The New Nation - Internet Edition

Move to boost farm production: Agri loan raised upto 30per cent this year

Syful Islam

With a view to help increase production in agriculture sector the Government has decided to increase bank loan by 20 to 30 per cent for the farmers this year.

The Bangladesh Bank in a recent letter has asked all the commercial banks to follow the directive and cooperate the farmers to grow more agro products.

In the last budget speech Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam informed the countrymen that the target for disbursement of agricultural credit for FY 2008-09 has been fixed at Tk 9,000 crore.

For loan of up to 2.5 acres of land, there will be no need of co-lateral except crop hypothecation but for more than 2.5 acres of land banks will decide basing on its relation with the client.

To cultivate Aus paddy in an acre of land, farmers will get loan Tk 15,700 for Aus, Tk 17,550 for Aman paddy, hybrid paddy Tk 26,570, Boro paddy Tk 24,050, wheat Tk 18,450, jute Tk 11,510 and sugarcane Tk 30,700. A farmer will get loan for up to 5 acres of land.

After the two phases of floods and devastating cyclone Sidr last year, people were expecting a bumper agro production especially of Boro to bring down the rice price within the reach of common people.

Agricultural production last year was more than the expected level. About 358.27 lakh tonnes of rice and wheat and 225.58 lakh tonnes of non-serial food items such as maize, potato, vegetables and pulses were produced during the last fiscal year.

Last year 348.91 lakh tonnes of rice was produced against the target of 327.60 lakh tonnes while 9.56 lakh tonnes of wheat produced against targeted 8.40 lakh tonnes. The production of maize rose to 23.61 lakh tonnes from the 13.14-lakh tonnes. More than 92.37 lakh tonnes of potato were produced last year exceeding the target by 21.37 lakh tonnes.

Meanwhile, the government has fixed a production target of 136.59 lakh tonnes of Aman paddy 58.20 lakh hectares of lands, Boro at 196.14 lakh tonnes from 46.75 lakh hectares, Aus at 23.69 lakh tonnes from 11.27 lakh hectares. It has also fixed production target of wheat at 10.40 lakh tonnes from last year's 8.40 lakh tonnes, maize at 12.75 lakh tonnes, potato at 75 lakh tonnes, sweet potato at 8.40 lakh tonnes and sugarcane at 36 lakh tonnes.

Besides, the target of vegetables production has been fixed at 100 lakh tonnes from the last year's 81 lakh tonnes, mustard seeds at 5 lakh tonnes, peanut at 1.44 lakh tonnes, Soybean at 0.48 lakh tonnes, pulse at 1.50 lakh tonnes and lentil at 2.25 lakh tonnes

To achieve this target, the Government has allocated huge subsidy for the agriculture sector in the current budget.

However, despite Government initiative it is feared that agricultural production may hard hit due to fertiliser crisis in the current fiscal as the Government has fixed low consumption target of different varieties of fertilisers against the actual demand.

The Government has fixed the distribution target of fertilisers at 42.90 lakh tonnes against the actual demand of 73.79 lakh tonnes.

Of the projected distribution of fertilisers, 28.50 lakh tonnes are urea fertiliser, 5 lakh tonnes tsp, 4 lakh tonnes mop, 2 lakh tonnes dap, 1 lakh tonnes ssp, 1.50 lakh tonnes npks, 1.50 lakh tonnes gypsum, 50 thousand tonnes zincs sulphur, 20 thousand tonnes ammonium sulphur and 20 thousand tonnes magnesium sulphur.

Reinstatement of 'dropped out’ judges: Supreme Court stays High Court order

Staff Reporter

The Supreme Court yesterday stayed a High Court (HC) order to reinstate ten judges, who were appointed during Awami League regime and dropped out later during the previous BNP-Jamaat led four-party alliance rule.

After a brief hearing, a five-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by chief justice MM Ruhul Amin, passed the three-week interim stay order.

The appellants were asked to file regular appeal within the time. TH Khan, lawyer for the 19 judges, told reporters yesterday that they would file a regular appeal after they received a copy of the HC order.

Earlier, the court granted Ashrafuzzaman, a lawyer, permission to file application for leave to appeal against the HC judgment in favour of the ten dropped out additional judges.

On July 17, a 3-member larger bench of the HC declared illegal and unconstitutional the immediate-past BNP-led coalition government's decision of non-confirmation of the services of the 10 additional judges of the HC despite positive recommendations by the then Chief Justice.

Some 19 HC judges filed an appeal with the Appellate Division chamber judge MA Matin on July 27, pointing out that the HC order would affect the seniority of the incumbent judges. The Government also filed an appeal against the HC order on July 24.

According to the HC order, the period from when the ten judges left jobs to the dates of joining would be considered as 'special leave without pay' and they would enjoy seniority.

Dr Kamal Hossain, who stood for the 10 judges seeking permanent appointment, submitted that the hassle put them in conflict between the bench and the bar and a fratricidal judges-versus-judges discord.

"We don't want the institution suffers from a grave damage over the dispute," said the eminent jurist, also a politician.

Terming it an exceptional case and exceptional judgment, Dr Kamal said, "We want to see how difficult to hold the balance by the apex court in the present issue, keeping the institutional image high."

Dr Kamal was critical of a ground mentioned in the petition filed by the aggrieved 19 incumbent judges, saying: "I have never heard that the President's consultation with the Chief Justice before making appointment of higher-court judges is a courtesy."

He opined that it was a 100-year old custom to appoint judges in consultation with the chief justice. "It should be obeyed," he said.

Another counsel for the respondents, Barrister M Amir-Ul Islam, submitted that the question of the concept of the constitution has been challenged by the sitting 19 HC judges. "Their function is dispensation of justice, but they have become litigants," he told the court.

"They have violated the code of conduct of judges by filing the application as the HC judgment is binding upon all," argued Amir.

In his further submission on the divisions in the rank of judges, he said, "Their presence as litigants has divided the judges of the entire HC Division, which is a matter of great concern."

Pointing fingers at the 19 incumbent judges seeking justice, Barrister Amir, also ex-president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, said, "They have not come before the court with clean hands."

He contended that the act of the litigant judges erodes the image and dignity of the Supreme Court. "And it would be a permanent phenomenon if we do not keep on upholding the image of the highest judiciary."

Moving the government plea, Attorney-General (AG) Salahuddin Ahmed submitted that the apex court should consider the practical consequences of the HC ruling that had asked the government to appoint them within a month.

"If the stay is not granted, there will be a mess in the judiciary after the reinstatement of the ten judges," he told the SC hierarchy.

The AG raised a legal point as to whether the HC has the jurisdiction to ask the government to appoint them.

Terming the issue as a new one and important as well, the chief government law officer told the court that it has to be looked into in the light of the constitution.

Senior advocate TH Khan, the counsel for the group of 19 incumbent judges, pleading for stay on operation of the HC judgment, said otherwise the rights of his clients would be jeopardized.

The 19 judges who filed the appeal against the HC order said the order interfered with the seniority of serving judges, and the 10 judges could not file a writ petition in favour of their own appointment.

Abdus Salam, Mamtaz Uddin Ahmed, Shamsul Huda, Faruque Ahmed, Marji Ul Haque, Abdur Razzak, Hasan Faiz Siddiqui, AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik, Abdul Hye and Nizamul Haque Nasim were appointed to the HC as additional judges during the Awami League regime.

But their jobs were not confirmed due to what they claimed were political reasons during the BNP-led government.

PDB plans to add 250mw of electricity during Ramzan

Mahbubur Rahman Khan

Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) is going to add 250 MW of electricity on an average to the national grid daily to make up for the increased demand of power during the month of Ramzan.

Md Showkat Ali, Chairman of PDB told the New Nation yesterday.

Showkat Ali said, "PDB is going to add 250 MW of electricity this September to ensure continuous supply of electricity at the time of Sehri, Iftar and Tarabi prayers and to the water refineries and water pump houses to keep constant supply of water in the holy month."

When his attention was drawn to the scenario of last year when WASA reduced water purification by 3 crore litre due to low voltage, he said the water refineries and pump houses would be given more priority this time.

He said that invigilators would visit the control room regularly and manpower would also be provided with essential machinery in areas for any local disruption, so that the devotees could pray Tarabi prayers at ease without interruption.

Replying to another question he said the mosques would be given priority in the way Boro harvest was given.

Referring to the wasteful use and illegal electricity connection as one of the main reasons for power crisis Showkat Ali said if the wasteful use and illegal connections of power could be checked, the crisis would be minimised.

He advised shop owners to use CFL and fluorescent bulbs instead of mercury bulbs to minimise excess consumption of electricity. The PDB would launch a drive in the city to disconnect illegal electricity connections. The accused shop owners will be penalised.

He further informed that a high-powered meeting would take place soon regarding the distribution of area wise load shedding during Ramzan.

PDB is generating 3,300 MW of electricity against the total demand of 4,500 MW at present.

Showkat Ali said, "PDB is thinking about alternative sources of power like coal and diesel to lessen dependability on gas to generate power."

Sources said, "Now many of the PDB power units are generating less electricity because of gas shortage and some of the units have remained switched off."

Experts expressed doubt about the possibility of providing additional 250 MW of power generation within one month. In Ramzan, the use of household gas increases. Since the power plants are depended on gas, it would be difficult for PDB to generate the additional gas within this time.

Body to stop sexual repression at educational institutions

BSS, Dhaka

The Education Ministry and the University Grants Commission (UGC) have jointly formed an 11- member national committee to stop and check sexual harassment and repression at higher educational institutions in the country.

UGC Member Professor Dr Zehadul Karim has been made convenor of the committee, a UGC press release said here on Tuesday.

Other members of the committee are Professor Amena Begum, Member of UGC, Professor AK Feroze Ahmad, Proctor of Dhaka University (DU), Professor SM Nurul Alam of Anthropology Department of Jahangirnagar University (JU), Professor Nasim Akhtar Hossain of Department of Government and Politics of JU, Professor Asma Siddiqa, Dean of Law Faculty of Rajshahi University, Professor Mehtab Khanam of Psychology Department of DU, Professor Abdul Hakim Sarkar of Social Welfare and Research Institute of DU, Professor Mosharraf Hossain of Sociology Department of Chittagong University, AZM Shafiqul Alam, Joint Secretary (university), Education Ministry, Advocate Salma Ali of Bangladesh Women Lawyers Association and Mohammad Fakhrul Islam, Acting Deputy Director of UGC.

The committee will start work soon on formulating laws and rules to stop and check sexual harassment and repression at higher educational institutions in the country, the release said.

With the enactment of the laws and rules, the UGC hopes, sexual harassment and repression would be stopped at higher educational institutions in the country.

Dacoits snatch shotgun, stab cop in Mymensingh

Alam Sarwar Titu from Kishoreganj

A gang of dacoits snatched a shotgun from a police constable after stabbing him on Gafargaon-Hossainpur road in Gafargaon upazila on Monday night.

Police said the dacoits beamed a torchlight on a team of four policemen while they were patrolling Hossainpur bridge area at about 11:00pm. As constable, Niranjan Mondol, 25, went to see the matter, the robbers attacked him.

"They stabbed him mercilessly and snatched his shotgun with nine bullets," says a spot account of the gang attack.

After the incident, the other members of the patrol team rushed to the scene, rescued Niranjan and sent him to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.

Police Super Rafiqul Islam visited the spot and ordered suspension of ASI Hannan, constables Mannan, Gafur and Niranjan of the patrol team for negligence of duty. They were brought to the Mymensingh Police Lines in the afternoon.

Police in a hunt picked up six people for interrogation immediately after the incident while five others were held later in Kishoreganj in a combing operation.

At least six bullets were recovered and five persons arrested as a team comprising police from Kishoreganj and Mymensingh districts and RAB-9 troops carried on their operation in the district yesterday following the Mymensingh incident.

The arrested suspects were identified as Alal, 55, Bakul, 50, Alamin, 20, Badal, 35, and Faijul, 45, all of them from Pakundia upazila of the district.

Following the arms-looting incident, Dhaka Range DIG Ameer Hossain, Kishoreganj Police Super M Mizanur Rahman, Mymensingh Police Super M Rafiqul Islam and RAB ASP Ali Ashraf Bhuiyan visited the scene yesterday morning and ordered a joint operation to rein in the miscreants.

Colombo braces for SAARC summit: Iftekhar leaves for Lanka to attend ministerial meet

UNB, Colombo

As Sri Lanka dresses up to host the 15th SAARC summit August 2-3, Foreign Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said here Tuesday if there be political will on part of the South Asian leadership, the eight-nation forum could be immensely beneficial for the people of this potential but impoverished region.

"So far, unfortunately, our public believes that they are not sufficiently benefited from SAARC. Bangladesh is conceiver of SAARC. Our wishes are to create some kind of People's SAARC whereby they derive benefit from the organization," he said in an interview with UNB Chief of Correspondents Shamim Ahmad on board the flight to Colombo.

Iftekhar, who leads the Bangladesh delegation to the SAARC Council of Ministers (Foreign Ministers) meeting here on July 31 (Thursday), said a fifth of the global population lives in this region which is bestowed with huge intellectual and vast economic resources to improve the living standard of the South Asians.

The Foreign Advisor admitted that doubts and distrusts among some member-states slowed down the desired progress of SAARC, launched in Dhaka in 1985 with a vision to bring about socioeconomic changes for the people in the region.

"It is true because of the nature of politics of our part of the world," he said, "because while we are stressing commonalities, we are also stressing distinctiveness from each other."

However, Iftekhar, a checkered diplomat-turned Foreign Ministry custodian of the caretaker government, hastened to add that this is only natural in the evolving of a regional organization.

Citing the teething pains of other regional organizations, like ASEAN, he said there were disputes between Cambodia and Thailand. If people of SAARC believe in cooperation than confrontation, this organization must achieve its goal.

The Foreign Advisor said if the people in South Asia "believe that cooperation will give them better benefit than confrontation, it is the duty of the leadership to give the people that kind of cooperation".

In reply to a question, Iftekhar said the Colombo summit would focus

on four core issues-Food Security, Trade, Energy, and Climate Change.

As umpteen people across the globe go hungry against the backdrop of recent setbacks on the agricultural front, he noted that food security is important for SAARC member-states. Bangladesh, he said, achieved near-self-sufficiency by producing 30 million metric tons of food this year.

"We think there should be a SAARC strategic reserve from where the member-states can draw food when necessary," he said.

The Foreign Advisor said Bangladesh is going to sign South Asian Development Fund (SADF) Agreement at the Colombo summit. He pointed out huge trade imbalances between some SAARC countries.

Citing the trade deficit of nearly USD 2 billion between Bangladesh and India, Iftekhar said, "We believe that Indian Prime Minister Mr Manmohan Singh intellectually accepts that India is like a senior partner in SAARC, and in that position, India has a disproportionate responsibility towards other smaller SAARC countries."

He said, "We believe that it should be possible for us to create greater market access to India without reciprocity so that trade imbalance (against Bangladesh) can be reduced."

On the question of energy-a second grueling issue in the present world scenario-the Foreign Advisor said it needs a more definite survey to determine the actual quantum of energy resources in the region and devise a way in which energy could be used for the maximum benefit of the member-states.

On ways of combating the adverse effects of climate change, Iftekhar said it is not enough to control the emission of Greenhouse gases and "in the given reality of the world it is difficult to control the emission the way we desire".

He said adaptation to climate change is the key, but the adaptation is expensive business. LDCs like Bangladesh will be required to pull in huge resources to adapt themselves to the changing climate-a phenomenon that causes sea-level rise and brings catastrophic floods, droughts and storms.

Iftekhar said Bangladesh has a great success in mitigation of natural disasters and the disaster management policy was praised at the recently held ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting. Bangladesh would be happy to exchange its experience with other SAARC members.

Asked if Bangladesh would propose formation of SAARC Climate Change Fund, he said Dhaka would like to propose a methodology whereby those countries that leave smaller carbon are rewarded.

Dhaka is for some kind of mechanism to be designed whereby non-polluters are provided economic incentives. "We should be able to do this within the framework of SAARC," he said.

HRC chief, GATCO directors granted bail

Staff Reporter

HRC Group's Chairman Saeed Hossain Chowdhury and GATCO directors Syed Galib Ahmed and Syed Tanvir Ahmed yesterday got interim bail from the High Court in separate cases.

The Court yesterday also granted interim bail to Giridhari Lal Modi, owner of Uttara Group, Dr Abdullah M Taher, former Jamaat MP, and former BNP lawmaker and Partex Group Chairman MA Hashem.

Justice Sharif Uddin Chaklader and Justice Mohammad Imdadul Haque Azad accepted the bail prayers of Saeed Hossain Chowdhury, Syed Galib Ahmed and Syed Tanvir Ahmed.

Granting interim bail orders following separate petitions, the same court stayed for two months the proceedings of graft cases against Modi, Taher and Hashem.

The bench also issued rule upon the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to explain why the cases filed against the three should not be quashed.

The same HC bench granted interim bail for four months to Saeed Hossain Chowdhury of HRC group in connection with a case for violation of the Emergency Power Rules. Saeed, elder brother of Awami League leader Saber Hossain Chowdhury, was arrested by the joint forces on July 18.

The bench, responding to a petition, also issued rule upon the government to explain why the petitioner should not be granted regular bail.

Meanwhile, the bench stayed the proceedings of the graft cases against Quamrunnahar, wife of detained former state minister Fazlur Rahman Patal, and Shamsun Nahar, wife of detained former BNP lawmaker Salahuddin Ahmed. Both of them were made co-accused in the cases along with their husbands. It issued separate rules upon the ACC to explain why the cases should not be quashed.

Delwar asks whom govt talking for BNP dialogue?

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain expressed surprise yesterday at remarks of the communications adviser that the government was communicating with the party to bring it to dialogue.

"The chairperson is currently behind bars. I am the secretary general of the party. No discussion was held between me and the government. the secretary general of the divided party told reporters at his NAM Flat residence.

"Who were the government talking with?"

"I don't know whether the government is holding discussions with the BNP faction that it formed," Delwar added humorously. Communications adviser Ghulam Quader was asked Monday about the government's initiative to bring BNP to dialogue. He said: "We are communicating with the BNP. The procedure has advanced also. We hope the dialogue session will take place soon."

Expressing grievances Tuesday over the government's attitude over the release of Khaleda Zia, and sending her son Tarique Rahman abroad, he said: "The government is repeatedly saying that it is considering the release of the chairperson. We don't know when the process will come to an end. The demand has turned to a mass demand now."

Delwar reiterated demands for holding parliamentary elections prior to all polls to overcome "the current crises".

"It should ensure the participation of all political parties, including our party chief Khaleda Zia."

"An elected government can resolve all problems," he said.

"The government does not have the right to hold any other elections before the parliamentary elections in line with the constitution. The people want parliamentary elections."

"But a conspiracy is going on to hold a stage-managed election from the behind the scenes. People will not accept this in any way," Delwar added.

The BNP leader also alleged that the BNP office was closed illegally. He asked the government to reopen the party's Naya Paltan office.

BNP leader Ziaul Haque gets 13 years

Ziaul Haque Zia

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

A Dhaka court yesterday sentenced BNP leader Ziaul Haque Zia to 13 years in jail in a case filed by the Anticorruption Commission.

The former state minister was convicted of amassing illegal wealth and concealing information about assets.

Special judge Md Sirajul Islam fined Zia Tk Tk 10 lakh. He will stay another year behind bars in case of failure to pay the sum.

The Special Judge's Court-7 also sentenced Zia's wife Nasima Haque and son Mushfiqul Haque Joy to three years in jail and fined them Tk 1 lakh each for abetting him.

They will have to stay six more months in jail if they fail to pay the fine.

The court also ordered authorities to confiscate the illegal assets.

All the accused are on the run. Their sentence will be effective from the day of their arrest or surrender.

The court had earlier sentenced the three people on charges of evading tax.

Anticorruption Commission assistant director Monjurul Alam filed the graft case with Ramna Police Station on Nov 22 against Zia, wife and their son.

According to case details, Zia amassed illegal wealth worth Tk 12.81 crore beyond his known sources of income and concealed wealth of Tk 5.36 crore in the wealth statement submitted to the graft watchdog.

His wife and son assisted him in amassing the illegal wealth, the case alleges.

ACC sues 36 R&H engineers, employees for misappropriating Tk 186 crore

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday filed two cases against about three dozen persons, all but one engineers and employees of Roads and Highways department, for misappropriating over Tk 186 crore at three toll plazas.

One case has been filed against 18 individuals-a former executive engineer, an incumbent executive engineer, 3 sub-divisional engineers, 6 sub-assistant engineers, 6 work supervisors (toll collectors) and representative of Bromas JV-for allegedly gobbling up Tk 174.35 crore from Meghna and Meghna-Gomti bridges' toll plazas.

Apart from the representative of Bromas JV, 17 engineers and employees were posted under Narayanganj division of Roads and Highways.

The second case was filed against 16 Roads and Highways engineers and employees--3 executive engineers, 7 sub-divisional engineers, one sub-assistant engineer, 4 work supervisors (toll collectors) and one office assistant-for misappropriating Tk 11.56 crore at the Tongi-Ashulia road toll plaza.

All the accused were under Banani and Kalyanpur division of the Roads and Highways department.

ACC assistant director Abdul Aziz Bhuiyan filed the first case with Sonargaon police station, Narayanganj, while the second filed by the same officer with Ashulia police station.

Those accused in the case for misappropriating Tk 174.35 crore are Bromas JV representative Amin Ahmed, former executive engineer Nazmul Haque, serving executive engineer Sanaul Haque, sub-divisional engineers Abdul Halim, Manjur Rahman and Nurul Islam, sub-assistant engineers Abul Kalam, Mostaque Ahmed Chowdhury, Manjur Alam, Abdul Matin, Golam Rahman Chowdhury and Ahsan Ullah Majumder, work supervisors Abdul Mannan, Kabir Ahmed, Mujibur Rahman Khan, Abdul Baten, Khorshed Hasanat Alam and Lokman Sikder.

Though 18 were sued in the case, ACC director general (admin) Col Hanif Iqbal told the Commission's regular briefing on Monday that the Commission had approved the filing of the case against 21 persons.

The 16 suspects in the second case filed with Ashulia police station are Executive engineers Manjur Ahmed Bhuiyan, Shamsul Haque and Shafiul Azam Bhuiyan, sub-divisional engineers Golam Mohammad, Fakrul Islam, Abu Hena M Tareque Iqbal, Humayun Kabir, Shamsul Haque Bhuiyan, Abdul Razzak, and Nurul Alam, sub-assistant engineer Abdul Matin, work supervisors Abdul Latif Biswas, Zakir Hossain, Abdul Mannan and Tajul Islam, and office assistant Abu Taher.

Sub-assistant engineer Abdul Matin was accused in both the cases.

Both the cases were filed under sections 409/109/34 of the Penal Code and section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1947.

In both the cases, the individuals have been accused of facilitating vehicles to pass through the toll plazas without receipts and with fake receipts. Particular vehicles used to be charged less than the stipulated fees. In return, the accused allegedly used to receive monthly fees for the illegal use of the plazas, while genuine users of the toll road used to be fleeced.

The malpractice at Tongi-Ashulia toll plaza took place during May 2005 to December 2006 while the corruption at Meghna and Meghna-Gomti toll plazas was committed from July 2002 to January 2007. Probe is on to dig out further rot.

The FIR states that at Meghna and Meghna-Goumti toll plazas Tk 20.87 crore was gobbled up in 2002, Tk 43.29 crore in 2003, Tk 42 crore in 2004, Tk 37.68 crore in 2005, Tk 29.1 crore in 2006 and Tk 2.36 crore in the first month (January) of 2007.

These are the first instances of cases being filed based on the investigations by a special team. In March this year, the Commission constituted the four-member special team to investigate corruption and irregularities in the Roads and Highways department, considered one of the black spots of pervasive corruption.

Election by yearend if no external factor deters: CEC

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday said they were going ahead with full preparation for holding the stalled general election by the yearend, if no external factor stands in the way.

"There can't be any election prior to the preparation of electoral roll with photograph, which takes minimum 18 months," he told an AmCham meeting at the Sheraton Hotel, apparently ruling out politician's plea for holding the polls earlier than the EC-envisaged terminal time on the electoral roadmap.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) organized the function titled 'The Forthcoming Parliamentary Election: Role of Election Commission in Conducting a Free and Fair Election'. He said the EC is well informed about the consequences of failure in holding the elections as per the roadmap. The main goal of the EC is to hold the election by the end of this year. However, it has also some sub-goals, including legal and institutional reforms.

About the RPO, he said: "In the roadmap, we wanted to amend some provisions of the RPO ordinance 1972. In this regard, we consulted all the political parties and other members of society. We are on right track. We are about to complete all the preparations towards the election."

Stating that the EC is not feeling worried about making some reforms for the upcoming elections, the CEC said the only one item yet to be finalized is analyzing the reform law, which is now at the desk of the Chief Adviser.

"After its finalization, the EC will start the registration process of the political parties."

The CEC told his foreign business audience that the general election would be held in a single day across the country so the 100 percent of final voter list is necessary to get prepared before declaring the schedule of election to the general assembly.

Dr Huda said the commission has taken all necessary preparation to hold the upcoming elections in time "so that the holding of general election would not be disrupted in the country due to the EC's activities".

He observed that the holding of election is necessary for institutionalizing the county's democracy and the democratic process.

Emphasizing the need for honest administration for holding free and fair elections, the CEC said an honest and neutral administration is badly needed to hold free, fair and neutral elections in the country. "If the bureaucracy is not honest, it will be hard to control the election," he said.

He described the focus of the election commission is on four categories--- playing role of the commission, following the election roadmap, developing the election- management system and institutionalizing the EC to hold free and fair elections.

Describing the completion of voter registration in a short span of time as success of the election commission, Dr Huda said the biggest data base with some eight million adult people in Bangladesh has been made through completing this process.

The CEC observed that some invisible things, including the malpractice of spreading money among the voters by the candidates, are seen in the country although the tough code of conduct and electoral rules are in place. "All malpractices cannot be rectified overnight.

He said the voters should be careful and they could play important role in this regard.

Election Commissioners M Sohul Hussain and Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, Charge the Affaires of the US embassy Geeta Pasi, AmCham president Syed Arshad Ahmed and its executive director A Gafur and former advisers ASM Shahjah were among others present at the function.

RAB nets gang of fake Pir

Mamunur Rashid

A fake woman Pir,'Guru Maa' and three of her male associates were arrested by Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from Ananda Mohan Bashak Lane in Tantibazaar and Shantinagar areas in the city respectively.

Acting on information provided by a Bangladeshi expatriate in Germany, a team of RAB-3 raided the Madras Herbal at Tantibazar and arrested Mariam Begum Ruby, 35, known as 'Guru Maa' and her associates Mustafizur Rahman and Sabuj on Monday.

RAB-3 yesterday in a drive in Shantinagar area arrested the leader of the gang of fake Pir Anwar Chowdhury alias Jibon. RAB source said, Jibon, a film producer, was involved with the group of fake Pir that had been cheating many people of huge amount of money and sexually harassing women for a long time. Jibon was the president of Dinajpur Jatiya Party Unit.

The 37-year old Jibon has so far produced a number of feature films, including 'Guru Dev,' 'Paaper Santan' and 'Rajniti,' which were screened in movie halls.

The Pir, Guru Maa, claimed proficiency in contacting with 'Jin' and helped cure many people suffering from incurable diseases and sex related frustrations by giving them blessed water and miracle stones.

She was said to have been skillful in saving broken marriages, finding partners for lovers, winning lottery prizes, giving child-bearing ability to barren women, ensuring promotion in jobs and had power over getting US 'green card' for the supplicants.

RAB said the German expatriate informed that he was cheated of huge amount of money with the promise of winning a hefty lottery prize in Germany.

A licensed pistol and some materials used to cheat people were seized from the arrested persons. A case was filed with Kotwali Police Station in this connection.

Appointment under Attorney Service Ordinance stayed

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The High Court yesterday slapped a three-month stay order on new appointments under the new Attorney Service Ordinance.

The order came after three Supreme Court lawyers filed a writ petition to challenge the legality of the ordinance, promulgated by the president on May 18. Justice Khademul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Mashuk Hossain Ahmed passed the order.

The High Court also issued a rule nisi on the government asking it to explain in four weeks why the Attorney Service Ordinance would not be declared unconstitutional and illegal.

The three lawyers who filed the appeal are Abdul Mannan Khan, Chanchal Kumar Dutta and Khandker Anjuman Ara Shelley.

On behalf of the writ petitioners, senior advocate Mahbubey Alam said in court that the President cannot promulgate an ordinance if it is not extremely necessary or has no immediate connections to elections during the rule of the caretaker government.

The Attorney Service Ordinance does not fall in line with the 'extremely-important' category.

In the hearing, the lawyer said, the attorney general is a constitutional post, to which the president appoints in line with Article 64 of the constitution.

Additional attorneys general, deputy attorneys general and assistant attorneys general are part of the Office of the Attorney General.

Alam said, according to the constitution, the Office of Attorney General must work independently, but the new ordinance undermined its constitutional and independent character.

The ordinance has kept only the attorney general independent and subjected all other officials to executive authority, he said.

The writ petition said deputy attorneys general and assistant attorneys general should work under the attorney general, but the ordinance has put government law officials except the attorney general under a person with joint-secretary status.

"An additional attorney general enjoys the status of additional secretary. How can he work under a joint secretary? This is a discriminatory system," Alam said.

Deputy attorney general Naima Haider and assistant attorney general Mahmuda Begum represented the government in the hearing.

Balanced development of local govt. urged

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a roundtable in the city yesterday underlined the need for strengthening local government institutions by developing power at different tiers in such a way that they do not have contradictions with MPs or ministers.

Addressing the roundtable on local government polls as chief guest, former chief election commissioner Justice Mohammed Abdur Rauf emphasised the need for overcoming conceptual problems on the role of local government to overcome dispute over it and get honest and eligible candidates.

He suggested reducing domination of administration over the local governments and said the country should have local government not local administration.

Free Thinkers Forum, Bangladesh (FTF), a newly floated think tanker, organised the roundtable at the National Press Club in the city.

Presided over by formal Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof M Moniruzzaman Miah, the roundtable was also addressed, among others, by eminent economist Prof Dr Mahbub Ullah, Naya Diganta Editor Alamgir Mohiuddin, New Nation Editor Mostafa Kamal Majumder, eminent journalists Sadeque Khan, Amanullah Kabir and Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel local government experts Prof Dr Tofayel Ahmed and Prof Abdun Noor, Poet Mahbubul Haque, researcher Shah Abdul Halim, Prof Meer Kamal Chowdhury, Prof Abdul Latif Masum and Abu Naser Md Rahmatullah.

FTF Chairman Jahangir Chowdhury presented the keynote paper in the function.

The chief guest underlined the need for preparing separate voter lists to hold the local government polls saying that a person having establishments at different places cannot exercise his/her right to vote for being enlisted only at one place under the national voter lists.

He observed that the tenure of the local governments should be for maximum two years.

Prof Moniruzzaman Miah in his presidential address underlined the need for abiding by the Constitution saying, "We should have to do everything abiding by the Constitution, otherwise, we have to face trouble."

He suggested that the government should perform its prime responsibilities to hold the general election first and said the caretaker government has no jurisdiction to hold any other poll.

Moniruzzaman Miah alleged that the Election Commission has lost its neutrality through its controversial activities.

Prof Mahbub Ullah said people do not want to bring about major amendments to the Constitution.

Opposing creation disputes over the Constitution, he cautioned that this would threaten country's independence and sovereignty.

Alamgir Mohiuddin termed the present government as most mismanaged one. He emphasised the need for arranging elections on a regular basis and said honest and eligible candidates would come up thorough holding free and fair elections.

Amanullah Kabir held the caretaker government system responsible for the present situation in the political arena.

Mostafa Kamal Majumder said the candidates who are elected by the people are honest and eligible.

He called upon the government and researchers to investigate the reasons of friction between local government bodies at district and upazila levels with the central government. Such friction was not there with Union Parishad, he said.

He suggested developing of power to upazila and zila parishad chairmen in such a way that power conflict with members of Parliament and ministers can be avoided.

Prof Tofayel Ahmed said both local government and Parliament have to be strengthened to ensure flourishing of democracy in the country.

Jahangir Chowdhury in his keynote paper said a history might be created if the Election Commission could present a successful local government election to the nation. Otherwise, the nation has to face its consequence, he added.