The New Nation - Internet Edition

Release of Hasina tops agenda: AL leaders place five-point demand to advisers

Awami League acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful
Islam talking to newsmen after holding the second round of
informal talks with Advisers at the State Guest House Meghna
on Sunday. NN photo

Staff Reporter

Awami League (AL) leaders during the informal talks with the government yesterday put forward five-point demands including immediate release of party chief Sheikh Hasina and withdrawal of state of emergency and holding trials of the war criminals.

The AL leaders also asked the government to announce a date for parliamentary polls and control the price of essential commodities, which is imperative to create congenial atmosphere for holding the stalled parliamentary polls.

Emerging from the meeting held at state guesthouse Meghna, AL Acting Secretary General Syed Ashraful Islam told reporters that the Government side assured them of fulfilling the logical demands after discussing the matter with the Chief Adviser.

"We told the advisers that release of Sheikh Hasina is essential to create congenial atmosphere to hold the elections and the Advisers also accepted our logic behind our demands," he said.

He termed the meeting fruitful saying that they hope that the proposed dialogue with political party will also be successful and create an example in the history of dialogues.

The AL leader said they requested the advisers that the Chief Adviser would have to join the formal dialogue and it has to be completed by the end of May 2008.

Ashraful Islam, who was included in the seven-member AL delegation, said the formal dialogue would have to be bilateral.

"We told the advisers that the formal dialogue must be bilateral as well. The Chief Adviser must be present at the dialogue. None other than the caretaker government advisers can be present at the formal talks," he said adding that the government could hold separate meetings with the civil society groups, if necessary.

"Although the judiciary already has been separated from the executive, but the court is not yet independent. We want independence of the judiciary," Ashraf said.

He said they also demanded release of their detained leaders.

Meanwhile, Adviser for Commerce and Education Hossain Zillur Rahman told reporters that confidence building and creating national consensus were the main points of the talk at the pre-dialogue.

"We want to build confidence among all, so that we can present a meaningful, credible and fruitful election before the countrymen by December 31, 2008," he said.

The Adviser said transition to qualitative political culture is essential for a meaningful election.

The pre-dialogue informal meeting, scheduled to be held at the state guesthouse Padma, was shifted to another state guesthouse Meghna at 5:30pm and continued till 7:20pm.

Awami League presidium members Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury led the team. Other members of the AL team are Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Motia Chowdhury and Ashraful Islam.

The government representatives were Law Adviser AF Hassan Ariff, Communications Adviser Ghulam Quader, Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal and Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman.

Earlier, the Adviser for Commerce and Education on Saturday invited the Acting AL chief Zillur Rahman through sms over cell phone.

Welcome Bengali new year 1415: Pahela Baishakh today

Chhayanat artistes rendering songs in a rehearsal
session at the Ramna Batumul yesterday on the eve of the
Pahela Baishakh. Banglar Chokh

The last sunset of 1414 BS.

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

"Esho, Esho, Esho Hey Baishakh

Taposoniswasbaye Mumurshure Dao Uraye,

Botsorer Aborjona Dur Hoye Jak,"

Thus Rabindranath Tagore welcomes Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bengali year, which is today. From today Bengali year 1415 will start.

Pahela Baishakh is not only celebrated in Bangladesh in a festivity but also in West Bengal of India. This is the main festival for Bangalees and it is the only festival, which transcends religious barrier.

In Bangladesh Pahela Baishakh is a national holiday.

The Bengalees at home and abroad will celebrate Pahela Baishakh today amid funfair, festivity and gaiety to hail the Bengali New Year with a renewed hope for a better future.

Traders and shopkeepers open 'Halkhata,' new books of account, and entertain customers and visitors with sweets on the first day of the New Year as part of the tradition.

Akbar the Great introduced the system of celebrating 'Nababarsha' or Pahela Baishakh, 1st of Baishakh, in the then Bengal.

Under the Mughals, agricultural taxes were collected according to the Hijri calendar. However, as the Hijri calendar is a lunar calendar, the agricultural year does not coincide with the fiscal. As a result, farmers were hard-pressed to pay taxes out of season. In order to streamline tax collection, the Mughal Emperor Akbar ordered a reform of the calendar. Accordingly, Fatehullah

Shirazi, a renowned scholar and astronomer, formulated the Bengali year on the basis of the lunar Hijri and Bengali solar calendars. The new 'Fasli San' (agricultural year) was introduced on March 10, 1584, but was dated from Akbar's ascension to the throne in 1556. The New Year subsequently became known as 'Bangabda' or Bengali year.

The historical importance of Pahela Baishakh in the Bangladesh context may be dated from the observance of the day by Chhayanaut, a cultural troupe, in 1965. In an attempt to suppress Bengali culture, the Pakistan Government had banned Tagore songs. Protesting against this move, Chhayanaut opened their Pahela Baishakh celebrations at Ramna Park with Tagore's song welcoming the month.

The day continued to be celebrated in East Pakistan as a symbol of Bengali culture. After 1972 it became a national festival, a symbol of the Bangladesh nationalist movement and an integral part of the people's cultural heritage.

The most colourful celebration of the Bengali New Year begins at the Ramna Batamul at dawn with an elaborate programme undertaken by Chhayanaut. Artistes from Chhayanaut will welcome the day with Rabindranath Tagore's famous song 'Esho Hey Baishakh, Esho, Esho,' under the banyan tree at the Ramna Park.

People from all walks of life will assemble at Ramna Park, the hub of the festival, from the break of dawn.

Men, wearing panjabi-payjama, women, attired in sari with red borders, and children in colourful dresses all will throng traditional Baishakhi Melas, fairs, and other cultural functions in the city and elsewhere in the country.

People will partake of 'Panta Bhat' (watered rice) with fried hilsha, lentils, green chilli and onions at home, restaurants and fairs following the rich tradition of Bengali culture.

President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser dr Fakhruddin Ahmed gave separate messages on the occasion conveying New Year's greetings to the countrymen and all Bengali-speaking people across the world.

In Dhaka city, 6,094 law-enforcers will be on the alert to fend off any unpleasant incident at venues of celebrations.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) declared off-limit to all vehicles roads stretching from Matshya Bhaban to Shahbagh and Doyel Chattar to TSC of the Dhaka University. A total of 24 CCTV cameras would be set up across the capital.

Members of the law-enforcement agencies will distribute drinking water among people at Ramna Park during the programme and Fire Brigade and ambulance will also be in place. Security measures would also be taken at the cinema halls and diplomatic zone.

Different socio-cultural organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to celebrate the day. Bangla Academy and Nazrul Institute will organise separate programmes to welcome the Bengali New Year. The Liberation War Museum will stage various programmes that include dance, 'puthi-path' and folk songs at 10:00am on the day.

Though the observance of Pahela Baishakh has become popular in the urban areas, but New Year's festivities are closely linked with rural life in Bengal. Usually on the day everything is scrubbed and cleaned. People bathe early in the morning and dress in fine clothes and then go to visit relatives, friends and neighbours. Special foods are prepared to entertain guests. Baishakhi fairs are arranged in many parts of the country. Various agricultural products, traditional handicrafts, toys, cosmetics as well as various kinds of food and sweets are sold at these fairs. The fairs also provide entertainment, with singers and dancers staging Jatra, Palagan, Kavigan, Jarigan, Gambhiragan, Gazirgan and Alkaap gan. They present folk songs as well as Baul, Marfati, Murshidi, and Bhatiali songs. Narrative plays like Laily-Majnu, Yusuf-Zulekha and Radha-Krishna are staged. Among other attractions of these fairs are puppet shows and merry-go-rounds for children.

Shahjahan, first Jamaat leader, jailed for 10 yrs: Morshed Khan's son Faisal gets 7 yrs

Shahjahan Chowdhury

UNB, Dhaka

A special court dealing with high-profile corruption cases Sunday sentenced detained former Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Shahjahan Chowdhury to 10 years' imprisonment for hiding wealth in his statement submitted under the current purge. Co-accused Faisal Morshed Khan, chairman of Arab Bangladesh Bank and also son of former foreign minister M Morshed Khan, was also jailed for seven years for abetting Shahjahan in concealing information about the money he paid for importing a luxury car enjoying the privilege of tax-free facility as a lawmaker.

Shahjahan Chowdhury, elected to the last parliament from Chittagong constituency-14, happens to be the first Jamaat leader to be convicted of corruption in the ongoing countrywide drive in the interim period against corruption of the past political era. Faisal was tried in absentia as he, as well as his father, has been on the run since the present military-backed caretaker government launched the purge against high-profile corruption suspects. Delivering the sentences, Judge AK Roy also fined each them to pay one-lakh taka or, in default, suffer three months more in prison. Besides, the court ordered the government to confiscate the car. On July 1 last year, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case accusing Shahjahan of concealing assets worth Tk 49,49,364 in the wealth statement submitted to the ACC. It also accused Faisal of abetting Shahjahan in concealing the information about the money paid for the duty-free import of the 'Range Rover' car. Earlier, in August last year, the anti-graft watchdog seized the car of the former Jamaat MP, Shahjahan Chowdhury, from Tejgaon in the capital. Shahjahan Chowdhury, in his wealth statement, showed price of his car as only Tk 2.41 lakh. According to the statement, he imported the car from Japan in MP quota at Tk 2.41 lakh. But, after investigation, ACC officials found the car to have been imported at Tk 49 lakh.

Mass starvation if food prices not contained: IMF calls for strong action

BBC Online

The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that hundreds of thousands of people will face starvation if food prices keep rising.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn said that social unrest from continuing food price inflation could cause conflict.

There have been food riots recently in a number of countries, including Haiti, the Philippines and Egypt.

Meeting in Washington, the IMF called for strong action on food prices and the international financial crisis.

Although the problems in global credit markets were the main focus of the meeting of the IMF's steering committee of finance ministers from 24 countries, Strauss-Kahn warned of dire consequences from continued food price rises.

"Thousands, hundreds of thousands of people will be starving. Children will be suffering from malnutrition, with consequences for all their lives," he told reporters.

He said the problem could lead to trade imbalances that may eventually affect developed nations, "so it is not only a humanitarian question".

Food prices have risen sharply in recent months, driven by increased demand, poor weather in some countries and an increase in the use of land to grow crops for transport fuels.

The steering committee also called for "strong action" among its 185 members to deal with "the still unfolding financial market turmoil andt the potential worsening" of housing markets and the credit crunch.

The finance ministers did not dissent from the IMF's previous forecast that only a moderate slowdown in world economic growth is the most likely outcome over the next year or two.

Dhaka-Kolkata train service begins today

UNB, Dhaka

The long-awaited train service on Dhaka-Kolkata route, connecting the two SAARC countries by rail, formally kicks off Monday, on Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bengali New Year, after long 43 years.

The first train leaves Dhaka Cantonment station at 8:30 am tomorrow, while another train from Kolkata is scheduled to arrive at the Dhaka Cantonment station at 8:30 pm the same day. The two close neighbours are now ready to receive and welcome the guests and passengers of the inaugural trains. Government officials, distinguished personalities and journalists will be among the passengers of the first trains.

Initially, two trains will run on the Dhaka-Kolkata route, on Saturdays and Sundays every week. Each train will have facility for some 417 passengers in seven compartments.

Some 304 tickets for the inaugural Kolkata-bound train service have already been sold out at Dhaka's Kamalapur railway station till 12pm Sunday and the remaining tickets will hopefully be sold out, said Railway Station Manager Abu Saeed Ahmed.

All necessary arrangements, including security and immigration measures, have been completed ahead of the formal run of Dhaka-Kolkata "Moitree Express" train between the two neighbouring countries.

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation has made preparations to welcome the guests who will come from Kolkata in the inaugural run of the "Moitree Express" train. Guests will be received through dance, songs and sprinkling of petals at the Dhaka Cantonment station. The train communication between Dhaka and Kolkata was suspended in March 1965 following the war between India and Pakistan when Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan) was a part of Pakistan. Train fares have been fixed at between $8 and $20 depending on the classes for the 538km journey -- 418km in Bangladesh and 120km in India. Fares for each sleeping berth is $20, AC chair coach $12 and non-AC chair coach $8.

Darshana in Chuadanga district will be the immigration checkpoint for passengers from India, while Dhaka Cantonment station for the outbound passengers.

On April 10, Bangladesh and India signed an agreement clearing the way for cross-border run of trains on the Dhaka-Kolkata route from Pahela Baishakh.

Communications Secretary Dr Mahbubur Rahman and Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakravarti inked the deal on behalf their respective governments.

Bombs found in Maitree’s route

bdnews24.com, Kolkata

Some crude bombs have been found on a rail track through which the Dhaka-Kolkata Maitree Express will start rolling on Monday, Indian officials said.

The bombs were found between Ranaghat and Gede railway stations, north of Kolkata, late on Sunday evening, the officials said.

Bangladesh rail officials were unaware of the "bomb discovery".

"The bombs are crude and are meant to scare, but we are taking no chances," said Dilip Mitra, inspector-general of Railways Safety in Kolkata.

Trains between India and Bangladesh are being resumed after 42 years, after they were stopped during the 1965 India-Pakistan war.

Indian Intelligence blamed the Nikhil Banga Nagarik Sangha (All Bengal Citizens Group), an organisation of Hindu refugees from East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, in planting the bombs.

The group has close links with the Hindu fundamentalist Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh or the RSS. The Sangha has opposed the "friendship express" and called upon their supporters to disrupt it.

"Why should democratic and secular India seek to develop such intimate links with Islamic Bangladesh…?" the Sangha's general secretary Subhas Chakrabarti said in a statement this week.

Intelligence officials say Chakrabarti's followers have mobilised a few hundred supporters between Ranaghat and Gede, which is the last station on the Indian side.

"They may try to block the trains, but we are prepared to foil their designs," said Dilip Mitra.

He said security has been tightened "as in airports".

"We have not received information about any recovery of crude bombs," ATKM Ismail, additional secretary of the communications ministry in Dhaka, told bdnews24.com Sunday.

Ismail was the chief negotiator for the launch of Maitree Express.

Qazi Asadullah, additional director general (operations) of Bangladesh Railway, said he was also unaware of the bomb discovery.

The two trains will leave Kolkata and Dhaka simultaneously on Monday morning amid much festivity.

There was much excitement on both sides of the border and hundreds of Bangalees are boarding them to visit their ancestral homelands.

Hasina taken to Square Hospital for routine check-up

UNB, Dhaka

Detained Awami League President Sheikh Hasina was taken to Square Hospital here Sunday morning and then taken back to makeshift jail after a routine check-up.

Hospital sources said Hasina was taken to the hospital at about 8.30 am.

Four specialist physicians-Dr Sahin Mahmud, Dr Shah Alam, Dr Mizan and Dr Sanwar-examined her ears and conducted other medical check-up.

She was taken back to the makeshift jail at about 11am. Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) Major Shamsul Haider Siddiqui told UNB that her physical condition is better than before. "She is now feeling better with new spectacles and her earache has reduced", he added.