The New Nation - Internet Edition

AL to set up central polls monitoring body: Politics being dictated by two leaders from jail or abroad

Rajshahi Mayor candidate and Awami League leader AHM
Khairuzzaman Liton (left) and Barisal Mayor candidate and
BNP leader Ebadul Haq Chan started formal campaign after the
distribution of poll symbol by the Election Commission
yesterday. FocusBangla

Staff Reporter

The election fever has gripped the four city corporations and nine Pourashabha areas as emergency rules were relaxed in view of mayoral and Pourashabha polls scheduled to be held on August 4.

The Awami League, the key contender in the phased out local government polls has planned to form monitoring committee to help their undeclared party candidates to contest the election.

The monitoring committee will be manned by their central and district leaders who will directly help their candidates to conduct election campaign, Matia Chowdhury, a presidium member of Awami League said. The Awami League central leaders have also decided to visit the four city corporation areas to contain rebel leaders.

The BNP has not yet decided whether to contest the phased out local government polls or not. But unofficially their party leaders are participating in City Corporation or Pourashaba polls in large number. It appeared that the party Supremos either in jail or outside the country are having the last word in determining the party's course of action.

The major political parties of the country are manifestly taking part in the city corporation and Pourashaba elections.

Under the local government election rules political parties cannot directly participate in the local government elections.

Political watchers observed that the activities of the political parties regarding the up-coming City Corporation and pourasava polls are opposed to the spirit of the Constitution and the pourasava and city corporation regulations. According to the Constitution, the local Government elections are non-party ones. The key political parties have set candidates in the mayoral polls who are holding party positions in their respective districts.

The 14-party candidates for mayoral polls are Talukder Abdul Khaleque (Khulna), Shawkat Hossain Hiron (Barisal), Badaruddin Ahmed Kamran (Sylhet) are out and out partisan political activists in their respective districts.

Apparently local government polls are heavily infested by political parties as observers hint, are being dictated by their leaders either from inside the jail or from outside the country.

The political leaders said they were warming up for the national elections likely to be held at the end of the year. The local Government poll is a prelude to the national election. The Election Commission said, under the present legal framework they were handicapped to deal with the situation.

The local Government polls supposed to be localised ones. But the candidates are being informally set from the party headquarters. The policy making body in Dhaka of each political party is holding meeting one after another for nominating partisan elements.

The City Corporation and pourasava polls scheduled to be held on August 4 are non political in character. The use of political party offices is also prohibited under the rules.

Prof Muzaffer said, the political parties appeared to have taken it as a dress rehearsal for the coming national polls. After winning the election, they will deny the graft charge filed against them, he said.

By the way, Badaruddin Kamran, former mayor of Sylhet, who is under detention under graft charge has also been nominated by Awami League to contest the upcoming mayoral election of the Sylhet city. Fighting election from detention is an attempt to win sympathy of the voters on the one hand and if elected then to obviously prove himself innocent from the graft charges on the other hand.

Chief Election Commissioner Shamsul Huda said, "The response is beyond imagination and we are very happy,".

He said whatever might be the party line, all the political parties are joining the poll although one party spoke of boycotting. The augury of the campaign is encouraging and till now there are no reports of violation of the code of conduct for the election, he added.

Dr Huda said the Election Commission (EC) has taken all precautionary measures to ensure law and order during the election process so that the voters are not frightened by muscle power and the black money is not used by the candidates like in the past.

Describing the mayoral election as a 'test case', the CEC expressed the hope that if everything goes well and the poll is held smoothly then the arrangements for the next Jatiya Sangsad election will be much better.

Altogether 46 candidates are contesting for the mayoral post in the four city corporations while 59 are running for the same post in the nine pourasabhas. Besides, 752 candidates are vying for the position of general ward councillors and 194 others for the post of reserved women ward councillors in the four city corporations.

In the nine pourasabhas, 120 candidates are contesting for the post of reserved women ward councillors and 429 for the position of general ward councillors.

Meanwhile, reports from Barisal said soon after receiving their respective election symbols the mayoral candidates launched open campaign right from the day one visiting the doorsteps of the voters.

Among these candidates, Advocate Shawkat Hossain Hiron, former mayor and expelled BNP leader Ahsan Habib Kamal, BNP leader and chamber president Ebaidul Huq Chand and Nagarik Parishad president Advocate Enayet Pir Khan began their formal campaign yesterday. They launched their campaign from different parts of Barisal city.

Many candidates are happy because of ban on colourful posters and writing on the wall. This they said will reduce their election expenditure. However, a few councillor candidates said this time they will have to put extra labour.

Another report from Rajshahi said mayoral candidates including Awami League led 14-alliance nominated AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, rebel Awami League candidate Masudul Haque Dulu, four BNP leaders Rejaun Nabi Dudu, Enamul Haque, Musaddeque Hossain Bulbul and Siddiqur Rahman, Jatiya Party leader Durul Huda, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh nominee Akhtaruzzaman Bablu, PDP leader Advocate Raihanur Rahman Raihan and BSD nominee Ruhul Quddus Tunu began their open campaign.

Many of the mayoral and councillor candidates were seen busy meeting people braving the monsoon rains.

Mayoral candidate Masudul Haque Dulu arranged a discussion titled "Corruption, terrorism, black money and politicization- free mayor election" at the Rajshahi city's Uttara Community Center.

Action on Disability and Development (ADD) held a press conference in Rajshahi with a call to ensure a congenial atmosphere so that the disabled persons could cast their votes smoothly.

In Sylhet, soon after the allocations of symbols the supporters of mayoral candidates started raising slogans in favour of their respective candidates in various places in the city.

The candidates too also launched strong campaign yesterday with holding rallies and bringing out processions taking permission from the district administration.

Many voters appreciated the new method of campaign avoiding the unnecessary trouble created by the use of microphone and much fanfare.

Formal launching of election campaign by the mayoral and councillor candidates was also reported from Khulna.

Nizami gets bail in Gatco graft case: Azam surfaces before High Court, asked to surrender

Motiur Rahman Nizami

Mirza Azam

Staff Reporter

The High Court (HC) yesterday granted two months' ad interim bail to detained former Industries Minister and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami in Gatco corruption case.

Besides, the same bench of the High Court ordered Jubo League General Secretary Mirza Azam to surrender within 10 days before the trial court for bail in a graft case filed by the ACC and also asked the government not to harass or arrest him until hearing of his bail petition is completed.

A two-member High Court division bench comprising Justice Sharif Uddin Chaklader and Justice Md Emdadul Haque Azad granted the ad interim bail to Nizami and issued a rule on the government asking to show cause within two weeks why regular bail would not be granted to the Jamaat chief.

It was stated in the petition that due legal procedures and provisions were not followed in filing the case and submitting chargesheet against the Jamaat leader.

Earlier on July 9, the trial court rejected a bail petition for Nizami.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on September 2 last year against 13 people including former prime minister Khaleda Zia, her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko and 11 others on charges of corruption in awarding Gatco the contract for container handling at depots in Dhaka and Chittagong. However, Nizami was not made an accused initially.

After investigation, ACC submitted chargesheet against 24 persons including former ministers Matiur Rahman Nizami, Mannan Bhuiyan, MK Anwar and M Shamsul Islam. Of them, 10 were accused in the FIR.

The chargesheet said that the accused persons, in connivance with each other, contracted out the work of container handling in Chittagong Port and Kamalapur ICD in Dhaka to 'inexperienced and incompetent' Global Agrotrade Company Ltd (GATCO) violating the binding rules.

It also stated that the action caused a loss of Tk 14.56 crore to the state.

Indicted in the charge sheet, Nizami was arrested from his Maghbazar residence on May 18 this year.

Besides, the same High Court bench ordered Jubo League General Secretary Mirza Azam to surrender within 10 days before the trial court for bail in a graft case filed by the ACC.

The High Court bench directed the government not to harass or arrest the former Awami League lawmaker without due process of law during this period.

Mirza Azam, who was on the run after the proclamation of state of emergency on January 11, 2007, submitted a bail petition suddenly appearing before the HC bench yesterday morning.

After hearing his bail petition, the division bench passed the order in the afternoon asking Jubo League General Secretary Mirza Azam to surrender within 10 days before the trial court for bail in the graft case filed by the ACC against him.

The HC bench ordered the police not to harass or arrest him during the court hours yesterday.

On January 10 this year, ACC Deputy Director Mobara Khanam filed the case with Ramna Police Station against Mirza Azam for amassing illegal wealth and giving false information on assets to the commission.

In the case statement, the complainant said Azam was accused of concealing Tk 64,295 wealth and accumulating wealth worth Tk 53,62,645 beyond known sources of income.

On July 7, ACC Deputy Director SM Mofizul Islam, also the investigation officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge sheet against Azam to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's (CMM) Court, Dhaka showing 34 people as prosecution witnesses.

Saudi King to inaugurate Madrid dialogue tomorrow: No problem with Bangladeshi workers in KSA: Saudi envoy

Abdullah Bin Naser Al-Busairi

Staff Reporter

Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Bin Naser Al-Busairi yesterday said that misdeeds of a few workers in Saudi Arabia would not affect all Bangladeshis working there.

"As of today (Monday), Saudi Arabia did not express its unwillingness to accept single Bangladeshi worker," he said at a press conference at the chancery building at Gulshan in the city.

The Saudi Ambassador said, on an average, 1,000 visas are being issued by the Embassy every office day, which proved that there is no problem with Bangladeshi workers. The figure may go up or down as per requirements from the recruiting agencies in Saudi Arabia, where around 17 lakh Bangladeshi workers are employed now.

"Bangladesh's workers in Saudi Arabia are in a better position and there is no possibility of being affected," he observed.

The Saudi envoy, however, said that a section of recruiting agencies in Bangladesh sent workers without providing them proper training and guidelines on social and cultural aspects of the Kingdom.

Terming the bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh deep rooted and historic, he said minor issues could not affect the relation which is growing grows from strength to strength.

On poor wages for the Bangladeshi workers in the KSA, Abdullah Bin Naser said recruiting agencies in Bangladesh could bargain in this regard with their counterparts in Saudi Arabia.

Replying to a question, he said a worker only needs a passport, medical check up, a visa and airfare to go to Saudi Arabia. "If any recruiting agency realises excessive money from the workers, Bangladesh government should check it," he said.

He also suggested that Bangladesh government should arrange meetings with workers to know how much they have to pay to their recruiting agencies to go abroad with a job.

The Saudi Ambassador told reporters that a three-day international dialogue among the followers of different divine religions begins in Madrid, Spain tomorrow with a view to concentrating the spheres of characters and humanities of the societies of mankind and establishing common interest.

King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in Saudi Arabia, is expected to inaugurate the dialogue, he said.

The Saudi King took the initiative to hold the dialogue aiming at making human relations between the prophets of different religions, cultures and faiths for spreading peace, love and harmony among them as well as to establishing peace, security, stability and human development across the globe.

The Saudi Ambassador quoted the opinion of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques as saying, "Now-a-days our world is passing a critical moment, which results in conflict and confrontation among the societies and increases suppression and enmity among them. This phenomenon has been witnessed by our contemporary world, which has bad impact globally on peace and security and created continuous clash among the nations and communities."

He also referred to the opinion of the Saudi King that the human societies of different faiths witness unstable conditions and mixed thoughts and ethics because of their material greediness and saying aloof from the human ethical characters on which every man has been originally created. They are goodness, piousness, wisdom and good character.

The Saudi Ambassador also quoted Dr Abdullah Bin Abdul Mohsin Al-Turki, Secretary General of the Muslim World League, which is the sponsor of the dialogue, as saying, "The renowned personalities of specialists in dialogue, from the followers of different divine messages will participate in the conference and discuss matters related to life of human societies, international cooperation, human rights, peace, security and co-existence in the world."

The participants will discuss the future of dialogue and the efforts of the countries and international organisations for strengthening the dialogue and fighting the challenges and the importance of information and its impact on spreading the culture of dialogue and co-existence among the nations, he said.

Tarique, Babar indicted in Tk 21cr bribery case

Staff Reporter

A special court yesterday framed charges against detained BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman, former state minister for home affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and six others in the Tk 21 crore bribery case.

Judge Shahed Noor Uddin of Special Court-3 in parliament compound also fixed July 24 for commencing the trial proceedings of the case.

The accused are indicted for trying to cover up the grisly murder of Bashundhara Group Director Humayun Kabir Sabbir in exchange for bribe.

Tarique was spared from appearing at court hearings in person on health grounds on July 6. Babar and Abu Sufian, director of East West Property Development Ltd, a Bashundhara concern, were produced before the court.

Other accused--Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan alias Shah Alam, his two sons Shafayet Sobhan Sanvir and Sadaat Sobhan, Abu Sufian, and Tarique's personal secretary Mia Noor Uddin Apu--are absconding.

On October 4 last year, the Anti-Corruption Commission's Deputy Assistant Director Abul Kashem filed the case with Ramna Police Station, accusing six persons including Babar.

The names of Tarique and former BNP lawmaker Qazi Saleemul Huq Kamal were included in the charge sheet after investigations found their involvement in the crime.

Polau rice price is all time high

Talha Bin Habib

The price of 'chinigura' (aromatic) rice has abruptly increased by Tk 20 and Tk 30 per kg in the retail markets yesterday.

One kg of 'chinigura' was sold between Tk 100 and Tk 110 yesterday, which was available at Tk 85 to Tk 90 a few weeks ago

Retailers in the city markets alleged that some unscrupulous wholesalers are responsible for its price hike.

They alleged that rice sellers at different wholesale markets might have stocked the rice for making windfall profit. As a result, the price of this particular variety of rice is soaring high every week.

'Chinigura' rice is one of the vital components for preparing delicious food such as 'biriani', 'pulao', 'firni' and 'kheer' that are usually served at different social functions.

But as the price has shown high many social programmes have been drastically reduced, said a chef of a city's community centre.

Customers at retail markets said they could not understand why the price of aromatic rice has increased abnormally as it is not consumed everyday like 'plain' rice.

They called upon the government to initiate measures for finding out the real cause of its price hike.

They also demanded of the government to take punitive action against those responsible for pushing up its price.

"There is no any justification for incredible increase of this variety when prices of other varieties of rice have increased marginally," said Abdul Malek, a first class government official at Karwan Bazar.

Retailers said they are bound to sell it at a high price as they have to purchase it at a high rate from the wholesalers.

A retailer at Kaptan Bazar said the price of 'chinigura' rice has increased cent percent within one year.

One kg of 'chinigura' is now being sold at Tk 100 and Tk 110 compared to Tk 55 and Tk 60 in the last year.

One packet of one kg aromatic rice of different companies was sold between Tk 125 and Tk 105 yesterday that was Tk 85 to Tk 105 a few weeks ago.

Rice sellers at Babu Bazar denied any stocking of this variety of rice. They said that ongoing rainfalls are hampering smooth rice production at mills in the northern region.

They further said problems at mills due to current rainfalls coupled with high transport fare resulted in the increase of this variety of rice.

They hoped that it price would come down soon.

ADB, donors to offer $340 m to implement food security measures

UNB, Dhaka

Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other development partners will provide US$ 340 million to help Bangladesh implement the social protection measures, particularly on food security, under the 2008-09 budget.

"ADB will provide US$ 170 million and others a similar amount," ADB country director Hua Du told reporters after a meeting with Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam at the Finance Ministry yesterday.

Hua Du made a farewell call on the Adviser prior to her departure on Monday night from Bangladesh on completion of a six-year assignment here. She will join the ADB headquarters in Manila.

She said ADB in collaboration with other development partners including IMF, USAID, FAO, WFP carried out a joint assessment on the food security issue and committed to co-finance the programme with the government.

The outgoing ADB country director said a project proposal was being prepared at a very fast pace, less than two months, and the proposal would be submitted to the ADB Board of Directors by this month.

She said the ADB along with other development partners would also support the National Food Policy, which is a very sound and good one, to increase agriculture productivity in the medium and longer term.

The government was now undertaking an action plan to implement the food policy, she added.

Hua Du said she apprised the Finance Adviser of updates in ADB assisted projects in Bangladesh like projects in social, transportation and energy sectors. She also apprised Dr Aziz of new projects in these sectors.

BRAC Bank heist : Victims confine magistrate

Staff Reporter

Angry clients of BRAC Bank yesterday confined a magistrate to the Detective Branch (DB) Headquarters after he refused to show them the retrieved jewellery robbed from the bank's lockers in January. The clients, who lost their gold ornaments in a heist in the bank's Dhanmondi branch, said they had been called in to identify their own jewellery but were later denied on the grounds of legal restriction.

Forty-six clients gathered at the DB headquarters.Magistrate Shahin Uddin had asked them to apply individually to identify the ornaments, which prompted them to confine him in a room for an hour. The clients staged protests on the scene. Senior police officers calmed the situation. In January, robbers pillaged 60 lockers of BRAC Bank's Dhanmondi branch. Police retrieved 427, tola of lost ornaments.

The clients also came to the DB headquarters on June 23 to identify their valuables, but the magistrate did not turn up.