Indian team seeks goods transit: Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni

BANGLADESH NEWS

A group of influential Indian businessmen has asked Foreign Minister Dipu Moni for transit facility through Bangladesh territory to ship goods from one part of India to another.

A 15-strong Confederation of Indian Industry CEOs led by its President Adi Godrej made the call during a meeting with the minister at her office on Sunday, the foreign ministry said in a media release.

"He (Godrej) requested the Foreign Minister to allow Bangladesh territory to transport Indian goods to North-Eastern Indian states," the release said.

The delegation said that they would make an effort to boost Bangladesh's exports to India especially in North-Eastern States.

The delegation includes CEO of Max Health Ajay Bakshi, CEO of Thermax M S Unnikrishnan, CEO of Ceat Ltd Rajiv K Jain, chairman of Keventer Agro Mahendra Kumar Jalan, president of Bajaj Auto Rakesh Sharma, chief of Global Business Division of Tata Power Shubh Shrivastava, Chief Business Officer of NIIT Ajai Manohar Lal and Special Director of Ashok Leyland Antony Lobo.

They came to Dhaka on Friday on a three-day mission to strengthen economic relations with Bangladesh.

The Foreign Minister thanked Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for providing duty-free access to 46 textile items from Bangladesh into the Indian market during his visit in September last year.

India waived duty on almost all Bangladeshi products in November.

Moni stressed that India may encourage more exports from Bangladesh and urged the Indian delegates to play a productive and helpful role. 

August 21 grenade attack Deposition deferred till Jul 23,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

A Dhaka court Sunday deferred till July 23 submission of deposition by the witnesses in August 21 grenade attack case against 52 persons, including BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman.

Judge M Shahed Nur Uddin of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 fixed the date in a makeshift court compound beside Dhaka central jail at Nazimuddin Road in Bakshibazar area of the city.

The court also asked the defense counsels to cross examine the witnesses separately in the cases.

Some 14 witnesses were cross examined till Sunday.

Accused, including former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s nephew Lt Commander (retd) Saiful Islam Duke, Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid were present in the court.

On April 9, a Dhaka Court on Monday granted bail to three former inspector generals of police and three investigation officers in August 21 grenade attack case.

They are former IGPs M Ashraful Huda, Shahidul Haque and Khoda Box, former special police super Ruhul Amin, senior ASP of CID Munshi Atiqur Rahman and ASP Abdur Rashid.

Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Shahed Nur Uddin granted them bail upon a bond of Tk 50000.

Meanwhile, the court also rejected the bail plea of another accused Abu Taher as the allegation against him was considered as non-bailable.

Chief Prosecutor of the case Syed Rezaul Rahman and Advocate Khandaker Abdul Manna was present in the court.

On August 21 in 2004, a terrible grenade attack was made on an Awami League meeting at Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital.

A total of 24 people, including wife of former party general secretary and incumbent President Zillur Rahman and AL’s the then Secretary for Women’s Affairs Ivy Rahman, died in that attack. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the then opposition leader, narrowly survived the attack.

Motijheel Thana SI Faruk Hossain, AL leader Abdul Jalil and Saber Hossain Chowdhury filed three separate cases with Motijheel Thana over the incident.

Jamaat-e-Islami central leader and chairman of Diganta Media Corporation Mir Kashem Ali : granted division in jail,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

The International Crime tribunal-1 (ICT) on Sunday issued division status to detained Jamaat-e-Islami central leader and chairman of Diganta Media Corporation Mir Kashem Ali.

Two-member tribunal led by Justice Nizamul Haque passed the order as Mir Kashem Ali, who is now in jail over allegation of committing crimes against humanity during the Liberation War, as he sought division in jail.

Earlier on Jul 19, Mir Kashem Ali filed a petition with the tribunal seeking division status in jail.

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 fixed Sunday to pass an order on Mir Kashem Ali’s division petition on the same day.

Earlier on June 17, a team of Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested Mir Kashem around 4:45pm just an hour after the International Crimes Tribunal-1 issued an arrest warrant against the Jamaat leader.

Mir Kashem Ali, central leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and chairman of Diganta Media Corporation, was arrested for his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity in 1971.

Dr Zafar Iqbal says writer and younger brother of Humayun Ahmed dies of viral infection,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Dr Zafar Iqbal, renowned writer and younger brother of Humayun Ahmed, Sunday said that his brother died of viral infection not cancer.

The celebrated science-fiction writer told this to journalists at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the morning.

An Emirates Airlines flight carrying Humayun Ahmed left John F Kennedy Airport at 9:26am (BD local time) Sunday.

Zafar Iqbal said the body of Humayun Ahmed is expected to arrive in Dhaka at 9am on Monday.

Humayun’s body will be kept at the Central Shaheed Minar from 11am to 2pm on Monday to allow people to pay their last respects to him.

Later, Humayun’s body will be taken to National Eidgah for janaza after paying respect to the noted writer in Shaheed Minar.

Humayun’s body will be kept in the mortuary of BIRDEM Hospital in the night. The body will be taken to Nuhash Palli at 8am on Tuesday. He will be laid to rest there.

Earlier, the first Namaz-e- Janaza of eminent soap-opera maker was held at Muslim Center in Jamaica after Jumma prayer (NY time).

Among others, the relatives and family members of the noted writer, Bangladesh`s permanent representative to the United Nations, Dr AK Abdul Momen and Bangladeshi and Bangladesh Ambassador to US Akramul Qader joined the gathering.

Meanwhile, more than 5000 expatriates, including 1000 Bangladeshi women attended the prayer.

Humayun Ahmed breathed his last in Bellevue Hospital of USA on Thursday night after a nine-month battle against colon cancer.

Drives against criminals to be conducted: Home state minister Advocate Shamsul Haque Tuku,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

PABNA: Home state minister Advocate Shamsul Haque Tuku said combing operations against criminals and drug traders will be conducted in a bid to protect the sanctity of Ramandan.

He said, “Action will also be taken against law enforcers if any irregularity found in this regard.”

He came up with the forewarning while addressing a donation distribution programme among poor in Santha upazila in the district on Saturday.

The state minister said, “The then BNP-led-four-party alliances made the country non-active by forming terrorist and militant organization. People rejected them in the last elections as they destroyed our jute and textile industries.”

Tuku said, “Awami League has regained the lost glory of the country after assuming the power. Bangladesh has already recognized as a prosperous country in the world.”

Destroyers control sharemarket: Finance Minister AMA Muhith Four funding alternatives for Padma bridge,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Sunday said the share market is 'in control of destroyers' and repeated attempts to stabilise the market from them have been hindered.

“We are trying to restructure the share market by December and then it will be free from the control of the destroyers,” the minister said.

He was addressing a dividend transfer ceremony of Bangladesh Development Bank Ltd (BDBL) at the finance ministry at Secretariat.

The minister also said the government has taken in consideration four alternatives to secure funding for the Padma bridge project.

"To restore the credit agreement with the World Bank is the first option followed by the second – going ahead with the project with funds from the other three donor agencies,” said the minister.

The three donor agencies are: Asian Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency and Islamic Development Bank.

“The third alternative would be letting PPP (Public Private Partnership) implement the project and the final alternative is to go on with the Prime Minister’s announcement to build the bridge with own fund,” he said.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asks Baira to take good care of migrating workers,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday asked the Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (Baira) to look into the matters of workers more humanly and sympathetically while sending them abroad.

The prime minister made the directive when the newly elected members of the Executive Committee of Baira led by its President Shahjalal Majumder met her at her office.

After the meeting, PM’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed reporters.

Referring to the government initiative of imparting training to the workers intending to migrate on the language and laws of the countries concerned before migration, Hasina asked Baira to arrange similar programmes.

She also asked them to minimise the migration costs of the poor workers to lessen their burden.

Expressing satisfaction over dutifulness and awareness of Baira about the migration of manpower, the prime minister said her government undertaken various measures for the welfare of the expatriate Bangladeshis.

In this context, she mentioned the establishment of Expatriate Welfare Bank to help minimise the migration cost so that the intending workers do not have to sell their belongings.

Referring to the election manifesto of the government, she said the government has created job opportunities for people, particularly the unemployed youths, in four districts under the national service programme.

Besides, any individual can take loan up to Tk one lakh without any collateral from Employment Bank to create job opportunities, she added.

The Baira leaders greeted the prime minister with a bouquet for various successes of her government, including wining of maritime boundary demarcation case against Myanmar.

They also informed some of their problems, including awarding CIP status to the Baira leaders.

The prime minister told the delegation that initiatives will be taken to solve their problems in consultation with the officials concerned.

Bangladesh needs to address HR issue seriously: European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh William Hanna

BANGLADESH NEWS

The government needs to address human rights issue more seriously as human rights violation is similar to violation of democracy, William Hanna, European Union ambassador to Bangladesh, said on Sunday.

“As human rights violation means violation of the democracy, we urge the government of Bangladesh to pay more heed to the issue to ensure the rights of every communities” the EU ambassador said.

He was speaking at a seminar at Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Bangladesh (CBCB) centre in the capital.

Indigenous Peoples Development Services organised the seminar titled ‘Indigenous Peoples in the Plain Land: Challenges and Prospects’.

Addressing the seminar as chief guest, Hanna said the EU would continue its discussion on human rights issue with Bangladesh government and other stakeholders.

He urged the government to protect the indigenous peoples’ rights for the development of the country.

If Bangladesh fails to protect the rights of the indigenous peoples like all its citizens, it can not be a democratic state, said Prof Mizanur Rahman, chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

Addressing as special guest, the NHRC chairman further said the bureaucratic institutions concerned dealing with the property and the rights of the indigenous peoples need to be acquainted with their problems.

Andre Bogui, country director of International Labour Organisation, Gareth Price Jones, country director of Oxfam GB and Sanjeeb Drong, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Noted writer and soap-opera maker Humayun Ahmed:burial not at Nuhash Palli Family still undecided about the place, body on way home, due Monday morning, burial Tuesday,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

The family of Humayun Ahmed has confirmed that the legendary writer would not be buried at Nuhash Palli in Gazipur.

Mahabunnabi Sheikh, a maternal uncle of the popular filmmaker, said Sunday afternoon, "The body will not be buried at Nuhash Palli as the place is far away for the family, friends and fans to pay a visit."

Three possible places where the body of the fiction writer can be buried are: Dhaka University, Banani Graveyard and Mirpur martyred intellectual graveyard, Mahabunnabi who is staying with Humayun's mother at Mirpur,

Meanwhile, the family and friends of Humayun Ahmed accompanying the body of legendary writer boarded an Emirates flight at John F Kennedy Airport in New York for home at 11:20pm (NY time) on Saturday.

The flight is scheduled to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 8:40am Monday (BST).

Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes will receive the coffin on behalf of the government of Bangladesh, informed AK Abdul Momen, Bangladesh’s permanent representative to the United Nations.

Earlier, the body was scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on Sunday. But the homecoming was delayed due to unavailability of seats.

Abdul Momen, consul general Sabbir Ahmed Chowdhury and hundreds of expatriate Bangladeshis bade farewell to the writer at the JFK Airport.

The flight carrying the body of the master storyteller has to wait at Dubai Airport for some time and it is expected to take off around 2:00am Monday for Dhaka.

Bangladesh Ambassador to the UAE Nazmul Qaunain is expected to look after the family members and the coffin at Dubai Airport.

Humayun Ahmed, an illustrious litterateur and filmmaker, died at Manhattan's Bellevue Hospital in New York Thursday night after a nine-month struggle with colon cancer.

Humayun's wife Meher Afroz Shaon, two sons Nishad and Ninith, mother-in-law Tahura Ali, sister-in-law Senjuti Afroze and friend, who is also owner of Anno Prokash, Mazharul Islam are accompanying the body.

From the airport, the body will be taken to Humayun Ahmed's Dhanmondi residence Dakhin Hawa where his mother Ayesha Fayz will finally say farewell to her son.

The body of the writer will be kept at the Central Shaheed Minar from 11:00am to 2:00pm on Monday so that people from all walks of life could pay last tributes to their favourite novelist.

His second namaz-e-janaza will be held at the National Eidgah at 2:30pm, Nasiruddin Yousuff Bachchu, president of Sammilito Sangskritik Jote, said earlier.

In New York on Friday, several thousand fans and admirers joined his first janaza after Juma prayers at Jamaica Muslim Centre.

His body will be taken to Birdem Hospital mortuary around 3:30pm and kept there at night, he said.

"Tuesday morning around 9:00am, we will start the journey with the body towards Nuhash Palli in Gazipur, where he will be buried after Zohr prayers," he had earlier said.

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Teachers postpone en masse resignation Buet Teachers resume demo

BANGLADESH NEWS

The Buet teachers demonstrating for the removal of vice-chancellor and pro-vice-chancellor on Saturday postponed their en masse resignation programme till July 30.

On July 16, the Buet Teachers' Association decided to resign en masse over the ongoing stalemate centring their demand for removal of the VC and his deputy.

Meanwhile, the teachers, students and employees of the Buet (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology) resumed their movement Saturday morning after a two day break.

Prof Mujibur Rahman, president of the Buet Teachers Association, informed of the decision that came following the association's meeting held during a two-hour sit-in before Buet Council Building Saturday morning.

“We postponed the decision to facilitate the government’s steps to resolve the ongoing impasses centering the removal of the VC and his deputy,” he said explaining why the decision came.

“We [Buet Teachers’ Association] have trust in the government that it will soon come to a decision regarding the removal of the VC and Pro-VC,” he added.

“We responded to the requests made by the three former Buet vice-chancellors--Abdul Matin Patowari, MH Khan and Iqbal Mahmud-- and Buet Alumni Association President Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury as they said the government is making headway towards solution,” the professor added.

The teachers’ association president however informed that the two-hour sit-in will continue every day from 11:00am to mark their stance against the two top administrative bosses of the institution.

As part of the demonstration, the agitating teachers, students and employees of Buet staged a two-hour sit-in from 11:00am, Prof Mujibur Rahman said.

Earlier on July 18, the teachers postponed their demonstration for two days - Thursday and Friday - to show respect to Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid's initiative in resolving the crisis through negotiations.

“We have no alternative but to restart our movement to press home our demand,” Prof Ashraful Islam, general secretary of the association, said on the eve of restoring their demonstration.

Since April 7, the Buet Teachers Association has been staging protests demanding the resignation of VC Prof SM Nazrul Islam and Pro-VC Prof Habibur Rahman.

The association has levelled 16 allegations against them, among which are the appointment of the pro-VC and a deputy registrar on “political consideration”.