The New Nation - Internet Edition

Pak past haunts India

BBC Online

Pakistan's reversal of a decision to send the head of its intelligence service to India is a political own goal, following the offer made by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

Gilani, whose democratic government is the first in Pakistan for almost a decade, made the offer to show full co-operation with the Indian investigation.

But now a lower official from the Inter Services Agency (ISI) will come instead.

The decision damages Pakistan's case that all of the military organisations of the state are now under democratic control - a case put strongly in a BBC interview when their foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told me there was now "consensus" among all of the institutions of the state to act against terrorist groups.

By coincidence it was on Wednesday, hours before the Mumbai incident began, that the Pakistani government scrapped the political wing of the ISI.

The move aimed to reduce its political role, after the failure in July to take it out of the army's control and put it under the interior ministry.

In the past the ISI has had strong links with Islamist militant groups, going back to its (then US-funded) sponsorship of the Mujahideen against Russian control of Afghanistan in the 1980s, and backing for the Taleban in the 1990s.

Soldiers leave for operations against Taleban militants in Swat 26/11/2008.

While Pakistan now fights Taleban forces, it backed them in the 1990s.

In the early 1990s, a campaign to end Indian control of Kashmir became far more violent, and the Lashkar-e-Toiba was among groups which benefited from Pakistani state support to train militants for that cause.

It was this group which trained the Mumbai militants for three months, according to a statement leaked to Indian newspapers, said to have been made by the one alleged militant captured alive, named as Azam Amir Qasab.

The Lashkar-e-Toiba was banned by the military-led government of Pakistan in 2002 at US insistence.

But it changed its name to the Jamaat-ud-Dawa and, after serving brief gaol terms, its leaders emerged to continue to inspire jihad against Indian control of Kashmir. Despite the Pakistani government's promise to end the activity of this group, several years later it continued "largely unabated", according to an investigation by the think tank International Crisis Group.

By 2007, when the military government did appear to be trying to crack down, it found itself victim to what analysts call "Islamic blowback" - attacks on itself by groups once favoured and now out of control.

In a remarkable series of interviews published in the New York Times, Carlotta Gall reported former ISI operatives admitting that parts of the agency were trying to stop attacks by militants that others in the same organisation were still financing.

One former senior intelligence official was quoted as saying, "We indoctrinated them and told them 'You will go to heaven'. You cannot turn it around so suddenly."

Apart from the leaked report about the one alleged militant said to have been taken alive this week, the only other concrete indication about the group who carried out the attacks on Mumbai was a statement by a previously unknown group, the "Deccan Mujahideen".

PM Singh addresses the nation after the attacks 27/11/2008

Indian PM Singh is under pressure to explain failures to prevent the attacks

A number of smaller attacks have been admitted by the "Indian Mujahideen" this year.

Indian police sources have been quoted as saying that this group was created by the ISI and formed from members of existing groups including the Lashkar-e-Toiba.

The Telegraph newspaper, based in Kolkata, reported that police were connecting the Indian Mujahideen with the "Students' Islamic Movement of India", who called the claim a "figment of the imagination" of the IB (Intelligence Bureau).

With state assembly elections currently under way, the Indian government is under pressure to explain the intelligence failures that led to such a carefully planned and audaciously executed attack.

That explains the unusually strong statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on TV on Thursday threatening a "cost" to be paid by Pakistan if suitable measures were not taken.

After a recent gradual thaw, relations between these two hostile nuclear-armed neighbours look again to be on ice.

134 submits nomination papers for Ctg 16 seats

BSS, Chittagong

Around 134 candidates of different political parties, mainly of BNP-led 4-party alliance and Awami League-led Mohajote, have submitted their nomination papers for 16 parliamentary seats in Chittagong city and district till yesterday, the final date for submission of nomination papers.

The exact number of submitted nomination papers could not be confirmed as officials concerned said they were still collecting information from the upazila headquarters.

Election Office sources said a total of 53 candidates of different political parties and independent ones filed their nomination papers from six constituencies in the city and its adjacent areas which include Ctg-3, 4, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Of the 53 nomination papers, 25 candidates submitted their nomination papers yesterday.

As per earlier decision, BNP-led four-party alliance candidates filed their nomination papers yesterday.

Police and election offices in the city and district sources said submission of nomination papers were held peacefully and there were no reports of any untoward incidents in the city and district.

Some of the disgruntled leaders of Awami League, its like minded parties and BNP-led 4-party alliance also submitted their nomination papers from most of the parliamentary seats in Chittagong defying the decision of the parties.

Acting city mayor and AL leader Manjurul Alam Manju dropped his nomination paper at the divisional commissioner office in the city for Chittagong-8 constituency as an independent candidate.

Some of the big political figures of Mohajote and LDP who filed their nomination papers today on the last day of submission of nomination papers include Alhaj Nurul Islam, B.Sc (Ctg-8), executive president of LDP Col (retd) Oli Ahmed (Ctg-13 and 14), Alhaj Akhteruzzaman Chowdhury Babu (Ctg-12), JP (Ershad) executive chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud (Ctg-5) and chairman of one faction of IOJ Mufti Izharul Islam Chowdhury (Ctg-15).

On the other hand, heavyweight candidates belong to the 4- party alliance, including former ministers Abdullah Al Noman (Ctg-9), Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury (Ctg 2 and 6), Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury (Ctg-10), Syed Wahidul Alam (Ctg-5), Jafrul Islam Chowdhury (Ctg-15) and former BGMEA president SM Fazlul Hoq (Ctg-5) have filed their nomination papers.

Most of the 4-party alliance candidates filed their nomination papers on Saturday and yesterday after being confirmed of their getting party tickets.

BNP, allies submit nomination

Staff Reporter

The BNP led four-party alliance yesterday submitted nominations papers separately with their respective election officers amid festive atmosphere for contesting the forthcoming 9 th parliamentary elections on December 29.

BNP has submitted 246 nomination papers while Bangladesh Jamaat-e- Islami 40, Islami Oikkya Jote 3 and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) for 1 in the polls.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia submitted nomination paper for Feni-1 (Phulgazi-Porshuram-Chhagalnaiya) constituency yesterday.

Khaleda's younger brother Sayeed Eskander, the former lawmaker from the constituency, submitted the nomination paper on behalf of Khaleda Zia Fulgazi upazila nirbahi officer in presence of local BNP supporters.

The Chairperson of BNP is also contesting the elections from Bogra-6 and Bogra-7 constituencies.

BNP Secretary General Khandker Delwar Hossain submitted his nomination paper to the returning officer in Manikganj to contest from Manikganj- 1 constituency.

Earlier the parliamentary board of Bangladesh Nationalists Party (BNP) chaired by party Chairperson and other standing committee members on Saturday nominated 263 candidates for the polls on December 29.

Moulan Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ameer, for Pabna-1, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Secretary General for Faridpur-3, M Kamaruzzaman for Sherpur-3, ATM Azharul Islam for Rangpur-2, Abdus Sobhan for Pabna-5, Moulan Delawar Hossain Saidee for Pirojpur-1, Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher for Comilla-11, Hamidur Rahman Azad for Cox's Bazar-2, Mir Kashem Ali for Dhaka-8 among other candidates of Bangladesh Jamaat-e- Islami.

Mufti Fazlul Huq Amini, President of IOJ and Barrister Andaliv Rahman, Chairman of BJP would contest from Brahmanbari-2 and Bhola- 1 constituencies respectively.

BNP and other parties of the four-party alliance would disclose their parties manifestos within a couple of days, sources of the alliance said.

City roundtable: Conspiracy on to make country a failed state

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a roundtable yesterday said the conspirators at home and abroad are trying to foil the upcoming National Election to make the country a failed state.

The conspiracy has to be faced by efforts of all, they added.

The roundtable was held on " Freedom-Democracy-Election: Public Thinking" at the National Press Club.

Nagorik Forum organised the function, while President of the Forum Abdullahil Masud presided over the programme.

Mohammad Mahbub Hossain moderated the programme. Renowned Journalist Sadek Khan, Assistant Secretary of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Barrister Abdur Razzak, Information and Research Secretary of BNP Rejabuddoulla Chowdhury, Secretary General of Islami Oikkyo Jote Moulana Abdul Latif Nejami, Secretary General of Bangladesh Jatiya Party Abu Naser Mohammad Rahmatullah, Teachers leader Prof Khairul Islam, Secretary General of Bangladesh Islamic Party Advocate Abdul Mobin, Journalist Rita Rahman, leader of BNP women's wing Khaleda Yasmin and Joint Secretary of NDP Gulam Mostofa Bhuian, took part in the discussion, among others.

The speakers said the state of emergency is an obstacle for holding a free, fair and credible election. It has to be lifted within shortest time to protect democracy, otherwise the election would be controversial, they added.

They said that visionary leadership is needed to develop the country.

They called upon the people to vote the honest, qualified and ideal candidate in the upcoming National Election in the interest of establishing an effective parliament.

AL, JP consensus after high drama

Staff Reporters

Awami League (AL) and Jatiya Party (JP) yesterday reached a consensus over the formation of their coalition to contest the upcoming parliamentary polls and formation of government unitedly if the grand alliance was voted to power ending all the rumours and political drama.

After a lengthy bilateral meeting AL spokesperson and Joint Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam and JP Acting Chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud at a joint press briefing disclosed this at the AL president Sheikh Hasina's Dhanmondi political office.

Both of them voiced for continuing to work as usual to ensure victory in the national polls to establish Bangladesh as a corruption-free and non-communal state.

Anisul Islam Mahmud said, "Some confusion was created over the coalition of AL and JP. But we want to make it clear that there is no misunderstanding among us. Our ultimate destination is to earn the victory in the national polls."

Syed Ashraful Islam said AL, JP and all other partners of the grand alliance were promised to work together to establish build up Bangladesh as a strong democratic country. " We hope that the countrymen will vote us to resume the office," he added.

Replying to a question Ashraf confessed that there were some disagreements between them. But these were too silly to resolve very soon.

Asked about JP chief HM Ershad's statement after the party's presidium meeting in the evening that JP would quit the grand alliance if AL did not relinquish 60 seats for them and would not make him president, Anisul Islam Mahmud seemed puzzled.

Ashraful Islam said after finalisation of the symbol-allocation process names of all candidates of the JP, AL and other components of the grand alliance would be disclosed to all.

Various rumors and apprehensions ran high across the country that JP is quitting the grand alliance after JP leaders did not come to attend a scheduled meeting with AL in the morning at the Dhanmondi office and after statements of HM Ershad in the afternoon.

Prior to the bilateral meeting HM Ershad after the party's presidium meeting cautioned that his party would quit AL led electoral alliance if AL did not relinquish 60 seats for his party and did not make him the president. Earlier the scheduled meeting between AL and JP was postponed yesterday as JP did not attend the meeting at the AL president Sheikh Hasina's political office at Dhanmondi that was the third consecutive day for negotiations aiming to settle the issue.

Although JP did not attend the meeting AL was still hopeful to reach a consensus over seat-sharing deal and keeping JP in the grand alliance.

AL presidium member Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Begum Matia Chowdhury and

Joint Secretary and AL spokesman Syed Ashraful waited till 12-40pm for the JP leaders at the meeting.

While coming out from the office Syed Ashraful Islam said there was no doubt keeping the JP in the grand alliance. There was no scope of misunderstanding between AL and JP. The unity of all the partners was still remaining unchanged.

He declined to make any comment on JP leaders failure to attend the meeting scheduled for 10-30am yesterday, but said discussions were going on with JP and hinted at positive outcome.

According to the party source the leaders of both the parties were bargaining to secure more seats for their respective parties had been continuing for the last few days without bearing any fruit."

Another party source said after postponing the meeting scheduled in the early part of the day, some presidium members of the AL and two delegates of JP sat in a meeting at the Gulshan residence of AL presidium member Zillur Rahman hiding this to reporters.

A party insider said in that meeting both the party reached in a consensus on the issue of seat sharing but there the issue of making Ershad the president if the alliance voted to power could not be settled.

JP acting chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud and presidium member Ziauddin Bablu attended the meeting, source said.

A party insider said, as yesterday was the deadline for submission of nomination papers for the national polls, both the AL and JP asked the party candidates to submit the nomination papers. If the parties can reach a consensus, the other candidates would be asked to withdraw their candidacy in favour of the candidates selected by the alliance.

As per the directive of JP central committee a total of 274 candidates submitted nomination papers across the country. They would withdraw nomination papers after finalisation of the candidature of the grand alliance, source said.

Withdrawal of expulsion of RMC student demanded

RU Correspondent

Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) of Rajshahi Medical College (RMC) unit recently submitted a memorandum to the college principal demanding withdrawal of the expulsion order against BCL RMC unit organizing secretary Shah Alam Siddiki Lalon.

Earlier, on September 11, college academic council expelled BCL RMC unit organizing secretary Shah Alam Siddiki Lalon from the college following the clash between BCL and JCD activists on the campus on October 23 that 10 BCL activists were injured

In the memorandum, the BCL leaders and activists said that college authorities illegally expelled Lalon from the campus under pressure of JCD activists.

They also mentioned that JCD activities on October 23 torched six BCL rooms and attacked on BCL men.

The BCL activists said that they earlier several times submitted memorandum and met college principal at his office to reconsider their decision and demanded withdrawal of the expulsion order against Lalon.

BCL RMC unit President Dewan Mehedi Hassan Tomal alleged that the college principal did not respond their demand.

BCL RMC unit also gave 48 hours ultimatum to college authorities for withdrawal of the expulsion orders otherwise they will launch a tougher movement against the college authorities.

When contacted RMC Principal Prof Fazlur Rahman, said, some students met him at his office.

Police ready to discharge polls duties : IGP

UNB, Chittagong

Inspector General of Police Noor Mohammad on Sunday said the police force is completely ready to discharge its duties ahead of the parliamentary elections slated for December 29.

"A work-plan has been made for the police force for ensuring security and maintaining law and order situation ahead of the polls," he told the journalists while inaugurating the official web-site of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP).

The web-site was inaugurated at the CMP conference room on nSunday afternoon, marking the 30th anniversary of Chittagong Metropolitan Police.

"As per the work-plan, different on-going drives to arrest the listed terrorists and recover firearms will be strengthened from the beginning of the next month," the IGP said.

The IGP confirmed that no new list of terrorists would be prepared before the election, saying the drive would be conducted under the old list.

A reception was also accorded on Dampara Police Lines premises in the evening to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Metropolitan Police.

RU admission test result published

RU Correspondent

The admission test result of 30 departments under 2008-2009 academic session of Rajshahi University (RU) was published on Sunday.

The departments are, Law and Justice, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Psychology, Chemistry, Bio Chemistry, Applied Physic, Finance and Banking, Management, Statistics, Geography and Environment Science, Music and Dramatics, Genetic and Breeding, Computer Science and Technology, Information and Library Management, Information and Communication Technology, Population Science, Pharmacy, Fisheries, Anthropology, Political Science, Public Administration, Mass Communication and Journalism, History, Islamic Studies , Islamic History and Culture , Language, Arabic, Folklore and Fine Arts.

The lists of provisionally selected candidates have been pasted on the notice boards of respective department.

The selected candidates must attend respective departments viva voce with their SSC and HSC original mark sheets and certificates.

Students can also collect admission test result and admission process information in Rajshahi University own web site www.ru.ac.bd.

10 cop injured mob attack

UNB, Jamalpur

A police team came under attack by villagers when trying to stop an opera punched with obscene dance and gambling around it at Madarganj on Saturday night.

Police fired four warning shots to keep at bay the angry villagers. Badly wounded constable Golam Mustafa was admitted to Madarganj health complex.

Mirza Abbas freed on parole after in-laws' death

UNB, Dhaka

Detained former BNP minister Mirza Abbas was released on parole yesterday for five hours following death of his mother-in-law.

DIG (Prisons) Major Shamsul Haider Siddiqui said detained Mirza Abbas was on parole from 3pm to 8pm to see the body of his mother-in-law who died earlier on the day.

Abbas, a resident of Dhaka's Shahjahanpur area, was arrested on corruption charges on February 25 last year when he went to the Anti-Corruption Commission office in Segun Bagicha to submit his wealth statement.

Khaleda to start poll campaign from Sylhet after Eid

Staff Reporter

BNP Chairperson and former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia yesterday said she would begin campaign for the December 29 parliamentary elections from Sylhet after offering ziarat at the mazar of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) soon after the holy Eid-ul Azha on December 9.

Talking to reporters at her Gulshan office in the city, the BNP Chairperson expressed the hope that the caretaker government would lift the state of emergency by this time.

She said the preparation of BNP's election manifesto is at the final stage. It would be published soon, she added.

Replying to a question, Khaleda Zia said there is no problem in the BNP-led four-party alliance on the issue of seat sharing for the forthcoming parliamentary polls.

EC gets notice to wipe Khaleda’s name from voter list

bdnews24.com, Dhaka

A Supreme Court lawyer Sunday served a legal notice to the Election Commission to wipe the name of former prime minister Khaleda Zia for providing false and misleading information about her date of birth and educational qualifications.

Advocate Md Motaher Hossain Saju sent the legal notice by registered post on behalf of the Supreme Court lawyer Fazilatun Nasa Bappy.

Advocate Saju told bdnews24.com that the notice was served as Khaleda had furnished "certain false and concocted particulars in the voter form".

"We demanded that the EC deletes the name of Khaleda Zia from the voter list within 24 hours, failing which we will take appropriate legal steps and seek direction from the court to delete her name."

The notice stated that it was evident from reports published in various newspapers, on Aug. 9 1997, that Khaleda Zia took the matriculation examination in 1961 recording her date of birth as Sept. 5 1947, but did not pass the exam.

OC caught red handed while take bribe

Staff Reporter

The ACC yesterday caught the officer-in-charge of Bharalakha police station in Moulvibazar red handed while taking bribe from detained thieves.

Source said the OC Azaduzzaman apprehended some mobile set thieves from the locality. He released them after accepting Tk 25,000 as bribe from them. Deputy Director of the ACC Zulfiker caught him with the bribe money from the spot.

The ACC officer Maj Mustakim told the New Nation that a case would be filed against the OC.

London-Dhaka charity run to raise fund

Staff Reporter

A team of Daroon Charity Road Run, a platform of expatriates, arrived in the city on Saturday beating the challenge to drive from Bangla Town in London to Bangladesh on a Toyota jeep.

The prime objective of the road run through seven countries was to raise funds for the survivors of the cyclone Sidr.

The team will raise funds for Muslim Aid, an organisation working for the rehabilitation of the Sidr affected people.

Three participants of the road run shared their experiences with journalists yesterday at a press conference organised by Muslim Aid at Hotel Olympia, in the city.

The Country Director of Muslim Aid, Fadullah Willmot, said their organisation had already build two villages named after Shah Paran and Shah Jalal (two well-known saints). They intend to build more houses for the survivors of the devastating cyclone.

Ruhul Kuddus Tarafder, one of the participants, said the Bangladeshi community living in the UK had extended their hands towards the Sidr affected people immediately after the cyclone.

Sharing their experiences Shahed Mohammad Yunus said driving a Toyota jeep M 443 UNL through France, Switzerland, Turkey, Italy, Iran, Pakistan and India they reached the country within 26 days.

The participants said they are already getting money and enough response from the Bangladeshi communities.