BANGLADESH

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) has proposed to form a new non-military force by abolishing Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and halt trial of mutineers of then Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) on Wednesday.

The New York-based human rights body called on government to establish 'an independent investigative and prosecutorial task force with sufficient expertise, authority, and resources to rigorously investigate and prosecute allegations of human rights abuses after the (BDR) mutiny'.

"Until such an independent task force is established, existing prosecutors should investigate and, where appropriate, prosecute allegations of unlawful deaths, torture, and mistreatment of mutiny suspects, regardless of the rank or institutional affiliation of the person responsible," it said.

HRW made the proposals in a 57-page report titled "'The Fear Never Leaves Me': Torture, Custodial Deaths, and Unfair Trials After the 2009 Mutiny of the Bangladesh Rifles".

Asia Director of HRW Brad Adams demanded that authorities form a non-military unit or new force within the police by disbanding the anticrime elite force RAB.

He was speaking at a function at Brac Inn Centre in Dhaka to mark the publishing of the report.

Adams said the new force would consider human rights as its core value to fight against crime and terrorism.

He suggested the government should stop the BDR mutiny trial immediately and go back to the basic norms of fair trial to ensure justice over the mutiny and massacre in 2009.

HRW has alleged that the suspects in the 2009 BDR mutiny have been subjected to widespread abuse, torture, and deaths in custody. "The mass trials of nearly 6,000 suspects raise serious fair trial concerns."

Adams has called the process of trying the border guards in groups "unfair and flawed"

"Those responsible for the horrific violence that left 74 dead should be brought to justice, but not with torture and unfair trials," said Adams.

But he urged Bangladesh authorities to stop the current trial and close all the "unofficial places of detention" for interrogation of the guards "tomorrow".

"Mass trials like these simply cannot provide justice for victims, or real answers about who was responsible for the terrible crimes committed during the mutiny."

"The government must close all unofficial and secret places of detention. Everybody knows these places are there, the government has the mandate to do (close) this. It has an election pledge to stop torture (in custody)."

Adams categorically mentioned that these places of detention were run by RAB, DGFI and NSI, saying if these places were closed serious violation of human rights involving the border guards facing mutiny charges would stop substantially.

"The government's initial response to the mutiny was proportionate and saved lives by refusing army demands to use overwhelming force in a heavily populated area. But since then it has essentially given a green light to the security forces to exact revenge through physical abuse and mass trials," Adams added.

HRW said they interviewed over 60 people, including family members of the victims, prosecutors, defence lawyers, and journalists to prepare the report.

The report said it found at least 47 border guards have died in custody because of 'torture like beatings and giving electric shocks in custody'.

A fire at a house in Malaysia has left five Bangladeshis dead and two others injured.

The incident took place early Tuesday but details on the nature of the accident and the casualties were sketchy, Foreign Ministry's Director General (Consular) Laila Hossain told bdnews24.com on Tuesday.

Local people informed the Bangladesh Embassy in Kuala Lumpur of the accident, she said adding that the injured have been hospitalised.

Hossain said they were waiting for details.

Malaysian newspaper The Star, quoting national news agency Bernama, said five Bangladeshi men died in the fire that broke out around 3 am at Taman Puchong Perdana.

The dead were identified as Sarova Baboo, 'Ruman', Abdullah Al-Farhad and two brothers - Md Basir and Md Farouk.

The Bangladeshi nationals died when they were trapped in a double-storey terrace house they had rented, the report says.

The report quoted Selangor Fire and Rescue Department operations chief Mohamad Sani Harul as saying that the five were aged between 24 and 40.

He said seven Bangladeshi nationals were staying in the house but two of them survived while the other five were trapped in two rooms upstairs as they could not break the iron window grilles to get out, according to the newspaper report.

"A team from Bangladesh Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has gone to the scene. They will report after visiting the spot," the foreign ministry director general said.

The government has allocated 2,900 tonnes of rice and Tk 5 million in cash for the flood-affected people in five districts.

The Ministry of Food and Disaster Management on Wednesday allocated Tk 1 million and 500 tonnes of rice each for Sylhet, Gaibandha and Bogra districts, Tk 1 million and 800 tonnes of rice for Kurigram, and Tk 1 million and 600 tonnes of rice for Jamalpur district.

The government has so far allocated Tk 31.5 million and 10,300 tonnes of rice for the distressed people in the flood-hit areas.

According to the Disaster Management and Relief Division, around 810 special medical teams are now providing healthcare services to the people and monitor post-flood diseases in the affected areas.

The bdnews24.com Correspondent for Gaibandha district reported that though the waters in the Brahmaputra, Jamuna and Ghaghat rivers started going down, the flood-hit people were leading a miserable life with virtually no food, shelter and medical care.

Some 300,000 people have remained marooned by floodwaters in 26 unions in the district. The floodwaters have inundated most of the roads and many villages in the district.

G M Chowdhury Mithu, Ward Councillor of Gaibandha Municipality, said the floodwaters started receding in the district but the people were facing severe food crisis.

Gaibandha Relief and Rehabilitation Division Officer Shah Alam said the district administration so far distributed Tk 1.5 million in cash and 500 tonnes of rice among the flood-hit people.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said, the government will build Padma bridge for which the World Bank cancelled its pledged fund, with its own fund, if necessary.

She again outright rejected the World Bank's allegation of corruption in selection of the consultant for the coveted project and reaffirmed her government's position in Parliament that action will be taken against the guilty if charges of corruption against them are proved.

The Prime Minister responded to a supplementary question from independent lawmaker Fazlul Azim during her question-answer session on Wednesday.

Hasina said following the World Bank's fund cancellation, she already had a meeting with the Bangladesh Bank Governor, the Economic Relations Division and Finance Secretary regarding funding of the project.

"I've discussed with them how the construction work of the project can be started on our own fund. We must build the Padma bridge. It's not very much difficult to use our own reserve for this purpose by taking one billion dollars a year," she asserted.

Hasina further added: "We'll build the Padma bridge by any means Inshallah. It's possible if our economy moves on the right track despite the global economic meltdown."

"The World Bank has cancelled its funding. It's their will anyway. Others (lending agencies) can follow suit. We've a population of 160 million and 8 million expatriates to build the bridge."

She said the governments of many countries including Malaysia and many international agencies were interested in building the bridge under Public Private Partnership and under the Build-Own-Transfer basis. "Whatever decision we make, public interests will be given priority."

In her first reaction following the fund cancellation by the Washington-based global lender, the Prime Minister alleged that the World Bank came forward to pour money in the communications sector, but raised corruption allegations without any evidence.

"They didn't release even a single penny, then how can they say that corruption was committed [in the project]? Instead you'll find that it itself corrupt."

"It's essential to scrutinise who are behind it and what are their motives," she added.

Hasina urged all to go through the Wall Street Journal and Forbes Magazine to know about the World Bank's corruptions.

She `pointed out that the World Bank had suspended funding in the power, energy and communications sectors due to corruptions of the BNP-led four-party government. She added that her government started the work to upgrade the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway into four-lanes with its own fund.

She said the Bank suspended funding for seven projects including Dhaka-Mymensingh Four Lane Project. But, she noted, the BNP-led government did not change any minister over the Bank's allegation of corruption.

The Prime Minister said her government during her first spell in power in 1996- 2001 had envisaged the Padma bridge project, but the subsequent BNP government suspended its construction.

"None could raise any question about the transparency at any stage of the land acquisition and rehabilitation programmes involving Tk 15 billion. Even the World Bank report says that no corruption was committed in the acquisition process."

Referring to the communication with the World Bank officials on the Padma bridge issue, Hasina said after the Awami League-led coalition took office in 2009, senior consultant of the World Bank Isabella Lawen arrived Bangladesh. "She gave me two papers containing allegation of corruption in two projects during the time of the previous BNP government."

"Even so, as the World Bank was insisting, we changed the Minister concerned, the Secretary and the Project Director without any proof of corruption against them," the Prime Minister said.

Hasina alleged that the World Bank had proposed the name of a company as the consultant to the project. "They had sent us letters thrice. Our special committee found that the company was fake. If it's a fact, how was corruption committed in the project?"

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has suspended its flight operations to Cox's Bazar due to renovation of runway at the airport there.

The last flight had left for Cox's Bazar on Jun 30, and it could not be known when the next flight would take off for the destination.

"The Board of Directors has decided to operate Boeing 737 on this route. But the runway at Cox's Bazar is not fit for operations of this aircraft. So, the flight operations were suspended until the completion of renovation work," said Biman Bangladesh Airlines Director of Sales and Marketing Mohammad Shanewaz.

He said flights operation to Cox's Bazar would remain suspended until the renovation was over. He said the operation may resume in two months.

According to Biman officials, the directorial board at the end of last year decided not to use F-28 and DC-10 aircraft on the route.

Biman had been using F-28 aircraft on the route and it was put off-use on Jun 30.

"Biman had a plan to purchase Dash model aircraft for this route instead of F-28. But financial constraints forced the authorities to back off," said a Biman official preferring anonymity.

Years of losses had forced Biman to take flights off seven domestic routes in 2007.

The Cox's Bazar airport runway is expected to be expanded to 9,000 feet in length alongside increasing its width in the first phase of renovation. The second phase would replace airport establishments like the terminal building.

The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) will continue its funding support for the Padma bridge project even though the World Bank and ADB had withdrawn from the project alleging corruption in the process of project implementation.

"We would like to go slow like another lender of the project Japan International Cooperation Agency," said a senior IDB official posted at its Dhaka office.

The Jeddah-based IDB is committed to provide $140 million for the $2.9-billion Padma bridge project. IDB's announcement came a day after JICA announced to continue its funding for the project. Japan's JICA has promised to give $400 million for the project.

"IDB is not going to cancel its deal right now. The bank wants to give more time to the government of Bangladesh," said the IDB official.

"The bank is even eager to go for a new deal over implementation of the project if the existing deal does not finally work out," he added.

The main financier of the project, the World Bank, cancelled its $1.2-billion fund commitment on Friday. ADB, which had pledged to contribute $610 million to the project, also hinted following the same path.

The Hindu Marriage Registration Act-2012 was presented in Parliament on Tuesday keeping marriage registration optional.

The Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shafique Ahmed presented the bill which is the first of its kind for Bangladesh's Hindu minority.

It has been sent to the Standing committee on the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry for scrutiny, which is expected to submit a report within a month.

The bill eyes documenting Hindu marriages and saving women of the religious minority from marriage-related frauds.

It has been said in the proposed law that due to lack of documentation in the Hindu marriages, the women become vulnerable to various swindling and it becomes hard to provide them legal assistance.

The bill also reasons that documents relating to marriage registration are vital during tours abroad and immigration.

On May 21, the Cabinet had endorsed the draft of the Hindu marriage registration law.

Neighbouring India passed the `Hindu Marriage Act` in 1955.

According to the bill, marriages of Hindu men below 21 years or women below 18 will not be eligible for registration.

The condition of popular contemporary Bengali fiction writer Humayun Ahmed, undergoing treatment in the United States, improved further on Tuesday.

A K Momen, Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, told bdnews24.com of the improvement.

The writer's oxygen mask, put on due to respiratory problems, was removed on the evening of Jul 2, Momen said.

He said Humayun could talk as his condition had improved.

Referring to doctors at the Bellevue Hospital, where Humayun is undergoing treatment, Momen said Humayun's last CT scan report did not indicate any trace of cancer in his body. He further saidthe wound from recent surgery was also healing.

Doctors had successfully pumped out around 400 millilitres of water around 6:45pm on Jul 2 (NY time). Otherwise, he could have been infected by pneumonia, Momen said.

Humayun went to New York on Sep 14 last year with his wife and children for undergoing colon cancer treatment. The writer had been living at a rented flat in Queens with his family.

He underwent 12 chemotherapy cycles at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre.

Humayun returned home on Jun 19 after undergoing colon surgery on Jun 12. He was admitted to a Jamaican hospital one day later as he suffered from abdominal pain. From there, he was transferred to the Bellevue Hospital for second surgery.

Born in Mymensingh in 1948, he did his graduation from Dhaka University and later joined the university as a lecturer of Chemistry but retired to become a fulltime writer and filmmaker.

Winner of prestigious Bangla Academy Award in 1981, Ekushey Padak in 1994 and three National Film Awards (Best Story in 1993, Best Film 1994 and Best Dialogue in 1994), Humayun continued writing while he was undergoing treatment in New York.

On Jan 13, the government made the 63-year old writer Senior Special Adviser to the Bangladesh Mission at the United Nations in New York.

Old Dhaka's alleged top criminal "Dakat' Shaheed and one of his associates Kalu were shot dead in what RAB called 'crossfire' early on Wednesday.

RAB spokesperson Commander M Sohail told bdnews24.com they had information that Shaheed,42, recently came back to the country after hiding abroad for a long time

"We had information that he returned to Dhaka on Sunday," he added. He was supposed to enter Luxmibazar with his associates on Tuesday night.

"Acting on tip-off, RAB set a trap for him."

"Shaheed and his assistant died on the spot after taking bullets when the Rapid Action Battalion personnel fired on them in retaliation near the city's Luxmibazar area around 12.30am."

Shaheed and Kalu had to stop their motor-cycle before a RAB barricade near the entrance to Luxmibazar.

"And at one point, out of nowhere they fired on us first. They were killed on the spot when we fired back on them," he added.

Two pistols were recovered at the scene.
Shaheed was an accused in 12 cases including the sensational goldsmith Prem Krishna murder case.

Meanwhile, locals took out processions to celebrate the news of his death.

The Hill Management Committee has directed the authorities to cut off illegal electricity, gas and water supply connections to the families living in the risky slopes of the hills in Chittagong within seven days to avert further loss of lives and property in the upcoming rainy season.

The recommendations came from a meeting of the committee held at Chittagong Circuit House on Monday.

The meeting was held days after at least 26 people were killed in separate incidents of hillslide and wall collapse triggered by ceaseless downpour in at least seven areas of the district.

Owners of the hills have also been directed to take necessary measures to relocate the families dwelling illegally in the risky hill slopes of the port city.

Besides, the meeting also directed the district administration to form a committee to provide legal aid to the victims if any of them files case against influential land grabbers in the hills.

Chaired by Alef Uddin, the Chittagong Additional Divisional Commissioner, the meeting was also attended by Abdul Kaiyum, Additional Secretary and National Project Director of Comprehensive Disaster Management Project (CDMP).

The special court set up to hold Peelkhana mutiny trial has asked former Army chief Moeen U Ahmed, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Military Secretary Maj Gen Joynul Abedin and two others to appear before it on July 4.

The Special Court judge, who is also the Dhaka Metropolitan Additional Session's judge, Mohammad Akhteruzzaman passed the order on Monday.

The two other asked to appear before the court are former Inspector General of Police Nur Mohammad and now-defunct Bangladesh Rifles officer Let Col (Retd) Jahan Ara Begum.

"The court has summoned them for making their deposition," said Public Prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajal.

On Monday, Mehrin Ferdous, wife of Dhaka Sector Commander Mojibul Hoque, who was killed during the mutiny, Munmun Akter, wife of Lt Col Shamsul Azam, BDR Hospital doctor Snigdha Sarker, and its nurses Selina Sultana, Aklima Akter and Sabina Yeasmin deposed before the court.

As many as 74 people, including 57 Army officers, were killed in the mutiny on Feb 25 and 26, 2009. Later, the force was renamed Border Guard Bangladesh.

A murder case was filed after the mutiny, with 1,087 witnesses. The court set up on the playground adjacent to the Alia Madrassa started recording depositions on Aug 24 last year.

The Criminal Investigation Department submitted chargesheet accusing 824, including former BNP lawmaker Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu and Awami League leader Torab Ali. Another 834 were accused in another case filed in connection with the Explosives Act.

The newly appointed World Bank chief Jim Yong Kim said on Monday the decision to cancel loan for the Bangladesh's Padma bridge project was 'appropriate', according to international media reports.

His comment came on first day on the job when Bangladesh government was preparing to hold discussion with the top management of the Bank to review its decision.

"I think it was appropriate," The Globe and Mail quoted Kim to have said of the decision in his first meeting with journalists.

The World Bank cancelled its pledged $1.2-billion loan for Bangladesh's biggest infrastructure alleging corruption.

The government sent several letters to the World Bank ever since the international lender suspended funding of the Padma bridge project alleging corruption. We reproduce the communication Bangladesh had with the Bank between Oct 2011 and June 2012.


First Letter

Second Letter

Third Letter

Fourth Letter

 Collect from bdnews24.com

Monsoon rains and onrush of hill waters from the upstream have worsened flooding in the northern districts, as huge swathes of land freshly inundated land left tens of thousands of people stranded.

Until Friday evening, water level at Jamuna River continued to rise and was flowing 65 and 50 cm above danger level at Sariyakandi and Dhunat. Water level at Buriganga River rose by 10 cm more was flowing 38 cm above the danger mark. Jamuna River swelled 40 cm more at Bahadurabad and flowing 83 cm above the danger level.

According to the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre's (FFWC) report released in the morning, the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, the Ganges-Padma and the Meghna river basins were swelling which may continue during the next 24-48 hours.

The rivers are flowing over danger level at 10 points while water level has risen at 73 points and decreased at 37 points, said the morning forecast.

Flood situation in Sylhet remained unchanged.

In Kurigram, the situation deteriorated on Friday due to the increased water flow from the upstream. The water level in the Dharala, Dudhkumar, Brahmaputra and others were on the rise.

By Friday, water level at Brahmaputra river increased by 10 cm flowing 38 cm above the danger level in the area, marooning 50,000 more people in 30 villages. Two hundred schools were closed down.

Communications between Roumary and Dhaka were snapped after water washed away a part of about 60-feet stretch of the DC Road at Golabari.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Habibur Rahman said some 250,000 people were marooned as the flood water roiled into 53 unions of the districts Sadar, Chilmari, Phulbari, Roumari, Rajibpur, Ulipur and Nageswari upazilas.

The official said the district administration sought an allotment of 500 tonnes of rice and Tk 1 million in cash for the distressed people on an emergency basis.

"The NGOs have also been urged to stand by the distressed people, apart from the government."

Rangpur Divisional Commissioner Jashim Uddin Ahmed visited the flood-affected areas.

In Sylhet, flood situation remained unchanged in its three Upazilas while it improved in three others. Flood-affected areas in the Sylhet City have gone under knee-deep water. Over 3,00,000 people got stranded in their submerged houses in the district while communications on Sylhet-Goainghat and Sylhet-Kanaighat roads remained snapped for the last few days.

Sylhet City Corporation has opened up seven shelter centres where over 3,000 flood victims have taken shelter, said Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmad Kamran.

Water-purifying tablets are also being distributed in the flood-affected areas.

In Bogra, flood situation worsened as the Jamuna River continued to swell flowing 50 cm above the danger level at different points. Fresh 35 villages were flooded.

On Thursday, about 200 houses in 12 villages on the eastern side of the Bogra flood protection embankment have been submerged as water level at the Jamual River rose abnormally.

The district's Deputy Assistant Engineer of Water Development Board Shakhawat Hossain said river erosion took a dangerous turn at Shahrabari Ghat and in its adjacent areas.

In Gaibandha, water level at all the rivers continued to swell with Barhmaputra and Jamuna Rivers water flowing 72 cm above danger level while Ghaghat River was flowing 48 cm above danger level, flooding 115 fresh villages.

On Thursday, the swelling rivers had flooded 80 villages and rendered about 1,500 families homeless, according to relief officials. About 30,000 families are left stranded.

The district's Relief and Rehabilitation Officer Shah Alam said several areas dissolved into rivers.

In Jamalpur, water level at Jamuna River rose 40 CM above the danger level at Bahadurabad only on Friday, making a further 30,000 people stranded in their submerged houses.

In Cox's Bazar, over 10,00,000 people were marooned in seven Upazilas and 21 unions were identified as the worst hit. At least 37 people died in hillslide, wall collapse, drowning and lightning strikes.

As many as 20,000 people have taken shelter at different centres.

Deputy Commissioner of the district Joynul Bari said people of 52 unions are floating on water.

Water Development Board fears hard-point at the Sirajganj town protection embankment is at the risk of getting washed away any moment.

Earth-filled sacks and cement-concentrated blocks were used to reinforce the embankment.

However, flood situation has improved in Bandarban and motor vehicle operation resumed from Bandarban to Keranihat, Lama and Nakkhayangchharhi. Low-lying areas in the city are still water-logged.

Lama Municipality Inspector Tanfizur Rahman said even though water receded from Lama Bazar and its adjacent areas, low-lying areas are still under water.

Japan has not yet decided whether to follow the suit after the World Bank's announcement to pull out of the Padma bridge project.

"We will consider our position on the project in consultation with the Japanese government," Kei Toyama, Senior Representative for JICA in Bangladesh, said on Sunday.

JICA, a co-financier of the US$ 2.9-billion largest infrastructure project of Bangladesh, was to give US$ 400 million.

"The situation is very much regrettable in spite of the efforts between the government of Bangladesh and the World Bank," he said in response to queries on the co-financier's position.

The World Bank, set to provide over a billion dollars for the project, announced its pull-out on Friday.

The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) lost over 150 points in the first two hours of trading on Monday as prices of most of the shares dropped.

The DSE general index lost 159 points to 4413 points at 12:30pm.

Shares and mutual funds worth Tk 1200 million changed hands until then with prices of only eight issues gaining, 225 declining and three remaining unchanged.

The DGEN had gained 272 points or 6.37 percent last week. It had drpped 320.55 points or 6.94 percent in the previous week.

Terming World Bank's decision to cancel fund for the Padma bridge project 'unexpected' and 'disgraceful', Finance Minister AMA Muhith has urged the global lender to review its decision.

He came up with the government's official reaction to the decision at a press conference on Sunday, a day after WB announced its pullout from the project.

"What the World Bank has said in its statement (announcing its pullout decision) is 'unexpected' and 'disgraceful'," said Muhith.

"I think the World Bank should review its decision."

In a statement on Friday, the World Bank (WB) alleged that the government did not take any step despite being provided with 'credible evidence' to probe allegations of corruption in the bridge project.

Muhith said talks were going on with the Bank even though it had decided to withdraw from the project.

"The Executive Director of the project is holding talks with the World Bank. We will wait for their (WB) review of the decision," Muhith said.

"I will deliver a detailed speech on the issue in parliament tomorrow (on Monday)," he added.

The Finance Minister said he decided to address the press conference even before speaking in parliament since media had been running reports containing half-truths since the announcement of the Bank's decision.

"We made a combined effort to prevent any corruption in the project. So, the World Bank's claim is not acceptable and not correct," he said after presenting an account of the steps the government had initiated over the matter.

According to Muhith, the Bank's interest in funding the bridge project went on a slope after a Chinese Construction Company, which the WB was favouring, got disqualified during the selection of pre-qualified contractors following forgery by its Bengali representative.

"After that, World Bank approved selection of five pre-qualified contractors. But we think they (WB) started delaying the project...," Muhith said.

Later, in October last year, the Finance Minister suggested the global lender to separate the processes of investigation and project implementation, as implementation of the project had never been halted ever since the World Bank came up with the demand for investigation into seven specific corruption instances in the project. But it cut no ice with the global lending agency.

He said changes in the project leadership and the investigation Anti-Corruption Commission conducted into the charges also failed to satisfy the Bank. The government continued to hold talks, but the World Bank did not help out ACC with information.

"We did not intervene in these matters as they fall within the purview of the Commission," said Muhith.

A team of WB representatives was invited in June for holding talks with the Economic Affairs Division and ACC. Several letters were exchanged between the Bank and the government during the month over separating investigation from the process of project implementation, followed by another visit of another WB team at the end of the month.

During this visit, WB demanded the government to reach consensus on three points including signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with it and spelling out a Terms of Reference for involving a foreign adviser in ACC's activities.

Muhith said the government accepted even those conditions with some minor practical changes to strike a chord with WB, thus ruling out possibilities of corruption from the project.

"It is unexpected and mysterious why the World Bank has cancelled its contract and issued such a disgraceful note," he wondered.

The Finance Minister also provided the media letters exchanged between the government and WB saying they refrained from getting those published as the investigation was underway.

According to him, WB has so far funded 251 projects worth $16.8 billion since the country's Independence. Of the amount taken as loan, $14.5 billion are still unpaid.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has blamed 'corruption in the family of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina' for cancellation of the World Bank fund for construction of the proposed Padma bridge.

"None other than the government and the Prime Minister's family are involved with the corruption in the Padma bridge project," Khaleda said on Saturday while distributing aid among flood-hit people of Chittagong at Bahaddarhat.

"The World Bank has said it won't give money for the project. So, the Padma bridge is not going to be built in the tenure of this government," she added.

The global lending agency on Friday cancelled $1.2 billion (764 million pounds) promised credit for Padma bridge project with immediate effect, saying it had "credible evidence" of a high-level corruption conspiracy among Bangladeshi government officials.

"In light of the inadequate response by the government of Bangladesh, the World Bank has decided to cancel its $1.2 billion ... credit in support of the Padma multipurpose bridge project, effective immediately," the World Bank said in a statement.

Khaleda said 'long bridges' like those on Jamuna and Bhairab had been built during BNP's tenure with the help of World Bank and other lenders.

"But," she added, "There were no allegations of corruption in those projects."

"The government has started corruption even before the work to build the bridge has started. They are doing this to earn huge amounts of commission," she said.

Khaleda also alleged that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had become a 'subordinate organisation' of the government. "The ACC operates following orders from the government."

"The World Bank had cited specific instances of corruption in the Padma bridge project. But they (government) did not take any step. No step was taken even against the minister involved with the corruption in the project," Khaleda said.

The World Bank in its statement said it had provided evidence of corruption from two investigations into the Padma bridge project to Bangladesh's Prime Minister and other senior government officials to press for action.

The 6-km bridge is meant to link the country's underdeveloped south with the capital Dhaka and the main port of Chittagong.

Then Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain was transferred after the allegations had been brought, though he has been saying that there was no corruption in the project.

After the global lender suspended fund for the project last year, Malaysia expressed its eagerness to build the bridge. Later this year, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bangladesh. On Jun 28, it submitted a draft plan to build the bridge.

Khaleda on Saturday also slammed the government's move to find an alternative funding for the bridge construction.

"Now they (government) are trying to build the bridge [with loans] at high interest rates ... And the high interests will be passed on to the people," she said.

Khaleda, a two-time Prime Minister, also said BNP would build two bridges on the Padma river, one near Mawa and another near Daulatdia, once it returns to power.

Celebrated writer and playwright Humayun Ahmed has been kept under close observation at Manhattan's Bellevue Hospital as his condition failed to improve.

Mazharul Islam, owner of the Onno Prokash, told bdnews24.com that the popular writer was in intensive care unit and that his condition did not improve in the last 48 hours.

"He is under sedation," he said.

His wife Meher Afroz Shaon requested everybody to pray for his fast recovery.

The popular writer was rushed to the hospital on Jun 20 after a 'successful' surgery on Jun 12 for his colon cancer in New York.

That day, his abdomen had swollen and he complained of severe pain.

Islam said the writer could not recognise any of his family members including his wife.

"He has been taken immediately to the Jamaica Hospital where doctors said the surgery had caused infections.

"The writer has been transferred to the Bellevue Hospital where he was operated upon again," he said, "Then he has been kept in ICU. But again became restless on Jun 28."

Expatriate writer Gazi Hashem said, "The writer wailed Kushum (Shaon's surname) and said 'they will kill me, please take me away from here'. He was trying to remove his bandages."

"It left us puzzled. Then doctors administered sleeping pills," he said.

Humayun, also a renowned filmmaker, went to New York on Sep 13 last year after he was diagnosed with colon cancer during a routine check-up in Singapore.

Born in Mymensingh in 1948, Humayun did his graduation from Dhaka University and later joined the university as a lecturer of Chemistry but retired to become a fulltime writer and filmmaker.

Winner of prestigious Bangla Academy Award in 1981, Ekushey Padak in 1994 and three National Film Awards (Best Story in 1993, Best Film 1994 and Best Dialogue in 1994), Humayun continued writing while he was in New York taking treatment.

On Jan 13, the government made the 63-year-old writer Senior Special Adviser to the Bangladesh Mission at the United Nations in New York.

Last month, he had come to the country on a 20-day-visit to spend time with his friends and relatives before the surgery.

A Dhaka court has placed on a six-day remand to a former Saudi Embassy employee, who allegedly threatened the mission's charge d'affaires.

Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Moniruzzaman passed the order on Saturday, Anisur Rahman, Additional Deputy Commissioner of the Information and Prosecution Department of Police, told bdnews24.com.

The Detective Branch (DB) of police had arrested 56-year-old A N M Abdur Rashid, a Bangladeshi national, from the city's Banasree area on Friday night.

Police said that Rashid had sent a threatening SMS to the Saudi Ambassador and the Deputy Ambassador on Jun 20.

Jashim Uddin, the Legal Affairs Advisor of the Saudi Embassy, had filed a general diary with the Gulshan Police Station in this connection.

Rashid told reporters that he had been the interpreter of the Saudi embassy for 15 years, but the embassy fired him on May 21 after accusing him of corruption.

He admitted that he sent the message out of anger.

The alleged threat comes three months after a Saudi Embassy official was killed by unidentified assailants in Dhaka.

Corruption and lack of accountability make The World Bank, dubbed one of world's most powerful institutions, one of the "most dysfunctional" in the world, says a report by one of world's most respected publications.

Fingers have been pointed at the Bank's immediate past President for failing to rein in the systemic slide. "No one, starting with outgoing President Robert Zoellick, has laid out an articulated vision for what the World Bank's role is in the 21st century," says Forbes magazine in a long and detailed report.

"It is an endlessly expanding virtual nation-state with supranational powers, a 2011 aid portfolio of $57 billion and little oversight by the governments that fund it," says the magazine.

"And--according to dozens of interviews over the past few weeks, atop hundreds more over the past five years, plus a review of thousands of pages of internal documents--problems have gotten worse, not better, at the World Bank despite more than a decade of reform attempts."

It says President Obama's pick for the top job, Dr Jim Yong Kim, has taken over an organisation that is "lumbering" and lacking in accountability.

Kim "stands little chance of fixing things", the report says quoting insiders, "unless he is prepared to completely revamp the current system".

A former World Bank Director is quoted as saying: "The inmates are running the asylum."

The Forbes report lists the nature of problems — philosophical, structural and cultural.

While its leaders have lacked vision, corruption has crept in, says the report.

"Internal reports, reviewed by Forbes, show, for example, that even after Zoellick implemented a budget freeze, some officials operated an off-budget system that defies cost control, while others used revolving doors to game the system to make fortunes for themselves or enhance their positions within the bank.

"Why not track all the cash?

"Good luck: Bank sources cite up to $2 billion that may have gone unaccounted for recently amid computer glitches."

The report in the July 16 edition of Forbes Magazine coincides with a statement from the Bank's Washington headquarters announcing cancellation, attributed to "credible evidence of corruption", of a credit line for Bangladesh's largest infrastructure project.

The cultural problems within the Bank have their roots gone far deeper.

"The bank, those inside and outside it say, is so obsessed with reputational risk that it reflexively covers up anything that could appear negative, rather than address it.

"Whistle-blower witch hunts undermine the one sure way to root out problems at a Washington headquarters dominated by fearful yes-men and yes-women, who--wary of a quick expulsion back to their own countries-- rarely offer their true opinions."

Founded after the World War II along with International Monetary Fund, the Forbes report points out, it started off with lofty ideals, went on to help rebuild Japan and Europe and then expand into a global outfit.

Until as recently as 1964, Japan was a recipient of the Bank's aid, this writer was told by academics in Tokyo in 1994. The post-War Europe fared fantastic too.

Problems probably began after it ventured into the poorer parts of the planet.

After 50 years of existence, the Bank's management realised in the1990s, fighting poverty didn't just mean pouring money into projects. Building institutions mattered more.

"Why did an organisation that pontificates about policies in poor countries take such a long time to understand its own job?" Visitors to Bangladesh have always ducked this question.

Richard Behar, the Forbes journalist who has covered the Bank for the past five years and often been shunned by Zoellick and his team, is scathing about its lending operation.

"The process for its funding, grants and loans is absurdly complicated, but in essence it combines capital from its donor countries, plus self-generated income through the sale of bonds.

"While often confused with the IMF, which provides financial stability to governments, the World Bank's role is at least supposed to be only development projects--like building dams, roads, schools, even fish farms--although it has muddied those boundaries over the last 20 years.

"Unlike the IMF, the bank deals with both the public and private sectors, and as the number of projects and amounts of money have escalated, so has the mischief, corruption and cover-ups, since no agency has the power to audit them."

Forbes' Behar says "it's not surprising" that Zoellick declined to give an interview for his report. "I've covered the bank for the past five years and have been ritually denied access to anyone in a mid-to-top-level post.

"The blockade ended just before Forbes went to press, when the bank conducted a carefully monitored conference call with two staffers who run the global 'Open Data' initiative. The bank's media relations spokesman was permitted to be quoted by name. That this is considered openness epitomises the problems that Kim now inherits."

India's Border Security Force (BSF) has gunned down 151 Bangladeshi citizens during the incumbent government's tenure, Home Minister Shahara Khatun has told Parliament.

She was replying to a query of Laxmipur-1 MP Nazim Uddin Ahmed on Wednesday.

Shahara said the government had protested border killings at various programmes and flag meetings held between the Border Guard Bangladesh and BSF personnel.

The Home Minister informed the House that a top-level bilateral discussion had taken place with India on Bangladesh government's plea to stop border killings.

She said the Indian government had assured of taking steps to avert such killings.

In response to Chandpur-4 MP Harun-Ur Rashid's query, Shahara said 11 Bangladeshis had been killed and 27 others injured in BSF firing since Jan 1 this year alone.

Dhaka has been criticising and protesting killings of its citizens along the border with India for a long time. Various national and international human rights organisations have also slammed the Indian government for not taking adequate steps to avert the killings.

The Human Rights Watch on Jun 11 said India should investigate fresh allegations of human rights violations by its border forces along its porous border with Bangladesh and urged to prosecute the responsible.

The organisation also urged the Indian government to abide by pledges it had made to bring an end to border killings.

At least 94 people have been killed in Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Bandarban and Sylhet districts due to landslides, house collapses, lightening, electrocution and drowning following heavy torrential rains over the past few days.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave the account in Parliament on Wednesday.

Of the deceased, 22 were killed in Chittagong, 37 in Cox's Bazar, 33 in Bandarban and 2 in Siyhet.

The Disaster Management and Relief Division of the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon said each of the families of the deceased was provided Tk 20,000.

It said the rescue operation involving volunteers, fire personnel and troops was on-going.

The government has allocated 1,450 metric tonnes of rice and Tk 10 million to feed and help the distressed people, the statement said.

The local administrations in Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Bandarban, Sylhet and Feni districts have so far distributed 172 metric tonnes of rice and Tk 700,000 among the distressed people in relief from the food storehouses.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Coordination Centre formed by the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management is open from 6am to 12pm to monitor situation and act accordingly.

The telephone numbers of the centre are 7130454, 7162116 and 7164115.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange key index gained 71.95 points around an hour into trading on the week's last business day.

The DSE benchmark index reached 4623.16 points or 1.58 percent higher at 11:30am on Thursday.

Shares and mutual funds worth around Tk 843.77 million changed hands so far with prices of 181 issues advancing, 27 declining and 19 remaining at their opening prices.

The key index reached its peak so far at 4624.20 points around 11:15am.

Around half an hour into the day's trading, the benchmark index gained 38.59 points when it reached 4598.66 points or 1.04 percent higher at 11am.

Shares and mutual funds worth around Tk 423.15 million changed hands by then with prices of 158 issues advancing, 20 declining and 13 remaining at their opening prices

The DSE benchmark index ended Wednesday's trading 150.48 points higher, closing at 4551.21 points or 3.42 percent up. The day's turnover was around Tk 2.78 billion.

The key index had ended 134.05 points higher on Tuesday. It opened the week's trading 12.36 points lower.

The premiere bourse's benchmark index had shed 6.94 percent or 320.55 points last week.

Parliament on Wednesday passed finance bill with changes to tax on export and mobile-phone bills that the Prime Minister wanted among other things.

The Finance Minister, AMA Muhith, piloted the bill for the next fiscal, effective from July 1, and it was passed in voice vote.

As many as 213 MPs reviewed the budget for the next fiscal for over 48 hours.

The ceiling on taxable minimum income has been raised to Tk 0.2 million from Tk 0.18 million.

The minimum tax of Tk 3,000 was endorsed by the MPs, barring those from the boycotting opposition, while the Minister withdrew his proposal to impose tax at source on mobile phone bill.

Tax at source on export earning has been reduced to 0.8 percent from proposed 1.2 percent while those who have Tk 0.1 million bank savings do not need any tax identification number (TIN).

Even though the proposed tax hikes at source on exportables did not go through, apparel sector will still have to pay 0.10 percent more in tax at source while the other sectors will have a raise of 0.20 percent.

The garment sector is now paying 0.7 percent tax while 0.6 percent tax is deducted at source from the other export products.

Ten percent tax on profit on life insurance scheme and five percent regulatory duty on CR coil have been withdrawn while aluminium will continue to enjoy tax waiver.

Small businesses with Tk 7 million turnover will continue to enjoy the traditional VAT package system while those beyond the limit would be brought under new VAT collection system.

Small and cottage industries with less than Tk 4 million turnover will get income tax waiver while there would be no duty on importing computer monitor up to 22 inches.

Muhith said undisclosed money can be invested in several sectors in the economy as the government would emphasise more revenue collection.

The revenue target is about Tk 1.17 trillion while the non-tax revenue target is Tk 228.46 billion for the next fiscal.

Muhith admitted that the economy faced a stiff challenge in the first six of the outgoing fiscal but it turned around in the second half.

"We had to resort to excess bank borrowing as we failed to adjust fuel price in due time," he said.

Fluctuation in foreign trade and commodity prices in the international market twined with political stability are the major risks for the economy in the next fiscal, Muhith felt.

"The country is under huge risks as Bangladesh is a low income country with 45 million poor and 70 percent of the economy is exposed to external sector," he said.

Hoping to achieve 7.2 per cent growth in the next fiscal, he said the implementation capacity has increased manifold.

Bangladesh needed soft loan from foreign source and if the aid could be utilised, it would reduce pressure on the economy.

About capital market, Muhith said reforms would bring results by December.

Flights resumed at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong on Thursday morning after a suspension of nearly 37 hours, officials said.

"Our operation resumed around 5am," Airport Manager Squadron Leader Rabiul Islam said.

He said the first flight from Dhaka landed at around 6am and three more flights landed and took off after that.

On Wednesday he said water had receded from the runway and taxiway and hoped flights operation would become normal from Thursday morning.

Flights were suspended around 4:30pm on Tuesday as the runway and taxiway were submerged in knee-deep water due to torrential rains.

Airport Manager Rabiul had said it took time for water to recede as the City Corporation's sewerage management was not good in the airport area.

Unidentified Bengali youths assaulted Justice A H Shamsuddin Chowdhury near his London home on Wednesday, the judge, now on a personal visit to UK, said.

The Supreme Court judge told bdnews24.com that two youths approached him near his home in Becontree, East London, and hit him in his head with a paper file at around 8pm Wednesday (1am Thursday BdST).

"They ran away when I cried for help," Chowdhury told bdnews24.com. "I called police and gave them the car registration number."

Chowdhury said, while he was on his way back home from a nearby gymnasium, a couple of Bengali youths came up to him and sought confirmation of his identity. He said several other youths were waiting in a car apparently to take snaps of the upcoming incident.

He said when he shouted for help, the youths hit him with a file and escaped.

Chowdhury went to the UK on Saturday on a personal visit.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the country's poverty has come down to 31.5 percent due to an average 6.2 percent GDP growth over the past three years of Awami League-led government.

She was replying to a query of Comilla-8 MP Nasimul Alam Chowdhury in Parliament.

"GDP has increased by 6.2 percent on an average over the past three years during the incumbent government, per capita income gone up to $848 and poverty rate has come down to 31.5 from 41 percent," she said.

The Prime Minister said the foreign currency reserve also crossed $10-billion mark as remittances inflow had increased by 9.8 percent.

Hasina told the House that GDP grew by 5.7 percent during 2008-2009 fiscal, 6.1 percent during 2009-2010 fiscal and it increased to 6.7 percent during 2010-2011 fiscal.

According to statistics of nine months of the outgoing 2011-2012 fiscal, 6.3 percent GDP growth had been achieved, she informed.

She said per capita income during 2008-2009 fiscal was $676, while it increased to $848 during the outgoing 2011-2012 fiscal.

"The poverty rate (based on headcount) in 2005 was 40.4 percent that came down to 31.5 percent in 2010," she claimed.

During this period, income discrimination ratio also came down significantly, Hasina said.

According to the World Bank, people with a daily average income lesser than $1.25 are considered poor.

The first war crimes tribunal of Bangladesh adjourned proceedings when a slab of false ceiling crashed on the floor. There were no injuries.

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee's war crimes investigator was at the stand, for the 26th time on Wednesday, when a square slab of hardboard-like material fell close to him.

The slab fell under the weight of water it had presumably soaked due to the past few days of rainfall, said Deputy Registrar Mesbahuddin Ahmed.

The square slab broke into pieces splashing water all around it between the witness stand and the stenographer's table on the left corner of the courtroom's far end adjacent to the raised platform where the judges sit.

This created an immediate commotion in the court and investigation officer ASP Mohammad Helal Uddin, who was facing defence counsel Mizanul Islam's cross-examination for the 26th time, remained at the stand evidently startled.

Prosecutor Syed Haider Ali suggested that the false ceiling be inspected first by relevant personnel and the trial could then continue.

Tribunal Chairman Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq agreed instantly and adjourned the proceedings.

Earlier, the tribunal allowed an attendant for the ailing Sayedee, who has recently had three new stents inserted into his heart, and according to the defence application, needed the care of an attendant round the clock.

The tribunal then rejected two applications filed by Jamaat chief Matiur Rahman Nizami. The first was relating to a review of Nizami's charges and another requesting transfer of the case, thereby eliminating the need for the tribunal chief's recusal.

Justice Huq said regarding the transfer petition, "This application does not merit any consideration and as such, stands rejected."

A Jubo League leader has filed a defamation suit against private television channel ATN Bangla Chairman Mahfuzur Rahman for making 'derogatory remarks' about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Emdadul Haque Emdad, a leader of ruling Awami League front's Dhaka Metropolitan unit, filed the case against Mahfuzur Rahman at Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's (CMM) Court on Wednesday.

Metropolitan Magistrate Farhana Ferdous Set Thursday for passing an order in the case after taking it into cognizance.

The ATN chief had passed comments on various issues during his visit to London last month. On May 30, he also said the slain couple Sagar Sarowar-Meherun Runi was a victim of 'extramarital affair'.

Rahman drew flaks from journalists and various quarters who demanded his arrest for the offensive remarks.

The social networking websites were flooded with footage of his speech after another private TV channel Ekushey Television ran a report on Monday.

The footage showed Rahman calling the Prime Minister 'talkative' recalling her comment that "it was not possible for the government to guard anyone's bedroom".

Rahman added Hasina's comment was a 'mistake' usually associated with busy people.

"I am a leader of Juba League's Metropolitcan unit. Mahfuzur Rahman's remarks have not only offended Awami League's highest position holder Sheikh Hasina but also offended me," Emdad told bdnews24.com after filing the case.

When Home Minister Shahara Khatun's attention had been drawn towards Mahfuzur Rahman's remarks against Hasina, she had said, "Action will be taken against ATN owner if he is found to have made derogatory remarks against the Prime Minister."