Saturday • November 19, 2005

N A T I O N A L  N E W S

Sheikh Hasina advises students to love country, abhor terrorism, corruption

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Bangladesh Awami League President Sheikh Hasina on Friday said: "Our society is now engulfed with corruption and terrorism".

She made the remark while addressing a grand reception, accorded to the students receiving GPA-5 in the HSC examination, at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in the capital in the afternoon.

Sheikh Hasina urged the GPA-5 recipient students to go ahead with a firm pledge so that the society could be freed from corruption, terrorism and other maladies.

"If the students like you come forward, society will be freed from such anarchic situation," she said. Chattra League, the student front of Awami League, organized the reception chaired by its president Liakot Sikder.

The opposition leader asked the students to stand beside the poor people and serve them.

Congratulating the students and their parents as well as teachers for the outstanding results, she told the students: "You've to continue this success." "You will love the country, countrymen and humanity, and abhor terrorism and corruption. It is my advice to you," she said.

Sheikh Hasina alleged that the glorious history of the country's liberation war has been distorted and asked the students to learn the truth and inform it to the nation. "You must read more. It is the only way to reduce poverty," she said. Sabrina Akter and Sakapi Ibne Sajjad also spoke at the function on behalf of the GPA-5 recipient students.

It was also addressed by former DU vice-chancellor AK Azad Chowdhury, former vice-chancellor of Khulna University Nazrul Islam, DUTA president Dr AAMs Arefin Siddique, IT specialist Mostafa Jabbar, Bongobondhu Chikitsak Parishad secretary general Dr. Iqbal Arsalan, DU Professor Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed, cricketer Mohammad Ashraful and Chhatra League general secretary Nazrul Islam Babu.

Sheikh Hasina distributed medals and crests among the GPA-5 recipient students. The opposition leader announced at the reception that she would take the responsibility of a GPA-recipient student, Shamim Hossain, to support him financially in further carrying out his studies. The program was rounded off with a cultural function.

Abdul Jalil MP trashes minister's no-Monga claim

Awami League (AL) General Secretary Abdul Jalil yesterday rejected the claim of Food and Disaster Management Minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf that no one had died in Monga in the northern region.

Abdul Jalil MP in a statement said Friday's newspaper ran a news item about a poor mother who had sold her nine-year-old child due to poverty at Kaunia in Rangpur, which disapproves the claim of the food minister.

"After such remark by the minister about the prevailing Monga (near famine situation) in the northern region, the government has no moral right to cling to power," Abdul Jalil said.

Abdul Jalil said Motiar of Nilphamari, freedom fighter Nabakanta Roy, Shahiduddin of Rangpur and Razzak of Rajarhat in Kurigram have died from starvation. "How more have to die to prove that Monga is prevailing in the northern region?" he asked the minister.

The Awami League general secretary asked the food minister to provide food for the Monga-hit people, otherwise, he said, the BNP-Jamaat alliance will be responsible for each death.

AL leaders say at Narsingdi and Manikganj

Charter of freedom to be announced at November 22 rally

Front ranking Awami League leaders at rallies in Narsingdi and Manikganj have said a charter for freedom of the people will be announced at the grand 14-party rally in Dhaka on November 22.

Scared at the opposition movement, the BNP-Jamaat government, now isolated from the people, is trying to foil the rally by arresting and harassing opposition leaders and activists across the country, they alleged.

Narsingdi: Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil has said the 14-party opposition alliance will announce at its November 22 grand rally a charter for freedom of the people from the BNP-Jamaat government's misrule.

A program will be announced to oust this anti-people government from power through a mass movement, he said at a big public meeting, held in front of Narsingdi Awami League office Thursday afternoon. It was organized by the district 14-party alliance.

He said killings and repression on people have crossed limits and this government can not be allowed to continue in power any more. He alleged that the two judges in Jhalakathi were killed by terrorists sheltered by the government.

Abdul Jalil said the government has already ruined the administration by politicizing it. Now it is destroying the judiciary in a systemic way.

So, there is no alternative to dislodging this government he said and urged the people to join the November 22 grand rally in Dhaka to hasten its fall.

The meeting was presided over by advocate Asaduzzaman, president of Narsingdi district Awami League, and addressed by, among others, Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, Awami League Presidium member Motia Chowdhury, JSD central leader Sharif Nurul Ambia, Gono Forum leader Jahirul Islam, Syamyabadi Dal leader Dilip Barua, Ganatantri Party leader Nurul Islam, Abdus Samad of Gano Azadi League, M A Gani of NAP and Raziuddin Ahamed MP.

Manikganj: Leaders of 14-party opposition alliance blamed the BNP-Jamaat government for the killing of two judges in Jhalakathi and recent bomb attacks across the country.

The attackers have links with a ruling partner in the coalition government and so they kept the period during the SAARC free of any violence, Awami League Presidium member Abdur Razzak MP alleged at a JSD workers meeting held here on Thursday.

As soon as the summit ended, bomb attacks and repression on the opposition started, he said.

Manikganj JSD President Abdus Salam Bulu presided over the meeting held at the Town Hall. It was addressed by, among others, JSD Joint Secretary Shirin Akhter, Manikghan Awami League President Golam Mohiuddin, its secretary Gazi Kamrul Huda Selim and Awami League leader Abdul Mazid.

House of Lords

Seminar on Bangladesh rights status on November 21

The Parliamentary Human Rights Group and the International Bangladesh Foundation will hold a seminar on the current situation in Bangladesh at the House of Lords on November 21.

The report of the international conference 'European Human Rights Conference on Bangladesh: Extremism, Intolerance & Violence' held at SOAS, University of London, on June 17 will be published.

An international declaration on the persecution of religious, ethnic and secular minorities in Bangladesh, by members of a number of legislatures, will also be launched, said a statement issued on November 17 by Lord Avebury, vice-chairman, the Parliamentary Human Rights Group and chairman, the International Bangladesh Foundation.

At the seminar, a statement will be made by those principally concerned, including representatives of the religious minorities, the opposition, and victims of terrorist attacks.

Saber Hossain Chowdhury, political secretary of the Awami League president, will represent the opposition.

High Commissioner of Bangladesh in the UK Sabi Uddin Ahmed and Khondaker Mabubuddin Ahmed, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the law ministry, will be present.

Extremists showed their muscle again in August, when nearly 500 bombs exploded simultaneously across Bangladesh, and again in October when there were attempts on the life of judges.

In a latest incident two judges were assassinated in the hand of extremists. The police have still not arrested the ringleaders of the assassination attempts against the leader of the opposition and the British high commissioner in Bangladesh last year.

Besides, the murder of former finance minister and lawmaker Shah AMS Kibria is still unsolved, the statement continued.

The extremist Khatme Nabuwat organisation has again threatened violence against an Ahmadiyya mosque, and called on the government to declare the Ahmadiyyas non-Muslims. The religious minorities are under threat all the time.

"The continuing threats to the stability of Bangladesh demand firm action, if democracy and the rule of law is to survive," the statement added.

"The international community must do everything possible to shore up human rights and democracy in Bangladesh, since the cancer of extremism will not stop at the borders."

The Daily Star, November 19, 2005

Involvement of ruling parties' student wings alleged

Question leak taints again BCS test

A countrywide leak of questions marred the 27th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) preliminary test held by the Public Service Commission (PSC) yesterday.

This was the fourth consecutive time, beginning from the 24th BCS exams, that the questions had been widely leaked, which puts the very recruiting process in question.

Many a candidate alleged a vested quarter in connivance with some PSC staffs and leaders of Jatayatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), the student wings of ruling BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, was behind the leakage.

Examinees were taken aback by discovering that the question paper distributed at the exam centres and the leaked one made available at dormitories of universities and colleges across the country hours ahead were almost identical. In some instances as many as 98 of the 112 multiple choice questions (MCQs) leaked were found true.

A huge number of candidates, who had managed a copy of the leaked questions in advance, was found leaving the examination halls only halfway through the one-hour test.

"I completed the exam in just 11 minutes and spent the rest of the time by helping out my neighbors," said Jakir Hossain, a former Dhaka University (DU) student of political science, who sat the exam at Azimpur Girls High School in the capital.

Instead of studying in preparation for the test, thousands of BCS candidates at different dormitories, particularly those of the DU, Rajshahi University, Khulna University, Jahangirnagar University and Chittagong University, had rushed and phoned since the early hours yesterday to get hold of a copy of the leaked questions.

The copies had been on sale at as high as Tk 5,000 at Shahidullah Hall, Fazlur Rahman Hall, SM Hall, Surya Sen Hall, Mohisin Hall, Jasimuddin Hall, Zahurul Haque Hall, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall and Ziaur Rahman Hall of the DU from the early hours yesterday.

The leaked questions further spread out in the DU campus and to the rest of the country over cellphones.

At 2:00am yesterday, a group of JCD leaders of DU Shahidullah Hall first started to sell copies of the leaked questions in the capital, sources said. The news then spread out like wildfire to the other DU dormitories. The price went down with time and one copy was sold at Tk 150 at 8 in the morning just before the examination.

BCL condemned and protested the incident

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the main opposition Awami League, in a press release last night condemned and protested the repeated leakage of BCS test questions. The president and general secretary of the organization demanded immediate cancellation of the exam and holding a fresh one.

A number of other student organisations brought out protest processions yesterday while some others said they would stage protest programmes including rallies and processions at the educational institutions.

SCENE IN RAJSHAHI

The questions had been out in the city and the Rajshahi University (RU) campus since Thursday night. Some JCD and ICS leaders who had come here from Dhaka on the occasion were seen busy with their local comrades collecting the questions from unknown sources over cellphones.

Thus they collected some 50 to 100 questions and distributed those among the BCS candidates loyal to them until the early hours yesterday.

Some of the visiting student leaders had brought a set of questions with them that was later found to be same as the BCS Question Set 2, sources said.

Many photocopying and fax-phone stalls in the city remained open until 3:00am yesterday, witnesses said.

A large number of BCS candidates went to the local press clubs and also phoned to journalists to complain against or inform about the leakage. Some of them said they obtained the questions and some others that they had seen them.

Several examinees even alleged that JCD and ICS leaders at every RU hall distributed questions door to door.

CTG DRAWS A BLANK

On the other hand, says no specific allegation of question leakage of 27th BCS preliminary test was reported there yesterday.

But, though most of the candidates who had sat the exam yesterday expressed ignorance about the leakage, a few of them apprehended that some examinees might had collected the leaked questions from Dhaka over cellphone.

"Most of us who sat the examination fairly are likely to score 60+ while those who collected the questions ahead of the examination would score 80+," they said.

Some candidates also alleged a local BCS coaching centre was involved in distributing the questions leaked. However, the allegation could not be verified.

JU AS BUSY AS DU

A large number of BCS candidates of the JU received the leaked questions early morning yesterday.

The JU students got hold of copies of the question paper containing 100 to 110 questions, reportedly distributed by some JCD leaders.

The top JU JCD leaders sold the copies through their lieutenants and even gave them to JCD activists for free, JCD sources and BCS examinees said.

The Daily Star, November 19, 2005

BNP MP Abu Hena sees component of ruling alliance behind militancy

BNP lawmaker Abu Hena suspects a section of the four-party alliance government may have hands behind the countrywide rise in militancy.

"Many of our party activists were killed by Islamist militants in Rajshahi. I don't think it's possible to kill pro-government leaders and activists unless a part of the government assists or patronizes it," the BNP MP from Rajshahi-3 told the BBC Bangla Service yesterday.

On the reason for such involvement, Abu Hena said the militants are carrying out subversive activities aiming at establishing an Islamic state -- a rule of Allah as opposed to man-made laws. "The association [between militants and coalition component] is likely, since some people of such a mindset are in the coalition," he said, in the first-ever criticism of the government by a ruling party MP.

As the BBC asked him how Bangla Bhai could rise in his area without their knowing about it, Abu Hena said, "The government is there. The law enforcement agencies are there. I don't think it's possible for [him] to rise without our knowledge."

The Daily Star, November 19, 2005

P A R T Y  N E W S   U P D A T E

Abdul Jalil MP protests arrests of AL leaders, workers without warrants

Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil, MP in a statement on Friday condemned and protested the arrests of Awami League leaders and workers and its associate organizations without warrants and searching their houses ahead of the November 22 grand rally.

Expressing his concern and resentment, the Awami League leader said a good number of Awami League leaders and workers including Babul Akhter, Manik and Khalek of Lalbagh and BCL leader Anwar Mahmud Hossaini Bappi of Khilgaon was arrested on Thursday.

He said the most corrupt and failed government had resorted to arrest, torture, harassment and filing of false cases like the past autocratic governments to get rid of the people's wrath.

"No such government could hang on to power in the past. This BNP-Jamaat government will not also succeed by resorting to unfair means as the united resistance of the people must bring it down, Abdul Jalil said.

He demanded immediate release of the party's leaders and workers across the country including those of the capital Dhaka.

O T H E R S

Rallies, processions held in Satkhira, Jessore, Sirajganj, Gaibandha and Mymensingh for trial of killers of Gautam Das

Journalist's murder triggers protests

Journalists in districts yesterday protested the murder of Gautam Das, Staff Reporter of Dainik Samakal, in Faridpur Thursday night by unidentified killers. They brought out processions and held rallies in Jessore, Satkhita, Mymensingh, Sirajganj, Gaibandha protesting the killing and demanding immediate arrest and punishment of the assailants.

The body of Gautam Das was found dead at his office in the town. Police said he was strangled.

Satkhira: Journalists of different national, regional and local dailies in the district held a rally in the town and brought out a procession yesterday protesting the killing of Dainik Samakal Staff Correspondent Gautam Das in Faridpur.

The rally held at Satkhira Reporters Club premises was presided over by its convenor Kalyan Bannerjee (Prothom Alo) and addressed by, among others, Prof. Abu Ahmed (Daily Star), Ramkrishna Chakraborty (Samakal), Kamruzzaman (Amar Desh), Abdul Bari ( Dinkal), Abul Kalam Azad (local daily Patradut), Momtaz Ahmed Bappi (Inqilab), Mostafizur Rahman Ujjal (Arthaniti), Manirul Islam Moni ( Ajker Kagoj), Akbar Kabir Montu (Samakal), Yarab Hossain (Jessore-based regional daily Runner) and Badiuzzaman (Satkhira Chitra).

They expressed concern, saying killing of journalists in South Western districts of the country is increasing day by day due to government's failure to find out clues to the murders of journalists SM Alauddin (Patradut), Shamsur Rahman (Janakantha), Saiful Islam Mukul (Runner), Manik Saha (Sangbad), Humayun Kabir Balu (Janmabhumi) and others. Their killers have not been nabbed and punished.

Jessore: Jessore journalists' Forum and Jessore Union of Journalists jointly held a meeting and brought out a procession in the town Thursday evening in protest against the killing of Goutam Das, Staff Correspondent of Dainik Samakal in Faridpur.

The processionists chanted slogans demanding immediate arrest and punishment of the killers.

After parading the main streets of Jessore town, the processionists held a protest meeting at the Daratana square. The meeting was addressed by, among others, Jessore Jouranlist Forum leaders Ekramuddowla, Moinul Haque, Mizanur Rahman Tota and Jessore Union of Jouranlists (JUJ) President Shajedur Rahman Bokul.

Mymensingh: Protesting the killing of Gautam Das, Staff Reporter of Dainik Samakal in Faridpur, journalists organizations here took up joint programs yesterday.

The programs included protest rally, mourning procession and wearing of black badges.

The local unit of Bangladesh Sangbadik Samity, Mymensingh Press Club and Mymensingh Reporters Unity jointly brought out a mourning procession that paraded the main streets of the district town. Later, a protest rally was held on the premises of Press Club.

The speakers strongly protested the killing and demanded immediate arrest of the killers.

With Abdul Kuddus, corespondent of daily Sangbad in the chair, the rally was addressed by, among others, G Mostafa (The Daily Star), Shahidul, Shahidul Islam (Daily Khabar Patra), Akhtaruzzaman Bablu (BTV and BSS), Samim Shirajee (Inkilab), Rafiqul Islam Shamim (Provat), Abdus Samad Jehadi (Sangram) and Nurul Islam (Naya Diganta). They condemned the killing and demanded immediate arrest and punishment to the killers.

Gaibandha: Gaibandha Press Club at a meeting yesterday expressed grave concern at the killing of one more journalist-- Gautom Das --and demanded exemplary punishment to the killer.

The speakers criticized the government for failing to check the slide in law and order, resulting in killings of journalist, judges and intellectuals. The killings are continuing as the government could not try the murder of journalists earlier, they said.

Presided over by Gobinda Lal Das, president of Gaibandha Press Club, the meeting was addressed by, among others, KM Rezaul Hoque, Syed Nurul Alam Jahangir, Dipok Kumar Pal, Abu Zafar Sabu, Siddique Alam Dayal, Abedur Rahman Shawpon, Shahbul Shaheen Tota, Amitav Das Himun, Abdul Mannan Chaowdhury and Haru-ur-Rashid Badal.

Later they brought out a mourning procession and paraded the main streets of the district town.

The Daily Star, November 19, 2005

BFUJ, DUJ rally today protesting Goutam's killing

Bangladesh Federal Union of journalists and Dhaka Union of Journalists will hold a rally today (Saturday) at 11 am at the National Press Club in protest against the brutal killing of Goutam Das, Samakal Bureau chief in Faridpur.

BFUJ President Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Secretary General Monzurul Ahsan Bulbul and DUJ President Altaf Mahmud, General Secretary Shah Alamgir urged all journalists to attend the protest rally.

The BFUJ and DUJ leaders expressed solidarity with the programs of the journalists in Faridpur.

The journalist unions leaders also expressed solidarity with the journalists who boycotted the program of the Prime Minister in the Foreign Office and a Press conference of the Finance Minister.

Jamaat leader Dhira prime accused in Belal murder case

Charge sheet of journalist Belal murder case will be submitted to the CMM court here on Sunday.

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Shahabuddin Lashkar alias Dhira has been named as the prime accused in the charge sheet to be submitted under Section 302, according to Khulna thana OC and Investigation Officer (IO) of the case Md. Iqbal.

Belal was fatally injured in a bomb attack in front of Khulna Press Club on February 5 this year. He died at Dhaka CMH on February 11.

The Daily Star, November 19, 2005

They say he is power grabber

179 RU teachers resent giving Zia SAARC Award

179 teachers of Rajshahi University in a joint statement denounced the conferring of SAARC Award to former President Ziaur Rahman and termed the decision as misconceived and contrary to democratic aspiration of people of Bangladesh.

In reality Ziaur Rahman grabbed power with bullet and tried to prove him as elected president through various unethical means.

The Honorable High Court of Bangladesh in a Verdict termed his grabbing of power as illegal. He dismantled aspiration of freedom loving people and killed freedom fighters through acts contrary to dream and values of Liberation war.

They collectively reacted against a statement given in the name of Rajshahi University Teachers Association acclaiming the award to Ziaur Rahman. They said the so-called statement was issued without any meeting of Executive Committee or general meeting. They demanded withdrawal of statement and save RUTA from being an organization loyal to partisan politics.

Among 179 teachers are-professors Sayeedur Rahman Khan, Zulfiquar Matin Chowdhury, Abdur Rahman, Entajul M. Huq, Ananda Kumar Saha, AHM Zehadul Karim, Abul Kashem, Abdul Latif, Fayekuzzaman, SA Hyder, Syed Shamsuddin Ahmed, Md Nurullah (Convenor).

The Daily Bangladesh Observer, November 19, 2005

Railway goods seized from BNP leader's house

Police recovered 56 railway sleepers and some equipment worth about Tk. 24 lakh from a BNP leader's house in Bheramara town on Monday.

Police said that acting on information they raided the house of Saidul Haq Mukul a leader of Bheramara Poura BNP and recovered the goods. But he escaped. A case has been filed, police said.

The goods might have been stolen from railway store or from tracks, police said.

The Daily Star, November 19, 2005

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