The New Nation - Internet Edition

Police free from influences under present govt: Matin Police ordinance to be implemented in phases

Staff Reporter

Home Adviser Maj Gen (Retd) MA Matin yesterday said the police force work independently under the present caretaker government, free from any influence.

"There is no influence from the government or any other quarter on the activities of the police department," he told reporters after a meeting of the Monitoring Cell on sensational cases at the Home Ministry.

When asked about the proposed Police Ordinance, the Home Adviser reminded that separation of the judiciary took 36 years despite the fact that the constitution clearly spells it out. The present government separated the judiciary from the executive last year, he said.

"There are some phases to pass through in implementing the police ordinance. It will be implemented through those phases," he said, indicating the cause of a perceived delay in getting the updated police law in place.

The Home Ministry custodian also said that the proposed police ordinance was initially prepared in English and later translated into Bangla.

"Now we will seek feedback about the proposed ordinance from stakeholders, including lawyers, bar associations and police regulatory committee. We will go for further steps after getting their opinion," the Adviser said.

Replying to a question, Matin said there is no dillydallying to pass the police ordinance. "Any government official is not hindering or halting implementation of the ordinance."

Meeting sources said ten sensational cases, including three new ones, were reviewed and the meeting expressed satisfaction at the progress in investigation.

The Home Adviser also instructed further investigation of former Finance Minister SAM Kibria murder and Nasrin Haque killing.

Home Secretary Abdul Karim and senior officials concerned, including police bosses, attended the meeting.

Gas price may rise by 65pc

Staff Reporter

Price hike of gas, ranging up to 65 per cent, is in the offing as the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) will be holding public hearings from today on proposed gas-price rises, informed sources said.

The BERC already has accepted the proposal of the state-owned Petrobangla in an initial hearing, subject to eliciting public opinion about the raise.

Sources in the BERC said this time the hearing may continue for two days as the Commission would hear the views of different stakeholders alongside the Petrobangla proposal.

On conclusion of the hearings, the Commission will announce its final decision by October 30.

In the proposal, the Petrobangla suggested a variable price hike for its different categories of consumers. The average hike will come to 65 per cent.

As per the proposal, Petrobangla, for domestic consumers, suggested raising the gas price to Tk 600 from the existing rate of Tk 400 for a double-burner oven while Tk 550 for single-burner oven against the present rate of Tk 350.

The proposal is for a 50 per cent raise over the existing rates for domestic gas users.

If raised, responding the proposal, the metered domestic consumers will have to pay Tk 208 instead of Tk 130 with a price increase of 26.81 per cent. Similarly, Petrobangla proposed to increase gas price for commercial users by 26.08 per cent, meaning that per-unit (1000 cubic feet or 1 mcf) price will go up to Tk 291.59 from the current price of Tk 233.12.

For the industrial consumers, the proposed per-unit price is Tk 182.25, up from the present rate of Tk 148.13, with a 23.03 per cent raise.

The same rate will apply to tea-estates.

For captive power plants, the new rate is proposed to be Tk 182.25 per unit, up from the present rate of Tk 105.59, by a 72.60 per cent raise.

The Petrobangla proposed Tk 93.73 per-unit as gas price for the Power

Development Board (PDB), independent power producer (IPP) and small power plant (SPP) instead of Tk 73.91, with a 26.81 per cent raise.

For fertiliser industries, the new rate is envisaged to be Tk 93.73 instead of Tk 63.41 per unit by a raise of 47.81 percent.

Presenting the price-hike proposal Petrobangla Chairman Jalal Ahmed said his organisation's cumulative deficit on account of undercut gas supply to International Oil Companies is about Tk 2000 crore.

"If we don't raise gas prices, Petrobangla will have to go bankrupt shortly, which will ultimately make it unable to go for further exploration," he said to justify the merit of the government move in the interim period.

Most corrupt nations: Somalia tops list, Bangladesh 10th

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh has been ranked as the 10th corrupt nation in the world in a list of 180 countries, published by Transparency International (TI), marking a three-step improvement in its position as compared to last year.

Somalia topped the list this year as the most corrupt country in the worldwide Corruption Perception Index (CPI) that was released in Dhaka, as also across the globe, yesterday.

Bangladesh scored 2.1 points on a scale of 0-10 and its position is 147 among the total 180 countries covered by the TI index this year.

Three other countries--Kenya, Russia and Syria--also stood in Bangladesh's position having the same score. Somalia retained its top stand as of previous year.

Other South Asian nations also fared poorly with Afghanistan securing fourth place, Pakistan 14th, Nepal 16th, Maldives 17th, Sri Lanka 21st India 22nd and Bhutan 36th in the index from bottom.

Positioned seventh last year, Bangladesh had earned the bad repute of being one of the most corrupt nations for five consecutive years from 2001 under the TI index.

The Bangladesh position drew special attention as the country witnessed a massive anti-graft campaign following the January 11, 2007 promulgation of the state of emergency installing the current interim government with crucial military support.

The government arrested scores of politicians, including two former premiers to clean up politics. Most of the accused corrupts now have been released on bail.

Releasing the report at National Press Club in Dhaka, Chief of Bangladesh chapter of the leading international corruption watchdog Prof Muzaffer Ahmed said, despite the drive the country could not show any significant improvement in its score.

"Corruption is still endemic in Bangladesh. And petty corruption has increased in amount and intensity despite the anti-graft drive," he said.

He said lack of reforms and inadequate oversight by the judiciary meant that the "anti-graft drive has failed to bring any good for common people".

"When the government launched the drive, it raised people's expectations. But the people are now frustrated," he added.

The TIB report noted that Bangladesh's status improved because of increased corruption in some other countries that got the highest position in the global ranking.

Data and sources are changing every year; it is not right to compare the current score with the previous one, Dr Muzaffer said.

"Previously, the position of Bangladesh was identified on the basis of three data sources. This time data has been compiled from seven different sources," he added

The TIB chairman observed that the caretaker government became successful in its anti-corruption drive in the political arena only.

"But they could not succeed in curbing corruption in the administration. Even they could not touch the corruption in administration," he told reporters.

The TIB chairman said: "Our parliament is not working. Graft cases are stuck in the judiciary."

"We have observed that civil society was not very active over the last two years. Many discussions and seminars were held but none raised a strong voice against corruption."

He said: "We have seen that the government failed to follow up its anti-graft initiative. The drive was undertaken hastily."

But, he continued: "The steps of the current government against corruption will help the elected government to press forward. People have expectations about the future of the drive."

"We hope the next democratic government will fulfil people's expectations through various measures."

TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman said: "Our score has increased by a little. The score was identified from the data collected up to July 1, 2008."

"Corruption is a worldwide problem. Nobody could score 10. Corruption prevails in every country. But many developed countries scored lower this year," he said.

"There have been doubts about the anti-graft drive. The score might have been higher if the judiciary was not influenced," he said.

TIB treasurer Hafizuddin Ahmed was present at the press conference.

Lucrative 'jhut’ business claims 250 lives in 20 yrs

Mamunur Rashid

At least 250 people including garment factory owners and businessmen were killed in the last 20 years in conflicts over 'jhut' business and most of the killings involved top terrorists in the city.

The buying of foreign fabric cut pieces from readymade garment factories has been a profitable business and a number of young entrepreneurs have been attracted to the waste 'jhut' business.

Since the business is highly competitive a number of syndicates, headed by the top terrorists, have been established to control the business.

It was reliably learnt that the garment businessmen pay monthly extortion money to the terrorists as well as sell factory wastes at a throw away price to them, but if they fail to pay, these miscreants threaten them or even kill them.

Intelligence agencies sources said they have reports that at least 250 garment businessmen were killed in the last 20 years. Although the police have identified most of the killers, but no arrests or conviction were made in most of the sensational murders.

In the latest such killings, on the September 15 terrorists killed a director of Yolk Group, Abdus Salam alias Babu in front of his office at Purana Paltan Lane. Police arrested two of the murderers, Jewel and Salam, both professional killers. They were involved with Jhut business, police source said.

The countries 23 top terrorists and at least 1000 other local criminals were involved in the control of the Jhut business in the city, source said.

The groups have recently consolidated themselves after having fled the country for fear of "crossfire" in the government crackdown on criminal activities after the 9/11 change over.

A top official of an intelligence agency said at least three sensational murders and a mugging incident that took place in the last 24 days indicate that top listed criminals are involved in them.

Mollah Masud, one of the 23 top criminals of Dhaka and the leader of the notorious "seven star" gang of Moghbazar, has been taking extortion money from the garment factories in Rampura, Moghbazar and Hajipara areas.

A top business leader of Mirpur said the Shahadat-Khorshed gang killed at least 10 businessmen in Mirpur-Pallabi areas in the last four years and most of them were garments businessmen.

"Although incidents of murder did not rise, sensational and clueless murders are increasing that indicates top listed criminals' involvement in them," said an intelligence official.

Anwar leads BNP team to EC: BNP to join JS polls under new electoral laws

Staff Reporter

In a dramatic shift from its previous position on participation in parliamentary elections under previous laws, the senior Vice- President of BNP MK Anwar yesterday said that his party would register and join the forthcoming general elections in line with the new electoral laws and political parties registration rules.

He told the media after a meeting of four-member delegation of BNP with the Election Commission (EC).

"BNP will take part in the national polls after being registered as a political party," he said. Nazrul Islam Khan, joint Secretary General, Abdul Mannan, former state minister, Rizvi Ahmed, office secretary of BNP and Chief Election Commission Dr ATM Shamsul Huda and Election Commissioners Brig Gen (Retd) Sakhawat Hossain and M Sohul Hussain were present at the meeting on their respective sides.

"We have presented our point of view to the commission and the EC will change a number of provisions in the amended Representation of the People Order (RPO)- 2008. He said that holding upazial polls after one month of parliamentary election and immediate withdrawal of the state of emergency were the key demands of the party to the government and the EC.

Expressing his happiness over the BNP's stand regarding party registration under the EC's existing laws, ATM Shamsul Huda hoped that BNP would register with the EC by October 15.

" We (EC) are happy that the BNP has shown interest in getting registered," he said and hoped that the other parties will also accomplish the task by this time.

On the issue of shifting the date of upazila polls by some political parties, the CEC said the date for upazial polls would not be deferred.

He said that the EC has made preparations to hold upazila polls on the fixed dates.

He also said changes would be made to some sections of the recently amended RPO and the ninth parliament election would be held under new electoral laws and re- demarcated constituencies.

DSE hits new high

Staff Reporter

Country's premier bourse the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) yesterday hit another new high of market capitalisation to stand at Tk 1.021 trillion as it crossed Tk 1.0 trillion-mark Monday.

Market players said increase in the prices of most shares during the day's trading led the market capitalisation to rise further. Of the total 221 issues traded on the day, 103 gained, 102 declined and 16 remained unchanged.

The increased capitalisation helped the DSE continue its uptrend for the third consecutive day of the week, with few new shares joining the groups of top turnover leaders, gainers and losers. The DSE General Index (DGEN), the benchmark index, rose 34 points or 1.19 per cent to close at 2,900 points Tuesday from 2,866 points on Monday while the All Shares Price Index (DSI) increased 26 points or 1.08 per cent to close at 2,444 points.

The DSE-20 index of selective shares also increased 19 points or 0.79 per cent to close at 2,394 points. The day's total turnover dropped to Tk 3.54 billion from Monday's Tk 4.01 billion.

Beximco Pharma, BEXIMCO, Titas Gas, GRAMEENS2, ACI, AIMS 1st Mutual Fund, ICB 2nd NRB, Summit Power, Jamuna Oil and Grameen 1 were the day's turnover leaders in terms of value.

The day's volume leaders were AIMS 1st Mutual Fund, GRAMEENS2,

Beximco Pharma, BEXIMCO, BD Online, Goldenson, Grameen 1, Keya Cosmetics, BD Com and Jamuna Oil.

Top gainers of the day were Beximco Fisheries, Shinepukur Holdings, Meghna Petroleum, Jamuna Oil, Glaxosmith, Beximco, BD Online, BSC, Gemini Sea Food and Renwick Jajneswar.

Top losers were ARAMIT, Grameen 1, AIMS 1st Mutual Fund, 1st ICB, Rupali Insurance, Eastern Insurance, Agni Systems Limited, DBH, ICB 1st NRB and 1st BSRS.

We have nothing but hope: IGP

Staff Reporter

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nur Mohammad yesterday lamented that they have nothing to do but look on with the optimism that the proposed 'Police Ordinance-2007' would be promulgated someday.

"Reform in police administration is going on and it will continue as long as the police administration exists," he told reporters, with an undercurrent of unhappiness about the holdback of the police law in the making.

Earlier on Monday, the police chief told reporters after a meeting with Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Lt Gen (Retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury that there must be problems somewhere along the line. 'Promulgation of the ordinance could hurt someone's interest-that's why it is not promulgated,' he said. Asked who are putting barriers in the way of enforcing the Police Ordinance, the IGP parried the question, saying that they have nothing to do but express optimism about it.

"We're hopeful that one day it'll be implemented," he told the journalists when he inaugurated two more police stations in the city's crime-prone Darus Salam and Kadamtoli areas to closely respond to people's call for police help.

With these two, the number of police stations in the DMP domain in the capital rises to 35.

Darus Salam police station has been set up cutting out some areas of Mirpur police station while Kadamtoli PS with part of Shyampur PS.

Hundreds of people in those areas came to the venues in processions-dancing and chanting anti-crime slogans-to hail the police in their proximity, which gave the occasion a festive look.

Speaking as chief guest at the functions, Nur Mohammad said police couldn't work properly without cooperation of the general people. "Let's come together to help police and involve ourselves with the activities of community police to solve our own problems ourselves."

Mentioning various reforms in the police administration, the police boss said community policing system was introduced in police stations so that people of each community could solve or settle their problems, instead of filing cases, through ward-level discussion.

Nur Mohammad noted that police has been formed for serving the common man, not for harassment, and urged the police personnel to work honestly and sincerely to regain the image of the force.

Speaking on the occasion, DMP Commissioner Naim Ahmed firmly assured

people of Darus Salam, an area known to all as a safe haven for muggers and drug-peddlers, that there wouldn't be any visible drug spot after two months in the city as this is one of the major reasons for snatching.

He said the main objective of police is to convert itself to service-providing institution by ensuring everyone's participation, as it is not possible to control law-and-order situation without it.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police boss also emphasized strengthening the community-policing system.

Naim Ahmed said the process of setting up six more police stations at Gendaria, Bangshal, Chawlkbazar, Rampura, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and Kalabagan got delayed due to accommodation problem.

"We hope that we'll start operation of Bangshal and Kalabagan police stations from next month (October)."

Among others, additional police commissioner Abdus Salam, deputy police commissioners Anwar Hossain (Mirpur division) and Khandaker Mohid Uddin (Lalbagh division) also spoke.

Commentary: Marriott Hotel blast: Pakistan has become a victim of America’s war on terror?

The bomb attack on the Marriott Hotel in Pakistan capital Islamabad Sunday appeared to be a well-designed military operation which cannot be brushed aside as mere suicide bombing.

Information gathered on the blast that killed about 60 including foreigners and injured about 250 others was from a bomb that included, Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said, an estimated 1,300 pounds of military-grade explosives as well as artillery and mortar shells and left a crater 59 feet wide and 24 feet deep in front of the main building.

Czech Ambassador Ivo Zdarek was among the dead. Zdarek, 47, only moved to Islamabad in August after four years as Ambassador to Vietnam.

Malik said, two Americans were confirmed dead as well as one Vietnamese national. Officials in Pakistan said at least 21 foreigners were among the wounded, including Britons, Germans, Americans and several people from the Middle East.

Islamist militant groups linked to Al Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban are believed to be behind the blast, though there has been no confirmed claim of responsibility.

They have been waging a campaign of violence ever since former army chief and ex-president Pervez Musharraf made a foreign policy U-turn, ditching support for the Taliban and jihadi groups to side with the United States after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.

The militants intensified attacks across the country, killing hundreds of people, after a commando assault to crush an armed movement at Islamabad's Red Mosque in July last year.

The bombing came just hours after President Asif Ali Zardari made his first address to Parliament, less than a mile away from the hotel. Malik said authorities received intelligence there might be militant activity linked to Zardari's address and security had been tightened.

It happened in the wake of a series of U.S. missile strikes against militant targets in the Pakistani tribal lands bordering Afghanistan.

The militants believe the government and army have helped the United States, despite Pakistani protests following a U.S. commando raid, the first known operation by U.S. ground troops inside Pakistan, in the Waziristan tribal region on Sept. 3.

Hundreds of Islamist fighters have been killed in a major offensive by the Pakistani army in the Bajaur tribal region during the past few weeks.

The blast very close to the Pakistan President's house and the residence of the Prime Minister proved the ability of the attackers to strike deep inside high security areas.

Former President Mosharraf was too happy to be too close an ally in the American war on terrorism in Afghanistan. The result is, Pakistan has now become an extension of Afghanistan for the fight against the Taliban. American help should have been taken to make Pakistan strong in protecting its borders with Afghanistan. Thereby not provoking the Talibans to target Pakistan in their fight against America. Pakistan is in real trouble now.

Now Pakistan needs both military and economic help so that Pakistan remains a bulwark against the Talibans' extension of war in Afghanistan and not part of the war in Afghanistan. The problem is, the western allies are not ready to see the real causes of Muslim anger and frustration. As good friend Pakistan should help America to understand the flaws in the war on terror. Islam is not a terrorist religion.

27th BCS results finally published

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The results of 27th Bangladesh Civil Service examinations have been published after long delays and legal wrangles.

Chairman of the Public Service Commission Dr Sa'adat Hussain told bdnews24.com yesterday: "The results have been published after 16 months of tireless efforts."

"I had said last month the results would be out within 35 working days. We have managed to publish them before that." Some 10,412 examinees have passed the 27th BCS exams, with the names of 3,239 being recommended for appointment. Of them, 822 women have been recommended under the 25 percent female quota.

The PSC said the results have been published in two categories-a merit quota and a priority quota.

Allegations of question leaks, politicisation, bribery and nepotism over past years have marred the transparency of the BCS exams.

The PSC posted an advertisement on June 28, 2005 for the 27th BCS exams, seeking applications for 1,776 vacant posts.

As many as 1,36,105 people applied and 1,18,339 took the exams. Of them, over 26,000 examinees passed written tests. The authorities recalled 16,418 for vivas.

The PSC declared 3,567 candidates successful after the oral tests, asking the authorities to appoint them.

However, the interim cabinet cancelled the viva results of the 27th BCS exams on May 30, 2007, to "restore trust of the people in the Public Service Commission" and establish transparency in the wake of several news reports over irregularities.

Defer UZ polls by one month from JS elections

Zillur asks govt

Kishoreganj Correspondent

Awami League Acting President Zillur Rahman yesterday demanded the deferment of the upazila polls by one month after the general elections to facilitate preparations of the contending parties.

He observed that it would be very difficult for the political parties to take part in the upazila elections on December 24 and 28 as announced by the Chief Adviser.

Zillur Rahman was addressing the leaders and activists at a Doa and Iftar Mahfil organised by the Bhairab Thana Awami League at a local school playground.

He suggested the EC to review the announced dates for the upazila election and said that the EC could announce the schedules now and the next parliamentary government will hold the upaziila elections.

He criticised the Government for prolonging the state of emergency saying, "The government has snatched all the civil rights of the people of the country."

AL Acting President also categorically demanded complete lifting of state of emergency before the national elections.

He called for keeping the prices of essentials under control ahead of the Eid festival.

Zillur reiterated the demand of withdrawal of all the 'false and fabricated' cases filed against the political leaders including the party chief Sheikh Hasian immediately.

Shaifullah Mia, President of Bhairab Thana Awami League, presided over the meeting.

Strong quakes feared : Seven tremors jolt country this year

Mahbubur Rahman Khan

Frequent mild tremors indicate that a strong earthquake may take place in the country at any moment, experts say.

As many as seven mild to moderate tremors which have taken place in the country this year strongly indicates the possibility of a strong and destructive earthquake at any moment.

Sources at the Department of Meteorology said the earthquake of 4.2 in magnitude on the Richter scale that had happened on March 20 at Madhupur in Tangail district, panicked people of the region. After that another earthquake, having 3.1 in maginitude took place in May. Since then several earthquakes took place at different places like Tanore of Rajshahi, Haluaghat of Mymensingh and in Rangamati. Finally, a series of earthquakes shattered different parts of the country, including Dhaka. The magnitude of the quakes was recorded at 4.8 on the Richter Scale and the epicenter of the earthquakes was Brahmanbaria.

When Arjumand Habib, Director General of Department of Meteorology was asked about the reasons behind the frequent earthquakes in the country, he said mild to moderate earthquakes took place in the country since the faults developed in the crust of the earth of Tripura of India is still active.

The earthquakes usually take place due to the collision between interactive plates of the earth. Faults are created because of the movement of these plates. The displacement of a fault releases huge energy, which in turn lead to the earthquake.

Afia Akter, Director General of Seismic Survey Department said frequent earthquakes is an indication that an earthquake may take place at any time. She, however said, it could not be said surely that a huge earthquake will take place. "Drawing any conclusion in this regard needs further monitoring and experiments," she added.

Though the faults of Madhupur is highlighted as a cause, an intensive analysis of data is needed, she further said.

Professor Mehedi Alam Ansari of Bangladesh University of Engineering Technology (BUET) who is also an expert on earthquake, told The New Nation that people should remain cautious about tremors as 12 quakes took place during the last two and half years and of them seven happened this year alone.

He said sometimes power seeps out through small quakes as a result the possibility of massive earthquake is diminished. Sometime reverse also happen where small quakes preserves power for massive earthquake. "Therefore, we have to be cautious from right now," he further said.