The New Nation - Internet Edition

Amar Ekushey today: Nation pays homage to language martyrs

The Central Shaheed Minar on Wednesday midnight. NN
photo

Staff Reporter

The nation observes historic Amar Eksuhey-Shaheed Dibash (Martyrs Day)-and International Mother Language Day today.

The people the country will pay glowing tributes to the martyrs of the historic Language Movement across the country today, recalling the supreme sacrifice of the great sons of the soil who shed their blood in this day (February 21) in 1952 to establish mother tongue-Bangla-as the state language of the then Pakistan.

A number of students of people, including Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar and Shafiq, laid down their lives and protect the dignity of mother tongue and forced the then central government to recognise Bangla as a state language of Pakistan, when this land was a province of Pakistan under the name of East Pakistan.

The sacrifice of the martyrs of Ekushey February in 1952 sowed the seeds of Liberation War (1971) and the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign country of the world on December 16 in 1971.

Bangla-speaking people, including expatriate Bangladeshis, living across the world will also pay homage to the martyrs of Amar Ekushey, while most countries of the world will observe the day as the International Mother Language Day, declared on November 17 in 1999 by the United Nations (UN) in recognition of Bangladeshis struggles and sacrifice for their mother tongue.

During observance of the the Shaheed Day and the International Mother Language Day, people take long treks towards shaheed minars (language martyrs memorial) in their respective localities in bare-foot processions, while singing "Amar bahiyer rakte rangano Ekushey February amee kee bhuleta paree," all the day long at home and abroad to pay respect to the martyrs with a spirit not dulled anyway ever since the Bangalis made history of the universal importance.

The historic song-Amar bahiyer rakte rangano Ekushey February amee kee bhuleta paree-written in memories of the martyrs of the Language Movement electrifies the Bangla speaking people throughout the world.

On November 17, 1999, UNESCO declared it an international event in recognition of the 1952 movement. Now, February 21 is observed as the International Mother Language Day in 188 countries across the globe.

To observe the day expatriate Bangladeshis living across the globe have constructed permanent and makeshift Shaheed Minars in major cities of the world. According to a news dispatch of ANA from New York as many as nine Shaheed Minars were erected in major cities of the USA this year. Similar minars were also constructed in many world cities, including London, Paris and Tokyo.

President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed issued separate messages paying their rich tributes to the martyred national heroes.

In his message, President Dr Iajuddin Ahmed said the spirit of 'Ekushey' would consolidate the nation's democratic advancement along with overall economic development and progress.

He hoped that imbued with the Ekushey spirit every citizen would contribute to the development process from their respective fields in order to build a prosperous Bangladesh.

"The great Language Movement is the prime source of awakening the sense of nationalism among the people of Bangladesh," he said.

Professor Ahmed said the glaring spirit of the Language Movement arouses the people to stand against all injustices and unfairness and helps attain overall progress of the country.

"The fortitude of the Language Movement is now inspiring not only the advancement of our own language, literature, culture and heritage but also for the preservation and promotion of languages and cultures of other nations around the world."

He hoped that the observance of the International Mother Language Day would strengthen the bridge of unity and amity among the peoples of the world.

In his message, Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed called upon all citizens of this great nation irrespective of religion, class or political party affiliations to forge a national unity to unleash the infinite potential of the land, improve the lot of people and establish a democratic state.

"Let us pledge ourselves to the grand effort of building a prosperous and enlightened Bangladesh," he said.

He recalled that many valiant sons of the soil sacrificed their lives during the heroic struggle to establish Bangla as a state language.

"We achieved an independent and sovereign motherland by following its glorious path," he said.

He recalled their extraordinary contributions with gratitude and paid deep respects to their unfading memory.

Dr Fakhruddin said, "Immoral Ekushey is our greatest achievement as a nation. It is the symbol of our national ethos and unity."

The Chief Adviser also called upon all to make the independence of the country meaningful by drawing on the spirit of Ekushey.

"We shall have to work hard for the flourishing of our language, literature, culture and education."

The President and the Chief Adviser paid deep homage to the language martyrs who made their supreme sacrifice this day in 1952 to achieve the right to mother tongue.

Top leaders of different political parties, including Acting President of Awami League Zillur Rahman, BNP Acting President M Saifur Rahman, BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad, Bikalpa Dhara Chief Prof Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and Gano Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday in separate statements paid glowing tributes to the language martyrs.

Meanwhile, the Central Shaheed Minar has been prepared for the occasion, with a security bulwark built around, as the President and the Chief Adviser would lead the nation in homage paying by placing wreaths at its altar at the zero hours last night.

The Government has taken a 'foolproof' security arrangement in and around the Central Shaheed Minar. As many as 6,000 security personnel, including members of elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), were deployed from 8:00 pm last night in the area and Azimpur while 32 close circuit cameras (CCTV) were installed to keep round the clock vigil to avert untoward incidents during the day-long commemoration, beginning from 12:00pm yesterday.

Besides, members of the Armed Forces were also deployed to ensure security of the VVIPs, including the President and the Chief Adviser. Diplomats will also pay homage to the martyrs by placing floral wreaths at the alter of the Central Shaheed Minar today.

Hundreds of thousands bear foot people started converging the around the Shaheed Minar last night when this report was filed.

The day is a public holiday and the national flag will fly at half-mast atop government, autonomous and private buildings.

The month-long book fair on the Bangla Academy premises has been going on since February 1.

Bangladesh UNESCO National Commission in cooperation with UNESCO Dhaka Office Wednesday brought out a rally from Plasey-Nilkhet area and ended at the Shaheed Minar on the occasion of International Mother Language Day.

Diplomats also participated in the rally.

Foreign Ministry will hold a discussion at its auditorium on the day with Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury in the Chair.

Other socio-cultural organisations and political parties have chalked out separate programmes to observe the day.

The National Press Club today organised a poetry-recitation programme and cultural soiree on the occasion of Amar Ekushey and International Mother Language Day.

President of the National Club Shawkat Mahmud inaugurated the programme. NPC general secretary Kamal Uddin Sabuj delivered address of welcome.

Musharraf won't step down despite poll debacle: PPP, PML (Newaz) coalition likely

Musharraf

Agencies, Islamabad

Pakistan's president will not step down as head of state and intends to serve out his five-year term, his spokesman said, despite a sweeping victory by his opponents in an election that President Bush on Wednesday judged to be fair.

Final results from this week's parliamentary poll were expected later Wednesday, but with the count nearly complete, two opposition parties have won enough seats to form a new government, though they will likely fall short of the two-thirds needed to impeach the president.

The result is seen as a major political setback for Musharraf, a key ally of Washington in fighting Taliban and al-Qaida, whose popularity has plummeted over the past year. The victors were secular political parties; Islamic hard-liners fared badly.

Bush, the Pakistani leader's chief foreign backer, declared Wednesday that the elections were a "victory in the war on terror."

"There were elections held that have been judged as being fair, and the people have spoken," Bush said in Ghana during his current trip to Africa.

"It's now time for the newly elected folks to show up and form their government," Bush said. "The question then is 'Will they be friends of the United States?' I certainly hope so."

European Union monitors said the election went better than expected, but conditions during the campaign period favored the ruling party.

So far, the parties of two former Pakistani prime ministers, the slain Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, have garnered 154 of the 268 contested seats, according to the Election Commission. The various parties already have begun discussions on forming a coalition government, likely to be led by Bhutto's party.

The new government, expected to be installed by mid-March, will determine how to tackle the country's formidable challenges, including rising prices and the threat from Islamic extremism.

Pakistan's new leaders also must decide how to deal with Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup and went on to become a key ally in the U.S. war on terror, an unpopular decision in the Muslim nation of 160 million.

Musharraf's spokesman Rashid Qureshi said Tuesday the president intends to work with the new government and will serve out his term that expires in 2012 - rejecting opposition calls for him to resign.

"The people on Monday didn't vote to elect a new president," he said. "In fact, they participated in the elections to elect the new parliament."

But Musharraf's decisions to suspend the constitution, purge the judiciary and round up political opponents sent his approval ratings plummeting, and the sound defeat suffered by the pro-Musharraf party was widely seen as a repudiation of the president.

The party of Pakistan's assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto began stitching together a coalition on Wednesday that could topple President Pervez Musharraf, after winning most seats in a general election.

President George W. Bush described the vote, which was less violent and fairer than most people anticipated, as "a victory for the people of Pakistan," while a State Department spokesman urged the next government to work with Musharraf.

Musharraf is a key Muslim ally for the United States in its fight against al Qaeda, and also oversaw better ties with rival India. But neighbors and allies now fear nuclear-armed Pakistan is becoming more unstable and economic gains could be squandered.

Pakistani stocks edged to a life-high in early trade, as investors registered relief that the vote was less violent and fairer than feared, saying it was a first step towards stability.

A wave of sympathy helped Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) win the most seats in the National Assembly in Monday's election, in which the allies of former army chief Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup, suffered big losses.

But the PPP needs coalition partners and the president's camp is banking on persuading it to invite the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League (PML) to salvage his leadership.

Bhutto's widower Asif Ali Zardari, who took over as PPP leader after she was killed in December, appeared to take that lifeline away, saying the PML would not be welcome.

Zardari told the BBC's Urdu-language service on Tuesday that Musharraf had said he would quit if he no longer had the people's support, and vowed that the PPP would put the issue of the president's future before parliament.

Asked by the Wall Street Journal if he had contemplated resigning, Musharraf replied: "No, not yet. We have to move forward in a way that we bring about a stable democratic government to Pakistan."

He told the newspaper the next prime minister would run the government, but he was opposed to any move to reinstate judges he used emergency powers to replace before they could annul his re-election by the last parliament in October.

Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister Musharraf overthrew in 1999, told journalists in Lahore that the judges must be reinstated, and Musharraf had to realize he was no longer calling the shots.

"I think he should understand that things are now out of his control," said Sharif, whose party ran second in Monday's poll.

Sharif has made driving Musharraf from power his mission since returning from exile in November, a month after Bhutto.

The PPP wants Sharif to join the coalition along with an ethnic Pashtun party that kicked Islamist parties out of power in the North West Frontier Province where militants operate.

According to unofficial results for 261 seats, the PPP, Sharif's party and the Awami National Party (ANP) held a shade under the two-thirds they need to change the constitution or bring Musharraf down, but independents could join their banner.

Analysts warned ideological differences and past bad blood could still scupper an alliance between the PPP and Sharif, in which case, the PPP's door could re-open to Musharraf's friends.

The president's emissaries made little headway when they met Zardari late on Tuesday, according to officials.

Political paralysis has played havoc with management of the economy in the last six months.

Pakistanis have struggled with soaring fuel prices, shortages of basic foods and gas, and worsening power cuts, while investors fear more upheaval could puncture a booming stock market.

But the Karachi Stock Exchange main index has bucked a bearish trend across Asia to recover all losses suffered after Bhutto's murder. A 40 percent gain in 2007 made it one of Asia's best performers, and it has gained about 900 percent since 2000.

The rupee gained nearly 1 percent against the dollar in the last two days, having been bumping 6-year lows.

Musharraf's popularity disintegrated over the past year, especially after he imposed a stint of emergency rule in November, purging the judiciary and gagging the media.

Speaking during a visit to Ghana, President Bush noted Musharraf had fulfilled his promise to hold elections, and stressed the U.S. need for Pakistan as an ally.

"We've got interests in helping make sure there is no safe haven from which people can plot and plan attacks against the United States of America and Pakistan," he said.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Tom Casey said the U.S. administration hoped "whoever winds up in charge of the new government would be able to work with (Musharraf)."

Zardari and Sharif are due to meet on Thursday. Negotiations could last for days. But, if they agree, it would leave Musharraf with two choices, said analysts.

He could either quit or drag out political upheavals with a hostile parliament that would try to oust him on grounds he violated the constitution when he imposed emergency rule.

"My sixth sense is that he will leave," said Ijaz Shafi Gilani, chairman of pollsters Gallup Pakistan.

Fahim tipped to be Pak PM

Fahim Amin

PPP vice-chairman Fahim Amin yesterday said the next government would be formed "in a democratic manner".

PPP's central executive committee will discuss the issue of forming a coalition with the PML-N, he told reporters.

Asked about the PPP's differences with PML-N on the issue of reinstating the judges who were dismissed by Musharraf during last year's emergency, Fahim avoided a direct reply.

"Every party has a position on basic issues and we can move forward on them through talks," he said.

On Tuesday, Sharif vowed to work for reinstating the deposed judges but Zardari indicated this issue would have to be addressed by the next parliament.

Amin Fahim who has been tipped as the prime minister of the coalition government of Pakistan wedded Deena Laila, sister of famous Bangladeshi singer Runa Laila in the 60s in Karachi when their family was settled there. Deena Laila later died of cancer.

Fahim's father helped Benazir's father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, establish the Pakistan People's Party. Fahim comes from a landowning family in Sindh province, which owes much of its prestige to a claim of descent from a renowned religious leader of Islam's Sufi sect.

Amin Fahim is the Vice-Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party and a Parliamentarian in the lower house of the Parliament of Pakistan, the National Assembly. He is also Parliamentary Leader of his party in National Assembly of Pakistan. He has also served as Federal Minister in Benazir Bhutto's tenure.

His father Makhdoom Talib-ul-Maula was a prominent religious leader. An agriculturist by profession, Amin Fahim has a BA degree.

News analysis : Fighting piracy and the quest for excellence

Mostafa Kamal Majumder

The Amar Ekushey Book fair this time has been marked by the publication of a record number of over 1500 titles. The rush of people to the fair has also been more than ever before. The practice of sequencing the publication of most books to mark the great day has been mainly to make good use of the month-long rush of readers for new books. Many good books are published during the fair every year. The programme attracts people from all over Bangladesh.

However, alongside the good books there are also some publications which are marked for piracy of materials from other books. And this is neither new nor unique, as the practice has been there in many countries. But in recent years complaints have been made against copying books in their entirety and their publication under different covers and names. Some writers of Bangla books from India have often made such complaints against some writers in Bangladesh. So serious are sometimes the allegations that foreign writers abuse some local writers for using even the mistaken pages of their books which they could not correct due to oversight.

The practice of piracy here is, however, quite old. Way back in the late eighties a radio listener complained that a number of paragraphs of one of his writings on environment were read out in a magazine programme of Bangladesh Betar (then called Radio Bangladesh) without making mention of either the author or the publication. At that time programmes of Bangladesh Television were aired only in the second half of the day, and satellite television programmes were unknown to the people. In the morning thus radio programmes used to attract a large number of listeners. The author said he was listening to some sentences very familiar to him being read out. Soon after the end of the magazine programme he opened a publication and confirmed that those were actually written by him more than a year before that event.

A journalist from an English language newspaper received huge appreciation for his report on micro-nutrient deficiency in foods that stunted the growth of children in the mid-eighties. Amir Hossain Khan, the pioneer of nuclear chemistry in Bangladesh on whose research findings the story was based, invited the newsman to his office to welcome him for making his work familiar not only to fellow scientists in Bangladesh but also those abroad, particularly one in India. The Indian scientist expressed his willingness to share experiences and do collaborative work. Appreciating the work the Indian scientist sent Amir Hosain Khan the photocopy of a news report which the latter shared with the newsman. The journalist was apalled to see that his byline report published earlier in a Dhaka daily was printed verbatim under a different byline in a major Indian English daily published from South India. Amir Hossain Khan did not look at the byline, because he knew he had divulged the findings of his study only to the newsman he was talking to and praised him for spreading the same to India. The newsman later talked to the man who did the piracy and sought to know its reason. The reply was, 'The day was dull and I had no other story to pick up for wiring to the paper.'

In a similar incident in the second half of the nineties, anti-nuclear activists from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka paid a visit to Bangladesh. They talked to newsmen to make their ideas known. A leading Dhaka daily did a good story out of the interaction. However, before the hardcopy of the paper hit the stands in Dhaka its soft copy put to the Internet edition at night was lifted by another journalist for use in a feature syndication service based in India and spread to the world. The poor author of the story discussed the matter with his colleague Mrinal Krishna Roy and sought guidance as to whether he should lodge a complaint with the publishers of the feature service. 'This would cost the job of the Dhaka-based man,' he said and advised his junior colleague to forgive the pirate for the piracy.

Let Amar Ekushey be an occasion for intellectual pirates to stop their piracies and strengthen the quest for excellence in writings.

Musharraf aides meet Zardari

Agencies, Islamabad

Ahead of a crucial meeting between the two victorious opposition leaders, President Pervez Musharraf's aides have, reportedly, urged Pakistan People's Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari not to join hands with Nawaz Sharif's PML-N to form a coalition.

They have, reportedly, even discussed possible prime ministerial candidates from PPP.

Musharraf's aides met Zardari on Tuesday for discussions on the formation of the next government, their first contact since the February 18 general election, a Pakistan television channel reported on Wednesday.

The PPP has emerged as the single largest party in Pakistan's general election by bagging 89 of the 268 National Assembly seats for which direct polls were held, followed by the PML-N with 66 seats.

It is widely expected that they may form a coalition and Zardari and Sharif are scheduled to meet in Islamabad on Thursday for talks.

Musharraf's close aides, including National Security Council Secretary Tariq Aziz, met Zardari in Islamabad on Wednesday and urged him not to hold talks with the PML-N on forming a government at the centre, official sources said.

Zardari was non-committal in this regard and sources close to the PPP co-chairman said that he did not want to forge an alliance with the PML-Q, the party that backs Musharraf, and was routed in the polls.

Musharraf's aides and Zardari also discussed the names of the PPP's prime ministerial candidates.

The government team favoured PPP vice-chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, the president of the Punjab unit of the PPP, and senior party leader Yusuf Raza Gilani, the sources said.

This was the first contact between Musharraf's aides and Zardari since the February 18 general election. Zardari has met Aziz at least once in the run-up to the polls.

PPP leaders were not immediately available for comments on the meeting between Zardari and Musharraf's aides.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Sharif said Musharraf should quit, as the election result was a verdict against the President.

Sharif, who was deposed by the military ruler in 1999, has also made it clear that he will not work with Musharraf.

On the other hand, the PML-N's unexpectedly strong performance in the polls, especially in the politically crucial Punjab province, has made the PPP wary about forging an alliance with Sharif's party.

Some PPP leaders had said before the polls that Zardari and Sharif would meet in Islamabad soon after the election results started coming in on Tuesday.

But once it became clear that the PML-N had performed well at the hustings, Sharif stayed back in Lahore and said he would come to the federal capital for a meeting with Zardari only on Thursday.

Law in the making: TUs won't have political affiliation

Staff Reporter

The draft of amendment to the Labour Laws has been almost finalised with provisions that would discourage trade unions to become the front organisations of any political party and allowing single union in each of the establishment.

Disclosing this after a tri-partite meeting among the leaders of trade unions, owners associations and government, Adviser for Labour and Employment Ministry M Anwarul Iqbal told reporters that trade union leaders also do not want to become front organisation of political parties.

The Adviser, who presided over the meeting, said a seven-member committee, headed by Secretary of Labour and Employment Dr Mahfuzul Haque, has been formed comprising leaders from trade unions, owners associations and government to discuss all related matters and submit its report within seven days.

Md Millat Hossain, General Secretary of Central Committee of Bangladesh Inter-District Truck Driver Union, told The New Nation that a seven member sub-committee involving members from trade unions, owners associations and government representatives has been formed to discuss the proposals which were brought in the draft amendment of labour laws.

After through discussion among the leaders concerned, the committee will submit its recommendations within seven days, he said.

Millat Hossain, who is also a member of the 61-member tri-partite committee headed by the Adviser, said he has proposed that trade unions should not to be front organisations of political parties.

"We do not want to be front organisations of political parties since the workers were deprived from many of their rights due to political interference in trade union activities," he said.

Pharmaceuticals fastest growing sector: Bangladesh to explore LDC market for export

Staff Reporter

Pharmaceuticals sector is one of the fastest growing sectors of the country's economy, which has the opportunity to grow further under the provision of the TRIPS Agreement of WTO, said business leaders yesterday at a seminar in the city.

Local industries fulfil 97 per cent demand of the domestic market of about US $ 700 million. The local pharmaceutical companies are now exporting to 68 counties all over the world, they added.

They said the pharmaceuticals sector has a large opportunity to export more to the LDCs including those of Asia, Africa and Central and Latin America that were yet unexplored by the Bangladeshi companies.

The seminar on "Investment and Export Opportunities in Pharmaceutical Industry of Bangladesh" was jointly organised by Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industry (BAPI) and Local Enterprise Investment Centre (LEIC) at DCCI office in Motijheel area.

BAPI president Safiuzzaman, General Secretary Nazmul Hasan, Rizviul Kabir, Senior Marketing Manager of Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Prof Habibur Rahman addressed the seminar chaired by DCCI President Hossain Khaled.

DCCI Director Asif Ibrahim presented the findings of a survey on "Supply of and Demand for Pharmaceuticals and Natural Products" that was conducted by DCCI in 2007 at the seminar, while Rasna Hasan, Head of Corporate Affairs and Communication, Novartis, made another presentation on "Contract Manufacturing from Bangladesh."

DCCI President Hossain Khaled said in his welcome speech that the local pharmaceutical companies exported medicines of US $ 28.12 million with a growth of 47 per cent in the last fiscal year 2006-'07. But almost 85 per cent of the total required raw materials are imported.

BAPI president Safiuzzaman said the sector would have potentiality to go into the Gulf countries. Nazmul Hasan said our companies should concentrate our investment on export-oriented products aiming at the Export market, not domestic. The investment on those products, which cannot be made by India and China, should be enhanced, he added.

Asif Ibrahim said in his presentation said Pharmaceutical sector of the country is the second largest sector after agriculture. Average growth rate of the sector is around 12.5 per cent.

Some leading pharmaceuticals companies are producing world-class products that are acceptable in the global market as quality product and the prices of the products are also competitive both in local and foreign markets.

There are 239 registered pharmaceuticals industries, of which 161 are in operation.

The report said now there is huge potential to set-up manufacturing plants for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) or bulk drugs and the companies can be benefited by producing API for patented products. There is large potential for export market expansion from 2006 till 2016.

The survey report underscored the needs for strengthening the present manufacturing set-up with modern machinery and equipment, Incinerator and Effluent Treatment Plant (IETP), Central Environmental Treatment Plant (CETP), Combined efforts by the Ministry of Health and Family Planning, Ministry of Commerce and Local Chambers and Trade Associations for export expansion, and adequate quality control system with sizable research and development laboratory.

Khaleda's bail prayer in Niko case rejected

Staff Reporter

A Special Judge's Court in Dhaka yesterday rejected bail petition for detained former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia in Niko scam case, as a portion of the charge was made under non-bailable section of the emergency power rules (EPR).

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had filed the case on December 9, 2007 with Tejgaon Police Station in the capital alleging that Begum Zia in connivance with five others, including Ministers of her cabinet, caused Tk 10,000 crore loss to nation while awarding gas fields to inexperienced Canadian company Niko Resources Ltd.

Lawyers defending Begum Zia, also the BNP Chairperson, filed the bail petition on health ground saying she needed bail as she was suffering from physical ailments.

She is also under mental stress, they said.

They also assured the Court that Khaleda would face the case when she would be on bail.

Her counsels argued that their client was not involved in any corruption in awarding deals to Niko, and she deserved bail in the case.

Prosecution lawyers contended that the Court cannot grant her bail since the case was being included in non-bail able sections of the EPR.

Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judge Md Azizul Haque rejected the bail prayer Begum Zia after hearing both the defence and prosecution lawyers in his Special Judge's Court.

He counsel Advocate Sanaullah Mian said they would move the High Court for the bail as they were denied justice in the trial Court.

The Special Judge's Court could accept the bail petition vide the High Court judgment quashing the extortion case filed by Azam J Chowdhury against Sheikh Hasina, he said, "The Court could set Begum Zia free on bail as per the High Court judgment as the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court did not stayed the operation of the verdict."

The defence lawyers argued that the deal with Niko for extracting gas from Feni, Kamta and Chhatak fields was penned on June 14, 2001 when Sheikh Hasina was in office as the Prime Minister.

"The BNP-led alliance government led of Begum Zia only maintained the continuity of the deal," they said, adding, "She accused had no ill motive or design to go ahead with the previous deal."

Case documents said the Niko deal and its necessary procedures took place between in November, 2001 and in September, 2005, when Begum Zia was in power.

Earlier on February 14, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Golam Rabbani had also turned down a petition Begum Zia in the same case.

Meanwhile, another Court in Dhaka turned down a bail petition for detained former BNP MP Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal in a separate case, citing the charge was framed under no-bail able section of the EPR.

Reactivation of TCB, other agencies can help control prices

Syful Islam

Experts were of the opinion that only dominating role by the government on the private importers and businessmen through activation of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) and creating some other similar institutions can help arrest price rise of essential commodities.

"At present there is no control of government on private importers and businessmen as the state can import very few quantities of essentials. The Government could dominate the price of essentials if it had the mechanism of import and

selling of at least half of the total demands of the foodstuffs," a Commerce Ministry official told The New Nation.

Price of essential commodities, from rice to edible oil, flour to milk powder, is increasing continuously without any let up.

For example, price of per 40 litres of edible oil rose by Tk 400 within the last three weeks. Despite commitment to the government not to raising the price of edible oil the mill owners raised price thrice in the last three weeks. Sector leaders are not responding to government plea of not raising price of essentials.

The commerce ministry official said the government has no effective arm to import and sell essential commodities in the market. The TCB is yet to be activated despite repeated call from the economists, civil society organisations and common people. And, the lone TCB will not be able to contribute in market control mechanism, he said.

He also said creation of several TCB like institutions, importing of huge quantity of foodstuffs and selling those in the market, and bringing change in the policy on hoarding can help halt the price hike.

On the other hand, the official said, execution of laws relating to the consumer rights can help arrest soaring price of essential commodities. The consumer rights protection ordinance is yet to be enacted as law.

Commerce ministry sources said at present seven Acts relating to protection of consumer rights are existing but hardly any use of those to protect the consumers against repeated onslaughts of price rises of essentials items in particular.

They said the government can control price spiral of essentials by strictly utilising the "Essential Commodities Price and Distribution Ordinance, 1970." It was enacted to control the dishonest and profit-mongering importers, producers and traders dealing with such essential commodities.

Under the law, the government can fix the maximum prices of essential commodities and display such price lists in open market places. And the traders are required to follow the price lists.

But currently, the government hardly acts to enforce the existing consumers right protection acts on the pretext of free market economy.

The existing acts in view to protect consumer rights are- Bangladesh Essential Commodities Control Ordinance -1956, Essential Commodities Price and Distribution Ordinance-1970, Safe Food Ordinance-1966, Drug Control Ordinance-1982, Trademark Act-1940 and Alternatives of Mother Breast Milk Market control Ordinance-1983-1993.

Secretary of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) Abdul Malek yesterday told The New Nation that if the government properly applies the existing acts, the price of essentials would be reduced automatically.

"Essential Commodities Price and Distribution Ordinance -1970 is the appropriate act to manage the present situation of market price," he said.

Bangla Academy names 3 awards recipients

Staff Reporter

Three litterateurs were adorned with the 'Bangla Academy Literature Award' this year for their outstanding contribution in different fields of literature.

Bangla Academy announced the name of the awardees yesterday. The awardees are Manjur-e-Maula, for creative section for his poems, Jatin Sarker for research and essays and Lutfar Rahman Riton for translation and juvenile literature.

The Bangla Academy Director General Prof Syed Muhammad Shahed announced the name of the winners yesterday afternoon. The winners will be honoured with Tk 1,00000 each, a crest and a certificate on February 28.

Syed Muhammad Shahed said the nomination and selection process this year for the awards were transparent and no favours took place for any body during the process.

"This year we want recommendation for nomination from all the Bangla Academy fellows who got Bangla Academy prizes and the jury board could not name anyone for nominations.

Last year the award was given to five persons in six criteria.

Jatin Sarker in his immediate reaction told New Nation that it was a great feeling for him to be awarded with the prestigious Bangla Academy Awards.

Meanwhile the Amar Ekushey Book Fair yesterday was a bit more crowded as the weather did not deteriorate after last night's heavy showers though the crowd was not that much jam-packed.

Humayun Ahmed's novels and Dhaka University teacher Prof Anwar Hossain's 'Remand O Karagarer Dinolipi', diary during remand and custody, were among the best sellers in the past few days.

Fifty four new arrivals hit the fair yesterday with 7 story books, 8 novels, 11 poetry books and one juvenile literature.

Few books were launched yesterday. Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Liberation army Air Vice Marshal AK Khandoker launched a song book of Kamal Lohani, Dr Mizanur Rahman Shely opened cover of books 'Pressure Groups Dynamics of Bangladesh,' and Unbundling Human Rashid and dramatist Mamunur Rahish opened cover of a book titles 'Gaurab', Pride.

The fair is expected to be over crowded, as the Amar Ekushey will be observed today.

Bangladesh should have own brand of democracy: Moeen: Westminster model not truly followed by party in power

UNB, Dhaka

Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed yesterday said Bangladesh should have her own brand of democracy as he observed Westminster model is not truly followed by the party in power.

In his significant remark, the Army Chief, whose force is backing the caretaker government in sweeping reforms in the interim period, he observed that Westminster-type democracy had been exercised in Bangladesh in the last 15 years, but without following the true essence of the Westminster form of parliament. "In our democracy, Prime Minister completely becomes one-man show," he said, adding, "what we actually follow here is not the Westminster form."

Speaking at the launch of his book 'Nirbachita Sankolon (Selected Compilation)' at Kurmitola Golf Club, the General said votes are not sold and bought in that country (UK). "We should have such model of democracy as will suit us and that's why I stated about our own brand of democracy."

Stressing the need for unity at national level, he said, "If we could work together at the time of natural calamity like Sidr, why not work together on other issues of national importance."

The Army Chief said his present book would inspire him to write another one which would be named 'Shantir Pathe (Road to Peace)'.

TIB Chairman Prof Muzaffar Ahmed, who unveiled the cover of the book, said it is important to compile fundamental documents of history and make it public. Otherwise, he observed, the people would be left with many unanswered questions.

He said General Moeen's statements made at the juncture of the nation and compiled in the book would remain as historic document and people would evaluate that the army has worked for the country. The book will also remain as basic document for the army.

Prof Ahmed, a former teacher of Dhaka University, said the universities here have been built as teaching universities without having opportunity of research work. "Our institutions will have to be strengthened for research in history and building our tradition."

The army chief's book was reviewed by Dr Mahbubullah and Prof Salahuddin Ahmed. Asia Publication published the book.

The function was attended, among others, by UNB Editor-in-Chief Enayetullah Khan, former FBCCI president Mir Nasir, jurist Dr Zahir and ex-BGMEA president Annisul Huq.