The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Imprisoned BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman yesterday was placed on a five-day police remand in connection with two separate extortion cases.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sultan Mahmud granted two separate remand petions moved by police investigators, when the eldest son of detained former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, was produced before his court.

The Magistrate granted three-day remand, when Detective Branch's officer Hasan Ali sought for a 17-day remand in connection with a Tk 14.31 crore extortion case filed at Shahbagh Police Station on April 9. The same court granted Gulshan Police Station (thana) investigating officer (IO) sub-inspector Aminur Rashid's prayer for two-day remand of Tarique Rahman in connection with another Tk 81 lakh extortion case.

Harun Ferdous, a businessman, who lodged the second case at Gulshan thana had claimed that he had to pay Tk 81 lakh to Tarique Rahman through the latter's friend through as many as 86 shegues.

The prosecution submitted that Giasuddin Al Mamun, business partner of Tarique and co-accused in the cases had implicated him (Tarique) in the extortion case in his confessional statement. Therefore, Tarique need to be interrogated in presence of Mamun.

Witnesess said Tarique Rahman was visibly nervous by the court order. He kept his head down to avoid inquisitive eyes of his supporters.

The court rejected the plea of Tarique's counsel to be present during the interrogation of their client by police.

The desperate counsel were quick in submitting a petition seeking a stay of the judgement for seven days allowing their client to move the higher court against the orders. The court rejected the petition.

Dozens of lawyers who appeared for Tarique frustrated by the court decision staged demonstration in the court premises.

"Barely a week ago the court had refused police remand for Tarique and had ordered for his interrogation at the jail gate, if necessary. Now it seems the administration has influenced the court," said one of the defence lawyers requesting anonymity.

BSS, Dhaka

President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday called upon students to demonstrate higher degree of personal honesty, integrity, social responsibility and commitment for the betterment of the country.

"We want to make a knowledge-based society, where knowledge would be the main tool for the overall development process," he said addressing the 11th convocation of the North South University held at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar here yesterday.

Chairman of Law Commission Justice Mustafa Kamal addressed as the convocation speaker. Vice-chancellor of NSU Professor Dr Hafiz GA Siddiqi, Chairperson of NSU Foundation Rehena Rahman and teacher of the university Dr Mizan R Khan also spoke on the occasion.

President Iajuddin, who is also the chancellor of the universities in the country, said the darkness of the society would have to be driven out with the glow of wisdom and the flame of the knowledge would be flown atop of the society. He said the intrinsic value of education is to illuminate oneself and to enlighten society with the ever ending light of wisdom and prudent.

Citing to a quotation of the great English mathematician and scientist Sir Isaac Newton, he said we have to engage ourselves in quest of knowledge, which would lead us to the right direction. The President said the main objective of the Private University Act -1992 was to open up a new horizon for widening higher and quality education in the country.

"Although a good number of private universities have been emerged under the act to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the people, those are facing many constraints including own campus, library facilities, research works, scope of free thinking and congenial atmosphere,"he said.

Professor Iajuddin said our prime responsibility is to ensure quality education by dedicating our concerted efforts keeping in mind that we must have to provide appropriate and quality education to the students so that they can make them worthy enough to face the growing challenges confidently.

Staff Reporter

Sanjeeb Chowdhury, the singer of "Gari Chole Na, Chole Na, Chole Na re- (The cart doesn't move…)," is no more in the world. The popular singer and journalist died early hours of Monday at the Intensive Care Unit of Apollo Hospital in Dhaka.

He died at the age of 43 from brain haemorrhage, doctors said. Sanjib was first rushed to a hospital in Mirpur with breathing problems on Friday, his family said. Later, he was taken to Apollo Hospital.

Sanjib is survived by his wife Proggya Nasrin Shilpi, daughter Kinbadanti and thousands of his admirers. His body was taken to the Teachers and Students Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University at 1.30 pm yesterday, where his colleagues, admirers and various organisations paid their last respect to the deceased singer.

Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Bangladesh Chhatra League and Bangladesh Students' Union, expressed deep shock at the sadden demise of the singer and journalist.

BSS, Dhaka

Ambassador of Bangladesh to the United states M Humayun Kabir urged the Bangladeshi expatriates to stand by the cyclone-hit people of the country. He was speaking at the annual meeting of the Triangle Bangladesh Society in Durham Releigh, North Carolina on Saturday, according to a message received here on Monday.

State Senator Janet Cowell also expressed her sympathy to the cyclone-victims and reiterated the position of the US government to extend all possible support to Bangladesh to meet the challenges of cyclones.

Drawing attention of community members about the ongoing reform programmes in Bangladesh, Humayun Kabir said the new face of Bangladesh will largely depend on the success of the ongoing reform programmes. He also outlined new initiatives that the Bangladeh Embassy has undertaken to reach out to the Bangladesh community in the USA. He also urged the community members to work through their Congressman and Senators to take forward the New Partnership for Development Act (NPDA) of 2007 in the US Congress.

The Ambassador also called upon the community members to work as bridge to connect Bangladesh with the global knowledge network and other investment opportunities around the globe.

Earlier, Ambassador Kabir participated at a day-long conference on South Asia at the North Carolina Central University on November 16.

He asserted that the institutional reforms in Bangladesh will strengthen democracy, and the creativity of the people of Bangladesh will play a positive role in energising this process.

Staff Reporter

Director of US Foreign Assistance and Administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Henrietta H. Fore arrives Dhaka today for a 24 hour visit to Bangladesh.

During her stay, she will observe first hand the devastation caused by cyclone Sidr and observe relief assistance by the US government-funded partner organizations, a US Embassy release said yesterday.

Ms Fore will meet with senior government officials to discuss how the United States can continue to assist Bangladesh in this time of need.

She will also present 35 metric tons of non-food relief assistance supplies such as shelter vinyls, hygiene kits, jerricans and blankets worth US$161,875.

Ms Fore was confirmed by the US Senate as the first woman administrator of USAID on November 13.

Special Correspondent

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon voiced his mounting concern today at the trail of devastation and increasing death toll left by Cyclone Sidr after it tore into Bangladesh and he stressed that the United Nations stands ready to do all it can to help in the relief effort, says a message received in Dhaka.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Ban expressed "his profound condolences to the people and Government of Bangladesh for the many deaths and the destruction involved, and the full solidarity of the UN system at this time of crisis."

The statement noted that UN humanitarian agencies on the ground in Bangladesh are already responding to the basic needs of some of the hundreds of thousands of people estimated to have been affected, while UN assessment teams are also ready to be deployed.

On Friday, the under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator John Holmes said the UN would make available several millions of dollars from its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), which was established to expedite aid operations following disasters, the message said.

Staff Reporter

Peter Heidinger, Managing Director and Regional Industry Head of Financial Institutions for Citi Asia Pacific region, arrived Dhaka yesterday on a two-day visit to Bangladesh.

During the visit, he will meet the senior bankers from both private and nationalised banks, said a press release.

Heidinger joined Citi UK in 1998 as a senior banker responsible for Insurance and Fund Manager relationships. After eight years in London, he moved to Hong Kong in 2004. He has worked on a number of refinancing and restructuring covering a broad array of instruments including senior and hybrid debt, Leveraged Buy-Out (LBO) refinancing and structured derivative solutions across the banking, insurance and fund management sectors.

AFP, Islamabad

Pakistan's purged Supreme Court swatted away the main challenges to Pervez Musharraf's re-election as president Monday, taking him a step closer to quitting as army chief and restoring civilian rule.

Stripped of hostile judges by Musharraf under a state of emergency after he feared it would rule he was ineligible for another five-year term, the new-look top court took just over two hours to throw out the cases. Musharraf has promised to hang up his uniform -- one of the key demands of the opposition and the international community -- as soon as his victory in last month's presidential election is validated.

"There were five petitions, they have all been dismissed. There is only one left, and that will be heard on Thursday," attorney general Malik Mohammad Qayyum told AFP after a hearing from which international media were banned.

The party of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto earlier said it was withdrawing its own challenge against Musharraf's presidency as it did not recognise the new court. At the same time, former premier Bhutto was meeting the US ambassador to Pakistan after Washington urged her and Musharraf to restart power-sharing talks broken off after he declared emergency rule.

After last week calling on Musharraf to quit and vowing never to work with him in government, Bhutto said she saw little hope of resuming the talks that had enabled her to return to the country last month. "We are not going back to the former track," she told reporters.

BSS, Dhublarchar

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday said the government will continue its all out support to mitigate the sufferings of the hurricane Sidr affected people of the country.

"The first priority of the government is to support the affected people so that they could start their economic activities again as early as possible", he said.

The Chief Adviser said this during his day-long visit at the worst affected cyclone hit areas like Dublarchar of Bagerhat, Majerchar of Barguna and Mirzaganj of Patuakhali districts. During his visit, Dr Fakhruddin inquired about the latest condition of the victims, the ongoing relief and rescue operations, medical service being provided to the cyclone-hit areas and the immediate requirements of the affected people. The Chief Adviser directed the concerned authorities to take immediate steps in restoration of power supply, roads and telecommunications for starting normal life in the affected areas.

About agricultural rehabilitation, he said, the government would provide the farmers with all out support to this end. The Chief Adviser also distributed some relief materials and cash money among the affected people in Dublarchar, Majerchar and Mirzaganj areas.

On his arrival at Dublarchar, he was briefed by joint forces engaged there to continue relief and rescue operations about the damages of lives and properties by the devastating hurricane Sidr hit the country on Thursday night. Dr Fakhruddin was informed that Taka another 50 lakh has been allocated for the area in addition to taka 1.50 crore allocated earlier for Bagerhat district. He was apprised that the Navy boats stationed here are participating massive relief operations including supplying pure drinking water, fuel and medicine among the victims.

Later, he distributed relief materials including medicine and clothes among the victims and talked to them.

Expressing deep shock and sorrow at the damage of lives and properties by the Thursday's cyclone, he told them that the government is with the affected people and it will provide all necessary support for the victims.

After Dublarchar, the Chief Adviser flew for Barguna town from where he went to Majerchar by speed boat to see for himself the condition of the cyclone victims.

In Barguna, he was also briefed by Navy that relief, rehabilitation and rescue operations are progressing fast to mitigate the sufferings of the people.

Staff Reporter

Nasima Haider, present Bangladesh High Commissioner to South Africa, has been appointed the envoy to Egypt.

A career diplomat, Haider joined the Foreign Service in Dhaka in 1981.

Nasima Haider also worked in different Bangladesh missions abroad,

said a Foreign Affairs Ministry release yesterday.

On Sunday, Yasmeen Murshed, Adviser of the former caretaker government, was appointed Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan.

The 62-year-old Yasmeen Murshed was the Adviser for Women and Children Affairs from October 31 last year to January 11 this year in the former caretaker government headed by President Prof Iajuddin Ahmed. She is the founder and chief executive officer of Scholastica School, an English-medium school in the city.

Besides, she is associated with several commercial and service-oriented organizations.

Yasmeen Murshed did her graduation in English from Punjab University in 1967 and post-graduation in Economics from the same university in 1969.

UNB, Dhaka

Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam relegated Aman to an insignificant crop and said this crop damage in the calamity wouldn't affect county's economy.

"Cyclone SIDR damaged Aman crop, but this crop is not a significant crop for Bangladesh," he told newsmen Monday after his meeting with high officials of different state-run banks for a review of overall financing, loan disbursement and loan collection of the commercial banks and agricultural banks at the Finance Ministry. Further giving his usual orthodox thoughts on economy, trade and business, the Finance Adviser of the caretaker government said even total crop sector is not a major issue for total economy. "The agriculture-GDP ratio of the country is not more than 22 percent. In that percentage there are so many things like livestock and fisheries," said Dr Aziz, the former chief of the stock-market watchdog SEC.

He observed that from his point of view, the devastating cyclone would not cast any big impact on the national economy. "I think that we can recover the damage, and for this, there will be monetary injection like loan and aid into the rural economy," he said. About any pressure on the economy from the fallout of the cyclone SIDR, which ripped through southwestern coastal districts, the Adviser said it is too early to say anything about this matter. The Adviser asked the banks to re-schedule the credits that have been taken by the cyclone-affected people and also directed the bankers to disburse fresh loans to those who already took loans after the last cataclysmic floods.

Responding to questions, he said that the loans would not be free of interest. "It would be too early to say anything about government plan for waiver of interest on the loans," he said.

In the meeting, the Adviser asked the state-run commercial banks, which have recently been converted to public limited companies, to raise their capital as they have deficit in capital.

Special Correspondent

United Nations secretary general's special envoy on climate change, Han Seung-soo, yesterday in Bangkok called on countries in the region to pursue sustainable growth.

"We can turn the crisis of climate change into a new economic opportunity," Han told a committee of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), says a message received from New York.

Han applauded ESCAP for its Green Growth initiative, which the Commission said calls for a paradigm change in thinking of growth and argues for ecological costs to be fully reflected in market prices.

The envoy's remarks came as Asia prepares to host a conference in Bali next month aimed at hammering out a legally binding agreement capping greenhouse gas emissions to succeed the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. Han said that the new mechanism would work only if all countries participate, especially the world's 15 major emitters.

Staff Reporter

The Ahsania-Malaysia Hajj Investment and Finance Company Limited (AM-HIFC) was formally inaugurated yesterday, offering 1 to 30 years long Hajj Saving Schemes.

The company offers 15 different policies of Hajj Saving Schemes with installments, starting from Tk14, 550 to Tk900 per month.

"The AM-HIFC offers saving schemes, payable in 16 to 30 easy and affordable installments. After the completion of due period, one would be able to perform Hajj with us," said Chairman AM-HIFC Rafique-ul-Haq at the inaugural ceremony at a local hotel.

Speaking on the occasion as chief guest, Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed said that the government wants to promote a new dimension of Islamic Shariah based banking in the country. Approval to AM-HIFC is one such step, he added.

He expected that the company would achieve its goal to assist Bangladeshi Muslims in affordable and hassle-free Hajj performance.

The central bank governor said the AM-HIFC is the only non-banking financial institution of its kind, which was given approval by the Bangladesh Bank. "The project was approved as the experiences and reputation of Dhaka Ahsania Mission and its Malaysian partner were high in this field," he said.

The company emerged as joint venture project, signed by the Dhaka Ahsania Mission and Malaysia Global Hajj and Umrah International Corporation. Objective of this company is to facilitate all interested Muslims in Bangladesh to perform hazard-free Hajj as well as to financially enable them through different Hajj Saving Schemes, the Chairman of AM-HIFC added.

"The AM-HIFC invites all Muslims to plan their Hajj journey with the support of our Hajj Saving Schemes, namely the Mudaraba and Al-Wadia Savings and enjoy hassle-free, affordable for all income levels and comfortable Hajj related services," the Chairman further said.

However, he also mentioned that the company is meant to be a spiritual service oriented organisation instead of a profit earning commercial organisation in the strict sense.

"After the quit opening of the AM-HIFC on July 2007, over 500 saving accounts have already been opened by depositors who intends to perform Hajj in future," Rafique-ul-Haq added.

Elaborating the AM-HIFC Hajj Saving Schemes, President of Dhaka Ahsania Mission Kazi Rafiqul Alam said, "The existence of AM-HIFC will only be justified, if we gradually increase the number of pilgrims every year with the ultimate aim to reach the Bangladesh Hajj quota of 140,000 fixed by the Saudi Arabian Government."

He also informed that at present only 43,000 to 55,000 Bangladeshi pilgrims perform Hajj every year.

Staff Reporter

The 13th meeting of the Committee on SAARC Economic Cooperation will be held in Dhaka on November 24 and 25.

Commerce Secretaries from eight SARRC countries are expected to attend the meeting.

The 12th meeting of the committee was held in Islamabad from November 20 to 22.

Sources said that the meeting will review progress on matters relating to economic cooperation among the SARRC members states. Agenda of the meeting also includes reviewing trade cooperation integration, potential of trade in service under SAFTA agreement, intra SAARC trade non-tariff/ para-tariff measures and trade facilitation measures.