Sunday • August 27, 2006

N A T I O N A L  N E W S

Sheikh Hasina tells inaugural function of photo exhibition

Government kills prospective Awami League candidates to foil polls

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Bangladesh Awami League President Sheikh Hasina yesterday alleged that the BNP-Jamaat-led alliance government as part of its conspiracy to foil the next general election has begun killing prospective Awami League candidates, who have the possibility of winning the seats in their constituencies.

"The government has begun killing political leadership through grenade attacks. They have killed many of our MPs and tried to kill me through grenade attack on August 21, 2004. And now they are killing our party's probable candidates as they don't want election," said Sheikh Hasina while inaugurating a photo exhibition at Road No 32 in Dhanmondi in the capital.

Bongobondhu Lalitakala Academy organized the exhibition on glorious life of the Father of the Nation Bongobondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of Bongobondhu Memorial Trust.

A total of 2200 photos on Bongobondhu and War of Liberation were on display at the exhibition which will remain open for all till 6pm of August 31.

Regarding the holding of next general election in a free and fair manner, Sheikh Hasina said they (BNP-Jamaat) want nothing but to make farce in the name of polls.

Sheikh Hasina said as the coalition came to power through stealing votes and rigging 2001 election, they do not want to accept reform proposals fearing that they won't get people's mandate this time.

"The BNP-Jamaat wants to steal votes and rig the next election only to soak up thousands of crores of taka looted from people," said the Awami League president.

Referring to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's recent speech that the Awami League does not want election, Sheikh Hasina said it is not the Awami League but the BNP has been conspiring not to hold the election by misleading people through falsehood.

She said the BNP always came to power through backdoor, gunpoint or vote rigging.

Sheikh Hasina asserted that the alliance government will have to accept reforms in caretaker government and Election Commission (EC) within its tenure to hold the election in free and fair manner.

"Whatever tactics of dillydallying they [alliance government] may pursue with the reform proposals to foil the election, they shall have to accept the proposals," said the former prime minister.

The Awami League President also blamed the BNP-Jamaat-led coalition for distorting the country's glorious history to achieve its heinous design.

Thanking the organizers of the photo exhibition, Sheikh Hasina urged them to organize such exhibition at district and upazila headquarters to make people aware of the glorious history of the liberation war and life of Bongobondhu who led the nation to its independence.

Academy Advisor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, President MA Khaer, General Secretary Zahid Hossain, Prof Harun-or-Rashid, AL leaders Obaidul Quader, Subed Ali Bhuiyan, Yafes Osman, Shahara Khatun and Reza Kibria were present on the occasion.

Earlier, Hasina went to the airport to see off her sister Sheikh Rehana who flew for London.

In the afternoon, she went to Labaid Cardiac Hospital to see her ailing husband Dr Wajed Miah, a noted nuclear scientist, who has been suffering from cardiac arrest since Friday night.

Sheikh Hasina expresses deep shock

Ivory Coast crash kills 6 Bangladeshi peacekeepers

Six UN peacekeepers from Bangladesh were killed and 11 others seriously injured in a road accident in Ivory Coast on Friday hours after they reached the West African state for duty.

A truck carrying the soldiers crashed at Tiasali, some 125km off Ivory Coast capital Yamoussoukro, and veered into a roadside ditch at around 5:30pm local time (11:30pm Bangladesh time), said the director of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The deceased are lance corporal SM Miraz Ahmed (20 Field Regiment, Artillery) hailing from village Kanudeshkathi in Rajapur upazila under Jhalakathi district, lance corporal M Abdus Sattar (6 Field Regiment, Artillery) hailing from village Dariapur in Chapainawabganj upazila under the district, soldier Abdul Halim (27 Field Regiment, Artillery) hailing from village Bara Chaisuti in Kuliarchar upazila under Kishoreganj district, soldier Mohammad Kamruzzaman Khan (36 Air Defence Regiment, Artillery) of village Bamutia in Chandina upazila under Comilla district, soldier Mohammad Shahid Mia (32 Field Regiment, Artillery) of village Shatra in Kulaura upazila under Moulvibazar district and soldier M Mizanur Rahman (24 Field Regiment, Artillery) of village Bhakutia under Jessore district.

Sheikh Hasina expresses deep shock

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Bangladesh Awami League President Sheikh Hasina yesterday expressed deep shock at the death of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers in Ivory Coast.

She conveyed deep sympathy for the members of the bereaved families.

The Daily Star, August 27, 2006

Asia Energy Coal Mine Protest

7 killed, 60 bullet-hit as cops, BDR open fire; Indefinite hartal called

At least seven people were killed and about 300 injured as police and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) opened fire on demonstrators advancing towards the office of Asia Energy Corporation (Bangladesh) Pvt Ltd in Dinajpur yesterday.

Thousands of demonstrators, mainly farmers and indigenous people including women armed with bows and arrows and sticks, joined the protest apprehending massive eviction and loss of farmland that might be caused by the implementation of the Phulbari Coalmine Project.

The protesters enforced an indefinite hartal at Phulbari starting today in protest of the police action.

The dead include Tariqul Islam, 24, son of Mokhlesur Rahman of Chandpara, Ahsan Habib, 35, Osman, 24, Raju, 8, and Chunnu. The identity of two others could not be confirmed.

Hospital sources said 60 of the injured, including eight policemen, were bullet-hit and many of them are in a critical condition.

Leaders of different socio-political organisations yesterday condemned the police firing on the demonstrators and demanded proper investigation and immediate trial of the law enforcers involved. They also demanded compensation to the victims' families and proper treatment of the injured.

The Awami League-led 14-party opposition combine will stage countrywide demonstrations today to protest the killings at Phulbari.

The Daily Star, August 27, 2006

P A R T Y  N E W S   U P D A T E

14-party road march turns into human sea in Rangpur

Leaders of Awami League-led 14-party combine said today that they along with the people would compel the BNP-Jamaat alliance government to concede to their demand for reforms in the caretaker system of government and the Election Commission. Otherwise, they warned that there would be no election in the country.

The leaders of the united opposition were speaking at a mammoth public rally at the Public Library ground in Rangpur district town prior to bringing out a padayatra (road march) demanding implementation of their electoral reform proposals.

Speaking at the rally, Awami League general secretary and co-ordinator of the 14-party combine Abdul Jalil MP said the exit bell of the Khaleda-Nizami government has been tolling and for this reason it (BNP-Jamaat alliance) has taken refuge in the sinking ship of the deposed president HM Ershad. But, he said the people of the country will neither accept nor tolerate any conspiracy to rig the next national polls by horse trading of a man who has been charged with at least 17 graft cases.

As part of its 21-day fresh course of action program that began on August 10 with the padayatra in Bogra district headquarters, the combine of 14 opposition political parties organized the public rally and nearly five-kilometre-long road march demanding implementation of their various demands including electoral reforms and protesting the spiraling prices of essential commodities.

In the current phase, the road march program in eight district headquarters was announced from a meeting of the 14-party combine held at Awami League headquarters in the city on August 5 with a view to mobilizing public support in favor of its demands.

As tens of thousands of people from all walks of life, particularly the leaders and activists of the 14 parties, participated in the procession, the district town virtually turned into a human sea when a serious traffic snarl was witnessed.

"No reforms…no election," Abdul Jalil said adding that the 14-party combine along with the people will resist unitedly the alliance government's bid to arrange any 'farcical polls.'

He alleged that the alliance government which had miserably failed to govern the country and contain prices of essential commodities wanted to come to power again by holding a farcical polls in collusion with its stooges like Chief Election Commissioner Justice MA Aziz and its secretary but the people had already rejected them.

Awami League Presidium member Abdur Razzak MP brought accusation against the alliance government of completing all machination to rig the next national polls which he said the people would not accept in anyway.

Expressing solidarity with the people of Dinajpur, the Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon strongly condemned the killing of innocent people in firing while they were staging demonstration against open extraction of coal from Phulbari colliery.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president Hasanul Huq Inu said the four-party alliance of Begum Zia wants to hang on to state power till the doomsday indulging in rigging but their lust for power will be thwarted by the masses.

Presided over by Rangpur District unit co-ordinator of the 14-party combine Mazerul Islam Liton, the public rally was also addressed by Begum Matia Chowdhury, Abdul Mannan, Pankaj Bhattacharjee, Mohammad Afzal, HN Ashiqur Rahman, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Jhantu, Abul Mansur, Mosaddeq Hossain Bablu, Rezaul Karim Raju, Dr Ekramul Hossain Swapan, Abdul Mannan Miahji, Azizul Islam, Arshad Haroon and others.

Later, the leaders led the road march, which ended at Modern intersection in the town.

Asaduzzaman Noor demands at discussion

Punish culprits who threatened to kill Hasan Azizul, Zafor Iqbal

Central Awami League Publicity Secretary Asaduzzaman Noor MP yesterday said the people will reject the ruling four-party alliance in the next election as it failed to resolve any of their problems and meet their basic needs.

The alliance government could not ensure security of teachers, intellectuals, cultural activists and journalist's, he said while addressing a discussion meeting at Kazi Nazrul Islam Auditorium at Rajshahi University on national mourning day marking the 31st death anniversary of Bongobondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Organized by RU Bongobondhu Parishad, it was also addressed by former Rajshahi University vice-chancellor Prof Abdul Khaleq, Prof Saidur Rahman Khan, Rajshahi city Awami League president Masudul Haque Dulu, general secretary AHM Kharuzzman Liton, district Awami League president Tajul Islam Muhammad Faruk and general secretary Omar Faruk Chowdhury. RU Bongobondhu Parishad president Prof Muklesur Rahman was in the chair.

Asaduzzaman Noor said people are now agitating for power and water, two basic needs, while prices of other essentials have gone beyond their reach. He strongly protested the death threat to Prof Hasan Azizul Haque of Rajshahi University and Dr Muhammad Zafor Iqbal of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology. He demanded exemplary punishment to Shibir activists who gave the death threats.

He said BNP has made ministers the collaborators of Pakistani occupation forces in 1971 and those who killed intellectuals. "The same evil forces killed Prof Muhammad Yunus, Dr. Humayun Azad and tried to kill more progressive teachers and intellectuals", Asaduzzaman Noor said.

Asaduzzaman Noor said a partner in the ruling coalition is sheltering Islamist militants, who are creating a chaotic situation in the country. Unless godfathers of militants are identified and arrested, bomb blasts will not stop. "But BNP is now under the grip of that ruling partner", he said.

Several hundred teachers, students, cultural activists and Awami League workers were present at the meeting.

O T H E R S

3 Jubo League men hurt in BNP attack in Khagrachhari

At least three Jubo League activists were injured in an attack by BNP activists at Shalbagun in Sadar upazila yesterday.

The injured are Abul Kalam, 27, Abu Bakkar, 30, and Mohammad Nasir Uddin, 28. BNP activists attacked them for joining a long march on Wednesday.

District Awami League leader Prashanta Tripura alleged that the BNP cadres are torturing the party activists day after day but the administration did not take measures to halt the trend. He demanded immediate arrest of the attackers.

The Daily Star, August 27, 2006

UP leader's house attacked by Jamaat men for protesting fake voter list

A Union Parishad chairman's house was ransacked by Jammat men in Chalitabunia union in Galachipa upazila as he protest inclusion of fake names in the updated voter list.

Chalitabunia UP chairman Liton Talukder told a press conference at Galachipa Press Club Friday evening that a set of updated voter list was sent to the UP office on Thursday. He did not hang it on the notice board as it included many fake voters.

He then challenged the local voter enumerator, Jahangir Alam, who is a madrasa teacher and local leader of Jamaat-e-Islami.

In the evening, a gang of about 50 people swooped on his house and ransacked it. Hearing cries, neighbors came to their rescue, ensuing a clash.

At least 10 people were injured in the clash, Liton claimed at the press conference.

The Daily Star, August 27, 2006

ICS cadres attack shops, transport ticket counters, loot valuables at Daulatpur

Tension is prevailing at Daulatpur area since this evening when some shops and other business establishments including the ticket counters of transport operators were attacked and damaged by the activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) of Daulatpur Government BL College. The attackers were alleged to have looted cash, mobile sets, wireless sets and ticket books from the counters.

Sources said, the attack on the business establishments at Daulatpur came immediately after an activist of Chhatra Shibir was beaten by some activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League near the college gate.

The cause of the attack on the Shibir activist Nurul Afsar by his rivals could not be ascertained till 9 in the night.

Meanwhile, Daulatpur Shop Owners Association has given a call for half-day strike at the shops and allied establishments at Daulatpur and adjacent areas to protest the attack on their business centres. The shop owners and their employees brought out protest processions at Daulatpur this evening.

When contacted, the secretary of Daulatpur Shop Owners Association S M Montu claimed that four of their men have been injured following an attack on their shops by the Shibir activists.

The Independent, August 27, 2006

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