The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rail line sabotage feared: 3500 clips stolen from Banani tracks; train communication with Dhaka suspended for 3 hours

Rail sleeper clips from Kamalapur to Banani railway
station were stolen yesterday resulting in suspension of
train services for several hours. Banglar Chokh

Shahidul Islam

An organised criminal gang has stolen as many as 3,500 clips from over 600 meters of Dhaka-Chittagong rail line near Banani railway station in the capital Thursday night.

Sources close to the Government and leaders of different political parties termed this incident an act of felony to sabotage the launching of India-Bangladesh Friendship train that starts plying between Dhaka and Kolkata from Pahela Baishak, the Bangla New Year's Day, on April 14 this year.

The Bangla new year is widely observed by Bangla speaking people around the world and a large population of a number of Asian countries.

"The plying of the Indo-Bangla Friendship Train will trigger a new era of bilateral relationship like that of the Indo-Pak Friendship Train, which is plying between New Delhi and Lahore for the last seven years and the Kahsmir Bus Service plying between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad," a highly placed official of the Railway Division of the Ministry of Communications told this Correspondent.

"This the biggest ever rail clip theft in a single day in the history of Bangladesh Railway," a senior official of the Bangladesh Railway told journalists yesterday, adding, they had came to know about the missing clips at about 7:15am and immediately stopped the movement of all the trains to and from Dhaka city.

Witnesses said the incident caused enormous sufferings to thousands of passengers, including children, elderly people and the sick, as a number of trains remained stranded on the track for over three hours.

Senior leaders of different political parties, including BNP (Reformist) Acting Secretary General Maj (Retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed, BNP (Conformist) Joint Secretary General Gayeswar Chandra Roy and Awami League Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, said the theft was nothing but a sabotage by those quarters opposed to Indo-Bangla friendly relations and those out to destabilise the country before a transition to democracy and the Caretaker Government.

Niazi declined to surrender in public on Dec16 : Jacob

Lieutenant General JFR Jacob

BSS, Dhaka

Leader of the visiting 1971 war veteran Indian generals Lieutenant General JFR Jacob on Friday said the December 16 surrendering ceremony was staged in public despite general Niazi's insistence to hold it at Dhaka cantonment.

"No, you must surrender before the people of Dhaka. We wanted the Pakistani troops to surrender in public as they had carried out so much atrocities on the people of this country," Jacob, the then chief of general staff of India's Eastern Command told a press meet at the Indian High Commission here.

Jacob, who had drafted the "Instrument of Surrender" and organised the ceremony at the 'Racecourse Maidan', now the Suhrawardy Udyan, said Pakistani forces commander Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi wanted to sign a "ceasefire" deal instead of a document suggesting the "unconditional surrender" to "joint forces" of Bangladesh and India.

And then, Jacob, who leads the 11-member Indian war veteran delegation, said the Pakistani commander insisted the ceremony to take place at his Dhaka Cantonment office.

The Indian general, however, said it was a risky to organise the ceremony in public at that turbulent time when "we did not have enough Indian troops at the scene to ensure the security". "But there are always risks in wars."

Jacob, who also authored the famous Surrender at Dacca, in his book, however, wrote that the instrument of surrender was drafted in a manner so "It would not be offensive".

"History has shown that rigid, uncompromising surrender terms have had adverse repercussions in succeeding years," he wrote in his book.

But, Jacob, said Niazi later during his stay in Kolkata as a prisoner of war along with rest of the Pakistani troops, accused him of "blackmailing" in signing the document infusing into them the fears of reprisals by the Mukti Bahini or freedom fighters. "But I never blackmailed him."

Jacob highly praised the freedom fighters including the East Bengal Regiment soldiers saying they emerged as "terror for Pakistani troops".

"Their contribution was crucial to the emergence of Bangladesh . . . they deserve the full credit."

The retired Indian general, who had joined the then British Indian army in 1942, also expressed his gratitude to Bangladesh for the invitation of the Indian veterans to join the 37th Independence anniversary celebration of Bangladesh.

This is the first time when the 1971 war veterans were invited to Bangladesh after the Liberation War as they came here along with their spouses at the invitation of army chief General Moeen U Ahmed.

"India and Bangladesh need each other," Jacob said as he described the bilateral relations as excellent.

But, he said, the two neighbours should strengthen the historic and geographical bondage exploring ways for enhanced trade and economic ties and people-to-people relations for mutual progress and benefit.

115 pc rise in Jute exports to India likely

An exhibition of jute products is in progress at the
Jute Research Institute in the city. Focus Bangla

Mashiur Rahaman with Sheikh Arif Bulbon

Bangladeshi export of jute products to India during the first seven months (January to July) of this year (2008) is likely to surge by 115 per cent in value as the Indian Government removed import duty on jute products and some other goods, including raw jute from Bangladesh, sources close to the industry said yesterday.

Statistic compiled by the Indian Government showed, imports of jute products during January-July 2007 stood at 34,208 tons, it will go up to 61,158 tons during the same period in 2008. Import tax liberalization policy of the Indian Government will encourage importers to import more as most Indian jute industries largely depend upon this imported jutes.

However, raw jute imports from the Bangladesh are also likely to go up by 35 per cent in volume and 7.2 per cent in value during this period as targeted by the Indian Government's policy statement. Imports of raw jute are expected to go up to 6.69 lakh bales from the previous 4.94 lakh bales. In value terms, the rise will be from Tk215 lakh to Tk230.48 lakh.

However, exports earnings went up from Tk4403.2 lakh to Tk 4437.6 lakh during the period on rise in global prices. The cost of imports will rise from Tk1370.324 lakh to Tk295.84 lakh during the period.

Raw jute consumption by the Indian mills sector was around 68 lakh bales till end-February 2008. If raw jute consumption by jute mills till June 2008 continued to follow the same pattern as hitherto, raw jute consumption by the mills sector in the 2007-08 jute year (July-June) would be around 95 lakh bales.

With another nine lakh bales being consumed by the domestic sector and other industries, the total consumption in the current jute year in India is estimated to be around 104 lakh bales.

However, according to the Jute Advisory Board of India, the size of the 2007-08 jute crop has officially been pegged at 97 lakh bales. Import of jute from Bangladesh in the current jute year was eight lakh bales. As such, the total raw jute available in the 2007-08 jute year was 128 lakh bales.

Former UGC Chairman Asaduzzaman dead

UGC Chairman Asaduzzaman

DU Correspondent

Prof Mohammad Asaduzzaman, former chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC) and a renowned teacher of Public Administration Department of Dhaka University died of cardiac arrest in a city hospital at 10:00am yesterday. He was 60.

The doctor on duty declared him dead shortly after he was admitted to the BIRDEM hospital.

Prof Asaduzzaman's body has been kept at the BIRDEM hospital after the first namaj-e-janaza held at the DU Central Mosque after Juma prayers.

The body of the noted scholar will be kept at the foot of Aparajeya Bangla from 10:00 am to 11:00am today (Saturday) where his colleagues, students and the public will pay their last respect. Later, he will be buried at the Intellectual Graveyard in Mirpur.

He left behind his wife, two daughters, one son, students and well-wishers to mourn his death.

Prof Asaduzzaman, a senior Fulbright and Colombo Plan Scholar, was born in the Shivpur thana of Narsingdi district in 1948.

He started his professional career from Notre Dame College as lecturer in 1970 and later joined Dhaka University in 1973 as lecturer. He became professor in 1993.

He received PhD degree in Public Administration from Dhaka University, MPhil from Tasmania University of Australia and MA in Political Science and Public Administration from the university.

He was chairman of the Committee of SAARC University Grants Commissions` and Public Administration Department, President of Dhaka University teachers association (DUTA), Dean of Social Science Faculty for four consecutive terms, member of National Education Commission, Editor of Social Science Review, Senate and Syndicate members of Dhaka University.

He received a number of awards and honours for his outstanding contribution to higher education. Of those, Amar Ekushey Padak`2006, Sri-Gyan Atish Dipankar Gold Medal 2003, Shaheed President Ziur Rahman Gold Medal 2002, Mother Teressa Gold Medal 2004 are mentionable.

The most important most important research works that he conducted are "Contingency Approach to Management development," "An Evaluation of Training and Development Activities in Savar TTDC," "Politics of Rural Development in Bangladesh: 1950-70," "Problems of Agricultural Practices in Haor areas" and "Role of NGOs and their Institutional Interaction with Local Government of Bangladesh.

President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed have expressed their deep shock at the death of former UGC chairman Prof Asaduzzaman.

In a condolence message, the President said the countrymen would ever remember the contribution of the noted educationist in education sector and nation building.

He also prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family members.

In a similar message of condolence, the Chief Adviser expressed his profound shock at the death of the noted educationist.

Recalling with deep respect the contribution of Prof Asaduzaman in the development of education sector, the CA prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul and conveyed sympathy to the members of the bereaved family.

Former Education Minister Dr M Osman Faruque, DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr SMA Faiz, Pro-VC Prof Dr Yusuf Haider, Treasurer Prof. Syed Abul Kalam Azad, Dhaka University Teachers` Association (DUTA), and Dhaka University Journalists` Association (DUJA) also condoled the death of Prof Asaduzzaman.

Pennsylvania Senator to endorse Obama

Associated Press, Washington

Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey plans to endorse Democrat Barack Obama Friday, a move that could help the presidential candidate make inroads with white working-class voters dubbed "Casey Democrats" in the Keystone State.

Campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the endorsement will come as Obama begins a six-day campaign swing through Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania's April 22 primary is the next big prize in the drawn-out nomination battle between Obama, the Illinois senator, and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York. Clinton, who holds a double-digit lead in Pennsylvania polls, needs a victory in the state to keep her nomination fight alive.

Casey is a first-term senator and the son of a popular former governor of the state. Casey is Catholic and, like his father, is known for his opposition to abortion and support of gun rights. His support could help Obama make inroads among Catholic voters.

Pennsylvania has an estimated 3.8 million Catholics, or just over 30 percent of the state's population, and the percentage among Democrats is estimated to be slightly higher.

Obama's team hopes that Casey will help narrow Clinton's huge lead among white working-class voters - men in particular. Clinton routed Obama among that demographic in Ohio and Texas on March 4, raising questions about his electability in November. In recent weeks, Obama has stressed economic issues important to the middle class, and he is outspending Clinton on television advertising that features blue-collar imagery.

Clinton and her supporters have been making their own direct appeals: backers Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., last week wrote a letter to Pennsylvania Catholics emphasizing her plans on health care, mortgage foreclosures and fuel costs. Clinton has been endorsed by Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, giving her access to his potent political operation.

Obama has lacked a major endorsement by a statewide Pennsylvania politician, and Casey's could help jump-start his Pennsylvania campaign. Casey has close ties to organize labor, which has been divided in Pennsylvania between the two candidates.

Casey had a 62 percent approval rating among Democrats in a recent Quinnipiac University poll.

Casey's move could also be seen as a political jab at the Clintons. Bill Clinton was the Democrats' presidential nominee in 1992 when Casey's father was not given a prime-time speaking position at the party's convention, which outraged many of the state's conservative Democrats.

Casey is scheduled to join Obama in Pittsburgh Friday and campaign with him as Obama travels by across Pennsylvania by bus.

The bus tour will feature "listening sessions," a technique Clinton used in her 2000 Senate campaign to convince skeptical New Yorkers that she was not just a carpetbagger looking for a plum post after leaving the White House.

Though trailing in the state, Obama hopes to prevent Clinton from racking up a large win in the state which could eat away at his delegate advantage and give her new life in the final primaries running to June.

It may be a tough sell for some in the state, which has a sizable elderly population. In the previous primaries, older Democrats have favored Clinton, while younger voters tend toward Obama.

Casey served two four-year terms as state auditor general. He lost a 2002 gubernatorial bid in the Democratic primary to Rendell.

Casey was elected to the Senate in 2006, defeating conservative GOP incumbent Rick Santorum. Obama campaigned for Casey, but so did Clinton and her husband.

Climate change now UN human rights issue

AFP, Geneva

Climate change is now officially a human rights issue, as the UN Human Rights Council on Friday passed a resolution on the subject, recognising that the world's poor are particularly vulnerable.

The council also gave the green light for a study into the impact of climate change on human rights, describing climate change as a "global problem .. that requires a global solution".

The resolution, submitted by the Maldives and passed without a vote, also noted that the poor tend to have limited resources to cope with the impact of global warming.

The country's Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid told AFP that climate change "violates all human rights"-from the basic to the fundamental. "In the case of Maldives, the right to life itself," he said.

The island state is among the world's most vulnerable states to global warming, as it risks being submerged by rising sea waters. Shahid said Maldives appreciated various forums which have already been discussing the climate change issue.

"But the very important aspect of the human dimension is sometimes lost. Scientific and economic issues have all been taken into account," he said, adding that the country wanted to use the resolution to highlight the human dimension of the problem.

When introducing the resolution in Geneva, Maldives' representative told delegates that the debate on the subject had so far tended to focus on physical effects, while the "phenomenon on human beings" had been largely overlooked. "It is time to highlight the human face of climate change," he said.

Supporting the resolution, Sri Lanka's representative called it "timely" and said because of climate change, even "the right to life is under threat".

The council's resolution acknowledged findings by the landmark report by the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change which said the evidence of a human role in the warming of the planet was now "unequivocal", and that the situation could be irreversible.

It also cited those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change: low-lying and small island states; countries with low-lying coastal, arid and semi- arid areas or areas prone to floods, drought, and desertification; and developing countries with fragile mountainous ecosystems.

Greenpeace political adviser Daniel Mittler welcomed the resolution, saying that it "points to the right direction".

"We have always maintained that climate change is way more than an environment issue, it is a security issue, an economic issue-in fact, it is the most important economic issue of our time, and indeed , human rights issue.

"It has a direct impact on people's lives, the ability of people to lead decent livelihoods. For example, Africans who can't farm as they used to or Alaskans who can no longer maintain their traditional lifestyle due to climate change effects."

However, he pointed out that the study proposed by the council is to be conducted "within existing resources", and said that more should be done to ensure that a thorough study be done. "It's so ironical, if climate change is such a key issue, then countries should put more resources behind it," said Mittler.

No famine in the country: Adviser

UNB, Faridpur

Dismissing the claim by various quarters that a 'silent famine' was stalking through the country, Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam said the price of rice would come down after the harvest of the current Boro paddy.

"There is no famine in the country. The prices of essentials have gone up in Bangladesh following the price-hike on the international market…this is not unusual," he said when local newsmen asked whether there is any famine in the country. He was talking to the journalists after inaugurating a branch of Employment Bank in Alphadanga upazila in the afternoon.

Dr Aziz said, "Though aman crop has failed due to Cyclone Sidr and consecutive floods, we've imported additional six lakh metric tons of food this year compared to that of last year."

The Finance Adviser said the government has taken various steps to bring down the prices of essentials and hoped that the rice supply would get a boost on the local market after the Boro harvest.

About the next budget, he said health, education and human resources development would get priority in the new budget.

Under-trial prisoner dies in Mirpur thana custody

Staff Reporter

Mystery shrouds the death of an under trial prisoner in a murder case in the custody of Mirpur Model Police Station early yesterday.

The prisoner was identified as Monirul Islam alias Moshiur Rahman, 25, son of Nawsher Ali of Bharatpur village under Monipur upazila in Jessore district. The Police said they found Monir hanging from the ventilator of a bathroom of Mirpur thana while they were checking prisoners at about 12:30 am.

Monirul committed suicide by hanging himself from the ventilator of the bathroom with his Lungi, a police officer claimed wishing anonymity. But he could not explain the reason behind the suicide.

Tipped off, the Monipur thana police on Thursday arrested Monirul from Gabtoli area in capital Dhaka in a murder case and confined him to local police station.

Monirul was the main accused in the Masud Rana murder case. Masud Rana was killed at Bhabatpur village under Monipur upazila on March 17.

Meanwhile, a three-member inquiry committee led by assistant police commissioner of Mirpur zone Emdadul Haque was formed to investigate the incident. The committee was asked to submit its report by March 31.

The body was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Offshore gas, oil blocks: Exploration accords with foreign cos must be transparent

Staff Reporter

Experts at a meeting in the city urged the government not to export oil and gas and conduct seismic survey before leasing out oil-gas blocks in the sea to foreign companies for the sake of national energy security.

They recommended the government not to lease all oil-gas blocks at a time and also to unearth any conspiracy in the coal policy.

As oil and gas resources are not renewable so we have to preserve these giving highest priority to saving our national resources, they said.

Since there is no extraction agreement for Block No 12, 13 and 14, these blocks should be given to BAPEX rather than to any foreign company, they added.

They urged the government to develop Chhatak (East) gas field to overcome the existing energy crisis.

The discussion meeting on 'Searching Oil and Gas in Coastal Region and Extraction Agreement: Thoughts of Civil Society' organised by Janatar Sangsad (JS) in collaboration with Organ Developments Ltd at the National Press Club yesterday.

Prof M Shamsul Alam of Chittagong University presented keynote paper, while Eng Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah, Eng Enamul Haque, Eng Sardar Amin, General Secretary of JS, among others, spoke at the meeting.

Speakers said the proposed coal policy was prepared according to people's demands. As a result, the coal policy is country-friendly. But the PSC model was refurbished and adopted quietly and people could not get the opportunity to give their inputs, they said and raised the question, "This type of self-contradictory behaviour of the Energy Ministry is questionable."

They urged the government to make transparent agreements with foreign companies.

They also urged the government to reorganise the PSC Model to bring accountability in the agreement.

Pressure mounts on AL leadership to launch movement for Hasina's release: Policymakers unwilling to do so right now

UNB, Dhaka

Although pressure gradually mounts on the Awami League central leadership from its rank and file to launch a movement seeking the release of detained party president Sheikh Hasina, the key leaders seem reluctant about a street agitation at this point of time.

"I think the party should go for a movement demanding the release of Sheikh Hasina as it's the demand of the people now. They (people) love Hasina and want her leadership. So the state cannot do anything to her that goes against their desire," AL leader Abdul Latif Siddeque told UNB yesterday.

He urged the party policymakers to get united shedding their all differences at this critical moment of the country.

But, according to sources, the party central leadership is unwilling to launch any movement at the moment as it might delay the general election. "We don't want to take any risk that might delay the election. We want to observe the caretaker government's move for a few months to be sure whether it is going to hold the election as per the electoral roadmap," said a party leader wishing not to be named.

According to the central leaders, any movement aiming to free Sheikh Hasina is unlikely to be successful under the state of emergency and they do not have enough organisational strength to go for a tough street movement.

The party policymakers are rather planning to go for agitation on national issues like price-hike of essentials, food shortage, short supply of fertilizer and power, unemployment and against the closure of mills and factories, party insiders said.

But, they said, the issue of Hasina's release will not be there in the demands as the party wants to rejuvenate its leaders and workers, and mobilize public support in favour of their movement.

To make that happen, the central leaders will hold meetings with the district-level leaders to have their views about launching any movement.

A meeting of the party central working committee tomorrow (Saturday) will fix the dates for the meetings and take some important decisions on the workers' demands, a working committee member told UNB.

A meeting of the party secretaries and assistant-secretaries on March 20 expressed their disappointment, as their demand to launch a movement for Hasina's release has gone unheeded so far.

Grassroots-level leaders and workers criticised the central leaders in party programmes on March 7 and March 18 for not launching a tough movement for the release of Sheikh Hasina.

In the wake of growing discontent among the party rank and file, Awami League cancelled its scheduled discussion on March 26 marking the National Independence Day to avoid any kind of unwanted situation, the party sources said. "And now they (central leaders) have started avoiding us (grassroots leaders and workers) so that they do not have to hear the demand for launching any movement," a party district leader said preferring anonymity.

The party from its highest forum Wednesday demanded the caretaker government start the proposed dialogue with the political parties immediately to avert any kind of conflicts saying that where there is no dialogue, there is no way to reach a solution, except conflict.

Talking to UNB, AL presidium member Suranjit Sengupta said now the government will have to decide where it would push the country towards a conflict or a consensus.

He said the party will raise the issue of Sheikh Hasina's release at the proposed dialogue with the government and the party will not compromise in this regard (Hasina's release).

"We want resolution of all the unresolved issues through discussions with the government. We'll raise the issues of Sheikh Hasina's release, parliamentary polls ahead of the local body elections, specific timeframe for holding the parliamentary polls and steps for mitigating the public sufferings caused by the price-hike and power crisis," Suranjit said.

The AL leader said there would be solutions to all the problems when the government would hand over power to an elected government through a fair election.

CA, Army Chief in CHT: Various projects to be taken up for uplift of tribals

UNB, Bandarban

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday said various projects would be taken for the development of unprivileged tribal people of the CHT region with special emphasis on education.

"The present government is also giving importance to various income-generating projects for the people of the region," the CA said at a cultural programme performed by Murang tribe at Kapurpara area here this on Friday morning.

Dr Fakhruddin said there is a bright prospect of tourism in the panoramic region.

Earlier, the CA visited the people of Murang tribe at Kapurpara, 50 kms away from Bandarban town, at 9:30am in the morning. Murang people welcomed the CA by playing their special musical instrument and wearing traditional dresses.

The Chief Adviser donated Tk 100,000 to solve the crisis of pure water of Murang people and distributed various gift items among the community members.

Dr Fakhruddin arrived here Thursday and spent the night in army-operated Nilgiri resort.

Army Chief Gen Moeen U Ahmed and top military and civil officials accompanied the Chief Advisor.

Dhaka-Jagannathganj train links restored after 13 hours

Bdnews24.com, Mymensingh

Train links between Dhaka and Jagannathganj Ghat resumed yesterday after 13 hours of disruptions, said a Mymensingh railway junction official.

Station superintendent Nazrul Islam told bdnews24.com: "The rescue operation started around 8pm Thursday and railway links were restored Friday morning."

Eight compartments of the Dhaka-bound intercity train Teesta Express travelling from Bahadurabad Ghat derailed at 5pm Thursday in Begunbari area of Mymensingh, forcing passengers to leap off the train.

Witnesses said the train left for Dhaka from Dewanganj in Jamalpur at 3.30pm Thursday.

A number of passengers suffered minor injuries. The train was travelling at slow speed, which apparently averted fatalities.

Divisional traffic officer for Bangladesh Railway Abdul Muquit told bdnews24.com that two recovery trains had rushed to the accident site from Dhaka and Mymensingh to haul up the derailed compartments.

The accident disrupted the services of some other trains in and out of Dhaka.

Ex-minister Iqbal Hasan released on parole

Staff Reporter

Convicted former BNP state minister for power Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku was released from Kashimpur jail on parole for four hours yesterday following the death of his mother-in-law Mamjuda Chowdhury.

Mamjuda Chowdhury, 84, died of old age complications at the LabAid Hospital in the city yesterday morning.

DIG (Prisons) Major Shamsul Haider Siddiqui said that former state minister Tuku was released from Kashimpur jail at 4:00pm on parole for four hours to enable him attend the funeral of his mother-in-law.

Tuku was arrested by the joint forces from his residence in Dhaka on February 3, last year and later sentenced to nine years imprisonment in a corruption case.

23-member Pak cabinet shortly

AP, Islamabad

A Pakistani lawmaker says the country's new government will name Cabinet ministers shortly.

Lawmaker Ahsan Iqbal said a 23-member Cabinet would be announced. Followers of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto are expected to get key slots. They hold the most seats in parliament and named a prime minister last week.

Three other parties are part of a ruling coalition.

The new government is dominated by foes of U.S.-backed President Pervez Musharraf.