The New Nation - Internet Edition

Preparation for JS polls at final stage: CA

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed addressing the
national dialogue at local level at Jalalabad Gas Auditorium
in Sylhet on Sunday. Banglar Chokh

UNB, Srimangal

Chief Advisor Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed said here Sunday that preparation for holding general elections is at the final stage and urged the voters to elect honest, competent and dedicated representatives to parliament for socio-economic development and sustainable democracy.

"Elections will be held in the 3rd week of December as announced by the Election Commission. We hope those who will be elected will establish good governance and strengthen democracy," he said at the local level national dialogue on Democratic Transition at PDU auditorium.

The Chief Advisor said eight crore people have already been registered in the voters' list and the Representation of the People's Order (RPO) will be finalized soon enabling the Election Commission to make rules and regulations independently for holding free and fair elections.

In reply to a question, Dr Fakruddin said it would not be possible for the caretaker government to hold Zila Parishad elections because of time constraints and hoped the next elected government will complete it. He said formulation of Zila Parishad laws is also at the final stage.

Asked about amendment of the Article 70 of the Constitution, he said these matters were discussed during the dialogue with political parties but the incumbent government does not want to amend the Constitution as it does not have that mandate.

He said discussions on the process of amending the Constitution were held and the next elected government can take decision in this respect.

Asked about the fate of anti-graft drive, the Chief Advisor said the caretaker government brought about institutional reforms and the Anti-Corruption Commission and the judiciary were made independent. The next government, he hoped, would carry on the drive.

About candidature from Manipuri tribe in national elections, he said there is no problem for them to contest in local and national elections.

Foreign Affairs Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury moderated the dialogue attended by representatives of teachers, freedom fighters, lawyers, farmers, women, NGOs and tea garden owners and workers.

Law Advisor Hassan Ariff, Communications Advisor Ghulam Quadir and LGRD Advisor Anwarul Iqbal were present.

Hundred years of Ramna Park

Ramna Park

BSS, Dhaka

Ramna Park, the green oasis, the lung of the Dhaka city has survived one hundred years amidst the concrete jungle.

Though the park is a source of pleasure to the city dwellers with all its natural assets, no one bothered of celebrating the centenary of the park except for two nature lovers, Professor Dwijen Sharma and environmentalist Mokarram Hossain. They are organising a programme to celebrate the park centenary.

"One day this city would be turned into a dumping ground if we do not establish a close relationship between the city dwellers and the nature, and if we do not make ourselves more humane," they said.

Historian Professor Muntasir Mamun, in his book 'Dhaka Samagra' said, the development of city landscapes had started at Ramna in 1908 and RL Proud Lock, one of the main planners of 'Kew Garden' in London was given the responsibility.

The beautification of Ramna area which was started under the guidance of RL Proud Lock still survives today. According to 'Dhaka Samagra' Akhil Babu of 'Eden Garden' in Kolkata was an assistant of RL Proud Lock in planning the Ramna Park that took about 20 years to develop.

In an article of Dwijen Sharma, it is known that the all credits for selecting the tropical plants for the Ramna Park go to RL Proud Lock. He had even maintained a consistency in plantation in the city by overcoming multifarious problems in the plantation plan of the city.

Jobaida Mirza in her book 'Those Colourful Days,' said there were some gardens and jungles around the today's Fisheries Bhaban, Sarak Bhaban, Engineers' Institute, Ramna Park, Tennis Complex, PG Hospital, Hotel Intercontinental (Sheraton Hotel), and those were extended till Hatirpool.

She wrote, at that time, the visitors had to enter the Ramna Park by crossing the plant fence near the residence of the Principal of the then Dhaka Intermediate College (presently High Court Complex). At the entrance, there were two steps of stairs at both sides of the fence. There was a narrow path to walk around the park.

The residence of Prof. Satyan Basu of Dhaka University was on the east end of the Ramna Park and two to four houses were on the north, on the west side of Nilkhet situated poet Mohitlal Majumder's house and the Dhaka University (presently the Medical College) was on the south.

Within the parameter of the Ramna complex, there was Ramna House (presently the Foreign Ministry), Salimullah Muslim Hall, Chameli House (presently CIRDAP), Lat Bhaban (old High Court building), the then Dhaka College, Curzon Hall (which was built as the Town Hall). These houses were nice and covered with flowers.

The present lake inside the Ramna Park were crisscrossed a long way up to the present day High Court premises and even a part of the lake was well inside the Race Course (present Suhrawardi Uddyan). 'Perhaps, the lake is a part of the waterway created during the Mughal era,' Jobaida Mirza wrote in her book.

Return of polythene poses threat to environment

Talha Bin Habib

The increasing use of polythene bags are causing a serious threat to environment and creating hazards to public health in the capital city.

Shoppers are seen carrying commodities in polythene bags from markets despite a ban on it imposed by the government.

Lack of awareness among the mass on the demerits of using polythene bags and irregular application of laws are widely responsible for indiscriminate use of polythene bags in urban and rural markets, said environmental experts.

City's environment is now in dire peril due to massive use of polythene, they opined.

Dumping polythene bags in drains instead of specific places are obstructing smooth passage of water and creating water stagnation in roads and lanes during the rainy season in the city, they added.

They said that if jute bags were available and cheaper than the users would prefer to buy 'the environment friendly bags ' instead of polythene one.

Sellers of polythene bag said they are selling polythene bags because of its cheap price to the customers.

Customers at different kitchen markets said they usually prefer to use polythene bags due to its cheap price and waterproof quality despite being a health risk.

A medium size jute bag usually costs Tk 20 to Tk 25 which is too high for us to buy, said a customer at Kaptan Bazar in the city yesterday.

The prolonged use of polythene bags causes cancer, skin diseases and other health problems, said medical experts.

They said that the hazards of polythene multiply manifolds when it is used to package breads, biscuits, potato chips and other food items.

They demanded maintaining the quality grade of polythene while packing any food item.

Since there are no facilities for the proper disposal of used polythene bags in the city and the rest of the country, the discarded polythene are usually burned in open fields in Islampur, Jatrabari, Lalbagh and other areas of the country.

And people who are engaged in burning used polythene are also seriously endangering their life and health.

Hydrogen cyanide, a poisonous gas is produced when polythene is burned in open fields and landfills and may cause serious health problems to the people who inhale it.

According to a study by an environment and social development organisation on an average each family in the metropolitan city collect six polythene bags every day and throw away four of them. As a result nearly 5.2 million used polythene bags are discarded in the capital city everyday.

DSE, CSE plunge further: No trading in Rupali Bank shares

Staff Reporter

The shaky Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) witnessed no transaction of Rupali Bank shares as the authorities allowed its transaction yesterday after nine months of closure.

No one came forward to buy a share of the bank on the DSE, as the shareholders were not ready to sell it incurring minimum loss.

Present shareholders of the Rupali Bank seem to be still hopeful about its bounce back, when a new investor in it seems to be more cautious than previous times, market analysts said.

Rupali shares last traded at Tk 2,904 on the prime bourse. Trading was halted by the bourse authorities on Nov 6 last year as the scrip became overpriced on news of the Saudi prince's bid to buy the bank.

But the bank's 30 shares worth Tk 76,327.50 traded on Chittagong Stock Exchange. It closed at Tk 2544.25, down from Tk 2826.75, the price on the last trade day on CSE.

The market plunged further in the weekly opening day with a marked fall by 30.41 points in general index (DGEN) on the DSE. The stocks closed lower on Thursday, witnessing a continuous fall over the week.

The benchmark DGEN lost 102 points over the week dropping to the lowest in nearly five months on Thursday.

Yesterday, the DSI or all-share price index lost 18.03 points or 0.72 per cent, ending on 2483.42, while the blue-chip DSE-20 finished at 2600.26, slipping 1.90 points or 0.73 per cent.

Total turnover on the DSE reached Tk 3.07 billion from the trading of 21,339,971 shares, up from Thursday's Tk 2.75 billion. Losers beat gainers 114 to 103 with 13 issues holding steady.

Indices on the Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) also finished lower with the losers dominating the gainers.

Turnover on the port city bourse crept up to Tk 42.18 crore, from the trading of 4,901,217 shares and debentures, up from Tk 44.26 crore the previous day.

The CSE All Share Price Index (CASPI) decreased by 0.96 per cent to close at 8835.71 points.

The CSE-30 Index also shed 0.56 per cent to close at 7928.97 points. Of the traded 136 issues, 100 declined, 35 gained and only one remained unchanged.

Brokerage houses said that investor sell-offs continued with buying increasing form the previous day.

Market operators said prices had been continuously sliding as investors remained shaky in recent times.

Meanwhile, the investors of the Rupali Bank became victims by vacillations of Saudi Prince Bandar Bin Mohammad Bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud over its purchase.

In 2003, the government decided to sell its stakes of Rupali Bank and handed the job to the Privatisation Commission.

The commission invited bids to sell the bank's government shares in 2006. Saudi Prince won the purchase bid for a 67.26 per cent stake in Rupali for $330 million in 2006.

But later the prince offered to buy another 26 per cent government stake for $128 million. Private investors hold a 6 per cent stake in the bank.

The government agreed to sell its 26 per cent stake to the prince, which means the prince was meant to take a 94 per cent stake of the bank for $458 million.

The news led Rupali shares to rise above Tk 3,200 from Tk 450 in a year. On Nov 6, the bourse authorities and the capital market regulator decided to halt trading of Rupali shares.

The cabinet committee for economic affairs cancelled the selling process on Mar 10 after long dithering of the Saudi Prince to close the deal.

BCL presses DU VC for Roton’s release

DU Correspondent

Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of Awami League, laid siege to the Vice-Chancellor's (VC) office of Dhaka University yesterday demanding release of its general secretary Mahfuzul Haider Chowdhury Roton.

Giving timeframe of three days to the VC, the president of the organisation Mahmud Hasan Ripon said if he failed to do something in this regard within the stipulated time, they would go for tougher programmes like strike.

He said this while addressing a siege programme in front of VC's office in the morning.

"Rotan is the student of the university. So it is the duty of the university to get him released. He is languishing in jail for over a year without any specific allegation," Ripon said.

Later, a four member delegation met the VC and put forward their demand. The VC assured them that he would try his utmost to get him released.

Before laying siege, BCL staged demonstration and paraded the campus starting from Modhu`s canteen.

Meanwhile, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), student wing of BNP, staged demonstration on the DU campus in protest against the killing of Moshiul Alam Sentu, president of JCD Barisal Division unit, and release of its central president Azizul Bari Helal.

Later, they held a rally in front of the Arts Building.

Among the participants, JCD acting president Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, general secretary Shafiul Bari Babu, organising secretary Abdul Kader Bhuiyan Jewel, DU Unit president Hasan Mamun and general secretary Saiful Islam Firoz spoke at the rally.

BNP hails AL stand for not joining polls under emergency

UNB, Dhaka

BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain said Sunday they welcomed the position of the Awami League that it would not take part in any election under the state of emergency.

The Awami League Saturday announced that it would resist any poll under the state of emergency and repeated its demand for holding national polls before upazila ones.

"We welcome this announcement of the Awami League. If it sticks to its position, the people will benefit and the path of elections will widen," he told a news conference at his NAM apartment in the city.

He asked the interim administration to only stay glued to the purpose of national polls by shunning "all other agenda".

The leader said his party offices across the country are under watch by "a certain section".

"Our offices at district and upazila levels are under watch. This is the true picture despite the fact that ban on indoor politics has been lifted," he said.

He said such attitude does not ensure a free environment for elections. "Declare the election schedule and drive out fear from the people's minds, if you (the government) really want a free and fair election," he said.

He again demanded release of party chief Khaleda Zia and her elder son Tarique Rahman, saying that charges against them lack grounds.

"Free Khaleda Zia and lift the state of emergency. If she is tried under regular laws instead of emergency laws and is convicted, we will not object to that," he said.

The leader said Tarique's health condition was deteriorating fast leading to disability.

He also demanded release of other ailing leaders, including former home minister Mohammad Nasim, for their better medical treatment.

About the recent slayings of two BDR members in a border attack by Indian BSF, Delwar said his party strongly condemned the incident.

Blasting India, he said the incident occurred when India was desperate for transit.

He said his party and the people do not want to see a repeat of such incident.

Creation of people’s union of S Asia emphasised

BSS, Colombo

The Sri Lankan capital started wearing festive mood as the forthcoming SAARC Summit is approaching nearer to begin the preparatory meetings from July 27.

The South Asian People's Assembly, a non-government citizen forum comprising civil society representatives from all seven SAARC countries ended its three day conference here on Sunday adopting a declaration focused to creating a 'People's Union of South Asia' in future.

The declaration has also called upon the leaders of the SAARC member states to work towards bringing closer trade and socio-economic integration of the region to beat back poverty and achieve higher growth.

Eminent writers, political thinkers like Nimalka Fernando of Sri Lanka, several senators from Pakistan, legislators and senior journalists from India, political activists from Nepal, trade union leaders and NGO representatives from all member states took part in the conference.

A total of 1,000 delegates, including over 500 from the region gathered here to take part in the conference.

The conference came to an end with a march past by over 25,000 activists in the major city streets and holding a rally in the city centre.

Another regional civil society event, staggering over three days, is also going to take place prior to the summit at the ancient city of Kandy from July 22.

A new regional forum called 'Imagine a New South Asia' is organising it and many eminent legislators, writers, journalists and other civil society organisations are on the list of participants including Finance Minister of Pakistan or former prime minister of India IK Gujral.

Noted economist Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed is here to lead a Bangladesh delegation after attending the People's Assembly conference here.

Its objectives are also the same like other forums to promote people's cooperation in the region breaking the past hostilities and parochialism and replacing it by plans of actions to work towards a common future for the region.

Senior South Asian journalists will also hold a meeting in the sideline of the summit under the banner of South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) to encourage the SARC leadership to bring change in the region.

Once the SAARC summit is over, a three-day SAARC trade fair has been planned in the Sri Lankan capital from August 27.

In yesterday's closing of the South Asian People's Assembly, veteran Indian journalist Kuldip Nayar stressed on the need for more socio-economic and trade integration, along with transforming the political landscape, to save the region from the clutches of WTO.

Other participants including Pakistan senator Iqbal Hyder decried in the conference what they say the neo-colonial aggression of the imperialist forces under new dress rehearsal.

The World Bank, IMF and the WTO are such instrument of the neo-liberal capitalism, they said adding Souh Asia can only protect it by building the common response creating more trade within itself.

Eminent writer Salina Hossain spoke for Bangladesh. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, of the Equity & Justice Working Group, one of the organisers of the event also spoke in the rally.

Sunday's Colombo Declaration called upon the people of the region and its leaderships to take collective stand against all structures of oppression, discrimination and violence, be it against the poor and lower caste or against women to give them equal access to justice and fair treatment.

It called for strengthening democratic institutions and participatory political process and demanded a no-war pact and a nuclear free South Asia.

It called for cross border connectivity and visa free South Asia. It has also called for a common regional food security stance creating seed and food banks, rejecting high breed crops and to accelerate research in agriculture.

It has also stressed for a common strategy and plan of actions towards mitigating the global warming and climate change issues.

BSF killings protested

Staff Reporter

Different organisations yesterday strongly condemned and protested the recent killing of a member of Bangladeshi nationals including two Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) jawans by the Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) on the border belt.

In a statement yesterday, Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Moulana Matiur Rahman Nizami said he strongly condemned and protested the killing of Bangladeshi nationals including two BDR men by the BSF on the western border.

Nizami said they were worried over the frequent killing of the Bangladeshi civilians by the BSF creating unrest in the border.

He also said the BSF showed its aggressive attitude through such provocative incidents, which was not neighbourly behaviour. Bangladeshi people did not expect such dominant behaviour from its neighbouring country India, he added.

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He urged the government to take diplomatic steps and to protest strongly against the Indian aggression.

Besides, chairman of Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Naziur) Barrister Andalip Rahman and its secretary general Shamim Al Mamun in a joint statement strongly denounced and protested the killing of BDR men and farmers in the Jessore border belt, adding that the incident occurred when the foreign secretary level meeting between the two countries was going on in Delhi, which showed Indian aggressive policy towards Bangladesh.

Moreover, Bangladesh Chhatra Mukti, the student wing of Hijbut Tahrir Bangladesh and National Interest Group strongly condemned and protested the killing in separate statements.

Chhatra Mukti said so far Indian forces killed 704 innocent Bangladeshi civilians in the last eight years.

Service sector officials asked to saveguard poor from corruption

UNB, Dinajpur

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury on Sunday called upon officials and employees of the service sectors to be vigilant so the country's poor people do not become victims of corruption.

"To eliminate corruption from the service and administrative sectors of the country, we all have to take a vow we won't do any corruption, nor allow our family members and subordinates to do so," he said at a discussion titled 'taking initiative to prevent corruption'. Addressing the meeting at Lokbhaban in the town in the morning, the ACC chairman said: "We don't want to see Bangladesh on top of the corruption chart. We'll work for building a corruption-free Bangladesh getting out of the cycle of corruption. And we will start it from Dinajpur."

Indicating a recent TIB report, he mentioned that presently corruption was taking place mostly in the service sectors. "Stern legal action will be taken if we receive any complaint of bribery-related corruption in these sectors within next three months," he said.

Mashhud also announced that the ACC is going to start an anti-corruption campaign within next one month. ACC also reward those who will help the commission in arresting people for taking or giving bribe, he said.

Terming bribe as the root of corruption, he said corruption would decrease to a large extent, if bribery can be stopped.

"If the head of an organization is honest, no officials and employees will dare to resort to corruption," he added.

The ACC chairman urged the government officials to provide the due services to the poor people.

Identifying land, power, education, income tax, LGED, BRTA and health departments as the most corrupt among the service sectors, he said the ACC would take tough action if the departments fail to stop corruption.

Deputy Commissioner M Nabiul Haq Mollah presided over the meeting. ADC (Revenue) M Ashrafuzzaman, Dinajpur Pourasava mayor Shafiqul Haq Chhutu and Civil Surgeon Dr Mizanur Rahman were, among others, present.

Earlier, the ACC chairman visited the District Anti-Corruption Commission office and took part in an anti-corruption rally.

Judge embarrassed to hear Nizami's quashment petition

UNB, Dhaka

A High Court judge Sunday felt embarrassed in hearing an application for quashing the Gatco corruption case against Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Matiur Rahman Nizami.

Co-judge of a Division Bench Justice Mashuque Hosain Ahmed felt embarrassed when Nizami's counsel Barrister Abdur Razzak moved the application. The matter was sent to the Chief Justice for order, court sources said.

Nizami was granted bail for two months in Gatco case by the High Court on July 14 and was released following day from prison cell of BSMMU.

Nizami filed the quashing petition as principal accused in the Gatco case ex-PM Khaleda Zia recently got an interim stay order on her case from the High Court.

Anti-graft drive ups revenue target: Aziz

Staff Reporter

Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam yesterday gave credit to the anti-corruption drive for helping to realise huge revenues by NBR taxmen in the just concluded fiscal year (2007-08) that, for the first time, has chased the revised target.

The revised target for FY2007-08 was Tk 45,970 crore while the National Board of Revenue (NBR) earned Tk 47,201 crore.

After a meeting with the NBR officials at their conference room Aziz said, "The anti-corruption drive is a total matter, but it might help the effort of the NBR to fulfil target-and exceed it."

He said that the government has already taken a decision in principle to give incentives to the NBR officials as they have crossed their mark.

"Of course they will, but the amount of the money and the basis of their incentives are yet to be decided," he said.

Dr Aziz said that the Finance Secretary and the NBR chairman would jointly decide on the matter.

The Finance Adviser hoped that a yet higher target set for the current fiscal would also be achieved. The new revenue target is Tk 54,500 crore.

"The NBR officials assured me that they would fulfil their target for this year also, and I am hopeful about that," said the Finance Adviser.

He said that the hurdles that prevailed in the last fiscal year had prevailed in the previous years as well.

"Above all, it is nothing but the commitment; and I have seen that there is no deficit about it," Aziz said.

US, Bangladesh jt military peacekeeping training

Staff Reporter

A team of US Marine Corps peacekeeping instructors from Okinawa, Japan, will visit Dhaka during July to train with the local military and take part in educational seminars, a press release from the American Center in Dhaka said yesterday.

The joint training is the result of a collaborative planning effort between US Marines and the Armed Forces of Bangladesh and is meant to improve the ability of the US and Bangladesh forces to work together and to learn from each other.

Cooperative efforts such as this show that Bangladesh and the US are committed to ensuring interoperability around the world.

The training will culminate with an international seminar advocating non-lethal means to deal with crises, such as riots and other situations routinely encountered during peacekeeping missions. Thirteen countries from all over the Asia-Pacific region will participate in the three-day seminar.

8 abducted fishermen released on payment Tk 3 lakh ransom

UNB, Barguna

Eight fishermen abducted last week by pirates were released Friday night on payment Tk 3 lakh as ransom.

The fishermen are Delwar Hossain, Liton, Abdus Alam, Jafar, Pintu, Babul, Mujibur and Alim.

Local people said a band of pirates abducted the eight fishermen from eight trawlers at Kachikhali in the Bay of Bengal on July 12. Victims' family sources said the pirates demanded Tk l lakh each as ransom for releasing the fishermen.

After negotiation with the pirates the fishermen were released from Shukhpara in Sundarbans on payment of Tk 3 lakh, the sources added.

Extortionist killed in mass beating

Staff Reporter

An alleged extortionist was killed in mob beating while trying to flee after injuring a garment employee in city's Pallabi area yesterday.

The dead was identified as Bachchu, 26.

Police said Bachchu went near the factory of Standard Group at Kalsi road in Mirpur section 11 at about 9:30am and demanded money from Israfil, 30, an employee of the factory.

As Israfil refused to pay the money, Bachchu hurled cocktail towards him, leaving Israfil injured.

Officer-in-charge of Pallabi police station Momin told the New Nation that after throwing the cocktail, Bachchu tried to flee the scene but local people chased and caught him and beat him up severely.

Bachchu was rushed to a local clinic and then shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

Israfil was also admitted to DMCH.