The New Nation - Internet Edition

House aide's body recovered from former president's residence

Staff Reporter

A servant of the residence of former President Abdur Rahman Biswas allegedly committed suicide yesterday.

Mohammad Rajib, son of Shukur Akhand of village Charbaria under Kotwali Police Station of Barisal district, was found dead inside the bathroom of the residence of former President Abdur Rahman Biswas at House No. 4, Road No. 10, Block-H, Banani in the city at about 2:30pm yesterday.

Police said they found the neck of the victim was wrapped up with a gamcha when the body was recovered.

The 13-year-old servant came to the former president's residence from Barisal some one and a half months ago.

Receiving information, Assistant Commissioner (Patrol) Iftekhar Ahmed and Officer-in-Charge of Gulshan Police Station Obaidul Huq went to the spot.

Later, police sent the body to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for postmortem.

An unnatural death case (No. 17) was filed with the Gulshan Police Station.

Gulshan police said they were awaiting the autopsy report from the Department of Forensic Medicine of DMCH to ascertain the cause of death.

Jamilur Rahman Shibly, son of former President Abdur Rahman Biswas, also lodged a case with Gulshan Police Station yesterday afternoon.

Call to uphold Islamic values

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a discussion meeting yesterday called for upholding the values of Islam to ensure progress and prosperity of the nation.

The discussion meeting was organised at the Jatiya Press Club's auditorium to mark the 18th founding anniversary of the Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan.

Moulana Shah Ahmed Ashraf, chief of Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan was the chief guest at the function which was addressed by former minister Nazimuddin Al-Azad, Moulana Zafarullah Khan, Secretary General and Anisur Rahman Zinnah, Nayebe Ameer of Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan, Abdul Mobin of Bangladesh Islamic Party and Mostafa Kamal Majumder, Editor, the New Nation, among others.

The speakers recalled that the Khelafat Andolan was organised in Bangladesh by the late Hafezi Hujur to sharpen the movement to establish Islamic leadership at National and global levels.

They called for unity of nationalists and Islamic forces to safeguard the independence, sovereignty of Bangladesh and its identity as a Muslim country.

CA hopes good governance after next general election

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin yesterday said his caretaker government is working for the people of the country with the hope that good governance would prevail after next general election with smooth transition in power.

He made the remark as outgoing Canadian High Commissioner in Dhaka Barbara Richardson made farewell call on him at the CA's office and, during discussion, appreciated the performance of the interim government under the leadership of Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin.

Fakhruddin thanked the Canadian diplomat for her government's support to Bangladesh in preparing electoral rolls and Canada's significant contribution to the development of Bangladesh.

He noted that the high commissioner has witnessed the process of transformation, progress on general election and reform programmes undertaken by the caretaker government.

Thanking the Chief Adviser for his appreciation, High Commissioner Barbara said Canada needed to support Bangladesh as the country is "going to election to restore the democratic norms".

She assured continuation of the Canadian government support for socioeconomic development of Bangladesh, according to CA's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim who was present at the meeting.

Referring to accomplishing the gigantic task of preparing voter lists with photographs of about 80 million voters in a short time, Barbara said, "Bangladesh would be very proud of it…the country can do many things."

The High Commissioner also appreciated the Chief Adviser's personal role in enhancing Bangladesh's image in the outer world for making democratic setup in the country.

Barbara said she would apprise her government of election roadmap, smooth transition in power and other positive sides of Bangladesh and the interim government.

140 ex-BNP MPs demand release of Khaleda

UNB, Dhaka

Thursday demanded unconditional release of party's detained chairperson and ex-premier Khaleda Zia.

In a joint statement, read out at a press briefing, they also demanded release of all ailing BNP political detainees, including Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman Koko, to facilitate their treatment abroad.

Read out by BNP joint secretary general and former state minister Selima Rahman, the statement said the government would be held responsible if anything happened to Tarique and Koko for not arranging their treatment abroad.

The former lawmakers of the immediate-past ruling party clearly said that BNP "will not participate in any election other than national elections".

Over 30 ex-MPs from among the signatories were present at the briefing held at BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain's NAM apartment.

They are Begum Sarwari Rahman, Shajahan Chowdhury, Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Principal Sohrab Uddin, Khairul Kabir Khokon, Ashraf Uddin Nizami, Abdul Momen Talukdar, Nurul kabir Shaheen, Syed Mehedi Ahmed Rumi, Selim Reza Habib, Shirin Sultana, Fahima Hossain Jublee, Helen Zerin Khan, Saimum Begum, Rezina Akhtar, Nure Ara Safa, Rehana Akhtar Ranu and Arly Sultana.

Mig purchase scam: Discharge petition again deferred to June 26

UNB , Dhaka

The hearing on defence argument encountering the prosecution proposal for framing charge against ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and six others in the Mig-29 warplane purchase graft case was Thursday further held back until June 26.

Dhaka divisional special judge M Golam Mortuza Majumder passed the order of deferment responding to a defence time petition, which was opposed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Public Prosecutor.

Hasina's lawyer Sahara Khatun submitted the time petition on grounds of preoccupation with cases in the Supreme Court by Barrister Shafique Ahmed who is supposed to initiate the submission of defence argument. The lawyers of other accused in the case supported the plea.

Opposing the defence plea, the Chief Special Public Prosecutor Sharfuddin Khan Mukul suggested that the defence counsel for other accused make their arguments against the charge framing by the time for continuation of legal process.

On June 2, the prosecution proposed framing charges against Awami League president Hasina and six other co-accused persons.

Earlier, the court, relocated to the Sangsad Bhaban complex for trying high-profile corruption suspects, resumed at 9:55 am after the accused now on bail appeared. They are former army chief Gen (retd) Mustafizur Rahman, former air-force chief Marshal (retd) Jamal Uddin Ahmed, retired defence secretary Syed Yusuf Hossain, Air Commodore (retd) Mirza Akhtar Maruf, retired defence joint secretary Mohammad Hossain Serniabat and businessman Noor Ali.

Sahara Khatun represented Hasina as she has been dispensed with personal attendance during trial proceedings. The Awami League chief, temporarily released on June 11 by an executive order for her treatment overseas, is now in the United States.

According to the case filed with Tejgaon Police Station, the purchase of the Mig-29 aircraft caused a loss of Tk 700 crore to the exchequer.

Shortly after the BNP-led four-party alliance came to power, the now-defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption filed the Mig-scam case in December 2001. The incumbent caretaker government revived the stalled case through legal battle, as a clean-up drive against corruption is now underway.