The New Nation - Internet Edition

Ministers, MPs’ wealth to be made public: Tax evaders will not be spared

Staff Reporter

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhit yesterday said that Ministers and Members of Parliament will have to disclose their assets from next month.

He said the move of making wealth accounts of elected representatives available to the public wasmentioned in the election manifesto of Awami League.

"We were unable to take the initiative so far this month, but are enforcing it from February," Muhit told newsmen after his first meeting with National Board of Revenue (NBR) officials.

He said the NBR would collect the wealth accounts to target tax evaders.

"A group of wealth monsters have been created in our country, we must see whether they pay their taxes," he said. Muhit said none of the tax evaders will be spared, and to this effect political identity will not be considered. "No matter the evader is in our party or in the government. We are not the government of any one party, we are the government of the country of the people," he said.

The finance minister also pointed out revenue from import duty and VAT might decline due to the current global economic recession. "Under this circumstance, there is no alternative to enhancing internal resources."

Muhit hinted price of diesel could be reduced further, and fertiliser may follow soon.

"The price of diesel could be lowered a little more in line with the global trend," he said.

He said that budgetary constraints would be taken into account before such a decision.

"The situation of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) must be considered."

News Analysis: Freedom of info, access to sources

Mostafa Kamal Majumder

Information is power in today's society. And dissemination of information has been revolutionised by the information and communication technology (ICT) which has turned the world into a 'global village.' Information is needed not only for education and awareness creation entertainment but also for transparency and accountability.

It is therefore, no wonder that when editors of newspapers and news agencies had an opinion-exchange meeting with the new Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad on Tuesday, at his invitation, demands for approval of the Right to Information Ordinance with suitable improvements and tolerance of criticism of governmental activities figured prominently.

A politician with an information service background and a senior member of the National Press Club, Information Minister Abul Kamal Azad was well received for not only his acquaintance but also his approach and the cooperation he sought to make his job (that he termed temporary) fruitful.

The editor of an English Daily dwelt on the causes of the shifts in popular verdict in favour of or against political parties during the last one decade and requested the minister to be cautious about the influences of godfathers, top terrorists and corrupt elements.

A free press would always play a supportive role in this context if the government takes criticisms in good grace and with patience. As the opposition in Parliament is small in size this time, the press from its traditional anti-establishment position would strengthen their role, he pointed out. The editor of another English daily requested the minister to view critics as friends.

The meeting invited on the fourth working day of the new government is expected to immensely benefit them. Suggestion came to keep the door open to journalists without discrimination to seek, check and verify information to write informed stories and thus avoid frictions and misunderstanding that sometimes follow publication of news stories.

When access of representatives of the fourth estate is restricted, vicious circles grow around the centres of power and create walls that often isolate popular leaders from the people they are promise-bound to serve. Only very intelligent leaders can keep their antennas open to catch signals floating in the air outside such walls.

There are also practical ways to prevent the development of vicious circles and the creation of artificial walls around people welding power and influence. One of those is to give the media space, of course within the set norms. In the absence of the media the rule of secrecy prevails. And in the words of famous columnist the late Khandakar Abdul Hameed (who used to write in pseudonym 'Spastbhasi') - 'absolute secrecy corrupts absolutely'.

Many people see the use of the secretariat created for a president exercising absolute powers by successive prime ministers after the restoration of democracy in 1991 as the root cause of many problems that they faced subsequently. At least keeping the method of running the secretariat as that of a dictator cannot serve the purposes of democratic prime ministers.

Senior members of the media recall that before the emergence of absolute presidency in the eighties the office of the chief executive in this country used to remain open to representatives of all major news organisations. After the opening of the President's Secretariat, now called Prime Minister's Office, regular excess was restricted only to representatives of two news agencies and the state-controlled television. Representatives of other news media organisations used to have access only on request or upon invitation.

Unfortunately, the same practice has remained in operation for the last 18 years even after the transformation to parliamentary democracy from presidential dictatorship. Only the access of some private television channels has increased. Limited access of the media to the office of the chief executive made tall people to thrive at the cost of the people's leader they were appointed to serve.

Another practical way to keep the chief executive's office before the searching eyes of journalists is to bring it back to the Cabinet Division at the central secretariat of the government. This would prevent unwanted elements from growing tall beyond the view of the media and help preserve the dignity and sanctity of the office of the Prime Minister and make it more functional. This would also help speedy decision making for good governance because the ministers and state ministers would be doing office at walking distances from the office of the Prime Minister. They would take less time to have guidance from the chief executive, and chances of intervention by intermediaries would come down to the minimum. Strong and informed news media would only facilitate the process.

Israeli forces storm Gaza neighbourhood

Teachers and students of the Department of Law of
Dhaka University brought out a procession on the campus
yesterday protesting the mass killing by Israeli occupation
forces in Gaza. Banglar Chokh

AP, Gaza City

Israeli ground troops closed in on downtown Gaza City yesterday, battling Palestinian militants in the streets of a densely populated neighborhood, destroying dozens of homes and sending terrified residents running for cover as gunfire and explosions echoed in the distance.

Israel's push into Tel Hawwa neighborhood was the farthest it has moved into Gaza City during its 18-day offensive against Hamas militants, and brought Israel's ground forces within a mile (1.5 kilometers) of the crowded city center. Palestinian hospital officials say more than 900 Palestinians, half of them civilians, have been killed.

Israel launched the offensive on Dec. 27 to end years of Palestinian rocket attacks on its southern towns, and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has vowed to press forward with an "iron fist," despite growing international calls for an end to the fighting.

Palestinian rocket fire has been greatly reduced, but not halted altogether, since the offensive was launched. Some 15 rockets and mortar shells were fired toward Israel Tuesday, causing no injuries, the army said.

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon was headed to the region yesterday to press for a cease-fire, and a Hamas delegation resumed talks in Cairo with Egyptian intelligence officials. Egypt, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, has been leading efforts to forge a truce.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the military operation would continue in order to stop rocket fire and arms smuggling into Gaza. "We are working toward those two goals while at the same time keeping an eye on the diplomatic initiatives," he said during a tour of an air force base.

The army has largely avoided the difficult terrain of Gaza City's narrow alleyways and crowded neighborhoods. Palestinian witnesses said the Israeli forces moved overnight about 300 yards (meters) into Tel Hawwa, a neighborhood of high-rise buildings on the southeastern edge of Gaza City.

Palestinian medical officials reported at least 21 people killed in fighting throughout Gaza, though the Israeli army suggested the number could be higher.

One resident, Khader Mussa, said he fled his house while waving a white flag as the Israeli forces advanced. He spent the night huddling in the basement of a relative with 25 other people, including his pregnant wife and his parents.

"Thank God we survived this time and got out alive from here. But we don't know how long we'll be safe in my brother's home," Mussa, 35, told The Associated Press by telephone.

Several buildings were on fire, witnesses said, including a lumberyard. The sound battle could be heard clearly around the city of 400,000 as the Israeli forces, backed by artillery and attack helicopters, moved into neighborhoods east and south of Gaza City. Israeli gunboats shelled the coast from the west.

The Israeli military said it carried out some 60 airstrikes overnight, hitting groups of Hamas militants holed up in a hotel, a house and a mosque. It said it also struck 15 squads of gunmen, rocket launching sites and 15 smuggling tunnels along the Egyptian border.

The army said it had killed or wounded about 30 militants, and that three soldiers were wounded in overnight fighting. Among them was an officer who was seriously wounded when a bomb exploded in a northern Gaza house that he was searching. Weapons, including a machine gun, were later found in the house, the military said.

Dr. Moaiya Hassanain, a Palestinian Health Ministry official, said dozens of calls for ambulances had been received, but they could not be dispatched because of the fighting.

The Gaza fighting has raised tensions around the region and galvanized anger toward Israel throughout the Arab world. On Tuesday, at least one gunman opened fire at an Israeli army patrol along the desert border between Israel and Jordan, the military said. There were no casualties, and Jordan said the claim was "baseless."

There was a similar shooting on the Israel-Syria border on Sunday, and last week militants in Lebanon fired rockets into an Israeli town in an apparent attempt to draw Israel into a second front.

The Israeli military has tightly controlled information from the battlefield, but indications have been that Hamas has not put up a serious fight.

Of the nine Israeli soldiers killed during the offensive, four were killed in "friendly fire incidents," a military inquiry concluded. Repeated Hamas claims of spectacular attacks on the Israelis have turned out to be false.

Speaking in parliament yesterday, Israel's military chief said his troops have achieved a lot but "still have work to do" in fighting Hamas in Gaza.

"The soldiers are doing exceptional work, with many achievements in inflicting damage on Hamas, its infrastructure, its government and military wing," he said.

Diplomatic efforts to end more than two weeks of fighting have moved slowly, in part because of the wide gaps between Israel and Hamas.

Israel says it will push forward with the offensive until Hamas ends all rocket fire on southern Israel, and there are guarantees the Iranian-backed militant group will stop smuggling weapons into Gaza through the porous Egyptian border.

Hamas has said it will only observe a cease-fire if Israel withdraws from Gaza.

Turkey's foreign minister, Ali Babacan, urged the sides to find the political will "to stop the bloodshed" and pledged his government's support in finding a solution.

"Nobody should tolerate what's going on in Gaza," Babacon said during a visit to Kosovo. "Turkey is actively engaged, actively involved and working closely with Egypt to have a solution as soon as possible."

Much of the diplomacy focuses on an area of southern Gaza just across the Egyptian border that serves as a weapons smuggling route, making Egypt critical to both sides in any deal.

Israel wants smuggling tunnels along the border sealed and monitored as part of any deal, and has been bombing the tunnels throughout the campaign.

The U.N. Security Council has already passed a resolution calling for a cease-fire. Ban was headed to the Mideast yesterday to enforce the measure.

Speaking at U.N. headquarters in New York on Monday, Ban said he has been on the phone constantly with top officials in the Middle East, Europe and the United States promoting the cease-fire. But he said phone calls are not a substitute for direct talks with leaders who have influence on the parties.

"To both sides, I say: Just stop, now," the U.N. chief said. "Too many people have died. There has been too much civilian suffering. Too many people, Israelis and Palestinians, live in daily fear of their lives."

The secretary-general said he plans to meet senior officials in Egypt and Jordan on Wednesday, then head to Israel, the West Bank, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria and Kuwait. He has no plans to go to Gaza.

The fighting has raised concerns about a looming humanitarian disaster in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people are without power and running water.

The Israeli army said about 100 truckloads of humanitarian aid, including wheat, flour and medical supplies, were expected to be let into the territory on Tuesday. The aid was sent through during a daily three-hour lull that Israel has declared to allow humanitarian supplies to be delivered.

In Brussels, the European Union's aid chief said Tuesday that Israel has not respected international humanitarian aid during the war. EU Commissioner Louis Michel, speaking in a published interview, cited the high number of civilian casualties and difficulties of delivering aid to the needed.

In Oslo, Norway, meanwhile, the head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, Karen Abu Zayd, urged the Israeli army to do more to allow supplies into the besieged area.

"We are getting a lot of help from the Israeli Defense Forces on the one crossing that's open to get more and more trucks in, but it's just not enough," she said.

PM tells ECNEC meet Govt wants maximum implementation of ADP

UNB, Dhaka

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said her new government wants maximum implementation of the annual development programme (ADP), maintaining standard quality, for development of socioeconomic condition and physical infrastructure.

She made the remarks at the maiden meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) yesterday after her assumption of office as the head of government.

Held at the National Economic Council (NEC) Bhaban at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar at 3pm, the meeting approved three projects involving a total outlay of Tk 847 crore, including one revised project on physical infrastructure and socioeconomic sectors.

The three approved projects are - buying a dredger at a cost of Tk 170 crore for development of river routes, Public University Development Project (Tk 444 crore) and the 1st phase of Infrastructural and Qualitative Development of University Education with involvement of Tk 233 crore (revised).

Planning Minister AK Khandaker apprised reporters of the outcome of the ECNEC meeting at a post-meeting briefing.

"The Prime Minister said maximum projects of the ADP will have to be implemented as well as the standard quality of works has to be maintained," the Planning Minister told the briefing session.

He said despite slow pace in implementing the current ADP, adopted by the just-past caretaker government, the present government is hopeful about implementation of 85-95 percent of the total development budget by April-May. Asked whether the government has any plan to revise the ADP as a new government has taken charge, Khandaker said most of the projects would continue as it is, but, if necessary, minor changes may come in implementation for ensuring good quality. "But there is no chance of stopping or bringing change in those projects which have been implemented 90 percent so far," he said.

Khandaker said the current ADP includes 904 projects. Of these projects, 857 are approved and 35 of these have been approved by the ECNEC during the July-December period with involvement of Tk 14,452 crore.

Asked about government's priority sector for development, Khandaker said as described in the ADP, the agriculture sector would get the top-most priority.

What the US FBI team looked for?

Staff Reporter

Newly appointed Attorney General Mahbubey Alam yesterday said that he would take necessary steps to bring back the public money laundered by the bigwigs during the immediate-past BNP-led alliance government and keep special vigilance to prevent domestic wealth from being smuggled out.

The Attorney Office will assist the Government in bringing back money, siphoned off through laundering, share scams and forfeiture of invoice in opening L/C due to loopholes is the laws, he said while briefing reporters taking over charge.

The Attorney General said his office would also remain alert so that incidents of such kind cannot be taken place any make.

Earlier on Sunday, a delegation comprising the United States justice department's deputy chief Linda M Samuel, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent Deborah Heprevotte and UK Institute of Management consultant Ferdous Ahmed met Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Shafique Ahmed at his and sought Bangladesh's assistance in their bid to recover around $200 million allegedly paid in kickbacks to former prime minister Khaleda Zia's son Arafat Rahman Koko and some former ministers.

They also handed over a list of the persons suspected of receiving the sums during the immediate past four-party alliance rule.

On Monday, the delegation held separate meetings with top officials of the Anti-Corruption Commission and law enforcing agencies and sought their assistance in recovering the said money.

The US and UK officials told reporters that Arafat Rahman Koko and a dozen ministers and leaders of four-party are reported to have received $200 million in bribe for awarding work to foreign companies.

The delegation had been in the city for over a week and held several meetings with local officials concerned.

However, a vernacular daily quoted the US embassy in Dhaka saying that the main focus of the US delegation was not to investigate the matter relating to Koko; rather to discuss the case filed against the Simens and better the relations between the two country’s justice departments.

The delegation came to Bangladesh on Sunday and left Dhaka Tuesday.

New govt seeks media support

UNB, Dhaka

Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad said the print and electronic media could cooperate with the government by presenting public opinion before it and through constructive criticisms of the rulers just in office.

"The present government will work to ensure rights of every citizen," he said while exchanging views with newspaper editors, news agency chiefs and senior journalists at his office yesterday.

Information Secretary Jamil Osman, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad and Chief Information Office Iftekhar Hossain were among others present.

During the meeting, the editors apprised him of different problems prevailing in the newspaper industry, including the issue of distribution and payment of advertisement.

As the editors drew attention of the new Information Minister about the killing of journalists at different times, he said, "Necessary action will be taken after proper investigation."

Minister Azad also assured newsmen that his government would do whatever necessary for bringing the prices of essentials within the reach of people.

He said an initiative would be taken for a fresh review of the proposed autonomy to the state-run Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar through discussion with the Prime Minister.

"The present government wants to ensure free flow of information," he added.

Editors of Amader Somoy Naimul Islam, Shyamal Dutta of Bhorer Kagoz, Salma Islam of Jugantar, Alamgir Mahiuddin of Naya Diganta, Mahbubul Alam of the Independent, Reaz Uddin Ahmed of the News Today, Iqbal Sobhan of Bangladesh Observer, Mostafa Kamal Majumder of the New Nation and Mahfuz Anam of Daily Star and journalist Golam Sarwar and ABM Musa and columnist Ataus Samad attended the meeting.

Bangladesh face Sri Lanka today

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh will face Sri Lanka today in their second match of the Grameenphone Tri- Nation Cricket Tournament at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. The match begins at 9.00 AM. Bangladesh Television will telecast the game live from the stadium.

Earlier, Sri Lanka made an superb start as they composed a massive 130-run victory over Zimbabwe in their first match on January 12 at the same venue. On the other hand, Bangladesh made a poor start as they lost to Zimbabwe by 38 runs in their opening match on January 10 at the same venue.

Today's match is do or die encounter for Bangladesh if they want to play in the final. The final is scheduled to be held at the same venue on January 16.

If Bangladesh win over Sri Lanka that will not sufficient for the hosts to reach the final. Bangladesh have to register a big win against their Asian counterpart to cruise into the final.

On the other hand, if Sri Lanka win over Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe will get tickets of the final.

DU students condemn Israeli massacre in Gaza

DU Correspondent

The Dhaka University students demonstrated on the campus yesterday in protest against Israeli massacre in Gaza.

'Anti-Aggression Forum', a platform of DU students, arranged a photo exhibition featuring Gaza tragedy at the DU 'battala' yesterday. The two-day exhibition titled 'the blood thirsty face of Zionist wolves' is open for all between 10am and 5pm till today (Wednesday).

The students and teachers of the Department of Law brought out a procession on the campus and held a rally at Central Shaheed Minar with slogan 'down with Israel and US'. The students were bearing placards depicting caricature of war-monger US President George W Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

At the rally the students said, the target of Israel is to eliminate the Palestinian resistance so that they can not further raise their voice for freedom as well as for a separate independent Palestinian state.

"The Israelis are committing war crimes by killing hundreds of children and women using controversial white phosphorus. It is shameful for US that it is continuously supporting this inhumanity providing Israel weapons and money," said Shariful Islam Tanvir, a student of Law Faculty.

They demanded an independent and international investigation into the massacre and war crimes in Gaza.

Irrigation cost farmer over Tk 764 crore

Shamim Jahangir

Farmers will have to spend over Tk 764 crore for irrigation purpose during the ongoing Boro season, the Agriculture Ministry sources said.

Over dependency on ground water is the main reason to spend the huge amount of the money, Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) sources said.

The government has targeted 58,07,403 hectares of land under Boro cultivation this fiscal. For irrigation purpose of these said boro land, the farmers will have to use 13,25,067 diesel run irrigation pumps included 3,284 deep tube-wells, 11,89,165 shallow tube-wells, 1,32,353 power pumps and 265 large surface irrigation projects for irrigation in their field.

For running these diesel-run pumps, the farmers will use 119,87,26,578 litres of diesel. The farmers will spend Tk 551.42 crore for this diesel purposes, a senior official of Agriculture Ministry said.

On the other hands the growers will use 2,21,535 electricity run irrigation pumps included 28,079 deep tube-wells, 1,83,408 shallow tube-wells, 9,988 power pumps and 104 large surface irrigation projects for irrigation in their filed.

Besides the growers will use 89,73,61,445 kilowatts of electricity for using 2,21,535 electricity run irrigation pumps and spend Tk 212.58 crore in this regard.

According to Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) sources, farmers have spent Tk 5,500 to Tk 6,000 for per hectares for irrigation purpose of their Boro land last year. It was Tk 4,500 to Tk 5,000 before five years ago.

Over dependency on grand water is the main reason to increase the cost of the Boro land, former Additional Chief Eng of BADC Kazi Muzammel Hoque told the New Nation yesterday.

He said, " A total of 79 per cent irrigation came from groundwater and rest of 21 per cent from surface water in last Boro season. It was only 30 per cent from groundwater in 1970." He suggested the government to dredge pond and rivers before rainy season.

He said that it could be possible to reduce the irrigation cost by holding on the rivers and ponds water in dry season.

Earlier, the government declared to provide cash subsidy Tk 540 crore to encourage farmers during the Boro irrigation farmers.

Mahbubey Alam takes over as Attorney General

Staff Reporter

Mahbubey Alam, Senior Advocate was yesterday appointed Attorney General, the chief law officer of the government, following the regime change through the general election.

President Dr Professor Iajuddin Ahmed made the appointment yesterday a day after AG Salahuddin Ahmed stood down following the change of the government.

"The appointment will be effective until further order," says an official announcement.

In an instant reaction after his appointment, the 60-year-old Alam, a former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and rights activist, told reporters that he would be able to discharge his responsibilities with the cooperation of all.

"I hope I would be able to discharge the responsibilities vested in me as the chief law officer of the Republic in continuation of the spirit in which the whole nation united during the 1971 Liberation War," said the new AG.

Alam, who takes office at a time when the state is party to a plethora of high-profile cases under the recently launched countrywide purge, sought cooperation of all in discharging his onerous duties.

After taking over charge, the new AG at a press briefing said that he would make effort to bring back the public money laundered by the bigwigs during the immediate-past BNP-led alliance government and keep special vigilance to prevent domestic wealth from being smuggled out.

"I want sincere cooperation of all quarters to ensuring the rule of law in the court arena," said Alam.

About new appointment of government attorneys at his office, the AG said mere political considerations sans efficiency, like in the past, would not be repeated. "I would recommend only those lawyers eligible for government law officers considering their quality, integrity and professionalism."

Thirty six years in legal profession, Alam received the appointment letter at 2:30 pm at his SC Bar building cubicle.

He was enrolled as an advocate and started practice at Dhaka Court in 1973. In course of time he was enrolled as a senior advocate of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on May 27 in 1998.

Born in Mouchhamandra village under Louhajang police station in Munshiganj district on February 17, 1949, he did his BA (Hons) in Political Science and MA in Public Administration at Dhaka University.

Alam, who was former Additional Attorney General (1998-2001), also attained two Diplomas in Constitutional Law and Parliamentary Institutions and Procedures in 1979 from the Institute of Constitutional and Parliamentary Studies (ICPS) in New Delhi, the capital of India.

BNP may not join inaugural JS session

Staff Reporter

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has expressed its reservations on convening the first session of parliament on 25 January on the ground that one party BAKSAL system was introduced in the country on this day in 1975.

The party, however, is not going to demand shifting of the inaugural session to another date.

BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain said they would attend the first session of parliament but did not specify whether they would abstain on the first day on the above-mentioned ground.

"We are yet to decide whether we would join in or not in the opening session of parliament," Khandaker Delwar told the journalists after joint meeting of the BNP Executive Committee and its front organizations at its central office at Naya Paltan in the city yesterday.

Delwar said Awami League has chosen January 25 for the opening session of parliament as this day they had introduced one party rule by forming Bangladesh Krishok Sramik Awami League (BAKSAL) in 1975," Khandker Delwar Hossain, secretary general of the party told the journalists

Delwar said the BKSAL was established in the country by killing multi-party democracy on January 25, 1975. This day has been imprinted into the memory of the people as a 'black day'.

The meeting that continued from 11:00am to 12:30pm has chalked out a weeklong programme to observe the 73rd birth anniversary of the party founder Shaheed president Ziaur Rahman.

The secretary general of BNP said it was not clear why that day has been set for the first session of the parliament.

BNP, which ruled the nation several terms in the past, has bagged only 30 seats in the just concluded parliamentary elections.

Khandker Delwar did not elaborate about any other agenda of the meeting. He said that they had discussed the single agenda of observing the birth anniversary of Ziaur Rahman, whom they hail as the pioneer of multiparty democracy at the end of the one-party BAKSAL rule.

"BNP had decided to observe the birth anniversary of Shaheed president Ziaur Rahman this year in an elaborated and befitting manner in the capital and elsewhere in the country as there is a democratic government in power at present," he added.

"Detailed program schedule will be informed later," he added.

The birth anniversary of Zia would be observed on January 19 and the weeklong program would get off on January 18.

Asked on the future course of BNP's politics, Khandker Delwar said BNP is always opposes negative politics and want to play the due role in the parliament.

"BNP always opposes negative politics. We do not follow Awami League's parliament boycott culture. We want to play the real opposition in the parliament," he asserted.

He called upon the Awami League led grand alliance to take initiatives to bring an environment conducive for running the parliament smoothly.

He reiterated that the recently held parliament elections were extensively fraud and deception-ridden.

"Persecution and murder resorted by Awami League is going on unabated," he mentioned and urged the government to halt such attacks on BNP followers and supporters.

"Awami League should not consider the country belongs to them only," he reminded.

He called upon the ruling alliance to change their mindset and be able to understand that the people of the country today want peace and development and an end to negative politics.

Asked if the AL had tried to rig the Noakhali-1 seat, which the BNP candidate won on Monday, Delwar said negative.

He claimed the results of the (elections to 299 constituencies on December 29) too would have gone in our favour of BNP if things had been manoeuvred in the similar manner.

ASM Hannan Shah, adviser to the party chairperson, Mirza Abbas, joint secretary general, Sarwari Rahman, Aman Ullah Aman and Selima Rahman, among others, attended the meeting.