Sunday • August 06, 2006

N A T I O N A L  N E W S

Meet on Sheikh Kamal's 57th birth anniversary at Abahani Krira Chakra

Sheikh Hasina accuses alliance government of spoiling youths with illegal wealth

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Bangladesh Awami League President Sheikh Hasina yesterday accused the BNP-Jamaat alliance government of trying to derail the country's young generation by alluring them to amass illegal wealth and be rich overnight.

"The youth community, being corrupt and having no minimum ideologies, can't present anything good to the nation… the alliance government has been pulling the country on the verge of collapse through politicization of all sections of the society," she said while speaking at a discussion meeting marking the 57th birth anniversary of her late brother and founder of Abahani Krira Chakra Sheikh Kamal in the city yesterday.

The Leader of the Opposition alleged that the alliance government had even politicized the country's sports arena and ruined the promising youth community who could have been worthy sportsmen and citizens of Bangladesh in future.

Sheikh Hasina, also a founder-member of the Abahani Club, said the alliance government had been plundering public money and grabbing properties.

Recalling her long experience since she returned home from self-exile in 1981, she regretted that the ruling alliance had always been coming up with a step-motherly attitude towards Abahani Krira Chakra and urged the government to shun such treatment to the Club for the sake of sports.

Sheikh Hasina also called on the alliance government to exclude the country's sporting and cultural arena from their long hands of politicization.

Recalling her slain younger brother Sheikh Kamal, the Awami League President said that as a worthy son of his father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Kamal dedicated his life for raising an ideal youth community for the new-born nation ignoring all sorts of material wealth and lavish lifestyle.

Rather, he took relentless efforts to build a healthy new generation choosing sports and culture as his main option. He launched the Abahani Krira Chakra and the Spondan Shilpy Goshthy which became household names after independence, she added.

Refuting Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia's recent remarks on her brother that he (Kamal) was involved in a bank robbery, Sheikh Hasina said it was ridiculous to utter such cruel words against Sheikh Kamal. "Since our days of childhood we grew up together and had experienced that Kamal's concentration and interest were mainly on education, sports and culture. He had no greed for money or earthly possession," she said, adding that one of the Prime Minister's cabinet colleagues (Iqbal Hasan Mahmud), who was a good friend of Kamal, also denied such an allegation against Kamal.

Sheikh Hasina said the falsehood and propaganda adopted by the anti-liberation forces since the country's independence against Awami League, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members were still continuing in Bangladesh to hoodwink the people.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of Abahani Limited Salman F Rahman said that Sheikh Kamal was his intimate friend. He said when most of the youths were busy in minting money through different types of businesses after the liberation of the country, Kamal was an exception as he never thought of becoming wealthy man.

Salman Rahman recalled that Kamal had proposed to him his wishes to establish a sports club and a cultural institute… his only addiction was sports and culture."

"Being a son of Bongobondhu he was an ordinary person and had no pride," Salman Rahman said. He also recalled during his London and Japan visits after independence, Kamal requested him to bring only jerseys for Abahani and an electric organ for the Spondan Shilpy Goshthy.

The Abahani club chairman later announced that Sheikh Kamal Krira Complex would be constructed and stronger football and cricket teams of the club would be formed in the next season.

Earlier, on her arrival at the premises of Abahani Limited, Sheikh Hasina along with Salman Rahman and other executives of the Club and Abahani Samarthak Goshthy (fans circle) went straight to the portrait of Sheikh Kamal and placed wreaths there.

Abahani Samarthak Goshthy organized the discussion meeting where prizes were distributed among the best sportsmen and organizers marking the 57th birth anniversary of Sheikh Kamal.

Presided over by the Goshthy president Sheikh Jahangir Alam, the discussion meeting was also addressed by other club stalwarts Mostafa Kamal, Harurun Rashid, Kazi Shahed Ahmed and the Goshthy general secretary Asaduzzaman Badsha.

Sheikh Kamal dreamt to make to make Bangladesh a healthy and prosperous nation: Abdul Jalil MP

Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil MP said the eldest son of Bangabandhu, Sheikh Kamal had a dream to make Bangladesh a healthy and prosperous nation, but the killers did not give him that opportunity.

He was speaking as chief guest at a discussion marking the 58th birth anniversary of slain leader Sheikh Kamal organised by Bangladesh Awami Jubo League (BAJL) held at the RAJUK auditorium in the city.

'Sheikh Kamal had led a simple life and did not show any arrogant manner though he was a son of the head of state,' Abdul Jalil MP said and adding that 'he was not greedy for wealth which is compared now a days with other head of government's son who has already become a millionaire by plundering public money. He said the killers had not only killed him but also hindered his dreams and nation's progress as well. He called upon his opponents to refrain from making any smearing campaign against Bangabandhu's son.

Awami Jubo League chairman Jahangir Kabir Nanak presided over the discussion while Joint General Secretary of Awami League (AL) Oaidul Kader, former ambassador Momtaz Hossain, Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin of AL, Mirza Azam MP General Secretary of Jubo League, journalist Shafiqur Rahman and AAMS Arefin Siddique former president of Dhaka University Teachers Association among others, were present on the occasion.

10 Awami League men hurt in BNP attack in Feni

At least 10 Awami League activists were wounded in an attack by BNP cadres at Sonagazi on Saturday.

The attack came when local Awami League and its front organisations were holding a meeting at the residence of Noman to chalk out programme for observing the mourning day on Aug 15.

Witnesses said, about a dozen BNP cadres launched the attack at 11:00am with stick and sharp weapons and beat them indiscriminately.

Sonagazi upazila Awami League president AZM Quamrul Anam, stained with blood, latter addressing a press conference blamed the BNP for the attack. He identified some of the attackers as Lal Kader, Newaz, Gias, Masud, Gobi, Nantu and Siraj - all BNP cadres.

Khulna people demonstrate for smooth power supply

Hundreds of people went on demonstrations in the Khulna city on Saturday to press home their 10-point charter of demands, including smooth power supply.

The people under the banner of Khulna Bidyut Odhikar Sangram Parishad held a rally at Shaheed Maharaj Square in the morning and later brought out a procession. People from all walks of life attended the demonstrations.

The speakers at the rally asked the authorities concerned to meet their demands by August 21 and threatened with tougher movement, otherwise.

Other demands of the parishad include bringing an end to irregularities in the electricity department and discrimination in power distribution.

The parishad co-conveners Professor Zafar Imam and Quazi Wahiduzzaman, its member secretary Sheikh Abdul Quyaum and coordinator Sheikh Ashrafuzzaman addressed the rally chaired by another co-convener Alhaj Liakat Ali, also the president of the Khulna Press Club.

The speakers said Khulna faced power outages for at least 10 to 12 hours a day, claiming that no other part of the country faced such a huge power outage. They gave a call for unity of the Khulna people against such discrimination.

They asked the people not to pay electricity bills until the situation became normal.

The demonstrators later brought out a procession at about 11:30, which paraded different city roads.

The New Age, August 6, 2006

P A R T Y  N E W S   U P D A T E

Abdul Jalil MP slates attack on Awami League men by BNP cadres in Sonagazi upazila

Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil, MP, yesterday strongly condemned and protested the attacks by the cadres of the ruling BNP on the preparatory meeting of Awami League and its front organisations of Sonagazi Upazila of Noakhali on the occasion of national mourning day on August 15.

"Over 50 Awami League leaders and activists of Sonagazi Upazila, including ZN Kamrul Anam and Shamsul Arefin, were seriously injured in the pre-planned attacks of identified BNP cadres in presence of the police on Friday," he said in a statement.

He also said no autocratic government could survive in the state power in the past by resorting to attack, torture and harassment on the opposition party men and this alliance government will not be able to cling to power in this way.

Abdul Jalil demanded immediate arrest of the identified terrorists and their exemplary punishment.

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