The New Nation - Internet Edition

Abrupt fall in mercury level Biswa Ijtema cut short: Millions of devotees seek divine blessing in 'Akheri Munajat’

Devotees at Biswa Ijtema in Tongi crouch under
polythene sheets to ward off biting cold and incessant
rainfall, which compelled the organisers to cut short the
annual religious congregation. Focus Bangla

Rafiqul Islam Azad with Nazrul Islam Badami

The three-day Biswa Ijtema, the second largest annual Muslim congregation in the world, suddenly came to an end at Tongi on the very opening day (Friday) due to inclement weather.

The organisers decided not to proceed with the programme and declared the grand assembly over through a brief mass prayer (akheri munajat) considering the untold sufferings of the devotees due to severe cold spell and rains.

Millions of devotees from about 60 countries, flocked the sprawling venue on the bank of River Turag in the outskirts of the capital city, Dhaka, took part in the akheri munajat, which was offered just after the night prayer (Isha Prayers).

Hafez Maulana Jubaer-ul-Hasan, the Imam of Delhi Jame Mosque and Ameer of Tablig Jamaat, led the akheri munajat, seeking the blessing of Almighty Allah for the peace, progress, prosperity and welfare of the Muslim Ummah, including Bangladesh and to preserve the religious harmony across the world.

Gazipur Deputy Commissioner (DC) Syed Mizanur Rahman told reporters that the Ijtema was concluded considering the plights of the participants as most of the venue went become muddy.

Besides, the cold spell and frequent rains made it totally inconvenient for the devotees to listen to the sermons of Islamic scholars and also impeded their movement, he said.

The devotees, who gathered at the Ijtema venue from nearby places, have returned homer following the munajat, which lasted for half and hour from 7:45pm. The other devotees are expected to leave the venue today.

Earlier, the grand assembly started in the morning through aambayan (general sermon) amid tight security.

Both the sides of River Turag and its adjacent areas have virtually turned into a human sea as millions of devotees poured into the Ijtema, which is believed to be the second largest annual Islamic event in the world since the morning defying the inclement weather.

Renowned Islamic scholars, including, Maulana Ehsan, Maulana M Zobayer, Hazi Abdul Haq, Maulana Mozammel Haq and Maulana Omar Faruk delivered sermons yesterday.

The sermons were being simultaneously translated into various languages including Bangla.

The scholars advised the devotees to follow the complete code of life and guidance from the holy Quran and Sunnah and spread the message of peace in Islam across the globe.

Adviser for Local Government and Rural Development Anwarul Iqbal, Health Secretary AKM Zafrullah Khan, Dhaka Divisional Commissioner M Iqbal Ahmed, among others, took part in the Jumma prayers.

Meanwhile, one devotee died of old age complications at the Ijtema ground. The the victim Giash Uddin, 80, hails from Bhulbaria in Pabna. Twenty other devotees were admitted to Tongi General Hospital with diarrhea and other diseases.

The government had taken strict security measures in and around the Ijtema grounds.

A five-tire security cordon in and around the Bishwa Ijtema venue had been arranged with about 10 thousand security personnel. CCTVs had been put in place to ensure safety of devotees.

Necessary medical services were provided to the devotees through 24 ambulances while a special initiative had been taken to keep the water of the Turag pollution free.

The government had set up dispensaries around the grounds for devotees. Around 40 voluntary organisations had also set up free medical treatment centres to provide the devotees with first aid and medicines.

Tablig Jamaat, a non-political group of Islamic scholars, has been organising the mega event since 1967.

The women devotees also joined the Ijtema under separate arrangements.

Cold wave grips country: Lowest 11 degrees Celsius recorded at Dinajpur

The floating population of the capital bore the
brunt of the sudden dip in the mercury on Friday. Banglar
Chokh

Staff Reporter

The country has been experiencing a sudden cold spell sharpened by rainfall due to icy Himalayan winds, which triggered a cold wave with incessant drizzle that swept across the country.

Dhaka city experienced intermittent rain and drizzle Thursday and Friday, coupled with a seasonal northern wind. As a result, the cold appeared to intensify.

However, according to the Earthtimes.org, the day temperature fell sharply in the rice and sugarcane growing northern region where 22 deaths were recorded in worst-hit Rangpur district.

The nights were even colder with mercury dropping below 8.5 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, it reported.

The Met office said, different areas of the country have experienced rainfall as prevailing easterlies met a western low-pressure front. Cloud cover was almost total in most areas of the country yesterday.

The same is expected today (Saturday), with moderate rain or drizzle in different areas, though the weather may improve from Sunday, it said.

Sadekul Alam, weatherman, said, "As the western low was crossing over the country it met with an easterly wind from the Bay of Bengal associated with cloud mass, causing the rainfall."

"In most areas of the country, the difference between maximum and minimum temperature, over twenty-four hours, has actually become narrower. This is why the cold is being felt," he said.

Experts opined that this temperature fall and drizzling will cause serious impact on Rabi crops.

The country's lowest temperature yesterday was recorded at Dinajpur, which was 11 degree Celsius. In Dhaka, the lowest temperature was 15.3 degrees Celsius.

Khulna, Jessore, Dhaka, Barisal and Patuakhali and some other areas of the country experienced rainfall, according to the Met office.

Most fatalities were due to pneumonia, diarrhoea and viral infections, according to the Rangpur Medical College Hospital.

The cold wave victims were mostly young children and the aged from poor and low-income families in straw huts and fragile dwellings exposed to the chill winds blowing from the north.

Three deaths were reported from bordering Dinajpur while people with asthma and other respiratory problems in the country's northern district Bogra were rushed to hospitals.

The weather aggravated with winter drizzle and dense fog enveloping Dhaka city disrupting life and business with thousands of commuters stranded at ferry and bus terminals. Most public transports suspended services with trains running behind schedule.

Social change underway: CA tells world leaders: Micro-credit, non-formal edn to attain economic stability: Move on to curb religious extremism

From left: Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Pakistan
President Parvez Mosharraf, Bangladesh Chief Adviser Dr.
Fakhruddin Ahmed were seen in Davos in World Economic Forum
conference. Banglar Chokh

Staff Reporter

Apprising the world summit in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday, Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed said a quiet social change is underway in Bangladesh to attain economic stability following his Government's socio-administrative reform measures.

He said the Caretaker Government has decided to talk to political parties to have a unified vision of democracy and political stability in Bangladesh.

"Bangladesh is a peaceful country-society must be inclusive in economic and political terms and sense of belonging must be generated for ensuring peace against extremism," the Chief Adviser said during a plenary session on "The quest of Peace and Stability" of the World Economic Forum at the Congress Centre in the Swiss city.

He said a quiet social change was underway in Bangladesh to attain economic stability through microcredit and non-formal education to address the issue of religious extremism and suicide bombings.

Fakhruddin, who was one of the five top-brass panellists, said the Caretaker Government caught extremist elements, opened suicide-bombing cases and punished the culprits.

"Not a single bullet was fired, not a single bomb went off during this government," he told the gathering of global leaders, adding that people want a change in Bangladesh. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Barham Shibly were also on the panel. Dispelling misperception against his Government, Fakhruddin said the present Government is a constitutional Government with "a major aim to hold free, fair and credible elections".

The Chief Adviser, whose regime took office following a political crisis over the issue of general election, said as the election would be getting closer the state of emergency would be lifted allowing all political parties to take part in the polls.

Besides, the Government strengthened the local-Government system, which is important for sustaining democracy.

He said after assuming power, the government recast the Election Commission to prepare a credible voter list for fair polls. It also reformed the Anti-Corruption Commission, Public Service Commission and accomplished separation of the judiciary from the executive.

He also told the meet that Bangladesh has already achieved several Millennium Development Goals, designated by the United Nations for the least developed countries.

Meanwhile, The Daily Davos reported that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf nevertheless felt free to offer human-rights advice to a fellow regional leader in Davos.

His message to Bangladesh Chief Adviser (Prime Minister) Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed was "don't worry about the opposition and human rights'.

Fakhruddin Ahmed's Caretaker Government was installed last January by the army, shortly before elections were cancelled and emergency rules put in place to suppress protests from rival political parties. Human rights organisations say tens of thousands of Bangladeshis have been jailed and scores tortured to death or summarily executed.

"I think you are doing a great job," President Musharraf said while shaking Ahmed's hand in front of a reporter. "Carry on doing it no matter what anyone thinks, irrespective of human rights."

Musharraf asked that the audience not judge Pakistan "on the idealistic, maybe unrealistic, Western perceptions of democracy and human rights."

LCs for $43m rice import opened in 10 days

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Bank has settled US$42.66 million worth rice import LC within the first 10 days in January 2008. It has almost touched the US$65.22 million settled LC figure, recorded during the entire December 2007 for importing the staple food item.

A Bangladesh Bank publication on monthly Import LC position reviled this.

According to the statistics, rice import LC worth total US$138.13 million were opened during the first ten days of January 2008 which has almost reached the LC opening figure of US$156 million in December 2007.

"It reflects the Government's priority on rice imports," said an official of Bangladesh Bank, while talking to The New Nation.

So far on the direction of Bangladesh Government, the central bank has given priority to facilitate rice importers by settling more LCs in the shortest period of time. If this continues, settled amount of LC would exceed the July to November 2007 record of US$245.10 million, Bangladesh Bank official informed.

However, the rice importers have welcomed the central bank policy. According to them, this would encourage importers to import rice more, means increase in rise reserves. This would also help to reduce local market price of rice.

"If the upcoming Boro crop get interrupted by any natural calamity this year as well, another wave of food crises would be unavoidable. This will further increase rice price in local markets, causing another phase of uncontrolled market in Bangladesh," said an expert economist.

To ensure food security in Bangladesh, we should import sufficient amount of rice, well before the possible crisis. And current LC liberalisation policies by the central bank would encourage importers in both the private and public sector, he added.

Fresh arrivals in KL face no threat of deportation

Staff Reporter

Seven hundred to 1000 Bangladeshi workers are arriving in Malaysia daily because their work permits were issued before the Malaysian Government freeze last October, News Straits Times and Malaysia Star reported from Putrajaya yesterday.

Bangladesh High Commissioner M Khairuzzaman, who revealed the figures at a press conference yesterday (Friday), said the Malaysian Government's move was meant to stabilise the situation involving Bangladeshi workers here.

Malaysia had also frozen the intake of Bangladeshi workers in 1999.

However, the fresh arrivals are legal workers and face on threat of departation.

Khairuzzaman said more than 300,000 Bangladeshi workers were in the country now.

However, he denied that some were illegal and said only those who left their employers without their passports could be considered so.

"Of the many workers who arrive here to work, only a few demand to return. We estimate that only 10 per cent of the workers ask their employers to fund their trips back home but the majority want to stay," he said.

"Some workers may have had fallouts with unscrupulous agents and employers. We hope to resolve the issues with the cooperation of the Home Affairs and Human Resource ministries," he said.

"Those coming this year are those whose applications were made before the temporary freeze," Khairuzzaman. The daily arrival figure quoted by the Bangladesh High Commissioner is not far off from those stated in official records.

Immigration Director-General Datuk Wahid Md Don had confirmed similar figures in a previous interview. During the height of arrivals between August and September last year, Wahid had said that 1,600 to 2,000 Bangladeshi workers were arriving daily at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh High Commission yesterday signed a sale and purchase agreement with Putrajaya Corporation for two plots of land in the Diplomatic Precinct here. The high commission will begin design planning and building of the mansion for housing its foreign mission soon, Khairuzzaman said.

Besides, Bangladesh, 28 other foreign missions had either completed their purchases or are awaiting approval from their governments to buy land in the precinct. The missions will eventually relocate from Kuala Lumpur.

Putrajaya Corporation president Tan Sri Samsudin Osman said Iraq was ahead of the others as it had already submitted building design plans and was preparing to carry out earthworks.

Samsudin said Putrajaya had lots to offer expatriates and foreign diplomats including an international school, equestrian club and lake club with water sports facilities.

Open pit coal extraction: Experts come down heavily on govt policy

Staff Reporter

Experts at a seminar in the city said there is no scope for densely populated country like Bangladesh to examine or experiment with coal extraction.

The 100 to 200 metres of soft sand on the upper layer of all coal deposit could not protect the open pit landslides. As a result, severe landslide could take place in and around the coalmines anytime, they said.

In the open pit system, environmental degradation will reach unbearable level causing serious hazards to human life, they added. The seminar on 'Draft Coal Policy: National Interest of Bangladesh' organised by Progressive Engineers and Architects Forum was held at Dhaka Reporters Unity yesterday.

Prof Anu Muhammad, economist, Prof Nurul Islam, Prof Md Firoz Ahmed, Nurul Kabir, Editor of New Age, among others, spoke, while engineer Harun-ur-Rashid, chaired at the seminar. Engineer Sheikh Manzura Haque presented a keynote paper.

Prof Anu Muhammad said, "Earlier foreign investment could not bring any positive impact for the country. For this reason, we should not concentrate on inviting foreign donors to the country."

The speakers said although producing coke from coking to export could play an important role for the country, but it will hamper the industrial development of the country.

If we proceed on open pit coal policy, it will be hazardous because geological complexity of coalmines and economical constraint of the country are not friendly for this, said one of the speakers.

If we preserve our coal resource underground the earth for future, it can be used as coal gasification in the long run, he said.

Speakers urged the government to identify the problems the country would face if it opts for extraction open pit of coal resource.

In other countries, research on coal resource is intensive. The government should begin research in this regard for saving our valuable resources, speakers opined.

After 37 yrs Kissinger declines to comment on Bangladesh

UNB, Davos

Former US Secretary of State Henry A Kissinger, whose bitter remarks about independent Bangladesh had triggered row in politics, diplomacy and press, now prefers making no comment on the future of the country.

Kissinger was against independence of Bangladesh in 1971 and termed the newborn nation a 'case of bottomless basket' during his visit to Dhaka in 1974.

After long 37 years he would only flash enigmatic smile in his broad face when asked what does he think about the future of Bangladesh?

When approached at the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting at Congress Center, Kissinger said it was a moment in 1971 but now I won't make any comment.

"I've talked much about Bangladesh," he told Bangladeshi reporters covering the WEF meeting.

In 1998, Kissinger handed over Felix Houphouet-Boigny Peace Prize to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Paris.

Sheikh Hasina and George J Mitchell, an American Senator, jointly received the UNESCO peace prize.

"I don't have any comment now," said Kissinger, one of the co-chairs of the WEF meeting.

$22m WFP food aid appeal for Bangladesh

Staff Reporter

A United Nations agency yesterday launched a fresh US 22 million dollars international appeal to provide free food assistance for over 20 ( two million) cyclone-hit people in Bangladesh.

Higher food prices in cyclone-hit parts of Bangladesh are threatening food security among the very poor, including children suffering from high rates of malnutrition, the United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) said yesterday, appealing for funds to continue its operations there.

WFP is providing food rations consisting of rice, lentils, edible oil, blended food, salt and high energy biscuits, all delivered in collaboration with the Government and non-governmental organisation (NGO) partners.

But the agency urgently needs US $22 million to continue its emergency assistance up to mid-May for more than 2 million (20 lakh) of the worst-affected people, the poorest and most vulnerable to food insecurity in the wake of Cyclone Sidr, which killed more than 3,400 people there when it hit coastal Bangladesh late last year.

"Food insecurity, coupled with rising food prices and high malnutrition rates, all point to the need for a continuing and strong relief response," said WFP Bangladesh Country Director Douglas Broderick, citing a new assessment.

"We need immediate funding from international donors to continue the emergency food assistance that the survivors of Cyclone Sidr depend on.

"More food is needed for the poorest among the survivors who are trying to rebuild their homes and replant their fields for the next harvest," said Mr Broderick.

He said the high malnutrition rates also indicated the need for longer emergency feeding, at least through May when the next harvest comes and can be expected to assist the poorest in regaining some of their livelihoods and improving access to food.

Ongoing relief assistance will help to secure the food needs of many of the worst affected and most food insecure families and as such can prevent suffering associated with hunger, malnutrition, and the further deterioration of livelihoods, WFP said.

Bird flu outbreak nears Kolkata

Internet

The bird flu epidemic in the Indian state of West Bengal has inched closer to the capital, Kolkata, with an outbreak reported close to the city.

Tests on dead birds from Balagarh, less than a two-hour drive from Kolkata, have tested positive for the disease.

Nine of the state's 19 districts have been already hit by the flu. Officials say more than 2m birds would be culled.

The H5N1 strain of bird flu is regarded as highly pathogenic and can also cause disease and death in humans.

Health experts have warned that the outbreak could get out of control.

No cases of human infection have still been reported though a member of the culling team has been admitted to hospital with respiratory disorder and fever.

State animal husbandry minister Anisur Rehman said the government had a "long way to go" in culling the targeted two million birds.

Only a third of the target has been achieved - barely 700,000 birds have been culled in the last 10 days.

"More culling teams are needed in all the affected districts but these are things that cannot be hurried. The men in the culling teams have to be quarantined first before they can be asked to start the operations," Mr Rehman said.

Dhaka-Colombo more direct flights shortly

Staff Reporter

More direct flights between Dhaka and Colombo are expected in coming days, as Bangladesh's authorities has significantly relaxed rules for operation of air services between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The decision was finalised at the Bilateral Air Services Negotiations between the two countries at the Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority Headquarters in Dhaka recently.

Previous operations of SriLankan Airlines to Bangladesh commenced in July 2000 were suspended in July 2001. Under the new arrangement, the frequency of passenger operations by airlines of both countries have been increased from the existing two to seven flights per week per destination.

Both countries will also be able to designate more than one carrier on such services between Colombo and Dhaka as well as Colombo and Chittagong. The existing fifth freedom right for carriage of third country passenger traffic-Katmandu for Sri Lanka carriers and Male for Bangladesh carriers will remain unchanged.

Freighter operations between the two countries can now take place on unlimited basis between points in both countries. The carriage of third country cargo traffic to and from Sri Lanka or Bangladesh will have to be subject to discussion between aviation authorities of both sides.

The talks were follow up to the Joint Declaration of the Heads of Governments at the last SAARC Summit attended by President, Mahinda Rajapaksa to link the capitals of the region and to encourage people to people contact through expansion of air services.

On the President's direction, arrangements were made by Ports and Aviation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama to have early discussions at Aviation Secretaries level to provide a conducive environment for operation of viable air services between the two countries.

Shaikh Altaf Ali, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism headed the Bangladesh delegation. Officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Civil Aviation Authority, Biman Bangladesh Airlines and GMG Airlines participated. The Sri Lanka delegation was headed by Tilak Collure, Secretary Ministry of Ports and Aviation and officials from Attorney General Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation Authority, SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka participated.

Tribal killed in BSF fire: BDR retaliates

UNB, Joypurhat

Bangladesh Rifles and Indian Border Security Force (BSF) exchanged fire along Koria frontier in Panchbibi upazila early Friday after the Indian border guards shot at and wounded a tribal man.

BDR sources said BSF men opened fire on Bangladesh national Topa Onnrao at about 00:45am when he entered into the Indian territory near border pillar no. 277, leaving the tribal man seriously injured.

Onnrao was first admitted to the Sadar Hospital here and later shifted to Bogra Medical College Hospital as his condition deteriorated. Hearing the sound of firing in the border, BDR jawans instantly retaliated with gunfire. BDR fired 10 rounds of bullet in response to 22 rounds fired by BSF, but there was no report of any further causality.

Beware of cheating in the name of Army officials

BSS, Dhaka

A few cases of cheating in the name of senior army officials have come to the knowledge of the Army Headquarters recently.

An Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) press release issued here yesterday said that an organised group of cheats have been engaged in extracting financial and other benefits illegally over telephone identifying themselves as army officials or their family members.

All concerned have been requested not to get confused with such false identity and be aware of it. They were also requested to contact directly on phone numbers 01713333256, 01713247504 and 01191001728 to check such information.