The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Demanding postponement of the implementation of Separation of Judiciary from the Executive from November 1, leaders of the Administrative Cadre Service yesterday at a seminar said the separation should not be done before 2021 for the best interest of the nation.

Addressing the seminar titled 'Separation of the Judiciary for Good Governance', organised by Bangladesh Institute of Administrative Management (BIAM) in the city, anti-adulteration drive-famed Magistrate Rokonuddowla threatened to cripple the civil administration from upazila to the Secretariat if the Government goes ahead with the implementation of the separation plan as scheduled.

Magistrate Rokonuddowla in his fiery speech demanded immediate halt to the separation process, which, he claimed would create anarchy in the country.

He said all administrative cadre officers are aggrieved and shocked at the move for the Separation of the Judiciary, as it would strip them of judicial powers.

"An anarchic situation has been created in the name of separating judiciary. This move must be scrapped," he said, adding the separation should not take place before 2021.

Rokonuddowla warned that after the lifting of the state of emergency, members of the Administration Cadre Service would assemble in the capital and lay siege to the Supreme Court.

He also demanded the scrapping of Contempt of Court Law so that the people and the media could expose corrupt judges.

He urged journalists to move to his court in case any contempt proceedings were brought against them in connection with reporting news and assured them of quashing the charges. Magistrate Rokonuddowla's remarks were, however, not well received by many of his colleagues present at the seminar, the government or legal practitioners.

Meanwhile, sources close to the Government said it would take tough action in case of any disobedience of public servants under the sate of emergency.

Lawyers have threatened to go for legal action against the Government officials, who would try to foil the much-awaited separation of judicairy from the Executive.

Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC) Rector Abu M

Moniruzzaman Khan was the chief guest at the seminar, chaired by Dhaka Divisional Commissioner Ikram Ahmed.

Former Adviser of Caretaker government Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, Dr. MA Momen, Farhad Mazhar and Abul Mobarak also spoke at the seminar, where the keynote paper was presented by Dr Abul Hossain, Project Director, Ministry of Women and Children's Affairs.

Delivering his speech as chief guest Abu Mohammad Moniruzzaman Khan welcomed the decision for the Separation of Judiciary from the Executive, saying, "We should look at the matter positively."

He said, "Good governance is a continuous process. None of us can tell what will happen after November 1. We will have to wait and see. We must remove misunderstanding."

Moniruzzaman Khan, who is the President of the Administration Cadre Service Association, also disagreed with those, who called for a non-cooperation with the government.

The Bangladesh Judicial Service Association (BJSA) has said the separation of judiciary is being implemented in accordance with the constitutional mandate and the Supreme Court directives fulfilling the long cherished aspirations of the people.

At an impromptu press briefing, BJSA vice-president and Supreme Court

Registrar Iktidar Ahmed said the administrative cadre officers, who were engaged in judicial function, have been given the option to choose whether or not they would continue with the judicial job.

He said the judicial officers, on deputation to different Government organisations, have been asked to return to the judicial service within three months.

Supreme Court Bar Association president Barrister M Amirul Islam sharply reacted to the position taken by the administrative cadre officers on the question of the separation of judiciary.

He said Rokonuddowla's remarks "are not only contemptuous of court, but also tantamount to violation of the Constitution."

In a joint statement, Bangladesh Ain Samity president M Shahjahan and general secretary Saifur Rashid Sabuj have welcomed the decision to separate the judiciary effective November 1 as the people would reap its benefits.

Legal action should be taken against those opposing the separation of the judiciary, they observed.

Staff Reporter

Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed has said the present caretaker government came to power to reestablish democracy. But, everybody should remember that corruption engulfs democracy. So, war against corruption will continue as long as it can be brought down at tolerable level.

"Anti-corruption drives will continue as long as the present caretaker government remains in power," he said while addressing a reception hosted in honour of him at Breakers' West Club Auditorium at West Palm Beach in Florida Saturday evening.

General Moeen observed that there are many challenges before the caretaker government. The major challenge is that those who got indulged in corruption and those who were benefited from it would try to frustrate the government's initiatives. "Obviously, it is a major challenge to move the anti-corruption drive forward by countering these elements. And, I want to assure you that we will not stop whatever the obstacles are ahead of us," he said.

In his 22-minute long speech, the Army Chief said Bangladesh got its independence at the cost of many sacrifices. Now, time has come to build the nation in real sense.

"All of you know it very well that the country was divided in different ways during the last 36 years. The objectives of the independence are yet to be achieved. It is our duty to move the country forward achieving the economic freedom," he said.

General Moeen said, "We have divided the country from the very beginning by not giving due respect to our Father of the Nation.

Rather, we have done politics using him name and fame. In the same way, we did not give due respect to late President Ziaur Rahman. Let us join in hands to unite the country declaring these two leaders and other leaders as national leaders."

The Army Chief said it is known to all that in what context the present caretaker government took over power. The law and order deteriorated to such an extent that it seemed some quarters were trying to make the country a failed state. Moreover, attempts were made to turn the country into Somalia. At that time, the armed forces and other security forces felt that it was not only their sole responsibility to protect the country from foreign enemies, but also to protect the country from internal enemies.

General Moeen further said, the caretaker government took over only to save the nation from impending catastrophe. The armed forces are only assisting the government to hold a free and fair election, he said explaining the role of the Army in the present government.

"All the security forces, including the Army have come forward to assist the caretaker government. The army has come forward to assist the new caretaker government sacrificing everything. It is the prime task of caretaker government to handover power through holding a free, fair and credible election, and the army have been assisting the government to achieve that objective," he said.

General Moeen said the present caretaker government has taken various reform measures. It wants corruption-free politics, corruption-free economy and corruption-free everything. Under the reform measures, the first task of the caretaker government was to reconstitute the Election Commission and the government has done it. Secondly, reconstitution of the Anti-Corruption Commission, because the commission constituted earlier was two years and four months old. During this lengthy period, they could not bring anyone before justice for corruption. People of that ACC were corrupt.

He said after placing the ACC under the leadership of an eligible person, 28 individuals were jailed and fined through trials within only six months. Cases have been filed against many others and investigations are also going on. If they were found guilty in courts, they would also be awarded jail sentence.

"However, I can assure you that those who will not be found guilty, they will not be given any punishment," he said. "If the name of someone has been included in the list, he or she will not have to go to jail if they can prove in court that they were not involved in any wrongdoing," he said.

General Moeen also called upon the expatriate Bangladeshi business community in the USA to invest for the development of the country.

He said an investment-friendly atmosphere is now prevailing in the country following anti-corruption drive and other pro-active steps taken by the caretaker government to restore business confidence.

He urged the expatriate community to extend their cooperation to promote the welfare of the country's disadvantaged people.

"We should extend helping hands to those underprivileged so that the whole society can move forward," he said.

General Moeen also urged them to shun petty differences and work unitedly for the development of the nation.

Referring to the situation in power sector, he said the power sector witnessed a severe set back in the past fifteen years. Only 2,800 mw of electricity was put in all to the national grid before the present caretaker government came to power.

He said the government can enhance the present generation capacity up to 4,000 mw only by putting in place proper maintenance and repairing of the existing plants. Load shedding has come down to a large extent in the recent days, he said.

Referring to price of essentials, he said the commodity prices have gone up in the international market, except sugar. The government has meanwhile taken several steps to stabilize the market and keep it at tolerable level.

Community leader Shawkat Hossain presided over the reception. It was also addressed by community leaders Shamim G Khan and Abul Kalam Azad. The reception was conducted by Atiqur Rahman and Nazmun Nahar Una.

Noted businessman Mahfuz Ahmed handed over a crest to the Army Chief on behalf of the expatriates living in Florida.

Staff Reporter

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, ended yesterday through the immersion of images of Devi Durga after five days of festivities.

The Hindu community observed the Bijoya Dashami yesterday and exchanged Bijoya greetings before joining the final show. Bijoya Dashami is the special ceremony to reiterate peace and good relations among the people. The day was a public holiday.

The Devi Durga descended on the earth by riding palanquin and departed on elephant-back. Under the Hindu mythology it symbolises that the country will reap abundant crops this year.

Devi Durga is the greatest goddess in the Hindu faith and is worshipped in various forms corresponding to her two characteristics - kindness to the good and brutality to the evil.

A long truck procession with images of Devi Durga was brought out from Dhakeswari temple and dispersed at Swarighat on the bank of the River Buriganga in Dhaka. The procession passed through main streets of the city. The immersion started at 6:00pm.

The Hindu revellers, many painting their face with crimson-coloured perfumes and danced in circles with the rhythm of bands while marching along the route, witnesses said.

Meanwhile, President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed organised a reception to the Hindu community at Bangabhaban in the city.

The Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakrabarty, US Charge d' Affairs Geeta Pasi, high officials, leaders of the Hindu community, among others, were present in the reception. After the reception a musical soiree was held there.

Meanwhile, our Narsingdi Correspondent said a terror attack took place at a puja mandap in Narsingdi where 10 persons including four ansar members were injured.

Staff Reporter

Acting on popular demand and in accordance with the Constitution, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Barrister Mainul Hosein said yesterday, the judiciary has been separated from the executive.

Barrister Mainul said, separation and independence of the judiciary from the executive is a 37 year-old demand.

" I don't think the judiciary cannot be made independent in the face of any opposition from a section of officers of the administration cadre", Barrister Mainul said while he was replying to a question put by journalists yesterday at his residence. He added, the officers of the BCS administration cadre are an integral part of the government and both enjoy mutually cordial relationship.

The officers of the BCS administration cadre could have exchanged their views on the separation and independence of the judiciary with the government in an environment of congeniality and understanding,

Barrister Mainul observed adding that the officers of the administration cadre might as well have avoided holding a seminar on the separation of the judiciary. He said, the government is making the judiciary independent of the executive and will definitely look into any problems or inconveniences that are likely to show up during implementation.

The government will also keep in view for consideration of the recommendations, if any, of the BCS administration cadre for their administrative empowerment. Barrister Mainul emphasised that the judiciary was not being separated with the intention of creating any deadlock in the government.

The Law Adviser said, it is one of the most avowed commitments of the present caretaker government to give effect to separation and independence of the judiciary, and this is nationally and internationally recognised that an independent judiciary is essential for good governance.

Independence of the judiciary has been enshrined in our Constitution, the law adviser said and adding that all preparatory arrangements have already been made. The necessary law, rules and regulations have been framed quite some time ago, he said. The law adviser declined to believe that any section of people or officers would like to earn bad name by suddenly opposing the independence of the judiciary.

Staff Reporter

World Bank Friday appreciated the ongoing institutional reforms and assured continuous support to the efforts of the Caretaker Government for accelerating economic growth and poverty reduction.

The assurance came at a meeting between Managing Director of World Bank Graeme Paul Wheeler and Finance Adviser Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam in Washington, DC, a government release said Sunday.

The World Bank chief executive also hoped that the ongoing reforms would "contribute significantly to establishing a framework for good governance in Bangladesh".

Paul Wheeler encouraged the Government to pursue government-owned ongoing reforms "robustly" so that assistance from the bank can be scaled up and effectively used for the benefit of the poor.

He lauded the Government's intention to maintain macroeconomic stability and pursue prudent fiscal discipline.

Mirza Aziz thanked the WB boss for their continued support and expressed the commitment of the government to "pursue institutional and policy reforms".

In this context, he also highlighted the reforms already implemented in combating corruption and separation of the judiciary from the executive.

The Finance Adviser cited developments in tax reforms and creation of Better Business Forum as a mark of advancing investment climate in Bangladesh.

"There has been an improvement in the absorptive capacity of aid resources in Bangladesh following various actions taken by the interim government under the leadership of the Chief Adviser, which justifies more support from the World Bank," he said.

The Adviser also reiterated the need for continued assistance from the multilateral donor agency on those sectors which have direct bearings on poverty-reduction efforts along with focus on addressing the challenges emanating from climate change.

On the sidelines of the Bank-Fund meeting, the Finance Adviser had a detailed meeting with the Bangladesh Country Team in the World Bank.

Mirza Aziz appreciated Bank's commitment to provide scaled-up budget support following the recent floods.

He also reaffirmed the sincere intentions of the interim government to transfer power to an elected government by the end of 2008, highlighted the major policy and institutional reforms such as the reconstitution of the Anti-Corruption Commission, the Election Commission and the Public Service Commission.

World Bank Alternate Executive Director Zakir Ahmed Khan, ERD Secretary M Aminul Islam Bhuiyan, Finance Secretary Dr Mohammad Tareque, Bangladesh Ambassador Humayun Kabir and Economic Minister Mahfuzul Haque were present during the meeting.

BBC Online

Police in Pakistan have questioned three men in connection with a suicide bomb attack on the convoy of ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on Thursday.

At least 130 people died in two blasts in Karachi. Bhutto, returning from self-imposed exile, escaped unhurt.

The carnage has raised questions of safety around elections due in January, which Ms Bhutto says she will contest.

The three men were arrested in Punjab province and brought to Karachi for questioning.

A police source told the Associated Press news agency that the men were linked to the vehicle that had been used by one of the attackers.

Bhutto heads the country's largest political force, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). She has been negotiating with President Pervez Musharraf over a possible power-sharing deal.

The US has backed such an accord, amid concerns about the military's inability to defeat Islamist militants and Gen Musharraf's rising unpopularity. On Saturday, newspapers in Pakistan carried photographs of the head of the suspected suicide bomber propped up on a white sheet.

The man looks to be in his 20s, unshaven with curly hair and hazel eyes. The BBC's Barbara Plett in Karachi says it is believed he was an Islamic militant. Police have not said which group sent him.

President Pervez Musharraf has asked officials for the results of an urgent preliminary inquiry by Monday.

No-one has admitted targeting Bhutto's triumphal procession through Karachi.

Pro-Taleban militants, who have threatened to send suicide bombers to kill her, are the prime suspects, although she has accused ex-army officials of involvement, too.

Our correspondent says Bhutto, who has been planning a political comeback, is working out her next steps after the attack. She and her party are observing three days of mourning after which she is expected to visit her father's tomb in the family's ancestral village north-east of Karachi.

The deadly attack on her homecoming procession has cast doubts on her plans to travel around the country generating support.

The government has said the January polls will take place as planned, but officials have suggested that public rallies could be restricted or even banned. Thursday's attacks on Bhutto's motorcade in Karachi were among the bloodiest Pakistan has ever seen. In an interview with the BBC, Bhutto said she was lucky to be alive.

"I don't believe the state or the government was involved in the attack on me at this stage," she said.

"But I do believe that the sympathisers of the militants had managed to infiltrate some of our agenciest to give covert support to the militants."

Bhutto says she has sent President Musharraf the names of three former military officials she accuses of involvement in the attack. Deputy Information Minister Tariq Azim said the authorities had yet to see any evidence.

AFP, Karachi

Benazir Bhutto bears the responsibility for the deaths of 139 people in an attack on her homecoming parade by exposing them to danger for the sake of her own "personal theatre", her estranged niece said.

Newspaper columnist and poet Fatima Bhutto, the granddaughter of late Pakistani premier Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, also told AFP in an interview that her aunt's return from exile would plunge the country further into turmoil. "She insisted on this grand show, she bears a responsibility for these deaths and for these injuries," the 25-year-old said at her plush family home in Karachi two days after the bombings.

Fatima Bhutto is the daughter of former prime minister Benazir's late brother Murtaza, who was killed by police in Karachi in 1996 amid murky circumstances that led to the collapse of her second term in government.

Murtaza led a left-wing extremist group after military ruler Zia-ul-Haq executed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1979 and then fell out with his sister over what he felt was her betrayal of their father's political legacy.

Murtaza's daughter, often heralded in the Pakistani media as an inheritor of the dynasty's heavy crown and bears a family resemblance to Benazir Bhutto, has recently launched a series of salvos against her aunt.

In the latest Fatima Bhutto accused the opposition leader of protecting herself on her return to Pakistan with an armoured truck, while bussing in hundreds of thousands of supporters despite warnings of an attack.

"They died for this personal theatre of hers, they died for this personal show," she said.

The suicide and grenade blast happened hours after Benazir Bhutto, a two-time premier, flew to Karachi from Dubai. She has blamed Islamic extremists, possibly with links to rogue or former intelligence agents, for the attack.

Her Pakistan People's Party dismissed "senseless accusations" that the 54-year-old was responsible for the deaths, saying it was the government's job to protect its citizens.

Speaking in a sitting room decked with oil paintings of her grandfather, father and other family members-although not her aunt-Fatima Bhutto also said her aunt was not the enemy of militancy that she claims to be.

Benazir Bhutto's return to Pakistan was heavily backed by the United States, which sees the Islamic world's first female premier as a potential partner for President Pervez Musharraf, a key US ally in the "war on terror".

"She talks about extremism and nobody else points out that the Taliban was created under her last government," Fatima Bhutto said, referring to the hardline Taliban regime that ruled Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001.

Fatima, educated like her aunt at universities in the United States and Britain, meanwhile condemned the amnesty on corruption charges given to Benazir Bhutto by Musharraf that enabled her to return to the country.

"What this (amnesty) means for this country is very, very frightening," she said.

The younger Bhutto, whose house in the city's seaside Clifton neighbourhood is next door to her grandfather's home, said however that she was not likely to enter Pakistan's turbulent politics any time soon.

She said her newspaper column, which often focuses on political and rights issues, was itself a "political act."

"But as for running for elections, just because I have this last name, I don't think I am entitled to it. I don't think it is a birthright," she said.

"I can't rule anything out for the future, but I think there are a lot of other ways to be political and right now I am choosing this way."

Staff Reporter

The reunification move between the rival factions of the BNP appeared to have been gaining ground, as BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday called for unity of the party.

The anti-reform BNP leader expressed his readiness to consider a formal proposal for unity from the reformist faction.

When asked, Joint Secretary General of the reformist BNP Ashraf Hossain said backstage parleys were on between the leaders of the two factions and the reformists were trying to keep the party united.

Some members of the BNP National Standing Committee, the highest policy making body of the party, took the move considering that a formal split in the party will only strengthen the hands of the rival Awami League (AL)-led political camp.

"Unity is essential to strengthen BNP. If formal proposal for unity comes from the dissidents, it will be considered," he said, extending the olive branch to those who are campaigning for party's political and leadership reform under the blowing wind of change kicked off by the interim regime. Talking to journalists at his NAM apartment, the recently appointed BNP secretary general, who replaced dissident Mannan Bhuiyan by order of

the party chief, however, dispelled the notion that BNP has split up. "BNP remains united," he said.

He noted that many leaders and workers of district and thana committees are facing cases while many central leaders are in jail. "There is no atmosphere even to protest against their arrest."

The BNP secretary general again urged the caretaker government to let them open their central office now that indoor politics is allowed through relaxing the rules of the state of emergency.

Reformist BNP leader Ashraf Hossain said they would continue their efforts to keep BNP united.

He said reform proposals were made to make BNP acceptable. Those proposals would be endorsed at the council. "If anyone brings amendment to the draft proposals, that would be considered," said Ashraf.

"The BNP could not be strengthen unless a democratic reforms is carried out in the party," Ashraf Hossain asserted, claiming the reformists are the majority in the party.

BNP Chairperson's Adviser Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah, however, said, "Dreams of the reformists will remain mere dreams. It will never come true," he said.

Hannan Shah said if the BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia could not be released by legal means, efforts would be made "politically" to free her.

DU Correspondent

Dhaka University will reopen on October 23 after 61-day unscheduled closure following a student violence on the campus while academic activities will resume from 28 October.

University authority will only allow the students who bear green or yellow cards to enter the respective dormitories, sources said. The authority directed the Hall authorities to take necessary measures in this regard.

The University was closed on October 22 following a government direction as a sequel to student unrest.

Students of the University will face acute session jam for almost five months as the authority postponed about 640 examinations of different Departments and Institutes due to the unscheduled closure.

The postponed examinations are expected to resume from November, said Acting Examination Controller Bahalul Haque.

Vice-chancellor Prof SMA Faiz said the activities of the University would resume normally.

He said that they discussed with Deans, Hall Provosts and Chairmen about the University's reopening and they have reached a unanimous decision in this regard. They would not declare any programme to free the arrested teachers after the reopening of the university because the government was showing positive attitude towards the teachers` demand, he said.

Staff Reporter

A latest World Bank report said that Bangladesh should aim a 4 per cent growth per year in its agricultural sector if it wants to achieve the objective of halving extreme poverty by 2015.

"Achieving the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of halving poverty to 26.5 per cent by 2015 will require a growth rate of at least 4.0 per cent in agriculture and 7.0 per cent in the non-farm sector," the World Development Report released on October 19 said.

Country's growth in the agricultural sector in the last fiscal year was 3.18 per cent.

The report said nearly 80 per cent of country's total 140 million people live in rural areas. Poverty in Bangladesh was primarily a rural phenomenon with 53 per cent of the rural population classified as poor, comprising about 85 per cent of all the country's poor.

The agricultural and rural sectors have suffered from "neglect and under investment over the past 20 years," the report added.

It said agriculture could offer pathways out of poverty if efforts were made to increase productivity in staple foods.

Pointing out that land was becoming "a scarce commodity" in Bangladesh, the World Bank report said there was a need to review land administration, ownership distribution, rights and titles, and land use policy.

Turning to rural services, it said improving physical and social infrastructure -- roads, electricity, communication, water and sanitation, health and education -- in rural areas was fundamental for promoting employment opportunities and welfare.

"Bangladesh has a long way to go to meet infrastructure needs, such as electricity, which is only available to 15 per cent of villages," the report said.