BANGLADESH

Fourteen Destiny Group officials, including its chairman Rafiqul Amin, were involved in a Tk 1,448-crore scam in the multilevel company’s cooperative wing, Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd.
Of the sum, Rafiqul Amin misappropriated nearly Tk 130 crore, a government investigation has found. The group’s former vice-president Gofranul Haque embezzled about Tk 128 crore and ex-treasure Akbar Hossain Sumon Tk 119 crore.
The remaining nine officials of the controversial cooperative firm, including its former general secretary Zakir Hossain, each pocketed Tk 118.8 crore, according to the inquiry carried out by the Department of Cooperatives (DoC).
The DoC submitted its probe report to the local government and cooperatives ministry on Monday.
“The persons identified in the report have to give the money back to the Destiny Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd. Or else, they will face cases leading to their imprisonment for three years each or being fined or both,” said Amiya Kumar Chattapadhay, additional registrar and head of the DoC probe committee.
Twelve of these 14 people were in the DMCSL management committee for 2010-11 and the two others were top officials of the cooperative.
The committee members spent the money in the name of business promotion and giving loans to some two dozen non-profitable entities, the probe report says.
Sayedur Rahman, a director of Destiny Group, has been blamed in the report over misappropriating Tk 2.15 crore while DMSCL Executive Director MA Muhith has been accused of misappropriating Tk 87 lakh.
The cooperative firm, which registered with the DoC in 2005, has seen an astronomical rise in its capital, shareholders, profit and investment since 2009.The firm’s paid-up capital increased to nearly Tk 300 crore in 2009-10 from Tk 5.53 crore a year ago. The figure jumped to nearly Tk 1,200 crore in 2010-11. Its paid-up capital in 2006-07 was Tk 1.62 crore.
Loans and investments grew to Tk 569 crore in 2010-11 from less than Tk 23 crore in 2008-09; they rose by over 213 percent between 2009-10 and 2010-11.
DMCSL came under the spotlight after a central bank investigation in March found that the firm was involved in illegal banking. The Anti-Corruption Commission and the National Board of Revenue are also investigating possible money laundering and tax dodging by the company.
Contacted, Rafiqul Amin has rejected the DoC report.
“The DoC has blamed us because we did not pay [bribe] them,” he told The Daily Star yesterday.
The Destiny would take action against the DoC after getting a copy of the report, Amin warned.
DESTINY OFFICIAL ARRESTED
In another development, Paltan police in the capital yesterday arrested Abul Kalam Azad, one of the DMSCL management committee members, in connection with two money laundering cases.
The ACC filed the cases last month against 22 top Destiny Group officials, including Azad, Rafiqul Amin and Destiny Group director Lt Gen (retd) M Harun-Ar-Rashid.
According to the cases, the accused persons laundered Tk 3,285.26 crore.
Police produced Azad in Metropolitan Magistrate Hasibul Haque’s court, which sent him to jail.

Parliament on Tuesday passed the amended Grameen Bank Ordinance that changes the provision for picking the bank's Managing Director.

The government says the amendment aims to make the process of appointing Managing Director more transparent and remove complexities in the recruitment..

But its founding MD Muhammad Yunus alleges that the government is eyeing a full takeover.

The bill titled 'Grameen Bank (Amendment) Bill-2012' was passed by voice vote after Planning Minister AK Khandker tabled it in the absence of Finance Minister AMA Muhith.

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

"The bank's Chairman should be changed first," independent MP Fazlul Azim said opposing the bill.

The bill was placed on Sep 11.

The bill states that the office of Managing Director of the statutory body remained vacant for long due to complexities in the appointment and this amendment has been made to urgently resolve the issue.

It proposes the Chairman in consultation with the Board of Directors will constitute a Selection Committee of not less than three and not more than five members to select a candidate for appointment of Managing Director.

The Selection Committee will then recommend a panel of three candidates for appointment as Managing Director and preference will be given to persons having knowledge and experience in rural economy and finance or in the field of microfinance.

The government promulgated the ordinance on Aug 23.

The Nobel-winning organisation has been running without a Managing Director for over one and a half years when Muhammad Yunus resigned in May last year after losing court battles to stay in the office.

The Cabinet on Aug 2 decided to alter the way the bank appoints the chief executive and asked the revenue board for a report on whether he brought in any money from abroad as a wage earner and if so, if he was allowed to do so and whether he got any tax waiver on the amount.

The five-day Durga Puja festival ended in the district, which witnessed a bout of communal violence recently, with sombre immersion of Goddess Durga's idols in the sea with a call for communal harmony.

People of different faiths took part in the immersion.

Hindu devotees bade an emotional farewell to Durga through immersion in ponds, lakes, rivers or sea across the country after inviting her to return next year.

After the Maha Dashami, the last day of the Durga Puja, the greatest religious festival of the Bengali Hindus, at different Puja mandaps, the devotees started taking out Bijoya Dashami procession carrying Durga and her children to the beach from 2pm.

Several kilometres of area at Laboni Point of Cox's Bazaar sea beach echoed with the slogans of "Maa Durga Ki Jai" (Hail Mother Durga).

Huge number of Hindu devotees joined the immersion. Thousands of local and foreign tourists and followers of other religions also enjoyed the event. The locals said that the number of people on the beach exceeded 200,000.

The immersion of the idols started with an announcement from the Bijoy Mancha set up at Baluchar with the reciting from the Hindu scripture at around 4pm.

Carrying the idol on their shoulders, devotees went into waist-deep water into the sea and immersed the deity.

District Puja Udjapan Committee General Secretary Babul Sharma told bdnews24.com that the Durga idols of over 100 Puja pandals out of 248 in the district were immersed in the sea.

"A call for maintaining communal harmony in the district has been made through solemn immersion of Durga idol in the sea which was attended by people believing in all religions."

Cox's Bazaar District Council Administrator Mostaq Ahmed Chowdhury, Athin Rakhain MP, Deputy Commissioner Ruhul Amin, Superintendent of Police) Selim Mohammad Jahangir, public representatives and local unit leaders of political parties spoke in the programme.

Bijoya Dashami is the special ceremony of reaffirming peace and good relations among people.

Durga Puja, the annual Hindu festival also known as Sharadiya (autumnal) Durga Utsav, is the worship of "Shakti" [divine force] embodied in goddess Durga. It symbolises the battle between good and evil where the dark forces eventually succumb to the divine.

Eid-ul-Azha holidaymakers are spending longer time on the highways in terrible traffic hold-up.

With the extra pressure of vehicles to transport travellers, passengers have to suffer several more hours as the makeshift cattle markets thrown up for the Eid even beside the highways have narrowed the road.

On the highways from Dhaka to Chittagong, Tangail and Mawa, the scenario was almost the same. Vehicles were crawling on Wednesday like they did on Tuesday.

It takes over an hour for the vehicles to cross one kilometre on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway due to the work to build the elevated expressway and the cattle markets.

The pains of the passengers on the highway starts at Jatrabari, the starting point of the vehicles destined for the southern and eastern districts. The regular jam on Kanchpur bridge remains, adding to the sufferings of the holidaymakers.

Vehicles moved at a snail's pace from Meghna bridge to Comilla's Gouripur on Wednesday.

Qamrul Islam, a passenger of a Comilla-bound Asia Line bus, told bdnews24.com that he started at 4pm and was fretting about when he would reach home.

"Several cattle markets have been set up beside the highway. Vehicles of other routes are increasing the pressure by using this highway," he said.

bdnews24.com's Comilla Correspondent was at Chouara Bazaar. He also put down the jam to the cattle markets.

At Mawa, a passage for 17 southern districts, the lack of piers caused the gridlock. Piers at Paturia of Manikganj and Daulatdia of Rajbari were also seemed to be inadequate to handle the vehicles. Passengers had to stop at the piers for around five hours on Wednesday.

Munshiganj Correspondent said three main terminals are out of order now. Vehicles are using two new piers, one of which is for lighter vehicles only, to cross the Padma river.

Over 600 vehicles stranded on each of the roads linked to the piers at the two ends, Mawa and Kewrakandi. The number was increasing fiercely.

The gridlock stretching from Gazipur's Chandra to Tangail's Karatia became longer for the trucks that could not use the pier at Mawa.
Rakibul Hasan from Biswas Betka of Tangail got on a bus at 6am in Dhaka. He reached Tangail at 1pm.

"I didn't get it why the vehicles got stuck for hours. We've come to know that the trend of the drivers of inter-district buses and cattle-laden trucks to make some extra profit by driving fast and overtaking others caused the gridlock," he said.

Tangail district Road Transport Workers Union General Secretary Mir Lutfar Rahman told bdnews24.com: "Not only the buses in Tangail, buses of northern and southern districts and cattle-laden trucks have created additional pressure."

Highway Police's Gorai station in-charge Sanwar Hossain said if a vehicle breaks down, it takes a long time to reach it, let alone repair or remove it fast.

Customs officials on Monday seized nearly 5kg gold from a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight returning from Dubai at the Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong.

A team of Dhaka and Chittagong customs officials jointly conducted the raid and seized the gold from a bag which arrived on BG-048 flight early in the morning.

Airport Customs Assistant Commissioner Shahidul Islam told  the flight carrying 170 passengers landed at around 4am. "Forty-one gold bars were seized from a bag."

No one had yet been arrested in connection with the incident, he added.

SUBHANALLAH

The annual Hajj pilgrimage started early on Wednesday with more than two million Muslim believers beginning their trek in buses, cars and on foot for the nearby tent city of Mina.

White-clad pilgrims from nearly 150 countries are taking part in this year's Hajj in what is the largest gathering of Muslims in the world. Some 125,000 Bangladeshis are performing Hajj this year.

According to Arab News, hundreds of thousands of believers chanting "Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik" ("Here I am, O Allah, here I am"), began their trek Tuesday night to Mina.

The weather was moderate with a mild and cool breeze blowing across the Mina valley.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency said all of the pilgrims took position in Mina by Wednesday noon.

Saudi Arabia has left nothing to chance to ensure that pilgrims perform the arduous rituals with ease and comfort. Prince Ahmad Bin Abdul Aziz, Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee, is personally following up the security plan.

Thursday is the climax of the Hajj pilgrimage when pilgrims ascend Mount Arafat, some 10 kilometres (six miles) southeast of Mina, to spend the day in prayer.

The hilltop and the surrounding plain is where Prophet Mohammed is believed to have delivered his final Hajj sermon before his death.

After sunset, the pilgrims head to Muzdalifah, between Mina and Arafat, where they collect stones to throw at the devil, one of the last rituals which takes place Friday and marks the first day of Eid-ul-Azha, the annual feast of sacrifice.

The symbolic "stoning of the devil" is followed by the ritual sacrifice of an animal, usually a lamb.

During the remaining three days of the Hajj, the pilgrims continue the ritual stoning before performing the circumambulation of the Kaaba shrine in Mecca and heading home.

All Muslims are required to perform Hajj at least once in their lifetimes if they have the means to do so.

Detectives in separate drives on Monday arrested 10 people including an official of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in connection with forgery in the Dhaka University 'Kha' unit and Jagannath University admission tests and public service recruitment tests.

The fraudsters had provided admission seekers with answers in return for money, Moshiur Rahman, Additional Deputy Commissioner of the Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told reporters.

The arrestees were identified as ACC Assistant Inspector Mofizur Rahman, former officer of the National Bank Kafil Uddin Mahmud, BBA student of the American International University of Bangladesh Rafayet Sani, former DU students Abdullah Al Mamun of English Language (currently doing MBA at DU), Amitav Chowdhury Amit of Political Science, Nurul Huda aka Dollar Mahmud (Zia Hall, Room No. 103) of Journalism and Masscommunication, and Habibur Rahman Habib, fourth year JnU student of Economics, Rubel Biswas, fourth year JnU student, and Ishtiaque Ahmed Parash of Political Science and Sazzad Hossain of Microbiology of the same university.

They were produced before journalists at the Police Media Centre on Monday noon.

After the press conference, ACC's Assistant Inspector Mofiz told bdnews24.com that after the agreement, they provided examinees with a special kind of watches ranging from Tk 12,000 to Tk 14,000. Examinees could receive answers of questions inside the examination hall via short messaging facility in the watches.

Mofiz admitted to have provided answers by this method at several admission and selection tests in return for one lakh to one-and-a-half lakh taka.

Among the arrested, Rafayet Sani, Abdullah Al Mamun, Amitav Chowdhury Amit and Dollar Mahmud looked up answers of questions. Parash, Sazzad, Habib and Rubel were in charge of keeping regular correspondence with the examinees, while Mofiz and Kafil co-ordinated the entire activity.

"The gang of tricksters has committed fraud at several competitive examinations since 2009," said Additional Sub Commissioner Moshiur Rahman.

They had about a hundred mobile phones looking like watches in their possession and it had been established that they provided answers to about hundred examinees in each examination, said Moshiur.

They were arrested in raids conducted from Shahabagh to Khilgaon in the capital on Monday.

The forgery through the special watch first came to notice during the 'Ka' unit examination of the Jagannath University on Oct 12. Invigilators held one student who received a short message on the watch-cum-mobile shortly after examination began. An Awami League activist was also arrested when he tried to get the student freed.

Authorities later released them following intervention from the Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders.

Later, one examinee and two Awami League activists were arrested at the test for admission to the 'Kha' unit of the same university on Oct 19.

It was that day that detective police had held three people red-handed taking ransom for a Jagannath University examinee held captive in the Zia Hall of Dhaka University.

Private sector has vehemently opposed the government move to amend the company law to appoint administrators to rogue firms.

Top businessmen and their leaders held a meeting at Sonargaon Hotel in the capital on the issue and briefed the journalists as it concluded.

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry President A K Azad told reporters, "Even under the existing provisions, a court of law can appoint administrator to any business house, so there is no need to change the laws."

"Keeping the case of Destiny in mind, the government should not take hasty steps to amend the company law," Azad said.

Urging the government to dump the initiative to change the laws, the business leader said, "Businessmen are completely against this amendment. We don't want such laws. There is no need for this [amended] law."

The Commerce Ministry submitted a proposal at a Cabinet meeting on Monday to amend the company law provisions for appointment of administrators keeping the controversial multi-level marketing company Destiny in mind.

Azad said vested quarters would get a chance to misuse the law if it was amended.

"If the law applies only for the MLM business in our country, then we will give our opinion. But we will face harm if the law applies to all companies."

The meeting at Sonargaon Hotel was also attended by former FBCCI President Mir Naser, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) President Jahangir Alamin, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin and leaders of other business organisations.

Meanwhile, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed on Tuesday said at a programme in the capital the government would appoint administrators on six to seven grounds in line with the amended law it was set to bring.

According to the law, the board of directors of any company would be given 15 days to show their cause why an administrator should not be appointed to that company, he said.

"This law's goal is to protect the property, which the current law does not cover."

Commerce Secretary Ghulam Hossain, however, said on Monday that the Cabinet approved it in principle and sent it back to the ministry for further review.

"The Cabinet set two conditions – incorporation of a safety clause and vetting from law ministry – before tabling of the proposal again for final clearance," he said.

The government had no intention to use the laws for political purposes or to harass anybody, the Secretary said.

"The Cabinet instructed us to consult all stakeholders and the ministry is going to have its first meeting on Oct 30," he said.

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury on Wednesday came down heavily on Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia for not visiting Ramu upazila in Cox's Bazaar district to be at the side of the victims of the recent communal attacks.

"The Opposition Leader recently visited China and is scheduled to visit neighbouring India soon. But she didn't visit Ramu (that lies a short distance away)," she said.

She made the comment while distributing special VGF rice and winter clothes among the poor at Gouradar Union Parishad Bhavan of her electoral constituency in Nakla upazila in Sherpur district.

Incensed apparently by a Facebook posting of a photo defaming the Quran, religious fanatics destroyed 12 Buddhist temples and monasteries and more than 100 houses in Ramu, Ukhiya and Teknaf upazilas of Cox's Bazaar and Patiya upazila in Chittagong from Sep 29 night to noon the next day.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda strongly condemned the heinous attacks and had said that she would visit the scenes of the sectarian violence after her China visit.

The former prime Minister will pay a week-long visit to Indian from Oct 28 at the invitation of the Indian government.

Matia said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina could not visit the scene right away since she was in the US to attend the 67th United Nations General Assembly.

"But she had directed the Home Minister to visit the spots and strictly handle the situation. On her return, the Prime Minister went to Ramu and took measures to rehabilitee the victims, ensure their security and bring the culprits to justice."

The ruling Awami League leaders have been blaming local BNP lawmaker Lutfur Rahman Kajal of instigating the violence in Ramu 29. But the BNP says the ruling party intentionally makes such claims to wreak political vengeance on the opposition.

Matia, also an AL Presidium Council Member, said: "The Awami League doesn't believe in political revenge, but those who had looted and set ablaze the Buddhist households and monasteries are being captured through the video clips."

Indian media has splashed news about the upcoming visit of Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia to New Delhi from Oct 28 as she embarks on a diplomatic exercise to strengthen relations with the neighbour of Bangladesh.

Popular Indian daily Hindustan Times published a news on Oct 23 saying, "With New Delhi leaving no stone unturned to maintain the momentum in bilateral ties between India and Bangladesh, India will be hosting Begum Khaleda Zia."

Khaldea will be leaving for New Delhi on Oct 28 for a seven-day trip at the invitation of the Indian government and is scheduled to meet Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress party President Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, among others.

Hindustan Times said it was part of the strategy of the Indian government to maintain good relations with all key stakeholders in Bangladesh.

Daily News & Analysis newspaper reported on Oct 24, "The visit comes with just over a year left for general elections in Bangladesh, and a sharp decline in the popularity ratings of ruling Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina."

The paper said Teesta water sharing agreement and the Land Boundary Agreement were expected to take a major share of discussions.

Bangladesh and India failed to sign the Teesta interim agreement during the visit of Indian premier Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka in September last year due to strong opposition from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Both countries signed the Land Boundary Agreement in 1974 and Bangladesh ratified it the same year but India is yet to ratify it making it ineffective as the deal stipulates that it would not be effective until both parties ratify it.

The Times of India under a headline of "India reaches out to Khaleda Zia ahead of Bangladesh polls" reported, "While the BNP has always been known for its anti-India stance, New Delhi knows that it is imperative to at least make an attempt to mend fences with her in the run-up to the general elections slated to be held next year."

"New Delhi added value to its relationship with Dhaka but it knows that ties with BNP are crucial to make this process irreversible."

The Statesman reported that "Ms Zia's party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has always been regarded as favouring Pakistan over India but sources in the government said that they are hoping that Ms Zia's visit will help change that perception and help India develop closer ties with the BNP."

Three times Prime Minister, Khaldea Zia visited China from Oct 14 to 20 at the invitation of Chinese Communist Party. During the visit, she met members of the Chinese leadership including Chinese Vice President Xi Jingpin and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

all muslim brother pls take my salam.eid brings you all happiness. EID MUBARAK