Niko Car Scam former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain charged with bribery,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS



The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday pressed charges against former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain for taking bribe from Niko Resources Ltd, a Canadian energy producer.
In a bribery case, the ACC also charged Niko's former vice-president Kashem Sharif with helping Mosharraf to cause loss to the government exchequer.
Investigation officer (IO) of the case and ACC Assistant Director Shahidur Rahman submitted the charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's court of Dhaka, naming 15 prosecution witnesses and showing Kashem as fugitive.
The IO appealed to the court to issue an arrest warrant against Kashem.
The anti-graft watchdog had filed the case on February 12 with Shahbagh Police Station accusing the two.
The High Court granted bail to Mosharraf till the submission of the police report.
According to the case statement, Mosharraf received a Land Cruiser jeep worth about Tk 95.58 lakh as a gift, and 5,000 Canadian dollars as bribe from Niko in 2005 to ink a contract between the government and Niko with the provision of selling gas to government at an inflated price.
Last year the Niko authorities confessed to a Canadian court that they were compelled to give the gift and bribe to sign the deal.
A joint venture of Niko and Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (Bapex) redeveloped the Feni Gas Field in 2004. The company has been operating in Bangladesh since 2003.
The ACC during the tenure of the last caretaker government had filed another graft case against former premier Khaleda Zia, Mosharraf and nine others on charges of corruption and abuse of power in awarding a gas exploration deal to Niko.
The case statement said the contract caused a loss of Tk 13,777 crore to the state exchequer during the tenure (2001-2006) of the BNP-led four-party alliance government.

Save the Grameen Bank Appeals shocked Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus said,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

This is what Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus said after the government empowered the Grameen Bank chairman in choosing a managing director for the microlender.

Here is the statement of the Grameen Bank founder:

"I had always expressed this apprehension. Now my apprehension has started to translate into a reality. I am extremely sorry that we could not be successful in forestalling this process. I am very disheartened to see that the poor is being deprived of the ownership of the bank they run and of the power to exercise their ownership."

"I am so dejected that I have become unable to express my feelings. I am requesting the people of Bangladesh who are feeling dejected like me to tell the government that a big mistake is being done and the government should abstain itself from doing it."

"This government decision will destroy the bank of the poor and the country's bank of pride. I request the countrymen to come forward to protect the property of the poor and the country. I also request the poor owners of Grameen Bank to urge the government and their fellow countrymen so that they do not curb their rights to exercise ownership."

United Airways (BD) Limited:to resume Dhaka-Bangkok flight from August 12, 2012,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

United Airways (BD) Limited, the country’s leading largest private airline, will resume flying on Dhaka-Bangkok route from August 12, 2012.

The one way special fare for Dhaka-Bangkok is starting from Tk 13,613 and return fare is 21861 (inclusive of all taxes).

Weekly two flights from Dhaka to Bangkok will operate on Sunday and Thursday. Dhaka-Bangkok flight will operate by MD-83 aircraft which is safer, reliable, and speedy with comfortable seats.

United Airways, the first ever public limited company in aviation sector of Bangladesh, is now operating more international routes from Dhaka to Jeddah, Dubai, Muscat, Kuala Lumpur, Kathmandu and Kolkata and also from Chittagong to Muscat and Kolkata.

The airline is operating flights to all major domestic sectors from Dhaka.

Now United Airways (BD) Ltd has total 9 aircraft which are two DASH 8-100, two ATR-72, three MD-83 and two Airbus-310.

On  July 10 in 2007, United Airways first took to the skies with a slogan “Fly Your Own Airline” and has been providing committed services ever since.

Since its inception, United received positive market response and presently holds a major share of the domestic, regional and international market.

In a span of just five years of operation, United Airways has established its brand reputation for its maintenance of schedule, service and safety.

Remittance dives 11.48 percent Bangladesh Bank

BANGLADESH NEWS

The rate of remittance into the country increased to 11.48 percent in the first month of new fiscal year 2012-13, according to Bangladesh Bank.

The expatriates have sent $ 119.37 crore in July which is 11.48 percent more than June and 17.55 percent than July of 2010-11 fiscal year, said foreign exchange policy department source of the central bank.

It is being estimated that the expatriates have sent more remittance ahead of upcoming Eid.

Besides, the remittance might have been increased as the expatriate Bangladeshis in London sent their extra income earned following the Olympic Games.

Opposition BNP standing committee member Sadek Hossain Khoka:gets bail in arson case,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Opposition BNP standing committee member Sadek Hossain Khoka got bail in a case of vehicle torching in front of PMO.

Judge of Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-5 Harun-or Rashid granted the bail to Khoka after hearing bail plea of him.

Earlier in the morning, he appeared before the court and sought bail.

On July 31, 18 party leaders including BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir were indicted in the case.

The court also issued arrest warrant against Khoka as he did not appear before the court on the day.

Dhaka Bar president Advocate Md. Borhan Uddin stood for the defendant.

He said Khoka went to Singapore for treatment with permission from higher court. He returned home on Wednesday night after taking treatment. He pled for upholding bail term to the client as he was in bail in the case.

Of the 46 accused, 39 got bail and three are staying in jail.

On April 30, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir among a number of alliance leaders were sued for their alleged involvement in cocktail explosion at secretariat, vehicle vandalism and arson in PM office area during Sunday’s dawn-to-dusk hartal.

Police filed two cases with Tejgaon and Shahbagh Thanas. Fakhrul was made accused in the both cases.

Prof Muhammad Yunus fears Government's takeover of Grameen Bank's,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Prof Muhammad Yunus on Thursday expressed deep shock at the government's attempt to reduce the power of Grameen Bank's board and give more authority to its chairman to pick the managing director of the microcredit organisation.

In a statement, the Nobel Peace Prize winner who founded the microcredit organisation said he had always expressed his apprehension about the possibility of the government's taking over of the bank.

"Now my apprehension has started to become a reality. I am so disheartened that I am unable to express my feeling," the statement quoted the 'Banker to the Poor' as saying.

His comments came hours after the cabinet approved the proposals for amending the Grameen Bank Ordinance 1983 to reduce the power of the bank's board and give more authority to its chairman to pick the managing director of the microcredit organisation.

Earlier in the day, the cabinet in a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair approved the proposal.

The cabinet also directed the finance ministry to inform it of the facilities that the Nobel laureate availed during his extended tenure as managing director of the bank after reaching the age of 60.

As per the direction, the finance ministry will have to verify whether those facilities were in accordance with the bank’s rules and regulations.

The cabinet also asked the finance ministry to inform it whether Prof Yunus fetched foreign currencies from abroad as 'wage earner'.

If so, the finance ministry has to inform the cabinet whether the currencies were exempted of tax, the cabinet secretary said.

Three changes will be made in the ordinance through the amendment, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan briefed reporters after the cabinet meeting.

The changes are:

1. The changes will allow the Grameen Bank chairman to form a selection committee in consultation with the board for selecting the bank’s managing director.

2. The chairman will be able to select a three-member panel for the appointment of the MD.

3. To be the MD of the Grameen Bank, the candidate must have expertise in the field of rural economy or finance or microfinance.

“The (proposed) amendment will make it easier to get the right candidate as the bank’s managing director and this will speed up the appointment,” Musharraf said.

President Zillur Rahman will soon issue an ordinance on the matter as there is no parliament session at present, he said.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia:renews threat of tougher agitation after Eid-ul-Fitr,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Thursday once again threatened to go for a tougher movement after Eid-ul-Fitr to compel the government to meet their demand of restoring the non-party neutral government system.

“BNP won’t accept any proposal except restoration of the non-party neutral government system. We want free and fair elections,” she said while addressing an Iftar party at LD hall of the parliament complex.

The main opposition party hosted the Iftar in honor of elected local government representative including former and incumbent mayors of different city corporations, chairmen and vice-chairmen of upazila and municipalities. Mainly pro-BNP elected representatives attended the programme.

The opposition leader asked the government to take steps to hold elections after restoring neutral government system by amending the constitution. “Nothing would be acceptable to us except neutral government system to oversee elections."

She alleged that elected representatives of local government could not perform properly due to the non-cooperation from the government while the government did not allow BNP lawmakers to speak in the parliament.

She urged all to be prepared for upcoming agitation, saying that there is no alternative but to forge movement to oust the government.

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, former deputy minister Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu, Chittagong city Mayor M Manjur Alam, upazila parishad chairman association president Ataur Rahman Ata, Union Parishad forum general secretary Morshed Alam also spoke in the programme.

Murder case against Humayun Ahmed's wife Meher Afroz Shaon and Anya Prokash publisher Mazharul Islam,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

A defamation suit was filed Thursday against a lawyer who had filed a murder case against Humayun Ahmed's wife Meher Afroz Shaon and Anya Prokash publisher Mazharul Islam.

Nurjahan Akhter Nupur, an apprentice lawyer, filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court of Dhaka accusing Advocate Nazrul Islam and one of his close friends Abdul Hye.

After the hearing, Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Atiqur Rahman fixed August 5 for passing an order on the issue.

In her complaint, Nurjahan said that the murder case which was filed by Nazrul was only to tarnish the image of the family members of the illustrious writer. The case was filed on the basis of vague allegations as Humayun’s family members did not bring any allegation against the duo in this connection.

“I was shocked at the case filed by Nazrul and it was filed only to quench his bad interest. The case hurt his (Humayun) family members and fans,” she added.

The complainant also appealed to issue an arrest warrants against them.

In the case statement filed with Chittagong court on Wednesday, the complainant claimed that Shaon and Mazharul carried out their pre-planned murder to misappropriate Humayun Ahmed’s cash and property.

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

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC):to renew telcos' licences August 7

BANGLADESH NEWS

After a stand-off with the BTRC for more than eight months, four mobile phone operators - Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi and Citycell - will get their 2G licences renewed on Tuesday for the next 15 years.

Zia Ahmed, chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), said they have sent letters to the operators on Thursday asking them to send their representatives to collect the licences.

The telecom regulator made the move upon receiving a letter from the telecommunications ministry on Wednesday. The letter asked the BTRC to issue the licences to the operators within a week and sign a tripartite agreement with the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the operators.

Following the latest development, the mobile phone operators on Thursday expressed their gratitude to the regulator and ministry officials concerned.

The validity of the four operators’ licences ended on November 10 last year; but disagreement between the regulator and the operators over determining the renewal fees and collection of valued added tax (VAT) delayed the licence renewal process.

The four operators will pay around Tk 9,200 crore including VAT as their licence renewal fees. They paid 49 percent of the amount in November last year as the first instalment.

The second instalment (29 percent) was due by August 1, but the BTRC has extended the deadline to August 31 as per the recommendations made by the ministry, mentioned Zia.

The operators will now be able to deposit the second instalment within the extended deadline without paying any late fee.

The third instalment, however, is payable within December.

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.