BANGLADESH

Railway Minister Suranjit Sengupta today said he fired his assistant private secretary (APS) and ordered suspension of two railway officials and the

department's ongoing recruitment process as investigations were underway into the last week's midnight cash scandal.

Speaking at an unscheduled press briefing at his office, for the second time in three days, Sengupta also reiterated his earlier stance about the possible resignation saying, he would not hesitant to quit if investigations found his involvement in the scam.

"I told you earlier, it is not a big thing for a politician to earn a position and it is also to quit it," he said.

He said he fired his APS Omar Faruq as "I have the power to sack my APS" while the ministry suspended railway general manager Yusuf Ali Mridha and divisional commandant of its security force Enamul Huq on the basis of their statements before an investigation committee.

Sengupta said the trio would face departmental and judicial cases to be filed under the Government Servants (Discipline and Appeal) Rules 1985 while officials familiar with the situation said Mridha and Haque were asked not leave Dhaka until further orders.

The development came hours after Mridha and Haque appeared before an investigation committee of the ministry as summoned for their statements while Faruq apparently preferred to ignore the summon as he did not appear for the committee headed by a joint secretary.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Bank officials said they were set to issue a directive asking all commercial banks to freeze Faruq's bank accounts and examine the accounts of the two others.

In a related development Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) today said it launched an investigation into the Monday night's scandal and the alleged "recruitment trade" in the railway ministry.

According to earlier reports Sengupta's official aide and the two railway officials were going to the minister's residence at around midnight Monday when their car driver suddenly pulled the vehicle over to the high security Border Guard Bangladesh's (BGB) Pilkhana headquarters where he told the border guards that there was stashes of bribe money inside the car.

An amount said to be as high as Taka 70 lakh with no known source of origin, was reportedly found in their possession but the border guards freed them along with the amount next morning after overnight grilling.

Meanwhile, approached by newsmen as he came out after giving statements before the committee, Mridha said the said amount did not belong to him and he was ready to face investigations of any kind about the allegations.

Sengupta, a veteran parliamentarian and senior leader of ruling Awami League, earlier said he had no link to the said stash of money and feared an organized gang

deliberately was orchestrating a campaign to dislodge him as he spearheads a campaign to uproot "40 years of accumulated anomalies and corruption in the railway".

Celebrated British journalists Sir William Mark Tully and Simon Dring will reminisce on their experiences during Bangladesh's War of Independence at a programme on Monday.

One of the organisers, business leader Annisul Huq told bdnews24.com: "The two foreign journalists will start telling us about their war-time experiences from 7:30pm at Hotel Sonargaon."

Sir Mark Tully was BBC's India correspondent in 1971 and is still one of Britain's favourite broadcasters. During the war, the news media controlled by the then Pakistani junta used to carry out coverage for the military and their affiliates. Mark Tully's coverage of the war on BBC radio was the people's chief source of authentic information.

Covering the Liberation War of Bangladesh was a high point in Sir Mark's career; that he did extensively for the BBC and had the fortune to watch founding father of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from close quarters.

London-based Daily Telegraph's war correspondent Simon Dring was the first person who flashed out to the world the genocide carried out by the Pakistani forces on the Bengalis when Operation Searchlight was launched on the night of Mar 25, 1971.

All foreign correspondents and journalists had already been expelled from Dhaka by the military authorities and Dring was one of three correspondents who at the risk of their lives managed to stay in hiding – the other two being Arnold Zeitlin and Michael Laurent.

On Mar 31, Telegraph published Dring's eyewitness account of Operation Searchlight. Datelined Dhaka it was called "How Dhaka paid for a united Pakistan" and Dring's account of the army's attack on Dhaka University was horrifying and shocking but vivid and factual.

Business groups Mohammadi Group and Ha-Meem Group of current FBCCI president A K Azad, are sponsoring the programme titled 'Smriti 71'.

Sector commander and former army chief retired Maj Gen K M Shafiullah would be joining the two journalists in reflecting on the tumultuous days.

"We have invited all MPs, cabinet members, journalists and businessmen," Annisul Huq of Mohammadi Group said.

None without invite will be allowed, added the former FBCCI chief.

The programme, however, will be broadcast live on Desh Television and can be watched also on bdnews24.com.

Toufique Imrose Khalidi, editor-in-chief of the Bangladesh's first Internet newspaper, will moderate the programme.

Anyone can send their queries to the guests to this email address – smriti71@bdnews24.com

A previous attempt to bring the duo together to hear their stories was cancelled due to Sir Mark's illness.

Sir Mark, who reported the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the Bhopal gas tragedy and the destruction of the Babri Mosque by Hindu fanatics at Ayodhya, was awarded one of India's highest honours, the Padma Bhushan.

He will meet prime minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence Ganabhaban before the programme.

Apart from the Bengali-speaking people across the country, foreigners also celebrated Pahela Baishakh, marking the advent of Bengali New Year, amid fanfare, festivity and gaiety.

They rushed to Ramna Batamul, the main venue of the celebrations, Suhrawardy Udyan, Shahbagh, Dhaka University campus and other programme venues in the city and elsewhere in the country to hail the New Year 1419.

Talking to bdnews24.com on the celebrations of the Bengali New Year, Eric Woods, an education expert of the Commonwealth International, said, "Festivity is all around which is very fascinating."

"Though I'm not a Bangladeshi national, the festival has touched my heart."

Jehoma Gerson, a Dutch tourist who has come to Bangladesh for the first time, said, "It appears that I'm in my own country. In our country, we celebrate Queen's Day in the second week of April. We wear colourful dresses and enjoy throughout the day."

Two Belgium nationals – Gym Ross and Pierre Martin – who have been in Dhaka for the last one year took part in the Mongol Shobha Jatra, one of the major attractions of the Baishakhi celebration in the city brought out by the students and teachers of the Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) of Dhaka University.

Asked about their reaction, they said, "Excellent, we've enjoyed the whole arrangement very much."

An Argentinean couple Diego Augustine and Ursula Augustine who have come to Bangladesh three weeks back said, "Today, everything is very colourful. We've are enjoying it very much."

British national Bob McIntosh who has been in Bangladesh as project advisor of a non-government organisation said he is overwhelmed by the fun and frolic around.

"It never thought there could be such beautiful art work here," he added.

After seeing colour combinations used in the Mongol Shobha Jatra of the Fine Arts faculty of Dhaka University, he said the folk culture of the country is very rich.

Rebecca Parton and Loyen Hertz, two students of Vermont University and Chicago University of the USA, said in broken Bangla: "Shubho Nababarsha".

Rebecca said, "It's our first time in Bangladesh. We feel the people of the country are very friendly and cordial."

"I come to see Mongol Shobha Jatra every year during the celebrations of Pahela Boishakh. It feels good to come here," said Taiko Mitsuhashi, an official of Japanese embassy in Dhaka, who has been here for the last three years.

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on Saturday gunned down a Bangladeshi cattle trader along Chapainawabganj border.

Lt Col Jahangir Hossain, commander of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) 39 Battalion in Chapainawabganj, said the shooting took place at Chowka border of Shibganj upazila early in the morning.

The deceased was identified as Faruk Hossain, 25, son of Jasim Uddin from Parchowka village in the upazila.

Faruk died on the spot when BSF members of 125 Battalion of Shabdelpur fired on Bangladeshi cattle traders who were returning to Bangladesh from India with cattle around 5:30am, the BGB battalion commander said.

"BSF took away Faruk's body. Others fled the scene," Jahangir added.

He said BGB has sent a letter asking the BSF to return the body.

On Apr 4, another Bangladeshi was killed by BSF along Shingnagar border in Chapainawabganj.

Bangladeshis are celebrating the Bengali New Year 1419 amid festivity, gaiety and fanfare on Saturday, the first day of Baishakh.

After Chhayanat's programme at Ramna Batamul at dawn and Fine Arts Institute's Mongol Shobha Jatra, the central attractions of the celebration, people spread to Shahbagh, Ramna and Dhaka University.

Those who failed to attend the programmes in the morning were seen thronging Shahbagh, the centre of celebrations, wearing colourful dresses. Most of the women seen on the city streets wore white sarees with red borders while men wore red and white fatua or panjabee.

Vendors were selling traditional food items, masks and toys. People were seen buying something or the other at the fair.

Dhaka University's Bengali Department organised a programme in front of the Arts Building, Music Department and Kendrio Khelaghar Asor at Bot-Tola and Philosophy Department at Amtola.

A concert started on Mall Square of DU around 12:30pm.

Two other concerts were held at Muhsin Hall ground and Kendrio Khelaghar ground in the afternoon.

Wrishij, a cultural group, held a musical programme in front of the Shishupark in the morning.

Programmes are also being held at Rabindra Sarobor in Dhanmondi.

People from a broad spectrum of society started to assemble at Ramna Park, the prime venue of the festival, since early in the morning.

Celebrations began with Pahela Baishakh's central attraction, Chhayanat's cultural programme, at 6:15am at Ramna Batamul in the capital, which is not only the heart of the celebration but also a symbol of protest against oppression.

The artists sang Raga Bhairab at the beginning and then Rabindra Sangeet – Purbo Gogon Bhage.

They presented other songs of Rabindranath Tagore, national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam, Atul Prasad Sen, Rajanikanta Sen, Shah Abdul Karim, Lalon Shah, Torab Ali Shah, Gyan Prokash Ghosh and others.

bdnews24.com broadcast live Chhayanat's programme from Ramna Batamul.

After the programme that ended at 9:15am with the national anthem Amar Sonar Bangla, another unique attraction of the celebration known as 'Mongol Shobha Jatra' started from in front of the Fine Arts Institute of Dhaka University.

In keeping with the past, the institute once again organised a procession on this year's theme – the maritime boundary dispute victory and demand to speed up the trials of the war criminals.

The rally commenced from the Fine Arts Institute's 'Bokultala' premises with masks and papier-mâché. It ended at the same place after parading through streets of Ruposhi Bangla Hotel, Shahbagh intersection, TSC and the university campus.

A 40-feet boat with a peacock figurehead from the fairytale symbolised the 'victory of sea' in the rally.

Two monster-like structures symbolising the war criminals of the Liberation War of 1971 were carried seeking pace in the ongoing trial for war crimes.

Apart from these, artefacts like elephants, horses, tigers and a bird with the appearance of a leaf were also part of the rally.

The Shobha Jatra offered everything — fun, entertainment, beauty, grandeur, eye-soothing images and thought-provoking messages.

The origin of Pahela Baishakh can be traced back to the Mughal period when Emperor Akbar introduced the Bangla calendar to streamline tax collection. In the course of time, it became a part of Bengali culture and tradition.

The name 'Baishakh' is derived from the name of a star 'Bishakha'. On that day Akbar used to go to his subjects and distribute sweets among them.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have installed 40 close-circuit TV cameras and police 76 more to keep an eye on the trouble-makers. Police have also set up road blockades and check-posts at 20 points across the capital.

A statement from the RAB headquarters said on Friday some 4,500 members of the elite force would be deployed across the country, including 2,000 personnel at different points in and around the city to ensure security.

The government on Tuesday rolled out Tk 350 million worth of incentives in seeds and fertiliser for 355,000 small and marginal farmers of 56 districts to promote Aush production.

Under the package, each farmer will get 8 kg of seed of Nerica – the New Rice For Africa, a high yielding variety – or 5 kg of Ufsi homegrown hybrid seeds and 36 kg fertiliser –16 kg of urea, 10 kg of Diammonium Phosphate and 10 kg of muriate of potash (MoP) for one bigha of land.

Agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury announced the incentives at a press briefing in Dhaka.

She said the government set a target to cultivate Aush paddy on nearly 48,966 hectares of land in 56 districts in the current financial year. The production target is at 2.5 million metric tonnes which was 2.33 metric tonnes last year.

The minister said the programme will also require around 1890 tonnes of seeds, 5685 tonnes urea and 7106 tonnes of non-urea fertilisers like DAP and MoP.

She was hopeful that the slew of incentives would help to raise additional Aush output by 120,000 tonnes.

The total area for Aush cultivation has been fixed at 1.15 million hectares during this year, which was 1.13 million hectares in 2011.

The government provided incentives worth Tk 349.3 million for the first time in 2011 which had helped an additional 100,000 tonnes of rice in the past year.

Agriculture secretary Manzur Hossain and high officials of Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) and the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) were present at the briefing

Railway minister Suranjit Sengupta suspended his assistant personal secretary on Wednesday, a day after he was found moving in a car with unaccounted for Tk 7mn in cash.

Minister's personal secretary Akhtaruzzaman confirmed that a suspension order has already been issued to APS Omar Faruq.

Faruq has been put under suspension with effect from Wednesday morning.

Soon after recovery of money, the minister had blamed the driver for the whole incident. He had said that the driver tried to 'blackmail and hijack' Faruq while returning home with the cash.

Border Guards Bangladesh had found the money in the car carrying Faruq and general manager of Railway Division (East) Yusuf Ali Mridha at Zigatola in the wee hours of Tuesday. The only other person in the car was the driver.

However, they were released later and the law-enforcers remained tight-lipped on the incident.

Since the recovery, the minister, who took over the newly-created railways ministry barely five months back, has faced widespread criticism.

Newspapers reported that the money was taken as bribe for making appointment in the ministry.

Former vice president of Bangladesh Chhatra League's Janagirnagar University unit, Faruq hails from Sunamganj.

Telecom regulator BTRC has awarded three different types of licences to 78 companies to operate in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission chairman Zia Ahmed handed over the licences to the representatives of the firms at a programme at the commission's conference room on Thursday.

"The telecom operators have some call-sharing issues with the companies who just got the licences. We will sit with everyone and solve the issues," he said.

The operators, who are already in the business, have been opposing the government move to allow so many companies in the telecom sector saying 'this would upset the balance in the telecommunication market'.

BTRC sent letters to 82 firms on Mar 8 asking them to collect their licences after the post and telecommunications ministry finalised a list of 85 licence seekers. Of them, 78 companies paid the licence fees until Wednesday.

Cash-strapped Bangladesh will get about $1 billion in extended credit facility from IMF after swallowing a not-so-sweet reform prescription from the global lender.

The IMF executive board approved the three-year ECF of SDR 639.96 million (about $987 million) and it would immediately disburse $141 million, says a media statement of the IMF Thursday.

In an instant reaction the central bank governor Atiur Rahman described IMF's credit approval as a welcome development for Bangladesh.

"Other donors will now show positive attitude towards Bangladesh after IMF's credit approval. As a result, it will have a positive impact on foreign investment," Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman said.

"Using the loan, the balance of payment problem can be handled, which would advance Bangladesh in international credit rating, and promote country's image in the international arena."

Bangladesh has been negotiating with IMF for over a year to get the loan under the ECF arrangement to cope with the on-going balance of payments problem that stood at negative $978 million in Jul-Nov period of the current fiscal.

It was negative $584 million at the same period of the last fiscal.

Even after a series of power price hikes as prescribed by it, the IMF sounded far from happy over the pace of such action.

"Prolonged delays in adjusting fuel, electricity, and fertilizer prices and unanticipated increases in import-related costs could exert additional pressure on the fiscal and external positions," the IMF said.

The ECF arrangement is designed to helping efforts to "restore macroeconomic stability, strengthen the external position, and engender higher, more inclusive growth".

After the board's discussion of Bangladesh, Naoyuki Shinohara, Deputy Managing Director and acting Chair, said: "Macroeconomic pressures have intensified in Bangladesh since late 2010 due to a negative terms-of-trade shock, rising oil and infrastructure-related imports, and accommodative policies."

"During the programme period," the IMF statement said, "Bangladesh is committed to taking actions to create fiscal space, reinvigorate the financial sector, and catalyse additional resources, in order to boost social- and development-related spending, tackle power shortages and the infrastructure deficit, and stimulate export-oriented investment and job growth.

"Bangladesh will undertake reform programmes in four major areas to ensure macroeconomic stability, external viability, and sustained growth.

"The reform areas are fiscal policy, monetary and exchange rate policy, financial sector and trade and investment."

Bangladesh, according to the IMF, has been facing macroeconomic pressures over the past 18 months when balance of payments went into a deficit in the last fiscal and reserves declined significantly owing mainly to increased demand for oil imports.

The IMF projected that GDP growth is expected to slow to 5.5 percent in the current fiscal.

"Fiscal strains have emerged due to rising subsidy costs, mainly on account of higher fuel consumption while headline inflation, while moderating recently, remains at an elevated level, with nonfood inflation the main driver."

Growth rebound expected

The IMF projected that from the next fiscal, growth is likely to rebound, assuming stable domestic economic conditions; more effective resource usage, notably development partner support; and improved global economic conditions.

It, however, said the near- to medium-term outlook "hinges on timely progress on policy adjustments and structural reforms envisaged under the government's programme".

"Inflation is expected to decline to single digits by end 2012 through appropriately restrained fiscal and monetary policies and, over time, by a further easing of supply constraints."

"The overall BOP is projected to return to a surplus in FY13 through a combination of policy tightening measures, exchange rate flexibility, and more supportive global conditions.

"Reserves are programmed to rise, reaching nearly three months of import cover by FY15.

Risks

While the delays in "adjusting" the utility prices and "unanticipated increases in import costs" put pressure on the fiscal and external positions, the IMF sees better days ahead.

"Bangladesh's medium-term prospects are broadly favorable, but still subject to risks. Policy buffers are limited in the event of adverse real shocks, given heightened inflation and reserve losses," it said.

Adjustments and reforms also require strengthened implementation capacity, it added.

After the board's discussion of Bangladesh, Naoyuki Shinohara, Deputy Managing Director and acting Chair, said: "Macroeconomic pressures have intensified in Bangladesh since late 2010 due to a negative terms-of-trade shock, rising oil and infrastructure-related imports, and accommodative
policies."

He said more recently, a weakening in external demand and a surge in oil prices have further weakened Bangladesh's balance of payments and added to fiscal and inflationary pressures.

Bangladesh is focusing on policy adjustments and structural reforms aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability, strengthening the external position, and promoting higher, more inclusive growth.

"The authorities are committed to these objectives and stand ready to take additional measures, as appropriate, to ensure the success of the programme."

Bangladesh earlier took US$590 million under poverty reduction growth facility approved in 2003.

ইন্দোনেশিয়ার সুমাত্রায় ৮ দশমিক ৭ মাত্রার প্রবল ভূমিকম্পের পর বাংলাদেশসহ ভারত মহাসাগর সংলগ্ন দেশগুলোর জন্য সুনামি সতর্কতা জারি করা হয়েছে।

সুমাত্রার স্থানীয় সময় ৩টা ৩৮ মিনিটে এই ভূমিকম্পের পর বাংলাদেশের রাজধানী ঢাকাসহ বিভিন্ন স্থানে কয়েক দফা মৃদু ভূকম্পন অনুভূত হয়।

যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের ভূতাত্ত্বিক জরিপ দপ্তর- ইউএসজিএসের তথ্য অনুযায়ী, সুমাত্রার ভূমিকম্পনের কেন্দ্র ছিল বান্দা আচেহ থেকে ৪৩৪ কিলোমিটার দক্ষিণ-পশ্চিমে উত্তর সুমাত্রার পশ্চিম উপকূলে।

এর পরপরই প্যাসিফিক সুনামি ওয়ার্নিং সেন্টার থেকে ভারত মহাসাগর সংলগ্ন দেশগুলোর জন্য সুনামি সতর্কতা জারি করা হয়। বাংলাদেশসহ ইন্দোনেশিয়া, ভারত, শ্রীলংকা, অস্ট্রেলিয়া মিয়ানমার, থাইল্যান্ড, যুক্তরাজ্য, মালয়শিয়া, মরিশাস, মৌরতানিয়া, পাকিস্তান, সোমালিয়া, ওমান, মাদাগাস্কার, ইরান, আরব আমিরাত, ইয়েমেন, তানঞ্জানিয়া, মোজাম্বিক, কেনিয়া, সাউথ আফ্রিকা, সিঙ্গাপুরসহ আরো কয়েকটি দেশের জন্য এ সতর্কতা জারি করা হয়।

সুমাত্রার ভূমিকম্পের পর বাংলাদেশেও কয়েক দফা মৃদু ভুমিকম্প অনুভূত হয়েছে বলে জানান ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের আর্থ অবজারভেটরির তত্ত্বাবধায়ক অধ্যাপক হুমায়ুন আক্তার।

তিনি জানান, সুমাত্রার ভূমিকম্পের কম্পনই বাংলাদেশ থেকে অনুভূত হয়েছে। বাংলাদেশে এর মাত্রা ছিল রিখটার স্কেলে ৩ দশমিক ৮।

তাৎক্ষণিকভাবে ক্ষয়ক্ষতির কোনো খবর পওয়া যায়নি।

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre says a tsunami watch has been issued for the entire Indian Ocean, including Bangladesh after an earthquake on Wednesday.

The alert also affects Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, Myanmar, Thailand, Maldives, Malaysia, Pakistan and Singapore.

India has issued a tsunami watch for the Andaman Islands and its eastern coast.

Mild tremors shook parts of Bangladesh including Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet around 2:45pm following an 8.7-magnitude earthquake off the west coast of northern Sumatra.

Dhaka University's earth observatory's caretaker professor Humayun Akhter said, "The tremor in Bangladesh resulted from the earthquake in Sumatra. The tremor registered a 3.8 magnitude on the Richter scale."

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake was detected about 33-km deep in the ocean, some 495 kilometres south-west of Banda Aceh, Sumatra.

USGS said earthquakes of this size "have the potential to generate a widespread destructive tsunami that can affect coastlines across the entire Indian Ocean Basin".

The quake was felt as far away as Singapore, Thailand, India and Bangladesh.

The region was devastated by a 2004 tsunami that killed about 230,000 people in 13 nations.

The primary education board has published the merit list of 42,611 candidates to be appointed as assistant teachers in the non-government (registered) primary schools.

A media statement from the board said on Sunday that assistant teachers would be appointed from among the candidates based on the merit position.

"The merit list has been prepared based on the marks obtained by the candidates in the written and viva tests," the statement said.

According to the concerned schools' management committee regulations, teachers would be appointed against vacancy based on the merit list," the statement added.

The recruitment test took place on Dec 9, 2010 under the primary education board.

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) has estimated the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) failed to count 3.97 percent of the population in the 2011 census.

"The error is lower than the 2001 census when 4.98 percent people were left out," director-general Dr Mustafa K Mujeri said as he disclosed the results of the post-enumeration check at his office on Monday

The preliminary results of the Population and Housing Census 2011 released on July 16 last year showed Bangladesh's total population at 142.319 million on Mar 15, the census night.

To eliminate the error, BIDS was assigned the task of post-enumeration check to determine the coverage and content errors of the census.

If the undercount is adjusted in the preliminary results, the number of population will be 5.7 million more.

"But the number will be even more once we finalise the final results of the census," BBS director-general Md Shahjahan Ali Mollah said, adding they will be able to produce the final results by June.

"We will adjust this 3.97 percent in the final count," he said.

Bangladesh has a long history of census. The first one was conducted in 1872. Since then census has been conducted every 10 years.

After independence, the first population and housing census was held in 1974, when the preliminary results projected country's population at 71.48 million. The adjusted population was 76.40 million.

The final results of the census will provide population size, growth, composition and distribution of the projection of food, education, infrastructure, employment, healthcare and assessment of other basic requirements as well as analysis of past, present and future growth of population.

According to Election Commission rules, it is mandatory to update the electoral rolls based on census results.

Since many raised questions about the 'competence' of BBS to hold the census, the BIDS was assigned for the first time for the task.

According to BIDS director general, they had collected samples from 33,600 households of 280 enumeration areas from last year's Apr 10-14. The number of enumeration areas was 296,718 during the Census.

"We have retrained experienced enumerators of BBS who worked during the census to collect data. They were assigned in areas different from those covered during the main census," Mujeri said.

Of the 280 areas, 140 were taken from rural areas while 20 from upazilla headquarters, 60 from municipalities and as many from city corporations.

People of the municipal areas missed out the most, 5.26 percent, while it was lowest in city Corporation and rural areas, 3.85 percent and 3.79 percent respectively.

Mujeri said it was usual that many people would be left unaccounted for in any census in the world. "The post-check helps to adjust the number."

The preliminary results of the fifth census last year also showed 964 people live in every square kilometre in Bangladesh with an almost equal number of males and females.

It also suggested that the population was growing at a rate of 1.34 percent annually, 0.24 percentage points decline from the 2001's 1.58 percent.

The growth rate put Bangladesh in the fourth spot in the region's lower population growing countries after Thailand, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.

At 2.1 percent, Sylhet has the highest growth rate followed by Dhaka at 1.8 percent and Chittagong 1.4 percent, while Barisal's population growth rate is zero.

With 8,111 people living every square kilometre, Dhaka is the most densely-populated district, while Bandarban is at the other extreme with only 86 people every square kilometre.

The number of households stands at 32.068 million, with average 4.4 people constituting one household.

The BBS director general on Monday said the US Census Bureau provided them with modern software and scanners, while the European Union and UNFPA are giving financial assistance, apart from those coming from the government.

The enumerators went door to door to collect data from people who stayed in Bangladesh during that period. At night, they counted floating people.

Foreigners who stayed during that time in Bangladesh were also counted, as they used 'de facto census' method. But the results did not present any count of foreigners in the country.

Although the telecom regulator formed a special team almost three months back to crack down on cyber crimes, it is yet to devise a way to pass on cyber crime-related information to the team.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) formed the 11-member Bangladesh Computer Security Incident Response Team (BD-CSIRT) on Jan 25 to curb cyber crimes.

The team is tasked to mark websites with contents that could spread social, political, religious or national hatred.

But the people are yet to know to whom and where to contact to lodge a complaint, as BRTC has not provided name of any website or an email address, thus forcing them to knock at the doors of the court of law for blocking objectionable websites and web pages.

Giasuddin Ahmed, vice-chairman of the commission, who heads the team drawn from commission members, on Monday told that a website and an email address for the purpose will be made available soon.

"CSIRT members will sit in a meeting soon to discuss it," he added.

Ahmed said: "The website and email address will be disclosed soon after the meeting so that the internet users can make complaints directly to the telecom regulator."

BRTC had to act after the High Court on Mar 21 ordered authorities concerned to block five Facebook pages and a website for hurting people's religious sentiments, and identify the people behind them.

The regulator formed the team days after the army said it had foiled an attempted coup by hardline former and serving officers, who used internet and mobile phones to communicate with each other and to provoke others to join the move.

Earlier, a university teacher had in his Facebook status wished death to the prime minister, leading to much uproar.

According to the law, people accused of committing cyber crime may be sentenced to two to five years in jail and fined from Tk 500,000 to Tk 50 million if found guilty.

Abul Kalam Azad, better known as 'Bachchu Razakar', has fled the country and is headed for Pakistan to evade arrest on war crimes charges, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) said on Monday.

Quoting his sons, RAB said he crossed the border to India.

RAB media wing director M Suhayel told : "His two sons and brother-in-law told us that he fled to India through Dinajpur's Hili border. His destination is Pakistan."

His sons and brother-in-law have been detained by RAB on Monday, he said.

'Bachchu Razakar' left Dhaka on Mar 30 and entered India on Apr 2, Suhayel said family members told them.

The RAB official said Bachchu Razakar travelled by road to cross the border at Hilli in Dinajpur and entered India on Apr 2, a day before the International Crime Tribunal ordered his arrest on war crimes charges.

A former National University teacher named Dr. Yusuf drove Bachchu to the border in his car, RAB said.

The RAB spokesperson said an hotelier named Abul Kashem Azad, who is a friend of Bachchu Razakar, gave him shelter at Hilli before he crossed the border.

RAB said they arrested Azad on Monday.

Law enforcers, however, could not arrest the teacher who helped Bachchu to reach the border.

RAB organised a media briefing on Bachchu Razakar's escape later on Monday night. His two sons – Shah Mohammad Faisal Azad and Abul Kashem Muhammad Mushfiq Billah Zihad – and brother-in-law Kazi Ehteshamul Haque were produced before the reporters there.

Zihad, in RAB custody, told reporters that his father was taken to the Hili border on Mar 30 night from Yusuf's Agargaon residence. Bachchu Razakar had been lying on the back seat of a black car during the journey.

"After he reached India, he talked with my maternal uncle (Ehtesham) through mobile phone on Apr 3. He then came to know that an arrest warrant was issued against him," Zihad said.

Zihad said his father informed Ehtesham that he was safe in India.

International Crime Tribunal-2 issued arrest warrant against Bachchu Razakar on Apr 3 for 'collaborating with the Pakistan occupation forces and committing excesses during the Liberation War in 1971'.

Police conducted raids at various places to arrest him, but failed to find him.

After failing to find Bachchu Razakar in a drive at his Uttarkhan residence, assistant commissioner of Detective Branch of police Sunanda Roy on Apr 3 told reporters he could flee as their were weaknesses in watch.

However, Suhayel on Monday said, "He didn't leave the country legally. And the border is a huge area. So, it was not possible to keep a watch on the whole border."

RAB detained Bachchu Razakar's sons and his brother-in-law from old Dhaka and they will be produced in court on Tuesday, RAB media wing director Suhayel said.

Meanwhile, Bachchu Razakar's daughter on Monday sought an order from High Court asking police to produce her two brothers and uncle alleging they were picked up by law-enforcers on Apr 6 early morning.

The court fixed Tuesday for hearing the appeal.

Dhaka Stock Exchange authorities believe that the High Court rule, which seeks explanation on a Securities and Exchange Commission order that makes holding two percent shares by directors mandatory, will not impact trading in the capital market.

Soon after the High Court issued the rule on Sunday, DSE called an emergency meeting where it was decided that the trading would be stopped, but later they changed their mind.

DSE president Rakibur Rahman, after the meeting, urged the investors not to panic over the High Court ruling.

DSE officials will sit with attorney general Mahbubey Alam at 9am on Monday to discuss the SEC order, Rakibur said. "The SEC direction will have to be implemented."

DSE director Ahsanul Islam also expressed hope that the rule will not impact the market.

The central bank on Sunday approved six more private banks, with names of ruling party leaders associated with each of them in one way or the other.

Bangladesh Bank deputy governor S K Shur Chowdhury told journalists about the decision after a meeting of the central bank board, presided by governor Atiur Rahman.

However, the central bank has made it mandatory for the new banks that they keep most of their branches outside Dhaka.

The new private banks are – Union Bank, Midland Bank, Madhumati Bank, Farmers Bank, South Bangla Agriculture and Commerce Bank, and Meghna Bank.

Of the new approvals, Farmers Bank is proposed to be chaired by Awami League presidium member and MP Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir.

Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, an Awami League MP and the prime minister's nephew, had applied for Madhumati Bank. Humayun Kabir has been named chairman of the bank.

Prime minister's income tax adviser M Moniruzaman Khondokar recommended licence for Midland Bank.

The application for Union Bank names one Shahidul Alam as the bank's chairman and one of the sponsors is Golam Mosih, a presidium member of HM Ershad-led Jatiya Party. Rumours have it that Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad is the key person behind this bank.

Ruling party MPs H N Ashikur Rahman and Nasrul Hamid applied for Meghna Bank with Rahman as its chairman. Both head two parliamentary standing committees.

South Bangla Agriculture and Commerce Bank has S M Amzad Hossain as its chairman, while Dhaka University teacher and Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee leader Abdul Mannan Chowdhury is one of the sponsors.

CONTROVERSY & CRITICISM

The move to allow more private banks has drawn criticism for several quarters. Critics say the decision is 'politically motivated', especially in view of the ruling party leaders associated with them.

Replying to criticism, finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith had earlier said that "approving new banks is solely a matter of government's political wish".

The board resumed its meeting at 1:30 pm on Sunday to decide the fate of applications, according to the deputy governor.

"The proposals are being scrutinised in detail," he had said last week.

Asked whether the new banks were cleared on political considerations, Shur on Sunday said, "All of them who got their bank proposals cleared are citizens of Bangladesh."

"The decision to give licenses to the six banks was taken after scrutiny in detail," he reiterated. "No political consideration worked there."

CONDITIONS

The new banks were given clearance with certain conditions, Shur said.

The conditions lay down that the new banks will have to submit their commercial plan to the central bank within six months and deposit Tk 4 billion as paid-up capital before starting operations.

The new banks will have to have 'white-money' as capital, Shur said.

The banks will also have to set up most of their branches outside Dhaka, he said, adding, "The move to set up headquarters outside Dhaka will be encouraged."

The Bangladesh Bank on Apr 4 approved three banks sponsored by non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs).

Promoters of two NRB banks, US-based Nizam Chowdhury and UK expatriate Iqbal Ahmed, had proposed identical names for their NRB banks.

They proposed naming their bank as NRB Bank Limited. But the central bank said the name would be changed through discussion.

Another US expat Farashat Ali proposed his bank to be christened as NRB Commerce Bank Ltd.

The board had, however, not been able to give go-ahead to new private banks for which it had received as many as 37 applications. It had adjourned the meeting to Sunday.

On Sep 27 last year, Bangladesh Bank issued a circular seeking applications for new banks. Interested entrepreneurs were asked to apply by Nov 30, along with a Tk 1-million non-refundable deposit.

A condition was also attached to keep loan defaulters at bay.

Other conditions to apply included a paid-up capital of Tk 4 billion, holding of a maximum 10 percent share by an individual sponsor, keeping not more than 13 members in the board and providing the bank capital from the investors' assets or income as declared in the income tax statement.

The list had been sent to the Prime Minister's Office and the finance ministry, and then returned to the central bank after further scrutiny.

Even as the probable date for signing a memorandum of understanding with Malaysia on the Padma bridge project funding has been finalised, the finance minister would not yet rule out the possibility of funding by the World Bank-led donor agencies.

"The Malaysian government has expressed its interest in constructing the Padma bridge project. The MoU might be signed on Apr 10. But there're no condition as such to cancel agreements with the World Bank and other donor agencies if the MoU is signed with Malaysia," Abul Maal Abdul Muhith said at an interview with on Saturday.

The finance minister said signing of an MoU for something is merely an expression of mutual interest by the parties concerned and there are several steps to follow. "What exactly they want to do regarding the Padma bridge, what we want... all this is yet to be finalised," he said.

"How can we (the government) cancel the agreement with the World Bank now?" he asked.

It has not been finalised yet how much the Malaysian government would contribute to the project, he added.

"MoU is going to be signed with Malaysia, let it happen. We will continue our talks to resolve the deadlock with the World Bank," Muhith said.

"We will take necessary decisions needed at right time."

Communications minister Obaidul Quader is scheduled to go to Malaysia on Sunday night to sign the MoU.

The Malaysian government had earlier said the MoU signing on the Padma bridge with Bangladesh would take place on Feb 21.

The Malaysian cabinet has already approved financing for the project in principle.

The communications minister told newsmen on Saturday, "I'm going to Malaysia on Sunday. MoU is likely to be signed."

He added that it is merely "first phase of the agreement".

In last October, the global lender had suspended a $1.2-billion loan to the government for the $2.9-billion mega project alleging corruption.

Apart from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) has pledged $610 million, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) $400 million and Islamic Development Bank $140 million as loan for construction of the bridge.

The Anti Corruption Commission, however, on Jan 2 said its investigation found no tangible evidence of corruption in the Padma project. The anti-graft body also claimed that it did not find any proof of corruption against then communications minister Syed Abul Hossain.

Hossain was shifted to the newly-created information communication technology (ICT) ministry last year amid the allegations.

Last week, the World Bank, after probing the alleged irregularities in the bidding for Bangladesh's biggest infrastructure project, temporarily suspended a unit of the Canadian company SNC-Lavalin from participating in tenders of WB-funded projects.

Within hours of a parliamentary standing committee proposing formulation of a law to regulate multilevel marketing (MLM) business, the central bank on Sunday warned people against investing in unapproved banking institutions.

In a media statement signed by managing director AFM Asaduzzaman, the Bangladesh Bank cautioned investors not to be swayed by abnormally higher rates of interest offered by 'some institutions'.

"It is to notify all that some institutions under different names are operating like banks in various districts across the country. They are collecting money from people by promising an abnormally higher rate of interest and profit," read the statement.

"As making investments in those institutions not approved by appropriate authorities increases the possibility of being deceived, people are being requested to abstain from going for any financial transaction with those institutions," the statement added.

The central bank notice came amid reports of illegal banking by Destiny 2000 Ltd published in various newspapers over the last few days.

Earlier in the day, the parliamentary standing committee on commerce ministry decided to request the finance minister and the central bank governor for action against Destiny-2000 Ltd-like MLM companies.

"Such companies are swindling people out of millions of taka. We will write to the finance minister and Bangladesh Bank for stopping illegal banking and businesses. We will request for immediate action," said ABM Abul Kashem, chairman of the standing committee.

On Mar 6 last year, then commerce minister Muhammad Faruk Khan had said a law was underway to bring the MLM companies within the legal framework.

There are 62 registered MLM companies operating Bangladesh, Faruk Khan had said.

He had told journalists that only Destiny has 4.5 million clients. Another prominent MLM company is Unipay-2 U.

With regard to rising controversy against Destiny 2000, finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on Sunday said that action would be taken against the company if the ministry of commerce and Bangladesh Bank make such a recommendation.

The government is considering initiating action against Destiny-2000 Ltd 'to protect people from deception', finance minister A M A Muhith said on Saturday.

"A commission like the one on Jubok will be formed to bar assets transfer by such firms," Muhith told reporters at his office.

Muhith's remarks followed recent newspaper reports on 'illegal banking' by Destiny Group.

"Media reports on Destiny are alarming," he said. "The government can't keep sitting and watching the situation."

"Jubok couldn't transfer all assets as its properties were confiscated. This will help in compensating its clients to some extent. A similar commission will be formed to look into this (Destiny) case also," he said.

The minister informed that the finance and commerce ministries and other related departments have already started working to form the commission.

Jubo Karmasangsthan Society, better known as Jubok, was found indulging in illegal banking by a central bank investigation in July 2006. It was asked to repay Tk 1 billion it owed to its depositors.

Jubok was listed as a 'society' with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies.

A few days back, the parliamentary standing committee on commerce ministry had decided to request the finance minister and the central bank governor for action against Destiny 2000 Ltd-like multi-level marketing (MLM) companies.

Following the parliamentary watchdog's move, the Bangladesh Bank on Apr 1 issued a statement warning people against investing in unapproved banking institutions.

"It is to notify all that some institutions under various names are operating like banks in various districts across the country. They are collecting money from people by promising an abnormally higher rate of interest and profits," said the central bank statement.

62 REGISTERED MLM COMPANIES

On Mar 6 last year, then commerce minister Muhammad Faruk Khan had said there are 62 registered MLM companies operating in Bangladesh.

He had told parliament that only Destiny has 4.5 million clients and that other MLM companies have fewer clients. Another prominent MLM company is Unipay-2 U.

The government is 'disturbed' to see the media reports on Destiny, the finance minister said on Saturday.

Two weeks ago, the central bank sent a report on Destiny to the finance ministry. The report alleged that Destiny-2000 is conducting illegal banking.

LAW ON MLM COMPANIES

Muhith went on to say the government has taken steps to formulate a law to bring MLM business under a legal framework.

The government took steps to formulate the law after clients of another prominent MLM company, Unipay-2 U, took to the streets in 2010 following allegations of deception by the company.

A commerce ministry official, requesting anonymity, told that they have already finalised a draft of the law but could not it present before the cabinet due to some objections by the public administration ministry.

"The draft proposes to form a directorate and appoint staff there. But the public administration ministry is not giving its clearance to the manpower recruitment clause. So, the draft hasn't been presented to the cabinet," he said.

JUBOK CLIENTS YET TO BE PAID BACK

Hapless clients of Jubok are yet to be repaid though six years have gone by since the MLM company was shut.

The central bank asked the company to stop illegal banking and pay back its depositors by March 2006. But as it failed to repay its clients within the stipulated time, the government shut its operations.

After the current government assumed office, a commission headed by former central bank governor Mohammed Farashuddin was formed to make proposals on Jubok and how to repay its clients.

The commission recommended selling off Jubok's assets to make the repayment and also suggested forming a permanent commission to keep a tab on such incidents.

Following the proposal, the government formed a permanent commission headed by former joint secretary Rafikul Islam. But the Jubok clients are yet to get their money back.

Home minister Shahara Khatun has contradicted a statement of the Saudi government that a team from the middle-eastern country has come to Bangladesh to investigate the killing of its embassy official.

"The delegation has come to know the progress of investigation into the murder of Khalaf Al-Ali," she said on Wednesday after a meeting with the Saudi team.

Riyadh sent the eight-member team, comprising officials from Saudi home and foreign ministries, as Bangladeshi law enforcers are yet to arrest or identify anyone in the murder case though one month has passed since the incident.

An Arab News report said Bangladeshi police have failed so far to track the killers.

Saudi deputy foreign minister for protocol affairs Alauddin Alaskari told Arab News on Tuesday that the team's main objective is to identify the culprits and bring them to book.

Home secretary C Q K Mustaq Ahmed and inspector general of police Hassan Mahmood Khandker, who were present at the meeting with the Saudi team, also said it has come to know the progress of the investigation.

Quoting members of the visiting team as telling the meeting, Shahara said they have been informed about the investigation from the beginning, and expressed their satisfaction over the probe.

They are likely to meet prime minister Sheikh Hasina also, she added.

According to the schedule, the delegation will have a meeting with the investigators on Thursday.

Asked about progress in the police investigation, the minister said it is advancing 'satisfactorily'. "The investigators are working sincerely."

Unknown gunmen had shot Al-Ali, 45, an official with the consular section of the Saudi embassy in Dhaka, near his Gulshan house in the wee hours of Mar 6.

Later he died at Dhaka's United Hospital, where he had been admitted with severe bullet injuries.

Some 200 Dhaka University students blocked traffic for an hour in the city's Shahbagh area in a rare midnight protest on Wednesday to demand justice for the alleged attacks on Hindus in Satkhira two days ago.

The protesters who live at Jagannath Hall also announced that they would form a human chain in front of the prime minister's office at 10am on Thursday and wear black badges in protest against the attack.

They gathered in the dormitory around 10pm on Wednesday and later took out a procession. They took position at Shahbagh at midnight.

They were seen torching papers and tyres on the street that was not that busy after Wednesday midnight.

Ramna zone police assistant commissioner S M Shibli Noman told around 1am on Thursday that the students were demonstrating peacefully and police had been there to stop them if they turn violent.

The protesters said students of Fatehpur High School at Dakkhin Sripur of Satkhira's Kaliganj upazila on Mar 26 staged a drama Hujur Kebla, written by Abul Mansur Ahmed, to mark the Independence Day.

A local newspaper reported that Prophet Mohammad was disgraced in the drama, they said. The report made local Muslims angry at the school's assistant head teacher Mita Rani and other Hindus in the area, the protesters said.

They reportedly looted around eight homes of Hindus, including that of Mita, in the area and set fire to those houses on Monday alleging that Rani allowed the students to stage the drama to disgrace the prophet with an intention.

Manik Rakkhit, a Jagannath Hall student, demanded exemplary punishment of the attackers.

His fellow Prodip Chowdhury said National Human Rights Commission chairman Mizanur Rahman talks about many other issues but he is silent about torture on Hindus.

He said Monday's attack was similar to that of Chittagong's Hathazari on Feb 10.

The demonstrators urged prime minister Sheikh Hasina to take steps to stop such tortures and punish the attackers.

Rapid Action Battalion now says it cannot trace the businessman whose complaint sent the paramilitary force chasing and killing six 'muggers' in a 'gunfight' in Narsinghdi on Monday.

According to RAB, they had conducted the drive against the 'muggers' following a phone call from a businessman Maruf Hossain.

Though RAB termed the six deceased as 'renowned robbers', found that only two of them had any case against them - one for attempt to robbery and the other one over land dispute.

The rest - four of the deceased and four arrested from the spot – have no cases lodged against them.

Family members of the six suspected muggers have alleged that their killing was pre-planned.

National Human Rights Commission chairman Mizanur Rahman Khan on Wednesday hinted at an investigation into the latest 'gunfight' of RAB, which has been accused of thousands of extra-judicial killings all across the country.

The gunfight reportedly took place around 2:30pm in an area adjacent to bridge number 5 on Narsinghdi-Madanganj road in Narsinghdi Sadar upazila.

RAB on Monday said Maruf informed them that muggers had snatched Tk 40,000 from him and were fleeing in a microbus.

The paramilitary force launched a drive led by RAB-11 commanding officer Lt Col Abu Hena Mostofa. The battalion is headquartered at Adamji in Narayanganj.

RAB was reluctant to disclose the name of the complainant for 'safety reasons' but later gave it out under pressure from the relatives of the deceased.

Police said businessman Maruf Hossain lives in Dhaka's Rayerbazar area.

Asked where he is now, RAB-11 deputy director Maj Khandker Gholam Sarwar told on Wednesday that they are in dark about his whereabouts since the incident.

Narsinghdi Sadar Police Station officer in-charge Asaduzzaman said Maruf had called him, too, through mobile phone.

"I had asked him to file a general diary or case. But he didn't turn up," Asad said.

"He cannot even be traced after the incident," he added.

ONLY 2 OF 10 HAD CASES

The six deceased identified as – Nahid Molla, 18, 'Arif', 18, Masum Afrad, 30, 'Mosharraf', 35, Mobarak Hossain, 30, and 'Jamal', 35.

Investigations by suggest that only two of them had cases against them, though they were described as 'renowned robbers' and 'cause of people's annoyance' by the elite force.

Jamal, son of Akkas Ali from Noakanda village of Polash upazila, had an arrest warrant against him over an allegation that he was found preparing for robbery, Polash Police Station officer in-charge Atikur Rahman Khan said.

Jamal lived in Bhulta of Narayanganj's Rupganj upazila.

Another deceased, Arif, son of Bholanagar area's Abul Hashim Mia, had a case over land dispute, according to the Sadar police chief.

Arif sat for SSC examinations this year from Kararchar Moulvi Tofazzal Hossain High School.

One more deceased, Nahid Molla, son of Hossain Molla of Bilasdi area, was a SSC candidate and had no case against him, OC Asaduzzaman said.

Nahid appeared at the SSC examination from Mir Emdad High School.

His elder brother Lokman Molla, an employee of Narsinghdi municipality, told : "My brother was linked to the incident as part of a conspiracy after being murdered."

Police also said truck driver Masum Afrad, son of Gias Uddin Afrad from Bandardia village of Shibpur upazila's Masimpur union, Mosharraf, son of freedom fighter Abdul Awal from Kurerpar village of Sadar upazila's Meherpara union, and signboard maker Mobarak, son of Kashem Ali from Meratala village of Roypura upazila's Mirzapur union had no cases against them.

Afrad's elder sister Jharna Begum said, "RAB shot dead my brother when he was taking the truck loaded with soil from the spot to Itakhola."

Three people were injured and arrested by RAB from the spot. They are Amar Biswas, 38, of Roypura upazila, 'Masum', 28 and 'Shawon', 25, of Shibpur upazila.

Of them, Amar, son of Sureshchandra Biswas from Pirijkandi village of Roypura upazila, Masum, son of Amin Uddin from Omarkandi village of Shibpur upazila, and Shawon, son of Amin Uddin from the same upazila's Kumardi village, also do not have any cases against them.

Another arrestee, Monir Hossain, 30, son of Suruj Mia from Patharpara village of Sadar upazila, also had no cases.

Monir was sent to jail through court as he has no case against him, RAB-11 deputy director Sarwar said.

Although he claimed that arrestee Masum has a case filed with Shibpur Police Station, officer in-charge there Belayet Hossain said there is no case against him at his police station.

RAB-11 deputy assistant director Jamal Uddin on Tuesday filed three cases against the six deceased and four arrestees over allegations of preparing for robbery, hindering government job and carrying arms illegally.

The first war crimes tribunal on Wednesday indicted the BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury on 23 counts of genocide and other crimes against humanity including murder, rape, arson, abduction, confinement and complicity.

The three-judge International Crimes Tribunal-1 (ICT), headed by Justice M Nizamul Huq and set up on Mar 25, 2010 to deal with crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, directed the prosecution to begin opening arguments followed by witness examination on Apr 29.

The BNP policymaker's defence was also directed to submit their witness list along with other documents by that date.

The BNP MP from Chittagong is the second person to be indicted for crimes against humanity. Apart from him, witness deposition is going on against the Jamaat-e-Islami executive council member Delwar Hossain Sayedee for war crimes as well.

Justice Nizamul Huq said in his order that the court was of the view that there was "sufficient grounds to presume that [SQ Chowdhury] had committed offences under section 3.2, 4.1 and 4.2 [of the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act of 1973]."

Justice Huq then proceeded to read out 23 charges against the BNP policymaker in a crowded courtroom with a diminished seating capacity as some of the benches have been shifted to the second tribunal housed in the Old High Court Building that once served as the chambers of the chief justice.

The indictment order began with a brief historical context from 1947 leading up to the Liberation War of 1971 when the accused BNP leader had allegedly carried out crimes against humanity in his native Chittagong.

What charges?

Upon reading out the charges, the tribunal chief asked Salauddin Quader whether he had heard and understood the charges.

Salauddin Quader replied that he neither heard them nor did he understand them.

Justice Huq said that since the charges were read out in his presence, it would be presumed that he had heard them.

The judge then asked the BNP leader, "Are you guilty or not guilty?"

Salauddin Quader: Of what?

Justice Huq: The charges

Salauddin Quader: What charges?

Justice Huq: It is presumed that he pleads 'not guilty'.

Salauddin Quader: I can reply once I have the charges in writing and have seen them. I have not seen them, so I cannot say.

Justice Huq: You have been elected an MP five-six times. It is like saying that you would require someone's statement in writing before you are ready to reply.

The tribunal chairman then continued with his order ignoring the six-time MP's interjections and fixed the next date of trial and mentioned in the order that it would continue on every working day unless otherwise mentioned.

Scene 1

Typical to the days when the mercurial BNP politician's hearings are scheduled, Wednesday did not fail to entertain the audience at the tribunal with theatrics from both the MP and his counsel who at one point declined to obey the court's order.

The chief prosecutor, however, was up first to point to a number of newspaper reports that quoted another BNP leader M K Anwar, a former agriculture minister, saying that the court had reverted to a jungle law by accepting the statements of 15 witnesses without the scope of cross-examination.

After a few minutes of deliberation, Justice Huq said he would deal with the matter at 2pm, when the court returned from its lunch recess.

Justice Huq then called Munshi Ahsan Kabir, a defence counsel for Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed and said that although he wanted less of it, the political lectures were increasing.

He was referring to statements of Salauddin Quader's wife. One SMS message Farhat Quader Chowdhury had sent out says that the decision regarding 15 witnesses had turned the trial into a farce and she asks what the point of such a farce was after all. "Why not hang them in Paltan Maidan directly?"

The BNP leader then said that he be allowed to speak since the judge had made some comments about his wife. The tribunal did not respond.

This was followed by Salauddin Quader's defence counsel Fakhrul Islam taking the podium with eight petitions. He insisted that the petitions be heard before the tribunal passed its order.

Justice Huq did not agree with the submission and asked the counsel to take his seat.

When Fakhrul Islam kept on with his insistence, the tribunal chairman raised his index finger pointing at the counsel and said in an uncharacteristically loud voice, "Stop! And take your seat!"

The counsel said, "I most respectfully decline to abide by the order. And you must hear me."

He then continued to submit that the petitions needed to be heard. The tribunal replied that they would be heard after the order had been passed. Justice Huq then proceeded to pass the indictment order.

SQ Chowdhury in ICT

The prosecution submitted formal charges against Salauddin Quader on Nov 14, 2011 and the tribunal took them into cognisance three days later.

The Chittagong MP was shown arrested for war crimes charges on Dec 20, 2010, five days after his arrest.

The investigating agency submitted a 119-page report with around 8,000-page data to the chief prosecutor on Oct 3 in a bid to prove allegations of war crimes during the 1971 Liberation War.

Besides Sayedee whose case is the most advanced and Salauddin Quader, Jamaat chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed and assistant secretaries general Mohammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla, and have been detained on war crimes charges.

The tribunal also sent Jamaat-e-Islami's former chief Ghulam Azam to jail on Jan 11 and will issue his indictment order on Apr 17.

The tribunal last week extended bail of former BNP MP Abdul Alim and member of Ziaur Rahman's cabinet, ordering the prosecution to place the formal charges on Apr 24.

Bangladesh has extended the water transit protocol with India for a year and now considering a long-term deal on the issue, said shipping secretary Abdul Mannan Hawlader on Monday.

"The trade treaty with India has been extended for three years on Mar 29. Under this the water transit protocol has been renewed for a year," the shipping secretary told reporters at the shipping ministry on Monday.

He said the renewal was made effective from Apr 1.

The trade treaty signed in 1972 with provision for renewal after three years was expired on Mar 31.

The water transit protocol was first signed in 1980 under a bilateral trade agreement which facilitated 'mutually beneficial arrangements' for the use of the waterways for commerce.

Shipping secretary said India wanted to renew the water transit protocol for three years in line with the bilateral trade treaty.

"The two countries will hold a meeting on the issue soon. If the outcome is positive there is a possibility of a long-term protocol renewal," he added.

Under the protocol, India uses Bangladesh's internal river routes for transporting goods from western part to its eastern states.

At present, Bangladesh receives Tk 55 million a year in fees from India under the protocol. "There is a possibility the fee will increase in future," shipping secretary said.

Mentioning that Bangladesh's cement industry would have faced problems if the protocol was not renewed, Hawlader said, "Local cement factories import almost 80 percent of its raw material from India through river routes."

Earlier in the day, Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Pankaj Saran paid a courtesy call on shipping minister Shajahan Khan at his office.

Asked about the meeting, Hawlader said they discussed bilateral issues.

Inmates of a Dhaka University dormitory set on fire two buses and vandalised another three on Monday night following an altercation with a bus driver in city's Azimpur area.

The inmates of S M Hall indulged in violence in front of Azimpur Maternity Hospital around 10.30pm.

They brought one of the buses to the university campus before damaging it completely.

Fire service man Farid Uddin told they tamed the blaze around 11pm.

"The incident took place after five students of S M Hall, who got into the bus near the city's Science Lab area, were forced to get down in front of Home Economics College," university proctor Amjad Ali told .

"Those students wanted to travel up to Azimpur," he said and added action will be taken against those found guilty after investigation into the incident.

However, the inmates of the hall alleged that they indulged in violence as they heard that one of the university students had been abducted by the transport owners.

At least six suspected muggers were killed and two others injured in a 'gunfight' with Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in Narsinghdi Sadar Upazila on Monday, an official of the elite force said.

"The gunfight took place around 2:30 in the afternoon in an area adjacent to bridge number 5 in Narsinghdi," RAB-11 Narsinghdi commanding officer (CO) lieutenant colonel Abu Hena Mostofa told .

He said a businessman had informed them that a group of muggers, riding a microbus, robbed him of Tk 40,000. "We immediately threw up a barricade on the road near bridge number 5," he said.

"When the muggers with the microbus came close to the Bridge area, they opened fire. RAB members also fired back," the officer claimed.

According to him, the firefight lasted for around half an hour.

Six of the muggers died on the spot and two others were injured, Lt Col Mostofa said but he could not immediately confirm their identity.

Two RAB members were also injured in the 'gunfight', he added.

A Saudi government team is coming to Dhaka on Tuesday to investigate murder of its Dhaka embassy staff, a foreign ministry official said.

"The Saudi Arabian investigation team is coming tomorrow (Tuesday)," the foreign ministry's director general Mohammad Nazrul Islam told bdnews24.com on Monday.

Khalaf bin Mohammed Salem Al-Ali, 45, an official with the consular section of the embassy, was shot by unknown gunmen near his Gulshan house in the wee hours of Mar 6. He died around 5am at the city's United Hospital.

Police are yet to make any arrests or name suspects.