BANGLADESH

Claiming to have hit upon some vital clues in the journalist duo's killing case, police on Sunday said they will make some important revelations on Monday.

Speaking after a meeting of the committee to co-ordinate simultaneous investigations by several law enforcing agencies into the murder of Meherun Nahar Runi and Sagar Sarowar, DMP deputy commissioner (Tejgaon zone) Imam Hossain said they have made some progress.

"We are trying our best to keep the honourable minister's promise," said the top cop referring to the 48-hour deadline given by the home minister to wrap up the case.

Police chief Hassan Mahmud Khandaker has called a press conference at 1pm on Monday after the expiry of the home minister's time limit. The gruesome killings, progress in the investigations and the law and order situation of the country is likely to be talked about at the conference.

ATN Bangla senior reporter Runi and her husband Golam Mustofa Sarowar, alias Sagar Sarowar, a news editor with Maasranga Television, were murdered in the early hours of Saturday at their rented flat in west Rajabazar in the capital.

Home minister Shahara Khatun had ordered police and other law-enforcing agencies to arrest those responsible within 48 hours while on a visit to the scene of crime.

The minister on Sunday reiterated that the killers will be arrested within the specified time limit.

The house where the journalist duo was murdered comes under Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station. Detective police, Rapid Action Battalion and Criminal Investigation Department are probing the murders.

When asked about the investigation progress in the past 24-hours, DMP detective police joint comissioner Maruf Hasan told : "[The] investigation is going on and so are attempts to arrest those involved. We hope that we will be able to arrest them shortly and produce them in the court."

Imam Hasan said two teams of detective police, one of CID and two of police are probing the killings. Detective official Maruf is coordinating the investigations.

Stating that there have been a meeting of the coordination committee on Sunday, Imam Hasan said the teams are scheduled to sit at a meeting tonight (Sunday).

Though RAB is investigating the case separately, their activities are also being coordinated, Hasan said. "Everything is being given importance as this is a really sensitive case. Nothing is being left to chance."

Runi's younger brother Nowsher Alam Roman lodged a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station at 5pm on Sunday, after nearly 36 hours of the incident, against 'unnamed' assailants.

Station's officer in-charge (OC) Zakir Hossain Mollah told that no name or specific number of the assailants was mentioned in the case details.

He said investigation teams have talked to the journalists' families and will do so again, if needed.

A police officer related with the probe team, who cannot be named, told : "The investigation has made great progress. Important information has been found through mobile tracking. Police are investigating to be sure of certain other things."

Meanwhile, RAB and detective police have collected pictures from Dhaka Reporters' Unity and video of the picnic of journalist couple's son Mahin Sarowar Megh's school, and they are being examined, officials said.

The five-year-old son of the duo, who was at home at the time of killing, told police that two people killed his parents whom he had seen earlier at a picnic.

Authorities shut Sir Salimullah Medical College indefinitely following a violent factional clash of pro-government Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) at its main dormitory on Saturday.

After the clash, students have vacated the dormitories by 4pm following the academic council's decision.

"The decision to halt classes was taken in the academic council meeting following tense situations," college principal M A Azhar Uddin told .

"Students have been ordered to leave the halls. But those who are sitting for second year and final year Prof tests can stay in the hall showing their admit cards," he added.

The factional clash between two groups of BCL, which took place in the early hours of Saturday, had left seven students injured while one of them stated to be in critical condition.

Kotwali police station officer in-charge Mohammad Salauddin told reporters, "The violence is the result of an internal clash between two factions of Chhatra League. We have found out that one faction broke through the main gate and attacked the dormitory."

The OC added the pro-Awami League student wing's activists had vandalised 33 rooms of the dormitory during the clash.

A three-strong committee headed by Child Department professor A R M Lutful Kabir has been already formed to investigate into the clash. The other two members of the committee are professor Alamgir Kabir and associate professor A H M Mahbub-ul Maola.

Though, Kotwali police had detained 53 students from the dormitory right after the incident, but later they were freed.

The detainees were freed after signing a bond stating that steps would be taken against them if the investigation committee formed to look into the matter finds them guilty, the OC added.

Following the incident, general students vandalised the Leo Club room on the ground floor of the hospital and staged a human-chain protest locking the main door. The academic council took the decision to vacate the dormitory before the situation worsened.

Meanwhile, students of the college had locked the principal in his room and brought out a series of processions protesting the authority's decision to suspend classes.

"The injured 'Sharif', 'Parvez', 'Ankur', 'Assaduzzaman', 'Rocky' and 'Anupam' are undergoing treatment at the hospital's causality department," head of the hospital's causality department Mahbub Hossain Mehedi said.

"But Angel, one of the injured, was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital after his condition deteriorated," he added.

A group of hackers, claiming to be Indians, took down four government ministry's websites on Saturday after they hacked into the posts and telecommunications ministry website.

The ministries are communications, youth and sports, primary and mass education and education.

Apart from these, Trading Corporation of Bangladesh's website has also been hacked.

Around 9pm on Saturday, it was seen that the sites had gone black and the hackers wrote, "Hacked by Love the Risk, Amal Landhe, Lnx Root, Silent Killer."

In the hacked pages, between two eyes resembling Indian flags, the hackers wrote, "We have an EYE on you.

The name of another hacker group, Indian Cyber Army, was also displayed in the pages.

In the hacked page of TCB, the hackers wrote, "No one Can Stop Us, Hacked Saadi and Hax.r00t".

The website of the posts and telecommunications ministry came under attack in the afternoon. it was restored around 5:50pm.

Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid told : "I've been informed about the hacking. Measures are being taken to restore the website."

No other senior officials of other ministries were available for comments.

Police have recovered a blood-stained kitchen knife from the rented flat of the journalist couple who were murdered sometime in the early hours of Saturday.

Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police OC Zakir Hossain Mollah told late in the night that the knife was found at a corner of the bedroom floor.

It is there where their 5-year-old son 'Megh' found the butchered bodies lying after waking up around 7am. A knife was also found shoved 80 percent into the left side of the chest of Golam Mustofa Sarowar, alias Sagar Sarowar, the news editor of Maasranga Television.

His wife, ATN Bangla senior reporter Meherun Nahar Runi was also murdered in that flat in west Rajabazar in Dhaka. They were buried after post-mortem at Azimpur graveyard around 9pm.

They were hacked to death. Sagar's body had marks of random slashing with knives and other sharp weapons while Runi had just two deep wounds.

Forensic experts say that the wounds have led them to suspect that the murder was the work of non-professional killers. Rapid Action Battalion detectives suspect the assailants might have known the victims and the killing was pre-planned.

After the brutal murder of the couple was first reported by son 'Megh', police had locked the room because of the huge crowd who had gathered at the flat. They searched the room later in the night and recovered the kitchen knife.

Police on Saturday night also questioned the residents of the buildings beside the multistoried apartment complex on 58/A/2 holding of the area. They had earlier detained the building's security guard Polash Rudro Paul and caretaker Abu Taher for questioning.

Detective Branch (DB) police had also quizzed Runi's brothers Nowsher Alam and Nowshid Alam for at least an hour at DB headquarters.

Asked how the investigation was proceeding, Dhaka Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Mahbubur Rahman told : "There is nothing new to say."

Home minister Shahara Khatun had ordered the police to arrest the guilty and submit the investigation report within 48 hours.

The father of Mohammad Mojaheed, one of the two students killed in a clash between Bangladesh Chhatra League and Islami Chhatra Shibir at Chittagong University on Wednesday, has claimed his son was a Shibir activist.

"My son was involved with Islami Chhatra Shibir's politics. His killing was pre-planned," Mohammad Humayun Kabir Mir said in a written statement at a press briefing at the Chittagong Press Club on Saturday.

On Wednesday, Mohammad Mojaheed of zoology and Masud-Bin-Habib of English department were killed in a clash between the student wings of ruling Awami League and Jamaat-e-Islami. Right after the clash, Shibir had claimed that the duo were activists of the organisation.

But BCL that night at a press conference claimed that Mojaheed was their activist.

Claiming Mojaheed was innocent, his father Kabir also demanded immediate arrest and punishment of the killers. He alleged that Hathazari Police Station did not take a case he wanted to file.

"I used to see Islami Chhatra Shibir books among his books when my son visited home during university vacations. I had never thought it as his fault or illegal that he was involved with Shibir's politics," he told after the press briefing.

"My son is a victim of political butchery," he added.

Mojaheed, of Purba Kismat Jafrabad under Mirsarai Upazika, was the second among five brothers and sisters.

The war crimes tribunal on Sunday adjourned indictment hearing proceedings against Jamaat chief Matiur Rahman Nizami for the day, saying it will pass an order on Monday regarding a defence prayer seeking a longer adjournment of the case.

The International Crimes Tribunal, set up to try crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, was expected to hear charges against the Jamaat-e-Islami chief on Sunday.
The tribunal chief Nizamul Huq adjourned the proceedings on Sunday upon an application from Nizami's counsellor Abdur Razzaq who said that the defence had not been able to prepare adequately and prayed for a four-week adjournment.

The senior defence counsel said that there were thousands of pages in several volumes which his team could not finish perusing. Furthermore, the counsel said there were 416 pages of illegible photocopies.

The tribunal asked the defence to file another application regarding those pages and said that it would pass on order the next day after having considered both the applications.

Prosecutor Syed Haider Ali said that the prosecution naturally had reservations about the adjournment and requested the tribunal that the trial is not unduly delayed.

Two former army chiefs, K M Safiullah and Harun Ar Rashid, both of them freedom fighters, were also present among a number of visitors.

The tribunal took charges into cognisance against Nizami on Jan 9 and set the indictment hearing to start from Feb 12.

On Dec 11, the prosecution brought formal charges at the tribunal against Nizami, secretary-general Ali Ahsan Mohammed Mojaheed and assistant secretary-general Mohammad Kamaruzzaman.

Trial of the party's executive council member Delwar Hossain Sayedee is also underway at the tribunal with witness depositions being heard.

Jamat assistant secretary-general Abdul Quader Molla and Bangladesh Nationalist Party's standing committee member Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, also a lawmaker, have been detained, for their alleged war crimes.

Former BNP minister Abdul Alim had been freed by the tribunal on conditional bail because of his poor health.

Forensic experts suspect the murder of the two TV journalist couple was the work of non-professional killers.

ATN Bangla senior reporter Meherun Nahar Runi and husband Golam Mustofa Sarowar, alias Sagar Sarowar, who was news editor with Maasranga Television, were murdered sometime in the early hours of Saturday at their rented flat in west Rajabazar in the capital.

Rapid Action Battalion detectives suspect the assailants might have known the victims and the killing was pre-planned.

"Both bodies have marks of random slashing with knives and other sharp weapons," forensic expert Dr Sohel Mahmud, who conducted the autopsy, told . "The wounds have led us to suspect that the murderers are not professionals.

"There were 19 large wounds on Sagar's body along with 20-25 small cuts. A knife was found jammed 80 percent into the left side of his chest. We removed it here (during postmortem). The butt of the knife was missing."

Dr Mahmud said there were two deep wounds in Runi's stomach. "Her death was hastened, as a blood vessel was severed," he added.

Their bodies were taken to Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) office after the autopsy. The first namaz-e-janaza was held there, DRU president Shakhawat Hossain Badshah had said earlier.

Information minister Abul Kalam Azad, state minister for LGRD Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Workers' Party president Rashed Khan Menon and members of different other political parties and journalists' association paid their last respect there.

Badshah said bodies of the journalist duo were taken to Maasranga TV and ATN Bangla offices respectively for two more janazas.

A third janaza was held at old Dhaka's Nawabpur Road, Sagar's ancestral home. Following the funeral prayers, Sagar and Runi were buried at Azimpur graveyard around 9pm.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia have expressed their condolences over the journalist couple's murder. Finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Dhaka University vice-chancellor A A M S Arefin Siddique and scores of others offered their condolences to the bereaved families.

Home minister Shahara Khatun has ordered police and other law-enforcing agencies to step on the gas and arrest those responsible within 48 hours.

Meanwhile, DRU president Badshah, general secretary Sazzad Alam Khan Topu, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD) president Hasanul Haque Inu, TV Camera Journalists Association, Rangpur Journalist Association, Bangladesh Crime Reporters Association and many others offered their condolences to the grief-stricken relatives.

DRU has announced a three-day mourning programme, which includes human chain protest in front of the National Press Club and wearing of black badges on Sunday morning, programmes seeking salvation for the departed souls after the Asr prayers on Tuesday and a commemoration programme at DRU on Wednesday.

Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Zakir Hossain Mollah had told that they were killed in the early hours of Saturday. "After waking up around 7am on Saturday, the couple's 5-year-old son 'Megh' found the bodies lying on the floor of their bedroom."

RAB's detective wing head Ziaul Ahsan had also told , "In the primary investigation, it appears to be a pre-planned act. It also occurred to us that the killers did know them previously."

Quoting 'Megh', 5, the only child of the journalist couple, OC Zakir said, "Megh saw two people in their home after waking up around 7am. He closed the door after they had left. Later, on seeing his parents lying dead he informed his grandmother (who lives nearby)."

"Megh said he saw them (the assassins) at a picnic sometimes ago," he said.

The police official said they also found half-eaten breads and scrambled eggs at the dinning table.

Police, however, have already detained the building's security guard Polash Rudro Paul for questioning.

Detective Branch (DB) police had also quizzed Runi's brothers Nowsher Alam and Nowshid Alam for at least an hour at DB headquarters.

The country's premier bourse started off the week with an uptrend as prices of most shares and mutual funds gained in the initial hours of trading on Sunday.

Prices of 237 issues rose and eight declined in the Tk 1.46 billion exchange that occurred until 12.48 am. The general index (DGEN) was pushed up by 196.06 points or 4.89 percent to stand at 4206.85 points by then.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) ended last week, despite undergoing topsy-turvy trading all through, with a 201.03 or 5.28 percent rise on the last day.

The previous week saw a number of potholes, with the general index losing 5.96 percent on the opening Monday and a 3.44 percent on Wednesday.

Monday's fall created a new record with the DGEN plummeting to a new low of 3616.24 points - the lowest it has touched so far since December 2010.

However, the rise on Thursday and an above 9 percent hike on Tuesday saw the week closing at 4010.8 points, gaining around 165 points.

Although the market stabilised a little in December 2011 after market regulator SEC declared a package of incentives, the stocks started taking a battering from the first week of the new year.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has said Bangladesh's rights over 460 nautical-mile area in the Bay of Bengal will be secured from India and Myanmar.

"Both Myanmar and India will have to accept that we have rights in that part of the sea. We have our rights over the resources. Inshallah, we will secure the rights," she told parliament on Wednesday during the question-answer session.

Replying to a supplementary question of Naogaon-2 constituency MP Sahiduzzaman Sarkar, she said: "We have rights over the amount of sediment going to sea from Bangladesh and the area created by that sediment."

"We have rights over that 460 nautical-mile area of the Bay of Bengal. In the sea, Bangladesh has an area which is larger than its (Bangladesh) size," she added.

Bangladesh placed its 'position paper' on its maritime claim in the Bay of Bengal to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in New York on Feb 25. It claimed that Bangladesh owns that area.

But Myanmar on Mar 31 and India on Jun 20 last year placed their 'objection letters' to the UN over Bangladesh's claim.

The hearing on Bangladesh's claim began on Aug 24 last year at the UN.

Moreover, a case is also running at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) between Bangladesh and Myanmar to settle a dispute over degrading maritime border. The hearing of the case started last September.

Applications for cadre service jobs have to be submitted online from the next Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examinations, an official has said.

Public Service Commission (PSC) controller of examinations (cadre) I E M Nesaruddin told : "Job applications have to be sent online starting the 33rd BCS examinations. Likewise, admit cards can also be collected online."

"Sufferings of the job aspirants will get immensely with the introduction of online application system," he said.

Nesaruddin said PCS has signed a contract to this effect with public-sector mobile phone operator Teletalk."

The agreement was inked with the consent of the finance minister, he said adding: "Application forms can be filled up through the PSC and Teletalk websites."

The PSC official said there would be instructions for filling up various parts of the forms. Applicant's copy will be seen and each applicant given an invoice number on filling up the form.

"The applicant can pay the exam fee through Teletalk mobile phone using the invoice number. Once the fee is paid, the aspirant will get a registration number. Then the applicant can download admit card using the invoice and registration numbers."

If anyone loses the admit card, it can be downloaded again, Nesaruddin said.

He hinted that circular for the 33rd BCS exams could be published late February or early March.

The PSC official said colour photos of the examinees would be affixed to the attendance book apart from the admit cards.

Those sitting the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations in 2014 will have to deal with creative questions for 12 subjects.

In the HSC examinations of 2013, questions of Bangla, political science, chemistry and business entrepreneurship will be creative ones, chairman of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka, Fahima Khatun told on Wednesday.

Only Bangla will see creative questions in 2012, she added.

Apart from the four subjects to see creative questions in 2013, questions of physics, biology, accounting, business entrepreneurship and practical management, history, Islamic history, social science and social welfare, will be creative, an education ministry circular issued earlier in the day said.

In 2014, physics and biology students will have to answer creative questions of 40 numbers, multiple choice questions of 35 numbers and practical questions of 25 numbers.

Accounting, business entrepreneurship and practical management, history, Islamic history, social science and social welfare will see creative questions of 40 numbers and multiple choice questions of 60 numbers.

The government has issued a gazette on the appointment of former CSP officer Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed as the new chief election commissioner.

In a formal announcement on Wednesday evening, the Cabinet Division also issued gazettes on appointment of four others as election commissioners.

Retired additional secretary Mohammad Abu Hafiz, retired joint secretary Abdul Mobarak, retired brigadier general Mohammad Jabed Ali and retired sessions judge Mohammad Shahnewaz were appointed as Rakib's deputies and they will work with him for the next five years.

Earlier in the day, president Zillur Rahman's press secretary A K M Nesar Uddin Bhuiyan had confirmed about Rakib's appointment as the new CEC.

Following the gazette issuance, the EC secretariat would now make arrangements for their swearing-in by the chief justice.

EC secretary Mohammad Sadique had told that they would ask the chief justice for time to schedule the oath administration once the gazette is issued.

Islami Chhatra Shibir has called a half-day general strike for Thursday in protest at the deaths of two of its members in a clash at Chittagong University.

The lockdown will be enforced from 6am to 12pm in the port city, Shibir's metropolitan unit (north) president Mohammad Ismail told around 6:30pm on Wednesday.

Ismail said both south and north units of Chhatra Shibir have called on the strike with the support of Jamaat-e-Islami's Chittagong metropolitan unit.

Jamaat's metropolitan unit chief A N M Shamsul Islam MP has also confirmed his party's support for the shutdown.

Two pro-Jamaat-e-Islami students had died earlier in the day in clashes with pro-Awami League students over distribution of invites for the university's Islamic History department first-year orientation programme.

According to police and witnesses, the clash left at least 35 injured including CU proctor Nasim Hasan while police have arrested 10 Shibir activists from the campus.

Doctors at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) had declared zoology second-year student Mohammad Mojaheed and English final year student Masud Bin Habib dead around 3:30pm after they were taken there with fatal injuries.

Meanwhile, the university authorities have ordered all students to vacate the dormitories and postponed academic activities until Feb 16 following the clashes.

Pro-government Bangladesh Chhatra League has claimed that one of the two who died in the clash with Islami Chhatra Shibir at Chittagong University was a BCL member.

Earlier, claiming both deceased as their members, the pro-Jamaat-e-Islami student organisation called a half-day general strike on Thursday in the port city.

"Deceased Mohammad Mojaheed was a BCL activist," CU BCL unit senior vice-president Abul Mansur Shikder told a press briefing at 8pm on Wednesday at a private hospital Medical Center in the city's GEC Intersection area.

Zoology second-year student Mohammad Mojaheed and English final-year student Masud Bin Habib died earlier in the day in clashes between BCL and Chhatra Shibir activists over the distribution of invites for the university's Islamic History Department first-year orientation programme.

However, right after the clash, Shibir's CU unit president Badiul Alam claimed that Habib was the general secretary of university's Suhrawardy Hall unit and Mojaheed was a member of his organisation.

Doctors at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) declared Mojaheed and Habib dead around 3:30pm after they were taken there with fatal injuries.

Meanwhile, the university authorities have ordered all students to vacate the dormitories and postponed academic activities until Feb 16 following the hour-long clashes which also left at least 35 injured, including CU proctor Nasim Hasan.

BCL held the press briefing at Medical Center where some of the injured were admitted.

Blaming Shibir for the clash, Mansur said at least 50 BCL activists were injured in the clash and five of them were in critical condition.

He claimed, "This was a planned assault. Chhatra Shibir also held show-down programme on Tuesday night. Wednesday's assault took place as the CU BCL unit president and general secretary were not present on the campus."

He further alleged that police were also not effective during the clash.

Asking the CU authorities to resume university activities, the ruling party student wing leader said BCL will file a case with Hathazari Police Station over 'Mojaheed murder'.

He also announced at the briefing that his party will hold a human-chain programme and demonstrate in the city's Sholoshohor area on Thursday to protest 'Mojaheed's murder and assault'.

If the chief justice agrees, the newly-appointed chief election commissioner and the four election commissioners will be taking the oath of office on Thursday, the Election Commission secretary says.

"We have received the gazette on the appointment of the new CEC and four commissioners. We will request the chief justice to make arrangements for their swearing-in on Thursday," Mohammad Sadique told Wednesday evening.

If everything goes fine, the oath administration ceremony will take place on Thursday afternoon, he said.

President Zillur Rahman appointed former CSP officer Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed as the new CEC. Retired additional secretary Mohammad Abu Hafiz, retired joint secretary Abdul Mobarak, retired brigadier general Mohammad Jabed Ali and retired sessions judge Mohammad Shahnewaz were appointed as Rakib's deputies.

The EC received the gazette in the afternoon following its issuance by the Cabinet Division.

When asked about the administration of oath, Supreme Court registrar A K M Shamsul Islam told arrangements will be made after they receive EC Secretariat's letter.

"If they request to conduct the swearing-in on Thursday, the time will be fixed in line with the chief justice's schedule," he said.

The president on Jan 22 formed a search committee, following a series of dialogues with political parties having representation in parliament, to reconstitute the top polls panel as the tenure of the incumbent commission ends in the middle of this month.

Zillur Rahman accepted recommendations from the search committee headed by a Supreme Court judge, who submitted a list of 10 names, including two for the CEC's post, and he finalised the five on Wednesday from that list.

Meanwhile, EC officials have said that one of the new commissioners' swearing-in could be postponed as the term of election commissioner M Shakhawat Hossain is due to end on Feb 14.

Parliament on Tuesday passed the 'Wall Writing and Poster Sticking (Prevention) Bill-2012' allowing poster pasting and graffiti only in designated spots.

According to the bill, anybody violating the new law could be fined a maximum of Tk 50,000 and 30 days of imprisonment if the offender fails to pay the fine. Mobile courts will also be able to try the violators.

The bill was passed after speaker Abdul Hamid put it to voice vote.

The endorsement came after state minister for LGRD Jahangir Kabir Nanak tabled the bill on Nov 28 last year on. The cabinet on July 11 that year had approved the bill's draft copy.

The only mobile-phone operator on the stock exchange, GrameenPhone (GP), has declared another 65 percent cash dividend for 2011.

A GP source familiar with the company's financial details confirmed about the decision of the GP board of directors.

This announcement comes on top of a 140 percent dividend given earlier.

Also the largest telecom operator in Bangladesh, the company's board took the decision in a meeting on Tuesday evening, said the source who declined to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media on the issue.

In July last year, GP declared the 140 percent interim cash dividend or Tk 14 per share of Tk 10 each for 2011 based on its half-yearly performance.

The interim dividend was much higher than that of 2010's 35 percent interim dividend and even higher than full year's 120 percent dividend of 2010.

he home minister has claimed that the main opposition's Mar 12 rally in Dhaka is aimed at 'saving war criminals', so the government will 'thwart' the bid 'peacefully.'

"They (BNP) will not succeed at any cost," Shahara Khatun, also a ruling Awami League's presidium member, vowed while speaking at a massive human chain programme organised by the 14-party Grand Alliance on Tuesday.

The human chain, stretching from one end of the capital to the other, was formed to protest what they called "conspiracy to foil war crimes trial and throttle democracy".

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia declared the programme 'to topple the government' from a rally at Chittagong on Jan 9.

Joining hands around 3pm, the ruling coalition supporters formed the chain from Gabtoli to Jatrabari, lasting over an hour.

It stretched through Shyamoli, Asad Gate, Russell Square, Panthapath, Karwan Bazar, Shahbagh, National Press Club, Noor Hossain Square, Gulistan, Tikatuli and Sayedabad.

"BNP declared the Mar 12 programme to save war criminals. But, they will not succeed at any cost. On that day, our leaders and activists will peacefully keep them [the opposition] off the streets," Shahara said taking part in the programme at Gabtoli.

Syed Ashraful Islam, the LGRD minister and Awami League general secretary, had earlier announced the decision to form the 12-kilometre human chain between Gabtali bus terminal and Jatrabari crossing. The decision was taken at a meeting of the leaders of the 14-party alliance at the Awami League president's political office in Dhanmondi on Jan 29, he had said.

Ashraful had said that the human chain is an attempt to raise voice against a "conspiracy" at home and abroad to foil the trial of war criminals.

Among those who attended the meeting on Jan 29 were Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) president Hasanul Haque Inu, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon and party member Shirin Akther, Ganotantri Party leader Nurur Rahman Selim, Samyabadi Dal leader Harun Chowdhury and NAP leader Ismail Hossain.

An Awami League media release earlier in the said the party's leaders would take part in the human chain programme at different points of the city on Tuesday.

Former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Ghulam Azam, party's present chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, its secretary-general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed, central executive committee member Delwar Hossain Sayedee, and assistant secretaries general Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Quader Molla are facing charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed during the 1971 war.

They are all currently behind bars.

Facing similar charges, senior BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury is also in jail, pending trial, while former member of late president Ziaur Rahman's cabinet Abdul Alim is out on conditional bail.

The government formed the International Crimes Tribunal, lawyers' panel and an investigation committee on Mar 25 last year to try those involved in crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.

The search committee, formed to suggest names for election commissioners, submitted their recommendations to president Mohammad Zillur Rahman on Tuesday.

The recommendations were handed in around 6:30pm to at Bangabhaban.

Following a meeting of the committee earlier in the day at the Supreme Court Judges' Lounge, cabinet secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told journalists around 6:10pm: "We have finalised the recommendations. Now we are going to the president with the names."

Asked who names have been proposed, he said, " You will get to know about that there (in president's office)."

The Cabinet Division provided secretarial support to the panel headed by the Appellate Division's justice Syed Mahmud Hossain. The other members of the committee are High Court Division justice Md Nuruzzaman, Public Service Commission chairman AT Ahmedul Haque Chowdhury and comptroller and auditor general Ahmed Ataul Hakim.

The committee is to propose two names against each vacant post of election commissioners, including the chief of the constitutional body to the president who will have the final say as per constitutional provisions.

It received the names from political parties until last Tuesday. Ruling Awami League, Workers' Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal had sent names to the committee. But Jatiya Party, a key component of the ruling alliance, suggested no names.

The BNP-led four-party alliance snubbed the committee, calling it unconstitutional.

The president on Jan 22 formed the search committee, following a series of dialogues with political parties having representation in parliament, to reconstitute the commission.

The tenure of the incumbent commission ends in the middle of this month.

The BNP on Tuesday termed immediate past chief election commissioner A T M Shamsul Huda 'biased' and said it will not accept his reappointment.

"He (Huda) tried to break a large political party. This person is biased, not impartial. He doesn't tell the truth," acting secretary general of the party, Mirza Fakhrul islam Alamgir told a discussion in the city.

He urged the government to revive the caretaker government system, saying the 'ongoing political crisis' will not be overcome if the constitutional provision is not reinstated before constitution of a new Election Commission (EC).

"You (government) still have time. Come away from the path of violence and vengeance," the spokesperson said.

The BNP leader termed 'unconstitutional' the search committee, which officially proposed names of election commissioners later in the evening.

President Mohammed Zillur Rahman had formed the committee after talks with political parties last month as the terms of Huda and the other election commissioners M Sakhawat Hussain and Muhammed Sohul Hussain were expiring this month.

The issue of Huda's reappointment was discussed when some political parties proposed during the presidential dialogue that he be reappointed and several experts on the constitution said there was no legal bar.

The panel was to propose two names against each vacant post of election commissioners, including the chief of the constitutional body, to president who will have the final say as per constitutional provisions.

Ruling Awami League, Workers' Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal had sent names to the committee. But Jatiya Party, a key component of the ruling alliance, suggested no names.

The BNP-led four-party alliance has been saying from the beginning that they would not give any names to the committee, calling it unconstitutional.

The main opposition has dubbed the recommendations for election commissioners, handed over to the president by the search committee, as 'meaningless'.

"We feel, forming a new election commission is not the answer to the prevailing political crisis, instead formation of a non-partisan caretaker government holds the key," the party's standing committee member Khandker Mosharraf Hossain told as his instant reaction to Tuesday's submission of names.

"So, who mans the new EC or whom the search committee recommended is of no concern to us. We find it meaningless," the BNP leader added.

The search committee, formed to suggest names for the new election commissioners, in the evening recommended to the president that either former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder or ex-home secretary Kazi Rakib Uddin Ahmed be made the chief election commissioner.

The committee also proposed eight other names against the remaining four vacant posts of election commissioners to the president who will have the final say as per the constitutional provisions.

"We told the president during the dialogue that the announcement to hold the polls under a caretaker government has to come before formation of the new Election Commission," Musharraf pointed out.

"...there is no alternative to the polls being held under a non-partisan caretaker government to ensure fair and acceptable elections."

He added that this was one of the key reasons why his party did not contribute to the formation of the new EC.

"A neutral poll is no longer only BNP's demand, it has become a national demand. If anything is done bypassing this, then the people will not accept. On the contrary, it will only worsen the political crisis."

The president on Jan 22 formed the search committee, following a series of dialogues with political parties having representation in parliament, to reconstitute the commission. The tenure of the incumbent commission ends in the middle of this month.

It received the names from political parties until Dec 31. Ruling Awami League, Workers' Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal had sent names to the committee. But Jatiya Party, a key component of the ruling alliance, suggested no names.

The BNP-led four-party alliance had snubbed the committee, calling it unconstitutional.

Detective branch police have detained Mohammad Nurul Islam, general secretary of Narsinghdi district's Sadar upazila unit of BNP, at the jail gate as he moved to walk free hours after securing bail in the case over the murder of Narsinghdi municipality mayor Lokman Hossain.

DB police inspector Gaurachandra Majumder told that the Tuesday evening arrest was carried out in line with "depositions of accused arrested over the murder of Narsinghdi Government College student union general secretary Billal Hossain Rony".

On Mar 15 last year, Chhatra Dal leader Rony was chopped and shot dead on the college premises in broad daylight and it is alleged that the murder was the result of a factional clash in BNP.

Rony's elder brother Abul Fazal had filed a case against 14, though Nurul did not find a mention there. Later, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was assigned to probe the case.

Earlier in the day, the court of Narsinghdi district and sessions judge Mohammad Shahjahan granted him bail after chief judicial magistrate Nitai Chandra Saha ordered him back to jail on being produced before the court after a three-day remand.

Following the chief judicial magistrate court's order, lawyers for the accused moved to the district and sessions judge's court for his bail.

Doctors at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) had pronounced Lokman, 43, dead about three hours after he was shot by a masked gunman around 8pm in front of the Awami League office at Sadar Road in Narsinghdi on Nov 1.

Lokman's younger brother Kamruzzaman filed a murder case on Nov 3 accusing telecommunications minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju's brother Salahuddin Ahmed Bachchu and 13 others, mostly leaders and activists of Awami League.

Nurul, the number five accused in the murder case, was arrested at the Shahjalal International Airport in the capital by the immigration police on Jan 29 on his arrival from Malaysia.

He had gone to Malaysia before the murder was committed.

The search committee has recommended that the president pick either former CSP officer Kazi Rakib Uddin Ahmed or former secretary Ali Imam Majumder a the chief election commissioner.

It suggested eight more names against the four positions of commissioners, one being that of a woman.

The committee members handed their recommendations for the new election commissioners to Mohammad Zillur Rahman on Tuesday

The president received the recommendations around 6:30pm at Bangabhaban.

Cabinet secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan revealed the names to journalists at Bangabhaban.

The BNP has brushed off the recommendations 'meaningless' while ruling coalition ally Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSad) said the candidates are 'honest' and 'competent' even though the names put forward by political parties were not there

CEC contender Kazi Rakib retired as the education secretary in 2003. He had also been the home secretary and was chairman of different corporations in his career.


The other man in the fray, Ali Imam, was thrust into the office of cabinet secretary in December 2006 during the caretaker government led by president Iajuddin Ahmed. He held the post during the entire rule of the military-backed caretaker government. After his retirement, the 1977 Bangladesh Civil Service batch officer was reappointed for another year on contract and finally retired in November 2008, a month before the general elections.

A Comilla resident, he discharged duties as the establishment secretary under the past BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami coalition government.

The committee proposed eight other names, including a woman and a retired army officer, against the remaining four vacant posts of election commissioners to the president who will have the final say as per constitutional provisions.

They are retired additional secretaries Mohammad Abu Hafiz and Shah Mohammad Monsurul Haque, retired joint secretary Abdul Mobarak, former police chief Hadis Uddin Ahmed, retired brigadier general Jabed Ali, former Supreme Court registrar Fazlul Karim, former sessions' judge Mohammad Shahnewaz and chief executive officer of NGO Broti Sharmin Murshid.

BNP policymaker Khandker Mosharraf Hossain told in his instant reaction to the submission of names that who manned the new Election Commission or who the search committee recommended was of no concern to the opposition.

"We feel, forming a new Election Commission is not the answer to the prevailing political crisis, instead formation of a non-partisan caretaker government holds the key," he added.

JaSad president Hasanul Haq Inu told reporters that the names suggested by the panel have worked with 'integrity' and 'proficiency' and hoped that they will deliver in the EC as well.

The Cabinet Division has been providing secretarial support to the panel headed by the Appellate Division's justice Syed Mahmud Hossain. The other members of the committee are High Court Division justice Md Nuruzzaman, Public Service Commission chairman AT Ahmedul Haque Chowdhury and comptroller and auditor general Ahmed Ataul Hakim.

It received the names from political parties until Dec 31. Ruling Awami League, Workers' Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal had sent names to the committee. But Jatiya Party, a key component of the ruling alliance, suggested no names.

The BNP-led four-party alliance snubbed the committee, calling it unconstitutional.

The president on Jan 22 formed the search committee, following a series of dialogues with political parties having representation in parliament, to reconstitute the commission.

The tenure of the incumbent commission ends in the middle of this month.

The government has prepared the draft of a law to control the activities of the multi-level marketing (MLM) companies and sent it to the ministries of finance and public administration for their opinion, the commerce minister tells parliament.

"The draft law--'Direct Sales Act-2012'--will be placed in the cabinet for approval when the ministries give their opinion on it," minister G M Quader said while replying to a supplementary question from ruling Awami League MP Tazul Islam during the question-answer session on Monday.

The minister said some MLM companies have been cheating people, alluring them by promising good profits. A total of 69 MLM companies have been given registration so far.

The government has stopped registration of more MLM companies in the wake of allegations against some of them, he said.

Stating that it was possible to take action against them under the existing law, Quader said, "Steps will be taken after discussion with all relevant ministries on the type of legal measures possible," he added.

2800 TCB DEALERS

Responding to a query from ruling party MP A B M Golam Mostafa, the commerce minister said that a total of 2,800 dealers have been appointed across the country by the state-owned Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB).

Quader said some 13,782 metric tonnes of sugar, 7,382 metric tonnes of lentil, 600 metric tonnes of gram, 600 metric tonnes of date and 353,434 litres of soybean oil were distributed among the consumers through the dealers over the last six months.

BILATERAL PACTS WITH 40 STATES

In reply to a starred question from Monirul Islam MP, he said that Bangladesh has so far signed bilateral agreements with 40 countries. "Bangladesh has also signed SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area) pact with India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan and Afghanistan."

The country has signed ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) agreement with India, Sri Lanka, China, South Korea and Laos, and BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) accord with Thailand, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan, the commerce minister informed.

Quader, in reply to the question of Jatiya Party MP Mujibul Haque, said that the government has taken some initiatives to meet the trade gap with China.

China has granted duty-free and quota-free (DFQF) access to 4,788 products of Bangladesh to its market in the 2010-2011 fiscal, he said.

Consumer inflation rate has soared in January to 11.59 percent from 10.63 percent at December-end.

The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) gave the figures at a press briefing on Monday.

BBS director Shahjahan Ali Mollah attributed the inflation rate hike to the rise in prices of essentials including rice, pulse, fish, eggs, fruits, edible oil and packaged milk.

In other sectors, BBS identified rise in rent, transport expense, price of garment and household costs as the key factor behind the swelling inflation.

The media was also informed that the food inflation in January stood at 10.9 percent while inflation in other sectors was 13.16 percent.

However, inflation in rural areas has gone down during the period, with the rate falling to 11.15 percent at January-end from 13.25 percent in December. Food inflation in the rural area stood at 10.18 percent and in other sectors, 13.23 percent.

Overall inflation in urban areas is on the rise, with the rate at 12.73 percent in January-end, which was 11.62 percent at the end of December. Food inflation in urban areas was at 12.56 percent and in other sectors, the inflation was 12.97 percent.

The average inflation over the past one year has been 10.91 percent.

Even though the finance minister claimed that there is no economic crisis in the country, he sees reining in inflation a big challenge for the government.

Increase in fuel prices in December 2011 caused January's hike in prices of fuel and fuel-related commodities, Shahjahan said.

The inflation rate was recorded 9.6 percent in February 2011, which rose to 10.4 percent within a month and it has stayed in double digits since then.

The highest inflation on point-to-point basis was 11.97 percent in September 2011. Overall inflation rate was recorded 11.42 percent in October 2011.

BBS published the inflation data taking 1995-1996 as the base year.

Even though the rate of inflation is in double-digit figure (over 10 percent), Shahjahan Ali claimed that the consumers are not in trouble.

"Their purchasing power has increased," he said.

"Prices of all imported goods have risen as US dollar appreciated against taka," he elaborated the cause of inflation in the non-food sector.

Asked whether it will be possible to keep the rate of inflation within 7.5 percent, a goal set in the budget for the current fiscal, Shahjahan said, "It's not the duty of BBS to control prices. Our duty is to collect data and pass them on to the authorities concerned."

BBS has been gathering data on the prices of various goods and services regularly since 1973-74. It publishes Consumers Price Index (national, urban, rural) and the rate of inflation after analysing those.

The rate of inflation is worked out taking into account three different indexes – national, urban and rural.

The search committee, formed to suggest names for election commissioners, will submit its recommendations to president Mohammad Zillur Rahman on Tuesday.

According to the circular given out on Monday, the decision was taken at a meeting of the committee at the Supreme Court Judges' Lounge earlier in the day.

The committee will hand its recommendations to the president at 6:30pm after holding its sixth and final meeting at 5pm at the Judges' Lounge.

The submission will follow a media briefing at the Bangabhaban's Credential Hall where the cabinet secretary will brief journalists, the circular further said.

The president formed the four-strong search committee on Jan 22 to reconstituting the Election Commission.
It winnowed the suitable candidates at its fourth meeting. Headed by the Appellate Division's justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, the other members of the committee are High Court Division justice Md Nuruzzaman, Public Service Commission chairman AT Ahmedul Haque Chowdhury and comptroller and auditor general Ahmed Ataul Hakim.

The committee will propose two names against each vacant post of election commissioners, including the chief of the constitutional body to the president who will have the final say as per constitutional provisions.
It received the names from political parties until last Tuesday. Ruling Awami League, Workers' Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal had sent names to the committee. But Jatiya Party, a key component of the ruling alliance, suggested no names.
The BNP-led four-party alliance snubbed the committee, calling it unconstitutional.
The president on Jan 22 formed the search committee, following a series of dialogues with political parties having representation in parliament, to reconstitute the commission.
The tenure of the incumbent commission ends in the middle of this month.

Two bills to tax salaries of the speaker and other members of parliament were presented in parliament on Monday.

The bills are The Speaker and Deputy Speaker (Remuneration and Privileges) (Amendment) Act 2012 and The Member of Parliament (Remuneration and Privileges) (Amendment) Act 2012.

State minister for law Qamrul Islam presented the bills on behalf of law, justice and parliamentary affairs minister Shafique Ahmed.

These bills have been sent to the parliamentary standing committee on the law, justice and parliament affairs which will submit a report within 15 days after scrutiny.

If the bills are passed, they laws will take retroactive effect from July 1 of the previous year.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina had announced in the last budget session of parliament that salaries of ministers, state ministers, deputy ministers, and MPs will no more remain tax-free.

The cabinet approved the bills on Nov 28 last year in a step towards implementing that announcement.

Generally, everyone's income beyond a certain range is taxable. But, in line with a 1973 act, lawmakers' remunerations are above taxation and so are the parliament speaker and deputy speakers' in line with another law framed in 1974.

The taxation system has long discriminated in favour of MPs. The bills have been presented to remove the disparity.

Bangladesh will receive 12 buses in its first consignment of double-deckers from India on Feb 12.

"We ordered 290 double-deckers and will get the first consignment of 12 buses on Feb 12," Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation chairman M M Iqbal told on Monday.

The procurement was done under the $1 billion Indian credit line that was announced during the visit of prime minister Sheikh Hasina to New Delhi in 2010.

"Each bus will cost about Tk 65 to Tk 70 lakh and has performance guarantee from the manufacturer," he said. "We hope to get all the buses by July."

Ashok Leyland is the manufacturer and the estimated cost of the buses is $23 million.
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When asked where the buses will ply, he said, "It is yet to be finalised but we are planning to send some buses to divisional headquarters."

Dhaka and New Delhi signed the deal on $1 billion line of credit with Indian EXIM Bank in August 2010. Bangladesh has so far undertaken 20 projects under the credit line.

The Indian credit bears 1.75 per cent interest a year and it will have to be repaid in 20 years with a five-year grace period.

Under the loan deal, Bangladesh will have to procure at least 85 percent of goods, works and services from India while 15 percent can be procured from Bangladesh if the contractors fail to source it from India.

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) has secured a place in the list of top 30 international development think-tanks.

University of Pennsylvania prepared the list in January under its '2011 Global Go to Think Tanks Rankings', a BIDS press statement said on Monday.

The ranking considers policy influence, research quality and evolving character of research organisations.

According to the statement, BIDS was placed 28th in the category of international development think-tanks of the 5,329 nominated organisations in 2011.

Brookings Institution of the USA secured the top-most rank. The list includes three think-tanks from Asia – one each from China, India and Republic of Korea.

A group of 200 disgruntled Bangladeshi workers went on a seven-hour sit-out on Monday morning in Singapore's largest residential area Tampines over a dispute involving unpaid salaries.

According to Yahoo! News Singapore, the workers from Sunway Concrete Pte Ltd and TechCom Construction gathered in an empty field at Tampines Industrial Street 62 instead of starting work at 10am (Bangladesh standard time).

Sunway is the main contractor and Techcom is the sub-contractor hired by Housing and Development Board (HDB) to fabricate building materials for flats.

The workers have not been paid for four months running, since November last year. Quoting some unnamed workers, it also said it is not the first time the company has fallen behind payments for its foreign workers.

In addition, the Bangladeshi workers also complained about the poor quality of food served in the canteen. One of them, Samid Siddek, 35, said even a cow would not want to eat the food.

Currently, about Singapore $150 is deducted each month from their salaries as food expenses, and another $20-50 for utilities, with 1 Singapore dollar equalling Tk 67.36.

The Bangladesh mission in Singapore, however, is unaware of the incident. "We have no idea. It's (such kind of protest) very unusual here. It's a regulated place. The government informs us if anything happens," Kamrul Ahsan, Bangladesh high commissioner in Singapore, told by telephone.

Expatriates' welfare and overseas employment secretary Zafar Ahmed Khan told that they were yet to receive any information.

"We will tell the labour wing to monitor this," he said and added that never before had he heard of such incident in Singapore. "It's a very unusual event," he also said.

Nearly 0.2 million Bangladeshi are working and living in this Southeast Asian city-state, according to the secretary.

One protestor K Ravhkumar told Yahoo: "All men same problem, all men no pay for four months." The 35-year-old said his usual working hours are from 8am to 10pm.

However, he said that workers would be made to work until midnight on busy days, without overtime pay. An average worker earns a basic salary of $18 per day.

The strike slowly dissipated at about 3pm as workers were told by representatives of the company that they would receive their November pay on Monday and their December pay next Friday.

The report could not confirm when they will receive their salary for January.

A spokesman for Sunway, who declined to be named, claimed that the sit-out originated from a core group of about 10 Bangladeshi workers.

"A few of them took some weapons and threatened the others. Some don't know what is going on but just joined in…Majority of the workers do not dare to speak because they are scared they will get hamtum (beaten up)," he said.

TechCom officials declined to comment to Yahoo! Singapore, when contacted.

Jolovan Wham, a representative from the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics, told Yahoo that: "From my experience, workers usually resort to such actions when they are desperate and fed up. I believe they must have reached the tipping point for them to decide not to work."

A Singapore ministry of manpower spokesperson told Yahoo that its officers responded to the incident immediately after they were alerted by the police and went down to the worksite.

Its interim investigations revealed that the employers had not paid their workers since November 2011.

The spokesperson also said that MOM will continue investigations and follow up with the workers to ensure that they receive their December 2011 and January 2012 salaries promptly.

With its almost record-low birth rate of 1.2 from last year, former prime minister Lee Kuau Yew on Friday apprehended that Singapore would need to depend on immigrants as he said the downward trend of population growth is 'damaging to its economy'.