Khaleda Rapped Over ISI Fund Allegation PM Accuses Her of Siding With War Criminals

DHAKA NEWS

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked her arch rival Khaleda Zia to respond to the allegation that Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence paid five crore rupees for her campaign during the 1991 parliamentary elections.

Citing a recent report in the Dubai-based newspaper Khaleej Times, which made the allegation, she said, “To those who resorted to genocide and who had been defeated, you [Khaleda] sold the country [interest] by taking money from those defeated forces in 1971. The people of Bangladesh won't forgive you. Why did you take money from the defeated forces? People want to know. One day you have to answer to the people.”

The prime minister was addressing a huge rally before the city's Suhrawardy Udyan to commemorate the historic March 7. It was the first public meeting of Hasina in the capital after she became prime minister in 2009.

Leaders, workers and supporters of the Awami League, its different associated bodies, pro-ruling party organisations, freedom fighters, and different professionals' organisations joined the rally. The ruling party men crowded the area from the Jatiya Press Club to Science Laboratory intersection and New Market to Kakrail.

This was the largest campaign to show off its public support by the ruling party since it assumed power in 2009. Lawmakers of Dhaka and its adjacent districts along with their supporters brought out a procession after the rally from Institution of Engineers' Bangladesh. The procession ended at Bangabandhu Bhaban in Dhanmondi.

Hasina during her speech alleged that the leader of the opposition wanted to protect war criminals. “But I want to say that you [Khaleda] won't be able to protect them…I want to say firmly that the trial of the war criminals will be held on this soil, Inshallah.”

She urged all to be aware of those trying to protect the war criminals and sought help from all for completing the trial of war criminals.

Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam at the rally accused the opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia of being a paid agent and broker of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). “She has adoration for Pakistan and for this she took 5 crore rupee from the ISI ahead of the 1991 general elections. And for this reason she has been giving utmost importance to Pakistan's interests, putting aside the interests of Bangladesh…”

Ashraf, also LGRD and Cooperatives minister, urged the opposition leader to place the BNP's proposal on the process of holding the next parliamentary elections and give up its “chaotic anti-government programmes”.

“Join parliament, place your proposal and sit for discussion on the process of holding the next polls. The Awami League is ready to sit with you,” Ashraf made the call.

Thousands of Awami League men started gathering in front of Suhrawardi Udyan around noon with banners, festoons, placards and portraits of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Within three hours the entire road from Shahbagh to Jatiya Press Club turned into a human sea. Bangabandhu's historic March 7 speech was being played on loud speakers as well.

Band parties with drum beaters led processions of different units of the Awami League and its wing organisations to the rally. Some people were seen with painted faces and bodies. A symbolic gallows on a van was taken there where symbolic war criminals were showcased to be hanged. Musicians were singing patriotic songs on trucks decorated like stages. Some party men brought elephants and horses decorated with colourful banners on them that drew the attention of the gathering.

The prime minister arrived around 4:45pm amidst huge applause from the audience. Foolproof security measures were taken centring on the rally.

Hasina said the BNP chairperson had been staging a movement for the restoration of the caretaker government system. “Did she forget that the last caretaker government put her in jail and forced her two sons to flee the country?

“What is the guarantee that a caretaker government will bring her to power? If a caretaker government comes, it will bring back her [Khaleda] two sons from abroad and put them in jail.”

She said the last military-backed caretaker government had resorted to torture of professionals, politicians, businessmen, teachers, government officials and students.

She said her party took to the streets for the caretaker government after the BNP resorted to vote rigging during the BNP's first term between 1991 and 1996. “But around 5,200 elections have been held under the present government and all the elections have been free and fair and nobody raised any questions about a single election,” she said.

She said if the BNP comes to power again, it would repeat its past misdeeds.

She said people would not accept the BNP's programmes aimed at making the war criminals happy in a month that is so significant to the independence of the country.

Dhaka city Awami League General Secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said his party would remain at all entrances to the capital and on all streets, lanes and by-lanes on March 12 to resist any anarchy created by the opposition party.

Awami League leaders Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Latif Siddiqui, Mahbubul Alam Hanif, MA Aziz and Quamrul Islam also spoke at the rally, chaired by party presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury.

Oppn Alliance Expansion Announcement at Rally

DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka, Mar 7  Main opposition BNP's chairperson Khaleda Zia will officially announce four-party alliance's extension from the March 12 grand rally.

Jammat-e-Islami's Nayeb-e-Amir Maulana Abdus Subhan briefed journalists about the decision taken by members of the four-party alliance at a meeting on Wednesday night. The over an hour-long meeting ended around 10:00pm.

"We discussed the draft of the announcement for expanding our coalition. We have offered some suggestions. The announcement will come at the grand rally on March 12," said Abdus Subhan.

Another member of the coalition Bangladesh Jatiya Party chairman Andalib Rahman Partho said the discussion focussed on whether the government would be given an ultimatum or any other move.

He mentioned that the coalition would assume a different name after its expansion and that some names have already been proposed.

The meeting was also attended by Jamaat-e-Islami executive member Mia Golam Parowar, BJP secretary general Shamim Al Mamun, Islami Oikya Jote secretary general Abdul Latif Nezami, and Khelafat Majlish chairman principal Mohammad Ishaque.

The March 12 rally, convened by BNP, would be held in front of the party's head office in Naya Paltan.

Later, Khaleda Zia held another meeting with 10 other like-minded parties to discuss the preparations of the grand rally and new programmes to be announced from there.

The parties include National People's Party, Jatiya Gonotantrik Party, Islamic Party, Labour Party, and National Democratic Party. Khaleda also held another meeting with the leaders of Liberal Democratic Party.

New Indian Envoy Would Execute Leaders' Vision

DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka, Mar 7  The Indian high commissioner-designate to Dhaka wants to implement the vision of the leaders of the two countries with full respect for mutual benefit.

Pankaj Saran made the remark upon his arrival at the airport on Wednesday.

"I especially look forward to the next few years in Dhaka with excitement, anticipation and great hope for our relations, and to working in close association with the government of Bangladesh and all sections of Bangladesh's vibrant society to this end," he said.

The career diplomat is taking over as the head of the next-door neighbour's Dhaka mission at a time when Bangladesh is facing stalemate in common river water sharing and regular border killings, and when the country is going to see national elections in the two years' time.

"We share common challenges, have similar aspirations and have a lot to learn from each other," Saran said.

He termed Bangladesh a close and 'extremely important neighbour' of India.

The visit of prime minister Sheikh Hasina to Delhi in 2010 and return visit of Indian premier Manmohan Singh in 2011 have laid the contemporary foundations for the bilateral relationship of the two countries, he added.

In Feb, president Mohammad Zillur Rahman signed a letter of consent for the appointment of Saran.

Saran, an Indian Foreign Service officer, succeeds Rajeet Mitter, who left his office as the Indian high commissioner in Dhaka on Nov 1, 2011.

He took over, on deputation, as the joint secretary to the Indian prime minister in 2007 with the responsibility of external affairs.

Not an unfamiliar face to Bangladesh, Saran had been posted in Dhaka early in his career in the late 1980s. He was the second secretary at the Indian high commission here from Feb 1989 to June 1992. Later, he worked as the first secretary at the high commission.

Born on Nov 22, 1958, Saran also worked at Indian missions in Moscow, Washington, Cairo and Geneva.

'Failed Govt' Has no Right to Stay in Power: Khaleda Zia

DHAKA NEWS

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia said on Tuesday the Awami League-led grand alliance government which has failed to run the country has no right to stay in power.

She said there is no justice anywhere in the country.

“Awami League is now frequently saying that BNP will create anarchy in the name of rally. In fact they [AL] will create anarchy and shift the blame on the opposition,” she said.

The opposition leader was addressing a reception for the newly elected office bearers of Dhaka Bar Association at Diploma Engineers Institution in the city.

She said safety and security exist nowhere including bedrooms, business and educational institutions. Even the foreigners are not safe in the country.

Khaleda urged the lawyers to be united against the government and asked them to work together to ensure victory of pro-BNP lawyers in the upcoming Supreme Court Bar Association election.

“If anyone goes against our panel will be expelled from the party," she warned. "BNP has a number of qualified persons for a position.”

Bitterly criticising the government, the BNP chief said instead of rule of law, rule of Awami League has been established in the country during the last three years.

She alleged that AL men are getting presidential pardon after committing crimes while innocent BNP men are being tortured in the name of remand.

She said there is no safety and security of life and property. Journalists are also being killed for their writings.

Saudi Embassy Official Shot Dead in City

DHAKA NEWS

An official of Saudi Embassy in Dhaka was shot dead some 30 yards off his house in Gulshan area of the capital early Tuesday.

Khalaf Al Ali, a Saudi national who joined the embassy about two years ago, was shot once in the left chest, Nurul Alam, assistant commissioner (Patrol) of Gulshan Division,

Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Al Bussairy identified the slain officer as a diplomat. But acting Foreign Secretary Mustafa Kamal said al Ali was on the non-diplomats’ list of the foreign ministry.

Police are yet to arrest anyone or ascertain the cause of the murder, said Khandker Lutful Kabir, deputy commissioner of Gulshan Division.

This is for the first time in Bangladesh’s history that a foreign embassy official in Dhaka was killed.

Identifying the slain official as a “very soft spoken and polite” person, a Bangladeshi official at the Saudi Embassy said everybody liked him very much.

al Ali, 45, used to live alone at Flat A-4 in House 22/A on Road No. 120 for the past two years, said Taposh Rema, a guard of the house.

According to a Saudi Embassy note verbale (diplomatic communication), some unidentified people attacked the official near his house.

Julfiker Ali, a security guard of House 19/B, and Rabiul Islam, a security guard of House 20/A,  that they heard a gunshot around 1:15am and rushed out to see the Saudi official lying on the road in front of House 19/B.

“We immediately rang siren from our house,” Julfikar said.

Hearing the siren, a patrol team of police rushed to the spot and took the bullet-hit Saudi official to United Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

 Taposh Rema said he saw a white private car leaving the place at a very high speed after the gunshot.

After the incident, personnel from the Criminal Investigation Department of police and Rapid Action Battalion kept the crime scene cordoned.

Al Ali’s body was taken Dhaka Medical College morgue at 4:00pm for autopsy.

The bullet entered near the left chest and went down to hit his right kidney, sources in the morgue said.

Rema said al Ali used to go out of the house around 11:00 every night for jogging and roaming the city on bicycle and return in around two hours.

“As his bicycle needed repair, he went out on foot last night (Monday night),” he said, adding that the Saudi official was wearing trousers, vest and boots and had a bottle of water in his hand.

The Saudi ambassador visited the crime scene in the afternoon.

No case was filed till filing of this report at 7:30pm.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Embassy sent a note verbale to the foreign ministry requesting the ministry and concerned authorities to investigate into the murder, said a foreign ministry source.

Senior foreign ministry officials including the Chief of Protocol and Director General (West Asia) phoned the Saudi Ambassador and Deputy Chief of Mission and expressed deep shock and sympathy at the murder.

In a statement, the foreign ministry expressed deep shock and sorrow at the killing and conveyed its condolence and sympathy to his bereaved family and the Saudi Mission in Dhaka.

The authorities concerned have already been directed to conduct a full-scale investigation into the incident immediately and bring the perpetrators to justice, said the statement said.

Quader Molla Indictment Hearing Wednesday

DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka, Mar 6  Instead of presenting arguments, prosecutor Zead-Al-Malum merely read what he said 'highlights' from the voluminous formal charge against Jamaat guru Ghulam Azam at the war crimes tribunal on Tuesday.

The International Crimes Tribunal, set up to deal with the crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, also ordered before closing the day's proceedings that indictment hearing against Jamaat-e-Islami's assistant secretary general Abdul Quader Molla will begin on Wednesday.

In reply to a defence petition for adjournment since it had not been served with all the documents from the prosecution, the tribunal said that it would pass a separate order about when the defence would begin reply to the formal charges.

After Malum had re-read through some parts of the formal charges, tribunal member, Judge A K M Zaheer Ahmed chose to intervene. He told the prosecutor that he had read the same parts once before.

Malum then said that he was only reading the highlights and would later follow up with other details.

"I am afraid there might be report in [Wednesday's] papers that the prosecutor did not mention all the points but only a few of them," said Malum who has been slighting the media over the last few days.

Judge Zaheer Ahmed proceeded to provide the prosecutor with some points that he thought could be elaborated upon. "Perhaps then your and our lives would become easier."

"But we have had to sit here for hours listening to trifling petitions…" Malum trailed off to the visible embarrassment of the judge.

Zaheer Ahmed quickly apologised. "Sorry. You read on. I won't intervene," said the judge who has taken on the habit of asking this prosecutor not to be angry with him before putting forth his queries.

Malum resumed his reading of the formal charges in a court room that became emptier as he laboured on through the text before him.

The only details that followed after the lunch recess was another tedious session when prosecutor Sultan Mahmud read out a list of documents and articles that the prosecution had attached to the numerous documents submitted with the formal charge. An index, however, had already been submitted to the judges for their perusal.

Malum resumed after his colleague was done and continued for the better part of an hour and finished placing his much awaited 'arguments', reading the last few pages of the formal charge with much zeal and gusto.

The arguments never came, though.

Judge A K M Zaheer Ahmed then asked him about his proposal to charge the former Jamaat chief under sections 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2 of the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act of 1973.

The judge asked about Malum's position regarding section 4.1, which states, "When any crime as specified in section 3 is committed by several persons, each of such person is liable for that crime in the same manner as if it were done by him alone."

Section 3 elaborately defines the different crimes under the jurisdiction of this tribunal including crimes against humanity, peace and genocide.

Judge Zaheer Ahmed asked Malum whether it was his position that Ghulam Azam's presence was required to charge Azam under section 4.1. Malum replied, "No it is not necessary."

The defence is scheduled to reply on Mar 12

“Quest for Self” Qayyum Chowdhury on 80th Birthday

DHAKA NEWS

Artist Qayyum Chowdhury is an outstanding figure in the domain of art in Bangladesh. To celebrate his 80th birthday, Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts will organise a two-week art exhibition, titled “Quest for Self”. The exhibition will open on March 9 at Bengal Gallery in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. About 80 new artworks by the veteran artist will be displayed at the exhibition.

Noted artist Murtaja Baseer, author Syed Shamsul Haq, Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman and theatre personality Ramendu Majumdar will jointly inaugurate the exhibition.

Chowdhury's works highlight rural Bengali life and traditions. The countryside and the lives of the villagers inspire the artist. Women, farmers, fish, flowers and greenery are recurring themes on his canvas.

Chowdhury was born in 1932 in Feni. He graduated from Govt. Institute of Arts (now Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka) in 1954. He held four solo exhibitions and has participated in many group exhibitions at home and abroad.

GDs Filed Against Fakhrul, Khoka

DHAKA NEWS

Dhaka, Mar 5 Two general diaries (GDs) have been filed against senior BNP leaders Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Sadeque Hossain Khoka apprehending harm to ministers and people in general during BNP's Mar 12 grand rally in the capital.

Two pro-Awami League lawyers, Anwar Shahadat Shawon and Sheikh Ali Ahmed, filed the GDs at Ramna and Paltan police stations, respectively, on Monday night.

DMP deputy commissioners (Ramna zone) Krishnapada Roy and Anwar Hossain (Motijheel zone) confirmed bdnews24.com about the GDs filed less than a week ahead of the main opposition's grand rally.

Amid statements and counter-statements of the ruling and opposition leaders on the proposed rally, BNP vice-chairman and Dhaka metropolitan unit convenor Khoka on Mar 2 said at a press briefing that the ministers should stay in their houses to keep away from public anger.

Party's acting secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was also present at the briefing.

According to the GDs, the two BNP leaders warned the ministers and ruling party MPs not to get out of their houses. The BNP leaders are trying to create an unstable situation in the country by threatening the Awami League leaders, it has been alleged.

The lawyers expressed their fear in the twin GDs that attempts could be made to cause harm to the ministers, MPs, Awami League leaders and the people in general before or on Mar 12.

The GDs also requested the police to take effective steps to ensure the security of the citizens.

The main opposition is set to hold the rally on Mar 12 in front of the party's Naya Paltan headquarters demanding staging of the next parliamentary elections under a non-partisan government.

Leaders and activists of BNP and other like-minded parties from all over the country are expected to take part in the rally.

BNP have been accusing that the government is trying to foil the rally while the government has been claiming that the opposition is holding the rally as a part of their attempt to protect the war criminals.

Earlier in the day, police arrested six BNP leaders-activists from Savar and Ashulia on charges of creating anarchy in their localities ahead of the grand rally.

Police said the six were arrested from their residences in the early hours of Monday.

The arrestees are Juba Dal organising secretary of Dhamsona Union Parishad's ward-7 Taiful Islam, BNP activists Alauddin Chowdhury, Sirazul Islam, Afzal Uddin, Helal Uddin and Sumon Parvez.

Savar Model Police Sation sub-inspector Abul Hossain and Ashulia Police Station officer in-charge Sheikh Badrul Alam told  the six arrestees had earlier been sent to the court after being shown arrested in a vandalism case during a strike at Fhulbaria area.

They were now trying to create anarchy in their areas ahead of the Mar 12 rally.

JP Not to Join Mar 14 Rally

 DHAKA NEWS

Jatiya Party, a key component of the ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance, will not join the alliance-sponsored grand rally in the city slated for March 14.

JP Chairman HM Ershad disclosed this to reporters in Feni on Tuesday, Bangla daily Prothom Alo reports.

Ershad is leading a JP long march, which started from Dhaka Monday morning, to Feni river to protest sharing of water of the river with India.

The long march reached Dumghat bridge on Dhaka-Chittagong highway Tuesday morning.

“The Jatiya Party is not taking part in the grand alliance’s programme,” the former dictator said replying to a query.

During a wayside rally at Gozaria bus stand in Munshiganj Monday morning, he blasted the advisers to the prime minister for their “pro-Indian attitude”, reports UNB.

“Are they the people of Bangladesh or India? They don't speak in favour of Bangladesh, rather speak for India. Where do they come from? We don't need such advisers,” Ershad said.

Ershad alleged that a conspiracy was on to turn Noakhali region into a desert. “All, irrespective of opinion and party affiliation, should resist it.”

The same day, the JP chief said Feni is a river of Bangladesh. “The origin and mainstream of the river is in our land. So, we will not share the water of the river.”

Though, he alleged that India has been withdrawing water from the river with pumps, he did not pay visit at the site on Tuesday, said the Prothom Alo report.

When asked, he replied: “The site is quite far from here.

Help Implement Programmes in Edn, Health PM Urges Rotary Int'l President

DHAKA NEWS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday sought support from Rotary International for quick implementation of the government programmes relating to education and health.

Sheikh Hasina made the request when the President of Rotary International Kalyan Banarjee called on her at her Sangsad Bhaban office.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, the PM's Deputy Press Secretary M Nazrul Islam said the Prime Minister informed Banarjee that the government has started school feeding programme for students in some areas and the government wants to involve the local communities to spread the programme across the country.

“I think Rotary International can help the government in this regard,” Hasina said. She also sought cooperation from the Rotarians to ensure illiteracy-free Bangladesh by 2014.

The premier informed that the government has undertaken a programme titled 'Trained Birth Attendant (TBA)' to ensure safe birth of babies in the rural areas. She sought the cooperation from the Rotarians in this regard.

Kalyan Banarjee assured the PM that they would extend all possible cooperation.

Rotary governor of Bangladesh AHM Zaker, and former Rotary governors Iftekharul Alam and Rafiq Siddiq were present.