BANGLADESH

The United States will help the government develop a mechanism to hold free and fair election acceptable to all political parties, according to the new US envoy to Dhaka.

The US supports strengthening of democratic system in Bangladesh and would help the country on this issue, newly appointed US ambassador to Bangladesh Dan W Mozena said on Sunday after a meeting with foreign secretary Mohammed Mijarul Quayes.

After submitting his credentials on Thursday, this was Mozena's first meeting with Quayes.

PARTNERSHIP

Mozena said Bangladesh has a vital role to play toward ensuring a peaceful, stable and secure South Asia. He said he has the mandate from the highest authorities in the US to broaden, deepen and strengthen partnership between Dhaka and New Delhi.

"It's more than a relationship – it's a partnership, as both countries share (the same) basic values," he said.

BANGLA-INDIA RELATIONSHIP

The ambassador said Washington is encouraged by the recent improvement in relationship between the two neighbours.

"Prime minister (Sheikh Hasina) visited India last year and a couple of months later the Indian prime minister came to Dhaka," he said. Following the visits, he said, there is a constant engagement as part of a constructive and dynamic relationship.

"The relationship has improved a lot in the last couple of years and this will help people of both Bangladesh and India, as also people in the region."

CORRUPTION

The US envoy said corruption is a problem in Bangladesh and the government and civil society should work together to fight it. "We will help strengthen anti-corruption institutions in Bangladesh," he said.

"There is no instant cure (for corruption). There should be step-by-step approach to fight it," he said.

Opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia has urged the Awami League leaders to join BNP saying that the ruling party is not working to preserve the interests of the nation.

"It's BNP which can lead the country. Awami League can't give anything to the country. I urge the patriot leaders of the ruling party to come out of the party. You'll be given honourable posts," Khaleda said on Saturday addressing a roadside rally at Dasuria in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna on way to her third road march, to Khulna.

"I would ask everyone...let's work for the development of the country rising above party considerations."

According to the current electoral law, a candidate has to be registered with a particular party for at least three years to contest with party affiliation, while Khaleda's call comes two years ahead of the next national elections.

Khaleda started her third road march from Uttara Model Town area around 10:30am on Saturday for Khulna to solicit public support for reinstatement of the caretaker government system, which was scrapped by the government of prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

The opposition leader is scheduled to stay overnight in Jessore and address a street rally on Sunday morning there.

Apart from the leaders of the four-party alliance, leaders of some like-minded parties, including that of Liberal Democratic Party, have joined her in the road march.

Khaleda demanded that a joint survey should be done before launching the Tipaimukh Dam project over the Barak River, as the river flowing through the Indian state of Manipur is a common river.

"If the dam is harmful for Bangladesh the project must be stopped, or else the people will wage movement."

Referring to her letter sent to Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh asking for a joint survey, she said, "If the survey reveals that the project isn't harmful, then there should be a discussion between the two countries."

She insisted that the Meghna and Kushira rivers would dry and the haor (low-lying areas) and bio-diversity of the area would face a serious threat if the dam was constructed. "We're not experts, so we asked the Indian prime minister to conduct a joint survey."

The opposition chief claimed that the government was completely failed in diplomacy on the Teesta water-sharing deal with India.

Referring to the country's current economy, she said the government was running the country on heavy borrowings from the banks. "The banks are about to be insolvent. The foreign currency reserve that we had left while handing over power in 2006 has now come to zero level."

She severely criticised the government for its mismanagement of the rundown roads and highways.

The BNP chairperson claimed that the high-ups of ruling Awami League were involved in the recent share market downswings.

"That's why the finance minister did not reveal the names of the share market scamsters even after investigation."

She also protested the attack on LDP president Oli Ahmed, saying that Oil is a veteran freedom fighter. "Another famous freedom fighter is now being called 'rajakar'. It's Awami league which is making the freedom fighters 'rajakars."

The former prime minister said that a second Padma bridge would be constructed at Daulatdia-Paturia stretch of the river if her party returns to power in the next national elections.

Complications arose over the construction project of the Padma bridge on the Mawa-Kawrakandi point as the World Bank suspended its promised US$ 1.2 billion promised funding for the project following charges of corruption. It wants the issue of alleged irregularities in the appointment of consultants for the project fixed before releasing the funds.

The ruling grand alliance has, however, already taken initiatives to construct another bridge at Daulatdia under public-private partnership.

Khaleda assured of resolving the existing power and gas crisis, and generating opportunities of employment, manpower export and trade and commerce if BNP returns to power.

Khaleda also called for a new procurement policy, so that paddy and jute cultivators could get fair prices.

She alleged that the government had gone mad to see the popular uprising during the road marches 'which proves that the present failed and repressive government has no public support'.

"The government should be ousted to save the countrymen and democracy," she said calling on the people to join the anti-government movement.

Senior BNP leaders Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Mirza Abbas, Abdul Main Kahn, Abdullah Al Noman, Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Fazlur Rahman Patal, Amanullah Aman, Ahmed Azam Khan and Mahbub Uddin Khokan also spoke at the rally.

Chittagong Medical College has opened after 37 days of closure following the death of a Chhatra Dal activist after being injured in an alleged attack by rival Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of ruling Awami League.

Though academic activities resumed on Monday, the suspension on political activities is yet to go, acting principal Amin Uddin A Khan told

Students were allowed to enter their dormitories after checking on Sunday.

Panchlaish Police Station officer-in-charge Ismail Hossain said security was fine on the campus, but as a precaution additional police had been deployed.

"We conducted a search in presence of the provosts and superintendents. Nothing was found," he said.

Mohammad Abidur Rahman, a third-year student of the dental surgery department, was injured in an attack reportedly carried out by Chhatra League activists on Oct 19. He died two days later, sparking protests and prompting authorities to shut the college to avoid further tension.

International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) head Justice Nizamul Huq has rejected a petition seeking his removal and termed it 'outrageous and contemptuous'.

He also termed 'preposterous' and 'unheard of' the petition by defence lawyers of Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee.

The lawyers for Sayedee had appealed that Huq remove himself from the tribunal given his prior involvement with a people's inquiry commission in 1993 and 1994 when the tribunal chairman allegedly collected evidence against Sayedee.

Sayedee is being tried on 20 counts of war crimes charges that include genocide, murder, rape, arson and loot during Bangladesh's Liberation War of 1971.

Five days after a bill to split Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) was placed in parliament, the parliamentary standing committee on the local government ministry has finalised its proposals on the bill and will submit a report on Monday.

"The bill will be passed in the current session," panel member Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury told reporters after a meeting on Sunday.

The Local Government (City Corporation) (Amendment) Bill 2011 was presented in parliament on Nov 23 with a provision to appoint administrators. Parliament gave the committee one week to submit a report on the bill after scrutiny.

As per the proposal to split DCC, passed in cabinet on Oct 17, the civic body will be divided in two parts— north and south. The new northern part will have 36 of the total 92 wards and the southern one will have the remaining 56.

Once the bill is passed in parliament, the DCC will cease to exist and the government will be able to appoint two administrators for the city corporation until the next election.

Dhaka mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka on Saturday urged the government to ditch the bifurcation plan and demanded a quick election promising that he will not seek re-election alleging the government went for the divide to stop him coming back to office.

His party BNP has been saying that Awami League is dividing the city corporation to place their own men.

Earlier on Sunday, prime minister Sheikh Hasina said the bill was placed in parliament to ensure better services for the residents.

The report on the bill was finalised in the 40th meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on the local government ministry on Sunday. Noor-e-Alam presided over the meeting as the head, Mohammad Rahmat Ali, is abroad for treatment.

Local government minister Syed Ashraful Islam, state minister for local government Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Mohammad Ashraf Ali Khan and Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin attended the meeting.