The New Nation - Internet Edition

Armed Forces Day function: Khaleda, Hasina exchange pleasantries

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and Awami League
Chief Sheikh Hasina exchanging pleasantries at Armed Forces
Day function at Senakunja yesterday as the advisers of the
caretaker government look on. Banglar Chokh

Staff Reporter

In a rare gesture of goodwill, arch political rivals two former prime ministers Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina yesterday exchanged salam and pleasantries at the Armed Forces Day reception at the Sena Kunja at Dhaka Cantonment.

According to information Begum Khaleda and Sheikh Hasina, also chiefs of the AL and BNP did not talk to each other in a brief face-to-face meeting after 18 years since 1990.

The two leaders had an opportunity to come close to each other during sessions of the last three parliaments and the annual armed forces day receptions but never directly talked to each other.

There were attempts in the past to convince them to talk to each other.

During the anti-Ershad movement, Begum Khaleda Zia met Sheikh Hasina on two occasions at her husband’s atomic energy commission staff quarters in Mohakhali and the Dhanmondi residence of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, which has now been turned into a museum.

When the two leaders exchanged greetings last evening at the reception, the guests warmly applauded.

The event took place before the arrival of President Iajuddin Ahmed, who hosted the reception as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

The meeting of rival leaders is considered as a positive sign in the political arena when the two parties stick to its separate dates for holding the parliamentary polls.

Sheikh Hasina led 14-party has been demanding holding the parliamentary polls on December 18 according to the schedule while Begum Khaleda Zia led 4-party alliance called for a 10-day delay.

The 14-party alliance has already declared to contest the elections, while the 4-party alliance is yet to take a formal decision to take part.

Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina were arrested last year and sent to special jails side by side in the Jatiya Sangsad premises on corruption charges and released after a year.

Sheikh Hasina was the first to reach the function at the Sena Kunja in the evening while Khaleda Zia followed her a few minutes later.

The Chief Adviser was flanked by Khaleda Zia at the right and Sheikh Hasina on the left.

The reception was attended, among others, by Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, Speaker Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar, Chief Justice MM Ruhul Amin, Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda, former presidents HM Ershad, AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and Abdur Rahman Biswas, incumbent and former advisers, judges, chiefs of diplomatic missions, politicians, incumbent and former chiefs of staffs, senior journalists and government officials.

In the reception function, Election Commission gave away a crest to the Armed Forces in recognition to the commendable contribution for preparing accurate voters list with photographs and National Identify Cards. On behalf of the Armed Forces Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed received the crest from the President.

Earlier, President Iajuddin Ahmed laid down wreaths at the 'Shikha Anirban' (eternal flame) in Dhaka Cantonment in the morning to mark the Armed Forces Day.

The days' programme began with special prayers offered at all the cantonment, air and naval base mosques for the prosperity and advancement of the armed forces.

Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed, Navy Chief Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam and Air Force Chief Air Marshal SM Ziaur Rahman placed wreaths at the 'Shikha Anirban' in Dhaka Cantonment in the morning.

The three chiefs then met with President Iajuddin Ahmed. Earlier, the President hosted a reception in honour of the successors of the Birsreshthhos and gallantry award winners at the Armed Forces Division headquarters in the morning.

Besides, the three chiefs of staffs also hosted separate receptions to honour the army, navy and air force gallantry award winners, their families and freedom fighters.

Newspapers brought out special supplements and the Bangladesh Television and other private TV channels broadcast special programmes commemorating the Armed Forces Day.

On November 21 in 1971, the armed forces of Bangladesh was formally constituted comprising army, navy and air force.

The armed forces combining its strength with the people fighting had initiated the launch of all-out attack on this day in a bid to wipe out the occupation forces of Pakistan.

EC awaits AL’s reaction to BNP’s poll date: Political knot yet to untie

A four-party delegation led by BNP leader MK Anwar
yesterday met Chief Election Commissioner and two other
commissioners at EC Secretariat over election-related
issues. Focus Bangla

Pulack Ghatack

The persisting political knot is yet to untie as the Election Commission is awaiting Awami League’s reaction to BNP’s acceptance of its earlier proposal to push back the long awaited parliamentary polls to December 28 from December 18.

But, AL said that it would confirm its position after getting the government and EC’s views on the BNP-led alliance’s demand for deferring the election for 10 days.

The Commission yesterday initiated fresh talks with the key players in power politics to reschedule the election date in a bid to accommodate the BNP-led alliance in the fray.

After holding a threadbare meeting with a 4-party alliance delegation yesterday Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda said the commission’s only target is to stage an all-inclusive election battle, which is crucial for transition to democracy.

“Our discussion was satisfactory,” the CEC told reporters while leaving his office late in the afternoon on a rather busy weekend for the Election Commission due to dilemmas over the polls.

“This is an important national issue. And we will try to finish it at an appropriate time,” he added.

The Commission expects to sit with the Awami League-led grand alliance, the other party in the tug-of-war, today in their bid to work out a consensus on the timing of the elections.

Awami League is ready to respond if the Commission and the government invite it for talks, AL spokesperson Syed Ashraful Islam told reporters yesterday.

“We don't know the subject of discussion between Begum Zia and the government. We are waiting. But, still we want the election on December 18 as announced earlier,” he added.

Asked about his party’s reaction to the latest demand of 4-party alliance he said, “We are waiting for the decision of the Commission and the government and we will convey our opinion in this regard afterwards.”

BNP leader and former prime minister Khaleda Zia said late Thursday she would contest if the government defer the national election by 10 days.

She also urged the government to lift the state of emergency, imposed almost two years ago, from Sunday, when nominations for the elections close, and said the army should stay out of the political process.

Ashraful said the EC had made changes to the schedule "on more than one occasion and that too unilaterally, without consulting us".

"Such changes have certainly hampered our preparations, as we have been working keeping in view the December 18 date for the national polls."

He said BNP should take part in the election as December 18 is the right time for the polls.

“We had an important discussion,” BNP vice-chairman MK Anwar who led the 4-party delegation, told reporters after their two-hour meeting with the EC.

He said the discussion focused on details of Begum Zia’s propositions for making the elections successful.

Asked whether the Commission accepted December 28 as new polling-day, Anwar said, “We hope the Commission will take necessary steps considering our position.”

BNP leaders Nazrul Islam Khan and Rizvi Ahmed and Jamaat leaders Mohammad Qamaruzzaman and Adv Jasimuddin Sarker were on the delegation in the with Chief Election Commissioner Dr Shamsul Huda and Commissioners Sohul Hossain and Brig Gen (retd) Shakawat Hossain.

Khaleda, Hasina’s fate inextricably linked

Hasanuzzaman Khan

The fast changing course of events preceding the December parliamentary elections once again reminds that the political careers of Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia have been inextricably linked.

The Election Commission seems to be in a paradox over ensuring legitimacy of the upcoming parliamentary polls in December in the event of a boycott by any of the two political parties. Fixing a date for a much yearned poll seems to be the main obstacle for the Election Commission, whether it will be on December 18 or 28 now poses a big question.

Begum Khaleda Zia dropped a boycott plan of parliamentary polls if it was held on December 28. But Awami League sticks to its December 18 hustings. Election could not be shifted to ameliorate the inconveniences of a particular party. The BNP and the Awami League has accepted the post-one eleven realities. The Awami League wilfully has dropped the candidates convicted under emergency laws on corruption charges. Many politicians who dominate the street shows were quite absent from the nomination list of the populist democratic party. Moreover, younger ones got precedence over elders. Former Army officials and women candidates were given party ticket on 'proportional representation' basis for the coming polls. It is to be seen as a new phenomenon in the Bangladesh politics. The BNP, though it has not finalised its nomination list of the future MPs, is learnt to have toed the same line.

The BNP, of late, has accepted the notion that the convicts under emergency laws could not be accommodated in the list of future MPs.

Sheikh Hasina and Begum Kheldea Zia, making a departure from the past, exchanged pleasantries at the Armed Forces Day function at the Sena Kunja yesterday. They were barely on talking terms for the last 17 years. The firework in the rhetorics of the Awami League leaders was absent.

For much of the last two decades the two women-leaders of the Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party respectively-have alternated between being prime minister and leader of the opposition.

When one was on a high, claiming a fair and clean election following a landslide victory, the other was on a down, complaining of poll rigging and electoral fraud.

Animosity between the pair over this issue and staunch disagreements between them over which of their menfolk was the first to declare independence from Pakistan in 1971 has meant that the political hatreds which prevailed in the past are still live in the arena.

The current caretaker government of the country has announced that general elections will be held as planned on 18 December.

It said, it had decided to keep to the date after failing to persuade political parties to shun their differences over the schedule.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has threatened to boycott the poll unless emergency rule, which has already been in force, is lifted.

Its main rival, the Awami League, without putting any condition has said it will take part in the suffrage.

The government also refused to repeal the state of emergency which was imposed in January 2007 after months of unrest.

BNP boycott would be a serious blow to the government's pledge that the elections will be the fairest in the country's history.

But except for the participation of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's party, people at home and abroad may doubt its legitimacy.

The BNP and its allies won a two-thirds majority in the last elections in 2001 and the party remains popular - but during the two-year rule of the current caretaker government it has been seriously weakened.

Many of its leaders, including Khaleda Zia and her two sons, were accused of corruption and were taken into custody. Khaleda Zia after 11 months was freed on bail, but about 50 other leaders of her party are still behind bars.

The Awami League was less affected by the anti-corruption drive, even though its leader Sheikh Hasina was also taken into custody for a short while.

It agreed to participate in the elections and has for some time been confident of winning and, of course, that confidence still exists, may be with a little bit lesser vehemence.

Khaleda Zia has announced that her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will take part in the next month's elections but has put a condition that the election date shall have to be shifted to 28 December from the scheduled 18 December.

The government has already agreed to that in principle but has ruled out an earlier plea of BNP to defer the election for one full month.

The government has time and again reiterated that the elections will be the fairest in the country's history and hence BNP and its four-party alliance's absence would put a question mark about the legitimacy of the election.

Her BNP and its allies won a two-thirds majority in the last elections in 2001, so their decision to take part removes the last major obstacle to the polls being free, fair and credible. But does the four-party alliance's participation in the election means Khaleda Zia is more likely to be elected prime minister for a fourth time.

The BNP remains popular but has become weak and divided during the past two years. Even setting credible new candidates to fill the places fallen void has become difficult for the party.

Critics say that Ms Zia has taken this hard line because at the moment Sheikh Hasina, of the Awami League, appears to be the most likely winner of the elections, which will bring an end to the unpopular two-year rule of the caretaker government.

The government will now be under intense pressure to comply with Khaleda's demands, at least in part. The situation before the government is complicated. But people hope that in a day or two some positive development shall take place for a happy ending of the elaborate ordeal.

AL will let its reaction known after govt decision

Staff Reporter

Awami League (AL) spokesman and Joint Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam yesterday said AL would announce party's decision on the BNP's latest polls proposal after reviewing the stand of the Government and the Election Commission (EC) on this proposal.

"We want the parliamentary polls to take place on December 18 as per the announcement of the EC," he remarked.

Talking to newsman at the Sudha Sadan residence of AL president Sheikh Hasina at Dhanmondi, Ashraful said, "We are waiting to know the decision of the meeting between the Government and BNP on the issue first, and then we will disclose our decision."

"But we would like calling upon all the political parties to participate in the polls on December 18, the date has been announced by the EC," he added.

Ashraful also alleged that the EC has changed the election schedule many times. "Such changes have certainly hampered our preparations, as we have been working targeting the December 18 as the date for the national polls," he added.

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia on Thursday proposed that her party would participate in the election if the polls date was shifted to December 28.

3 options for 27th BCS candidates: Candidates break fast

UNB, Dhaka

The government is considering three options for the agitating candidates who were successful in the first-phase result but later disqualified in the second phase result of the 27th BCS exam, the Education Adviser said Thursday night.

The options are-creating new posts, giving them non-cadre gazetted posts or allow them to take part in the 29th BCS examination to be announced next January, Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman said after a two-hour meeting with the Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof SMA Faiz at the VC's official residence.

Establishment Secretary AFM Solaiman Chowdhury, Prof Harun-or-Rashid, Prof Sadrul Amin, Prof Borhan Uddin Khan and syndicate member Prof Ahmed Kamal of Dhaka University, and ten of the unsuccessful candidates were present at the meeting.

Hossain Zillur told reporters that a special committee of the advisers headed by the chief adviser held a meeting Thursday afternoon and considered the issue of the BCS candidates.

Earlier, at around 9:15pm, the Education Adviser arrived at the Central Shaheed Minar and persuaded the candidates, on hunger strike since November 1, to withdraw their programme.

After getting assurance from the adviser, the candidates cancelled the hunger strike programme but decided to stay at the Central Shaheed Minar until they receive appointments from the government.

Prior to the arrival of the adviser, DU VC Prof SMA Faiz said a Dhaka University team of teachers, which he led, called on Chief Adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed at the CA's office on November 11 seeking to resolve the issue.

A protesting BCS candidate, M Mafuzur Rahman, said: "There are speculations about our possible appointments… that the government would create more than 600 non-cadre gazetted posts for us. In fact, we didn't talk about this in the Thursday's meeting (at VC's residence)."

He said there was discussion in the meeting about the creation of 766 new posts for general, education and professional cadres except health cadres where around 750 posts still remained vacant.

Mahfuz informed that some 1100 candidates of 27th BCS exam were successful in the first phase result, but later disqualified in the second phase result.

US global dominance 'set to wane’

Agency, Washington

The US will face more competition at the top of a multi-polar global system

US economic, military and political dominance is likely to decline over the next two decades, according to a new US intelligence report on global trends.

The National Intelligence Council (NIC) predicts China, India and Russia will increasingly challenge US influence.

It also says the dollar may no longer be the world's major currency, and food and water shortages will fuel conflict.

However, the report concedes that these outcomes are not inevitable and will depend on the actions of world leaders.

It will make sombre reading for President-elect Barack Obama, the BBC's Jonathan Beale in Washington says, as it paints a bleak picture of the future of US influence and power.

"The next 20 years of transition to a new system are fraught with risks," says Global Trends 2025, the latest of the reports that the NIC prepares every four years in time for the next presidential term.

Washington will retain its considerable military advantages, but scientific and technological advances; the use of "irregular warfare tactics"; the proliferation of long-range precision weapons; and the growing use of cyber warfare "increasingly will constrict US freedom of action", it adds.

Nevertheless, the report concludes: "The US will remain the single most important actor but will be less dominant."

Nuclear weapons use

The NIC's 2004 study painted a rosier picture of America's global position, with US dominance expected to continue.

But the latest Global Trends report says that rising economies such as China, India, Russia and Brazil will offer the US more competition at the top of a multi-polar international system.

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The EU is meanwhile predicted to become a "hobbled giant", unable to turn its economic power into diplomatic or military muscle.

A world with more power centres will be less stable than one with one or two superpowers, it says, offering more potential for conflict.

Global warming, along with rising populations and economic growth will put additional strains on natural resources, it warns, fuelling conflict around the globe as countries compete for them.

"Strategic rivalries are most likely to revolve around trade, investments and technological innovation and acquisition, but we cannot rule out a 19th Century-like scenario of arms races, territorial expansion and military rivalries," the report says.

"Types of conflict we have not seen for a while - such as over resources - could re-emerge."

US military vehicles in Iraq - 9/9/2008

There will be greater potential for conflict in the future, the NIC says

Such conflicts and resource shortages could lead to the collapse of governments in Africa and South Asia, and the rise of organised crime in Eastern and Central Europe, it adds.

And the use of nuclear weapons will grow increasingly likely, the report says, as "rogue states" and militant groups gain greater access to them.

But al-Qaeda could decay "sooner than people think", it adds, citing the group's growing unpopularity in the Muslim world.

"The prospect that al-Qaeda will be among the small number of groups able to transcend the generational timeline is not high, given its harsh ideology, unachievable strategic objectives and inability to become a mass movement," it says.

The NIC does, however, give some scope for leaders to take action to prevent the emergence of new conflicts.

"It is not beyond the mind of human beings, or political systems, [or] in some cases [the] working of market mechanisms to address and alleviate if not solve these problems," said Thomas Fingar, chairman of the NIC.

And, our correspondent adds, it is worth noting that US intelligence has been wrong before..

Neonatal death rate Fifth highest among 10 countries

Staff Reporter

Speakers at an international congress in the city yesterday said Bangladesh is fifth among 10 countries with the highest number of neonatal deaths.

They urged the government to take initiatives to reduce the present death rate.

Bangladesh Perinatal Society (BPS) organised the three-day International Perinatal Congress, at Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Center (BCFCC). Prof Mohammad Shahidullah, secretary general of BPS, in his keynote speech, said despite having some significant successes in child survival, Bangladesh is still the fifth with the highest number of child deaths.

India, China, Pakistan and Nigeria are the top four countries having highest rate of neonatal deaths.

The speakers recognised some problems like malnutrition, lack of trained midwives and lack of awareness as the cause of the child deaths.

Health Adviser Dr AMM Shawkat Ali addressed the congress as chief guest, while Prof TA Chowdhury, President of BPC, chaired it.

Health Secretary AMM Nasir Uddin, National Professor MR Khan, Vice Chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Prof Nazrul Islam, country representative of UN Children Fund (UNICEF) Carel De Rooy and Country Director of the Save the Children USA Kelland Stevenson, among others, took part in the programme.