Stop Anarchy During Hartal, AL Activists told Home minister Shahara Khatun

DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka, Apr 28  Home minister Shahara Khatun on Saturday asked the leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League and grand alliance partners to stay alert and prevent any chaotic situation created by the opposition party during their general strike called for Sunday and Monday.

"Whoever tries to torch vehicles to create chaos in the name of hartal should be stopped right there," she said at a programme organised to hand over two new vehicles to Adabar Police Station in the city.

She said the government and the law-enforcers are not enough to prevent 'all kinds of anarchy'. "That's why leaders and activists [of the parties] will have to be on the streets besides the law-enforcers to maintain law and order."

Leader of the opposition and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Tuesday set the deadline for 'returning' the missing organising secretary M Ilias Ali by Saturday after countrywide shutdowns for three consecutive days.

Saying law-enforcers are trying to find out Ilias, Shahara on Saturday said, "We had asked for the opposition's assistance in this regard, but they did not help."

"The opposition has been enforcing general strike continuously over the issue of Ilias Ali's disappearance. They are doing this only to create anarchy in the country," she claimed.

Ilias Ali, also the party's Sylhet chapter chief, and his driver Ansar Ali went missing at around midnight on Apr 17. Police found Ilias's abandoned car and mobile phone at a street in the capital's Mohakhali near his Banani residence. There has been no trace of Ali or his driver ever since.

The Rapid Action Battalion has conducted raids at several places in Gazipur's Pubail and Dhaka in the last 10 days to find Ilias, but to no avail. 

Mujaheed back in jail after parole

DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka, Apr 28 Detained Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed, who is behind bars facing war crimes charges, is back in the prison after being released on a six-hour parole on Saturday to attend his brother's funeral at Uttara in the capital.

The Jamaat secretary-general started from Narayanganj prison at 3:30pm and reached his Uttara residence a few minutes after 5pm. The body of his younger brother, Ali Ashraf Mohammad Shoaib, 56, was kept there.

After passing some time beside the dead body and attending the namaj-e-janaza at a local mosque, Mujaheed was brought back to the prison around 9pm, jailer Dewan Toriqul Islam told .

Earlier, Narayanganj correspondent reported that a white microbus carrying Mujaheed and police left the jail premises. It was followed by a police van.

Mujaheed's younger brother Ali Ashraf Mohammad Shoaib, 56, died on Friday afternoon. He was the Faridpur district correspondent of Dainik Shangram and vice-president of the press club there.

Detained on June 2010, Mujaheed was shown arrested in for charges of crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War.

The International Crimes Tribunal's probe body accused him of various crimes including killing, rape and arson.

Delawar Hossain Sayedee, against whom war crimes charges have been framed at the ICT, had also been granted temporary parole in October last year to attend his mother's funeral. 

15 Hurt in BCL Attack

DHAKA NEWS

Bangladesh Chhatra League men at Jahangirnagar University yesterday beat up at least 15 cultural activists for protesting the pro-government student body's vandalism at a demonstration by teachers the day before.

Late at night, a group of BCL men hurled brickbats at the teachers holding a sit-in outside the vice-chancellor's residence demanding his resignation. During the attack, they clubbed the cultural activists with sticks.

AKM Shahnewaz, a professor of archaeology, was injured as one of the projectiles thrown cut his forehead.

Earlier, around 3:00pm, some 50 Chhatra League men attacked Sangskritik Jote activists who were bringing out a protest procession near the arts faculty building.

The Jote leaders alleged that the attack took place in presence of a few members of the proctorial body.

Of the injured, Sangskritik Jote JU unit President Koli Mahmud, Vice-president Moin Muntasir Kartik, activists Toufiqul Islam Arno, Sushanto, Sudip Bhattacharya and Farid Uddin Masud were admitted to Savar Enam Medical College Hospital.

Kartik said Chhatra League activists led by Sharif, Shamim and Samrat first swopped on Koli Mahmud. The others came under attack when they rushed to save Koli.

Contacted, JU Proctor Sukalyan Kundu denied the allegation that members of the proctorial body were present during the attack. He said the university authorities would take necessary action after investigating the incident.

Chhatra League activist Sharif told journalists that they had beaten up the processionists suspecting there were Chhatra Shibir men among them.

Earlier on Friday, BCL men vandalised the stage set up for a teachers' protest programme. They also burnt the banner of the programme.

Since early morning yesterday, JU teachers under the banner of Shikkhak Samaj were demonstrating in front of the vice-chancellor's residence.

Shikkhak Samaj has been demanding the resignation of VC Prof Shariff Enamul Kabir since the murder of Zubair Ahmed, an English department student, on January 9.

The agitation intensified after two teachers of Botany department were arrested on Thursday for allegedly assaulting the chairman of the department the previous day.

The agitating teachers yesterday vowed to continue their sit-in in front of the vice-chancellor's residence for an indefinite period.

“We will not stop our protest until this illegal VC resigns,” said Prof Nasim Akhter Hossain.

Meanwhile, the teachers loyal to Shariff Enamul Kabir have taken up counter-demonstrations behind the VC residence.

Hasina Warns Against Attack on Democracy

DHAKA NEWS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged all to be cautious so that none can play games with people's fate and democratic rights.

Stating that repeated attacks on democracy have foiled the efforts to build the country with the spirit of Liberation War, she said Bangladesh could have been a prosperous nation 20 to 25 years ago and set an example in the world, had the Father of the Nation survived today.

Only the democratic governments can bring about prosperity and welfare to people, she told a civic reception at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad.

National Citizens' Committee accorded the reception to her to celebrate the victory in a case over disputed maritime boundary with Myanmar.

"It is unfortunate and painful that the nation lost the Father of the Nation and the four national leaders. As a result, democracy was hampered and military dictators had captured state power at gunpoint," she mentioned.

She urged all to work together to make the country free from hunger, militancy and fundamentalism.

The organisers said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman led the nation during the country's Liberation War and his daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led people to the victory in maritime boundary case with Myanmar. Such achievement of the father and daughter is unique in world history, they added.

With a recent verdict from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), Bangladesh has established its economic and territorial rights on 200-nautical mile in the Bay of Bengal and a substantial share of the outer continental shelf beyond 200-nautical mile. The court also awarded Bangladesh a full 12-mile territorial sea around the St Martin's Island.

Thousands of people attended the reception that turned into a joyous ceremony. Noted singers and dancers performed at the reception.

In his citation, poet Syed Shamsul Huq said Bangladesh is known as Green Bangla and with the latest victory it now could be Blue Bangla. "Thus with the combination of green and blue, we will build a Golden Bangla."

He congratulated Hasina for her outstanding leadership in the maritime boundary case.

Prof Zillur Rahman Siddiqui, chairman of the National Citizens' Committee, handed over a crest and citation to the premier, congratulating her on behalf of the people.

Hasina dedicated the victory to the next generation, saying this is not her victory but of the people who have supported her government.

She also thanked Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, officials concerned of her ministry, Bangladesh Navy and others for pursuing the case with the ITLOS.

The government of Bangabandhu in 1974 had framed the relevant laws on the maritime boundary. The previous Awami League government in 1996 took various efforts to that end. After returning to power in 2009, the AL through its all-out efforts achieved the victory, mentioned Hasina.

A case on the maritime boundary with India will be settled in 2014. "If people vote us back to power, we will employ all our efforts to ensure victory again," she said.

"Bangabandhu loved the people of this country deeply. I realised that. Therefore, I too love the people of this country and can make any sacrifice to see them prosper," she said adding, "We want to see a prosperous Bangladesh in 2021 on the 50th anniversary of our independence."

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said people have to be cautious about those who cannot accept the achievement and progress of the nation and act accordingly during the elections.

Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, Prof Qazi Kholiquzzaman, artist Quayuum Chowdhury, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry President AK Azad Chowdhury, cultural activist Golam Kuddus, journalist Golam Sarwar, National Professor MR Khan, Peshajibi Samannay Parishad leader Mesbahuddin Ahmed, former captain of Bangladesh national cricket team Rakibul Hasan, Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad President Maj Gen (retd) Helal Morshed Khan, Bangladesh Football Federation President Kazi Salahuddin were present, among others.

Fire Kills 5 of a Family in Faridpur

FARIDPUR NEWS

Five members of a family were killed as a devastating fire broke out at a house in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur early yesterday.

Police identified the victims as Abdur Rashid Bhuiyan, 80, his grandchildren Shahin Bhuiyan, 17, and Fiha, 3, and two relatives Golam Mohiuddin alias Sumon, 16, and Tohura, 11.

Dadan Fakir, officer-in-charge of Bhanga Police Station,  that the fire originated at Rashid's house at Khakanda Nazirpur village around 12:30am. All of the deceased were asleep, he said.

Fire fighters extinguished the blaze with the help of locals after one hour of frantic efforts and recovered the charred bodies, the OC said. The fire originated from the kitchen.

Deputy Commissioner Helaluddin Ahmed visited the spot. The family was given Tk 5,000 for each of the deceased. He told  that the district administration will also give them 100kg rice for each.

Youth: a boon for economy

DHAKA NEWS

The majority of youth population in Bangladesh could be a boon for the country as young people have emerged as a major force behind economic development in many Asian countries, speakers at a discussion said yesterday.

Three out of four people in Bangladesh are below 40 years, which could impact the growth story, they said.

Bangladesh's young population should be open-minded and tolerant to new ideas, cultures and religions and also be knowledgeable and hard-working to become global citizens, they suggested.

Their comments came at the seminar on "Global citizenship: a step forward" as part of the "Youth Leadership Summit 2012" at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.

Bangladesh Youth Leadership Centre (BYLC) organised the three-day event with the theme “Leading Bangladesh into the future: a journey of exploration.”

Neal Walker, United Nations resident coordinator in Bangladesh, said the youth population around the world accounts for a fifth of the world's population. "This is your world and you are going to change it."

The youth has the potential to contribute to creating a better world, Walker said. "To become a global citizen, you need to know your country first to be able to appreciate other countries."

He urged the participants to get involved in any work that gives the individual satisfaction because all jobs give dividend. "By doing so, you will learn how to get things done and get results."

He said the youth issue is one of the top five agendas of the current UN secretary general. "The UN aims to strengthen participation of the youth in decision making process."

Walker said the opinion of the youth served the key ground for the recent political and social changes in the Arab world, similar to the Language Movement and the Liberation War in Bangladesh.

The UN official said Bangladesh has been known as a land of storms, floods and typhoons. "But that is a small part of the success story of the country."

"Bangladesh is one of the few countries that are on track to achieve most of the Millennium Development Goals."

Michael Kuehner, chief executive officer of Robi Axiata Ltd, a mobile operator, said leadership is the key requisite for development, and the youth has always played a critical role in development.

He said youth is one of the biggest resources for any country to have. Unlike many other countries, Bangladesh has a lot of resources in terms of the youth. It is a good thing.

Kuehner said the youth is contributing to the economic growth in many countries to a large extent.

He said economies of the deve-

loping countries, which have a big class of youth, are growing.

Asia, for example, is growing as its youth population is energetic, hardworking and entrepreneurial, he said adding that youth should be given proper training and opportunities so that they can tap their potential.

He urged the country's growing young population to excel in English to connect themselves with the rest of the world in an effective way.

Kuehner said global citizenship faces many challenges. It is not fully covered by legal framework in most countries that are making it impossible for the youth to act globally.

Shiro Sadoshima, Japanese ambassador to Bangladesh, urged the participants to think big.

Bangladesh has given so many things to the world, he said. "Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus' microcredit has been replicated in many countries. Many countries have accepted the idea as an important tool to fight poverty."

Anam urged young people to be open-minded, tolerant, knowledgeable and hard-working to become leaders.

Ejaj Ahmad, president of BYLC, also spoke at the summit, which began yesterday.

Ferry service at Lebukhali terminal threatened

BANGLADESH NEWS

Ferry service at Labukhali terminal on Patuakhali-Barisal road is under threat due to river erosion at the onset of the rains as a portion of the protection embankment near the terminal collapsed on Monday.

Earlier in August last year, a point of the embankment just beside the ferry terminal collapsed, making the station highly vulnerable.

Fresh crack developed on the flood protection embankment near the gangway of Labukhali ferry terminal on Patuakhali-Barisal road on Monday noon and over 100 feet area of the embankment collapsed in the evening, said locals and Water Development Board (WDB) officials.

"With fresh collapse in the protection embankment, the gangway of the ferry ghat has turned too risky. In August last year, the main point of the embankment collapsed but it is yet to be repaired," said Abdul Kuddus, supervisor of Lebukhali ferry terminal.

The road communication between Patuakhali and Barisal may stop any time if the gangway of the terminal has to be removed from the riverbank, he said.

Lebukhali ferry station bears much importance as it is on Kuakata-Dhaka highway.

"We are worried as the erosion of the protection embankment may cause suspension of road communication if authorities fail to take necessary step," said Awal Farazee, a local businessman.

A number of families will also become homeless if the embankment cannot be protected, said Abul Hossain Howlader, another local.

When contacted, Md Siddiqur Rahman, executive engineer of Patuakhali WDB, said, "We have already taken primary steps to protect the ferry station by putting some concrete blocks at the damaged site. We will take long-term steps to save the spot as soon as possible."

11 freedom fighters lined up, then killed

DHAKA NEWS

On the instruction of Abdul Alim, the Pakistani army killed 11 freedom fighters near Government Degree College of Joypurhat during the Liberation War, the prosecution told the International Crimes Tribunal-2 yesterday.

“Geyara admi Bharat ka char hay, Pakistan ka dushman, Muktifouj hay, usko vej do [These 11 people are spies of India, enemies of Pakistan, freedom fighters, send them],” was what the former BNP lawmaker had said in Urdu, said Prosecutor Rana Dasgupta.

“Afterwards, they [11 freedom fighters] were lined up before the Pakistani army and shot dead in Barghati pond area, at the northeast side of Government Degree College,” said the prosecutor.

During the hearing on charge framing at the Tribunal-2 yesterday, the prosecutor, for the third consecutive day, was reading out the charges of crimes against humanity allegedly committed by Alim.

The freedom fighters were rounded up in the first week of September by the Pakistani army and their collaborators. They were later taken in front of the house of Azim Uddin Sardar on Sadar Road of Joypurhat on two trucks.

“When one of the freedom fighters sought water and Azim Uddin's son came forward to give water, Alim's bodyguard kicked the water pot,” Rana went on reading.

Later, they were taken to the Government Degree College where Alim on a jeep asked them to “vej do [send them]”, said the prosecutor.

The prosecution yesterday finished reading out all 28 incidents of atrocity allegedly committed by Alim and completed their deposition on charge framing against the former minister. He read out nine incidents yesterday.

The prosecution pleaded the tribunal to frame charge against the accused on the basis of documents submitted to the tribunal.

“We have read out 28 incidents of atrocity with the places, time, victim's address, statement of the witnesses and other relevant documents before the tribunal and we hope that one or more elements to frame charges are available in it,” said the prosecution.

“We have tried our best so that charges are framed against the accused, now it is up to the tribunal to consider,” the prosecutor added.

The tribunal, the second of two set up to deal with war crimes committed during the Liberation War, fixed May 3 for recording the arguments of the defence on charge framing.

When yesterday's proceeding began at 10:30am, Prosecutor Rana Dasgupta drew the court's attention on a report of Bangla daily Prothom Alo headlined “Alimer biruddhe 17 ghatanar barnana [Description of 17 incidents against Alim]” published on April 26 and said a part of the news was not authentic.

He said if the tribunal thought that the part of the report did not justify the facts, then it should direct the newspaper authority to publish a correction and warn the reporter to be more cautious while writing about court proceedings.

The court, however, did not deliver any order immediately.

Rana Dasgupta then started reading out the incidents of atrocity allegedly committed by Alim.

In another incident, Pakistani army and their collaborators picked up freedom fighters Fazlul Karim and two others from Akkelpur and took them to the CO (dev) Office on October 7, 1971, said Rana.

Driven by “political malevolence” and in Alim's presence and on his orders, faces of the three were painted in black and white. They were then walked all around the entire town, Rana went on reading.

Major Afzal, a Pakistan army officer, and Abdul Alim also went along with them and delivered speeches against the Liberation War, said Rana.

“Freedom fighters are fighting against Pakistan. Father of Fazlul Karim is my friend and I told him to bring his son back from the wrong path but he did not pay heed to my words. So his son has to die,” the prosecutor quoted Alim's alleged speech delivered on that day.

Later, the three were killed but their bodies were not found.

Yesterday, Rana mentioned nine bullet points during the reading of charges, each on one incident of crimes against humanity allegedly committed by Alim, the chairman of the Peace Committee (a collaborator force) of Joypurhat.

The bullet points were: Abduction, confinement and torture of Fazlur Rahman; abduction, confinement, torture and killing of Doctor Abul Kashem; confinement and torture of Khalilur Rahman; Barghati genocide after confinement of 11 youths; provocative speech of the accused; killing of three people including Fazlul Karim; confinement, torture and killing at Joypurhat Sugar Mill; abduction, confinement and killing of Jabbal Hossain and abduction, confinement and torture of Azizar Rahman.

The tribunal asked the prosecution to submit proper addresses of some of the places it mentioned in the charges and mention the corresponding date following the English calendar in cases where dates were mentioned following the Bangla calendar.

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 had taken the charges brought against Alim into cognisance on March 27 after the prosecution submitted formal charges against him on March 15. On April 16, Tribunal-1 transferred three cases, including Alim's, to Tribunal-2 for quick disposal.

Alim who is facing 74 counts of crimes against humanity in the 28 incidents, was present at the tribunal yesterday. Alim is among the nine accused facing crimes against humanity charges at the two tribunals.

BNP, Mozena mum after meeting Khaleda

DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka, Apr 26 The US ambassador to Bangladesh, Dan W Mozena, met BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia Thursday evening amid growing political unrest over the disappearance of opposition leader M Ilias Ali.

Coming out of the meeting that lasted about 45 minutes, Mozena declined to talk to media, walked straight to his car and left the Gulshan office of BNP chief.

And none from BNP briefed the media about what was discussed at the meeting. However, the opposition party usually briefs media after such meetings.

Earlier in the morning, Khaleda's press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan informed journalists that Mozena wanted to meet the BNP chief.

BNP's acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP chief's adviser Reaz Rahman, vice-president of the party Shamsher Mubin Chowdhury and Sabihuddin Ahmed attended the meeting among others.

Earlier on Tuesday, the US ambassador told reporters at his residence that they were worried over the Illias Ali affair.

He called on everyone to react rationally in finding out Ilias Ali. Mozena also urged the opposition to assist the government in the affair.

M Ilias Ali, one of BNP's organising secretaries and also a former MP, has been missing since Apr 18. The BNP had been accusing the government of abducting him.

BNP recently enforced a three-day countrywide shutdown demanding the government return Ilias Ali. At a media briefing on Tuesday, the party chief gave the government an ultimatum to find out Ilias Ali by Saturday and warned that if he was not found tougher agitation programmes would be announced from Sunday.

The following day, leaders of the newly formed 18-Party Alliance hinted that they might enforce nonstop shutdown from Sunday if Ali was not found by the deadline.  

No clear signs after re-autopsy

DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka, Apr 26  After carrying out fresh autopsies on 'highly decomposed' bodies, the forensic expert has said it was not still clear how journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi had died nearly two and a half months back.

"The muscles and skin have mostly moved away from the bones. The organs couldn't be recognised properly," Dr Kazi Golam Mokhlesur Rahman, chief of the Forensic Department of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, told reporters at its morgue on Thursday.

"However, we've collected some samples from their bodies for viscera tests," he added.

Sagar, news editor at private TV channel Maasranga, and Runi, a senior reporter at another TV channel ATN Bangla, were killed in the early hours of Feb 11 at their rented apartment in the city's West Rajabazar.

The remains of their bodies were exhumed from Azimpur Graveyard on Thursday morning in presence of executive magistrate Shahiduzzaman for fresh autopsies to crack the mystery surrounding the homicide.

Apart from DMCH forensics chief Dr Rahman, assistant professor Dr Kamrul Hasan and lecturer Dr Parvez Iftekhar carried out the re-autopsy.

The bodies were buried again around 5:15pm in presence of Runi's brother Nowsher Alam Ruman and Sagar's brother-in-law Shah Md Shariful Islam, sub-inspector at the RAB headquarters Abu Hossain confirmed bdnews24.com.

After the re-autopsy, Mokhlesur Rahman told reporters that the bodies were exhumed to find out the answers to the some questions – whether the couple were poisoned to death and who had died earlier.

Asked whether it was possible to find now if the couple were poisoned to death, Dr Rahman said, "Traces of poisons generally do not last long in most cases. But there are some evidence that do remain in the body for long."

When asked why no viscera test was done or no evidence was preserved during the first autopsy, he said the police investigation officer did want ed to know the reasons of the deaths.

"He had not spoken about the suspicion that they might have been poisoned. We would have conducted chemical test if we had been told about the suspicion," he added.

Following the brutal murders, Runi's brother filed a case with the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station but the Detective Branch (DB) of police failed to make any visible headway into the investigation.

The High Court on Apr 18 vented frustration over the failure of the detectives in identifying the killer(s) and ordered the authorities to transfer the case to Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

The court also asked the elite crime-bustling force to complete the case within a short time using modern technologies.

On Tuesday, the RAB forensic wing's assistant superintendent of police Jafar Ullah, who is investigating the case, appealed for exhuming the bodies for visceral examination and other forensic tests as those had not been done earlier.

Magistrate Bikash Kumar Saha of Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court approved the plea and asked for an executive magistrate to be assigned to supervise the whole affair.

Sagar's brother-in-law Shariful Islam, who was present at the DMCH morgue, told reporters they hoped the exhumation and fresh autopsies of the bodies by the RAB did not go in vain. "We want a positive outcome this time."