The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Commission on Sunday filed a case against detained ex-typist of Land Ministry Kutubuddin Ahmed for making property beyond his known sources of income and covering up the wealth.

ACC assistant director Mahfuza Khatun filed the corruption case against Kutub with Ramna police station, accusing him of having amassed assets worth over Tk 1.44 crore "by illegal means" and not including it in his wealth statement submitted to the anti-corruption watchdog.

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

He is among those caught from the bottom tier of government setup under the ongoing countrywide purge in the interim period against corruption in high places in the past times.

UNB, Dhaka

Yet another group of garment workers on Sunday staged sit-in at Kafrul on Rokeya Sarani to press their 10-point demands relating to their pay and other benefits.

However, police dispersed the workers of Kimberly Fashion as they damaged glasses of several passing vehicles at Shewrapara this morning.

The demands include payment of wages and overtime allowances within the first week of every month, increased tiffin allowance, attendance bonus and annual leave.

Witnesses said several hundred workers started agitation outside the factory as management failed to meet their demands despite repeated assurance by the authority.

Two female workers, Rekha, 20, and Reba, 21, were injured during the protest. They were rushed to a local hospital in unconscious state sparking rumour that Rekha died.

Consequently, agitated workers grew further violent and damaged several vehicles.

Police dispersed the workers. During chase and counter chase, several workers and a police sub-inspector were injured. Traffic movement on the busy road was stopped for a while.

Later, workers returned to Kimberly Fashion and resumed work at noon after threadbare discussions on the 10-point demand placed by workers

UNB, Dhaka

Two people, including a bank official, were killed in a road accident at Shantinagar crossing in the city this Sunday morning.

The bank official was identified as Lutfar Kabir Talukder, 35, an employee of Grameen bank. Identity of the other deceased could not be ascertained immediately.

Police said a Banani-bound Bandhu Paribahan, a human-hauler, plough through a footpath and overturned on the road at about 8am when its driver lost his control over steering, leaving the two passengers seriously injured.

Locals rushed them to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital where the doctors declared them dead. A case filed with the Ramna police station.

UNB, Dhaka

The council of advisers of the caretaker government Sunday discussed elaborately the draft Building Construction (Amendment) Ordinance 2008 and asked the Ministry concerned to place it after further trimming.

Housing and Public Works Ministry placed the draft Building Construction Ordinance for amending the Building Construction Act 1952, aiming to make the house-construction rules fit in the present times.

A regular meeting of the council of advisers chaired by Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed also asked the Ministry to revisit the key Building Construction Act 1952 for bringing necessary changes to the draft of the new law.

It also suggested giving the matter into "public domain for debate and public output" before making the act.

The meeting also discussed the draft National Women Development Policy 2008 amending the National Women Development Policy 2004, and asked the Ministry concerned to do further vetting and place it again before the council.

All members of the council of advisers attended the meeting at the CA's office. The newly appointed three Special Assistants to Chief Adviser also attended the meeting on special invitation.

Cabinet Secretary, CA's Press Secretary and Secretaries concerned were also present at the meeting.

Court Correspondent

Former Energy Minister detained Professor Rafiqul Islam was yesterday shown arrested in the Niko graft case filed aganst 6 persons including Awami League Chief detained Sheikh Hasina for causing loss of Taka 13 thousand 630 crore 50 lakh to the national exchequer.

Investigation Officer (IO) Sabbir Ahmed Sunday sought the warrant of arrest while Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Golam Rabbani passed the order to show the accused arrested.

Meanwhile, this ACMM Sunday refixed February 18 for submission of inquiry report in the murder case filed for killing 6 activists of Jamaat and Shibir on October 28 in 2006 with Paltan Thana of the city.

The ACMM has alerted the 10, as he did not submit the report so far.

In the case, charge-sheets were earlier issued against 46 persons including Awami League Chief Sheikh Hasina and General Secretary Abdul Jalil.

UNB, Dhaka

Two of the three Special Assistants to Chief Advisor observed that emergency should be lifted before holding the stalled general election as they think it is essential for fair polls.

They also hoped that the state of emergency would be withdrawn before the national elections.

Brig Gen (retd) MA Malek, assigned to the Post and

Tele-Communications Ministry, said the state of emergency should be gone for holding a free, fair and neutral election.

In this context, he referred to Chief Advisor Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed's address to the nation. "The Chief Advisor yesterday said that the government is thinking about lifting the emergency and it would be withdrawn in appropriate time after consulting all," he said while talking at his Ministry.

About holding election, the CA's Special Assistants said the polls would be held as per announced roadmap-and it might be held even before the scheduled timeline. "The Election Commission is responsible for holding election and the commission is working in this regard. Government will ensure the suitable environment for holding election," he said.

Barrister Debashis Roy, who got the charge of the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, also observed that emergency should be lifted before the election and hoped that the government would take necessary steps in this regard.

"Holding general election is the first challenge of the incumbent caretaker government and the government will hold it as early as possible," he said.

About dialogue with political parties, the Special Assistant noted that the Chief Advisor assured all of holding dialogue with political parties and they think that it would happen without delay.

Asked about his future plan, the Chakma Raja of hill-district Rangamati said people in the hill tracts face many problems and development of the hilly areas is his first mission.

"Land problem is the first problem of the ethnic people, and through consulting all, I will try to resolve this critical problem. Health, food, education and electricity are also major problems and I will give priority to solving these problems," said the monarch of the indigenous people at his Ministry.

Responding to a query about the implementation of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Accord, Debashis said many agreements in the CHT peace accord were yet not implemented and it would be resolved through discussion in the Council of Advisors.

The Special assistants today started their office at the Secretariat after the Chief Advisor appointed them Thursday with the rank of state minister, under a new arrangement aimed at enlarging the caucus of the caretaker government.

Meanwhile, newly appointed Communications Advisor Maj Gen (retd) Ghulam Quader said emergency would not be there even for an hour when it wouldn't be required.

Responding to a query about the timeframe of government's dialogue with the political parties, he said the government has decided to hold dialogue with the political parties and it would happen in suitable time.

About the agenda of the planned dialogue, the Communications Advisor said at his office at the Secretariat that the agenda would be settled after consulting all.

UNB, Dhaka

The Supreme Court has set February 13 for hearing of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) petition for staying operation of the High Court order that stalled the action of the ACC notice asking detained former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to submit statement of her wealth.

The chamber judge of the Supreme Court on Sunday passed the order when the counsel for the ACC moved the petition as it preferred leave to appeal against the High Court orders.

Earlier on November 25 last year, the High Court, following a writ petition challenging the legality of the ACC action had stayed the operation of the notice. It had also issued rule asking the Anti-Corruption watchdog to explain why the notice should not be declared to have been issued without lawful authority.

On July 17 last year, the ACC served notice to Khaleda Zia to submit her wealth statement as part of its initiative to find out whether there is any ground for filing graft case against her.

Khaleda Zia, the BNP Chairperson, submitted her wealth statement to the ACC on August 6, mentioning that she has property worth Tk 3.54 crore accumulated through seven sources of income, including government donation, life insurance, house rent, pension and other benefits of her husband, the slain President Ziaur Rahman.

Her wealth also includes a 1300 CC Toyota car, two Toyota jeeps and one Nissan jeep.

UNB, Dhaka

A Chinese (Hong Kong) company will set up a textile industry in the Adamjee Export Processing Zone with an investment of US$ 25.531 million.

The 100 percent foreign owned company named M/s Newtop Textile BD Ltd will produce 32,500 yards fabrics annually and will create employment opportunity for 838 Bangladeshi, including four foreign nationals.

An agreement to this effect was signed between the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) and M/s Newtop Textile BD Ltd here in BEPZA Complex on Sunday.

Member (Investment Promotion) of BEPZA Prasanta Bhushan Barua and Managing Director of M/s Newtop Textile BD Ltd Tang Qun signed the lease agreement on behalf of their respective organizations.

UNB, Dhaka

Foreign Advisor Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said that Bangladesh is deeply committed to expanding regional cooperation.

He said this when the visiting SAARC Secretary General Lyonpo Chenkyab Dorji made a farewell call on him at the Foreign Ministry Sunday morning.

The SAARC Secretary General completed his three years tenure of his office and will be replaced by an Indian diplomat Ambassador Sheel Kant Sharma.

The Foreign Adviser also thanked Dorji for his "exemplary services" to SAARC during his tenure of office.

Secretary General Dorji in turn thanked the Bangladesh government for the "unflinching support" Dhaka has been giving SAARC since its inception.

He added that he has begun his farewell tour from Dhaka as Bangladesh is the birthplace of SAARC.

Speaking to the media later the Foreign Adviser said, "2008 will be a significant year for democracy throughout the SAARC region, with free, fair and credible elections hopefully taking place in most of its member countries, including Bangladesh."

"Indeed 2008 has been named the Year of Good Governance in SAARC, and all of us should ensure that we conform to this ideal", he said.