The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The interview of fugitive death penalty convict Col (retd) Abdur Rashid in a private television channel on Tuesday has raised questions among different quarters.

The interview, opined legal experts, is undoubtedly one-sided, and brings up a fundamental question as to how a condemned fugitive has been allowed to appear in an interview broadcast by the private TV channel, more so when the matter is sub-judice and pending before the Appellate Division.

Condemned Lt. Col (Retd) Rashid has unilaterally implicated Shahid President Ziaur Rahman and Col. Taher in Bangabandhu murder case. The other co-accused did not also make any mention of President Ziaur Rahman and Col Taher.

Legal experts such as Dr. Shahdin Malik, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon and adovcate Asaduzzman have separately expressed their opinion.

Dr. Shahdin Malik in his reaction said Lt. Col (Retd) Khandaker Abdur Rashid is a condemned fugitive in Bangabandhu murder case. If only he surrenders to the process of law, the concerned court will decide whether Rashid can make any statement at all, appearing in a TV channel.

The murder of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of the nation, is the most disgraceful and painful tragedy in our national history. Giving an opportunity to a condemned fugitive to appear in a local private TV channel, allowing him to make a unilateral statement is immoral. This is likely to create misgivings in the minds of the people and even lead to social disaffection and conflict. The episodes remain to be broadcast will, undoubtedly, be of the same nature, and have no relevance to the process of justice.

Advocate Asaduzzaman said, Rashid’s statement emanates from his personal imagination and has no legal basis. During prosecution he did not appear and make any submission. He is only putting the nation to utter confusion at the final stage of the legal process. Condemned Rashid, among others, murdered Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and yet acclaimed him as Bangabandhu. Advocate Asaduzzaman said this is the worst form of hypocrisy.

Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon said condemned fugitive Rashid has been allowed an opportunity to defend himself. At this national crossroads, Rashid’s interview broadcast is, undoubtedly, motivated and with malafide intention.

Col (Retd) Rashid’s statement is totally baseless and unacceptable to the nation. The private TV channel, as it appears, seems to have interfered with a sub-judice matter.

Staff Reporter

Acting Awami League president Zillur Rahman yesterday questioned the credibility of Col Rashid's comment about Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his assassination on August 15 in 1975.

He questioned how a 'self-confessed murderer' and 'fugitive convict' had appeared in an interview on a private television channel recently.

Speaking, of the Channel i interview of Bangabandhu murder convict Khandaker Abdur Rashid, aired early Wednesday, Zillur said: "I was amazed."

"Rashid is a fugitive convict. Nobody knows his whereabouts. How the channel got his interview is also a matter to be considered. He is a self-confessed murderer," he told journalists after a joining ceremony at his Gulshan residence.

"I don't know how credible his comments were, but in any case, they are of no consequence to Bangabandhu or the country," Zillur said, of Rashid's stated belief that 'Sheikh Mujib is the Father of the Nation'.

"There are many speculations regarding those linked to Bangabandhu's murder. But that many criminals were excluded, there is no doubt," Zillur added. He told assembled reporters that AL had had a successful dialogue with the Election Commission.

But on the party's preparations for elections, he said: "With indoor politics still banned across the country, what preparations can we make? We will discuss reorganisation of the ward committees at the metropolitan committee meeting of the party today (Friday)."

"We are likely to participate in the city corporation elections though there has been no preparation for the national elections by the party. The working committee will finalise such matters."

Zillur reiterated his demand for the release of detained AL leaders and activists across the country as well as lifting the ban on indoor politics.

New Nation Report

Unbelievable it may sound though, a primary school level student has to pay between Tk 25,000 and Tk one lakh as admission and session fees annually to the better-known private English medium schools in Dhaka city.

These fees are in addition to high tuition fees up to Tk 4,000 a month per student. Admission and session fees are collected even from a student who gets promoted from one class to another in the same institution, it is learnt.

The practice, a random survey shows, is reckless and such private schools are out of bound for children of low income families.

The survey has shown admission fees range from Tk 10,000 in Holy Cross School, Willies Little Flower School and Lyceum International School to Tk 60,000 in the Scholastica School. Session fees vary from Tk 1,700 in Lyceum School to Tk 12,000 in Hurdco International School and Tk 15,000 in Scholastica, the school sources said.

The tuition fees charged by the schools are Tk 350 to Tk 500 from class one to class five in the Holy Cross School, Tk 750 for class II in Willies Little Flower School and College, Tk 4,000 for class VI in Hurdco International School and Tk 4,000 for the play class in Scholastica School.

Reliable sources said, there are 94 government registered 'O' level schools. Of them 36 schools offer courses from class VI to VIII.

The sources said there are at least another one hundred such English medium schools, which are being operated without any government registration and as veritable business houses, which are minting money in the name of offering education.

In addition to these English medium schools these are at least five hundred Kindergartens in the metropolis, which also charge admission, session and tuition fees at exorbitant rates. These Kindergartens are functioning hardly with any government policy guidelines.

Sources said earlier the practice was to grant registration to the Kindergartens by the Directorate of Primary Education. But now neither the Directorate of Primary Education controls them nor the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education maintains any record on such institutions.

Late in 2006 an initiative was taken to make a separate arrangement like the creation of a separate Board to look after the functioning of English medium schools and a committee headed by the then Chairman of the National Curriculum and Text Book Board (NCTB) was formed. The committee, sources said they had formed a Draft Bill for the enactment of a law in this regard.

An NCTB source told the New Nation that the committee sent its recommendation to the Ministry of Education. They are yet to know its outcome.

Staff Reporter

Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah, Adviser of BNP Chairperson, and three others, who were arrested Wednesday midnight on charges of Emergency Power Rules (EPR) violation, were taken on a three-day police remand yesterday.

Tejgaon thana sub-inspector Golam Mabud filed a case against Hannan Shah and others on Wednesday midnight in connection with the clash near the mazar of late President Ziaur Rahman, in which BNP standing committee member Mahbubur Rahman was assaulted.

Earlier in May this year, Hannan Shah was arrested in an extortion case filed by Gazipur Awami League leader and, later, got bail from the High Court.

Police arrested Hannan Shah at 11:40pm on Wednesday from his DOHS residence at Mohakhali. Other BNP leaders Ali Arshad Mamun, Zakir Hossain Kazal and Abul Bashar were arrested from the spot on Wednesday morning.

After the arrest, Hannan Shah was kept in Cantonment thana while three others in Mohammadpur thana.

Tejgaon police produced them before the court at about 3:50pm yesterday and sought seven-day remand for each. But the court granted three-day remand.

Tejgaon thana SI Asaduzzaman, the investigation officer (IO), told The New Nation, "We have so far arrested four persons, including ASM Hannan Shah, and took them on remand. We are looking for the other accused and already conducted raids at various places."

Arrested Hannan Shah, however, denied the allegations against him in the court. With the court permission, he said he was not involved in the incident.

Meanwhile, his lawyers said that Hannan Shah was not involved in the incident as he went to the mazar at 12 noon when the incident occurred at about 10:30am. The lawyers had also appealed to the court against the remand and sought to arrange his treatment facilities.

On the other hand, in case forwarding report, police said the accused need to be taken to remand to ascertain the names of other activists involved in the incident near the mazar of Ziaur Rahman on November 7.

Madaripur Correspondent

A sedition case was filed against Abdul Kader Molla, assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, in Madaripur yesterday.

Advocate Obaidur Rahman Khan, a senior advocate of Madaripur District Bar Association, filed the case with the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Madaripur for his anti-liberation war comments. Abdul Kader Molla, who became known as 'the Butcher of Mirpur' in 1971 was the most notorious among the Jamaat leaders.

Accepting the case the court sent it to Madaripur Sadar Police Station to investigate it.

It was complained in the case that Abdul Kader Molla is a cheat. He is involved in activities subversive to the state. Besides, he remains active in destroying peace and harmony in the society through his anti-state activities. Country's sovereignty may be jeopardized and lives and properties of the citizens may be threatened both inside and outside the country for his activities.

It is further mentioned in the case that while speaking at a memorial meeting on Maulana Obaidul Huq, Khatib of Baitul Mukarram Mosque at National Press Club, Kader Molla made provocative remarks saying that "some took part in the War of Liberation for beautiful women, some for looting properties of Hindus, some for protecting the Indian interest."

"This remark of Kader Molla condemns the creation of Bangladesh and supports abolition of the country's sovereignty," the plaintiff mentioned in his case.

In the case, the plaintiff also pleaded to the court to arrest Kader Molla for greater interest of the state.

Abdul Kader Molla was known as a "butcher" to the Bengalee people in the city's Mirpur area during 1971. Mirpur at that time was mainly populated by non-Bengali Muslim migrants, many of whom were the supporters of the Pakistan army's actions.

One of the largest mass graves of people butchered by Pakistani troops and their allies was discovered in the Shialbari area of Mirpur after independence. Kader Molla was behind the killing of thousands of Bangalees in Shialbari and Rupnagar areas of Mirpur during the war. According to local inhabitants, Molla began his killing spree even before the army had begun its operation.

He also organised local non-Bengali people of Manipur, Sheorapara, Kazipara areas of Mirpur into armed groups under his own command. With these forces, Kader Molla organised killings of thousands of Bangalees at various killing fields of Mirpur.

Agencies

The US State Department has backed former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's call for mass protests against the emergency rule, saying that people should have the right to express themselves.

Commenting on Bhutto's call for street protests, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said: "There should be a right for people to express themselves."

McCormack rejected concerns that Bhutto's call would spark further violence.

"I don't think anybody should look at actions and say that they are going to inevitably lead to violence," he said.

"People have a choice. People have a choice in what they do and have a choice in how they react," McCormack said. "We've preached the idea to all parties of calm during this particularly turbulent period in Pakistan's political system," McCormack said.

"I don't think anybody wants to see outbreak of violence. What we want to see is a peaceful return to constitutional democratic rule," he told reporters.

"Our counsel to all parties has been to maintain that atmosphere of calmt and focus on those actions that take Pakistan back to democratic rule," the Dawn quoted McCormack, as saying.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said he is willing to team up with another ex-premier and PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, if she stops negotiating with General Pervez Musharraf.

"I would still be very willing to work with her provided she now abandons all her plans to go along with Musharraf because he's a dictator and the man responsible for the present day's crisis," The Nation quoted Sharif, as saying in an interview to a news agency.

The PML (N) leader said he had spoken to Benazir in the immediate aftermath of the October 18 suicide attack that targeted her homecoming from exile, killing 145 people. Sharif said they had also exchanged brief words two days ago when they were phoned by the same radio station for interviews. He added that Benazir "has to join the democratic forces."

Sharif said that unless he was able to return to Pakistan before parliamentary elections, as Benazir has been allowed to do, the elections would be a 'farce'.

"If Benazir Bhutto is there, what's the harm if Nawaz Sharif comes to Pakistan?" he asked.

He urged the West to abandon Musharraf by dissociating themselves from the military ruler, saying Pakistan was heading deeper into chaos and his arch-enemy had outlived his usefulness in fighting terrorism.

"One man is holding the entire nation hostage for his personal interests," he said.

"The political forces, the lawyers and civil community that believe in moderation and democracy, they are sidelined today. Who is going to get the benefit? It will be the radicals and extremists, they will thrive now.

"Musharraf is a man who has outlived his utility in terms of fighting any battle against terror," Sharif added.

Sharif went on to urge the people of Pakistan to protest against Musharraf, and predicted that unless the state of emergency was reversed and the general ousted, the country could be pitched toward 'catastrophe'.

"If he (Musharraf) still continues to cling onto power, then of course people will not keep watching the situation in their homes and remain silent spectators, they will come on the streets. I see that large numbers will come onto the streets in the coming days," he said.

Meanwhile Suicide bombers have infiltrated Rawalpindi where former premier Benazir Bhutto plans a protest rally on Friday against a state of emergency.

''We have very specific intelligence reports that suicide bombers have entered Rawalpindi,'' said city police chief Saud Aziz.

Aziz said up to eight bombers may be in the city and could ''target big gatherings and kill innocent people.''

Police have informed Bhutto ''there are serious threats from the bombers,'' he added. ''The situation is very serious, especially in Rawalpindi where we recently had two suicide attacks.''

Two suicide bombers targeted Bhutto's homecoming rally from exile on October 18 in Karachi, killing 139 people and wounding more than 300.

The Rawalpindi police chief reiterated today that the party would not be allowed to stage the meeting.

''We are very clear on it. We have not permitted them to hold any public meeting in Rawalpindi. We have informed them in writing,'' he said.

''There is an emergency in the country and there are security concerns,'' he said, adding that he hoped her party would not attempt to defy the restrictions.

''If they defy them, the law will take its own course,'' he warned.

Pakistani police rounded up about 400 supporters of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto in a crackdown hours after she called for mass protests against emergency rule, her party said Thursday.

The move came as US President George W. Bush said he had telephoned President Pervez Musharraf to tell him bluntly that he must hold elections as scheduled and quit as army chief.

The activists from Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) were detained in a series of raids across Punjab province, the country's political heartland, said the party's provincial secretary general, Ghulam Abbas.

"Police have launched a crackdown against our party workers at village, town and city level. They have taken into custody around 400 of our people from different areas across Punjab," Abbas told journalists.

Police confirmed between 40 to 50 arrests.

A federal government official said the government "has not ordered a crackdown" against Bhutto's party activists.

Bhutto said she would hold a rally in Rawalpindi on Friday despite police threats of a crackdown, and called for a "long march" on November 13 from Lahore to the capital if Musharraf does not repeal emergency rule.

The party of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto vowed to hold a rally against emergency rule near the capital, despite threats from officials to crush it by force.

"We denounce the government ban, and want to make it clear that our supporters and leaders will reach Rawalpindi for the rally," Babar Awan, a senior member of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, said.

The mayor of Rawalpindi, a garrison city just south of Islamabad, said police would be out in force to prevent anyone reaching the park where Bhutto planned to address supporters on Friday.

"We will ensure that they don't violate the ban on rallies, and if they do it, the government will take action according to the law," mayor Javed Akhlas said.

Akhlas said there was a "strong threat" of another suicide attack against Bhutto, who escaped a blast during her homecoming procession in Karachi on October 18 that killed more than 140 people.

A suicide bomber blew himself up a few hundred yards from president Pervez Musharraf's office in Rawalpindi on October 30, killing seven people.

"We cannot take the risk of allowing any political party to hold big rallies," Akhlas said.

Syful Islam

Nearly 1.5 lakh passengers are waiting for flights as the Government's short-term 'open sky policy' has failed to make any breathing space and attract foreign sizeable airlines, reveal ATAB leaders.

"The ongoing space crisis in the aviation sector is resulting drainage of extra foreign currencies abroad as some airlines are engaged in malpractice and charging extra fare from passengers taking the advantage on the situation," said AKM Bari, Secretary General of the Associations of Travel Agents of Bangladesh.

"Our business is in good position as there are a large number of passengers in queue… we are crying for passengers interest… they are directly affected and become stranded," he added.

He said the Government's decision on opening sky for the foreign airlines for only three months had failed to attract any new airlines, except some extra flights by the existing airways.

"The open sky policy could have attracted the foreign airlines if the policy was taken for long time, at least for one years."

Application of Air India Express, a giant Indian airway that operates low cost flights, is yet to get approval of civil aviation authority despite passengers are crying for seats.

Bari said, "The government is losing nearly US$40 lakh in its bid to save Biman Bangladesh Airline's monthly US$10 lakh as it is yet to effectively open up the sky for foreign airlines."

Nearly 80 per cent of the total passengers from Bangladesh are being carried by foreign airlines while the national flag carrier Biman caters only 20 per cent.

ATAB president MA Muhaimin Saleh told The New Nation yesterday that the wrong policy, of open sky for three months, taken by the Secretary of the Civil Aviation Ministry has created further crisis in the aviation sector.

Visas of many of the foreign currency earners, who were waiting for returning to their workplaces, especially towards Middle East, already been expired due to flight crisis.

"We are very much concerned over the continuation of growth of this booming sector," he said adding, the sector attained nearly 30 per cent growth last year against 5 to 10 per cent in two to three years ago.

Staff Reporter

The Government will import more fertilisers and rice to meet a growing demand for the two essential items for the farmers and commoners, as the market remained overheated.

Under the new move, the state-owned Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) under the Ministry of Industries will import about 3,74,500 metric tons of urea and some other kinds of fertiliser.

On the other hand, the Food Directorate under the Ministry of Food will procure about 1,18,000 metric tons of rice from the suppliers.

Of this, 93,000 tons are boiled rice while the rest 25,000 tons non-boiled. Boiled rice price was fixed at Tk 26 and the dry rice price at Tk 24.07 per kg.

The Advisory Committee on Public Purchase yesterday approved the procurement proposals placed by the relevant ministries.

Last month, the same committee, known as Cabinet Purchase Committee, in its two meetings, had given its nod to several proposals for procuring about 1.59 lakh tons of rice and 50,000 tons urea fertiliser to tackle the situation arising out of a demand-supply gap.

Finance Advisor Dr Mirza Azizul Islam, who presided over the meeting, told reporters that the demand for fertiliser remains high during November-January period, the time of massive dry-season farming.

"To meet the demand, this fertiliser will be procured so that the supply of the agriculture input remains available in the country," he said.

Staff Reporter

BNP Acting Secretary General Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed yesterday demanded of the Government to punish those, who assaulted party Standing Committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman near the mazar of Ziaur Rahman on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference at his residence, he alleged that some criminals attacked Gen Mahbub with a design to "kill him" and it was nothing but a work of those, who do not want unity of the BNP.

"We are deeply shocked seeing the way Gen Mahbub was manhandled. Pictures and news of the incident were published in the newspapers," he said, adding, "The Government can easily identify and try the attackers. Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed rejected outright Col (retd) Khandaker Abdur Rashid's claim that General Ziaur Rahman was involved in the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

"This is completely false. This false propaganda is being dished out to assassin Ziaur Rahman's character to gain political mileage," he said.

Recalling his memory about the August 15 massacre, Major Hafiz said, he personally went to Ziaur Rahman's house to give him the information about Mujib's killing when Zia was shaving in the morning. "Ziaur Rahman came out wearing a white vest and I informed him," he said.

Turing to the attack on Gen (retd) Mahbub, the reformist BNP Acting Secretary General said, "Gen Mahbub came under such an attack as he is demanding democratisation of the party and fighting against corruption."

Reposing confidence in BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's leadership, he said she was a calm and composed politician and did not indulge in corruption. "But some people were committing corruption using her name and damaged her reputation," he added.

Calling for unity in BNP, Major Hafiz said, "Unity is our strength. We want to advance Ziaur Rahman's politics by strengthening unity of the party and the nationalist forces."

He said, "The Election Commission gave us the letter of invitation to the dialogue as we are the mainstream BNP. We will participate in the next elections unitedly."

In reply to a question, Major Hafiz said they would strengthen the BNP's unity before sitting at the party office.

Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain appointed Acting Office Secretary Rizvee Ahmed yesterday at a press conference denied anti-reform factions involvement in the attack on Gen Mahbubur Rahman.

"Those who carried out attack on Gen Mahbubur Rahman do not belong to the BNP," he claimed.

Staff Reporter

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman did not offer general amnesty to the war criminals of 1971. Rather, 11,000 cases were filed against the war criminals and none of them received amnesty. Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh is trying to create confusion in the public mind over their role in 1971.

It was stated by Captain (Retd) AB Tajul Islam, Secretary for Liberation War Affairs of Awami League, while addressing a press conference at Awami League's central office at Bangabandhu Avenue in the city yesterday.

Demanding the arrest of war criminals, he said everyone now seeks trial of the war criminals. "It's right time to try the war criminals. People will extend support if the caretaker government takes necessary initiatives in this regard," he said.

Tajul Islam said Awami League itself would extend its support to the government.

The Awami League Leader said the war criminals of World War II are still being tried in Germany. "So, there cannot be any problem to try the war criminals in Bangladesh," he opined.

Tajul Islam said the war criminals could be tried according to the existing laws of the country. They could also be tried according to the Islamic laws.

He observed that the war criminals started to raise their voices taking advantages of the weaknesses of pro-liberation forces. "We've to be united so that they cannot raise their voices and create disunity among us," he said.

Tajul Islam said those who were in power after the killing of Bangabandhu on August 15, 1975 were the beneficiaries of the war criminals. President Ziaur Rahman had rehabilitated the war criminals. They took shelters in different countries after the independence. But, they are now established.

When asked to comment on the remarks of Bangabandhu's killer Col (Retd) Rashid that Major General Ziaur Rahman and Col Taher were nvolved in the killing of Bangabandhu, Tajul Islam said Col (Retd) Rashid and Col (Retd) Faruque had killed Bangabandhu. "Ziaur Rahman was well aware of the killing. He had a good relation with Col (Retd) Taher. But, I cannot say anything else whether Taher was involved in the killing of Bangabandhu," he said.

Staff Reporter

Home Affairs Secretary Mohammad Abdul Karim yesterday said that the law and order situation in the country is satisfactory and there is no difficulty in maintaining it.

During a briefing after the 12th meeting of the Advisers' Committee on Law and Order held at the Home Ministry, the Home Secretary said the government has directed law-enforcing agencies to keep vigil so that the prices of essentials remain stable. Law Adviser Barrister Mainul Hosein chaired the meeting while Education Adviser Dr Ayub Quadri, Home Secretary Abdul Karim, chiefs of law enforcing and intelligence agencies and concerned senior officials were present.

Briefing reporters, Home Secretary Abdul Karim said law-enforcing agencies were ordered to monitor the prices of essentials and keep the market stable.

The meeting was informed that stock of fertilizer is sufficient in the country. Law enforcers were asked to monitor the distribution of fertilizer.

The law enforcers were also directed to remain alert so that the conditions under which the ban on indoor politics was lifted are not violated, Karim said.

He said that the meeting decided to engage women police in the process of enrolment of voters. " Women Ansar can also be engaged if women police are not sufficient," he said.

The meeting gave permission to several organisations, including Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA), Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) and Chalacchitra Shilpi Samity, to hold their annual elections.

The meeting gave permission to observe the anniversary of death of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani on November 17.

UNB, Dhaka

Country's primary education still suffers from inconsistency in student-teacher ratio, lack of progress in infrastructure development, low salary among teachers and problems in teachers' training.

These negative aspects came to light during a field visit to Manikganj on Thursday to see the progress of Second Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP-II) of the government. Asian Development Bank (ADB), the lead donor agency of the programme, organized the visit.

The government, however, still does not have any data on the project to compare its success with the previous status of primary education, though it is being claimed that the quality of education improved overall after taking the PEDP-II programme in July 2004. A recent survey revealed that the number of dropouts from primary school was 32 percent prior to July 2004, but it increased to 47 percent after taking up the PEDP-II project.

Asked about the findings of the survey report and allegations that there is still no achievement under the project, Primary and Mass Education secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan termed the report confusing and claimed that the progress of the PEDP-II project is satisfactory.

He said: "The mid-term evaluation of the project is on and will conclude on November 12. As yet, there is not enough data in hand to compare the project status… It will be proper to compare (project status) after getting all the data."

While visiting the Shibalaya Upazila Resource Center (URC) and the district Primary Training Institute (PTI), teachers informed the high-level delegation that their salary was not sufficient. "Our salary is not sufficient," said a URC instructor when Canadian High Commissioner Barbara Richirdson asked him to identify just one major problem he faces in performing his duty.

The high-level delegation also included representatives from DFID, European Commission, Swedish Embassy, JICA, Netherlands Embassy, Norwegian Embassy, UNICEF and World Food Programme. Trainee teachers introduced to the delegation at the PTI also said it would have been better if their salary was a little more. "We are happy to see the success of the project, but the challenge is still ahead of us… implementation of the programme needs to be channeled from school to local level," ADB Country Director Hua Du told the visiting newsmen at the project site.

Maya Rani Sutradhar, a teacher of Shibalaya Kendriyo Model Govt. Primary School, said there is shortage of teachers and student accommodation.

But, she said, the teaching method under the project has improved the quality of education.

There are around 70 students under care of each teacher at the school, which is under the PEDP-II project aided by 11-donor agencies. The school with over 300 students has only eight teachers and seven classrooms.

Some major components of PEDP-II are quality improvement through infrastructure development and establishing suitable pupil-teacher ratio through quality improvement in schools and classrooms. Under the project, a total of 21,245 posts of head and assistant teachers under revenue budget have been filled up so far, while as of August 2007, 14,784 classrooms out of a total 29,824 approved classrooms have been completed in 7,329 primary schools. Besides, only eight trainers are training up 395 teachers in two shifts at the district PTI.

However, under the PEDP-II project, over 45,000 teachers would receive one year training against a target of 90,000. Trainers and teachers at the district PTI identified lack of trainers, trainee accommodation, library, auditorium, computer laboratory and transport facility, amid a huge number of trainee teachers, as the handicaps faced by the institute, which is under the PEDP-II project.