The New Nation - Internet Edition

DU expels 9 more fake students

DU Correspondent

The Dhaka University Syndicate decided to expel nine students of the University for submitting fake documents during their admission.

Earlier, the Fact-Finding Committee, headed by Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof AFM Yusuf Haider, showcaused 11 students, but only two students responded to the notice.

The students to be expelled were from the departments of International Relations, Geography and Islamic Studies.

Investigating for almost two years, the committee cancelled studentships of 201 students from different departments of the University for fake admission.

The Pro VC said the committee would continue its investigation until all the departments of the university were probed.

The committee has so far submitted 10 reports to the Syndicate, which is the highest in the history of the university.

Fertiliser crisis hit Aman hard

Staff Reporter

Farmers have failed to prepare their Aman seedbeds due to the ongoing crisis of two types of fertiliser across the country.

"Farmers have failed to collect MOP and TSP as per the requirement for preparing Aman seedbeds till yesterday," an official of Agriculture Ministry told the New Nation.

He added that the Ministry has been receiving three to four requests per day through letters and phone calls from farmers since July 15.

He further said that the production of Aman would be hampered if the government failed to supply these two types fertilisers.

The government has a stock 94,651 tonnes of urea, 10,344 tonnes of MOP and 15,926 tonnes of TSP against the demand of 9,82,653 tonnes of urea, 56,129.5 tonnes of MOP and 52,217 tonnes of TSP in Aman season between July and mid November.

The government has earmarked to produce 136.59 lakh tonnes of Aman crops on 58.20 lakh hectares of land this year.

SCBA for withdrawal of emergency, holding of JS polls first

UNB, Dhaka

A general meeting of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) yesterday urged the caretaker government to lift the state of emergency for holding the general elections first.

The meeting, at the SCBA auditorium with association president Barrister Shafique Ahmed in the chair, demanded immediate withdrawal of the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2008 and the Government Attorney Services Ordinance 2008.

The SCBA considered promulgation of the two ordinances beyond the jurisdiction of the caretaker government and as anti-Constitutional acts.

The SCBA meeting urged the Chief Justice to refrain from what it said unwarranted acts like dissolving any High Court bench as in the past.

It called for the restoration of the Supreme Court's image by fulfilling the hopes and aspirations of the people and by upholding the Constitution.

The meeting urged the government to reinstate the 10 Additional Judges as regular judges of the High Court in compliance with the High Court verdict. The judges, who had completed two-year probationary period, were not confirmed by the previous 4-party alliance government.

The SCBA meeting demanded repeal of the Prevention of the Terrorism Act, 2008.

The meeting was conducted by SCBA secretary M Nurul Islam Sujan and addressed, among others, by Momtaz Uddin Ahmed Mehedi, AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Ruhul Quddus Kajol, Abdul Mannan Khan, Enayetur Rahim, Joynul Abedin, Rafiqul Islam Mia and Mahbubey Alam.

Zia Orphanage case: Khaleda, Tarique quizzed

BSS, Dhaka

A team of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday interrogated former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and her eldest son Tarique Rahman in connection with a case filed against them on charge of misusing the fund of the Zia Orphanage Trust.

The three-member team of the ACC headed by Investigation Officer (IO) of the case Harunur Rashid quizzed Tarique Rahman from 4-30 pm to 5-20 pm at his prison cell at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University hospital, ACC sources said.

Later, the team interrogated Begum Zia in the special jail at Sangsad Bhaban area from 6-30 pm to 7 pm, the sources said adding, the lawyers of Begum Zia and Tarique Rahman were present during the interrogations.

ACC filed the case against them and five others with Ramna Model thana here on July 3 for embezzling around Taka 2.10 crore from the fund of the Zia Orphanage Trust.

Other persons accused in the case are: Begum Zia's nephew Mominur Rahman, former BNP lawmaker Kazi Salimul Haque, Syed Ahmed, Gias Uddin Ahmed and Sharfuddin Ahmed.

CA unhappy over reform in RAJUK

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed vented dissatisfaction over the slow-moving restructuring of the outworn RAJUK, where people used to pass through the hassles of moving from desk to desk for service.

He asked the capital-development authority to expedite and upgrade its activities for delivering service to people in time in a transparent manner.

The head of the caretaker government in a meeting at his office yesterday reviewed the status of recommendations put forward by the

taskforce for reform of the Rajdhani Unnayan Katripakha (RAJUK).

He said RAJUK should frequently disseminate status of queries and matters of service- seekers so that applicants can know those "without any harassment or waste of time for moving from desk to desk".

The CA directed that all latest information of citizen's charter, status of land, the number of plots remaining for allotment and so on should be given on public domain in various suitable ways, including release on website.

He asked for holding regular monthly meeting on citizen's charter and disseminating information and decisions in public domain.

He also suggested reconstituting the missing files, updating files and making list of plots.

Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim briefed newsmen about the meeting.

LGRD Adviser M Anwarul Iqbal, Housing Adviser Maj Gen (Retd) Ghulam Quader, Cabinet Secretary, Housing Secretary, RAJUK chairman, representatives of Task Force, Secretary of CA's office, CA's press secretary and secretaries concerned were present at the meeting.

SC rejects ACC appeal to stay Salman's bail

UNB, Dhaka

The Supreme Court yesterday turned a deaf year to the Anti-Corruption Commission ACC) plea for staying High Court bail to detained business tycoon Salman F Rahman and ex-BNP minister MK Anwar in separate graft cases.

MK Anwar already walked to freedom from jail Tuesday on HC bail in the Gatco graft case, in which the detained immediate-past premier, Khaleda Zia, is the prime accused.

Another ex-minister, Matiur Rahman Nizami, is also out on bail while co-accused in the case Arafat Rahman Coco, Khaleda's younger son, was set free on parole for treatment abroad.

By declining to hear the separate ACC petitions the Chamber Court of Justice MA Matin apparently upheld the High Court interim orders granting bail to Salman and Anwar.

Passing no orders, it asked the ACC to file regular leave-to-appeal petition against the High Court orders.

At the same sitting, the Chamber Court said 'yes' to two other petitions moved by the ACC and stayed for a fortnight the operation of the High Court orders having granted bail for two months to detained BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury and former Awami League lawmaker Lotus Kamal in corruption cases.

The court also asked the counsel for the ACC to file regular leave-to-appeal application against the High Court orders during the period.

PDP calls for strengthening anti-graft drive

BSS, Dhaka

Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday urged the government to strengthen drive against corruption further across the country.

PDP President Dr. Ferdous Ahmed Quareshi made the call at a press conference at PDP's central office in the city.

"There will be meaningful change in the next parliamentary election, if the government backtrack from the anti-graft drive," Quareshi said.

The journalist-turned politician stressed the need for enacting new laws so that the corrupt people can not go unpunished via loopholes of laws.

Quareshi also urged the government not to hold polls before attaining the goal of the on-going drive against corruption.

PDP secretary general Noor Mohammad Khan, additional secretary general Golam Sarwar Milon, and central leader Abul Hassan Chowdhury were present.