The New Nation - Internet Edition

270 sick garments to get tax, loan waiver

Staff Reporter

The government has taken steps to waive income tax and default loans of 270 ailing garment industries to rehabilitate, revive and help those resume production.

Progress in this regard was evaluated at a high level meeting at Commerce Ministry yesterday with Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman in the chair.

According to the Government decisions the sick industries will also get an opportunity to receive fresh loan and repay the principal amount of their default bank loans with 10 yearly instalments.

Owners of sick garment industries will not have to pay any amount for getting reschedule their default loans, the meeting sources said.

The BGMEA will submit a list specifying 270 garment factories to the Finance Ministry, while the Ministry will issue a separate circular by next two weeks relaxing the conditions of the Cost of Fund Recovery.

Bangladesh Bank will take necessary steps after getting the list of the organisations concerned, while the Commerce Ministry will send letters to the ministries of Finance and Law for disposal of the cases pending with the 'Artharin' (financial loan) and 'Deulia' (bankruptcy) courts.

The Commerce Ministry will also send letter to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) as per recommendations of the inter-ministerial committee for repayment of debts by instalments and waiver of unrealised income taxes.

The decision was taken at a high level meeting at Commerce Ministry yesterday with Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman in the chair.

An official announcement said the decisions were taken considering the important role of readymade garments (RMG) industry in national economy and export trade and in creating employment opportunity.

Additional secretary Golam Mostakim, joint secretary (export) Mostafa Mohiuddin, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) director general M Khalilur Rahman, BGMEA president Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury and officials from the Finance Division, NBR and Bangladesh Bank were present.

While talking to The New Nation, BGMEA president Anwar-ul-Alam said, the steps will help closed garment factories to go to production.

"The garment sector is doing well facing huge internal and external challenges. We want speedy and smooth implementation of the decisions to remove barriers to our export growth.

Adviser blames media for creating 'smokescreen’: Khaleda refuses to apply for release

Staff Reporter

Confusion has been created over the release of former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia as at least three advisers of the caretaker government gave contradictory statements on the issue.

Adviser for Commerce and Education Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, who yesterday also made similar statement that the procedure of her release is at the final stage, blamed journalists allegedly for creating what he termed smoke screen.

"You (the journalists) have been creating the smoke screen. There is room to create such confusion over the issue," he said yesterday while talking to reporters at the Secretariat.

However, Adviser for Home Affairs Maj Gen (Retd) Mohammad Abdul Matin, Bir Protik, yesterday also pleaded that he did not know anything about the release of Begum Khaleda Zia.

Echoing his statement, Adviser for LGRD and Cooperatives M Anwarul Iqbal told reporters that he did not have any news regarding the release of Begum Khaleda Zia.

Earlier on Sunday, Adviser for Communications Maj Gen (Retd) Ghulam Quader told reporters that the former prime minister is going to be freed unconditionally soon.

Meanwhile, detained BNP Chairperson Begum Zia yesterday said that she would not apply to the government for her release. She said this to her lawyers, Ahmed Azam Khan and Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, who met her yesterday.

Begum Zia reiterated her demand for withdrawal of the state of emergency and releasing her elder son Tarique Rahman and sending him abroad for treatment.

Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman told reporters that the government was going ahead with a plan to release Begum Zia and working on specific issues.

"Two issues are involved here. One is political discussion; the other is administrative. The matter involves coordination. We are reviewing all the aspects to deal with it smoothly. So, it is taking time," he explained.

Asked to comment on Begum Zia's refusal to register her name in the voter list, the Adviser hoped that everything would be settled after reaching an agreement.

About the ignorance of some advisers about the developments on Khaleda's release, Dr Zillur said it was at the final stage.

"We are looking into it with due consideration," he added.

Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Khondoker Delwar Hossain yesterday told reporters that the different comments made by some advisers are misleading.

He said Khaleda Zia's release is people's demand which is being ignored by giving contradictory statements.'

Begum Zia was arrested on September 3 last year in a graft case and has been confined to a house in the Sangsad Bhaban complex that was declared special jail.

Jones claims elusive breast gold

Australia's gold medal winner Leisel Jones is
flanked by United States' silver medal winner Rebecca Soni
(left) and Austria's bronze medal winner Mirna Jukic during
the medal ceremony of the women's 100-metre breaststroke
final in the swimming competitio

AFP, Beijing

Australia's world champion and world record holder Leisel Jones is now Olympic champion after her all-the-way victory in the 100 metres breaststroke final at the Beijing Games today.

The undisputed breaststroke queen of world swimming made amends for her Olympic disappointment in Athens four years ago, winning just outside her world record in a time of one minute 05.17 seconds.

American Rebecca Soni claimed the silver medal in 1:06.73 with Austria's Mirna Jukic third in 1:07.34.

Jones, 22, was two-tenths of a second under world record pace at the turn and the record eluded her by just 8/100ths of a second.

"I am delighted, I couldn't care less about the time," Jones said.

"An Olympic gold is an Olympic gold, the time, the race, none of it matters - it's all about the gold." "I looked at the crowd on the way to the race and made an effort to take it all in, I was almost skipping, I was so excited."

Jones turned her career around since the 2004 Olympics where she finished with silver and bronze in the breaststroke events after going in as the favourite.

She changed coaches and has since gone on to smash world records in the 100 and 200 metres and become the first swimmer to win the double breaststroke gold at two consecutive world championships.

Runner-up Soni said the American team was motivated by the sensational gold medal exploits of Michael Phelps.

"It was the best time and a silver medal, I couldn't ask for more," Soni said.

"It's been a great morning for the US (three gold medals), watching Michael was really motivational. "It gave us all a gee up, I wouldn't put it past him to get the eight golds."

Odhikar, US rights’ report: 50 died in extra-judicial killings in two months

Mamunur Rashid

At least 50 people have died in extra-judicial killings since June said a US-based leading human rights organisation and accused Bangladesh of letting its security forces get away with murder.

Despite overwhelming evidence of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police responsibility for unlawful killings, the Government seems unwilling to address the problem, said Brad Adams, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch.

"Instead the forces continue to get away with murder." The killing decreased in 2007 and early 2008, after strong national and international criticism, however, the number of killing has surged in recent months, HRW added.

The battalion was formed in April in 2004 in the midst of rising crime and played a key role in confronting Islamist militants who terrorised the south Asian country with a spate of bombings that killed dozens of people--- including judges, lawyers and officials.

However, within a short time become known for its involvement in what the authorities often refer to as " crossfire killing" over the past four years, RAB has killed more than 540 people.

Researches prove that many of these "crossfire killings" are in fact poorly disguised extra-judicial executions, often preceded by torture, the HRW said.

"Tragically, the Bangladeshi police have copied RAB's actions, killing several hundred people over the past few years. Since a state of emergency was declared on January 11, 2007, the RAB and the police have often operated together," it added.

The interim government, in power for 19 months, has stated its commitment to establishing a "healthy and stable democratic system" based on the rule of law but the Human Rights Watch said that its failure to address impunity is undermining its own reform efforts.

"The rule of law can't become a reality in Bangladesh unless the very forces tasked with upholding the law are also bound by it," Adams said.

Bangladesh has been under emergency rule since January 2007 when the army-backed interim government cancelled a scheduled election, banned most political activity and launched a massive anti-corruption drive.

The government has promised to hold parliamentary elections in December to restore democracy.

On the other hand, the situation of extra-judicial killings has taken a serious turn in July 2008. The members of law enforcing agencies killed around 16 people during the period. Of the, seven were killed by RAB and nine by police, according to a report conducted by a local human rights organisation 'Odhikar.'

At the same time, some eight persons including two members of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) were shot dead by Indian Border Security Forces (BSF). Around six persons were injured and two were abducted by BSF, said Odhikar.

An additional Directors General of the RAB unwilling to disclose his name, said forces did not deliberately set out to kill militants and criminals, and that any deaths that occurred in operations were fully investigated.

"Often we engage criminals that trigger shootouts. In some cases people die in the exchange of fire," he said.

"Each death is investigated if anyone is found guilty (of unlawful killing) he will be punished."

Russia halts Georgia operation: Sarkozy pushes peace in talks with Kremlin leaders

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (right) speaks
with French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the Kremlin in
Moscow. AFP photo

AFP, Moscow

French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday urged Russia to follow through on an order to end military operations in Georgia, as he met President Dmitry Medvedev on a high-stake peace mission.

"What you are saying is good news," Sarkozy said after Medvedev informed him that he had ordered an end to Moscow's massive military operation in the neighbouring ex-Soviet state.

"It is now necessary to consolidate the ceasefire," Sarkozy said at the meeting, at which Russian and French officials warmly greeted each other in the ornate surrounds of the Kremlin.

The French leader, who currently holds the European Union presidency, was leading Western diplomatic efforts to halt the Russian military campaign against Georgia, sparked last week when Georgian forces attacked a rebel region.

Sarkozy told Medvedev it was "normal" for Moscow to defend Russian-speaking people beyond its borders, but also that Georgia's territorial integrity had to be respected.

"It's perfectly normal that Russia would want to defend the interests both of Russians in Russia and Russophones outside Russia," Sarkozy said.

"It is also normal for the international community to want to guarantee the integrity, sovereignty and independence of Georgia," he said.

France has pushed an EU-backed peace plan, which Tbilisi has accepted, calling for an immediate truce, respect for Georgia's territorial integrity and a return to the status quo that prevailed before Georgian troops attacked South Ossetia last week.

Following their formal talks, Sarkozy and Medvedev were having lunch together in Moscow, joined by influential Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The French leader was scheduled later to fly to Tbilisi to meet Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

The Russian side has accused Saakashvili of pursuing a "criminal" policy of genocide in the Moscow-backed rebel region of South Ossetia and insists it is defending the many Russian citizens there.

Georgia in turn has accused Russia of occupying large swathes of the country and of trying to topple its democratically elected leadership.

Sarkozy has been preceded on his travels by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, who made a dramatic visit to the bombed city of Gori on Monday alongside Saakashvili.

The conflict in the strategic Caucasus region has prompted alarm around the world.

On Monday US President George W. Bush issued his strongest condemnation yet of the violence in Georgia, saying a "dramatic and brutal escalation" of the bloody fighting could cripple Moscow's ties to the West.

Amid concerns about whether Russia intended to fully end operations in Georgia, a Russian military spokesman, Anatoly Nogovitsyn, said Russia was monitoring the situation and would punish "provocative actions" by the Georgian side.

And Medvedev said Russia was still seeking guarantees from Georgia, including a legally binding promise to refrain from the use of force.

There were mixed signals about Russia's avowed end to hostilities, with Georgia saying Russia was still bombing Georgian territory.

French officials said Sarkozy on Monday held two long telephone calls with Medvedev. He also conferred with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the crisis before heading to Moscow.

Powder milk scam in Ctg: Importer confesses guilt, show-cause on PSI co

Chittagong Correspondent

Chittagong Customs House (CCH) is learnt to have served show cause upon the Pre-Shipment Inspection (PSI) company Bureau Varitas asking them to clarify the reasons of approving the consignment of 450 metric tons of milk powder in its Clean Report of Finding (CRF) when import of full-cream milk powder in paper pack and without authentic product tagging

An informed source said that the PSI Company would also have to clarify the reasons of the lot's shipment made from Malaysian port when Australia had been claimed as the milk's country of origin without transshipment records.

Officials of the local office of the Bureau Varitas denied receipt of any show cause notice till the time of dispatching this report at 5:45 p.m.

Importer of the consignment - Abul Khair Food Products (AKFP)- has been relieved of responding the show cause notice as it had already admitted its guilt in writing. The enterprise reportedly welcomed any punishment against release of the milk powder.

The audit, investigation and research (AIR) wing of the customs on Thursday last detained 450 metric tons of milk powder worth Taka 1258 million at the middle of the clearing process.

Customs officials sealed all 18 containers full of milk powder and declined processing the release of the consignment suspecting the milk lot unfit for human consumption.

On the other hand, Abul Khair Food Products in a legal notice served upon the commissioner of customs yesterday afternoon defended its rights to take out the milk powder from the port claiming it is fit for human consumption. Though it did not submit any report of chemical analysis of the rotten-suspect milk.

Customs officials said that report from the laboratory of Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI) in Dhaka had not yet been done.

"The report may take some time to reach the customs house," the official commented adding that the process of the, chemical analysis will take place in an environment so that the report remains above the culprits influence.

The file and other records of the controversial consignment of milk powder have been sent to the Commissioner of Chittagong Customs House for adjudication and subsequent actions.

This wealthier business group had skipped legal action in several cases of similar nature in the past and allegedly engaged it's best effort to skip the latest milk powder scam.

A top official involved in the arbitration process of the rotten-suspect milk powder haul turned down the possibility of easy escape this time of the unscrupulous importers from the punishment stated in the law apart from destruction of the milk if found unfit for human consumption.

Parties must be consulted for polls under emergency: British HC says after holding talks with Zillur, Delwar

Staff Reporter

British High Commissioner Stephen Evans yesterday said there could be a dialogue between political parties and caretaker government on the question of lifting the state of emergency and how to move down the road to free and fair general election slated for December.

Talking to reporters after a meeting with BNP secretary general

Khandaker Delwar Hossain at his NAM apartment, he said the question of the state of emergency was raised and discussed during the meeting he dubbed "very interesting and productive", covering current situation as well as a wide range of issues.

On the critical issue of emergency, Evans said BNP has well-established position and wants to see the lifting of the emergency.

He noted that the Chief Adviser has been speaking publicly about the gradual lifting of the provisions of the emergency. "As a friend of Bangladesh, my sense is that here is an area where could probably be dialogue between the caretaker government and the political parties as to how to move down the road that will lead to free and fair elections in December," he said.

On the outcome of the meeting that lasted about an hour from 4pm, the British envoy said they agreed on the fact that political parties are absolutely central to democracy in any country, including Bangladesh.

He said the political parties have vital role to play in the country and the country's future.

Evans, who moved at a time of a heightened standoff between the caretaker government and the major political parties, said they are also in full agreement that priority is to move towards general election currently scheduled for December.

He said it is their shared hope and hope of everybody in this country that the general election be free and fair and it would produce a democratically elected government that can provide the country a leadership that it needs.

The European diplomat, who also met Awami League leadership earlier in the day, said they also talked about the British government's will to engage with new elected government in development, climate change and commercial relationship.

He noted that the bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and Britain is deeply rooted, which is enriched by half a million British-Bangladeshis who are keys to cultural, commercial and political life in Britain.

Earlier, the British High Commissioner held a meeting with Awami League Acting President Zillur Rahman at the latter's Gulshan residence in the city.

During the meeting with Stephen Evans, Zillur Rahman reiterated his party's stand not to participate in the general elections, if the emergency was not lifted, as a fair and credible election was not possible under the State of Emergency.

Zillur also asked, "How could one expect to establish the rule of law in a country where the High Court verdict is not implemented?"

He made the comment while referring to the government's denial to free former minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain although the High Court had granted him bail several times.

AL presidium member Tofail Ahmad, Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, Political Secretary to the envoy Symond Liver, among others, were present at the meeting.

Meanwhile, the newly elected mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation Khairuzzaman Liton also called on Zillur Rahman at his Gulshan residence yesterday.

Liton informed the acting president that he would immediately move a writ petition against the government's rule of relinquishing party post before taking oath as mayor.

Zillur greeted the mayor-elect and wished him success as mayor.

Drive for buffer stock: Procurement price of rice raised by Tk 1.25 per kg

Shamim Jahangir

The government has increased the procurement price of rice to Tk 29.25 per kilogram from the previous rate of Tk 28. This 'incentive' comes at a time when the pace of the food procurement drive seems unlikely to achieve the yearly government target.

The authority announced the revised rate on August 10 in view of the reluctance of the traders to sell rice to the government and following representations from the rice mills owners to the Directorate of Food.

Sources said there has been a spurt in the procurement drive since the announcement of the incentive.

The government has so far procured 6,95,678 tonnes of rice and 28,659 tonnes of paddy from 11,876 mills owners.

About 5,20,000 tonnes of rice have been collected till now from Rajshahi division which is alone slated to supply 8,02,391 tonnes of rice of the total procurement target.

The latest procurement figure of rice from the Dhaka division stands at 1,03,625 tonnes of rice 2,02488 tonnes of rice. Procurement of rice from the Khulna division to-date is 63,078 tonnes of rice against the target of 1,41,561 tonnes.

Besides, the procurement of rice from the Chittagong and Sylhet division are 6,500 tonnes and 1,050 tonnes.

Pius Costa, Director General of the Directorate of Food, told the New Nation that the rice procurement process was running in full swing and at an expected level.

He said, "We have procured 7,24,337 tonnes of rice and paddy till now. It was only 6,50,000 tonnes of rice and paddy in the same period last year."

The government hopes to achieve its goal of procuring rice and paddy, as the prices in the international and local markets have fallen considerably in the last month, sources in the department said.

Aminul Bari, a rice mill owner at Joypur in country's northern district, said that the real rice traders would not get the benefit of the recent government decision for rice procurement.

He said, "Only the 'seasonal rice mill owners' will avail of the incentive facilities by signing agreement in the revised price. We have already handed over our large stock to the government in the previous price. "

The authorities have so far cancelled licences of 1,969 rice mills mostly in the country's northern areas for not selling rice and paddy to the government at the officially fixed rate.

The government has fixed the procurement target at 12 lakh tonnes of rice and three lakh tonnes of paddy this year. The four and a half months' food procurement drive was launched on April 15. The drive will continue till August 31.

Mig scam case: Hasina ordered to appear in court on Aug 20

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

A Dhaka court has ordered former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and all other accused persons to appear on Aug 20 when it frames charges in the MiG-29 warplanes purchase corruption case.

Judge Golam Mortuza Mojumdar of Dhaka Divisional Special Judge's Court gave the order yesterday in his special courtroom set up in the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban complex.

The court concluded charge framing proceedings in the case on July 31.

Hasina, currently in the US seeking medical treatment, had been exempted from personal appearance in the case on June 9. On Aug 5, the government extended the temporary release period of the Awami League president for one month, after a plea by her husband, to Sept 6.

Public prosecutor ABM Sharfuddin Ahmed Mukul told bdnews24.com that the court ordered all accused to appear on Aug 20. Hasina's lawyer advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun asked the court not to frame charges until his client returned home.

"It is mandatory for the accused to be present in the court during charge-framing even if he/she is exempted from personal appearance," he said.

But Sharfuddin said it was not mandatory to be present during charge-framing if one was exempted from court appearance.

As the defendant's lawyers participated in the charge-framing proceedings, charge-framing should go ahead without further delay, said the public prosecutor.

Another accused in the case, former army chief Mustafizur Rahman died on Aug 3, his lawyer SM Kamrul Hassan informed the court, and submitted the death certificate.

The now defunct Anticorruption Bureau filed the case on Dec 11, 2001.

Seven people including Hasina were shown as accused in the case. It was alleged during Hasina's tenure the state incurred losses worth about Tk 700 crore by purchasing eight MiG-29 combat jets.

Other accused in the case are former air force chief retired Air Vice Marshal Jamaluddin Ahmed, former defence secretary Syed Yusuf Hossain, former defence joint secretary Mohammad Hossain Sherniabat, retired Air Commodore Mirza Akhtar Maruf and Unique Group boss Noor Ali.

Govt decides to observe Aug 15 as mourning day

UNB, Dhaka

The government decided to observe August 15 as National Mourning Day, rescinding a previous notification that had stopped the state commemoration of the death anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

An official announcement Tuesday said the national flag would be hoisted half-mast "at all government and non-government buildings and Bangladesh missions abroad to mark the day".

This day way back in 1975, the country's independence leader was assassinated in a military putsch.

"The impugned notification issued by the Cabinet Division on August 3, 2002 has been cancelled," says the decision of the caretaker government restoring the 15th of August as National Mourning Day in the changed context.

The government made the decision in compliance of court orders. The High Court recently declared illegal the decision taken in 2002 canceling August 15 as national mourning day and the hoisting of national flag half-mast on the day at government and non-government offices and establishments and at Bangladesh missions abroad.

A regular weekly meeting of the council of advisers with Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair on Sunday decided to go by the High Court verdict.

Sheikh Mujib was assassinated on August 15, 1975 along with most members of his family by a group of in-service and sacked army personnel in a predawn putsch.

On August 8, 1996, the Awami League government headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared August 15 as National Mourning Day and public holiday.

Govt to reshuffle admn ahead of JS polls

Staff Reporter

The caretaker government has decided in principle to reshuffle the administration ahead of the coming general elections in December.

"The government will implement its decision of reshuffling the administration before the next general elections," Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman told journalists at his secretariat office yesterday morning.

Earlier in the morning, the members of the Advisory Council attended a meeting at Chief Adviser's Office at Tejgaon in the city.

With Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair, the meeting decided to reshuffle the administration before the parliamentary elections.

The Commerce Adviser said the government would take all necessary measures for holding a free, fair and credible election.

"It's a routine work of the government to reshuffle the administration before each parliamentary election. The Election Commission has also requested the government to reshuffle the administration before the general elections. The government has taken necessary initiatives to keep the coming general elections above all kinds of controversy," he also said.

Council of Advisers meets in Ctg today

Chittagong Correspondent

All preparations have been made for hosting the first-ever meeting of the advisory council here in the port city today.

All eyes are on the meeting, fifth of its kind after capital city during the tenure of present military-backed caretaker government.

Holding of such meeting in the port city is important in the sense that the issues of regional and national significance receive due focus.

Chittagonians especially the business people are eagerly waiting for the meeting aimed at pinpointing the regional issues including gas, power, water logging, traffic congestion and trade and investment climate.

Informed sources said that formal announcement of forming a separate gas transmission company KGTL in Chittagong is expected from the Chief Adviser Dr Farkruddin Ahmed who is scheduled to preside over the meeting.

Other important spot decisions for resolving gas, power and water logging problems may come up from the meeting.

Another unconfirmed sources said that Chief Adviser is likely to announce huge investment proposal of the Mittal Group, a Britain based Indian industrial giant, for infrastructure development of Chittagong city.

Earlier, the national committee meeting held in Dhaka on Sunday formed a three-member committee headed by Managing Director of Petro Bangla to supply gas to as many as 11 industries out of 32 in Chittagong on priority basis.

The meeting also took decision for uninterrupted power supply during the Ramzan by rationing system.

Meanwhile, President in-charge of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry M A Latif placed a four point proposals before the government to discuss in the advisory council meeting which include setting up of industrial park, development of tourism spots of Chittagong by open competition, generation of power by joint initiative of both public and private and effective measure for easing sever traffic congestion of the port city.

The circuit house which had got facelift by the then four party alliance to hold first cabinet meeting at a cost of TK 22 lakh renovation works in 2004 is now made ready.

As many as 35 chairs from TOBI furniture including Chief Adviser's one were set up and nearly 40 microphones, have also been installed on each chair in the conference room.

Cabinet division is itself monitoring all arrangements and district administration is extending all out logistic support Deputy Commissioner Ashraf Shamim told the reporters yesterday.

Advance team of the Special Security Forces (SSF) held a series of meetings with concerned departments, public utility services and other related bodies on Monday to ensure overall arrangement for holding the meeting.