centres at union and ward levels between 9:00am and 5:00pm every day.
The minimum salary for a female worker in Singapore and Hong Kong will be Tk 40,000, while the amount will be Tk 15,000 for the workers in the Middle East, mentioned Mosharraf.
The migration costs, added the minister, will be between Tk 20,000 and 30,000 each. Probashi Kalyan Bank will finance the costs for the selected workers, which will be adjusted later from their (workers’) monthly wages.
Minimum educational qualification for female workers in Singapore and Hong Kong is Secondary School Certificate, while the requirement is Junior School Certificate for the Middle-Eastern countries.
The workers should be aged between 25 and 45.
After preliminary selection, the jobseekers will undergo two months’ training on language, culture and work pattern.
The minister said the government presently does not have any specific demand for workers from any country. But it is in talks with Hong Kong, Jordan, Bahrain and some other countries to send trained female workers there.
Regarding the workers’ protection, he said Bangladesh and the recruiting countries will look after the safety of female workers.
An eight-member Saudi Arabian delegation will reach Dhaka on March 30 to discuss reopening its job market to Bangladeshi workers, noted Mosharraf.
Begum Shamsun Nahar, director of Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training, said they were planning to send 72 domestic helps to Hong Kong by the end of next month.

Prosecution starts closing arguments:Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Muhammad Kamaruzzaman

BANGLADESH NEWS

The prosecution yesterday started placing their closing arguments in the war crimes case against Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Muhammad Kamaruzzaman.
Placing a brief argument, chief prosecutor Ghulam Arief Tipoo said Kamaruzzaman was the “chief organiser of Al-Badr force” in greater Mymensingh during the Liberation War and was “utterly responsible” for the crimes committed against the people.
The three-member International Crimes Tribunal-2 led by Justice Obaidul Hassan with members Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Judge M Shahinur Islam heard the argument before adjourning the proceeding until today.
The tribunal as per relevant laws will set a date for delivering the verdict after hearing the closing arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.
Earlier, Abdur Rahim, fifth and last defence witness in the case, gave his five-minute testimony.
Recalling Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, four national leaders and martyrs of the Liberation War, Tipoo placed his 12-minute arguments.
He said some local aides who were mainly members of fanatic and right-wing political parties such as Jamaat-e-Islami, Muslim League and PDP (Pakistan Democratic Party) conspired and collaborated with the Pakistani army and executed their plans during the Liberation War.
“Among them, Jamaat-e-Islami and its then student wing Islami Chhatra Sangha, pursuant to the plans and policies of the Pakistani soulless regime, substantially contributed, facilitated and committed international crimes,” he added.
The prosecutor said the crimes, which were committed during the nine-month-long war, could not have taken place in such a  massive scale by an invading army without the active involvement of Jamaat and Chhatra Sangha.
“The [then] ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Prof Ghulam Azam along with other fanatic and rightist leaders like this present accused [Kamaruzzaman] formed Peace Committee, Razakar, Al-Badr and Al-Shams, which acted as auxiliary forces to help the Pakistani occupation army in order to execute the same plans and policies,” he argued.
Kamaruzzaman had regular cooperation with the occupation army of Mymensingh, Jamalpur and Sherpur, said Tipoo, adding that he was one of those who “substantially contributed and facilitated” in the field level commission of the crimes in association with the Pakistani army.
“He [Kamaruzzaman] was the chief organiser of Al-Badr force in greater Mymensingh area. He was utterly responsible for the crimes committed against innocent Bangalees people, who supported independence of Bangladesh,” he added.
He claimed the prosecution had been able to prove the charges brought against Kamaruzzaman beyond any shadow of reasonable doubts.
Later, prosecutor AKM Saiful Islam, during his submission, gave a description how and which Pakistani officers had gone to greater Mymensingh during the war.
Saiful said in the course of Pakistani military deployment, Major Riaz and Major Ayub were under the command of Brig Qadir in Mymensingh, Jamalpur and Sherpur and two prosecution witnesses had mentioned the major’s names in their testimonies.
“Muhammad Kamaruzzaman was the chief organiser of Al-Badr in Mymensingh, Jamalpur and Sherpur and was seen operating, supervising and planning various operations along with Major Riaz and Major Ayub,” he added.
Kamaruzzaman had founded a good number of army, training and torture camps for Razakar and Al-Badr throughout Mymensingh, Jamalpur and Sherpur, Saiful added.
“That’s how the accused contributed effectively, as a superior, to committing the offences defined under section 3 of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973,” he added.
When the prosecutor wanted to place “lengthy” arguments on historical matters, the tribunal asked him to place arguments on factual matters.
“If you have lack of preparation, you can seek an adjournment for today. But you have to complete your arguments within three days including today [yesterday],” the tribunal told the prosecution.
Later, the tribunal adjourned the proceeding until today when the prosecution are set to place further arguments.
‘FREEDOM FIGHTER’ UNAWARE OF RAZAKAR, AL-BADR
Earlier in the day, Abdur Rahim, who claimed himself as a freedom fighter, gave his testimony as the fifth and last defence witness in the case against Kamaruzzaman.
During his five-minute testimony, the 69-year-old witness from Mymensingh said he was a member of a voluntary team in Mymensingh after the Liberation War and discharged duty as the general secretary of that team.
“During the Liberation War and after that when I was serving as a volunteer I never heard from anyone that there was a Razakar or Al-Badr member by the name of Kamaruzzaman in Mymensingh,” said Rahim.
During cross-examination, prosecutor Saiful Islam asked Rahim only four questions.
“Were there any pro-liberation or anti-liberation forces in 1971?” asked Saiful.
Rahim replied in the affirmative.
“Do you have a freedom fighter’s certificate?” Saiful asked.
“No,” replied Rahim.
“Do you know that Razakar and Al-Badr forces were formed during the Liberation War?” asked Saiful.
“I don’t know,” replied the ‘freedom fighter’.
“You have given false testimony supporting Muhammad Kamaruzzaman,” suggested Saiful.
“It is not true,” replied Rahim.
Kamaruzzaman, who was indicted on seven charges of crimes against humanity, was produced at the dock.
ICT-1
The defence of Ghulam Azam yesterday completed placing their arguments on facts and evidence submitted by the prosecution to the International Crimes Tribunal-1.
The defence placed the arguments for the sixth day yesterday and would place arguments on law points from Wednesday.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice ATM Fazle Kabir adjourned the proceeding until March 27.
Earlier, prosecutor Zead Al Malum distortedly pronounced the name of war crimes accused Salauddin Quader Chowdhury triggering a heated atmosphere at the courtroom.
The situation erupted when Azam’s counsel prayed to the tribunal that he would need the day for completing argument and prayed for an adjournment in the case against SQ Chowdhury until today.
The tribunal accepted his prayer.
At this point, Malum stood up and said, “The prosecution have an objection to the adjournment of Saka’s [SQ Chowdhury] case…”
Before he could say another word, SQ Chowdhury’s counsel raised objection to pronouncing his client’s name distortedly.
Member of the tribunal Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim told Malum, “It’s not right to call someone by distorted names.”
Malum replied, “It seems you don’t like me. Why do you admonish me for reasons and without reasons?”
“What are you talking about?” Justice Selim responded.
The tribunal chairman intervened and said, “What is going on? You may be aggrieved for some reasons but what are you saying in an open court?”
Justice Selim further said, “Do I have any benefit by admonishing you? How would you feel if you are also called by distorted name?”
The prosecution however offered their apology before the tribunal. Malum also said, “Sorry.”
Defence counsel Ahsanul Haque Hena yesterday filed a petition seeking police protection during shutdown and political programmes.
The tribunal fixed today for hearing on the petition.

Llegal Process to Bring war Crimes Charges Against the Jamaat-e-Islami by March 26:bigger network

BANGLADESH NEWS

As the Shahbagh movement enters its 49th day today, its organisers focus on building up new networks and strengthening the old ones so as to make the protests more democratic and inclusive.
They say they are already organising people at the grassroots level, and will soon come up with a detailed plan to this end.
The nonstop, peaceful mass movement began on February 5 in the capital’s Shahbagh intersection, demanding capital punishment to all war criminals. On February 21, organisers announced a six-point demand, including initiating the legal process to bring war crimes charges against the Jamaat-e-Islami by March 26.
At the February grand rally, the protesters also decided to hold rallies in different parts of the capital and other divisional cities to garner public support in favour of their demands.
About the demand for banning Jamaat, Maruf Rosul, a key organiser of the movement, said: “Before a party can be banned, its registration with the Election Commission has to be cancelled. A case filed in 2009 to cancel the Jamaat’s registration has recently been revived,”
According to him, the Jamaat, which actively opposed the country’s liberation from Pakistan in 1971, can be banned through any one of three ways: trial under the amended war crimes law, an executive order of the government or scrapping its registration.
“The third option is very complicated and time-consuming, although that is the path the government has chosen. We want to ask the government, ‘why not the first two options?’” Maruf
Imran H Sarker, spokesperson for the Gonojagoron Mancha, agrees. “We hope the government will take appropriate steps and support the mass demand.”
The protesters will be forced to announce tougher programmes if the government fails to take effective steps. At the same time, organisers are concentrating on expanding the movement. In the next phase, they will continue to spread the movement to different parts of the country, he adds.
So far, the organisers have failed to hold their pre-announced programmes in divisional cities. They even had to cancel their Chittagong rally on March 13 in the face of the radical Islamist group Hefazate Islam’s threat to resist the rally.
“We are determined to hold our first rally in Chittagong. But while we make preparations for that, we are reaching out to different stakeholders, including labour organisations, media houses, cultural and political groups at the same time,” says Imran.
Imran, convener of the Blogger and Online Activist Network, which initiated the Shahbagh movement, adds that the Shahbagh activists also want to form a cultural front of the movement. To this end, a stage has already been set up at the Shahbagh intersection, now also known as Projonmo Chattar.
“Since our movement is about a political issue, we need to maintain our presence on the streets. But because it is also an ideological issue, we need to turn it into a cultural movement.”
On a similar note, Badiuzzaman Shohag, president of Bangladesh Chhatra League, argues that greater attention needs to be given to the cultural front of the struggle.
“We will centre our programmes around different national days at various venues to inspire the people towards the cause,” he said.
SM Shuvo, president of Chhatra Union, maintains that the main focus is to successfully hold rallies in all seven divisions of the country.
“We are also continuing dialogues with cultural and political organisations, and we are initiating the process of bringing all the pro-liberation forces to the streets again,” he said.
Different political groups have already begun the process of mobilising their grassroots activists and supporters, said Bappaditya Basu, president of Bangladesh Chhatra Moitree.
Several teams of the Gonojagoron Mancha will also begin mobilising people in different districts soon, he said, adding that it was time to shift the focus of the movement from mass awareness to mass resistance.
According to Probir Shaha, president of Chhatra Federation, the movement will enter a new phase after the March 26 ultimatum.
The process of amending the International Crimes Tribunal Act and the revival of a case to cancel the Jamaat’s registration are the outcome of popular pressure, he said, adding that their next course of action would depend on how the government responded to their demands.
Asked if the organisers have managed to include diverse interest groups and individuals within the decision-making process, Imran said: “In the beginning we were a little sceptical about letting just about anyone in, for fear of infiltration by Jamaat-Shibir. So we included established organisations and groups with a clear pro-liberation stance in the decision-making process.”
But now the protesters are making efforts to include the opinions and concerns of a wider range of groups.
The organisers say they will hold meetings and dialogues with activists and supporters in different parts of the country to ensure that their opinions are reflected in the Gonojagoron Mancha programmes.
However, it is difficult, logistically and otherwise, at the moment to hold meetings on a large scale, they said, adding that they were trying to find a way to facilitate democratic participation of the protesters.

Dhaka Mirpur section-13 Blast kill two kids

BANGLADESH NEWS

They thought it was their plaything. They did not know it was death stuffed into a container wrapped in black and red duct tape.
With a child’s natural curiosity, seven-year-old Kulsum and her five-year-old niece Riya picked up the suspect package. Then just as they started toying with the container, it went off with a big bang.
The blast, which left two construction workers injured, occurred at a construction site in Mirpur in the capital yesterday.
The two girls died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital hours after they were taken there.
Police said they suspected the cocktail went off when the kids were playing at the construction site of a six-storey building at Mirpur section-13 in the afternoon.
The two kids might have mistaken the cocktail for a toy kept under some construction materials, Kazi Wazed Ali, officer-in-charge of Kafrul Police Station,
Police are yet to ascertain who kept the cocktail there or why.
The injured are Nur-e-Alam and Kawsar.
Nur-e-Alam told police that a few minutes before the explosion he saw the two kids playing and soon afterwards heard a loud explosion and saw black smoke. Hit in the abdomen, Nur-e-Alam found himself bleeding and the two kids lying on the ground.
Locals rushed to the spot and took the kids to a hospital in Mirpur. But as their condition deteriorated, the two were shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Mosharraf Hossain, a neighbour, told this correspondent he heard a loud bang while passing by the building around 3:30pm.
The building has tenants in most of the flats from the first floor to fifth floor.
Kulsum and Riya lived with their parents on the building’s ground floor, surrounded by construction materials and rubble. Riya’s father, Riaz Hossain, works as a caretaker of the building.
Riya was admitted to a Brac school at Mirpur this year while Kulsum took admission in a local madrasa last year, said Riaz.
Kazi Wazed Ali said they had visited the spot and found splinters of cocktails, some scotch tape and a shopping bag near the staircase on the ground floor.

Tornado at Chinair village in Brahmanbaria:death toll now 23

BANGLADESH NEWS

The death toll from Friday’s tornado in Brahmanbaria rose to 23 after a teenage boy succumbed to his injuries yesterday afternoon.
Shubho, 14, from College Para in Chinair village, died at Comilla Medical College Hospital.
The twister left an eight-km trail of destruction in its path.
The authorities are working to rehabilitate the victims and so far put up 100 tents to accommodate 100 families, relocated 32 families to four primary schools, 10 families to a high school and 10 other families to a kindergarten school. The rest were seen roaming about in dire misery.
Another 400 tents would be set up by Monday, said Nur Mohammad Majumder, deputy commissioner of Brahmanbaria.
District administration provided each family with 20 to 30 kilograms of rice.
Voluntary bodies and individuals are providing the victims near the main roads and the town with cooked and dried foods, but the ones in remote areas remain dependent on only the rice given to them by the administration.
Six medical teams along with a 58-member team from the Army Medical Corps are providing treatment to the victims.
The government, meanwhile, has promised to provide each family with four bundles of corrugated iron sheets and Tk 9,000 so that they can rebuild their houses. Almost all have voiced their frustrations and anxieties, as they have received neither the funds nor the materials to construct roofs over their heads.
Many thronged Chinair Anjuman-ara-High School yesterday afternoon, demanding what was promised to them.
“We are not sure whether we will get the relief and if it will be distributed properly at all,” said Aleya Begum, 55, from Noyghar of Chinair village.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to visit the tornado affected areas today. She will address a rally in Chinair village during her visit, said the DC.
Meanwhile, hundreds of curious people from different areas around Chinair flocked to the village to witness the destructive power of the tornado, which had torn off the roof of a building and had flung it 200 yards away

Pakistani rights activist:Friends of Liberation War Honour from Prime Minister Sheikh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the forces defeated in the Liberation War were out to mar the process of war crimes trial with militancy and sparking off people’s religious sentiment.
The people of Bangladesh never accepted such design in the past and would not allow it in the future, as they are religious but not bigots, she said while speaking at a programme to honour friends of liberation of Bangladesh at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital yesterday.
“The spirit of the Liberation War always keeps them alert; they are committed to building a prosperous and non-communal Bangladesh free from hunger, poverty and illiteracy,” she added.
The government awarded 69 foreign friends with “Bangladesh Liberation War Honour” and “Friends of Liberation War Honour” for their outstanding contribution to the independence effort in 1971.
Hasina said, “Like your support in 1971, I am sure that we will get your support in building a non-communal poverty-free Bangladesh.”
Highlighting the progress made by Bangladesh, Hasina said, “Bangladesh is now a role model in terms of social and human resource development and considered as one of the star performers in alleviating poverty.”
The Awami League chief said Bangladesh stands 5th in terms of achieving long-term growth braving the global recession.
She expressed deep gratitude for the foreign friends’ invaluable contribution to the country’s Liberation War.
Some of the foreign friends presented Hasina books, some wrote letters to her, and some handed her letters from their near and dear ones who could not be at the programme yesterday.

The prime minister received them, opened the letters and books, and went through some.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, State Minister for Liberation War Affairs AB Tajul Islam also spoke at the programme while Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan read out citations of the award recipients.
A one-minute silence was also observed in memory of late president Zillur Rahman. Hasina dedicated yesterday’s programme to the president.
Yesterday’s awardees included 43 friends from India, 13 from Pakistan, four from the USA, three from Nepal, two from Japan, and one each from the UK, Australia, Cuba and Sweden.
Prof Tomio Mizokami of Japan, who spoke on behalf of the award recipients, expressed gratitude towards the government of Bangladesh for recalling their contribution 42 years ago.
“I am so happy today. I did not think I’ll ever be honoured,” he said, adding that he would tell the people of Japan about this when he returns home.
Mizokami hoped that the friendly relations between Japan and Bangladesh would be strengthened further.
Bangladesh Liberation War Honour was given to Fidel Castro, former president of Cuba, and Lord Harold Wilson, former British prime minister.
Cuban ambassador to Dhaka Abelardo Cueto Sosa and Wilson’s son Prof Robin Wilson received the honour on their behalf.

Bangladesh’s History:Night of March 25, 1971

BANGLADESH NEWS

n Bangladesh’s history, indeed in the dark tales of time, the night of March 25, 1971 will remain noted for the ferocity with which the Pakistan army went after 75 million unarmed Bangalees of what had till then been Pakistan’s eastern province. It was a night when duplicity came full circle — from the military junta headed by General Yahya Khan, from his political accomplice Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
On the pretext of negotiations with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the issue of a transfer of power to the elected representatives of the people, the regime increased the strength of the army, in ammunition as well as manpower over a period of ten days. The eventual objective, as was revealed in the hour or so that remained before the day would pass into the next, was a crushing of Bangalee nationalism.
All through the day, the Awami League team to the tripartite talks involving the junta, the People’s Party and itself waited for a response to its latest proposals on a constitutional settlement from the regime. A spokesman of the junta had earlier promised to call the Awami League leadership, ostensibly to set up another meeting. The call never came.
As dusk fell, rumours began to abound about imminent military action against the province. For his part, Bangabandhu advised his party colleagues and everyone else who went to see him at his residence at 32 Dhanmondi to leave the city. He made it clear, though, that he was going to stay, for if he did not, the army would raze Dhaka to the ground. In the event, they were to do that bad job anyway.
At 7:30 in the evening, President Yahya Khan boarded a Pakistan International Airlines flight in absolute secrecy and took off for Karachi. Before stealthily going out of Dhaka, he instructed the army high command to commence operations against the Bangalees, but only after he had landed in Karachi. This message was passed on by General Tikka Khan, martial law administrator of East Pakistan, to Maj Gen Khadem Hossain Raja. “Khadem, it’s tonight,” said Tikka, referring to what would infamously become known as Operation Searchlight.
At 11:00pm, army units fanned out in different directions across the city. One headed for Dhaka University, where soldiers swooped on Jagannath Hall and the homes of teachers, shooting their way in and killing everyone they came across.
Another made its way to Dhanmondi, the clear objective being to take Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman into custody. Other units busied themselves destroying the Kali Mandir in the centre of the Race Course and the Central Shaheed Minar. Troops also went out in search of a number of senior Awami League leaders, almost all of whom escaped capture.
Contingents also went to the Rajarbagh police headquarters and the East Pakistan Rifles in Pilkhana.
As March 25 gave way to March 26, Dhaka was on fire. ZA Bhutto, from his suite in the Intercontinental Hotel, watched the offices of the radical pro-Bangalee nationalist newspaper The People burn. In Dhanmondi, Bangabandhu declared the independence of Bangladesh through wireless, a message that was soon passed on to MA Hannan, a prominent Awami League leader of Chittagong. Bangabandhu’s declaration read:
“This may be my last message. From today Bangladesh is independent. I call upon the people of Bangladesh, wherever you might be and with whatever you have, to resist the army of occupation to the last. Your fight must go on until the last soldier of the Pakistan occupation army is expelled from the soil of Bangladesh. Final victory is ours.”
Minutes after he made the declaration, Bangabandhu was arrested by the Pakistan army and driven away, to what was then an under-construction national assembly building in the Second Capital area (today’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar). He was then moved to Adamjee College in the cantonment, where he spent the night, before being shifted to Flagstaff House. After three days there, he was flown to West Pakistan and put in solitary confinement in Mianwali jail.
The night between March 25 and March 26 was given over to unmitigated bloodletting by the Pakistan army. In that single night and well into the morning of March 27, the soldiers killed and pillaged. Thousands were to die.
Among those murdered were such respected academics as GC Dev Jyotirmoy Guhathakurta, badly wounded, would die three days later. Students at Jagannath Hall were killed and their bodies, at the orders of the soldiers, were dumped into a mass grave on the premises of the hall by their fellow students. And then those students too were shot. Bodies of Bangalees — rickshaw pullers, pedestrians and others — lay sprawled all over the city.
Terror was writ large across the land.

Army can’t sit idle:Opposition leader Khaleda Zia tells Bogra rally

BANGLADESH NEWS

Opposition leader Khaleda Zia yesterday said the army would not play the role of “a silent spectator while people are getting killed” and that it would “play its role in due time”.

She said members of the armed forces would not be picked for peacekeeping missions if there was unrest in Bangladesh. “But if there was no peace in Bangladesh, foreigners would then say that the army is not capable of maintaining peace in other countries.”

Speaking at a rally at Matidahali intersection in Bogra on her way to Joypurhat, she said, “The army is a part of our country and therefore it has responsibilities towards it.”

Citing police firing during the violence between February 28 and March 3, which left 18 people dead in Bogra and Joypurhat, the BNP chairperson said, “I thank the army personnel as they went out on the roads [of Bogra] on that day [March 3] but did not open fire on people like the police had done.”

Khaleda said if necessary, the country would be crippled in order to oust the Sheikh Hasina-led “most autocratic, bloodthirsty, killer and most corrupt government”.

She said her party would declare fresh agitation programmes today to oust the government as well as to “save the people of the country”. The fresh agitation would start after March 26, she added.

She urged all to ensure success of the programmes through spontaneous participation.

The BNP chief said, “The prime minister must be brought to book and she [Hasina] must be made accountable for the killing of people and for the BDR carnage.

“She [Sheikh Hasina] thinks she will cling to power at any cost or flee. We are hearing many things … we have all the documents related to your [Hasina] widespread corruption and killings … where will you go? You will be tracked down in any corner of the globe and you will be put in the dock.”

On Saturday afternoon, Khaleda left Dhaka on a two-day visit to Bogra and Joypurhat. She plans to visit the bereaved family members of people who died during the violence.

The violence erupted after the international crimes tribunal on February 28 sentenced Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee to death for crimes against humanity. Jamaat is a key ally of the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance.

On her way to Bogra and Joypurhat from Dhaka, Khaleda did not have any reception from her party followers, as the BNP was observing a three-day period of mourning for late president Zillur Rahman.

There were no arches on the roads she travelled through.

The BNP chief yesterday also addressed rallies at Shalaipur High School playground at Panchbibi upazila in Joypurhat and Araibazar at Shahjahanpur upazila of Bogra.

She also visited a temple at Gabtoli upazila in Bogra. The temple was vandalised during the violence.

The opposition leader handed over Tk 1 lakh to each of the families of the 12 deceased and directed local BNP leaders to provide all kinds of assistance to those who had been injured in the violence.

Apart from BNP activists, a large number of leaders and activists of the Jamaat-e-Islami and pro-Jamaat student body Islami Chhatra Shibir attended Khaleda’s rallies.

At the rally on Shalaipur High School playground, she said the government was on the brink of collapse and could be ousted with a nudge. “It’s now a matter of time,” she added.

Alleging that people of no community or religion are safe as long as Awami League is in power, Khaleda said, “More than 174 people were killed within a span of just 15 days, which has been internationally termed as genocide. This government must be tried for committing crimes against humanity.”

The BNP chief said the leaders of Awami League would be brought to the court with fetters on, just as the government had treated the opposition alliance’s senior leaders.

She called upon people of all profession, including civil administration and police department, to join the mass people.

“People’s movement will definitely win and none will be able to resist it. Weapons, bullets and bombs will be of no use when people wage a movement,” she said, adding, “We will no longer shed tears. Instead, we will create stronger resistance. Bogra will be the door of the movement.”

Khaleda said the government had stopped bus and launches during the opposition’s earlier “Dhaka Cholo” [March to Dhaka] programme.

Addressing the rally, she said, “But if necessary, you will again go to Dhaka and this time you will return home ousting the government.”

During the speech yesterday, the BNP chief refrained from directly accusing police of killing people which she did during her visit to Manikganj on March 16. Instead, she accused the government of committing “genocide” during the recent violence.

“Armed ruling party cadres are blending in with police so that police cannot act neutrally. We will not blame police [for attacking and killing people]. They act as per government directions,” she said.

In another rally at Ariabazar in Shajahanpur upazila of Bogra around 8:00pm, the former prime minister demanded that the army is deployed during the next polls, otherwise, she said, the election would not be free and fair.

She also claimed that the election commission was not acting independently and that it had redrawn the electoral constitution as per government instructions.

Earlier around 6:30pm, the BNP chairperson visited three temples at Bamunia and Sabekpara in Gabtali upazila. The temples were badly damaged during the recent violence in the areas.

In her brief speech at a roadside rally at Bamunia, Khaleda blamed the ruling party for the vandalism and announced to contribute 16 tonnes of rice to rebuild the temples.

BNP leaders including Moudud Ahmed, Selima Rahman, Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Mirza Abbas accompanied Khaleda in her Bogra-Joypurhat visit.

The BNP chief reached Bogra Saturday night and spent the night at the circuit house.

She left for Dhaka around 9:00pm.

Khaleda was scheduled to visit Bogra on Friday but she postponed the tour until yesterday to mark the three-day mourning on the death of president Zillur Rahman.

New President must be neutral, acceptable:BNP leader Moudud Ahmed

BANGLADESH NEWS

“The role of a President in the forthcoming polls is very important. We want to see such a personality for the position who is neutral and acceptable to all,” he said.
He hoped the ruling Awami League-led government would show wisdom in the Presidential polls, “otherwise there would be no other option but for the 

opposition to force the government in accepting their demand for a caretaker government.”
BNP Standing Committee member Moudud Ahmed was speaking at a meeting of Dhaka Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal – demanding release of their detained colleagues – at the party’s Naya Paltan headquarters in the capital.
“Even after such repression, oppression on the opposition, we showed highest respect for the President. We hope the government will notice our goodwill and come forward to avoid any conflict in the country.”
He hopes that the government will create a situation so that the forthcoming election takes place under a ‘non-partisan government’. “Let the opposition not come down to the streets for their one-point demand.”
Nineteenth President Zillur Rahman died on Wednesday, undergoing treatment in Singapore at the age of 84. According to the constitution Presidential poll is due to take place by Jun 19.
Since the Awami League enjoys three-fourth majority in Parliament, it is highly unlikely that a President outside the party’s choice will be elected.
Moudud Ahmed urged the government to take initiatives to tackle the current political crisis.
He dubbed the Mar 11 police raid inside the BNP headquarters as ‘unprecedented’.
He also alleged that the judicial system in Bangladesh was not functioning properly.

Baitul Mukarram National Mosque:dignitaries attend Zillur’s Qulkhwani

BANGLADESH NEWS

The Qulkhwani organised by the Islamic Foundation ended around 5:45pm with special prayers.
The late President’s family members, a number of state dignitaries, ruling Awami League leaders and foreign diplomats attended the Qulkhwani.
Zillur Rahman breathed his last at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore on Mar 20 afternoon after fighting for life for 11 days, bringing curtains on a colourful career lasting over six decades.
The dead body of the 84-year-old statesman and politician arrived in Dhaka on Thursday noon and was kept at the presidential palace, Bangabhaban, for people to pay their last respects.
He was buried in the grave of his beloved wife Ivy Rahman at the capital’s Banani Graveyard on Friday.
The government had also declared three days of national mourning starting Thursday upon his death. A public holiday was also observed on Thursday.

BNP to join Parliament urged place plans for President:Suranjit Sengupta

BANGLADESH NEWS

His statement came after BNP’s Standing Committee Member and former Law Minister Moudud Ahmed said on Saturday that there should be a ‘neutral’ and ‘acceptable’ President.
“You can place your proposals in the House,” Suranjit said at a discussion at the National Press Club.

“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will again nominate a just candidate. Keep faith in her,” he said, referring to the nomination of Zillur Rahman in 2008 and Justice Shahbuddin Ahmed in 1996.
Suranjit said any Bangladeshi citizen over 35 years of age is eligible for the post of President, but it needs nomination and support of specific members in Parliament.
He said he preferred a candidate for the figurehead post from among politicians.
On Saturday morning, Moudud Ahmed stressed the importance of the new President.
“Role of new President in the upcoming national election is very important,” he said.

Zillur Rahman died on Wednesday in Singapore at the age of 84. According to constitution a new Presidential election must take place within Jun 19.
Since Awami League has the three-fourth majority in Parliament, it is highly unlikely that a President outside of its choice will be elected.

first Buddhist Bihar of Munshiganj Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Venerable Atish Dipankar had trekked to Tibet in China to preach Buddhism and immensely contributed to the studies of medicine and irrigation there, reads an inscription on a white marble stone found at Bajrojogini village.
The inscription reminds of the glorious and prosperous past of Bikrampur in Munshiganj district. Atish Dipankar, the most famous scholar from Bangladesh, was born a thousand years ago at Bajrojogini in Bikrampur.
However, except some scripts mentioning the names of Bajrojogini and Bikrampur, no other evidence like archaeological sites or reliable relics was found earlier until yesterday when a group of archaeologists revealed their discovery, a Buddhist Vihar, after three years of excavation.
“This is an incident of huge importance to all of us. Many historians have mentioned about a Vihar at Bajrojogini in Bikrampur, but we are lucky to find it just within three years,” Prof Sufi Mustafizur Rahman .

Sufi Mustafiz, executive director of Oithya Onneswan and a faculty member of archaeology department at Jahangirnagar University, led the excavation.

The archaeologists found the maiden Buddhist Vihar of Bikrampur after excavating the site for three years just one kilometre off the ancestral home of Atish Dipankar.

Dhamma Pala, the second king of the Pala Dynasty (900-1100) established at least 30 Buddhist Vihars in Samatata area. Only seven to eight of those Vihars have so far been discovered, Mustafiz informed.

“I think this is one of those Vihars established during the Pala Dynasty,” he said.

Historians say Atish Dipankar himself was the chancellor of the Vikramshila, one of the Vihars founded by the Pala king, from where he had headed for Tibet. Around 8,000 students studied in this university under 108 teachers, who were eminent scholars under the preceptorship of Dipankar Srigyan.

“We have the name of another Vihar called Bikrampuri which was also founded by Dhamma Pala. But we don’t know its location. I think this is the Bikrampuri Vihar,” Prof Mustafiz said.

“The similarity between the names of the Bihar and this area also suggests so,” added Sufi Mustafiz.

He claims the latest Vihar is the oldest archaeological site in Bikrampur.

All the antiquities and archaeological sites found in Bikrampur include the mosque of Baba Adam Shah of pre-Mughal Sultani era, Idrakpur Fort and Mirkadim Pul (bridge) of the Mughal era and the Golden Temple of the British era, said Mustafiz.

Besides those, archaeologists and historians collected more than 100 idols and sculptures of different gods and other relics including beads and masks from Bikrampur. All these are preserved at the National Museum, Kolkata Museum and Barendra Museum.

Moreover, copper plates of different dynasties including Chankra, Barman, Sena, Deva have been found in and around Bikrampur. The name of Bikrampur appeared on those plates several times.

“But no systematic excavation has been taken in Bikrampur in recent years,” said Sufi Mustafiz who worked as the research director of the excavation project.

Historians say the name Bajrojogini was derived from Tibetan scripts written by Tibetan scholar Taranath and others where they mentioned it as the birthplace of Atish Dipankar Srigyan who is treated as the second Buddha in Tibet.

Though Dipankar earned the title the Light of Asia, his name and birthplace were in the dark until Sarat Chandra Das (1849-1917), a scholar as well as diplomat from Chittagong, had visited Tibet as an envoy of the British ruler.

Sarat Chandra resurrected the name of Atish Dipankar and his birthplace from Tibetan Tanjur inscription.

In the inscription it was said Dipankar was born in a royal family of Guada in Bikrampur of Bengal, which was on the east of Bajrasana. His father’s name was Kalyansri and his mother was Prabhavati.

Dipankar wrote 175 books on Buddhist theology, medicine and engineering in Tibetan language and was given the prestigious title “Atish” for his immense contribution to these fields of studies. He stayed in Tibet for more than a decade until his last breath at the age of 72. He was buried in Krethang near Lama.

The Agrashar Bikrampur Foundation had earlier invited the archaeologists, who selected nine sites in Bajrojogini and Rampal in Munshiganj sadar upazila. They conducted a number of primary excavations at Sukhbaspur-1, Raghunathpur-1 and 2, Guhapara-1, Jeorgebari and Manasabari and three sites at Bajrojogini, said Nuh-Ul-Alam Lenin, chairman of the foundation.

“Many people say the Padma river has destroyed all the signs of prosperous Bikrampur. But we can still find many things if we look for it,” Alam told journalists yesterday after revealing the discovery.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in Bogra

BANGLADESH NEWS

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday went on a two-day visit to Bogra and Joypurhat.

She will offer her condolences to family members of those killed in recent acts of violence between opposition activists and law enforcers, party sources said.

The BNP chief started for Bogra from her Gulshan residence around 4:00pm yesterday. She was accompanied by BNP leaders including Selima Rahman, Sadeque Hossain Khoka and Mirza Abbas.

A team of leaders of BNP and its associated bodies, led by its acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, is already in Bogra to make preparations in advance of the visit.

Khaleda, staying for the night at Bogra Circuit House, will start for Joypurhat along with the leaders around 11:00am today.

On the way, she will meet family members of the victims, who were shot dead in police firing on March 3. She will meet them at Matidali intersection of Bogra around 11:30am.

At Panchbibi upazila of Joypurhat, she will hold a condolence meeting on the premises of Salaipur High School around 1:00pm.

They will start back for Bogra at 2:15pm and have lunch at the Circuit House in Bogra.

Around 3:30pm, Khaleda will visit a Hindu temple that recently came under attack by religious bigots in Gabtoli upazila.

Khaleda will speak to some other families of the March 3 victims on the Aria Bazar School premises in Shahjahanpur upazila, Bogra, at 5:00pm.

She will depart for Dhaka around 6:00pm.

The former prime minister was scheduled to visit Bogra on Friday but she postponed the tour until yesterday to mark the three-day mourning period over the death of President Zillur Rahman.

Khaleda requested that no gates be built on her way to welcome her. Likewise, she told party men in Bogra not to host a reception for her.

Tornado Comilla-Brahmanbaria:Hundreds still in the open Death toll in tornado climbs to 22; rescue operation wrapped up

BANGLADESH NEWS

Many from the tornado-ravaged villages of Brahmanbaria moved into schools yesterday as their homes had been flattened by the twister that left an eight-km-long trail of destruction on Friday.
Besides asking people to move into six school buildings, local authorities yesterday started setting up tents in the 20 affected villages of Brahmanbaria sadar, Bijoynagar and Akhaura upazilas.
The body of Yasmin Begum, 35, was recovered 250 yards off her home in Chinair early yesterday while nine-month-old Sabiha of Chinair died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital yesterday evening raising the death toll to 22.
Shell-shocked locals were yesterday seen sitting beside the debris the 15-minute tornado left behind on Friday evening around 5:30. Funeral processions were seen snaking through the devastation.
In the morning, some of the victims were trying to pitch up improvised tents made with plastic sheets in the worst-affected villages of Patirhata, Urshiura, Chandi, Chinair, Kodda, Radhika, Bashudev, Badshala in Brahmanbaria sadar; Azampur in Akhaura and Merashine in Bijoynagar upazila.
Road and rail communication were restored early yesterday after uprooted trees, wrecked vehicles and debris were removed from rail lines and the Comilla-Brahmanbaria highway.
Rescue operations conducted by the army, Border Guard Bangladesh, the Fire Brigade, Rapid Action Battalion and police were wrapped up around noon.

Yesterday, many locals of the surrounding areas came to their neighbours’ aid with food.

“While some brought puffed rice, perched rice or buns, others brought home-cooked meals,” said M Nazmul, 70, a freedom fighter who was seen distributing food among the affected people in Urshiura, Chinair and Patiasar villages.

About 20 hours after the disaster, the tornado-hit people got something to eat from the government. The local administration started distributing rice and cooked food in the afternoon.

It also distributed 15 kilograms of rice, two bundles of corrugated iron sheets and Tk 6,000 to each of the affected families.

However, Anwar Hossain, 52, whose niece Lila Begum and sisters-in-law Rokeya Begum and Amena Begum had been killed, said he received half a sack of rice from the local administration and that was it.

Deputy Commissioner Noor Mohammad Majumder of Brahmanbaria, “While we distributed our relief, Dutch Bangla Bank Ltd gave Tk 3,000 and two bundles of corrugated iron sheets to each of the affected families.”

Each family with a deceased was given Tk 20,000, he added.

Mentioning that the government relief was not enough, locals urged the authorities concerned to think about their future as well. “How can I survive since I have lost my only cow? They are giving us food for today. What about tomorrow or the day after?” said Milon Mia, 30, a farmer of Chinair.

“We want to stand on our own feet again. Please arrange employment for us,” appealed Sentu, 36, a farmer of Chandi village.

According to local lawmaker Rabiul Moktadir Chowdhury, at least 1,000 families were affected by the twister, which also uprooted around 3,500 trees, ruined crops and destroyed houses.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to visit the affected villages in a day or two.

Meanwhile, a man died after being electrocuted by an overhead cable in the district. Sources said he was trying to get a better view of the devastation from the roof of a building when he was electrocuted.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon shocked

BANGLADESH NEWS

Heads of state and government of different countries and international dignitaries have expressed deep shock at the death of President Zillur Rahman and extended their sympathy to his family members and Bangladeshis.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon yesterday offered his “condolences to the bereaved family of the president, the government and the people of Bangladesh”.
Zillur Rahman made important contribution to his country’s democratic transition throughout his political life, Ban’s spokesperson said in a statement, according to the UN’s official website.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on behalf of the government and the people of India, in a statement said Zillur was a patriot and a man of high ideals. An ardent advocate of friendly relations between India and Bangladesh, he was held in high esteem by the people of India, said Manmohan.
“On this tragic occasion, we extend our deepest condolences to the people of Bangladesh. We pray for the peace of his departed soul…,” the statement said.
Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, in a statement addressed to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said, “With his passing, the people of Bangladesh have lost a man of vision and a true son of the soil who rose to the highest office.”
Pranab, in a separate statement addressed to the president’s son Najmul Hassan, said, “His demise is a personal loss to us…. We offer you, your sister and the other family members of President Zillur Rahman our heartfelt condolences and stand by you in this hour of grief.”
US Secretary of State John Kerry said the president, from his early days as a history student and political activist, dedicated his life to the Bangladeshi people. His efforts helped lead to the creation of Bangladesh in 1971 and his subsequent decades of public service helped Bangladesh establish itself as the democracy it is today.
“As Bangladesh nears the 42nd anniversary of its independence, President Rahman’s death offers a moment for all Bangladeshis to come together in mourning and reflect on what unites them as a nation,” Kerry added.
Australian High Commissioner in Dhaka Greg Wilcock said Zillur’s life was interwoven with Bangladesh’s history. His four years as the president of Bangladesh followed decades of service to his nation.
“Our thoughts are with President Rahman’s family and the people of Bangladesh as they mourn their loss,” Wilcock added.
Afrasiab, Pakistani high commissioner to Bangladesh, said the government of Pakistan has postponed the country’s National Day celebrations scheduled for March 23 in the capital to mourn the president’s demise.
The president of Russia, president and prime minister of Singapore, prime minister of Malaysia, foreign minister of Canada, prime minister and foreign minister of Japan, president of Nepal, president and foreign minister of Maldives, king and prime minister of Bhutan, president of Pakistan, president of China, president and foreign minister of Iran and king of Thailand have also sent condolence messages.
Besides, the flag was kept at half mast yesterday in Bhutan.
Secretaries general of the OIC, commonwealth, D-8, Swedish embassy, Dutch ambassador and country representative of the UN Women in Dhaka also condoled the death.
Meanwhile, the 111 member arms treaty meeting presided over by the Australian foreign minister yesterday paid respects to the Bangladesh president in New York by observing two minutes’ silence.