The New Nation - Internet Edition

DU VC orders crackdown as madrasah students protest admission curb: 25 students injured in police action

Members of Madrasah Students' Rights Preservation
Committee demanding withdrawal of restriction on Madrasah
students to get admitted in eight departments of Dhaka
University yesterday. NN photo

Riot police swing into action to break up students'
rally demanding reduction of price of Dhaka University
admission forms on the campus yesterday. NN photo

DU Correspondent

At least 25 students of Dhaka University (DU) were injured on the first day of admission forms distribution yesterday, as police charged batons on agitating students for the first time after the August violence in 2007 in line with the directive of the university's vice-chancellor to crack down on demonstration.

Of the injured, Sohan Sobhan, Biplob Mandol, Sohel Rana, Mumtahina, Shikha and Rahat Ahmed of Progressive Students' Alliance (PSA) and Habibur Rahman, Mujahidul Islam, Farhad, Shamimul Islam, Umar Faruk and Al-Mamun of Madrasah Students' Rights Preservation Committee (MSRPC) were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and DU medical centre in critical condition.

MSRPC convener Md moniruzzaman said police swooped on them when they were entering the TSC premises in a procession to stop sale of first-year honours admission forms demanding withdrawal of restrictions on madrasah students to get admitted to eight departments of DU.

Mita of Chhatra Union alleged that police beat up their activists without any provocation when they rushed to the same place in another demonstration demanding a decrease of Tk 50 on each admission form from Tk 300.

On-duty police officer Suruzzaman told reporters that they charged batons on the agitating students, as police was asked by the university authorities to help the bank authorities sell admission forms without any hindrance.

Earlier, DU Vice-Chancellor SMA Faiz on Saturday directed the law enforcing agencies to assist the bank authorities by hook or by crook so that they could sell admission forms uninterruptedly.

However, the bank authorities, the Janata Bank branch in particular, couldn't sell admission forms for long, as sporadic clashes took place between police and the agitating students till the noon.

Admission seekers, who came to the campus to collect admission forms, had to suffer a lot, as they had to wait in the long queues for long due to the clashes.

Melamine tainted powder milk: Govt awaits complete report on sample test

Staff Reporter

The Government has decided to re-examine the sample of eight-powder milk brands earlier tested positive of melamine following the demand of multinational companies.

Two committees have been formed to conduct three tests on the eight powder milk brands. The authorities asked the committees to submit their report to the government within seven days.

The decision to constitute two committees was taken at an Inter-ministerial meeting held at Commerce Ministry yesterday. Commerce Secretary Firoz Ahmed presided over the meeting.

The government has formed a twelve-member expert committee comprising two teachers from Department of Chemistry of Dhaka University (DU), three members each from the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), and the BCSIR, two members from Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI), one member each from the Health Ministry and the Plasma Plus, a private laboratory.

The committee will conduct two tests separately on the eight powder-milk brands within the country and one in a foreign laboratory.

After getting the final test report from the expert committees, the government will take final decision where to impose restriction or not on the brands, Firoz Ahmed said.

He said that the Ministry has also constituted another five-member committee to collect the samples of the eight powder milk brands within 12noon today (Monday) and submit the samples to the expert committee.

The five-member committee consists of one member each from the commerce ministry, industries ministry, health ministry, BSTI and one member from the powder milk company.

Additional Secretary of Commerce Ministry Golam Mostakin, Controller of Export and Import Md Zahurul Alam, Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission Dr Shafiqul Islam, Prof AJ Mahmood of the Department of Chemistry of DU, Chairman of BCSIR Dr Akram Hossain, director general of BSTI Azmal Hossain, Country Manager of Dano Ahmed Kabir, Health Nutrition Department Director Dr Fatema Parvin Chowdhury and Nestle Bangladesh Limited Managing Director Laurant Thersnd, among others, were present in the meeting.

At the meeting, the Country Manager of Dano Ahmed Kabir claimed that no melamine detected in Dano products during a test in Germany.

Nestle Bangladesh Limited Managing Director Laurant Thersnd pointed out that two laboratories outside Bangladesh had tested the Nestle products and found that it contained no melamine.

On October 18, the teachers of the Department of Chemistry of DU were critical of Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institute (BSTI) for its incompetence to find traces of melamine in eight powder milk brands of multinational companies.

The DU test result showed all the eight brands of milk contain melamine ranging between 40 milligram per kg to 450 milligram per kg.

The result showed Nido Fortified Instant contains highest level of melamine, 450miligram per kg and Dano contains lowest level of melamine, 40 miligram per kg.

Other brands, Sweet baby-2, contains 280, in Yashli-1 the level is 140, Yashli-2 holds 290, Anline 200, Diploma 230, and Red Cow 300, milligram per kg melamine.

Mujahid denied bail, asked to surrender to trial court

Mujahid

Staff Reporter

The High Court again denied bail to wanted Jamaat secretary general and ex-Minister Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed in Barapukuria coalmine corruption case yesterday and ordered him to surrender to the trial court within two weeks.

However, the HC asked the police "not to arrest or harass" him within this intervening period.

The court orders came as Mujaheed, carrying warrant of arrest over his head for the last 13 days surrendered to the HC bench of Justice M Anwarul Haque and Justice Farah Mahbub. Earlier on June 3, another High Court bench denied him bail. Mujaheed then moved to the Supreme Court for redress, but the chamber judge dismissed his bail prayer on October 8 as being "not pressed" by his lawyer.

Barrister Abdur Razzaq who moved the bail petition said the principal accused in the case, ex-PM Khaleda Zia, and some of her former cabinet colleagues who are co-accused are enlarged on bail.

Besides, he submitted, the case proceedings have been stayed by the High Court following a quashment petition filed by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Interrupting Razzaq, the court asked him whether his client is "fugitive." In response the lawyer said, "he has already surrendered before the court."

Opposing the bail, Anti-Corruption Commission lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan argued that an accused remaining fugitive "defying lower-court order" cannot be freed on bail.

"The accused must surrender to the trial court to seek bail as the warrant of arrest is still in place. So, there is no scope for granting him bail," he said.

During the hearing, the minister of the past coalition government, who stood in the courtroom with his head bowed down, was allowed to sit in the bench on his lawyer's submission.

Police took up position in the front of the central jamaat office and at the residence of Mujaheed to arrest him. The detective branch of police kept watch over the Maghbazar and Malibagh areas. But the Jamaat leader arrived in the court compound by a black jeep with tainted glass at about 3:00pm amidst tight police security. Two cars were seen escorting Mujaheed's jeep in a bid to evade the press.

They said a good number of Jamaat and Islami Chhatra Shibir leaders and workers were present at the court compound.

AL won’t join polls sans Hasina: Zillur

Staff Reporter

Awami League (AL) President Zillur Rahman yesterday categorically said that AL would never participate in the parliamentary election under the state of emergency and without Sheikh Hasina.

He made this remark while addressing the leaders and activists at a protest rally demanding unconditional release of Sheikh Hasina at the institution of Engineers in the capital.

He expressed apprehension that conspiracy was on to foil the upcoming national polls and called on the leaders and activists to be prepared for waging street movement if that happens.

About withdrawal of state of emergency he said, " If the emergency rule continues, the fundamental rights will be restricted. Where there is no right of speech, there is no opportunity to exercise franchise."

He termed the government's stand to continue the emergency rule until the national election as another trick to foil the election.

Demanding unconditional release of Sheikh Hasina, AL presidium member Amir Hossain Amu said that the demand for releasing Sheikh Hasina is not only the demand of the party but that of the nation.

He set October 30 as the last date for freeing Sheikh Hasina, now in the US on parole. "Otherwise," he threatened, "tough programmes would be declared to wrest her release."

He also criticised the government saying, "They are playing ducks and drakes with the general elections. But it will not be good for the nation, if the national election is not held on December 18."

He also opined that the criteria of a free, fair and credible election should be measured on the basis of

Six injured as BCL factions clash at DU

DU Correspondent

At least six students were injured in a clash between two factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) over supremacy on Zahurul Haque Hall unit of Dhaka University at the hall premises yesterday.

The incident stemmed from long drawn internal feud among the leaders and activists of BCL over leadership and other issues. The same situation has been prevailing in other dormitories, sources said.

The victims were identified as BCL activists Ashraf, Rahat, Suman, Saddam, Razzak and Tipu.

Panic gripped the students as the BCL activists were patrolling inside the hall premises equipped with iron road, hocystick and lethal weapon.

Earlier, hall level leaders and activists of BCL from a rally declared its central and university unit presidents and secretaries persona non grata for not announcing hall committees for over two years.

They blamed these leaders for damaging the heritage of the organisation.

On the other hand, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), student wing of BNP, staged a demonstration on the Dhaka University campus demanding withdrawal of state of emergency and exemption of Khaleda Zia from graft cases.

A good number of JCD activists from different universities and colleges of the city took part in the demonstration and held a rally in front of Aparajeyo Bangla.

BB cautions banks to lend carefully to avoid harsh consequences

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed yesterday cautioned the commercial banks about their lending so that they can avoid situations like present global financial crisis.

He also instructed the banks authorities to go for lending to the productive sectors like agriculture, housing and SMEs for employment generation through reducing credit to the unproductive sectors such as consumer loan.

"I have told the bank executives to maintain required advance-deposit ratio and ensure quality of assets," the central bank Governor told reporters after a meeting with chief executives of commercial banks at Bangladesh Bank conference room.

Managing directors and chief executive officers of commercial banks were present at the regular meeting, reviewing the situation of local banks in view of the global financial crisis.

The Governor congratulated the bankers for consolidating the local banking sector from the possible shock of the global crisis.

Replying to a question, Dr Ahmed said the local banks have already protected their funds held abroad from the shock of the crisis.

"Increase in credit to the productive sectors will help banks reduce their surplus liquidity," Dr Salehuddin said when asked whether the banks would accumulate excess liquidity further due to a possibility of slowing down investments as the fallout of global financial crisis.

About the rapid growth in lending through credit cards, he said it seems a huge growth when one would see the growth as a percentage. But, in terms of amount, it was not too much. He, however, asked the bankers to be cautious about the trend to see of it takes a faster growth.

The Governor also instructed the bankers to improve their services as the central bank in a recent survey found that the banks were providing poor services to their clients.

Association of Bankers Bangladesh (ABB) president and City Bank managing director K Mahmud Sattar told newsmen that the local banks were not in a grave situation in relation to the global financial crisis. There is no reason to relate local banks directly with the global financial crisis, he said.

Sattar, quoting the BB Governor, said the central bank has directed the bankers to remain alert and "watch and see" the consequences in exports and remittance.

Asked about the banking services, he admitted that the banks could not reach the level of international standard and requested the central bank to send their findings, without naming any particular bank, to the banks so they could take measures to improve the situation.

Bangladesh extradites 11 Indian insurgents in two months

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh has extradited 11 suspected Indian insurgents between June and August this year as legal process was underway to return several other criminal elements as part of efforts for mutual confidence building, security officials said here.

"We have handed over 11 suspected insurgents in between June 12 to August 22 this year as part of our policy to fight against cross-border terrorism and crimes" despite the absence of any extradition treaty between the two neighbours, a senior security official said preferring anonymity.

He added that different Bangladesh law enforcement agencies arrested more than suspected 120 Indian criminals and insurgents since 2003 and many of them already returned home exhausting jail terms, and legal process were underway to return the rests.

Officials said 10 alleged operatives of India's outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) were killed in an encounter with the elite anti-crime troops as they infiltrated into Bangladesh territory.

The comments came against the backdrop of a protracted propagation in Indian authority and media accusing Bangladesh of harbouring their separatist elements, an allegation that Dhaka protested repeatedly.

"As stated earlier repeatedly by the policy level, I reassure you that Bangladesh does not allow its territory to be used by foreign terrorists or separatists . . . the extraditions was part of Dhaka's commitment to fight against cross-border terrorism and crimes," one official said.

"Bangladesh might expose itself to risks of inviting the wraths of cross-border insurgent groups unless the issue was dealt with extreme carefulness," a senior official of an elite anti-crime force said.

Bangladesh and India agreed on "expeditious" return of criminals staying in either of the countries as home secretaries of the two countries ended a two-day annual meeting in Dhaka on August 31.

According to a joint statement issued at that time, both sides agreed that the verification process of released prisoners of one country held in the prisons of the other country should be expedited working out the modalities in this regard.

It also added that both sides also agreed to "continue efforts" to track down criminals who took shelter in either country to evade justice and send them back "expeditiously" as Dhaka also sought India's cooperation to take preventive measures against anti-Bangladesh outfits based in its territory.

Bangladesh handed over an updated list of 1,648 Bangladeshi criminals hiding in India while the Indian side gave a list of 464 Indian criminals during director general level talks between the Bangladesh Rifles and Border Security Force (BSF) of India ahead of the secretary level meeting.

Tk 900cr UK grant for erosion victims

UNB, Dhaka

The United Kingdom will provide Bangladesh with an additional grant of 70 million pounds, equivalent to Tk 900 crore, for implementing an extended phase of the Chars Livelihood Programme (CLP) in aid to poor people living in riverside areas.

CLP is designed to protect the livelihoods of thousands of poor families living in the remote and isolated Jamuna river islands (char) in northwest Bangladesh.

The assistance was announced by British International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander at the Labour Party conference in the UK recently, an official announcement said here Sunday.

In his announcement, Douglas Alexander mentioned that rising food prices, although affected everyone, were particularly bad for those whose lives were dependent on the shifting sands of Bangladesh's rivers and coasts.

"The additional funding will give the poorest people in these areas a chance to grow vegetables, raise cattle and work for food during the hunger season and, in the longer term, insure themselves against the effects of the annual floods," it said.

Bangladesh welcomes this announcement of assistance by the United Kingdom. Over a million of the poorest people in Bangladesh will benefit from this additional 70m pounds given for extending the current CLP until 2015.

The current phase, which is funded by the UK under the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division (RD) of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD), is expected to end by late 2009 or early 2010.

This programme transfers productive livelihood assets to extremely poor people, provides them employment during the monga season and raises plinths to protect them from rising river levels during floods.

The new recipe will provide the Char-dwellers with the chance to help themselves by investing in cattle, goats and seeds as long-term dependable sources of food.

The second phase will be built on the success of the programme's first phase which has increased household income for a half of million Char people and helped even more to grow and buy food, particularly during the Monga or seasonal hunger.

"It will also help fight the impact of climate change in a part of the world, particularly very vulnerable to flooding," says the release.

The schemes will help raise homesteads, vegetable gardens and cow shelters onto plinths above flood levels to ensure people can eat when the waters rise.

Over half of the new CLP funding will go direct to ultra-poor households, many of them women, to help them buy cows, other animals and seeds for food crops. A further amount will go into social protection cash stipends for the very poorest to ensure that they can survive in the period before their plants and animals produce food.

The rest will go into (1) veterinary support and food for the animals (ii) community groups that bring poor women villagers together to share ideas, resources and knowledge (iii) a scheme that provides cash for earth-lifting employment to raise the homes and possessions of people on the chars.

Bomb hoax at ZIA: Flight delayed

UNB, Dhaka

A flight of the China Eastern Airlines had to make a delayed departure from here for Kunming as the aircraft's indicator gave explosive signal twice before the takeoff.

Officials at Zia International Airport said the pilot of the flight no-MU 2036 got the first signal just before the scheduled takeoff at about 2-43pm and informed the control tower.

"Soon all the passengers were offloaded for security check," said one source.

The airport security personnel rushed in and conducted extensive search inside the aircraft and luggage but didn't find any bomb or explosive. The passengers were boarded again.

But the pilot again received explosive signal from the aircraft indicator. And once again the passengers were offloaded and taken to a safer place.

In the midst of the bomb scare, the airport authority called in explosive experts to check the aircraft but could not trace any explosive materials.

As both the pilot and experts were convinced that the indicator gave the wrong signals, the aircraft left the airport at about 4-15 pm, over an hour behind the schedule.

Director of the ZIA Wing Commander Saidul Islam confirmed the incident of bomb hoax. "The aircraft indicator gave the wrong signal," he said.

EC files petition to vacate stay on seat delimitation

UNB, Dhaka

The hearing on a High Court rule as to why the redrawn parliamentary constituencies should not be declared illegal could not take place on Sunday as the matter was placed at the bottom of the cause list.

Dr Shahdeen Malik, the counsel for the Election Commission (EC), told the court that as per serial of the cause list, it would take some months to hear the matter.

Instead, the counsel for the EC submitted another petition for vacating its stay operation on the Election Commission notification, redrawing the parliamentary constituencies ahead of the polls.

After hearing, the HC bench of Justice Mir Hasmat Ali and Justice

Shamim Hasnain said the stay vacating petition would come up on Monday on the cause list.

The stay will continue up to November 6, court sources said, although the EC envisages announcing the election schedule on November 1 or 2.

BNP, Jamaat submit registration forms to EC today

Staff Reporter

Leaders of the Four-party alliance yesterday decided to submit party registration form to the Election Commission (EC) today.

The leaders of the two main components of the Four-party alliances went to the EC yesterday afternoon for collecting the registration forms.

The Standing Committee of BNP held a meeting yesterday, which was chaired by Begum Khaleda Zia and discussed party registration matters.

BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan went to EC at 2:15 pm while Advocate Jasimuddin Sarkar, Prof Tasnim Alam and Advocate Farid Uddin Chowdhury of Jamaat went at 2: 30 pm and have collected the registration forms.

" We have taken the decision for the greater interest of the nation and will go for registration. But we will have to take decision whether we will participate in the elections or not," he told the journalists at his NAM flat yesterday.

He also said the party has taken the decision so none could make conspiracy to thwart BNP out of the polls.

He said several attempts were made in the past to split BNP, but had proved abortive.

Underscoring the need for free and fair polls the Secretary General of BNP said they want an election participated by all parties.

He, however, warned that the people of the country would not accept the elections without Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina.

When asked on the second round of dialogue with the government Delwar said that BNP wants to sit with the government. He said they are yet to get any response from the government.

Asked whether BNP would comply with all conditions set by the EC for the registration, Nazrul Islam Khan said they would do everything in accordance with the law at the time of submission.

Advocate Jasimuddin Sarkar said they have amended certain provisions of the party constitution in compliance with the EC's conditions.

Secretary General of Islami Oikya Jote Moulan Abdul Latif Nezami yesterday said his party would also submit registration form to the EC today.

Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman Barrister Andaleev Rahman Partha said they will also complete the registration formalities with the EC today.

Another faction of BJP lead by Dr MA Matin would also submit registration form to the EC on the extended date of registration.

Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis yesterday submitted registration forms to the EC.

C’wealth Sey Gen due Oct 26

BSS, Dhaka

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma will arrive here on October 26 on a three-day official visit to Bangladesh.

Sharma's first visit to Dhaka will be a familiarization trip, officials told BSS here on Sunday.

During his stay in Bangladesh, the Commonwealth Secretary General is expected to pay a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed. He is also scheduled to meet Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury.