The New Nation - Internet Edition

No doubt about polls after Gen Moeen’s word: Ershad

Desk Report

Former president Hussain Mohammad Ershad said all negative speculations on the general election have been defused after the Army Chief reassured the editors and senior journalists of different media at a meeting on Tuesday.

Ershad was speaking at a function organised by Jatiya Jubo Sanghati at a city hotel yesterday to mark their 25th founding anniversary.

He said, "We want a free, fair and credible election to establish a democratic government and to do so, the political leaders should change their mentality and political culture."

Jatiya Party Chairman said, "The government should sit with all the political parties before the next parliamentary election to discuss the country's political scenario. Besides, the political parties should sign a people's charter where they must give their commitment to the nation that they would work for the people's interest after going to power."

Ershad also reiterated that his party could form an alliance with the other like-minded parties before the next parliamentary election.

He said, "As the government did not stock enough rice after the Sidr, so the price of food items like rice has increased, the government should introduce rationing system to distribute rice among the poor people."

"Had there been January 22 election, the country might have experienced a civil strife, because the past government tried to come to power through a conspiracy, In the last 15 years, we had three democratic governments, but there was no real democracy." said the former president.

Appreciating some steps taken by the Caretaker Government, Ershad said, "The EC has been reconstituted and separated from the Prime Minister's Office. The government initiative to formulate a National Security Council is a good move. Besides, the judiciary has been separated from the executive body."

Among others, JP General Secretary ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader and Acting Party Chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud were also present on the occasion.

Month-long handloom fair opens

Visitors on the opening day of month-long handloom
fair at Shilpakala Academy in the city yesterday. NN
photo

Staff Reporter

The month-long Hand Loom Textile Fair-2008 began at the premises of the Shilpakala Academy in the city yesterday marking the Independence and National day-2008.

Adviser Anwarul Iqbal, Textile and Jute Ministry, inaugurated the fair organised by the Bangladesh Weaving Board.

Anwarul Iqbal said weavers would be allocated space at the union level farmers' market to be opened in each union of the country.

He said the products of the handloom sector have been able to earn praise abroad.

He urged the weavers for making clothes with the natural fibre instead of synthetic fibre, as the demand of fabrics made of natural fibre is increasing in the world market.

He informed that over three lakh handlooms were in operation in the country involving about 15 lakh people directly or indirectly.

Lack of proper organisation, problems in the distribution of products, lack of capital, low standard of raw materials and outdated technology, lack of training and skill are main obstacles to the development of the handloom sector, he noted.

Anwarul Iqbal said the government distributed Tk 2 crore as assistance among 10 thousands flood affected weavers families during post-flood of 2007 and about Tk 34.5 crore loan would also be provided to 28,226 weavers' families.

He told a weaving training institute will be set up in Sirajganj, training centres at Kalihati, Kumarkhali, Rangamati to develop the skills of the weavers.

The Ishurdi Banarasi Palli that was established at a cost of TK 2 crore and Mirpur Banarasi Palli would be set up at a cost of Tk 29 crore and 47 lakh, the Adviser informed.

The government has already taken a project titled "Fashion Design, Basic Centre and Training Centre to Develop the Hand Loom Textile," he said.

Secretary of Textile and Jute Ministry Abdur Rashid Sarkar said the Weaving sector contributes 16 per cent to the GDP of the country, while jute 1.6 per cent. The weaving sector fulfils 40 per cent of domestic demand, he added.

The interests of the weaving industry would be considered at the time of the formation of the textile policy of the country, as the development of the industry is very important for the well being of the country's economy, he added.

Secretary of Liberation War Affairs Ministry Nasir Uddin Ahmed also address the inaugural session. The function was presided over by Abdul Hakim Mandal, Chairman of Bangladesh Weavers Board.

Mig-29 graft case: Trial against Hasina from April 20

Court Correspondent

Divisional Special Judge of Dhaka yesterday decided to start trial on April 20, at the Parliament House premises in the graft case filed against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 6 others in connection with the purchase of 8 Mig-29 jet planes.

Yesterday was fixed for framing charge against the accused but as Sheikh Hasina was not produced before the court due to security reasons, Md. Golam Mortuza Mozumder, Division Judge of Dhaka fixed the new date, when charge will likely be framed.

Other accused of case are:former Army Chief Mustafizur Rahman, former BAF Chief Air Vice Marshal Jamaluddin Ahmed, former Defence Secretary Yusuf Hossain, Air Commodore Akhter Maruf, former Defence Secretary Mohammad Hossain Serniabat and businessman Nur Ali.

Abdullah Al Zahid, an officer of former Anti-Corruption Burean, filed the case with Tejgaon Thana of the city on December 11, 2001. The accused allegedly purchased the Mig-29 planes through mutul conspiracy to make themselves benefited economically, which caused loss of Taka 700 crore to the national exchequer.

Meanwhile, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Golam Rabbani yesterday refixed May 11 to submit the inquiry report in the Gatco graft case filed agianst 13 persons including another former prime minister Khaleda Zia. Yesterday was earlier fixed for submission of the report, although it was not submitted.

JSD to skip one rice meal a day

Staff Reporter

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) decided to skip rice once daily for the next 45 days to reduce consumption of rice during the crisis.

The leaders of JSD had already started abstaining from taking rice yesterday after briefing the media at a press conference at held the party office.

Referring to the Government which advised people to eat potato, President of JSD Hasanul Haque Inu said, "Our abstention from taking rice programme will prove that we believe in action rather than in words".

Terming the crisis a turning point in the national history, JSD put forward some immediate proposals before the Government. Since exported rice will take times to reach the masses and Boro harvest will take more than 45 days if no natural calamity hit by than. Inu suggested increasing the number of VGF and VGD cards. In no time potato should be purchased from farmers directly and sold to people through OMS at subsidised rate.

The government announced 50,000 female labours should be employed soon. Government should establish OMS and fair price shops at mills, slums and union level irrespective of public and private ownership and supply goods according to the demands of customers. Government should punish all the businessmen responsible for the food crisis.

Regarding implementation of the proposals JSD urged the Government to use the forfeited black money. Inu said, "Government can reduce all the extravagant use of allocated money to meet the food crisis ".

To show empathy to hungry people the JSD will carry out "Vukha Kormoshuchi (Hunger Programme)" at Shaheed Col Taher Auditorium on April 13.

In response to a question from journalist Inu said, " We will continue our programme along with the political dialogue with Election Commision regarding election".

2 bodies recovered from river Meghna

UNB, Chandpur

Police recovered decomposed bodies of two young men from river Meghna near Katakhali under Haimchar upazila on Tuesday.

One of the dead was identified as Omar Faruque, 24, of Rajoir upazila of Madaripur district. Identity of the another youth could not be known.

Police said local people found both the bodies floating in the river and informed them.

Relatives said Omar and another youth went missing after falling from a speedboat as a launch hit it at Maowa ferry ghat on April 2.

The bodies were sent to hospital morgue for autopsy.

Some emergency rules to ease for local polls: CA

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Interim leader Fakhruddin Ahmed said yesterday that some mandates of the emergency powers rules would fade in phases depending on ground reality to allow candidates to campaign in local government polls.

Fakhruddin's statement came at a meeting with visiting British home secretary Jacqui Smith in his office.

With the CA, Smith also discussed counterterrorism, climate change and preparations for year-end polls and voter registration, an official with the Chief Adviser's Office told bdnews24.com.

The official quoted Smith as telling the CA that she had seen voter-registration work for herself and was satisfied.

The issues of the administration's dialogue with political parties, its reforms agenda and bilateral cooperation also came up at the meeting.

The chief adviser was quoted to have told Smith that a team of advisers had already started informal talks with the political parties.

CA's press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim only confirmed to bdnews24.com by phone that Smith had met with Fakhruddin.

Bangladesh and the UK also discussed ways of future cooperation on counter-terrorism. A joint working group with officials from the two nations will be formed in June to deal with counterterrorism issues.

The matter came to the forefront as Smith met with her Bangladesh counterpart MA Matin in his office. "She prioritised the issue of countering terrorism. I told her that we are trying," Matin told reporters after the meeting.

"I said that we have not been able to curb terrorism totally, but have controlled it to a great extent," Matin said.

"I told the home secretary that we have already convicted and hanged a number of terrorists, and the trial of other terrorists is on."

Smith, meanwhile, said she thought restoration of the democratic process in Bangladesh was important to curb terrorism.

She said the joint working group would be in place in June. Smith, who arrived in Dhaka Tuesday night from Pakistan, told reporters: "The best way you do tackle terrorism in the long run is by building strong and stable democracy."

"I am very pleased to hear the adviser telling me about the progress that has been made in Bangladesh on anti-terrorism legislation, which I consider to be very important."

"The Bangladeshi people and the British people suffered in the recent past from indiscriminate terrorists' violence. It's something which as the home secretary has priority for me back in the UK," said Smith, who is the first woman to hold the portfolio of home affairs in the UK.

Also Wednesday, Smith made a courtesy call on army chief General Moeen U Ahmed, a military statement said.

The Inter-Service Public Relations Directorate in the statement said Smith discussed some bilateral issues with Moeen at the Army Headquarters.

Outgoing British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Anwar Choudhury accompanied her to the meeting with the general.

Smith also flew to Habiganj and laid a foundation stone to build Bahubal Model Police Station under a UNDP-managed Police Reform Programme, the UN's Dhaka office said in a statement.

At a ceremony there Smith said: "The British government is pleased to join with the EU and UNDP in support of this process of reform led by the inspector general and his senior management team."

"We are encouraged by the drafting of the Police Ordinance which will enable the police to better manage and control its own finances and destiny, reporting to the people through Parliament and we look forward to hearing of its promulgation.

"When the police service is attuned to the needs of the people and responsive to them, justice is served in that community," she said.

Anwar Choudhury, additional inspector general of police NBK Tripura, UNDP Bangladesh deputy country director Larry Maramis and the police reform programme's project director Hubert Staberhofer were present.

Smith leaves Bangladesh Thursday.

BDR to open 25 more outlets in city Sunday

UNB, Dhaka

In view of a growing demand for rice and other essentials at fair price amid market buck-ups, paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) decided to open 25 additional outlets in the city from Sunday.

With the new outlets total BDR fair-price shops will stand at 75. Briefing reporters at the BDR Headquarters, Task Force Commander of 'Operation Dal Bhaat' Col Md Majibul Hoque said that, if necessary, more outlets would be opened in Dhaka City.

He said presently BDR is selling 600 metric tonnes of rice daily from the existing 50 outlets, meeting demand of one lakh people. And with the opening of 25 new outlets from Sunday, some 800-900 metric tonnes of rice would be sold to 1.75 lakh city-dwellers.

So far, one lakh metric tonnes of rice have been sold out since the Operation Dal-Bhaat was launched in March last year. Of the quantum, BDR got 10,000 MTs from the government OMS programme. Col Hoque said price of rice has a little come down and hoped that "if all could maintain discipline, food problem could be overcome within one month".

In reply to a question, he said they had to raise the rice price as they could not procure enough rice in time for a lack of assessment.

In reply to a question, Col Hoque said, "Since there is no possibility of reduction in price of rice on the international market in next 2-3 years, the country needs to boost agriculture production on a war footing."

Traders to observe one-hour strike in Savar in protest against snatching

UNB, Savar

Businessmen will observe an hour-long strike here and wear black badges yesterday in protest against snatching of Tk 40 lakh of a tobacco company.

Besides, the businessmen will form a human chain to protest the incident.

Five snatchers took away Tk 40 lakh from an agent of the British American Tobacco Company on Bazar Road in Savar Municipality area Tuesday.

Police and RAB raided different areas following the snatching but could not arrest anyone in this connection.

Economists give green signal to widen budget deficit: Country passing thru difficult time: Finance Adviser

UNB, Dhaka

The country's leading economists and researchers yesterday gave the government the green signal to go ahead with its plan to widen budget deficit necessary for financing increased expenditures due to the present price situation.

"Having a deficit for one or two years by an interim government does not matter in this situation," Prof Wahiduddin Mahmud told a seminar on national budget at the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).

BIDS researchers presented seven papers at the seminar titled 'National Budget 2008-09: Challenges and Response' in presence Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam.

Regulatory Reforms Commission chairman Dr Akbar Ali Khan and Brac executive director Dr Mahabub Hossain were present as designated discussants at the seminar moderated by BIDS director general Dr Shahabuddin Ahmed.

Economists, researchers, academics and business leaders were also present.

Prof Mahmud cautioned about keeping enough space for the private sector credit to create opportunities for employment. "The arithmetic is difficult, look for tradeoffs."

He also recommended supporting the agriculture sector in a realistic manner and go for human security measures as far as possible given the price situation. He suggested utilising the capacity of BIDS to get a quick assessment of optimum support.

The endorsement for increased deficit budget was given when Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam was busy preparing the national budget for the next fiscal year and the revised budget for the current fiscal year.

Earlier on many occasions, the Finance Adviser indicated that the deficit in the outgoing budget would go up, though expected that it would remain below 5 percent of GDP, to meet the increased expenditure for subsidy, social safety net programmes and inflated prices of fuel oil.

3 officials visit as part of GSP review : USTR scrutinises Bangladesh’s position on labour issue

Syful Islam

As a part of GSP review process the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has started to scrutinise the progress so far made by Bangladesh regarding labour issue.

A three member USTR delegation will visit Dhaka from 14 to 16 April where they will meet different stakeholders, especially readymade garment sector related organisations, ministry officials and some American companies.

During the visit the delegation will also hold a dialogue with the government on intellectual property rights issue.

Meanwhile, a petition filed by the American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organisations (AFL-CIO) regarding removal of Bangladesh from the eligible beneficiary list of Generalised System of Preference (GSP) is under trail before the USTR.

Under the GSP programme Bangladesh ships 1 per cent of its total exports to US market free of duty.

The AFL-CIO on June 22, 2007 filed a petition with the USTR requesting removal of Bangladesh from the eligible beneficiary country of the US GSP accusing it of denial of labour rights.

The US labour federation alleged violation of domestic and internationally recognised workers rights in the Export Procession Zones (EPZs).

It also alleged labour standards in the readymade garment sector and in the shrimp and fish processing industries.

The labour body also drew the notice of USTR, to harassment and negation of rights by government security forces against the trade union leaders and activists.

On October 4, 2007 Bangladesh government officials stand before the USTR in Washington on the hearing and gave a presentation on Bangladesh's stand on labour rights issue. Later, they also send the reply to some queries made by the USTR.

Bangladesh is trying for a long time to get duty free access of its products to the US market. A bill seeking duty-free access of products of Bangladesh and 13 other Least Developed Countries (LDC) to the United States market was raised in the US Congress in 2005 but is yet to make any headway.

A new trade bill titled "The New Partnership for Development Act of 2007" allowing duty free access of goods of least developed countries to the US market is also awaiting approval.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of the visit of the USTR officials the ministry of commerce yesterday organised an inter-ministerial meeting where the representatives of different ministries have expressed their disappointment as the US embassy officials in Dhaka are not following diplomatic rules.

"They are yet to send us the meeting schedule and are not following the Vienna Convention," said an official in the meeting adding that," If they do not cooperate with us how they can expect the same?"

Justice Habibur tells CUET re-union: Partisan student politics also responsible for misery

UNB, Chittagong

Former chief justice and ex-chief adviser of caretaker government Justice Habibur Rahman yesterday said subservient student politics is no less responsible for the country's unmerited misery and called for a change.

"Student politics of healthy trend will have to be established by redeeming it from subservient trend. Otherwise, it won't be possible to take Bangladesh, a country of immense potential, properly onto the path of advancement," he said. He was speaking at the 4th reunion programme of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) as chief guest on the second and last day of the 1st convocation of the university.

He reminded that student politics and student leaders had played a glorious role in the past behind all achievements of the Bangalee. The nation remembers glorious role of the student organisations and student leaders who were behind the movements of 1952, 1962, 1966, 1969 and Liberation War in 1971, he said.

"After the independence, students got involved in playing tail to the political parties and non-students became student leaders. It's very much unfortunate for the whole nation," said Justice Habibur in his thoughtful remark.

He said there is no alternative to proper utilization of merits and skills of engineers and technologists in achieving self-reliance in all fields.

BNP faction cautions against plot to destroy ideals of nationalism

Staff Reporter

Pro-Khaleda faction BNP Secretary General Khondoker Delwar Hossain yesterday said independence and sovereignty of the country is now under threats while conspiracy is being hatched to destroy the ideals of nationalism.

Addressing a discussion meeting as chief guest to mark the observance of Independence and National Day, he said the present government has no legal basis since it is running the country ignoring the Constitution.

He pointed out that as per the Constitution the Caretaker government is supposed to hand over power to an elected government after holding the national election within 90 days, but it has failed to hold the polls even in 15 months.

The meeting organised by Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal was held at the National Press Club auditorium with its Vice-President Advocate Abdus Salam in the chair. Khondoker Delwar Hossain accused the government of remaining busy with preparations for holding the upazila and municipality elections keeping aside the general elections. The people of the country will not accept such move, he cautioned.

Regretting that the nation has passed one year and a half without Parliament, he said power was snatched from elected government time and again. Expressing his doubt whether the election would be held within the stipulated time, the BNP Secretary General asked what will be the situation in the country if the election was not held by 2008.

He called upon all to get united and take a vow to protect the independence and sovereignty of the country at any cost. BNP Standing Committee Member Dr RA Gani emphasised the need for forging national unity to overcome the present crisis.

He recalled the contribution of sons of the soil who sacrificed their lives for the independence of the country.

BNP Joint Secretary Goyesher Chandra Roy said the BNP could join the informal dialogue only if there is guarantee to allow party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia to join the formal dialogue.

He, however, stressed the need for holding dialogue with political parties and warned the country would plunge into still deeper crisis if the government failed to organise talks.

The meeting was addressed, among others, by BNP leaders Md Shajahan, Syed Mehdi Ahmed Rumi, Rizvi Ahmed and Shamsuzzaman Dudu.

Amassing wealth: Charge sheet against ex-minister Aminul Haque submitted

Court Correspondent

Charge sheet was yesterday submitted to the CMM Court of Dhaka in a case filed against former Telephone and Telegraph Minister Barrister Aminul Haque for amassing wealth worth Taka 76,74,000.

On December 5, last year Syed Ahmed, Assistant Director of Anti-Corruption Commission, sued the former Minister.

Meanwhile, former MP Joynal Abedin of Feni was Wednesday granted bail in a case filed against him in connection with the purchase of a car under duty free system.

SI Ferdous Alam filed the case on February 14 of last year with Tejgaon Industrial Area Thana of the city. However, on behalf of former law-maker MP Joynal, it was disclosed that the car was purchased under MP quota and later it was sold following the specific rules.