The New Nation - Internet Edition

No minus in BNP: Khaleda made chairperson for life

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia presiding over the
Standing Committee meeting at the Naya Paltan office
yesterday. Thousands of BNP leaders and workers thronged in
front of the party office. Agencies

Staff Reporter

BNP Standing Committee, the highest policymaking body of the party, yesterday approved joining the Government's dialogue, suspension order against Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Ashraf Hossain and endorsed appointment of Khondoker Delwar Hossain as party Secretary General.

The approval was given at a meeting of the Standing Committee held at party central office at Naya Paltan in the city with party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in the chair, two days after her release from jail.

Briefing journalists BNP Secretary General Khondoker Delwar Hossain said the two-hour long meeting also approved all the activities and programmes taken by him in the absence of the party Chairperson.

The meeting, attended by eight Standing Committee members, declared the October 29 meeting of the standing committee members at the residence of M Saifur Rahman, while Khaleda was still behind bars, illegal and ineffective.

Delwar Hossain mentioned that according to the party constitution, only the chairperson could convene a standing committee meeting.

Standing Committee member Chowdhury Tanveer Ahmed Siddiqui told reporters that he proposed at the meeting that Begum Zia would lead the BNP for life for her outstanding contributions to the cause of the party and the nation.

He said the proposal was adopted at the meeting "unanimously" and Khaleda Zia has been made life Chairperson of the party.

"Minus one will never come! Begum Zia will remain Chairperson of the party as long as she lives and her health permits," he said.

The meeting, called by Begum Zia, began at 4:30pm, discussed the latest development in the political arena, socio-economic condition prevailing in the country and the planned dialogue with the government.

The meeting also discussed four adviser's informal dialogue with Khaleda Zia Friday night and her conversation with Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed over telephone.

Asked whether the BNP had fixed any date for dialogue with the government, Khondoker Delwar said they would decide in this regard after discussion with the four-party alliance.

"Date and time have not been fixed yet. We will fix them after talks with four-party alliance. Then, we will inform the government about it," he said.

The BNP Secretary General said the meeting demanded general polls before upazila elections and expressed concern at the high price of essential commodities and rising unemployment.

Centering the meeting hundreds of party leaders and activists thronged in front of the party office to see their party Chairperson who reached there at 4:05pm.

Eight, out of total 13, Standing Committee members, including M Saifur Rahman, Khondoker Delwar Hossain, Dr RA Ghani, Chowdhury Tanveer Ahmed Siddiqui, Advocate Khandaker Mahbubuddin Ahmed, Lt Gen (Retd) Mahbubur Rahman and M Shamsul Islam.

Of the total members, KM Obaidur Rahman is dead and Abdul Matin Chowdhury is sick, while Dr Khandaker Mosharraf and Barrister Moudud Ahmed are currently behind bars. Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan was expelled from the party before the arrest of party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.

Fuel price cut likely

Staff Reporter

The government is mulling to decrease fuel prices as oil prices in the global market has fallen down substantially, Finance and Planning Adviser Mirza AB Azizul Islam said yesterday.

"As fuel prices have dropped in the global market, we will consider to readjust the prices in the domestic market," the Adviser told reporters on his return home from London at Zia International Airport.

We will hold a meeting to discuss it shortly," he added.

The global price of oil had risen to $140 per barrel, when the government made upward adjustment of the prices. The price has now come down to $100.

The Adviser said, "The Government had no alternative to it at that time as it was burdened with massive subsidies due to soaring oil prices."

Now the situation has changed with the oil prices falling once again, he added.

The government hiked fuel prices on June 30. It raised the prices of diesel and kerosene to Tk 55 from Tk 40, the prices of petrol to Tk 87 from Tk 22, and octane Tk 90 from Tk 23.

On his return from climate talks in London, Mirza Aziz said the UK-Bangladesh climate change conference was a success.

"The British government has formed a fund of 75 million pounds to help Bangladesh adapt to climate change."

"The Danish government has also pledged assistance."

Other donor agencies, including the World Bank, have also promised climate-change adaptation funds, the Adviser added.

The chief adviser's special assistant in charge of environment Devashish Roy and Economic Relations Division Secretary Aminul Islam Bhuiyan returned from London Saturday with the finance adviser.

Protest rally on campus: JU teacher acquitted of abuse charge

Students of Jahangir Nagar University agitating on
the campus against repression of women. FocusBangla

Staff Reporter

Jahangirnagar University authorities have cleared Md Sanwar Hossain, Head of the Department of Drama and Dramatics, of a sex-scandal.

The decision was announced in a press release after a special Syndicate meeting yesterday.

The Syndicate had cleared Md Sanwar Hossain of all charges as the allegations of sexual harassment of four female students could not be proved, said the Syndicate press release.

US DV lottery 2010 application forms from Oct 2

Laurie Trost, Chief of US Embassy, Visa Section,
briefing newsmen on US DV Visa 2010 programme beginning from
October. Banglar Chokh

BSS, Dhaka

Application forms of the Diversity Visa (DV) lottery programme of the United States will be available on online from October 2 to December 1 this year as the US government yesterday announced the DV-2010 registration programme for Bangladesh.

Addressing a function on the occasion at the BIAM auditorium, Chief of the Consular Section of US Embassy here Laurie Trost said the application forms would be available on the Website ww.dvlottery.state.gov during the period.

"Applications must be submitted through online and no written application will be accepted. Along with professional experience, educational qualifications for getting the citizenship is the US 12-year degree equivalent to HSC level in Bangladesh," she said.

Madrasa students having no additional general degree will not be eligible for the DV lottery", she said adding that thousands of Bangladeshis, the highest in number among those in other countries, apply for the US citizenship through the DV lottery every year.

Laurie cautioned the DV lottery applicants to remain alert against brokers and agencies, who cheat the US citizenship seekers with false promise. "Do not deal with unknown individuals in this regard," she said.

Every year, as many as 5,000 Bangladeshi citizens are being awarded US citizenship through the DV lottery programme. A total of 17,000 Bangladeshis have so far been awarded the US DV lottery visa since 2000, she also said.

High officials of the US Embassy were present.

Jalil to 'take rest’

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Awami League leader Abdul Jalil said yesterday that he would be "taking rest" as requested by party chief Sheikh Hasina.

"I talked to [Sheikh Hasina] by phone Friday night. She is worried about my health and asked me to take rest," Jalil told reporters at his Gulshan home yesterday.

On who would be general secretary of the party, Jalil said: "There is no more question about it. Of course Ashraf will work as general secretary."

Jalil announced that he had resumed work as general secretary of the party after his release on bail on Sept 10.

Acting AL chief Zillur Rahman later refuted Jalil, saying that "technically" he had not been handed back his post, and Syed Ashraful Islam was continuing as acting secretary general. Jalil said Hasina enquired about his health by phone and asked him not to worry about the party.

He also informed Zillur Rahman of his conversation with Hasina.

Under parole Hasina won’t sit with free Khaleda : Zillur

Staff Reporter

The Acting President of Awami League (AL) Zillur Rahman yesterday said that the party chief Sheikh Hasina would not sit to talk with the BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia across the table, as Sheikh Hasina was freed under parole while BNP chief was permamently releasesd.

AL Acting president demanded unconditional release of Hasina.

He also termed it a discriminatory attitude of the government while they were talking for creating a level playing field for the upcoming election.

Zillur made this comment while talking to the reporters after a meeting with the Awami Juba League leaders at his Gulshan residence.

"Sheikh Hasina Has not been released permanently till now.

But Khaleda Zia is moving like a free bird. No meeting between Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia is possible under this circumstances. Meeting between them can be held when both of them will be treated equally by the the government," Zillur said.

Asked about Hasina's motive on whehter she would talk with Khaleda or not he replied that Sheikh Hasina herself would take the decision after her permanent release.

Zillur severly criticised the Caretaker Government for releasing most corrupt persons while they are keeping the pro-liberation and honest people behind the bars.

He expressed grief that the dramatic political changeover of 1/11 was a result of massive movement of AL against corruption and wrongdoing. But resuming the power the Caretaker Governemnt threw the AL leaders inside the jail and tortured them brutally.

Zillur demanded the complete withdrawal of emergency and holding of the parliamentary election ahead of any other election to make the polls credible to the people of the country.

Asked about the date of return of Sheikh Hasina, he said that she would likely to come back home in the last week of the current month or after Eid.

He asked the government to free all AL detainees, including its central leaders Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Juba League chairman Jahangir Kabir Nanak and general secretary Mirza Azam.

AL Presidium member Amir Hossain Amu was also present in the meeting and said, "The meeting between Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina could be considered if Khaleda comes to Hasina's residence."

Criticising the governemnt's activities Amu said that Tarique Rahman who had been the champion of corruption was released while Jahangir kabir Nanak and Mirza Azam were still facing false allegations of corruption.

Amu alleged that Tarique by quitting politics has himself proved that all the massive corruption during the BNP-Jamaat Government occurred under his shadow.

About Khaleda Zia's vow to drop out the corrupts from her party, Amu rasied question that how she would drop out the corrupts while all corruptions took place centering her and Tarique.

Another AL presidium member Adbur Razzak said, no congenial atmosphere would be created in the country ahead of the parliamentary polls unless Sheikh Hasina is released.

Juba League leaders Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, Dr Mizanur Rahman, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Govt moves fast on SoEs privatisation

Pulack Ghatack

The Caretaker Government has expedited its move to privatise a number of state-owned enterprises (SoEs) by December this year.

The Privatisation Commission has invited international tenders to sell 21 non-financial sector SoEs either in open bidding process or by offloading shares.

The interim government has shown a remarkable success in disinvestments and the Privatisation Commission was able to dispose of at least five public sector bodies by this time. The Commission has so far been able to sell out 74 enterprises since its inception in 1993.

"We could have achieved further success, if some cases pending with the Court, had not forced us to hold up some decisions," an official of the Commission said.

The emergency rule acted as a driving force behind the success, as the government curbed trade union activities and political interferences, which had been hindering privatisation earlier, he said.

The caretaker government, since its inception, has shown its seriousness in disinvesting the SOEs and in April last year the government decided to sell out 18 SOEs.

Government's telephone, air, power, utility services and banking sector institutions were hastily reorganised into corporations to get them ready to be sold.

Privatisation of the state-run airline Biman Bangladesh, the state-run railway, Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB), four banks -Sonali, Rupali, Janata and Agrani are on the cards, as part of reforms suggested by the Asian Development Bank, International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Rupali is farthest down the road to privatisation, while other public banks have been corporatised.

Presently, 21 SOEs have been included in the Commission's current programme to dispose them. These are: Partical Board and Veneering Plant, Chittagong; National Sugar Mills, Kishoreganj; Procurement & Sales Organisation, Kaptai; Lumber Processing Complex, Kaptai; Karnafuli Timber Extraction Unit, Kaptai; Arco Industries Ltd, Chittagong; SAF Industries Ltd, Jessore; Rangamati Textile Mills Ltd; Tangail Cotton Mills Ltd; Magura Textile Mills Ltd; Rajshahi Silk Factory; Thakurgaon Silk Factory; Dhaka Leather Company Ltd, Savar; North Bengal Paper Mills Ltd, Pakshi; Chittagong Chemical Complex; Karnafuli Rayon & Chemical Ltd; Bangladesh Can Company Ltd, Chittagong; Monowar Jute Mills Ltd, Narayanganj; Aroma Tea Ltd., Fauzdarhat; Handloom Service Centre (HSC), Narsingdi; and Fish Landing Center & Wholesale Fish Market, Sunamganj.

Tenders have been floated to sell off five SoEs, including Handloom Service Centre of Narsingdi, North Bengal Paper Mills Ltd of Pabna, Dhaka Leather Company Ltd, Chittagong Chemical Complex and Monowar Jute Mills Ltd of Narayanganj.

Chief adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, at a review meeting on March 13, directed the commission officials to take steps to expedite the privatisation process by making necessary amendments to relevant laws and rules through the economic affairs committee, commission sources said.

However, the government has been faltering in disinvesting some of the public giants like Rupali Bank, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) and Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

On August 30, retreated from its decision to privatise five SOEs and asked the Privatisation Commission to return those to their operating ministries.

The SOEs are Chittaranjan Cotton Mills in Narayanganj, Daulatpur Jute Mills in Khulna, Services & Facilities Centre in Brahmanbaria, Textile Facilities Centre in Noakhali and Khulna Newsprint Mills.

The Commission is yet to return the SoEs to the concerned ministries. A number of ministries, which earlier took back as many as 36 industrial units from the commission, had not yet returned them for taking fresh initiative for their sell-out to private entrepreneurs, the commission meeting was told.

The entities are Eastern Jute Mills, People's Jute Mills and Star Jute Mills in Khulna, Kurigram Textile Mills, Ahmed Bawani Textile Mills in Dhaka, Daroani Textile Mills in Nilphamari, Sylhet Textile Mills, Qaderia Textile Mills in Gazipur, Valika Woollen Mills in Chittagong, Khulna Newsprint Mills, Setabganj Sugar Mills in Dinajpur, Chittagong Cabinet Manufacturing Unit, Dhaka Cabinet Manufacturing Unit, Wood Treating Unit in Chittagong, Eastern Wood Works in Dhaka, Fidco Furniture Complex in Chittagong, Sangu Matamuhuri Timber Extraction Unit in Chittagong, Hotel Shaibal in Cox's Bazar, Motel Laboni in Cox's Bazar, Hotel Pashur in Bagerhat, Parjatan Motel in Rangpur, Parjatan Motel, in Sylhet, Padma Oil Company Limited, Jamuna Oil Company Limited, Meghna Petroleum Limited, LP Gas Limited, Eastern Lubricant Limited, Standard Asiatic Oil Company Limited, Bimolanagar Tea Garden, Rajnagar, Patia Tea Garden in Chittagong and Bangladesh Shilpa Rin Sangstha.

Upazila polls may be delayed: EC

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The Election Commission has conceded that it may not be possible to hold upazila elections from Oct 23, as the commission has still to hold talks with BNP and the polling regulations have yet to be given the all-clear by the law ministry.

"The commission does not have sufficient time in hand if the schedule is to be announced at least 40-45 days before the election date," election commissioner Muhammad Sohul Hussain told bdnews24.com yesterday. "We will inform our final decision in a few days," he said.

The commission has between 40-44 days remaining from Sunday to finalise all arrangements for upazila polls according to its previously declared dates of Oct 23 and Oct 27.

The schedule was given 45 days ahead for the last upazila polls held in the country in 1990.

"Sufficient time must be given for submission and scrutiny of nomination papers and for campaigning," an EC official said.

"It may be a risk if any less time is given," he said.

"We are yet to hold dialogue with BNP," Sohul Hussain pointed out.

"And we are still awaiting the law ministry's final vetting of the upazila poll regulations, drafted in line with the upazila ordinance (formulated on June 30)."

For the Aug 4 city corporation and municipality polls, the EC announced the schedule on June 20, keeping 44 days in hand.

The chief election commissioner first informed BBC radio and bdnews24.com on July 21 of a tentative Oct 23 UP poll date.

The Election Commission later on Aug 25 formally decided two dates, Oct 23 and Oct 27, for holding polls to around 250 upazila parishad.

However, the scenario changed after the third round electoral dialogue with the political parties.

In the third round of dialogue between the EC and political parties, held between Sept 6 and Sept 9, many political parties including the Awami League remained steadfast in their opposition to holding upazila polls ahead of national elections.

Another major party BNP, who had boycotted its scheduled dialogue session, is now set to sit with the EC following the release of party chief Khaleda Zia.

A deputy secretary of the EC Secretariat, on condition of anonymity told bdnews24.com: "The Election Commission wants to hold upazila polls under the caretaker government."

"If it is not possible to hold them before national elections, however, the commission will hold them in January or February."

Election commissioner M Sakhawat Hussain told bdnews24.com Saturday: "We will take a final decision after holding talks with BNP. We are still trying to proceed in line with the electoral roadmap."

Attack on newsmen: DU expels 4 students

DU Correspondent

The Dhaka University (DU) authorities yesterday expelled temporarily four students, who also activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), for assaulting three journalists and at least 10 students of Mass Communication and Journalism (MCJ) department on Friday.

The decision was taken at a syndicate meeting of the university with vice chancellor Prof SMA Faiz in the chair.

The expelled students are: Aminul Islam Amin, a third year Anthropology students also the president of A F Rahman Hall JCD unit, Shishir, a second year student of History, Saiful Islam, a second year student of Sociology and Belayet, a master's student of Drama and Music department.

The expelled students would not be able to sit in their examinations until the investigation committee submits its' final report to the university authorities, according to university sources.

The meeting also formed a five-member committee headed by Arts Faculty Dean Prof Sadrul Amin to investigate into the incident. The committee was asked to submit its' report within three weeks, meeting sources said.

The committee would also investigate the allegation of demanding toll to the contractor and engineer of a five-story residential building at Jagannath Hall premises by some Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leaders and activists.

Earlier, students and Teachers of Mass Communication and Journalism Department took out a silent procession on the campus demanding permanent expulsion of the JCD activists responsible for attack on journalists and the students of the department.

Chairman of the Journalism Department Prof Sheikh Abdus Salam, former chairman, Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, Associate Prof Mafizur Rahman, Associate Prof Robayet Ferdous, Dr Kaberee Gayen, among others, participated at the protest programme.

In support of their demands, students of MCJ department submitted a memorandum to Prof Faiz.

Jubo Dal leader dead

Staff Reporter

A central leader of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal died yesterday at the Apollo Hospital in the city. He fell from a moving truck on Thursday and was injured in an attack on pro reformist faction of the BNP in front of the BSMMU on September 3.

The victim was identified as Alauddin, Joint General Secretary of Central Jubo Dal and general secretary of Comilla District (Sadar).

A JCD press release said on Thursday Alauddin fell down from a vehicle on the road and was critically injured, when the BNP workers gathered in front of the party office just before the arrival of Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia at 4:00pm.

Party workers rushed him to the Apollo Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries yesterday.

The president and the general secretary of the JCD condoled his untimely death.

Meanwhile, Alauddin's family source said he was injured by brickbats in front of BSMMU when he went there to meet with Tarique Rahman, former Senior Joint Secretary General of BNP after the news of his released on September 3.

The BNP activists roughed up four supporters of former state minister for Education Ehsanul Haque Milon and Barkatullah Bulu, both pro-reformist leaders.

Lighter vessel with fertiliser capsizes in Bay

Chittagong Correspondent

A lighter vessel laden with 500 metric tons of fertilizer capsized at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port late last night.

Though the accident occurred at about 12 nautical miles away from Patenga Light House at 10:00 in the night. All crew of the vessel were rescued quickly. Officials suspected that the vessel went under water because of overloading and rough sea.

Radio Control of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) said that the lighter vessel "Bengal Bridge" had been moving to the jetty after taking feed from Alex-D, a mother vessel registered in Panama.

The mother vessel MV Alex D laden with 26250 metric tons of fertilizer anchored at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port several days back. Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) is the consignee of the fertilizer.

Owner of the capsized vessel Mohammad Mezbah Uddin told the reporters that sea water started spilling into the vessel after loading nearly 500 tons of fertilizer.

Port secretary Sayed Mohammad Forhad Uddin said that the accident did not hamper traffic at the port channel

Call for creating mass awareness against smoking

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a meeting called for revising the tobacco law with a view to creating mass awareness on bad impact of smoking and using other tobacco products.

They gave this suggestion at a view exchange meeting on 'Adverse Impact of Smoking with Necessity of Using Picture on Bidi- Cigarettes Packets and Tobacco Products' at Dhaka Reporters Unity yesterday.

Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and Bangladesh Consortium on Tobacco Control (BCTC) jointly organised the meeting. Bhorhan Ahmed, President of CAB presided over the meeting.

Around 57,000 people die every year in the country due to smoking and using of tobacco products, Dr M Mostafa Jaman, National Professional Officer of WHO, said quoting from WHO survey report.

"Smoking is a silent killer. But, the media didn't play proper role to create awareness about adverse effects of smoking and others tobacco products," Dr Jaman said.

Iqbal Masud, BCTC Programme Coordinator in his keynote paper said that the uneducated people could know about harmful effect of Bidi-Cigarettes through using pictures on their packets.

He called for coordinated initiative to create awareness among the people in this regard.

Bhorhan Ahmed said that the government should take steps to revise the existing law on smoking and tobacco products.

He emphasised the role of the media in motivating people to give up the habit of smoking and using tobacco products.