The New Nation - Internet Edition

Gram Sarkar abolished: Army educational and training institutions brought under single umbrella

Staff Reporter

The Council of Advisers to the caretaker government yesterday finally approved an ordinance abolishing the controversial Gram Sarkar or village government.

A weekly council meeting with Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair gave final approval of the Gram Sarkar (abrogation) Ordinance 2008, abolishing the much-debated lowest tier of local government.

With the making of the new ordinance the Gram Sarkar (village government) Act 2003 that introduced the village government will be scrapped.

The Council of Advisers approved the ordinance on the Gram Sarkar abolition in principle on February 17.

The BNP-led coalition government made laws and introduced the Gram Sarkar in 2003, but Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust filed a case against the system. Later, the Gram Sarkar Act 2003 was endorsed in parliament. In the same year, a writ petition was filed with the High Court against the Gram Sarkar law by Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust. The Act was later declared void by the court.

Former president Ziaur Rahman launched the system first, which was abolished by the Ershad government.

The meeting also gave final approval to the Bangladesh University of Professionals Ordinance 2008 to bring all educational and training institutions of Bangladesh Armed Forces under a single university.

Earlier, those institutions were under various universities.

Under the Bangladesh University of Professional Ordinance 2008, a university will be established in Mirpur in coordination with the Armed Forces and education and training institutes.

The university is meant to offer higher education to the members of Armed Forces.

The President will be the chancellor of the university and will appoint a person the minimum rank of major general-serving or retired-as vice-chancellor for three years.

The Education Minister or adviser, chiefs of army, air and navy, principal staff officer of the army, University Grants Commission chairman, education secretary, vice chancellor, pro-vice chancellor and faculty deans will be in the Senate.

The cabinet approved the ordinance in principle on November 24, 2007.

We must be strong in defence, says Moeen: Rifle manufacturing factory inaugurated at Gazipur

Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed
inaugurating the Rifle BD-08 Factory at Bangladesh Ordnance
Factories (BOF), Gazipur Cantonment on Sunday. Photo:
ISPR

UNB, Gazipur

Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed inaugurated a modern factory for production of sophisticated rifles of BD-08 model at Bangladesh Ordnance Factory (BOF) here on Sunday. General Moeen said Bangladesh is a peace-loving country and the introduction of rifle BD-08 would not change the country's policies, including that on defense.

"Rather, we wish to make ourselves defensively strong and confident, and to safeguard sovereignty of our dear motherland," he said. He added: "We believe in giving the best possible welfare to our troops by equipping them with the best possible weapons within our capability."

Gen Moeen hoped that the BOF would produce more new firearms/equipments in future for the armed forces to strengthen the capability of country's defense.

Commandant of BOF Maj Gen Abdul Matin and Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka Zheng Qingdian also spoke on the occasion.

Naval Chief Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam, Air Chief Air Marshal SM Ziaur Rahman and high civil and military officials were present. Later, the Army Chief went round various rifle- manufacturing shops and expressed his satisfaction after test firing the first BD-08 rifle.

The factory, set up under an agreement between Bangladesh and Chinese governments, has a production capacity of 10,000 rifles per annum in a single shift.

These sophisticated rifles will not only modernize the country's armed forces but also equip each solider in a new fashion and enhance their moral strength.

This rifle will be the main weapon of the armed forces and other forces.

Earlier, Gen Moeen addressed the concluding ceremony of "Exercise Shanti Doot-2" at the Rajendrapur Cantonment in the morning. Addressing the function, Gen Moeen said that in this century, the world is likely to witness broken change of global security scenario. "It is more likely that present unrest and strife existing within countries and states of the world will intensify in future." He added that it is, therefore imperative to create capability for the foreseeable future.

Bangladesh is committed to maintaining world peace, the Army Chief said, mentioning that it has been participating in UN peacekeeping missions since 1988.

He informed that so far 80,000 troops from Bangladesh took part in various peacekeeping missions. More than 9,000 troops are now working in 14 different UN peacekeeping operations.

Commandant of Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training (BIPSOT) Brig Gen Saiful Ali and Deputy Commanding Gen of USARPAC Maj Gen Patrick D. Wilson also addressed the function. The UN Peace Support Operations exercise named "Exercise Shanti Doot-2" began on April 1 in Bangladesh under the auspices of global peace operation initiative programme of United State Pacific Command (USPCOM).

The Exercise was co-sponsored by USPCOM and co-hosted by Bangladesh Army.

"Exercise Shanti Doot-2" consisted of a command post exercise held at Hotel Radisson from April 1-11 and Field Training exercise (FTX) at BIPSOT, Rajendrapur Cantonment.

Some 355 participants and trainers from 10 countries took part in the FTX.

2 journalists, 8 others hurt in DU clash

A female BCL student leader of Dhaka University came
under attack from the unruly activists of the organisation.
Later she managed to flee the scene with the help of her
fellow students. Eight students, including two journalists,
were injured in the skir

DU Correspondent

Two journalists and eight others were injured in outbreak of violence on the Dhaka University campus on Sunday.

Among the injured are DU correspondents Anu Anwar of the Prothom Alo and Zahedur Rahman Arman of the Dinkal. They were injured in separate attacks by the leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).

The injured were given first aid at the DU Medical Centre.

Both the injured reporters are students of Mass Communication and Journalism Department.

A group of 12 to 15 JCD activists including Lelin and Sabuj attacked Anwar when he was reporting the news of JCD's armed-stand at the hall over his cell phone at around 1:45pm on Sunday.

BCL activists Mostak and Syed of Surya Sen Hall along with Jibon and Dolan of Jashim Uddin Hall beat up Arman with iron-rods when he was trying to save a female BCL leader from the attack of BCL rival group at noon.

Three of BCL factions were also critically injured during the chase and counter chase that ensued over gaining supremacy on the campus. The injured were identified as Shima Islam, Utpal Shaha and Sujan.

DU Journalists' Association (DUJA) demanded exemplary punishment action against the attackers including expulsion from the university. DUJA will also shun reporting positive news of the two student organisations protesting the atrocious attacks on its members.

Earlier, the BCL rival group allegedly exploded two bombs near the IER building of DU in the early hours of Sunday to prove their strong position on the campus creating much panic among students. They also vandalised several windowpanes of Zia Hall at that time.

In the backdrop of the DUJA's demand and vandalism of the student organisations on the campus, the university authorities have convened an emergency syndicate meeting at 3:00pm today.

DUJA filed two cases against BCL and JCD activists with Shahbagh police Sunday night. It will also observe a sit-in programme on the campus at noon today in protest against repression on journalists.

Loadshedding disrupts water supply

Load-shedding of electricity has become regular
phenomenon now-a-days. Students appearing at the on-going
public examinations are the worst sufferers. Here are two
examinees completing their preparation for exam under candle
light. Banglar Chokh

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

The city dwellers have been facing acute crisis of water for couple of weeks due to shortage of supply water of the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA), as the water table in the city has dropped.

The people of Lalbagh, Kamalbagh, Islambagh, Nawabpur, Khilgaon, Mirpur, Hajaribagh, some parts of Mirpur and Mohammadpur, central Badda, Shewrapara, Kazipara, Paikpara, Kalabagan, Nayapaltan, Khilgaon, some parts of Moghbazar and Basabo alleged that they were acutely facing water crisis in the areas for the last couple of weeks.

On emergency basis, the WASA is supplying water by tank lorries in different areas including Kajipara, Dhanmondi, Nakhalpara, Rampura, Badda, Shahjadpur, Basabo, Mohammadpur, Monipuripara, Rajabazar, Gulshan, Uttara, Mohakhali and others parts of Dhaka Metropolitan Area.

"Though the demand for water is high, up to 180 crore litres of water is pumped out in Dhaka and Narayanganj a day. The water crisis in the city will ease after the implementation of the proposed Mawa Point Project," said a WASA official.

According to the WASA statistics, it is producing 155 to 160 crore litres of water a day against the demand of over 200 crore litres.

The WASA installed 478 deep tube-wells in the city for supplying water to thousands of households in the city. These tube-wells meet 75 per cent of the demand. At least 86 per cent of the WASA water comes from the underground source and the remaining 14 per cent comes from surface water sources, said the WASA official.

The consumers get much lower than the WASA production due to cracks in the WASA supply lines at different points, he added.

The groundwater level declined up to three metres each year, which raise the fear of a landslide in Dhaka city, said the WASA official.

Most of the city dwellers depend on the WASA water for their household work. But Dhaka WASA depends on groundwater extracted by deep tube wells, sources said.

Frequent loadsheding also hampers smooth operation of the pumps ultimately disrupting the lifting of water, he also said.

People of different areas alleged that they had been facing water crisis for long and it had intensified for the last couple of weeks forcing them to depend on tanks of mosques and some other water sources like tube-wells.

Many of them also alleged that the water they were getting from the WASA supply lines were dirty, discoloured and stink.

Md Hasan, a resident of old Dhaka, said, "We have been facing water crisis for the last three months and it has been intensified for the last two weeks."

"We have to stay awake till midnight ever night to collect water as we get some water in the WASA supply lines at that time,' said Hafiza, a resident of Basabo.

Another resident of Kalabagan said that most of the days he could not take his bath due to water crisis. "The water supply situation in the area has reached a vulnerable state and the little amount of water we get is not enough even for emergency chores like cooking and washing."

Hafiz Kamal, a resident of central Badda, said due to the poor supply of water, they had to depend on dirty and stinking water to do their emergency works.

"Excessive dependence on the groundwater has caused the drop in the level at an alarming rate and it is one of the main reasons for the scanty water supply of the WASA," said another official of the WASA.

UP Oikya Jote leaders meet 4 advisers: Local polls prior to nat'l election demanded

Leaders of Union Parishad Oikya Jote held a meeting
with four advisers of the caretaker government at the State
Guest House Meghna yesterday. President of Union Parishad
Oikyajote Mahmudur Rahman Tulu and LGRD Adviser Anwarul
Iqbal talking to newsmen sep

UNB, Dhaka

A delegation of the Union Parishad Oikya Jote Sunday held a meeting with a group of Advisors and demanded holding of local government elections prior to parliamentary polls. During the meeting held at state guesthouse Meghna, the Jote delegation led by its president Mahbubur Rahman Tulu placed proposals to strengthen the local government institutions.

Communications Advisor Ghulam Quader, Law Advisor Hassan Ariff, Education Advisor Dr Hossain Zillur and LGRD Advisor Anwarul Iqbal were present in the meeting that last for 45-minute from 10:25am. Oikya Jote secretary general Matiur Rahman Tapan and co-chairman Abdul Hossain Khan were present.

Asked about his comment on political parties' demand for holding the parliamentary elections first, Tulu told reporters that political parties can not demand it as the local body elections are non-political.

He said the Advisors told them that if the local body election is held first, it would not create any problem for national election. The Advisors also expressed their firm commitment to hold the national elections according to the set timeframe. Advisor Anwarul Iqbal told the reporters that the Oikya Jote leaders raised their various demands and sought local body elections first to stop unwarranted interference by MPs.

The Oikya Jote also demanded reserve seats for women representatives in the local body institutions.

The Advisor said the government would consider their demands. The Oikya Jote demands include 40 percent allocation of the annual development budget for local body institutions, steps to ensure that MPs can not interfere into projects undertaken by the local government after establishment of the national government, 40 percent women representation to local body institution and placement of all manpower working in local government bodies under the local government authorities.

Financing fuel oil import gets dearer: Petroleum price won't be adjusted to avert new shock: Finance Adviser

Staff Reporter

Finance and Planning Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam had said the Government would take a $200 million loan from the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in a considerably higher interest rate to fund the BPC's oil imports.

"The IDB has insisted the interest rate should not be less than 5.5 per cent, whereas we offered to pay 1.75 percent on top of the LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate)," said Mrza Aziz while talking to media after the meeting.

"We have no alternative to borrowing from the IDB regardless of the rate, we must import oil as soon as possible," he added.

According to him, the Government was trying to get the loan to meet the liquidity crisis of already cash-strapped BPC, added Mirza Aziz. "We will have to take the loan even at higher rate," he said.

BPC needs an immediate injection of funds to stave off acute fuel oil shortages in the country, said Chairman of the state-owned entity, Anwarul Karim.

According to him, current fuel stocks would last another month at the most, which meant the caretaker government had to take out loans to fund imports of petroleum within the period.

The Caretaker Government now needed both the IDB and Standard Chartered loans to build sustainable oil stocks for the country, he added.

The BPC chief also added that the central bank had already supplied the Government with a $300 million fund for petroleum imports through nationalised banks, and further funds were not possible from the institution.

"That is why we have had no alternative but borrowing funds from foreign banks at high interest rates," said BPC Chairman.

IDB has been a major fund provider, over one billion dollars per year, to BPC since 1977 with highest interest charged at LIBOR plus 1.75 percent, he added.

On the meeting, Government had also approved another loan of $ 300 million for BPC from Standard Chartered Bank on March 31 this year at LIBOR plus 1.79 per cent.

"The prices of petroleum products were not adjusted to avert a new shock on the economy after the two recurrent floods and cyclone Sidr," said Finance Adviser.

BNP (Khaleda) asks EC to invite Delwar as party nominee: 72-hr ultimatum to resolve differences expires today

Staff Reporter

Five standing committee members of the BNP yesterday sent a letter to the Election Commission saying that Khondoker Delwar Hossain be invited for the dialogue on electoral reform as party secretary general.

A four-member delegation of the pro-Khaleda BNP faction led by joint secretaries general Nazrul Islam Khan and Goyeshwar Chandra Roy called on Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda and handed over the letter to him.

Election Commissioners-Muhammed Sohul Hussain and Brig Gen (Retd) M Sakhawat Hussain were also present during the meeting.

The letter, signed by standing committee members-Dr RA Gani, Abdul Matin Chowdhury, Chowdhury Tanveer Ahmed Siddiqui, Advocate Khandaker Mahbub Uddin Ahmad and M Shamsul Islam, clears that of the 12 standing committee members of the BNP, three are now in jail and six out of eight are with the Pro-Khaleda faction of the party.

The letter claimed that the appointment of the party's former vice president Hafizuddin Ahmed as acting secretary general in the controversial standing committee meeting of October 29 last year was against the party constitution.

The CEC has been requested not to take the decision of that meeting into cognisance and send any letter to Khandaker Delwar.

The letter also mentioned that the decision of the party Chairperson after her arrest on Sept 2 to expel Mannan Bhuiyan from the post of secretary general and cancel his primary membership of the party was constitutional.

Briefing journalists Nazrul Islam Khan said the letter said Khondoker Delwar Hossain who was appointed by party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is the legal secretary general of the party and the Commission should take its decision in line with the matter.

He warned that if Khondoker Delwar was not issued the invitation letter for the dialogue as the party's secretary general the responsibility for a divided BNP would fall on the Commission.

"We have requested the Chief Election Commissioner to invite Khondoker Delwar to the dialogue. He is the legal secretary general of the party. There is no other secretary general except him," the BNP leader said.

He hoped that the Commission would not take any final decision without discussions involving the BNP.

Nazrul Islam Khan, however, said that the delegation told the CEC, who asked them to be united that they want to be united.

"But letters have to be sent to the legal secretary general Khondoker Delwar Hossain and all contacts made with him since the party is yet to be united," he observed.

Replying to a question, he said if BNP was invited by the government it would certainly participate in the pre-dialogue informal talks.

Khaleda, Hasina release issue may figure in formal talks

Staff Reporter

The demand for the release of two detained former primers-Begum Khaleda Zia of BNP and Sheikh Hasina of Awami League is likely to figure in the agenda during the government formal dialogue with the political parties.

Adviser for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives M Anwarul Iqbal said this yesterday while talking to reporters at the Secretariat.

"We are not discussing the release of the two leaders in the informal talks rather we are now setting the modality of formal dialogue," he said.

Adviser for Communications Ghulam Quader told reporters that they are hopeful about the success of the dialogue.

Replying to a question he said the informal talks would be completed soon.

The government has so far held informal talks with Awami League, a faction of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and Jatiya Party.

Regarding informal talks with the pro-Khaleda faction of BNP he said the government would have discussion with the BNP faction when its leaders join them for talks.

Asked if the political parties' demand to free their leaders would hamper the dialogue, the Adviser replied in the negative saying, "Our talks were neither hampered nor went in vain."

He said, "We are receiving feedback from the political parties."

Advisers Ghulam Quader and Anwarul Iqbal, are among the five advisers of the Caretaker government who are leading the informal talks on behalf of the government.

AL’s no to polls keeping Hasina in jail

UNB, Dhaka

Awami League wouldn't go to parliamentary polls under the state of emergency and without party chief Sheikh Hasina's presence in the fray, it was categorically stated Sunday as a cloud of uncertainties still hang over the country's political arena.

"If the caretaker government goes for holding the parliamentary polls under the ongoing state of emergency, we'll not participate in that election," acting Awami League president Zillur Rahman said while talking to reporters at his Gulshan house.

Demanding immediate unconditional release of detained party chief and ex-PM Sheikh Hasina and sending her to the USA for treatment, he said Awami League would not take part in the parliamentary polls without her participation.

Responding to a query whether the party will join the formal talks with the caretaker government without Sheikh Hasina, Zillur said it would be decided at party's presidium meeting.

Asked about exact timing of staging countrywide hunger strike, scheduled to be staged before April 20 to press its 5-point demand, including release of Hasina, he said the party would soon announce the date of staging the planned hunger strike.

"We will exchange views with the district-level leaders of the party first and then we will declare the date of the hunger strike," he said.

The AL leader asked the government to withdraw the 15-month-old state of emergency, failing which, he threatened, the party would be compelled to go for street agitation even under the emergency if such a situation was created.

Bid to solicit support for NPDA bill in US Congress

Staff Reporter

Bangladeshi citizens in USA are trying to solicit support and co-sponsorship from their respective congressmen for the New Partnership Development Act (NPDA) passage of which will let goods of least developed countries to enter US market free of duty.

Congressman Jim McDermott introduced "NPDA 2007" bill in the US Senate last October.

Bangladesh and other least developed countries have launched drive to motivate the US congressmen so that they support the bill and get it passed. The government has urged the Bangladeshis living in USA to work in favour of the trade bill. Bangladesh Ambassador to the USA, Humayun Kabir, recently addressed the annual meeting of Triangle Bangladesh Society of North Carolina and urged the community members to mobilise support and meet their local Congressmen and Senators to convince them to cosponsor the bill.

The Ambassador further called upon the community members to work as a bridge to link Bangladesh with global knowledge network and other investment opportunities around the globe.

A group of Bangladeshi North Carolinian's met with the Congressmen-- Dr. David Price, Brad Miller and Bob Etheridge to discuss the bill that focuses on reducing global poverty and provides for an additional trade preference programme for the LDCs.

The Congressmen have been informed that this bill will help fight poverty by creating jobs, particularly for women, and empower them in society while eradicating poverty and promoting democracy. This bill is expected to create a win-win situation for both the United States and the LDCs.

The work of Dr Muhammad Yunus with respect to eradicating poverty in Bangladesh was also discussed during the meetings.

In response to the requests from Bangladesh community the Congressmen suggested that the constituents meet their respective representatives to promote awareness of the bill and engage in fruitful exchange of ideas with a similar sized group.

The Congressmen took a keen interest in the bill. While the meetings were very productive, the group will have a follow up discussion with their Congressmen soon.

Former president of Triangle Bangladesh Society, North Carolina Salim Chowdhury and General Secretary Anwarul Islam Mukul, among others, were working to solicit support.

Lanka limits rice prices

BBC Online

The Sri Lankan government has introduced limits on rice prices.

New price limits came into effect on Thursday, covering most varieties which are eaten in the country.

Consumer Affairs Minister Bandula Gunawardena told the BBC that selling above the price limit is prohibited under the Consumer Protection Act.

But some wholesale shops in the capital Colombo were closed on Thursday. Traders said the price limits made their business uneconomic.

Other countries in Asia have been suffering from food price rises, and shortages of rice and other basic foodstuffs.

"The government has taken a hasty decision without consulting us," the president of the Old Moor Street Traders' Association, K Palaniandi Sunderam, said.

"We can't sell at the price that the government is imposing because we have bought the rice already at a higher price."

He also said the country's civil war was having an effect on supplies, with restrictions on movement meaning that the harvest from the north could not reach the south of the island.

Under the new scheme, the maximum retail price of the most popular rice, samba, is 70 rupees per kilo ($0.65).

Gunawardena said a consumer court has been specially set up to punish retailers who violate the price ceiling.

Selling, displaying, hiding stock or misleading the public were now offences, and the public could complain to the Consumer Protection Authority, or the civil authorities of the area, he said.

Rejecting the suggestion that there was a rice shortage in Sri Lanka, he said it was a propaganda campaign that was launched before the New Year by "groups with vested interests" to artificially increase rice prices.

Two weeks ago wholesalers in Colombo asked the government to try to persuade India to lower the price at which it was selling non-basmati rice - but the government has not responded yet.

Gunawardena said that traders were free to import any amount of rice, without tax, from any country.

But India has now stopped exporting non-basmati rice.

SC verdict on bail under EPR today

UNB, Dhaka

The Supreme Court pronounces its crucial judgment today on government appeal challenging a year-old High Court ruling that it has the jurisdiction to dispose of petitions by persons seeking bail in criminal cases under the stringent Emergency Power Rules (EPR) 2007.

On April 22 last year, a High Court division bench comprising Justice Nozrul Islam Chowdhury and Justice SM Emdadul Huq in its verdict had affirmed that it has the locus standi to dispose of petition by any person seeking bail in the EPR cases.

The HC verdict came following an application by an oil trader of Khulna, Maijuddin Sikder, on March 29 last year seeking bail in a case, filed under the EPR, concerning supply of adulterated oil. On the night of March 21 last year, the government issued a gazette notification relating to bail under the EPR with retrospective effect since February 13.