The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a seminar yesterday said the society should pay the due recognition of the contribution of rural women to the agriculture, for they are providing food. They said though security of food is a basic right of people, it is still being considered as commercial commodity.

The seminar on 'Right to Food: Rural Women Produce and Provide" was held at the National Press Club marking the 'World Rural Women Day.' National Committee for Observance of the World Rural Women Day and Equity and Justice Working Group jointly organised the seminar. Bazlur Rahman presided over it.

Dr Abdus Sobhan, Dr MA Sattar Mondal, Dr.Abdur Razzak, Dr. Tofail Ahmed, Dr, Zafarullah Chowdhury, Rezaul Karim Rana among others were present at the seminar. Mohammad Shamsudaha presented the keynote paper. The seminar was informed that about 63 million people of the country were under food-based poverty line and about 70 per cent families exhaust their total income on food.

Mentioning the disparity in land ownership, the keynote paper said, about 6.7 per cent families own 44 per cent cultivable lands while 93.7 per cent families own the rest 56 per cent lands.

Each day, 220 hectares of lands are going beyond the range of agriculture, which is a threat to future food security.

In this situation it would be difficult for farmers and rural women to sustain, the speakers said. Women who were involved in agricultural work are deprived of food security. Their contribution is always considered as hidden economy.

BSS, Dhaka

Demands for the election of Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU) appears to be resurfacing again among ordinary students after years of pause as the country's premier campus has not seen activities of the crucial student forum for over two decades.

"It appears that the Dhaka University loses its traditional academic character for want of the central students union," said Mamun Ahmed student of economics department.

The ordinary students as well as university authorities, he said, are frequently facing different problems, which could have been settled with a vibrant DUCSU as students unions are supposed to be the most effective academic forum of any university across the world. "The absence of DUCSU has contributed to the rise of unhealthy student politics in the past two decades when muscles instead of intellect dominated the campus," said Nasim Ahmed, a final year student of English department.

Dhaka University saw its last central students union election in late eighties as usual for one-year tenure amid a different political circumstance as the country at that time was witnessing a growing campaign against autocratic rule.

But even after the installation of successive democratic governments, little initiatives were taken to hold the DUCSU polls blaming the "unfavorable campus situation". A number of senior university students said the student organizations backed by major political parties played the role of DUCSU pretending to stand by an ordinary student providing a valuable seat in dormitories in exchange for loyalty to their politics.

"We have seen even a worse scene when a political student organization evict ordinary students from the dormitories to be replaced by non-student hooligans or outside armed cadres," said Zafarullah Sohiel, a student of International Relations Department.

Several teachers of the university agreed that the muscle flexing "cadres" would not have got access to the campus or the halls had the DUCSU was in place to see the problems of the common students. "A central student union or the hall student unions are also needed for the healthy entertainment practices and cultural activities on the campus, of which Dhaka University remained deprived for the past two decades," said Prof Ataur Rahman a senior Professor of Political Science Department.

He recalled the vibrant cultural and extra academic activities like holding sports, debate competitions, dramas and musical festivals on the campus under the auspices of DUCSU and hall student unions when Dhaka University said to have witnessed its golden times despite various difficulties.

"The more dangerous thing is that the absence of an elected student forum like DUCSU leads the student organizations to be unaccountable and as a result instead of mobilizing student supports they tend to dominate the campus with muscle power," he said.

A former Dhaka University student and senate member preferring anonymity said the widely criticized "unhealthy teachers politics" also was encouraged in the absence of the elected students forum.

"The election of DUCSU will definitely will have a positive impact in restoring accountability of teachers as well as the students groups as they won't take the risk of losing popularity through unfair practices," he said.

Analysts said the DUCSU in the past also played a crucial and glorious political role at the time of national transitions like the 1971 Liberation War while in different political scenario it could now play an effective role in shaping the campus atmosphere befitting for the university, once known as the Oxford of the East.

"The current tenure of the caretaker government is an appropriate time to hold a healthy election of DUCSU without political influence," said Shamim Asgar, a student of Political Science Department

BSS, New Delhi

Adviser for LGRD and Cooperatives Anwarul Iqbal yesterday reiterated Bangladesh's resolve on regional cooperation in maintaining peace and security, combating criminality and countering terrorism in all forms and manifestations.

Addressing the 2nd meeting of the SAARC Home Ministers here, he said Bangladesh took a lead role at the 13th SAARC Summit held in November, 2005 in taking a decision to hold the SAARC Home Ministers' and Home Secretaries' meeting on an annual basis.

The Indian Home Minister widely appreciated Bangladesh's leadership in guiding the process since the first meeting of the SAARC Home Ministers. The Adviser, leading a nine-member Bangladesh delegation, apprised the meeting of various measures undertaken by the Bangladesh government to counter terrorism, narcotic drugs and various related criminal acts.

In this context, he referred to the rapidly rising use of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances as well as their adverse effect on the youth and stressed the need for vigorous regional response in containing cross-border movement of drugs across the region.

The 2nd Home Ministers' Meeting was chaired by Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil and attended by the ministers from Afghanistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The meeting took a number of decisions to deepen cooperation in addressing the regional security challenges and approved reports of the preceding 2nd meeting of the SAARC home secretaries held on October 24 and the 6th SAARC Conference of Police held on October 23.

As per the decisions, an expert group will meet in Islamabad in February next to further develop an electronic network of the police authorities across the SAARC countries, strengthen the infrastructure of two SAARC desks on Necrotic Drugs and Terrorism, located in Colombo, ensure real- time sharing of information of terrorist acts and seizure of narcotic drugs.

Besides, the SAARC police chiefs will henceforth meet twice a year to expedite cooperation in areas including police investigation, training and other aspects of mutual interest.

During the meeting, they also discussed how best the countries could undertake the police training in investigation techniques and the facilities existing in different countries as well as the measures to combat synthetic drugs.

All countries at the meeting agreed to take steps to contain different forms of cyber crimes in the region. The meeting also considered the proposal of having a SAARC convention on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters as it recommended that the legal experts would meet in Colombo by April next to further examine the draft convention.

It was further decided that the 3rd meeting of SAARC Home Ministers and Secretaries would be held in Pakistan towards the end of 2008, while Maldives would host the 4th meeting in 2009.

Besides, it was decided at the meeting that the 7th conference of SAARC police chiefs would be held in Pakistan in February, 2008.

BSS, Mymensingh

A target has been fixed to immunise 990,460 children under five age group in the district on the 16th National Immunization Day (NID) on October 27.

The target was announced yesterday at press briefing held at Civil Surgeon's Office here. Civil Surgeon Dr. Shamsul Alam briefed the newsmen on the programme.

The civil surgeon said 4159 NID centres will be set up in the district to conduct the drive in the district through 4,259 teams already been formed for the purpose. The civil surgeon told the press briefing that Bangladesh has been a polio free country, but 18 polio cases were reported in 2006.

He said the government is determined to achieve cent percent coverage of NID in the country. He expressed the hope that the Immunisation drive will 100% successful in the district with cooperation from all concerned.

Besides, all others preparations have been completed to make the programme a success, the civil surgeon said.

He urged the journalist to extend their cooperation in this regard for the greater national interest.

Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr. Atiqur Rahman, UNICEF Representative Dr. Masrur Ahamed, Dr. Shahedul Bashar, Press Club Secretary Advocate Mozammel Haque and journalists of the print and electronic media attended the briefing.

AFP, Yangon

Myanmar's detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi left her house Thursday to meet a senior official, believed to be the liaison appointed by the junta to work with the opposition, an official said.

"She left her house at about 2:00 pm. She is likely to meet with the labour minister at a state guesthouse," the official said, referring to Aung Kyi, who was appointed to maintain relations with the Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent 12 of the past 18 years under house arrest, last left her lakeside home on October 2, when she met UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari at a military guesthouse in Yangon.

Thursday would mark her first meeting with Aung Kyi, who was appointed following a recommendation by Gambari that the junta name an official to develop ties with Aung San Suu Kyi.

It comes amid increasing diplomatic pressure ahead of Gambari's expected second visit to Myanmar since the junta's violent crackdown on peaceful anti-government protests in September, which left at least 13 people dead.

Gambari, who is scheduled to arrive in the first week of November, will be followed by Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, the UN special rapporteur on human rights. "Quite clearly they (the junta) need to show that they are meeting with her and they are talking with her," one Thailand- based analyst told AFP. "The regime is quite clearly feeling the pressure and needs to respond to it, but at this point it has to be very clear-a few token meetings are not good enough."

UNB, Dhaka

Three people were killed and two others injured in separate road accidents in Thakurgaon and Sirajganj districts Thursday. In Thakurgaon, two people were killed and two others injured as a coach 'Baliadangi express' hit a 'mishuk' coming from opposite direction at Bhelajan on Thakurgaon-Baliadangi road on Thursdaymorning. Two deceased were identified as Tajmul Haq, 35, Lecturer of Kalmegh Madrasah and son of Mahid Ali of Baliadangi, and mishuk driver Joynul, 40, of Sangaon village.

Two injured Kawsara Begum, 20, student of Rajshahi University and sister of Tajmul, and Afina, 15, were admitted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital. All the victims were mishuk passengers.

Another report from Sirajganj adds: Nawjesh Ali, 70, of Salanga thana died instantly as a bus hit him while he was crossing road at Harinchara on Dhaka-Sirajganj highway in Tarash upazila at noon.

Staff Reporter

Jamaat-e-Islami yesterday termed the demand for banning the politics based on religion un-constitutional.

Party Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed was talking to journalists following the dialogue with the Election Commission (EC) on electoral reforms.

Replying to a question, the Jamaat leader said that there was no war criminal and anti-liberation element in the country. "There was no war criminal and anti-liberation element in the past and there were also none at present," he said.

He also termed the allegation of war criminal against Jamaat imaginary, fabricated and baseless.

During the dialogue, the 10-member Jamaat delegation headed by Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed expressed their apprehension on completion of preparing of the voter list with photographs in accordance with the roadmap.

They suggested the EC to increase manpower to complete the preparation of voter list by June next. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda, who presided over the meeting, said that political impasse was created in the past due to different mistakes done by the political parties. He said it would be good not to receive such demand that cannot be resolved by the Commission. Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd) M Shakhawat Hossain and Sohul Hussain were also present during the meeting.

The Jamaat delegation proposed not to impose any condition to register any political party to compete the next elections. They observed all the political parties should be given the opportunity to be registered if they want to participate in the coming elections. Though the Jamaat extended its support to women leadership at all level but proposed allowing political parties this time to decide the ratio of the women leadership.

Ali Ahsan Mojaheed said importance should be given on the opinion of majority of people and the matter should be looking into so that none can talk in the lection process that goes against the constitution.

Replying to a question he said all the war criminals during the war of liberation war were the members of Pakistani Army.

"Late Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had identified 195 persons as war criminals and pardoned them through the Simla Treaty in presence of Indira Gandhi and Julfiqar Ali Bhutto, he said.

Asked to comment on Jamaat role during the war of liberation, the Jamaat leader parried the answer saying that it is known to all.

He called upon all not to talk distort the past history and said the present situation has been created due to irresponsible role of responsible political parties.

The Jamaat proposed to preserve the electoral symbols, which were used by the political parties earlier.

Regarding opposition of some parties not to provide Jamaat electoral symbol scale the Jamaat leader said it has already been settled in the court.

Jamaat also proposed increase of expenses of candidates from Tk 5,00,000 to Tk 25,00,000 and not to introduce 'NO' vote in the next elections.

The Jamaat delegates include Maulana Delwar Hossain Saidee, Maulana Abdus Sobhan, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, Abdul Quader Mollah, ATM Azharul Islam and Barrister Abdur Razzak.

Meanwhile, the work for a pilot project for voter list with photographs and national ID cards began yesterday at Dania, Dakkhin Khan and Kamrangir Char in Dhaka district.

Chief of General Staff of Army Major General Sina Ibn Jamali inaugurated the project at Dania, which envisages registering 88,477 voters and preparing national ID cards in the area, an ISPR press release said.

Alongside the army, the City Corporation, district administration and local public representatives are helping the Election Commission in implementing the project.

The project would continue until November 16. During the 23 days, the work would be completed at 24 registration centres in 20 voting areas.

The 14 independent engineering brigade, 6 independent ADA brigade of Bangladesh Army using 140 laptops would provide all-out assistance to the Election Commission for completion of the project.

The server room and information centre of the project has been opened at the Panchayet Community Centre of Jatrabari.

Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda inaugurated the pilot project at Kamrangir Char while Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd) M Shakhawat Hossain at Dakhhin Khan.

UNB, Dhaka

Vacation bench of the High Court Thursday stayed the proceedings of the extortion case against Alena Khan, a human rights activist.

The extortion case is now pending with the Chief Metropolitan Court here.

Passing the stay order upon a writ petition Justice AFM Abdur Rahman issued rule upon the government to explain why invoking emergency rules in the extortion case should not be declared unlawful. The court also granted Alena a fresh bail until the rule is disposed of On June 26, a construction contractor of the Roads and Highways (R&H) Department filed an extortion cases with Tejgaon police station against Alina Khan, executive director of Bangladesh Society for Enforcement of Human Rights (BSEHR) along with detained former communication minister Barrister Nazmul Huda and his wife Sigma Huda. Huda is a member of the national committee of the BSEHR while Sigma is its secretary general.

According to the case Huda called Wahidur Rahman Azad, the complainant, to BSEHR office in February 2003 and demanded Tk 10 lakh in cash.

Advocate Asaduzzaman appeared for Alina Khan.

UNB, Dhaka

President Dr Iajuddin Ahmed has underscored the need for enhancing trade and commerce between Thailand and Bangladesh and urged Thai investors to invest in Bangladesh.

The President made the remark when the outgoing Ambassador of Thailand to Bangladesh Suphat Chitranukroh made a farewell call on him at Bangabhaban on Thursday.

Dr. Iajuddin sought technical cooperation from Thailand in the field of agro-based industries, including poultry and fishery. He also stressed on educational and tourism exchange programmes to promote people-to-people contact.

The President appreciated the Thai envoy for his sincere endeavours in strengthening relations between the two countries during his mission in Bangladesh.

President apprised the envoy that Bangladesh is committed to promote and maintain peace, stability and development in South and South-East Asia through SAARC, BIMSTEC, ASEAN and ACD process. The President conveyed his sincere wishes and best regards to the King of Thailand and also invited him through the Ambassador to visit Bangladesh at his convenience.

The outgoing Ambassador stated that the existing bilateral relation between Thailand and Bangladesh is excellent and it would be further strengthened in the coming days.

The envoy also expressed his deep gratitude to the government and people of Bangladesh for providing support and cooperation in discharging his duties in Bangladesh.

Military Secretary to the President Major General Mohammad Aminul Karim, Secretary Sirajul Islam, Press Secretary Abdul Awal Howlader and concerned officials from both the countries were present on the occasion.

BSS, Dhaka

Health and Family Welfare Adviser Major General (retd) Dr ASM Matiur Rahman yesterday underscored the need for establishing regional cooperation to make the region, including Bangladesh, free from polio.

"Bangladesh would never be freed from polio risk if neighbouring countries can not able to eradicate polio," he said while inaugurating the 16th National Immunisation Day (NID) at the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) Bhaban at Mohakhali here.

Under the 16th NID, polio vaccines will be given to under five children of the country on October 27 in the first round and December 8 in the second round. In the first round, a total of 2,40,00,000 under five children will be vaccinated through 1.4 lakh vaccination centres by 6,00,000 volunteers across the country.

Health and Family Welfare Secretary AKM Zafarullah Khan spoke as special guest at the inaugural session chaired by Director General of Health Service M Shahjahan Biswas.

Representative of World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr Duangvadee Songkhobol and Representative of UNICEF Louis George Arsenult also spoke on the occasion, among others.

Programme Manager of Health Services M Abdul Quader Mian presented a paper on the overview of polio eradication.

The adviser said side by side with observing the NID, the regular vaccination programme needs to be further strengthened for protecting the children from other infectious diseases. "We had been free from polio 2001 to 2005, but unfortunately polio case was reported in 2006 which was transmitted from neighbour country, he said, adding, due to relentless efforts of our health workers we remain polio free for last one year.

Dr Matiur said the country's EPI programme has been praised in international arena, and the success in reducing mother and child mortality rate was also applauded by the international community.

The last NDI, he said, covered 98 percent of the children across the country and the government would introduce boat ambulances soon to reach the children who live in char areas and waterbodies of the country.

The adviser urged all guardians to come to the vaccination centres on October 27 to help the nation free from polio.

Clinic-in-charge of the EPI Headquarters Dr Jahan Afroz told BSS that on October 27 vitamin capsules would also be given to the children those are 1 to 5 years with two drops of polio vaccine and the children under one year would receive one drop of polio vaccine, she said.

Vaccination centres will be set up at bus stops, rail stations and airports to give polio vaccines to the street children, Dr Jahan Afroz added.

Earlier, the adviser administered polio vaccines to 15 children as part of the inaugural function. A colourful rally was also brought out to mark the day.

Staff Reporter

Md Lutfar Rahman was named the new Chairman of International Finance Investment and Commerce (IFIC) Bank in a board meeting held in the city yesterday.

Lutfar Rahman replaced detained BNP leader Mosaddek Ali Falu as Chairman of the bank.

An extraordinary general meeting and 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th general meetings were held yesterday at a city hotel where about 5,724 share holders participated.

The meeting was presided over by newly elected chairman and former vice- chairman of the bank Md Lutfar Rahman. The AGMs of the bank could not be organised in due time because of Court obligations. Lutfar Rahman in his speech in the AGM said the bank had profited much in the past four years.

He said the capital, profit, loan and foreign business has increased in good number. The bank had set up 9 branches in the past four years and will set up another five in the coming days.

The new chairman of the bank said, the bank was now positioned at 19th among 29 private banks of the country, which he hoped to be 10th in the next year.

Directors of the bank Abdul Hamid Chowdhury, Abu Tahir Md Golam Maruf, Murshed Murad Ibrahim, Anisur Rahman, Md Yasin Ali, Mahmudul Haque Bhuiyan, Arastoo Khan and Mohammad Ali Khan were present at the AGM.

BSS, Dhaka

Citi Bank N.A. will provide Off-shore Banking Services in Chittagong Export Processing Zone to facilitate the investors.

An agreement to this effect was signed between the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority and Citi Bank N.A. on BEPZA Complex, Dhaka on Thursday, a press release said.

General Manager (Investment Promotion) AZM Azizur Rahman of BEPZA and Khawja Muhammad Masum Billah, Senior Vice President and Senior Country Operations Officer of Citi Bank N.A. signed the lease agreement on behalf of their respective organisations.

Under the agreement, a Citi Bank N.A. branch will be operated in side the zone area from which investors will get off- shore banking facilities including all other financial and commercial services in a easier and faster manner, the press release added.

BEPZA Executive Chairman Brig. General Ashraf Abdullah Yussuf, Member (Engineering) Md. Farhad Uddin, Citi Bank N.A. Managing Director Mamun Rashid, Country Officer of Citi Bank N.A. Abrar A Anwar and concerned high officials were present on the occasion.

UNB, Dhaka

A weeklong joint air exercise of Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) and US Marine Force began at the BAF Base at Kurmitola here on Wednesday.

The main objective of the "Exercise Sumo Tiger-2007" is maintaining peace and stability in the world through mutual cooperation, said an ISPR release. One hundred members of Bangladesh Air Force and US Marine Force are taking part in the exercise along with six F-18, one C-130 and one KC-130 aircraft of USA, and F-7 BG and F-7 MB aircraft of BAF. Enhancing cooperation between United States and Bangladesh, exchange of training and skill, improvement of training standard of BAF and presenting the skill of BAF on the world stage are the main purpose of the exercise.

Practice Diversion, Air Interception, Force Package Mission and Dissimilar Air Combat Training are included in the exercise. Such joint exercise is being held between the two friendly countries since 1995.

"Exercise Sumo Tiger-2007" will conclude on November 1.