The New Nation - Internet Edition

AL, LDP to jointly take part in polls

Liberal Democratic Party President Col( retd) Oli
Ahmed called on Awami League President Sheikh Hasina at her
Sudha Sadan residence yesterday. Focus Bangla

BSS, Dhaka

Awami League and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will jointly take part in the ninth Jatiya Sangsad election scheduled to be held on December 18.

The decision was taken at a meeting between Awami League President and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and LDP President Col (retd) Oli Ahmed at Sudha Sadan yesterday.

The talks between the two party chiefs continued for one and a half hours. During the meeting, they agreed to form the government together, if voted to power, AL presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim told reporters after the meeting.

Talking to journalists, the LDP president said, "We have taken decision to take part in the upcoming general election unitedly."

"Decision has also been taken to form the government jointly if the people voted us to power," Oli said.

About sharing of parliamentary seats, Oli said their candidates have already submitted their nomination papers and support would be given to those candidates who can earn popularity.

Urging all political parties to take part in the upcoming election, the LDP president said election is the only way to free the people from the present political crisis.

Later, LDP secretary general Professor Jahanara Begum said they would participate in the election from their respective positions.

AL presidium members Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Dr Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Motia Chowdhury, party general secretary M Abdul Jalil, central leader Abdul Latif Siddiqui and joint secretary Obaidul Kader attended the meeting while Prof Jahanara Begum, Redwan Ahmed and Mamdudur Rahman were present on behalf of LDP.

Bar Council polls held

Two female lawyers cast their votes in the
Bangladesh Bar Council election at the Bar Council
auditorium in the city yesterday. Focus Bangla

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Nationwide voting in the Bar Council election ended yesterday afternoon, with some 29,724 lawyers going to polls to elect 14 representatives to the country's biggest body of law practitioners.

Voting began countrywide at 77 centres from 10am and ending at 5pm. Results will be announced in three or four days, officials have said.

Bar Council secretary Taslim Uddin Khan told bdnews24.com yesterday: "Lawyers have cast their votes peacefully and there was no news of incidents from any polling centre."

"Counting of ballots started soon after the voting ended. We are awaiting counts from different centres all over the country. It may take three or four days to get the final results."

Fourteen representatives equally split into "general" and "group" seats will be elected for a three-year term. The elected members will subsequently nominate a vice president. The attorney general will be ex-officio president.

Three panels -Awami League backed Sammilito Ainjibi Somonnay Parishad (combined lawyers coordination council), BNP-supported Jatiyabadi Ainjibi Oikya Parishad (united nationalist lawyers council) and Ainjibi Oikya Panel (united lawyers panel) are contesting the polls.

Barrister Shafique Ahmed leads the AL-backed group of 14 candidates: Abdul Baset Mazumdar, Syed Rezaur Rahman, PC Guho, ZI Khan Panna, M Kamrul Islam, M Enayetur Rahim, Mohammad Israfil, AHM Khalekuzzaman, AM Anwarul Kabir, M Misbah Uddin Siraj, MA Hakim Hawlader, M Yahya and M Al-Mahud.

ABM Nurul Islam heads the BNP-backed group, also fielding 14 aspirants: M Helauddin Molla, Amatunnur Begum Panna, M Shahjada, M Ashrafuzzaman, Shah Ilyas Ratan, Shihab Uddin Mahmud, Khan Farhad Uddin Ahmed, M Nazrul Islam, Syed Salah Uddin Ahmed, M Kaimul Haque, Abdul Malek, M Maniruzzaman and Badrul Islam.

Ainjibi Oikya Panel has fielded just six candidates namely Dr Belal Hossain Joy, KM Jabir, Nittya Gopal Devnath, Sheikh Akhterul Islam, M Kawserul Alam Chowdhury and Mohammad Nurul Amin.

The last Bar Council election was held four years ago in May 2004.

Council of Advisers meets: Attorney Service, Real Estate Ordinances approved

UNB, Dhaka

The Council of Advisers of the caretaker government Sunday approved reformulation of the Government Attorney Service Ordinance 2008 to introduce attorney services in the district-level public-prosecution system.

A meeting of the council of advisers with Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair gave the approval to the Reformulated Attorney Service Ordinance deducting the Supreme Court attorney service part of the Government Attorney Service Ordinance 2008 and repealing the existing Attorney Service Ordinance 2008.

The Supreme Court lawyers have raised objections to the Supreme Court chapter of attorney service of the Government Attorney Service Ordinance 2008 and filed writs against the ordinance.

At the district level, district attorney services would be constituted comprising district attorney, additional attorney, joint attorney and assistant attorney.

The meeting also approved a proposal extending the period of suspension on implementation of unitrack curriculum system for class IX and X by one year to December 31, 2009.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting, CA's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim said the meeting also finally approved the Real Estate Development and Management Ordinance 2008 for bringing fair management in real-estate business and protecting the interest of buyers and sellers.

Under the ordinance the offenses would be treated as "non-bailable and cognizable". Provision for going for amicable settlement between aggrieved person and developer before going to court is there in the new provisional law.

Purchase and sale management of flats and plots built under government-private joint venture have been included in the Ordinance.

There are provisions of punishments for various offenses in the ordinance.

If any non-registered real- estate company starts developing works and gives advertisement in mass media, maximum two years imprisonment or maximum Tk 10 lakh fines or both would be given.

If any developer starts works without permission, the punishment is maximum 2 years jail or maximum Tk 10 lakh fines or both.

The meeting also approved in principle Bangladesh Telecommunications (Amendment) Ordinance 2008.

Punishment for various offenses in the draft ordinance has been kept, ranging from minimum 2 years imprisonment or Tk 2 crore fines and maximum seven years jail or Tk 500 crore fines.

The meeting asked for placing the draft in the council's meeting within next two weeks after examining jointly by the Law and Post and Telecommunications Ministries.

Members of the advisory council attended the meeting at the CA's office. Cabinet Secretary, CA's Press Secretary and secretaries of concerned Ministries were also present.

Bar on mayors in JS polls: Khoka serves legal notice on CEC

UNB, Dhaka

A legal notice was served to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) yesterday by the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) mayor calling for rescinding the Election Commission's reported decision on barring City Corporation mayors from contesting the parliamentary elections.

On November 17, the EC took the decision that as the City Corporation mayors hold office of profit they would not be eligible for contesting the general election unless three years pass after the expiry of their tenure.

Elected on April 25 in 2002, mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka in his legal notice termed the EC decision arbitrary and not in conformity with the existing laws. "The (EC) decision will have the evil effect of denying all the City Corporation mayors from exercising their constitutional right to contest the parliamentary elections," the notice said. Mayor Khoka, who was a Member of Parliament for three terms, claimed that he was not holding the office of profit as his status is that of a Cabinet Minister, which was notified by a gazette on October 14, 2002.

Khoka in his notice requested the CEC to rescind the reported EC decision within three days. Failing which appropriate legal action would be taken to vindicate his legal rights, the notice said.

Advocate Khondker Mahbubuddin Ahmed, the counsel for Khoka, sent the legal notice to the CEC by fax at 2:40 pm yesterday.

Govt offices must have information dissemination unit

UNB, Dhaka

An official circular yesterday said an Officer-in-Charge at Information Dissemination Unit at each ministry/division/office and their subordinate offices, departments, directorates, agencies, affiliated offices/institutions must be appointed within 60 days of the publication of the gazette notification on the Right to Information Ordinance 2008.

The gazette was already published on October 20. Besides, Officer-in-Charge must also be appointed at NGOs/Institutions financed by the government, NGOs/Institutions run by foreign fund, NGOs/Institutions conducting government function under agreement with any government agency/institution and private contractor/service sector supplying goods/ providing services on government fund. The circular said the appointment of Officer-in-Charge has been made a compulsion as per section 10 of the Ordinance.

It urged all concerned ministries/divisions/offices and their subordinate offices/ departments/directorates/agencies/affiliated offices/institutions to appoint Officers-in-Charge within 60 days of the promulgation of the Ordinance.

Alleged irregularities inplot allocation ACC begins probe

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Commission has launched an investigation into alleged irregularities in plot allotment to some 100 individuals, including senior bureaucrats, judges, military and police officials.

ACC director general (admin) Col Hanif Iqbal told its regular briefing yesterday that a special team formed to look into corruption in Land Ministry detected that plots have been allocated to these officials illegally.

The officials include former and serving secretaries, additional secretaries, joint secretaries, deputy secretaries, wife of a divisional commissioner, district and sessions judge, joint district judge, military officers, OCs, municipal administrator, officials of Delta Life Insurance, officials of Islamic Foundation, officials of Cooperative department, Water Development Board director, upazila nirbahi officer, employees of Narayanganj district administration and drivers of the government transport pool.

According to the ACC team, some 18.66 acres of land were acquired in Narayanganj district in 2000-2001 for a housing project of a multipurpose cooperative society for the officials and employees of the Land Ministry.

But the government suffered a loss of Tk 81.3 lakh in revenue due to irregularities in acquiring the land. The involvement of the then deputy commissioner of Narayanganj, additional deputy commissioner (revenue), land acquisition officer, additional land acquisition officer and other officials and employees was found in the irregularities.

Although they were not members of the society, they got plots in the housing project in reward for their immoral deeds. The 100 officials were illegally allocated plots in the project even though they were not members of the society in favour of which the land was acquired, according to the ACC team.

It appears that there is no legal basis of giving permission for acquisition of land in favour of a particular society. The ACC has initiated the process of seeking explanation from the Land Ministry about the plot allotment to non-member 100 individuals.

ACC rules and procedures in filling cases valid: HC

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court yesterday declared valid the Anti-Corruption Commission rules and procedures in filing graft case against a suspected corrupt, as the HC discharged one from a heap of pending quashing petitions of bigwigs.

Among the petitioners are the two former Prime Ministers-Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia-who were both arrested under a clean-up drive launched by the post-1/11 interim regime and recently came out from incarceration.

A division bench comprising Justice M Anwarul Haque and Justice Farah Mahbub passed the judgment discharging the quashing petition filed by former Awami League lawmaker Habibur Rahman Mollah, who had challenged the legality of the case against him by citing procedural flaws.

In October last year, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case with Ramna police station against the former Awami League lawmaker from Dhaka-4 (Demra) constituency for illegally amassing wealth worth over Tk 2 crore and concealing information in his wealth statement submitted to the ACC.

In its judgment the HC observed that all rules and procedures, including initiation of the case, its inquiry and getting sanction from the Commission, were in accordance with the law.

"There has not been any violation of law in this regard," the court said in its ruling on Mollah's case which is identical with over 400 quashing petitions of high-profile persons sued under the anti-graft drive.

About the ACC rules that provide a 30-day timeline for completion of inquiry and 60 days for completion of investigation in such a case, the HC observed that the stipulated timeframe is "not mandatory but directory".

About the requirement of sanction from the three-member commission before submitting the case to the court, the HC held that the signature of a commissioner, who is authorized by the Commission in this regard, is "enough for approval".

"The sanction was not mechanical-it was done in compliance with the rules and procedures," the High Court ruling said.

The judgment will be helpful as a guideline for the counsel for the ACC to fight against the quashing petitions filed with the High Court by other corruption suspects, said ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan.

He said that, at present, over 400 quashing petitions are pending with the High Court for hearing.

Disappointed by the HC judgment, Sheikh Baharul Islam, a counsel for Mollah, told UNB that he would move to the Appellate Division against the HC judgment.

Demand for naming: DU women’s hall after poet Sufia Kamal

UNB, Dhaka

Forty-nine women's rights organizations and NGOs under the banner of 'Samajik Protirodh Committee' yesterday demanded that a Dhaka University women's dormitory and a road in the capital be named after late poet Begum Sufia Kamal.

The demand came from a function marking the 9th death anniversary of poet Sufia Kamal at the central Shaheed Minar premises in the afternoon.

Speakers at the function recalled poet Sufia Kamal's outstanding contributions to the War of Liberation and the movements for women's emancipation in the country. They demanded that a Dhaka University women's hall and a city road be named after her.

Advocate Sultana Kamal, daughter of poet Sufia Kamal and former adviser of caretaker government, presided over the function. President of Bangladesh Mohila Parishad Ayesha Khanam, Executive Director of Nijera Kari Khushi Kabir and President of Karmajibi Nari Shireen Akhter were, among others, present.

Bhaswar Bandopadhyay and Suprova Seboti recited poems on the occasion, while Fahim Hossain Chowdhury and Nandita Yasmin rendered patriotic songs.

Holding election within Dec still possible: Akbar Ali

UNB, Dhaka

Holding the general election within December is still possible through discussion over next 48 hours between the government and the two political alliances, former adviser of caretaker government Dr Akbar Ali Khan said yesterday.

"We still hope there will be an initiative to hold discussion," he told reporters after attending an award distribution ceremony of Citi Foundation at the Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre.

Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam earlier distributed prizes among the four winners of the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards 2008. Dr Akbar Ali Khan said both the sides - the government and the political parties - would have to be flexible, but it should be kept in mind that the government has constitutional limitation to hold the election within the next month and avert a constitutional crisis.

"We don't want breaking up of the dialogue. It should be initiated immediately," he said.

Replying to a question, Dr Khan said there is a legal excuse that the election within December would not be extra-constitutional for lack of voter list. "Now we have voter list and there will be a constitutional crisis if the election does not take place."

Another former adviser of caretaker government, Prof Wahiduddin Mahmud said the people had an expectation that a free, fair and neutral election would be held despite the incidents that took place during the last two years.

He urged the two major political alliances to reach consensus if there is a scope for the greater interest of the nation.

"If the parties concerned can set such an example within a day or two, it will be an instance of long-term farsightedness in the country's political, economic and social history," he said.

Time-befiting policy for TV channels stressed

BSS, Dhaka

Media personalities at a discussion here yesterday underscored the need for formulating a time-befitting policy for public and private TV channels for ensuring development in every sphere of the society. Such a policy would effectively help TV channels perform independently without any control from any quarter, they said adding, the policy can also establish a knowledge-based society by promoting education and culture.

Bangladesh Centre for Development, Journalism and Communication (BCDJC) and Karuj Communications jointly organised the discussion on 'Boom of Television Industry in Bangladesh: Prospects and Constraints' at the Jatiya Press Club here, marking the 'World Television Day' to be observed today.

Dhaka University Professor Dr Syed Anwar Hossain, Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, Professor of Independent University GM Shaheed, Editor of the Borer Kagoj Shyamol Dutta, Programme Chief of ATN Bangla Nowazesh Ali Khan, its head of news Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, columnist Shahriar Kabir, Editor of the Saptahik 2000 Golam Mortuza and Kazi Ali Reza of UNESCO spoke on the occasion. The discussion was moderated by Associate Professor of DU Robayet Ferdous.

Dr Syed Anwar Hossain said a policy guideline for regulating both the state run and private TV channels along with cable TV operators is urgently needed.

Zaglul Chowdhury said the satellite TV channels of South Asia have been enriching the education and the culture of the respective countries as well as the countries of the region. The TV channels of Bangladesh will have to perform efficiently to compete other countries of the region, he added. Shyamol Dutta said the country's TV channels are stationed in Dhaka with an urban based viewers, which should be expanded so that the rural people can watch the TV programmes and get benefit of those.

Nowazesh Ali Khan said the programmes of the TV channels should be educative side by side with IT specialisation.

Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul said the media yet to be considered as an industry and more research is required to develop the industry so it can serve the country and its people.

Shahriar Kabir said the country has achieved tremendous success in disseminating news, but did not perform well in broadcasting dramas, talk shows and other recreational programmes.

Kazi Ali Reza said quality programmes and news of the TV channels can play a significant role in creating an enlightened society.

Disabled persons demand right to participate in BCS exams

DU Correspondent

"In our country many disabled men and woman have taken higher education successfully but it is very unfortunate that due to disability they were deprived of getting a better job and attend Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination. It is contradictory with our constitution."

Mosharraf Hossain Chowdhury, a person handicapped with the vision said this in a press conference, which was jointly organised by Action on Disability and Development (ADD) and 'Disabled Students Right Preservation Association' (DSRPS) at Dhaka University Journalists Union conference room TSC yesterday.

Addressing the programme speakers said, 'Approximately one lakh fifty thousand disabled men and women live in our country. Without their participation our country could not be developed, they added.

It may be mentioned that disabled men and women participated in the 26th and 27th BCS examinations but in 28th BCS examination they were barred from participating in it.

ADD and DSRPS formed human chain demanding their right to participate in the BCS examination on November 22.

Bangladesh crumble to South Africa's pace

Agency

Bangladesh 153 (Rahim 48, Ntini 3-20) and 20 for 1 (Iqbal 5*, Siddique 7*) trail South Africa 441 for 9 dec (Smith 157, Amla 112, Prince 59*, Shakib 5-130) by 268 runs.

At a time when Test cricket is fighting to maintain its credibility and relevance it needs some cracking matches to maintain interest. Brisbane may yet provide a tonic, Bloemfontein certainly won't. Bangladesh, after improving with the ball, were predictably blown away for 153 by South Africa's pace attack and are already one down in the follow-on after debutant Imrul Kayes fell for the second time in the day.

What makes Bangla-desh's collapse an even greater pity is that for half the day they'd fought back impressively to reduce South Africa from 327 for 1 to 441. Shakib-Al-Hasan, who claimed 7 for 36 against New Zealand last month, took another five-wicket haul to work through the lower order but, as against New Zealand, Bangladesh's resurgence was an illusion and this time the false impression was even greater.

Bangladesh may seem a minor player in cricket's bigger picture, but the reality is that they have played a significant number of Tests. Even taking into account the exodus to the Indian Cricket League and a young team it doesn't excuse repeated failings. Some players, such as Mohammad Ashraful, should know better than driving at wide half volleys but don't seem to learn from their previous mistakes. When it comes to describing a Bangladesh batting collapse nothing much has changed - they can't play pace, don't like bounce and have poor shot selection. A scoring rate of four-an-over is pointless if a side is all out in under 37 overs.

'Ushr’ can be effecitive tool to remove poverty

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a roundtable yesterday said that "Ushr" (zakat for crops) can be an effective tool for poverty alleviation in the country.

The roundtable on "Ushr Perspective in Bangladesh" was held at the CIRDAP auditorium in the city. The Ushr Foundation Bangladesh (UFB) organised it. Dr Khondaker ANM Abdullah Jahangir of Islami University, Kushtia, presented the keynote paper while Prof Mojahidul Islam of Dhaka University moderated the roundtable. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Dr Monjur Elahi, Md Ersad Ullah, Sadeq Safiullah, Maulana Khalilur Rahman, Secretary General of mosque mission, Prof Ayubur Rahman Bhuayan, Dr Mohammed Musa, Prof Borhan Uddin, Dr AJM Nomani, Golam Mohammed, Ushr foundation Chairman Dr Mostaq Ahmed and Secretary General Hasnat Abdul Kader, among others, addressed the roundtable.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad said if the Government institutionalises "Ushr" it can reduce the poverty level in the country significantly.

He pleaded for involving the country's economists and Islamic scholars in promoting the concept of "Ushr" at the state level.

He pointed out that UFB has recently taken up a 2-year project at Chandinar Char in Manikganj for lifting 300 ultra poor families from the vicious cycle of poverty.

Maulana Khalilur Rahman said that the success of the government in motivating the well-to do farm owners to the concept of "Ushr" will usher in a new era of socio-economic development of the country.

Md Ersad Ullah called upon the media to motivate people by publishing and telecasting news in this regard.

Abdullah Jahangir in his keynote paper said that the "Ushr" can stabilise the prices of essential commodities as the farmers will distribute "Ushr" after harvesting crops.

Uncertanity over poll pushes: DSE back to lossing streak

UNB, Dhaka

Uncertainty over the elections has sparked fear among the investors of political instability, pushing the Dhaka Stock Exchange back to losing streak yesterday, a day after four days of decline stopped on Wednesday with slight gains.

Stockbrokers said the investors on Wednesday expected that there would be a solution to the problem about holding the election, but the hope faded by the end of the day. "This caused an adverse reaction among the already shaken investors," said one of them.

As a result, the trading opened yesterday only to nosedive. The DSE General Index fell as low as 61 points to stand at 2,565 within 45 minutes of trading from Wednesday's 2,626 points.

The institutional investors, however, came to rescue the market from further fall through placement of heavy buying orders. This helped the benchmark index recover gradually before closing the day only 10 points or 0.38 percent lower at 2,616 points, said a merchant banker.

The All Shares Price Index (DSI) dropped 9 points or 0.41 percent to close at 2,162 while the DSE-20 index of selective shares shed 2 points or 0.11 percent to close at 2,193 points.

Of the total 229 issues traded on the day, 87 registered gains, 131 incurred losses and 11 remained unchanged.

The day's total turnover dropped to Tk 2.01 billion from Tk 2.49 billion Wednesday while market capitalization declined to Tk 959 billion from Tk 962 billion.

Beximco Pharma, Uttara Bank, Beximco, Titas Gas, Dutch-Bangla Bank, ACI, ICB 2nd NRB, Summit Power, GRAMEENS2 and Lankabangla Finance were the day's turnover leaders in terms of value.

The day's volume leaders were AIMS 1st Mutual Fund, Beximco Pharma, Beximco Textiles, GRAMEENS2, Beximco, Keya Detergent, Golden Son, Keya Cosmetics, Agni Systems Limited and BD Com. Top gainers of the day were Savar Refractories, Beximco, Desh Garments, 8th ICB, Beximco Synthetics, Beximco Pharma, 2nd ICB, Orion Infusion, BD Online and Samata Leather.