The New Nation - Internet Edition

Little response to amnesty for undisclosed money: Drive to detect tax evasion goes on simultaneously: NBR

UNB, Dhaka

Not a single person holding undisclosed money has come up yet to avail the latest amnesty given to the tax-dodgers as a last chance, prompting the authorities to think about a simultaneous hunt.

The renewed chance to show undisclosed money earned by legal means, starting from July 1 for a short period of four months, came under the amnesty given by the present caretaker government while a fight is on against corruption.

This is for a second consecutive time the present nonparty government is conceding amnesty to people who did not disclose their legally earned money, and thereby evaded paying the wealth tax.

Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam in his budget speech on June 9 said that the individual tax-payers could declare their undeclared legal income accrued in any year in a prescribed format.

But the individuals have to pay a penalty at the rate of 7 percent on the tax payable in addition to the regular taxes at the rates applicable for FY 2008-09. This window of opportunity will remain open from 1 July to October 31, 2008.

Admitting to the matter of having received no response from the taxpayers, NBR chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid told UNB, "Yes, the response till now is poor, as the taxpayers now might be thinking among themselves (over the amnesty matter)."

He observed as the amnesty prolongs for October 31, the taxpayers are waiting to disclose the money during the submission of their income-tax return.

"This is the strong reason behind the no-response position of the taxpayers up till now," Majid said.

But the government's chief revenue collector warned that the submission of income-tax return in September does not mean that the NBR will sit idle.

"The drive to detect tax evasion will go on and we are in a strict position to detect the tax- evaders," said the chairman of NBR, which joined forces with the anti-graft watchdog ACC in chasing many bigwigs in the initial stages of the ongoing purge in the interim period.

The caretaker government last fiscal year gave the amnesty for the tax delinquents to come above board with their undisclosed money that was earned by legal means in another format.

Under the amnesty, the tax-dodgers having Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) have to pay extra 5 percent as fines apart from their usual taxes with the normal tax base of that particular period.

Earlier, successive governments had offered similar amnesty for the tax defaulters several times, the latest one in the 2005-06 fiscal year. But that was for both the groups of tax-dodgers-those who earned honestly and those dishonestly.

The scheme, however, failed to make any major headway as only Tk 5,213 crore undisclosed income was disclosed in the period, with the government earning an extra tax of Tk 802 crore.

Only 42,459 people availed the opportunity, despite an earlier forecast that the nationwide anti-graft crackdown launched by the caretaker government would prompt hundreds of thousands to get whitened their unrevealed income.

Immediate-past Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman also availed the clemency, which evoked criticism.

In his 2005-06 budget speech, the then Finance Minister, Saifur Rahman, had said that a good number of people were still holding the purse strings of such income, who, for some reason or the other, could not avail this opportunity.

He had proposed extending the time limit of disclosure of such incomes of the hidebound moneyed persons without any explanation by paying only 7.5 percent income tax up to the 30th of June 2006.

Some Tk 4,603 crore from a stash of such money, popularly known as black money, was legalized taking advantage of pecuniary amnesty in the 2005-06 fiscal year at a tax rate of 7.5 per cent penalty.

A total of 7,246 people-businessmen, doctors, lawyers and the like-availed the opportunity to legalize the undisclosed money by paying Tk 345.225 crore to the national exchequer.

The BNP-led alliance government first gave the similar chance in 2002-03 when Tk 1,000 crore came above board. Then they again gave the chance in 2005-06.

The first chance for legalization of the undisclosed money was given in 1976, then in 1988, 1989 and 1990. The amount of legalized money in 1976 was Tk 70 crore, in 1988 the amount was Tk 200 crore, in 1989 it was Tk 250 crore while in 1990 the amount was Tk 400 crore.

3 students washed away into Bay

UNB, Cox's Bazar

Their picnic mood soon turned into of a grim tragedy as three college students were washed away into the Bay waters in the tourist resort here yesterday.

Local people and rescuers, however, rescued four others and got them admitted into Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital.

Police said 11 students of different colleges in Chittagong came here Friday on excursion. Of them, seven went to the beach to take a bath at about 12:30pm despite the sea remaining rough.

"At one stage of the pleasure bathing, strong currents of heavy waves washed away three from the Seagull point," says a spot account of the incident.

They were identified as Rubayet Hasan, a Law student of Premier University, and Rubel Das and Rifat Hasan, who both appeared at the just-completed HSC examination from Sunshine School and College.

Police and rescuers were continuing rescue operation for the three missing students.

Beach workers said they hoisted "red flag" on the beach to warn the tourists about rough sea. But, none did pay heed to the signal and kept wading through the water.

Five more tourists have had their watery burial while wallowing in the Bay waters on this beach in last three months.

Pakistan PM to defend anti-militant strategy: Terror sanctuary not acceptable: NATO

AP, Islamabad

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani left Saturday on a three-day visit to Washington to defend his government's reluctance to use force against Islamic militants blamed by US officials for soaring violence in neighboring Afghanistan.

The trip comes amid intensifying U.S. pressure for Pakistan, a vital ally in its war on terrorism, to move against strongholds that Taliban and al-Qaida militants have established in its border regions.

It will be the first visit by Gilani since he came to power following Feb. 18 elections.

Before his departure, Gilani told reporters that Pakistan was fighting the war on terror in its own interests.

"This is our own fight. This is our own cause," he said, noting that his ruling party's leader, Benazir Bhutto, had died in a terrorist attack on Dec. 27.

Gilani's three-month-old government is persevering with efforts to negotiate peace deals along the wild frontier and stabilize a country roiled by Islamist suicide attacks. Force will be used only as a last resort, he reiterated this past week.

"Pakistan's national security and internal stability is paramount," Information Minister Sherry Rehman said. "Pakistan is making its own policy for its own problems."

Gilani's first plunge into the center of American power begins with separate meetings Monday with President Bush, Vice President Cheney and Secretary of State Rice.

His hectic, three-day schedule also includes appointments with lawmakers, academics and journalists. Officials say he may meet with the contenders in November's presidential election, Barack Obama and John McCain.

Gilani, whose government is wrestling with daunting economic problems exacerbated by skyrocketing oil prices, also is to meet with members of Bush's economic team and address business leaders.

But the sharpest questions are likely to address the growing disagreement between Islamabad and Washington over how to counter violent Islamic extremists. Al-Qaida leaders are believed to find sanctuary in Pakistan, while American troops in eastern Afghanistan are facing a spike in cross-border attacks by Taliban insurgents.

On Saturday, local newspapers quoted Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik as saying security forces had arrested between 35 and 40 militants, including an al-Qaida commander, during a recent operation in the northwestern town of Hangu.

Since taking over from an administration dominated by U.S.-backed President Pervez Musharraf, the new government has sought peace pacts with Taliban militants.

U.S. officials have voiced support for efforts to woo moderate tribal elders and isolate hard-liners.

Washington also has pledged hundreds of millions of dollars for a drive to bring economic development to the border region that Pakistan hopes will dry up support for extremism. It has funneled more than $10 billion in mostly military aid to Pakistan in the past six years.

But U.S. civilian and military leaders - and the presidential hopefuls - frown on the government's decision to strike cease-fires with militants. They also fear that any agreements - especially clauses on expelling foreign militants and preventing cross-border attacks - will not be enforced.

AFP, adds from Kabul: The NATO chief called Thursday for Pakistan to be more involved in tackling extremist bases on its soil, as Afghanistan was hit by new attacks with at least 34 Taliban bodies found after one battle.

NATO was concerned by a spike in terror attacks but would not enter Pakistan to hunt down militants based there, the alliance's Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer also told reporters in Kabul.

Scheffer was visiting amid high tension between Afghanistan and Pakistan over the violence, including the bombing of the Indian embassy here this month that Kabul has directly blamed on its neighbour's intelligence agency.

"I cannot think of anyone who would consider it acceptable that many terrorists from all over the world gather in a certain area and create mischief and havoc there," Scheffer told reporters, in a reference to militant bases in Pakistan.

"The bottom line is that the present situation cannot be acceptable for anyone," Scheffer told reporters after talks with President Hamid Karzai.

Afghan and Western officials have long said that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda have been able to regroup in Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal areas after they were expelled from Afghanistan in 2001 in a US-led invasion.

Some accuse Islamabad of not doing enough to tackle them and criticise its efforts to negotiate peace deals.

Karzai reiterated his call for the focus of the international effort against extremism to be focused on militant hideouts across the border.

"The fight against terrorism is not in Afghanistan and we will not be secure and safe t (unless we) address the question of sanctuaries in Pakistan, the terrorist training camps there and the motivation that they are given there."

Scheffer said Pakistan had to be part of the solution to the problem.

"Our forces in Afghanistan are also the victims of the surge and uptick in violent incidents we have seen recently. But let us practise a regional approach and let us involve all the regional actors here," he said.

In new violence in Afghanistan Thursday, security forces were ambushed on the main road between Kabul and Kandahar and fought back in an hours-long battle.

National unity needed to safeguard sovereignty

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a seminar here yesterday call for forging a national unity through democratic process to face the challenges of safeguarding independence, sovereignty and integrity of the country in the backdrop of a fast changing global geopolitical scenario.

People from all strata, including politicians and policy makers, should remain on guard against the conspirators working at home and abroad, they said.

They also said in the context of Bangladesh's important strategic geographical location between the rising China and emerging India, the country's foreign policy should be characterised by diversified friendly relations.

The national seminar styled 'Bangladesh: Geopolitics and National Security Imperatives' was organised by Center for National Regional Studies (CNRS) at CIRDAP auditorium here.

Former chief adviser of the caretaker government Justice Latifur Rahman spoke as the chief guest while former vice chancellor of Dhaka University Professor Emajuddin Ahmed chaired the seminar.

Professor Mahbub Ullah of Department of Development Studies of Dhaka University presented the keynote paper while senior assistant editor of Defense Journal Major (retd) Ashrafuzzaman made a presentation on maritime boundary.

Vice chancellor of South East University Professor M Shamser Ali, president of Bangladesh Political Science Association Professor Ataur Rahman, former state minister Abul Hassan Chowdhury, chief editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and international affairs analyst Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, senior journalist Sadeq Khan, former editor of Amar Desh Amanullah Kabir and president of Jatiya Press Club Shawkat Mahmud spoke as the designated discussants.

CNRS Executive President M Sajjad Hossain gave the welcome speech.

Latifur Rahman stressed the need for consensus on all nationally important issues to fight the evil forces in an effective and stronger way.

We must establish good governance and strengthen democracy to uplift the country's economy he said, adding, we need to establish institution for undertaking strategic plan and formulating national policies. He said there should be mutual respect among the South Asian countries to build fruitful relationship within the region to ensure the welfare of the mass people.

Prof. Emajuddin said Bangladesh should adopt multi-lateral approach in its foreign policy without depending on bilateral relations to achieve a dignified status in the world.

"We ought to prepare a multi-lateral framework in our geo- politics," Prof. Emajuddin said, adding, "if India wants transit or corridor, there is no point to oppose, the facilities could be given under a multilateral framework ensuring the interest Bangladesh and other regional countries like China, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan."

Stressing the need for a friendly relationship between Bangladesh and India, Dr Shamsher Ali suggested developing a bridge between the two peoples through holding Indo-Bangladesh conference to discuss matters related to common issues and disputes.

Describing Bangladesh as one of the most non-communal countries in the world, he said, a vested quarter always try to project the country as a fundamentalist one in the international arena.

He said Bangladesh could be one of the strong countries in the arena of global geo-politics by developing its science and technology sector through establishing an effective parliament rather confronting with each other.

Dr Ataur Rahman said the country needs to boost its economy as well as ensure food and energy security to play a significant role in geo-politics.

Abul Hassan Chowdhury said the political parties should project their own plan before the national elections that how they would face the challenges of country's geo-politics in future.

Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury said South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) should be strengthened further for the interest of South Asia and also for the smaller nations.

Sadeq Khan said Bangladesh has tremendous potentialities to be a significant power in the region as it got cheap labour force, model of moderate Islamic state and strategic position between Indo-US and China-Russia relationship.

Amanullah Kabir said the threat to country's security and sovereignty could not be faced unless the political leaders maintain integrity and unity among themselves changing their stereotype mindsets.

Professor Mahbub Ullah said national unity could be achieved only through a democratic process, but unfortunately the complexities in country's politics are making the prospect of national unity bleaker.

Shawkat Mahmud said the country should formulate its policies independently and the media need to turn itself as the national mass media to help establish enlightened nationalism.

Mega alliance will lead to nothing: Hannan Shah

Staff Reporter

ASM Hannan Shah, Adviser to the BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia yesterday said Ershad is used to changing his stance and utterance on joining political alliance in the past and added "Mega alliance would result in nothing."

He said people would not accept the government's dithering over the release of Begum Khaleda Zia.

ASM Hannan Shah was addressing a programme organised beside the grave of the former president Ziaur Rahman in Sher-e Bangla Nagar to press demand for the release of Begum Zia. BNP leader MK Anwar, who was recently released from jail, inaugurated the programme.

MK Anwar said the government's free conditions were delaying the release of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia from prison.

He demanded unconditional release of Khaleda and warned of severe consequence if her release is delayed.

He hoped that the internal feud that has divided BNP will disappear with the release of Begum Khaleda Zia from jail.

Meanwhile, in another programme BNP Secretary General Khandoker Delwar Hossain yesterday said independence and sovereignty of the country is now under threat as a deep conspiracy is being hatched to make Bangladesh dependent country.

He said a move is on to give India corridor in the name of so called transit.

Delwar was addressing two separate view exchange meetings with BNP leaders and activists of Rajbari district and Keranigonj thana units at his NAM flat in the city.

BNP Secretary General said the people of the country never compromised with independence, sovereignty and national interest. The people will identify the persons who want to ignore the national interest for the personal interest, he added.

"Ignoring the public demand the government is still keeping former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman detained in jail not sending Tarique abroad for better medical treatment," Delwar said.

BNP leaders and activists of Rajbari unit led by former general secretary of the unit Abdul Khaleque and Keranigonj unit led by the unit president Nazim Uddin Nazim and general secretary Sultan Naser participated in the view exchange meetings.

Attempt on life: Humayun Rashid’s grandson, ex-IGP's son sued

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

A retired army officer has sued a grandson of the late speaker Humayun Rashid Choudhury and the son of a former IGP for an alleged attempt on the life of his son, police said yesterday.

Nuher Latif Shami, son of retired lieutenant colonel Abdul Latif Khan and fashion designer Rina Latif, was admitted to hospital after he was "seriously injured" in assaults by the accused.

Sub-inspector Jahangir Alam Mondol told bdnews24.com that Latif Khan had filed the case against four people with Gulshan Police Station.

The late speaker's 30-year-old grandson Mishel Karim Khan, son of Iftekhar Karim Khan and Nasrin Karim, was one of the accused.

The other accused are Shamsul Huda, son of former inspector general of police Ashraful Huda, Ehsan Abdullah, son of businessman Md Abdullah and Md Shahrier, who could not be identified with further details.

Police made no immediate arrest. In case details, Latif Khan said the accused forced their way into his Baridhara home Friday, overpowering guards, when he and his son were asleep.

The accused allegedly called Shami downstairs and beat him at will in a bid to "murder" him, according to the case.

The attackers also beat the guards on resistance, Latif Khan alleged in the case.

Shami was rushed to Apollo Hospitals in Bashundhara.

Contacted by bdnews24.com, Latif Khan could not explain the reason for the assaults, but said: "I don't see any reason. They are not his friends but I think my son knows them."

Mondol, the investigation officer of the case, refused to comment on the progress of the probe.

Power generation lowest in recent years

UNB, Dhaka

Country's power generation came down to 3,324 megawatts, the lowest in recent years, resulting in nagging outages even on the weekend holiday yesterday.

This generation figure was recorded at 7:00 pm, the time treated as the highest peak hour of the day.

In July last year, the average daily generation was about 3,500 MW.

Power Development Board (PDB) officials claimed they could not produce about 900 MW due to gas shortages while another 300 MW for a number of plants remaining under maintenance liedown.

According to official sources, the PDB and other utilities had to go for load shedding of more than 1,000 MW although the demand was relatively lower at the weekend.

Normally, electricity demand remains lower at the weekend than that on working days when offices and industrial units consume huge power.

The PDB officials said that the country would experience more outages from tomorrow with work beginning in full swing.

Official sources, however, said that the power-generation situation worsened in the recent months because of the "failure of the authorities concerned in carrying out maintenance for a number of power plants".

Judge shortage delays disposal of stockpiled cases with SC

BSS, Dhaka

At least 274,000 cases are now pending with the Supreme Court for disposal as lawyers and court officials said shortage of judges in the highest court increases the backlog everyday.

"Of the pending cases 6,500 awaits decision of the Appellate Division where the number of judges currently is 5 against the sanctioned positions for seven," a senior official of the Supreme Court Registrar office said.

He said the number of judges in the High Court Division is 61 while the figure was 69 four years ago.

Two of the 69 judges were elevated to the Appellate Division, four went on retirement or resigned and two others were not confirmed as permanent judge as they were appointed as additional judges for two years.

"No judge was appointed to the Supreme Court in the past four years," he said.

The official said none of the cases, which were tried under Emergency Power Rules (EPR) in special courts in recent period, were disposed in the High Court as they came up for appeal hearing.

Court officials said 19 judges were appointed as additional judges four years ago while 17 of them were confirmed after two years and since then no new judge was appointed there.

Lawyers said appointment of judges should be immediately made from among competent lawyers for quicken the justice delivery system in the highest court.

JSD demands clarification of allegation against President

UNB, Dhaka

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) has demanded clarification by the government about reported allegations against President Prof Iajuddin Ahmed.

Standing committee meeting of the party yesterday viewed with concern that allegations against the head of the state would undermine the image of the country at a time when certain alien forces are already trying to brand Bangladesh a failed state.

Some of the national dailies have been prominently publishing reports since July 23 alleging that the wife of President Iajuddin Ahmed has unduly grabbed land on lease in Dhaka City and his son taken business advantage. None has refuted the report nor the government come up with clarification raising doubts among the people. Presided over by vice-president Nurul Amin Bhuiyan the meeting demanded of the government a clarification of the government to remove the misgivings.

In a resolution the meeting supported the government move to hold upazila elections ahead of parliamentary poll. It said the local leadership would be empowered and thus image of the parties enhanced with regard to nomination of candidates to parliament.

"Those who are opposing the upazila elections are in fact opposed to the foundation of democracy at the grassroots," said a party press release.

Resist war criminals by boycotting them in polls: Razzak

UNB, Chittagong

Awami League presidium member Abdur Razzak yesterday urged the countrymen not to cast their vote for "war criminal jamaat" in the upcoming elections.

"Defeat politically the war criminals through boycott of Jamaat candidates in the local-body and national polls," he made the call at a civic condolence meeting on the late Marshal Sam Manekshaw at Chittagong Municipal School.

Sam Manekshaw, the chief of Indian army during Bangladesh's War of Independence in 1971, passed away on June 26 at a military hospital in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

Abdur Razzak, a veteran politician and one of the organizers of the Liberation War, said the sovereignty and existence of Bangladesh would be at high risk if the nation failed to resist them in the upcoming elections.

Stating that war criminals expanded their roots very deep in last 36 years, he said, "It is high time to dig out their roots through bringing them to justice."

Recalling Manekshaw's enormous contributions in achieving independence in 1971, he said due to his uncommon ability to motivate the forces, coupled with a mature war strategy, it was possible to defeat the Pakistani occupation forcers within nine months.

"Manekshaw would be remembered forever among the Bangladeshis for his outstanding role in the liberation war," said the AL leader.

Sun-like star found

PTI, London

European astronomers have identified an exoplanet, about the same size as Jupiter, orbiting a star slightly more massive than the Sun, a finding that will give valuable insight into star-planet interactions.

An extrasolar planet, or exoplanet, is a planet beyond the solar system. The discovery of extra solar planets sharpens the question of whether some might support extraterrestrial life. As of July 3, 2008, 307 exoplanets have been detected and confirmed.

The vast majority were detected through various indirect methods rather than actual imaging. A team of European astronomers, working with C.O.R.O.T., found that C.O.R.O.T.-exo-4b takes 9.2 days to orbit its star, the longest period for any transiting exoplanet ever found.

This is the first transiting exoplanet found with such a peculiar combination of mass and period of rotation, the Science Daily online said Saturday. Launched in December 2006, COROT is the first space-based mission designed to search for exoplanets.

Located outside Earth's atmosphere, the satellite is designed to detect rocky exoplanets almost as small as Earth.

After just 555 days in orbit, the European mission has now observed more than 50,000 stars and is adding significantly to our knowledge of the fundamental workings of stars.

The big surprise for the European astronomers was that that the star, which is slightly larger than our Sun, is rotating at the same pace as the planet's period of revolution.