The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus yesterday criticised the World Bank (WB) saying, the multilateral lending agency has failed to fight poverty and also has deviated from its central objective of alleviating poverty.

"WB was created to eradicate poverty. It cannot achieve the objectives for which it was created," Yunus said after a meeting with visiting WB president Robert B Zoellick at his Grameen Bank's Headquarters in Mirpur.

The micro-credit pioneer told the new WB president to reorganise the international institution focussing on poverty alleviation and to increase funding for micro-credit initiatives for the poor.

"I've told them that they've forgotten the people. If they can't involve the people in their work, poverty won't be reduced," he said.

The "WB was created nearly 60 years ago. In this 60 years the world has changed a lot, but the WB has not changed its style," Yunus said

He told Zoellic that the Bank should carry out wide-ranging reforms including giving more freedom to local administrators of its programmes. "Its country offices act like a post office. They wait for the orders from the headquarters.

"I've said they could be given independence or be made a fully self-governed body."

"It is urgent to bring changes to WB policies also," he said adding, "Conditions attached by the Bank with its lending often puzzles many countries."

The Grameen Bank chairman also criticised the WB for not lending adequate money for microcredit activities.

Yunus said the WB lends $20 billion a year on the average. Less than 1 percent is given for microcredit and small entrepreneurs, which Yunus said should be increased to at least 5 percent.

"If you think micro-credit is helpful to poor people, then why don't you increase fund for it?" Yunus said. He asked the WB chief to assist developing countries, including Bangladesh, in carrying out financial policy reforms.

Zoellick, who took the helm of the Bank in July after a scandal forced his predecessor, Paul Wolfowitz, to resign, came to Dhaka Saturday on a two-day official visit. Earlier, he toured India and Pakistan.

Staff Reporter

Charge-sheet in the murder case of Prof Dr Humayun Azad of Dhaka University will be submitted to the court within the next seven days.

Besides, the clue in the murder case of former vice-chancellor of National University Prof Dr Aftab Ahmed has been found by the detective police.

It was stated at a meeting of the Monitoring Cell of the Ministry of Home Affairs yesterday.

Progress in investigations into ten sensational and important cases was reviewed at the meeting.

Sources said apart from the ten sensational cases, the meeting reviewed the progress of the case related to August 21 grenade attack on Awami League rally at the city's Bangabandhu Avenue.

The meeting discussed about the confessional statements given by militant leader Mufti Hannan, Bipul, Mofizur Rahman and Zafar in the court about their involvement in August 21 grenade attack on Awami League rally with a view to kill Sheikh Hasina.

It was decided at the meeting to interrogate these four militants regarding the Ramna Batamul, CPB, and Udichi bomb attack cases showing them arrest in every case. It will result in a logical conclusion of all bomb attack cases, the meeting observed.

While reviewing the sensational and important cases, it was stated at the meeting that 'remarkable progress' was achieved in the investigations into the murder cases of Rahat Karim Mukul, a teacher of North South University, in the hands of muggers and Advocate Mohammad Haider Hosayn, public prosecutor of Jhalakathi district.

It was told at the meeting that militant leader Mufti Hannan, Hafez and Nayeem gave confessional statements to the court under Section 164 regarding the bomb attacks on Sylhet Mayor Badaruddin Ahmed Kamran and Awami League leader Suranjit Sen Gupta in Sylhet.

However, it was told at the meeting that there was no progress into the Satkhira journalist Belal Hossain killing case. Engineer Shafique-ul-Mowla killing case is also facing the same condition.

Apart from the sensational cases, the meeting reviewed the progress of several other important cases, including Oriental Bank's Tk 488 crore embezzlement case. It was decided that police would investigate the case.

On the other hand, it was told at the meeting that charge sheet in the contractor Shamsuzzaman Nannu murder case would be submitted to the court shortly.

UNB, Dhaka

The investors of savings certificates, who had to pay advance income tax (AIT) at source for lack of clear guideline, will get their money back.

National Board of Revenue (NBR) chairman Mohammed Abdul Majid made it clear after a meeting at Bangladesh Bank on Sunday. As for the investors who are regular taxpayers, AIT deducted at source against their savings certificate benefit would be adjusted at the end of the fiscal year with their yearly tax assessment, he said. For the non-taxpayers, he added, a sort of money-back mechanism would be devised, but it would take time due to procedural complexities in withdrawing money from the national exchequer. "I hope, the confusion will now go," Majid said.

A senior NBR official further clarified that this group of non-taxpayer investors would have to open a tax identification number (TIN) and have to apply to the deputy commissioner of taxes to get back the money paid as AIT.

NBR would make necessary arrangements to simplify the money- back procedure, he said.

NBR chairman Abdul Majid chaired the meeting of senior Bangladesh Bank officials, NBR officials and chief executive officers of commercial banks to dispel the confusion created over payment of AIT on income from savings certificates.

The budget for fiscal 2007-08 imposed 10 percent income tax at source on income over Tk 25,000 from investment in savings certificates.

Later, the government raised the exemption limit to Tk 150,000. In the meantime, the commercial banks deducted the AIT considering the earlier limit of Tk 25,000 and few of the banks even deducted AIT without considering the exemption limit.

Association of Bankers Bangladesh (ABB) president M Aminuzzaman, who was present at the meeting, said the meeting was very successful in removing confusions among the banks over the AIT. "The investors have nothing to fear from now."

He said the bankers also requested Bangladesh Bank and NBR not to seek account information of their clients directly from the banks. They suggested seeking account information from the taxpayers first and then ask the banks for such information of selective unwilling taxpayers.

The NBR chairman assured the bankers of considering the suggestion, Aminuzzaman said.

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The High Court Sunday granted bail to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the Bangabandhu Memorial Trust graft case and halted the proceedings of the case under emergency rules. Hasina filed a writ appeal with the High Court bench of Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury on Oct 28, challenging the case.

The judges issued a rule on the Anticorruption Commission and the government, asking them to explain in eight weeks why approval for bringing the case under the emergency rules would not be declared illegal. In the ruling, the judges also said the investigation of the case would continue.

The case filed with Tejgaon Police Station on Sept 2 alleged that the accused had taken Tk 3 crore in "donations" to Bangabandhu Memorial Trust for approval to set up three barge-mounted power plants.

ACC deputy secretary SM Sabbir filed the case against seven people including Hasina, former energy secretary Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, former Power Development Board chairman Nuruddin Mahmud Kamal and Summit Group managing director Muhammad Aziz Khan.

The case alleged the accused had misused power and colluded with one another to sign an agreement with Wartsila Power Development to install the three power plants, instead of selecting the lowest bidder.

The case was taken under the emergency powers rules on Sept 20.

The writ petition said that putting the case under the emergency powers rules violated the law.

Khulna Correspondent

Detained Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Mayor Sheikh Tayebur Rahman was placed under a five-day remand for interrogation by a court in an extortion case yesterday.

Besides, three cases were filed against him for keeping illegal arms and liquors.

Mayor Sheikh Tayebur Rahman was taken to the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mahbubur Rahman by Khulna Sadar thana police yesterday morning. Producing Tayebur before the court, the investigation officer of the case Enamul Huq pleaded to the court to place him under a ten-day remand for interrogation. However, the court granted five-day remand.

At about 10:30am the Mayor was taken to the court in a prison van amid stringent security measures. After the hearing the court placed him under a five-day remand at about 11:00am. He was taken to the Khulna Sadar Police Station in a prison van at about 11:10am.

Earlier, two cases were filed against him for possessing illegal arms and liquor and one case was filed on charge of extortion.

The joint forces raided into his Khulna residence and recovered four bottles of foreign liquor, 25 bhories of gold ornaments, cash Tk 1 lakh, a shotgun, 25 rounds of bullets of shotgun, a pipegun and a knife.

Sub-Inspector Enamul Huq of Khulna Police Station told reporters that during the search into the KCC Mayor's residence, his wife Laila Rahman and two daughters were present. However, the Mayor's wife could not show any licence of the shotgun during the search.

The raid into the Khulna Mayor's residence was participated by the army, RAB, and police.

Gulshan police arrested Sheikh Tayebur Rahman, Forest and Environment Secretary of BNP, from his Gulshan residence in Dhaka at about 10:30pm on Friday in connection with an extortion case filed with the Khulna Sadar Police Station. He was taken to Khulna on Saturday afternoon. He is now under the jail custody of Kotwali Police Station in Khulna city.

Staff Reporter

Three directors have been dropped from the Board of Directors of International Finance Investment and Commerce Bank Limited (IFIC), while three new directors have been elected.

The removed directors include a former chairman of IFIC Bank Ltd. However, sources at IFIC Bank Ltd said none was removed. They themselves quitted their posts according to the existing rules. Three new directors have been elected to the Board of Directors.

The decision was taken at the 29th annual general meeting of IFIC Bank Ltd on October 25 last.

The three new directors who were elected unanimously are Didarul Alam, Chowdhury Nafiz Sharafat and Tanim Noman Sattar. Besides, five previous directors were elected at the AGM. They are Mohammad Lutfar Rahman Badal, Abu Taher Mohammad Golam Maruf, Morshed Murad Ibrahim, Aminur Rahman and Yasin Ali.

New chairman of IFIC Bank Ltd Lutfar Rahman said former chairman Mosaddek Ali Falu, Enayetur Rahman and Abdul Hamid Chowdhury went on retirement before their tenures were over. Of them, Falu and Enayetur Rahman are now in jail. However, they will remain shareholders of the IFIC Bank Ltd.

Meanwhile, 10 per cent bonus share for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005, and 24 per cent bonus share for the year 2006 were announced at the IFIC Bank's AGM.

Acting President of Awami League Zillur Rahman said the Caretaker government should punish the war criminals, as they were involved in collaborating with the Pakistani Army in 1971.

He demanded of the government to bring sedition charges against them, especially against Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mojaheed and former NBR Chairman Shah Abdul Hannan for terming War of Liberation a 'civil war.'

He urged the government to look at the prices of essentials and ensure voting rights of the people. He said, "I believe that Awami League President Sheikh Hasina will be freed through legal means."

He was addressing as chief guest a memorial meeting organised by Awami League (AL) to mark the Jail Killing Day at the auditorium of Engineers Institution of Bangladesh in the city yesterday.

He said, "We will fight against any false allegation. AL did not break in the past and will not break in future."

Abdur Razzak, Presidium Member of AL, said, "Ziaur Rahman gave opportunity to the war criminals to participate in the politics of the country in the name of religion. They do not believe in our independence. They want to turn the country into Pakistan. We will continue to pursue legal process to fight against them."

Tofael Ahmed, another Presidium Member, said the Chief Adviser, Chief Election Commissioner and Army Chief accepted our demand on the war criminals. "We believe they will meet our demand," he added.

Rashed Khan Menon, President of Workers Party, said, "The conspiracy that began with the jail killing has not finished. War criminals should be punished by a tribunal."

Hasanul Haque Inu, President of JSD (Inu), said it is the high time for the war criminals and militants to get the punishment they deserve.

Suranjeet Sen Gupta, presidium member of AL, urged the government to punish those persons who were involved in the killing of four national leaders.

"We hope the trial of the killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and four national leaders will be completed within a short time."

He also urged the government to withdraw the name of Sheikh Rehana from the charge sheet of a case.

Muzahidul Islam Selim, General Secretary of CPB, said to talk about the War of Liberation is not to divide the nation. It makes the nation united on a common platform. The persons, who are misinterpreting the War of Liberation and saying that it was a civil war, should get punishment under the war crime tribunal.

Sajeda Chowdhury and Motia Chowdhury, presidium members of AL, Justice KM Sobhan, Syed Ashraful Islam, acting General Secretary of AL, Nurul Islam, President of Gonotantri Party, Saifuddin Ahmed Manik, Gono Forum leader, among others, spoke at the meeting.

Staff Reporter

Eminent jurist and constitution framer Dr Kamal Hossain demanded of the government to observe the Constitution Day on November 4 at national level and introduce text of the constitution in the text books in secondary or higher secondary level.

He was speaking at a discussion meeting on the 35th Constitution Day at the National Press Club yesterday.

He said national unity should be formed on the spirit of the constitution to reserve the right of the people and implement the ideologies of our independence.

Dr Kamal said the country was trying to get itself out of a crisis situation by holding a free and fair election.

Chairman of the 34-member Constitution Committee formed on April 10, 1972, Dr Kamal said secular politics was the tradition of Bangalis and the symbol of the Bangalis was the constitution.

On November 4, in 1972 the Constitution was approved by the Constituent Assembly of Bangladesh, which was based on the proclamation of our independence and the ideologies of the Liberation War. The four basics of the constitution in 1972 were secularism, democracy, socialism and nationalism.

Members of the Constitution Committee Suranjit Sen Gupta, Barrister Amirul Islam, Prof Abu Syed, Whip Abdur Rauf and civil society representative Badiul Alam Majumder, among others were present at the meeting.

Suranjit Sen Gupta said the trial of the war criminals of Jamaat would be held under the existing constitution though it had two surgeries in it by the then military Army Government.

He said Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed expressed solidarity with the demand of trial of war criminals and banning them from election but he should take initiative.

"There is no scope to deviate from the way of constitution and secularism and on the ideology of it all the parties should form unity", he added.

Barrister Amir-ul-Islam said the constitution of Bangladesh was a modern one.

The programme was organised focusing the main part of the constitution that the 'people are the owner of all power of the republic."

Staff Reporter

Price of per litre of soybean oil touches Tk 100. It cannot be controlled in any way. The price of soybean oil crossed record Tk 100 per litre in the city's kitchen markets yesterday. Both loose and packet soybean oil is now selling at Tk 100 per litre. Not only the price of soybean oil, but also the prices of rice, lentil, onion, atta, and vegetables have increased in the markets. However, the prices of fish are comparatively low.

Visiting Shantinagar and Segun Bagicha kitchen markets yesterday this correspondent found that loose soybean oil was selling at Tk 95-100. Packet soybean oil was selling at Tk 95 per litre. However, a container of eight litre of soybean oil was selling at Tk 700. Traders said the price of soybean oil is unlikely to go down soon. They said supply is adequate, but the price in international market is high.

Traders said price might go down somewhat if the government withdraws duty on the import of soybean oil.

On the other hand, prices of different varieties of coarse and fine rice have gone up in the markets. Miniket variety of rice which is preferred by upper and middle classes is now selling at Tk 35 a kilogram, while Najirshail is selling at Tk 32 per kg, Parijat at Tk 24 per kg, and Paijam at Tk 25 per kg.

Price of onion is getting dearer day by day. Its price remains static at Tk 60 per kg for two weeks. Atta is selling at Tk 40-45 per kg, which was Tk 26-29 only two months ago. The price of sugar remains static at Tk 32.

Winter vegetables are yet to reach the city's kitchen markets in bigger ways. A cauliflower weighing maximum 150 grams is selling at Tk 20, while potato is selling at Tk 20-24 per kg, tomato at Tk 55-60 per kg, green papaya at Tk 10 per kg, and green chilli at Tk 110 per kg.

Staff Reporter

Imprisoned BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia will soon write to the Election Commission as to which committee it should invite to ongoing dialogue according to the party constitution.

She will also write to the court through the jail authority explaining BNP constitution pertaining to the controversy over the formation of new committee.

Her counselor Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas disclosed this yesterday after a meeting with the former Prime Minister inside the special jail, where she is detained.

He said Begum Zia has indicated her rejection of the new committee headed by M Saifur Rahman as Acting Chairperson and Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed as Acting Secretary General.

The BNP Standing Committee recently appointed Saifur and Hafiz to their new office recently.

The BNP Supremo's latest action came amidst acrimonious debates and individual mudslinging between the leaders of the rival groups of her party.

The bitter debates between the reformist and anti-reformist groups recently deteriorated into mudslinging following the appointment of new provisional leadership comprising Saifur Rahman and Major Hafiz.

Hafiz and front ranking anti-reform leader Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah pushed the debates to the lowest level blaming each other for involvement in the killing of the late President Ziaur Rahman.

Former BNP Vice-Chariman Lt Gen (retd) Mir Shawkat Ali on Saturday and LDP President and former BNP Standing Committee member Col (retd) Oli Ahmed yesterday refueled the debates by siding with the anti-reformist.

Advocate Shimul Biswas, who had a lengthy 2-hour meeting with Begum Khaleda in the special jail from 2-30 to 4-30pm, told journalists that the BNP Chairperson appeared to be strict on her previous action (appointment of Khandaker Delwar Hossain as Secretary General purging Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan.)

"BNP Chairperson is strict to her previous stand," he said, adding, "She has urged all leaders and workers of the party unitedly forgetting the differences."

Asked if he had discussed about the BNP's new committee led by Saifur Rahman he said, "Begum Zia has given an explanation and I will give details at a press conference at my court chamber today."

"She urged the lawyers across the country to form legal committees for freeing the detained BNP leaders and activists," said Shimul Biswas, who is also a member of the BNP National Executive Committee and Managing Editor of party mouthpiece Dainik Dinkal, a vernacular daily.

He said they have also discussed about the case of Begum Zia and other imprisoned leaders of the party.

Meanwhile, throwing a challenge to Brig Gen Hannan Shah to prove his contention, BNP Acting Secretary General Major Hafiz yesterday said he would give up politics if Hannan Shah could prove the allegation.

In a related development, a 10-member BNP delegation led by Hannan Shah yesterday at a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda demanded the Election Commission to invite the anti-reform faction to the ongoing dialogue on political reforms.

BSS, Chittagong

Unloading of over two lakh metric tones of imported wheat, which were stockpiled in the ships at the outer anchorage of the Chittagong Port has began on Saturday night.

The unloading of wheat, which were kept floating in the 'floating warehouses' for a long time was made possible within the very short time following intervention by the Army-led joint forces and taking of some measures to expedite the unloading of food grains so that it could be supplied in the market soon.

The joint forces have taken the initiative on Friday night after being informed that over 2 lakh metric tons of privately imported wheat were not unloaded despite those consignments reached at the outer anchorage of the port since last week of September in more than one hundred lighterage vessels and some mother vessels.

Some trade body leaders as well as market sources said that some unscrupulous importers have done this intentionally for making extra profits by creating artificial crisis of wheat in the market.

Trade body leaders opined that had the consignments of wheat unloaded and supplied in the market timely, the prices of flour could not have been reached at present abnormal level.

During the series of meetings with the joint forces officials, the importers have argued that they could not unload the wheat from the lighterage vessels due to unavailability of berthing facilities at port jetties and slow pace of work at private ghats due to shortage of workers.

According to the steps taken by the joint forces, 11 wheat carrying lighter vessels took berth at 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9 port jetties and unloading of wheat have started from Saturday afternoon.

Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) chairman Commodore Muhammad Farooq told BSS that at present wheat are being unloaded from two mother vessels and 11 lighter vessels at port jetties.

"We always allow lighter vessels to have berth at port facilities for discharging cargoes whenever there are scope but it is not possible when the berthing facilities are occupied by big ships," he added.

A CPA official said that they can not willingly invite the importers or shippers to use port jetties for unloading their cargoes, and moreover, private wheat importers did not place their requirements to the CPA to allocate berthing facilities for unloading wheat from lighter vessels.

Sources said 26,360 out of 43,400 metric tons of wheat were unloaded from mother vessel MV Golden Sarinda while 16,649 out of 25,000 metric tons of wheat were unloaded from MV Lakearua till Sunday noon .

On the other hand, about 5,000 out of around 10,000 metric tons of wheat were discharged from 11 lighter vessels till yesterday afternoon.

At the same time, unloading of wheat from 18 lighter vessels have been going in full swing at private ghats from Saturday night.

"Three shift work roaster including night shifts was introduced yesterday night at the private ghats to make the unloading faster as per directives given to the owners of the ghats, " Brig. General Hasan Nasir of the joint forces told BSS.

The joint forces also taken initiative to monitor the supply of wheat and market situation to monitor why the price of flour rose at an abnormal level when importers claimed that they are selling wheat at Taka 27 to Taka 29 per kg to the flour mill owners and retailers.

Brig. General Nasir said they have also kept an eye whether the wheat are being supplied to the market chain or being hoarded by another rackets.

"Some leading importers have agreed to give us the names of buyers of their wheat by tomorrow," he said adding it would be helpful for them to monitor the wheat and flour market at least in Chittagong region .

Narsingdi Correspondent

A court has ordered the officer-in-charge of Narsingdi Police Station to consider the prayer as ezahar filed by one Iqbal Hossain, brother of slain Morshed Rana, who died under police custody.

After hearing, Chief Judicial Magistrate of Narsingdi Md Ataur Rahman yesterday ordered the officer-in-charge to consider the prayer as ezahar. Complainant Iqbal filed a petition case at the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate of Narsingdi on Thursday accusing OC S Alam, SI Motiar, SI Akbar, Altaf Hossain Swapan of Baniachal Moholla of the town, and his wife Fatema Begum.

The court ordered the OC of Narsingdi Police Station to consider the case as ezahar and informed the court about the matter.

It may be mentioned that Morshed Rana, an alleged car lifter, was killed in police custody on October 28. Subsequently Sub Inspector Motiar and Sub Inspector Akbar were temporarily suspended for their alleged involvement in torturing Rana, while OC S Alam was withdrawn by the higher authorities of police.

Meanwhile, Altaf Hossain Swapan and his wife Fatema Begum yesterday told the newsmen that a Honda of them was stolen. A case was filed accusing unnamed persons 18 days after the incident. Later, the case was dismissed in the final report. Later, the members of RAB-9 recovered the Honda from Kishoreganj. According to the confessional statements of Honda lifters, a case was filed against Morshed, which is now under trial. "I received the Honda from the court. Since Morshed Rana is our opponent, we have been involved in the case," Altaf Hossain said.

BSS, Tangail

Health Adviser Major General (retd) Dr ASM Matiur Rahman has said the government would consider supplying extra fertilisers for cultivation of some special crops according to the demand of the farmers.

"Pineapple and banana cultivators of Madhupur upazila of the district will be provided with additional quantity of fertilizer considering their demand," the adviser said this while exchanging views with professionals and government officials on distribution of urea and prices of essentials at Madhupur upazila auditorium here on Saturday.

Dr Matiur said the government has an adequate stock of fertilizer and is supplying it according to the demand. He asked the authorities concerned to remain alert so that none could create panic building up illegal stock or procuring excess fertilizer beyond his demand.

"All the farmers will get necessary fertilizer if the artificial crisis can be prevented," he said.

Later, the adviser visited the Idilpur Community Clinic where he said the government was trying to reach healthcare facilities to the doorsteps of the people.

Dr Matiur said, "Many of the third world countries have no healthcare infrastructures like ours and we must ensure optimum use of those."

He said that measures have been taken to make all the earlier built 11,000 community clinics operative.

Earlier, about 3,000 community clinics out of 11,000 were made operative. The present government took an initiative to start the rest clinics from November 1.