BANGLADESH

The head coach of Bangladesh Cricket team Richard Pybus is looking forward to perform better in the upcoming tri-nation T20 tournament in Zimbabwe through building a strong team work as well as a good relationship among the players.
Addressing the first press conference at the Media Centre of Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Monday, the newly appointed head coach of the Bangladesh cricket team Pybus said, “We are looking for additional talents identification that helps the team to play well”.
The new Bangladesh coach joined the Tigers on Monday and vowed to take the challenge of the tri-nation T20 tournament beginning on June 18 in Zimbabwe as his first assignment.
The 47-year-old Englishman gave his first appearance before the media here today.
Replying to a query regarding non-playing of test match by the Tigers for the last four months, Pybus said, it will not be too difficult to set with the pace and we can hope for better.
Pybus said he had been in Pakistan and experienced with the sub-continent weather; in addition, he had been experienced with the South African multi-cultural weather, both will help him to adjust with weather as well as the team.
AHM Mustafa Kamal MP, president of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and Mr. Nizamuddin Chowdhury, BCB’s acting chief executive officer (CEO), were also present at the conference.Mustafa Kamal said we believe that the glorious career of new coach will take forward the teams’ performance.
Asked by journalists BCB’s President said Pybus will have complete freedom within his working arena; the board will provide him all-out support and never hinder to gain his objectives, strategic plans and goals related to the team.
Pybus was appointed Bangladesh head coach for a two-year term on May 30, in place of Australian Stuart Law who resigned in last April.
He will be Bangladesh’s third coach in a year as Law had been in the post for only nine months after succeeding another Australian Jamie Siddons in July last year.
Pybus hasn’t been in charge of an international side since 2003 but had flown to Bangladesh earlier last month to appear in interview for the post.
He arrived in Dhaka on May 10 and spent the subsequent day holding meetings with BCB president AHM Mustafa Kamal as well as some of the board directors and a handful of national players.
Pybus, who took up coaching in his mid-twenties, was appointed Pakistan coach for their 1999 World Cup campaign before returning to the South African provincial side. He coached Pakistan again until the 2003 World Cup and had stints with Titans and Cape Cobras (South Africa), and Middlesex. He was with Cobras until March 2012 and was also linked to the South Africa job last year.

Five sustained burn injuries as a fire broke out at Ghorasal thermal power plant Monday suspending power generation in no-1 unit of the power plant.
Official sources said the fire originated from a generator circuit-breaker  at about 11 am when repair work was going on at unit 2 of the power plant.
The injured were-foreman Abdul Ahad, electricians Raja Miah, Al Amin, Babu Miah and Amin .They were first rushed to the clinic of the power plant and then shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital as their condition deteriorated. Condition of Abdul Ahad and Amin was stated to be critical.
Fire fighters of the power plant and a unit of Polash fire brigade extinguished the fire within 30 minutes.
Power generation at 55 megawatt no-1 unit of the power plant was suspended due to the fire incident.

The High Court on Monday asked the government why making public servants officers on special duty (OSD) without any specific reason and time limit should not be declared unlawful.

The bench of Justices Mirza Hussain Haider and Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarker issued the rule asking the Public Administration Secretary to respond within eight weeks.

The court issued the rule following a writ petition filed by former Secretary Asaf-ud-Daula.

It also ordered the Secretary to explain why the Public Administration Ministry should not make specific guidelines on OSD. He will also have to submit a report with a list of the officials of the ministry made OSD in past 10 years and the expenses the government had to bear for them.

The petitioner's lawyer Anik R Haque told the court that only the Public Administration Ministry has as many as 591 officials as OSD. Of them, three are Secretaries, 37 Additional Secretaries, 146 Joint Secretaries, 170 Deputy Secretaries, 190 Senior Assistant Secretaries and 45 Assistant Secretaries, according to him.

"These officials are paid Tk 15.031 million in basic salary every month. They are being paid from the taxes people pay," he said at the hearing.

In many cases, he added, skills of these officials were not used properly as they are made OSD.

He also said a circular issued in 1991 had explained that reasons behind OSD. "There has been no specific reason to make OSD 90 percent of those who are OSD now," he added.

OSD are usually political victims with having no work to do with either in the policy making or the implementation process of the government.

Sending officers on special duty is seen as a punishment because the government of the day feels no need to have them, mostly for political reason.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have caught a member of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on chargesof intruding into Bangladesh through Meherpur border.

BGB's Mirpur sector Assistant Commandant and 29 Battalion's Commander Maj Zahid said the trooper was arrested from Bajitpur on Monday afternoon.

He has been identified as Satya Paul Singh, a soldier from Shahpur camp under 119 Battalion of BSF.

BGB Bajitpur camp Commander Subedar Jalal Uddin said Satya intruded into Bangladesh while chasing a cattle trader.

As Satya crossed the border and came close to BGB's Bajitpur camp, he was detained, he added.

Maj Zahid told reporters that BSF 119 Battalion has been informed about the matter and the BSF member would be handed over to India at a flag meeting.

Jahedul Islam Sourav on Monday confessed in a court to having a role in the attack on internet newspaper bdnews24.com journalists and staff who are nursing their injuries at a private hospital.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Keshob Roy Chowdhury recorded Sourav's statement in his room under section 164 of Bangladesh Penal Code.

In his confession that took several hours, Sourav also named others involved in the attack.

After the confession, Sourav along with the other two, Ilias Master Sumon and Mir Hossain arrested in connection with the same attack, were sent to jail.

Sourav was produced taken to court after a four-day remand in police custody.

The court's General Recording Officer, police Sub-Inspector Farid Miah told bdnews24.com about Sourav's confession.

The other two arrestees will be produced before court for their statement on Tuesday, said investigation officer of the case Imdadul Islam, a Sub-Inspector of Banani Police Station.

The assailants stormed into the online newspaper's office premises at Amtoly in Mohakhali on May 28 night. The newspaper's English Desk Sub-Editor Newaz Mohammad Riffat and Correspondent Salauddin Wahed Pritom were stabbed during the attack. Office assistant Ruhul Amin was also knifed.

All of them were taken to the city's United Hospital, where they are still receiving treatment.

Police arrested Sourav, Sumon and Hossain the day after the attack had taken place.

On information gleaned from them, Rapid Action Battalion arrested Imran Molla, 20, and Yakub Ali, 22, from Savar for their alleged involvement in the attack.

Journalists have demanded that private TV station ATN Bangla's Chairman Mahfuzur Rahman be questioned in the homicide investigation of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.

They said remarked recently in London that the couple victims to an extra-marital affair which were 'defamatory'.

They demanded that the ATN Bangla boss be interrogated following his claim that there is a video footage of the reason behind the murders.

The station's Senior Reporter Runi and Maasranga Television's News Editor Sagar were killed in their Rajabazar flat on Feb 11. As police failed to make any progress in the investigation, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were given the charge to investigate the murders.

The statement issued by the journalists' unions said, "Such remarks on ATN Bangla journalist Runi by the company's owner are inhumane, beyond courtesy and defamatory."

Presidents of two factions of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury and Ruhul Amin Gazi, General Secretary of one faction Abdul Jalil Bhuyian, Acting General Secretary of the other faction M Abdullah, President of two factions of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) Abdus Shahid and Omar Faruq, General Secretaries Muhammad Baker Hossain and Shaban Mahmud, National Press Club President Kamal Uddin Sabuj and General Secretary Syed Abdal Ahmad, Dhaka Reporters' Unity President Shakhawat Hossain Badshah and General Secretary Sazzad Alam Khan Tapu signed the statement.

The journalists' unions have been demonstrating demanding arrest of the killers of the couple.

India will not build Tipaimukh multipurpose dam project on the Barak River in Manipur without the consent of Bangladesh, a top bureaucrat said on Monday in fresh assurance.

"If Bangladesh does not come along with us, we will not be going ahead with the construction (Tipaumukh project)," Secretary to India's Ministry of Water Resources Dhruv Bijai Singh told a group of Bangladeshi journalists in New Delhi.

The Bangladeshi media team will visit the Tipaimukh dam project site.

The Indian government has been saying that it would not take steps on the proposed project, which would adversely affect Bangladesh amid protests from opposition and environmental activists.

The sub-group of Joint Rivers Commission is going to meet at the end of this month to begin study of all aspects of the project with specific reference to the dam's probable impact on Bangladesh, the Secretary said.

India offered Bangladesh to invest in the $2 billion project and the sub-group will also study the partnership stake.

"Money is limited and if India finds the project problematic, it would build dam elsewhere, Singh said.

The Indian government has a plan to implement flood mitigation and hydro-power generation project in Tipaimukh, 210 kilometres from Sylhet border.

The Secretary said no construction work had begun on the site, refuting reports to the contrary.

Joint Rivers Commission

Indian Minister for Water Resources Pawan Kumar Bansal in the meeting with the journalists claimed that it was Bangladesh that proposed the Tipaimukh project in 1974.

When the journalists asked him for relevant documents, his office supplied the agreed minutes of the sixth JRC meeting held in November, 1973.

"The commission considered the study of Barak Dam project in the context of floods in India and Bangladesh and recommendation that this project be reviewed by the Superintending Engineers of Bangladesh and India, for flood moderation and protection to Sylhet, Cacher and adjoining areas," the minute said.

Bangladesh's High Commissioner to India Tareq A Karim in his meeting with journalists on the same day said between 1972 and 1982, the rhetoric was same but it was changed in 1982 when it was stated that the project would be harmful for Bangladesh.

There were 13 JRC meetings from 1972 to 1975, eight from 1978 to 1982 (during the BNP regime), 11 JRC meetings from 1982 to 1991, but none from 1991 to 1996 .

There were three JRC meetings between 1996 and 2001 while two JRC meetings were held from 2002 to 2006. During the period of the current government only one JRC meeting took place.

Electricity

The dam will create a reservoir of 22,000 hectares of land and it would be filled during flood time, Secretary Singh said. The standard practice is to fill up the reservoir when there is flood with excess water, he explained.

The reservoir can contain nine billion cubic metres of water and it is over six times larger than Kaptai lake reservoir.

The electricity production capacity of the project is 1,500 megawatt and depending on availability of water, the power generation will fluctuate, according to the senior official.

A highly placed source in the Indian diplomacy said given the existing technology, power unit cost is so high that the project would not be financially feasible.

No irrigation project

The Indian Secretary categorically said there would be no diversion of water as the project did not consist any irrigation component.

When asked about construction of barrage in Phuler Tal, he said there was no such project.

Phuler Tal is 100 kilometres down from Tipaimukh and in the case of a barrage, water is diverted to other areas.

Teesta deal

Water Resources Minister Bansal said there was political will from both the governments to sign the agreement and they were trying to sign the agreement 'as soon as possible'.

Bangladesh and India failed to sign the interim Teesta water-sharing agreement during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in September last year due to strong resistance from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The High Court on Monday asked the government and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) why Section-2 CC of the SEC Ordinance that allowed the regulator 'special power' would not be declared unconstitutional.

The section of the SEC Ordinance allows the regulator to impose any condition if it is not contradictory with Company Act 1994 or any other laws. SEC issued the circular asking directors to hold minimum shares to retain in the boards following Section-2 CC, which the market analysts describe as 'special power'.

The bench of justices Hasan Foez Siddique and Jahangir Hossain issued the rule following five separate writ petition filed by 24 directors of five companies challenging the legality of the section of the SEC Ordinance-1969.

Additional Attorney General Murad Reza said the government and SEC would have to respond to the rule within a week.

He said the petitioners had pleaded for cancellation the SEC order of minimum shareholding by directors following Section-2 CC of the ordinance, but the court issued the rule rejecting their plea.

Chief Justice Mohammad Mozammel Hossain on Sunday morning sent the petitions to this bench for hearing after it was referred to him.

The five companies who filed are NCC Bank, Markentile Bank, South-East Bank, National Life Insurane and Prime Finance.

Llawyer Dr Kamal Hossain, former Attorney General Mahmudul Islam, Barrister Akhtar Imam and Barrister Rokon Uddin Mahmud argued for the petitioners while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam stood for the SEC during the hearing.

The petitioners filed the writs at the High Court on May 22. The court had sent the matter to the Chief Justice to give the decision after hearing all sides.

These five writs were filed after the court cancelled three writ petitions filed by directors of three companies challenging the legality of the SEC circular making it mandatory for directors of listed companies to hold minimum sahres.

The writs question the legality of the Section-2 CC of the SEC Ordinance following which the market regulator had issued the circular.

The Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) are in a tug of war over issuing licences for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service.

The ministry had recently sent the draft licence policy to the telecoms regulator, who on Thursday wrote back saying the draft needed a review as it was not in line with the telecommunications law.

The process to finalise the policy on issuing licences to stop illegal VoIP calls began last year. BTRC was supposed to start issuing licences from April, but the process is lingering on as the two keep exchanging letters.

Telecoms Secretary Sunil Kanti Bose told bdnews24.com: "We have done away with the system of evaluating the application of firms by marking them to ease the licensing process in the final policy. Concurrently, the authority to form the scrutiny committee has been vested with the ministry."

"The final policy has also dropped BTRC's proposal to specify the number of licences to be issued."

"BTRC will take too much time if it is given the job to evaluate applications and form the scrutiny committee. That's why the decision was taken," the Secretary reasoned.

Bose further said they had seen to it that big firms did not get the licences. "If the licences are given to general entrepreneurs, the number of unemployment will be reduced."

But BTRC Chairman Zia Ahmed has a different story to tell.

"The telecoms law doesn't support the changes made in the licence policy by the ministry. We've asked the ministry to review their decision," he told bdnews24.com.

Secretary Bose, however, said he did not get any letter from BTRC. "But if I get the letter, the answer will be sent on Sunday or Monday."

"The letter to BTRC will say the ministry's decision on the process will not be changed." He said the process of issuing licence will be finished 'at the soonest'.

The BTRC lost its right to issue any telecom licences to the telecom ministry following the amendment to the telecommunications law in 2010. The tug of war between the two institutions had begun since then.

According to the law, anyone must apply to the BTRC for any kind of telecom licences. BTRC will issue the licences following the government's approval.

The draft policy sets the licence application fee at Tk 5,000 while the fee for licence authorisation is Tk 500,000 with a bank guarantee of Tk 250,000. Successful operators will have to return 20 percent of their earnings to the government while Tk 10,000 will be charged for renewing licence every year.

The draft policy also bars the licenced operators, who will be known as VoIP Service Provider (VSP), from making more than 90 calls at one time.

According to the BTRC statistics, nearly 40 million minutes of international calls are made legally to and from Bangladesh per day while 10 million minutes of calls are terminated illegally on average.

BRTC said the government loses Tk 50 million in revenue every day due to illegal VoIP and currently every international call charges $0.3 for Bangladesh.

The man who killed a 16-year old girl has said today that he had cut her body into 26 pieces after raping her to avoid arrest.

Saiduzzaman Bachchu told police and journalists on Sunday that his fear that he would be forced to marry her forced him to commit the macabre murder.

Police recovered the body parts of the girl, identified as 'Rumi', daughter of one Saddam Fakir of Kajiaparha at Alphadanga in Faridpur, from two buildings at Hatirpool in Dhaka on Saturday.

Police made the recovery after local people informed them of finding a piece of the girl's leg beside Nahar Plaza on Saturday morning.

Some pieces were retrieved from a room of Sonali Recruiting Agency on the 12th floor of the plaza, some from a room of Sky Garden Hotel on the 11th floor and the rest from the roof of an adjacent five-story building.

The recruiting agency owner, Bachchu, 30, was detained following the recovery.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner Masudur Rahman said Bachchu told them during interrogation that he and Rumi came to know each other through mobile-phone conversation and the Faridpur girl had visited him in Dhaka once, a year ago.

He had bought Rumi a cell phone during that visit, Rahman added.

"Ten to twelve days back, Bachchu got in touch with Rumi once again, when she had come to visit her aunt at Mirpur. He (Bachchu) brought Rumi to the office of Sonali Recruiting Agency from Mirpur in an auto-rickshaw at 6pm Friday."

Bachchu also confessed having sex with Rumi that night, Rahman said as police produced him before the media at the detective police office.

Bachchu said at the media call that other shopkeepers around began gossiping seeing Rumi in his office and he had the door locked from outside.

He said that he strangled her with his hands fearing that people may force him to marry the girl.

Then, Bachchu first severed the head from her body with a knife, before cutting other parts off their joints. He also took off flesh from the severed parts through the entire night.

"I threw parts of the body outside the room and some parts into the toilet so that nobody could suspect there was any girl in my room," Bachchu said.

He could not escape on Saturday morning as police and journalists had already arrived.

Detective Branch's Deputy Commissioner Monirul Islam told journalists Bachcu was from Faridpur and was separated from his family. He was staying at his office at Nahar Plaza.

Islam said Rumi was from a poor family and her two other sisters live at a shanty in the capital.

The anti-graft body will quiz former army chief and Destiny 2000 Limited President Lt Gen (Retd)Harun-Ar-Rashid over allegations of irregularities in the multi-level marketing company.

"The commission had decided to interrogate anyone it thinks necessary," Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Commissioner M Badiuzzaman told reporters on Sunday.

"Accordingly, now the commission thinks it is necessary to quiz Harun-Ar-Rashid," he added.

Harun had been the Coordinator of the Sector Commanders Forum. He had stepped down following news reports alleging corruption in the company.

Until Sunday, ACC interrogated 16 officials of Destiny, including Managing Director Rafiqul Amin. Those quizzed on Sunday are Destiny Vice Presidents Nepal Chandra Biswas and Sheikh Tayabur Rahman, Destiny Aviation Director Abul Kalam Azad, and Destiny Assistant Executive Director Zakir Hossain.

Irregularities at Destiny were found in an investigation conducted by Bangladesh Bank. ACC started investigating the irregularities after those were reported in the media. It formed a two-member body comprising its Deputy Director Mozahar Ali Sarder and Assistant Director Toufiqul Islam to investigate the irregularities.

The panel submitted its report after two months of investigation on May 23. The probe found evidences to substantiate the irregularities taking place at Destiny and its sister concerns.

The report said top officials of the company were involved in corruption of several crores of Taka. The money was earned through import and real estate businesses. The top officials of the company siphoned off the money earned through corruption to their personal accounts, said the investigation report.

Parliament may ask Bishwa Sahitya Kendra founder Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed to appear before the House for explaining his 'objectionable' remarks against members of parliament and ministers.

Presiding officer Prof Ali Ashraf said Abu Sayeed must tender an unconditional apology for his remarks.

He also urged MPs for issuing notice for hampering their special rights.

Prof Ashraf, who was presiding in the absence of Speaker Abdul Hamid and Deputy Speaker Shawkat Ali, made the observation during the time allocated for unscheduled discussions.

Sayeed, at a discussion arranged by the Transparency International, Bangladesh on Saturday, had said that MPs and Ministers act like thieves and dacoits and breach oath.

Independent lawmaker Fazlul Karim initiated the debate over the statement in the House. Jatiya Party lawmaker Mujubul Haque Chunnu and Awami League's presidium committee member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim followed and castigated Sayeed.

Terming the MPs' statements 'appropriate', Ali Ashraf said the country belongs to the people and "they have elected us".

"The speech does not speak well. We can call him to parliament. We have to set an example. He has to apologise unconditionally. Nobody has the right to undermine parliament," he said.

"Undermining parliament is a bad augury. We have to take action against this," the presiding officer said adding that such instances are blots on democracy.

In his statement, without naming Sayeed, Fazlul, said, "An intellectual has made an irresponsible comment at a discussion organised by the Transparency International Bangladesh. His statement is regrettable."

Urging the parliament to concentrate whether action can be taken against Sayeed, he said, "This kind of statement will not be good for democracy."

Chunnu said, "He (Fazlul) has not mentioned the name. It was Prof Abu Sayeed ... Politicians have done great things for the country."

"Politicians have made sacrifices for the sake of the country. Intellectuals can only give a advices. He has dishonoured the electorate," he added.

Selim was the man to speak on the issue last.

He said, "This is an attack on parliament and democracy. Intellectuals have become the conscience of the nation. But we can't find them when the country needs them."

"What do they do? From where do they spend so much money? I want to ask the finance minister, what is their source of money? They organise one or two seminars every week. How do they manage to own such expensive cars?" he went on.

Selim continued, "They become mad if an elected government stays in power. They get respectable positions during the tenure of an unelected government. What was their role after the 1/11? Don't we know that? You (Syeed) had not uttered a single word when businessmen, students and teachers were arrested after 1/11."

"Transparency International, Bangladesh looks for corruption in the ministries ... who are they?"

Police on Sunday withdrew two Officers-in-Charge on charge of negligence of duty as Parliament's Whip Sheikh Abdul Wohab was assaulted in the district.

Jessore Superintendent of Police (SP) Kamrul Ahsan told bdnews24.com that Abhaynagar's OC Ahsan Habib and Monirampur's OC Mohammad Soyer Uddin were sent to the office of Khulna Deputy Inspector General.

Wohab, also the ruling Awami League's Jessore-6 MP, was assaulted on Saturday morning when he went to visit the TRM project related to river management at Abhaynagar's Bilkapalia area, his electoral constituency.

Several others including six police officials and Abhaynagar Upazila Chairman Abdul Malek were also injured in the attack. At least 11 vehicles, including one of police, were vandalised and torched.

Jessore Additional SP Jakir Hossain told bdnews24.com that allegations of police's negligence during the attack will be investigated.

Wohab, however, told : "Police acted like spectators watching us when we were attacked."

He said Assistant SP Abul Kalam Azad and OCs of Abhaynagar and Monirampur police were also present at the scene. "They did not even protect me even when I asked for help."

Wohab will speak at a news conference at 8pm Sunday at the Jessore Circuit House on the attack.

Journalist Kamrul Islam, who was travelling with the Whip, on Saturday had told bdnews24.com that some unknown assailants launched the attack.

He added that it was suspected that a particular quarter opposing the TRM project might have carried out the attack.

A readymade garment factory caught fire in Jorun area in Gazipur resulting in huge losses.

Senior Station Officer of Gazipur Fire Service Abu Zafar Ahmed told bdnews24.com that Islam Garments Fashion caught fire around 7:45pm on Saturday.

He said fire-fighting units rushed to the spot from Gazipur, Savar EPZ and Kaliakair and doused the flames after two and a half hours' effort around 11pm.

Zafar said they thought an electric short-circuit had caused the fire but said none was injured in the accident.

Director of Islam Garments Shaker Ahmed said the fire originated at the cutting section on the third floor around 7:45pm. The flames quickly spread to nearby rooms.

He said the fire had gutted a large number of readymade garments, clothes and destroyed several machines of the factory. The director claimed the estimated loss was nearly around Tk 40 million.

Zafar, however, could not say anything about losses.

The brother of grocer Mohammad Mamun Bhuiyan, who was killed after he was snatched from police custody, has alleged that one of the accused in the murder case has threatened to kill him too.

Nazmul Hossain Bhuiyan told bdnews24.com: "One of the accused on Mamun's murder case, former member of Moktarpur Union Parishad Hakim Faraji has threatened several times to kill me."

He also expressed frustration over police's failure to catch the main perpetrators even after four days into the killing.

Mamun, 30, son of Hossain Ali of Baragaon, was arrested on charges of alleged robbery and extortion on May 29 from the union's Baragaon Bazar. Police, however, said local people had snatched him from their custody and killed him.

His body was found at Ramchandrapur village under Muktarpur Union Parishad around 2:30am on Wednesday.

However, Mamun's family alleged that the Muktarpur Union Parishad Chairman Shariful Islam Toron's people killed him in collusion with police over old rivalry.

Nazmul had filed the murder case on Thursday night at the Kaliganj Police Station against 19 people, of whom nine Toron and former UP member Faraji were named.

Police later arrested Toron's elder brother Mohammad Kawsar Sarker, 35, Mohammad Iran Sarker, 30, village police members Shyamal Sarker, 35, and Srinibash Mandal, 30, in connection with the murder.

Asked why other accused were not arrested, Kaliganj police's Officer-in-Charge Enayet Uddin told bdnews24.com: "We are continuing raids to catch the other accused. But Nazmul hasn't told us anything about the threats to him."

Railway East Zone General Manager Yususf Ali Mridha and Omar Faruq Talukder, sacked APS to former Railway Minister Suranjit Sengupta and three others on Sunday submitted their wealth statements to the Anti-Corruption Commission.

All five including Mridha's wife Yasmin Nargis Zakia, Dhaka zone Railway Police's Commandant Enamul Haque and his wife Rahat Ara Haque submitted individual statements on their movable and immovable assets to ACC Secretary Faizur Rahman Chowdhury.

On May 14, the ACC had asked them to provide their wealth statements as its primary investigation found that they had property beyond their known income.

On Apr 10, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel reportedly detained Faruq, Mridha and Haque while they were moving in a car allegedly with unaccounted-for Tk 7 million cash at the gate of BGB headquarters.

Mridha and Enamul were suspended following the incident while Faruq was fired. Suranjit, who became a Minister of the newly-craved Ministry of Railways, stepped down accepting responsibility for the scandal. However, he was retained in the Cabinet, but relieved of his portfolio.

The Ministry's own investigation cleared Suranjit, Mridha and Haque of 'wrongdoings'.

The corruption watchdog is probing the incident separately and had already cross examined the trio on Apr 18.

Twenty-five pro-BNP lawyers including Dhaka Ainjibi Samity President Mohammad Borhan Uddin on Sunday secured bail from Dhaka's Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's court in a case that accuses them of creating chaos and vandalism at court premises.

Additional CMM Saidul Islam granted interim bail to them, until June 19, after their earlier bail granted by the High Court expired the same day.

The judge also accepted the charge-sheet against them at the same hearing of the case filed under the Speedy Trial Act.

At the hearing, state counsel Additional Public Prosecutor Shah Alam told the court, "They are lawyers just like us. We don't have any problem with their bail. But it must be ensured that this kind of chaotic incidents will not take place on the court premises again."

On May 22, the defendants created chaos by smashing window glasses and doors at the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court and throwing a black flag at the Metropolitan Judicial Magistrate's Court when a hearing was going on.

Kotwali Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Mokbul Hossain had filed the case later that night against more than 70 people for the incidents. Twenty-nine people were named as accused in the case.

Kotwali police SI Mohammad Azizul Haque submitted the charge-sheet on Thursday afternoon at the CMM court against the 25 lawyers.

The lawyers were protesting the court's rejection to the bail plea of BNP leader and leader of the pro-BNP lawyers Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon in a case over violence during an opposition-enforced countrywide general strike on Apr 29.

The High Court on May 24 had granted the main opposition-backed lawyers 10-day anticipatory bails after they regretted their actions at several courts in Dhaka and pleaded for bail.

Earlier, they had applied for pre-arrest bail at the High Court after the incident. But the court asked them to file bail pleas afresh expressing regret.

On Apr 29, a vehicle was torched near the Prime Minister's Office allegedly by the pickets and two bombs exploded at the Secretariat area during the shutdown.

The top BNP leaders including Acting Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir are now in jail in the two cases filed by the police.

A senior BNP leader on Saturday warned the police officials who filed cases against senior opposition leaders saying 'steps against them would be taken once the party goes to power'.

"Once BNP goes to power, steps will be taken against those 'enthusiastic' police officers who are favouring the government and have filed the false cases against the opposition leaders and activists," BNP standing committee member M K Anwar said at a human-chain programme in front of the National Press Club in the city.

The BNP leader is also accused in a case filed under the Speedy Trial Act over violence during a shutdown in the capital. He came out of jail last week on bail.

Anwar said, "The government has already withdrawn 7,500 cases against their party activists and now filing cases against the opposition one after another."

Saying the cases against the BNP leaders were 'groundless', Anwar said, "The unsuccessful government resorted to false cases and torture to repress the opposition."

"But the agitation cannot be stopped by filing cases," he added.

He reiterated his party's long-standing demand to reinstate the caretaker government provision, which was annulled through the 15th Amendment to the Constitution last year.

The first war-crimes tribunal of Bangladesh has granted in part the defence prayer that three prosecution witnesses against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee be recalled.

A member of International Crimes Tribunal-1, Judge A K M Zaheer Ahmed gave the order on Sunday noting the arguments of both the defence and prosecution.

The tribunal, set up to try crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, has indicted Jamaat executive council member Sayedee on 20 counts of war crimes including murder, rape, loot and arson.

Sayedee's defence had prayed that the court allow it to recall three witnesses in light of new evidence submitted by the case investigator, ASP Mohammad Helaluddin, who is currently being cross-examined.

Judge Zaheer Ahmed's order noted that the new information had not come to light when the first prosecution witness Mahbubul Alam Howladar and sixth witness Manik Poshari were deposed and cross-examined.

As defence counsel Mizanul Islam had argued, it was only after the 28th witness, that is when the investigation officer submitted television reports as exhibits, that the new information emerged.

The judge noted that the tribunal could also take note of the facts but decided against taking such a risk since the allegations were of an international nature and decided to allow the defence to recall those two witnesses.

Reasoning against prosecutor Syed Haider Ali's arguments that it would delay the proceedings, the judge noted that the defence had already listed three questions for Howladar and 13 for Poshari. He said in his order that these questions would not cause a delay.

As regards the second witness Ruhul Amin Nabin, the defence said there had been new evidence contradicting his claim of having graduated from Dhaka University. According to Mizanul Islam, official records show that Nabin was expelled during examinations.

But Judge Ahmed said recalling Nabin would not be allowed since the new evidence was "in no way related" to Sayedee's case.

The judge then ordered the investigator to produce the two witnesses and directed the defence to bear the expenses.

Subsequently, cross-examination of the investigation officer resumed for the 17th day. Mizanul Islam continued to ask questions about exhibits submitted by the prosecution.

It is expected to resume after the lunch recess when the court will hear a review application of its decision to receive as evidence the statements of 15 witnesses that the prosecution could not produce before the court without undue delay or expenditure.

First case to trial

Sayedee's is the first case to proceed to the trial stage at ICT 1. The prosecution on Sept 4 proposed framing of charges against him on 31 counts for crimes against humanity and genocide.

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

Jamaat chief Nizami, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed and Assistant Secretaries General Mohammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla have been detained on war crimes charges.

BNP MP and standing committee member, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, also behind bars, has been indicted for 23 charges on Apr 4. The prosecution has been ordered to begin with its opening statement on Apr 29.

Former BNP lawmaker and minister Abdul Alim is the only one out bail. With formal charges pressed against him, Alim saw his defence place his discharge petition on Monday. Further arguments followed on Wednesday. The hearing has been adjourned till May 14.

The Awami League on Sunday said it had no information on the opposition's July 10 deadline about the caretaker government issue, but insisted that all political parties will join the next general election.

Opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia at a Dhaka rally on Mar 12 set the deadline for the government to reinstate caretaker government system before the 2014 parliamentary election and said otherwise, it will announce fresh agitation programmes on June 11.

Awami League's General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam told journalists after opening an upazilla governance project in Dhaka that they had no information about that deadline.

"So I cannot comment on it," Syed Ashraf, also the Local Government and Rural Development Minister, said. "But we believe there will be an acceptable solution after dialogue, which is a continuous process."

The opposition has been demanding a return of the caretaker government system from last year when the provision was invalidated by the court.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on more than one occasion has asserted that the next elections would be held under her government, but the opposition leaders said they also know how to push the ruling coalition to accept the demand and revive the caretaker system to oversee the parliamentary polls.

A confident Awami League general secretary said they were 'certain' that all parities will take part in the next election.

"The Constitution is our guiding factor. There will be dialogues (following the Constitution), there will be decisions, there will be elections and all will participate in the election where people will give their mandate on the next government."

"We are certain."

Syed Ashraf said people might see the process of the 'dialogue is not going on right track'.

"Initially (for a dialogue) everyone disagrees, but finally all agrees," he said in an apparent gesture that the government is going to stick to its gun on the caretaker issue.

Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission Ghulam Rahman has urged the media to identify the multi-level marketing (MLM) companies that are cheating people out of their millions.

"Please publish reports in the media against the MLM companies that are deceiving the people exploiting their belief. We'll take steps against all of them," he said while talking to journalists at his office on Wednesday.

Regarding Destiny-2000 Limited, an MLM company, he said a large number of people are involved with it but a few cunning people are looting the assets of the people.

"Some people are looting and laundering money in the name of MLM to rob general people and it should be prevented."

The anti-graft body on Wednesday quizzed three more officials about the reported fraudulence and irregularities by Destiny and its 37 associate organisations.

They are its directors Sajjad Hossain, Mezbah Uddin Swapan and Irfan Ahmed Sani.

Earlier on Apr 4, the ACC started the investigation into the irregularities of Destiny.

Several newspapers recently published reports on the company's alleged involvement in several irregularities, including illegal banking and collecting money from people through cheating.

On May 14, a Dhaka court issued a warrant of arrest for Destiny-2000 Chairman, Boishakhi Media Limited Managing Director and two other officials after businessman MNH Bulu, a shareholder of Boishakhi Media, filed a case against them.

On Apr 1, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce Ministry decided to request the Finance Minister and the Bangladesh Bank Governor for action against Destiny-2000 and such other MLM companies.

A Bangladesh Bank inquiry recently found proof of illegal banking by Destiny Multipurpose Co-operative Society, a sister concern of Destiny-2000.

The National Board of Revenue froze five bank accounts, including that of Destiny Chairman Mohammad Rafiqul Amin, on Apr 25.

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has questioned the necessity of forming a probe commission to look into Grameen Bank's activities since its birth.

In a statement, Yunus on Wednesday said he was afraid that the bank's future would be at stake if the government exerted more influence on the bank.

"I believe without doubt that Grameen Bank's future will be endangered if the government reinforces its role in the bank affairs by changing its legal structure," he said in the statement.

"Has Grameen Bank done any major misdeed that needed (the government) to initiate this probe?" he asked. "I am saddened at hearing the news."

The government on May 16 formed the commission to review the ownership of Grameen Bank and 54 related social businesses that Yunus still heads, 14 months after Yunus was removed as its Managing Director.

The Bank and Financial Institutions Division of the Ministry of Finance in a circular announced the institution of the panel under 'The Commission of Inquiry Act, 1956' .

The committee will look into changing the structure of the profitable network of ventures that include Grameen Bank's stakes in Bangladesh's biggest mobile-phone company Grameenphone and recommend ways to ensure good governance, transparency and accountability of the microcredit NGO and how to bring it within the reach of state regulatory agencies.

The commission will identify the institutional strengths, weaknesses and constraints in the Grameen Bank's operation and review the purposes, legal status and operations of the institutions, companies and enterprises established by it.

The commission will also comment on the microcredit NGO's ownership and composition of its Board of Directors specifying qualifications for such membership. It will report to the government in three months.

Yunus added: "I am now enormously worried about the possibility of Grameen Bank being put under government control. I fear even to anticipate the course that Grameen Bank will take if it is made a government institution."

In the wake of several incidents of police attack on journalists, senior BNP leader Moudud Ahmed said on Wednesday the government lost control over the law enforcers.

"The State Minister for Home has asked journalists to stay away from police. Such remarks after the brutal behaviour of police prove that the government has no control over them," said Moudud, a BNP Standing Committee Member. "They (government) have failed to run the country."

State Minister for Home Shamsul Hoque Tuku on Tuesday suggested journalists to keep safe distance from police when they are on duty to avoid any tussle with them.

"Many untoward incidents can be avoided if newsmen keep themselves away from police when they are on duty in a chaotic place," he said.

Moudud reacted over the remarks while placing wreaths on BNP founder Ziaur Rahman's grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar to mark his 31st death anniversary.

The BNP and its associate organisations, led by Chairperson Khaleda Zia, placed wreaths on the grave in the morning.

Moudud said Awami League did not believe in democracy.

"It was Ziaur Rahman who returned the country to the path of democracy from one-party rule in 1975," he said.

"Our leader Khaleda Zia gave democracy an institutional shape through the 12th Amendment of the Constitution. But the government has violated the people's right to vote by annulling the caretaker government system through the 15th Amendment," he added.

Moudud also reminded that Khaleda would announce fresh agitations from a rally in Dhaka on June 11 if the demand for restoring an election time caretaker government is not met by the June 10 deadline.

Asked what type of demonstration could be announced, Moudud said, "The programmes are yet to be finalised. It will be decided on June 9 or 10."

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1 has reprimanded the Daily Sangram's reporter covering the tribunal for publishing report having 'false' and 'misleading' information about a witness.

Day's proceedings of the first International Crimes Tribunal on Wednesday began with the head of the three-strong tribunal, Justice Nizamul Huq, feeling 'sorry' over twisted facts in the news report.

The tribunal expressed disappointment over the news report after prosecution counsel Zead-Al Malum brought it to its attention.

On May 29, the Daily Sangram carried a news report titled "Witness Sheeru Bengali himself stands accused in cases of forgery, fraud and misappropriation."

"What does the headline mean? What do you want to convey by this sentence?" asked Justice Huq as he talked to Shahidul Islam, reporter of the Daily Sangram, a Jamaat-e-Islami mouthpiece.

Shahidul stood speechless as the justice continued reading parts of the report after the headline.

"The witness No. 3 is a fake freedom fighter," Justice Huq read out from the report as he termed the statement 'a dangerous statement to make'."

He wondered from where the reporter had received the information when neither the defence nor the prosecution had to say anything like this.

"Does a newspaper have the authority to deliver such a verdict?" Justice Huq asked. He also ordered the reporter of the newspaper to publish a corrigendum on the 'facts' given in the report.

Sirajul Islam alias Sheeru Bengali, is the third witness in the case filed against BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowhdury, who is facing charges on 23 counts of the crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War.

During the defence's cross-examination on May 28, Sheeru Bengali had said that he did not have a freedom fighter's certificate.

"Having no certificate does not mean a fake freedom fighter," said Justice Huq, who also urged cooperation from the media in holding a smooth trial.

Until the lunch recess, Mizanul Islam, defence counsel of Delwar Hossain Sayedee, continued with cross-examination of the investigation officer in the case for the 14th straight day on Wednesday.

The cross-examination will resume on Thursday at the tribunal formed to try genocide and other crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.

On Apr 26, in its first conviction for contempt of court, the tribunal sentenced the Daily Sangram editor-publisher and its Feni correspondent to a token prison term and fined them Tk 5,000 each.

The conviction followed publication of a report on Apr 2 in the newspaper covering an event in which certain lawyers of Feni Bar Association had stated that the tribunal was partisan.

The Home Minister on Wednesday sprung to the defence of the under-fire police force, claiming its behaviour is 'far better' now than before.

Shahara Khatun said reforms were underway to make the force 'pro-people'.

She made the comment only a day after police were accused of sexually assaulted a young woman and beating journalists at the Judges' Court premises in Dhaka.

"There are 141,000 police personnel in the country. I would not say all are good (well behaved). But we are working to make them pro-people," Sahara said.

She gestured to her right leg and said, "Police are now far better than before. My right leg is broken. Such incident also took place [in police action in the past]."

The government will take measures if there was any 'wrongdoings' in the police force, Shahara said.

"I was a political activist on the streets and have been pursuing politics since the Pakistani regime. We took action in the last three and a half years whenever there were wrongdoings in the police. Action will also be taken in future."

She dodged a 'yes' or 'no' answer to a question as to whether the media was the rival of police and government.

"People rush to police in incidents of burglary and robbery, but police don't torture them then."

She further claimed that the government took immediate measures in the incidents of police negligence and inaction.

Responding to a media query about the repression on the journalists by police on the court premises in old Dhaka, Shahara said the government took action soon after the incident. "Investigation is underway and measures will be taken [against those found responsible]."

Police on Tuesday withdrew two Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs) over allegations of sexually harassing a woman at the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court premises.

After a heated verbal exchange, the policemen dragged the young woman to the 'Police Club' on the court premises and sexually assaulted her, according to the lawyers who witnessed the incident.

As the Court Correspondents rushed there on information to have statement from police, they attacked three journalists and two lawyers.

Amid severe criticism, police withdrew ASIs ANuruzzaman Sarker and Amir Afzal Biplob in the evening. Police also formed a panel to investigate the incident.

Last week, police beat up three photojournalists of the daily Prothom Alo, snatched their cameras and cell phones and swore at them while they were taking photos of demonstrations by polytechnic students in Agargaon.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police after primary investigations closed Shahidul Islam, Assistant Commissioner (AC) of Tejgaon zone, and suspended nine policemen.

State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku at a discussion on Tuesday advised journalists to keep a "safe distance" from police while gathering news.

"Journalist can avoid such unwanted incidents if they collect news or take photos by keeping a safe distance from police," he advised.

Home Minister Shahara Khatun on Wednesday claimed that the media twisted the remarks of her deputy.

Earlier, Shahara attended an inter-ministerial meeting on reduction of extortion in the transport sector.

Jahidul Islam Sourav, one of the three arrested on Tuesday over an attack on bdnews24.com journalists, claims himself to be a member of Juba League, youth front of the ruling Awami League.

He also admitted attacking the journalists and office staff of bdnews24.com on Monday night which left two journalists and one staff of the country's first internet-based newspaper seriously injured.

However, Awami Juba League General Secretary Mirza Azam has denied Sourav's claim. "His claim is false," Azam said.

The other two arrestees – Mir Hossain and Ilias Master Sumon – have, however, denied any connection with the incident.

Police presented the trio in front of the press on Tuesday afternoon at the Detective Branch headquarters of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police where Sourav admitted his involvement in the attack.

On Monday night, unidentified assailants stabbed bdnews24.com Sub-Editor Newaz Mohammad Rifaat, Correspondent Salahuddin Wahed Pritom and office staff Ruhul Amin with sharp weapons during an attack which left them with serious injuries.

Police detained the trio from different localities in Mohakhali in separate raids since Monday night until Tuesday afternoon.

DB Additional Deputy Commissioner Masudur Rahman told reporters, "Sourav was arrested in the morning from his residence in Mohakhali. We also have the names of those who were involved in the attack."

Home Minister Shahara Khatun on Monday night, while visiting the injured at the United Hospital, had said the attackers, whichever political party they are from, would not be spared.

Sourav told reporters that he is a member of the 'Ga unit' of Juba League. He is a Degree first-year student at Titumir College.

However, Mirza Azam told bdnews24.com, "According to the Constitution of Juba League, there is no such organisational infrastructure as 'Ga unit'."

Sourav said that police arrested him from his house at 69/2 at Sakaria Mosque lane at Mohakhali.

Although the injured – Rifaat, Pritom and Ruhul Amin – bore wounds from sharp-edged weapons, Sourav claimed that no one was stabbed during the clash.

Asked if they were not stabbed then where did stabbing injuries come from, Sourav said, "I don't know about any stabbing."

He also named three of his 'seniors' – Imran, Yakub and Saddam – involved in the attack.

He said two of them works at a private electronic products manufacturing firm, but could not give their designations at the firm.

Asked to name other members of the Juba League 'Ga unit', Sourav refrained from answering. But he said, "One of the seniors took my knife."

He made this disclosure right after claiming that the journalists were not stabbed.

Describing the sequence of events leading to the attack, he said, "I was on my bicycle. There was some stuff on the footpath in front of the bdnews24.com's office building."

"As I asked the bdnews24.com staff to remove their stuff, one of them said, 'this is footpath, not road'. I had a heated argument with them. After that I called and informed my seniors about the incident."

Ruhul Amin of bdnews24.com was the man with whom Sourav had the argument in front of the building while keeping an eye on the office stuff kept outside to be shifted to the new location of the office.

On hearing shrieks of Ruhul Amin, journalists from the office had rushed to his aid and captured the assailant and informed police.

Angered at this, some more accomplices of the assailant from nearby areas, armed with sharp-edged weapons, swooped on the journalists.

Sourav claimed that he was captured and beaten up. After a while, his 'seniors' arrived on the scene, after which the attack took a new turn, culminating into stabbing of the journalists.

Meanwhile, speaking with the media, arrestee Ilias Master Sumon said, "I don't know anything about the incident. I've been framed."

The third arrestee, Mir Hossain, also pleaded innocence and denied any involvement in the attack.

DB ADC Masudur Rahman told reporters that police were investigating the reasons of the attack and whether any quarter was to benefit from the incident.

Earlier in the day, bdnews24.com's Human Resources Officer Shahidul Islam filed a case at the Banani Police Station against 15-20 unidentified people over the attack. Police said the trio was shown arrested in the case.

Injured Rifaat, Pritom and Ruhul Amin are still undergoing treatment at the United Hospital at Gulshan. However, doctors have already declared them out of danger.

Meanwhile, journalists across the country have demonstrated and held protest programmes against the attack.

The government will give Tk 200,000 compensation to each of the families of 10 Bangladeshi workers who died due to suffocation during a fire in Bahrain on Sunday.

The decision on giving compensation was taken at an emergency meeting of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Welfare Board on Tuesday, expatriates' welfare minister Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain told reporters at his Secretariat office.

Besides the financial assistance, the governing will also bear all the expenses of bringing back the bodies from Bahraini capital Manama.

The minister said that the government would try to realise compensation from the companies for which the ill-fated workers worked since they all travelled to Bahrain on legitimate work visas. "We're discussing the matter with the authorities concerned of Bahrain."

The bodies would be brought home from Bahrain by a Gulf Airlines flight since there is no flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines in Bahrain, he said.

Ten Bangladeshi workers died due to suffocation as a fire broke out at a makeshift labour accommodation in East Riffa area, some 30 kilometres from Manama, early on Sunday. The fire originated from an electric short circuit.

Nine of the 10 workers hailed from Comilla and one from Chandpur.

Responding to a query, Mosharraf said autopsy would be conducted after the bodies are brought home if their family members want that.

First Secretary of Bangladesh High Commission in Bahrain Mohammad Ibrahim said on Monday that after the post-mortem examinations, the Bahrain government said that the Bangladeshis had died in their sleep from carbon monoxide poisoning created from the smoke.

Earlier, Prime Minister Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa ordered an urgent investigation into the tragedy and directed the ministries of interior, labour, and municipalities and urban planning affairs to look into the causes and ensure that such incidents do not recur.

Prince Khalifa offered his condolences to the bereaved families and instructed the authorities concerned to send back the bodies to Bangladesh soon.

Bolts of lightning killed four people, including two of a family, in Nababganj of Dinajpur district on Wednesday.

Nababganj Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Jahidul Islam told  that the incidents occurred around 8am.

Asiya Begum, 37, and her neighbour Abdul Gafur's eight-year-old son Naimul Islam of Boalmari village under Binodnagar Union Parishad were killed on the compound of Gafur's house, the SI said.

Another thunderbolt hit a house at Chamunda village under Joypur Union Parishad, killing Razia Begum, 40, and her brother Atikul Islam, 35, who were inside the house, he added.

The driver of a microbus and all 11 passengers, nine of them are relatives, died when it collided head on with a speeding bus in Keraniganj near the capital early Wednesday.

Police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) said the accident took place at Rajendrapur area around 6am.

South Keraniganj Police Station's Officer-in-Charge Sakhawat Hossain told bdnews24.com that the bus of Sakura Paribahan was on its way to Dhaka when the collision occurred with the microbus that was heading toward Mawa for Shariatpur.

RAB-10 official Mohammad Kashem told bdnews24.com that they recovered bodies of 10 people from the spot and two others, critically injured, died while being taken to the Mitford Hospital in Dhaka.

Nine passengers of the microbus were family members and relatives of Zakir Sarder, the Chairman of Arshinagar Union Parishad, the police official said.

They were on their way to Shariatpur to enjoy the summer vacation at Zakir's house, he said.

The deceased were identified as Zakir's wife 'Baby', 47, their daughter 'Lubab', 12, his sister 'Neena', 47, her son 'Babu', 21, Zakir's sister 'Razina', 33, her husband South East Bank official 'Lenin', 38, their son 'Yaas', 8, and daughter 'Ishra', 2, Zakir's niece 'Tazria', 12, and housemaids 'Khushi' and 'Moni', and the driver Sohel Rana.

Zakir's cousin Khokan Sarder told reporters at the hospital that Zakir's three sisters lived in Indira Road and used to spend the summer holiday at Zakir's house in Shariatpur every year.

The hospital's emergency ward doctor Masudur Rahman told bdnews24.com that three passengers of the bus injured in the accident took first aid and left the hospital.