The New Nation - Internet Edition

Book on glorious history of ’71 launched

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a book launching ceremony in the city said that none should forget the glorious history of 1971 as we had achieved our independence after sacrificing many lives.

The book titled 'Journey Through 1971: My Story' by Prof Farida Huq was launched at University of Liberal Arts (ULAB) auditorium yesterday. Academic Press and Publishers Library (APPL) published the book.

Prof Anisuzzaman was present as chief guest, while Dr Mizanur Rahman Shelley, Chairman of APPL, chaired the function.

Author of the book Prof Farida Huq addressed, while Shahidullah Khan Badal, Iqbal Bahar Choudhury, Chief of Bangla Service of VOA, Prof Dr Razia Khan Amin, Prof Rafiqul Islam and Shahina Rahman, Managing Director of APPL, spoke on the occasion.

Speakers said the book is based on the true story of the Liberation War where many untold heart touching events took place.

Notorious car thief Moshiur held in city

Staff Reporter

A notorious car thief Moshiur Rahman was arrested in a drive of DB police, Thursday midnight from the capital's Arambagh area under Pallabi Police Station.

Intelligence sources said based on the information provided by Jahangir, arrested earlier from Tejgaon, DB police recovered two new model private cars from the basement of Midtown Shopping Mall at Pallabi in the city. Moshiur, the proprietor of the Shopping Mall, was continuing his illegal business in the Arambagh area in Pallabi. He also used one of the stolen Toyota cars himself.

On a tip off that Moshiur, along with some of his accomplices, was staying in the area the DB police arrested him in a raid yesterday.

Jahangir also confessed to the police that Moshiur and other group members were engaged in lifting cars all over the country.

A case was filed in connection with the arrest.

Price of steel products: Millers demand duty waiver on melting scraps

UNB, Dhaka

Steel and re-rolling millers have demanded waiving duty on melting scrap as has been done by India in its new budget to keep the price down.

India has withdrawn 5 percent duty on iron, steel melting scrap and aluminum scrap and the excise duty slashed to 14 percent from 16 percent.

The measure has been taken in view of international price of copper that more than Doubled to $500 per ton over the past one year and price of aluminum gone up by about one-third giving significant rise in the domestic market.

General secretary of Bangladesh Steel & Re-rolling Mills Association Sheikh Masadul Alam Masud demanded similar measures as were taken in India to keep the steel products down in the domestic market.

He said in the exiting framework, the duty is 10 percent on the import of raw materials - melting and re-rolling scraps.

Similarly, he said, the duty on chemicals used in steel industry is as high as 28 percent that contributed to the high price of their products.

MS rod price has now gone up to Tk 60,000 per ton as against below Tk 40,000 a few months ago.

The annual demand of MS rod in Bangladesh is estimated at about 23 lakh tons for construction works, which are supplied by about 100 steel and 300 re-rolling mills.

The steel and re-rolling millers produced the steel from imported melting scrap and scraps of old ships.

Nor'wester lashes Gaibandha

BSS, Gaibandha

A nor'wester lashed a number of villages under Gidari union of Sadar upazila in the district on Monday.

The affected villages are south Gidari, Dhutichora, Purbapara, Sarkerpara and Thakurer Vita.

More than 200 katcha and thatched houses were raged to the ground and standing crops particularly maize on 100 acres and vegetables were destroyed in the storms. A large number of trees were uprooted in the nor'wester.

Being informed, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abu Mohammad Yousuf rushed to the affected areas. The DC assured the affected people of giving all kinds of help and assistance from the government.

The district administration initially distributed 5 tonnes of rice, cash Taka 25,000 and 260 pieces of sari, lungi , wrapper and blanket to the affected people.

Khulna WASA inaugurated

BSS, Khulna

Adviser for LGRD and Cooperatives M Anwarul Iqbal said on Wednesday morning the present government is determined to develop the north-south-western region of the country as it was neglected by the past governments.

The adviser was addressing the inaugural ceremony of Khulna WASA as the chief guest at Shaheed Altaf Auditorium. The government established the Khulna WASA through a gazette notification on March 2.

Presided over by Mayor in-Charge Mohammad Moniruzzaman Moni, the ceremony was also addressed, among others, by Divisional Commissioner Khulna Yunusur Rahman, Managing Director of Khulna WASA Shamima Sultana, Ward Commissioner Shafiqul Alam Mona and journalist Monirul Huda.

Khulna Range DIG of police Asaduzzaman Mia, KMP Commissioner Mainur Rahman Chowdhury, ward commissioners and the elite of the city were present.

Anwarul Iqbal said the Khulna WASA would solve water and sewerage problems in the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) area. He urged the city dwellers to help maintain the WASA with their own resources.

He said the government asked the Election Commission (EC) to hold the elections to all city corporations and upazilas of the country soon.

The EC also said the election to all the city corporations and 100 upazilas will be held as early as possible as the voter lists were completed by now.

Earlier, the adviser laid foundation of the WASA building on the Khan A Sabur Road in the city. He asked the KCC to find out surface water side by side with ground water to meet the growing demand for water.

The mayor in-charge handed over a key of the Khulna city to the adviser. Later, Anwarul Iqbal had a meeting with a cross section of people at the conference hall of the deputy commissioner of the district in the morning.

Awareness against graft, women's rights stressed

BSS, Dhaka

Executive Director of Transparency International of Bangladesh (TIB) Dr Iftekharuzzaman yesterday underscored the need for creating awareness among the people in combating corruption and repression on women.

The TIB executive director stressed the issues of mass awareness and women empowerment while addressing a press conference at the National Press Club here on Wednesday. The conference was organised in observance of the International Women's Day.

He said the TIB and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will jointly organise an anti-corruption concert on the premises of Gulshan Youth Club in the city on March 8.

Noted singers of the country will take part in the concert and present popular songs to inspire people in establishing the rights of women and alerting them against corruption, Dr Iftekhar said.

Director General of the ACC Abu Taleb Mia and popular singers including Fahmida Nabi, Shahed, Bappa, among others, spoke at the press conference.

Dr Iftekharuzzaman said women are the worst victims of corruption and for this reason they have decided to hold the concert on the occasion of International Women's Day to motivate people, particularly the youngsters, against corruption.

"Jago Manush, Nari Odhikare Jago," - "Wake Up People, Wake Up for Women's Rights" - is the theme of the concert, he said.

Singers Kangalini Sufia, Azam Khan, Fahmida Nabi and Shahed and band groups Souls, Renaissance, Maksud O Dhaka, Dalchut, Orthahin, Jatree, Kafil, Mehrin, Krishnakoli and Kranti will take part in the concert, he added.

Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, Dainik Samakal, Weekly 2000, Banglavision, BDNews 24.com, Radio Today, Radio Furti, Radio Amar and online services, Amadergan, Bangladeshinfo, Metronet and Anirbanonline will be the event's media partners.

The youths, including the students, are expected to enjoy the concert. The TIB would send free coupons to educational institutions for distribution among students. Entry coupons will be available at the offices of the event organisers and the radio stations, among the media partners, Dr Iftekhar added.

Abu Taleb Mia said, wherever there is corruption, there is repression on women and the women's rights are curtailed there. There is a link between the fight against corruption and movement for empowerment of the women, he added.

Torture in custody: Babar, former OC of Ramna, three others sued

Staff Reporter

Detained former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, former officer-in-charge of Ramna police station Mahbubur and three others were sued for their alleged involvement in inflicting physical torture on a central leader of pro-Awami League Bangladesh Chhatra League under police custody and threatening to kill him in crossfire.

Mohammad Abu Abbas Bhuiyan, Mass Education Affairs Secretary of the central executive committee of Bangladesh Chhatra League, filed the case with the court of Additional Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Mohammad Emran Hossain Chowdhury yesterday.

Other accused of the case are Rezaul Karim, the then sub-inspector of Ramna police station, SI Nasir Ali and Sergeant Anwar Hossain.

Eight persons have been made primary witnesses in the case. More witnesses will be produced before the court during the trial of the case.

In his case, plaintiff Abu Abbas Bhuiyan mentioned that police had arrested him on February 28, 2004 on charge of attacking Dhaka University's teacher, author and linguist Dr Humayun Azad. Inhuman torture was inflicted upon him keeping him under the custody of Ramna police station for as many as five days.

Abbas alleged that police had forced him to confess about the attack on Dr Humayun Azad at the directive of former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar. "Since I refused to abide by the order of police, some six to seven policemen mercilessly beat me up with hockey sticks and sticks inside a dark room. They also tied my hands from behind. At one stage, OC Mahbubur Rahman asked me to give confessional statement stating that attack on Humayun Azad was carried out at the directive of the central leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League. He also told me that I would be released if I gave such a confessional statement," he said.

Later, a militant organisation claimed that they had carried out the attack on Dr Humayun Azad and Abbas was freed.

Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights is providing legal assistance to Abbas in the case.

His lawyer Advocate Alamgir Hossain said the plaintiff could not file the case fearing serious consequences from Babar's men and police administration. But, the accountability of the government officials and employees have increased in the context of changing situation of the country. Nobody is now above the law.

"We appeal to the court to ensure justice to the plaintiff by bringing the accused under the jurisdiction of the law," he said.