BANGLADESH

The Bangladeshi army said Thursday that it recently foiled a coup against the government of Prime Minister Sheik Hasina Wajed planned by religious extremists within the military.

Brig. Gen. Masud Razzaq told reporters the "whole-hearted efforts of army soldiers" had frustrated the attempt by those in active service to seize power.

"A band of fanatic officers had been trying to oust the politically established government," he added. "Their attempt has been foiled."

Razzaq declined to comment on the details of the plot other than to say that as many as 16 hard-line Islamist mid-level officers were involved, including two retired military personnel, and that at least two were detained while others remained under surveillance. A court of inquiry was reportedly convened Dec. 28.

It wasn’t immediately clear why news of the coup was delayed, when it was foiled nor exactly who was involved. Bangladesh is no stranger to military-led rule, having lived under army control for the 15 years that ended in 1990. Wajed assumed power from a military-backed caretaker government in 2009.

Golam Hossain, a professor of government at Jahangirnagar University in the capital, Dhaka, who lives less than a mile from the city’s main military base, said the streets were quiet late Thursday.

Citing sources close to the military, Hossain put the number of those arrested at between four and six, including a Bangladeshi who had lived abroad, with several others being watched carefully.

"Critics of the government say this is an attempt by the government to make a plan against its critics in the military, that it’s a government-made plot," he said. "It’s difficult to know the exact situation now."

Wajed has enacted a series of reforms since taking power that have made some Bangladeshis unhappy. She has cracked down on religious extremism, prosecuted alleged war criminals, improved relations with India and rewrote the constitution, introducing more secular policies.

"She’s done a decent job," said Anand Kumar, associate fellow at Delhi’s Institute for Defense Studies and Analysis. "For radicals, it’s not to their liking."

Others expressed doubt that religious extremism was the driving force behind the alleged coup, adding that the more likely problem was unhappiness within the military over a 2009 crackdown. Soon after Wajed assumed power that year, paramilitary forces staged a revolt that left more than 70 people dead, including 51 army officers, before it was crushed.

"Since then, some of the young military officers were not happy about the handling by the current regime," said Ataur Rahman, a political science professor at the University of Dhaka. "There are potential seeds of dissent."

Rumors have been circulating for about three weeks of some sort of problem within the military, Dhaka residents said. Wajed’s popularity has also taken a hit as economic growth has slowed - it’s forecast to come in around 6 percent this year compared with the government’s 7 percent target - in line with the global slowdown, even as inflation remains high. Politics in the country also remain deeply divided.

"Let’s see how things play out," Rahman said. "This may be the beginning of something. If the military can’t handle it properly, it may turn more difficult in coming days."

The Chittagong Development Authority on Friday blocked an entire road for about five hours to inaugurate an extension.

The primary and mass education minister Afsarul Amin inaugurated the Andarkilla to Laldighi Junction road extension and development project around 5pm.

A giant stage for the inauguration completely blocked the left lane of the extended road from 1pm. The procession of the minister's political followers also clogged up the right lane from 4pm.

Until 6pm, few cars were able to get through the intersection.

CDA chairman Abdus Salam haughtily remarked to that before their project, the road remained blocked at all times.

"Our extension makes it possible to travel on that road. What's the harm in a few more hours of block?" he added.

The extension has created two lanes on the road whereas for many years it had been a one-way.

Salam remarked that citizens did not face much trouble from their road block since businesses in that area of the port city are closed on Friday

During the inauguration traffic was diverted to Nazir Ahmed Chowdhury Road where commuters experienced a temporary gridlock from the added pressure.

CDA announced at the inauguration that the entire fund of Tk 50 million for the 800 by 60 feet extension came from its own funds.

Unidentified gunmen shot dead a businessman, who recently returned home from Kuwait, at Mirpur in the capital on Saturday afternoon.

The deceased was identified as Haider Ali, 50.

The police said a group of criminals stormed into his residence at Maddha Pirerbagh and shot him around 2:30pm.

Haider died around 3:30pm on way to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), the police said.

Sub-inspector of DMCH police outpost Mozammel Haque told that it is yet to be ascertained whether the incident was the upshot of robbery or there was some other motive.

Haider's wife Selina Begum told reporters that her husband had returned to the country from Kuwait a few months ago and started investing in the stock market.

The body has been sent to DMCH morgue for autopsy, the police said.

Hundreds of thousands of devotees flooded the sandy banks of the river Turag on Saturday to pray and listen to sermons in the second phase of the Biswa Ijtema.
Many more are still streaming into the ground on Saturday after the three-day gathering began on Friday.

The rush is expected to continue until Sunday when the second phase of the meet culminates through the Akheri Munajat or final prayer around noon.

The Biswa Ijtema, or the World Congregation of Muslims, is known as the second largest annual Islamic event after the Hajj.

The gathering will be hosting the ritualistic dowry-less weddings prior to the Asr prayers on Saturday. Indian scholar Zobayerul Hasan will conduct the marriage after the Asr prayers.

Couples, who have enlisted their names in the wedding register, would be married off through the traditional ceremony of the Tablig Jamaat, a non-political group that organises the gathering.

Muslims from 32 districts of Bangladesh and from foreign countries are taking part in the second phase of the congregation, which shuns politics and violence, but works for the revival of the Islamic tenets.
Dressed in traditional robes and prayer caps, huge columns of devotees from far-flung villages and towns in Bangladesh, as well as across the world, made way towards the gathering site on Friday, braving overcrowded buses and ferries, and enduring long delays and a dense fog.

Ijtema's appeal has grown largely over the years among those who cannot afford to go to Meccah for the Hajj.

The second phase began after a four-day gap on Jan 20. The first phase of the annual world gathering ended with Akheri Munajat on Jan 15.

Biswa Ijtema has been taking place in Bangladesh (then Bengal) since the 1960s when it used to take place at Dhaka's Kakrail mosque.
In 1948, it took place at the Haji Camp in Chittagong, and shifted to Narayanganj's Shiddhirganj in 1958. With a steady increase in the number of devotees attending, the Biswa Ijtema was shifted to the banks of Turag in Tongi in 1966 and has been taking place there since then.

DISTRICTS IN SECOND PHASE

Organisers have said that the Ijtema ground has been divided into 38 khitas or blocks marked for 32 districts for the second phase.

People from Narayanganj got blocks one and two, Dhaka – blocks three and four, Cox's Bazar – five, Manikganj – six, Jamalpur - seven Patuakhali – eight, Pirojpur – nine, Tangail – 10, Netrokona - 11, Barisal – 12, Jhenidah – 13, Meherpur – 14, Mymensingh – 15, 16 and 17, Comilla- 18, Laxmipur – 19, Brahmanbaria – 20, Kurigram – 21, Noakhali – 22, Nilphamari – 23, Thakurgaon – 24, Panchagarh – 25, Chapainawabganj – 26, Bogra – 27, Pabna – 28, Naogaon – 29, Munshiganj – 30 and 31, Madaripur-32, Gopalganj – 33, Satkhira – 34, Magura – 35, Khulna – 36, Sunamganj – 37 and Moulvibazar – 38.

SECURITY

Tongi has been covered with a multi-layer security blanket with the presence of police, elite Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansar and intelligence agencies. Law enforcers have divided the congregation venue and surrounding areas into five sectors.

RAB helicopters will hover over the venue and plain-clothed members of the elite force are also watching over each block.

River patrol teams started work on Thursday, patting down those entering the ground and watching from towers. Moreover, security personnel have mingled with the devotees in the blocks, dressed in white and wearing special caps.

RAB bomb squad members are also on the ground.

Gazipur police superintendent Abdul Baten earlier told that a total of 10,000 security personnel including RAB and police are working to ensure safety at the Ijtema ground. Overall security is being monitored with several RAB and police close circuit cameras.

Forwarding agents at Benapole fear export and import through the land port may take a hit with the introduction of the car pass system.

"We are in favour of the new system but if it is not introduced in other land ports as well, trade activities through Benapole are likely to decline," Serajul Islam Seraj, vice-president of Benaploe Customs Clearing and Forwarding Agents Association, told on Saturday.

"It takes time to get used to any new system, and initially it is bound to causes delays," Seraj said. "But if it is only introduced in Benapole, exporters and importers may prefer other land ports, as they will be more lucrative for them due to the time factor."

Between 300 and 350 trucks come from the Indian side and about 100 to 150 trucks enter India with export items through Benapole at present.

The car pass system was inaugurated by finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith and his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee at Petrapole in India earlier in the day.

PASS TO DRIVERS

As part of the system, a pass will be provided to drivers of vehicles that cross the border to unload products. The pass will contain detailed information on products and drivers, and helpers of the vehicles.

"Under the new system our trucks will enter Indian customs area, and Indian vehicles can enter Bangladesh on reciprocal basis," Muhith said at the inauguration programme.

Mukherjee said, "Trade between India and Bangladesh is growing and we are taking steps to reduce trade gap between the two countries."

On a daily average, 327 vehicles entered Bangladesh in 2004-05, which went up to 658 vehicles in 2009-10.

In contrast, 73 Bangladeshi trucks carrying export items entered Petrapole, India, in 2004-05 and rose to 147 in 2009-10.

PROBLEMS AT BENAPOLE

Benapole is convenient for traders since, at 81 kilometres, it is the nearest land port from Kolkata and has all the facilities. But now, Seraj said, it is losing the edge due to congestion, lack of unloading equipment and high charges.

"Traders have to pay Rs 800 to Rs 1,000 if a truck waits for a day," Seraj said. "In some cases it takes five to seven days to unload products at Benapole."

"Goods from nearly 70 to 75 per cent trucks can be unloaded within a day but other trucks have to wait for their chance."

Asked why all trucks cannot be unloaded in a single day, Seraj said, "Labour shortage and lack of space in warehouse are the main reasons for that."

Benapole, declared a full-fledged Customs House in 2000, has 31 godowns. Other land ports are only land customs stations.

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) man, who was allegedly abducted by Indian 'smugglers' early Friday morning, is recuperating in the capital.

India's Border Security Force (BSF) handed over habilder Lutfar Rahman at the Akhaura border around 3am on Saturday, BGB's public relations officer Mohsin Reza told .

"Habilder Lutfar is sick. He has been sent to Dhaka," BGB-12 battalion commander lieutenant colonel Mostafizur Rahman told on Saturday. "He is being treated at the BGB headquarters hospital at Peelkhana."

According to BGB sources, Indian smugglers kidnapped Lutfar Rahman following a clash with a BGB team at Dalkia village in Sadar Dakkhin upazila on Friday morning.

The sources said BGB personnel opened fire when some Indian smugglers attempted to enter Bangladesh through the porous Tripura border with a cache of the banned cough syrup Phensedyl. While one smuggler, identified as Shah Alam, 40, died in the firing, fellow smugglers took away the body and also abducted the BGB habilder.

They later handed over Lutfar to the BSF at the Indian paramilitary force's Dhanpur camp.

The BGB said Shah Alam was a drug peddler from Sonamura in western Tripura, about 80 kilometres west of the state capital Agartala.

Quoting BSF officials, the Indian media reported that Shah Alam was a civilian and he died in BGB firing after some of its members entered Indian territory.

On Friday, BGB Battalion-33 Lt Col Aktaruzzaman told reporters that they had a flag meeting with BSF at zero point along Tarapukur border for Lutfar's release.

The one-and-half-an-hour-long meeting, also attended by BSF Battalion-29 Gausava Dhanpur Camp commander A K Helbaram and his deputy Anil Kumar, ended without a decision, Aktaruzzaman said.

Habilder Lutfar's 'abduction' comes close on the heels of some BSF members allegedly stripping and assaulting a Bangladeshi villager earlier this week along the West Bengal border.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina again pointed the finger at the BNP on Saturday for conspiring the military coup and said that analysis of their statements and speeches make many things clear.

"If you have anything to say, come to parliament. There will be no more usurping power in Bangladesh by taking shortcuts, God willing," she said, addressing the opposition leader Khaleda Zia at a discussion in Ganabhaban.

On Thursday, Bangladesh army said in a media briefing that it foiled a plot by some hardline officers who were plotting to disrupt the democracy with the assistance of some non-resident Bangladeshis.

Thanking the military for frustrating the attempt to overthrow her elected government, Hasina said, "As a result, they and the country both have been saved."

Apparently referring to BNP chairperson Khaleda's remarks at a Chittagong rally on Jan 9 that 'even army personnel are being abducted', army spokesman, brigadier general Muhammad Masud Razzaq had said on Thursday, "Even a large political party sang along imaginary, misleading and propagandist news to bring allegations, which created unexpected and provocative debate among the army and conscious citizens."

"An analysis of their [opposition party] speeches and statements will make a lot of things to the people," Hasina pointed out, reiterating her stance that the main opposition is conspiring against the government.

The prime minister added that those who have come to power in the past using the military have harmed the armed forces through the coups and murders that they carried out.

The discussion organised to bring together Noakhali district Awami League and associate organisations was also attended by executive council members of the ruling party and leaders of all units in the district.