The New Nation - Internet Edition

President addresses ADUST convocation: Uphold positive image of the country

President Iajuddin Ahmed is being given crest of the
Atish Dipankar University of Science and Technology on the
occasion of its first convocation at China-Bangladesh
Conference Centre yesterday. PID photo

Staff Reporter

President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday called upon the graduates and scholars to uphold a positive image of the country in international arena by entering into different fields of work and making greater contribution to uplift our social and economic condition.

He also called for ensuring the quality education in higher educational institution in the country.

"We need more educated and skilled persons to enrich human resources and to cope with the developing world. We cannot compete with the world outside unless we have enough educated and skilled manpower" he added.

He made the speech yesterday at the 1st convocation of Atish Dipanker University of Science and Technology (ADUST) at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city to hand over certificates ceremonially to the out-going graduates.

Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof Dr SMA Faiz attended the programme as Convocation Speaker.

Vice-Chancellor of ADUST Prof Dr Anwara Begum delivered the welcome speech. Among others, Chairman of University Grants Commission Prof Nazrul Islam, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of ADUST Prof Dr M Abul Hossaain Sikder, Registrar Prof Dr Kabir Hossain Talukder and Treasurer Md Mobarak Hossain attended in the programme.

Dr Iajuddin, also Chancellor of the university, said the quality education is essential in the present world to face the growing challenges of globilasation.

Laying emphasis on collective efforts in expansion of high education in the country he said the quality education has to be expanded by the participation of all.

In the programme he distributed gold medals to some selected graduates for their outstanding performance.

SMA Faiz in his convocation speech said that the universities are charged with preserving the knowledge of the past and transmitting it to the next generation. Suggesting the students he said that the finest teaching, the biggest libraries and most modern laboratory facilities will not enhance one's intellectual capacities unless one is prepared and willing to utilize the available opportunities.

Prof Nazrul said the all private universities have to be committed to ensure the quality education and emphasised on the education of science and technology to face the modern challenge and develop the country.

It may be mentioned there are seven hundred students from different faculties of the university were honored for completing graduates.

A cultural programme marked the end of the programme.

Power contenders in upbeat mood

Staff Correspondent

The belated parliamentary election is only a week away. The contenders of power are the two major alliances; the grand alliance led by Sheikh Hasina and the four-party combine headed by Khaleda Zia.

The leaders of the grand alliance while talking to media or taking part in televisions' talk shows on the general election very often make such comments, that suggests they are upbeat about their election outcome.

Many of the leaders imprudently use some words that they will win the election and form the next government, which suggest they are overconfident about their win. It seems the leaders are euphoric about their desired election result.

The political observers question whether there any reason to be so delighted when so a strong rival is on the race- the Bangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP), which has ruled the country over 16 years. The party is almost half of the age of Awami League(AL), which ruled the country only for eight and a half years. AL cannot treat BNP lightly.

It is not clear if they have any wonder lamp in their hand to be so sure about the election win. The political observers wonder if the grand alliance leaders are making the comments as an election strategy to scare their opponents in BNP or to the voters about the mislead and poll outcome.

Whatever maybe the intension of the leaders of the grand alliance, but their upbeat mood reminds political analysts of the results of 1991 election. The AL leaders were equally buoyant during the 1991 election about the election result but the BNP, their traditional foe, belying all predictions, at home and abroad, won the election. In politics topsy-turvy rebut is nothing new. It does not mean this time also such will happen in the election.

In 1991, the BNP was not had so much strong and had so much skill in elections. The elections meetings of both Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia are apparently drawing almost equal number of people.

In 1991, AL was so much overconfident that they did not feel necessary to be in the field to work to woo voters. Many of the leaders allegedly were busy to make sure their position in the cabinet after their certain victory in the election. But all their dreams were shattered by BNP win.

In the 1991 election AL got 100 seats while BNP bagged 140, 35 seats went to JP(E) and 18 to Jamaat. AL lost 72 seats with a vote margin of 150--5,000.

The party received 33.67 percent votes against 30.81 percent by BNP. The JP got 11.63 percent vote while Jammat bagged 12.13 percent votes.

In the 1996 election, AL got 146 seats against 118 by BNP, 32 seats went to JP and only 3 to Jamaat. In the election AL got 37.44 percent vote against 33.61 percent by BNP. 16.40 percent went to JP against 8.61 percent by Jammat.

The BNP and Jamaat jointly contested the 2001 election and bagged 214 seats against 62 by AL.

The BNP-Jamaat combine received 46.92 percent votes, AL got 40.13 percent. JP got over seven percent votes.

The observers believe the BNP is far more well-organized this time and their leaders are more apt than in the past in contesting election.

The general people of the country do not remember the misdeeds of political leaders for long. Even they don't know who did what. The workers and supporters do not change their mind whatever the party position.

BNP Secretary General Khondaker Delwar Hossain has been saying his party will accept the December poll result, whatever it might be, if the election is fair.

"We should avoid culture of rejecting election result," Delwar said, adding, "We should accept people's verdict."

The BNP leader urged all concerned with the Election Commission to do their jobs impartially so that the election can be held in fair and neutral manner.

Delwar's comments, apparently tell that they are suffering from a downbeat mood because the party, calculation is that it would suffer defeat at the polls.

Observers said it might be an election strategy of the BNP to win the hears of the voters.

Whatever might be the election result, a political observer wishing not to be named said the seat margin of retain won will not big between the two alliances. Whoever wins, the margin will be little and it will not be easygoing for any party.

Pak jets fly low amid India tension

AP/UNB, Islamabad

Pakistani fighter jets flew low near major cities Monday amid tensions with India triggered by last month's terror attacks on Mumbai.

The air force declined to comment on the flights but issued a statement saying that "in view of the current environment, the Pakistan Air Force has enhanced its vigilance." The apparent exercises briefly delayed two Pakistan International Airlines flights, said a spokesman for the airline. Several jets were seen flying close to Lahore and Islamabad, alarming some residents, witnesses said. Last weekend, Pakistan said Indian jets violated its airspace in two parts of the country, but were chased back over the border. New Delhi said there was no violation.

Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought three wars over the last 60 years.

India accuses Pakistani militants of planning and carrying out the attacks on Mumbai. Pakistan has promised to cooperate, but the strikes have raised tensions nevertheless.

Reuters adds: India accused Pakistan on Monday of trying to shift blame for last month's Mumbai attacks and demanded it do more to dismantle militant networks as a top U.S. commander arrived in Islamabad.

India and the United States have blamed Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) for the attacks, which have provoked a sharp rise in rhetoric between the nuclear-armed neighbors who have fought three wars since 1947.

Pakistan denies any links to the assault on India's financial heart, which killed 179 people, blaming "non-state actors," and has promised to cooperate in investigations. However, Pakistan says India has provided no evidence for it to investigate.

"Pakistan's response so far has demonstrated their earlier tendency to resort to a policy of denial and to seek to deflect and shift the blame and responsibility," India Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said.

Mukherjee reiterated that India was keeping all its options open after the Mumbai attacks, comments the Indian media have widely interpreted to mean that a military response was still possible. Mukherjee said that was not his intent.

On Sunday, Mukherjee said India had given Pakistan specific evidence about who was behind the attack, including intercepted satellite telephone conversations and an account given by the lone surviving gunman, Ajmal Amir Kasab.

"We have highlighted that the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan has to be dismantled permanently," Mukherjee told a meeting of Indian envoys from 120 countries on Monday.

A Pakistani spokesman said India had provided no evidence and the only information it was getting was through the media.

"We are doing our own investigation but it can go only so far because we do not have anything from the scene of the crime, we do not have anything from India," said Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Sadiq.

The Pakistani air force had "enhanced its vigilance" in view of the situation, a spokesman said.

Some Indian analysts said they feared the stridency of the Indian reaction might be painting Pakistan into a corner.

"We should have given Pakistan more time and by making the kind of remarks we have made, we have taken away any other option. We have spoken too soon and too loosely," New Delhi political commentator Prem Shankar Jha told Reuters.

The chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, arrived in Pakistan for his second visit since the attacks for talks on "regional issues," a U.S. embassy spokesman said.

Early this month, Mullen urged Pakistan to investigate all links to Mumbai and to broaden its campaign against militants.

DSE price fall by 6pt

Staff Reporter

Price of shares in the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) plummeted again yesterday amid profit taking as stocks gained in the previous two days.

The DSE General Index (DGEN), dropped 6 points or 0.24 per cent to close at 2,585 from 2,591 on Monday while the All Shares Price Index (DSI) lost 3 points or 0.16 per cent to 2,142 from 2,145 on Sunday.

Some 101 issues out of the total 233 traded on the day; registered gains while price of 121 declined and 11 remained unchanged.

The day's total turnover increased substantially to Tk 2.04 billion from Tk 2.47 billion on Sunday. Shinepukur Ceramics, Summit Power, Titas Gas, Beximco, ACI Formulations, Beximco Pharma, Uttara Bank, National Bank, Lankabangla

Finance and Brac Bank were the day's turnover leaders in terms of value.

The day's volume leaders were Shinepukur Ceramics, AIMS 1st Mutual Fund, Beximco Pharma, Beximco, Beximco Textiles, GRAMEENS2, ACI Formulations, Golden Son, Titas Gas and Quasem Dry Cell.

Top gainers of the day were Shyampur Sugar, Zeal Bangla, Eastern Lubricants, Dulamia Cotton, BD Luggage, Meghna Condensed Milk, Prime Life Insurance, Chittagong Vegetables and Meghna Petroleum. Top losers were Paper Processing, United Insurance, Therapeutics Bangladesh, Pioneer Insurance, Imam Button, 8th ICB, Sreepur Textile, Glaxo Smithkline, Lafarge Surma Cement and Quasem Silk.

PBCP leader killed in gunfight with police

BSS, Rajshahi

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

Police sources said, the extremist identified as Monsur Rahman, 38, son of Mantu of Bazekola village under the same upazila, was a fugitive of three number cases.

Based on a secret information police rounded up Monsur Rahman from his locality on Sunday afternoon. According to the police, based on his confessional statement, a police team was taking him to the area to arrest his other accomplices and recover hidden firearms and when they reached at around 3.00 am some outlawed criminals started opening fire on the police team that led to a fierce gun- battle between them, which continued for around 15 to 20 minutes.

The arrested person sustained bullet injuries as he was trying to escape from the police custody, the police said.

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

Police team seized two cartridges and some lethal weapons and two bottles of phensidyl from the spot.

Conspiracy on to tarnish image Joy’s: Imam

Staff Reporter

A senior AL leader yesterday alleged that the BNP-Jamaat alliance was tarnishing the image of Sajib Wazed Joy, son of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to cover up the corruption of Arafat Rahman Koko, son of BNP-Chairperson Begun Khaleda Zia.

HT Imam, Co-Chairman of Awami League (AL) election steering committee, at a press conference at the AL media center following the distribution of leaflet against Joy by the BNP-Jamaat supporters.

"Singapore is an independent country. The Attorney General of that country has found out corruption of Koko. The Singapore government is willing to support the Bangladesh government for further investigation into the corruption," Imam said.

He also blamed that Khaleda has been delivering irresponsible speech sensing certain defeat in the parliamentary election.

Imam noted that AL never dishonoured Khaleda Zia and her family. "But, after such financial scandal of Koko, we have nowhere to hide our face. How a young person like Koko can amass such an enormous amount of money?" he wondered.

HT Imam also expressed concern over the incidents of attack on the AL candidates at different places in the capital and elsewhere in the country and said certain quarter were trying to foil the December 29 election by launching such attacks.

"The car of our candidate from Rajshahi-1 constituency Omar Faruque came under attack by some miscreants in Tanore upazila. Our candidates from Sirajganj-2 Jannat Ara Henri and Dr Hasan Mahmud from Chittagong were also the target of the attackers, he alleged.

Imam also informed that the National IDs of the poor voters are being taken by offering VGF cards and Jamaat is trying to use the local administration in its favour.

"Today we received reports from our local desks that National ID cards are being taken away by offering VGF cards. And the innocent villagers have been told that they need not go to the polling-centers," Imam complained.

"Already authorities have transferred two police officers from the parliamentary area of Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Saidee following his objection. It seems that if anybody is not with the Jamaat, he or she is considered as enemy," Imam said.

He pointed out that went on blaming the opponents that female workers of Jamaat wearing burkha are bribing the voters to vote for Jamaat.

Rapold dismisses fear of obstructing Dec 29 polls

UNB, Dhaka

Dean of the diplomatic corps in Dhaka and Swiss Ambassador Dora Rapold Monday dismissed any inimical reason that might undo the December 29 crucial parliament elections in Bangladesh.

"The (election) process is going well-everything is prepared. We can understand the process has advanced," she told reporters after Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury held meeting with Heads of diplomatic missions and International Organizations at the Foreign Ministry.

Asked if they perceive any seen or unseen factors that might obstruct the polls, Rapold said, "I don't see any reason why the election should not take place on December 29."

However, she said, it is up to the Bangladeshis to decide about dealing with any room for adversities of such kind.

Verdict in grenade attack on UK HC today

UNB, Sylhet

The verdict in the case of grenade attack on former British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Anwar Choudhury will be delivered today (Tuesday).

Judge of divisional speedy trial tribunal Shamim Mohammad Afjal fixed the date Sunday after hearing in the sensational case.

Over 50 people, including Anwar Choudhyry, were injured and three people died as miscreants hurled grenade on the ex British diplomat when he went to visit the mazar of Hazrat Shah Jalal ® on May 21, 2004.

Later, a case was filed against five people with kotwali thana in this connection.

ECNEC approves projects worth Tk 2995cr

UNB, Dhaka

Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) Monday approved 13 projects with a total outlay of Tk 2,795 crore, including Tk 258 crore in foreign aid.

The ECNEC also approved an additional Tk 200 crore for the ongoing Begunbari-Hatirjheel project in the city. With this allocation, the total project cost will rise to Tk 1,673 crore from the existing Tk 1,473 crore.

Chaired by Chief Adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, the meeting at the Planning Commission was attended by Advisers and Secretaries of different ministries.

After the meeting, Finance Adviser Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam told reporters that the additional allocation to the Begunbari-Hatirjheel project was given on urgent basis to meet the cost of acquiring extra 34 acres of land.

Normally, such allocation is approved in the revised budget. But considering the urgency of extra land acquisition, the government has given the approval instead of waiting until the revised budget comes.

"This allocation was made through an inter-sectoral adjustment," the Finance Adviser said.

The projects approved in the ECNEC meeting include 'Construction of Upazila and Regional Server Stations for Electoral Data Base' with project cost of Tk 208 crore to set up voter ID card server stations at the upazila level.

Other projects include BIWTC's Ro-Ro Ferry and Pontoon rehabilitation at Tk 74 crore, Water supply programme project (Tk 161 crore), Transforming existing non-government schools into model schools in selected 306 upazila headquarters (Tk 466 crore), Dhaka University Special Development project (Tk 121), Pabna Science and Technology University project (Tk 96 crore), Barisal Shaheed Ziaur Rahman University project (Tk 95 crore), Stipends for female students at higher secondary level (Tk 201 crore), Ahsania Mission Cancer and General Hospital project (Tk 165 crore), Population Census and Homestead Census project 2011 (Tk 120 crore) and Construction of Academic building for selected schools (Tk 895 crore).

Efforts to face climate change impact stressed

BSS, Rajshahi

Speakers at a seminar here yesterday underscored the need for concerted efforts of all concerned to face impact of climate change and other environmental issues.

They focused on the issues like rapid population growth and pressure on land, mushrooming of urban slums, poverty and malnutrition, natural disaster, unsustainable agriculture, water quality and arsenic pollution, deforestation, loss of biodiversity, hazards of industrialisation and vulnerability to global warming and climate change.

Ashrai and Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) jointly arranged the seminar styled "Impact of Climate Change and Our Duties" at the conference hall of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Ashrai Director Abdus Salam explained the objectives of the seminar and how to address the effect of climate change as well as build capacities to adapt with climate change and escape from flood and drought in particular.

Some 100 persons representing various government and non-government organizations concerned, research and other professional groups attended the seminar.

They viewed that the climate change has now caused a major concern to the agriculture, environment, ecology, bio-diversity, climatic patterns and even existence of the habitation and civilization throughout the globe.

Because of its adverse impacts, they said, untimely and devastating floods, droughts, tornadoes, cyclones, massive river and coastal erosions, pest attacks in the crop fields and many other natural calamities have been causing huge damages in Bangladesh too.

Director of Center for Natural Resource and Studies Taposh Ranjan Chakraverty, Program Officer of IUCN Dr Hasib Irfanullah and Program Officer of Caritas Suklesh George Costa presented three separate keynote papers on negative impact of climate change.

Nasiruddin Pintu granted bail

BSS, Dhaka

The High Court Division yesterday granted ad interim bail to former BNP lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu in two separate cases.

A one-member vacation bench comprising Justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury issued the order of bail that will be effective till January 3, 2009, reopening of the Supreme Court.

Pintu is contesting in the upcoming general elections as a candidate from the four-party alliance in Dhaka-7 constituency.

He was accused of extortion and amassing wealth illegally, Pintu's counsel said.

BSF sounds alert along Bangladesh border

PTI, Shillong, India

With Bangladesh Army launching a drive against anti-national forces ahead of general elections in the country, the BSF has sounded a high alert along the international border to prevent them from sneaking into India.

"As per our inputs, the Bangladesh Army has launched a drive against anti-national forces operating in the country ahead of the December 29 elections. There is possibility that the militants, including those of Indian groups based there, may sneak into India to escape the crackdown," BSF DIG Ravi Gandhi told PTI.

Noting that additional troops from the headquarters have been shifted to the frontier, he said the BSF has intensified patrolling and area domination along the entire border in the northeast, besides launching random operation in some patches based on inputs.

The BSF has identified some specific vulnerable patches like Dawki Borsora, parts of Garo hills, Ratadhera and the riverine border in Assam's Dhubri district, where the force has made heightened security arrangements. Bangladesh has deployed over 40,000 soldiers across the country to maintain law and order, as the Intelligence agencies fear attacks by Islamist militants ahead of the country's general elections.

The troops were being stationed alongside the Bangladesh Rifles, Coastguards, Rapid Action battalion and armed police until December 31.