The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Much-talked-about businessman Aziz Mohammad Bhai is likely to be questioned by law enforcing agencies in connection with the seizure of huge contraband drug Yaaba from an apartment at the city's posh Gulshan area and arrest of his nephew Amin Huda.

On the other hand, paramours of the arrested godfather of drug dealers Amin Huda are now under the close watch of law enforcers. The law enforcers have prepared a list after identifying them in their preliminary investigation. In the list there are names of female students of different private universities, female showbiz stars, ramp models and band members.

After the arrest of Amin Huda and his associate Ahsanul Huque Hasan, both RAB and Gulshan police have been examining whether Aziz Mohammad Bhai had any involvement in Yaaba trading in the capital. If the involvement of Aziz Mohammad Bhai is found he might be questioned, sources at the RAB headquarters said yesterday.

Arrested Amin Huda has already disclosed the names of about one dozen of his female friends and several Yaaba dealers to the RAB. These dealers live in the city's Gulshan, Badda, Uttara and Mirpur areas. Members of the RAB intelligence wing have started close watching on the activities of Amin Huda's friends.

It is learnt that the RAB detectives have started monitoring of the movements of several female friends of Amin Huda at Gulshan, Baridhara and Banani areas.

Amin Huda and his accomplice Ahsanul Huque Hasan arrested on charge of drug trading were given to eight-day police remand in two cases when they were produced before the court yesterday.

Amin Huda, nephew of business tycoon Aziz Mohammad Bhai, and Ahsan were given to police remand by magistrate Mahbubur Rahman after they were produced before court by Gulshan police sub-inspector Helal at 4:00pm yesterday.

RAB arrested them from the posh area of Gulshan on Thursday were prosecuted by the police under the Special Powers and Narcotics Acts.

Another case was filed against them after seizure of VoIP equipment worth about Tk 5 crore from their possession.

Meanwhile, three youths--Tomal, Kollol and Salman-who were arrested along with Yaaba and porno CDs were taken to a five-day remand for the second time yesterday.

Investigating Officer sub-inspector Abdur Rashid said it was possible to arrest Yaaba drug dealer and manufacturer Amin Huda after interrogating these youths under the first-phase of the remand. "We're expecting that we'll be able to identify the mafias behind the Yaaba drug dealings after interrogating them on the second-phase of the remand," he said.

According to Abdur Rashid, businessman Aziz Mohammad Bhai might be involved in international drug dealings. "We're now examining of his involvement in Yaaba marketing and manufacturing in Bangladesh," he said.

Expressing the hope, he said it would be possible to uproot Yaaba in the country through the arrest of Amin Huda.

Sources at Legal and Media Wing at the RAB Headquarters said Amin Huda disclosed some 'vital information' to investigators in preliminary investigation. "He will be questioned intensely under remand, and we will be able to know in detail about the original source of Yaaba in Bangladesh," a RAB official said.

BSS, Dhaka

The first round of the 16th National Immunisation Day (NID) was observed across the country today with a target to immunise more than 24 million under-5 children through vaccination.

Over 60,000 health workers and volunteers in 1.40 lakh vaccination centres, including mobile centres and outreach sites, have been deputed to administer the children with the vaccines.

In the second round on December 8, de-worming tablets will be added to the countrywide programme for the children aged between two and five, official and the WHO sources said here today.

Adviser for Health and Family Welfare Maj. Gen (retd) Dr. ASM Matiur Rahman inaugurated the 16th National Immunisation Day (NID) in the EPI Bhaban on October 25 with a call for all-out cooperation towards making the programme a total success.

The Health Adviser yesterday visited various places in the city and its outskirts to see for himself the immunisation process. In the morning, he was in the Dhaka Shishu Hospital and the Square Hospital in the city and later went to Amin Bazar, Savar Bus Stand, Savar Health Complex and Dhamrai.

According to official sources, 30 million doses of oral polio vaccines, 20 million doses of high-potency Vitamin-A capsules and 13 million doses of Albendazole tablets were procured for the purpose.

Besides, they said, a four-day house-to-house search programme will follow each round to ensure that no child is dropped out of the immunisation programme.

The government in collaboration with different international agencies, including the UNICEF and the WHO, decided to immunise all the under-five children across the country when the first case of polio was detected after five years in March 2006.

Eighteen polio cases have so far been detected in 12 districts all over Bangladesh with the last one reported on November 22, 2006, the sources said.

UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh Louis-Georges Arsenault on the occasion said the NID would not only help root out polio, but the combination of Vitamin-A capsules and de-worming tablets would reduce the chance of other diseases in children of Bangladesh, particularly in the post-flood situation.

Two more NIDs will be observed in Bangladesh every year from 2008 until the neighbouring India, already identified as an endemic country, becomes free from polio.

Staff Reporter

The Council of Advisers yesterday approved in principle the draft of an ordinance to empower executive magistrates to conduct mobile courts and mete out spot punishment for some offences like copying in examination halls.

The approval was given at a meeting of the Council of Advisers held at the Chief Adviser's Office with Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair.

The ordinance initiated by the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs is being felt necessary to help executive magistrates to retain some judicial powers, as the separation of judiciary from the executive takes effect from November 1.

The said ordinance is expected to be finalised at a special meeting of the Council of Advisers scheduled to be held today (Sunday).

The meeting decided to bring the mortal remains of Beershrestha Hamidur Rahman in the country from Tripura in India before December 16, the Independence Day and reburied at Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals' Graveyard with state honour.

A five-member Bangladesh team will go to India and look after the bringing of the mortal remains from India.

The three-hour meeting discussed different aspects of the coordinated multipurpose transport policy draft and sent it to the Ministry concerned for further scrutiny.

The meeting emphasised the need for determining as to what sort of transport policy should be adopted for the towns.

The meeting decided that all the advisers would regularly visit different districts to know problems being faced by the people and the administration and have exchange of views with them.

The Advisers would also see whether the farmers are getting fertilizer being given at subsidised rates.

From now on, the regular meeting of the Council of Advisers would be held on every Sunday to make field visits of the Advisers convenient.

The meeting also discussed the government initiative to deal with the price hike and the state of distribution of fertilizer among the farmers.

Briefing journalists Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim said there should be a monitoring system to control the price hike.

He, however, said that international price has an adverse impact on the increase of prices of essential commodities as the country mostly depended on import of those items.

Staff Reporter

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Lt Gen (Retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury yesterday urged reporters to prepare anti-graft investigative reports in their own way objectively ignoring the Official Secrecy Act and certain other laws and government rules.

"Don't care about famous or infamous Official Secrecy Act or certain other laws and government rules. Find your own ways to prepare the news… if there is a will there is a way," he said.

The ACC chairman was speaking at a certificate distribution ceremony and discussion as chief guest at the Local Government Engineering Department Bhaban in the city's Agargaon area. Reporters Against Corruption (RAC) and Commonwealth Cultural Society of Bangladesh (CCSB) jointly organised the 'Certificate Distribution Ceremony of a six-day Training Workshop for Journalists' and `Discussion Meeting on Creating Awareness in Fighting Corruption'. Chaired by News Today editor Reazuddin Ahmed, the function was addressed, among others, by The Independent editor and former Adviser to the caretaker government Mahbubul Alam.

About granting autonomy to the Commission, Mashhud told reporters after the programme that some opportunities would have to be given so that the Commission could recruit and train people, and determine the service conditions as per needs.

"We have been brought to work through the government. For its success, some opportunities will have to be given so that we can recruit and train people and determine other service conditions," he said.

Replying to a query about his meeting with the Chief Adviser on the ACC's organogram on Thursday, he declined to elaborate.

The ACC chairman also said there could not be as many as ten autonomous or independent organisations in a country. The government of is the only independent organisation.

"You talk time and time again about autonomy, independence and

neutrality. But, these are relative words. There can't exist 10 independent organizations in a country. The Bangladesh government is the only independent organization and we want to work with the government closely," he said.

Addressing the discussion meeting, the ACC chairman said the opportunities should be created so that RAC (Reporters Against Corruption) and ACC could work together.

The Commission would seek assistance from the reporters, as they are at the forefront, he said.

Stressing the need for RAC to earn recognition and cooperation from ACC and other organisations, Mashhud said he would be happy if the Commission's activities could be taken forward with the help of reporters.

Emphasising the need to stay above question, he said the complaints heard about reporters should not touch the members of RAC.

The ACC chairman said he would soon resume public relation campaign across the country to prevent corruption.

Editor of The Independent and former Adviser Mahbubul Alam said cooperation from the media is essential for the success in the campaign against corruption.

Freeing the country from corruption is the precondition of democracy and rule of law, he said.

Mahbub Alam said that due process of law should be followed in dealing with the graft suspects so that no innocent person is harmed.

"At the same time, it must be ensured that the corrupts cannot live in peace."

News Today editor Reazuddin Ahmed said that if the Access to Information Act is enacted, the anti-graft campaign would be more successful.

CCSB president ASMA Khaleque and general secretary Syed Shukkur Ali Shuvo, and RAC president Shahiduzzaman and general secretary Mizan Malik also spoke at the function.

Later, certificates were distributed among the participants, who completed the six-day course.

Staff Reporter

Schoolboy Inzamul Haque Sumon who was kidnapped by the miscreants from Tongi in Gazipur district was found dead yesterday, after ten days of his abduction. Miscreants killed him brutally by strangulation.

Class VI student Suman of Srishti Central School in Uttara of Dhaka, the son of Lebanon expatriate Shafiuddin Mollah of Awpara under Tongi thana in Gazipur district, was killed as his family had failed to pay Tk 10 lakh as ransom to his abductors.

The victim's family hailed from Laxmisusan village under Dohar thana in Dhaka district.

Elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-11) arrested four suspects in this connection. They were identified as Abdul Hannan, Mohammad Sumon, Kalu Miah and Alamgir Hossain.

Family sources said Sumon was abducted when he came out of their Tongi residence on October 17 afternoon for playing. Later, the abductors demanded Tk 10 lakh over phone as ransom. As his family failed to meet their demand, the miscreants killed him.

RAB sources said that acting on a tip-off, they arrested Hannan, Sumon, Kalu and Alamgir from different places in Tongi and Uttara. And following their confessions, RAB members led by first class magistrate Kazi Abed Hossain recovered Sumon's body, hidden under the earth, from an under construction building in Awpora area.

During interrogation, the adductors admitted that they strangulated Suman to death for the failure of his family to meet their demand.

The body was sent to the hospital morgue for autopsy.

Staff Reporter

Top leaders of the two major political parties-the BNP and Awami League-rejected Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid's claim that there was no war criminals and anti-liberation elements in the country.

"Everybody knows that some elements were collaborated with the occupation Pakistani forces in finding people's houses during the War of Liberation in 1971," BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain said yesterday when his attention was drawn to Mujahid's statement.

"All know that there were rajakars, al-shams and anti-liberation elements during the war of liberation in 1971," Khandaker Delwar said, adding that the government, immediately after the independence, declared general amnesty to Rajakers and anti-liberation elements.

Asked if his party would go for unity with Jamaat, the BNP Secretary General acknowledged that there was a tendency in major political parties to forge unity with Jamaat.

"All made unity with Jamaat after independence," Khandaker Delwar said, adding, " In the future, any party can take decision considering the situation ahead of election."

Awami League (AL) Presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury rejected Mujahid's claim, terming it as a 'falsification of history'.

He also brushed aside top BNP reformist Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan's statement that post-Liberation AL Government declared amnesty to the war criminals and anti-liberation elements, including Jamaat-e-Islami.

"Jamaat Chief Maulana Matiur Rahman Nizami formed al-badre force, an armed militia, which acted as an auxiliary to the occupation Pakistani forces and help them carry out genocide in 1971," she strongly protesting Mujiahid's satement. "They are war criminals," she added.

Rejecting Mannan Bhuiyan's statement, the AL Presidium member claimed, "Bangabandhu did not show clemency to any war criminals and Rajakers. And specific charges were brought against them after enquiry."

Sajeda Chowdhury, however, evaded answer when asked as to why her party forged unity with Jamaat-e-Islami during 1994 to 1996.

Staff Reporter

The newly appointed permanent representative-designate of Bangladesh to the Unite Nations in Geneva Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya yesterday said that attaining duty free access of Bangladeshi goods to the United States will be one of the major goals and he will strive hard for the same.

"Ensuring of easy access of service sector will be tough in the next WTO round. We will be noisy to attain duty and quota free access of Bangladeshi goods in the US," he said yesterday at a meeting with the FBCCI leaders. "We will try our best to incorporate most of our products in the '97 per cent' which was granted duty free access during the last WTO meeting in Hong Kong," he added.

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) organised the meeting at its conference room with president Mir Nasir Hossain in the chair. Business leaders from different fields attended the meeting.

Dr Bhattacharya sought cooperation from the private sector so that his job can advance country's economic interests.

"The job I am going to take up is not an easy job, especially in the present complicated world scenario," he said.

Requesting the business leaders to appoint a private- sector permanent representative for Geneva to cooperate with government with fast and clear reaction from the private sector Dr Bhattacharya said it will help the country to reap the highest benefit from WTO negotiations.

He said, " My appointment as permanent representative is a recognition of the government towards the private sector."

"By this it is proven that the private sector of the country is getting capable day by day."

He also had a word of warning for the private-sector leaders-that his failure in Geneva would be treated as the failure of the private sector.

Chalking out his activities as the permanent representative to the UN

Geneva office, he said, "If we can utilize the prospects of the changed scenario of the country with the changed world perspective, we can carry the country much ahead."

Dr Bhattacharya pointed out that maintaining international standards of labour is now linked to getting benefit from the World Trade Organization (WTO) regime. "I urge the factory owners to maintain the labour situation at the international level, and I know already the situation has improved a lot," he said.

Speaking at the meeting, FBCCI President Mir Nasir Hossain made a point that LDC are a separate entity having interests unlike others in the comity of nations.

"We must maintain a distance from other developing countries at the time of negotiation. Our interests are different and should not be mixed up with that of other developing countries," he said.

FBCCI director A Rouf Chowdhury, Abul Kashem Ahmed, DCCI president Hossain Khaled, former BGMEA president Annisul Huq, former BTMA president M A Awal, former FBCCI director Abdul Huq and Brig Gen (Retd) M Mofizur Rahman spoke, among others, on the occasion.

Staff Reporter

BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday rejected his expelled predecessor Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan's reunification call, terming it as a plea to find way to get back to the party.

"Mannan Bhuiyan and his associates are now trying to find different strategy to return to the party," he said when his attention was drawn to Mannan Bhuiyan's call.

"They will not be able to return through byways. If they really want to return, they must follow the BNP constitution," he said while talking to the journalists at his NAM building apartment.

His remarks came in the wake of show of strength on their respective sides by the numbers of former MPs siding with them and top reformist leader Mannan Bhuiyan's latest statement that he wants both unity and reform of the BNP keeping Begum Khaleda Zia as its Chairperson.

But, anti-reform member of the BNP Advisory Council Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah yesterday at a separate programme said Mannan Bhuiyan would have to offer a public apology to the people and the party if he wants to get back into the BNP.

Khandaker Delwar said the former BNP MPs, who met on Thursday, were earlier seen with Mannan Bhuiyan as the latter coerced and allured them into his side.

He said the BNP Chairperson Begum Zia expelled Mannan Bhuiyan and appointed him Secretary General of the party. "I have no authority to lift the expulsion order, as I cannot usurp the Chairperson's authority."

Khandaker Delwar questioned as to why Mannan Bhuiyan did not say earlier that he wants unity and reform both in BNP keeping Begum Zia as the Chairperson.

Referring to the obstruction to his planned visit to the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal ® in Sylhet Friday, he said it was his family programme but the government deliberately obstructed him. "As a Muslim it is my fundamental right to offer fateha at the Mazar."

Earlier, a Juba Dal delegation headed by General Secretary Moazzem Hossain Alal met Delwar and discussed with him observance of the founding anniversary of the youth front of BNP. BNP leader Gayeswar Chandra Roy and Juba Dal leaders ex-MP Khairul Kabir Khokon, former MP Abdul Momen, Nurul Kabir Shaheen, Abul Hossain Khan and Mohammad Shajahan were present.

When his attention was drawn to Mannan Bhuiyan's call, BNP leader Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah joked that it seems good sense prevailed upon pro-reform leaders and they now want to return to BNP.

"But it must be ascertained whether the good sense of theirs is temporary or permanent. Their mindsets and stances must be scrutinized before they are allowed to return to BNP," he told journalists at his new DOHS residence in the city.

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh is likely to face a serious environmental disaster due to the electronic wastes(E-waste) arising out of mishandling millions of non-functional cellular phones across the country .

About thirty two million mobile sets would be discarded or would be non-functional causing at least two thousand and five hundred sixty tones e-waste by the end of 2010, a research paper presented yesterday claimed.

It says, the country will have to see more than 4-kilometer long rally of 5 tones trucks of e-waste each year.

Ahmad Wasimul Haque Bari, former assistant professor, Asian University said this while presenting a research findings on 'Nonfunctional mobile sets and its bad impacts on environment' at the National Press Club yesterday.

Referring to the dangerous impact of the e-waste coming from the mobile set, he suggested for immediately setting up adequate recycle plants to ease the situation.

Ahmad Wasimul Haque Bari also chief researcher of the project urged to introduce and implement 'Take Back and Exchange' offer by the cell phone importers and network providers so that local subscribers are inspired to involve themselves in the recycle process.

He alleged that no mobile companies or local distributors did not cooperate in conducting the research fearing loss in their business.

While speaking as chief guest, former Dhaka University Pro-vice Chancellor Prof Shahid Uddin Ahmed suggested enacting and implement policies to reuse, recycle mobile phone sets and reduce cell phone related pollution.

He also recommended to ensure phone manual in Bengali language and printing environmental caution note in Bangla with logo on the packaging box.

Shamsun Nahar, Executive Director, Center for Research and Studies emphasised on the need for building massive awareness by airing advertisements and others effective publicities in the country to protect the environment.

She also suggested to extend media role in this regard.

Staff Reporter

The government is planning to appoint assistants to the Advisers of the caretaker Government to help them discharge the responsibilities of different ministries, as there is no room to expand the Council of Advisers.

Discussion is being held at government high levels as to how the assistants to the advisers will be incorporated to conduct the functionsof the Caretaker government, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim said this yesterday while briefing journalists after a meeting of Council of Advisers at Chief Adviser's Office (CAO).

Replying to a question he said the Gvernment has already taken expert opinion in this regard.

The Press Secretary said the leading constitutional experts ruled out the scope to appoint more advisers as per the Constitution.

He, however, said the experts opined in favour of appointment of people to assist the advisers.

Now, discussion is being held as to how power will be delegated to them, what will be their posts and whether they will be given the signing authority, he explained.

Staff Reporter

The owners of several buildings in Tejkunipara yesterday alleged that the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) and Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) authorities were engaged in various corruptions in the construction of the proposed Bijoy Sarani-Tejgaon Link Road in the city.

They also alleged that some of the officials of RAJUK and IWM are also threatening them of demolishing their buildings if they do not pay them bribe.

At a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), the building owners said the officials of the two government organisations have been trying to change the main design of the proposed road to facilitate some powerful persons and save their property.

They also alleged that the officials have taken steps to evict and demolish their buildings and establishments from Sunday morning without issuing them notice, providing the compensation and rehabilitation facilities.

They said that the authorities have initiated to construct a bent road by changing the main straight road design.

Kabir Anwar, a building owner, read out a written statement at the press conference where, among other building owners, Zakir Hossain, SM Rashidul Islam, Abdul Mannan Khan and Iqbal Hossain were present.

Staff Reporter

The country completes one year under non-party Caretaker Government's rule today.

However, eventful the year experienced two successive Caretaker Governments, as the first non-party administration collapsed on January 11 against the backdrop of its failure to contain widespread political violence that pushed the nation to the brink of a civil war.The first Caretaker Government headed by President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed was formed on October 29, 2006, a day after the BNP-led four-party alliance government completed its five-year tenure.

The day (October 28) witnessed unprecedented political confrontations between the supporters of four-party alliance and Awami League (AL)-led grand alliance in the capital and elsewhere in the country.

Supporters of rival political camps were seen dancing on the bodies of political activists killed by both the sides at Purana Paltan of Dhaka on the day in broad daylight that triggered global protests and tarnished the country's image abroad.

Situation started to deteriorate everyday, when the then Caretaker Government and Election Commission was going ahead with holding of the general elections on January 22, which was boycotted by the AL-led political alliance.

As many as 55 political activists were killed and hundreds of others injured throughout the country as confrontations between the rival political camps engulfed the whole nation.

International communities, donor countries and agencies and the United Nations called for restrain but to no avail.

At one stage, United Nation's Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, in a public statement, urged Bangladesh Army to intervene and save the country from plunging into anarchy.

The Armed Forces led by Bangladesh Army intervened on January 11, when the President dissolved his interim administration and appointed Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed as Chief Adviser to a new Caretaker Government. The President also proclaimed state of emergency to tackle the situation.

All the 10 Advisers to the Caretaker Government took oath of office on the following day.

The new Army-backed Government, during the last nine months, reorganised the Election Commission and Anti-Corruption Commission, separated Judiciary from the Executive, launched campaign against corruption and announced an election roadmap, which envisioned holding the general elections within December 2008.

Jamal Uddin Jami

Faced with a session jam of about five months, Dhaka, Rajshahi and Jagannath universities will reopen today after sixty-seven days of unscheduled closure following violent student unrest.

Classes and other academic activities of the universities will begin from today, while postponed examinations will start from the first week of November.

Earlier, the residential halls of DU reopened on October 23. Most of the students have returned to their respective dormitories and the university's usual outlook has returned.

In a press release, the DU Syndicate expected cooperation from all concerned including law-enforcing agencies so that such incidents do not occur in future and the academic activities of the University continued uninterruptedly.

The Syndicate meeting presided over by Vice-Chancellor Prof SMA Faiz was held last night.

The meeting appreciated the decision of Dhaka University

Teachers' Association (DUTA) as they decided to attend classes from today.

Teachers of the university declared at a press conference on Friday that they would return to the class and take part in every academic activity.

But they requested the government to release their detained colleagues, who were arrested for allegedly provoking the student unrest.

Some 630 examinations of 49 departments and seven Institutes were deferred during the closure of the university.

The students of 2nd year, 3rd year and 4th year honours classes have to suffer due to the sixty-seven days of unscheduled closure and deferment of scheduled examinations. They face a session jam of almost five months.

On the other hand, the students of fourth year worried that if their examinations were not held by January they would not be able to appear in the 28th BCS competitive examination.

Some students of Dhaka University got involved in violence with army personnel at the university gymnasium playground centering a trifle matter during watching a football match held between Public Administration and Journalism Department of the university.

The incident spread among the students of the university and later the students demonstrated demanding withdrawal of Army camps from the university campus.

As per their demand, the government decided to withdraw the army camp from the DU campus within 12 hours.

However, the movement of the students did not stop rather it spread across the country.

To bring the situation under control, the Government imposed curfew in six divisional cities and declared all educational institutions including, universities, colleges and schools closed sine die.

Although the government withdrew the order on private universities, colleges and schools of the six divisional cities after few days but the public universities remained closed.

Later, the Education Adviser Dr Ayub Quadri held a meeting with the VCs of the public universities and gave some directions to them about the reopening of the universities.

After the meeting, all the public universities reopened except five universities, Dhaka, Jagannath, Jahangirnagar, Rajshahi and Chittagong University.

Jahangirnagar and Chittagang universities reopened last week.