The New Nation - Internet Edition

Behind-the-scene high drama at an undisclosed place: SCBA poll deferred

Advocate Nizamul Huq Nasim, Convener of Election
Sub-Committee, announcing the new dates for holding the
election of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Monday.
Attorney-General Barrister Fida M Kamal and SCBA President
Barrister Amir-ul-Islam, among

Staff Reporter

The election of Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), scheduled for yesterday and today, has finally been deferred by one month in the face of government ban order. Now, the overdue election will be held on April 28 and April 29 next.

The decision was taken at a meeting between the Law Adviser and SCBA leaders, which was followed by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two.

The hour long meeting was held at an undisclosed place in Gulshan in the city. SCBA President Amir-ul-Islam signed the MoU on behalf of the association while Law Adviser AF Hassan Ariff and Attorney General Fida M Kamal on behalf of the government.

After returning of the bar leaders to the court at about 2:00pm, Nizamul Huq Nasim, convener of election sub-committee, announced that they have reached a consensus to defer the polling date to April 28-29 following 'fruitful' discussions with the government ending in an agreement in this regard.

A noisy scene was created centring announcement of election dates. General members of the bar screamed at the announcement with a note of disapproval of the deal protesting which they demanded resignation of SCBA President Amir-ul-Islam and Secretary Advocate AM Amin Uddin.

The hue and cry was so loud that incumbent SCBA president Barrister Amir-ul-Islam had to leave the hall room by making a brief statement on the situation.

In his speech, Barrister Amir-ul-Islam said he was not dealing with political agenda rather he was working with an election agenda.

"We believe in rule of law and we want that the election be held in a peaceful manner," he said.

The SCBA President alleged that a certain quarter was trying to create an anarchic situation so that the election cannot be held.

At once he asked non-members to leave the Bar hall room and requested non candidates to refrain from making statements.

Hundreds of lawyers thronged the polling centres to cast their votes since 10:00am.

The election was scheduled to begin at 10:00am The Bar leaders deferred the time of casting of votes to 11:30am following a meeting in the morning since they went to Gulshan to meet the Law Adviser to resolve the election stalemate through consultation. Later the voting time was deferred for the second time to 2:00pm as the negotiations was delayed.

SCBA President Amir-ul-Islam, Secretary AM Aminuddin, five president candidates, including Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, Barrister Shafique Ahmed, Humayun Hossain Khan and convenor of the election sub-committee left the Supreme Court premises at 9:15am to resolve the election stalemate through consultation with the government.

As the stalemate over the election continued, some agitating general members of the SCBA held an impromptu meeting at the Bar hall room.

They observed that if the election could not be held as per schedule, the incumbent executive committee should be dissolved immediately and an ad-hoc committee formed to run the association until a new elected committee assumes office. The tenure of incumbent committee has expired last year.

Meanwhile, Barrister Shafique Ahmed told reporters, "It is our legal and moral victory following the agreement" as the Bar would not require any permission to hold the election after the agreement.

Khandakar Mahbub Hossain said the misunderstanding between the government and SCBA has been resolved through signing of the agreement.

It may be mentioned that the government on Sunday imposed a ban on the SCBA election, as the association did not seek permission from the authority concerned in line with the state of emergency. But the lawyers and candidates vowed to go ahead with the election as per schedule defying the ban order issued by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

Gilani elected premier: Pak PM orders release of detained judges

Yousaf Raza Gilani

Reuters, Islamabad

New Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani ordered on Monday the immediate release of all judges detained by President Pervez Musharraf after he imposed emergency rule in November.

"I order the immediate release of detained judges of the superior judiciary," Gilani told the National Assembly, shortly after it overwhelmingly voted for him to become prime minister.

Gilani, a top member of the party of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, also appealed to judges to resolve disputes through parliament, not through protests.

Earlier Pakistan's National Assembly elected as prime minister on Monday Yousaf Raza Gilani, a top official in assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's party, five weeks after it won a general election.

In an immediate challenge to President Pervez Musharraf, Gilani said he would order the immediate release of judges Musharraf detained after he declared emergency rule in November.

He also called on parliament to pass a resolution seeking a U.N. investigation into Bhutto's assassination on December 27 in a gun and bomb attack blamed on Islamist militants.

Gilani won with 264 votes in the 342-seat lower house of parliament, the speaker told the assembly. The only other contender, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi of the Pakistan Muslim League that backs Musharraf, won 42 votes.

The announcement triggered cheers and shouts of "Long Live Bhutto" from supporters in the visitors' gallery. Bhutto's son, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, was also in the gallery and was seen wiping away a tear.

Bhutto party supporters also chanted "go Musharraf, go."

"It is because of the martyrdom of Benazir Bhutto that democracy is being restored. It is a historic event," Gilani told the assembly shortly after the announcement.

Gilani, a vice chairman of Bhutto's party and a former National Assembly speaker, had been expected to win easily with the backing of his Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and its coalition partners, including the party of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif which came second in the February 18 polls.

There had been speculation the PPP would nominate a stop-gap prime minister and Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari, who now leads the party, would take over the post after entering parliament via a by-election.

But party officials rejected such speculation, saying Gilani would be prime minister for a full five-year term.

Musharraf is due to swear in Gilani on Tuesday. He is expected to begin naming ministers to his cabinet this week.

Musharraf has been politically isolated since the defeat of his allies in the election and there is speculation that his old foes forming a government will try to force him from power.

Gilani, a soft-spoken, resolute person, was jailed in 2001 by the Musharraf government for making illegal appointments, but was freed in 2006. He said the charge was politically motivated.

While in prison, Gilani wrote a book that advocated a strong military, but one removed from politics. He has called for the repeal of constitutional changes made by Musharraf to bolster his authority, including the power to dismiss a government.

The PPP-led coalition almost has the two-thirds majority in the two-chamber parliament needed to amend the constitution.

Gilani said his government would strengthen parliament.

"If you have to run the government, then you have to ensure the supremacy of parliament, the rule of law and the constitution," he said.

He held out an olive branch to the opposition, saying they would be respected, but his order for the release of the judges, though expected, set a tone of confrontation with Musharraf.

Minutes later, authorities removed all barricades from outside the house of former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and other judges held under house arrest in Islamabad. Supporters were later seen entering Chaudhry's house.

The incoming coalition partners have pledged to pass a resolution to reinstate the judges Musharraf dismissed out of fear they would rule unconstitutional his own re-election in October by the previous assembly.

If reinstated, the judges are expected to take up legal challenges to the president.

The United States and other Western allies fear political instability in their nuclear-armed ally, which is already facing a campaign of attacks by al Qaeda-inspired militants, if there is confrontation between the president and the new government.

Gilani also asked the assembly to pass a resolution condemning the "judicial murder" of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir's father and Pakistan's first popularly elected prime minister.

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was toppled by the military in 1977 and hanged two years later after a controversial court ruling in which he was found him guilty of murder.

Olympic torch lit amid protest

A protester briefly ran behind Beijing's envoy as he
spoke

Agency, Athens

The Olympic torch has been lit at a ceremony in Greece that was briefly disrupted by protesters.

Two pro-Tibet activists broke through the cordon of 1,000 police officers in Olympia and attempted to display a flag as China's envoy spoke. Activists had vowed to protest over the violence in and around Tibet.

The torch will now be carried around Greece before being sent to China to start a journey through 20 countries, returning to Beijing on 8 August.

The route includes the torch being taken to the top of Mount Everest and through Tibet.

As Liu Qi, head of the Beijing Olympic organising committee, spoke ahead of the torch lighting, two men ran up behind him attempting to display a black flag depicting the Olympic rings made from handcuffs.

They were quickly bundled away by police and Liu continued his speech uninterrupted.

The camera cut away from Liu and the protesters until they had been removed from the scene.

Actors dressed in ancient Greek costume then lit the torch in the traditional manner by using a parabolic mirror to focus the sun's rays.

There were fears that stormy weather would prevent the torch being lit in the customary way.

The ceremony, beside the Temple of Hera, was moved forward by an hour and the sun shone through a break in the clouds.

The head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has defended the decision to hold the Games in China saying there was "no momentum" for a boycott.

"The major political leaders don't want a boycott," said IOC president Jacques Rogge said ahead of Monday's ceremony.

Before the ceremony, a Tibetan activist confronted Rogge in a hotel lobby and said there should be free access for all media inside China, including Tibet, during the Games.

In his speech during the ceremony, Rogge said the Olympic torch relay and the Games should take place in a peaceful environment.

"The torch is the link between all athletes and citizens of this world; between all of us who believe in Olympism and the virtue of sport. It has the force to unite humanity and to stand for harmony."

He told the Associated Press news agency on Monday that he was engaged in "silent diplomacy" with Beijing on Tibet and other human rights issues.

The Olympic torch is being carried in a 136,000km (85,000 miles) around-the-world relay that will see it pass through 20 countries before arriving in Beijing for the start of the Games on 8 August.

Tibet activists are angered that the torch's route will take it through the Himalayan region and to the top of Mount Everest, which straddles the border between Nepal and Tibet.

China sent troops to Tibet in 1950 and since then there have been periods of unrest and sporadic uprisings as resentment of Beijing's rule has persisted.

The latest round of anti-China protests began in Tibet's main city, Lhasa, on 10 March - the 49th anniversary of a failed uprising - and gradually escalated.

Lhasa saw at least two days of violence and there have also been protests in provinces which border Tibet.

China says 19 people were killed by rioters and accuses Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama of inciting the violence.

The Tibetan government in exile says at least 130 people have died in a crackdown by Chinese troops and deny any role in the protests.

Torch lit in Olympia on 24 March and taken on five-day relay around Greece to Athens

After handover ceremony, it is taken to Beijing on 31 March to begin a journey of 136,800 km (85,000 miles) around the world

Torch arrives in Macao on 3 May. After three-month relay all around China, it arrives in Beijing for opening ceremony on 8 August.

3 more VIP prisoners sent back to jail: Doctors barred from entering prison cell with cellphone

Staff Reporter

The prison authorities yesterday sent back three more VIP prisoners to Dhaka Central Jail from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) for violating the jail code.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG-Prisons) Maj Shamsul Haider Siddiqui said that they returned detained former BNP lawmakers Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu and Salauddin Ahmed, who were undergoing treatment in the prison cell of BSMMU, to the central jail yesterday morning. And another VIP detainee, Abul Hashem, chairman of Partex Group, was supposed to be brought back to jail yesterday evening.

The punitive action was taken as some items proscribed under the jail codes were found in their possession, officials said.

Maj Siddiqui said prison guards Sunday seized two mobile-phone sets from the policemen guarding the cabin of BNP senior joint secretary Tarique Rahman, eldest son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, also detained in a special prison house since her arrest.

The DIG (Prisons) further said that they also found two SIM cards with SQ Chowdhury and former BNP minister Tariqul Islam on Sunday.

Following the recovery, the prison authorities led by Inspector General (IGP) Brigadier General Zakir Hasan sat at an emergency meeting with hospital authorities and decided to send those prisoners back to jail," he said.

The DIG said the jail authorities from the emergency meeting also imposed some codes of conduct on prisoners, doctors and nurses so that such things do not happen in the future.

The new codes of conduct provide that not more than one prisoner at a time would be taken out for medical check-up or tests, mobile sets have been restricted in the prison cell area, and doctors and nurses not allow to carry food from outside.

Under the tightened measures, physicians, nurses and other staff members must take entry pass before entering the prison cell.

Earlier on Sunday, former BNP MP Mosaddek Ali Falu and Jamaat leader and ex-MP Syed Abdullah Mohammed Taher were brought back to jail from the prison cell of BSMMU on similar allegation.

Disaster management not priority in Bangladesh

Staff Reporter

Experts at a sharing meeting in the city said though Bangladesh is on the verge of substantial threat of natural disaster like earthquake, it is never prioritised in disaster management.

The Ministry of Education and Ministry of Primary and Mass Education doesn't have any representation in the National Disaster Management Council to formulate and coordinate in disaster management at the national level, they said.

The Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) does not have any specific guidelines on making school infrastructure safer, but emphasis has been given on decentralisation of planning, implementation, operation and maintenance with active involvement of community, NGOs and private sector in any interventions of LGED. In fact, centrally planned and unified existing school infrastructural design as well as academic calendar is the reflection of the flawed education management, said the experts at the meeting.

PRSP is envisioned with the goal of mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into national development strategy, but school education as the most effective way of disaster risk reduction is not duly recognised, they said.

Decentralisation of authority to the grassroots level management can be supportive to maintain a standard contact hour and safe school infrastructures during disaster, they recommended.

They urged the government to ensure as far as possible construction of all educational institutions as two storied building in cyclone and flood prone areas.

The meeting on 'Civil society review of policy relevance for reducing disaster risks at/ through schools' jointly organised by Advanced Public Interest Trust (APIT) and Disaster Forum (DF) was held at conference room of Uttaran yesterday.

Maliha Shahjahan, Director of Research and Policy Audit of APIT and Raihan Sharif, Policy Analyst of APIT, jointly presented a discussion paper, while Dr M Anwarul Haque, former Director General of NAEM, moderated the session.

Speakers urged the government to introduce disaster related subjects in the curricula of schools and colleges in association with Disaster Management Bureau.

They stressed the need for arranging of warm-up training of teachers and students in disaster prone areas at different stages of disaster and if necessary, organise them, through coordination with the local authority as volunteers and inspire them for rescue, evolution and relief works.

They underscored the need for ensuring appropriate repair and maintenance of primary buildings in cyclone prone areas and also ensure wide scale disaster preparedness rehearsals by educational institutions within the months of April and September every year for enhancement of education and consciousness among people of the disaster prone areas.

Dr KM Shariful Huda, Professor of Dept of Geography and Environment of Jahangirnagar University, Shashanka Saadi, Climate Adaptation Expert of UNDP, Md Shafiqul Islam, Director Programmes of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, Sabbir Bin Shams of APIT, among others, spoke at the meeting.

Cheap visa death trap: Migrant workers land in war-torn Iraq

Hasan Shaheed and Mamunur Rashid

Hundreds of Bangladeshis are being sent to the war-torn Iraq every month by fraudulent means by a group of local fake manpower recruiting agencies, according to sources close to the Task Force.

The unsuspecting poor migrant workers heading for the UAE, the largest manpower market for the Bangladeshis, land in the hot-bed of insurgency and get involved in acts of terrorism, like suicide bomb attacks and are dying in a inhospitable, distant land everyday.

Recently, a group of returnees from Iraq told the Task Force their gruesome stories. They said they knew they were going to UAE with work visa, but were eventually sent to Iraq without their consent.

A Task Force source said, every day hundreds of workers are sent to the gulf state with No Objection Certificate (NOC) obtained from the UAE embassy. Unscrupulous manpower businessmen make several copies of the NOC and change the names and passport numbers of the migrant workers electronically. Then they obtain clearance from the manpower ministry illegally and in league with various airlines including the Biman and the officials of the immigration department dispatch these hapless workers out of the country.

The source said they fly to the UAE for joining their dream jobs. As soon as they reach Dubai airport, cohorts of the fake recruiting agencies hand them fresh visas and air tickets.

They change aircraft and fly to other directions. They arrive in Kurdistan or any other part of Iraq. Other members of that group receive them at the airport. Most of the migrants begin work for one or two months and with the sound of bombs blasts and report of cannon fire they understand where they are. Back home no one knows his whereabouts, the source added.

The source said going to UAE with working visa needs Tk 1,80,000 to Tk 2,20,000 per person, but there are local fake manpower recruiting agencies that offers such a visa for Tk 1,20,000 to Tk 1,50,000 only.

The law enforcing agencies recently rounded up some of the members of such fake agencies and following their interrogation have disclosed this to the media.

Detective branches of Bangladesh suspect that a group of fake manpower recruiting agencies having high-level links at home and abroad were involved in this racket and they are contributing to destroying our manpower markets in the world, especially in the Middle East.

A member of the Task Force, who refused to be identified, said a number of detective branches with the Task Force were hunting for the Godfathers of the fake manpower business and hoped to arrest them in a short time.

Extortion case: Tarique's bail rejected: ACC to submit chargesheet on wealth case soon

Staff Reporter

A court in Dhaka yesterday rejected the bail petition of BNP's senior joint secretary general Tarique Rahman in a case field with Kafrul police station in the city for extortion and high handedness in connection with trader dropping.

Md Azizul Haque, Metropolitan Sessions Judge of Dhaka heard the bail petition and rejected it. Tarique Rahman, elder son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, was arrested on March 7 last years under Section 16 (2) of be Emergency Power Rules 2007 as per general diary (GD) No 551 of Kafrul police station.

The police report says, Tarique Rahman was involved in offence related to the tenders of different ministries and extortion through his relations and known persons.

Adv Sanaullah Miah, Tarique's lawyer, has said during hearing, if any case in filed against an arrestee, his GD based charge becomes inactive. Although as per provisions the inquiry report is to be submitted within 15 days. After the filing of GD in the instant case report was not submitted ever after 375 days.

Meanwhile, the Anti Corruption Commission is going to submit charge sheet against detained Tarique Rahman very soon for hiding his wealth information.

The process of submission of charge sheet in the case against Tarique Rahman is at the final stage. We can assume that the charge sheet will be submitted very soon," ACC Director General (Admin) Col Hanif Iqbal told a Commission's regular briefing yesterday.

Replying to a question, he said, "The charge sheet can be submitted any time, any day."

To another questioner, Hanif said, "The charge sheet can be submitted by this week. I can't be certain. But, to the best of my knowledge it's at the final stage. The submission of charge sheet awaits the Commission's approval."

On September 26, 2007, the anti-graft watchdog filed the case with Kafrul police station against Tarique, his wife Dr Zobaida Rahman and mother-in-law Syeda Iqbal Mand Banu for concealing information of assets worth about Tk 4.23 crore and acquiring wealth worth about Tk 4.81 crore beyond their known sources of income.

The case was filed under Sections 26(2) and 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004, Section 109 of the Penal Code and Section 15(D)(5) of the Emergency Power Rules, 2007.

Following the filing of the case, ACC Assistant Director Taufiqul Islam investigated the case and submitted the memo of evidence (investigation report) on January 13 this year. The Commission before submission of the charge sheet is scrutinising the report.

Tarique, now in jail, was arrested on March 8, 2007 from his cantonment residence. Since then, 12 cases have been filed against him and one by the ACC.

Verdict on Khaleda's writ against EC invitation Apr 10

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court set April 10 for pronouncing its judgment on the much-debated writ of detained BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging validity of the Election Commission invitation to her party's reformist faction for dialogue on electoral reforms.

A division bench comprising Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Mamnoon Rahman passed the order yesterday fixing the date for the verdict, following hearings on extensive submissions from both sides.

The court also adjourned until April 10 the hearing on another writ of similar nature in the form of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Nasir Uddin Ashim, a BNP leader.

On November 4 last year, the High Court, upon Asim's writ, had issued rule upon the EC and the government to explain why they should not be directed to invite legitimate BNP officials for the pre-election dialogue on electoral reforms.

Earlier On Mar 18, the bench closed the hearings on the writ petition that had lasted long ten working days, with veterans in black gowns fighting war of words in their legal jargons.

The BNP-leadership dispute arose when on November 5 last year the EC, ignoring Khaleda-appointed BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain, sent a letter to Maj (Retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed to participate in the dialogue with political parties preparatory to holding the stalled parliament elections.

Aggrieved at the decision, Khaleda Zia, also the immediate-past premier, moved to the High Court for seeking redress.

On November 18 the same year, the High Court, responding to Khaleda's writ, had stayed operation of the EC letter to the BNP standing committee-nominated acting secretary general, Maj Hafiz, causing the Election Commission to inconclusively conclude the crucial first round of its reform dialogue with political parties.

The court also had issued a rule upon the EC, the acting secretary general and six members of the BNP standing committee and the chief adviser of the caretaker government to explain why the impugned letter 'should not be declared illegal'.

On September 2 last year, prior to her arrest in connection with a corruption case amid a crackdown on politicians in the interim period, the BNP chief expelled her secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan on charge of anti-party activities and handpicked Khandker Delwar as secretary general.

On October 29, an impromptu meeting of the BNP standing committee declared M Saifur Rahman and Maj (Retd) Hafiz acting chairperson and acting secretary general respectively, in a sort of inner-party coup.

The EC took the decision on the plea of "doctrine of necessity" in the wake of a tug-of-war between the two squabbling groups in the BNP.

Since the BNP leadership hinges on the decision of the High Court ruling, the EC could not complete its dialogue programme with the political parties on electoral reforms.

Issuance of Saudi visa to resume shortly

BSS, Dhaka

Saudi Arabian Ambassador Abdullah M Al-Obaid Al-Namla paid a farewell call on Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury at his office on Monday afternoon.

The Foreign Adviser thanked the Saudi envoy for his "dedicated service" to the cause of Bangladesh-Saudi relations for eight years. He also appreciated the role of Ambassador Namla as the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.

The ambassador said he was "profoundly grateful" for the support he had received from the government and the Foreign Adviser himself during his tenure of duty.

The Saudi envoy told the media after the meeting that he had given assurances that the normal issuance of visa which was temporary suspended due to a technical problem would be resumed shortly.

"In fact, on the first day of resumption, we hope to issue 5,000 visas," he said.

He told a questioner that the Foreign Adviser is most welcome to visit Saudi Arabia. "We are waiting for a mutually convenient date for the visit," he said.

Parjatan to be facilitator of tourism sector

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation has initiated a move to become facilitator to the tourism industry instead of doing present traditional business.

To this effect the Parjatan Corporation Ordinance of 1972 will be turned in to a law and the name of the Corporation will be changed to National Tourism Authority by December next, said newly appointed chairman Shafiq Alam Mehedi.

All the hotels, motels and other businesses of the Corporation will be make privatised.

The proposed Authority will work to promote tourism in the country and provide infrastructure and legal support to the institutions working in this sector, he said.

He also said the proposed authority will be working to attract foreign investment in the tourism sector and unveil some new spots which are of international standard.

Two committees are working in this regard and conducting a survey to identify and develop new tourism spots, Mehedi said.

"I know tourism is public relations…unless there is publicity, no tourism industry can be developed," the chairman said seeking help from the media to boost the sector.

Mehedi requested a cross section of people to vote Bangladesh's mangrove forest Sundarban as one of the new seven wonders of nature. He said the Parjatan Corporation is considering installations of Internet booths in educational institutions and public places so that people can vote in this regard.

He informed the journalists that the Parjatan Corporation is working

to rank the hotels in Bangladesh under certain categories.

The chairman said the corporation feels the necessity of setting up at least 10 national hotel and tourism institutes across the country for creating skilled human resources to be needed for massive activities of the National Tourism Authority.

The skilled manpower will also be exported to the western countries, including Europe, he said.

Hannan Shah claims to be in charge of BNP

UNB, Sherpur

BNP leader Brig (rtd) Hannan Shah yesterday said he is holding the steering of the party and assured the party activists of securing early release of chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail.

He had a meeting at Gazni Abokash Kendra of Jhenigati, which was attended by leaders and activists from two upazilas. Shah avoided newsmen saying it is personal visit.

But sources close to the meeting told UNB that Shah informed them he is now holding the steering of BNP on directive from Khaleda Zia. "I' m keeping close contacts with the high command. Inshah Allah we will secure her release and visit Sherpur with her in the near future," Shah was quoted to have told the meeting.

In his brief meeting Shah advised the party men to remain united and suffer from no confusion. Shah who came here with his daughter-in-law had launch in the house of his family friend Aminul Haq before returning to Dhaka.

Tesco probes Malaysia wage claims

Staff Reporter

Tesco says doing business overseas can be challenging Tesco has launched an inquiry into a report that some of its workers in Malaysia work up to 80 hours a week for as little as 8p (Tk 11.068) an hour, according to a report ran by the influential British newspaper The Daily Telegraph on Sunday.

Migrant workers from Bangladesh told The Daily Telegraph that they paid a labour agent up to £1,500 (Tk 2,07,525) to land a job at one of Tesco's Malaysian stores.

They then find themselves working for between £20 (Tk 2,767) to £50 (Tk 6,917.50) a month after deductions are made to their salary.

"Tesco, a British multinational company of cloths' chain stores having outlets in most parts of the world, said it took the allegations about its contractors very seriously," the newspaper said.

"Doing business in some overseas markets can be challenging as local laws and customs sometimes appear to conflict with the high expectations we have here in the UK and elsewhere in the international community," Tesco said in a statement.

"However, wherever we operate we insist on the highest standards of welfare for workers, both our own and-as in this case-those employed by contractors working for us," the statement continued.

"Whilst we do not believe that they are deliberately seeking to disadvantage their workers, if improvements need to be made we will not hesitate to make them," Tesco added.

The Daily Telegraph said labour agents promised the Bangladeshi workers that they would be paid £180 (Tk 24,903) to £215 (Tk 29,745.25) a month.

But migrant workers in Malaysia rarely earn more than a gross salary of £117 (Tk 16,186.95) a month, the paper reported.

ADB assures help to meet food shortage

UNB, Dhaka

Visiting ADB director general for South Asia Kunio Senga yesterday assured Bangladesh of any support, if necessary, to tackle the country's vulnerable food situation.

"We'll closely monitor the situation and would be ready to help the government in any manner," he told reporters after a meeting with Finance and Planning Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam at his Planning Ministry office.

The ADB director general arrived here Sunday night on a 3-day official visit to Bangladesh.

During the meeting, they had discussions on future ADB supports for Padma Bridge, budgetary support and long-term disaster management programmes and other projects.

Kunio said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is ready to provide support to face the food situation if the government is unable to manage it and request the ADB for its support.

He said the government has already undertaken various measures and was also considering new measures.

"The situation remained relatively under control," he said adding that food is available in the country although the price is on the rise allover the world.

The ADB senior executive appreciated Bangladesh for smooth progress of ADB-supported projects and said the excellent performance in project implementation resulted in record high loan disbursement of around US$ 1 billion last year.

About food support, Finance Adviser Dr Aziz said ADB could provide food support in two forms - budgetary support or an unusual means that they could buy food for us.

"We've had a budget pressure as 70 percent households in the Sidr-hit areas and 40 percent in the flood-affected areas are under the VGF (vulnerable group feeding) programme," he added.

About other supports, the Adviser said donors have so far pledged to provide US$ 950 million - ADB US$ 350 million, and JBIC and World Bank US$ 300 million each-for the construction of Padma Bridge at a cost of US$ 1.6 billion.

He said Bangladesh would have to invest some money in this regard, but it would require some more external assistance. The ADB DG assured that they would try to mobilise more funds in this regard, he added.

The Finance Adviser also sought ADB support in Bangladesh's 15-year disaster recovery programme worth US$ 4 billion while the ADB DG apprised him of the development bank's efforts to set up a disaster fund in the bank.

He said the Bank would also participate in the London conference on climate change at the end of May this year, which would focus on Bangladesh.

During his 3-day visit, Kunio Senga is also scheduled to hold discussions with the Advisers for Foreign Affairs, Communications, and Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Power and Energy, and senior government officials.

The discussions would focus on regional cooperation, food security, and power and transport sector developments, said a statement.

Senga will also exchange views with the development partners and other stakeholders on a wide range of development issues.

The Manila-based Asian Development Bank is dedicated to reducing poverty in the Asia and Pacific region through pro-poor sustainable economic growth, social development, and good governance.

Set up in 1966, the Bank is owned by 67 members - 48 from the region. In 2007, it approved $10.1 billion of loans, $673 million of grant projects, and technical assistance amounting to $243 million.

Bid to kill Hasina: Charge framing against accused deferred again

Court Correspondent

Charge framing against the accused in the case filed for making attempt to kill former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was deferred again. It was not known immediately when the trial process will resume in the case pending with the Speedy Trial Tribunal 4 of Dhaka.

As the accused Retired Col. Syed Faruque Rahman, retired Major Bazul Huda and the other accused Shahjahan have not been produced before the court, the Judge refixed the dates repeatedly for charge pressing.

Meanwhile, as no witness appeared before the court yesterday for recording deposition in the case filed against Jatiya Party Chairman H M Ershad in connection with the installation of telephone line with 89 upazilas during his regime, the Judge refixed April 21 for hearing.