The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Four Advisers of the caretaker government resigned yesterday in a dramatic development in the interim administration of the country.

Law and Information Adviser Barrister Mainul Hosein, Energy Adviser Tapan Chowdhury, Health and Family Welfare Adviser Major General (Retd) Dr ASM Matiur Rahman and Industry Adviser Geeteara Safiya Chowdhury resigned in the afternoon. The resignations came on the eve of completion of one year in office of the caretaker government headed by Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed.

Sources said after attending a function of Police Week at Rajarbagh, the Advisers went to the Chief Adviser's office at Tejgaon. Later, they tendered their resignations addressing the President on personal grounds. The resignation letters were sent to President Prof Iajuddin Ahmed at Bangabhaban through special messengers in the afternoon. Sending the resignation letter to the President in Bangabhaban, Barrister Mainul Hosein, also the Housing and Public Works and Land Adviser, went back to his residence at Baridhara in the afternoon.

In his instant reaction, Barrister Mainul Hosein said, "Whether I remain in or outside the caretaker government, my mission for carrying out the great objective of establishing democracy in the country will continue."

When asked about his resignation, Health Adviser Maj Gen (Retd) Matiur Rahman said: "Please, no comment. What you have seen on television screen is true."

He said he had performed his responsibility and he would do it if entrusted in future.

Food and Energy Adviser Tapan Chowdhury could not be contacted for comments despite repeated attempts over phone.

Earlier, Industries Adviser Geeteara Safiya Chowdhury said, "Time is short. We have been working through many rules and regulations. If somebody does not want me I will have to go. I have nothing to do in this regard."

With the resignation of four Advisers yesterday, a total of five Advisers have resigned from the 11-member Council of Advisers so far.

Earlier, Education Adviser Dr Ayub Quadri resigned on December 26 in the wake of missing of Paris-bound artifacts at Zia International Airport.

The latest resignations came on the eve of Fakhruddin Ahmed's military-backed government's completion of one year in office since it was installed amid a political crisis over general election in January last year.

The incumbent caretaker government assumed office on January 12 under the state of emergency imposed a day before to quell political unrest over the abortive parliamentary elections.

It succeeded a short-lived caretaker government headed by President Prof Iajuddin Ahmed, which was formed as two rival political camps had failed to make a consensus choice for the office of Chief Adviser as per constitutional provision.

Chief Adviser's press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim told journalists yesterday that four Advisers resigned on 'personal' grounds and the resignation letters were sent to the President office in the afternoon.

New Advisers are likely to be sworn in by the President at Bangabhaban at sometime today (Wednesday), he said.

Staff Reporter

Attending the final day of charge framing hearing in a makeshift court in Parliament building complex, detained former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said she would not go abroad for treatment if the Government sets any pre-conditions for that.

Disclosing this after the hearing, her lawyer Barrister Shafique Ahmed told journalists that Sheikh Hasina, who is the President of Awami League (AL), also demanded immediate holding of the general elections.

The charge framing hearing against Sheikh Hasina in a Tk three crore extortion case filed by a businessman concluded yesterday in the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court.

The judge adjourned the Court till January 13 after prolonged hearing yesterday. The judge said he would deliver the verdict of the charge-framing hearing on January 13.

The Court resumed the hearing on framing of the charge at 9:35am after two adjournments since Sheikh Hasina fell sick in the courtroom on December 31.

Azam J Chowdhury, Managing Director of the East West Private Company Limited filed the case alleging that Sheikh Hasina while in power as the Prime Minister forced his firm to pay Tk 3 crore-extortion money for awarding a power project contract. She ruled the country for five years from 1996.

Sheikh Hasina along with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, and cousin and former Health Minister Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim were made co-accused in the case.

Sheikh Selim was first brought to the Court at 9:40am from Dhaka central jail and Sheikh Hasina at 9:45am from the subjail in Parliament building complex.

Hundreds of AL leaders and workers were seen standing on the road leading to the Court while a number of the party leaders, including its Acting President Zillur Rahman were present as her counsels.

Meanwhile, Bdnews24.com yesterday reported that Sheikh Hasina has asked her party leaders to take part in the elections without her as she alleged that the verdict had already been designed.

"She (Hasina) asked acting Awami League chief Zillur Rahman and other leaders, who were present in the courtroom, to demand elections-more specifically by July," the news agency reported and quoted Sheikh Hasina as telling the AL leaders while on dock "Go for the elections without me."

However, this part of the report could not be confirmed from any authoritative source within the AL, who were present in the Court yesterday, and the BDnews24.com also did not attribute the source of the information.

Staff Reporter

The Bangladesh Jewellery Association (BJA) has increased the price of gold products in local market by Tk 828 per tola yesterday.

The decision was taken after an ad hoc meeting, called to evaluate present market price, comparing present international gold market, said Dilder Ahmed Saleem, Secretary General of BJA to The New Nation.

We decided to increase the price under the pressure of global markets rising. The modified price is applicable from January 8, 2007, he said. Continuing the record making growth, gold trading in the US gold market yesterday reached at US$872.19 per ounce. It was US$86 per ounce increase within four trading sessions. "Price likely to go further up," predicted gold experts from the usagold.com.

According to BJA General Secretary, Tk74 will be added with present 22 carats gold category. Its new price is Tk2,060 per-gm as decided.

Besides, in the 21 carats gold category, Tk101 per-gm has been added, raising the price at Tk 1,970 per-gm.

Tk65 per-gm is added with 18 carats gold category and its new trading rate is Tk 1,755 per-gm.

However, price of Sanatan (Old) gold category will remail unchanged, at Tk 1558 per-gm, informed Ahmed Saleem.

We usually wait for a week after any significant price alteration takes place in international gold market before changing existing gold market price. But the price at this time rising very first, which made us call the emergency meeting, he added.

"As market is still vulnerable, we would call another meeting in few days to further evaluate local gold market price," he further added. He however has forecast more increase in coming days.

Reuteurs, Manchester

Democrat Barack Obama expanded his lead over Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire to 13 points as voting began in the state's critical presidential primary, according to a Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby poll released on Tuesday.

Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona also widened his advantage over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, taking a 36 percent to 27 percent edge after months of hard campaigning in the state. Obama continued to feed on the momentum from his performance in Iowa last week, when he and Republican Mike Huckabee scored breakthrough wins that left Clinton and Romney reeling.

Obama, a senator from Illinois bidding to make history as the first black U.S. president, led the one-time Democratic front-runner 42 percent to 29 percent. Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards was third with 17 percent. "Obama is still on a roll and not slowing down. He had another big day," pollster John Zogby said.

Obama led Clinton in all categories of voters except women and voters over the age of 65, and was pulling away from the New York senator among base Democratic voters. "This is the same thing he did in the closing hours in Iowa," Zogby said of Obama.

The rolling poll of 862 likely Democratic voters and 859 likely Republican voters was taken Saturday through Monday. It has a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points.

New Hampshire's primary on Tuesday is the next battleground in the state-by-state process of choosing Republican and Democratic candidates for November's election to replace President George W. Bush.

The pressure is on Clinton and Romney to revive their campaigns after disappointing showings in Iowa, and a second consecutive loss for either could doom their comebacks.

Clinton, a former first lady, finished third in Iowa. Romney, who at one time led polls in Iowa and New Hampshire, finished second.

While McCain gained more ground on Romney in the new poll, Huckabee has not been able to take advantage of his Iowa win. Huckabee, a Baptist minister and former Arkansas governor, held third at 10 percent.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani was tied for fourth in New Hampshire with Texas Rep. Ron Paul, an anti-war libertarian, at 9 percent. Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson was at 2 percent.

"The question is whether Romney can pick up any more steam, because he did slightly better on the last day," Zogby said. "McCain still has strong leads among independents and among older voters."

The final day of polling came after Sunday's debate with his rivals, when Romney went on the offensive against Huckabee and McCain on taxes and immigration and was not the target he was in a debate on Saturday.

About 5 percent in each party remain undecided, according to the New Hampshire poll.

In the Democratic race, former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was in fourth place at 5 percent, ahead of Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich at 2 percent.

The rolling tracking poll concludes with New Hampshire's voting on Tuesday. In a rolling poll, the most recent day's results are added while the oldest day's results are dropped in order to track changing momentum.

Staff Reporter

The holders of the looted safe deposit lockers at Dhanmondi branch of BRAC Bank Ltd yesterday demanded of the bank authorities for providing full compensation for their losses.

They also blamed poor security measures of the bank for the burglary demanding a thorough investigation into the incident.

Hirers of most of the looted lockers thronged the bank at Sukrabad in the city yesterday morning. Some 30 to 40 customers assembled inside the bank by 10:00am. Some of them rushed to the bank reading news of the locker heist in the newspapers and watching the news on the televisions. Witnessing their lockers open they started crying and wailing inside the bank.

Besides, many of the locker holders expressed their willingness to the bank authorities to surrender their lockers.

Fatima Rahim, a garment owner, rushed to the bank in the morning. She said there are two lockers-one is of her and the other of her daughter living in Canada. "I've come to take back the valuables kept in my daughter's locker, but two officials of the bank are not allowing me to open the locker. Rather, they suggested me to submit a written request and they will contact with me later on," she said.

"The vault of my residence is more safe than the safe deposit lockers at BRAC Bank although I was told that the locker was safe and secure when I hired it one year ago. But, I don't feel anymore convenient to keep my valuables here," she said.

The burglars on Monday took away gold ornaments, diamonds and other valuables breaking 75 safe deposit lockers at the Dhanmondi branch of BRAC Bank.

Addressing a press conference at the National Press Club in the afternoon, the hirers of lockers said the bank authorities did not take adequate measures to protect the lockers.

There were no armed security and emergency alarm to guard the valuables, they said.

The bank officials "misbehaved with us when we wanted to know about the burglary," they said.

Rezwana Khukumoni, who was the first locker holder to reach the bank branch after the burglary, said she went to the bank at about 11:00am on Monday and wanted to check her locker (No. 87) where she kept about 85 bhories of gold and an expensive pearl necklace of her mother.

Soon after opening the door of the vault, she said, a bank official told her that she could not go inside the locker room without showing any reason.

Rezwana said that when she wanted to know the reason, the bank official replied that they are putting some extra lockers that's why they cannot allow her to enter the locker room. "Nothing to worry, you're 100 per cent secured," she quoted the bank official as saying.

The locker holders said that the bank authorities agreed to give compensation for the 75 looted lockers within the next 90 days.

Rabet Khan, holder of locker No. 36, said the bank authorities should not avoid the responsibilities, as all the lockers remained under their protection.

Blaming the bank officials, some of the locker holders alleged that unscrupulous officials of the bank might be involved with the robbery as the burglars made a big hole in the roof using drilling machine for several days. "How is it that none could hear the drilling machine at work? And how did the burglars found the exact location of the lockers," they asked.

The victims of the locker burglary urged the caretaker government and the Bangladesh Bank to take stern action against those responsible for the burglary after fair investigation.

Meanwhile, hirers of the looted lockers yesterday thronged the BRAC Bank at Dhanmondi in the morning. Witnessing the missing of their valuables, they burst into tears and started wailing.

They were also appealing to the members of law enforcing agencies to help recover their looted valuables. "Please, take initiatives to recover our missing valuables. We've turned paupers," one of the victims said.

However, normal transactions continued yesterday at the bank. Most of the bank officials were found busy with their routine works. Witnessing this some of the hirers of looted lockers expressed their resentment. "We've lost everything. At least, we can expect good manners from the bank officials," another hirer of a locker said.

Staff Reporter

The Government will start open market sale (OMS) of rice at a reduced rate throughout the country from today with a view to curb the price spiral of the staple food.

A total of 2,000 OMS dealers will sall rice from 870 points across the country at Tk 25 per kg, official sources said yesterday, adding that the Government has already allocated over 45,000 metric tonnes of rice for the open market operation.

Each of the family will be able to purchase 6 kg of rice in a week at the reduced rate from the OMS dealers.

Secretary of the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management Mohammad Aiyub Mia has said the OMS operation of rice would continue till the last week of April, when the major Boro and IRRI paddy would be harvested.

Reports reached in the capital from different districts last night said the 2,000 OMS dealers have collected rice from Government silos yesterday.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) yesterday opened 10 new outlets for selling rice in the capital to facilitate an increased distribution of the foodgrain among the public.

Staff Reporter

Visiting Amnesty International secretary general Irene Khan yesterday said that it was not clear whether the resignations of four Advisers was 'a sign of instability or a sign of accountability' of the caretaker government.

"Certainly, they (four advisers) took over their charges with many commitments and discharged their duties accordingly. They performed much responsibilities. Much progress was also achieved in different areas," she said.

Earlier, the Amnesty International secretary general said the restrictions journalists and human right activists in Bangladesh have long been experiencing have no room in civilised countries.

"There is an important relationship between democracy and human

rights. Whatever you say -- human rights or democracy -- we have to solve both the problems. Otherwise, both will be meaningless," she said while addressing a discussion meeting. The meeting on overcoming the frustrating state of democracy was held at CIRDAP auditorium in the city.

Noted economist Prof Wahiduddin Mahmud and former Attorney General AF Hasan Arif also spoke at the function.

Irene Khan said although some rules under the State of Emergency have been relaxed but it is still a matter of concern.

"The caretaker government will have to ensure freedom of expression, association or assembly," she said.

The Amnesty International Secretary General said the caretaker government is doing a huge challenging job and hoped that it will frame a Freedom of Information law as freedom of expression is also urgently needed.

"It's better to reach a consensus but there is a room for differences of opinion," she said.

Staff Reporter

The Regulatory Reforms Commission (RRC) yesterday proposed to the Board of Investment (BOI) to introduce online registration of investment proposals to make disposals quick and easy.

The RRC, at the sametime proposed to the government to ensure registration of a manually submitted investment proposal within 24 hours and to reduce registration fees at a flat rate.

"The rules of business should be amended to this effect and it would hopefully be made in the next two weeks," RRC Chairman Dr Akbar Ali Khan said while talking to journalists at his office immediately after the second meeting of the Commission at the BOI conference room.

Earlier at its first meeting, the RRC had proposed the government to publish online gazette notifications and all the government rules and regulations to make people aware of them.

"The government has adopted both the recommendations," the RRC chairman said, adding that the Chief Adviser has already asked the authorities concerned to implement the recommendations.

Earlier at its first meeting, the RRC had proposed the government to publish online gazette notifications and all the government rules and regulations to make people aware of them.

"The government has adopted both the recommendations," the RRC chairman said, adding that the Chief Adviser has already asked the authorities concerned to implement the recommendations.

He said the previous gazette notifications and rules and regulations would be published online by February 21, if possible. The rules and regulations to be taken in the days ahead would be published online three weeks before their adoption for accommodating public opinions in this regard.

Dr Akbar Ali sought recommendations from the people and the business community to facilitate the RRC works.

"The RRC will be able to create a strong foundation for the economy in the medium term, not in the short term," he said, replying to a question whether RRC's activities would be hampered due to the unrest in the government.

DU Correspondent

With the observance of different programmes including wearing of black badges, forming human chain and silent procession, teachers and students of Dhaka University passed the first day of resumption of classes after 25-day long closure.

A section of teachers especially who belong to the Awami League-backed Blue panel took classes wearing black badges demanding the release of the detained Dhaka University (DU) teachers and students, while the teachers belonging to the White panel took classes as usual.

Besides, a group of students under the banner of general students brought out a silent procession on the campus and formed a human chain in the TSC area of the university to press home their demand.

Students joined the classes and crowded on the campus as usual.

However, the general students worried about their academic career were apprehensive of any chaotic situation arising in the university centering the demand for the release of detained teachers and students.

It is mentionable that the university remained closed for almost three months due to students' unrest.

The longer the release issue of the detainees linger the more resentment would increase among the teachers and students, said a worried teacher.

Meanwhile, the teachers belonging to the BNP-Jamaat-backed White panel expressed shock at the continuing detention of their colleagues and students on the first day of the academic activities at a press conference held at the TSC.

They said at a time when the teachers` release issue is being accelerated to reach the final goal we are astonishing to hear the statement of the Blue panel teachers.

Acting president of DUTA Prof Tazmery SA Islam, acting general secretary Dr Mamun Ahmed, Joint Convener of White panel Prof Aminur Rahman Majumder, Prof Akhter Hossain, Prof Dr Borhan Uddin, among others, were present in the press conference.

However, the teachers belonging to the blue panel and White panel blamed each others for not holding the Dhaka University Teachers` Association (DUTA) election in time.

Pro-blue panel teachers are supporting agitation programme to free the detainees while the pro-white panel teachers are opting for legal process.

Prof MM Akash said wearing of black badges was to be observed by all the members of the DUTA since the decision was taken unanimously at the association meeting.

Staff Reporter

Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday said they would hold the general elections as soon as the preparation of voters' list was completed.

"There is no reason for any doubt about holding the elections as per the roadmap," he told press conference, adding that the Government also wants holding the election as early as possible.

He said the Election Commission would shortly start delimitation of all 300 parliamentary constituencies to remove the big discrepancies in number of voters. The number of district-wise constituencies will be completed within a week, he added.

But the entire process of delimitation allotting around 4 lakh voters in each constituency will be completed by June as per the election roadmap. Objections will be heard before finalising the task, he asserted.

Replying to a question Dr Huda said that geographical information system would be applied in delimitation, which would take the least time, be accurate and at a minimum cost.

Preparatory work and redistributing the areas can be completed in two months. But the process will be completed after hearing the objections, he added.

He told a questioner that integrity of small districts, including Chittagong Hill districts, would be protected. At least one constituency will be allocated to each of the three hill districts in accordance with the population. Other small districts will have at least two constituencies. Each constituency will have around four lakh people.

Dr Huda indicated that the existing number of constituencies in many populous districts might go up and decline in others. But the number of total constituencies will remain the same 300.

BSS, Rajshahi

The wholesalers have taken decision for selling rice among also to consumers directly at retail price as same wholesale in the city from tomorrow for at bringing down the rice price into reasonable in retail markets.

They took the decision while holding a views-sharing meeting with the officials of the joint forces at its camp at divisional stadium here in Rajshahi.

In the preliminary stage, they will start the selling at four outlets at Kadirgonj and Kumarpara wholesale rice markets in the metropolis.

Commanding Officer of 6 Cavalry Battalion of Bangladesh Army Lt Col Sharif Ahsan and Second-in-Command Major Kawser Ahmed addressed the meeting.

Taking part in the discussion, most of the 45 millers, commission agents, importers and retailers expressed their firm confidents that the rice price would come down in the retail markets promptly.