The New Nation - Internet Edition

GF to quit Mahajote, if Ershad joins: To form Jukta Front with pro-lib forces

Awami League organised a Milad Mahfil at its
Dhanmondi office marking the 62nd birthday of the party
president Sheikh Hasina yesterday. FocusBangla

Staff Reporter

Gano Forum (GF) has decided not to stay in the Mahajote (Mega electoral alliance) led by Awami League (AL) that also includes Jatiya Party (JP) of former military dictator HM Ershad.

Rather it has called for building a united front (Jukta Front) with non-communal, democratic, progressive and pro-liberation forces on a common programme.

Presidium, the highest policy making body of the party reached a decision in this regard at a meeting yesterday. Presidium Member Pankaj Bhattachariya presided over the meeting in absence of party chief Dr Kamal Hossain.

"We will not form alliance with Jatiya Party and so we will not join the Mahajote. We cannot form alliance sacrificing our principle and ideology," Pankaj Bhattachariya told the New Nation over telephone last night.

"We are interested to form a united front with pro-liberation forces," he added.

Asked about their position regarding AL, the seasoned politician said, "We are not thinking to exclude Awami League, as we consider it a pro-liberation party. But if Awami League excludes itself from us, then we have nothing to do."

After the presidium meeting Gano Forum released a press statement urging the caretaker government and the election commission not to compromise with "the corrupt, criminalised evil political forces and anti-liberation elements" and to stick to its reform moves.

"Don't' pursue weak-kneed policy for placating corrupt, criminalised and anti-liberation elements," it said to the Government and the EC.

Explaining its position regarding the Mahajote the GF said it would be tantamount to no-confidence in democracy and independence if compromise is made with autocrats, communal forces and war criminals in the name of election strategy.

"It will also be a worst example of sick politics of merely election and power," the GF also said in its resolution, in the wake of what appears to be a turnabout from the much-hyped 1/11 changeover.

The Gano Forum urged the people to remain alert about conspiracy of certain quarters to foil the election, set for December 18.

It also called for building Jukta Front with non-communal, democratic, progressive and pro-liberation forces on minimum programme.

The presidium meeting at Gano Forum office was attended by Commander (Retd) Abdur Rouf, Mafizul Islam Khan, ex-Whip Mostafa Mohsin Mantu and Jamaluddin.

Holy Ramzan: Allah guides believers and the righteous

The holy Quran is the 'guide to mankind' and it conveys the 'guidance' (hidaya) of Allah. We should have a clear conception about the guidance. The holy Quran says: "t.then Allah leaves in error whom He pleases and He guides whom He pleasest.."(14:4). There are such other verses in the Quran. Because of our manifold limitations in understanding, there is the proability of confusion, contradiction and misconception.

'Guidance' and 'misguidance' need explanation. These should not be confused and misunderstood. 'Misguidance' should not be attributed to the Creator as His wilful 'oppression' (Allah forbid!).

The verses in the Quran should be read in conjuncture and then attempt to get the real meaning of the messages. The relevant traditions of the Sunnah are to be arranged so that they (the verses and Hadith) become mutually helpful. It is also to be borne in mind, Allah is above the 'human' motive of 'oppression'. He is so kind to his servants that He helps them in righteousness and avoids them against disobedience.

The Quranic 'guidance' is not only for human being, but also plants, animals and inanimate creatures. Allah made laws and systems to fit their existence. This is natural (instinctive) guidance for human being and animal to guide the creatures to their system of natural life and existence. The Quran says : "He said, our Lord is He Who gives to everything its creation, then guides (it)". (20:50). The Hadith echoes : "Do act, for each creature is equipped according to what Allah created." Here difference does not arise on guidance.

There is the legislative guidance of Allah, which relates to injunction on Code of life and the world, dealing with fellow human beings and worship, etc.

The Quran says : "Those who believe and do good, their Lord guides them by their faith." (10:9) "Those who believe not in Allah's signs, Allah guides them not, and for them is a painful chastisement." (16:104).

So, there is no scope of taking the guidance of Allah as determination i.e. Allah to be made responsible for the wrong done by the concerned created being. On the contrary, the meaning of such verses is Allah's help for them who seek and wish the guidance and proceed towards the right path.

-Abdul Muqit Chowdhury

Aggyan party active before Eid

UNB, Dhaka

Organised gangs of criminals known as Aggan Party or Malom (balm) Party, who make their unsuspecting victims unconscious by entertaining them with food or soft drinks mixed with strong dosage of sedatives, have become alarmingly active ahead of Eid-ul-fitr.

In the last 5 days, some 50 people were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and Mitford Hospital, all of whom had fallen victim to the Aggyan Parties.

Sources said many innocent people travelling by buses, launches and trains were robbed of their cash and valuables by members of these organised gangs.

These criminals board the vehicles in the guise of passengers. They sit next to their targets and then start gossiping with them. Taking advantage of the newly developed friendliness, they offer the innocent passengers something to eat. After taking that food, the passengers fall unconscious.

These organised gangs cheat people not only when they are travelling, but also many people become their targets on roads, at roadside stalls, and even at crowded Iftar parties during Ramadan.

Many of them use different types of balm (Malom) or powder of spices to make their targeted people senseless. It is also learnt that the miscreants also stealthily keep sedatives including chloroform in handkerchief and unfold the handkerchief before the passenger's nose to make them unconscious.

These criminals are active in such areas like Kamlapur railway station, Gabtoli bus station, Mohakhali bus station, Sayedabad bus terminal, Gulistan, Sadarghat launch terminal and Jatrabari.

Rafiqul Islam, a retired government official from Sylhet reached Kamlapur railway station last Wednesday. After getting down from the train some youths approached him and sprayed something on his face. Immediately, he fell unconscious. When he regained consciousness, he found himself on a hospital bed. He found that the Aggyan Party members had taken away all his belongings including Tk 5,000 in cash.

Despite police have set up special camps at all the terminals for ensuring smooth and safe journey for homebound passengers, the criminals, including pickpockets and Aggyan Party members, have been active on the eve of the Eid.

Doctors at DMCH Emergency Department and the Mitford Hospital said they were receiving on an average five victims of the Aggyan Party daily.

Talking to reporters at DMP headquarters, Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Naim Ahmed said that the activities of Aggyan Party decreased compared to the last year as many kingpins of those gangs had already been arrested. He said he had ordered the police, especially plainclothesmen, to intensify their vigilance.

JP central leader, 3 others killed in road mishap

BSS, Rajshahi

Four members of a family including Vice-President of Jatiya Party (Ershad) MA Hannan,58, were killed and three others injured in a road accident at Kathalbariya on the Rajshahi-Dhaka highway in Puthiya upazila yesterday morning.

Quoting witnesses, Police said the accident took place when a Dhaka-bound private car with Hannan and his five family members coming from Chapainawabganj collided head-on with a truck at around 7.30 AM, killing four of them on the spot and injuring three others critically.

Other victims were identified as Hannan's daughter Ruma,25, grand son Noman,4, and driver Ayub Nabi,32. His another daughter Soma,22, her husband Mamun, 32, and grand daughter Nafisa,3, were immediately admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

The JP Leader along with his five family members were coming to Dhaka to celebrate the holy Eid-ul-Fitr after spending several days at his village home in Chapainawabganj district.

Police seized both the vehicles from the spot but the truck driver fled the spot soon after the accident.

A case was lodged with Puthiya Thana in this connection.

Partisan comments: Suranjit, Hamid flay Sircar

Staff Reporter

Awami League (AL) Presidium Member Suranjit Sengupta yesterday demanded the immediate resignation of the Speaker of the parliament Muhammad Jamiruddin Sircar.

Suranjit placed this demand while speaking at an iftar party to mark the 62th birth anniversary of AL chief Sheikh Hasina, at the NAM flat of former speaker and deputy opposition leader Abdul Hamid.

He said, "Sircar should resign immediately, as is making political comments, sitting in a constitutional post, which violated his oath as speaker."

"He should not speak in such a way when taking salary from the taxpayers," he added.

At a roundtable on Friday, at the National Press Club, Sircar had said there was no cause for nationalist forces to fear as AL could not win the next parliamentary polls "even if it forms an alliance with 14 parties, 16 parties or even 100 parties."

Sircar also commented that AL had smashed democracy in the past and in future the democracy of the country was not safe in AL's hands.

Abdul Hamid said "Sircar cannot make the comments as the speaker, as it is undemocratic and against parliamentary norms."

"Making those comments, Sircar has lost the moral authority as speaker, who must perform his duties without political bias," he said.

Talking to the reporters Haimd was highly critically of the activities of BNP and said, " BNP is an undemocratic party. It is unacceptable for the BNP to talk about democracy," said Hamid.

Both Suranjit and Hamid demanded unconditional release of Sheikh Hasina and and immediate withdrawal of all the cases filed against her as ell as other AL leaders.

Chinese astronauts return to Earth after spacewalk

AP, Beijing

Three Chinese astronauts made a jubilant return to Earth on Sunday after successfully completing the country's first-ever spacewalk, an event the premier said was "a stride forward" in China's space history.

The spacewalk was mainly aimed at testing China's mastery of the technology involved. The sole task of mission commander Zhai Zhigang was to retrieve a rack attached to the outside of the orbital module. He remained outside for about 13 minutes.

"It was a glorious mission, full of challenges with a successful end," Zhai said after the Shenzhou 7 module landed under clear skies in the grasslands of China's northern Inner Mongolia region. "We feel proud of the motherland."

State broadcaster CCTV showed the astronauts emerge from their capsule, which floated gently down under a giant red-and-white-striped parachute, and wave at cameras as they celebrated the end of their 68-hour mission.

Zhai, Liu Boming and Jing Haipeng stayed inside for about 46 minutes to adapt to Earth's gravity before crawling out of the narrow entrance. They were declared healthy after medical examinations inside the module.

"This mission's success is a milestone; a stride forward," Premier Wen Jiabao said at mission control.

Saturday's space walk, which was broadcast live and watched by crowds gathered around outdoor television screens, further stoked national pride one month after the close of the Beijing Olympics.

"A small step by Zhai Zhigang in space is a big step in the history of the Chinese nation," said a commentary by the official Xinhua News Agency carried Sunday by the Beijing Daily newspaper.

On most newspaper front pages were pictures of Zhai clutching a Chinese flag as he hovered in space outside the Shenzhou 7 vessel, alongside photos of Chinese President Hu Jintao on a telephone as he spoke to the astronauts.

While successful, the spacewalk wasn't without anxious moments.

Zhai, a 41-year-old fighter pilot, appeared to struggle with the hatch and a fire alarm was triggered in the orbiter as he began the spacewalk.

Wang Zhaoyao, deputy director of manned space flight, conceded that the combined effects of weightlessness and depressurization on the hatch opening operation hadn't been fully anticipated. He blamed a faulty sensor for the fire alarm.

The spacewalk required the astronauts to first depressurize and then repressurize the orbital module and proved the effectiveness of Zhai's Feitian space suit, produced by China at a cost of $4.4 million. Liu wore a nearly identical Russian-made Orlan suit, according to the reports.

The spacewalk paves the way for assembling a space station from two Shenzhou orbital modules, the next major goal of China's manned spaceflight program.

China is also pursuing lunar exploration and may attempt to land a man on the moon in the next decade - possibly ahead of NASA's 2020 target date for returning to the moon.

China launched its first manned mission, Shenzhou 5, in 2003, becoming only the third country after Russia and the United States to launch a man into space. That was followed by a two-man mission in 2005.

Orphans should be turned into skilled manpower : Dr Zillur

BSS, Dhaka

Education and Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman on Sunday said, the members of the government children home would be turned into skill manpower by providing them with appropriate training including computer literacy as well as traditional know-how.

He was addressing as the chief guest at the closing of a three-month computer training and certificate distribution ceremony at the conference room of Tejgaon Government Children Home here, an official handout said.

The Management at the Top-2 (MAT-2) under the Establishment Ministry conducted the three month long computer training programmes for the female members of the government children home.

Director General of the Social Welfare Department Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury chaired the function. Social welfare secretary Dewan Zakir Hossain, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Zillur Rahman and Team leader of MAT-2, Batch 10, Deputy Secretary Nasrin Akhter spoke.

The Adviser said, besides raising economic growth, special importance should be given to the various elements of social development in making budgetary allocations.

Orphans till age of 18 years are allowed to have shelters at the government children homes, he mentioned adding that initiatives should be taken for helping these children entre into their working lives by giving them proper and pro-life training.

Advanced ideas and integrated efforts are needed in this purpose, he said urging the concerned for giving much attention in this regard.

Initiatives have been taken to provide three children with jobs out of 16 trainees.

United Airways launches Dhaka, Barisal flight

UNB, Barisal

Barisal airport came into operation after 18 months as United Airways, a private airline, started its 5th domestic flight on Dhaka-Barisal route on Sunday.

The opening flight landed Barisal Airport at 11:45 am carrying 36 passengers and took off for Dhaka at 12:15 pm with 29 passengers, mostly guests of the inauguration flight.

"We are happy connecting the country's southern part with the capital," said Md. Kamarul Islam, deputy manager (marketing support and public relations) of United Airways.

Captain Tasbirul Ahmed Chowdhury, also chairman and managing director of the airways, inaugurated the flight. Syed Abdul Muktadir, Khurshid Alam, Ferdous Imam, Zilani F R Chowdhury, D M Moudud, Manirul Huq Zoardar, Majubur Rahman, Abu Saleh Md Musa, among others, attended the flight.

"We will operate three flights a week to Barisal," Kamrul said, adding that the 20 minute-flight will be operated on Sunday at 7:30 am and 1:30 pm on Tuesday and Thursday from Zia International Airport.

According to the official, the one-way fare for each passenger will be Tk 4,495, while the return fare will be Tk 8,990, including taxes, and will give one bonus ticket against purchasing of two tickets.

Two other local airlines-Biman Bangladesh Airlines and GMG Airlines-had earlier suspended their flights due to poor traffic.

The United Airways, however, expressed its optimism about attracting passengers, particularly those, who had switched over to other transport systems such as water and roads. It is expecting to receive some corporate passengers also.

"We believe we will be able to bring back the passengers by giving slogan 'Fly Your Own Airline'," the official said.

United Airways, a venture of non-resident Bangladeshis, launched operation in July 10, 2007 with two Canadian made DASH-8 model 37 seated air crafts to grab the country's potential aviation market, which grows about 7.5 percent a year.

The airline now operates flights to four domestic destinations Chittagong, Sylhet, Cox's Bazar and Jessore. The Dhaka-Chittagong route is its main source of revenue, it said.

The two-fleet carrier went global by flying on the Dhaka-Kolkata route on September 24, 2008 and hoped to touch Kathmundu, Bangkok, and Kualalumpur, Bahrain and Dubai airports by 2009.

Dhaka seeks unrestricted access for LDC products

UNB, New York

Bangladesh called upon the international community to ensure unrestricted market access for all products of all of the least developed countries (LDCs).

Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury made the call while addressing Ministerial Meeting of the Group of 77 at the UN headquarters on Friday evening.

He said, "The key development deliveries, particularly duty-and quota- free market access and support for productive capacity-building for LDCs, should be pursued expeditiously and comprehensively." Developed countries and developing ones in a position to do so must provide duty-and quota-free market access for all products of all the LDCs, "unilaterally and without discrimination, even before the conclusion of the Doha Round", he told the meet.

Dr Chowdhury identified soaring food prices and climate change as two of the most pressing problems confronting developing countries in the present times.

"In order to mitigate the problems arising out of these two challenges, developed countries should stick to the promises made about quantity and quality of assistance," he said. The foreign adviser also stated that the fourth international conference on LDCs is due to take place around 2010 and sought support of the world community so that event can take place in a timely and effectively manner.

Low over Bay

BSS, Dhaka

Maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Mongla have been advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal number three (rpt) three.

All fishing boats and trawlers over north bay have been advised to remain close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice.

According to the warning message issued by Storm Warning Centre, the well marked low over southwestern parts of Bangladesh between Barisal, Patuakhali, Madaripur and Khulna regions moved north north/ westwards and now lies over Ishurdi and adjoining areas.

It is likely to move in a north westerly direction under its influence steep pressure gradient persists over north bay.

Squally weather is likely to continue over north bay and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh and may affect the maritime ports.

Huge fertiliser seized, 3 held

BSS, Lalmonirhat

The joint forces and police seized huge quantities of smuggled chemical fertilisers and arrested three persons in two separate drives conducted in Lalmonirhat on Saturday, police sources said.

Acting on a tip-off, the joint forces conducted a sudden raid at the godown of Yunus Ali at Baro Masjid area in Lalmonirhat town, seized 28 sacs smuggled Indian fertilisers and arrested one Anwar Hossain red- handed from the spot.

A case was filed with Sadar Thana against three persons including the arrested person, absconding godown owner Yunus Ali and his brother Mohammad Ali in this connection. In another raid, the joint forces and police arrested smugglers Kabir Hossain and Shachin and seized 23 sacs smuggled Indian fertilisers from local rail station area on the same day.

Govt urged to ensure supply of fertiliser, quality seeds

Staff Reporter

Leaders of the Bangladesh Krishak Samiti (BKS) yesterday called upon the caretaker government to ensure supply of adequate fertilisers, quality seeds, pesticides and other agricultural inputs for the production winter crops.

They made the demand at a press conference at Mukti Bhaban in the city's Paltan area.

The BKS will form a human chain and place memoranda to the deputy commissioners and Thana Nirbahi Officer across the country to press home their demand on October 13, BKS General Secretary Morshed Ali said at the press conference.

BKS President Advocate SM Sobur, Nurur Rahman Salem, Sajjad Jahir Chandan, Advocate Hari Shadan Dev, Nila Chakrabarti, Bimalandu Haider, Abid Hossain and Anirban Shah were present at the press conference among others.

Morshed said the farmers will need seed and seedlings of different crops just after flood and for this the government must have to take preparation for the supply of agricultural inputs to the growers.

He pointed out that damage of Aman crops by the devastating flood this season and pest attack on Aman fields seriously affected the growers.

The BKS leaders described recent experience of their visit to different districts across the country and said that the farmers didn't get adequate urea fertiliser and other agriculture inputs due to short supply. Besides, irrigation of lands suffered due to inadequate and irregular supply of power, they noted.

Khaleda’s Eid greetings to people

Staff Reporter

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and Secretary General Khondoker Delwar Hossain yesterday in separate messages conveyed their greetings and felicitations to the people of the country on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.

In her message, Khaleda Zia said Islam teaches us to share Eid-ul-Fitr equally by forgetting all misunderstanding among us.

"Self-restraint and purification that we learned from the lessons of the holy month of Ramzan should be implemented in our personal life to the rest of the year for bringing social welfare of the country. It is also our duty to extend our helping hands and sympathies for the destitutes," she said.

She called upon the affluent sections of the society to help poor people enjoy the Eid.

She also prayed for continued peace and development of the country and Muslim Ummah.

In his message Khondoker Delwar said Eid-ul-Fitr gives us lesson to forget all differences and misunderstandings and engage ourselves for establishing peace and harmony in the society.

He prayed to the Almighty Allah for the continued peace and progress in Bangladesh and Muslims brotherhood.