The New Nation - Internet Edition

AL gears up process to hold dist councils

A joint meeting of the Awami League Presidium and
Council of Secretaries was held at its Dhanmondi office
yesterday. Focus Bangla

Staff Reporter

The central leaders of Awami League (AL) have chalked out plans to hold organisational district councils immediately for resolving disputes over leadership in the units, aiming to gear up the party's activities at the grassroots level.

In this connection a meeting of party Presidium Member, Joint Secretaries and Organising Secretaries was held at the party's Dhanmondi Office yesterday.

The central leaders decided to move post-haste to form organisational committees in these districts after August 15, in view of the upcoming national and upazila elections.

After the overwhelming victory of AL in the city and pourashava polls the party is euphoric and getting ready to repeat the result in the parliamentary and upazila polls. "That is why the party central leaders are too much concerned to reactivate the grassroots level leaders and activists, who will be the mainstay of the party in these two vital elections," said a central leader.

Source said, of the 74 organisational districts there was no committees in 11 districts, in 10 districts the committees were formed 10 to 11 years ago and another 10 to 12 districts were without effective leadership.

Most of the presidents and general secretaries of many districts have died, some went underground soon after the anti-corruption drive began and some others serving imprisonment in connection with different graft cases. In this situation the activists of these districts became leaderless. In the absence of skilled leadership the activists were divided into different splinter groups, which intensified the crisis.

"If these disputes over district leadership cannot be resolved immediately, it will act as a major barrier to achieving the same success in both the national and upazila elections", said a central leader.

AL acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said, "It requires at least 1,000 leaders and activists to hold a district council. But the caretaker government did not allow us to do so, as they allow the political parties to run indoor politics on the excuse of emergency rule. But it is impossible to hold district councils inside a room. We are therefore repeatedly demanding for the withdrawal of emergency."

"Aiming at the parliamentary election scheduled for December 2008, we have initiated measure to strengthen patry's organisational base at the grassroots level. As part of this imitative, we have to hold district councils first", he further said.

Late Mohammad Hanif and Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya were nominated President and General Secretary of Dhaka City Awami League. Hanif died few years ago and Maya is on the run since the anti corruption drive started. But no new committee has been formed yet.

In 1997 prof Nazma Rahman and Shamim Osman were President and General Secretary of Narayanganj District Awami League. Shamim fled to India and Nazma was made Relief and Social Welfare Secretary of the central committee. That is why a convening committee was formed in the district. After that the committee could not be renewed for strong opposition from Shamim, as he is maintaining a hot link with some central leaders from his hiding place, source said.

In the same year the committee of Kishoreganj district was formed, which had expired 8 years ago. General Secretary of that committee died in 1999. Then Shabuddin was selected acting General Secretary who also died one and half years ago, but the committee was yet to be reorganized.

Similarly, the organisational council of Madaripur district could not be held due to rivalry between former MP Shajahan Khan and Secchasebok League president AFM Bahuddin Nasim.

Engr Mosharaf Hossain, President of Chittagong Metropolitan (North) AL, is imprisoned in a graft case, while Aktaruzzaman, president of Chittagong metropolitan (South) AL, is absconding.

Adv Abul Kashem and Joinal Hazari were selected President and General Secretary of Feni district Awami League through a council in 1997, but Kashem died and Hazari fled the country.

Cox's Bazar District President Mozzamel Haque and Rangamati district General Secretary Selim died few years ago but the committees were yet to be renewed.

Council in Sunamganj district had not been held for the last 10 years due to the rivalry between AL presidium member Suranjit Sen Gupta and late Abdus Samad Azad.

Mahiuddin Ahmed, president of Barisal district AL died few years ago, while General Secretary Abul Hasnat Abdullah was in hiding. In absence of Organisational committee, a convening committee was running the party's activities in Barisal City. But the convener of the committee Shawkat Hossain Hiron has recently been elected city mayor.

In Pirojpur a convening committee was supervising party's activities, while council of Patuakhali district was held 12 years ago and it is 10 years that the committee of Rangpur organisational district was held.

South Asia must go for quick transformation

BSS, Dhaka

The pioneers of "Imagine a New South Asia" (INSA) which is emerging as a new movement in SAARC member states have emphasised on the need for concrete actions leading to creating an economic union and common financial and political institutions in the region.

"South Asia must see quick transformation from the past isolation," said Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed yesterday briefing reporters on the outcome of the of last month's INSA conference in Kandy.

INSA is having national committee in all South Asian countries. The Kandy meeting took place immediately before the just concluded SAARC summit in Colombo to bring pressure on the regional leadership to act for change.

Dr Kholiquzzaman outlined the results of the Kandy conference in the press briefing dubbed as 'Colombo declaration.'

He said, the conference was participated by delegates from all SAARC member states comprising politicians, law makers, writers, journalists, trade union leaders and representatives of grass roots organisations.

Former foreign secretary Mostafa Faruque Mohammad, media personality Nowajish Ali Khan, Action Aid Bangladesh country director Farah Kabir and president of Karmajibi Nari Shirin Akhtar also spoke on the occasion.

Kholiquzzaman said, the Colombo declaration has called for creating the 'regional customs union' by 2012 and the 'economic union' by 2020 accelerating the process of free trade regime under SAFTA framework.

The SAARC region should have also a common currency and common financial institutions including a South Asian Development Bank, he said adding, it is important to reduce dependence of the domination of neo-liberal capitalist institutions like the World Bank, IMF or the WTO.

South Asia should have a common parliament to slowly curve out a People's Union of South Asia, the declaration said adding, it should have also a human rights charter, human rights commission, minority commission, a court of justice and such other institutions to give access to fair treatment to all its citizen.

Democratic institutions should be deepened in member states and countries where it is facing impediments should work to restore it, the declaration said.

The exclusion groups in member states should be taken into the mainstream socio-economic development, the declaration said. It has also called for creating a South Asian Education Fund and common strategy and plan of action to face climate change issues.

Common policy approach in agricultural development, setting up of a Food Bank, Seed Bank and developing closer connectivity, especially air links between capitals of the SAARC member states are some other issues dealt with in the declaration.

The INSA leaders have criticized the self-complacence attitude of the South Asian leaders who are taking papers decisions only without equal emphasis on the implementation side of the earlier summits resolutions, the declaration said.

Meghna to be model basin for flood forecasting

BSS, Dhaka

In view of looming impact of climate change, a 10-year implementation plan has been taken under the framework of Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) to improve sustainable water resource management in Bangladesh.

The GEOSS, an alliance of 52 national governments including European Commission, is assisting South Asian 18 countries including Bangladesh to improve the countries water resources management though sharing data and information system as part of regional cooperation among the south Asian regions.

Bangladesh is going to evolve a model for forecasting flood and rainfall in the river Meghna. After completion of the Meghna model by 2011, country's all other river basins will be brought under the model attuned to the Meghna.

As part of the move, Asian Water Cycle Initiative (AWCI) under the GEOSS, a comprehensive environmental data and information provider worldwide, has selected Bangladesh's Meghna river basin as a model basin.

Ministry of Defence yesterday told BSS that a committee has been formed where a cell is working on it.

Joint Secretary of the Ministry Brigadier General Shah Md Sultan Uddin Iqbal said a number of organisations are working.

The organisations are Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) along with a number of NGOs.

Sultan Uddin Iqbal, who is also 2nd focal point of the GEOSS, said that under the cell a doppler radar is being installed in Moulvibazar district and it will come to an end by March in 2009.

Talking to BSS, Head of Synoptic division of SAARC Meteorological research Centre (SMRC) Dr Nazrul Islam said that the earth system will provide Bangladesh with proper inputs for actual projection of climate change towards formulation of planned climate change adaptation strategy.

Scientist Dr Islam, however, observed that the SMRC urgently required a high-powered server worth to be about Taka 12 crore for long-time and permanent climate change forecasting. The server will help keep the planned Meghna model operational.

A report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) revealed that Bangladesh is vulnerable to climate change impacts where scientific and technical capabilities are must to cope with the climate change.

The IPCC report said that the global average temperature increase of 0.74 degree Celsius during the last 100 years leading to melting of good amount of snow and ice. The increase in the temperature eventually led sea level rise to 17 cms changing the global rainfall pattern.

It suggested capacity building of the country's research institutions related to climate change for yielding comprehensive and scientific results on climate change impacts, vulnerabilities, adaptation and mitigation.

It read that if it continues at the present trend, the low- lying countries might face increase in droughts resulting changed coastlines and inundation.

As a result of climate change, Bangladesh and low-lying countries in South Asia will be the worst affected leading to hamper in the sustainable development in the SAARC states, the IPCC report observed.

Khaleda gives decision on voter enrollment today

UNB, Dhaka

Detained BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia seems softer than before to enroll herself as a voter, as authorities await a final decision from her, a prisons official said Sunday.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Prisons Maj Shamsul Haider Siddiqui told reporters after a meeting with Khaleda Sunday that the former Prime Minister would give a decision on Monday-the deadline for voter enrollment.

"We hope she will inform about her decision tomorrow. It seems to me that she is mentally soft now about the matter," Maj Haider said.

"We are ready. If we get half an hour, we can complete her enrollment process," he said.

Earlier on Thursday, Maj Siddiqui met with Khaleda at the makeshift jail on the Sangsad Bhaban premises.

"I had met ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia Thursday, as she is yet to enroll her name in voter list," he said Sunday.

"I had discussed with her about a new law (on Thursday). At one stage she had requested me to see the copy of the new law" he said, explaining the background of Sunday's meeting.

He said the Chief Election Commissioner had earlier phoned prisons authorities, citing the new electoral law that nobody would be able to contest parliamentary election if the person fails to enroll as a voter by Aug 11.

Maj Siddiqui said the former Prime Minister read the laws several times Sunday after he went to the jail with the relevant documents.

"She said she would go through the law again at night and inform prisons authorities Monday about her decision," he said.

Khaleda has been behind bars since September last year, pending trial, on charges of corruption. She and her BNP have denied the charges, saying they are politically motivated and aimed at eliminating her from politics.

BCL JU unit beset with problem

JU Correspondent

Absence of leaders and proper patronage of the parent organisation has brought Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) of Jahangirnagar University (JU) to a standstill.

The BCL (JU unit), students wing of Bangladesh Awami League (AL), which has been playing a vital role in national politics since the inception of the University had recently failed to uphold its former image because of the lack of farsightedness and political acumen of the leadership.

Due to the absence of a full-fledged committee and proper guidance, the general members are grouped in many factions on the campus.

It is learned that the present convener committee was formed on January 26, 2006 headed by Sohel Pervez and Mahmud Naser Joni as president and secretary respectively.

Within a short time, some senior leaders and activists, including the president allegedly got involved in tender grabbing, petty crimes and other immoral activities in and around the campus.

As a result, they lost popularity among the teachers and students of the University and were forced out from the campus on January 10 by a rival students' organisation.

This situation led to the joining of some BCL activists with other students' organisations to retain their residential student status. This brought the organisational activities of Chhatra League to a grinding halt on the campus.

Now, they are unable to observe even the central programmes on the campus. Moreover, the general members are now showing disenchantment with students' politics as a whole.

In this situation, the evicted president and secretary of JU unit met with the central president on July 11. They have been directed to take initiative to form a new committee through an extended meeting on the campus. But the committee is yet to be formed.

Ajibur, a senior leader of BCL JU unit said that the central organisation should take initiative to form a new committee as soon as possible to reactivate the organisation on the campus.

When contacted, the central president of BCL, M Mahmudul Hasan Ripon told this correspondent that they had already taken necessary steps to form a new committee within a short time.

Nawab Salimullah’s contributions lauded

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a seminar in the city yesterday lauded the contributions of Nawab Sir Salimullah towards the creation to present day Bangladesh and asked students to explore the past to have good understanding of the present and dreams of the future.

They said Salimullah helped establish many educational institutions including Dhaka University providing lands and financial assistance.

Shadhinata Forum organised the seminar titled "400 Years of Dhaka City: the context of Nawab Sir Salimullah's contribution" at Begum Sufiya Kamal Auditorium of the National Museum to mark 137th birth anniversary of Sir Salimullah.

Former Chief Justice Syed JR Modassir Hossain was the chief guest at the function presided over by Nazim Habib-uz Zaman, Adviser to the Sadhinata Forum and President of the SAARC Society.

Prof Dr Mirza Mazharul Islam, Mostafa Kamal Majumder, Editor, The New Nation, Lutfar Rahman Matin, Chairman of Luman group, Mostafizur Rahman, Managing Director of Mostafiz Co (Pvt) Ltd, Social worker Delwar Hossain, Social Worker Engineer Mojibur Rahman Prodhan, Adv Shamsur Rahman and Dramatist Sajedul Karim Palash, among others, also spoke at the function.

Justice Syed JR Modassir Hossain said Sir Salimullah was the pioneer of emancipation of the Muslims of the Indian sub-continent.

He was involved in the politics for the wellbeing of Dhaka city and the Muslims of the sub-continent and played leading role to establish the rights of the Muslim.

Mostaf Kamal Majumder said Nawab Sir Salimullah established All India Muslim League for the betterment of Muslims of the sub-continent.

Nazim Habib-uz Zaman said that a dream city of Nawab Sir Salimullah Dhaka was now suffering from congestion and traffic jam due to unplanned urbanisation. The scenario should change, he added.

Later, Justice Syed JR Modassir Hossain distributed Nawab Sir Salimullah Memorial Prizes-2008 and prizes of a painting competition of children organised to mark the birth anniversary of Nawab Sir Salimullah.

Manzur, Selim re-elected CPB president, secy

Staff Reporter

A 51-member central committee of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) has been elected with Manzurul Ahsan Khan and Mujahidul Islam Selim as president and general secretary respectively.

The new central committee has announced the seven-member presidium, four-member control commission and 191-member of national council.

It may be mentioned that the 9th Congress of CPB was held at Mohanagar Natyamancha in the city on August 7,8 and 9. The three-day congress was attended by some 500 elected representatives and observers of the party from across the country.

The seven-member presidium comprises of Manzurul Ahsan Khan, Mujahidul Islam Selim, Shaidullah Chowdhury, M Shah Alam, Syed Abu Zafar Ahmed, Shahadat Hossain and Sheikh Moniruzzaman.

Other members of the central committee are: Jasim Uddin Mondol, Hena Das, MM Akash, Luxmi Chakrabarty, Mrinal Chowdhury, Shamsuzzaman Selim, Azharul Islam Arzu, Rafiquzzaman Laik, Shahin Rahman, Advocate Montu Ghosh, Enamul Huq, Dr Dibalok Singha, Mahbub Alam, Ruhin Hossain Prince, Ahsan Habib Lalu, Sajjad Zahir Chandan, AN Rasheda, Biplob Chaki, Advocate Emdadul Huq Millad, Altaf Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman Milon, Aktar Hossain Raja, Shahidul Islam, Leena Chakrabarty, Rebeca Soren, Monira Begum, Abdul Quader, Dr Fazlur Rahman, Abdullah-Hel-Kafi Ratan, Syed Ahmed, Mihir Ghosh, M Hanif, AK Azad, Idris Ali and Dewan Badiuzzaman.

The 4-member control commission comprises of Shishir Mazumder, Morhsed Ali, M Nabi and Shah Abdul Motaleb.

College girl adimitted with bullet wounds

Staff Reporter

A student of Bangladesh Rifles Public School and College shot herself in an attempt to commit suicide in her room at Dhanmondi area in the city yesterday.

The injured, identified as Samia Taslim, 17, daughter of filmstar Siddiqur Rahman alies Danny Sidak, was rushed to the Central Hospital in the city in a critical condition, but as her condition deteriorated she was removed to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Sources said the victim's younger brother, Sajib Ehtesham, told the police that his sister Samia came under attack of muggers near Jhigatala Bus Stand when she was returning to their residence from a coaching center at about 10:45am.

He told the police that three assailants in a CNG auto-rickshaw waylaid the rickshaw that was carrying Samia, shot her in the abdomen and fled the scene, leaving Samia critically injured.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police of Dhanmmondi Zone with forces rushed to her house and talked to her mother Daina Rahman about the incident. Police said her mother confessed to the police that Samia tried to commit suicide in her room with her father's licenced pistol.

Her mother told police Samia fired two shots one hit her abdomen. Her son, who was in the gym rushed home and took her to the hospital.

Police disclosed that Samia left a suicide note in which she held her brothers responsible for her death.

Police seized her father's pistol, two bullets and the bloodstained clothes from her room.

Acting officer in charge of Dhanmondi Md Reaz Uddin told the New Nation that Samia tried to commit suicide due to family conflict.

Islamic minded urged to unite

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a discussion yesterday called upon the nationalist patriotic Islamic minded people to be united for protecting the country's independence and sovereignty.

They also demanded of the government to hold the parliament polls for smooth transition of power to the civilian government.

They also called upon the caretaker government to contain the prices of essentials.

Their observation came at a discussion marking the 32nd anniversary of rebuilding of Bangladesh Muslim League (BML) at the Institute of Diploma Engineers of Bangladesh.

Advocate ANM Yousuf President of BML presided over and Kazi Abul Khair, General Secretary of the party made welcome address.

It was also spoke ,among others, by former minister Nazimuddin Al Azad, Shafiqul Alam Prodan, President of Jatiya Ganotantrik Party (JAGPA), AMM Bahaudddin, Editor, the daily Inqilab, Nurul Huq Chowdhury Medi, Chairman, Gonotantrik Kormi Shibir, Ismail Hossain Bengal, Maulana ATM Hemayet Uddin, Dhaka City president of Islamic Shahashotantro Andolon, Advocate Abdul Momin, General Secretary of Bangladesh Islamic Party, Maulana Jafrullah Khan, General Secretary of Bangladesh Khelfat Majlish and Advocate Nurul Huq Majumder, Executive President of BML.

The meeting also decided to reactivate the activities of BML and to make aware new generation for the historical role of the party in creating separate Muslim homeland in the Indian subcontinent.

$165.7m WB help for water, sanitation project

UNB, Dhaka

The World Bank will provide US$165.7 million for implementing 'Dhaka Water Supply and Sanitation Project' taken up to improve stormwater and wastewater drainage and water services in the poorly served capital.

World Bank delegates have completed the detailed planning for implementing the project, taken up by Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority (DWASA).

The delegates of the donor agency and DWASA also finalized the implementation arrangements for the project, which has three major components.

Firstly, the project will install selected stormwater pumping stations and rehabilitate selected canals to help improve drainage and minimize urban flooding.

It will also carry out rehabilitation, repair and expansion of priority investments in Dhaka city's sewerage network and treatment plant to improve the urban environment.

"Last but not least, the project will support DWASA's pilot expansion of water and sanitation services into selected Dhaka slums to provide services to the urban poor residing in the slum areas," a WB release said.

Of the total, the World Bank's concessionary arm-the International Development Association (IDA)-- will provide about US$149.0 million. The government will cover the rest. DWASA will be the project-implementing agency.

The proposed project is developed in close coordination with other development partners. It is in line with the Partnership Framework entered into between the Government of Bangladesh and five Development Partners-the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the Danish International Development Assistance, the Government of Japan, and the Government of Republic of Korea-on November 10, 2007.

The Partnership Framework guides a coordinated approach to the existing and planned development partner support to the water, sewerage and stormwater-drainage systems in Dhaka and Chittagong as well as harmonizes the agreement with the government on common policy issues and actions.

This proposed project was formerly known as Dhaka Chittagong Urban Flood Mitigation and Sanitation Improvement Project.

The World Bank also intends to support port city Chittagong's water, sewerage and stormwater drainage system in conjunction with development partners active in the sector in Chittagong under a separate upcoming project.

Bangladesh get only 4pc of public-pvt investment

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh has received only 4 percent of the world investment in infrastructure under public-private partnership (PPP).

Chief Executive Officer of the Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Centre (IIFC) Nazrul Islam disclosed this at a workshop in the city today (Sunday). He, however, did not say in which year the investment took place.

Board of Investment (BoI) and Islamic Development Bank (IDB)'s Islamic Research and Training Institute jointly organized the 5-day training workshop at Hotel Sheraton.

Nazrul Islam also revealed that a total of 224 infrastructure projects were implemented across the world with investments totaling US$ 55 billion.

Of this, he said, neighbouring India received 76 percent, Pakistan 16 percent, while Bangladesh got only 4 percent.

The IIFC chief said the first PPP investment was in the country's power sector in 1997 with the installation of a number of independent power producer (IPP) power plants.

The tariff of one of those power plants is the lowest in the world, he said, adding that now the country needs about US$ 9 billion in power generation and transmission.

Bangladesh mainly received private investment in power and telecommunication infrastructure sectors, he said.

Finance Adviser Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam, who inaugurated the training workshop, said Bangladesh is now in urgent need of PPP investment in the infrastructure sector.

He said demand for investment in infrastructure is rapidly increasing with the GDP growth. "But without the partnership with the private sector, the government cannot alone meet the required demand."

He added: "Government can only play a facilitating role in infrastructure development under the PPP initiative."

To promote PPP projects, the Finance Adviser said Bangladesh government has adopted a private-sector infrastructure guideline policy.

And there is also a high level committee - PICOM - to approve and monitor the PPP infrastructure projects, he added.

FBCCI president Annisul Haq said the public private partnership investment is the appropriate way to overcome severe power and energy crisis that the country has been experiencing.

He said private sector has money and the government has the strength to materialize any infrastructure project.

IDB Training Institute chief coordinator Osman Ahmed said that his bank is committed to promote any human development and infrastructure projects in IDB member countries.

Aug 21 attack: Compliance with warrant against 8 accused refixed on Aug 31

Court Correspondent

A court of Dhaka yesterday refixed August 31 for compliance of warrant order against 8 absconding accuseds in the case filed against 22 people in connection with the August 21 grenade attack of 2004.

Detained 14 accused were produced before the court. As the warrant order could not be complied with against the fugitives, the Metropolitan Sessions Judge of Dhaka Md Azizul Haque directed for compliance of the warrant order within the fixed date.

The case was filed for the grenade attack on a rally of the Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue of the capital that left 23 people dead and about 200 others injured.

DU students go on rampage

DU Correspondent

Students of the Dhaka University ransacked vehicles on the campus demanding the release of former Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia last night.

Students under the banner of the 'Nirjaton Protirod Chhatra Andolan, a platform of the Dhaka University students, damaged at least five transport vehicles at about 8:30pm on the road near by Teacher-Student Centre of the university, while Jatiyabadi Chhatra Dal leaders were present, said witnesses.

Earlier, at a press conference at Modhu`s canteen yesterday noon, the Andolan vowed to continue its agitation programmes till BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia was released.

The organisation yesterday held a demonstration on the campus and at the dormitories of the university in the evening to press for its demands.

Convener of the platform Khomeni Ihsan asked the government to release Begum Khaleda Zia and withdraw state of emergency if it wants to hold credible national election according to its road map.

The members of the organisation Samsul Arefin, Bhashkar Shaha, Shahedul Islam, among others, were present in the press conference.