The New Nation - Internet Edition

Tree fair at Dhaka Club

A young lady viewing a 'Karamcha' plant on the
opening day of 3-day long tree fair at Dhaka Club premises
yesterday. NN photo

BSS, Dhaka

A three-day tree fair and daylong tree plantation began on the premises of Dhaka Club at Shahbagh in the city on Thursday morning.

Dhaka Club President Sadat Hossain Selim inaugurated the occasion at 11 am. Former Dhaka Club presidents ex-ambassador Shamsur Rahman, MG Mortaza, MA Sattar, AK Firoz Ahmed and club members and their families were present in the function.

A discussion meeting was organised in the auditorium of the club in connection with the event. The speakers at the meeting urged the club leaders and members to continue their efforts to develop the adjacent Ramna Park as a modern, sprawling and beautiful park.

Terming the trees in Ramna Park as 'lungs of the city', they stressed the need for arranging a function centering the century- old park to make the new generation familiar with indigenous threes like pial, tamal, hizol, and keora. Former minister and noted academic Dr Mizanur Rahman Shelley, former Privatisation Commission Chairman and 'Amra Dhakabasi' Chief Adviser Enam Ahmed Chowdhury, tree expert Dwijen Sharma and environment researcher Mokarram Hossain addressed the function.

The Dhaka Club president delivered the address of welcome while Ali Imam moderated the discussion.

Comparing trees with hemoglobin in human blood, Sadat Hossain Selim said the country's trees must be preserved.

Dr Mizanur Rahman Shelley said the trees must be protected to maintain environmental balance. He thanked the Dhaka Club authorities for their efforts to preserve trees.

Enam Ahmed Chowdhury called upon all to come forward to make Dhaka a green city. Later, a painting competition was held with participation of school-going children of Dhaka Club members.

Bangladesh to achieve anti-poverty goal

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed visiting the Nobel
Peace Prize Exhibition after inaugurating the exhibition at
the Grameen Bank Head Office in the city on Thursday.
Chairman of Norwegian Nobel Committee Ole Danbolt Mjos and
Nobel Laureate Dr Mohammad Y

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed Thursday asserted that Bangladesh would be able to achieve its missions of eradicating poverty, making life easier and ensuring socioeconomic progress in all fields as the country has got examples that it can deliver.

Visiting Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Prof Ole Danbolt Mjos hoped that Bangladesh would be able to see its dream come true through building a prosperous Bangladesh free from poverty.

The note of optimism was struck at the inauguration of Nobel Peace Prize Exhibition at the Grameen Bank headquarters in the city's Mirpur area. The head of the caretaker government, Dr Fakhruddin, inaugurated the exhibition arranged to mark the prestigious achievement of winning Nobel Peace Prize by Prof Mohammad Yunus and his brainchild Grameen Bank. Prof Yunus, Nobel Committee chairman Prof Ole Danbolt Mjos, Director, Nobel Peace Center, Bente Erichsen and Ambassador of Norway in Dhaka Ingebjorg Stofring also spoke at the inaugural function.

The Norwegian Nobel Peace Centre, the Norwegian Embassy and the host Grameen Bank jointly organized the exhibition, a permanent one, aimed at encouraging the nation to go ahead.

The exhibition on operations and achievements of Grameen Bank and its founder Prof Yunus since its journey started off from Jobra in Chittagong and culmination in Oslo, Norway, through clinching the Nobel Peace Prize, first ever coming into Bangladesh's coffers.

Replicas of Nobel Peace Prize, video, audio and pictures of various efforts and success stories and historical events of Prof Yunus and Grameen Bank are on the display.

On October 13, 2006, the announcement of winning the Nobel by Prof Yunus and Grameen Bank was made, while the prestigious prize was conferred on December 10, 2006 in Oslo.

Grameen Bank founder and Nobel laureate Prof Mohammad Yunus made welcome address at the function, attended by economists, diplomats, members of the Grameen Bank and distinguished personalities.

Chief Adviser Fakhruddin in his speech said the challenges facing Bangladesh are many and the present government has been trying its best over the past one and a half years to tackle some of these problems, in particular, systemic disarray.

The government is also striving to bring much- needed reforms in the executive, judiciary and electoral process so these institutions facilitate country's socioeconomic progress through a smooth run of the affairs.

"We have focused our efforts on establishing good governance in the country and put in place an enabling environment for the realization of our national aspirations," he told the function.

The Chief Adviser mentioned various statistics of socioeconomic progress in different fields in Bangladesh, including reducing poverty, decline in population growth rate and increase in gender parity.

Appreciating the performance of Grameen Bank and its founder, the CA thanked Prof Mjos and the Nobel Committee for choosing an outstanding Bangladeshi personality and the institution for the Nobel Peace Prize.

This prize rightly recognized the contributions of Prof Yunus and Grameen Bank, which has disbursed, to date, more than USD 7 billion in micro-credits to 7.5 million poor Bangladeshis, he mentioned.

Fakhruddin said presently around 80 percent of Bangladesh's poor households have access to micro-credit and expressed the hope that all of the poor in the country would have access to microfinance soon.

"Bangladeshis are making valuable contribution to resurgence of their motherland not only within their country but also abroad," the Chief Adviser said.

He noted that Expatriate Bangladeshis all over the world are excelling in such varied fields as science, medicine, information technology, architecture, academia and the corporate world.

"Bangladeshi migrant workers have also fanned out across the globe and they have established themselves in unfamiliar settings by adapting to local community and culture."

The CA said many of them are doing very well and making enormous contributions to the national economy with remittances, and these remittances are having a direct impact on alleviation of poverty in the country.

He also mentioned extraordinary performance of members of Bangladesh Armed Forces in UN Peacekeeping Mission, which attained acclaim of the international community.

Prof Yunus said winning Nobel Peace Prize has rediscovered Bangladesh people's ability that they can change themselves and their destiny is great.

"A new Bangladesh was born on October 13 in 2006," he said about the day of announcement of winning the Nobel by him and his Grameen Bank.

Grand rally of road show brought out in city

Popular singers Mamotaz and Mila rendering songs at
'Esho Bangladesh Gori Road Show Concert' at Suhrawardy
Indoor Stadium at Mirpur in the city on Thursday. NN
photo

BSS, Dhaka

Participants of the much publicised Road Show on Thursday brought out a grand rally, parading different streets in the city and conveying a message to all--Let us build Bangladesh free from corruption and terrorism.

The caravan of the Road Show with the slogan 'Eso Bangladesh Gorhi' started the rally from Mirpur Government Bangla College at about 11 AM. Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Anwar Faruque inaugurated the show.

Deputy Commissioner Kamal Uddin Ahmed, senior officials and distinguished personalities were present on the occasion.

The rally paraded important streets touching the technical crossing at Mirpur, Shyamoli, Science Laboratory, Elephant Road, Shahbagh Square, Matsya Bhaban, National Press Club, Motijheel, Ittefaq Square, Saidabad, Bishwa Road, Kuril, Mohakhali and Bangladesh China Friendship Conference centre.

While inaugurating the rally, Anwar Faruque said the Road Show was launched with a view to creating awareness among the people to check corruption and terrorism, build Bangladesh on a strong footing, change the food habit and enhance food production.

He said electing honest leaders through holding a free and fair election, expansion of telecommunication facilities to generate employment, particularly for the youth, and 'Say No To Drug' are other objectives of the Road Show.

Talking to reporters, organisers of the Road Show described the country's first ever such initiative a very successful campaign to create a path for Bangladesh towards further progress and prosperity.

They said the positive response that came from the people representing all walks of life proved that they had accepted the Road Show as an effective and very timely step for the country.

Common people with great enthusiasm gathered around the Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre in yesterday afternoon to witness the caravan of the Road Show.

They said the Road Show that travelled 4,000 kilometres across 55 districts would definitely play a positive role in creating awareness among the people to build the country anew.

The caravan of the Road Show started its journey on June 1 from Panchagarh and reached the capital city on July 13. As many as 25 fairs were held across the country during the period to convey the messages of Road Show to the people.

A grand musical concert with the participation of renowned singers was held at the Mirpur indoor stadium on the occasion.

ACC to verify wealth of poll candidates if requested

BSS, Dhaka

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has not taken any decision to get the wealth accounts of the candidates contesting the local government polls as the Election Commission (EC) is dealing with the matter.

"However, the ACC will look into it as per law if any request comes from the Election Commission to verify the accuracy of their wealth statements submitted to the EC," Director General (admin) and spokesperson of the ACC Colonel Hanif Iqbal said on Thursday.

At his regular press briefing in ACC conference room here, the DG said the ACC has to follow some procedure under its law before asking a person to submit wealth statement.

But, the commission has not yet thought of taking the wealth accounts of the candidates, he said, adding, "we will certainly take it into our cognizance if any request in this regard comes from the EC."

Hanif Iqbal said the commission approved charge-sheet of a case filed against businessman Salman F Rahman and six others with Motijeel Thana last year for their fraudulent activities in rescheduling a loan taken from the IFIC Bank.

The commission also approved charge sheet of a case filed against two persons including former MP Nurul Islam Moni for misappropriating the relief tin.

The ACC gave nod to two other charge sheets - one against Abdul Latif Biswas, former municipal administrator of Putia Pourasabha of Rajshahi, and the other against Derick Stephen Kuia, a suspended police sub-inspector of South Surma thana of Sylhet.

Charges were brought against Abdul Latif for embezzling the money collected from different markets as tolls and against Derick for taking bribes.

The DG said the ACC decided to lodge an FIR against four persons including former Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Sylhet and incumbent Joint Secretary of the Ministry of CHT Affairs M Abul Hossain on charges of corruption in registering land of Sylhet Ambarkhana.

Replying to a question, the DG said the commission deemed that the processes of conducting preliminary inquiry and investigation into wealth of a person, as well as the method of approval of FIRs and filing process of the cases are all right as per law.

"But, the ACC will reply to the rule of the court as it (court) has questioned the process and issued rule upon us. After final judgement of the court it would be clear whether we are right or wrong," he said.

ACC, TIB joint programme to curb corruption

BSS, Dhaka

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) in a joint effort to involve youngsters with the anti-corruption campaign have undertaken a half-yearly motivational programme in nine districts of the country.

Executive Director of the TIB Dr Iftekharuzzaman at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) here on Thursday said they are expecting to include around 2.5 lakh youths with the campaign taken under the 'Jago Manush' programme of the TIB.

Deputy Director of the ACC Afzalur Rahman, noted singer and one of the vocal anti-graft campaigner of the TIB, Mehrin and senior advocacy officer of the TIB Sajjad Hossain were present. Under the joint effort, different motivational programmes would be arranged in Chapainawabgabj, Satkhira, Barisal, Rangpur, Srimongal, Chandpur, Comilla, Mymensingh and Faridpur, Dr Iftekharuzzaman said.

The main progremme of the motivatioal campaign would be concerts as Dr Iftekhar said, concerts attract the youths more than any other event.

Different events including oath against corruption, cartoon exhibition, competitions will also be arranged in addition to dissemination of facts and findings on corruption, distribution of posters, leaflets and stickers containing the messages against corruption, the TIB ED said.

Eminent citizens of the country would join the rallies while popular band music artistes of the country would perform in the cultural programmes.

The first rally will be held at Chapainawabganj on July 23 and it will be followed by the progarmmes at Satkhira on August 12, Barisal on August 19, Rangpur on August 26, Srimongal on October 13, Chandpur on October 20, Comilla on October 23, Mymensingh on October 29 and Faridpur on November 5.

The final campaign programme will be held in Dhaka on December 16, the TIB ED said.

Singer Mehrin expressed her personal feelings about the deep- rooted corruption in the country and said the social menace could not be eradicated from the society without massive motivation.

"We have to inspire a youth against the social curse in the same manner a mother takes care of her child and tells them not to do any bad thing," she observed.

Polls to reflect people’s aspiration: Dr. Zillur

BSS, Dhaka

Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman on Thursday hoped that the coming elections would reflect hopes and aspirations of the people through united efforts of all concerned.

He said all stakeholders, particularly the political parties and the government, have similar responsibilities to bring qualitative changes in politics through free, fair and credible elections.

The Commerce Adviser was addressing a joint press briefing at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) on Thursday afternoon following the government's dialogue with Jatiya Party (JP).

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed was present at the dialogue, the 27th of its kind. Jatiya Party (JP) Secretary General Sheikh Shahidul Islam led a nine-member delegation of his party at the talks.

Dr Hossain Zillur said the government is taking all out measures to arrange such an election in December next which will be different from the polls held in the past.

He said all quarters, specially the political parties, have to come forward in making a sustainable change of the traditional anarchic political culture in the country.

The commerce adviser categorically said that any difference, if exists, will be overcome through discussion instead of turning it into an issue of conflict.

Referring to participation of some candidates belonging to "negative politics" in the coming city corporation and pourasabha polls, he said it is a wake up call and the political parties should take steps to this end.

He said meaningful political transformation would not be possible without united efforts of all concerned.

Replying to a question on the Representation of People Ordinance which was approved in principle recently in a meeting of the council of advisers, he said the government will consider the matter if any opinion on the ordinance comes from society.

In the briefing, Jatiya Party Secretary General Sheikh Shahidul Islam said they had placed five recommendations to the government in the dialogue for holding a credible election in the country.

He said the recommendations included compelling the candidates to obey the election code of conduct, keeping the war criminals out of the election race and formation of a national committee involving all political parties.

Sheikh Shahid said Jatiya Party wants the government to go forward to its goal of holding a meaningful election as per the roadmap and hand over power to an elected government next year.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, LGRD Adviser Mohammad Anwarul Iqbal and Law Adviser AF Hassan Ariff were present at the briefing.

JP Presidium members Abdur Rahim, Ms Amena Bari and Shah Mohammad Rafiqul Bari Chowdhury, Vice-President Abu Sayeed Khan and Additional Secretary General Sadeq Siddique were also present.

Foreign nations out to keep unelected govt: Delwar

UNB, Dhaka

BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday said some alien nations want to extract their interests in Bangladesh by keeping an unelected government in power.

He feared military aggression on Bangladesh in the name of transit or corridor if given to India, saying that Poland had such experience during the World War II.

Delwar made the remarks at a discussion organised by the 4-party alliance on "Transition: Aggression Resistance Day" at National Press Club.

The BNP secretary general asked the caretaker government to stay away from any transit deal as "people would not accept it".

He also said the "government's repression on the people by keeping the state of emergency in place will be resisted".

Calling for unity among the people to resist any conspiracy against the nation, Delwar said the country's sovereignty must be protected with the spirit of the liberation war.

"There's no use of raising any demand to this government. This government is sleeping dead," he told the meeting.

The BNP leader said time would come when there would be a mass resistance and people would stand against backers and supporters of this government.

He accused the government of violating the Constitution, saying that it wants to stay in power by misleading the people.

Without naming Awami League, Delwar said those who had recognised this government as the fruit of their movement might have got some benefits but people got nothing.

On resignation of the Attorney General, he said Barrister Fida M Kamal quit the office as a conscientious lawyer as he could not carryout his duty for long under pressure.

Other government law officers are also working under pressure, otherwise they will lose their jobs, he said.

The BNP secretary general announced "human chains" and "indoor rallies" across the country on July 22 to press for release of political detainees, including BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.

He also demanded immediate release of Tarique Rahman for his medical treatment abroad.

On July 28, the alliance will observe countrywide "indoor rallies" to protest the Election Commission's various decisions and actions.

Jamaat secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid sought the UN secretary general's intervention to refrain India from pressing for transit from Bangladesh.

He alleged that New Delhi was trying to indulge in internal political affairs of Bangladesh and putting pressure on Bangladesh to sign a deal, which is against the country's independence and sovereignty.

BNP leaders Dr RA Gani, Chowdhury Tanvir Ahmed Siddique and Selima Rahman, City Jamaat ameer Rafiqul Islam Khan, IOJ secretary general Abdul Latif Nezami, BJP secretary general Shamim Al Mamun, Khelafat Majlis president Ahmed Abdul Qader also spoke on the occassion.

Another fake student found at DU

BSS, Dhaka

One more student was reportedly found fake in the department of Islamic Studies of Dhaka University (DU), department sources said on Thursday.

The student has already completed his fourth-year honours final examinations- 2006 held in 2007.

Sources said he got admitted in honours first-year in 2002- '03 session in Islamic Studies Department through the admission test under group changing 'Gha Unit' adopting unfair means. As per the admission rule, no student of arts or humanities group can get admitted in any subject of arts or humanities through Gha Unit admission test.

The student with arts background got admitted in Islamic Studies Department allegedly by managing department and the university staffs. However, the student could not be contacted immediately as his cell phone was switched off.

When contacted DU Pro-Vice Chancellor AFM Yusuf Haider, convener of fake admission probe committee, said he did not yet receive any formal complain against the student, but he would look into the matter once he receives necessary documents at his hand.

Finding fake students has become a major concern for Dhaka University, which has already identified 207 students cheating authorities with fake documents.

WB attaches tough conditions with loans to Bangladesh, LDCs: UNCTAD call for change in development partnership

UNB, Dhaka

The World Bank attaches tough conditions with their loans and grants to Bangladesh and also puts pressure to implement those, according to a research the UNCTAD quoted in its report released yesterday.

"More than two-thirds of loans and grants (71 per cent) from the IDA still have sensitive policy reforms attached to them," said the research.

The report of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was launched simultaneously from across the world at a time when executives of the Bretton Woods Institutions were literally in a campaign that they were not dictating policy, but supporting country priorities.

The report, however, mentioned that both the World Bank and the IMF have made major efforts in the last few years to reduce the intrusive and negative effects of policy conditionality.

Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) executive director Prof Mustafizur Rahman presented the highlights of the UNCTAD report titled "LDCs Report 2008: Growth, Poverty and the Terms of Development Partnership" to the press at the CPD Thursday.

The research (EURODAD, 2007) found that on average, the IDA loans contained six privatization-related conditions each and in case of Bangladesh, it was related to the privatization of healthcare system.

The UNCTAD report said the case studies of conditionality in relation to privatization and liberalization in Bangladesh revealed a wide range of reactions.

"Some government officials (in Bangladesh) pointed out that the policy agendas did not reflect government priorities and pressure was applied to implement the policies," it said.

The basic messages of the report was that the LDCs attained rapid growth but was not sustainable and inclusive, are vulnerable both as exporters and importers, suffer from food insecurity, many of their MDGs remain unattained, weak country ownership and need for different development model.

"Time has come to revisit the LDCs relations with the development partners for ensuring country ownership in any development programme," said Prof Mustafiz.

The UNCTAD report expected that Bangladesh would graduate from the LDC group to middle-income country in next 17 years from 2008 if it sustains a growth rate between 6.5 per cent and 6.7 per cent.

But, the report expressed doubt whether Bangladesh would be able to sustain the growth level of 6.5 percent achieved in FY 2005-06.

Prof Mustafiz, however, expects, "We'll be able to accelerate our growth and we'll not have to wait for such long time to come out of the LDC group."

Eight killed in bus, container collission in Chittagong

UNB, Chittagong

Eight passengers of a bus were killed and 15 wounded in collision with a container carrier in front of PHP glass factory at Barabkundu in Sitakundu upazila yesterday afternoon.

Chittagong bound bus from Sonaimuri collided with the Dhaka bound container carrier at 3pm leaving four passengers dead on the spot. Two died on way to hospital and two others succumbed to their injuries soon after admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital. Thirteen others wounded were lying in the hospital.

The dead were identified as Shahabuddin (42), Mominul Haq (70), Asmaul Hossain (16), Rasheda (3), Phul Banu (40), Popy (6) and Shamsuddin (28) of Sonaimuri and Mustafa (50), a Madrasa teacher of Sitakundu.

Badly damaged both the vehicles were lying on the road disrupting movement of vehicular traffic until those were cleared at 5pm.

AL demands poll in October: Promulgation of new RPO opposed

Staff Reporter

Awami League (AL) Presidium member Amir Hossain Amu yesterday urged the government not to validate the Representation of the People Ordinance (RPO) 2008, which the council of advisors approved in principle on July 13 by bringing amendment to RPO of 1972.

Amu made this call while addressing the leaders and activists of Awami Jubo League, a front organisation of AL, which observed token hunger strike to press home a number of demands including release of Awami League president Sheikh Hasina.

Amu further said that the AL leaders and workers were being harassed throughout the country while anti-liberation forces were getting privileges in different sectors.

Warning the Government, he said the people would not tolerate this kind of injustice any more.

He also reiterated the demand of unconditional release of Sheikh Hasina.

AL presidium member Tofail Ahmed called upon the government to hold national election before the upazila election saying, “ We will not accept this if upazila election is held first.”

He also demanded immediate withdrawal of emergency, as no polls is possible under the state of emergency.

On moves to amend the RPO, Tofail said: "You cannot repeal the 1972 RPO, which we enacted through the first parliament of independent Bangladesh. Please stop the process of imposing a new RPO on the people, he said.

He also demanded parliamentary elections in October ahead of the Upazila polls.

The leaders of Awami League also demanded lifting of all the false and fabricated cases against the party men including Jubo League chairman Jahangir Kabir Nanak and General Secretary Mirza Azam.

They also criticised sending of Mirza Azam to the jail after he surrenred before the court.

The strike started at 10:00 am at the AL's central office on Bangabandhu Avenue and ended at 1:00 pm attended by several hundreds of leaders and activists.

Meanwhile the Dhaka City Awami League yesterday held its scheduled extended meeting in Khilgoan thana as a part of month long extending meeting to strengthen its organisational base.

While addressing the party men AL organising secretary Saber Hossain Chowdhury said, “ the party must be closely connected with the people of all walks of life, as the masses are the main strength of Awami League.”

He also urged the leader and activists to work together to make the country as Sonar Bangla, which for Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dreamed.

About the candidature for different posts City Corporation, upazila or national election he said, “ We all should support that candidates who will be selected by the AL central body.”

M A Aziz, Acting President and Advocate Kamrul Islam, Acting General Secretary of Dhaka City Awami League, among others, were present while Alam Chowdhury, president of Khilgoan thana Awami League, presided over the programme.