The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

There are the names of more than 150 VIP accused, including detained former prime ministers Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina in the list of some 1,500 graft cases now lying with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The ACC has already finalized the list, and a cell has been opened at the Supreme Court to examine the cases.

Apart from filing new cases, the ACC has taken an initiative to start the proceedings of some 2,500 old cases which remained pending with the previous commission.

The BNP leaders, who have been accused in these cases include BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, her elder son and the party's senior joint secretary general Tarique Rahman, her brother Maj (Retd) Sayeed Iskander, former Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Khondaker Mosharraf Hossain, former Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed, BNP chairperson's adviser Brigadier (Retd) ASM Hannan Shah, former Housing and Public Works Minister Mirza Abbas, former Home Minister Air Vice Marshall (Retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, former State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin, former State Minister for Labour and Manpower Amanullah Aman, former Prime Minister's Political Secretary Mosaddak Ali Falu, former BNP lawmaker Asmat Ali, former Public Works Minister Barrister Rafiqul Huq Mia, former Red Crescent Society chairman Shahidul Huq Jamal and Maj (Retd) Manzur Kader.

On the other hand, among the Awami League leaders, who have been made accused in these cases include Awami League president and former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, AL general secretary and former Commerce Minister Abdul Jalil, AL presidium member and former Industries Minister Tofail Ahmed, former Home Minister Mohammad Nasim, former Environment and Forest Minister Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, former Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Engr Mosharraf Hossain, former State Minister for Information Prof Abu Sayeed, former State Minister for Planning Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, former State Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources Prof Rafiqul Islam, Chittagong City Corporation Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury and Awami Shecchasebak League president Haji Makbul.

The Jatiya Party leaders, who have been made accused in the cases include former president and JP chairman Hosyan Muhammad Ershad, his wife and former first lady Begum Raushan Ershad, former Deputy Prime Minister Shah Moazzem Hossain, former Communications Minister Anwar Hossain Manju, JP secretary general Ruhul Amin Howlader and former minister Kazi Firoze Rashid.

Besides, the pending graft cases include the names of Col (Retd) Oli Ahmed of LDP, businessman Gias Uddin Al Mamun and former Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof Emajuddin Ahmed.

These graft cases also include the names of former bureaucrats, businessmen, government officials and employees and local level public representatives.

It is learnt that through the opening a separate cell at the Supreme Court the ACC is going to start legal battles regarding these graft cases.

Reuters, Islamabad

Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto will defy President Pervez Musharraf and go ahead with a pro-democracy rally next week, an aide said on Saturday, as Washington called on Pakistan to end its state of emergency.

A defiant Bhutto, who was kept under house arrest in Islamabad on Friday to prevent her from leading a protest in the adjoining garrison town of Rawalpindi, plans to travel by motorcade from Lahore to the capital on Tuesday.

Police maintained a strong security presence at Bhutto's Islamabad residence early on Saturday, complete with barbed wire and concrete barriers, despite saying she was no longer under house arrest, a Reuters witness said.

Pakistan's slide into political uncertainty has accelerated over the past week with military chief Musharraf's imposition of emergency rule scaring foreign investors and spooking domestic markets. Thousands of Musharraf opponents have also been arrested. "On the 13th, it (the motorcade) will go ahead. If she's not there, the rally will still happen," said Jamil Soomro, a media coordinator for Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, told Reuters.

He said Bhutto, the Pakistani politician most able to mobilize masses on the streets, was likely to spend Saturday meeting foreign diplomats but gave no details on her movements.

"The government has been paralyzed," Bhutto shouted to supporters across a barbed-wire barricade on Friday as police used batons and teargas to break up small protests in several parts of the country.

"If he restores the constitution, takes off his uniform, gives up the office of the chief of army staff and announces an election by January 15, then it's OK," she said.

Musharraf has said elections will be held by February 15, about a month later than they were due. He also said he would quit as army chief and be sworn in as a civilian president once new judges appointed to the Supreme Court struck down challenges against his re-election.

Bhutto has been holding power-sharing talks with Musharraf for months and political analysts say cooperation between the pair -- which the United States was earlier said to have been encouraging -- is still possible.

The United States kept up pressure on Musharraf, who took power in a bloodless 1999 coup and the U.S. regards as a close ally in the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban, calling for an end to emergency rule he imposed a week ago citing a hostile judiciary and rising militancy.

"Free and fair elections require a lifting of the state of emergency," said Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the White House National Security Council.

"We therefore continue to call for an early end to that state of emergency and the release of political party members and peaceful protesters who have been detained," he told reporters in Texas, where President George W. Bush is staying at his ranch.

After imposing emergency rule last Saturday and suspending the constitution, Musharraf sacked most of the country's judges, and put senior officials -- including former chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry -- under house arrest.

He also ordered a round-up of thousands of opposition figures, supporters and lawyers protesting against Chaudhry's removal.

An Interior Ministry spokesman said 2,500 people had been detained since the emergency was declared, though Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party say 5,000 of their activists have been picked up over the past few days.

Former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto was on Saturday prevented from meeting sacked Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, who is currently under house arrest in Islamabad.

After making an unannounced appearance at a protest rally organised by journalists to oppose imposition of emergency in the country, Bhutto went straight to the Judges Colony, where several deposed judges of the Supreme Court, including Chaudhry, are being held for refusing to endorse President Pervez Musharraf's actions.

"It is no crime to see him. He is still the real chief justice of Pakistan," she said over a megaphone to security personnel guarding the house of Chaudhry.

However, the policemen did not allow her to go inside the house of Chaudhry.

Staff Reporter

Different political parties, cultural and student organisations observed 'Shaheed Noor Hossain Day' yesterday with a due solemnity and honour.

Top leaders of Awami League, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Gono Forum, and different cultural and student organisations placed wreaths at the Noor Hossain Square in the morning paying tribute to Noor Hossain.

Noor Hossain was killed in police firing at Zero Point now Noor Hossain Square in the city on November 10, 1987 in a procession during the anti-Ershad movement.

Since his depart Noor remained an inspiration for all who believe in democracy.

Noor Hossain took to the street inscribing the slogans 'Down with autocracy' and 'Let democracy be freed' on his chest and back.

The killing of Noor Hossain triggered widespread violent protests, which eventually led to the fall of the army dictator Ershad on December 6, 1990, paving the way for the re-establishment of democracy in the country.

Talking to journalists, Gono Forum president Dr Kamal Hossain said the government is not yet freed from the control of black money holders and terrorists.

"Noor Hossain dropped his blood to give the country a pure democracy, but we couldn't yet attain such democracy," he said.

AL presidium member Abdur Razzak said Noor Hossain's blood had inspired the people of the country to defeat autocrats and establish democracy.

Staff Reporter

The Association of Retailers of Dhaka city's fish and kitchen markets have threatened to boycott the wholesalers after November 15, if the wholesalers do not implement the agreement reached with the Government last September.

They demanded an immediate end to the wholesalers' absolute control over price of essentials in the markets.

The Association demanded this with a view to arrest abnormal price hike at a conference at its office in the city yesterday.

Although the wholesalers complied with the accord during Ramzan they were extorting extra money from the retailers in the name of weighing the goods and cheating them in weight, they alleged.

The wholesalers do not give sales receipts for any purchase in accordance with the agreement reached with the Government.

The Association leaders told reporters, if the harassment by the wholesalers could be stopped, the price of fish and vegetables would come down within the reach of the middle-class people.

President of the Association Anwar Hossain Sikdar presided over the conference, while its Secretary AKM Moniruzzaman Monir read out the speech. Members Nur Uddin Matubbar, Oliur Rahman, Abdul Khaleque, Abdullah Salim, Abdul Matin, Abdus Sabur and Muklesur Rahman, among others, were present.

UNB adds: Leaders of the association at a press conference at its Topkhana office demanded the setting up of government-run fish storehouses at different kitchen markets in the city to help them run their business smoothly.

If the government does so, it will be possible to maintain all the market-regulatory formalities from the proposed fish-houses. They called for properly implementing the government decision adopted in the inter-ministerial meeting held at LGRD Ministry on September 12.

It was decided in the meeting that the wholesalers would not take extra money in the name of 'kayeli'.

Terming the Kayeli system of the middlemen as extortion, chairman of the association Anwar Hossain Shikder said fish wholesalers take at least Tk 5 as kayeli charge for per kilogram of fish.

He said the wholesalers also take some fishes from the retailers after selling those in the name of 'Khoraki', thus causing the price hike of fish.

Anwar Hossain also alleged that the wholesalers, for maintaining their supremacy over the fish market, order Dhaka-bound fish sellers from different districts over mobile phone not to come in the capital telling them that prices here are very low. "In this way, they control the market creating artificial crisis," he said. Responding to a query, Anwar said, "We have no alternative but to go to the fish wholesalers. If the government builds some fish storehouses, such artificial crisis and price hike can be eased."

Staff Reporter

Veteran freedom fighters, eminent personalities and family members of the Birshrestha demanded the construction of Birshrestha Memorial Complex at Jatiya Sangshad premises after the reburial of the seven Birshresthas.

While speaking at a press conference at National Press Club jointly organised by Muktijodha Birshrestha Smriti Parishad and Citizen Rights Movement former Army Chief Lt Gen M Harun-ur- Rashid yesterday disclosed that the Sector Commanders Forum will take legal steps against the war criminals within a week.

Lt Gen Harun, also convener of the forum, demanded the trial of the war criminals constituting special tribunal.

Presided over by Maj Gen Amin Ahmed Chowdhury, president, Muktijodha Birshrestha Smriti Parishad, former Army Chief Lt Gen Mahbubur Rahman, Maj Gen M Azizur Rahman, eminent columnist Syed Abul Maksud, Ataur Rahman, brother of Birshrestha Matiur Rahman, Mostafa Kamal, son of Birshrestha Nur Mohammad and Parveen Akter Mukta, dughter-in-law of Birshrestha Mostafa Kamal, among others, addressed the press conference.

They demanded to enforce ban on the participation of religion-based political parties, including Jammat-e-Islam, for establishing a secular and democratic Bangladesh.

Other demands include establishment of Freedom Fighters Village, renaming the Defence Museum to Bangladesh Liberation Defence Museum and Bangladesh Army Stadium to Bangladesh Liberation Army Stadium and establishment of Allied Forces Memorial Complex.

They also urged the government to provide Tk 25,000 per month to each family of the seven Birshrestha and build 'Seven Birshrestha Mansion' for the remaining members of the Birshrestha families.

Staff Reporter

Gano forum Chairman Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday said tribal people should be given constitutional recognition and all citizens of the country should have equal status, which was the main theme of the liberation war.

He was speaking at a memorial meeting on the occasion of 24th death anniversary of tribal leader Manabendra Narayan Larma, at the National Press Club yesterday.

Leaders of different organisations working for the rights of the aboriginal people demanded execution of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord signed in 1997 to ensure the rights of the aboriginal people, give them constitutional recognition and form land commission to prevent grabbing of land of tribal people.

Dr Kamal Hossain said divisive politics was always suicidal. There cannot be any division regarding basic principles of the country.

Dr Kamal paying tribute to MN Larma said Larma always fought for establishing the rights of the deprived people.

Sanjib Drong, representative of the aborigines said with the signing of peace accord few rights were given to the tribal people but it was not implemented.

MN Larma is the elder brother of Santu Larma, president of Parbatya Chattagram Janashanghati Samiti. He was the founder of the organisation.

He was a member of the Constituent Assembly of Bangladesh and was elected MNA in 1970 election.

Prof Zillur Rahman Siddique presided over the meeting. Pankaj Bhattcharya of Gano Forum, Haider Akbar Khan Rano of Workers Party, Comrade Khalequzzaman, Tipu Biswas of DLA, sister of MN Larma Jyoti Prova Larma and Rabinra Nath Saren, representative of tribal people, among others spoke at the meeting.

Journalist Syed Abul Moksud presented keynote paper about ideology and political activities of MN Larma.

Earlier a blood donation camp was opened on the Press Club compound, which was inaugurated by CPB president Majurul Ahsan Khan. Different organisations placed wreath at the portrait of MN Larma

Staff Reporter

With the target of 40 lakh voters in the capital, the Election Commission (EC) is going to start voter list preparation in the Dhaka city from November 20.

Some 36.36 lakh voters enrolled in the voter list that was cancelled last year.

According to the EC, the figure is likely to increase by about 3.50 lakh this time.

The EC will start collecting information of voters visiting their houses in the city from November 20. The work for taking photographs of voters will start from December 1. In order to complete the job, the EC has already appointed 188 assistant registration officers, 2,627 supervisors and 13,040 information collectors. Training of them is now going on, which will continue up to November 19.

Biswas Lutfar Rahman, deputy election commissioner of Dhaka Division, said on an average an information collector would distribute 300 prescribed forms and fill them up on the spots.

He said after completion of the work of information collection, a total of 951 camps would be opened in 90 wards of the capital in phases. The work for photograph taking will continue up to March, although the voter lists preparation work in the Dhaka city is supposed to be completed by February according to the schedule given by the Bangladesh Army.

The EC official said the process of appointing data operators for voter lists preparation in the Dhaka city is now going on. The Bangladesh Army will provide training to data operators on various technical issues on completion of their appointment.

"We'll start the photograph-taking work in 33 wards of the Dhaka city from December 1," he said.

The photograph-taking work will be launched simultaneously at Dhaka Airport, Uttara, Pallabi, Kafrul, Shah Ali, Cantonment, Khilgaon, Sabujbagh, Motijheel, Paltan, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Mohammadpur, Adabar, Dhanmondi, New Market, Ramna, Lalbagh, Sutrapur, Shyampur, and some areas in Jatrabari on December 1.

The EC sources said in Dhaka city there were some 29 lakh voters in the voters lists of the 2001 parliamentary election. Names of more than 7 lakh voters were added to the voter list when it was prepared in 2006, just after five years. However, the EC thinks that the number of voters in the Dhaka city may increase by 3.50 lakh this time.

Pulack Ghatack

The economy is about to regain its health and inflationary pressure is likely to ease a bit with restoration of a vibrant business environment, as the Government has taken a number of steps, economists and business leaders said.

They, however, suggested the government not to rely on businessmen and to import on its own and supply essential commodities among consumers within affordable rates.

The interim government, in its effort to re-establish confidence among the business community, has started to release top businessmen, who were detained on suspicion of corruption.

The Government also has taken a bold step to build a top-level business forum, titled Better Business Forum, incorporating public and private sector representatives in it ensuring permanent participation of business leaders in the government's policy making process.

Transactions in billion-dollar bank accounts will resume soon, as NBR chairman Abdul Majid has put a broad hint to allow it for smooth functioning of business farms.

Moreover, to strengthen Taka against foreign currencies, the central bank has started to release dollar from its reserve - resultantly appreciation of the local currency will lessen import cost and cool down the import-dependant market.

MA Rouf Chowdhury, a top businessman and director of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) has termed all the steps positive to create a 'vibrant business' atmosphere.

Hossain Khaled, President of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DCCI) said, "The interim government at last has understood that business community is the driving engine of the economy and we hail its steps."

Rouf Chowdhury, however, suggested the government to import substantial amount of commodities to meet the demand of the local market and to ensure affordable prices to the consumers.

"Prices of some items are very high in the international market, businessmen will not be able to supply those at affordable price to commoners in the domestic market," he said.

"To offer people comfort, substantial import by the Government is a must," said the leading importer of the country.

Noted economist Dr Atiur Rahman also suggested the government to go for large-scale import, especially of food items. "The government can create a rich buffer stock of food in stead of maintaining a huge foreign exchange reserve," he suggested.

He also suggested the government to amend the Public Procurement Regulation (PPR), which is hindering frequent import of food items.

Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Prof Mustafizur Rahman said Government's steps might work as an immediate relief in the economy and suggested to address fundamental problems of the economy which are 'graver'.

"Appreciation of Taka was a reality. But, I think, the government will not do it extensively, for it may hurt export and remittance earnings," he said.

The chief of the independent economic think-tank also expressed suspicion, whether the less import cost will benefit the retail market.

Rafiqul Islam Azad

Abnormal price hike of fertiliser threatens to badly affect the crop production in the country posing a serious threat to food security, it is learnt.

According to information available, prices of Tri Super Phosphate (TSP) and Muriate of Potash (MP) increased by about 50 percent yesterday in the local markets. The farmers would either bear the burden or avoid using these fertilisers for lack of the ability to pay.

The farmers for different districts are reported to have expressed their strong resentment at the price hike of fertiliser.

Our correspondents report that farmers gheraoed local agriculture offices of the government and dealers' shops in the localities demanding regular supply of fertiliser. Government officials and sources in the Bangladesh Fertiliser Association admitted the price hike of fertiliser was due to rise of price at the international market.

"The prices of TSP and MP have gone up due to price hike at the international market," said a member of Price Fixation Committee formed by the Government.

He said the fertiliser sold till yesterday had been imported last year at US$ 270 per ton and the committee had fixed the rate of the fertiliser evaluating the current price and other overhead expenditure.

"This time a new lot of fertiliser has been imported at US$ 308 per ton that led to the increase in prices in the local markets, the official said.

He made it clear that there is no scope to increase the price of fertiliser by anyone as the price fixation committee, headed by a deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank is scheduled to fix the price on the basis of price shown in the Letter of Credit (LC) and other expenses.

On shortage of supply he said necessary allocation of fertiliser for 42 districts has already been made but it may take some four to five days time to reach sufficient amount of fertiliser to the dealers, as fertiliser was being off-loaded from ships.

Mosharraf Hossain, Director (Import) of Bangladesh Fertiliser Association told The New Nation that the farmers get fertiliser at a reduced rate as the government had given 25 per cent subsidy earlier.

But now, the government reduced the percentage of subsidy to 15 per cent due to price hike of fertiliser in the international market, he said.

He cautioned that the price of fertiliser would increase in phases, as the next lot of fertiliser would be imported at higher prices.

Our Gazaria Correspondent said some four to five hundred farmers of Bausia Union Parishad yesterday gathered in front of local dealer Lavi Enterprise demanding supply of TSP and MP fertiliser and protested the increase in the price.

They alleged the Lavi Enterprise sold MP fertiliser at Tk 786 per bag yesterday but the dealer also demanded Tk 1100 for the same bag. The supply of TSP and MP was also limited.

Gazaria Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abdul Latif and Agriculture Officer Zafar Ullah visited the area and talked to the farmers assuring them sufficient supply of fertiliser.

Local administration deployed police in the area to deal with the situation.

Earlier on Thursday, the farmers went to Upazila headquarters and gheraoed the office of agriculture officer demanding sufficient supply of fertiliser.

Local people said the farmers of the Bhaberchar, Tegarchar and Imampur unions in the same upazila are also facing fertiliser crisis.

Meanwhile, Adviser for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperative Anwarul Iqbal at a meeting at his ministry yesterday directed the fields level officials to monitor whether there was any irregularity in supply of fertiliser and to ensure that poor farmers get those at the subsidised rates.

Staff Reporter

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-3) yesterday took Purbani Hotel International MD Mahbubur Rahman Joinal, a suspected member of the international ring involved in smuggling of precious diamond and gold, on a fresh three-day remand.

Meanwhile his mistress alleged Yaaba Queen Jannatul Ferdous Nikita, along with family members, is also being quizzed by the RAB.

Nikita, her parents and brother were taken on a three-day remand in connection with the peddling of contraband dangerous drugs yaaba tablets.

Joinal, who was arrested as part of the anti-drug drive and accused in four cases, was remanded yesterday in a narcotics case as 165 bottles of illegal foreign liquor were recovered from his Dhanmondi residence.

He was taken on the fresh remand at the end of his three-day remand in an arms case filed with Mohammadpur thana.

Shahidul Islam, deputy director (DD) of RAB-3, told The New Nation, "Joinal has been taken on a three-day remand with the view to unearth his links."

Mohammadpur thana SI Abdul Bari produced Joinal before the court and RAB-3 sub-inspector Osikur Rahim Siddique appealed for seven-day remand but the court granted three days. Joinal's lawyers, however, had opposed the remand appeal and demanded his bail.

RAB-3 members arrested Joinal and Nikita on November 3 when they went to court to surrender. Before their arrest, a treasure-trove was found at Joinal's residence from where precious diamond, gold, white gold, foreign currencies, liquor and various other valuables were recovered on October 30.

Moreover, at least 50 people were arrested in the last three weeks in connection with peddling or possessing yaaba tablets.

The dealers and peddlers were making fortune until RAB arrested six youths of rich families in Gulshan on October 18 along with two luxurious BMW and Porsche cars used in transporting yaaba across the country.

Soon RAB unearthed a clandestine yaaba factory at Gulshan and arrested Amin Huda, nephew of business tycoon Aziz Mohammad Bhai, and his accomplice Ahsanul Haque Hasan. Five kgs of yaaba tablets and variety of stimulants were seized from the factory.