The New Nation - Internet Edition

New Nation Report

Dhaka University Teachers Association (DUTA) pledged to continue their movement until the release of the detained teachers and students.

They expressed this at a tripartite meeting with university authorities and DGFI members at the Senate building yesterday.

Sources said a three-member DGFI delegation requested the DUTA leaders to withdraw their scheduled programmes of wearing black badges and silent processions, which will be observed today and tomorrow respectively.

But the leaders of the organisation responded, as they will consider this if the government gives any specific proposal about the freeing of detained teachers and students.

DUTA took some decisions at an emergency meeting on Friday demanding the release of the detained teachers and students. Where they decided to observe further programmes if the detained teachers and students were not released by December 12.

The DGFI members are-Brigadier Gen ATM Amin, chief of Counter Terrorist Bureau, Col Abu Saleh and Col Almas Raisul Gani.

Acting President of DUTA Prof Tazmeri SA Islam, Acting General Secretary Faruque Ahmed, Prof AAMS Arefin Siddiqui, Prof Akhteruzzaman, Prof Syed Salehin Kadri, Prof Aminur Rashid and Prof Syed Manjurul Ahsan were present in the meeting.

Prof Tazmeri SA Islam said they would continue their programmes until the release of the detained teachers and students.

Prof Akhteruzzaman told the New Nation that they hoped the detained teachers and students would return to them soon.

UNB, Dhaka

The remains of liberation war hero Sepoy Hamidur Rahman will be repatriated to his longed for dreamland Bangladesh, after 36 years of the country's independence, from Indian state of Tripura through Bibir Bazar land port in Comilla at 3pm on Monday. A seven-member Bangladesh delegation left Dhaka for Tripura on Friday to bring back the remains of Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Sipahi Hamidur Rahman, who was buried at Ambasa in the Indian state. Soon after entering Bangladesh, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 33 Infantry Division will receive the remains of the valiant war hero through a guard of honour at Bibir Bazar.

On a last ride, a vehicle of the military police will start towards capital Dhaka with the remains of Bir Shreshta Hamidur Rahman from Comilla Cantonment at 6am on Tuesday.

The remains will be taken to the Army Aviation Hangar at Dhaka Cantonment in a ceremonial motorcade from Jatrabari and kept there briefly. A 21-gun salute will herald the arrival of the remains at the National Parade Square at about 10am.

President Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed, also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, will receive the remains of Bir Shreshtha Hamidur Rahman on behalf of the nation and place wreath on the coffin. A guard of honour will be presented by the three services, including PGR.

A namaj-e-janaza for the martyred liberation war hero will be held at around 10:30am.

Finally, the remains of Bir Shreshtha Hamidur Rahman will be taken in a ceremonial motorcade to the Mirpur Graveyard kept reserved for distinguished freedom fighters. Later, his remains will be laid to eternal rest at the graveyard with the highest state honour. Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed will, among others, attend the state funeral.

Valiant liberation war hero Hamidur Rahman was buried at Ambasa in the Indian state of Tripura after he embraced martyrdom in a battle against the Pakistani occupation forces in a frontier area of Sylhet on October 28 in 1971.

Staff Reporter

The charge framing hearing against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a TK 3 crore extortion case will resume today after a 5-day adjournment.

Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge M Azizul Haque adjourned the charge framing hearing on December 3 when one of her lawyers sought for the deferment in order to help him go through the latest case documents.

In a related development, Sheikh Hasina's counsels are planning to move the High Court today to challenge the legitimacy of the Government action directing the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Court to try her case at a different location at high security Parliament building complex, party sources said.

The Government said the Court was transfered to Parliament complex considering the security of Sheikh Hasina with the approval of the Supreme Court.

Azam J Chowdhury, Managing Director of the East Coast Private Trading Ltd filed the case on June 13 against Sheikh Hasina and her cousin former Health Minister Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim.

Sheikh Hasina, who is the President of the Awami League, was arrested on July 16 in connection with this case.

After investigation, police submitted charge sheet to the Court implicating Sheikh Rehana, the younger sister of Sheikh Hasina, although her name was not mentioned in the FIR by complainant Azam Chowdhury. Sheikh Rehana is living in London.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina yesterday expressed doubt about fair trial in the case.

She made the apprehension to two of her lawyers, who met her at the special jail on the premises of Parliament building.

Her counsel Advocate Shahara Khatun disclosed this after their meeting with Sheikh Hasina.

"Sheikh Hasina has expressed the doubt citing that Supreme Court has stayed her bail granted by the High Court following the Government's appeal," Advocate Shahara Khatun said.

Acting Awami League (AL) President Zillur Rahman yesterday demanded the release of his party chief Sheikh Hasina by December.

He also demanded the lifting of the state of emergency as the Government claims that a normal situation is prevailing in the country.

Zillur Rahman put forward the demands while addressing a meeting commemorating the death of former state minister for Post and Telecommunications and Dinajpur district AL President Abdur Rouf

Chowdhury at Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium.

"Sheikh Hasina could stand by the cyclone victims and serve the distressed humanity if she is released," Zillur Rahman said.

"I would strongly urge the Government to lift the state of emergency, as it is not needed," he said.

He also recalled the contributions of late Rouf Chowdhury to all democratic movements of the country.

Former Speaker Abdul Hamid Advocate, party leaders Dr Hasan Mahmud and Advocate Nurul Islam Sujan, among others, addressed the meeting, which was presided over by former Whip Mizanur Rahman Manu.

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The draft of the Truth and Accountability Commission has been completed, Advocate Anisul Huq, a committee member, told bdnews 24.com on Saturday.

A four-member committee designed the structure and legal affairs of the commission, which will continue for one year. Corrupt suspects-especially businesspeople-will be able to confess crimes to the commission, the draft said.

The commission's activities are likely to begin in January.

Advocate Anisul Huq said they had submitted the draft to Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury, Coordinator of the National Coordination Committee on Curbing Serious Crimes.

The 18-page draft contains 27 sections. The committee recommends naming the commission "Truth and Accountability Commission".

"The commission will be absolutely independent," Anisul Huq said. The commission will be formed with three to five members, with a retired chief justice heading the body.

Other members will be either a judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court or persons experienced in law and justice.

The draft said any person can enjoy the facilities of the commission, but the persons who have already been accused in cases pending trial will not qualify.

The Commission can summon any person. "If he doesn't respond to the order, it may sentence him to a maximum of three years," advocate Anisul Huq said quoting the draft.

"If any person confesses to crimes, no legal steps will be taken against him, unless he gets involved in further crimes," he said.

The commission may impose fine on the person or confiscate his assets, but the amount will not exceed the value of his property.

If any person lies to the commission, it will send him to court for trial, according to the draft.

UNB, Dhaka

Dhaka City Mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka, one of the corrupt suspects, Saturday said he did not conceal any information in his wealth statement submitted to the Anti-Corruption Commission Thursday.

In a press briefing at his official residence at Hare Road, Khoka said the assets possessed by himself, his wife, son and daughter are worth about Tk 8.58 crore.

He also declared that there is no asset abroad in his name.

Khoka, who was issued notice by ACC on November 18 to submit his wealth statement, said there are dissimilarities between the information he submitted and the ones given to journalists.

Pointing out some of the dissimilarities to reporters, he said maybe the information was given hurriedly causing the dissimilarities.

Khoka said some of the houses shown as his own are ancestral and would be distributed among other inheritors. The house in Munshiganj, for instance, is in his father and uncle's names and he owns 20 percent of half of the house, he added.

About the sources of his wealth, the Mayor said he got Tk 4.5 crore from shares, Tk 1 crore from salaries and allowances as mayor, minister and MP, Tk 1.69 crore from savings accounts and Tk 1.5 crore from house rent.

UNB, Dhaka

Acting Awami League president Zillur Rahman has demanded the release of party chief Sheikh Hasina by December.

He also demanded lifting of the state of emergency as the government claims that a normal situation is prevailing in the country.

Zillur put forward the demand while addressing a meeting commemorating the death of former state minister for Post and Telecommunications and Dinajpur district AL president Abdur Rouf Chowdhury at Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium.

If Sheikh Hasina is released, he said, she could stand by the cyclone victims and serve the distressed humanity.

"I would strongly urge the government to lift the state of emergency where it is not needed," Zillur said.

He also recalled the contributions of late Chowdhury to all democratic movements in the country.

Former Speaker Advocate Abdul Hamid, party leaders Dr Hasan Mahmud and Adv Nurul Islam Sujan, among others, addressed the meeting, presided over by former Whip Mizanur Rahman Manu.

Advocate Hamid said they supported the anti-graft drive of the caretaker government but now it appears that the government is facing

criticism for some of its actions. "I would request the government

not to do any thing that might cause criticisms," he said.

Staff Reporter

Noted Economist Prof Wahiduddin Mahmud has suggested the Government to exempt donations from tax to encourage the wealthy section of the society to philanthropic services.

He was speaking at a seminar on Corporate Social Responsibility organised by Bankers forum at CIRDAP auditorium in the city yesterday.

He said philanthropy is free of income tax in other countries and businesspeople, unlike in Bangladesh, are not only involved in profiteering but also performing corporate responsibilities with their profit money. Even, world famous universities like Harvard and Cambridge are run by donations from rich people.

Dr Mahmud said the task of rendering welfare services now solely rests on the Government. The situation was not so in the past. History says that Zaminders and wealthy persons did set up and operate educational institutions, construct roads and also were involved in most philanthropies.

But, the scene has changed at present and an absence of philanthropy is prevailing in the country. Fear for the Anti-corruption Commission has made the situation even worse. Rich people are now afraid of donating money in welfare purposes also, he observed.

"To ensure an environment for philanthropic activities, the Government should make donations tax-free," he said.

"Market economy is cruel, as it creates an uneven competition without any scope for bringing those who fall behind at par with others," the seasoned economist observed and stressed on ensuring corporate social responsibility to humanise the cruel sides of market economy that is based on profiteering.

Dr Mahmud said corporate social responsibility does not mean to donate only. If you are evading taxes, paying less to your staff, profiting high and producing substandard or adulterated goods and then donating money for welfare tasks to draw attention of media- it will not be discharging a social responsibility in the true sense.

He also made an oblique reference to the multinational companies doing business in Bangladesh. "To impose unequal treaty, establish monopoly and do heavy profit by using weakness in regulatory mechanism of the country and then donating a large sum to have a media focus does not mean corporate social responsibility," he said.

President of Bankers Forum M A Khaleq chaired the seminar. Managing Director of Ansar VDP Bank Dr Mujibur Rahman Khan, Managing Director of Karmasangsthan Bank Shahjahan Mian, Deputy Managing Director of Mutual Trust Bank Kamrul Islam Chowdhury and Executive Vice-president of NCC Bank Ehsanul Al spoke on the occasion.

Staff Reporter

Environmentalists, experts and civil society representatives at a discussion in the city urged to make mandatory an international treaty for reducing production of greenhouse gases.

They also urged green house gas producing countries to give compensations to all affected countries.

The USA is the highest green house gas producer and does not follow the Kyoto Protocol. The rate of production of Carbon-di-Oxide gas should be reduced by China and India, speakers said.

They urged all to reduce use of fossil oil and gas, start use of solar energy and make all the industries and brickfields Carbon free.

This was urged at the discussion meeting on 'Stopping use of green house gases and to ensure giving compensation to affected countries for the climate change' was held at Foundation for Research of Education and Policy Development (FREPD) auditorium yesterday jointly organised by Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Front for Anti Climate Change in Bangladesh. Prof Muzaffar Ahmed, President of BAPA, presided over the meeting, while Dr Md Abdul Matin, Coordinator of the Front, presented key-note paper.

Speakers said due to increase of production of Carbon and Methane gases atmospheric temperature has increased and number of drought, floods, tidal bores and cyclone have increased. As a result, global climate is changing day by day.

All industrialised and rich countries are producing green house gases, but its impact is being faced by poor and developing countries. Earlier the USA signed the Kyoto Protocol, but then it withdrew its name from the Protocol. Australia has signed the Protocol three days ago. But the highest gas production countries in Asia India and China were not following the Protocol for production of Carbon and Methane gases, they said.

They urged all global leaders not only to adopt the Kyoto Protocol but also to reduce production of gases.

They also urged all to control use of motorised vehicles and increasing use of modern burners for cooking.

They underscored the need for using biogas and reducing pesticides during cultivation.

ASM Shahjahan, former adviser to the Caretaker Government, Prof Dr Kazi Saleh Ahmed, President of FREPD, Prof Khondkar Mokaddem Hossain, Dr Jasmine Ara Sultana, among others, spoke at the meeting.

AP, Bali

The United States will not announce binding emission targets at a historic climate change conference in Indonesia, despite growing pressure from developing countries to take the lead in combating global warming.

U.S. climate chief Harlan Watson, who earlier this week outlined how Washington is fighting climate change with technology, aid and economic growth, said Saturday Bali was not the place to be talking mandatory emission cuts.

"We're not ready to do that here," Watson said.

Scientists say global emissions must be cut by 50 percent by 2050 to avoid dangerous warming that could result in worsening droughts, more severe storms and floods likely to impact tens of millions of people.

The U.S. position is likely to dash hopes among developing countries that emission cuts of 25 percent to 40 percent by 2020 for industrialized countries would be included in a final agreement when the Bali conference ends Dec. 14.

Those numbers were agreed upon earlier this year by industrialized nations that signed the Kyoto Protocol, which was rejected by the United States as too costly for the U.S. economy, and unfair because it excluded China, India and other developing economies.

It commits three dozen industrialized countries to cut their greenhouse gases an average of 5 percent below 1990 levels between next year and 2012, when the protocol expires.

Despite the differences on how best to tackle global climate change, U.N. climate chief Yvo de Boer said the first week of the conference had gone well, and he was optimistic they would come away with an agreement.

Trade ministers opened a new front in the global warming battle on Saturday on the fringe of U.N. climate talks in Bali bogged down in disputes between rich and poor over sharing out greenhouse gas curbs.

The U.N. meeting in Bali from December 3 to 14 is trying to launch two years of formal negotiations on a new pact to widen the United Nations' Kyoto Protocol to all nations beyond 2012, including a bigger role for the United States, China and India.

Thirty-two governments, including a dozen trade ministers started two days of discussions on how to enlist world trade to help slow warming, for example easing tariffs on climate-friendly goods and so spur a booming "green" economy.

"The meeting t emphasises the point that it's not just the environmental imperative we are dealing with, but the economic opportunities that come from solving climate change," Australian Trade Minister Simon Crean said.

"Climate change solutions open up important opportunities for jobs and trade," he told reporters. Ministers at the meeting included those from the United States, Australia, Brazil and Portugal, which holds the rotating European Union presidency.

The meeting, on the fringe of 190-nation climate talks involving about 10,000 delegates in a nearby resort on the Indonesian island, is the first time that annual U.N. climate talks have widened beyond environment ministers.

Differences over who should take the blame for, and do most to curb, greenhouse gas emissions threatened to deadlock the main talks, as Canada and Australia on Saturday joined Japan in calling for commitments from some developing countries.

"Australia's task is, at the appropriate time, to commit to targets but it's also to try and secure binding commitments from developing countries," said Australia's Crean.

Canada issued a statement saying "major, industrialised developing countries" should also have binding targets.

Developing nations, needing to burn more energy to end poverty, would find it "inconceivable" to accept bindings targets now, said the U.N.'s climate change chief Yvo de Boer.

De Boer said it was possible that a final Bali text would guide industrialised nations to curb their greenhouse gases by between 25 and 40 percent by 2020, an aspiration agreed earlier this year by countries that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol.

At the climate talks, an alliance of 43 small island states urged even tougher action to fight climate change, saying they risked being washed off the map by rising seas and more powerful storms.

"We want to see drastic action," said Angus Friday of Grenada, chairman of the group in Bali.

Outside the conference centre, Balinese dancers used sticks to burst black balloons labelled "CO2", the main greenhouse gas.

About 20 finance ministers will join the fringes of the Bali meeting on Monday and Tuesday, in a sign of growing awareness of the economic effects of more droughts, floods and rising seas.

Highlighting opportunities for new technologies, a report issued in Bali said world annual investments in renewable energy will top $100 billion (49.3 billion pounds) for a first time in 2007.

Staff Reporter

USAID Assistant Administrator Dr Kent Hill yesterday visited some USAID funded health projects outside Dhaka.

His visits included Smiling Sun Health Clinic at Tongi, Social Marketing Company (SMC) orsaline factory and Blue Star Pharmacy at Bhaluka, a USAID press release said.

Dr Hill is on a three-day visit to Bangladesh to review USAID's health programmes in the region.

During his visit, Dr Hill inspected the USAID supported SMC oral rehydration salt factory and observed first hand the producing process of oral rehydration salts that have proved to be the remedy for dehydration.

While visiting Smiling Sun Health Clinic, he interacted with the doctors and patients and reviewed the clinic's unique approach to replicating its programme around the country.

He appreciated the quality and range of services the clinic offers to nearly two million mostly poor Bangladeshis who visit the clinic every month.

Dr Hill also visited the USAID supported SMC Blue Star Pharmacy and learned about the different methods of family planning the SMC provides to its large customer base.

He also appreciated the organisation for helping the Sidr affected people by setting up medical camps and working round-the-clock to produce extra numbers of oral rehydration salt sachets.

As part of USAID's effort to improve the overall health condition of the Bangladeshi people, USAID will provide US$173 million over the next five years to fund programmes supporting maternal and child health, family planning, tuberculosis eradication and HIV/AIDS mitigation under the health and population agreement with the government of Bangladesh.

Staff Reporter

BRAC official Noor Islam, abducted from his office in Lugar province in Afghanistan, was released unhurt late Friday night, nearly three months after his kidnapping.

Director of Public Affairs and Communications of BRAC M Anwarul Islam

told journalists yesterday that Noor Islam was now undergoing medical checkup at a Government establishment in Lugar (Afghanistan).

Afghan security officials secured his release after frantic efforts for the last few months. Noor Islam is likely to be handed over to BRAC authorities in Kabul today after the completion of his medical checkup.

Anwar said arrangements are being made for Noor Islam's return to Bangladesh and meeting his family in Jessore.

Noor Islam is one of more than 200 Bangladeshi staff engaged in micro-financing operations, women empowerment, education and health activities in war-ravaged Afghanistan since 2002.

BRAC founder Chairperson Fazle Hasan Abed thanked both the Governments of Bangladesh and Afghanistan for extending help in securing the release of Noor Islam.

Anti-Corruption Day today

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh will observe the International Anti-Corruption Day today with a renewed pledge to fight the menace more effectively.

The Anti-Corruption Commission will launch a year-long campaign against corruption today, marking the day. In collaboration with the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), the ACC will organise an anti-graft social movement in the country.

The ACC and the TIB will launch an anti-graft campaign with the slogan "Rise People, Rise Against Corruption", which will continue till Dec 9 next year. The United Nations declared Dec 9 as the Anti-Corruption Day to strengthen the anti-graft movement across the world.

Marking the day, the TIB has undertaken a five-day programme, including an anti-graft cartoon exhibition at Dhanmondi Drik Gallery from Friday.

ACC Chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury formally inaugurated the exhibition where 57 selected cartoons are on display.

Besides, the TIB will hold a seminar in collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Commission at the Bangladesh-China Conference Centre at 3 pm today.

A four-day inter-university anti-graft debate competition will also begin tomorrow. Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr SMA Faiz will inaugurate the debate in the TSC auditorium while the ACC chairman will be present as the chief guest.

The ACC, the TIB and Dhaka University Debating Society will jointly organise the anti-graft debate competition which will conclude on Dec 12.

Other programmes of the Anti-Corruption Day include rally, human chain, discussion meetings, and cultural functions in the capital and other cities of the country.

UNB, Rangamati

Discussants at BBC Bangladesh Sanglap demanded full implementation of the CHT peace accord, introduction of cellular phone network, balanced development for all including ethnic and Bangali communities and development in the tourism sector here in the hill district.

"As the treaty has been misinterpreted for years, it has not been implemented due to lack of good political wills," said the Chakma Circle Chief (Chakma king) Raja Devasish Roy.

President of Rangamati district Awami League Dipankar Talukder, Rangamati Municipality Chairman Habibur Rahman and chairperson of Green Hill, a NGO Tuku Talukder joined the discussion.

BBC Bangla Service in conjunction with the BBC World Service Trust organised the event that held at the compound of Parjotan Holiday Complex. Shakeel Anwar of BBC Bangla Service moderated the programme.

The Chakma Raja said although several provisions of the peace treaty have been implemented, there are some important clauses including land dispute and withdrawals of security camps were not implemented.

Dipankar, a former AL lawmaker said the treaty would be implemented if a pro-treaty government assumes power through next election, otherwise, full implementation of the treaty would be delayed.

Habibur Rahman said as there are some highly controversial clauses in the accord, its full implementation would take time. While Tuku observed that if the accord is implemented fully, both the Bangali and the indigenous community would be benefited.

Referring to Law Adviser Mainul Hosein's comment to review the treaty, Chakma Raja said as the treaty has been signed between the two sides-the government and the Parbattya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS), reviewing of the accord is not possible without the nod of the two sides.

Replying to a query, the panelists said that people of three hill districts are not getting the facilities of mobile phone network. Demanding the government to initiate small range mobile network in the towns to include the hill people in the development process. They observed it is not logical that the government is not providing mobile phone network facility on security ground.

The panelists observed that the government should turn Rangamati into an international standard tourism spot.