The New Nation - Internet Edition

From the Foreign Press: Official accountability and the U.S. Supreme Court

In America, no one is supposed to be above the law. Unfortunately, the Bush Administration has spent the last eight years undermining that fundamental ideal.

The Supreme Court has a chance to redress that imbalance. The court hears arguments on Wednesday in a lawsuit against John Ashcroft, the former U.S. attorney-general, brought by an immigrant detained after the Sept. 11 attacks. The justices should rule that Javaid Iqbal has the right to try to prove that Ashcroft and other top officials denied him his constitutional rights.

Iqbal, a Pakistani, was arrested by the FBI in November 2001 and placed in the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn. He contends that like many of the Muslim or Arab men rounded up after the attacks on New York and Washington, he was classified as being "of high interest" and was placed in a special section of the prison, based on his religion and national origin.

During his more than one year of imprisonment, Iqbal says that he was held in solitary confinement and subjected to mistreatment - including beatings.

Iqbal pleaded guilty to fraud relating to identification documents. After he was released, he sued, contending that his constitutional rights were infringed. He argues that his mistreatment was part of a larger pattern of abuse authorised at the highest levels of government. Numerous officials were named as defendants, including Ashcroft and Robert S. Mueller III, the FBI director, as responsible for establishing the abusive policies used against him and other Arab or Muslim men.

Iqbal is now seeking discovery, which is the chance to ask the defendants limited questions, under a court's supervision, about their role in formulating these policies.

The information he would learn through discovery is, likely to be critical for his claims to go forward.

The issue in the Supreme Court is whether these officials are protected from having to answer questions of this kind. The Bush administration argues that the officials were not sufficiently involved in the detention policies to be responsible for them. It also maintains that if top government officials were required to comply with such discovery requests, it would interfere with their ability to do their jobs.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in Manhattan, rightly disagreed. This case is about far more than one prisoner. When the government denies people their constitutional rights, high-ranking officials are often to blame. If courts are too willing to give them immunity, it will be difficult for the victims to learn how their rights were taken away or to stop such policies from continuing. The Supreme Court should affirm the federal appeals court's decision.

--International Herald Tribune

Ctg poll scenario: Five big shots absent

Shamim Jahangir from Chittagong

A total of 84 candidates are contesting in all 16 constituencies of Chittagong in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Of them 13 candidates are from Awami League and 15 from BNP and the rest are from other parties. There are 7 independent candidates.

A unique feature of the Chittagong general elections this year is the absence of five bigshots of BNP, Awami League and Jammat-i-Islami are out of the upcoming parliamentary election race for different reasons including corruption.

They are former foreign minister M Morshed Khan of BNP, Chittagong city AL President and Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, Former State Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism Mir Mohammed Nasir Uddin of BNP, former MP of AL Rafiqul Anwar and former Jammat MP Shahjahan Chowdhury.

Morshed Khan ,who is in absconsion was sentenced to suffer imprisonment for 12 years for possessing ill-gotten wealth.

ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury did not take nomination paper because of the bar on the incumbent mayor to participate in the election. He is also charged with possessing illegal wealth by the

Anti-Corruption Commission.

Earlier after obtaining bail from the high court ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury decided to contest the forthcoming polls from two constituencies. His name was also recommended by the local panels

to contest the election to be held on December 29.

Mir Mohammed Nasir Uddin had a plan to contest the polls from two constituencies , but he failed to get nomination from any of these seats due to conviction on graft charges. He was recently enlarged on bail by the High Court.

Shahjahan Chowdhury has been disqualified for contesting the election for his conviction on charge of importing a car without paying vat.

Rafiqul Anwar is unable to participate in the election for his conviction on charge of possessing illegal firearms.

Candidates of different parties of Chittagong-1 constituency (Mirersarai) are Engineer Mosharaf Hossain (AL), Kamaluddin Chowdhury (BNP), M Yusuf (Kallyan Party), Safiul Alam (BSD) and Abu Salek (Independent).

Chittagong-2 (Fatikchari), Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury (BNP), Peyarul Islam (AL), Liakat Ali Chowdhury (GF).

Chittagong-3 (Sitakunda) A B M Abul Kahem Master (AL), Aslam Chowdhury (BNP), Kazi M Yusuf Alam (NPP), Masiuddowla (CPB).

Chittagong-4 (Hathazari) Syed Wahidul Alam (BNP), Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud (JP), Mushaebuddin Bakhteyar (Islami Front), M Rafik (IA).

Chittagong-5 (Raojan) A B M Fazle Karim Chowdhury (AL), Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury (BNP).

Chittagong-6 (Rangunia) Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury (BNP), Dr. Hasan Mahmud (AL). Chittagong-7 (Boalkhali Chandgaon),Ershadullah (BNP),

Mainuddin Khan Badal (JSD), Abul Mansur (IF), Abdur Rahim (IA), Haidar Ali (JP), Mahbubul Alam (Independent).

Chittagong-8 (Kotwali-Bakolia), Nurul Islam B. Sc. (AL), Shamsul Alam (BNP), Safiuddin Kabir (BSD), Tapan Chakraborty (JAGPA), Nurul Islam (IF), Safikul Alm (IA).

Chittagong-9 (Double Mooring-Pahartali) Murshed Murad Ibrahim (JP), Abdullah Al Noman (BNP), Alhaj M Manhur Alam (Independent), Sahadat Hussain (Bikalpadhara), Yunus Mullah (IA).

Chittagong-10 (Port-Patenga) Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury (BNP), M A Latif (AL),Shahjada Alam (Kallyan Party), Ahmed Nabi Chowdhury (Bikalpadhara), M Lokman (IA), Jane Alam (GF), Mohiuddin (BSD), Mustafa Kamal, Mainuddin Chowdhury and Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Independent).

Chittagong-11 (Potia), Shajahan Jewel (BNP), Shamsul Huq Chowdhury (AL), Yakub Ali (LDP), Shah Alam (CPB), Chandra Shekhar Nath (NAP), M Yunus (BSD), Manjurul Karim (IF).

Chittagong-12 Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury Babu (AL), Sarwar Jamal Nizam (BNP), Ujjal Bhowmik (GF), Rashidul Huq (KA), M A Matin (IF).

Chittagong-13 (Chandanaish), Engineer Afsar Uddin (AL), Mizanul Huq Chowdhury (BNP), Dr. Oli Ahmed (LDP), Gulam Ishak Khan (KP), Mridul Barua (WP), Akhtaruzzaman (NPP), Khalilur Rahman (IF).

Chittagong-14 (Satkania- Lohagara) Shamsul Islam Islam Chwodhury (Jamaate Islami), Advocate Sirajul Islam Chowdhury (AL), Dr. Oli Ahmed (LDP), Abdul Momin Chowdhury (GF) and Enamul Huq Chowdhury (KP).

Chittagong-15 (Banshkhali) Sultanul Kabir Chowdhury (AL), Jafarul Islam Chowdhury (BNP), Ranjit Kumar Sikdar (GF), Azizur Rahman (IF).

Chittagong-16 (Swandip) Mustafa Kamal Pasha (BNP), M Jamaluddin (AL), Didarul Mowla (IA) and Mahfuzur Rahman Mita (Independent), Nurul Mustafa Khokan (Independent).

Pinup model: Bettie Page dies

AP, Los Angeles

Bettie Page, the 1950s secretary-turned-model whose controversial photographs in skimpy attire or none at all helped set the stage for the 1960s sexual revolution, died Thursday. She was 85.

Page was placed on life support last week after suffering a heart attack in Los Angeles and never regained consciousness, said her agent, Mark Roesler. He said he and Page's family agreed to remove life support. Before the heart attack, Page had been hospitalized for three weeks with pneumonia.

"She captured the imagination of a generation of men and women with her free spirit and unabashed sensuality," Roesler said. "She is the embodiment of beauty."

Page, who was also known as Betty, attracted national attention with magazine photographs of her sensuous figure in bikinis and see-through lingerie that were quickly tacked up on walls in military barracks, garages and elsewhere, where they remained for years.

Her photos included a centerfold in the January 1955 issue of then-fledgling Playboy magazine, as well as controversial sadomasochistic poses.

Call to implement ideals of Begum Rokeya

BSS, Rangpur

Speakers at a discussion on Rokeya Day programme at Pairaband village yesterday called for proper implementation of the ideals and philosophy of Begum Rokeya to establish equal rights of women.

They described Begum Rokeya as a great philosopher, human rights activist and pioneer of women renaissance while addressing the discussion meeting on the second day of the three-day official programme on Friday.

The programme, marking the birth and death anniversary of Begum Rokeya, is being organised by district administration under the auspices of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs at Pairaband village under Mithapukur upazila.

Begum Rokeya was born in the village on December 9, 1880 and died on the same date in 1932 in Kolkata after sparking the light of women education, empowerment and renaissance during her 52 years life in the then conservative colonial society.

The birth and death anniversary of the pioneer of women renaissance is being officially observed as Rokeya Day since 1994 here at Begum Rokeya Memorial Girls' High School ground in the village.

Deputy Commissioner Abdul Ahad inaugurated the programme through placing wreaths on the Begum Rokeya Smriti Stambha at Pairaband on December 9 and the observance again resumed today after a two-day gap for Eid-ul-Azha.

People of all ages are joining the elaborate functions with as many as 200 stalls and shops displaying numerous traditional products of local cottage industries in the Rokeya Fair-2008.

Essay competitions on 'Begum Rokeya-Pioneer of Women Education', 'Begum Rokeya in Women Renaissance' and 'Values of Rokeya's Literary Works' were held for students.

Drawing competitions for different age group children and recitation competition on poems of Begum Rokeya were also organised.

Besides, artists of District Shilpakala Academy, Rangpur Nritya Shilpi Sangstha, Paglapeer Shishu Sangeet Bidyalya and Sthaniyo Shilpi Sangathan took part in a colourful cultural show.

Advocate MA Basher Tipu presented the keynote essay titled 'Women Empowerment: Begum Rokeya's Thinking and Present Scenario' in today's discussion meeting that was chaired by UNO of Mithapukur Saiful Islam.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) of Rangpur Kallol Kumar Chakroborty attended as the chief guest while Principal Prof Sultana Rezia Begum, Advocate Hosne Ara Lutfa Dalia and Advocate Rezeka Sultana Fency took part as discussants.

The speakers recalled with great respect the outstanding contribution of Begum Rokeya to the field of women education, establishing women's rights and empowerment of women in the conservative society during the British rule.

They said Begum Rokeya was the first woman in this region to realise that without ensuring light of education and rights of women, a society cannot achieve sustainable development, democracy and civilised status.

The speakers and local elite called for making Pairaband a national and international-level centre with establishing a women's cadet college and a university after the name of Begum Rokeya to pay due homage to the memory of this great woman.

Maize cultivation in N dists gaining popularity

BSS, Rangpur

The farmers have been continuing maize cultivation with huge enthusiasm as sowing of maize seeds gets full momentum in northern Bangladesh with a record production target fixed for this season, officials said yesterday.

No seed crisis was noticed anywhere and the farmers are expected to bring more land than the fixed target under maize cultivation this season like in the past six consecutive seasons.

The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has fixed a target of producing 9,27,000 tonnes maize from 1,54,500 hectares of land during this season against last year's target of producing 7,86,602 tonnes maize from 1,35,155 hectares of land in the region.

The farmers including the small and marginal farmers and char dwellers have been farming the cash crop in more and more land in the plain land side by side in the vast tract of the sandy chars in the river basins.

The DAE officials said cultivation of maize in char land and in the dried-up beds of the rivers and their tributaries in the region brought about a revolutionary change to the poor farmers and unemployed youths in recent years.

Besides, the adequately favourable soil, climatic and topographic conditions and growing poultry feed industries have been encouraging the farmers in farming maize in more lands to earn more profits.

The farmers in the char areas are bringing huge sandy-barren lands under maize farming this year as they got tremendous yield of the cash crop and fair prices in recent years, officials and farmers said.

Over 40,000 hectares of char lands in the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla, Jamuna, Ghaghot and other river basins in the region are expected to be brought under maize farming this season that is higher than that of the previous season.

Maize farming is more profitable and the farmers will do better this time as they have got high yielding variety of maize seeds and are farming the crop using scientific method of cultivation for further successes.

Experts said there are immense potentials to increase maize production further by bringing thousands of hectares of more char lands in Kurigram, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Bogra, Sirajganj, Pabna and other districts and the country as a whole.

The farmers are expected to bring more lands under maize farming this year and an all-time record production of the crop may be achieved this time in the region, the DAE officials added.

PBCP leader killed in gunfight

BSS, Rajshahi

A front-ranking leader of the outlawed Purba Bangler Communist Party (PBCP-ML-Lal Pataka) was killed in a gunfight between some of his accomplices and police at Baroihati village under Bagmara upazila of the district in the early hours of Friday.

Police said the extremist identified as Shajahan alias Tiger, 42, son of Taher Uddin of Koalipara village under the same upazila, was a fugitive in arms cases.

Based on secret information, police arrested Sajahan from the Baroipara area on Thursday afternoon.

Following his confessional statement, he was taken to Baroihati area by police to arrest his accomplices and recover hidden firearms.

Police rushed him to Bagmara Upazila Health Complex where the doctors declared him dead.

Top terror killed in encounter with RAB in N'ganj

UNB, Narayanganj

A top terrorist and fugitive condemned convict was killed in an encounter between RAB and his accomplices near Kanchan Bridge at Brahmankhali village in Rupganj upazila early today (Friday).

The deceased was identified as Mohammad Ali, 45. He was condemned to death by a court for murder in absentia.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of RAB-11 arrested him from Raniganj Fulbaria village in Kapasia upazila of Gazipur district Thursday midnight.

As per his confessional statement, the elite force took Mohammad Ali to Brahmankhali to recover hidden arms and bullets. When they reached near the bridge, cohorts of Mohammad Ali's opened fire on them at about 3:30am, forcing them to fire back.

Mohammad Ali, while trying to flee, was caught in the line of fire and sustained serious bullet injuries. He was rushed to Rupganj Health Complex, where the attending doctors declared him dead.

2 women killed in Bandarban grenade explosion

UNB, Bandarban

Two women were killed in a grenade explosion at Langir Char in Sadar upazila on Friday morning.

The deceased were identified as Saleha Begum, 30, and Rozina Begum, 18.

Police said the two women found a grenade when they were grazing their cattle heads on the bank of the Sangu River in the morning.

As they tried to open its pin, the grenade exploded, killing the two on the spot, they added.

Police recovered the bodies and sent to Bandarban Sadar Hospital.

Khulna election scene: 30 male, 1 female candidates in 6 seats

Khulna Correspondent

At last only one women survived in the race of the upcoming parliamentary elections with 30 male in six constituencies of Khulna district as nine candidates withdrew their candidature yesterday. There is no independent candidate in Khulna.

The lone woman is an Awami League nominee-Begum Mannujan Sufian. She is one of the co-candidates of Awami League-led Grand Alliance in Khulna-3. Another co-candidate of the grand alliance is Jatiya Party nominee Abdul Gaffar Biswas in this seat. Till now grand alliance allowed two candidates to contest from this seat.

Prashika Chairman Kazi Faruk Ahmed also came back in the race as EC granted his appeal after cancellation of his candidature by the returning officer and is contesting in two seats-Khulna 2 & 5.

Another candidate of National People's Party Shaikh Mohammad Zakir Hussain also filed nominations in two seats-Khulna 1 & 2.

Among the 31 candidates, 8, the highest, are contesting in Khulna-2 constituency while 4 in Khulna-1, 6 in Khulna-3, 4 in Khulna-4, 5 in Khulna-5 and 4 in Khulna-6.

Poll campaigns gain momentum

Talha Bin Habib

The formal electoral campaign for the forthcoming parliamentary election began yesterday across the country with great enthusiasm after the lifting of the restriction on rallies and processions from Friday.

A total of 1597 candidates are now engaged in election campaign seeking votes for winning 299 seats of the Jatiya Sangsad. The Election Commission (EC) has withheld the election for Noakhali-1 constituency following the death of Grad Alliance nominee Nurul Islam.

Candidates along with their stalwarts brought out rallies by holding their respective election symbols in different areas and locations of the city. They exchanged greetings with the voters after Jumma prayers. The campaign lasted even late night just on the first day of the campaigning.

The candidates contesting from the 15 constituencies in the capital pledged to city dwellers to ensure safety and security by uprooting terrorism from their respective localities and providing all civic amenities and utility services.

They also welcomed the government move by saying that it would greatly help in making political campaign freely without any restriction.

Talking to the New Nation candidates for different constituencies in the city said the poll campaign would reach its highest peak and get full momentum once the emergency rules from the country are lifted from the country on December 17.

We welcome partial lifting of emergency rule, restrictions on rallies and processions being executed from yesterday (Friday) ahead of the election, they added.

Earlier on Wednesday the government announced lifting of restrictions on rallies and processions for election campaign.

15 injured in Narsingdi BNP factional clash

UNB, Narsingdi

At least 15 people were injured in a clash between two groups of BNP activists over election campaign at Birampur village in Sadar Upazila Friday.

Witnesses said the trouble began when supporters of local BNP reformist leader and Madhabdi Municipality Commissioner Salahuddin prevented supporters of BNP candidate of Narsingdi-1 Khairul Kabir Khokon from electioneering in the afternoon.

At one stage, Salauddin's supporters attacked their rivals with sharp weapons, leaving 15 followers of Khokon injured.

On information, police rushed in and brought the situation under control. Seven of the injured were admitted to Sadar Hospital in critical condition.

Dacoit leader killed in encounter

UNB, Gazipur

A suspected ringleader of a dacoit gang was killed in an encounter between the law-enforcers and his accomplices in Kaliganj upazila headquarters here early Friday.

The deceased was identified as Selim, 28, a resident of Choura village in the upazila.

I was proposed to be state witness against Khaleda in Gatco case: Nizami

UNB, Pabna

Jamaat Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami Friday said he was put behind the bars twice for refusing to be a state witness against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in Gatco graft case.

"I had to land in jail twice, as I refused to be a state witness against Khaleda Zia in the Gatco case," Nizami told an election rally at Bangram Government Primary School ground in Sathia Upazila in the afternoon.

AL media cell opens today

UNB, Dhaka

The election media cell of Awami League will be opened at 4pm tomorrow (Saturday).

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina would inaugurate the media cell at House No-33, Road-4 in Dhanmondi.

Journalists will be able to collect all necessary information on Awami League's election activities from the media cell.

Khaleda to address: Manikgonj rally tomorrow

UNB, Manikganj

BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia will be here tomorrow to address a party rally, as electioneering has started gaining momentum.

Begum Zia is scheduled to address the rally at Government Debendra College ground at 2:00pm.

Party sources said local BNP leaders and activists are taking extensive preparations for the showdown since the district is considered as a BNP stronghold.

BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain got the party ticket from Manikgangj-1 while industrialist Harunur Rashid Khan Munnu from Manikganj-3 and his daughter Afroza Khan Rita from Manikganj-2 to contest the December 29 parliamentary polls.