BANGLADESH

One of the five Sonali Bank officials quizzed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) testified to involvement of the bank's high-ups in the Tk 36 billion loan scam.

Bank's Assistant General Manager (Control and Vigilance) Shyamal Kanti Nath talked with journalists after he was questioned by the six-strong ACC team probing the scandal.

"Many of the bank's high-ranking officials were involved in this financial scam. The incident took place in such a way that we could not even sense it," Nath said.

A Bangladesh Bank audit recently revealed embezzlement of credit money from the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel branch of the bank. The Hallmark Group alone drew about Tk 26 billion from the branch.

Asked whether the high-ups' carelessness paved way for the scam, he said, "I don't believe they did it because of their innocence."

According to Nath, the scam came to their knowledge only after it appeared in the newspapers in May. Later, a team of three was sent to the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel branch of the bank for inspection and he was one of the inspectors.

"During the inspection, we could make out that the probe cannot not be completed in a single day. Later, we informed the bank's foreign exchange branch about the matter," he added.

Besides Nath, Deputy General Managers at the bank's headquarters Md Morshed Alam Khandker and Nesar Ahmed, and Assistant General Managers Abul Momin Patwari, and Shameem Akhter were also questioned by the anti-graft watchdog on Wednesday.

The ACC had questioned six other officials of the Sonali Bank on Monday.

The government has finally involved the private sector to increase the use of long-term and permanent methods of family planning in its effort to reach the 2016 target of two births per woman.

Health and Family Welfare Minister AFM Ruhal Haque inaugurated the initiative in Dhaka on Wednesday and hoped working 'hand in hand' with the private sector would make the methods popular.

Experts have long been pushing for promoting those clinical methods of family planning to protect pregnancies for Bangladeshi women, most of who complete childbearing in their twenties with two decades of reproductive life in hand.

Although more women are using birth control methods now than before, a key survey shows the use of long-acting and permanent methods remained stagnant with only 13 percent of all contraceptive use.

Latest Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) found 65 percent women do not want more children and the rate was 82 percent in couples having two children and 90 percent with three or more children. But only 8 percent use long-term or permanent methods.

USAID's Strengthening Health Outcomes through the Private Sector (SHOPS) project will lead the joint initiative to create markets with Social Marketing Company (SMC) and Mayer Hashi Project.

SMC will ensure supply of commodities at subsidised price initially in Dhaka and Chittagong's busy private facilities while SHOPS will train up doctors, mainly gynaecologists, to do the procedure.

SHOPS Regional Manager of Asia and Middle East Stephen Rahaim said they had assessed the private providers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to these methods of contraception in Bangladesh.

The survey showed 97 percent doctors and nurses agreed to increase the role of private sector in such methods, but obstetricians and gynaecologists have never been trained.

Discussing with clients, the qualitative survey also found service providers do not counsel them to help in method selection.

A 'remarkably low' level of knowledge of method specific side-effects has also been found among obstetrics and gynaecologists, it said.

Rahaim said the survey findings would help them 'clear some of the barriers' in creating markets for long-acting and permanent methods � implant, intra-uterine devices (IDUs), and sterilisations.

SMC's Managing Director Ashfaq Rahman said they had 10, 000 IUDs to supply at a rate of Tk 30 each and 30,000 IUDs at Tk 20.

Additional Director General for Health Services Prof Abul Kalam Azad said the initiative would help promote those methods as nearly 80 percent people go to private facilities in Bangladesh.

A Director of Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP) Dr Mohammad Sharif, however, told bdnews24.com that due to lack of initiatives, those methods did not expand to private facilities in Bangladesh

Bangladesh's total fertility rate has decreased to 2.3 in 2011 from 6.3 births per woman in 1975, according to DGFP.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources on Wednesday suggested increasing the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders instead of pipeline gas connection in the households.

After a regular meeting of the committee, its Chairman Subid Ali Bhuiyan told reporters that household consumption of natural gas supplied through pipelines was improper.

The meeting recommended reducing household gas connection gradually, he said.

"How long will gas be supplied through pipeline? The ministry has been directed to take measures to increase the use of gas cylinders instead of pipeline connection," the ruling Awami League MP said.

Bhuiyan expressed his dissatisfaction over the low tariff of pipeline gas. He also suggested adjustment of the tariffs of the LPG and gas supplied through pipeline since currently the tariff of LPG gas is costlier in the market.

"Tariffs of LPG cylinders are higher in the market while the tariff of household gas connection is remarkably low. The committee has asked for adjustment between the two," he said.

The meeting also expressed its displeasure at the fact that no legal measures had been taken against former Managing Director of Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL) Sanwar Hossain Chowdhury though the parliamentary panel had d found proof of corruption in its investigation.

The committee made fresh recommendation for legal steps against the former official.

Natural gas for household consumption is supplied either through pipeline connection or in the form of LPG gas in Bangladesh. The pipeline supply, starting in the late 1960s, had spread to major cities until the 2000s. Since its limited reserve was presumed, the concept of LPG was promoted over the last decade.

The state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) supplies cylindered gas through the dealers of its oil company Padma, Meghna and Jamuna.

The government on Wednesday transferred Deputy Commissioners of 20 districts, including Dhaka and the Chittagong, in a major administrative shake-up.

The Ministry of Public Administration in an order changed the chief administrators of district administration.

Ten of the previous DCs have been made Officer on Special Duty (OSD), which means they will not have any duty until posted elsewhere.

Of the 20 districts, 18 had their administrators of the rank of Joint Secretary. They have been replaced by Deputy Secretary-level officials.

Sheikh Yusuf Harun, who was serving as the DC of Gopalganj, has been given the charge of Dhaka district, the order said. The former Dhaka DC Muhibul Haque has been transferred to the Ministry of Public Administration as a Joint Secretary.

Chittagong has Cox's Bazar's DC Mohammad Zainul Bari as its new administrator.

The Directorate of Public Library Director Ramchandra Das has been made Shariatpur DC, Personal Secretary to the Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Undertakings Masud Ahmed has become Magura DC, Chief Executive Officer of Patuakhali Zila Parishad Delwar Haider moved to Jamalpur as DC, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Bangladesh Forms and Publications Delwar Hossain made Chuadanga DC, National Board of Revenue's First Secretary Imrul Chowdhury became Joypurhat D while Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Masud Karim has been given the charge of Khagrachhari.

The Ministry of Housing and Public Works' Deputy Secretary Khalilur Rahman has been transferred to Gopalganj as DC, ADC of Satkhira Mukesh Chandra Biswash made Thakurgaon DC, Public Administration Ministry's Deputy Secretary Abdul Wahab Bhuiyan posted as Barguna DC and Prime Minister's Office's Director Anisur Rahman given the charge of Tangail.

Chittagong's ADC Ismail Hossain has been appointed as Chandpur DC, Sylhet's ADC Shahidul Alam made Barisal DC, Education Minister's Personal Secretary Ahmed Shameem Al Raji given the charge of Dinajpur, Personal Secretary to the State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Saiful Hasan Badal has been posted in Gaibadnha, Deputy Director of Joypurhat's Local Government Division Habibur Rahman will take over in Lalmonirhat, Dhaka's ADC Masud Karim in Manikganj, Ministry of Agriculture 's Deputy Secretary Syed Belal Hossain has been made Kushtia DC and Deputy Director of Netrokona's Local Government Ruhul Amin made Cox's Bazar DC.

Previous DCs of Kushtia, Manikganj, Khagrachharhi, Dinajpur, and Jamalpur – Bonomali Bhowmik, Munsi Shahabuddin Ahmed, Anisul Hoque Bhuiyan, Jamal Uddin Ahmed and Siraj Uddin Ahmed – have been made Officers on Special Duty.

The OSDs also include previous DCs Shahiduzzaman, Sanowar Hossain, Mojibur Rahman, Mokhlesur Rahman Sarker, and Shushanto Kumer Saha of Thakurgaon, Shariatpur, Barguna, Lalmonirhat and Magura respectively.

Chittagong DC Faez Ahmed has been transferred to the Ministry of Environment and Forests, and DC of Barisal SM Airf Ur Rahman to Housing and Public Works Ministry as Joint Secretary.

Ashoke Kumar Biswash of Joypurhat and Bazlul Karim Chowdhury of Barisal have been made Additional Divisional Commissioners while Shahidul Islam of Tangail was appointed Director of LGRD, Dhaka.

Chuadanga DC Bhola Nath Dey has been posted as Member of the Mongla Port Authority while Priyotosh Saha of Chandpur has been made Director General at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee's defence witness, claiming to have belonged to the Awami League's student wing, failed to recall his party's slogan.

Appearing as the fifth witness for Sayedee, Khasrul Alam said he was a member of Chhatra League in his school and college days and went on to join the Liberation War in 1971.

The three-judge International Crimes Tribunal – 1, set up to try crimes against humanity during the nine-month War of Independence, indicted the Jamaat Executive Council member for 20 war crimes charges on Oct 3, 2011.

His alleged crimes include murder, rape, loot and arson.

Prosecutor Syed Haider Ali asked the witness how he became a member of the Chhatra League. The witness answered with some of activities saying that he took part in processions and conducted their activities as their seniors told them.

"But how did one become a member of the Chhatra League?"

The witness eventually said he had to sign a form, but the prosecutor insisted that no such forms existed.

The prosecutor then asked, "What was the Chhatra League's slogan at that time?"

Khasrul Alam answered that the student cadres were vocal about rights and facilities of the students. "But those are only demands. What was the slogan?"

Tribunal Chairman Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq reminded, "And this is not 1962 or 1971. Let's remember that."

The witness said he was only in the ninth grade in 1966 when he was just a supporter. "I became a worker later in college."

The prosecutor had to dismiss several other answers of the witness and repeat his question before the witness finally admitted that he could remember the slogan.

Haider Ali went on to suggest that the witness had fled to Saudi Arabia to escape from an arms case in Parerhat after the war. The entire court was amused when the witness replied with an animated, "Nauzubillah!"

The prosecutor had established by then that the witness was living in the oil rich kingdom of the Gulf for about 20 years between 1985 and 2004.

The prosecutor also strived to question the veracity of the witness' testimony and his credibility.

Haider Ali suggested that the witness' father-in-law, originally from Hoogly district of the Indian state of West Bengal, did not even speak Bengali and had opposed the war. The witness countered saying that this was entirely 'concocted'.

The prosecutor suggested that the witness' claim that there were no incidents of rape in 1971 in Parerhat or Shankarpasha unions was false. He also suggested that Khasrul's claim that not a single man spoke up against Sayedee was false. The witness insisted that it was true.

Senior defence counsel Mizanul Islam, who has been leading the trial for Sayedee, was seen helping the prosecutor explaining his questions to the witness and also assisting the court to record the answers.

The court also noted the defence lawyer's efforts and appreciated them, as did the prosecutor.

Cross-examination of the fifth witness was wrapped up and Sayedee's case was adjourned till the next day.

First case to trial

Sayedee's is the first case to proceed to the trial stage at the war crimes tribunals. The prosecution on Sep 4, 2011 proposed framing of charges against him on 31 counts of crimes against humanity and genocide.

The tribunal also sent Jamaat's former chief Ghulam Azam to jail on Jan 11. His indictment hearing began on Feb 15 and the court charged him on May 13.

Jamaat chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed and assistant secretaries general Mohammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla are also behind bars on war crimes charges. Jamaat financier Mir Quasem Ali and ATM Azharul Islam, the Acting Secretary General, were arrested more recently and are behind the bars while investigations continue.

BNP MP and standing committee member, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, also behind the bars, was indicted for 23 charges on Apr 4.

Former BNP lawmaker and minister Abdul Alim is the only one out on bail. All cases have already entered the trial phase.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has called a press conference on Thursday afternoon for briefing the media about the BNP-led 18-Party Alliance's next course of action to press for a non-party caretaker poll-time government.

The press conference will be held at the Gulshan office of BNP chief, Khaleda's Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan said on Wednesday.

"The press conference has been scheduled for 4pm. The opposition leader will explain the stance BNP and the 18-Party Alliance have taken over the current political situation, especially for ensuring a fair and neutral election under a non-party caretaker government to protect the right to franchise of the people," Khan said.

The Supreme Court verdict rescinding the caretaker government system has left the politicians of Bangladesh divided.

Ever since the judgment was pronounced, the opposition has been demanding reinstatement of the non-partisan government arrangement. But the Awami League-led ruling Grand Alliance has been sticking to the idea that the judgment leaves no scope for reintroduction of the system.

The opposition leader is also expected to clarify her coalition's stance in the backdrop of release of the full judgment on Sep 16.

The apex court scrapped the caretaker government system on May 10 last year.

On Tuesday, the BNP decided to reject the full judgment at a meeting of the party's senior leaders.

Amid raging debates over whether Parliament will exist during the national elections, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the President will make the final call.

"The Prime Minister will inform the President when s/he prefers the polls to be held, according to the West Minister type of democracy," she said.

"Then, the President will issue order," she said during question-answer session in Parliament.

"For example, I will decide when the election will be held and then the President will issue the order. Elections will not be held retaining the Parliament. He (President) will decide the size of the Cabinet, whether to dissolve Parliament... This is his (President) prerogative," Hasina said in response to Jatiya Party MP Mujibul Haque Chunnu's question.

But, the Prime Minister did not elaborate.

Caretaker "unnecessary"

Hasina has said the interim government system is not needed anymore as polls held under the incumbent Awami League-led coalition government has been "free and fair".

"The elections held since the coalition government took office have been free and fair. So, there is no necessity of a caretaker government as a democratic environment needed to hold free and fair elections has returned after the present government took office," she told MPs.

Her government scrapped the caretaker government provision through the 15th constitutional amendment after the Supreme Court verdict on the 13th Amendment.

The latest constitutional amendment allows parliamentary polls to be held under elected partisan government. But, the BNP-led alliance has been demanding restoration of the caretaker system alleging that fair elections will not be possible under a party government.

Suranjit Sengputa, a member of the special parliamentary committee that recommended amendments, had said that Parliament will be "inactive" during the national elections.

Workers Party chief Rashed Khan Menon had been saying that a Parliament existing during a national election would give rise to "constitutional complexities."

The non-party caretaker government provision was incorporated in the Constitution in 1996 in the face of widespread demonstration launched by the then opposition Awami League.

The Prime Minister said, "We don't have any specific information about caretaker government system in any democratic country."

Referring to the previous military-backed emergency-time administration, Hasina said that the experience "still haunts" the people. "The people will lose their democratic rights if the system is revived and if they (caretaker) do not leave power."

The government is working to ensure continuation of the Constitutional system. We want democracy to continue� [we] will not push the country towards darkness," she added.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is scheduled to give her party's formal reactions to the recently published full verdict of the 13th Amendment at a press conference on Thursday.

The full verdict was published on Sep 16.


"Not covering scams"

The Prime Minster said her government was not covering up financial scams like the one involving Hallmark Group and was taking measures.

She said the Sonali Bank Managing Director was a member of Zia Parishad and added that the rise of the much-talked about Hallmark MD Tanvir Mahmud was from BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's erstwhile Hawa Bhaban political office in Gulshan.

Hasina alleged that when most of the businessmen had fled the country during the former military-backed caretaker government, Mahmud stayed back and thrived.

The Prime Minister said the Anti-Corruption Commission was preparing to sue those involved in the Hallmark scam. "We are sparing no one."

"It will not do by only capturing the perpetrators. The misappropriated money has to be recovered too," Hasina added.

She remarked that the culture of "misappropriating state money" was introduced by the military strongmen, hinting the past military dictatorial rules of BNP's founder Ziaur Rahman and Jatiya Party chief Hussein Muhammad Ershad.

"The military dictators have taught bank looting. They introduced the culture of evading loan repayment," she said.

Hasina mentioned the testimony of a FBI agent against Tarique Rahman in a money laundering case. Tarique is the son of former military strongman Ziaur Rahmand and BNP chief Khaleda Zia and is also the party's Senior Vice-Chairman.

The Prime Minister blamed the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament of whitening black money. "She has embezzled money of an orphanage."

She came down hard on Khaleda for not attending courts on scheduled hearing dates. On Aug 28, hearing on acceptance of charge-sheet against Khaleda in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case was adjourned for the 10th time.

Hasina also criticised the BNP chief for mysteriously "falling ill" on scheduled hearing dates in graft cases against her.

At the end of the concluding speech, the Prime Minister thanked the absent opposition chief.

"I hope she will return to Parliament before 90 business days," she said poking fun at the fact that one loses membership in case of being absent for 90 consecutive days.

The demonstrating journalists believe the first and foremost task of the new Home Minister should be to bring the killers of their colleagues Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi to justice.

Several platforms of protesting journalists voiced the demand from Sunday's rally in front of the ATN Bangla office at Karwan Bazar.

Former President of Bangladesh Federal Journalists Union Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul said the "first assignment" of new home and information ministers should be to nab the killers of the journalist couple.

Maasranga TV's News Editor Sagar and ATN Bangla's senior reporter Runi were found murdered at their rented West Rajabazar apartment on Feb 11.

They also demanded detention of ATN Bangla chairman Mahfuzur Rahman for his derogatory comments made during a talk show in London over the personal lives of the slain couple.

Mahfuz had claimed that the journalist couple was "victim of extra-marital affairs".

The journalists had demanded Mahfuz's detention at a programme and journalists of ATN Bangla and members of the protesting platforms scuffled over the issue later.

The platforms threw out several ATN Bangla newsmen following the incident. Several months later, Mahfuz moved the court for an order to ban Sunday's scheduled agitation.

On Sep 11, the journalists' platforms demanded withdrawal of the case and unconditional apology from Mahfuz. They had also announced a siege to the ATN Bangla office.

Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir has replaced Shahara Khatun as the new Home Minister during the fourth Cabinet reshuffle.

Enemy of Media

Bulbul urged the new home and information ministers to find out those trying to take advantage by waging a media war".

President of a faction of BFUJ Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury said the journalists were demonstrating to safeguard democracy and added that Mahfuzur Rahman was one of those few who had "betrayed the movement".

He went on to brand the ATN chief is an "enemy of the media" and said Mahfuzur will be dragged out of ATN Bangla and ATN News.

The journalist leader said they will announce programmes from the Sep 26 rally against those who had betrayed the demonstrating journalists and participated in programmes and talk shows on the two channels.

One of the former presidents of the National Press Club and also Secretary General of a BFUJ faction Shawkat Mahmud said, indicating the ATN Bangla chief, killers of Sagar and Runi were probably at Karwan Bazar.

"Though we are not certain about the killers' identities, we have heard them talk," he said referring to Mahfuz's remarks during a London talk show.

"The murderers have said that Sagar and Runi were victim of an extra-marital affair and that booze parties took place at their house," he added.

Addressing the ATN chief, Dhaka Reporters Unity President Shakhawat Hossain Badhsah said Mahfuz will have to end the controversy which he had created.

The demonstration which commenced at 11:15am ended at 2pm.

The journalist leaders had given authorities until Sep 25 to nab the killers and warned of tougher agitations from its pre-announced Sep 26 rally in front of the National Press Club.

Parliament on Tuesday passed an amendment halving the time for appealing a war crimes tribunal verdict to one month.

State Minister for Law Quamrul Islam moved a bill on the International Crimes (Tribunals) (Second Amendment) Act 1973.

The Treasury MPs earlier rejected through voice vote the proposals to test public opinion on the amendment, send it to a committee for scrutiny and make further changes.

Independent MP Fazlul Azim voiced against the amendment saying, "You waited 40 years for this and now you can't wait 60 days?"

The amendment, which is to expedite the war crimes trials, says that copies of judgement would be provided to the prosecution and the defence on the day it is delivered.

The amendment also says that such a copy of the judgement would be treated as a certified copy.

The original Act of 1973 only allowed a person convicted' to appeal to the Appellate Division against such conviction within 60 days. But the amendment included provisions for the prosecution to appeal a tribunal verdict in the same manner.

The first amendment of 2009 had also brought changes to Section 21 of the law allowing for both the prosecution and the defence to appeal the tribunal's verdict.

On June 12, Parliament passed an amendment to the law allowing transfer of cases from one tribunal to another.

The bill was tabled on Sep 11 after a Sep 3 approval by the Cabinet and sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs for a report in three days.

The two war crimes tribunals are currently handling 11 cases together. Of the eight people indicted so far, six are Jamaat-e-Islami leaders including its former chief and guru, Ghulam Azam, current chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, the party's number two Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed, and assistant secretaries general Mohammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla. Jamaat executive council member Delwar Hossain Sayedee's case is the most advanced where the defence has already begun its case.

Jamaat stalwart and financier Mir Quasem Ali and another assistant secretary general ATM Azharul Islam are behind bars while war crimes investigation against them continues.

BNP MP Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and former BNP MP and minister Abdul Alim are also facing war crimes trials.

Parliament on Tuesday passed a law providing for nominal registration fees for transfer of properties by the people of different religions to their kin.

'Registration (Amendment) Bill-2012', tabled by State Minister for Law Quamrul Islam on behalf of Law Minister Shafique Ahmed, was passed by voice vote.

Once the law is enforced, people of the Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities can give their properties to their close relations at nominal registration fees as Muslims do.

The bill was initiated to amend the Registration Act-1908.

Qamrul said Muslims can transfer their immovable properties to their close relations at nominal fees. People of the Hindu, Buddhist and Christian communities have been demanding similar provisions for them too.

The Cabinet on May 21 approved the bill.

The remaining six judges of the Supreme Court bench that declared the 13th constitutional amendment illegal signed the full verdict on Sunday night, almost a year and a half after the historic judgment rescinded the caretaker government provision.

The full copy of the verdict, reached by a majority decision, was signed around 10pm following a series of meetings among the judges throughout the day.

Former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque and Supreme Court Registrar AKM Shamsul Islam confirmed bdnews24.com about the signing of the full verdict.

Justice Haque had signed the 342-page judgement in the Supreme Court on Thursday.

He was the top judge who headed the seven-strong bench that delivered the verdict on May 10, 2011. Justices Mahmud Hossain, Sinha and Mozammel Hossain agreed with him. Justices Wahab Miah and Sultana differed while Justice Iman Ali left the matter for Parliament to decide.

The judgement declared illegal the 15-year-old constitutional provision that mandated an elected government to transfer power to an unelected non-partisan caretaker administration to oversee a new parliamentary election on completion of its term.

In its short verdict, the apex court also observed that the rescinded system may be practised for another two parliamentary terms.

On June 30 last year, the Awami League-led Grand Alliance finally abolished the caretaker government system allowing general elections under elected partisan governments.

The court also asked Parliament to amend the Constitution to make sure that former Chief Justices or any other Supreme Court judges are not chosen as head of caretaker governments in case the system is kept for another two parliamentary elections.

This is the first time a verdict has been written in mixed languages – Bengali and English. Usually the court writes verdict in English. Justice Khairul Haque wrote the main part of the verdict in Bengali. Justice Ali wrote 150 pages of the verdict.

The main opposition BNP has been opposing the constitutional amendment claiming that the government partly implemented the verdict, but overlooked the other part on two elections under the caretakers.

The opposition insists that no election will be allowed under any partisan government. Though the caretaker government was introduced first in 1996, the elections taken place in 1990 were held under an interim government.

The BNP was forced by Awami League to introduce the caretaker government system through constitutional amendment for the first time. But the system came under scrutiny as the last military-backed caretaker government, which had a three-month mandate to hold elections, managed to linger on power for two years since 2007.

The High Court announced the caretaker government system legal after several people including Advocate M Salim Ullah challenged the 13th Amendment in 2004. They challenged the decision at the Appellate Division, drawing out the order.

he biggest ally in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government pulled out of the ruling coalition on Tuesday, escalating a political firestorm over big-ticket reform measures launched last week to revive India's flagging economy.

Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, had demanded the government reverse its decision to raise diesel prices and open the supermarket sector to investment from foreign chains such as Wal-Mart Stores.

Her withdrawal and that of her 19 MPs in Lok Sabha is unlikely to destabilise the government in the short term as Singh's Congress party can count on other parties for support.

But it might embolden Banerjee and other parties to intensify ongoing protests against unpopular economic policies that the government sees as crucial to reining in a bloated fiscal deficit and improving investor sentiment.

"The government has lost their credentials. If they cannot keep their friendship with us, they cannot keep it with anyone," Banerjee told reporters after a meeting of her Trinamool Congress party (TMC) in Kolkata.

Banerjee has also withdrawn half a dozen ministers in the government, the most high profile being the railways ministry portfolio. They will submit their resignations on Friday, she said.

BACKLASH

A popular backlash against retail liberalisation forced the government into an embarrassing climbdown on the reform last year. Singh revived the measure on Friday, although opponents of the policy have vowed to reverse it once again.

But the Congress party appears confident of surviving the opposition against the reforms and has held firm against calls for the measures to be rolled back.

Several party and government officials have told Reuters that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi had assessed the risks of losing coalition allies over the measures and concluded the government was safe.

Banerjee came to power in West Bengal in 2011, ending more than three decades of Communist rule in the state. Colloquially known as "Didi", or "elder sister", Banerjee's supporters hail her as a champion of India's poor and dispossessed.

But her politics are a thorn in the side of the government. Her protests had been instrumental in blocking a slew of economic measures, from retail reform to allowing foreign direct investment into India's aviation and insurance sectors.

"We waited enough time," Banerjee said. "They have to withdraw FDI in retail if they want us to stay, they have reverse their decisions on LPG subsidy and diesel hike."

In the Supreme Court judgement that rescinded the caretaker government provision, former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque said the outgoing Cabinet in a 'truncated form' may run state affairs for the parliamentary elections.

In his summary, he observed that it was 'desirable' to dissolve Parliament 42 days prior to the elections as the Constitution stipulates and during that time, all employees of the State will work under the Election Commission.

Six judges of the seven-strong Supreme Court bench that declared the 13th constitutional amendment illegal signed the full verdict on Sunday night. Justice Haque, who headed that bench, signed the 342-page judgement on Sep 13.

Based on a majority decision, the Appellate Division on May 10 last year declared illegal the 15-year-old constitutional provision that mandated an elected government to transfer power to an unelected non-partisan caretaker administration to oversee a new parliamentary election on completion of its term.

Justice Haque was the then Chief Justice who wrote his part of judgment divided into 16 points. Justices Mahmud Hossain, SK Sinha and Mozammel Hossain agreed with him. Justices Andul Wahab Miah and Nazmun Ara Sultana differed while Justice Iman Ali left the matter for Parliament to decide.

Following the judgment, the Awami League-led Grand Alliance, on June 30 last year, abolished the caretaker government system allowing general elections under elected partisans.

The court also asked Parliament to amend the Constitution to make sure that former Chief Justices or any other Supreme Court judges are not chosen as head of caretaker governments in case the system is kept for another two parliamentary elections, which the apex court observed may be held under the old caretaker government system, if the government wishes.

The signing of the full verdict followed several meetings among the Justices throughout Sunday.

This is the first time a verdict has been written in mixed languages – Bengali and English. Usually the court writes verdict in English. Justice Khairul Haque wrote the main part of the verdict in Bengali and summarised it in 16 points. Justice Ali wrote 150 pages of the verdict.

"The highest law of Bangladesh is the Constitution, which has created all the institutions of Bangladesh and designations in those and bestowed necessary power and responsibility upon them," Justice Haque said in one of his points.

"People's sovereignty, independence of the Republic, democracy and judiciary are the principal foundations of the State and the Constitution. The Constitution of Bangladesh does not approve of any deviation from democratic State system. The Supreme Court by its authority can declare any unconstitutional law illegal or cancel the law," he added.

He said empowered by the Article 142 of the Constitution, Parliament could amend any part of the Constitution. But (Parliament) cannot hamper or curtail or amend the principal foundations of the State and the Constitution, Justice Haque added.

The 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1996 curtailed the foundations of the State and the Constitution, therefore this is a controversial law and illegal, so it will be cancelled, he further said.

The former top judge gave some directions to steer clear of complexities that may arise over the holding of national elections after cancellation of the 13 Amendment.

"The Parliament should be dissolved with a rational period of time, such as 42 days, left to the national elections. However, before the new Cabinet takes over following the elections, the previous Cabinet will assume an abridged shape and run normal and general activities of the State."

"Though the Constitution (13th Amendment) law, 1996, stands illegal, Parliament by its deliberation and decision may undertake the initiative for constituting a caretaker government afresh and under a new format against the directions given above during the time of the 10th and 11th general elections," said Haque's judgment.

The judgment went on that the government employees would be under the control of the Election Commission during the period stretching from announcement of general election schedule until announcement of the result of the polls.

The opposition has been opposing the constitutional amendment claiming that the government partly implemented the verdict, but overlooked the other part on two elections under the caretakers.

The BNP wants reinstatement of the caretaker government provision alleging that free and fair elections cannot be held under a partisan government and insists that no election will be allowed under any partisan government.

Though the caretaker government was introduced first in 1996 after movement by the Awami League and its allies, the elections in 1990 were held under an interim government.

The BNP was forced to introduce the caretaker government system through a constitutional amendment for the first time. But the system came under scrutiny as the last military-backed caretaker government, which had a three-month mandate to hold elections, managed to linger on power for two years since 2007.

The High Court announced the caretaker government system legal after several people including Advocate M Salim Ullah challenged the 13th Amendment in 2004. They challenged the decision at the Appellate Division, drawing out the order.

Two MPs on Monday demanded action against the Chairman of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, terming the flag carrier a crippled organisation.

Taking part at a discussion in Parliament, Jatiya Party lawmaker Mujibul Haque Chunnu and Independent MP Fazlul Azim also drew the Prime Minister's attention for proper action regarding its Board of Directors.

Biman started to plunge into schedule chaos after a Boeing 747, which can carry 500 passengers, was hired from the Portuguese charter company Air Atlanta, but it left on Sept 12 before time agreed in a deal between Biman and the company.

The airline had to cancel seven of its scheduled flights in the last two days, throwing travel plans of thousands of passengers into chaos.

Shedding light on the on-going schedule disorder of Biman, Chunnu said, " Biman has become a crippled and useless organisation. The Biman Chairman is responsible for that. The whole government is being harmed because of this single person."

"Why actions are not being taken against him (the Biman Chairman)?" he asked.

He also demanded a statement from the Civil Aviation Minister Faruk Khan over Biman's overall condition. The minister, however, was not present.

"The condition of Biman is terrible. It (Biman) could not even carry cricketers to Kathmandu," Fazlul Azim said.

He also expressed his fears that Biman will fail to ferry Bangladeshi pilgrims to Saudi Arabia successfully this year.

Azim said, "The chairman (of Biman) is a mighty man, a super mighty man. Ministers come and go… They (ministers) can't do anything to him"

"He gives explanation to none. Biman is almost on the verge of collapse due to one person (chairman)," he added.

Parliament on Monday passed a bill to increase the salaries and allowances of the Chairman and Members of the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Now, the PSC Chairman's salary, allowances would be similar to that of the Cabinet Secretary and salaries and allowances of the commission Members would be similar to that of Secretaries of the government, as proposed in the bill.

The bill titled "The Members of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (Terms and Conditions of Service) (Amendment) Bill-2012 was tabled by Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury in absence of as LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, who is responsible for Public Administration Ministry in the Parliament.

The bill was passed by voice vote. Earlier, amendment proposals or to send the bill to the committee for scrutiny were rejected by voice vote.

LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Syed Ashraful Islam placed the bill on Sep 4 in the House.

In the statement describing the reason and objective of the bill it was stated that salaries and allowances of public servants were increased in line with the Services (Salary Allowances) Order, 2009. "Salaries and allowances of office holders in constitutional bodies have also been hiked. So, it is necessary to increase salaries-allowances of the PSC Chairman and members as it is also a constitutional body."

The remaining six judges of the Supreme Court bench that declared the 13th constitutional amendment illegal signed the full verdict on Sunday night, almost a year and a half after the historic judgment rescinded the caretaker government provision.

The full copy of the verdict, reached by a majority decision, was signed around 10pm following a series of meetings among the judges throughout the day.

Former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque and Supreme Court Registrar AKM Shamsul Islam confirmed bdnews24.com about the signing of the full verdict.

Justice Haque had signed the 342-page judgement in the Supreme Court on Thursday.

He was the top judge who headed the seven-strong bench that delivered the verdict on May 10, 2011. Justices Mahmud Hossain, Sinha and Mozammel Hossain agreed with him. Justices Wahab Miah and Sultana differed while Justice Iman Ali left the matter for Parliament to decide.

The judgement declared illegal the 15-year-old constitutional provision that mandated an elected government to transfer power to an unelected non-partisan caretaker administration to oversee a new parliamentary election on completion of its term.

In its short verdict, the apex court also observed that the rescinded system may be practised for another two parliamentary terms.

On June 30 last year, the Awami League-led Grand Alliance finally abolished the caretaker government system allowing general elections under elected partisan governments.

The court also asked Parliament to amend the Constitution to make sure that former Chief Justices or any other Supreme Court judges are not chosen as head of caretaker governments in case the system is kept for another two parliamentary elections.

This is the first time a verdict has been written in mixed languages – Bengali and English. Usually the court writes verdict in English. Justice Khairul Haque wrote the main part of the verdict in Bengali. Justice Ali wrote 150 pages of the verdict.

The main opposition BNP has been opposing the constitutional amendment claiming that the government partly implemented the verdict, but overlooked the other part on two elections under the caretakers.

The opposition insists that no election will be allowed under any partisan government. Though the caretaker government was introduced first in 1996, the elections taken place in 1990 were held under an interim government.

The BNP was forced by Awami League to introduce the caretaker government system through constitutional amendment for the first time. But the system came under scrutiny as the last military-backed caretaker government, which had a three-month mandate to hold elections, managed to linger on power for two years since 2007.

The High Court announced the caretaker government system legal after several people including Advocate M Salim Ullah challenged the 13th Amendment in 2004. They challenged the decision at the Appellate Division, drawing out the order.

Apple Inc booked orders for over two million iPhone 5 models in the first 24 hours, reflecting a higher-than-expected demand for the consumer device giant's new smartphone and setting it up for a strong holiday quarter.

Apple shares rose in extended after-market trading to touch $700 per share for the first time. They have gained nearly 22 percent in the past 3-1/2 months in the build-up to the launch of the iPhone 5.

Apple said on Monday that pre-orders outstripped initial supply but it would deliver most phones as planned by Friday, the first day of delivery. Many would not be available until October, however.

It is not unusual for Apple products to sell out the first day but this time around Apple has doubled its first-day sales record. Last October, the company booked 1 million orders for the iPhone 4S, in the first 24 hours. That had beaten Apple's previous one-day record of 600,000 sales for the iPhone 4.

The strong preorders could mean a huge holiday quarter for Apple as the iPhone -- its marquee device -- accounts for half of Apple's revenue.

Apple will make initial deliveries of the iPhone 5 by September 21 in the United States and most of the major European markets, such as France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The phone then goes on sale on September 28 in 22 other countries.

Given the demand for the device so far and Apple's aggressive rollout of it internationally, some analysts raised their sales and earnings estimates.

"The pace of this iPhone 5 roll-out is the fastest in the iPhone's history and points to a big December quarter," said Barclays analyst Ben Reitzes, who expects Apple to sell 45.21 million iPhones in the December quarter, up 22 percent from last year. Reitzes said his estimates "could still be conservative."

Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley said he now expected Apple to ship 9 million to 10 million iPhone 5s from Friday to September 29, the last day of its fiscal 2012 year.

He also raised his earnings per share estimates for the September and December quarters to $44.32 from $43.25, and to $56.96 from $56.90, respectively.

Wall Street analysts on average expect Apple to earn $44.25 per share in the December quarter, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S estimates.

The new phone, which will appear in stores on Friday for walk-in purchases, has a larger, 4-inch screen and is slimmer and far lighter than the previous model. The iPhone 5 supports the faster 4G network and also comes with a number of software updates, including Apple's new in-house maps feature.

Apple began taking orders for the iPhone 5 at midnight Pacific time on Friday (0700 GMT Saturday). Shipping dates for the smartphone slipped by a week within an hour of the start of preorders.

On Monday morning, Apple's US store, at www.apple.com, showed preorders placed at that time would take two to three weeks to ship.

AT&T sets sales record

Wall Street is also keeping a close eye on the supply of the smartphone.

"We still believe Apple is facing significant production constraints due to a move toward in-cell display technology, which pushes a significant amount of units into the December and March quarters," Reitzes said.

One of Apple's key suppliers for screens, Sharp Corp, is struggling with high costs and scrambling to raise funds to pay debt.

The latest iPhone comes as competition in the smartphone market has reached a fever-pitch with Apple up against phones that run on Google Inc's Android software. Android has become the most-used mobile operating system in the world, while Apple's key supplier and rival, Samsung Electronics, has taken the lead in smartphone sales.

But Apple appears to be making headway into the corporate market, a traditional stronghold of now-struggling Canadian company Research In Motion

Yahoo Inc has instituted a new corporate policy that allows employees to pick from a host of smartphones, including the iPhone 5 and Android-based phones such as Samsung's Galaxy S3. Yahoo, which previously gave out RIM's Blackberry phones, will no longer support them, according to Business Insider blog, which cited an internal memo from Yahoo Chief Executive Marissa Mayer.

Yahoo declined to comment.

AT&T, the No. 2 US mobile service provider, said demand over the weekend had made the iPhone 5 the fastest-selling iPhone the company has ever offered.

AT&T did not disclose how many iPhones it had sold, but said the iPhone 5 was still available for preorder and would go on sale September 21 at AT&T retail stores.

All the phones carriers, including Verizon Communications Inc and Sprint Nextel Corp, showed delays of up to three weeks in shipping the phone.

European carriers also reported brisk sales. France Telecom's Orange said bookings for the new phone "have been very strong, breaking the records of what we saw for the iPhone 4 or 4S." But the carrier said it could deliver preorders on time.

Analysts have forecast that Apple will have sold more than 30 million iPhones, including older models, by the end of September.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange saw a flurry of activity on Sunday with the turnover crossing the Tk 10 billion mark after five months.

The turnover reached Tk 10.37 billion with 15 minutes of trading left at the premier bourse on the week's opening day. The mark was last crossed on Apr 17 when it hit Tk 10.13 billion.

Along with the increase in trading, the benchmark index also gained 134.22 points or 3.03 percent to close at 4565.73 points. Shares and mutual funds worth Tk 11.36 billion changed hands on the day with prices of 202 issues rising, 57 falling and 12 remaining unchanged.

The DGEN rose 107 points in the previous week and the average turnover was Tk 8.13 billion. In the week before that, the DGEN shed 122 points.

After the recent loan scam in Sonali Bank surfaced, The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday sued five people including three Rupali Bank officials for their alleged involvement in another financial scam.

ACC Deputy Director Jahangir Alam filed the case at Motijheel Police Station charging them under the Anti-Money Laundering Act for laundering Tk 150 million by providing false information and fake documents.

The accused Rupali Bank officials are Dilkusha branch's General Manager Atiqur Rahman, Senior Principal Officer Abdus Samad Sarker and Gulshan branch Deputy General Manager Mohammad Ali, who was Assistant General Manager at the Dilkusha branch.

The two other accused are Everest Holdings and Technology Limited Chairman Abu Borhan Siddiqe Chowdhury and Managing Director HM Bahauddin.

The ACC alleged the Dilkusha branch officials approved Tk 150 million loan to Everest Holdings and Technology Limited against a request for Tk 250 million in the time between Aug 16, 2010 and Jan 30, 2011 without proper inspection.

Recently, Sonali Bank Limited faced widespread criticism over the loan forgery that took place in the bank's Ruposhi Bangla Hotel branch from where the Hallmark Group, along with other organisations, secured Tk 40 billion worth of loans through forged documents.

Bangladesh Bank unearthed the scam in a recent review which said that Hallmark Group alone took out over Tk 26 billion of the credit against phony collateral.

The ACC is investigating the matter and has interrogated top officials of the bank and other companies.

Main opposition BNP has announced it will formulate a draft strategy to resolve the problems plaguing the power and energy sectors.

The party claimed that the strategy would also help reduce electricity tariff at the domestic consumer level when it is voted to power in the next parliamentary election.

BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and party's Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain came up with idea on Saturday at a roundtable on the power and energy crisis in the city.

Mosharraf said an anarchic situation had emerged in the power and energy sectors of the country due to the government's wrong and ill-motivated policies.

"To get rid of the situation, we've to formulate a strategy right now, so that we can work for development of the sectors from the very first day if we're voted to power in future."

He said that a national committee on energy would be formed soon comprising experts.

Fakhrul said, "We want to formulate such a sustainable energy strategy so that the countrymen can get its advantage. If the BNP comes to power in future, the electricity tariffs will be reduced at the domestic consumer level under the strategy."

Readymade garment workers staged violent demonstrations on the Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Sylhet highways for two and a half hours, keeping the traffic on the busy highways suspended.

Workers and eyewitnesses said the 'rumour' of beating a worker to death enraged his fellow workers at the Adamjee EPZ while workers at the Sinha Garments at Kachpur took to the street protesting against what they termed lack of security on highway and the recent rise in incidents of 'snatching'.

Police had to fire over a hundred rounds of rubber bullets and tear shells to disperse the protesters and bring the situation under control around 1:45pm, leading to resumption of vehicular movement, said Narayanganj district Police Superintendent Sheikh Najmul Alam.

The aggrieved workers set fire to a police pick-up van, a police box and four bikes in retaliation as they clashed with the law enforcers. About 50 were injured during the clash.

Workers of Sinha Garments at Kachpur, Anjuman Ara, 'Delwar' and 'Ohidul' said some of their colleagues were robbed in the Siddhirganj area over the last few days, prompting them to complain to the local administration but in vain.

Residents said workers from Adamjee EPZ blocked the Dhaka-Chittagong highway around 12 pm after a rumour was circulated that one of their colleagues was beaten to death in the morning, causing a huge traffic tailback.

The government on Sunday opened up the local market to import of eggs and one-day-old chicks to increase supply in an attempt to make them cheaper.

The Ministry of Commerce issued a circular saying importers will not need to secure the ministry's permission to buy eggs or chicks from abroad.

The move aims to meet growing consumer demand and rein in abnormal price hikes, the circular said.

It said eggs of hens, ducks and other birds can be imported without any restrictions until further notice.

At present, a dozen of eggs of hens and ducks is sold at Tk 120 in the local market.

On June 9, the government had decided to open up the local market until Jun 30 to import of eggs and chicks to meet up the growing demand during the Ramadan. The time was further extended to Aug 31.

The remaining six judges of the Supreme Court bench that declared the 13th constitutional amendment illegal signed the full verdict on Sunday night, almost a year and a half after the historic judgment rescinded the caretaker government provision.

The full copy of the verdict, reached by a majority decision, was signed around 10pm following a series of meetings among the judges throughout the day.

Former Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque and Supreme Court Registrar AKM Shamsul Islam confirmed bdnews24.com about the signing of the full verdict.

Justice Haque had signed the 342-page judgement in the Supreme Court on Thursday.

He was the top judge who headed the seven-strong bench that delivered the verdict on May 10, 2011. Justices Mahmud Hossain, Sinha and Mozammel Hossain agreed with him. Justices Wahab Miah and Sultana differed while Justice Iman Ali left the matter for Parliament to decide.

The judgement declared illegal the 15-year-old constitutional provision that mandated an elected government to transfer power to an unelected non-partisan caretaker administration to oversee a new parliamentary election on completion of its term.

In its short verdict, the apex court also observed that the rescinded system may be practised for another two parliamentary terms.

On June 30 last year, the Awami League-led Grand Alliance finally abolished the caretaker government system allowing general elections under elected partisan governments.

The court also asked Parliament to amend the Constitution to make sure that former Chief Justices or any other Supreme Court judges are not chosen as head of caretaker governments in case the system is kept for another two parliamentary elections.

This is the first time a verdict has been written in mixed languages – Bengali and English. Usually the court writes verdict in English. Justice Khairul Haque wrote the main part of the verdict in Bengali. Justice Ali wrote 150 pages of the verdict.

The main opposition BNP has been opposing the constitutional amendment claiming that the government partly implemented the verdict, but overlooked the other part on two elections under the caretakers.

The opposition insists that no election will be allowed under any partisan government. Though the caretaker government was introduced first in 1996, the elections taken place in 1990 were held under an interim government.

The BNP was forced by Awami League to introduce the caretaker government system through constitutional amendment for the first time. But the system came under scrutiny as the last military-backed caretaker government, which had a three-month mandate to hold elections, managed to linger on power for two years since 2007.

The High Court announced the caretaker government system legal after several people including Advocate M Salim Ullah challenged the 13th Amendment in 2004. They challenged the decision at the Appellate Division, drawing out the order.

Sonali Bank had transferred the General Manager the day before the audit team he had constituted began looking into the papers in the Hallmark scam.

Two other officials were also transferred for the same reason.

The bank's former General Manager (International Trade and Commerce) ANM Masroor-ul-Huda Seraji told reporters about the punishment after he was quizzed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday.

"I got a report on this financial transaction on January 1 last after I was appointed GM for International Trade and Commerce Department of the bank. Later I constituted the audit team on my own, which invited pressures on me from all around," said Siraji.

Siraji, who is currently acting as GM for the bank's Rangpur Division, was transferred to Sylhet, a day before the audit team began its probe. He was transferred twice later, to Comilla and Rangpur.

Asked if he faced difficulties in constituting the audit team, Siraji said, "I cannot divulge any information regarding this matter in the interest of a fair investigation. However, two other people other than me were also transferred in connection with the same matter."

Besides Siraji, ACC also questioned five other senior Sonali Bank officials over the scandal that involves misappropriation of over Tk 36 billion disbursed from the bank's Ruposhi Bangla Hotel Branch.

The other quizzed are General Managers Nowsher Ali, Md Abu Musa and Mohammad Mahbubul Haque, and Deputy General Managers Sheikh Altaf Hossain and Shafiuddin Ahmed.

Haq told reporters, "I had gone on LPR when the incident happened. I am in no way involved with the incident."

Musa termed the scam "unusual" and "undesirable' and demanded a proper investigation.

The ACC earlier questioned 23 other officials of the bank over the scandal. It has also decided to question Prime Minister's Health and Family Affairs Advisor Syed Modasser Ali over the scandal.

Four other officials of the banks are expected to be interrogated on Monday.

The central bank recently revealed that more than Tk 36 billion were disbursed by the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel Branch of Sonali Bank, without notable collateral. Of the amount, Hallmark Group embezzled over Tk 26 billion alone.

Sonali Bank has suspended 20 officials while two Deputy Managing Directors have been made Officer on Special Duty.

After the scam broke out, the Bangladesh Bank proposed sacking the current Board of Directors of the largest commercial bank. Finance Minister AMA Muhith rebuked the central bank and the government reappointed the bank's Chairman Kazi Baharul Islam.

The BNP has been alleging involvement of government high-ups in the rip-off.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines cancelled three scheduled flights on Sunday and is facing a schedule disaster.

Travel plans of thousands of passengers who were scheduled to leave for Middle Eastern destinations were thrown into chaos.

Thousands of passengers were seen in the terminal at the Shahjalal International Airport on Sunday morning. Most of them were bound for Kuala Lumpur, Riyadh, Dubai and Jeddah.

The disarray was caused after a Boeing 747, which can carry 500 passengers and was hired from Portuguese charter company Air Atlanta, left on Sept 12 before time agreed in a deal between Biman and the company.

The agreement stipulated the plane fly 3,000 hours in total, 250 hours a month. The deal was supposed to expire on Sept 20, but the plane left for Portugal from Muscat airport in Oman on Sept 12 leaving 225 passengers there.

The Boeing 747 was operating between Bangladesh and Middle Eastern cities including Riyadh, Dubai, Jeddah and Oman.

Biman says eight more flights with over 450 passengers on board each time were remaining in the deal. Biman's regular flight plans were upset as it started flying the passengers stuck at the airport on smaller planes to their destinations.

According to the Biman Control Room, the international flights – Dhaka- London (BG-005), Dhaka-Abu Dhabi (BG-027) and domestic flight Dhaka-Sylhet (BG-061) were cancelled to maintain the schedule for Middle Eastern countries.

In the midst of all these, thousands of passengers stranded at the airport have alleged that Biman authorities were not providing required assistance even after their flights were cancelled.

Malaysia-bound Anisur Rahman, waiting at the airport's Terminal 2, told bdnews24.com: "My flight was at 11am on Saturday. But I came to know the flight has been cancelled after I got in here. I was told to contact again at 8am today (Sunday)."

He alleged he did not get any of the privileges from the Biman authorities even though they are supposed to provide food and accommodation for passengers of the cancelled flights.

Like Anisur, Malaysia-bound passenger Mohammad Masum of Bhairab and Dubai-bound passenger Sajib Mia have been waiting at the airport since Saturday.

Sajib said, "My flight was at 7pm Saturday. After I came here, I found out that it will be delayed. I have been told to contact officials at 10pm tonight, but I can't trust them."

No-one body was able to console a weeping Mohammad Shafiullah who was supposed to leave for Abu Dhabi on Friday.

He told bdnews24.com: "Four of us came here on Sept 14 to catch our flight to Abu Dhabi. And now we are being told to contact the authorities at 2pm tomorrow (Monday). We don't have any money left. I don't know what to do now, I only have Tk 100 in my pocket."

Kuwait-bound passengers demonstrated and took out rallies on the airport premises demanding flights to take them to their destination. Biman staff took them inside the terminal after the journalists arrived at the scene. No reporters were allowed to enter the terminal.

When contacted, Biman's Acting Managing Director Mosaddek Ahmed declined comment on the matter.

Astronomers have discovered planets orbiting sun-like stars in a crowded stars cluster, offering the best evidence yet that planets can sprout up in dense stellar environments.

"The starry-skied planets are two so-called hot Jupiters, which are massive, gaseous orbs that are boiling hot because they orbit tightly around their parent stars," a Nasa release said on Friday.

"Each hot Jupiter circles a different sun-like star in the Beehive Cluster, also called the Praesepe, a collection of roughly 1,000 stars that appear to be swarming around a common center."

Such clusters, or a grouping of stars born at the same time and out of the same giant cloud of material, share similar chemical composition. And opposing the common trait of spreading out shortly after birth, these stars remain loosely bounded together by their mutual gravitational attraction.

"We are detecting more and more planets that can thrive in diverse and extreme environments like these nearby clusters," said Mario R. Perez, the NASA astrophysics program scientist in the Origins of Solar Systems Program. "Our galaxy contains more than 1,000 of these open clusters, which potentially can present the physical conditions for harboring many more of these giant planets."

The new planets are called Pr0201b and Pr0211b. The star's name followed by a "b" is the standard naming convention for planets.

"These are the first 'b's' in the Beehive," said Sam Quinn, a graduate student in astronomy at Georgia State University in Atlanta and the lead author of the paper describing the results, which was published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Quinn and his team, in collaboration with David Latham at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, discovered the planets by using the 1.5-meter Tillinghast telescope at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory's Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory in Arizona to measure the slight gravitational wobble the orbiting planets induce upon their host stars.

Previous searches of clusters had turned up two planets around massive stars but none had been found around stars like our sun until now.

"This has been a big puzzle for planet hunters," Quinn said. "We know that most stars form in clustered environments like the Orion nebula, so unless this dense environment inhibits planet formation, at least some sun-like stars in open clusters should have planets. Now, we finally know they are indeed there."

The results also are of interest to theorists who are trying to understand how hot Jupiters wind up so close to their stars. Most theories contend these blistering worlds start out much cooler and farther from their stars before migrating inward.

"The relatively young age of the Beehive cluster makes these planets among the youngest known," said Russel White, the principal investigator on the NASA Origins of Solar Systems grant that funded this study. "And that's important because it sets a constraint on how quickly giant planets migrate inward. And knowing how quickly they migrate is the first step to figuring out how they migrate."

The research team suspects planets were turned up in the Beehive cluster because it is rich in metals. Stars in the Beehive have more heavy elements such as iron than the sun has.

According to White, "Searches for planets around nearby stars suggest that these metals act like a 'planet fertilizer,' leading to an abundant crop of gas-giant planets. Our results suggest this may be true in clusters as well."

The newly appointed Disaster Management and Relief Minster A H Mahmud Ali has called for everyone's support to maintain the government's 'success' in the sector.

Ali went to his new office around 10:25am on Sunday and was greeted by the ministry's Secretary M Aslam Alam and officials.

The minister then exchanged views with the officials.

The former diplomat said that Bangladesh's disaster management has earned kudos abroad and urged for everyone's support to keep up the good work and further develop their activities.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on Saturday, assigned portfolios to the five new ministers and two new state ministers, who were sworn in on Thursday.

In the fourth round of Cabinet shake-up, the Food and Disaster Management Ministry was split into two.

A H Mahmud Ali has been given the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry leaving Abdur Razzaque with the Ministry of Food only.

Bangladesh has condemned the release of a film which allegedly denigrates Islam and Prophet Muhammad.

Parts of 'Innocence of Muslims' have been widely circulated on the internet in both English and Arabic inciting protests from Muslims across the world.

"The video is not only offensive, but also reprehensible," a media statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Saturday said.

It said Dhaka was aware of the fact that some people have tried to defend such "offensive material" on the pretext of "freedom of expression".

"Inciting hatred cannot be justified as freedom of expression," it argued.

The statement said, "Such disregard for the religious sensitivity of Muslims, or of any faith for that matter, cannot constitute civilised behaviour and must not be condoned."

The government has split the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management into two with the latest reshuffle in the cabinet.

The newly formed ministries are the Ministry of Food and the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, a government circular issued on Saturday said.

The Food Division and Disaster Management and Relief Division were formed in 2010. The two divisions functioned as separate ministries during the BNP-Jamaat-led coalition government.

When Sheikh Hasina's cabinet took office in 2009, the two ministries were combined and Abdur Razzaque was made its minister.

A H Mahmud Ali, a new face in the cabinet, has been given the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry leaving Abdur Razzaque with the Ministry of Food only.

n a major reshuffle in the cabinet, the Prime Minister has replaced the Home Minister and given the task of maintaining law and order to Mahiuddin Khan Alamgir, a former bureaucrat and one of the ruling party's policymakers.

In the face of severe criticism from the media, she also replaced the Information Minister and given the charge to JSD President Hasanul Haq Inu, who never served in any cabinet.

However, Hasina relied on elderly Abul Maal Abdul Muhith to run the finance despite scathing criticism from a section of media over different issues.

Offices of several serving ministers were also changed in the latest reshuffle, Cabinet Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told bdnews24.com Saturday.

The Prime Minster has apparently removed the ministers from their responsibilities who came under fire from various quarters on different issues.

The Awami League-led coalition government that came to office with an agenda to build a 'Digital Bangladesh' entrusted former diplomat Mostafa Faruque Mohammed with the charge of the Information and Communication Technology Ministry.

New face Mazibul Hoque, a trusted Treasury Bench MP, has been given the charge of the Railways Ministry which came under spotlight due to the cash scandal involving one of the personal aides of then Railways Minister Suranjit Sengupta and later due to 'hyper-activities' of acting minister Obaidul Quader.

Another former diplomat A H Mahmud Ali has been given the task to handle the newly formed Disaster Management and Relief Ministry. His expertise and experience would be tested of 'utilising' government allocations for the social safety net.

The two new state ministers – Abdul Hyee got Fisheries and Livestock and Omor Faruk Chowdhury Industries.

Narsinghdi-5 lawmaker Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju has been removed from the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications and placed in the Ministry of Labour and Employment. The family of murdered Narsinghdi municipal mayor Lokman Hossain has been alleging that Raju was an 'instigator' of the killing.

Former Home Minister Shahara Khatun had been under fire from within the ruling party and outside for the law and order situation and her remarks to the media. Journalists have been staging various programmes against her as the law enforcers are yet to crack the mystery of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi's murder despite her 48-hour deadline to nab the killers.

Abul Kalam Azad has lost the Information Ministry to JSD chief Hasanul Haq Inu and will now be in charge of Culture only.

Losing Labour and Employment Ministry Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, the father-in-law of PM's daughter, has retained only Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Ministry.

On Thursday, six leaders of the ruling Awami League and one from coalition partner JSD took oath as ministers and state ministers, taking the number of Hasina-led cabinet members to 50. This was the fourth cabinet shake-up since the Awami League-led coalition swept the 2008 national polls.

Senior ruling party politicians Suranjit Sengupta and Obaidul Quader were included in the cabinet in November last year. Sengupta stepped down barely four months later as his personal aide was caught in a cash scandal. He was later made a minister without portfolio.

Tofail Ahmed, the Industries Minister in Hasina's 1996-2001 cabinet, came under fire from within the party like Suranjit for their 'role as reformists' during the military-backed emergency administration.

Both Tofail and Bangladesh Workers Party Chief Rashed Khan Menon had turned down the offer to join the cabinet in the recent reshuffle.

The refusals stirred up the country's politics. Opposition and a section of media have termed the refusal as 'failure of the government', but Suranjit has said it hint at a 'new equation'.

Newly appointed Home Minister Mahiuddin Khan Alamgir had worked as a state minister at the Planning Ministry as a technocrat during Sheikh Hasina's 1996-2001 term. The former bureaucrat was also imprisoned during the past caretaker government.

Comilla-11 lawmaker Mazibul Hoque, who has got the Railways Ministry, had been working as a Parliament Whip.

Commerce Minister Ghulam Muhammed Quader of the Jatiya Party and Industries Minister Dilip Barua of the Samyabadi Dal, two alliance partners, got place in the cabinet when it was formed in January 2009.

Syed Abul Hossain had taken oath as a minister and Tanjim Ahmed (Sohel Taj) as a state minister when the cabinet was formed. But both eventually stepped down from their posts.

Newly assigned Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu has said that he would 'sincerely' try to perform his responsibilities given by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) chief told this to bdnews24.com in an instant reaction on Saturday night over phone while he was returning to Dhaka after paying respect at the grave of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Tungipara in Gopalganj.

"I've been informed over phone that I've been given the the charge of the Information Ministry. It's a great responsibility. I'll sincerely try to do the job that the honourable Prime Minister has given me. This shows her trust and faith on me,"

Inu also said that he would take necessary steps to implement the 8th Wage Board for journalists and staff of news media.

"I will take necessary steps to implement the Wage Board after discussing with the journalists, journalist leaders, owners and others concerned," he added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday reshuffled the cabinet swapping portfolios of some ministers and distributing ministries among the newly inducted ministers and state ministers.

Of the new ministers, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir has been made the Home Minister, Mazibul Hoque has been given the responsibility of the Railway Ministry, Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali entrusted with the responsibility of Relief and Disaster Management Ministry while Mostofa Faruq Mohammad with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Ministry.

Two new state ministers -- Omar Faruk Chowdhury got industries and Abdul Hyee got Fisheries and Livestock.

Afsar Uddin Ahmed Khan, an independent candidate for the Gazipur-4 by-election, on Saturday alleged that the ruling Awami League activists have obstructed his election campaign and mass contact programme.

At a street rally at Chandpur Bazaar in the afternoon Afsar Uddin alleged that that the supporters of Awami League-backed candidate Simeen Hussain Rimi, also his nephew, snatched the microphone and loudspeaker during his election campaign in Baldha Bazaar and Dardaria areas at noon.

He filed a complaint with the returning officer. Earlier in the morning, Afsar accused Rimi of violating the electoral code of conduct.

Afsar's campaign coordinator Advocate Sarwar E Kainaat told reporters that they started their mass contact campaign from Kapasia bus terminal at 11am. They campaigned in Nalgaon Bazaar, Balkela Bazaar, Bhakuadi Bazaar and Chandpur Bazaar areas on the first day.

Meanwhile, Rimi campaigned in Kushdi, Beltali, Barjapur, Lohadi, Barabo and Singua areas from the morning. She joined a rally at Tok Narandra High School playground in the afternoon.

Awami League Advisory Council member Tofail Ahmed, also the coordinator of the AL candidate for the by-polls, was the chief guest.

The Gazipur-4 (Kapasia) constituency fell vacant after AL lawmaker Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj, also son of the country's first Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad, resigned on July 7.

The Election Commission announced the election schedule on August 23. The by-election is scheduled for Sep 30. The other candidate is Asadullah Badal of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB).

The district returning officer distributed electoral symbols to the three candidates on Friday. Rimi was allocated with "boat" as the election symbol, her uncle Afsar Uddin Ahmed Khan with "rooster" and Asadullah Badal with "sickle".

Inclusion of five new ministers and two state ministers in the cabinet will help boost activities of the Grand Alliance government the way "Coramine injection helps patients get back in action", Industries Minister Dilip Barua said on Friday.

In his reaction to the main opposition BNP's remarks that the Cabinet expansion was the "government's final effort to pull on", Barua said, "I would like to tell the opposition that Coramine helps the patients come round and get back in action fast."

He was addressing a discussion at the Shawkat Osman Memorial auditorium of the Central Public Library in the city marking the 32nd founding anniversary of the Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote, the cultural front of the ruling Awami League.

After the five ministers and two state ministers were sworn in on Thursday afternoon with only a year left to the incumbent government's term, BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had said that the government was trying to live on by taking Coramine and antibiotics of the Cabinet expansion and that it would not work as the government had lost its popularity and trust.

Dilip Barua on Friday asked the leaders of the Grand Alliance to establish close contacts with the people to stay in power for another term. "We'll have to do the activities that make people pleased."

Also the General Secretary of Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal (ML), Dilip Barua said that the BNP would not be able to go to power by joining hands with the Jamaat-e-Islami.

"The opposition's movement is limited to the newspapers and TV channels only," he added.

Presided over by Sangskritik Jote Advisor Sheikh Mohammad Jahangir, the programme was addressed, among others, by Dhaka city unit Awami League Organising Secretary Shahe Alam Murad, Krisak League Vice-President M A Karim and Asian Group Director Harun-or-Rashid.

Veteran politician Suranjit Sengupta believes that the Tofail Ahmed and Rashed Khan Menon's turning down of the government offer of Cabinet berth is the hint of emergence of a 'new political equation'.

Referring to the surprise of Greek conqueror Alexander at the working of this subcontinent, Sengupta commented at a discussion on Saturday, "I will not say Seleucus, but will say truly Bengal's ... Bangladesh's politics is very strange."

"I think this is a new equation in a new state of strange politics. This is just the hint of a new political equation," he said. He continued without explaining his observation and added, "But there is nothing to be worried about. It will be ended through constitutional procedure and democratically."

Sengupta's comment comes amid claims of a 'third force' rising as the face-off between the two major political parties in the country over the caretaker government provision continues.

Both Tafail and Sengupta have voiced for 'reforms' in the Awami League during the past military-backed emergency time administration and were branded as 'reformists' by party members.

They were left in the cold when the Sheikh Hasina-led government took office in 2008. The veteran politicians had also lost their posts as party policymakers.

During the third shake-up in Hasina's Cabinet, Sengupta got the taste of ministership, for the first time in his long political career, when he was made the Railway Minister. He, however, bowed out barely four months following his aide's involvement in a cash scam.

He was later made a minister without portfolio.

The Cabinet beckoned Tofail, nearly 10 months after Sengupta, during the fourth shake-up but he turned down the berth saying he was not 'ready' to take up the responsibility.

Menon, on the other hand, declined the lucrative government offer saying it was a 'party decision'.

Sengupta, who has been close to both Tofail and Menon in his long political career, said, "I won't say anything on why they refused to join. It's their personal, political decisions."

The ruling party advisory committee member observed that the duo's refusal made Bangladesh's recent political scenario 'exciting' and left the media 'stirred-up'.

Suranjit Sengupta was speaking at a discussion organised by the ruling party's artists' front in Dhaka.

A group of agitated passengers who failed to catch a flight for Jeddah due to rescheduling vandalised the office of Biman Bangladesh Airlines in the port city of Chittagong on Saturday.

They vandalised glass on the main entrance and some furniture at the national flag carrier's office in the city's Sholashohor area around 12pm.

Sub-Inspector of the Pachlaish Police Station Mohammad Kamruzzaman told bdnews24.com that the agitated passengers took to vandalism as they failed to get onboard a scheduled flight for Jeddah. Later, the police brought the situation under control.

The Biman Bangladesh Airlines authorities and the victims said that a Boeing-747 flight was scheduled to ferry passengers from the Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport to Jeddah at 1:30am on Saturday, but it was rescheduled later.

One of the passengers of the flight, Ahmed Kabir of Kanchana area of Satkania upazila in Chittagong, told bdnews24.com that the Biman authorities changed the flight on Friday night and asked the passengers to start their journey from Dhaka which angered the passengers.

"The authorities didn't take us to any hotel for overnight stay," he added.

The Biman authorities, however, claimed that they managed rental accommodation for 57 passengers out of the 84, who had booked tickets for the flight.

Biman's Chittagong unit Manager Dilip Kumar Chowdhury said the flight of the victim passengers had been rescheduled for Sep 18.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday rejected the allegation of Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon that the due process was not followed in inviting him to join the cabinet.

Without naming Awami League leader Tofail Ahmed and Rashed Khan Menon, the Prime Minister said, "Two of our colleagues refused to join cabinet. One of them alleged he was not invited properly."

"This is nothing new. This is our second term in office. We invited people to join the cabinet the way we did during first time. So, there has been no deviation from the practice," Hasina, also the President of the ruling Awami League, said.

Refusing to join the cabinet Menon on Friday said that he was not invited through proper political process questioning whether invitation is sent such a way (through cabinet secretary) in any civilised county.

However, quoting the autobiography of former Indian Prime Minister IK Gujral, Hasina said, "I don't know if India is a civilised country? IK Gujral was made Prime Minister twice and he took oath getting phone calls from the cabinet division."

Without naming anyone the Awami League chief said, "Who would accept or refuse the offer is their decision. But there had been no deviation (in inviting them to join the cabinet)."

"We have many MPs, but we cannot make all ministers. We are following the normal process," she said while making the introductory speech at the Awami League Central Working Committee meeting at her official residence Ganabhaban.

On the issue Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said Cabinet Secretary was the top most official of the administration. "Cabinet Secretary is the right person to do this. This is the practice in all the democratic country. There is no alternative to this."

Students at BUET returned to classes on Saturday, after a break of more than two months when they, backed by many of their teachers, campaigned for the removal of the Vice-Chancellor and the Pro-Vice Chancellor.

The resumption was prompted by the removal of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Pro-Vice Chancellor Habibur Rahman, a clear sign that the government was paying heed to the demonstrators.

Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Sep 9 expressed hopes that the students would return to classes as they were keeping their promises.

The university authorities also withdrew two cases filed against the students during the protests as per the minister's assurance to the demonstrators.

Of the demonstrators, the teachers were the first to respond to the call with the BUET Teacher's Association, on Sep 10 afternoon, opting to resume classes from Saturday in line with a new academic calendar the Dean's Committee revealed earlier in the day.

The students also gave their green signal to the move pointing out that they would return to classes whenever called.

Vice Chancellor Professor S M Nazrul Islam nodded the calendar the next day, paving way for resumption of studies, ending the deadlock at Bangladesh's premier engineering university.

The movement

The teachers had been demonstrating since April demanding ouster of the VC and the Pro-VC on corruption charges. Later, students joined them.

The demonstrating teachers and students abstained from classes and tests, pushing the university into turmoil.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid met the teachers in an apparent bid to resolve the crisis roiling the institution. After the meeting, the teachers announced to return to class following Nahid's assurance to remove Pro-VC Prof Habibur Rahman and withdraw the cases.

The agitation at BUET gained pace as authorities filed two cases with the Shahbagh police on Sep 2 accusing around a hundred teachers and students of attacks on the offices of the VC and the Pro-VC, vandalism, ransacking records and looting Tk 0.3 million.

The BUET authorities filed application to withdraw the cases on Sep 5 following the VC's order.

The government on Sep 9 removed Prof Habibur Rahman from the office of Pro-Vice Chancellor.

The move met one of the assurances the Education Minister had made to them to pull the top engineering university out of the turmoil.

In the wake of the joint movement, the authorities had advanced the Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr vacation by a month to close it on July 10 until Aug 24. The decision, however, failed to deter the protesters from going ahead with the movement.

The university resumed on Aug 25 but classes and examinations did not take place as the teachers and students pressed on with their protest.

Members of the Awami League's Central Committee on Saturday suggested to remove Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith from the Cabinet. However, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the party chief, has reportedly defended Muhith.

Three central committee members, including two organising secretaries, who preferred not to be named, confirmed bdnews24.com correspondent Sumon Mahbub the issue.

When contacted, they separately told bdnews24.com that the Awami League General Secretary and also the LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam had indirectly proposed removing Muhith from the Cabinet. They said that Ashraf raised the issue saying Muhith made comments which put Awami League leaders in 'embarrassing situations'.

"This is due to his age," the Awami League General Secretary was quoted by the sources to have told the meeting.

They said almost all the members of the central committee agreed with Ashraf.

Defending the beleaguered Finance Minister, the sources quoted Hasina to have replied, "He (Muhith) does not want to leave us. Rather, he wants to work with us."

On many occasions the Finance Minister was criticised by senior members of the treasury bench in the Parliament for the share market debacle.

Recently, Muhith had come under fire from front bench MPs of the ruling party for his remarks over the Hallmark scam involving the state-run Sonali Bank. He was also advised by Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, cousin of the PM, and Tofail Ahmed to 'speak less'.

In the face of criticism from senior treasury bench MPs, Muhith regretted his remarks that the loan given to the Hallmark Group by Sonali Bank was 'nothing' and retracted it during his speech in Parliament on Sep 6.

On Saturday, at the Central Executive Committee meeting the LGRD Minister also reportedly proposed sending PM's Finance Advisor and party's advisory council member Mashiur Rahman on leave for three months to bring back the World Bank to Padma bridge project.

When Hasina reportedly asked whether the World Bank, which cancelled its promised loan of $1.2 billion for the $2.9 billion Padma bridge project, would come back if Mashiur sent to leave, Ashraf had replied in the positive.

Before suspending the fund in September 2011, the Washington-based lender had written to the government with the suggestion of removing government officials, including Mashiur as reported in the media, involved in the project raising graft allegations.

Rahman's, also the Integrity Adviser to the Padma Bridge project, resignation came into discussion after the former Communication Minister Syed Abul Hossain resigned recently. The government also sent Bridges Division Secretary Mosharraf Hossain on leave afterwards.

The sources said Ashraf on Saturday's meeting also came down hard on Tofail Ahmed for turning down the cabinet berth saying his decision was a 'black chapter' for the party.

"He would be praised for this for the time being. But he has neglected his duties and insulted his voters," the sources quoted Ashraf as saying.

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader, who was stripped of his railways portfolio, and Shahara Khatun, who was removed from the Home Ministry and given the charge of Post and Telecommunication Ministry, did not attend Saturday's meeting.

Meanwhile, Awami League's Deputy Office Secretary Mrinal Kanti Das told bdnews24.com that the meeting decided to hold the party's central conference between December 2012 and January 2013.

The district and upazila committees have been asked to hold their conferences by November.

The meeting also discussed to extend the central committee's tenure until Jan 31, 2013, he added.