The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed has said the Anti-Corruption Commission is engaged in eradicating corruption and the army has nothing to do with detained leaders, including Sheikh Hasina facing corruption charges.

Gen Moeen, who went to the USA at the invitation of John F Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University, addressed students and teachers, including Bangladeshi students at Harvard University on Tuesday afternoon.

He also replied questions from the audience where Sheikh Hasina's son Sajib Wajed Joy posed question about her mother and next general elections.

When asked about his mother Hasina's release on bail, General Moeen told Joy that release on bail before trial entirely depends on the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

"Her (Hasina) release is not under my jurisdiction. Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested her on charge of corruption and the army has nothing to do in this regard. There is nothing to hide and seek here," he said.

"Trial of those who were arrested for corruption charges is taking place in open courts according to the laws of the land. The Army has no influence on it," General Moeen said.

"Law will take its own coursetI would be the happiest man if she is able to come out of jail proving herself innocent," he was quoted as having said by American News Agency (ANA).

Responding this answer to the Army Chief, Joy expressed the hope that the government would not try to influence the law in any way. "If it can be ensured my mother will come out of jail proving herself innocent," he said.

When Joy asked that talks about political parties' reforms are being said, but no initiative has been taken to hold talks with party leaders and workers, General Moeen said the Election Commission would complete the process of reforms or registration holding talks with the political parties concerned.

"It's the responsibility of the EC to hold talks with the political parties about their reforms. Preparation of voter lists and voter ID cards has already started. The EC has also expressed their determination to hold the polls in designated time-frame," he said.

When asked whether it was possible to bring reforms in political parties keeping politicians outside the process, the Army Chief said the Election Commission has taken the initiatives of political reforms to establish the democracy on a strong foundation and make it sustainable.

The Army Chief said nobody would be able to forget that horrific scenes of killing people out of political vengeance. Bangladesh was becoming champion in corruption again and again. The entire country and its people became hostages to the petty interest of individuals. "In such a situation, emergency was declared in the country and the army supported it, because the army is a part of the government. However, there is no alternative to election to make the democratic process effective," he said.

Replying to the questions of students, General Moeen said the trials of those who were arrested on charge of corruption are being taking place according to the existing laws of the land in open courts. "It's not any secret trial. Anyone aggrieved can appeal to the verdicts of the courts. Besides, the government is very much cautious about whether any human rights violation is taking place. Allegations of violation of human rights against one or two army officers have been investigated instantly," he said.

The Army Chief said many people proposed declaring martial law in the context of the situation in the country at that time. "But, the Bangladesh Army is respectful to democracy. That is why the democratic process has been protected through the state of emergency instead of declaring martial law," he said.

There were as many as 25 teachers and students who took part in the question and answer session with the Army Chief. After the luncheon, General Moeen formally addressed the students and replied to their questions.

On the proposed national government, General Moeen said there are opinions against it. "I have nothing to say anything else in this regard," he said.

Two students present at the function observed that General Moeen's remarks were very positive in the greater interest of the country and the nation. "We have become very much encouraged by his words and deeds," one of the students said.

Dr David King, a noted professor of Harvard University, and Gauhar Rizvi, among others, were present.

Ending his week-long visit to the United States, General Moeen left JFK Airport for China Tuesday morning. At that time, he was seen off by Bangladesh Ambassador to the US M Humayun Kabir and Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ismet Jahan.

Staff Reporter

A court in Dhaka yesterday issued warrant of arrest against Sheikh Rehana and ordered attachment of her property for her failure in appearing before it in connection with Tk 3 crore extortion case.

Metropolitan Magistrate ABM Abdul Fattah issued the warrant of arrest and ordered attachment of Sheikh Rehana's property accepting a charge-sheet in the extortion case.

However, Sheikh Rehana expressed her shock hearing the issuance of warrant against her. Officer-in-Charge of Gulshan Police Station and investigation officer of the case Obaidul Huq submitted the charge sheet to the court at about 11:15am in connection with the extortion case filed by businessman Azam J Chowdhury on June 13 last.

In his charge sheet, the investigation officer accused detained Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, detained former Health Minister and Awami League Presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and Sheikh Rehana. Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Selim were shown arrested in the charge sheet, while Sheikh Rehana was shown absconding.

Sheikh Rehana, younger daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, now lives with her husband in the United Kingdom.

Receiving the charge-sheet, the court issued warrant of arrest against Sheikh Rehana and ordered attachment all of her movable and immovable property.

The court fixed November 11 for hearing of the case. At the same time, the court ordered the investigation officer to submit a report on Sheikh Rehana's arrest and attachment of her property on the same day.

Managing Director of East Coast Trading Pvt. Ltd and businessman Azam J Chowdhury filed the case against Awami League President and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her younger sister Sheikh Rehana and their cousin Sheikh Selim appearing himself at the city's Gulshan Police Station on June 13 last. In the case, he mentioned that Sheikh Selim received Tk 2,99,65,500 from him on several occasions in 2000 and 2001 for awarding permission to set up Siddhirganj Power Plant at Narayanganj. The money was given through eight cheques of Standard Chartered Bank and South East Bank Ltd.

Hasina was arrested by joint forces from her Sudha Sadan residence in connection with the case on July 16. Later, the case was included in the Emergency Power Rules.

Challenging the inclusion of the case in the Emergency Power Rules, Hasina's lawyers filed a writ petition with the High Court on July 29. Responding to their appeal, the High Court stayed all the activities related to the case and granted bail to Hasina. On July 31, the Attorney General filed a writ petition with the Supreme Court against the High Court order granting bail to Hasina. Issuing an stay order against the High Court order on August 2, the Supreme Court asked the lower court to complete the hearing of the case and resolve it as quickly as possible.

In the context of the Supreme Court order, the Metropolitan Magistrate court yesterday accepted the charge-sheet.

During the submission of the charge-sheet at the court, more than 50 lawyers, including Awami League's law affairs secretary Advocate Sahara Khatun and Advocate Quamrul Islam were present.

The lawyers on behalf of the accused prayed for hearing of the case at the court. Terming the acceptance of the case as illegal, the lawyers said the court could not accept the charge-sheet when a High Court ruling on the case was still pending.

Coming out of the court, Advocate Sahara Khatun said the lower court cannot deal with proceedings of the case if the hearing on the ruling of a case remains pending with higher court. "We told the court about it. In spite of hearing our arguments, the court accepted the charge-sheet. It is an unprecedented example," she said.

Najmul Alam Nobin

"After the reopening of the halls after about two months, it took long five hours for me to clean my dusty room but still the smell of dust does not disappear," Suman a resident of Surya Sen Hall said this yesterday while describing his experience on the campus.

The students of different halls of the Dhaka University were seen cleaning their rooms to make the rooms livable after the halls were vacated by the government following a three-day violence on the campus in August.

The rooms of the students of different dorms were dusty and hard to clean, as those rooms got very much smelly. Some of the students said they were attacked by respiratory illness as they spent a lot of time cleaning their rooms in dusty environment.

Only a few students had returned to the halls on the second day of the reopening of the halls. Provost of Surya Sen Hall Prof Dr Sirajul Islam hoped the students would start returning to the halls in big number in the next week, when academic activities of the university resumes.

He said those students who were engaged in part time jobs or tuitions entered the halls, as they needed an accommodation the most.

Meanwhile, students of different halls were seen drying their bed sheets, pillows and mattresses in the sun. Despite assurance of the university authorities to provide hall students with standard food the quality of the food provided was lower than before.

Riadul Karim, a student of Kabi Jashim Uddin halls said, "We were robbed of our sub human life here for over two months. We are happy to be back. "

"I stayed in Dhaka, as I have a part time job essential for my expenses, but in the past two months I moved from place to place to put up for the night, besides, the break in study is a big loss, we the general students do not want any further disruption of our academic life," Riad said expressing anxiety over what to come.

The students had to leave their halls in a very short notice and could not take their valuable items like personal computers with them. Allegation of thefts of computers from the rooms of different halls were reported.

Students hoped that one of the main problems of the resident DU students, the bed bugs, would be gone within these two months, but the bugs did not disappear and as before it caused many students to pass sleepless nights.

Anu a resident of Kabi Jashim Uddin hall said, "We hoped that the bed bugs would not be there after they had nothing to eat for over two months as no one was there in the room. But the begs attacked us with full force as we returned to our beds."

Staff Reporter

Elite police force Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-1) yesterday recovered huge quantities of contraband drugs, Yaaba tablets, from the city's Badda and arrested four persons, including two women.

RAB-1 official sources said that acting on a tip-off, they raided the house of one Harun-or-Rashid, a resident of GP-Sha-83/3 in North Badda, at noon and recovered at least 425 Yaaba tablets and fake currency notes.

The RAB also arrested Mohammad Al Amin, 30, son of Khabar Uddin of Satgaon village under Srinagar thana in Munshiganj district, Anisur Rahman, 25, son of Hasibur Rahman of Chakarpota village under Sharsha thana in Jessore district, Baby Akhter, 20, wife of Oliur Rahman of Madhabbari village in Gazipur district and Prema, 25, wife of Mohammad Sajib of Islampur village in Comilla from the city.

According to RAB sources, the arrested persons are peddlers of contraband drugs in the city.

Meanwhile, the RAB and members of Directorate of Narcotic Control (DNC) arrested at least nine persons during their two separate drives in the city and recovered more Yaaba tablets and pornographic CDs.

According to sources, mainly the children of various elite families are involved in such illegal drug peddling. They carry on the businesses by exploiting the youths. Besides, they are involved in making pornographic CDs and vulgar films by exploiting teenagers under the influence of the contraband tablets, sources said.

The six teenagers belonging to elite families were identified as Dai Khan Bir Chinu, Musfiqur Rahman alias Tomal, Sheikh Ahmed Shafiq, Salman Rahim Zoardar, Altaf Akmal Fazlu and Mahmud Al Jubery alias Shanon.

They were taken on a three-day remand by Gulshan police.

In a separate drive another woman Maria Mir Tina, 29, was also arrested by RAB-1 in connection with the case.

Staff Reporter

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Barrister Mainul Hosein yesterday said that there is a sufficient stock of urea fertilizer to meet the demand during the coming boro season and there would be no crisis of the same in the country.

"There is enough stock of fertilizer in the country and a good quantity of the same is in the pipeline," the Adviser told newsmen after a meeting of the Advisers' Committee on Government Procurement at cabinet conference room.

Presided over by Barrister Mainul Hosein the meeting was attended by Communications Adviser MA Matin and Industries Adviser Geeti Ara Shafiya Chowdhury.

The meeting approved import of 75,000 metric tonnes (MT) of bagged Prilled Urea at a cost of Tk 194 crore, 62,500 MT of bagged Granular Urea at a cost of Tk 169 crore and 50,000 MT of Phosphoric Acid at a cost of Tk 132 crore. The annual demand of fertilizer in the country is 28 lakh MT of which 17 lakh MT is being met through local production.

Barrister Mainul Hosein said this year the government will procure 4.5 lakh MT of fertilizer from the Karnaphuli Fertilizer Company Limited (KAFCO) of which 1.28 lakh MT of fertilizer already been collected. "Nearly 4.37 lakh MT of urea is in the government stock… another two lakh MT of urea is in the pipeline," he said.

The Adviser said price of urea in the international market marked a sharp rise.

However, the Adviser admitted that some complexities did exist in the distribution of urea. According to him, at present urea is not being distributed to the union level from the upzila level.

"We will sit with the Ministry of Agriculture immediately to resolve the problem in the distribution channel," Mainul Hosein said.

Staff Reporter

BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday said his party has not yet taken any decision on its participation in the local government body elections.

"A decision will be taken on local government body elections at the party forum after setting up a new office temporarily," he said when his reaction was sought about the Awami League (AL) decision to participate in the local government body elections.

The AL could take the decision because they were able to sit at their office, he added, saying, "The BNP leaders and workers could meet me easily after the setting up the new party office."

BNP central office at Naya Paltan remains closed due to disputes between two rival factions led by Khandaker Delwar and Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan.

Addressing the members of Dhaka City Jubo Dal (North) at his NAM Building apartment, Khandaker Delwar said he has overcome the initial jolt and feels relaxed that BNP is now united under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia.

On unity of the party, he said they want unity following the examples set by Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and Begum Zia, but the opportunists would not be welcomed.

Khandaker Delwar said if necessary, BNP would call for unity, but those who are not in BNP have no right to give any unity call.

"Remain united so it becomes easy to free the detained chairperson," he told the Jubo Dal members.

Khandaker Delwar expressed concern over the health condition of Arafat Rahman Koko and urged the government to send him abroad for better treatment following the demand of his family or release him.

About reported scarcity of fertilizer, the BNP Secretary General said farmers were not getting adequate fertilizer and called for taking immediate steps to ensure supply of the much needed agricultural input.

BNP joint secretary general Gayeshwar Chandra Roy alleged that some BNP leaders were pressing for party reforms to hide their own corruption.

"Consequences for those who have taken stand against Begum Zia will be bad," he said, adding, however, that the door of BNP is open to those who believe in the party constitution.

Jubo Dal general secretary and former BNP MP Moazzem Hossain Alal and acting office secretary of BNP Rizvi Ahmed were present.

BSS, Dhaka

Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF) of India Ashish Kumar Mitra arrived here yesteday on a six-day tour as frontier forces of the two countries are set for talks to review cross-border crimes and outstanding border issues.

Director General of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) Major General Shakil Ahmed received his counterpart at the Zia International Airport as the BSF chief landed with a 17-member delegation comprising BSF's frontier inspector generals, and Indian home and foreign ministry officials.

Shakil is to lead an 18-member Bangladesh delegation comprising BDR and other concerned officials at the talks at the Rifles headquarters from today. BDR officials said Bangladesh will ask New Delhi to hand over a demarcated land in northwestern Naogaon frontier and exchange suspected criminals hiding in each other's territory through the BDR-BSF negotiation.

BDR agenda for the talks also included provocative gunshots and barbaric attack on innocent Bangladeshis on frontiers by the BSF and Indian nationals, intrusion of the BSF and Indian nationals, and attempts of so-called "push-in" of Bangla-speaking Indian nationals by their border guards.

The BDR officials said they would raise the issues of refuge and activities of Bangladeshi crime suspects from Indian territory, cross-border smuggling of Indian drugs, weapons and explosives, and "concerted campaign" against Bangladeshi border guards in the Indian media during the meeting. Installation of permanent border demarcation pillars, BSF obstruction to installation and repairing of structures and roads, agricultural cultivation inside Bangladesh territory, construction of military installations and erection of barbed wire-fencing within 150 yards of the border line by BSF are also feature the talks between the two border forces.

The BDR officials said their Indian counterparts also handed over a proposed agenda for the talks that included alleged intrusion and criminal activities of Bangladeshis in Indian territory, violation of borderline by BDR soldiers, activities of Bangladeshi extreme rightwing elements and terrorists inside India, and intervention into natural resources of India by Bangladeshi nationals.

Other issues of the BSF agenda included smuggling of Indian currency and livestock, alleged refuge of Indian separatist elements inside Bangladesh and smuggling of weapons to Indian territory through Bangladesh.

The agenda of the two forces also featured counter allegations of non-response of the BSF and the BDR to offer for flag meetings, refusal to proposed joint inspection of border pillars. The two sides are likely to propose initiatives for building friendly relations through sports and cultural activities.

Staff Reporter

The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday interrogated six officials of Kamalapur Internal Container Depot in connection with GATCO scam case filed against former Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, detained in the special jail.

Earlier on October 23, the ACC officials and Task Forces members seized several files from the Kamalapur ICD related to the Global Agro Trade Company Ltd (GATCO).

The officials who were interrogated by the ACC at the Segunbagicha office were identified as Faisal Haider, Abdul Aziz, Abdul Azim, Moazzem Hossain, Meer Mohammad Tariqul Omar and Mohammad Hafiz Saqlain. The ACC filed the case on September 2 with the city's Tejgaon thana against former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, her youngest son Arafat Rahman Koko, who is also in the jail, and 11 others.

Following the case, the joint forces arrested BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her son Koko on September 3. Seven other accused persons were also arrested in this connection.

Meanwhile, the ACC interrogated Khaleda Zia at the special jail gate on October 11 when she denied all the allegations against her.

Besides, at least seven former cabinet members, seven bureaucrats and several government officials were interrogated by the ACC.

Staff Reporter

Magistrate Rokon-Ud-Dowla, who was withdrawn from magistracy and made officer on special duty (OSD), yesterday sought apology to the Chief Justice, the government and all concerned for his audacious remarks severely opposing the separation of judiciary from the executive.

He sought the apology inviting journalists at his chamber at CMM Court in the city a day after he was withdrawn from the magistracy and placed under the Ministry of Establishment as OSD.

Bursting into tears, Rokon-Ud-Dowla, a senior assistant secretary belonging to the Administrative Cadre, mentioned that what he said at a seminar at BIAM auditorium on October 21 was "an outburst of emotion."

"I express my sincere apology to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and all concerned including the government. I hope they will forgive me," he said. "I will remain obedient to the government in future as I was in the past."

His remarks against the separation of judiciary created strong reactions among all concerned. Later, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Mohammad Ruhul Amin withdrew him from the magistracy following a request by the Ministry of Establishment. After his withdrawal, he was made OSD.

Rokon-Ud-Dowla also thanked the Law Adviser for his initiatives for the administration cadre.

"I think the resentment and frustration which were created among the BCS Administration Cadre officials will come to an end through the measures taken by the government and they will become calm and quiet," he said.

He said he had always been in favour of the separation of judiciary. "My appeal was the separation of judiciary upholding the dignity of the magistrates belonging to the administration cadre. Since it was not done, I became disheartened and felt that anomalies between the administration and judicial cadres would continue. I made some undesirable remarks when I tried to express it at the seminar," he said.

'Since the government has perceived the hemorrhage in our heart, it has taken initiatives to resolve the problem,' he said.

Rokon-Ud-Dowla, who became well-known for his anti-adulteration drives, also sat in his court yesterday.

He said he was yet to receive the letter relating to making him OSD. "I will leave after receiving the letter," he said.

Staff Reporter

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) has proposed a 36-member body forum headed by the Chief Adviser, for the proposed Better Business Forum (BBF) with equal incorporation of private sector representatives and government officials in it.

The public-private platform is being formed to involve the business community in policymaking, incorporating government's policymakers, chief of army staff, business leaders, civil society members and economists.

As the government sought business leaders' feedback on its draft proposal sent earlier, the apex business body yesterday placed its recommendations to Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed FBCCI president Mir Nasir Hossain informed the journalists.

"We proposed to reduce the size of the Forum and ensure greater representation from the private sector," he said while talking to his FBCCI office yesterday.

On September 5, Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed proposed forming the forum at a dialogue between the government and businessmen. Meanwhile International Finance Corporation (IFC), a subsidiary of the World Bank, earlier recommended formation of a forum to help establish a formal platform for sustained dialogue between the public and private sectors.

The Government accepted the proposal and requested IFC to place detailed modalities to this effect. The IFC accordingly took a project, floated tenders and appointed consultants, sources concerned said.

The business community in Bangladesh also hailed it as they think, the proposed forum will help easy removal of the bottlenecks in discussion at the high-powered body.

The Chief Adviser will be the Chairman of BBF while the Finance Adviser will be its executive chairman. The private sector yesterday proposed representation of the FBCCI president in the Forum as the apex trade body chief.

They also proposed inducting representation of government officials only from the ministries and other government agencies related to promotion of business and economy while the private sector representatives would come from important sectors.

The private sector also proposed to form nine working groups to deal with problems relating to areas like import, export, ports, investment, banking and so on. The draft modality had proposed forming six working groups.

"We've also suggested terms of reference for the working groups," FBCCI president Nasir said, replying to a question.

He added that they suggested selecting priority of the working groups within two and half months, and necessary amendments to the relevant laws to facilitate businesses.

Asked about the duration of the high-powered body, he said initially it should be for a term as long as the caretaker government is in power and any extension of the body would depend on the next elected government. "We will prefer to continue the functioning of the Forum.