Spectrum Fee Must reflect Govt's Tech Vision

DHAKA NEWS

Telenor Boss Speaks on 3G Technology

Jon Fredrik Baksaas, president and chief executive officer of Telenor Group, has underlined a balance between spectrum fees and the government's ambition to provide telecommunication services to people.

“We are ready to move on to the next generation technology. There is still a need to find a balance between the spectrum fee and incentives for people,” Baksaas said.

He spoke to  at the recent GSMA World Mobile Congress 2012 in Barcelona, Spain. He shared his views in brief on third generation (3G) mobile technology that facilitates high-speed data transfer through mobile phones.

“Generally speaking, any government needs to try to strike a balance between spectrum fee and the telecommunication ambition to get good penetration and coverage," said the boss of Telenor Group, the key shareholder in Grameenphone.

“Grameenphone covers 99 percent of the population in Bangladesh. It is running the industry tremendously and makes a significant contribution to the income file of the government.”

On the people's ability to afford 3G service in Bangladesh, Baksaas said everything is in evolution. Years ago, it was said that the mobile phone is unaffordable for a great number of people. But people do not say that anymore, he added.

A large number of people in Bangladesh can afford a mobile; there are still more to come, he said.

“Within those who are connected, there are still people who want to go to the next layer of mobile technology -- which is 3G.”

He said, “There are already a huge number of people who use the EDGE protocol. It is a very good data communicator. We also use it when we are in Bangladesh. It works well. But when we talk about the speed factor, we should come to 3G.”

EDGE (enhanced data GSM environment) is a mobile technology that provides internet services. Most internet users in Bangladesh use the EDGE technology.

Recently, the Supreme Court of India cancelled 22 mobile licences of Uninor, a joint venture between Telenor and Indian company Unitech, putting its business in uncertainty.

When asked to comment on the issue, Baksaas said, “There is great uncertainty on what will happen in India. Our need is to get clarity on access spectrum. If there is no access spectrum then there will be no progress.”

Verdict on Maritime Dispute with Myanmar Today

BANGLADESH MYANMAR

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) will deliver its judgment on Wednesday on the dispute over delimitation of the maritime boundary between Bangladesh and Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal.

Judge José Luis Jesus is scheduled to read the judgment at 4:30pm (BST).

The ITLOS, a permanent judicial body created by the UN Convention Law of Sea (UNCLOS) and headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, the judgment would decide whether Bangladesh would have to limit its access to 130 nautical mile (NM) sea area or it would have 200 NM economic exploitation zone (EEZ) and continental shelf extends up to 400-460 NM (850km) southwards from the country's coastline.

Dhaka is eagerly waiting for getting justice in the crucial judgment.

“We believe the court will consider our equitable solution method which we stand for. We have heard counter argument from our opponent Myanmar and we are optimistic to get justice from the court,” said Foreign Minister Dipu Moni ahead of her departure for Germany to present during the verdict.

Rear Admiral (retd) Khurshid Alam, additional secretary at the Foreign Ministry, who played the key role in the legal battle, is now also in Hamburg.

Bangladesh lodged objections with the UN on October 8, 2009 after the India and Myanmar "unfairly" cut off a significant portion of Bangladesh's maritime area in the Bay and such "an unlawful way" apparently sandwiched Bangladesh.

Bangladesh's objection to Myanmar's claim was lodged with the UN's ITLOS and its objection to Indian claim was filed with the UN's Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague, Netherlands. The arbitration with India is expected to be settled in 2014.

Bangladesh favours a principle based on "equity" while India and Myanmar favours "equidistance" system to get bigger maritime areas.

Under a UN charter, the principle of "equity" takes into account a country's population, economic status and needs, GDP growth, and other human issues, while the "equidistance" system marks the boundary through geometric calculations.

According to UNCLOS, any such dispute should be resolved on the basis of equity, and in the light of relevant circumstances. And that makes Bangladesh's demand for equity-based demarcation justified.

Dhaka, Delhi talk Trade Glitches Mar 28

BANGLADESH INDIA

Dhaka, Mar 13  After a break of nearly nine years the commerce secretaries of Bangladesh and India are scheduled to meet on Mar 28 in New Delhi to discuss issues hindering boost to bilateral trade ties.

"This is the first secretary-level meeting since 2003 and we expect to boost trade relations further through this meeting," director general of foreign ministry Mashfee Bintee Shams on Tuesday.

The Bangladesh delegation, led by commerce secretary Mohammad Golam Hossain, will draw 10 other members from foreign, jute, textile, shipping, and communications ministries, tax office, Tariff Commission and BSTI (Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute).

The issues expected to come up for discussion include trade agreement renewal, opening new border haats, mutual accreditation, investment, development of land ports and land customs stations, and ensuring uninterrupted supply of raw materials and commodities to Bangladesh, said a source in the commerce ministry.

"We are dependent on raw materials and commodities from the neighbouring India. But time to time India slaps ban on commodities like cotton, onion, rice, etc. causing difficulties for us," he said.

"We will try to impress upon them to ensure uninterrupted supply," he added.

TRADE AGREEMENT

The trade agreement between the two countries will expire Mar 31 this year and renewal of the agreement would be one of the agendas, a commerce ministry official said.

India has proposed to extend the agreement for the next three years against a Bangladesh proposal that it could be extended for six months without any amendment to the existing one.

"Indian side also proposed to bring some amendments to the agreement but we declined as we need time to review the proposals," he added.

The amendment proposals include automatic renewal of the agreement, and any protocol or memorandum of understanding becoming an integral part of the pact, the officials said.

The Bangladesh-India trade agreement was signed in 1972 and it is renewed every three years.

BORDER HAATS

Bangladesh and India want to open five more border haats along Meghalaya-Tripura borders.

"The border haat at Sunamganj along Meghalaya border is ready and it will be inaugurated shortly," he said.

The first haat was opened at Kurigram-Meghalaya border last year.

Four border haats will be opened along Tripura border, officials said.

BILATERAL TRDE

The two-way trade between the two countries reached about $5 billion, though tilting heavily towards India. Bangladesh exported about $500 million worth of products while imports stood at $4 billion in the last fiscal.

Indian allowed duty- and quota-free access to all products except liquor and cigarette items from Bangladesh last year.

At Least 36 Dead 200 Missing; Vessel Could not be Salvaged yet from 70 feet Under Meghna Water

DHAKA NEWS

At least 36 people died and more than 200 others went missing when a packed passenger launch capsized in the river Meghna after colliding with a cargo vessel at Gazaria in Munshiganj yesterday.

The accident happened around 2:30am when a large cargo vessel hit the Dhaka-bound launch, MV Shariatpur-1, at Char Kishori, some 30 km south of the capital.

Hitting the launch, which was carrying more than 250 passengers, the cargo vessel sped away, survivors said, adding that it was a bulky tanker.

Those missing include a photojournalist and his wife and a few expatriate Bangladeshis, police and survivors said.

Rescuers recovered 31 bodies as of 8:00pm yesterday when the first phase of the rescue operation ended. The operation was scheduled to resume at 7:00am today.

Later at about 11:45pm yesterday, locals found five other bodies floating in the river, said Mahfuzul Haque, additional district magistrate of Munshiganj.

Thirty-one bodies were handed over to their families, said Deputy Commissioner Azizul Alam.

Dulal Dewan, a survivor, said the double-decker launch left Naria in Shariatpur with more than 250 passengers for Dhaka around 9:30pm on Monday.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Chairman Shamsuddoha Khandker also put the number between 250 and 300.

The 32-metre launch was built in 1991 and had permission to carry 225 passengers at night, said BIWTA Secretary M Mahbubul Alam.

Divers traced the sunken launch some 70 feet under water, but till last night they were yet to salvage it.

Rescue vessel MV Rustam reached the spot at 8:30am yesterday and the salvage was due to start after the arrival of Hamza, a tug vessel.

BIWTA officials said Hamza was scheduled to arrive at 12:00 midnight today, some 22 hours after the accident.

"Hamza was anchored in Barisal. It is taking time to reach the spot as it is running against the current," said the BIWTA secretary.

The BIWTA chairman said it would take time to lift the 200-tonne launch, as the lifting capacity of MV Rustam and Hamza combined is 120 tonnes.

Meanwhile, the shipping ministry, shipping department and BIWTA formed three committees to probe the accident.

The shipping ministry asked the heads of the committees to submit the reports within five to seven days.

Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan visited the scene in the afternoon and announced a compensation of Tk 30,000 for each dead. Families having more than one victim will get Tk 45,000.

He also claimed that the process of forming the riverine police for ensuring safe travel on waterways was underway.

Dulal Dewan, who managed to reach shore, that eight of his family members were missing. Of them, his brother-in-law Shamim Fakir and his wife Poly were scheduled to catch an 11:30am flight from Dhaka to the US.

Mamun Chowdhury, a cameraman of Independent television, was in tears as he searched for his brother, Masud Chowdhury, also a senior cameraman at Banglavision.

Masud's wife was also missing, Mamun said.

Immediately after the accident, MV Mitali, another passenger launch, coming from behind rescued around 30 passengers.

On receiving the information, members of Bangladesh Coast Guard, Rapid Action Battalion, police and fire brigade reached the spot and began rescue operations.

“We spotted the launch at Char Kishori at 11:30am,” the BIWTA chairman told this correspondent.

Deputy Speaker Col (retd) Shawkat Ali and local lawmaker M Idris Ali also visited the scene.

Launch Capsize Toll Shoots to 63

DHAKA NEWS

Bodies of 27 more passengers were recovered from the Meghna river Wednesday morning, sending the death toll from Tuesday’s launch capsize to 63.

Rescuers recovered the bodies after they resumed rescue operation around 7:00am at Char Kishori in Gazaria upazila of the district where the launch, MV Shariatpur-1, capsized after a cargo vessel hit it early Tuesday.

The first phase of the rescue operation ended Tuesday night after the rescuers recovered 36 bodies.

More than 200 passengers still remain missing, reports our Munshiganj correspondent.

To expedite the salvage operation, rescue vessel Hamza reached Char Kishori from Barisal around 1:30am on Wednesday to join another rescue vessel Rustom, which was working at the spot since Tuesday morning.

Hamza and Rustom started operation to salvage the sunken launch from 70 feet under water around 7:30am. The vessels dragged the launch towards the shore around 9:00am and kept it six metres off the bank.

But officials of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) said it would take time to lift the 200-tonne launch, as MV Rustam and Hamza together cannot lift anything weighing more than 120 tonnes.

 Munshiganj Deputy Commissioner Azizul Alam said 40 of the dead victims were identified so far and handed over to their families.

Our reporter covering the spot said wailing of the relatives has created a heart- rending scene at Char Kishori as hundreds of people rushed there in the morning for their dear ones after the rescue operation resumed. The relatives spend the whole night at a temporary shelter centre set up at Char Kishoreganj adjacent to the spot.

10 RAB men Sued for Looting

CHITTAGONG NEWS

Chittagong, Mar 13  A robbery case has been filed against a former commander and nine RAB men for looting over Tk 20 million from a shrine in Chittagong.

Former chief of RAB-7, Lt Col Zulfikar Ali Majumdar has been named as the main accused while nine others are captain Wahidul Hasan, deputy additional director Abul Bashar, sub-inspectors Tarun Kumar Basu and Nayek Hasanuzzaman, assistant sub-inspectors Ali Ashraf and Jahangir Alam, Nayek Mohammad Liton, constable Sumon and soldier Jasim Uddin.

All of the accused were deputed at RAB-7 stationed in Chittagong.

Two informer of the elite crime fighting force – namely Didarul Alam and Anwar Mia – were also sued.

Mohammad Idris, a driver of Talsara Darbar Sharif at Anwara upazila, filed the case with Anwara Police Station on Tuesday noon, OC Mohammad Shahjahan .

According to case details, the RAB personnel looted the money from the shrine in the name of a raid on Nov 4, 2011. A RAB team led by Zulfikar Ali Majumdar raided the shrine and looted the money after breaking open an almira.

The RAB personnel also arrested five Myanmar nationals from the shrine and handed them over to the police station, but did not mention the money.

The authorities of Talsara Darbar Sharif lodged a written complaint with the police station but no case was lodged.

As the news spread, OC Shahjahan said that the RAB headquarters had formed an investigation committee.

The accused RAB men were withdrawn from their duties after a primary investigation confirmed their involvement, said the Anwara OC.

Capital Cut From Rest of The Country

DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka has virtually been severed from other parts of the country since Sunday morning as buses were kept off roads and launches barred to anchor at terminals ahead of the March 12 rally in the capital.

Visiting Gabtoli Bus Terminal, our reporter found that thousands of people were waiting there since the morning as transport union leaders forced the bus owners to keep the vehicles off the road.

Meanwhile, most of the long-distance buses were seen parked inside Sayedabad bus terminal in the morning.

Making stopover at different city bus stoppages, our correspondents report that almost all the operators kept their buses off roads for 'fear of anarchy' as well as safety concerns.

State-run BRTC buses were also kept off roads. The main entrance of Mohammadpur depot of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation was seen closed Sunday afternoon.

Due to take off buses in the city, the traffic movements almost remain one of hartal days.

On both sides of the streets in the city, thousands of people were seen waiting for transports.

Commuters standing along the city streets were seen to rush for a travel whenever a bus arrived.

Failing to get any bus, they were trying to go to their destinations by alternative vehicles like trucks and human haulers.

GABTOLI BUS TERMINAL

The transport union leaders were seen beating some bus drivers at Gabtoli bus terminal when they were trying to operate some inter-district buses.

They also vandalised two long-route buses around 8:30am at the bus terminal, bringing a total halt to the transport movement.

After that, no long-distance buses were seen leaving or entering the terminal.

The union leaders were also seen to force commuters to vacate several long-route buses at the terminal.

Motaleb, an elderly person, who came to Dhaka from Sylhet with his wife and three sons Saturday night, was seen waiting at Gabtoli Bus Terminal for buses for Pabna.

"I have an urgent work to do in Pabna. Now, I don't know what I will do," saying this he sat on road in his utter despair.

Talking to another young lady whose name was not available, our correspondent reports, the lady first went to Sadarghat Launch Terminal for a launch ticket for Barisal.

As she failed to get one, she rushed to the bus terminal and was waiting when this report was filed around 10:00am.

KALYANPUR BUS STAND

Sharif Miah, an office staff of Hanif Paribahan at Kalyanpur branch, told our correspondent that a single bus of their company has not left or entered the city this morning.

Hafiz, manager of Shyamoli Paribahan at Kalyanpur branch, also echoed Sharif.

The lone bus that left the terminal in the morning is for Kolkata, Hafiz said.

SADARGHAT LAUNCH TERMINAL

After visiting Sadarghat Launch Terminal our correspondent reported that Awami League-backed workers obstructed some launches to anchor at the terminal.

At around 6:00am, when three launches -- Kalam Khan-1, Sundarban-8 and Parabat -- reached the launch terminal carrying the people from Barisal, Bhola, Bagerhat, Patuakhali and other southern districts, the ghat workers barred those to anchor.

Seeking anonymity owner of a launch said, “The Awami League-backed workers are obstructing the launches to anchor at the launch terminal.”

Passengers of the three launches however managed to get down by boats.

Another correspondent adds that the ghat labourers also pelted brickbats on the passengers who tried to get off the launch.

The workers also chased the three launches with boats and trawlers when those headed towards Shyambazar and Postogola to offload passengers.

SAVAR SITUATION

Bus services on Dhaka-Aricha and Dhaka-Tangail highways came to a halt since Sunday morning, causing immense sufferings to the commuters.

A very few buses were seen plying on the highways but those were not allowed to enter Dhaka city.

The bus drivers were seen to drop their passengers near the entry point of the capital, Bangla daily Prothom Alo reports.

Commuters standing at the highways rushed to a bus whenever they got one.

Failing to get any bus, they were trying to go to their destinations through alternative vehicles like trucks, human haulers.

A number of transport workers said the bus owners kept their vehicles off the road fearing clash and vandalism.

Police however claimed that they did not impose any restriction on bus movement.

SAYEDABAD & COMILLA BUS TERMINALS

Our reporter, who is covering the transport situation of Dhaka-Chittagong highway, found most of the buses parked inside Sayedabad bus terminal in the morning.

Luckily, he got a bus for Comilla around 6:30am. On his way back to Dhaka, he went to Shashangachha bus stand in Comilla town around 8:30am and found around 100 Dhaka-bound passengers were waiting there for transport.

In their despair bid to go to the capital, some of the commuters hired microbuses and private cars while others were seen to return home.

Jahangir Alam, a resident of Comilla and an engineer of the Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED), returned to his house fearing chaos after waiting at the bus stand for an hour. He was on the way to his Narayanganj office via Dhaka.

“Life is more valuable than attending office in such a situation. I would rather take a two-day leave,” Jahangir Alam said.

"Neither Awami League nor BNP is affected by such types of activities while only the general people become the worst sufferer, he added.

One Momena Begum of Comilla and her son managed to get up a Dhaka-bound bus at the bus stand but soon they got down from the bus apprehending violence ahead of the March 12 rally of the opposition.

Another Dhaka-bound passenger Hamidur Rahman, who was waiting at Comilla Cantonment Bus Stand, said it seems that the government has called a transport strike.

Meanwhile, a conductor of Asia Line which operates on Dhaka-Comilla route told our reporter that they will halt operation for Sunday and Monday fearing vandalism.

Md Uzzal, a Teletalk employee who was waiting at Chandina bus stand, told the reporter that he went to Comilla from Dhaka on Saturday on a official tour and boarded at a hotel at Comilla Biswa road.

MANIKGANJ SITUATION

Visiting Manikganj our reporter added that the launch owners have been asked by local administration to halt the launch services till the evening of March 12.

Several launch drivers seeking anonymity told The Daily Star that the local administration asked them to keep all the vessels anchored at Paturia and Aricha ghats so that no one could come from Daulatdia and Kazirhaat crossing the Padma river.

People however were seen to cross the river by ferry or taking alternative way.

Our Manikganj correspondent adds: The road and river communications between Dhaka and Manikganj were also disrupted.

The launch services on Paturia-Daulatdia route remained suspended since Saturday afternoon.

Paturia-Daulatdia route is the key route of communications between the capital and southwestern districts of the country.

The Ro-Ro (roll-on/roll-off) ferries were only seen to carry good-laden trucks. Only three buses were seen to cross the river till the report was filed at 11:45am Sunday.

Hundreds of people who had gone their village home during the two day weekend, could not return to their working place in Dhaka as no long-route buses were plying on the Dhaka-Manikganj highway.

Meanwhile, security was beefed up in Manikganj ahead of the March 12 mass rally of BNP.

Md Nurul Islam, inspector of Manikganj traffic police, told The Daily Star that several additional police check posts were set up in the town fearing anarchy ahead of the opposition rally.

All for People's Sake: Shahara

DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka, Mar 11 Home minister Shahara Khatun has said the people are scared ahead of BNP's Mar 12 rally and that the measures the government has taken are just to ensure their security.

"It is not the government but the people who got panicked due to opposition's Mar 12 programme. It is our responsibility to assure people that all necessary steps have been taken for their security," she said.

The minister admitted organising rally or programme is the right of any political party in a democratic system, but said the people got panicked due to statements issued by the opposition leaders.

Alleging that BNP's ally Jamaat-e-Islami is planning to create anarchy, Shahara showed newsmen a news item ran by a Bengali daily regarding this. Quoting the news reports she said, "BNP warned Jamaat against any subversive activities. It proves that there could be attempts to create anarchy on Mar 12.

She rejected an allegation that government took steps to cut off communications to Dhaka from the rest of the country.

The minister said government did not slap any ban on plying of vehicles.

"Better ask them (transporters)...," she said when newsmen asked her who gave the order to snap communications.

When asked how many have been detained ahead of the opposition's Mar 12 programme, she said, "I don't have the exact number. I can tell you after checking it with the people concerned."

To a question whether BNP would give permission to hold the rally, the home minister said, "BNP didn't come to me for the permission. People concerned will look into the matter."

Shahara expressed her satisfaction over the security situation when asked if she was going to resign to a deteriorating law and order situation marked by the killing of a journalist couple and then a Saudi embassy official.

"The prime minister will tell me if she finds out that I am not working properly. Once she said that I won't have any right to hold on to the position," she added.

She once again assured journalists that commendable progress has been made in the investigation of the killing of the journalist couple. But she could not tell when the investigation findings are going to be made public.

Mujaheed Indictment Hearing Pushed to Mar 20

DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka, Mar 11  Frequent requests from the defence on Sunday led the war crimes tribunal to adjourn Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed's indictment hearing to Mar 20.

The International Crimes Tribunal, set up to deal with crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, saw the prosecution get through about a fifth of the 109-page formal charge before the adjournment came.

Jamaat secretary general Mujaheed's lawyer Munshi Ahsan Kabir came up with a few petitions requesting the court to direct the prosecution to provide him with some missing documents and readable copies of certain documents that were not 'clear enough'. The counsel also petitioned for a further adjournment introducing a newly appointed defence lawyer, Nazrul Islam.

Chairman of the three-judge tribunal, Justice Nizamul Huq, told the defence that he needed not bring petitions for copies of missing documents or legible copies, which has become a regular feature on the appointed dates of indictment hearings.

"You don't even have to come to the court with these applications. Contact the prosecution, the moment you find a missing document and they will provide you the copies." Justice Huq did not issue any order on the petitions related to the missing documents or the illegible copies and asked the defence and prosecution to settle the matter between them.

Justice Huq told Kabir to be candid and free with the tribunal and ask for time if he was not prepared. However, the judge pointed out that counsels came to the court seeking missing documents at the last moment although they had gotten the volumes much before.

"We are marking this trend, but we have not yet said anything about this. It seems that there are ulterior motives behind this," said the tribunal chief said.

The defence counsel wondered if the judge thought it was a delay tactic of some sort. The judge said, "We don't want to call it that."

Kabir added that he had not so far asked for too long a time and the fact of the matter was that he had not been able to prepare fully. "Besides that, the new counsel has not had much time to acquaint himself with the case details."

Justice Huq said the defence would certainly get sufficient time for preparation but the tribunal was inclined to let the prosecution begin the hearing, which basically means a reading of formal charges. "This will be followed by arguments of the prosecution. We will fix a date for you after that," Justice Huq told both the defence counsellors, who kept up their meek protests.

The tribunal chairman agreed that Kabir had not asked for too many adjournments while Kabir kept insisting that it would become very tough for him. He then said, "At least let the records show that it has begun from today."

Prosecutor Mukhlesur Rahman began reading the formal charge and got through 21 pages before Justice Huq told him to stop for the day.

The tribunal is expected to hear defence arguments against Ghulam Azam's indictment on Mar 12.

The prosecution had submitted formal charges against Mujaheed on Dec 11, 2011 which the tribunal returned to them on 17 days later on Dec 28 saying that the charges ought to be resubmitted in a more organised fashion.

The prosecution complied on Jan 16 proposing to charge Mujaheed on 34 counts of war crimes including murder, rape, loot and arson. Mujaheed was arrested Jun 29, 2010.

The court took cognisance of charges against Mujaheed for perpetrating crimes against humanity on Jan 26.

During 1971, the current number two of Jamaat held the same post in Jamaat's student wing, called East Pakistan Islami Chhatra Sangha, while Matiur Rahman Nizami, also behind bars on war crimes charges, headed the student wing at that time.

Mujaheed later went on to become the chief of the student wing and doubled as a commander of Al Badr, a militia group mobilised by the Jamaat-e-Islami in 1971 as part of its active efforts to thwart and oppose the liberation forces.

Currently six top Jamaat leaders are behind bars charged with war crimes including the current and former chiefs of the party. Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, a BNP policymaker and an MP from Chittagong, has been detained on similar charges.

Another BNP leader, Abdul Alim, an old guard who had been in the cabinet of a previous BNP government, is the only one on bail. His next hearing is on Mar 15.

Megh now Takes to Street

DHAKA NEWS

The only child of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi took to the streets Sunday to voice the demand for arrest of his parents' killers.

Mahir Sarowar Megh participated in a human chain formed by journalists in front of the Jatiya Press Club in the capital.

Runi, a senior reporter at the private TV channel ATN Bangla, and her husband Sagar, a news editor at private TV station Maasranga, were murdered at their West Rajabazar flat in the capital on February 11.

Taking part in the human chain, Runi's brother Nawsher Noman expressed his disappointment that even one month after the murder, the killers are still at large. He demanded immediate arrest of the perpetrators.

Expressing disappointment at the failure to arrest the killers, journalist leader Manjurul Ahsan Khan Bulbul said, "We have been tired of having patient."

"We, the colleagues, cannot stand before the mother of Runi. We cannot stand before the son of Sagar-Runi," he added.

Another journalist leader, Shah Alamgir, said, "We have come here to express our hatred as the murders have not been arrested in a month."

Journalist JE Mamun questioned the government's sincerity in arresting the perpetrators. He said, "The government has to prove its sincerity with work."

Journalists from both the print and electronic media will organise a rally in the capital on March 18 to press home their demand.

The journalist leaders on Sunday threatened of tougher movement if the killers are not arrested by that day.