Violence-torn Jahangirnagar University closed till August 25 Road barricade withdrawn,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Jahangirnagar University has been closed till August 25 following the violence on campus brewed over police firing on the students Wednesday night.

The decision was taken at an emergency syndicate meeting of the university Thursday afternoon, Abu Bakar Siddique, registrar of the university,

The authorities also asked the male students to vacate their dormitories by 6:00pm today and female students by 9:00am Friday.

A probe body led by Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Farhad Hossain was formed to investigate into the violence that resulted in the closure.

The probe body was asked to submit its report within 21 days.

Earlier on Wednesday night, six students of the university were injured when police fired rubber bullets on them while they were trying to foil an arrest attempt of one of their fellows by the law enforcers.

Protesting the police attack, the students blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway since 12:05am Thursday, reports our JU correspondent.

They put barricades in front of the gate No.1, 2 and 3 of the university, halting transport movement on the highway creating a 12-km traffic jam on both sides.

The students however withdrew the blockade around 3:45pm after the authorities asked the students to vacate their dormitories.

A chase and counter-chase also took place between the law enforcers and students at noon when police trying to use water canon to disperse the agitating students from the highway.

Academic activities at the university remained suspended on Thursday following the agitation.

The JU authorities have postponed dean election at four faculties scheduled to be held today, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Farhad Hossain.

The violence erupted on the university campus when some unruly youths stabbed Towhidul Islam Likhon, an activist of president-secretary group of Bangladesh Chhatra League, a faction of JU BCL unit, near the dairy gate around 10:30pm Wednesday.

Likhon, a student of economics department and a resident of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, was rushed to the university’s medical centre from where he was shifted to Enam Medical College and Hospital at Savar.

Protesting the attack, general students brought out processions on the campus around 11:00pm, demanding punishment of the attackers.

After few moments, police entered Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall of the university and tried to arrest Nahid, a third year student of anthropology department, on charge of attacking Likhon.

Police shot blank fire when other students resisted them from arresting Nahid.

At one stage of altercation, police shot rubber bullets on the students, injuring six of them, students claimed.

The law enforcers left the scene immediately with empty hands in face of student protest.

Among the bullet-hit students, five – Rakib of pharmacy department, Bashir of statistics, Maruf of information technology, Robin of mathematics and Nahid of finance and banking department— were rushed to Enam Medical College Hospital. They however were discharged from the hospital later.

After the firing, students took to the streets soon after the midnight and put barricades on the highway, demanding resignation of the provost and proctorial body and punitive action against the responsible police personnel.

They claimed that police entered the campus as per the instruction of the university authorities.

On information, the VC rushed to the spot and tried in vain to quell the agitating students.

The students also vandalised a vehicle carrying proctorial body when they reached the spot to settle the matter.

Around 6:00am Thursday, Proctor Tapan Kumar Saha, Pro-VC Farhad and Treasurer Nasirudddin talked to the students but they refused to withdraw the barricades.

Contacted, Mohammad Asaduzzaman, officer-in-charge of Savar Police Station, said they went to arrest Nahid as a complaint was lodged against him on charge of attacking BCL man Likhon.

“We were compelled to open fire in face of student protest,” the OC said.

The general students claimed that people, who killed JU student Zubair Ahmed in January, might have made the attack on Likhon as he along with the other students formed a human chain on the campus on Wednesday demanding punishment of the Zubair’s killers.

Awami League advisory council member and minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta:Khaleda Zia delays Bangabandhu killing trial,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Awami League advisory council member and minister without portfolio Suranjit Sengupta Wednesday alleged Bangabandhu killing trial remained delayed for seven years on former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s direction.

The AL leader came up with the allegation while addressing at a discussion organized by Bangabandhu Academy at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) of the city.

“Khaleda Zia tried to halt the trial of Bangabandhu’s killers exercising power during the four-party led government. But, AL has accomplished the trial,” said Suranjit.

He also alleged that BNP leaders including Ziaur Rahman and Khandaker Mushtaq helped the murderers by providing jobs in home and abroad.

Regarding Padma Bridge, he said, “BNP is feeling headache as JICA and ADP extended the tenure loan deal.”

Suranjit said that the World Bank would also extend the tenure of loan deal like JICA and ADB.

With advisor of Bangabandhu Academy Lion Mujibur Rahman in the chair, the discussion was also addressed, among others, by AL organizing secretary Ahmed Hossain, World University VC Professor Dr Abdul Mannan Chowdhury, vice president of Krishak League MA Karim and Dhaka Metropolitan AL joint general secretary Hazi Md Selim.

Agriculture university to be set up in Rajshahi:Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also ruling Awami League president, said one more agriculture university in the country would be set up in Rajshahi.

The premier made the disclosure when a delegation of newly elected leaders of Sher-e-Bangla Agriculture University (SAU) Teachers’ Association called on her at her office on Wednesday.

Professor Alok Kumar Paul and Professor Mofazzal Hossain, president and general secretary of the association respectively, led the delegation while Vice Chancellor Professor Shadat Ulla and other office bearers were included in the delegation.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, PM’s Advisor Professor Alauddin Ahmed, Principal Secretary Sheikh M Wahid Uz Zaman, PMO Secretary Mollah Wahiduzzaman and Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad were among others present on the occasion.

During meeting, Hasina urged the agriculturists to give importance on processing of food.

She added: “We can earn huge foreign currency if we can export processed food for around eight million Bangladeshi expatriates living abroad.”

The association leaders informed the Prime Minister that the SAU has established Wazed Mia Research Centre.

They also placed different demands to the PM.

The PM assured them of taking necessary measures in this regard.

Polls under a non-party neutral Government a must:BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Two days after BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia reiterated that the next general elections must be held under a non-party neutral government, party’s acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday also echoed her.

“BNP will not allow the parliamentary polls without a neutral government,” he told journalists in the party's central office at Nayapaltan in the afternoon.

Fakhrul termed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s suggestion of forming an interim government ‘vague’.

He alleged that the PM had suggested this to mislead people, and to stop the BNP’s ongoing movement against the government.

About holding talks with the government, the BNP leader said the party is ready to talk on neutral administration before parliamentary polls, if the prime minister wants.

Protesting the oppression and cases filed against the opposition men, Fakhrul said the cases were filed to keep our leaders away from the election.

Apparently rejecting the prime minister’s proposal to form an interim government with opposition, the BNP chairperson on Monday said, “People don't want to see this government anymore. And that is why the next election must be held under a neutral administration. Political parties will not accept any other form of government to hold elections.”

Another accused admits killing:Saudi embassy official Khalaf Al Ali

BANGLADESH NEWS

Another accused in Saudi embassy official Khalaf Al Ali murder case admitted his involvement in the killing before a metropolitan magistrate of Dhaka on Wednesday.

Metropolitan Magistrate Shahriar Mahmud Adnan recorded the statement of Akbar Ali alias Lalu, one of the four accused in the case, for over two and a half hours at his chamber.

Khalaf, 45, an official with the consular section of the Saudi embassy in Dhaka, was shot dead near his house in the diplomatic enclave in the wee hours of March 6.

Akbar Ali said he along with four others – Saiful Islam Mamun, 20, Rafiqul Islam Khokon, 22, Al Amin, 25, and Md Selim – were present at the scene of occurrence.

Saiful shot Khalaf, he said, echoing Al Amin who confessed to the killing before the magistrate on July 30.

Before shooting him, the muggers locked into a brawl with Khalaf when the gang demanded some dollars from him and he refused to do so, the accused told the magistrate.

After recording the statement, the court sent Akbar Ali to jail.

Detectives recently arrested the four and shown them arrested in the case while Selim is on the run.

The case was included as a sensational one under the home ministry's monitoring cell on July 1.

Four months and 19 days into the killing of Khalaf, detectives on July 25 at a press briefing claimed that the incident was of simply mugging.

National interests to be scrutinised before Padma deal: Communications Minister Obaidul Quader

BANGLADESH NEWS

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader on Wednesday said the government would scrutinise issues related to national interests before signing the final agreement with Malaysia for implementing the Padma Bridge project.

“Signing of memorandum of understanding (MoU) doesn’t mean signing of the deal, we’ve just signed a MoU with the Malaysian government,” he told reporters after visiting Dhaka-Narayanganj-Pagla and Dhaka-Naraynaganj link roads.

Quader, also in-charge of Railways Ministry, said things will become clear after the meeting with the delegation of Malaysian government on August 5 2012.

“We’ve received proposals from both Korea and China, too… not that the proposals will have to be accepted,” he added.

Referring to the prime minister’s roadmap to construct the bridge, he said the construction work on the bridge will start within the current fiscal year.

“There has been too much talk over the issue, it makes people bored. We want to concentrate on works instead of talking too much,” the minister said.

Malaysia and Bangladesh will hold a meeting this week in Dhaka to finalise matters related to the Padma Multipurpose Bridge (PMB) project.

Special Envoy to India and South Asia, Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu, will lead the Malaysian delegation to Dhaka, Malaysian official news agency Bernama reported quoting official sources.

The report says Samy Vellu will hold talks with Bangladesh Minister of Communications Obaidul Quader on the project and seek a firm commitment on many key issues. He is also scheduled to visit the PMB project site.

Malaysia has almost resolved all the outstanding issues on the technical and financial aspects of the project. "During the visit, the Malaysian side will present its final draft agreement to the Bangladesh government after getting a full commitment from Dhaka," the source added.

'Special Security Forces failed to make BDR team list visited Jamuna Feb 25'Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

The former director general of Special Security Forces said they could not list all names of a 14-member BDR delegation, who went to Jamuna guesthouse to negotiate with the government on the first day of the mutiny.

The then SSF DG, Major General Mia Mohammad Joynul Abedin, said they could only list the names of 12 BDR (now Border Guard Bangladesh) members as a chaotic situation created there on February 25, 2009.

The former SSF DG was giving his testimony in the BDR carnage case before the Metropolitan Sessions Judges' Court set up temporarily at the Alia Madrasa playground in the capital's Bakshibazar.

He said the prime minister was holding a meeting with the SSF officials at Prime Minister's Office around 9:30am on that day and from where he came to know that a crisis was brewing at BDR’s Hardar Hall.

He reached at Jamuna around 10:15am and found that some senior leaders of ruling Awami League and high officials of security agencies were rushing there, he said.

At one stage, SSF officials came to know about the firing at Darbal Hall, the former SSF official added.

He said the BDR delegation led by then Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) Syed Towhidul Alamd went to Jamuna to negotiate with the government around 3:45pm on that day.

SSF men searched the delegation, asked their names and made a list of their names on a white paper when they were going to the main building at Jamuna, Joynul Abedin said.

But due to indiscipline at Jamuna, SSF men could not list all the names. As there were no name plates on the uniforms of the BDR men, the SSF men had to write down the names which were told by the BDR men that time, he said.

Later, the SSF men found some mistakes in spelling of the names, he said adding that the delegation left Jamuna around 6:00am.

Another SSF official Col Syed Ahmed Ali while giving testimony before the court on Wednesday said the then SSF DG handed over the recorded video CD of that day's and the name list to CID's Special Superintendent of Police Abdul Kahar Akhand, also the investigation officer (IO) of the cases, on December 30, 2009.

A total of 74 people, including 57 army officers, were killed by the mutinous soldiers of defunct BDR on February 25-26, 2009.

Shaon, Mazharul sued over writer Humayun Ahmed death Court accepts charges, asks CID to submit report after investigation,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Meher Afroz Shaon, wife of illustrious writer Humayun Ahmed, and Mazharul Islam, publisher of Annya Prokash Publications Ltd, were sued on Wednesday on charge of killing the litterateur.

Thirteen days after the death of Humayun Ahmed, lawyer and writer advocate Nazrul Islam filed the case with the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Chittagong ABM Nizamul Haque.

The court however took the charges into cognisance and asked Criminal Investigation Department to submit report after investigation, reports our Chittagong correspondent.

The legendary writer and filmmaker died of colon cancer in a New York hospital on July 19 at the age of 64.

In the case statement, the plaintiff claimed that it was a pre-planned murder.

Shaon and Mazharul committed the murder in connivance with each other to misappropriate the cash and property of Humayun Ahmed, the case statement said.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in separate drives detained 25 Rohingya refugees in Teknaf Cox’s Bazar

BANGLADESH NEWS

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in separate drives detained 25 Rohingya refugees in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar early Wednesday on charge of trespassing on Bangladesh territory.

A petrol team of BGB held four male Rohingyas from Hnila area around 1:00am, our Chittagong correspondent reports, quoting Commanding Officer Lt Col Zahid Hasan of BGB 42 battalion.

The four were sent back to Myanmar immediately, he said.

BGB men conducted another drive at Sabrang union and held nine more Rohingyas, including six female, one male and two children, around 4:00am, the BGB official said.

The nine Rohingyas entered Bangladesh by a boat, he said. The BGB men however failed to find out the boat.

Meanwhile, BGB members seized a boat carrying 12 Rohingyas including five females, three males and four children near Shahporidwip coast.

The process of sending the 21 Rohingyas back to Myanmar was under process, the BGB commanding officer said.

Zahid said intrusion by the Rohingyas increases during the month of Ramadan every year as many Rohingyas tried to enter Bangladesh this time to collect jakat and fitra.

Rohingyas 'persecuted' after Myanmar crackdown,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Myanmar security forces killed, raped or carried out mass arrests of Rohingya Muslims after deadly sectarian riots in the northeast in June, a rights group said on Wednesday, adding the authorities had done little to prevent the initial unrest.

Aid workers were blocked and in some cases arrested, and Rohingyas bore the brunt of a government crackdown in Rakhine state after a week of arson and machete attack by both ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingyas, New York-based Human Rights Watch said in a report.

Based on 57 interviews with Rakhines and Rohingyas, the report seeks to shed light on a conflict that exposed deep-rooted communal animosity and put the spotlight on promises by the civilian government in office since 2011 to protect human rights after decades of brutal army rule.

"Burmese security forces failed to protect the Arakan (Rakhine) and Rohingya from each other and then unleashed a campaign of violence and mass round-ups against the Rohingya," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.

"The government claims it is committed to ending ethnic strife and abuse, but recent events in Arakan State demonstrate that state-sponsored persecution and discrimination persist."

Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin said on Monday the authorities had exercised "maximum restraint" in restoring law and order and that the rioting was not fuelled by religious persecution.

He rejected what he said were attempts to "politicise and internationalise the situation as a religious issue", adding that the government was eager to promote "racial harmony among different nationalities".

In veiled criticism of the United States and European Union, which praised the government for its handling of the unrest, Adams said the international community had been "blinded by a romantic narrative of sweeping change" in Myanmar.

The former Burma has a diverse ethnic and religious make-up, but the Rohingya Muslims are not included by the government. There are at least 800,000 Rohingyas in the country but they are not recognised as one of its ethnic groups.

Neighbouring Bangladesh does not accept them and pushed boatloads back out to sea when they tried to flee the unrest.

"RESETTLE THEM"

Myanmar President Thein Sein said in June the government was only responsible for third-generation Rohingyas whose families had arrived before independence in 1948 and that it was impossible to accept those who had "illegally entered" Myanmar.

He recommended that the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR take care of them in camps or resettle them in third countries. UNHCR chief Antonio Guterres replied it could only resettle refugees that fled from one country to another.

The riots followed two brutal incidents in Rakhine state: the May 28 rape and murder of a Rakhine woman by three Rohingya males, who were sentenced to death, and the June 3 lynching in response of 10 non-Rohingya Muslims travelling on a bus.

Human Rights Watch said police and troops did not intervene to stop the mobs from beating the Muslims to death. During the riots that followed, it said some Rohingyas who tried to flee or put out fires at their homes were shot at by paramilitaries.

It called for the government to end abuses, grant full humanitarian access and invite in international monitors. Access to the area remains restricted.

Thein Sein is in a tight spot. Concessions towards the Rohingyas could prove unpopular among the general public, but perceived ill-treatment risks angering Western countries that have eased sanctions in response to human rights reforms.

Minister of Border Affairs Thein Htay says 858 people have been detained for involvement in the violence, including five UNHCR staff and a UN World Food Programme employee. It was unclear how many of the total were Rohingya or ethnic Rakhine.

The Foreign Ministry has said 77 people died and 109 were injured during the violence, and nearly 5,000 homes burnt down.