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The Awami League is ready for talks with the opposition should it respond positively to the Prime Minister's proposal on poll-time interim government, the party's spokesman has said.
"We hope they (BNP) will respond positively to the Prime Minister's proposal she made during an interview with the BBC recently," Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said at 'Meet the Reporters' organised by the Dhaka Reporters' Unity on Saturday.
In the wake of the BNP's repeated demand for restoration of the caretaker government system, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had said in the interview that the opposition BNP could join the interim cabinet to be constituted ahead of the next parliamentary polls. She had expressed her unwillingness to hand over state affairs to an unelected government.
But BNP chief Khaleda Zia rejected outright the proposal saying that the next polls must be held under a non-party caretaker government.
Hanif said he was not frustrated at the rejection of the proposal. "We, the politicians, often take many decisions and change the decisions realising the reality. There is no final word in politics."
The chances of making a formal proposal for talks by the ruling party to the opposition were thin if it did not budge from its stance of not taking part in the elections without restoration of the caretaker government system, he said.
"We will take an initiative for talks to set the framework of the poll-time interim cabinet if the opposition responds positively to the Prime Minister's proposal," he added.
Hanif urged the BNP to join the House and place their proposal on the formation of the interim government, if they had any.
Also a special assistant to the Prime Minister, Hanif said that the opposition party had been invited several times during the latest constitutional amendment. "But they didn't respond and are pushing the country to unrest by waging movements."
On the issue of Dr Muhammad Yunus' reaction to the cabinet decision on Grameen Bank, Hanif said the government had taken the decision to inform people of the facts about Grammen Bank, not to destroy it. "Dr Yunus is not above the law of the country though he is a Nobel laureate!"
"We hope they (BNP) will respond positively to the Prime Minister's proposal she made during an interview with the BBC recently," Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said at 'Meet the Reporters' organised by the Dhaka Reporters' Unity on Saturday.
In the wake of the BNP's repeated demand for restoration of the caretaker government system, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had said in the interview that the opposition BNP could join the interim cabinet to be constituted ahead of the next parliamentary polls. She had expressed her unwillingness to hand over state affairs to an unelected government.
But BNP chief Khaleda Zia rejected outright the proposal saying that the next polls must be held under a non-party caretaker government.
Hanif said he was not frustrated at the rejection of the proposal. "We, the politicians, often take many decisions and change the decisions realising the reality. There is no final word in politics."
The chances of making a formal proposal for talks by the ruling party to the opposition were thin if it did not budge from its stance of not taking part in the elections without restoration of the caretaker government system, he said.
"We will take an initiative for talks to set the framework of the poll-time interim cabinet if the opposition responds positively to the Prime Minister's proposal," he added.
Hanif urged the BNP to join the House and place their proposal on the formation of the interim government, if they had any.
Also a special assistant to the Prime Minister, Hanif said that the opposition party had been invited several times during the latest constitutional amendment. "But they didn't respond and are pushing the country to unrest by waging movements."
On the issue of Dr Muhammad Yunus' reaction to the cabinet decision on Grameen Bank, Hanif said the government had taken the decision to inform people of the facts about Grammen Bank, not to destroy it. "Dr Yunus is not above the law of the country though he is a Nobel laureate!"
The key index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange shed 0.60 percent in the first half an hour on Sunday.
At 11:35am, the DGEN reached 4074.08 points losing 24.62 points on the week's opening day.
Shares and mutual funds worth around Tk 4.3.12 million changed hands so far with prices of 34 issues gaining, 148 declining and 16 remaining unchanged.
The premiere bourse's benchmark index had lost 4.35 percent or 186.27 points last week.
At 11:35am, the DGEN reached 4074.08 points losing 24.62 points on the week's opening day.
Shares and mutual funds worth around Tk 4.3.12 million changed hands so far with prices of 34 issues gaining, 148 declining and 16 remaining unchanged.
The premiere bourse's benchmark index had lost 4.35 percent or 186.27 points last week.
Ayesha Foyez, mother of late celebrated writer Humayun Ahmed, gave a handful of soil to her son's grave taking it from the grave of her husband Foyezur Rahman, who embraced martyrdom during the Liberation War in 1971.
She also offered Fatiha at the grave of her son at his Gazipur retreat Nuhash Palli on Saturday and planted sapling of Talipalm or Corypha Taliera Roxburgh on the site. She also planted saplings in the west to the 'Ma O Shishu' sculpture near the main entrance of Nuhash Palli.
Ayesha Foyez went to Nuhash Palli for the first time since the burial of the author, playwright and filmmaker on July 24.
Her sister Rizia Begum, her husband Apple Haider, daughters Roksana Ahmed and Sufia Haider, and son Ahsan Habib accompanied her during the visit.
Mohammad Asaduzzaman, the sculptor of Nuhash Palli, told bdnews24.com that Ayesha Foyez also offered a special prayer seeking eternal peace for the soul of her son.
She also recited from the holy Quran on the occasion.
Her younger son cartoonist Ahsan Habib said that the soil was brought from their father's grave in Pirojpur district.
His father, Foyzur Rahman Ahmed, a police officer and writer, was killed by Pakistani military in Pirojpur district during the Liberation War in 1971.
After the 'ziarat', Ayesha Foyez and her family members moved around Nuhash Palli and enquired about the employees. They started for Dhaka in the afternoon.
Noted author, playwright and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed, 64, died at a hospital in the US on July 19 after a nearly 10-month battle against colon cancer.
She also offered Fatiha at the grave of her son at his Gazipur retreat Nuhash Palli on Saturday and planted sapling of Talipalm or Corypha Taliera Roxburgh on the site. She also planted saplings in the west to the 'Ma O Shishu' sculpture near the main entrance of Nuhash Palli.
Ayesha Foyez went to Nuhash Palli for the first time since the burial of the author, playwright and filmmaker on July 24.
Her sister Rizia Begum, her husband Apple Haider, daughters Roksana Ahmed and Sufia Haider, and son Ahsan Habib accompanied her during the visit.
Mohammad Asaduzzaman, the sculptor of Nuhash Palli, told bdnews24.com that Ayesha Foyez also offered a special prayer seeking eternal peace for the soul of her son.
She also recited from the holy Quran on the occasion.
Her younger son cartoonist Ahsan Habib said that the soil was brought from their father's grave in Pirojpur district.
His father, Foyzur Rahman Ahmed, a police officer and writer, was killed by Pakistani military in Pirojpur district during the Liberation War in 1971.
After the 'ziarat', Ayesha Foyez and her family members moved around Nuhash Palli and enquired about the employees. They started for Dhaka in the afternoon.
Noted author, playwright and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed, 64, died at a hospital in the US on July 19 after a nearly 10-month battle against colon cancer.
Malaysia's Special Envoy to South Asia on Infrastructure S Samy Vellu is meeting Communications Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday to discuss details on its proposal to build the Padma bridge.
The meeting began around 11:45am. Vellu is leading a seven-member delegation.
The envoy will also meet Finance Minister AMA Muhith on the proposal submitted on Jun 28, according to the programme schedule of the ministers.
Vellu is also scheduled to visit the project site.
Malaysia expressed its interest in financing Bangladesh's largest infrastructure project after the World Bank cancelled its pledged $1.2 billion fund.
Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur signed a memorandum of understanding on Apr 10 in presence of the Malaysian Prime Minister. On Jun 28, Malaysia submitted a draft proposal to Bangladesh government to sign the agreement.
The meeting began around 11:45am. Vellu is leading a seven-member delegation.
The envoy will also meet Finance Minister AMA Muhith on the proposal submitted on Jun 28, according to the programme schedule of the ministers.
Vellu is also scheduled to visit the project site.
Malaysia expressed its interest in financing Bangladesh's largest infrastructure project after the World Bank cancelled its pledged $1.2 billion fund.
Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur signed a memorandum of understanding on Apr 10 in presence of the Malaysian Prime Minister. On Jun 28, Malaysia submitted a draft proposal to Bangladesh government to sign the agreement.
The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) was on an upbeat note when Thursday's trading opened.
Following a seesaw movement, the DSE general index gained 31 points to 4189 points at 11:30am.
Shares and mutual funds worth Tk 330 million changed hands until then. Prices of 150 issues advanced, 21 declined and 16 remained unchanged.
The DGEN slipped 41 points on Wednesday.
Trading on Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges was halted for Tuesday due to persisting problems in the Central Depository Bangladesh Limited server.
The index lost 75 points on Monday and 50 points on Sunday.
The index advanced 118 points or 2.84 percent last week, 2 points in the week before last week but declined 125.85 points or 2.93 percent in the previous week.
Following a seesaw movement, the DSE general index gained 31 points to 4189 points at 11:30am.
Shares and mutual funds worth Tk 330 million changed hands until then. Prices of 150 issues advanced, 21 declined and 16 remained unchanged.
The DGEN slipped 41 points on Wednesday.
Trading on Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges was halted for Tuesday due to persisting problems in the Central Depository Bangladesh Limited server.
The index lost 75 points on Monday and 50 points on Sunday.
The index advanced 118 points or 2.84 percent last week, 2 points in the week before last week but declined 125.85 points or 2.93 percent in the previous week.
BNP Vice Chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka got bail on Thursday after surrendering to a Dhaka court in a shutdown violence case.
Returning from Singapore after treatment on Wednesday night, the former Dhaka mayor appeared before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court Thursday morning and appealed for bail.
Judge Harun-or-Rashid granted the appeal after hearing.
The Speedy Trial Tribunal of Dhaka on Tuesday framed charges against Khoka and 45 others, including BNP Acting Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in a case filed over torching a vehicle in front of the Prime Minister's Office during shutdown on Apr 29.
The tribunal issued arrest warrant against Khoka and two others accused in the case, as they did not appear before it on that day.
During Thursday's hearing, Khoka's lawyer Mohammad Borhanuddin told the court that the BNP leader went to Singapore for kidney treatment on Jun 27 after being freed on bail granted by the High Court. He came to know about the warrant after returning on Wednesday night, he added.
The lawyer appealed to continue his bail as he went abroad with permission of the High Court.
BNP had enforced the general strike on Apr 29 demanding 'whereabouts' of one of its organising secretaries M Ilias Ali, who went missing on Apr 17 midnight.
Returning from Singapore after treatment on Wednesday night, the former Dhaka mayor appeared before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court Thursday morning and appealed for bail.
Judge Harun-or-Rashid granted the appeal after hearing.
The Speedy Trial Tribunal of Dhaka on Tuesday framed charges against Khoka and 45 others, including BNP Acting Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in a case filed over torching a vehicle in front of the Prime Minister's Office during shutdown on Apr 29.
The tribunal issued arrest warrant against Khoka and two others accused in the case, as they did not appear before it on that day.
During Thursday's hearing, Khoka's lawyer Mohammad Borhanuddin told the court that the BNP leader went to Singapore for kidney treatment on Jun 27 after being freed on bail granted by the High Court. He came to know about the warrant after returning on Wednesday night, he added.
The lawyer appealed to continue his bail as he went abroad with permission of the High Court.
BNP had enforced the general strike on Apr 29 demanding 'whereabouts' of one of its organising secretaries M Ilias Ali, who went missing on Apr 17 midnight.
The first war crimes tribunal on Wednesday erupted as the defence and the prosecution shouted at each other.
This was preceded by defence counsel Tajul Islam engaging in an argument with the court in a rather loud voice after the tribunal had cautioned him.
The court atmosphere became hot close to the end of the day's proceedings, a little after 2:30pm when tribunal Chairman Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq rejected a plea from Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee's senior defence counsel Mizanul Islam.
The senior counsel, who has been leading Sayedee's trial with his meticulous cross-examination and earned the confidence of the tribunal, argued that he meant to prove that a certain application of the prosecution was malafide and in turn showed that fraud had been committed upon the court.
Set up to deal crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, the three-judge International Crimes Tribunal – 1 indicted the Jamaat executive council member on 20 counts of war crimes on Oct 3, 2011 including murder, rape, arson and loot.
The tribunal had on Mar 29 partially allowed a prosecution petition to receive 15 witness statements taken down by Sayedee's war crimes investigator as evidence. The order noted that those witnesses had not been produced in the court for cross-examination, nor were they under oath during their interview with ASP Mohammda Helal Uddin, the case investigation officer.
That application cited a provision of the tribunal's act which allows such statements to be taken as evidence in case of witness deaths or in cases where producing those witnesses would require unreasonable time or incur unreasonable expenses.
The prosecution had said some witnesses could not be found, some had fled, most likely to India, some were being threatened by armed thugs loyal to Sayedee and one was extremely ill and perhaps on her death bed.
The tribunal then allowed 15 statements to be received as evidence instead of 46 that the prosecution had asked for.
Mizanul Islam, the defence counsel, has been cross-examining the investigator for the last few days about the procedures he followed regarding those 15 witnesses to verify if Helal Uddin had exhausted his efforts to locate them, presumably in a bid to discredit the investigation.
On Wednesday, when the investigator took oath for the 41st time to be cross-examined, Mizanul Islam also asked questions about other witnesses in the prosecution's list of 46 'unavailable' witnesses.
The tribunal said it would not allow questions regarding witnesses whose statements were not being received as evidence since those would not even be considered in the case.
The defence counsel then reiterated a point he has been making for quite some time. Mizanul Islam said that his contention was that the entire application had been based on false premises and the prosecution had misrepresented the facts in that application when it claimed that the witnesses had gone missing or could not be traced and so forth.
Mizanul Islam also pointed that even the tribunal remained unconvinced regarding 31 of those witnesses and allowed the petition for only 15 witnesses.
"Now you come to the point," said Justice Huq. He said the court had thus rejected the prayer for the rest of the witnesses.
"But you did not state in the order that the information was false and fabricated," the defence counsel said and added that this was what he wanted to show through his cross-examination.
There has been an implied understanding that the tribunal will be lenient in allowing defence counsel proceed with questions regarding the 15 witnesses and Mizanul Islam has been at it over the last few days.
However, regarding the other 31, the court put its foot down with the tribunal Chairman saying that he would not allow questions regarding the other witnesses.
The defence resorted to his last measure that he generally does whenever his oral submissions are rejected. Mizanul Islam said he would come back with a petition to that effect, and the tribunal chief he could very well do. "That is your wish and you can very well do that, but it stands rejected."
One of the lawyers representing almost the entire Jamaat leadership at the war crimes tribunals, Tajul Islam had joined the proceedings a short while before this exchange between the bar and the bench. He was heard to exlaim, "The application stands rejected even before it is heard!"
Unheeded, the tribunal chief told Mizanul Islam, "I will not waste our time regarding the 31 witnesses. We won't allow questions regarding them."
Tajul Islam's voice could be heard again from the other side of the court. "If we are not allowed to ask questions then what is the point of staying here?"
Tribunal member Anwarul Haque intervened to convince Mizanul Islam. "You see the remaining 31 were not accepted. Their statements are not going to be of any value."
"But I am not going to ask questions about their statements at all. It is about the facts that the prosecution presented that I wish to question him," said Mizanul Islam.
Tajul Islam was still passing remarks among his colleague in the defence and by this time the tribunal chair took serious exception.
"Mr Tajul Islam," he began in a harsh voice and continued, "I have heard the remark you made. I caution you."
The defence counsel stood up and began to protest loudly and said the judge had not heard it correctly.
The judge replied that he had indeed. "You suggested leaving the courtroom."
"No, I only said there is no point staying."
"It comes down to the same thing," said Justice Huq.
The counsel then told the judge. "I am talking amongst my friends and the judges are not supposed to hear that. You talk amongst yourselves and expect us not to hear that either."
Justice Huq could only manage to say, "You are saying that you are talking in the court and the judge is not supposed to hear it!"
Tajul Islam continued in his loud voice that the court was accusing him of something that was not true but Prosecutor Abdur Rahman Howladar stood up and protested the defence counsel's behaviour as loudly.
Tajul Islam then shouted back at him saying, "Don't shout."
Justice Huq stopped both parties and addressed Tajul Islam saying, "You have been shouting more than anyone else."
He then said, "We are having no further discussion in this regard."
Mizanul Islam, however, protested, saying that he was yet to be done with his submissions.
Justice Huq said, "All day long, we have been conducting the proceedings in a befitting manner. And the moment Tajul Islam comes in, he starts up a ruckus."
Mizanul Islam said, he never spoke without the leave of the tribunal, nor when the prosecution is submitting. "There might have been one or two exceptions. But the prosecution should not have intervened in such a manner when the defence is in the middle of an argument with the tribunal. That was undesirable."
It was obvious that the court would not see any further questions from the defence. Before rising, the tribunal Chairman told Mizanul Islam that the court expected that the defence conclude cross-examination of the investigation officer by Thursday.
Mizanul Islam shook his head indicating that it would be impossible.
"You have said that you would try and we expect it to be finished tomorrow," said Justice Huq.
The defence counsel kept shaking his head saying, "It won't be possible."
The tribunal chief, however, did not dwell upon the matter any further.
Mohammad Helal Uddin's cross-examination is set to resume for the 42nd time on Thursday and continue through the day.
This was preceded by defence counsel Tajul Islam engaging in an argument with the court in a rather loud voice after the tribunal had cautioned him.
The court atmosphere became hot close to the end of the day's proceedings, a little after 2:30pm when tribunal Chairman Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq rejected a plea from Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee's senior defence counsel Mizanul Islam.
The senior counsel, who has been leading Sayedee's trial with his meticulous cross-examination and earned the confidence of the tribunal, argued that he meant to prove that a certain application of the prosecution was malafide and in turn showed that fraud had been committed upon the court.
Set up to deal crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, the three-judge International Crimes Tribunal – 1 indicted the Jamaat executive council member on 20 counts of war crimes on Oct 3, 2011 including murder, rape, arson and loot.
The tribunal had on Mar 29 partially allowed a prosecution petition to receive 15 witness statements taken down by Sayedee's war crimes investigator as evidence. The order noted that those witnesses had not been produced in the court for cross-examination, nor were they under oath during their interview with ASP Mohammda Helal Uddin, the case investigation officer.
That application cited a provision of the tribunal's act which allows such statements to be taken as evidence in case of witness deaths or in cases where producing those witnesses would require unreasonable time or incur unreasonable expenses.
The prosecution had said some witnesses could not be found, some had fled, most likely to India, some were being threatened by armed thugs loyal to Sayedee and one was extremely ill and perhaps on her death bed.
The tribunal then allowed 15 statements to be received as evidence instead of 46 that the prosecution had asked for.
Mizanul Islam, the defence counsel, has been cross-examining the investigator for the last few days about the procedures he followed regarding those 15 witnesses to verify if Helal Uddin had exhausted his efforts to locate them, presumably in a bid to discredit the investigation.
On Wednesday, when the investigator took oath for the 41st time to be cross-examined, Mizanul Islam also asked questions about other witnesses in the prosecution's list of 46 'unavailable' witnesses.
The tribunal said it would not allow questions regarding witnesses whose statements were not being received as evidence since those would not even be considered in the case.
The defence counsel then reiterated a point he has been making for quite some time. Mizanul Islam said that his contention was that the entire application had been based on false premises and the prosecution had misrepresented the facts in that application when it claimed that the witnesses had gone missing or could not be traced and so forth.
Mizanul Islam also pointed that even the tribunal remained unconvinced regarding 31 of those witnesses and allowed the petition for only 15 witnesses.
"Now you come to the point," said Justice Huq. He said the court had thus rejected the prayer for the rest of the witnesses.
"But you did not state in the order that the information was false and fabricated," the defence counsel said and added that this was what he wanted to show through his cross-examination.
There has been an implied understanding that the tribunal will be lenient in allowing defence counsel proceed with questions regarding the 15 witnesses and Mizanul Islam has been at it over the last few days.
However, regarding the other 31, the court put its foot down with the tribunal Chairman saying that he would not allow questions regarding the other witnesses.
The defence resorted to his last measure that he generally does whenever his oral submissions are rejected. Mizanul Islam said he would come back with a petition to that effect, and the tribunal chief he could very well do. "That is your wish and you can very well do that, but it stands rejected."
One of the lawyers representing almost the entire Jamaat leadership at the war crimes tribunals, Tajul Islam had joined the proceedings a short while before this exchange between the bar and the bench. He was heard to exlaim, "The application stands rejected even before it is heard!"
Unheeded, the tribunal chief told Mizanul Islam, "I will not waste our time regarding the 31 witnesses. We won't allow questions regarding them."
Tajul Islam's voice could be heard again from the other side of the court. "If we are not allowed to ask questions then what is the point of staying here?"
Tribunal member Anwarul Haque intervened to convince Mizanul Islam. "You see the remaining 31 were not accepted. Their statements are not going to be of any value."
"But I am not going to ask questions about their statements at all. It is about the facts that the prosecution presented that I wish to question him," said Mizanul Islam.
Tajul Islam was still passing remarks among his colleague in the defence and by this time the tribunal chair took serious exception.
"Mr Tajul Islam," he began in a harsh voice and continued, "I have heard the remark you made. I caution you."
The defence counsel stood up and began to protest loudly and said the judge had not heard it correctly.
The judge replied that he had indeed. "You suggested leaving the courtroom."
"No, I only said there is no point staying."
"It comes down to the same thing," said Justice Huq.
The counsel then told the judge. "I am talking amongst my friends and the judges are not supposed to hear that. You talk amongst yourselves and expect us not to hear that either."
Justice Huq could only manage to say, "You are saying that you are talking in the court and the judge is not supposed to hear it!"
Tajul Islam continued in his loud voice that the court was accusing him of something that was not true but Prosecutor Abdur Rahman Howladar stood up and protested the defence counsel's behaviour as loudly.
Tajul Islam then shouted back at him saying, "Don't shout."
Justice Huq stopped both parties and addressed Tajul Islam saying, "You have been shouting more than anyone else."
He then said, "We are having no further discussion in this regard."
Mizanul Islam, however, protested, saying that he was yet to be done with his submissions.
Justice Huq said, "All day long, we have been conducting the proceedings in a befitting manner. And the moment Tajul Islam comes in, he starts up a ruckus."
Mizanul Islam said, he never spoke without the leave of the tribunal, nor when the prosecution is submitting. "There might have been one or two exceptions. But the prosecution should not have intervened in such a manner when the defence is in the middle of an argument with the tribunal. That was undesirable."
It was obvious that the court would not see any further questions from the defence. Before rising, the tribunal Chairman told Mizanul Islam that the court expected that the defence conclude cross-examination of the investigation officer by Thursday.
Mizanul Islam shook his head indicating that it would be impossible.
"You have said that you would try and we expect it to be finished tomorrow," said Justice Huq.
The defence counsel kept shaking his head saying, "It won't be possible."
The tribunal chief, however, did not dwell upon the matter any further.
Mohammad Helal Uddin's cross-examination is set to resume for the 42nd time on Thursday and continue through the day.
Fitra for this year has been fixed at Tk 55 per person considering the market price of wheat or flour.
The Islamic Foundation took the decision at a meeting Thursday, Public Relations Officer Billal Bin Kashem told bdnews24.com.
He said that money equivalent to the market price of 1.65kg of wheat or flour, raisin, cheese or barley could be distributed among the poor people as Sadkatul Fitr or Fitra before the Eid-ul-Fitr congregation.
"Considering the market prices of these commodities, this year the Fitra per person has been fixed between Tk 55 and Tk 1,500."
Last year, the Fitra was fixed at Tk 53 and in 2010 it was fixed at Tk 45.
According to Islamic rituals it is Wazib for all the solvent Muslims to give Fitra. Father has to pay the Fitra for adolescent children. And the Fitra has to be distributed before the Eid-ul-Fitr congregation.
Baitul Mukarram National Mosque khatib Maolana Mohammad Salah Uddin presided over the meeting also attended by Islamic Foundation Director Sirajul Haque.
The Islamic Foundation took the decision at a meeting Thursday, Public Relations Officer Billal Bin Kashem told bdnews24.com.
He said that money equivalent to the market price of 1.65kg of wheat or flour, raisin, cheese or barley could be distributed among the poor people as Sadkatul Fitr or Fitra before the Eid-ul-Fitr congregation.
"Considering the market prices of these commodities, this year the Fitra per person has been fixed between Tk 55 and Tk 1,500."
Last year, the Fitra was fixed at Tk 53 and in 2010 it was fixed at Tk 45.
According to Islamic rituals it is Wazib for all the solvent Muslims to give Fitra. Father has to pay the Fitra for adolescent children. And the Fitra has to be distributed before the Eid-ul-Fitr congregation.
Baitul Mukarram National Mosque khatib Maolana Mohammad Salah Uddin presided over the meeting also attended by Islamic Foundation Director Sirajul Haque.
Police have fired rubber bullets during clashes with students of Jahangirnagar University protesting against detention of a fellow student, leaving several people injured, witnesses said on Thursday.
At least five students suffered bullet injuries from police action as they attempted to disperse the protesters immediately after midnight on Wednesday.
The violence broke out after police detained the student on allegations that he attacked a leader of the ruling Awami League's student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
In response to the police attack, the students blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway following the midnight clash.
The students also vandalised the main gate of the university and its several other buildings.
The protesters said unidentified assailants stabbed the leader of a faction JU BCL unit, Tahmidul Islam Likhon, late Wednesday. He was found wounded near the main gate around 10:15pm on Wednesday.
He was rushed to the medical centre on the campus and then was shifted to Enam Medical College Hospital at Savar.
Likhon, a post graduate student of the Department of Economics, is a resident of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall.
He was out of the campus for a long time but returned recently after a change in the post of Vice Chancellor following months of protests.
Police arrested Nahid, a 39th batch student of the Department of Anthropology, from the Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall on Wednesday night over the attack on Likhon.
His friends, unhappy with his arrest, vandalised the house of Provost Emdadul Haque and assaulted him.
The clash with police erupted when the students tried to vandalise a police van.
'Rakib', from 39th batch of the Department of Pharmacy, 'Robin', from 41st batch of the Department of Mathematics, 'Maruf', from 39th batch of the Institute of Information Technology, 'Nahid', from the Department of Finance and Banking and 'Bashir', from the 40th batch of the Department of Statistics, were injured in the firing.
They were treated in the medical centre on the campus.
After the firing, the students started demonstrating by blocking the Dhaka-Aricha highway in front of the main gate. They have smashed several vehicles.
bdnews24.com's JU Correspondent Ahmed Sajal was injured in an attack by the demonstrators while he attempted to take photographs. They also damaged his camera.
Police finally freed Nahid and left the campus after the demonstration started.
Vice Chancellor Prof Anwar Hossain tried to calm the students but he failed to find an immediate solution.
"The university will have to be shut down if this situation continues," he said.
Pro-VC Prof Farhad Hossain, Registrar Abu Bakr Siddique, Treasurer Prof Nasiruddin and Proctor Prof Tapan Kumar Saha came to resolve the situation through discussion but failed.
"We'll have to see why the police fired rubber bullets," the Proctor said.
At least five students suffered bullet injuries from police action as they attempted to disperse the protesters immediately after midnight on Wednesday.
The violence broke out after police detained the student on allegations that he attacked a leader of the ruling Awami League's student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
In response to the police attack, the students blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway following the midnight clash.
The students also vandalised the main gate of the university and its several other buildings.
The protesters said unidentified assailants stabbed the leader of a faction JU BCL unit, Tahmidul Islam Likhon, late Wednesday. He was found wounded near the main gate around 10:15pm on Wednesday.
He was rushed to the medical centre on the campus and then was shifted to Enam Medical College Hospital at Savar.
Likhon, a post graduate student of the Department of Economics, is a resident of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall.
He was out of the campus for a long time but returned recently after a change in the post of Vice Chancellor following months of protests.
Police arrested Nahid, a 39th batch student of the Department of Anthropology, from the Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall on Wednesday night over the attack on Likhon.
His friends, unhappy with his arrest, vandalised the house of Provost Emdadul Haque and assaulted him.
The clash with police erupted when the students tried to vandalise a police van.
'Rakib', from 39th batch of the Department of Pharmacy, 'Robin', from 41st batch of the Department of Mathematics, 'Maruf', from 39th batch of the Institute of Information Technology, 'Nahid', from the Department of Finance and Banking and 'Bashir', from the 40th batch of the Department of Statistics, were injured in the firing.
They were treated in the medical centre on the campus.
After the firing, the students started demonstrating by blocking the Dhaka-Aricha highway in front of the main gate. They have smashed several vehicles.
bdnews24.com's JU Correspondent Ahmed Sajal was injured in an attack by the demonstrators while he attempted to take photographs. They also damaged his camera.
Police finally freed Nahid and left the campus after the demonstration started.
Vice Chancellor Prof Anwar Hossain tried to calm the students but he failed to find an immediate solution.
"The university will have to be shut down if this situation continues," he said.
Pro-VC Prof Farhad Hossain, Registrar Abu Bakr Siddique, Treasurer Prof Nasiruddin and Proctor Prof Tapan Kumar Saha came to resolve the situation through discussion but failed.
"We'll have to see why the police fired rubber bullets," the Proctor said.
Police have fired rubber bullets as they have clashed with students of Jahangirnagar University protesting against the arrest of a fellow student, leaving several people injured, police and witnesses said on Thursday.
At least five students suffered bullet injuries when police fired on them to disperse the protesters during the clash immediately after midnight on Wednesday.
The violence broke out after police arrested the student who allegedly attacked a leader of the ruling Awami League's student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
In response to the police attack, the protesting students blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway following the clash.
The students also vandalised the main gate of the university and its several other buildings.
At least five students suffered bullet injuries when police fired on them to disperse the protesters during the clash immediately after midnight on Wednesday.
The violence broke out after police arrested the student who allegedly attacked a leader of the ruling Awami League's student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
In response to the police attack, the protesting students blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway following the clash.
The students also vandalised the main gate of the university and its several other buildings.
The Power Development Board claimed there was no load-shedding in the country on Wednesday when power generation hit a new record.
PDB Director (Public Relations) Saiful Hasan Chowdhury told bdnews24.com that 6319.5 megawatt power was produced at 9pm when the demand was at its peak.
There was no load-shedding at that time, though the demand for electricity was the same.
The last record production was 6279MW on Jul 25.
Prime Minister's Power Adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi told reporters on July 16 that the government was planning to raise power production during Ramadan to keep the supply sufficient.
"Against the demand of 6,500MW, we will produce the same amount of electricity. But if our usage is conservative, we can meet the demand with 6,200-6,300MW," he had said.
According to government statistics, the 'real demand' for power is 7,500MW but 'demand side management' has kept it down to 6,500MW.
The present government initiated construction of 56 power plants, of which 29 have already begun production.
Besides, 19 power plants built during the previous caretaker government regime have also come into production in this government's tenure.
According to PDB, the 29 new plants generate 3,500 MW of power.
PDB Director (Public Relations) Saiful Hasan Chowdhury told bdnews24.com that 6319.5 megawatt power was produced at 9pm when the demand was at its peak.
There was no load-shedding at that time, though the demand for electricity was the same.
The last record production was 6279MW on Jul 25.
Prime Minister's Power Adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi told reporters on July 16 that the government was planning to raise power production during Ramadan to keep the supply sufficient.
"Against the demand of 6,500MW, we will produce the same amount of electricity. But if our usage is conservative, we can meet the demand with 6,200-6,300MW," he had said.
According to government statistics, the 'real demand' for power is 7,500MW but 'demand side management' has kept it down to 6,500MW.
The present government initiated construction of 56 power plants, of which 29 have already begun production.
Besides, 19 power plants built during the previous caretaker government regime have also come into production in this government's tenure.
According to PDB, the 29 new plants generate 3,500 MW of power.
After Tuesday's halt on trading for a server glitch, Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) started Wednesday's trading with fluctuations in its benchmark index.
Following the seesaw movement, DSE general index dropped 12 points to 4,146 points after an hour into trading.
Shares and mutual funds worth Tk 610 million changed hands until then with prices of 87 issues increasing, 113 declining and 22 remaining unchanged.
Trading on Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges was halted for Tuesday due to persisting problems in the Central Depository Bangladesh Limited server.
The DGEN lost 75 points on Monday and 50 points on Sunday.
The index advanced 118 points or 2.84 percent last week, 2 points in the week before last week but declined 125.85 points or 2.93 percent in the previous week.
Following the seesaw movement, DSE general index dropped 12 points to 4,146 points after an hour into trading.
Shares and mutual funds worth Tk 610 million changed hands until then with prices of 87 issues increasing, 113 declining and 22 remaining unchanged.
Trading on Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges was halted for Tuesday due to persisting problems in the Central Depository Bangladesh Limited server.
The DGEN lost 75 points on Monday and 50 points on Sunday.
The index advanced 118 points or 2.84 percent last week, 2 points in the week before last week but declined 125.85 points or 2.93 percent in the previous week.
Bangladesh is going to have a tougher law to tackle 'aggressive marketing' of baby food companies that overwhelm the proper feeding practices of under-2 children.
Health Minister A F M Ruhal Haque said on Tuesday, ahead of World Breastfeeding Week, that they would place the law in one of the Cabinet meetings in August.
The ministry started the process three years back to replace the 1984 Breastmilk Substitute Ordinance as experts suggested a strong law to support live-saving feeding practices in Bangladesh where nearly 50 percent children are malnourished.
Dr S K Roy, Chairperson of the Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation that helped the ministry to draft the law, told bdnews24.com that the draft prohibited promotions of breast milk substitutes at all level. "It will strengthen the punishment for violation as well."
He said companies would not be able to advertise their products for under-2 children in any medium including televisions and newspapers.
He said the draft law was of high international standards one and said if passed, it would make companies marketing under-2 powder milk or any supplement to write clearly in big letters in the middle of the container that 'this product is not germ free and there is no alternative to breast milk.'
Roy said healthcare professionals would not be able to attend any seminars at home or abroad sponsored by the milk companies.
"It will be regarded as a conflict of interest," he said, "there will be punishment for that."
The draft, he said, had been finalised after consulting with all relevant ministries and stakeholders including Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Law and Bangladesh Medical Association.
For first-time violation of the law, according to Roy, a company will be penalised Tk 0.50million with two years imprisonment. And for second offence "it will be five years rigorous imprisonment".
He said once the law is passed, a committee would be formed to clearly outline how it would be implemented. The law, however, is not clear about the punishment of doctors for violation.
"It only says proper punishment will be given," Roy said, "It will also be decided by the committee after finalising the law."
Chairperson Roy said a new law was imperative in Bangladesh as the 1984 ordinance based on the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (International BMS Code) did not include all provisions of the code.
If a country adopts a strong BMS code, it decreases the use of breast milk substitutes, he said. It happened in the Philippines where a strong regulation saw the use of infant formula milk fall from 57.5 percent in 1986 to 2.8 percent in 1988.
An analysis of the data of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics shows that baby food in the absence of breastfeeding costs a high portion of a family's financial resources –30 percent of the average household income (Tk 137,760).
Euromonitor International in 2008 projected global sale of baby food to grow by 37 percent to $ 11.5 billion to $ 42.7 billion from 2008 to 2013.
It also said almost two-thirds of this growth will come from Asia-Pacific, with China and Indonesia as the biggest contributors.
The preliminary results of Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) shows 41 percent children in Bangladesh are too short for their age and 36 percent are underweight.
Experts say proper feeding practices of children under-2 are imperative to fight malnutrition in Bangladesh.
But the same survey showed only 21 percent families strictly follow the under-2 feeding practices that include start of breastfeeding within first hour of birth and exclusive continuation until six months of age.
Proper under-2 feeding practices also recommend giving homemade food on the seventh month and continuing with breastfeeding until two years of age.
Health Minister A F M Ruhal Haque said on Tuesday, ahead of World Breastfeeding Week, that they would place the law in one of the Cabinet meetings in August.
The ministry started the process three years back to replace the 1984 Breastmilk Substitute Ordinance as experts suggested a strong law to support live-saving feeding practices in Bangladesh where nearly 50 percent children are malnourished.
Dr S K Roy, Chairperson of the Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation that helped the ministry to draft the law, told bdnews24.com that the draft prohibited promotions of breast milk substitutes at all level. "It will strengthen the punishment for violation as well."
He said companies would not be able to advertise their products for under-2 children in any medium including televisions and newspapers.
He said the draft law was of high international standards one and said if passed, it would make companies marketing under-2 powder milk or any supplement to write clearly in big letters in the middle of the container that 'this product is not germ free and there is no alternative to breast milk.'
Roy said healthcare professionals would not be able to attend any seminars at home or abroad sponsored by the milk companies.
"It will be regarded as a conflict of interest," he said, "there will be punishment for that."
The draft, he said, had been finalised after consulting with all relevant ministries and stakeholders including Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Law and Bangladesh Medical Association.
For first-time violation of the law, according to Roy, a company will be penalised Tk 0.50million with two years imprisonment. And for second offence "it will be five years rigorous imprisonment".
He said once the law is passed, a committee would be formed to clearly outline how it would be implemented. The law, however, is not clear about the punishment of doctors for violation.
"It only says proper punishment will be given," Roy said, "It will also be decided by the committee after finalising the law."
Chairperson Roy said a new law was imperative in Bangladesh as the 1984 ordinance based on the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (International BMS Code) did not include all provisions of the code.
If a country adopts a strong BMS code, it decreases the use of breast milk substitutes, he said. It happened in the Philippines where a strong regulation saw the use of infant formula milk fall from 57.5 percent in 1986 to 2.8 percent in 1988.
An analysis of the data of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics shows that baby food in the absence of breastfeeding costs a high portion of a family's financial resources –30 percent of the average household income (Tk 137,760).
Euromonitor International in 2008 projected global sale of baby food to grow by 37 percent to $ 11.5 billion to $ 42.7 billion from 2008 to 2013.
It also said almost two-thirds of this growth will come from Asia-Pacific, with China and Indonesia as the biggest contributors.
The preliminary results of Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) shows 41 percent children in Bangladesh are too short for their age and 36 percent are underweight.
Experts say proper feeding practices of children under-2 are imperative to fight malnutrition in Bangladesh.
But the same survey showed only 21 percent families strictly follow the under-2 feeding practices that include start of breastfeeding within first hour of birth and exclusive continuation until six months of age.
Proper under-2 feeding practices also recommend giving homemade food on the seventh month and continuing with breastfeeding until two years of age.
The Begunbari canal and Hatirjheel areas will open to public from Dec 15 as the government has completed development of the two water bodies.
State Minister for Housing and Public Works Abdul Mannan Khan informed journalists about the decision after visiting the places on Tuesday.
"The progress of the work is satisfactory. Hatirjheel will be opened for people on Dec 15. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the opening," he said.
On the night of Dec 15, 'victory' will be celebrated at the venue, he said, in reference to the Victory Day. "There will be colourful cultural programmes including music and dance performance by young people on that day."
About the progress of the Hatirjheel-Begunbari development project, he said that the project work was expected to be complete in December. "We're hopeful of completing the work within the scheduled time."
"The construction of a road on the site has already been done. It will be carpeted with pitch soon. Grass and date trees are being planted along the road. The construction of the bridges is about to come to an end."
The junior minister said that the beautification work had already started.
About the objectives of the project, Mannan Khan said the project had been undertaken for construction of a road stretch through Karwanbazar to Rampura to reduce traffic congestion in the city, install clean water bodies inside the city and proper waste management in the area.
He claimed that the illegal land sharks of the area were rehabilitated in different places after talks and no pressure was put on them.
Once completed, the project will help ease the commuters to reach Rampura from Karwanbazar, Moghbazar and Malibagh in "only 10 minutes" which now takes more than one and a half hours. The project will be a hit with the commuters of Dhaka, he added.
The junior minister thanked all the entrepreneurs and others related for undertaking such a project.
It will now have four big bridges, four overpasses, two-lane dedicated expressways and two-lane service roads with six bus stands, U-loops near Rampura Bridge, walkways, and waterbus services.
Public Works Secretary Khandaker Shawkat Hossain, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) Chairman Md Nurul Huda and chief of the army's engineering core Major General Habibur Rahman and Director of the Hatirjheel-Begunbari Development Project Brigadier General Abu Sayeed Mohammad Masud, among others, accompanied the junior minister.
An official of the ministry said the government plans to construct a flyover on the Rampura-Badda road from the Hatirjheel-Begunbari project area. The project costs may increase by at least Tk 20 million for this reason.
He added the government would acquire some land from Bangladesh Television (BTV) in Rampura. "The process to sign a deal between the BTV and Public Works Ministry has started."
The Hatirjheel project began in 2007 to develop communications between the east and the west of the capital, reduce waterlogging and maintain environmental balance.
The Tk 21.52 billion project was supposed to be complete by 2010, but legal wrangle cost the project about another two years.
RAJUK, 16 Engineering Construction Battalion of Army, Dhaka WASA and LGED are jointly implementing the project. The Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology is the consultant of the project.
State Minister for Housing and Public Works Abdul Mannan Khan informed journalists about the decision after visiting the places on Tuesday.
"The progress of the work is satisfactory. Hatirjheel will be opened for people on Dec 15. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the opening," he said.
On the night of Dec 15, 'victory' will be celebrated at the venue, he said, in reference to the Victory Day. "There will be colourful cultural programmes including music and dance performance by young people on that day."
About the progress of the Hatirjheel-Begunbari development project, he said that the project work was expected to be complete in December. "We're hopeful of completing the work within the scheduled time."
"The construction of a road on the site has already been done. It will be carpeted with pitch soon. Grass and date trees are being planted along the road. The construction of the bridges is about to come to an end."
The junior minister said that the beautification work had already started.
About the objectives of the project, Mannan Khan said the project had been undertaken for construction of a road stretch through Karwanbazar to Rampura to reduce traffic congestion in the city, install clean water bodies inside the city and proper waste management in the area.
He claimed that the illegal land sharks of the area were rehabilitated in different places after talks and no pressure was put on them.
Once completed, the project will help ease the commuters to reach Rampura from Karwanbazar, Moghbazar and Malibagh in "only 10 minutes" which now takes more than one and a half hours. The project will be a hit with the commuters of Dhaka, he added.
The junior minister thanked all the entrepreneurs and others related for undertaking such a project.
It will now have four big bridges, four overpasses, two-lane dedicated expressways and two-lane service roads with six bus stands, U-loops near Rampura Bridge, walkways, and waterbus services.
Public Works Secretary Khandaker Shawkat Hossain, Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) Chairman Md Nurul Huda and chief of the army's engineering core Major General Habibur Rahman and Director of the Hatirjheel-Begunbari Development Project Brigadier General Abu Sayeed Mohammad Masud, among others, accompanied the junior minister.
An official of the ministry said the government plans to construct a flyover on the Rampura-Badda road from the Hatirjheel-Begunbari project area. The project costs may increase by at least Tk 20 million for this reason.
He added the government would acquire some land from Bangladesh Television (BTV) in Rampura. "The process to sign a deal between the BTV and Public Works Ministry has started."
The Hatirjheel project began in 2007 to develop communications between the east and the west of the capital, reduce waterlogging and maintain environmental balance.
The Tk 21.52 billion project was supposed to be complete by 2010, but legal wrangle cost the project about another two years.
RAJUK, 16 Engineering Construction Battalion of Army, Dhaka WASA and LGED are jointly implementing the project. The Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology is the consultant of the project.
A mobile court of Bangladesh Standard and Testing Institution (BSTI) fined superstore G-Mart Tk 0.6 million for mixing up formalin in ice used to preserve fish at its Mirpur outlet on Tuesday.
Led by an executive magistrate, the court conducted a drive at the outlet and detected formalin in ice used to preserve fish, which is forbidden for preservation of perishable goods for its many side-effects on the human body.
Superstore's Quality Controller Rafiqul Haque was also sentenced to one month's imprisonment, Director General of the Fisheries Department Syed Arif Azad told
Led by an executive magistrate, the court conducted a drive at the outlet and detected formalin in ice used to preserve fish, which is forbidden for preservation of perishable goods for its many side-effects on the human body.
Superstore's Quality Controller Rafiqul Haque was also sentenced to one month's imprisonment, Director General of the Fisheries Department Syed Arif Azad told
Law Minister Shafique Ahmed has announced the speedy trial tribunal will deal with the murder of Saudi Embassy official Khalaf Mohammad Al Ali.
"The government is committed to completing the trial of the killers of Khalaf. No-one involved in the killing will be spared," he said at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
Earlier, Saudi Ambassador in Bangladesh Abdullah Bin Naser Al-Busairi called on the minister at his office. State Minister for Law Qamrul Islam was also present there.
Shafique assured the ambassador that trial of Khalaf's killer would be completed quickly.
The Saudi envoy thanked the government for capturing Khalaf's killers.
"The government is committed to completing the trial of the killers of Khalaf. No-one involved in the killing will be spared," he said at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
Earlier, Saudi Ambassador in Bangladesh Abdullah Bin Naser Al-Busairi called on the minister at his office. State Minister for Law Qamrul Islam was also present there.
Shafique assured the ambassador that trial of Khalaf's killer would be completed quickly.
The Saudi envoy thanked the government for capturing Khalaf's killers.
The government has decided to review Detailed Area Plan (DAP) for Dhaka in order to safeguard around 200,000 small and medium enterprises grown in the capital city.
"The government will take firm steps to implement the corrected DAP after review," State Minister for Housing and Public Works Abdul Mannan Khan said in an interview with bdnews24.com and a TV station.
The committee to review DAP would sit within a month, he said and added that the next step would be taken following proposals by the panel led by Local Government and Rural Development Minister Syed Ashraful Islam.
"The government created DAP to make Dhaka metropolis fit to live. It has some inconsistencies. The government has moved to correct these considering the reality," he added.
The then government made Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (DMDP) in 1995 following the master plan adopted in 1992. Later, the step to make DAP was taken in 1996. Eventually, the government gazetted DAP in July 2010.
Khan said DAP was made to protect and develop Dhaka, a city that gets water-logged and lives with the risk of disasters, following a proposal by a panel headed by Dr Jamilur Reza Chowdhury.
"DAP could not be implemented because of our tendency to violate laws. As a result, Dhaka gets water-logged even after a little bit of rain. We've taken steps to resolve the situation by removing inconsistencies in DAP," he said.
He dismissed the suggestion that the decision to review DAP meant that the government had budged on its firm stance. "The step has been taken in light of reality."
"Many people have raised important constructions by filling up water bodies to make quick money. Many industries have also been built. Many other structures have been raised centring the industries.
"We've taken the step to check how profitable it will be to bulldoze these structures," he said.
"Decisions will be made, if needed, after discussions on an alternative proposal to protect Dhaka City," he added.
"Those who have filled up water bodies are human beings. Aren't they?" the minister asked.
"They will help, too, to meet the need of their next generations," he said.
"The government will take firm steps to implement the corrected DAP after review," State Minister for Housing and Public Works Abdul Mannan Khan said in an interview with bdnews24.com and a TV station.
The committee to review DAP would sit within a month, he said and added that the next step would be taken following proposals by the panel led by Local Government and Rural Development Minister Syed Ashraful Islam.
"The government created DAP to make Dhaka metropolis fit to live. It has some inconsistencies. The government has moved to correct these considering the reality," he added.
The then government made Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (DMDP) in 1995 following the master plan adopted in 1992. Later, the step to make DAP was taken in 1996. Eventually, the government gazetted DAP in July 2010.
Khan said DAP was made to protect and develop Dhaka, a city that gets water-logged and lives with the risk of disasters, following a proposal by a panel headed by Dr Jamilur Reza Chowdhury.
"DAP could not be implemented because of our tendency to violate laws. As a result, Dhaka gets water-logged even after a little bit of rain. We've taken steps to resolve the situation by removing inconsistencies in DAP," he said.
He dismissed the suggestion that the decision to review DAP meant that the government had budged on its firm stance. "The step has been taken in light of reality."
"Many people have raised important constructions by filling up water bodies to make quick money. Many industries have also been built. Many other structures have been raised centring the industries.
"We've taken the step to check how profitable it will be to bulldoze these structures," he said.
"Decisions will be made, if needed, after discussions on an alternative proposal to protect Dhaka City," he added.
"Those who have filled up water bodies are human beings. Aren't they?" the minister asked.
"They will help, too, to meet the need of their next generations," he said.
In the biggest-ever foreign direct investment in Bangladesh, Chevron Corp on Monday announced to invest about $ 500 million more in the over $ 1 billion project to raise output from Bibiyana gas field amid growing demand.
Chevron Bangladesh President Geoff Strong made the announcement on his company pumping in more money at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the afternoon.
Chevron-maintained gas field contributes half (1.1 billion CF) of the total daily gas production of Bangladesh. The contribution will raise by 300 million CF once the expansion project in implemented by 2014.
The American multinational said the fresh investment was to raise its natural gas production in Bangladesh by more than a quarter in 2014.
The investment means Chevron remains the largest natural gas producer in Bangladesh that faces gas shortages up to 500 million cubic feet a day (mmcfd).
"This project will provide more affordable energy that will not only increase Chevron's business in Bangladesh but also help drive economic growth and alleviate poverty for many millions of people," said Strong.
The expansion project will see drilling up of additional wells, building of an enhanced gas liquids recovery unit with a view to increase its capacity to process more natural gas, according to a statement issued by the multinational company.
The project will boost Chevron's total natural gas production capacity in Bangladesh by more than 300 mmcfd to 1.4 billion cubic feet per day while its condensate output will rise by 4,000 barrels per day, the company said.
"Production of this condensate will save the import of liquid fuels with a current market value of about $200 million per year," Strong added.
"It is a combined effort to make a significant difference to help solve the energy crisis in Bangladesh," said Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, the Prime Minister's Energy Adviser, at the briefing.
Bangladesh now produces up to 55 percent of its electricity using natural gas to generate about 6000 megawatts of power.
Chevron also urged the government to upgrade its national pipeline network to allow it to deliver more gas.
Chevron Bangladesh President Geoff Strong made the announcement on his company pumping in more money at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the afternoon.
Chevron-maintained gas field contributes half (1.1 billion CF) of the total daily gas production of Bangladesh. The contribution will raise by 300 million CF once the expansion project in implemented by 2014.
The American multinational said the fresh investment was to raise its natural gas production in Bangladesh by more than a quarter in 2014.
The investment means Chevron remains the largest natural gas producer in Bangladesh that faces gas shortages up to 500 million cubic feet a day (mmcfd).
"This project will provide more affordable energy that will not only increase Chevron's business in Bangladesh but also help drive economic growth and alleviate poverty for many millions of people," said Strong.
The expansion project will see drilling up of additional wells, building of an enhanced gas liquids recovery unit with a view to increase its capacity to process more natural gas, according to a statement issued by the multinational company.
The project will boost Chevron's total natural gas production capacity in Bangladesh by more than 300 mmcfd to 1.4 billion cubic feet per day while its condensate output will rise by 4,000 barrels per day, the company said.
"Production of this condensate will save the import of liquid fuels with a current market value of about $200 million per year," Strong added.
"It is a combined effort to make a significant difference to help solve the energy crisis in Bangladesh," said Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, the Prime Minister's Energy Adviser, at the briefing.
Bangladesh now produces up to 55 percent of its electricity using natural gas to generate about 6000 megawatts of power.
Chevron also urged the government to upgrade its national pipeline network to allow it to deliver more gas.
Remittance inflow continue to rise with Bangladeshi expatriates sending $1.02 billion in the first 27 days of the 2012-2013 fiscal.
Latest Bangladesh Bank data suggest remittances for the month of July will reach $1.17 billion if the inflow maintains its pace.
Officials of the central bank, however, expect July remittances may cross $1.2-billion mark as the expatriates are expected to send in more money with the Eid-ul-Fitr only weeks away.
In the last month of the 2011-2012 fiscal, the expatriates had remitted $1.07 billion.
With the increase in remittance inflow, the central bank's foreign exchange reserve is also going up. It stood at $10.45 billion on Monday.
The reserves had slipped below $10 billion in the first week of the new fiscal year after import dues were paid to the Asian Clearing Union.
Central bank Governor Atiur Rahman is satisfied with the increase in remittance inflow.
"The central bank took various steps to encourage remittances through banking channel, and now Bangladeshi expatriates can send money to their families through cell phone as well," Atiur told bdnews24.com.
"The remittances are increasing, thanks to the steps. The reserves are also increasing," he said.
A Bangladesh Bank official preferring not to be named said the month of July was seeing increased remittance inflow as expatriates were sending money for Eid shopping.
He hoped the remittance inflow in July would cross $1.2 billion.
Of the money remitted, $230 million came through government-owned banks, over $710 million through 30 private banks, about $6 million through nine foreign banks and over $10 million through specialised banks.
In the last financial year, expatriates had remitted $12.85 billion, which was 10.26 percent higher than in the previous year. In 2010-11, the remittances grew at the rate of 6 percent.
Latest Bangladesh Bank data suggest remittances for the month of July will reach $1.17 billion if the inflow maintains its pace.
Officials of the central bank, however, expect July remittances may cross $1.2-billion mark as the expatriates are expected to send in more money with the Eid-ul-Fitr only weeks away.
In the last month of the 2011-2012 fiscal, the expatriates had remitted $1.07 billion.
With the increase in remittance inflow, the central bank's foreign exchange reserve is also going up. It stood at $10.45 billion on Monday.
The reserves had slipped below $10 billion in the first week of the new fiscal year after import dues were paid to the Asian Clearing Union.
Central bank Governor Atiur Rahman is satisfied with the increase in remittance inflow.
"The central bank took various steps to encourage remittances through banking channel, and now Bangladeshi expatriates can send money to their families through cell phone as well," Atiur told bdnews24.com.
"The remittances are increasing, thanks to the steps. The reserves are also increasing," he said.
A Bangladesh Bank official preferring not to be named said the month of July was seeing increased remittance inflow as expatriates were sending money for Eid shopping.
He hoped the remittance inflow in July would cross $1.2 billion.
Of the money remitted, $230 million came through government-owned banks, over $710 million through 30 private banks, about $6 million through nine foreign banks and over $10 million through specialised banks.
In the last financial year, expatriates had remitted $12.85 billion, which was 10.26 percent higher than in the previous year. In 2010-11, the remittances grew at the rate of 6 percent.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has underscored the need for stronger cooperation of all to contain terrorism and militancy.
The Prime Minister came up with the call when British Secretary of State William Hague called on her on Saturday at Hotel St. Pancras Renaissance where she is staying during her five-day official visit to London.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, her Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said that during the meeting, the Prime Minister reiterated her government's tough stance against terrorism and militancy and vowed that government would never compromise on this issue.
Talking of the series of bomb blasts across the country in 2005, and grenade attack on then British High Commissioner to Dhaka Anwar Chowdhury in Sylhet city in 2004 during the rule (2001-2006) of BNP-Jamaat alliance, Hasina said that the situation has much changed now in Bangladesh.
She said the present government was handling terrorism and militancy in the country with an iron hand.
The Prime Minister also expressed her government's firm commitment to protect human rights, democracy, strengthen Election Commission, and establish good governance and rule of law, and sought stronger cooperation of the UK in counter-terrorism efforts.
She also apprised William Hague of her government's steps taken for strengthening parliamentary democracy, saying opposition members despite their constant boycott of the sessions of parliament, were taking part in the meetings of parliamentary standing committees.
Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia was present only on eight days in the ninth parliament in the last three-and-a-half years. But she spoke in the House on six days, and on the last day, she took floor for one hour and 57 minutes, she said.
During the meeting, William Hague praised the role of Sheikh Hasina in the global fora on climate change issue.
Hasina said the UK government's proposal for support to develop new port facilities and proposed redevelopment of Bangladesh's second-largest Mongla sea port under joint venture with the Mongla Port Authorities was under serious consideration of her government.
She invited British entrepreneurs to invest in pharmaceuticals, power generation, renewable energy and higher education sectors.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Ambassador-at-Large M Ziauddin and Bangladesh High Commissioner in London Dr M Sayeedur Rahman Khan were also present at the meeting.
Later, All European Awami League and All Europe Bangabandhu Parishad members called on the Prime Minister at the hotel.
The Prime Minister came up with the call when British Secretary of State William Hague called on her on Saturday at Hotel St. Pancras Renaissance where she is staying during her five-day official visit to London.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, her Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said that during the meeting, the Prime Minister reiterated her government's tough stance against terrorism and militancy and vowed that government would never compromise on this issue.
Talking of the series of bomb blasts across the country in 2005, and grenade attack on then British High Commissioner to Dhaka Anwar Chowdhury in Sylhet city in 2004 during the rule (2001-2006) of BNP-Jamaat alliance, Hasina said that the situation has much changed now in Bangladesh.
She said the present government was handling terrorism and militancy in the country with an iron hand.
The Prime Minister also expressed her government's firm commitment to protect human rights, democracy, strengthen Election Commission, and establish good governance and rule of law, and sought stronger cooperation of the UK in counter-terrorism efforts.
She also apprised William Hague of her government's steps taken for strengthening parliamentary democracy, saying opposition members despite their constant boycott of the sessions of parliament, were taking part in the meetings of parliamentary standing committees.
Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia was present only on eight days in the ninth parliament in the last three-and-a-half years. But she spoke in the House on six days, and on the last day, she took floor for one hour and 57 minutes, she said.
During the meeting, William Hague praised the role of Sheikh Hasina in the global fora on climate change issue.
Hasina said the UK government's proposal for support to develop new port facilities and proposed redevelopment of Bangladesh's second-largest Mongla sea port under joint venture with the Mongla Port Authorities was under serious consideration of her government.
She invited British entrepreneurs to invest in pharmaceuticals, power generation, renewable energy and higher education sectors.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Ambassador-at-Large M Ziauddin and Bangladesh High Commissioner in London Dr M Sayeedur Rahman Khan were also present at the meeting.
Later, All European Awami League and All Europe Bangabandhu Parishad members called on the Prime Minister at the hotel.
Trading remained incomplete in the country's capital markets due to problems in Central Depository Bangladesh Limited server.
Until the writing of this report at 11pm Sunday, the trading had not been cleared, several merchant bank and brokerage house officials told
Dhaka Stock Exchange Senior Vice President Ahmed Rashid Lali said CDBL was trying to fix the problem but it might take as long as Monday morning.
CDBL CEO M H Samad said the company's technical team was working to fix the issue, with help from Singapore and Mumbai.
The Securities and Exchange Commission had been informed of the problem, he said.
"Some problems may continue tomorrow [Monday]," he said, adding that in that case SEC would decide whether to continue trading.
Until the writing of this report at 11pm Sunday, the trading had not been cleared, several merchant bank and brokerage house officials told
Dhaka Stock Exchange Senior Vice President Ahmed Rashid Lali said CDBL was trying to fix the problem but it might take as long as Monday morning.
CDBL CEO M H Samad said the company's technical team was working to fix the issue, with help from Singapore and Mumbai.
The Securities and Exchange Commission had been informed of the problem, he said.
"Some problems may continue tomorrow [Monday]," he said, adding that in that case SEC would decide whether to continue trading.
Trading on Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges was halted for Tuesday due to persisting problems in the Central Depository Bangladesh Limited server.
The board of directors of Dhaka Stock Exchange decided to suspend trade as trading could not be settled on the bourses on Monday due to the server problem, DSE Public Relations Officer Shafikur Rahman told bdnews24.com.
Chittagong Stock Exchange President Al Maruf Khan told bdnews24.com its board also decided to halt trading for Tuesday.
Officials of several brokerage houses and merchant banks said trading had not been cleared until Monday midnight though CDBL was trying to fix the problem.
DSE Senior Vice President Ahmed Rashid Lali said Monday's trade could not be completed due to software issues at the CDBL and added that the company was trying to fix the problem.
He said trading would be settled once the problem is solved.
CDBL CEO M H Samad said on Monday night that the company's technical team was working to fix the issue with help from Singapore and Mumbai.
He added the Securities and Exchange Commission had been informed of the problem, he said.
The board of directors of Dhaka Stock Exchange decided to suspend trade as trading could not be settled on the bourses on Monday due to the server problem, DSE Public Relations Officer Shafikur Rahman told bdnews24.com.
Chittagong Stock Exchange President Al Maruf Khan told bdnews24.com its board also decided to halt trading for Tuesday.
Officials of several brokerage houses and merchant banks said trading had not been cleared until Monday midnight though CDBL was trying to fix the problem.
DSE Senior Vice President Ahmed Rashid Lali said Monday's trade could not be completed due to software issues at the CDBL and added that the company was trying to fix the problem.
He said trading would be settled once the problem is solved.
CDBL CEO M H Samad said on Monday night that the company's technical team was working to fix the issue with help from Singapore and Mumbai.
He added the Securities and Exchange Commission had been informed of the problem, he said.
The benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) went down in the early trading on Monday.
DSE general index dropped 29 points to 4205 points at 12pm.
Shares and mutual funds worth Tk 730 million changed hands until then.
Prices of 40 issues advanced, 168 declined and 17 retained their opening prices.
On Sunday, the DGEN lost 50 points with a turnover of Tk 2610 million.
The index advanced 118 points or 2.84 percent last week, 2 points in the week before last week but declined 125.85 points or 2.93 percent in the previous week.
DSE general index dropped 29 points to 4205 points at 12pm.
Shares and mutual funds worth Tk 730 million changed hands until then.
Prices of 40 issues advanced, 168 declined and 17 retained their opening prices.
On Sunday, the DGEN lost 50 points with a turnover of Tk 2610 million.
The index advanced 118 points or 2.84 percent last week, 2 points in the week before last week but declined 125.85 points or 2.93 percent in the previous week.
If Apple Inc's weaker-than-expected quarterly result is anything to go by, the global smartphone industry is a lot more vulnerable to economic shocks these days than during the 2008-2009 financial crisis.
In developed markets, every other person already owns a smartphone. In emerging markets, penetration rates are much lower, but cheaper phones that cost under $100 are squeezing profit margins.
That was not the case during the last recession, when Apple's iPhone and Google Inc's Android were still in their infancy. Smartphone demand remained strong even as sales of other electronics declined because consumers felt it was worthwhile to upgrade to a device with so much to more to give - touchscreens, email and full Web browsers.
Without a technology breakthrough such as touchscreen - made popular by the first iPhone in 2007 - people are in far less of a hurry to upgrade their phones this time around, analysts said.
That was evident from Apple's June quarterly results, which showed a much bigger hit from the European debt crisis than Wall Street expected.
"The economy is having an impact on all electronic goods. Even Apple, which did defy gravity in the last recession, is not escaping now," said Hudson Square Research analyst Daniel Ernst.
Smartphone users, who typically upgrade their phones every 18 to 24 months, are now holding on for three months longer than usual, according to Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi.
"The reason to upgrade is less urgent" she said.
PRICE PRESSURE
Overall smartphone shipments rose 32 percent in the second quarter, their slowest pace since 2009's 16 percent increase, according to Strategy Analytics. The research firm forecast annual smartphone shipment growth would slow to 40 percent in 2012 from 68 percent in 2011 and ease further to 23 percent in 2013.
Analysts say demand from emerging markets will support smartphone shipments even if the global economy takes a turn for the worse, but a growing supply of lower price devices from vendors such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd HWT.UL and ZTE Corp 000063.SZ will pressure prices even if the economy improves.
"We're forecasting ASPs (average selling prices) to dip in 2013 and accelerate from there on," said Strategy Analytics analyst Neil Mawston. "If the economy continues to flat line or dip that will accelerate the move to lower cost models."
The popularity of Apple's iPhone and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's (005930.KS) Galaxy S will give these companies some pricing insulation, analysts said.
But there could be much more pressure for price cuts at already struggling smartphone vendors, such as LG Electronics Inc (066570.KS), HTC Corp (2498.TW), Nokia Oyj (NOK1V.HE) and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd (RIM.TO).
"Apple and Samsung's ownership of the high-tier and intense price erosion means the fight among others will be cutthroat," said CCS Insight analyst Geoff Blaber.
The tough road ahead for smaller vendors became more apparent this week, when market leader Samsung reported its best quarterly smartphone sales in history as it outsold Apple and won customers from smaller rivals. Samsung's bigger size allowed it to drive down costs and still make a profit on phones that would generate a loss for smaller rivals.
Some of Apple's earnings miss was attributed to consumers postponing purchases in anticipation of a new iPhone model hitting store shelves this fall. LG did not have that excuse - its cellphone division, which accounts for around one-fifth of sales, posted a quarterly loss as competition forced LG to spend more on marketing for cheaper phones.
LESS PURCHASING POWER
According to Gartner, about 35 percent of an estimated 1.9 billion cellphones sold this year will be smartphones. Between 20 percent and 25 percent of people in the world already own smartphones, with the penetration rate rising to 50 percent to 55 percent in the United States.
"The first wave is selling expensive models to affluent buyers. The second wave is selling lower cost models to less affluent buyers," Strategy Analytic's Mawston said.
Gartner's Milanesi said Huawei and ZTE are in the best position among the lower-tier smartphone vendors.
"If price is the first driver I'm going to pick the Chinese," said Milanesi, who said LG and HTC are most vulnerable to price declines as they "need more to stand out."
Also putting pressure on handset makers are the wireless service providers on which they are heavily dependent in many regions such as Europe and the United States for promotions. Carriers often subsidize phones to encourage their customers to commit to long term contracts.
In Europe, some operators such as Telefonica have been dropping subsidies entirely [ID:nL6E8FB56H]. The top three U.S. operators, Verizon Wireless, AT&T Inc (T.N) and Sprint Nextel Corp (S.N) have all been improving profit margins because they cut down on their subsidy costs by offering customers upgrades less frequently.
If consumers do have to cut spending because if the weak economy, IDC analyst Ramon Llamas said: "There's smartphone available for just about every single budget out there."
In developed markets, every other person already owns a smartphone. In emerging markets, penetration rates are much lower, but cheaper phones that cost under $100 are squeezing profit margins.
That was not the case during the last recession, when Apple's iPhone and Google Inc's Android were still in their infancy. Smartphone demand remained strong even as sales of other electronics declined because consumers felt it was worthwhile to upgrade to a device with so much to more to give - touchscreens, email and full Web browsers.
Without a technology breakthrough such as touchscreen - made popular by the first iPhone in 2007 - people are in far less of a hurry to upgrade their phones this time around, analysts said.
That was evident from Apple's June quarterly results, which showed a much bigger hit from the European debt crisis than Wall Street expected.
"The economy is having an impact on all electronic goods. Even Apple, which did defy gravity in the last recession, is not escaping now," said Hudson Square Research analyst Daniel Ernst.
Smartphone users, who typically upgrade their phones every 18 to 24 months, are now holding on for three months longer than usual, according to Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi.
"The reason to upgrade is less urgent" she said.
PRICE PRESSURE
Overall smartphone shipments rose 32 percent in the second quarter, their slowest pace since 2009's 16 percent increase, according to Strategy Analytics. The research firm forecast annual smartphone shipment growth would slow to 40 percent in 2012 from 68 percent in 2011 and ease further to 23 percent in 2013.
Analysts say demand from emerging markets will support smartphone shipments even if the global economy takes a turn for the worse, but a growing supply of lower price devices from vendors such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd HWT.UL and ZTE Corp 000063.SZ will pressure prices even if the economy improves.
"We're forecasting ASPs (average selling prices) to dip in 2013 and accelerate from there on," said Strategy Analytics analyst Neil Mawston. "If the economy continues to flat line or dip that will accelerate the move to lower cost models."
The popularity of Apple's iPhone and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd's (005930.KS) Galaxy S will give these companies some pricing insulation, analysts said.
But there could be much more pressure for price cuts at already struggling smartphone vendors, such as LG Electronics Inc (066570.KS), HTC Corp (2498.TW), Nokia Oyj (NOK1V.HE) and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd (RIM.TO).
"Apple and Samsung's ownership of the high-tier and intense price erosion means the fight among others will be cutthroat," said CCS Insight analyst Geoff Blaber.
The tough road ahead for smaller vendors became more apparent this week, when market leader Samsung reported its best quarterly smartphone sales in history as it outsold Apple and won customers from smaller rivals. Samsung's bigger size allowed it to drive down costs and still make a profit on phones that would generate a loss for smaller rivals.
Some of Apple's earnings miss was attributed to consumers postponing purchases in anticipation of a new iPhone model hitting store shelves this fall. LG did not have that excuse - its cellphone division, which accounts for around one-fifth of sales, posted a quarterly loss as competition forced LG to spend more on marketing for cheaper phones.
LESS PURCHASING POWER
According to Gartner, about 35 percent of an estimated 1.9 billion cellphones sold this year will be smartphones. Between 20 percent and 25 percent of people in the world already own smartphones, with the penetration rate rising to 50 percent to 55 percent in the United States.
"The first wave is selling expensive models to affluent buyers. The second wave is selling lower cost models to less affluent buyers," Strategy Analytic's Mawston said.
Gartner's Milanesi said Huawei and ZTE are in the best position among the lower-tier smartphone vendors.
"If price is the first driver I'm going to pick the Chinese," said Milanesi, who said LG and HTC are most vulnerable to price declines as they "need more to stand out."
Also putting pressure on handset makers are the wireless service providers on which they are heavily dependent in many regions such as Europe and the United States for promotions. Carriers often subsidize phones to encourage their customers to commit to long term contracts.
In Europe, some operators such as Telefonica have been dropping subsidies entirely [ID:nL6E8FB56H]. The top three U.S. operators, Verizon Wireless, AT&T Inc (T.N) and Sprint Nextel Corp (S.N) have all been improving profit margins because they cut down on their subsidy costs by offering customers upgrades less frequently.
If consumers do have to cut spending because if the weak economy, IDC analyst Ramon Llamas said: "There's smartphone available for just about every single budget out there."
Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus on Sunday visited celebrated writer Humayun Ahmed's mother.
Yunus met Ayesha Foyez at Humayun's younger brother Ahsan Habib's Mirpur residence in the afternoon. Humayun's two sisters and brothers were there during the visit that lasted about an hour.
The writer-filmmaker's elder son Nuhash Humayun reached the residence some 40 minutes after Yunus arrived there.
"He (Humayun Ahmed) created a league of readers which Bangladesh never had. He brought the attitude to Bengali literature it did not have," Yunus told reporters after the visit.
"So far we have seen Humayun was a popular writer. But after his death it seemed he reached deep inside his readers. So people are failing to fill his absence," he added.
Humayun died on July 19 aged 64 after fighting with cancer for about nine months at a New York hospital.
Yunus met Ayesha Foyez at Humayun's younger brother Ahsan Habib's Mirpur residence in the afternoon. Humayun's two sisters and brothers were there during the visit that lasted about an hour.
The writer-filmmaker's elder son Nuhash Humayun reached the residence some 40 minutes after Yunus arrived there.
"He (Humayun Ahmed) created a league of readers which Bangladesh never had. He brought the attitude to Bengali literature it did not have," Yunus told reporters after the visit.
"So far we have seen Humayun was a popular writer. But after his death it seemed he reached deep inside his readers. So people are failing to fill his absence," he added.
Humayun died on July 19 aged 64 after fighting with cancer for about nine months at a New York hospital.
The High Court was moved on Sunday for withdrawal within 24 hours the VC's order to shut down Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET).
Dr Mohammad Yunus Ali Akanda, a father of a BUET admission-seeker, filed the motion seeking suspension on the activities of the Vice-Chancellor (VC) and Pro-Vice Chancellor (Pro-VC) and other teachers, students and staff's agitation until the ruling is disposed of.
Alongside BUET, the Education Secretary, Inspector General of Police, DMP Commissioner, the university's VC and Pro-VC, BUET Teachers Association President and General Secretary have been made respondents in the petition.
The BUET authorities had shut the institution for 44 days from July 11 in the wake of raging protest by teachers and students demanding removal of the VC and Pro-VC.
Akanda also sought court directives for the Education Secretary to form a judicial committee within seven days to investigate the recent incidents at BUET.
He asked for a directive for the respondents to publish the admission notice for the 2012-13 session within three days of the verdict.
The counsel told bdnews24.com the BUET authorities shut the institution citing summer vacation in the rainy season and it was creating terrible backlog. He said all universities had published their admission notice for the first year admission except BUET.
He said the court might hear the petition on Monday.
Dr Mohammad Yunus Ali Akanda, a father of a BUET admission-seeker, filed the motion seeking suspension on the activities of the Vice-Chancellor (VC) and Pro-Vice Chancellor (Pro-VC) and other teachers, students and staff's agitation until the ruling is disposed of.
Alongside BUET, the Education Secretary, Inspector General of Police, DMP Commissioner, the university's VC and Pro-VC, BUET Teachers Association President and General Secretary have been made respondents in the petition.
The BUET authorities had shut the institution for 44 days from July 11 in the wake of raging protest by teachers and students demanding removal of the VC and Pro-VC.
Akanda also sought court directives for the Education Secretary to form a judicial committee within seven days to investigate the recent incidents at BUET.
He asked for a directive for the respondents to publish the admission notice for the 2012-13 session within three days of the verdict.
The counsel told bdnews24.com the BUET authorities shut the institution citing summer vacation in the rainy season and it was creating terrible backlog. He said all universities had published their admission notice for the first year admission except BUET.
He said the court might hear the petition on Monday.
Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes said on Sunday Dhaka was ready to engage with New Delhi to finalise extradition treaty to exchange convicts.
"India wants to sign the treaty and handed over the draft to its Bangladesh," he said at a press briefing on his recent visit to New Delhi.
The Secretary attended the Foreign Office Consultation with India on July 24 where entire range of bilateral issues was discussed.
Teesta agreement
Quayes said Bangladesh was ready to provide space to India to complete the internal consultation to resolve Teesta problem.
Dhaka asked New Delhi to complete the necessary formalities for an early conclusion of the agreement for water-sharing of Teesta, he said.
"I want to say categorically that Bangladesh gives utmost importance to signing of Teesta agreement and we raised it as a main issue in the Foreign Secretary-level meeting and sooner the issue is resolved the better impact it would have on the public domain and perception."
Bangladesh and India failed to strike an interim Teesta water-sharing deal during the visit of the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in September last year over strong resistance from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Fast-track implementation
The Secretary said both the government agreed to fast track the implementation of the issues that had been stipulated in the two summit level meetings that were held between Bangladesh and India during the current Awami League-led government.
In those meetings, the head of governments agreed to implement land boundary agreement, Teesta agreement, trade facilitation and regional connectivity among other things, Quayes said.
"All these will be implemented through fast-track system."
Tipaimukh issue
Quayes said he had a meeting with Indian Water Secretary Dhruv Bijai Singh and the date of the first meeting of the Joint Expert Group on Tipaimukh multipurpose dam project was fixed on Aug 27-28.
The experts would study all aspects of the project with specific reference to its impact on Bangladesh.
"We also discussed the issue in the meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai," he added.
Tipaimukh dam project is a contentious issue between the two countries as Dhaka fears that if the project is implemented, water would be withdrawn and Surma and Kushiara and other rivers in the Sylhet region would be affected.
India has sought to dispel the apprehension saying that it would not take any unilateral decision that may affect Bangladesh.
Land Boundary agreement
Bangladesh sought an early completion of all the legal processes by India side for full implementation of the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement and its additional protocol.
Dhaka requested Delhi to complete its internal process soon as the sooner it would be done, the better the public perception would be about the Indo-Bangla relationship, Quayes said.
Bangladesh and India signed the land boundary agreement in 1974 to resolve the demarcation dispute and later during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Singh in Dhaka last year, they also signed a protocol for implementation of the agreement.
The LBA stipulates that it would not be in force until the countries ratifies it. Bangladesh ratified the agreement in 1974 but India is yet to ratify it.
The headcount of the enclaves have been done, adversely possessed land has been identified and the demarcation would be settled when India ratifies the agreement.
"India wants to sign the treaty and handed over the draft to its Bangladesh," he said at a press briefing on his recent visit to New Delhi.
The Secretary attended the Foreign Office Consultation with India on July 24 where entire range of bilateral issues was discussed.
Teesta agreement
Quayes said Bangladesh was ready to provide space to India to complete the internal consultation to resolve Teesta problem.
Dhaka asked New Delhi to complete the necessary formalities for an early conclusion of the agreement for water-sharing of Teesta, he said.
"I want to say categorically that Bangladesh gives utmost importance to signing of Teesta agreement and we raised it as a main issue in the Foreign Secretary-level meeting and sooner the issue is resolved the better impact it would have on the public domain and perception."
Bangladesh and India failed to strike an interim Teesta water-sharing deal during the visit of the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in September last year over strong resistance from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Fast-track implementation
The Secretary said both the government agreed to fast track the implementation of the issues that had been stipulated in the two summit level meetings that were held between Bangladesh and India during the current Awami League-led government.
In those meetings, the head of governments agreed to implement land boundary agreement, Teesta agreement, trade facilitation and regional connectivity among other things, Quayes said.
"All these will be implemented through fast-track system."
Tipaimukh issue
Quayes said he had a meeting with Indian Water Secretary Dhruv Bijai Singh and the date of the first meeting of the Joint Expert Group on Tipaimukh multipurpose dam project was fixed on Aug 27-28.
The experts would study all aspects of the project with specific reference to its impact on Bangladesh.
"We also discussed the issue in the meeting with Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai," he added.
Tipaimukh dam project is a contentious issue between the two countries as Dhaka fears that if the project is implemented, water would be withdrawn and Surma and Kushiara and other rivers in the Sylhet region would be affected.
India has sought to dispel the apprehension saying that it would not take any unilateral decision that may affect Bangladesh.
Land Boundary agreement
Bangladesh sought an early completion of all the legal processes by India side for full implementation of the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement and its additional protocol.
Dhaka requested Delhi to complete its internal process soon as the sooner it would be done, the better the public perception would be about the Indo-Bangla relationship, Quayes said.
Bangladesh and India signed the land boundary agreement in 1974 to resolve the demarcation dispute and later during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Singh in Dhaka last year, they also signed a protocol for implementation of the agreement.
The LBA stipulates that it would not be in force until the countries ratifies it. Bangladesh ratified the agreement in 1974 but India is yet to ratify it.
The headcount of the enclaves have been done, adversely possessed land has been identified and the demarcation would be settled when India ratifies the agreement.
Sergeant Helal Uddin of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has testified in court in the 10-truck arms case, claiming torture by RAB officials.
Helal Uddin was posted at Chittagong Coal Depot Police Outpost when 10 truckloads of arms were captured in Chittagong in 2004. Helal and another sergeant, Alauddin, were the first to spot the unloading of the weapons on the night of Apr 1, 2004.
He was heard on Sunday afternoon by Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge and Senior Special Tribunal One Judge S M Mujibur Rahman. His statements were recorded for an hour before the session was dismissed. The remainder of the statement will be taken on Monday.
According to Helal, on Aug 19, 2005, he was called up by wireless to the Dhaka Detective Branch police headquarters, where he was detained by Rapid Action Battalion officials.
"When I was brought there, a Lt Col Gulzar asked me many questions about the 10-truck arms haul," Helal said in his statement. "Alauddin was also brought there."
"Then the two of us were sent to Chittagong RAB headquarters," he said.
"In Chittagong, I was called to RAB-7 director's room. When I went into the room and introduced myself, the director slapped me and threw me on the ground. He started beating me with a rod and broke my left leg," he said.
At one stage in his statement Helal broke into tears. The defence lawyers, however, were laughing at the moment.
"When I asked him what my fault was, he said, 'it is because of you that the country is in this state'. I replied that I was only following orders," Helal said.
The sergeant said he and sergeant Alauddin were sent to jail showing them arrested in an arms case in Noakhali. Later they both obtained bail and rejoined work.
During further investigation of this sensational case both sergeants told CID officers that the former National Security Intelligence Deputy Director Liakat Hossain was present during the unloading of weapons.
Helal Uddin was posted at Chittagong Coal Depot Police Outpost when 10 truckloads of arms were captured in Chittagong in 2004. Helal and another sergeant, Alauddin, were the first to spot the unloading of the weapons on the night of Apr 1, 2004.
He was heard on Sunday afternoon by Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge and Senior Special Tribunal One Judge S M Mujibur Rahman. His statements were recorded for an hour before the session was dismissed. The remainder of the statement will be taken on Monday.
According to Helal, on Aug 19, 2005, he was called up by wireless to the Dhaka Detective Branch police headquarters, where he was detained by Rapid Action Battalion officials.
"When I was brought there, a Lt Col Gulzar asked me many questions about the 10-truck arms haul," Helal said in his statement. "Alauddin was also brought there."
"Then the two of us were sent to Chittagong RAB headquarters," he said.
"In Chittagong, I was called to RAB-7 director's room. When I went into the room and introduced myself, the director slapped me and threw me on the ground. He started beating me with a rod and broke my left leg," he said.
At one stage in his statement Helal broke into tears. The defence lawyers, however, were laughing at the moment.
"When I asked him what my fault was, he said, 'it is because of you that the country is in this state'. I replied that I was only following orders," Helal said.
The sergeant said he and sergeant Alauddin were sent to jail showing them arrested in an arms case in Noakhali. Later they both obtained bail and rejoined work.
During further investigation of this sensational case both sergeants told CID officers that the former National Security Intelligence Deputy Director Liakat Hossain was present during the unloading of weapons.
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