The New Nation - Internet Edition

Piar, Ziko elected President Secy of JBBA

UNB, New York

Bangladeshi businessmen Md Piar and Zakaria Masud Ziko were elected president and secretary respectively of Jacksionheights Bangladeshi Business Association (JBBA), biggest organization of Bangladeshi businessmen here.

The election was held on June 22 at Bangladesh Plaza. Some 124 voters, out of 128, cast their votes in the election.

Other office bearers are : senior vice-president-Dr. Mansur Khan, vice-presidents-Kaiser Halim and Saju Mia, joint secretary-A Rahim Hawlader, social welfare secretary-Kazi MA Kaiyum, cultural secretary- Md Rashed Ahmed, office secretary-Shahin H Chowdhury, publicity secretary-Ashraful Hasan Bulbul, publication secretary-Md. Azizul Haque.

Executive members are : Md. Anwar Hossain, A Salam Mia, Mawlana MK Rahman, Enayet Uddin Sarder, Md. Mohsin Mia, Mohsin Noni Bhuyian, Mansur K Chowdhury, Hossain S Rana, Md. Feroz Alam and Nazir Sinha.

M Rahman was the chief election commissioner while Abu Zafar Mahmud was election commission secretary.

2 bikers killed in accident

Staff Reporter

Two motorcyclists were killed in a road accident at Kakrail crossing in the city yesterday.

The victims were identified as 'Jhut' trader Anwar Hossain Kalu, 35, and his friend Abdul Malek alias Malu, 33. They hailed from Basabo area under Sabuzbagh Police Station in the city.

Police said the accident occurred at about 5:00am when a goods-laden truck hit their motorbike at Kakrail crossing while two friends were returning home after visiting Kalu's ailing wife Tania Begum at Dhanmondi Central Hospital, leaving them critically injured.

They were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where the attending doctors declared them dead. Both bodies were kept in the hospital morgue for autopsy.

A case was filed with Paltan police station.

2 killed in city road mishap

UNB, Dhaka

Two motorcyclists were killed in a road accident at Kakrail crossing in the city yesterday morning.

The victims were identified as 'Jhut' trader Anwar Hossain Kalu, 35, and his friend Abdul Malek alias Malu, 33. They hailed from Basabo area under Sabuzbagh thana in the city.

Police said the accident occurred at about 5am when a goods-laden truck hit their motorbike at Kakrail crossing while two friends were returning home after visiting Kalu's ailing wife Tania Begum at Dhanmondi Central Hospital, leaving them critically injured.

They were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where the attending doctors declared them dead. Both bodies were kept in the hospital morgue for autopsy.

A case was filed with Paltan police station.

View exchange at Khagrachhari: Local body polls to as per road map: Hossain Zillur

UNB, Khagrachhari

Education and Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman has reiterated that the local government elections would be held as per the government formulated election roadmap.

"There is no doubt in this regard. Local government polls will be held before the national elections," he said during a views exchange meeting with people of various professions at the Deputy Commissioner' s conference room here yesterday.

Dr Hossain Zillur assured of giving "acceptable importance" to resolving the regional problems. He, however, said national indivisibility would have to be maintained by ensuring that cultural originality is unharmed.

Law and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser AFM Hassan Ariff and Communications Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Ghulam Quader were also present in the meeting, held as part of field level dialogues.

The Advisers informed the meeting that that dialogue was being held with the local elite alongside the political leaders to ensure political and economic development, give institutional shape to democracy and restore peace in the country.

They also sought cooperation from all in the government's ongoing move to bring a qualitative change in politics for the sake of country's overall development.

The participants at the meeting demanded ensuring of security in holding all local body polls including the CHT district council and regional council elections.

CHT regional council chairman Monindra Lal Tripura, educationist Ananta Bihari Khisa, Nurunnabi Chowdhury, Sahajuddin, Kangjuri Chowdhury, Prabin Chandra Chakma and Khagrachhari Pourasava Mayor Joynal Abedin, among others, also spoke on the occasion.

Later, the advisers visited the Khagrachhari Government Women's College.

2 hacked to death in Jhalakati

UNB, Jhalakati

Assailants hacked two people to death at Mohishkandi village in Kanthalia upazila early yesterday.

The deceased were identified as Manik Sikder, 50, a marginal farmer, and his younger brother's wife Shefali Begum, 24.

Police said the assailants, numbering 7/8, stormed the house of Manik Sikder at about 4am and hacked him severely, killing him on the spot.

They also hacked Shefali to death as her husband Idris Ali fled the scene and escaped unhurt in the attack.

On information, police rushed to the scene and recovered the bodies.

Democracy depends on local polls: Rab

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Convenor of Unity for Political Reform (UPR) ASM Abdur Rab asked for upazila elections to be held by October, at a press conference yesterday, saying all local government polls should be held before national elections in December.

People want change, their empowerment is at stake, he said.

"People's empowerment has been neglected for the last 36 years for the sake of party, group and family interests."

Holding local government elections, including upazila elections, would remedy the situation, Rab said.

Also speaking at the press conference on local governance, held at the National Press Club, was UPR coordinator Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury.

Zafarullah urged the major parties to move away from their negative stance against holding local polls ahead of national polls.

"The perception that the parliamentary elections would be delayed or hampered if the upazila election was held first is not right. There is no logic behind it," he said.

"We think if the upazila system is not strengthened the base of democratisation will remain weak."

Member secretary of the organisation MA Gofran read out a written statement at the press conference.

The statement called on all political parties and organisations to come forward for the upazila elections.

It said there was no alternative to local government for improving the quality of democracy, eliminating the gap between towns and villages and for balanced development.

UPR criticised the role of big political parties in the last 16 years, stressing again that holding upazila elections-keeping the schedule for national elections unchanged-was of utmost urgency.

The organisation called for re-establishing the four-tier local government system (ward, union, municipality/upazila, city/zila), formation of strong metropolitan government in big cities and giving the local government institutions the power to prepare their own budget including imposition of taxes.

"People want change, reform," Abdur Rab said.

"But the political parties have not shown any interest in reform. In our country the democratic path has not been followed because of its leaders."

Water, gas, power crisis persists in Ctg

UNB, Chittagong

Acting President of Chittagong unit of BGMEA MA Salam yesterday said that Chittagong, known as country's commercial capital, has become economically crippled due to crisis of water, gas and power.

Addressing a press conference at a local hotel, he alleged that owing to the power crisis production losses in 700 garment factories in this region exceed Tk 100 crore a month.

Over 100 different industries here failed to go for production for stoppage of gas supply since September last year, said the BGMEA leader.

Placing an eight-point demand at the press conference, he drew the attention of the Chief Adviser, calling for increase of power supply and immediate supply of gas here from gas wells in Bibiyana and Brahmanbaria.

The demands include supplying minimum 500 MW of power in the region from national grid as long as the power crisis exists, scrapping power generation licensing system at individual level and ensuring uninterrupted power supply to garment units.

The BGMEA Chittagong unit president said the garment owners are facing financial losses as they failed to supply goods to their foreign buyers as per delivery schedule due to power crisis.

He said that power supply remains off for eight out of 12 working hours.

Former first vice presidents of BGMEA Khalilur Rahman, MS Abu Tayab and Mahbub Ali, among others, were present at the press conference.