The New Nation - Internet Edition

Ensure participation of Khaleda in polls, BNP asks Govt

BNP Secretary General Khandker Delwar Hossain
addressing the 4-party rally at the National Press Club
yesterday. NN photo

Staff Reporter

BNP secretary general Khandker Delwar Hossain yesterday urged the government to implement their seven- point demand before the declaration of elections schedule to be announced on November 2.

He also called upon the government to ensure party chairperson Begum Zia's participation in the elections.

" The Four-party alliance would not take part any farcical elections on December 28 and people of the country would not boycott but also resist it," he said as chief guest at meeting of the Four-party alliance at the Jatitya Press Club.

It was also attended, among others, by Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, secretary general, assistant secretaries generals Mohammad Qumaruzzaman, ATM Azharul Islam, Abdul Qader Mollah of Bangladesh Jammat-e-Islami, Moulana Abdul Latif Nezami, secretary general of Islami Oikkya Jote ,Shamim Al Mamun, secretary general of Bangladesh Jatiya Party and Moazzem Hossain Alal, general secretary of Jubo Dal.

The BNP-led 4-party alliance staged demonstrations across the country yesterday as part of their move to press home their seven-point of demand.

Khandker Delwar said there could not be free and fair elections, if the government fails to realise the seven-point demand of the party.

"Withdrawal of the state of emergency, release of all the detained party leaders and activists and deferment of upazila polls are necessary for holding fair elections," he added.

He urged the alliance leaders and activists remain alert so none could foil the elections.

BNP secretary general termed the cases filed against the detained party leaders and activists as 'false and fabricated'.

Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid said those who did not want Begum Zia participating in the election was trying to make Bangladesh as 'failed state'.

The meeting decided to observe rallies and hold discussions across the country on October 28 in protest against the politics of 'oar and pole'.

IMF director cleared over affair

Dominique Strauss-Kahn

BBC Online

IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn has kept his job after being cleared of harassment and abuse of power over an affair with a colleague.

But the IMF board criticised Strauss-Kahn's "serious error of judgement" in the matter.

The Managing Director apologised this week for his brief liaison with IMF former senior economist Piroska Nagy.

The controversy comes as the IMF deals with the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

"The executive board noted that the incident was regrettable and reflected a serious error of judgment on the part of the managing director," the IMF's board of member countries said in a statement.

The board acknowledged that many female staff were unhappy about his behaviour, but found that Strauss-Kahn's affair with Ms Nagy - who worked in the IMF's Africa department as a senior economist until she left in August - had been consensual.

In a statement to accompany the IMF board's findings on Saturday, Strauss-Kahn again apologised for his actions.

"I very much regret this incident and I accept responsibility for it," he said.

"I have apologised for it to the board, to the staff of the IMF and to my family. I would also like to reiterate my apology to the staff member concerned for the distress this process has caused."

The IMF chief's wife, French television personality Anne Sinclair, said earlier that she and her husband had put what she called a "one-night stand" behind them.

Ms Nagy, a Hungarian-born economist, is now working for a bank in London.

HC refuses to hear Barapukuria appeals

bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The High Court refused to hear appeals by five accused to quash the Barapukuria coalmine graft case on Sunday.

The HC bench of justices Syed AB Mahmudul Haque and Moinul Islam Chowdhury said they were embarrassed to hear the appeals, and sent the documents to the chief justice to take further action in this regard.

The five appellants are former ministers M Saifur Rahman, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami and secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid.

The hearing may be held by another bench selected by the chief justice.

"But the chief justice has not sent the appeals to any other bench yet," said Barrister Fahim-ul-Hoque, one of the appellants' lawyers.

The same bench on Oct 14 returned an appeal to quash the case filed by former prime minister Khaleda Zia, one of the main accused in the case.

Another HC bench of justices Syed Mohammad Dastagir Hossain and Farid Ahmed stayed the case proceedings against Khaleda Zia for three months on Oct 16.

The Anticorruption Commission pressed charges against 16 people in the case on Oct 5.

The commission filed the case on Feb 26 accusing the then government leaders of incurring losses of Tk 158.71 core to the state due to an agreement with China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC).

Ershad to contest three seats

bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Jatiya Party has started distribution of nomination forms for candidates wishing to contest the 9th Jatiya Sangsad elections, in line with newly drawn but still disputed constituencies, with the party chairman picking up three forms on Sunday.

"We will endorse candidates for all 300 constituencies and the final nominations will be given to the candidates who are likely to win from the 'grand alliance' in consultation with the other parties," JP chairman Hussain Muhammad Ershad said at the party office in Banani.

Ershad said that the nomination forms were being distributed in line with the EC's re-demarcation of constituencies and he would contest for three constituencies including Dhaka-17, Rangpur-3 and Habiganj-3.

"The court is set to give a verdict on the disputed re-demarcation of parliamentary constituencies on Sunday. If the verdict scraps the new constituencies, the nomination papers will be redistributed in accordance with previously drawn constituencies," said Ershad.

The party remains in contact with the 'grand alliance', said the JP chairman, adding: "We will fix numbers of seats through discussions with the alliance."

The main aim of the alliance was to win the election and there would not be any dispute over distribution of seats, Ershad said.

The former president said that there was no doubt over the Dec 18 elections and he hoped that the two former prime ministers would also be able to contest the elections.

Ershad backed elections under the state of emergency, saying: "Security of the voters must be ensured for fair polls."

But, he added: "We hope some conditions will be relaxed during the elections."

JP presidium member Rawshan Ershad also collected forms for Mymensingh-4 and Gaibandha-5.

Call to save Buriganga

Staff Reporter

Water experts at an opinion exchange meeting yesterday emphasised the need for involving local people to save the Buriganga river from dying.

Addressing the function, they also demanded protection of the river at its upstream branches from pollution.

Otherwise, the experts apprehended that the consequences of wiping up the river Buriganga would be serious and the Dhaka city would be unfit for living.

Chairman of Task Force on Buriganga protection Inam Ahmed Chowdhury placed different recommendations at the opinion exchange meeting held at Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council (BARC) auditorium.

The meeting was also addressed, among others, by Director General of Water Development Board HS Mozaddad Al Faruq, Vice Chancellor of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology Dr M Fazlul Bari, former DU teacher Prof Dr KB Sajjadur Rashid, Hashem Sufi and journalist Taufiq Imroj Khalidi.

Visa processing for foreign observers to be expedited

UNB, Dhaka

The Election Commission is taking steps to facilitate visa processing for foreign observers to help them monitor the coming parliamentary election slated for December 18.

As part of the efforts, the EC will soon send letters to the Home and Foreign Ministries requesting them to take special care so that foreign election observers do not face problems including visa complications.

A delegation from USAID, European Commission (EC), Asia Foundation, International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI) Sunday had a meeting with the Election Commission at its secretariat to discuss matters relating to visa processing.

Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda, two Election Commissioners, M Sohul Hussain and Brig Gen (Retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, were present at the meeting.

After the meeting Election Commissioner M Sohul Hussain told reporters that the foreign organizations apprised the Commission of problems in visa processing.

He said EC would soon send letters to both Foreign Ministry and Home Ministry to take steps so that the foreign observers do not face any hassle in getting visa for monitoring the election.

Replying to a question, Sohul said the two leaders, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, would not face problems in contesting the election if they are not convicted by any court.

"We've told earlier that nobody will have to face problems unless anybody is convicted by the courts," he said.

Asked whether the election schedule might be deferred due to the court hearing on the delimitation issues, Election Commissioner Sakhawat Hossain said the EC has been observing the court proceedings, expecting the resolution of the cases soon.

"Let's wait until November 2 and it can then be said whether the schedule will be deferred or not," he said in reply to a question.

Tribute to Sher-e-Bangla

Staff Reporter

A discussion meeting and reception to personalities on the 135th birth anniversary of the legendary national leader Sher-e-Bangla A.K.Fazlul Haque was held yesterday at the mazar of Sher-e-Bangla in the city.

Sher-e-Bangla Smrity Sangsad, Bangladesh National Personalities Research Centre and Bishwa Bangalee Sommelon jointly organised the occasion.

Former minister and ambassador M. Matiour Rahman attended the discussion meeting as chief guest which was presided over by Poet Mohammad Abdul Khaleq, president of Sher-e-Bangla Smrity Sangsad.

Syed Margub Murshed, grandson of Sher-e-Bangla and former secretary, was present as special guest while former secretary and historian Siraj Uddin Ahmed, Additional DIG (police) Md. Anowar Hossain, freedom fighter A.H. Alamgir, Poet Sayed Azizul Haque, Professor M.A. Rakib Khan, among others, took part in the discussion.

M. Matiour Rahman said Sher-e-Bangla was the main leader of political activities of our country. He conducted his movement against the oppression and domination of the British colonial. He was a politician of humanity and liberal ideas.

Syed Margub Murshed, brief narrated the contributions of Sher-e-Bangla and discussed his eventful life.

The receipient the award are Dr. Sushil Bhattacharjee from India, Poet Mohan Singh, Shibshankar Roy, Dr.Suresh Agarwal, Sheikh Ansar Ali from India, Siraj Uddin Ahmed, Badiur Rahman, Additional DIG (police) Md. Anowar Hossain from Bangladesh.

Before holding the discussion meeting the leaders placed wreaths at the grave of Sher-e-Bangla.

Obama, McCain fight over wild West

AFP, Albuquerque

Front-runner Barack Obama and a scrapping John McCain fought a pitched battle over western states Sunday as the Democratic nominee was to woo voters in Colorado and his Republican rival prepared to appear on national television.

Obama played to vast crowds in New Mexico and Nevada Saturday before heading to Colorado, another key battleground state, where he was to campaign on Sunday.

McCain, desperately needing to reverse Obama's momentum, was to appear for an in-depth interview on NBC's "Meet the Press" program.

But he faced a new rash of painful headlines about his running mate Sarah Palin, amid signs finger pointing typical of losing campaigns was beginning to afflict his White House effort.

Obama made a fresh bid to shackle Senator McCain to President George W. Bush's unpopular economic legacy.

"John McCain's mad at George Bush, so opposed to George Bush's policies, that he voted with him 90 percent of the time for the past eight years," Senator Obama said in a mass rally here.

"That's right, he decided to really stick it to George Bush 10 percent of the time."

"John McCain attacking George Bush for his out-of-hand economic policy is like (Vice President) Dick Cheney attacking George Bush for his go-it-alone foreign policy," he said, noting that Bush cast an advance ballot for the Republican nominee on Friday. "It's like Robin getting mad at Batman."

The Obama rally in Albuquerque drew 35,000 people with an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 gathered outside, according to the local fire marshall.

Earlier, a comparable McCain event in Albuquerque drew only an estimated 1,000.

In another blow to the Republican campaign, The Anchorage Daily News, the main newspaper in Alaska, the home state of Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, endorsed Obama, saying he "truly promises fundamental change in Washington."

At three stops in Nevada and New Mexico, Obama, who is vying to become America's first black president, thanked wellwishers at his three rallies for a stream of flowers sent to his 85-year-old grandmother Madelyn Dunham's apartment in Honolulu, Hawaii.

"I just want you to know it meant the world to her, it means the world to me," Obama said. "Thank you everybody for being so gracious."

McCain jumped on a report in the New York Times that Obama's transition chief had already drafted an inaugural address for the Illinois senator, suggesting he was hubristic and took voters for granted.

"Senator Obama's inaugural address is already written," McCain told a crowd of around 2,000 people at Mesilla's historic plaza. "I'm not making it up. A lot of voters are undecided but he's decided for them."

"There's still 10 days left-maybe he'll have written the State of the Union address before this thing is finished. I may be old-fashioned about these things, but I prefer to let the voters weigh in."

The Obama camp responded that the report that transition chief John Podesta had penned an address, which has already been published in a book, were false.

"While this charge is completely false and there is no draft of an inaugural address for Senator Obama, the last thing we need is a candidate like John McCain who just plans on rereading George Bush's," said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton.

Reports quoting fuming campaign insiders meanwhile suggested that a standoff was developing between Palin and McCain's senior aides.

The Politico.com website cited four Republicans close to Palin as saying she was frustrated by her campaign handlers, whom supporters blame for a series of public relations gaffes, and was willing to disregard orders.

The Alaska Governor's supporters accused McCain campaign strategist Steve Schmidt and senior aide Nicolle Wallace of already attempting to blame Palin for the failure of the campaign.

"These people are going to try and shred her after the campaign to divert blame from themselves," a McCain insider was quote by Politico as saying.

When asked to comment on the Politico story by AFP, Wallace said in an email: "I have no comment other than what's in the story, if people wish to throw me under the bus, my personal belief is that the graceful thing to do is to lie there."

A unnamed source meanwhile hit out at the Alaska governor to CNN.

"She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone," the McCain source said. "She does not have any relationships of trust with any of us, her family or anyone else."

McCain is desperate to stop Obama making a clean sweep of western states Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico which could give the Democrat breathing room as he chases key battlegrounds in the east.

National polls have Obama up anywhere from four to 14 percentage points and with a solid lead in most battleground states, but some surveys show McCain has made up some ground in Ohio, Florida and must-win Pennsylvania.

TAC Chief for well-thought plan to combat corruption

BSS, Dhaka

Chairman of the Truth and Accountability Commission (TAC) Justice M Habibur Rahman Khan laid importance on a well-thought plan to combat corruption saying such a plan after 1/11 changeover could have been more effective to make the country free from corruption.

"We should keep it mind that hurried and aggressive policy can never be a good strategy," he said in an exclusive interview with BSS at his Gulshan residence here.

Justice Khan said, "the economic disparity and plundering of public wealth reached to such a level before 1/11 changeover that a fight between haves and haves-not was seemed to be imminent."

"The situation had taken to a serious turn when a section of people having no business or profession became so rich only through corruption within a very short span of time. The situation led to the 1/11 changeover and subsequent action against corrupt persons," he said.

Justice Khan observed that an unplanned and aggressive drive against corrupts in the aftermath of 1/11 changeover affected the whole economy of the country very colossally.

"In the backdrop of that situation", he said, the government constituted the TAC to allow the corrupt persons to voluntarily confess their offence and get exemption from the criminal offence by returning their ill-gotten property to the state.

" When I think about most effectively performed 'Truth and Reconciliation Commission' in South Africa and its chairman eminent human-right activist Bishop Desmond Tutu, I feel proud of holding such a big chair and responsibility," Justice Khan said.

"But, things did not happen as expected in my country, as our people did not accept the opportunity. The government offered them it an objective to give them impunity from corruption charges, revive the economy as well as bringing the looted money to government exchequer," Justice Khan said.

Terming the formation of the truth and accountability commission in Bangladesh as a pioneering concept, the TAC chairman said, most of the commissions formed in as many as 22 countries across the world worked with the 'truth and reconciliation' concept.

Justice Khan said, for the first time in Bangladesh, we have incorporated 'accountability concept' with the commission and as a new idea, everything in the commission including the laws could not be set in order.

"Our commission could be a better one and function more effectively if we could improve some of its existing provisions through amendment. But, such amendment is not possible due to short tenure of the commission," he noted.

He said, the TAC would not exist in future as per rule. But, the legal aspects of the ACC should be strengthened to make it an effective body to combat corruption.

"Efficient investigators as well as training and motivation for officials and employees of the ACC are needed", he said adding 'the intension of ACC is good, but their legal side is seemed to be very weak'.

The TAC chairman said, "Many people ask me, whether I am frustrated with the situation? My reply is: no. I'm neither frustrated nor hopeful," he said asking 'what I can do if people do not take the opportunity".

He said, the next elected government has to carry on the reform measures against corruption to make them acceptable to people and establish accountability and transparency in their activities, so that the past bitter experience is not repeated.

He said, instead of the graft investigating agency itself, the future elected government, political parties and social organisations should take the responsibility of carrying on anti- graft campaign to make people aware against the social problem.

The commission has so far disposed of 150 applications and recovered about Taka 20 crore from the persons who voluntarily confessed their corruption, Justice Khan said adding the commission has no plan to extend the time for receiving application from October 31 next.

The commission also has no plan to request the government to extend its tenure, which officially will expire on January 2, 2009, he said.

BIMSTEC summit in Delhi on Nov 13

BSS, Dhaka

The second Bay of Bengal Initiative on Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTC) Summit will be held in Indian capital New Delhi on November 13.

The summit will be preceded by BIMSTEC ministerial meeting on November 12, official sources said here on Sunday.

The senior officials (secretary level) meeting of BIMSTEC member countries of the grouping will be held on November 11 to make necessary preparations.

for the Summit, which assumes great importance in view of global financial crisis, the sources added.

As per the practice host India is expected to extend formal invitation to heads of government of seven member countries of the forum to attend the summit.

The leaders of the member countries are expected to deliberate on how best to address and cope with the prevailing situation. Food crisis and energy problems are also expected to figure prominently at the deliberations of the summit leaders, sources said.

The first BIMSTEC summit was held in Bangkok in 2004.

Chief Adviser of the caretaker government Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed is expected to lead the Bangladesh delegation to the summit.

College student shot

Staff Reporter

Snatchers shot a college student at East Rampura in the city at broad daylight yesterday.

The injured was identified as Mohammad Yousuf, 20, a 1st year student of Siddeshwari Degree College.

Family sources said a number of muggers intercepted Yousuf near his house and tried to snatch his mobile phone set and moneybag at gunpoint at about 12:45pm.

As Yousuf tried to resist the muggers, they shot him thrice on his throat and upper side of left eye and fled scene.

Critically injured Yousuf was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Dhaka urges Kabul to help rescue abducted BRAC officials

UNB, Dhaka

Foreign Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury Sunday requested the Afghan authorities to secure release of two BRAC officials abducted from Ghazni city.

He also urged the abductors to release these two innocent Bangladeshis engaged in development works in Afghanistan for the benefit of the Afghan brethren.

Shajahan Ali of Gopalpur, Tangail and Akhtar Ali of Rajshahi were abducted by four gunmen while the two officials went to visit Moi Mobarrak branch of BRAC in Ghazni city last Thursday. Shajahan and Akhtar are regional directors of BRAC office in Ghazni.

Since their abduction, whereabouts of the BRAC officials or identity of the abductors could not be known.

Iftekhar has written a letter to Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta to extend all cooperation in tracing out and rescuing the two BRAC officials.

The letter was handed to Afghanistan Ambassador Ahmad Karim Nawabi at the Foreign Ministry in presence of BRAC deputy director, overseas operations, Aminul Islam and BRAC media director Anwarul Haq.

"A few months ago we rescued another BRAC official Noor through our four-pronged approach… We hope we will be able to recover them too," the Advisor told the media.

Iftekhar said BRAC runs 250 institutions across Afghanistan extending micro-credit to two lakh women and health services to five lakh women. Besides, BRAC set up 4,000 schools in Afghanistan.

"I would like to urge the abductors to release these innocent officials as Bangladeshis are working in Afghanistan for welfare of the Afghan people, nothing more," the Advisor said.

Afghan Ambassador Nawabi said the Afghan authorities will make all possible efforts to rescue the Bangladeshi brothers.

BRAC official Aminul Islam said they maintain contacts with the Afghan Home Minister and the Relief and Reconstruction Minister who are trying hard to trace them out. Besides, Afghan security forces are also working to find them out.

Islam said some 4,000 Afghans and 150 Bangladeshi BRAC employees are working over there. In reply to a question, he said all Bangladeshi employees will be withdrawn in next five years enhancing capacity building of the Afghans so they can run the BRAC projects on their own.

Australia warns on migrant cuts

Agency, Canbera

Australia may cut the number of immigrants allowed into the country if the global financial crisis raises unemployment levels.

Australian Immigration Minister Chris Evans said a decision on reducing numbers would be taken after mid-year financial data is published next month.

Around 190,300 immigrants are forecast to arrive in Australia in 2008/09.

Earlier this month, a British minister said the country could reduce migrant flows due to the economic crisis.

Evans said the country's current migrant programme, which is aimed at skilled workers, was designed when Australia was forecasting good economic growth and a skills shortage.

"If those parameters are changing, the government will take a sober look at those issues and make a decision when we have got proper information," he told Nine Network television.

"Clearly if the demand for labour comes off, you'd adjust the migration programme accordingly," he said. "We can turn the taps off if we need to."

Evans said that any decision on cutting migrant flows was complex, considering their contribution to the country's economy. "We know that they consume, they buy property, and they're a net positive to the budget," he said.

"And a lot of the skills that are coming in at the moment are in the mining sector, which has allowed us to increase our exports." He said there were still industries which had a "strong demand" for labour and the government would analyse the economic situation and consult industry before deciding on what to do.

Australia was already witnessing an increase in the number of migrants coming from Britain and New Zealand, Evans added.

"I think the downturn in Great Britain over the last year or two has actually seen a renewed interest from Great Britain in people looking to migrate either temporarily or permanently," he said.

Earlier this month, Britain's immigration minister Phil Woolas said the country might reduce the number of migrants coming into the country because of the economic crisis.

Take lessons from global financial debacle'

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a seminar yesterday suggested to take lessons from the global financial debacle and to stop blind pursuance of free-market economic policy, directed by IMF and World Bank.

For policy-shipment, they stressed finding an alternative economic model based on three principles: equity, justice and productivity.

The economists said that the government should prepare to absorb any shock of the global crisis, which will hit Bangladesh subject to the extent of its longevity and depth.

Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Prof Mustafizur Rahman, International Relations department Professor of Dhaka University Akmal Hossain, Dr Shafq-uz-Zaman and Journalist Shawkat Hossain Masum took part in the discussion, among others.

The Weekly Ekota organised seminar at Mukti Bhaban in the city. Prof M M Akash presented the keynote speech, which generated a lively debate among the participants.

Prof Akash underlined the weak point of the capitalist system of economy in his deliberation and said the cause of the existing global crisis is enshrined in the capitalist system.

He suggested moving forward socialism, which, he said "is not based on any concrete model."

Dr Mustafiz, on the other hand, said only the traditional models of the socialist economy's may not be alternative to the problematic capitalist economy, because there remains the questions of productivity and incentive after socialising the productive forces which are yet to be solved.

"We will have to identify the basic elements of the alternatives. Justice, productivity and equity should be ensured simultaneously," he said.

He stressed more regulation of the market economy but

not to nationalise everything. A role of the government is a must in the market economy, he said.

Dr Shafiq said, "An alternative socio-economic system is still a mater of analysis. We are thinking about it."

Emon's associate handed over to police

Staff Reporter

A close associate of top-listed terror Emon was caught by a mob and then handed over to Dhanmondi police while he was going to take toll from a house at Zigatola in the city on Saturday evening.

He was identified as Sirajul Islam Shafaq of a Zigatola locality.

"Shafaq was wanted in the Sagar-murder case. And his associates used to extort toll in the name of Shafaq in Zigatola area," a police officer said.

Police said Sirajul Islam alias Shafaq along with his three associates went to a house and demanded toll at about 6:00pm. The housemates got angry and caught them red-handed.

Later, they beat them up and handed over to police.

Sub-Inspector of Dhanmondi police station Emranul Kabir told the reporters "Shafaq had earlier identified himself as Sirajul Islam alias Jibon during interrogation, but later gave his real name and confessed to his involvement in the killing of Sagar as police charged him on his suspicious behavior,"

The police officer said Shafaq is also a sidekick of detained top-terror Emon. "We'll send him to court today and seek remand," he said.