The New Nation - Internet Edition

Cop suspended on charge of extortion in Narayanganj

UNB, Narayanganj

A policeman was suspended on charge of extortion at Fatullah here Sunday.

Sources said havildar Majedul Haq went to a tailoring shop at Ramarbagh area along with his two associates Raju Ahmed and police informer Safiullah at about 10pm Saturday.

Majedul identifying himself as assistant sub-inspector wanted to arrest four people on charge of gambling who were then playing ludu in the shop.

Later, Safiullah as a mediator asked the four persons to pay Tk 20,000 to Majedul to avoid arrest. When they paid the money Safiullah left the place hurriedly.

But local people at one stage caught Majedul and Raju and handed them over to Fatullah thana.

Later, Majedul was suspended and case was filed in this connection.

Newspaper holiday on March 26

UNB, Dhaka

Offices of all newspapers and news agencies will remain closed on March 26, on the occasion of Independence and National Day.

However, members of Newspapers Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) desirous of brining out their publications may do so under special arrangement, a NOAB press release said.

6 BCL activists hurt in attack by JCD at DU

UNB, Dhaka

At least six students of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) were injured in an attack by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) at Surya Sen Hall in Dhaka University Saturday night. Police and campus sources said a group of JCD activists equipped with rod and sticks attacked the BCL activists at about 11:25pm over establishing supremacy in the dormitory, leaving the six BCL students injured.

On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

The injured - Mostak, Zakir, Mamun, Mukul, Joy and Mobarak - were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Bombs explode in a Kafrul house

UNB, Dhaka

About 6 people were injured in a bomb explosion in a house at East Sheorapara under Kafrul thana Saturday evening. Locals said five or six bombs exploded simultaneously with big bangs. It is suspected a small group of unidentified youths were making bombs in the house No.1264 when those exploded at about 5pm. The injured managed to flee or rescued by the comrades. "I've seen them running away from the house", said a witness refusing to be identified. He named one of them as Milon.

Police visited the spot and were trying to trace out Milon. They also inquired all the hospitals and clinics in the area if anyone admitted with bomb injuries.

FF killed in city road accident

UNB, Dhaka

Valiant freedom fighter and former chairman of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Central Command Council Jalaluddin Ahmed and his car driver died in a fatal road accident near Kachpur Bridge on Saturday night.

Police said a goods-laden truck, coming from opposite direction, rammed into the car carrying Jalaluddin at about 7:30pm while he was returning home from his industry office, killing him and the car driver "instantly".

Jalaluddin, also former general secretary of the Chittagong Samity in Dhaka, was executive director of All Text Industries situated in Rupganj from where he was returning when he met his tragic end. Soon after the accident, their bodies were taken to the All Text Industries premises.

Rupganj Thana OC said Jalaluddin's body would be taken to his

paternal home in Chittagong within the night after holding a

namaj-e-janaza on the industry premises. He would be buried today at his family graveyard.

He left behind two daughters, one son and wife to mourn his death.

Information right law: Time limit for sending opinion extended

UNB, Dhaka

The government has extended the time limit for sending public opinion on the preliminary draft of Right to Information (RTI) Ordinance 2008 till April 3.

Earlier, the draft was put on website www.moi.gov.bd of the Information Ministry on March 8 this year to get public opinion on the ordinance.

The Ministry requested the people to send their opinions through the e-mail addresses-www.moisecretary@yahoo.com, addsecmoi@yahoo.com, isadmn_moi@yahoo.com, isdey_moi@yahoo.com and ismoi@yahoo.com. - by March 23.

Following the request from different sections of people, the government has decided to extend the time limit and also requested the interested people and institutions to send their opinions through e-mail by April 3, said a press release.

Child labour policy draft in 3 weeks

UNB, Dhaka

A subcommittee headed by the Labour and Employment Secretary has been formed to finalise the draft of the National Child Labour Policy 2008.

The committee, comprising the representatives of government, owners, labourers and private organisations working on the child-labour policy, will finalise the draft within three weeks. The decision was taken at the 50th meeting of Tripartite Consultative Council (TCC) Sunday with LGRD and Cooperatives Adviser M Anwarul Iqbal, also in charge of the Labour and Employment Ministry, in the chair.

The Adviser said that the draft policy would be published in different media and also given on website to make the National Child Labour Policy 2008 meaningful and to reflect the expectations of the mass people.

"Necessary programmes have been taken to mitigate child labour by 2012," he said about the aims and objectives of the policy. He further said the existing law and regulations related to the child and child labour would be coordinated with the National Child Labour Policy 2008, which will work as guideline in formulating policy on this issue.

Among others, Labour and Employment Secretary Dr Mahfuzul Haq and representatives of different ministries, Bangladesh Employers' Federation, labourers, NGOs and ILO were present.

EC to consider exempting privatel owned walls from ban on wall writings

UNB, Dhaka

The Election Commission is considering exempting privately owned walls from the purview of prohibition on writing any kind of things on the walls for the sake clean elections and clean cities.

However, writings of commercial advertisement would only be allowed in this regard, not any kind of writings on election campaign. Election Commissioner M Sohul Hussain Sunday said the EC got letters from persons concerned not to include the prohibition on commercial wall writings in the electoral code of conduct.

"There are people who earned money letting out the walls owned by them for commercial advertisement. They met with us and requested not to include the provision," he said.

Earlier, the EC formulated a draft law restricting posters and writings on the walls that would be implemented by the LGRD Ministry. There was a provision of a fine of Tk 10,000 and in default three months imprisonment for any violation of the law. Now, the EC is considering whether commercial writings could be allowed with the permission of the owners of the walls, Sohul said, adding that commercial advertisements are not related with elections. "But any kind of electoral writings won't be allowed on walls. Besides, there are provisions in city corporations that nothing can be written on walls," he said.

Meanwhile, the Election Commissioner said, the voters of Dhaka City Corporation left out from registration on the voter list still could register at the election offices (thana, upazila or district election offices).

"Getting registered is a continuos process. What the problem is now the left-out voters would have to be identified (by any other voter of the locality)," he said.

About classifying the risky polling stations, Sohul said the EC is now collecting the information from their election officials of the localities concerned as well as from the intelligent agencies.

RAJUK demolishes Begunbari Hatir Jheel slum

UNB, Dhaka

Rajdhani Unnayan Katripaksha (RAJUK) yesterday demolished the Begunbari Hatir Jheel slum, rendering hundreds of dwellers homeless.

Police said RAJUK authority with the help of policemen conducted the drive from 10am to 5pm to demolish at least 600 shanties. A heart-rending situation has been created in the slum areas when the removed dwellers started crying and requesting RAJUK officials not to destroy their homes.

Some slum dwellers alleged that RAJUK authorities did not informed them before the drive. But, RAJUK officials denied the allegations and claimed that they served noticed to them five days ago. Soon after starting the drive, the affected people trying to protest the action, but failed as police intercepted them.