The New Nation - Internet Edition

AL leaders want Zillur as president

Staff Reporter

Awami League (AL) general secretary Abdul Jalil yesterday said the cabinet of the coming AL government would not be consist of 40 to 50 members and it will be blended with the veterans, experience and youths merit.

Jalil also informed that the party leaders and supporters want to see veteran Zillur Rahman president of the AL-led coalition government.

Jalil made this comment while talking to reporters at his Camellia Concord residence in the capital.

"We like Zillur Rahman to be president and the AL president Sheikh Hasina will be the prime minister," Jalil said.

The AL presidium member Zillur Rahman was elected from Kishoreganj-6 constituency in the December 29 parliamentary polls when the AL bagged 230 seats out of 299, with its allies securing a further 32 seats.

Zillur took the charge of acting AL president, while Hasina was abroad and in jail on graft and murder charges during the last Caretaker Government tenure.

A lawyer, Zillur was also the party's general secretary for two terms with independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the country's liberation war in 1971 as the AL president, and with his daughter, Hasina.

His wife Ivy Rahman, a senior AL leader, died in a grenade attack on Hasina's rally on August 21, 2004 in Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital along with 23 others.

With the publication of election the results as gazette on Thursday, the AL expected that the new AL-led government will be formed by Jan. 7.

The Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat secretary Ashfaque Hamid yesterday said the newly-elected lawmakers are scheduled to be formally sworn in on Saturday and Sunday.

Hamid said all preparations for administering the oath in the 'oath' chamber of parliament building have been completed.

NEOC mentions tid-bit exceptions of fair election

Staff Reporter

The 9th parliamentary election was held in a free, fair, neutral and peaceful manner with almost no stray incidents across the country, said a press release of the National Election Observation Council (NEOC) yesterday.

Prof Dr Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah guided the observation.

The new code of conduct put some impact on the candidates' electoral activities, according to NEOC.

NEOC said that the early deployment of Army as striking force in the proximity of the polling stations played key role in maintaining law and order situation. The other law enforcement agencies were also very prompt in action, it added.

The agency presented some scenario of the polling day. According to NEOC, in Mymensingh College Centre under Mymensingh-4, some under-aged persons were observed in the booth. In Gonobiddaniketon Centre under Narayanganj-5, polling started at 8:30 AM due to absence of all polling agents except one. At Jigatola and Moneshwar Registered Primary School Centre under Dhaka-12, few voters were misinformed that they were not in the list of the centre. At the Gojomohon Government School Centre under the same constituency, vote casting started at 9 A.M.

Overall observation activities were coordinated by NEOC divisional coordinators AKM Salauddin (Dhaka), Md Mohiuddin (Chittagong), Abdul Mukith (Sylhet), Saber Ahmed Choudhury (Rajshahi), Golam Mostafa Shindaihni (Khulna) and Delwar Jahan (Barisal) and others.

Israeli killing in Palestine protested

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a demonstration meeting yesterday called upon the government to take steps and make statement to save the Palestinian Muslim from the Israeli mass killing.

The demonstration meeting was held at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram Mosque protesting Israeli onslaught on Palestinians.

Islamic Movement Bangladesh staged the programme, while Amir of the Movement Syed Rezaul Karim Pirsaheb Chormonai attended the meeting as chief guest. General Secretary of the party Moulana Yunus Ahmed, Assistant Secretaries Prof Mahbubur Rahman and Moulana Gazi Ataur Rahman, Organising Secretary Prof Syed Belayet Hossain, Information and Research Secretary Mohammad Monirul Islam, Rashid Ahmed Ferdous, Ahmed Abdul Guayum, ABM Jakaria, attended it, among others.

Rezaul Karim said the horrendous tragedy of Gaza bloodshed and mass killing in the hands of the Zionists is against of the humanity.

He demanded stopping of Genocide in Palestine by the Zionists of Israel.

SCF looks to AL govt for war crimes trial

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The Sector Commanders' Forum is optimistic that a pro-independence Awami League-led government will start the legal procedures to hold war crimes trial as soon as possible.

"The forum firmly believes, the Awami League-led elected government will start the legal procedure to try war 'criminals' and thus the nation will get rid of a stigma," a press release signed by the SCF's publicity and publication committee chairman Harun Habib said yesterday.

"Until the war 'criminals' are tried, the departed souls of the millions of martyrs will not find peace and country's independence and sovereignty will be at stake," the release said.

The SCF, a forum of sector commanders during Bangladesh's war of independence from Pakistan in 1971, also congratulated the "pro-liberation war" AL-led grand alliance on its landslide victory in the Dec. 29 general election.

The AL won a staggering 230 seats out of 299 on offer, with its allies securing a further 32 seats.

"The Sector Commanders' Forum thinks the victory of the pro-liberation war forces is significant for the nation and expresses its hope that from now the victory will [renew efforts] to try the war criminals and anti-liberation forces," the release added.

Prime minister-elect Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina on Thursday sought the assistance of the United Nations to hold war crimes trial.

Hasina talked to the UN secretary-general's special envoy Ian Martin about the trial when the two met at Sudha Sadan.

Martin said according to international law the UN can cooperate if Bangladesh seeks cooperation, according to an aide to Hasina.

The AL had promised to hold war crimes trial in its election manifesto.

UN secre-tary general Ban Ki-moon Ban during his visit in early November said they might offer assistance to hold such trial on rquest from Bangladesh.

The War Crimes Facts Finding Committee wrote to Ban for UN support to set up an international tribunal to try the criminals of 1971 war of independence from Pakistan.

The Sector Commanders Forum also had asked the government to formally seek UN assistance for trying the war criminals.

Accordingly, foreign adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury made the request at a meeting with the UN chief at New York in April.

Doctor assaulted following death of a patient

Barisal Correspondent

A doctor has been assaulted and his residence came under attack by a group of AL activists led by local AL leader in Hizla upazila on early Friday night following death of a patient.

Police and doctor sources said, Nikhil Chandra; a heart disease patient has been brought to Hizla upazila health complex on Thursday afternoon.

Dr. Madan Gopal Paul, Thana Health Officer, attending the patient and giving first aid forwarded him to Barisal SBMCH or Dhaka DMCH for immediate admission.

However the relatives of the patient ignoring the advice of the doctor returned him to village home at Kawria of Hizla at 4:00 pm and the patient died there at about 9:00 pm Thursday night.

A group of agitated AL activists led by Sultan Mahmud Tipu, secretary of Hizla upazila AL, attacked the house of the doctor on early Friday night and injured the doctor by beating alleging negligence of treatment of the demised patient.

The attackers left the place before police reached at the spot at night and patrol team deployed in the area after Dr. Gopal informed Hizla police station on Friday morning, said Kazi Ayubur Rahman, officer in charge of Hizla police station.

Dr. Gopal acknowledging the attack said that he informed Dr. Pulin Kumar Singha, district civil surgeon, for taking further action.

Dalilur Rahman, president of the Hizla upazila AL, acknowledging the facts said they trying to compromise the matter.

Ballot counterfoils found in Chandpur

Bdnews24.com, Chandpur

Chandpur police retrieved 300 abandoned ballot counterfoils from a ditch close to Chandpur Akkas Ali Government Primary School yesterday.

Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station sub-inspector Monir Ahmed told bdnews24.com Jihad, 15, a seventh-grade student of the Chandpur Akkas Ali Government Primary School went playing cricket with his friends in the morning in the school ground shared by both schools.

As Jihad attempted to retrieve the ball they had perhaps dropped into the ditch beside the primary school, he chanced upon a packet of ballot counterfoils buried under a pile of brickbats there.

Jihad informed everyone nearby of the incident. The locals then informed the police, who seized the finds on the spot upon inspection.

The counterfoils are parts of ballots numbering 0226901 to 0227001of book no. 2270, 0228001 to 0228100 of book 2264 and 0226301 to 0226400 of an unidentified coverless book.

Nurul Islam Nizami, additional deputy commissioner and police superintendent Krishnapada Roy of Chandpur told bdnews24.com they had inspected the place of occurrence and ordered an enquiry.

Punitive measures will be taken against those responsible for the offence, they said.

District BNP acting president Safiuddin Ahmed told bdnews24.com the recovery proved that his party was made to concede defeat through a stage-managed polls, a blueprint of which had been made earlier.

More of these piles of counterfoils might be found countrywide if a thorough search was carried out, Safiuddin said.

Chandpur district Awami League vice-president Yousuf Gazi told bdnews24.com the matter, under investigation by the administration, was a conspiracy.

Punish peace breakers on campus- DUTA

DU Correspondent

Dhaka University Teachers' Association expressed concern at the post election violence on the campus at a meeting of its Executive Parishad on Thursday evening with its president Prof Khandakar Bazlul Haque in the chair.

It was demanded from the meeting to ensure co-residing of all students on the campus and to take legal action against any person who would create barriers for peaceful environment of education.

The association also demanded withdrawal of sentence against three executive members including ex-president and secretary of the association and nullify all cases filed against teachers and students at the event of August-2007 on the campus.

71 contesting for Upazila chairmanship in Faridpur

BSS, Faridpur

A total of 71 candidates are vying for the post of chairmen, 54 for vice-chairmen and 36 female candidates for reserved vice-chairmen in nine upazilas of the district in the upcoming third upazila election scheduled for January 22.

District election office sources said, a total of 85 chairmen aspirants, 58 vice-chairmen candidates and 39 female candidates for reserved vice-chairmen posts filed nomination papers.

After withdrawal of nomination of a number of candidates, symbols were distributed among the remaining candidates yesterday by the ADC (Gen) and returning officer ATM Nasir Mia at the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner.

Of the total 71 chairmen candidates only one female candidate Monwara Bhuiyan is contesting from Bhanga Upazila.

Sources said, in Alfadanga Upazila, eight candidates are contesting for chairman, three for vice-chairmen and five for reserved post, in Boalmari three for chairman, four for vice- chairmen and three for reserved post, in Saltha Upazila eight for chairman, six for vice- chairmen and four for reserved post, in Madhukhali Upazila five for chairman, eight for vice-chairman and four for reserved post, in Nagarkanda Upazila six for chairman, six for vice-chairmen and five for reserved post, in Faridpur Sadar Upazila nine for chairman, eight for vice-chairmen and two for reserved post, in Charbhadrasan Upazila seven for chairman, five for vice chairmen and four for reserved post, in Sadarpur Upazila 10 for chairmen, eight for vice-chairmen, four for reserved post while in Bhanga Upazila 15 for chairmen, six for vice-chairmen and five for reserved female post are contesting.

A total of 10,78,428 voters will cast their votes on January 22 to select their upazila chairmen, vice- chairmen and female vice-chairmen.

Emigration for Bangladeshis demanded for anticipated climate change

Staff Reporter

Speakers yesterday at a special conference in the city claimed that the developed countries should give Bangladeshi people emigration right, as the lower part of the country will submerge due to these countries' abrupt and harmful emission.

They said this while addressing a special conference styled "Climate change and Bangladesh development strategy: domestic tasks and international cooperation" organised by Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (BAPA) and Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN) at the auditorium of ICMAB.

Speakers demanded adaptation centre should be established in Bangladesh since the country will be damaged more by climatic change adding only Bangladesh should have the authority to access the aids, which will be granted for adaptation.

A coordinated social planning should be implemented instead of free market access, as it could not reflect the climate change problem effectively speakers said and added Bangladesh government should lead that plan.

Poor are the main victim of climate change. Therefore the development strategy of Bangladesh should be strong from the aspect of social distribution they opined.

Though the suppositions that were presented by IPCC could be applicable generally, these could vary from country to country for different geographical context. Thus researches should be conducted in local context and strategy needs to be based on the researches' findings speakers said.

The daylong conference was addressed, among others, by Prof Mozaffar Ahmad, president of BAPA, Abul Mal Abdul Muhit, MP elect, Adv Sultana Kamal, former adviser of caretaker government, Jamilur Reza Choudhury, Vice-Chancellor of Brac University, ASM Shahjahan, Vice-President of BAPA and Prof Nazrul Islam, Chairman of the University Grant Commission.

Nizami demands probe into incredible turn out of vote

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Jammat-e- Islami Ameer Moulana Matiur Rahamn Nizami yesterday demanded an inquiry into incredible percentage of turn out in some constituencies on Monday's parliamentary elections.

"It is unbelievable that nearly 80 to 90 percent votes were cast in the polls, which means a voter had cast vote within minute," he said in a statement.

"The results of the elections did not reflect the public opinion," he added.

He urged the Election Commission (EC) to make proper inquiry and make it to the people.

Pakistan briefly reopens NATO supply route

AFP, Pakistan

Pakistani security forces briefly reopened a key northwest supply route for Western troops in Afghanistan Friday, three days after shutting it to drive militants from the area, officials said.

Security forces backed by helicopter gunships, tanks and heavy artillery on Tuesday launched the operation in the rugged Khyber tribal area near Jamrud, the gateway to the famed Khyber Pass linking Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The offensive, prompted by a series of attacks on truck depots in and around the city of Peshawar that saw hundreds of NATO vehicles torched, forced the closure of the highway from Peshawar to the Afghan border town of Torkham.

The highway was reopened only from 11:00 AM until 4:00 PM (0600-1100 GMT) when authorities relaxed the curfew in force in Jamrud, local administration official Rahat Gul said.

"The road is clear and more secure now-all type of vehicles are using the road and NATO supplies also resumed," he said.

Local administration chief Tariq Hayat told reporters Friday that the situation would "return to normal in one or two days."

The bulk of the supplies and equipment required by NATO and US-led forces battling the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan is shipped to Pakistan's largest port, Karachi, in the south.

From there, the containers of food, fuel, vehicles and munitions are taken by truck to depots outside Peshawar before being transported to Afghanistan via the Khyber Pass.

But the fabled road passes through the heart of Pakistan's lawless tribal zone, where extremists sought refuge after Afghanistan's hardline Taliban regime was ousted in a US-led invasion at the end of 2001.

Khaleda visits injured Jubo Dal leader

Staff Reporter

BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia yesterday evening visited injured Jubo Dal leader Humayun Kabir at Apollo Hospital in the city.

The Jubo Dal leader was seriously injured in post election violence at Kuliarchar upazila in Kishoreganj on Wednesday.

Begum Zia stayed sometime at the hospital and inquired about the health condition and treatment of Humayun Kabir.

RAB member robbed of in in Savar

UNB, Savar

A RAB member was robed of his salary and valuables by armed muggers at Bhatpara here early yesterday.

Police said the muggers intercepted Wahedul Islam, a RAB member posted in Rangpur, at Bhatpara when he along with his brother Kamrul Islam was returning home in a rickshaw after they came from Rangpur in a night coach.

The muggers stabbed Wahedul indiscriminately and took away his salary and other valuables.

Meanwhile, police arrested three people-Sharif Ahmed, 20, son of Akkas Ali, Babul, 37, son of Samad and Habibur Rahman, 35, son of Judge Ali-in connection with the mugging.

Cabinet without Ctg MPs likely

Chittagong Correspondent

Members of Parliament (MP) elect from this region (greater Chittagong) have reportedly started knocking the doors of the Awami League big shots for wining the government portfolio.

According to the family members, all the 15 MPs elect from greater Chittagong with the grand-alliance ticket are now in Dhaka for adding strength in their strategy of appeasing the leader of the mega-alliance and the Awami League Chief Sheikh Hasina and the cabinet makers.

Sources close to the cabinet makers hinted that possibility of picking any of the MPs from greater Chittagong for the initial cabinet had been bleak though chances for many of them would remain intact mainly incases of recasting of the cabinet based on the performance of the first choice.

The source further said that honesty, dedication to the Awami League politics, capability of delivering the people and individual expertise would be the basic criterion of selecting the cabinet members.

A number of MPs elect from the region hoped to have at least two ministries like shipping and commerce. They claimed that the port city had been playing significant roles in the country's trade and commerce mostly backed by the shipping.

"It won't be illogical demand if the MPs of this region ask for the ministries. We hope to lobby for this so that the country's trade and commerce be expedited," one of the MPs elect commented requesting anonymity.

On the other hand, one of the leading vernacular daily here in the port city - the Daily Azadi - in a piece published as its main story yesterday demanded necessary steps for quick implementation of the election pledges of the mega-alliance not ministry for the Chittagonian MPs.

The piece alleged that Chittagonian people had been bluffed and deprived of their deserved development over the years even when the cabinets had adequate representation from this region.

"The port city did not get adequate attention from the three democratically elected governments what it got from the caretaker government of Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed after January 11, 2006. In most cases Chittagonian ministers focused on their individual development instead of looking at the public needs," the piece alleged.

It is said that, the port city people would love to see sincere efforts from the upcoming government to address the city's long standing problems like water logging, sanitation, infrastructure backwardness, generation shortfall, entertainment, transport network and education instead of sparing ministries for the region.