The New Nation - Internet Edition

Empowerment of women in Nepal still a far cry

DU Correspondent

The democratic rights and empowerment of women of Nepal is yet to be ensured though the women of the country were directly affected by prolonged political turmoil and involved in the struggle to establish democracy, Dr Bina Pradhan, a gender, population and development specialist of Nepal said here yesterday.

She also said the commitments given to the Nepalese women by the Maoists are yet to be fufilled by the Maoist backed government.

Dr Bina, who is also the adviser to the National Planning Commission and Social Development Division of Nepal, was delivering a lecture on "Women and People's War in Nepal" as key speaker at Dhaka University (DU).

Department of Women and Gender Studies of DU organised the lecture as part of its resource person lecture series, held at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Bhaban at DU.

Dr Bina at the function presented a slide presentation on the lecture's topic focusing the recently released conflict of Nepal, pre and post-conflict position of women and experiences of women during the conflict.

Dr Bina in her speech stressed the need for bringing about some planned structural changes in the society and also in different democratic bodies in Nepal to ensure democratic rights of people.

Founding chair of the department Prof Najma Chowdhury, incumbent chair Ayesha Banu, Executive Director of Research Initiatives Bangladesh (RIB), Meghna Guha Thakurata, a good number of teachers and students of the department and representatives from different NGOs were present at the ceremony.

SAARC school Debate ends

DU Correspondent

The four-day long national round of first SAARC School Debate Championship-2008 ended yesterday at the Teacher-Student Centre auditorium of Dhaka University (DU).

Manarat International School and College, Dhaka secured the championship of the national round participating by 24 schools of the country.

Debaters Saad Bin Amjad and Anam Hossain of the champion team of the country will compete with the national champions of other member countries of SAARC at the regional round to be held in New Delhi next month.

The national round of the debate was organised by the Dhaka University Debating Society (DUDS) with cooperation of London Metropolitan University, UK and Centre for Development Communication (CDC). The regional round will be organised by the Rajib Gandhi Foundation of India.

Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University Professor S M A Faiz spoke as the chief guest at the prize giving ceremony and distributed crests among the champions.

Pro-Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof AFM Yusuf Haider, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Editor of the editor.net Maskwaith Ahsan and member of Londonmet Bangladesh Alumni Association Tanzim Anwar spoke as special guests.

President of DUDS Mofazzal Hossain Sumon presided over the prize giving ceremony.

Congratulating the champion team, speakers urged them to try their level best at final round in the Delhi for upholding the image of the country.

They also hoped that the first SAARC School Debate Championship would expedite the ongoing effort of transforming the SAARC into a people-to-people forum.

Dr Iftekhar shocked at loss of lives in plane crash in Perm

UNB, Dhaka

Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury has expressed his deep shock at the loss of lives due to the crash of an Aeroflot passenger aircraft in Perm.

In a condolence message to his Russian counterpart Sergey V Lavrov, the Foreign Adviser said, "The people and the government of Bangladesh joint me in conveying our deepest sympathies and condolences to the members of the bereaved families".

Hasina meets World Bank VP Isabel Guerrero

UNB, Dhaka

Former Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, now in USA for treatment, had a meeting with World Bank Vice-President for South Asia Isabel Guerrero at its Headquarters in Washington on Wednesday.

During the two-hour meeting, they discussed the economic situation prevailing in Bangladesh, its development activities and future plans, said an Awami League press release.

Former World Bank Vice-President Praful C Patel, Hasina's son Sajib Wajed Joy and other high officials of the World Bank were present at the meeting.

AL-led 14- party leaders confused over grand alliance

UNB, Dhaka

The Awami League and its allies look muddleheaded over the existence of grand alliance, as leaders are making contradictory statements about its existence.

AL acting president Zillur Rahman and general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam were found giving conflicting statements in reply to journalists' questions meant to get a clear idea about the grand alliance.

On the other hand, other members of the 14-party alliance do not want to recognise the existence of the grand alliance as a political platform based on specific programmes.

Ashraful Tuesday told reporters that the grand alliance would remain alive in the run up to the parliamentary polls.

He also said the Awami League-led grand alliance would seek greater unity for contesting the parliamentary elections and chances were there that the number of grand alliance partners might increase or decrease.

But when asked about the present condition of the grand alliance, acting AL president Zillur at his Gulshan residence said yesterday that "the grand alliance remains only as a proposal."

He further said the issue of the grand alliance would be settled after Sheikh Hasina returns home after her treatment in the United States.

Zillur said he had no idea if Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad had any talks with Hasina about its partnership in the alliance, as claimed by Ershad Tuesday.

Ershad told reporters Tuesday that he almost regularly maintains contact with Hasina.

"Ershad can say better about this," Zillur said.

The 14-Party's two allies-Workers Party and Jatiya Samajtantric Dal (Inu)-have said the grand alliance does not exist anymore.

"I have no idea if there's anything like grand alliance. We're a partner in the 14-party alliance," Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon told UNB yesterday.

"The so-called grand alliance was not a platform like the 14-party alliance. It was only part of an understanding with Jatiya Party for the previous election" that was scheduled to be held in January, 2007, he said.

After the cancellation of the January 22 election,

Menon said, the Awami League had dissolved the grand alliance through a press statement.

JSD president Inu, meanwhile, said the grand alliance was not formed on the basis of "specific political programmes".

He also echoed the statement by Menon that the grand alliance was formed only to fight in the previous election.

Menon and Inu seemed unhappy with Ashraful's statement that Islamic forces, which are anti-Jamaat and pro-liberation groups, would be included into the grand alliance.

"Any party, which is not non-communal and democratic, will not be our partners," Menon declared.

JSD president Inu said it was not the Awami League but the 14-party alliance would decide which party would join the alliance.

He urged the Awami League leaders to refrain from making any "final comment" before discussing it with other partners of the 14-party alliance.

Fortnight left to deadline for seeking clemency for corruption

UNB, Dhaka

Less than two weeks to go before an extended deadline expires for the corrupt to seek clemency in return for their ill-gotten wealth, the Truth and Accountability Commission is yet to find any such penitent politician.

The extended deadline for applying for clemency expires on September 30. The Commission that was incepted about one and a half months ago had initially fixed September 1 as the deadline for filing clemency applications.

Most of the corrupt individuals who have applied so far are government employees from different departments. And they have come with peanuts in their coffers to show as their illegally made wealth and buy mercy therewith.

Tac chairman Justice Habibur Rahman Khan yesterday expressed frustration for no response from politicians and very lukewarm response from businessmen.

Speaking at the Commission's weekly briefing, he said though Tac was primarily intended for politicians and businessmen, they are not coming up.

"We can't move forward. We don't get responses," the Tac chairman lamented.

He said being barred from participating in elections for five years is the main reason behind politicians shying away.

Justice Khan, however, would hold patience with some optimism that politicians and businessmen would eventually come within the timeframe.

Asked if the deadline would be further extended, he said the Commission is yet to think about it but they would consider if circumstances demand extension.

The Tac chairman said that as of Tuesday, 230 corrupt individuals have applied. Of them, 205 are government servants, wives of 16 of them, six businessmen and three belonging to other professions.

He said that till Tuesday hearings about 70 clemency seekers have

been completed. According to Tac sources, the Commission yesterday heard seven persons, taking the figure to 77.

Justice Khan informed that two cases have been returned to the Anti-Corruption Commission for further investigations, as the individuals had changed their mind about seeking clemency. Through ACC they had applied for clemency, but, during hearing, they stated they did not seek clemency.

He said the amount of money pledged so far stands at over Tk 15.53 crore.

About the government servants seeking clemency, Justice Khan said there has been consciousness among them about taking bribe and it would be very good if they correct themselves.

About those who have been ordered to deposit their ill-gotten wealth in return for clemency, the Tac chairman said final verdicts have not been delivered. Clemency certificates would be issued only after depositing money using a particular code, he added.

There would be serious consequences if the individuals don't deposit pledged ill-gotten money in specific time, he warned. Sources said the clemency-seekers are given minimum two weeks to four weeks to deposit money.

Responding to a question, the former High Court judge said it would be a success if government offices turned for the better due to the Commission.

To another questioner, he admitted that most of the government servants seeking clemency are low-level employees and there are few first-class officers.

About extension of the five-month tenure of Tac, Justice Khan said, "We don't want extension. It's the matter for the government to take a decision about this."

He said even after the expiry of five months they would have the opportunity to dispose of the pending cases.

Asked if any former Justice has applied for clemency, the Tac chairman replied in the negative.

About application by relatives of any former Justice, he said two relatives of a Justice might have applied to the ACC for referring their cases to Tac.

Though no names were named during the briefing, there have been reports that former Law Adviser Justice Fazlul Haque, his son and son-in-law applied for clemency.

Peshajibi Samannoy Parishad demands national polls first

UNB, Dhaka

Peshajibi Samannoy Parishad, a group of professionals, yesterday demanded the Election Commission take measures to hold a free, fair and acceptable general election.

The group in a 10-point charter of demand said the national election be held first before any other election with participation of all political parties.

They made the demand as a delegation led by its convenor Qazi Faruque visited the Election Commission to express their views on the impending polls. Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda and his deputies Sakhawat Hossain and Sahul Hossain were present during the meeting with the group.

The parishad leaders took position against the people who are known as "war criminals" and urged the commission to prevent them from joining the election. But they demanded the commission allow non-government teachers to contest local body elections.

The group opposed the commission's move to ban front organisations of the political parties abroad and impose 'no vote' provisions. It asked the commission to declare 'fundamentalist political groups' disqualified for registration with it.

In a post-meeting briefing, delegation Chief Qazi Faruque told reporters that the Election Commission should announce the election schedule as early as possible.

Journalist and delegation member Iqbal Soban Chowhury suggested the commission not to take any measure that can confuse the nation.

He said the commission should not hold any election before national one.

"We've told the EC to ensure an election free from terrorism and black money," he said.

About election observers, Iqbal said the commission should not allow controversial and partisan people to monitor the elections.

Other members of the delegation are Dr Qamrul Hasan Khan, Adv Yusuf Hossain Humayun, Prof Moazzem Hossain, Abdus Sabur, MA Aziz, Prof Asadul Haque, Agriculturists Saidur Rahman and Qamruzzaman, M Azizul Islam, engr Wasel Kabir, Dr Sarfuddin Ahmed, engr Monjurul Haque and Dr Imran Hossain Khan.