The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

A Court in Dhaka city yesterday indicted detained former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a Tk 3 crore extortion case.

Her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, now residing in London, and cousin and former Minister Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim are the co-accused in the case filed by Azam J Chowdhury, Managing Director of East Coast Trading Pvt. Ltd., alleging that she had forced him to pay Tk 3 crore extortion money for a contract to set up an electricity plant.

The charge was framed against Sheikh Rehana in absentia.

As Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions judge M Azizul Haque read out the charges framed against them in the Court, both Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Selim, who were on the dock, pleaded their innocence.

Sheikh Hasina, who is the President of Awami League (AL), in a lengthy statement in the court, claimed that the cases were initiated as she refused a deal allowing military dictatorship to take over and become the President of the country.

Meanwhile, charge-sheet in another graft case against her and 7 other co-accused was filed yesterday in the Court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Golam Rabbani.

Framing the charge after dismissal of the defence plea, the Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court fixed January 17 for commencing the trial of Sheikh Hasina and two others through depositions by prosecution witnesses.

The judge in his order said he found “sufficient grounds” for framing charges against the accused.

This is for the first time a former Prime Minister of the country was indicted in an extortion case under Section 384/385 read with section 34 of the Penal Code.

The accused will be sentenced to maximum 14 years imprisonment if the Court found them guilty, a senior lawyer said.

Sheikh Hasina’s counsel Barrister Shafique Ahmed told journalists after the session of the Court that they would move the High Court today to challenge the legality of the trial judge’s order.

Hundreds of Awami League (AL) activists and supporters, were seen standing on two sides of the road leading to the makeshift Court to listen to the decision of the judge.

The authorities put up six-tier security barricade around the Parliament building complex where the court has been set up.

Terming the case as malafide, concocted and conspiratorial to tarnish her image and debar her from contesting next parliamentary elections, Sheikh Hasina said, “I cannot get justice from this Court as I know you (judge) will be in trouble if you do the justice.”

In her emotion-charged 20 minutes statement, the AL President said, “I leave the matter to Almighty Allah and my people.”

“You have nothing to do as message descends on you from a special place,” she told the judge.

She alleged that she was kept in “solitary confinement” in jail and she was not allowed to consult her lawyers and close relatives in violation of human rights.

Sheikh Hasina said, “It’s a camera trial… the Court was not set up in accordance with the Constitution.”

She said the Constitution was undermined in the name of holding speedy trial in a case involving an alleged incident of seven years ago.

“When an occurrence takes place the case has to be initiated at that time under the existing laws of land,” she said, adding the Constitution has been violated by placing the case under the Emergency Powers Rules.

Sheikh Hasina, who ruled the country as Prime Minister for five years from 1996, questioned why cases one after another were being initiated against her?

Explaining the “conspiracy” for which she was implicated in cases on her return from Washington in May last year, she claimed that she was given a proposal for allowing the military dictatorship to step in and take over as the President.

“But I did not accept the deal. And this is my greatest offence to them,” she further claimed, in her speech to convince the Court.

After the refusal of the deal, Sheikh Hasina continued, saying, “She was obstructed to return home from abroad. But as a believer of democracy for which I fought for long, I mobilised world opinion that forced the Government to allow me to enter the country.”

Recounting the past military dictatorship, she said it had hampered the advancement of democracy and “I did not want to see the repeat of the military rule clamped on the nation.”

She said, “Why can’t I return to my country? If I conceded to their proposal, all these cases against me would not have been filed.”

Dismissing outright the extortion allegation, she said she did not even know Azam J Chowdhury who filed the case. “It is not possible to bring bribe money in a brief case to the Ganobhaban (the Prime Minister’s House).”

Referring to contents of the allegation that she would delay the power project if kickback were not given, the former Prime Minister said the power plant was completed quickly to meet the growing demand. “If the bribe was received, the project would not have been completed by the time schedule,” she added.

She also alleged that Sheikh Selim was tortured to extract the confessional statement implicating her and Sheikh Rehana in the case.

Sheikh Hasina said she is the daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. “My father was a Minister in 1954. If I had any lust for wealth, I could enjoy it in those days,” she asserted.

In support of her contention, she said, “Rather, I donated the property inherited from my father to Bangabandhu Memorial Trust for the welfare of the distressed. I don’t have lust for cozy and comfort life.”

Pleading his innocence, Sehikh Selim claimed that he did not receive the said money and sought justice from the Court.

The time stated in the case for alleged exchange of the kickback did not substantiate his bank account operation, he said. “It is a conspiratorial case to belittle us,” he told the Court.

Barrister Shafique Ahmed, Barrister Fazle Noor Tapash, Sahara Khatun, Golam Arif Tipu, Yusuf Hossain Humayun, Toufique Newaz and Qamrul Islam appeared for Sheikh Hasina and Syed Rezaur Rahman for Sheikh Selim.

In the meantime, a CMM Court of Dhaka yesterday admitted the charge sheet against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and seven others in the barge mounted power plant scam case.

Admitting the charge-sheet, ACMM Golam Rabbani transferred the case, filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) earlier, to the Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court for trial.

Other accused in the case are former Secretary Toufiq-e-Elahi, former PDB chairman Nooruddin Mohammad Kamal, Summit Industries & Mercantile chairman Mohammad Aziz Khan, directors Mohammad Farid Khan and Hasan Mahmud, Raja United Group chairman Abul Kalam Azad, director Siddiqur Rahman. They all remained fugitive.

The investigating officer named 56 prosecution witnesses in the case.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina’s co-accused former State Minister Prof Rafiqul Islam was today shown arrested in another corruption case-Niko scam case -upon a petition by the investigating officer to the court of additional chief metropolitan magistrate Golam Rabbani.

Staff Reporter

Detained former Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina yesterday demanded of the Government to hold the general elections within April, two months ahead of her party’s call for polls within July this year.

She made the demand while talking to her lawyers, including Awami League (AL) leaders, inside the Court of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge, which framed charges against her in a Tk 3 crore extortion case.

Hold the general elections within March or April since there is possibility of rains during June and July period,” Sheikh Hasina was quoted by AL Presidium member Suranjit Sengupta as having said to her lawyers in the Court during the trial.

The AL President made the demand a day after the announcement made by Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed on Saturday that his Government was in favour of holding the general elections much before December, the last timeframe as per the polls-roadmap of the Election Commission (EC), if possible.

As per the roadmap, announced earlier by the EC, the general election would be held within December this year (2008). The preparation of ongoing voters’ list with photograph is expected to be complete by June, as per the EC’s plan.

Suranjit Sengupta, who was present in the Court during the hearing as a lawyer, made Sheikh Hasina’s demand public while talking to journalists after the trial on the premises of Parliament building complex at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital.

He said Sheikh Hasina also urged the people to fight for the restoration of democracy.

Her senior counsel Barrister Shafique Ahmed, who argued for the AL President during the trial, confirmed that Sheikh Hasina made the demand that was disclosed by the AL Presidium member.

“Demanding the election in March or April, Sheikh Hasina has directed the Awami League leaders to participate in the polls even without her,” Barrister Sahfque Ahmed said adding, “She was in jovial mood during the trial.”

“She recited a line of a famous poem of the Rebel Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, when asked as to why she was so cheerful,” he said adding that the line of the poem reads, “ I laugh, the laugher of flower sitting on the fire of hell.”

A veteran Parliamentarian of the country, Suranjit Sengupta, however, did not explain as to how the general election would be held by April without a complete voters’ list with photograph, which the AL had demanded first in 2006.

Justifying Sheikh Hasina’s demand, AL Acting President Zillur Rahman urged the Election Commission to announce the schedule of the election, pending the preparation of the voters’ list, which, he termed, “ A continuous process.”

DU Correspondent

The government will release the detained Dhaka University teachers and students ending the legal process within Tuesday, said Education Adviser Prof Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman.

Addressing a press conference at a city hospital, he said whatever the verdict of the court the detainees would be released soon and they would remain in their respective posts.

Sources said the decision was taken following a high level meeting held at the Chief Adviser office yesterday noon.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed presided over the meeting while Army Chief Moeen U Ahmed, Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Education Adviser Prof Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, Law Adviser AFM Hasan Arif, LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal and high officials of different intelligence branches and the government departments were present.

He, however, said the government would provide all kind of help to the university to impart quality education.

The detained teachers expressed satisfaction over the government decision while Vice Chancellor of the university Prof SMA Faiz conveyed it to the central jail after ending the two-hour long meeting with the government Sunday afternoon, sources said, sources said.

The detained teachers, who were arrested in connection with August 20-22 students unrest over a trifling matter, are Prof Sadrul Amin, President of Dhaka University Teachers` Association (DUTA) and the Dean of Arts Faculty, Prof Anwar Hossain, General Secretary of the Association and the Dean of Biology Faculty, Prof Harun-or-Rashid, Dean of Social Science Faculty and Prof Neem Chandra Bhumik of Applied Physics Department.

As per the government decision, only one detained student out of seven will get released along with the teachers because another students were accused of the army car torching case that was earlier submitted by Shahbagh police, sources said.

Meanwhile, DU VC Prof SMA Faiz told the journalists that the government has taken decision to release the jailed teachers and students, who were accused in the case No 53 and 54, soon completing legal process.

He, however, refused to comment about another two cases related to the Army car torching and vandalising where most of the charge-sheeted students were accused.

Prof Faiz also said the government will free the detainees even if they were not proved innocent.

He discussed elaborately with the Education Adviser about the release issue of the detainees at his residence till Saturday midnight saying “We are relentlessly trying for the release our colleagues and students as soon as possible.”

When the journalists wanted to know the specific time of the release of the teachers and students, the VC said the Education Adviser would clear it in his press conference.

'Students against repression’ and 'Chhatra Bandhu’ took out a silent procession and held a sit in programme to press home their demand.

A section of teachers including Prof MM Akash, Prof Mesbah Kamal and Prof Abdus Samad expressed solidarity with the students.

Earlier, Journalists for human rights and justice formed a human chain on the campus to withdraw the name of Golam Azam Khomeni, DU Correspondent of daily 'Bangla Bazar’ from a charge sheet of Army torching case.

Supreme Court Bar Association demanded immediate release of all the detainees withdrawing cases filed against them. The Association demanded it at a joint statement.

Meanwhile, RU Correspondent adds: A good number of students of Rajshahi University wore black badges and took out a silent procession bare-footed yesterday demanding unconditional release of all detainees.

Staff Reporter

The joint forces will start monitoring city markets to control the price of rice, flour and edible oil from January 18.

Disclosing this at a joint meeting with importers, wholesalers and retailers at the BDR Headquarters Director General of the border security forces Maj Gen MA Hanif urged the government to set up a price commission.

Gen Hanif said if somebody stocks the three products more than needed action would be taken against them.

He said, “If we start monitoring the markets from January 18, the prices of the three essential commodities will surely comedown gradually.”

After the meeting the BDR urged the government to set up a price commission for bringing stability in the market.

The joint forces has decided to monitor the markets after abnormal price hike of rice, flour and edible oil from the last week of December for which the consumers are suffering a lot.

The businessmen present at the meeting asked the government to increase imports for ensuring proper supply to the market according to the demands.

Abul Hashem a rice trader said if we could not ensure proper supply to the markets according to the demands then the price hike is inevitable. “So the government should increase import of rice, flour and edible oil for controlling price hike,” he added.

While monitoring the markets the joint forces will inspect whether somebody stocks more than needed and will try to curtail the profits of the middlemen.

The joint forces urged importers, wholesalers and retailers to issue money receipts to cut down the profit margin of the sellers.

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Commission Sunday filed a case against detained former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar for concealing wealth information and amassing assets beyond his known sources of income.

ACC assistant director Mirza Jahidul Alam filed first-information report (FIR) with Ramna police station alleging that the former home minister amassed wealth over Tk 7 crore “by illegal means”.

He was sued under section 26(2), (27)(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004 and section 15(Gha)(5) of the Emergency Power Rules 2007.

In the FIR, the complainant stated that Babar has shown in his submitted wealth statement that he has a two-storied under-construction building worth Tk 8 lakh at Baribhadera village in Madan upazila of Netrakona district.

“Inquiring into his statement, the engineers of Public Works Department found its construction cost to be over Tk 34 lakh, some Tk 26.42 lakh more than his shown account,” it is said in the case.

The Commission also found around Tk 6.80 crore (US$ 10 lakh) after investigating his bank account with the Prime Bank Gulshan branch. The bank authority said that the amount was deposited into his account by clearing on July 26. And the figure of money came from HSBC bank of Singapore through DD and DD VCY on June 20 and 23 in 2007.

During interrogation at the prison cell of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), the accuser alleged, the ex-home minister “couldn’t give appropriate answer” about it.

In response to the ACC notice-served under the ongoing purge against corruption in high places-Babar had submitted statement of his total wealth worth Tk 6,77,31,312 to the Commission on July 7 last year.

Army-led joint forces arrested Lutfozzaman Babar on May 28 from his Gulshan residence on charge of corruption.

Staff Reporter

The government yesterday approved four procurement proposals including import of 160,000 metric tones of urea to meet the local demand in the peak season of harvesting different crops.

The cabinet committee on public purchase approved the Industries Ministry proposal that sought to procure urea from Bangladesh-Japan joint venture KAFCO in Chittagong and Qatar.

Some 50,000 MT of urea will be imported from Qatar Fertiliser Company and Ruias Fertiliser Company at a cost of Tk 48.36 crore. Another 60,000 MT of Granular urea will be purchased from KAFCO at a cost of Tk 112.86 crore.

The committee approved LGRD Ministry proposal to develop three upazila roads in Sunamganj district at a cost of Tk 39.94 crore.

The third proposal approved is to procure 'Supply and installation of power system metering equipment’ on turn-key basis from the lowest bidder at a cost of Tk 25.24 crore.

Finance Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam, who presided over the meeting, admitted stiff rise in inflation. He said he is not sure of achieving last year’s GDP growth of 6.5 per cent.

“I do not agree with them,” he said when his attention was drawn to the views of some economists that the country’s economic condition is deplorable.

Economic indicators - industrial term loan, credit flow in agriculture sector and import of industrial goods - have increased in the recent months, he added.

He, however, admitted export earning during July-September period was not satisfactory. “But after that export has been increasing.”

Staff Reporter

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday said the Election Commission (EC) was in favour of holding the general elections ahead of the stipulated timeframe mentioned in the roadmap.

He, however, said the Commission might be able to understand as to how far the polls could be advanced from the timeframe after completion of the current phase of preparing the voters’ list, when 45 per cent of the rolls expected to be finished.

The CEC said this in an exclusive interview with a private TV channel yesterday.

Meanwhile, Election Commissioner M Sohul Hussain yesterday told reporters that EC was planning to hold dialogue with political parties on delimitation of parliamentary constituencies in February.

He said the Commission would not go for delimitation of constituencies if the political parties do not agree.

Sohul Hussain said the Commission would discuss the matter further during the second- round dialogue. “If they do not want, then we will not do,” he said.

Replying to a question, he said the EC will seek a direction from the High Court today for holding dialogue with the BNP immediately.

He, however, justified the EC’s previous decision for delimitation of constituencies according to number of population on the basis of census report.

The Election Commissioner said the delimitation would not take much time and there would be no legal complexity, as the court does not intervene in Constitutional obligation of the EC.

He said the political parties do not have any idea of the Geographical Information System that is going to be used in the task.

The political parties fear that it will take a long time, which would not be at all and will complete within a short time, he observed.

Asked if there were cases filed against delimiting any constituencies, Sohul hinted that this time the court might not take any case involving delimitation.

I think the court is not sitting that much idle that anyone will be welcomed if they go to file a case in this regard, he said.

Sohul Hussain said the delimiting the constituencies is one of the tasks that the EC is responsible to do according to the Constitution.

He said the EC in its election roadmap also committed to delimiting the constituencies after publication of the census report, published on July 7 last year.

It has to be done after the publication of the census report. The

population should be equally distributed. It cannot be that there should be eight lakh people in some constituencies and only one lakh elsewhere, he added.

In his interview, CEC Shamsul Huda said there is no possibility of destruction of the database of electoral rolls since it is being preserved in different tiers.

He said the database is being preserved from Thana to district, divisional and central levels and duplicate copy is also being preserved to protect it from any destruction.

The CEC said the database will be kept at computer hard disk, in the CD and there will also be its hard copy. Besides, he said, the database is also preserved at two separate places centrally.

Syful Islam

Neighbouring India is giving substantial subsidy on onion export to grasp Bangladesh market in this peak season forcing local farmers to sell the vegetable at Tk 8 to Tk 9 per kilogram.

Informed sources said India is providing US$65 subsidy on per ton onion export with a view to make the Bangladeshi onion producers less competitive and discouraging them from cultivating onion in future.

India’s Director General of Foreign Trade had imposed ban on onion export at a time when the price was rising. The ban put some oil on the fire and led the price to reach Tk 50 per kg. India lifted the ban; on November 16; at the time when the price of onion is customarily to fall on arrival of the new crop.

During the imposition of ban the Director General of Foreign Trade of India said the bar will be effective for 15 days. But India prolonged the ban for 46 days.

Local farmers said production cost of onion this year is much higher than the selling price. Farmers had to buy per ton of onion seed at Tk 2,200 against last year’s Tk 700. Moreover, fertiliser was very much costly this year due to supply shortage and mismanagement in distribution.

During the peak season in the last year, per kg of onion was sold at Tk 13 to Tk 14. Farmers will face huge loss this year due to price fall and lose their capital, said some businessmen in the city’s wholesale spice market Shayambazar.

Commerce Ministry sources said government earlier had lifted total import duty on onion following the price spiral of the spice. As India is providing huge subsidy on onion export, price of Indian onion in Bangladesh market fell to a great extent.

Onion traders said the government has to impose duty on onion import so that price of per kg of onion stays between Tk 15 and Tk 20, the production cost of farmers. Unless the duty was imposed, local farmers will incur huge financial loss.

Importers said at present Bangladesh is totally dependent on India on onion import. Bangladesh can break India’s monopoly through exploring new markets like Myanmar and China. Meanwhile, some importers already have started to import onion from China.