Saturday • December 10, 2005

N A T I O N A L  N E W S

Sheikh Hasina tells mammoth rally in Khulna

Government harboring godfathers of militants in cabinet

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Bangladesh Awami League President Sheikh Hasina accused the government of harboring the godfathers of Islamist militants in the cabinet in an effort to cling to power with the help of anti-liberation forces.

She held the prime minister and the ministers from Jamaat-e-Islami responsible for all bomb attacks in the country as she let out a tirade against the ruling four-party alliance at a mammoth rally of the 14-party opposition coalition on the Khulna circuit house ground yesterday afternoon.

Terming the four-party alliance government as a militant alliance government she said after killing people in the name of Operation Clean Heart, and by party cadres and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members, the ruling alliance is now killing people by using suicide squads.

Presided over by the Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina the rally was addressed among others by Awami League General Scretary Abdul Jalil MP, Abdur Razzak MP, Babu Suranjit Sen Gupta MP, Begum Sajeda Chowdhury, Tofail Ahmed, Obaidul Kader and Sheik Selim MP , Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, its General Secretary Bimol Biswas, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Inu) chief Hasanul Huq Inu, General Secretary of Shammyabadi Dal Dilip Barua, former home miinister Mohammod Nasim, Gano Azadi League leader Advocate Zahirul Islam, and Nurul Islam.

Sheikh Hasina said situation in the country is taking an ominous turn, as Khaleda Zia is unwilling to step down. Only a mass upsurge can force her to relinquish power and save the country from fanatic militant outfits, she said.

The sovereignty and independence of the country is now at stake due to escalating militancy and the killings of innocent people including judges, lawyers and policemen. There is no other alternative but to force the government of the four-party alliance to step down and save the country from being an abode of Islamist extremists, she said.

Rejecting the offer for a dialogue with the government on the issue of militancy the leader of the opposition said "People cannot betray the blood of those who were killed by Islamist militants. The 14-party coalition cannot sit with a government comprising anti-liberation forces who are providing funds for killing democratic forces by forming suicide squads." She called upon the people to forge greater unity to get rid of the present situation for greater interest of the country.

Sheikh Hasina said Islamist militants have made threats to blow up different academic institutions, key installations and government offices in December to prevent the people from celebrating victory day.

She said an accused in the Jessore Udichi bomb blast case has been appointed as a cabinet minister. No murder case has been properly investigated during this regime, which obviously means that the killers are being patronized by the ruling party to destroy the democratic system.

She said prices of essential commodities have gone beyond purchasing capacity of the people. Mills and factories have been closed rendering thousands of workers and employees jobless. Members of law enforcing agencies are yet to be provided with better facilities including pay hikes. There is no security of life and property for the people, she said.

The Awami League President said bomb and grenade attacks by militants are being launched in the country at the instigation of Jamaat-e-Islami, which is not unknown to the prime minister.

She asked Khaleda Zia to accept the reform proposals put forward by the 14-party coalition on the electoral system and to announce national elections under a non-partisan caretaker administration.

She also said policies to run the government are being determined at Hawa Bhaban. Those who are controlling Hawa Bhaban are involved in money laundering and looting of resources of the country. Politicization of the administration and law enforcing agencies have surpassed all the past records, she said.

People now want to get rid of this fascist government which is playing with fire by letting loose militant outfits, she claimed.

Human sea

It was a human sea on the Circuit House Maidan, the venue where the rally was held organized by the 14-party coalition. The ground has a capacity to accommodate at least two lakh people.

Thousands of people started to enter the city on foot and by buses from Bagerhat, Satkhira, Jessore, Magura, Jhenaidah, Chuadanga, Maherpur, Narail and Kushtia from 8:30am chanting slogans against bomb attacks, rise of Islamist militants, killing of people in crossfire incidents and in demand of resignation of the prime minister.

By 3:00pm there was no space on the ground and the roads leading to it covering more than two kilometres. Two hundred megaphones were arranged to enable the people to listen to speeches made by Shaikh Hasina and other leaders of the coalition.

One of the three stages in the venue was used for cultural programs performed by prominent artistes who sang patriotic songs from 10:00am to 1:30pm.

Khulna became a city of processions brought out by all member parties of the opposition coalition.

The leader of the opposition was given standing ovation by thousands of people when she arrived in the city at noon with her motorcade and a strong private security escort.

Unprecedented security arrangements were made for the leader of the opposition. Three hundred volunteers of the Awami League were specially assigned to assist the police in maintaining law and order and to ensure peaceful holding of the rally.

Another Udichi leader dies in Netrakona

The death toll in Thursday's suicide blast in Netrakona rose to eight with a female Udichi leader dying from her wounds at Mymensingh Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) yesterday.

Sudipta Pal Shelly, 22, was the organizing secretary of Netrakona district unit of the cultural organization and an employee of a non-government organization (NGO).

Daughter of Sunil Pal of Azahor Road in Netrakona town, she died at about 2:45pm.

Thirty-seven people wounded in the attack were undergoing treatment at MMCH. Condition of four was stated to be critical. They are Sumon Saha, 28, Sanwar Hossain Bhuiyan, 45, Abdus Sattar, 40 and Shankar, 40.

Bimol Saha, 40, son of Dhirendra Saha, and Munna, 20, son of Dulal Debnath, were shifted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) yesterday as their condition deteriorated.

Bodies of three of the dead were still at the hospital morgue under police custody yesterday. None turned up to identify or receive those. Autopsies of the bodies have yet to be carried out, hospital sources said.

Meanwhile, central leaders of the 14-party opposition combine yesterday visited the bomb victims at MMCH. Matia Chowdhury, Saifuddin Ahmed Manik, Pankaj Bhattacharya, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, KM Jahangir and a number of local leaders were among them. They inquired about the condition of the victims.

Earlier the opposition team led by Awami League (AL) Presidium Member Matia Chowdhury went to the Netrakona Sadar Hospital and talked to the injured, adds our Netrakona correspondent.

The opposition leaders also visited the bombing site in front of Udichi office and residences of the victims across the Netrakona town.

The district Awami League will observe protest day today and enforce a dawn-to-dusk hartal on Sunday in Netrakona.

The Daily Star, December 10, 2005

More bombs seized in districts as JMB issues fresh threats

Law enforcers recovered 10 bombs from different districts yesterday while banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) threatened to blow up a police station, an upazila health complex, a madrasa and a department of Islamic University.

The police recovered seven sacks of books and leaflets related to militancy abandoned on the bank of the river Burigunga near the Mitford Hospital in the capital early yesterday. The books include 'Afghan Jihader Ajana Kahini', 'Talebani Shashan and Shashner Upama' and 'Keno Jihad Korbo'.

In Ramu of Cox's Bazar, the banned Islamist outfit threatened to blow up Ramu Upazila Health Complex if in next seven days it does not stop promoting various family-planning methods that the militants described as anti-Shariah.

The militants made the threat in a letter sent to Ramu Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Selim Uddin on Thursday. "These anti-Shariah activities would not be allowed in the country," they said in the chit, referring to vasectomy, ligation and use of condoms.

The extremists also threatened to blow up a mosque, Thana Bhaban and Upazila Parishad Bhaban in Ramu.

The Daily Star, December 10, 2005

Lawyers for united movement against bomb attackers

Leaders of about 40 bar associations across the country yesterday called on the lawyers to forge a united movement to resist the Islamist militants who are carrying out bomb attacks on people, particularly the judges, lawyers and police.

They made this appeal while addressing an extended meeting of the Bangladesh Bar Council at its auditorium in the capital, with its vice-chairman Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud in the chair.

Bar Council sources said 74 representatives from over 40 associations attended the meeting.

Supreme Court Bar Association President advocate Mahbubey Alam said dialogue should be held between the government and those elements who are creating problems in the country.

The bar representatives also urged the Bar Council leaders to take up next course of action against militancy and extremism on the basis of consensus.

The next course of action will be fixed at the council meeting of the Bar Council, sources said.

The Daily Star, December 10, 2005

JCD cadres assaulted college principal in Barisal

The principal and the vice-principal of Patuakhali Government college were assaulted by JCD cadres in the office room of the college on December 3.

College sources said, the college authority following the threat by the Islamic militants to blow up the college tightened security measures on the campus of the college.

Under the circumstances, two JCD cadres- Niamul Islam and Towhid came to the office of the principal to place their demand. When the principal expressed his inability to comply with their demand, they raised a hue and cry.

The principal reminded them of the tight security measures and tried to prevent them from making any noise. This made them infuriated, who physically assaulted the principal. They also assaulted the vice-principal when he came for the help of the principal.

The Independent, December 10, 2005

O T H E R S

Cultural personalities demand

Declare militants as traitors, take stern action

Eminent cultural personalities yesterday demanded that the government declare the militants traitors and take stern action to curb militancy in the country.

Udichi, one of the leading cultural organizations in the country, yesterday announced a token hunger strike today from 10am to 1pm at the Central Shaheed Minar to protest the December 8 suicide bomb blasts in Netrakona that claimed eight lives including three Udichi activists.

Expressing solidarity with the Udichi, leaders and activists of different cultural organizations including Sammilita Sangskritik Jote (SSJ), Jatiya Kabita Parishad, Kendrio Khelaghor Ashor, vowed to combat militancy.

Udichi brought out a procession with black flags that started from the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University (DU), paraded some DU streets and ended at the Central Shaheed Minar where they held a rally amidst tight security.

Hundreds of cultural personalities and people from all walks joined the rally presided over by Udichi Vice-President Golam Mohammad Idu.

At the rally, the cultural personalities accused the BNP-Jamaat alliance government of harboring militancy and said they have no other way but to fight to get rid of militancy.

Cultural personalities Kamal Lohani, Fakir Alamgir, SSJ General Secretary Golam Kuddus, Assistant General Secretary Manjurul Islam Sweet, General Secretary of Kabita Oikya Parishad Mahidul Islam, President of Joybangla Sangskritik Oikya Jote Salauddin Badal, General Secretary of Kendrio Khelaghor Ashor Lenin Choudhury, women leader Rokeya Kabir and language veteran artist Emdad Hossain, Dr Mohammad Samad, Mannan Hira, also addressed the rally.

The Daily Star, December 10, 2005

CPJ concerned over death threats to journalists by JMB

Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a New York-based organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide, has expressed its deep concern over death threats to journalists by Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

"The threats are clearly intended to inhibit critical coverage of Islamic militants," said CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper.

"We urge the authorities concerned to take the warnings seriously and safeguard journalists and others whose lives are in danger."

The CPJ has become alarmed knowing about the JMB threats to kill 22 journalists which have sparked widespread fear among the journalists.

The Daily Star, December 10, 2005

Factional Clash in Magura: 9 JCD men hurt

Nine activists of Jatiyotabadi Chattra Dal (JCD) including its district unit president were injured in clashes between two rival factions of the organization Thursday night and at noon on the day.

JCD district unit president Nazmul Hasan Liton, joint secretary of the same unit Firoj Hossain and an activist, Manik, were hacked and critically injured by rivals at Vitashair in the town at around 8 pm.

The attack followed a clash between two rival groups at noon, party sources said. They were admitted to Magura Sadar hospital.

Meanwhile, five activists of JCD were injured when rival groups of JCD clashed with lethal weapons at around 11.30 am at Government HSS College over formation of a new committee of the party, police and witnesses said. The rival factions are led former president of the college unit of JCD Suman Hossain and incumbent president of JCD unit at the college, Maruf Hossain Munna.

The Daily Star, December 10, 2005

BNP's ally Jamaat challenges country's independence: JL, BCL

Leaders of Juba League (JL) and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) said yesterday that the defeated forces of 1971 backed by the BNP-led alliance government's ally Jamaat-e-Islami had thrown a challenge to the country's independence, sovereignty and existence by mounting bomb attacks that killed many lives across Bangladesh.

Speaking at separate rallies at Muktangan and in front of Awami League central office at Bongobondhu Avenue in the city, they strongly condemned Thursday's suicide attacks at Netrakona and Naogaon as well as other places in the country that killed at least 10 persons and injured more than 50 others.

They alleged that the militant forces could dare to launch deadly bombings on the forces loyal to democracy, constitution, progress and independence as the alliance government had continuously been patronizing and harboring the zealots to jeopardize the secular image of Bangladesh at home and abroad.

The leaders urged the countrymen to stand united against the fanatic militant outfits and to participate wholeheartedly in the movement announced by the Awami League-led 14-party combine to topple the anti-liberation and terrorist government from power to end once and for all the subversive activities of the ultra-religious forces.

Bangladesh Awami Juba League (BAJL), the youth front of the main opposition Awami League, organized its rally at Muktangan in the afternoon prior to bringing out a procession in the capital protesting the Thursday's suicide bombings at Netrakona district headquarters, Naogaon district town and Gangni upazila in Meherpur district.

Central leaders of the BAJL including Harunur Rashid, Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, Awlad Hossain Ruhul, Fazlul Huq Atique, Mohiuddin Ahmed Mohi, Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shaon, Bashir Ahmed Basir, Saikat Joardar and Mohiuddin addressed the rally. Later, a procession was brought out from the rally venue.

Chanting various anti-government slogans, the marchers paraded Noor Hossain Square, Syed Nazrul Islam Sarani and ended up the march at party central office.

Dhaka City Unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the students' front of Awami League, organized its rally in front of party central office at Bongobondhu Avenue with the unit president Ishaque Miah in the chair.

BCL leaders including its general secretary Nazrul Islam Babu, Balaram Poddar and Saifuzzaman Shikhar and leaders of its Dhaka University and Jagannath University College units addressed the rally.

Islamists demand Bangladeshi women wear veil

A banned Islamist militant group blamed for a series of bombings in Bangladesh has threatened to kill women, including non-Muslims, if they do not wear the veil, a statement said.

The statement by the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen came hours after Thursday's suicide bomb attack in a northern town that killed at least eight people, the latest of a series of blasts blamed on militant groups in their campaign for an Islamic state.

"Women will be killed if they are found to move around without wearing burqa (veil) from the first day of Jilhaj," the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen said in the statement sent to a Dhaka newspaper office.

Jilhaj refers to the Arabic month beginning early January.

"Women, including non-Muslims, are hereby advised not to go out of home without burqa. Seclusion has been made compulsory for you," said the statement in Bangla language, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters on Friday.

The Independent, December 10, 2005

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