The New Nation - Internet Edition

JP to join dialogue only to have poll date: Ershad

UNB, Dhaka

Jatiya Party chairman Hossain M Ershad Monday said his party would attend the proposed dialogue with the government only to have a date for the long-awaited national election.

"We'll attend the dialogue to know the date of the national election," Ershad told a party rally at the Diploma Engineers Institution.

Jatiya Party arranged the rally ahead of its nationwide demonstration programmes to be observed today.

JP will arrange rallies across the country to register its protest against the price hike of essentials and the CA's address to the nation.

Ershad said JP will attend the dialogue not to sign any charter. "It' s not the government, but the people who will make the charter. If necessary, Jatiya Party will make a charter."

He warned the government of bad consequences if it failed to hold the stalled national election as per the roadmap.

Ershad also supported the Election Commission's decision to hold local body elections before the parliamentary polls.

Mother drowns two children, swallowed poison

UNB, Madaripur

A young woman destabilized by the second marriage of husband drowned her 2 kids and swallowed poison in an attempt to commit suicide in a remote village of sadar upazila on Monday.

Neighbours rescued the bodies of Joy (2) and Meem (5) from the Kumar River and rushed Shirin Akter (30) to Madaripur Sadar Hospital where doctors were trying to save her life by pumping out the poisonous pesticide from the stomach.

Subedar Apel Mahmud of Shirkara Srinadi police camp confirmed the incident.

Relatives said Haider Bepari of Shirkhara village used to work in Dhaka leaving behind wife Shirin and minor son and daughter at the village home. Recently he married a young girl in Dhaka without the knowledge of his first wife and a week ago came home with the new bride. That totally broke the heart of Shirin. Soon Haider returned to Dhaka with his new wife.

Finding her hapless Shirin took the extreme course. She took her minor son and daughter to the bank of Kumar River and threw them into the river. Then she swallowed pesticide in a bid to commit suicide.

War crimes: Fact finding body demands probe against Nizami

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The War Crimes Fact Finding Committee yesterday urged the government to take into cognisance all allegations of war crimes against Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, arrested on charges of corruption.

Dr MA Hasan, convenor of the committee, told bdnews24.com: "There are many allegations against Nizami for his role in 1971 and beyond. Now that he has been arrested on charges of corruption, all allegations against him should be probed. This is the demand of the people."

Hasan said the War Crimes Fact Finding Committee, Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee and other organisations had made allegations against 'war criminals'.

"Nizami has not been arrested as a killer."

During the Liberation War, Hasan alleged, Nizami was the president of Jamaat's student front Nikhil Pakistan Islami Chhatra Shangha.

"Al-Badr Bahini was formed under his direct supervision to resist and eliminate freedom fighters," he alleged.

The committee presented detailed information about Jamaat leaders Golam Azam, Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and Muhammad Qamaruzzaman.

The committee from an April press conference published a list of 1,597 people that it said were involved with war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide in 1971.

Four killed in road mishaps

UNB, Dhaka

At least four people, including two women, were killed and six others injured in separate road accidents in Naraynganj and Comilla districts yesterday.

In Naraynganj, three people were killed and six others injured in two accidents Monday morning.

Police and witnesses said the first accident took place at about 6am when a Dhaka-bound bus from Kantchpur collided with another Dhaka-bound bus from Daudkandi in Sonargaon on Dhaka-Chittagong highway.

Kamal, helper of the bus from Daudkandi, died on the spot when six others, including the same bus driver Selim injured critically.

They were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

In another accident, a speeding bus rammed into a CNG-run auto rickshaw at Aliganj in Fatulla upazila at about 7:30pm, killing its two passengers Afroza and Firoza on the spot.

In Comilla, an unidentified pedestrian was crushed under the wheels of a Dhaka bound bus from Chittagong at Iliatganj in Daudkandi upazila at about 5pm.

Police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy.

Moulana Yousuf acting Ameer of Jamaat

BSS, Dhaka

Senior Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Moulana Abul Kalam Mohammad Yousuf was made the acting ameer of the party following the arrest of Moulana Matiur Rahman Nizami on Sunday night.

Before his arrest, Ameer of Jamaat Moulana Nizami handed over the responsibilities of the party chief to Moulana Yousuf after discussing the matter at an extended meeting of the Jamaat's central executive committee, a party press release said here yesterday.

Outlaw leader held with arms

BSS, Rajbari

Police arrested a top leader of Akash group of Sarbohara party and recovered a country made gun and a bullet from his possession in the district on Sunday night.

The arrested was identified as Mohammad Islam alias Akash, 28, of Purbo Ujanchar village under Goalanda upazila of the district.

Being tipped off a team of police led by SI Asad raided Kolar hat village under Sadar upazila and arrested him.

Akash, a notorious criminal, was involved in five different criminal cases, including dacoity, looting and rape.

He was sent to jail after producing him before a court.

A case was filed against him in this connection.