The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

In a dramatic move, the reformist faction of the BNP yesterday took control of the Naya paltan party headquarters after over a 10-month closure since the declaration of state of emergency in the country on January 11.

Party sources said Dhaka city BNP President and Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka and General Secretary Abdus Salam unlocked the office at about 10:20 am amidst tight security.

Law enforcers created a security net in and around the BNP office to avert untoward incidents, apprehending brawl between the activists of the reformist and anti-reform faction of the party.

Acting Secretary General of BNP Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed entered the office at about 10:50 am while Acting Chairperson M Saifur Rahman arrived at the office at about 11:35am.

Some other pro-reform BNP leaders also attended the office, in a radically changed situation. They include BNP Chairperson's advisors Mofazzal Karim, ZA Khan and MA Hakim, former MPs S A Sultan, Shah Abul Hossain, Delwar Hossain Dulu, Dr. Ziaul Haq Mollah, Abdul Alim, Reza Ahmed Bachchu, Fazlul Azim, Ataur Rahman Angur and Tasnim Rana.

Entering the party office, M Saifur Rahman told journalists that they did not occupy it. "We have come to our own office for work here-we are only doing our duties in the absence of Khaleda Zia."

The former Finance Minister vowed to sacrifice his life for the party, saying, "I want to die as a member of the BNP."

Hundreds of party leaders and workers from both the factions of the immediate-past ruling party thronged the party central office premises from morning as huge police guards were deployed in the area to avoid any untoward incident.

The anti-reform faithfuls chanted slogans against the reformists in front of the office and demanded immediate release of the BNP Chairperson, arrested and detained amid a political purge launched against the backdrop of the recent political crisis.

Police chased the protestors off the BNP central office area. They arrested Jubo Dal leader Kuddus Khan, organizing secretary of Mohammadpur thana unit of the party youth front, in front of the office as he chanted slogans against the Saifur-Hafiz duo and demanded Khaleda's release.

Though the government relaxed ban on indoor politics in the capital from September 10 on a limited scale, BNP was not allowed to reopen its central office because of conflict between the Khaleda-loyalists led by Khandaker Delwar Hossain and the reformists led by expelled secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan.

Several hundred supporters of the dissident group, with red headband, gathered in and around the office as the leaders took their designated seats.

"You see, this seat is not mine. It's party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's seat. I'll leave this chair as and when she comes back," Saifur said as he assumed the party's number-one seat.

Security was reinforced with huge contingents of helmeted and plainclothes police in the entire area from Bijoynagar to Fakirerpool in view of the tensions triggered by the protests.

Traffic through the downtown area halted for some time during the BNP office reopening and the short spell of demonstrations.

Meanhile, anti-reformist office secretary Rizvee Ahmed at a press confernce alleged that police unlocked BNP office and handed over to reformists as part of a conspiracy.

None can weaken BNP by such conspiracy, leaders and activists of BNP are united under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia.

Staff Reporter

Millions of people started leaving homes on the coastlines following Government advice yesterday evening, when the Met Office issued "great danger signal" No 10 for the southwestern Mongla Port and danger signal No 9 in a scale of 10 for the southeastern Chittagong and Cox's Bazar ports as the cylonic storm in the bay was moving fast towards the Bangladesh coast.

Hundreds of thousands of volunteers, aided by the local authorities and Bangladesh Red Crecsent Society, have been helping the people to go to safer places immediately after the Government ordered a massive evacuation.

As per the latest reports recived in the capital at 11:00 last night, the coastal areas were experinecing squally winds accompanied with drizzles from the evening, while panicky people were running for safer places.

Earlier, a senor official of the Ministry of Disaster Management said the deputy commissioners of 16 coastal districts were asked to take necessary steps, including evacuation in line with the previous standing orders for such a situation.Met Office said the cyclonic storm might hit land this morning.

Joint Secretary of Disaster Management Ministry Mohsina Ferdowsi told journalists that a central control room in Dhaka was in constant touch with local administrations in 16 coastal districts and the concerned agencies to monitor the situation while an emergency inter-ministerial meeting was convened for this morning to work out strategies for coordinating rescue and relief efforts.

She said as the Met office at 8:00pm issued the "danger signals" for the three maritime ports as the severe cyclonic storm 'SIDR' with hurricane strong winds at its core roared over the Bay of Bengal and was moving towards the northern shoreline.

An earlier Met office bulletin issued at 6:00pm said the cyclone was packing winds of 165 kilometre per hour (kmph) at its core and was rising to 185 kmph in gusts or squalls. The storm was 755 km southwest of Chittagong, 675km south-south west of Cox's Bazar port and 705 km south of Mongla port. Meteorologists said the cyclone could hit the coastline with full strengthen late today while its "peripheral winds" could brush the coast from midnight last whipping up surges three to five feet above the "normal astronomical tides".

Red Crescent's Cyclone Preparedness Centre Director M Nasirullah said more than 40,000 red crescent volunteers were asked to launch the evacuation drives in the coastline where the number of vulnerable people are nearly 1.20 crore.

"The volunteers are using sirens, loudspeakers and whistles urging people to move out of their homes and move towards safety," including cyclone shelters, Patuakhali correspondent of BSS said by telephone.

Similar reports were received from 13 other coastal districts where the residents and officials said they witnessed gloomy weather featured by drizzles and strong winds while the sea appeared very rough.

Officials in the port city of Chittagong said they already identified the most vulnerable areas in the district, which was experiencing a gloomy weather coupled with drizzles and squally winds since last night.

Reports from the other coastal districts said several hundred fishing boats took shelter in the coast while the authorities ordered temporary suspension of launch or ferry services on internal routes.

But local officials and fishermen's groups said despite the earlier warning signals, several hundred boats were yet to return to the coast since the "sea was not that much rough earlier".

Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Mongla ports' authorities asked the vessels at its berths to move away as soon as possible after completion of loading and unloading of cargo and suspended further sailing of vessels.

Our Chittagong Correspondent earlier reported that Chittagong Airport was closed and Chittagong Port stopped handling of cargo at outer anchorage of the Bay of Bengal from Wednesday morning.

At least 243 coaster vessels, which were waiting at the port navigation channel, were asked to leave for safer places, the report said quoting a port official.

BSS, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday expressed his optimism that the next general election would be held before the scheduled time by the Election Commission (EC).

"I hope that the election would be held as per the roadmap of the EC and it may be held before the timeframe of the EC," he said.

The Chief Adviser said this while exchanging views with the chief reporters and senior journalists of various dailies and electronic media at his office here yesterday afternoon.

Dr Fakhruddin said his government is also working for creating a conducive atmosphere for holding a free, fair and credible election, which is the key objective of the caretaker administration.

He said his government is extending necessary support to the EC for enabling it to complete its gigantic task of holding the poll in time and in a credible manner.

The Chief Adviser categorically said the aim and objective of the caretaker government is to hand over power to an elected government after holding a free and fair poll acceptable to all.

He said the government, which took office 10 months back in a critical juncture, is implementing different reforms in various important institutions to give democracy a strong footage, ensure good governance and create a level-playing field for holding a peaceful election.

Referring to participation of 'war criminals' in the next polls, Dr Fakhruddin said, "It is unexpected that the war criminals will contest in the polls. The issue should be resolved through the legal process that who are the war criminals."

He said the government has no plan at this moment to raise such issue like bringing the war criminals to justice anticipating derailment from its main objective to hold the next poll in a fair manner.

The chief of the interim caretaker government, however, expressed his regret that the past successive governments did not take any decision in this regard during the last 36 years.

The Chief Adviser listed various programmes undertaken by his government aiming at ensuring good governance and strengthening democracy in the country.

The judiciary has been strengthened by separating it from the executive and the local government bodies would be made stronger, he added.

About the price spiral of essentials, including rice, wheat, pulses, edible oil and powdered milk, in local markets, Dr Fakhruddin admitted that the price hike hit common people.

He, however, said prices of essentials went up in the local markets following increase of the prices in the international markets. He said none could even imagine that the price of wheat would surpass that of rice.

The Chief Adviser said the government has been extending social safety net by introducing the open market sales (OMS) and the vulnerable group feeding (VGF) across the country.

He hoped that the VGF would have an impact on soaring prices in the rural areas and said the government has started distributing 59,000 VGF cards from last August which will continue until December.

Replying to a question on fertiliser, he said there will be no fertiliser crisis as the government had taken an initiative to distribute adequate quantity of fertiliser among the farmers through about 4,500 dealers across the country.

Dr Fakhruddin said the government is going to appoint three sub-dealers under each main dealer to improve the distribution system. He said his government has undertaken a programme to distribute 28 lakh tonnes of fertiliser among the farmers this year against the last year's 25 lakh tonnes. Besides, he said the government has also expedited its monitoring process to ensure smooth supply of fertilisers to the farmers.

Referring to manpower export, he told newsmen that the export of manpower to various countries became double during the last eight months against the corresponding period of the last year.

Now, he said the government is looking for new destinations to export manpower along with taking efforts to send skilled manpower besides non-skilled one to the Middle-East.

Dr Fakhruddin told another questioner that the present caretaker government has taken the responsibility for a fixed time to attain a certain mission of holding a free and fair and neutral poll, and has been concentrating on achieving the goal properly.

He said the EC has been updating rules, acts and regulations regarding the polls, and now holding dialogues with the political parties on electoral reforms.

Asked whether as the head of the government he would hold dialogues with the political parties as his predecessors had done it, he replied in the negative saying the government has no such plan at the moment ahead of the polls.

The Chief Adviser said steps are being taken for overall development in the education sector, including streamlining private universities by the University Grants Commission (UGC), and determining proper ways to appoint officials to most senior posts, including the vice-chancellors.

Similarly, he said the government has also taken steps to increase service standard in the health sector, recruiting more nurses and paramedics.

The Chief Adviser said he had instructed the health ministry to achieve 100 percent success in immunisation in the next two years.

Replying to another question whether the government would lift the state of emergency from the country, he said it had been imposed for a certain reason. "But it is not hampering the normal life of the people," he said adding "the government will lift it as and when necessary atmosphere is created."

Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser Syed Fahim Munaim, among others, was present on the occasion.

Staff Reporter

As Bangladesh Apparel and Textile Exposition (BATEXPO)-2007, one of the largest apparel expositions in the Asia-Pacific, opens today, the organisers are hopeful to attract more buyers than that of the previous years.

They were confident to say that Bangladesh, with its improved efficiency, would withstand the increased competition in global market and the BTEXPO-07 would be more successful and meaningful.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed is scheduled to inaugurate the 3-day fair at Sonargaon Hotel at 11 am today. Finance and Commerce Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam and Labour and Employment Adviser Anwarul Iqbal will also be present at the exhibition being organized by BGMEA since 1989.

"Everyone known that the competition will be tougher after lifting the EU and US restriction on Chinese exports next year," President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury said yesterday.

"We too improved a lot to be able to withstand the competition," he added confidently as he was addressing a press conference at BGMEA marking the BATEXPO-07.

Replying to a question he said apparel manufacturers used to display in the fair the items that produced on buyers' choice. But this time they would offer items developed locally.

"We've developed a lot in terms of fashion, design, colour, fabrics, accessories… these developments will be displayed prominently this year," Anwar said.

The BGMEA president said that they were expecting huge spot orders from the fair. There will also be arrangement for spot sales of ready stock apparel in this year's show.

BATEXPO is one of the unique mega events that display apparels, textiles and related products. This is the platform to interact among the manufacturers, both local and international buyers and new entrepreneurs to render the recent development or changes in the apparel sector.

Since the first BATEXPO, held in 1989, the annual event has created an effective window to show international buyers the range of diversity, quality, fashion, styles and prices of the locally stitched apparels.

Some 68 enterprises from home and abroad would take part in the exhibition to display their products at 82 stalls set up at the Hotel. BATEXPO will be featured with traditional events including seminars on issues and challenges of the industry and two cultural nights of fashion show to reflect the improvements in fashion and designing as well as local textile fabrics.

AFP, Lahore

Pakistan cricket legend Imran Khan was arrested by police after he emerged from hiding to join a student rally against President Pervez Musharraf's emergency rule, police said.

Appearing in public for the first time since slipping out from house arrest, Khan was grabbed by Islamist students when he tried to take part in the demonstration at a university campus in the eastern city of Lahore.

He was lifted onto the shoulders of demonstrators amid chaotic scenes and then pushed inside a building by a crowd, before being bundled into an unmarked white van. He was later handed over to police.

"I came to the university to lead a rally of students against the dictator Musharraf and his illegal actions," Khan told AFP by telephone from police custody as he was whisked away from the campus.

"I have achieved my purpose. I have started the student movement."

Khan, who has founded a small opposition party, said he was betrayed by students who "collaborated" with the administration of Lahore's Punjab University.

"They took me into the office and then forced me out into a van. They did not allow me to be arrested publicly," he said.

Police said Khan-who called for Musharraf to be hanged for treason after the military ruler declared a state of emergency on November 3 -- would be placed back under house arrest.

"He is in police custody and he is under 90 days detention," Rana Mansoor, district police chief, told AFP. "The orders were issued under the maintenance of public order laws."

Khan's reappearance comes amid mounting opposition to the state of emergency, with former premier Benazir Bhutto trying to forge a united front with other Musharraf opponents, including the former cricketer.

Bhutto remained under house arrest in Lahore to prevent her leading a mass procession against emergency rule, after Tuesday calling on Musharraf to quit and vowing never to serve under him in government.

Some 1,000 police kept up a security stranglehold around the house, which was surrounded by barbed wire and barricades.

Musharraf vowed Wednesday not to quit until the country's political turmoil was over, strongly defending his decision to impose a state of emergency.

In an interview with Britain's Sky News television, he reiterated general elections promised by January 9 would be held under emergency rule.

"The day when there is no turmoil in Pakistan, I will step down," he said in brief excerpts released by Sky on its website.

"I am not a dictator, I want a democracy."

Washington, which views Musharraf as a key ally in its "war on terror," is dispatching John Negroponte, the deputy to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, to Islamabad this week to urge an end to the emergency.

US President George W. Bush called for a swift return to democracy.

"He understands the stakes of the war, and I do believe he understands the importance of democracy," Bush told the Fox Business Network.

In Lahore, Bhutto followed up her rhetoric against Musharraf with phone calls on Tuesday to Khan, the party of exiled premier and former rival Nawaz Sharif, and even the Islamic fundamentalists she once shunned.

"It is over with Musharraf," Bhutto said. "I want to build an alliance, a single-point agenda for the restoration of democracy."

Significantly, many of her counterparts, including Sharif, gave a positive reaction to their contacts with Bhutto.

Analysts said they expected them to unite under a one- or two-point agenda.

The first would be to push Musharraf to quit as president, and the second would be to boycott the elections, robbing them of credibility.

A senior security official in Lahore said Bhutto's house arrest was likely to continue through the day.

Four Pakistan intelligence agencies reported the presence of two Egyptians in Lahore who could try to target a gathering of her party, a top government official told AFP.

Besides,Musharraf's government rejected a demand from the Commonwealth group of countries that it lift emergency rule and restore the constitution, saying it is unable to do so.The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, meeting in London, had set Nov. 22 as the date for the government of President Pervez Musharraf to end the emergency he imposed Nov. 3 or face suspension from the 53-member group, which is made up of Britain and mostly independent countries that were once British colonies.

Expressing disappointment over the group's statement, the Pakistan foreign office said the emergency decree was imposed to prevent an institutional breakdown and internal crisis, Dawn newspaper reported Wednesday.

"Pakistan will follow its own road map to transition to democracy as outlined by the president," the foreign office said in a statement. "Decisions on issues of vital importance will be taken in accordance with our national interests and requirements and not in observance of any artificially set time lines from outside."

The Daily Times quoted sources as saying major countries in the Commonwealth group had no problems with the emergency rule because they understood the situation in Pakistan.

Staff Reporter

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday rejected the possibility of the withdrawal of the invitation letter sent to reformist BNP leader Maj (Retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed for dialogue with the Election Commission (EC) on reform proposals.

The scheduled meeting with BNP (led by Saifur-Hafiz) on November 22 will remain unchanged, if any legal obstacle is not created, he said while talking to reporters at the commission.

He made it clear that there was no scope to change the decision.

The CEC said the commission has replied the legal notice served by BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia

Replying to a question, he said there is no pressure on the commission from any quarter.

Dr Shamsul Huda said the commission has no objection if Khondaker Delwar led BNP takes legal steps against the decision of EC.

About delimitation of constituencies he informed that an expert team is coming from the USA to put their suggestions in this regard.

Earlier, a meeting attended by officials concerned discussed different aspects of delimitation.

EC sources said, preparation of voter list with identity card would be started in the coastal area, from November 23.

Staff Reporter

Businessman Nazim Kamran Choudhury, husband of Industries Adviser Geeteara Safiya Choudhury, and eight others were sued by a woman yesterday on charges of occupying her house at Gulshan illegally and injuring her physically.

Farhana Islam, wife of Dr Mahbub-ul-Islam, filed the case with the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Hemayet Uddin.

Farhana also attached with the case documents a medical certificate as a "proof of physical assault."

It is alleged in the case that Nazim Kamran Choudhury, also a former BNP MP from Sylhet back in 1979-80 and presently associated with Liberal Democratic Party, had illegally been occupying Farhana and her husband Dr Mahbub-ul-Islam's six-storied residence at Holding No. 7/A, Road-41, Gulshan-2, which houses his and his wife Adviser Geetiara's businesses--Adcom, SignAge and Megavision, even after the expiry of the agreement of his legal tenancy.

Nazim Kamran was elected an MP back in 1979-80 from BNP ticket. He contested with a BNP ticket in 1991 from Sylhet but lost. He is currently involved with LDP.

In the case, Farhana Islam alleged that the accused are the tenants of the house. "The agreement with the tenants expired on September 30 this year and they were given notice to vacate the house. Despite that the accused wanted to install an electric generator at the house on October 22 last. When the I (complainant) opposed them to install the generator, they beat me and my husband up with iron rods and at one stage, injured us with sharp knives. Being seriously injured, we went to Gulshan Police Station to file a case and produced a medical certificates of injuring me and my husband by Nazim Kamran Chowdhury's hired goons, but the Gulshan police refused to accept the case. Finding no other alternative, I have filed the case with the court today," she said.

Farhana alleged that Nazim Kamran Choudhury and his men beat her up with iron rods and tugged at her sari when they made an attempt to free their property.

Apart from Nazim Kamran Choudhury, other accused are Adviser Geetiara's brother Abu Rushd Tareque, cousin Mokim Chowdhury, Adcomm director Shamsunnahar Tareque, Shakhawat Hossain, Geeteara's son-in-law Adit Bhagat, Ripon, Bipul and Yaar Ali.

Farhana Islam and her husband Dr Mahbubul Islam, a Ph.D. in Economics from Boston's Northeastern University and a professor of St Francis University of Pennsylvania, USA, jointly held a press conference on October 25 last at Dhaka Reporters Unity conference room.

At the press conference Farhana Islam alleged that Nazim Kamran Chowdhury slapped her on her face, ripped her sari and hurled obscenities at her when she was begging him for his husband's life.

"Nazim Kamran Choudhury tore my sari and used indecent language and threatened to kill me and my husband, asking his gangs to drive a pickup truck over my husband Dr Mahbubul Islam," she said.

'I don't feel secure as his [Kamran's] men continue to threaten me,' said Dr Islam who 'had invested his hard-earned foreign currency into the building'. He asked the government whether his investment in his home country was an offence.

He regretted the role of the lawmen, saying that they had acted as silent onlookers even after the tenants attacked the landowner. 'They did not accept our complaint as a regular case. Rather they suggested that we settle the matter on our own.'

Dr Islam said that the tenancy agreement between him and three private firms--Adcomm, SignAge and Megavision-owned by Geeteara and her husband expired on September 30, 2007. Adcomm, set up in 1974, now has an annual turnover of some Taka 450 million with leading multinationals such as Unilever among its clients.

He alleged that the tenants refused to leave the building even though the agreement had expired last month.

The tenants in question took the matter to the court, seeking an injunction against the landowner's plea, but the court dismissed the appeal, the professor the reporters. 'They have no legal right to stay in my building'.

Meanwhile, the land-owners snapped the power connections of the office space used by the three firms, claiming that the connections were over-burdened and may cause fire at any time.

But the tenants brought a generator into the premises and forcibly set it up for electric supply. Dr Islam tried to resist the attempt but was beaten up by the tenants' men, alleged the professor's wife, Farhana Islam, who went to register a case with Gulshan Police Station on that day.

She said that firstly the police declined to receive the complaint, and later they received it and pretended to try to find out whether or not they could file a regular case on the basis of the complaint

When he was asked to comment, an on-duty officer of the Gulshan police station said that they were investigating the allegation. 'We are trying to solve the problem amicably,' he claimed.

One of the directors of the Adcomm, Mrs Shamsun Nahar Tareque, in a press statement issued recently claimed that the land-owner and the tenants had a meeting on February 10 and decided to extend the agreement on expiry of the current five-year tenure.

"But the owner, breaching his commitment, served a notice on June 27, asking us to vacate the building by September 30 for reasons unknown" she said.

She claimed that the owner cut off the gas, electricity and water connections, ignoring the tenants' request.

Adcomm referred to two cases--one filed with the court of the chief metropolitan magistrate and the other with the judge court--for protection of the company's assets. The cases are now under trial.

Staff reporter

Leaders of Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) sought short term and long-term loans at lower interest rates from the Government, private banks and financing agencies and media support for continued growth of this sector.

They demanded of the government to reduce registration fees so that the middle class people can buy flats easily. REHAB leaders speaking at a view exchange meeting with editors of newspapers in Dhaka city yesterday.

Naya Diganta Editor Alamgir Mohiuddin, Jugantor Editor Golam Sarwar, Observer Executive Editor AM Mofazzal, New Nation Editor Mostafa Kamal Majumder, Bhorer Kagoj Editor Shyamal Dutt, and Prothom Alo Joint Editor Abdul Qayyum, among others, were present at the meeting.

The REHAB leaders urged the government to allocate lands from RAJUK plots at concession prices and faster approval of their building plans.

They requested the government to introduce a long-term housing policy instead of changing building code frequently for the sake of building a panoramic Dhaka city.

Their other demands include reducing tax and vat on raw materials of backward linkage industries related to the construction sector and government services at cheap rates.

The REHAB leaders sought continuous support from the media to face the present challenges posed by inflation.