The New Nation - Internet Edition

Hasina making political statements from abroad: Govt Attorney opposes AL chief’s bail plea

Sheikh Hasina

Staff Reporter

The hearing of bail petition of Awami League president Sheikh Hasina in an extortion case was held at the High Court amidst government opposition yesterday. The extortion case was filed by Noor Ali, a pro-Awami League businessman.

A vacation bench of the High Court comprising Justice Sheikh Rezowan Ali and Justice M Rais Uddin set September 29 (Monday) for the verdict on her petition for bail as the government opposed her prayer during the hearings.

Sheikh Hasina's principal counsel, Barrister Rafique-ul Huq, sought bail for his client on health grounds, as she suffers from ear and eye ailments and is now abroad on parole for treatment.

Additional Attorney-General Mansur Habib crossed swords with the defence counsel, expressing skepticism about Hasina's illness.

Opposing the bail the Additional Attorney General Mansur Habib told the court that Sheikh Hasina, while staying abroad on medical grounds, is making political statements and attending meetings.

Besides, Hasina also attended a wedding reception at Helsinki in Finland recently, he said.

AAG Mansur Habib argued that while Sheikh Hasina is on parole she is not entitled to get bail. The AAG also cited both print and electronic media reports to back up the government side's objection.

"The government needs another medical certificate of her illness," the AAG said on his note of skepticism.

Interrupting the AAG, the court asked him whether he was contradicting government position as the government had earlier released Hasina by an executive order from incarceration on health grounds and allowed her to go for treatment overseas.

But the government law officer disagreed with the court's intervening remark. He said, he had adequate briefing from the government.

While emerging from the court after hearing, Sheikh Hasina's counsel, Barrister Rafique, looked downcast as his hope apparently got shaken about his move in arranging the two top political leaders' meet for a deal on democratic transition from the muddled-up interim period that had begun with the 1/11 changeover.

He told reporters that the stance of the interim caretaker government is paradoxical.

"How the proposed Khaleda-Hasina meeting takes place keeping Khaleda free and Hasina behind bars?" He posed the question.

"We submitted to the court that Sheikh Hasina is on parole (but) the polls are at hand. She should return home as a free person, hence the bail petition," he said.

He mentioned some current HC examples granting bail on health grounds to high-profile corruption suspects, including BNP chairperson and ex-PM Khaleda Zia, her two sons and others.

Hasina was shown arrested on July 30 last year in the Tk 5-crore extortion case over a decade-old power-plant deal by Managing Director of Unique Group of companies Noor Ali.

Sheikh Hasina is currently undergoing treatment in the United States.

BGMEA seeks political stability to raise export earnings to $25b

Garment workers observed a token hunger strike in
the city yesterday demanding payment of their due wages.
FocusBangla

Staff Reporter

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) yesterday demanded political stability and right economic policies to shoot up country's exports to US$25 billion by 2013.

The apex export body raised the demand at an Iftar party at a city hotel, which was attended by policymakers, foreign diplomats, bureaucrats, civil society members, researchers and economists.

BGMEA president Anwar-Ul-Alam Chowdhury Parvez said, "As industry leaders, we can promise to attain this milestone (of exports) provided that the overall situation is in favour of us."

He expressed gratitude to the caretaker government for its role in ensuring 525 days free of hartals to operate the US$ 10.7-billion industry smoothly.

"It's our earnest belief that other activities such as the Regulatory Reforms Commission, anti-corruption drive, and an independent election commission will only help drive the country forward in the right direction," Parvez said.

He stressed the need for active public-private initiative to improve the country's image, develop human resources and improve infrastructure like gas, electricity, highways and economic zones by encouraging private investors with right policy supports. Parvez said only 5 per cent of the industry of around 4,000 factories, which fail to pay workers' wages and other social benefits regularly, were dictating the image of the entire industry.

He, however, acknowledged that everything was not going well in the industry and there were numerous areas that deserve improvement.

"But, we cannot do so without the help of the people who really count," he said, seeking support of the policy movers attended the party.

"What we can do without, however, is the help of the destructive elements that are taking us all for a ride; and without the bad publicity that is shaping the public opinion against the industry and its entrepreneurs," said the BGMEA president.

14-party leaders vow to revive Mohajote

Mohajote leaders including Jatiya Party Chairman HM
Ershad, acting Chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud,
Bikalpa Dhara President Prof Badruddoza Chowdhury, LDP
leader Sheikh Razzak Ali attended an Iftar party hosted by
Awami League at a city hotel yest

Staff Reporter

The leaders of the 14 party alliance yesterday vowed to revive the grand alliance combined with all the pro-liberation political parties for defeating the anti-liberation and communal forces in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

The top leaders of the alliance categorically said that they would work together under the banner of grand alliance to defeat the BNP-Jamaat alliance in December election by all means.

The leaders expressed this determination at a Iftar Party organised by Awami League (AL) at a community center as part of election preparation.

Asked about the process of grand alliance Ashraful Islam, acting general secretary of AL, said, " The grand alliance has been formed long time ago. After returning of our party chief Sheikh Hasina we will finalise all the issues regarding the grand alliance. Then some parties may be excluded and some more added."

About the chill in the relation between Awami League and Gano Forum following Dr Kamal Hossain's negative remarks about Sheikh Hasina few months back, Islam said Awami League has some problem with Dr Kamal Hossain as an individual, but not with the Gano Forum as a party.

AL presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury said, " We all the pro-liberation forcers have met together to discuss how to face the anti-liberation forces."

Expressing solidarity with Sajeda, Jatiya Party Chairman

Hossain Mohammad Ershad said, " We have met together here to fight against the evil forces who played controversial role during the liberation war."

When asked who are the evil forces, he said, the BNP-Jamaat alliance, which tried to destroy the country during its rule.

About joining to the Four-party alliance he said, " I am responsible to my conscience. That is why I can not join the four-party alliance."

Former President Badaruddoja Chowdhury, also Chairman of Bikalpo Dhara Bangladesh (BDB), expressed his firm confidence in formation of the grand alliance with all the non-communal forces to fight against the evil forces.

"A grand, grand, grand alliance will be formed! We are surely going to attain the victory," said B Chowdhury.

"We are known to AL since long. Grand alliance is not a new initiative. we are mulling over this issue for the last two years," Chowdhury pointed out.

Hasanul Haque Inu, president of Jatiya Samajtrantik Dal (JSD)said, " We all the pro-liberation political parties will have to extend helping hand to each other to keep the BNP-jamaat alliance out of power."

Rashed Khan Memon President of Workers Party said, "We all together will do everything to defeat the BNP-Jamaat alliance, who made champion in corruption for five consecutive years by indulging in corruption and looting state wealth."

Gano Forum leader Pankaj Bhattacharya was also opposing alignment with the religious parties with the grand alliance, saying: "Only opposing the Jamaat cannot be the identity of a progressive political party."

AL presidium member Amir Hossain Amu,Tofail Ahmed, Begum Matia Chowdhury, were also present.

Acting president of the AL Zillur Rahman was not present at the function, as he was out of Dhaka.

Jatiya Party (Manju) secretary general Sheikh Shahid, was also present.

Mahi B Chowdhury, son of Badaruddoza Chowdhury and Maj (retd) Abdul Mannan, secretary general of BDB, were also present.

Shaikh Razzak Ali and Prof Jahanara Begum of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Gano Forum presidium member Pankaj Bhattacharya, Bangladesh Islami Oikya Jote chairman Misbaur Rahman, Islamic Front of Bangladesh (IFB) chairman Syed Bahadur Shah and vice-chairman

Khandaker Golam Maola, among others, attended the function.

Loan, bill defaulters barred from polls

Staff Reporter

Loan and bill defaulters will not be allowed to contest the forthcoming elections, said Election Commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) M Shakhawat Hossain.

Talking to reporters yesterday, he said it is not the right information that the loan and bill defaulters are being given concession during the polls.

The remarks came following some reported allegations that loan and bill defaulters are again lobbying to get party nominations.

Shakhawat Hossain said the political parties should apply to the government for permission to arrange their party councils, meant for updating their manifestoes to adapt to the changed atmosphere in the political arena.

Replying to a question, he said the ballot papers for the general and upazila elections would be printed after completing the scrutiny of the candidatures.

"Some 10 to 15 symbols will remain on the ballot papers for upazila chairman elections," he said.

Asked whether one candidate would be able simultaneously to contest both the upazila and parliamentary polls at a time, he replied in the negative saying that one candidate could apply for nomination in two places but he/she could not contest in two places.

"The candidature will be dropped out at one place during the scrutiny," he said.

He said the nomination submission for both the parliamentary and upazila elections might be completed in a single day, but the scrutiny could be completed within a day or two thereafter. The Election Commissioner said the Additional Deputy Commissioners (ADCs) would act as returning officers during the upazila elections.

Pakistan recovers 'US spy drone’

BBC Online

The Pakistani army has found the wreckage of a suspected US spy plane near the Afghan border but has rejected claims it was shot down.

A military spokesman told the BBC that the drone was recovered on Tuesday in the South Waziristan tribal area and the wreckage was being examined. The spokesman said the crash appeared to have been due to a malfunction. The US has not confirmed the loss of the drone. It has denied that any of its aircraft have been shot down.

Meanwhile, fighting between Pakistani troops and Taleban militants is continuing in the tribal region of Bajaur.

In Quetta, capital of south-western Balochistan province, a young girl was killed in a suicide bombing.

About a dozen military personnel were also injured in the assault on an army vehicle.

"A surveillance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), while flying over the Pak-Afghan border yesterday [Tuesday] night, crash-landed on this side of the bordert apparently due to malfunctioning," a Pakistani military spokesman said.

"The wreckage of the UAV has been recovered from the site by the security forces personnel and the matter is under detailed investigation," the spokesman said in a statement. The statement did not say who the drone belonged to, but security officials said they were in no doubt it was an American aircraft.

The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Karachi says this is the first time a US drone has crashed inside Pakistani territory.

The crash comes amid recent reports that Pakistani troops have opened fire to prevent the US forces from operating inside Pakistan, our correspondent says. The Pentagon said it had no report of any crash, while the CIA denied any knowledge of the incident.

"We have no reports of any loss of DoD [Department of Defense] drones," Lieutenant Colonel Mark Wright told the AFP news agency.

Officials said tribesmen in the village of Jalal first found the drone before troops later retrieved it. The area is known to be a stronghold of the Taleban and al-Qaeda militants. "No firing was heard in the area so there is no question of it being shot down," a senior Pakistani security official told AFP on condition of anonymity. But residents gave a different account.

"The tribesmen fired at the drone and it fell out of the sky," one unnamed resident told AFP.

US President George Bush said on Tuesday that he wanted to help Pakistan protect itself. He was speaking moments before his first meeting with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Bush did not refer directly to the controversial US strikes in Pakistan that have caused bilateral tensions.

There is growing anger in Pakistan at the US forces in Afghanistan violating Pakistani sovereignty.

DSE hits 4-day consecutive gains

UNB, Dhaka

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) soared for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday amid profit motif, as the investors were trying to take position on speculation of profit after the long Eid vacation.

Brokers said the investors would have taken position during the last few days before the Eid holidays on expectation that they would strike gains immediately after the vacation.

The country's premier bourse goes on 9-day vacation after the last trading day on Thursday. The DSE trading is scheduled to resume on October 5.

The pre-Eid speculation pushed the market up with most shares registering gains, pulling up the turnover and the market capitalisation, said the brokers.

Of the total 224 issues traded on the day, 143 gained, 72 declined and nine remained unchanged.

The day's total turnover increased to Tk4.30 billion from Tuesday's Tk 3.54 billion. Market Capitalisation increased to Tk 1.027 trillion on Wednesday from Tk 1.021 trillion on the day before.

The DSE General Index (DGEN), the benchmark index, rose 25 points or 0.86 percent to close at 2,925 on Wednesday from 2,900 points on Tuesday while the All Shares Price Index (DSI) increased 19 points or 0.79 percent to close at 2,463 points.

The DSE-20 index of selective shares gained 38 points or 1.59 percent to close at 2,433 points.

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

The day's volume leaders were AIMS 1st Mutual Fund, Beximco Pharma, GRAMEENS2, BEXIMCO, Goldenson, Beximco Textiles, BD Online, Keya Cosmetics, Square Textiles and Titas Gas.

Top gainers of the day were Eastern Cables, Agni Systems Limited, Ambee Pharma, Aramit, BD Welding, BSC, Goldenson, Glaxosmith, Beximco Pharma and ACI.

Top losers were BLTC, Padma Print, Anlima Yarn, Pragati :ife Insurance, Janata Insurance, Chittagong Vegetables, Libra Infusion, Bangas, Fine Foods and ISN Limited.

Information Secretary tells workshop: Awareness of reproductive health must for healthy life

Staff Reporter

Information Secretary Jamil Osman yesterday emphasised the need for creating mass awareness among the people about reproductive health in particular.

"The risks of infant mortality and maternal deaths could not be avoided due to the ignorance about reproductive health," he said addressing a two-day workshop on "Advocacy on Reproductive Health and Gender" as chief guest at Bangladesh Press Institute (PIB) in the city.

The Information Secretary called upon journalists to play their due role for the overall development of the country.

He said, the slogan-Information is Strength-has initiated the media as a development component in the contemporary world.

Department of Mass Communication (DMC) and the United Nation's Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) jointly organised the workshop.

Chaired by DMC Director General Abdul Mannan, the inaugural function was addressed by UNFPA Deputy Country Director Ponchai Sucitta and Director of DMC Sawapan Kumar Bhaumic.

Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, Director General of PIB Nazrul Islam, Director General of Department of Films and Publications Kamrunnahar and former principal information officer (PIO) Harun-ur-Rashid were present.

The Information Secretary termed the present decade as the era of free flow of information saying that information is capable to improve the living standards of people.

He said information could inspire people to work, educate them for leading healthy and comfortable life and give them new sources of knowledge to adapt to the changes of modern days.

Jamil Osman said the government was giving utmost importance to three vital issues like reproductive health, gender parity and HIV/AIDS to attain the millennium development goals (MDGs) by 2015.

Four-party will decide whether to contest JS polls: Delwar

Staff Reporter

BNP Secretary General Khondoker Delwar Hossain yesterday said the Four-party alliance under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia would decide to contest the next general elections under the new electoral laws of the Election Commission (EC).

"It was his (MK Anwar's) personal view and not the party or the coalition decision," Delwar said while reacting on the comment made by BNP Vice President MK Anwar that the party would participate in the parliamentary election under the Representation of the People Order (RPO) 2008 after an Iftar party organised by Mohammadpur unit of BNP in the city.

Responding to a question on the participation of the next parliamentary elections under the newly framed rules, Delwar said that a final decision would be made from a meeting of the Four-party coalition.

Replying to another query as to when they are going to sit for the meeting, he said: "We'll sit when we'll feel it's necessary."

On the issue of the expansion of the four party alliance the BNP Secretary General said if it is necessary, it will be expanded for contesting the next polls.

It may be mentioned that a four member delegation of BNP led by MK Anwar after a meeting with the EC on Tuesday told the media that BNP would register and join the forthcoming general elections in line with the new electoral laws and political parties' registration rules.

EC receives first consignment of transparent ballot boxes

Staff Reporter

The Election Commission (EC) yesterday received the first consignment of transparent ballot boxes to be used for the first time in parliamentary elections scheduled for December 18.

EC Joint Secretary Md Rafiqul Islam and Deputy Election Commissioner for Dhaka Division Biswas Lutfar Rahman have received about 36,000 ballot boxes out of some 2.40 lakh that reached the Inland Containers Depot (ICD) at Kamalapur in the city on September 16.

"Some 17,000 boxes have been sent to Narsinghdi, Shariatpur, Manikganj, Gazipur and Munshiganj and the remaining boxes will be sent today (Thursday) to other districts election offices," said Rafiqul Islam.

He said that some 237,500 boxes will arrive by ship by the next month and if necessary some others will be transported by air.

Election Commissioner Brig Gen (Retd) M Sakhawat Hossain told journalists at his office yesterday that one trainer from the Canadian Company would conduct training to 30 people to use the imported ballot boxes.

"The trainer will initially conduct a training programme for one hour with 30 people to teach them how to use the transparent ballot boxes," he said about the modality of the new exercise with voting.

He, however, mentioned that it will not be possible to use the transparent ballot boxes in the upazila polls on December 24 and 28.

The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is providing financial assistance to the Bangladesh government and United Nations Development Programmes (UNDP) is procuring the ballot boxes.

The Economic Relations Division of the government and UNDP agreed on Tk 45.37 crore ' Transparent Ballot Boxes" project following consultations held with the political parties.

Elections to 241 UZs to be held on Dec 24

BSS, Dhaka

The Election Commission (EC) has planned to hold elections to 241 upazilas on December 24 in the first phase maintaining serial number from Tatulia upazila under country's northern Panchgarh district.

Polling in the rest upazilas will be held on December 28, EC's Election Wing told BSS yesterday.

The commission has primarily chosen 10 election symbols for the upazila chairmen, vice-chairmen and the vice-chairmen for women reserved seats. The election symbols will be finalised after getting the Upazila Parishad Rules (UPRs).

The EC sources said the UPRs are set be published in gazette on Wednesday paving the way for holding elections to 482 upazilas across the country for the first time in 18 years in two phases.

"All preparations have been made to hold the upazila elections and the commission finds no problem in staging the polls after parliamentary election," Upazila Election Wing of Election Commission Secretariat sources said.

Ten symbols have been fixed for each post of the upazila election. The symbol would be allocated from an additional list if there is more than 10 candidates.

Ten symbols have been fixed for the upazila chairmen candidates. The symbols are pineapple, umbrella, telephone, wall clock, ink pot and pen, ladder and rickshaw.

Ten symbols have been fixed for Upazila vice-chairmen including football, parrot, mike, tiger, type writer and aero- plane.

Besides, 10 symbols have been fixed for women reserved seat for vice-chairman. The symbols include swan, camera, mango, swing machine, candle and fan.

The EC will announce the schedules of upazila and the Jatiya Sangsad elections in the first week of November.

Chief Election Commissioner Dr. ATM Shamsul Huda said on Monday that according to the election roadmap, the voter list will be finalised by October 30.

India bars leprosy patients from contesting polls

BBC Online

India's Supreme Court has upheld a ruling that leprosy patients cannot contest a civic election or hold municipal office in Orissa state.

The case was brought to court by two men who were elected to a civic body in Orissa in 2003, but were later disqualified as they had leprosy.

Campaigners are shocked at the ruling, saying there is no medical reason to discriminate against leprosy patients.

India accounts for more than 65% of all the leprosy cases in the world.

The country has been fighting hard to combat the condition and according to official records it has eliminated leprosy.

But non-governmental organisations say the country adds at least 100,000 new leprosy cases every year.

The Orissa Municipal Act of 1950 bars people suffering from tuberculosis or leprosy from holding such posts.

The health ministry has written to the state governments asking them to review any archaic laws regarding the disease as it is not contagious

Vinita Shankar, Sasakawa India Leprosy Foundation

"The legislature in its wisdom has thought it fit to retain such provisions in the statute in order to eliminate the danger of the disease being transmitted to other people from the person affected," Supreme Court judges CK Thakker and DK Jain said in their ruling.

The two disqualified councillors from Orissa had petitioned the court after the state high court ruled that their disqualification was not discriminatory.

The Supreme Court judges upheld the earlier decision, saying: "We do not find any infirmity or illegality in the judgment warranting interference."

Campaigners are, however, appalled by the court order.

"It's come as a shock. It's incomprehensible how the Supreme Court can say something like this," Vinita Shankar, director of the Sasakawa India Leprosy Foundation (SILF), told the BBC.

"There is no scientific basis for discrimination against a leprosy patient, the court order is based on inadequate information."

Ms Shankar says India is a signatory to the UN resolution which says discrimination against leprosy patients must be ended.

"The Indian government and the health ministry have been very supportive of the cause, the health ministry has written to the state governments asking them to review any archaic laws regarding the disease as it is not contagious," she said.

Leprosy is one of the world's oldest diseases - written accounts of leprosy in Indian date back to 600BC.

Although the disease is very hard to catch, leprosy patients are often treated with a lot of stigma in India.

3 private cos get broadband internet service licence

Staff Reporter

Three private companies won the licence of broadband internet service (WiMax/broadband wireless access-BWOA) through an open auction.

Bangla Lion Communication, BRAC BDMail Network Ltd and Augere Wireless Broadband Bangladesh Ltd got the licenses at the auction.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Communication (BTRC) organised the auction at a hotel in the capital yesterday. Bangla Lion Communication offered highest Taka 215 crore for the license. The rest two companies agreed to pay the same amount.

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Telecommunications retired Brig Gen MA Malek (Retd) was present on the occasion.

When asked about reduction of internet fee, Malek said, "So long there was no control over the activities relating to internet services, but control will be in place very soon."

BTRC Chairman Maj Gen (retd) Monjurul Alam was also present at the auction which continued for four hours.

He hoped that government would be able to earn nearly Tk 2000 crore annually in revenue from internet services.

The companies, which got Internet licenses, will run the broadband Internet service in 2.3 and 2.5 Gigahertz spectrums.

According to license conditions and primary survey, the companies will have to set up at least 90 base stations in the concerned areas in the first year and the whole country will be brought under WiMax in three years.

BTRC invited applications from interested companies for internet license on August 30. Nine organisations took part in the auction out of 12 which purchased application forms.

With the introduction of WiMax facilities, BTRC hopes, the number of Internet users would surpass one crore in the country.

515 get bail extension in a day

UNB, Dhaka

A vacation bench of the High Court Wednesday extended bails for another four months to 515 accused, including some bigwig corrupt suspects.

Among the accused are ex-ministers Moudud Ahmed, Tariqul Islam, Aman Ullah Aman, former energy adviser Mahmudur Rahman, BNP leader Tarique Rahman, and ex-BNP MPs Salahuddin Ahmed of Demra and Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu.

A division bench, comprising Justice AKM Eazlur Rahman and Sheikh Abdul Awal, passed the orders.

Details could not be known immediately.