BANGLADESH

Chief election commissioner (CEC) A T M Shamsul Huda has mixed feelings about president Zillur Rahman's initiative to hold talks with parties represented in parliament on the new Election Commission's (EC) formation.

Though the outgoing CEC is confused about success of the idea, he reckons it as "optimistic". "But I don't think they will reach a solution with this," he told reporters on Tuesday when asked about the idea.

"(However) even if they find no solution, the dialogue will create a framework and an idea of what kind of EC the political parties want," he added.

President Zillur Rahman is scheduled to hold dialogues with political parties from Dec 22. The parties represented in Parliament have already been invited to join the talks with a 10-person delegation each.

Jatiya Party (H M Ershad) and Jatiya Shamajtantrik Dal (JSD Inu) have been invited to the first day's dialogue.

There are 38 political parties registered with the EC, of which only eight are represented in Parliament.

The president's decision came on Sunday amid the main opposition BNP's demand for consultation with the opposition to form the new poll panel.

Distinguished people from various fields joined bdnews24.com in celebrating its fifth anniversary of setting new trends of journalism.

Curtain was raised on programme began by cutting a cake at the Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel in the evening on Tuesday.

Editor-in-chief of Bangladesh's first internet newspaper, Toufique Imrose Khalidi, is presenting a brief glimpse of bdnews24.com's operations. Photos and videos are also shown.

A beta version of bdnews24.com was launched by legendary woman freedom fighter Khurshid Jahan Begum.

Khurshid Jahan was one of the thousands who joined the war of independence in 1971 with a five-month infant in her arms, and 40 years on, she hit the headlines when bdnews24.com ran a report on her on the 40th Victory Day.

Launching its journey with news, the bilingual online newspaper diversified its contents through innovations. It has contents for children, technology news seekers, as well as news of sports.

Readers hit nearly 40 million times on several pages of the website every month. The site is hit from 300,000 IP addresses daily; sometimes the figure goes as high as 500,000.

Former chief justice and chief adviser to the caretaker government Muhammad Habibur Rahman, former chief election commissioner Justice Abdur Rauf, justice A T M Afzal, chief election commissioner A T M Shamsul Huda, former advisor to the caretaker government Gitiara Safia Chowdhury, Navy chief Vice Admiral Zahir Uddin Ahmed, ambassador of Myanmar in Bangladesh U Min Lwin and former diplomat Wali-ur Rahman, among others, attended the programme.

The politicians who attended the programme include health and family welfare affairs adviser to the prime minister Dr Syed Modasser Hossain, state minister for power, energy and mineral resources Enamul Huq, Awami League MP Akhtaruzzaman Babu, BNP acting secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Communist Party of Bangladesh president Manzurul Ahsan Khan, former commerce minister and BNP chairperson's adviser Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and BNP MP Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie.

Veteran journalists former Jai Jai Din editor Shafik Rehman, The Independent editor Mahbubul Alam, The News Today editor Reazuddin Ahmed, Maasranga TV chief executive officer Syed Fahim Munaim and head of news Shah Alamgir were also in attendence.

Power Development Board chairman Asif Mahmud, Dhaka Stock Exchange president Shakil Rizvi and Merchant Bankers' Association president Mohammad A Hafiz joined the celebrations.

Media personality Ali Zaker, renowned magician Jewel Aich and Bidisha, among others, attended the function.

India on Tuesday regretted the recent deaths of three Bangladesh nationals in the incidents of firing by the BSF along the border.

New Delhi, however, maintained that the BSF personnel had opened fire in self-defence after being attacked by the miscreants on the Indian side of the border at Govindpur in Malda district and at Narayanganj in Coochbehar district of West Bengal.

In the wake of the latest deaths along the Kurigram-Dinajpur border, the Ministry of External Affairs of the Indian government issued a statement.

The Indian government said that its policy of restraint along its border with Bangladesh 'emboldened' the criminal elements, who of late stepped up attacks on the personnel of its Border Security Force.

New Delhi also called upon Dhaka to do its bit in curbing illegal activities and restrict movement of people along the border, especially during night hours.

The BSF too issued a statement alleging that its soldiers were coming under increasing attacks by cattle smugglers and other border criminals after they started exercising self restraint in use of lethal weapons.

"The BSF has issued instructions to continue this restraint but not to hesitate in use of appropriate force in life threatening situations, in exercising their legal right of self defence," read the statement issued by the paramilitary force of India.

The external affairs ministry in its statement said: "The Government of India regrets all incidents of deaths on the border, of Indian and Bangladesh nationals. To prevent loss of lives along the border areas, the BSF has exercised the utmost restraint and has resorted to firing in self defence only in rare cases.

The Government of India has taken various steps, including strict control on firing, introduction of non-lethal weapons, round-the-clock domination and intensive patrolling. It has also imposed night time restrictions on the movement of people in the border areas."

"Unfortunately," it added, "this policy of restraint has emboldened criminal elements who have stepped up their attacks on BSF personnel deployed along the border in order to facilitate their illegal activities. A number of attacks have been recorded on BSF personnel and posts along the India-Bangladesh border over the last few months.

A spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs narrated New Delhi's version of the two separate incidents along border in Kurigram and Dinajpur (Malda and Coochbehar in India) in the night/early hours of Dec 16 and 17.

He said that a group of around 50-60 miscreants involved in illegal activity along the border in Malda not only pelted stones when challenged by the BSF soldier, who was on duty at his post, but also tried to drag him towards the Bangladesh side of the border.


"Sensing imminent danger to his life, his two colleagues fired four rounds in all resulting in the miscreants fleeing the scene, leaving the BSF soldier behind."


According to the Indian government's spokesman, in the other incident at Coochbehar, around 30-40 miscreants involved in illegal activity attacked a BSF soldier with bamboo sticks and sharp-edged weapons, when he challenged them.


"Sensing imminent danger to his life, the BSF jawan first hurled a non-lethal stun grenade and then as a last resort opened fire at the armed miscreants in self-defence."

New Delhi claimed that both incidents had taken place 200 to 250 metres from the international boundary inside Indian territory. "A BSF soldier was injured in the incident and is currently in hospital undergoing treatment. The BSF has ordered an enquiry into these incidents," read the statement.

New Delhi stressed that the Coordinated Border Management Plan, signed by India and Bangladesh in July 2011, envisaged joint responsibility of both the BSF and Border Guard Bangladesh to synergise their efforts to ensure effective control over cross-border illegal activities and crimes as well as for the maintenance of peace and harmony along the border.

"It is the view of the Government of India that illegal activities, which sometimes lead to regrettable loss of lives on both sides along the border, need to be addressed through joint collaborative efforts and mechanisms. The Government of Bangladesh has been urged to take measures to restrict the movement of people along the border, especially during night hours," it said.

"The Government of India proposes to continue to work closely with the Government of Bangladesh to maintain peace and harmony along the border," it added.

The BSF too in its statement requested the BGB for more co-operation in preventing movement of miscreants particularly cattle smugglers across the Bangladesh during night hours.

A parliamentary watchdog has held former caretaker chief Fakhruddin Ahmed, army chief Moeen U Ahmed, the then police chief and officers of army's intelligence agency responsible for the violence at Dhaka University in 2007.

In its report submitted to the parliamentary standing committee on the education ministry on Tuesday, the sub-committee formed to investigate the atrocities recommended punishment for them, panel head Rashed Khan Menon told reporters on Tuesday.

Violence broke out in DU after army men camped on the campus beat up some students on Aug 20, 2007 following an altercation with a few students on the university playground during a football match.

The students had also assaulted some senior army officers, rampaged through the capital, burning and damaging dozens of vehicles as they clashed with the police. The army men then launched a ruthless assault on the students that went on for several days.

The violence spilled on to Dhaka's streets and spread across the country, shaking the caretaker government backed by the influential army.

After taking charge, the Sheikh Hasina government constituted a sub-committee to run an investigation into the incidents.

The sub-committee heard statements of army officials, teachers and students. The students, however, blamed Fakhruddin and Moeen for the violence.

The then army chief, in a statement through teleconference from the US, declined his involvement with the violence. For his part, Fakhruddin sent an email, which the committee termed "incomplete".

Menon, also head of the parliamentary standing committee on the education ministry, had on Dec 8 said that the sub-committee finalised its report with recommendation to take legal steps against "those who had been in charge" then.

WHAT REPORT SAYS

The report makes 11 observations and 13 recommendations.

This s the first time a parliamentary committee had made such detailed investigation into a matter, Menon said.

Outlining the committee's observations, he said Fakhruddin and Moeen cannot avoid responsibility of the incidents.

Former police chief Nur Mohammad was also blamed for negligence of duty.

Menon said the direct involvement of DGFI, the army's intelligence wing, delayed release of the students and teachers who were arrested.

The report has recommended making the offenders compensate those injured and pay for their treatment, as also compensate the family of rickshaw-puller Anwar, who was murdered in Rajshahi.

It also recommended amending the university ordinance of 1973 to create more effective proctorial bodies.

Menon said the committee had suggested that sentences some of the students were facing be withdrawn.

Twelve cases have been filed in six city police stations and 120 people arrested over Sunday's unrest, bomb explosions, arson, vandalism and clashes with police in the capital.

A Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) press release on Monday said that police filed 11 of the cases.

Of the cases, four were filed under the Speedy Trial Act.

Three cases each were filed with Paltan and Motijheel police, two each at Shahbagh and Ramna police stations, and two each with Tejgaon and Badda police.

Of the 120 arrestees, 119 of them have been charged in the Speedy Trial Act cases.

Police said 13 vehicles were torched in the capital on Sunday.

Several crude bombs were exploded in different parts of the city including in front of the BNP headquarters on Sunday following the day's earlier incident at Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) where police swooped down, dispersed a gathering of main opposition BNP and arrested several activists as they allegedly created anarchy there.

One person was injured in the explosions, while another, an alleged carrier of bombs, died in Motijheel.

The police had detained more than 100 party supporters following the incident with BNP claiming the number is 300.

On Monday, six more bombs exploded in front of the BNP's Naya Paltan office in two phases, while two more went off at the capital's Bijaynagar area.

Law enforcers claim that the opposition activists are carrying out these pre-planned disruptive activities, but BNP refuted the allegations and said the government-backed violent incidents took place just to thwart the opposition's programme.

Ferry services on the two major routes of the country have faced trouble overnight due to dense fog, creating gridlocks on the piers.


In this reason many people faced problen to goto their destination.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Kewrakandi pier manager M A Baten said ferry operation on the Mawa-Kewrakandi route stopped around 11pm on Sunday.

Five ferries anchored in the mid-river that time while five others remained stuck in the pier overnight.

The ferries resumed services around 8:30am on Monday, he added.

BIWTC Paturia pier manager Ashraf Ullah Khan said a ferry got stuck on the pier while five at Daulatdia around 11:30pm on Sunday.

Four other ferries also got stuck in the middle of the river until the fog eased around 8am on Monday, he added.

Pier officials said about 2.5 kilometres of gridlock had been created on the Dhaka-Paturia highway due to the disruption of the ferry services.

A conductor and his associate have been injured after their bus has caught fire at Badda.

The fire originated from a mosquito coil on Sunday night when they were asleep, police said on Monday.

"Their quilts caught fire from a mosquito coil and they suffered burn injuries while trying to douse the fire," Badda Police Station sub-inspector Jahangir Alam told .

The RM Paribahan bus, standing near Hossain Market on Swadhinata Sarani, caught fire around 11:30 pm, the official said.

Locals rescued the victims and informed police, he said.

They were immediately taken to the General Hospital with burn injuries and then sent to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where they were given first aid.

Firemen doused the fire immediately, he said

SO BE CAREFUL

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) will begin hearing on framing charges against BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury on Jan 15.

The tribunal, which is dealing with crimes against humanity involving the Liberation War, rejected six pleas of Salahuddin on Monday and set the date.

The BNP leader's six petitions, filed on Dec 5, included appeals that the tribunal abide by the international covenants where Bangladesh is a state party, recognition of Evidence Act 1872 and Code of Criminal Procedure 1898, and allowing 11 months to prepare his defence as the prosecution has had that much time.

Tribunal chairman Nizamul Huq said in his order that the tribunal had given Chowdhury’s petition for allowing the Evidence Act and the Code of Criminal Procedure in the procedure, but noted that the tribunal was established with a specific purpose and goal.

He said the war crimes tribunal was established for the detention, prosecution and punishment for crimes against humanity, genocide and other such international crimes.

The International Crimes Tribunal Act of 1973 clearly states that those laws will not be applicable in the proceedings of this case and as such the petition merits no consideration. It was rejected.

Huq said that the matter of allowing foreign counsel at the tribunal rested entirely upon the Bangladesh Bar Council, which prohibited them from appearing in front of any court of the country.

If the bar council allows foreign council, the tribunal ‘may allow’ foreign lawyers, said Huq stressing on the ‘may’.

However, there was no bar on foreign consultants as advisors outside the court ‘not within the premises of this court’, said Huq. He dismissed the petition.

Regarding live telecast of the proceedings and allowing electronic media in the court room, the tribunal chief said there were no such instances in the world although ‘[live telecast] sounds very nice’.

Sometimes court proceedings are telecast but they are recorded versions, said Huq. He also said that the tribunal may consider broadcast of certain parts of the trial later on, but at this point of time, the application ‘having no merit stands rejected’.

Salauddin Quader had asked for 11 months to prepare his defence since the prosecution had also been given that much time in another petition.

The tribunal responded saying that it firmly that both parties should have enough time to prepare for their cases. But it was absurd for one party to demand the same amount of time simply because the other side has taken that much.

Besides, Huq said, “The onus of proof lies with the prosecution. And it is natural for them to take a longer time than the defence.”

He said that considering individual cases and the tribunal was competent to deal with petitions for more time beyond the minimum time of 21 days for defence.

“In one case that is currently ongoing the defence has been allowed about three months for the preparation.”

Huq rejected the petition.

As regards the petition to define crimes against humanity, Huq said the crimes were in fact defined in the act. Besides, he noted, there was also the possibility of taking assistance from other judgements from abroad. This petition was also rejected.

As for the petition to abide by the international covenants that Bangladesh is a party to, the tribunal said it was a matter relevant for the government and not the tribunal. He said the tribunal would only follow its laws and nothing more. And the petition was rejected.

On Oct 4, the prosecution submitted its investigation report against Salahuddin for his alleged crimes against humanity during the 1971 war.

A case was filed against the BNP MP on July 26, 2010.

The investigation agency had appealed to the Tribunal on Dec 15 last year to detain him. Within a day of filing the appeal, he had been arrested on the charge of killing one during a general strike when a car was torched.

He was subsequently shown arrested for crimes against humanity on Dec 19 last year.

Apart from Salahuddin, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, secretary-general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, assistant secretaries-general Mohammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla, executive council member Delwar Hossian Sayedee and former member of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman's cabinet Abdul Alim were arrested on charges of crimes against humanity.

However, Alim was later freed on conditional bail.

 Eight bombs have exploded near BNP's Naya Paltan headquarters -- four immediately after a police-cordoned rally ended, and as many in the evening.

While a man had died in Sunday's explosion of a homemade bomb at Motijheel and another person was injured, no one was yet reported injured in Monday's series of explosions.

Paltan police chief Shahidul Haque told  that all eight appears to have been homemade bombs. He said two blasts were reported in front of Jonaki cinema hall, two in front of Hotel Ekattur -- both around 5pm -- and four other blasts took place in front of the BNP office around 6.45pm.

The police charged batons and dispersed BNP supporters who had gathered near the party headquarters after the explosions in the immediate aftermath of Monday afternoon's protest rally there.

The law enforcers suspect BNP supporters, on their way back from the rally, exploded the bombs.

On Sunday, several homemade bombs were exploded in front of the BNP office. An RTV driver was injured in an explosion in the area, while another person had died in Motijheel in separate incidents.

With over 100 party leaders and activists arrested in the aftermath of Sunday's blasts, the BNP had announced protest demonstrations on Monday afternoon. The police, though, barred them from holding a rally.

Cordoned off by police and RAB personnel in front of the Naya Paltan office, BNP leaders declared that they would take out a public procession on Wednesday to protest Sunday's arrests and Monday's police obstruction to what they called was a peaceful protest.