BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia vows tougher movement,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

In its 34th founding anniversary on Saturday, BNP vowed to forge a tougher anti-government movement to bring back the non-party neutral government system into constitution to oversee the next general elections.

Leaders, workers and supporters led by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia placed a wreath at the grave of late president Ziaur Rahman, also founder of the party, at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the city.

A huge number of leaders and workers of the main opposition party and its front and associate bodies thronged the grave premises and paid rich tributes to him.

They also prayed for the peace of the late leader's departed soul. Zia Cultural Organisation, a pro-BNP body, held a voluntary blood donation programme there.

The national and party flags were hoisted at all BNP offices across the country.

Earlier in the morning after placing a wreath at the grave, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir talked to reporters on behalf of the party.

Replying to a query, the BNP leader said restoration of caretaker government system and democracy are the key challenges for his party and hoped that they will be successful with the support of the people.

“We are in movement. Now it’s our challenge to intensify the movement to restore the non-party caretaker government provision,” he added.

Alamgir remembered the party founder with due respect and applauded Khaleda for her outstanding leadership for the party as well as the country.

Zia, country’s first military administrator, founded the party in 1978 but he was assassinated in May 1981. Later Khaleda had brought at the helm of the party leadership and the party led by her came back to power through 1991 election.

In 1996 election, the party faced defeat while in 2001 election BNP got a landslide victory. In 2008 election, the party led by Khaleda suffered a humiliating defeat.

The party is now in movement for the reinstatement of the caretaker government system, which was scrapped from the constitution in June last year.

Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday reiterated that the next election due in January 2014 must be held under a neutral administration.

Another Dr Narayan Chandra Dutta Nitai murder suspect held Mintu confesses to his involvement in the killing,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Hours into his arrest, one of the main suspects on Saturday confessed to his involvement in the killing of Dr Narayan Chandra Dutta Nitai.

Detective Branch (DB) of police detained Mintu in Sylhet on Friday night.

In primary interrogation, Mintu confessed that he along with his associates entered into the house of Nitai for committing robbery.

He said that Nitai obstructed them when they tried to tie him.

At one stage, they stabbed Nitai and flee the scene, he said.

Mintu also confessed that he got information about the wealth of Nitai from his (Nitai) driver, said a press release of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Nitai, an assistant professor of the National Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital (NIDCH), was stabbed to death by unknown criminals at his quarters on the NIDCH compound at Mohakhali in the capital on August 23.

The 47-year-old physician was also an executive councillor of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) and a central committee member of Swadhinata Chikitshak Parishad.

Mintu is suspected to have masterminded the stealing that ultimately led to the killing of Dr Nitai, five suspects who were held on August 25 told police.

He was at large besides two other suspects – Masud and an unnamed one.

Dr Nitai might have been a victim of robbery, but relatives suspect it was a planned murder, police said following the murder.

A day after the killing, the case was handed over to DB police for investigation.

Government given a day to reinstate Medical admission students admission test,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

In an ultimatum to the government, agitating students on Saturday urged reinstatement of medical admission test within a day and threatened to go for tougher movement otherwise.

Around 200 students and guardians declared the ultimatum at a citizens' rally in front of the Dhaka University's Raju sculpture.

Columnist Syed Abul Moksud and actress Rokeya Prachi expressed their solidarity with the agitating students.

Earlier on August 12, the government came up with the decision of student enrolment in the public and private medical colleges on the basis of SSC and HSC results instead of admission test.

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader visits Ishwardi Railway Station slaps rail staff

BANGLADESH NEWS

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader slapped a train attendant at Ishwardi Railway Station after he found poor service and irregularities in an intercity train service on Saturday.

The minister also cancelled the lease of Mahananda Express, which plies between Khulna and Chapainawabganj via Rajshahi, after fining unhygienic environment in its compartments.

Quader slapped Boloram Das after a passenger complained that the attendant the train had demanded extra fare though he got into the train with a ticket.

The minister visited the railway station around 10:15am following a complaint of poor service on the train, Sujit Kumar, divisional traffic officer of Railway Western Zone,

The minister also punished three railway staffs with transfer nd suspension orders on receiving a passenger’s complaint of anomalies and poor service, said Md Fardous Alam, general manager of Railway Western zone.

Immediate transfers were also ordered for Gazi Fardous Hassan, station master of Chatmohar rail station and Nasima Khanam, ticket master of Ishwardi station for selling tickets in black market while temporarily suspension went to Md Amirul Islam, an estate official of Pakshey Divisional office.

The minister said, “A few corrupted officials of railway are destroying this sector,” during his visit.

“Black marketing of tickets, fuel misappropriation, thieving of rail slippers and such other corruption are devouring the railway,” he said.

“I will take step against all the culprit officials and the corrupted will be punished. ACC will investigate them all,” the minister said.

Later, he also visited the illegal occupation in Pakshey divisional rail zone and asked its officials for taking steps to recover the illegally occupied lands in the division within a month, said Kiron Chandra Roy, divisional estate officer (DEO) of Pakshey divisional rail zone.

“There are 1800 acres of land in Pakshey and Ishwardi area of which 140 acres are illegally occupied,” the DEO said.

The minister then visited Pakshey Lalon Shah Bridge and asked its officials to submit an inquiry report on the irregularities of Toll plaza within 15 days to the ministry.

State minister for Science, Information and Communication Yafes Osman, Shamsur Rahman Sharif Dilu, lawmaker of Pabna-4 and high officials of railway and communication ministry accompanied the minister.

The minister’s visit ended with a public meeting on Pabna circuit house premises around 12:00pm.

“Three and half years of this government have gone away. We have to move forward and work instead of speaking.” the minister said.

Honda motorcycle joint venture in Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Honda Motor Co plans to form a joint venture in Bangladesh as early as this year to produce motorcycles, the Nikkei reported.

Honda used to sell motorcycles in Bangladesh through Indian motorcycle maker Hero MotoCorp Ltd.

The Japanese company cancelled its tie-up with Hero in 2011, the daily reported.

The venture, with a local business, will set up a low-cost assembly facility with an annual sales target of 10,000 to 20,000 units, the business daily said.

The motorcycles will be built for the local market from components shipped from India and Pakistan, the Nikkei reported.

Annual motorcycle sales in Bangladesh are about 100,000 units,

Quit straight away:Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad To Prime Minister adviser Mashiur Rahman,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad on Tuesday demanded Mashiur Rahman, economic affairs adviser to the prime minister, to resign immediately to pave the way for granting the World Bank’s loan for Padma bridge project.

Expressing deep concern over getting the WB’s loan, Ershad said the Bank has brought corruption allegations against Mashiur and he should step down immediately considering the country’s interest.

“Mashiur Rahman should resign from his post. We know he is a virtuous man. If he quits for the sake of the country, it won’t be disrespecting,” Ershad said in a press statement.

“I urge adviser Mashiur Rahman, please resign immediately without any hesitation for the greater interest of Padma bridge. People will remember your sacrifice too,” the former dictator said.

Urging all the leaders of all political parties in the country, he said, “Come, we all together request the World Bank to reconsider financing the Padma bridge construction.”

Expressing hope, the JP chief said, “The World Bank would not be able to ignore our national call. We want to implement the Padma bridge project with the loan of the World Bank.”

Mashiur also the integrity adviser of the Padma bridge project, told journalists on Sunday that he would step down if Hasina told him that he had failed to do his job faithfully.

A finance ministry official said it was unlikely that the WB would accept any proposal on financing the 6.15km bridge with Mashiur still in office.

Still, the Economic Relations Division will update the global lender on the latest position of the government.

Another minister on condition of anonymity told that if the adviser was reluctant to resign, his going on leave might as well be acceptable to the WB.

BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir:18-party announces fresh protest plan Demo to continue from Sept 7 to Oct 20,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

BNP-led 18-party alliance on Tuesday declared anti-government agitation programme from September 7 to October 20 to gather support mainly for its demand for restoring the caretaker government system.

As part of the demonstration, the BNP-led 18-party alliance leaders will hold public relation, mass rally and meeting from September 7 to 30 across the country.

BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the agitation programme at a press briefing at the party central office in Naya Paltan of the capital.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will also hold a month long meeting from September 20 at all divisional cities and district headquarters in the country.

The alliance will also hold demonstration on five dates across the country on different issues.

On September 6, the demonstration will be held on education related issues, while the September 9 agitation on Padma bride issue, September 16 demonstration for skyrocketing prices of essentials, September 23 agitation demanding return of missing BNP leader M Ilias Ali and September 30 demonstration demanding withdrawal of spurious cases against its leaders and their unconditional release.

Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) 665 jawans jailed for Pilkhana mutiny

BANGLADESH NEWS

A special court on Tuesday sentenced 665 jawans of 44 Rifles Battalions of erstwhile Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) to rigorous imprisonment ranging from four months to seven years in a mutiny case.

The Special Court-9 headed by Col Ehia Azam Khan of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) fined each of the convicts Tk 100.

It also acquitted eight jawans of the case as allegations brought against them were not proved.

Of the convicts, 113 jawans were jailed for seven years, one for six years and six months, 32 for six years, 26 for five and six months, 131 for five years, 124 for four years and six months, 73 for four years, 16 for three years and six months, 16 for three years, two for two years and six months, 38 for two years, eight for one year and six months, 52 for one year, 15 for six months and 18 for four months each.

Sepoy Selim Reza is among the jawans who was jailed for highest seven years. He led the 44 Rifles Battalion during the 2009 mutiny.

The judge started delivering verdict around 10:00am, which continued for around 2:00pm.

The other members of the special court are Lt Col Md Shahadat Hossain and Maj Md Mahfuzur Rahman.

The trial of the mutiny case began on April 26, 2010. Though the charges framed against 675 accused, two of them died at hospital during the trial proceedings.

The charges include leaving the Darbar Hall defying the orders of the then director general Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed, collecting firearms and ammunition from the armouries and taking effective measures to thwart the mutiny and taking part in the mutiny with firearms.

Seventy-four people including 57 army officials were killed during the Pilkhana mutiny on February 25-26, 2009.

India Delhi hands Tipaimukh Hydroelectric Project documents to Dhaka-Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

India has officially handed over all papers and documents related to Tipaimukh Hydroelectric Project over Barak river to Bangladesh.

All the relevant documents and papers of Tipaimukh project were handed over to Bangladesh at a meeting on Tapaimukh project between the joint river commission of the two countries in New Delhi on Monday, Indian Bangla daily Anandabazar reports on Tuesday.

The documents that contain every detail about the Tipaimukh Hydroelectric Project over Barak river are stretched in six volumes,

New Delhi has also informed Dhaka that Bangladesh can invest in the project if it wishes to, the Anandabazar report said.

In that case, the project will be implemented with the investment in joint venture, the report added.

Zia Charitable Trust Charge acceptance order now Oct 1 Hearing deferred for sixth time,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

The delivery of order on whether to accept charges against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and three others in Zia Charitable Trust graft case was differed for sixth times on Tuesday.

The deferment came following the defence counsels' time petition as the BNP chairperson did not appear before the court due to her illness.

In the petition, the defence said that they want the hearing to be held before Khaleda, so they need time.

In this circumstance, Md Zahirul Haque of the Senior Special Judge's Court gave them time till October 1.

On Tuesday, Advocate Masud Ahmed Talukder, one of defence counsels, Khaleda will appear before the court in connection with the case.

On the other hand, on August 5, the same judge expressed his discontent when the defence of the Zia Charitable Trust graft case prayed for the fifth time to defer the delivery of the order on whether to accept charges against the accused.

Later the court give them time till August 28 as Masud Ahmed Talukder convinced the judge, saying that they would not, under any circumstances, seek more time to defer the charge acceptance hearing of the case.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on August 8, 2011 with Tejgaon Police Station, accusing four people including Khaleda for abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.

The BNP chief last attended the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court on February 2 and secured permanent bail in the case.

Later on five consecutive dates, she did not appear on different grounds.

The other accused are Harris Chowdhury former political secretary of Khaleda; Ziaul Islam Munna, assistant private secretary (APS) of Harris; and Monirul Islam Khan, APS of former Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka. The court on Tuesday also extended the bail of Ziaul and Monirul till October 1.

Harris has been on the run since filing of the case.