BANGLADESH

The cabinet on Monday approved a trust fund aiming at providing scholarships to students across the country.
Chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the cabinet okayed the Prodhan Montri Shikhkha Sahayata Trust Fund, 2011 at a weekly meeting at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, prime minister’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said the fund will be handled under the education ministry.
He added that the PM made an announcement to create the trust fund last year and the money to finance it has been budgeted.
Anyone can donate money to the trust fund, said Kalam, adding that a tax waiver will be offered on the donated amount.
In another development, the cabinet rejected the amendment proposal of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Act, 1998.
The health ministry made the proposal of amending the act at the weekly meeting.

BMMSU authorities took the initiative to amend the act to introduce MBBS course in the university curriculum and their proposal was endorsed by the health ministry and proposed at the meeting.
But the PM rejected the proposal saying that the introduction of MBBS programme would hamper the research environment at the university, said the press secretary.

Clashes between police and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir activists have left at least 35 injured, including 15 police officials.

Police and witnesses said the incidents took place in two phases around 4pm on Sunday at the city's Zindabazar and Chouhatta intersections turning the locations into battlefields.

Sylhet Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner (North) Ijaj Ahmed said police fired several shots in the air and 25 rounds of teargas shell to disperse the activists and control the situation.

The clashes ensued when police blocked a procession of Jamaat and Chhatra Shibir activists demanding release of its central leaders, who are currently in jail on charges of crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of 1971.

Police charged baton and fired teargas shells a second time to stop them the procession that led to another fierce clash. Jamaat activists also hurled bricks at police.

Police arrested five people from the site – Obaidur Rahman Masud, Obaidul Haque, Shukur Ali, Touhid Ahmed and Oliur Rahman, police commissioner Amulya Bhushan Barua said.

The injured police officials were admitted to the Osmani Medical College and Hospital.

Mushfiqur Rahim, the Bangladesh wicketkeeper-batsman, has said that he will give his best if he is made the captain of the national team. He is touted to be Shakib Al Hasan's successor after the all-rounder was sacked from the captaincy last Monday along with vice-captain Tamim Iqbal.

Mushfiqur was the only remaining protagonist left to say his piece in the ongoing drama of Bangladesh cricket. So after Shakib, coach Stuart Law and Tamim had spoken, Mushfiqur's words, more due to his current standing in the team, were much awaited. And as it turned out, he was confident about the captaincy that is supposedly headed his way.

"I am also hearing it from the media but my main target is to perform well in the coming series against West Indies. As a team, we are also looking forward to the next assignment. I will try my best if it (captaincy) is coming my way," he said, reports ESPNcricinfo.

Mushfiqur emphasised the need for a team performance in the West Indies series next month, a theme that went missing on the recent tour of Zimbabwe. Bangladesh were expected to prevail against Zimbabwe, who were making their Test return after five years out of the format, but slid to an embarrassing 130-run loss in the only Test in Harare.

Bangladesh's misery continued in the five-match ODI series that followed, as they went down 0-3 before winning the dead rubbers.

"Our batting and fielding was poor and that was the reason behind the failure in Zimbabwe. I don't think there was anything else other than that behind the debacle.

"There were some individual performances but as a team we could not perform well, so our main target would be to perform well as a team against West Indies," said Mushfiqur, who added that discipline was never an issue.

"If you travel with other teams, you can understand how disciplined we are as a team. As our coach said, we are the most disciplined side both on and off the field."

And much like Tamim and the coach, Mushfiqur too praised the man who was removed from the captaincy.

"Shakib is our key player and it's always an advantage for a performer to lead the team. He was excellent as a captain and performed with the bat, ball and also he was superb in his fielding. He always motivated us as a captain."

The BNP chief has alleged that the government is serving the interests of India.

"Since the Awami League was not elected by the people's votes, but with the help of sacks of foreign (Indian) money, they are busy implementing the pledges they made," Khaleda Zia claimed on Sunday, alluding to the recent agreements signed with India.

Her statement had also an oblique reference to a recent article appearing in London-based magazine The Economist that said, "The Awami League, helped by bags of Indian cash and advice, triumphed in general elections in Bangladesh..." The article was vehemently protested by Dhaka.

During the visit of Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh on Sep 6-7, when the much-awaited Teesta deal was not signed, she expressed her disappointment over the matter during her courtesy meeting with Manmohan.

Speaking at a programme at her Gulshan office on Sunday, Khaleda said, "There is no development in the country but only corruption and loot. The lawmakers and ministers are plundering money.

"A country can't run this way. This government must be uprooted."

The gathering was organised on the occasion of the founding anniversary of Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal, BNP's women wing, on Sep 9.

The two-time prime minister also alleged that violence against women had increased since the present Grand Alliance government came to power.

"The government has been silent despite incidents of harassment of women at some educational institutions due to the involvement of many senior leaders of the ruling party."

She also held the ruling MPs and ministers responsible for the rundown roads and highways.

Regarding anti-government movement, Khaleda said, "We must hold protest programmes. I'll ask even the mothers and sisters to come out of their houses and help us in unseating the government."

The main opposition after a standing committee meeting on Saturday decided to hold discussions with its allies and like-minded arties before declaring anti-government agitations.

Dhaka, Sept 11 (bdnews24.com)—Pro-BNP lawyers' platform Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum has not come up with any evidence to substantiate its claim that former chief justice A B M Khairul Haque had delivered a key verdict for money.

But it has demanded that Haque return the money to the prime minister's relief fund and that he be brought to book.

At a press conference on Sunday, president of the lawyers' body Rafiqul Islam Mia also demanded an investigation committee headed by a former chief justice to determine if Khairul Haque, who was the fourth important person in the country as per the warrant of precedence, can be called a 'poor and destitute person' and whether his taking money was ethical.

The former top judge had taken Tk 1.16 million in two phases – before he become the chief justice on Sept 30 last year – to finance his wife's medical treatment.

Rafiqul said Khairul had taken money when he delivered verdicts in crucial cases. "It proves that he delivered the verdicts in exchange for money. Khaleda Zia also meant this."

On Thursday, general secretary of the organisation, Mahbubuddin Khokan said he would present proof on Sunday to back the claims of BNP chief Khaleda Zia, who on Aug 31 said that justice Khairul Haque gave the caretaker abolition verdict in exchange for money.

He was not present at the new call with the 'proof'.

Khairul Haque, as chief justice, headed the seven-strong Appellate Bench that ruled that the non-party provision ran contrary to the principles of democracy. But the bench recommended holding of next two elections under the caretakers.

As the immediate past chief justice he would have headed the 90-day interim, unelected caretaker cabinet if the Awami League government had gone ahead with the apex court recommendations.

The issue came to a head when attorney general Mahbubey Alam asked Khaleda to apologise to the nation and a parliamentary watchdog threatened legal action against her if she did not withdraw her remarks.

The law minister on Saturday said the comment from Khaleda was "not only contemptuous but also maligned the image of the judiciary".

On the other hand, BNP-controlled Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Khandker Mahbub Hossain the same day said judges taking money from the prime minister's relief fund was 'rare'.

Giving his take on the recent debate, Mahbub said, "The remarks by the opposition leader were political, she herself will clarify it."

BNP policymaker Nazrul Islam Khan earlier in the day terming his party chief's remark 'political rhetoric', said that the matter should not be taken to court.

When pointed out that Khairul Haque was not a chief justice when he had taken the money, the forum leaders could not give a clear answer.

They also placed a list of former judges who were given 'financial assistance' from the government funds.

The parliamentary standing committee on Sept 6 was also given a list having names of 31 judges, 27 of whom had taken money from the prime minister's welfare fund and four others from the relief fund.