Thursday • October 05, 2006

N A T I O N A L  N E W S

Shun plan for poll rigging, accept people's demands

Sheikh Hasina blasts government for various types of graft, sleaze

The coalition government had failed to produce a single megawatt of power, while her government had raised it from 1600 megawatt to 4300 megawatt, Leader of the Opposition and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told parliament yesterday. BNP government only provided electric poles, not electricity," she said sarcastically.

If the present government was so confident about its success in the next election, why it was afraid of accepting the opposition's reform proposal, Leader of the Opposition and also Awami League president Sheikh Hasina wanted to know in her speech at the closing session of the 8th parliament (JS) yesterday.

"Let the people exercise their right to vote in a free and fair manner," she said.

As she fired a broadside at the alliance government's various misdeeds, the Leader of the Opposition said that the ministers and the ruling party MPs had amassed huge wealth during the last five years.

Coming to the opposition-mooted reform proposal, Sheikh Hasina urged the government to accept the proposal for electoral reforms without which the next election would not be free and fair.

"Give up the plan for election engineering, accept the people's demand of reforms in the Election Commission and the caretaker government, the people will not accept any rigged election," she said.

In her 72-minute speech, the opposition leader listed the failures of the present alliance government in different sectors and termed the tenure of the present government a dark chapter in the history of the country.

Sheikh Hasina said that former Chief Justice KM Hasan is a partisan person and a free and fair election is not possible with him as the Chief Adviser to the caretaker government.

Vehemently opposing the appointment of justice KM Hasan as the chief of the caretaker government, she said that the retirement age of the judges were increased only to make Justice Hasan the chief of the caretaker government.

"Why did not you raise the retirement age of the officials of other services?." She asked.

Referring to an Election Commissioner who was a former official of the Commission, she said that he was a master of election rigging.

About the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) she said that the High Court gave a verdict against him and there was a corruption charge against an Election Commissioner.

Urging the Prime Minister to accept the reform proposals of the 14-party combine, Sheikh Hasina said that in Thailand democracy was at stake due to the greed of the ruling clique. "Take lessons from the recent happenings in Thailand," she advised.

In this connection Sheikh Hasina also mentioned that despite acquiring a huge amount of wealth, the ruling government failed to remain in power in that country.

"While the ruling party members started getting rich, the poor and downtrodden in Bangladesh became poorer during the five years of coalition rule," she noted.

Sheikh Hasina alleged that the ruling circle has siphoned off Taka 22,000 crore from Bangladesh into countries including Malaysia and Thailand.

"They have plundered national wealth through corruption and a handful of people became fabulously rich and set up satellite TV channels and brought out newspapers," she added.

Sheikh Hasina blamed that a syndicate under the patronization of Prime Minister's son and relatives amassed nearly Taka 86 thousand crore by manipulating the prices of essentials.

And due to this syndicate the prices of essentials were all-time high during the tenure of the present government and the common people had to bear the brunt of it, she alleged.

Pointing to the introduction of crossfire she said that the concerned person responsible for the Home Ministry would have to face trial for this.

Refuting the claim of the government that production boosted up during its tenure, she said that the present government increased production, but that was only in the sectors like grenades, bombs and terrors. She said that though an attempt to assassinate her was made through grenade attacks on her public rally, the issue was not discussed in the House.

"The EU parliament and the British parliament discussed the issue," she said. Blasting the government for its miserable failures in foreign affairs, she said that the country has become friendless due to the wrong policy pursued by it.

In this regard she also mentioned that the country failed to win the contest for the post of the Secretary General of OIC.

It also led to losing some friendly countries, she added. "The much- talked-about 'Look East Policy' initiated by the prime Minister also nose-dived as the government had failed to implement it," the Opposition Leader alleged.

Lambasting the government for its miserable failure in managing the power sector, Sheikh Hasina said that Taka 18 thousand crore was spent during the tenure of this government, but no improvement could be made to provide people with enough power. "Where has the money gone?," she asked. She pledged that if her 14-party combine could form the next government, the power situation would be improved in one year.

Sheikh Hasina also came down hard on the government for politicizing the administration saying that the government had forcefully retired a large number of officials including police and defense personnel.

She mentioned that 1916 officials got quick promotions while 1767 were sent into retirement, and 370 officers were made OSDs. She said that a total of 26,259 party people were recruited in the police force.

Referring to police atrocities on the Awami League Parliament Members, Sheikh Hasina said that these police officials were being used to beat up the opposition politicians and workers.

"Even the national shooters were not spared by the police," she added.

Concluding her speech, she vowed that she got a new lease of life after the grenade attack on her on August 21 and now she would continue to devote her time to the welfare of the common people.

"I have always worked for the grassroots people and will continue to do so till my death," she said.

Caretaker Government, Election Commission reforms main agenda

Dialogue finally begins today in Jatiya Sangsad

Ending all speculations and skepticism, the stage is finally set for holding the much awaited secretary level dialogue today (Thursday) between the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Main Opposition Awami League on the electoral reforms and Caretaker Govenrment System.

BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil have agreed to sit across the table at 11:30 am today (Thursday) at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban to break the long stalemate.

The two secretaries will hold one-to-one talks in the committee room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on the reforms issue after crossing too many hurdles.

Addressing the press conference, Abdul Jalil said, "The decision for the dialogue which the whole nation has been longing for has been finalized as part of our continuous movements demanding reforms in the Caretaker Government (CG) system and Election Commission (EC)."

Expressing optimism about a meaningful outcome of the long-awaited talks, Abdul Jalil said, "We will have a discussion over disputed issues in open mind to fulfill the expectations of the nation."

"We will seek Doa from all the people of the country for the successful outcome of the talks for which we have been struggling to establish their rights," he told the newsmen.

Countrywide demonstration on October 8

Opposition to carry out demo along with dialogue

The leaders of the opposition combine led by Awami League vowed on Wednesday to carry out the scheduled anti-government agitation programs along with the dialogue and called on the people to make the October 8 countrywide demonstrations successful.

The combine leaders put out the call at a preparatory meeting of the city units of the combine at the central Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal office in Dhaka.

The opposition alliance will go out on demonstrations in all the district headquarters on October 8 to protest at disruption in power supply. The combine parties will go out on demonstrations at Muktangan in Dhaka on the day.

Chaired by Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal's city president Mir Hossain Akhter, the meeting was also addressed by central Awami League leader Obaidul Quader, Samyabadi Dal general secretary Dilip Barua, JSD executive president Moinuddin Khan Badal and the combine's city coordinator Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya.

The leaders said their anti-government movement would continue along with the dialogue. They said the people were hopeful that dialogue would resolve the political impasse.

The JSD president Hasanul Haq Inu, said the prime minister was destroying the atmosphere for a dialogue by blaming the opposition leaders in public gatherings.

Attempted murder case

Judicial probe against Babar and 700 police officials ordered

A court of Dhaka yesterday ordered judicial enquiry into an attempted murder case filed by a Juba Mahila League leader against State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, ruling BNP lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu and about 700 police officials including Inspector General of Police (IGP) Anwarul Iqbal.

Fazilatunnesa, the Juba Mahila League leader and a Supreme Court lawyer, yesterday lodged the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's court of Dhaka mentioning the names of 116 persons including the State Minister for Home, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner and the Director General (DG) of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

In the case, she (Fazilatunnesa) also accused them of attacking a political program of the 14-party combine in front of the house of former president late Abu Sayeed Chowdhury in the capital's Bangla Motor area on September 12.

Taking the case into cognizance, Metropolitan Magistrate ABM Abul Fattah, ordered the judicial inquiry.

The accused include Deputy Commissioner (DC,South) Awrangajeb, Officer-in-Charge of Ramna police station Mahbubur Rahman, inspectors of the detective branch (DB) Nazrul Islam, Ruhul Amin, and Nur-e-Alam.

In her complaint, Fazilatunnesa said while returning home after joining the program, the accused police officials caught and dragged her in front of the residence of late Abu Sayeed Chowdhury at Bangla Motor and severely beat her with wooden sticks.

Fazilatunnesa also said after the beating her eyesight became weak.

Earlier on July 12, another court ordered judicial inquiry into a murder case filed by another woman, Rekha, against the State Minister for Home, 200 police officials including the former and present IGPs and a forensic expert.

The Independent, October 5, 2006

Shibir Threat To Prof Azizul Huq

Amnesty urges PM to provide adequate security

The Amnesty International (AI) on Tuesday urged Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to provide adequate security to noted litterateur Prof Hasan Azizul Huq, who was threatened with death in August by Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS).

Shibir is the student wing of the ruling coalition partner Jamaat-e-Islami.

The AI also urged Khaleda to bring to justice those who threatened him.

An AI letter, posted at its website on Tuesday, strongly condemned the threat to the retired Rajshahi University professor. It also expressed grave concern over the threat to writers, journalists and academicians' by Islamist groups for expressing secular views and advocating the separation of religion from politics.

Referring to the killing of two RU teachers for their secular views, the AI letter said, "The assailants are believed to be linked to Islamist groups. No one has been brought to justice for these attacks."

The letter, also sent to Law Minister Moudud Ahmed and State Minister for Home Md Lutfuzzaman Babar, asked the government to protect others who express secular views and advocate the separation of religion from politics.

AI said Shibir threatened Prof Hasan Azizul Huq after he spoke in defence of secularism and the separation of religion from politics at a seminar in Rajshahi on August 21. "The threats have been followed by anonymous telephone calls to Professor Huq's residence warning him that he would be killed."

Although Prof Hasan notified police about the threat against him and his family, they have not been provided with any protection and those known to have issued the death threats have yet to be brought to justice, AI added.

The AI demanded an immediate and thorough investigation into the incident, probe results be made public and those responsible be brought to justice.

The Daily Star, October 5, 2006

P A R T Y  N E W S   U P D A T E

Abdul Jalil MP alleges BNP cadres killed Abdur Rashid

Awami League general secretary Abdul Jalil MP alleged yesterday that at the fag end of its tenure, the hoodlums belonging to the ruling BNP were killing popular leaders and activists of his party and its associate bodies in a planned way throughout the country.

Strongly condemning the Monday's killing of Awami League leader Abdur Rashid at Jamalpur village under Nakla upazila in Sherpur district, he, in a statement, brought the allegation against the BNP cadres for the killing of Abdur Rashid.

Abdul Jalil said that no autocratic regime could eliminate Awami League from the soil of Bangladesh in the past by repression, killing and persecution, and the alliance government would not succeed in its mission to eliminate his party.

The Awami League leader demanded immediate arrest of those culprits responsible for the murder of Abdur Rashid and their exemplary punishment.

In a similar statement, Awami League presidium member Begum Matia Chowdhury also expressed resentment over the killing of party leader Abdur Rashid in Nakla upazila.

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