The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mystery shrouds Musharraf- Gen Kayani meet

Parvez Musharraf

BBC News

President Pervez Musharraf has met Pakistan's army chief, Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, amid growing concerns over political and economic problems.

An army spokesman also confirmed reports that some key military officials hand-picked by President Musharraf have been transferred.

Musharraf has resisted calls by his political rivals, who won in February's elections, to resign.

The political stand-off is adding to the country's economic woes.

Pakistan army spokesman Maj-Gen Athar Abbas called both the army chief's meeting with President Musharraf and the redeployment of some key Musharraf appointees as a "routine" matter.

He was reacting to a media report which said the army chief's meeting with President Musharraf was aimed at persuading him to quit.

The report said the army had also removed a Musharraf loyalist from the command of the Rawalpindi-based 111 Brigade, which defence analysts say would play an important role in any military takeover or the sacking of a civilian government.

The army had also replaced a security contingent of President Musharraf that was hand-picked by him, it said.

The moves come as President Musharraf faces stiffening resistance from the judges he sacked on 3 November when he imposed emergency rule in the country.

They are supported by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, which emerged as the second largest party in February's elections and now shares power with the country's largest party, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

The PML-N pulled out of the federal cabinet earlier this month when the PPP refused to agree to restore the sacked judges without constitutional reforms to back the move.

Its leaders blamed the PPP for being soft on President Musharraf and favouring a working relationship with him.

But in a rare outburst last week, PPP chief Asif Zardari called Musharraf a "relic of the past", and someone who stood "between the people and democracy".

Observers say this change of heart follows from President Musharraf's resistance to the PPP's reforms package that aim at clipping the president's powers and restoring the judges.

A number of US lawmakers who visited Pakistan earlier this week have also criticised the US administration's dependence on President Musharraf.

One of them, Senator Russ Feingold called for the restoration of judges as essential to constitutional reforms.

The country's stock market has responded to this ongoing crisis by shedding nearly 3,000 points in trading in two months.

The Pakistani rupee has also lost more than 10% value during the last two weeks. Meanwhile, the gap in trade balance has exceeded $10bn, due to a rising oil bill.

In a meeting with members of the Karachi Stock Exchange in Islamabad on Wednesday, Zardari said the government would focus on economic issues once the political issues were out of the way.

EC keen to support local shipbuilders

Chittagong Correspondent

Head of the Delegation of European Commission (EC) Dr. Stefan Frowein said here yesterday that the EC would provide necessary support to the local shipbuilders for letting them relatively stronger footing in the global market.

The European Commission envoy made the remark during a visit to the Western Marine Shipyard Limited (WMSL) to oversee the progress of Danish order for three ocean-going vessels and the other facilities.

The Western Marine, which makes its footprint in global shipbuilding market in February this year, has already received orders for building 18 ocean-going ships. Five of the 18 vessels had been ordered by a Danish company, twelve for a Dutch company and the rest for a Singaporean company.

The country will earn foreign currency worth US$ 180 million from the orders.

During the visit, officials of the WMSL briefed the EC envoy about the progress of the ongoing projects. The EC envoy expressed his satisfaction over the progress of the projects.

Assuring steadfast support of EC, Stefan urged the shipbuilding companies to go 'full steam ahead' with the shipbuilding business as the three companies based in Bangladesh had captured significant orders from Europe in recent months.

"Shipbuilding industry has potential to earn billions and to bring benefits both to the people of Bangladesh and the European Union," the EC envoy said.

Chairman of Western Marine Shipyard Limited Saiful Islam, Chairman of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Commodore M Farooque, President of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCC&I) Saifuzzaman Chowdhury among others were present during the visit.

The CPA Chairman requested the EC envoy for facilitating high-tech shipbuilding training to human resources through their 'quality support program.'

The CCC&I President Saifuzzaman Chowdhury hoped that EC envoy's visit to the shipyard would help enhancing the Bangladesh shipbuilding industry and opening a new frontier of exporting ships to Europe.

WMSL Chairman sought assistance from the EC to develop skilled manpower through imparting training and transfer of technology to boost country's shipbuilding capabilities.

He said that shipbuilding boom held out bright prospects for a significant expansion of Bangladesh's commercial relation with the European Union. Currently Bangladesh enjoys around 4 billion-euro trade surpluses with EU countries.

First Secretary to the EC Charles Whitely, trade advisor to the EC A Razi Hai, Project Officer Jeni Christensen, advisor in the political and trade section Janatan Henriksson accompanied the EC envoy during the visit.

Tk 619cr Govt project to ensure fair price to farmers

Shamim Jahangir

The government has taken up a five-year Tk 619.29 crore innovative programme styled "National Agriculture and Technology Project" (NATC) to ensure fair prices to the farmers for their produce food security and stop the manipulation of prices by middlemen.

The World Bank financed project to be launched from July next also aims at employment generation at the grass roots level of the society, according to official sources.

Of the total outlay of the project, the World Bank will provide Tk 571.11 crore and Bangladesh government Tk 48.18 crore.

Again of the total amount, the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) will get Tk 123.29 crore, horticulture foundation Tk 36.13 crore, fisheries sector Tk 55.35 crore and livestock department Tk 71.85 crore to implement the project.

Under the project, the Government will set up 'Farmers Information and Advise Centre' (FIAC) at the union parishad level for the dissemination of information on prices of different agricultural commodities.

The FIAC in each union of the country will be manned by the personnel from the department of agriculture extension, livestock, fisheries and horticulture. They will help the farmers for the development agriculture sector by giving advice on the luxuriant growth of various crops, vegetables and fruits and making available latest technologies for augmenting production.

This programme will also give fillip to the livestock and fisheries sectors, officials said.

FIAC is designed to play an active role in solving problems of the farmers and others in the production of crops, vegetables, fish and fruits, sources added.

The government also decided to involve the non-government organisations (NGOs) to implement the project successfully.

A high official of the Ministry of Agriculture told the New Nation that the comprehensive development of the agricultural sector would depend on the implementation of the NATC project successfully. "It is for the first time the government has taken such kind of project to ensure food security. It will also strengthen the monitoring system of the market at grass-roots level and create employment opportunities in agriculture sector," he added.

The term of the project may be extended to another 10 years if it is successful during the first five years, he informed.

Post-Sidr Barisal region: People below poverty line increases

Staff Reporter

Though the number of people living under the poverty line has reduced in the country, in Barisal Division the number has increased considerably in the last few years.

The increase has been attributed to natural disasters like sidr, river erosion, political vendetta and deceptive development plan and financial allocation for the poor, said speakers at a discussion meeting yesterday.

According to Government statistics, the number of people under poverty line reduced 10 per cent in the country between 2000-2005, but in the meantime, the number increased by about 1 per cent in Barisal Division, the southern part of the country.

Barisal Division Unnayan Forum organised the discussion on "Disparity and Deception in Development: Barisal Division Perspective" at the National Press Club.

Awami League Presidium Member Amir Hossain Amu, BNP leader and former state minister Selima Rahman, former state minister AKM Jahangir, Bangladesh Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, among others, addressed the discussion presided over by noted poet Asad Chowdhury.

Prof Abul Barkat, General Secretary of Bangladesh Economic Association presented keynote paper.

Amu said many development projects were being hindered due to political vendetta in the region.

Terming the Mongla Port as a viable seaport, he said if it was developed, the industrialisation and financial activities in the region would expand and be more dynamic.

The Government could reduce the number of poor in the region by distributing properly the foreign aid that came after cyclone Sidr.

Selima Rahman said reduction in navigability, river erosion and week infrastructure are the major obstacles on the way to development of the region. The river erosion and natural calamities were responsible for the increase in the number of extreme poor.

AKM Jahangir said it was essential to make many fishing zones in the area to help poor people earn a living by exporting fish.

He said if the potentialities of the southern part of the country could be utilised properly, problems of the region could be removed.

Prof Barkat said the people of Barisal division lost Tk 77,000 crore worth of wealth due to cyclone Sidr, which is 70 per cent of the total loss to the country.

Jamaat MP among 22 charge-sheeted

Chittagong Correspondent

Police yesterday charge-sheeted 22 leaders and workers of the anti-liberation force Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) here at an extortion case.

Former Jamaat-e-Islami legislator from Satkania Shajahan Chowdhury and the Amir of the Satkania unit of the Jamaat-e-Islami Dr. Nurul Haque are also among the charge-sheeted people.

Officer-in-Charge of Satkania police station accompanied by some of his subordinates went to the court of the District Judicial Magistrate (DJM) yesterday morning and submitted the charge sheet.

The DJM court forwarded the case to the District and Sessions Judge Court in Chittagong after taking the charges into cognizance.

Police officials said that they received formal complaints of extortion against 40 leaders and workers of the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student from Islami Chhatra Shibir from a trader - Abdur Rahim - on March 24, 2007.

The complainant in the first information report (FIR) said that directed by local legislator Shajahan Chowdhury some 45 or 50 armed cadres of the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student front Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) forcibly stopped his sand procurement work on February 15, 2004 upon a demand of Taka 300 thousand as toll.

The cadres assaulted him physically as he denied paying the toll. The attackers also took away Taka 10 thousand in cash after injuring him there.

Earlier, sand trader Abdur Rahim took 255 hectares of land on the Dulu River as lease for procuring sand.

Later, the oppressed sand trader tried seeking justice from the Jamaat-e-Islami's local legislator Shajahan Chowdhury and the Amir of the local unit of the party. None of them paid any heed to his trouble but asked him to address the demand of the attackers.

The then officials of Satkania police also denied recording any case in connection with the oppression and extracting money. Finally, he recorded the complaint with the Upazila court.

Four of the charge-sheeted people - Shajahan Chowdhury and Nurul Haq, Abu Musa and Mohiuddin - are now in jail while the others are absconding.

Supreme Judicial Commission Ordinance amended

UNB, Dhaka

The council of advisers on Sunday approved the Public Servants (Dismissal on Conviction) (Amendment) Ordinance 2008.

It also endorsed the Supreme Judicial Commission (Amendment) Ordinance 2008 put forward by the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

Besides, the council approved Bangladesh's ratification of the D-8 Agreement on Simplification of Visa Procedure for the Businessmen of the Member States.

A government spokesman said the Council of Advisers finally approved the ordinances in its regular weekly meeting held at the Chief Adviser's Office in the afternoon with Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair.

Under the Public Servants (Dismissal on Conviction) Ordinance 1985 a public servant used to be dismissed if he or she was given more than six months imprisonment or awarded more than Tk 1,000 as fines by the court.

In the new ordinance, which took immediate effect from today, the duration of imprisonment has been extended to over one year while the amount for penalty over Tk 10,000 for the dismissal of a public servant from services.

With the approval of the Supreme Judicial Commission (Amendment) Ordinance 2008, the nine-member commission headed by the chief justice would be reconstituted. The other members of the commission will be the law minister, the attorney general, the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, three senior judges of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court and two senior High Court judges.

Besides, the Council approved Bangladesh's ratification of the D-8 Agreement on Simplification of Visa Procedure for the Businessmen of the Member States.

The D-8 Group was formed in 1997 by eight Muslim countries-Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria and Turkey.

Following the meeting, CA's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim said with the approval of the agreement, trade and business relations among the member-countries of the bloc would be further "expedited and strengthened".

Briefing newsmen at his office, he said Bangladesh would be benefited as its export will increase among the member- states. "Travel of the businessmen of the member-countries will be easier while investment and foreign trade accelerated within these countries."

Advisers of the caretaker government and Special Assistants to the Chief Adviser attended the meeting. Cabinet Secretary, Press Secretary and secretaries concerned were present.

Supreme Judicial Businessmen of the Member States.

A government spokesman said the Council of Advisers finally approved the ordinances in its regular weekly meeting held at the Chief Adviser's Office in the afternoon with Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair.

Under the Public Servants (Dismissal on Conviction) Ordinance 1985 a public servant used to be dismissed if he or she was given more than six months imprisonment or awarded more than Tk 1,000 as fines by the court.

In the new ordinance, which took immediate effect from today, the duration of imprisonment has been extended to over one year while the amount for penalty over Tk 10,000 for the dismissal of a public servant from services.

With the approval of the Supreme Judicial Commission (Amendment) Ordinance 2008, the nine-member commission headed by the chief justice would be reconstituted. The other members of the commission will be the law minister, the attorney general, the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, three senior judges of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court and two senior High Court judges.

Besides, the Council approved Bangladesh's ratification of the D-8 Agreement on Simplification of Visa Procedure for the Businessmen of the Member States.

The D-8 Group was formed in 1997 by eight Muslim countries-Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria and Turkey.

Following the meeting, CA's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim said with the approval of the agreement, trade and business relations among the member-countries of the bloc would be further "expedited and strengthened".

Arrest of political leaders: US seeks clarification from govt

UNB, Dhaka

The United States has sought clarification from the caretaker government on the reasons behind the arrests of political party leaders over the past several days.

"We understand that many people, including political party leaders, have been arrested over the past several days. We are seeking clarification from the government regarding the reasons behind these arrests," a spokesman for the US Embassy told UNB on Sunday.

The spokesman said the US has consistently stated that any individual arrested and charged with a crime should be treated fairly and accorded the full range of legal and constitutional rights that meet international standards of transparency and due process.

SCBA expresses concern over crackdown on political leaders

UNB, Dhaka

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Barrister Shafique Ahmed today (Sunday) expressed concern over the police crackdown arresting political leaders across the country.

Talking to reporters, he said the actions of the law enforcers turned into mass arrests.

Barrister Shafique said preemptive action of arrest presuming one might break the Emergency Power Rules (EPR) is not right. Rather, he said it is contrary to the violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution.

The SCBA president said such arrests are obstacle to give democracy an institutional shape.

US special envoy to OIC to visit Dhaka

UNB, Dhaka

United States Special Envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Sada Cumber will visit Bangladesh soon.

During his visit, he will meet with government, religious and civil society leaders to discuss how the US can engage with the OIC and its member countries on a range of issues.

Cumber, the first US special envoy to the OIC, is underscoring the importance the US places on advancing mutual understanding between the US and Muslims around the world.

'Cancer prevention is important than cure'

Staff Reporter

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Brig Gen (Retd) MA Malek said prevention is vital in the cure of cancer and the Government will support all sorts of private initiative in the field of cancer treatment.

"Awareness about cancer shall have to be enhanced and scope for treatment of cancer needs to be widened," he said as chief guest at a discussion meeting on 'World Cancer Survivors Day' held at Shaheed Zia Auditorium of the National Museum in the city organised by Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital in support with Bangladesh Scouts.

He welcomed the initiative of Dhaka Ahsania Mission for establishing Ahsania Mission Cancer Hospital (AMCH) with the support of the Government and people.

He expressed all kinds of support from the Government in this regard.

Kazi Rafiqul Alam, President of Dhaka Ahsania Mission, chaired the meeting, while ABMF Karim, Professor Emeritus of Amsterdam University, National Professor MR Khan, M Fazlur Rahman, Chief National Commissioner of Bangladesh Scouts, among others, were present on the occasion.

Each Michigan, Florida delegate given half vote: Hillary eyes Puerto Rico win

Hillary & Barack Obama

AP, Washington

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton, newly defiant against her own party leaders, sought a victory Sunday in Puerto Rico's presidential primary that would give her a toehold on an increasingly slippery path to the nomination.

The island territory, once a political asterisk in presidential contests, stood as Clinton's last best electoral chance. She, former President Clinton and their daughter Chelsea have spent a combined 15 days in the commonwealth hoping to keep her relevant in the contest.

Sunday's vote follows the decision Saturday by a panel of the Democratic National Committee to give each Michigan and Florida delegate a half vote at this summer's convention. It was a compromise that did no harm to Obama's near claim to the nomination but infuriated the Clinton camp and prompted new threats to carry the fight to the August convention.

"This decision violates the bedrock principles of our democracy and our party," the Clinton campaign said in a joint statement from Harold Ickes and Tina Flournoy, two of her advisers.

The deal by the party's Rules Committee placed Obama 66 delegates short of the total he needs to clinch the nomination. The election Sunday and two final primaries Tuesday will close that gap, and Obama could attract enough superdelegates to secure the nomination this week.

Clinton campaigned hard in Puerto Rico, spending several hours Saturday on the back of a pickup truck in a salsa-blasting, 40-vehicle caravan through the outskirts of San Juan. In a sign that her supporters were unwilling to give up, an outside group financed by her labor backers bought $150,000 worth of television ads on the island promoting her views.

The group, the American Leadership Project, was also spending $300,000 on ads in Tuesday's primary states of Montana and South Dakota, states where Obama is deemed the favorite. Clinton planned to campaign in South Dakota Monday.

Saturday's party meeting did strengthen one of Clinton's key arguments for staying in the fight.

WB launches $1.2 b fund to fight food crisis

UNB, Dhaka

The World Bank Group has announced that it would support global efforts to overcome the global food crisis with a new US$1.2 billion rapid financing facility to address immediate needs, including $200 million in grants targeted at the vulnerable in the world's poorest countries.

It would boost overall support for global agriculture and food to US$6 billion next year, up from $4 billion, and would launch risk management tools, and crop insurance to protect poor countries and small-holders, said a press release here on Sunday.

The US$1.2 billion facility, designed to address immediate needs, will support safety net programs such as food for work, conditional cash transfers, and school feeding programs for the most vulnerable.

It will provide support for food production - this year and beyond - by supplying seeds and fertilizer, improving irrigation for small-scale farmers, and providing budget support to offset tariff reductions for food and other unexpected costs.

The grants for Djibouti ($5 million), Haiti ($10 million), and Liberia ($10 million) are being approved while over the coming month, the World Bank is expected to provide grant support to Togo, Yemen and Tajikistan.

Expulsion of leaders to hamper party unification: Hafiz

BSS, Dhaka

Pro-reformist acting secretary general of BNP major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed yesterday urged all concerned for unification of the party following the principle of shahid president Ziaur Rahman instead of rampaging activities and expelling leaders from the party.

Blasting the expulsion of some leaders from the party's district committees, he said, such steps would hamper the efforts of unification of the party.

Hafiz said this while presiding over a discussion meeting of the party on the occasion of the 27th death anniversary of shahid president Ziaur Rahman at a city hotel here.

Major General (retd) Z A Khan, Shah M Abul Hossain, M A Hakim, Nojir Hossain, S A Sultan Titu, Zahir Uddin Shawpan also spoke, among others.

Hafiz said they gave the reform proposal in line with the principle of Shahid Zia to run the party in a democratic way.

"But a vested quarter are trying to make the reform process debatable," he said.

He urged all standing committee members of the BNP to take necessary steps for the unification of the party as, what he said, all BNP leaders and workers want this.