BANGLADESH

A leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Wednesday expressed his conviction that relations between CPC and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) would be further strengthened in the future.

Vice-Minister of CPC's International Department Chen Fengxiang expressed the firm belief at a formal meeting between the visiting BNP delegation, led by its Chairperson Khaleda Zia, at CPC International Department in Beijing.

Fengxiang agreed to Khaleda's suggestion that there should be more exchanges of visits and engagements between the representatives of the two parties at different levels.

Khaleda said Bangladeshis always considered China as a special friend. She recalled with gratitude the contributions China made to the economic and infrastructural development of Bangladesh and expressed confidence that it would be furthered.

The former Prime Minister reiterated that BNP believed in 'One-China' policy.

Vice-Minister Chen mentioned the contributions of Khaleda to consolidation of the bilateral relations, which were started by BNP founder late President Ziaur Rahman.

During the talks, Khaleda was accompanied, among others, by BNP Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Mahbubur Rahman, party Vice-Chairpersons Selima Rahman and Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury and Khaleda's Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan.

The meeting was followed by an official lunch in honour of the visiting BNP delegation.

The Inspector General of Police on Wednesday told the High Court the police had immediately ordered reinforcements on being informed about last month's hate attacks on Buddhist settlements in Ramu.

Hassan Mahmood Khandaker came up with the claim in the report after the higher court wanted to know what the police had done when one of the worst communal riots in decades had broken out.

The report, however, did not mention exactly when the police first received the news, amid allegations that they were too late to react to the violence.

Deputy Attorney General Al Amin submitted the report, prepared by Senior Assistance Superintendent of Police (Law) Md Mizanur Rahman on behalf of IGP, to the bench of Justices Mirza Hossain Haider and Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo.

On Oct 3, the court asked the police and the Ministry of Home Affairs to report in 15 days detailing what they had done to protect the lives and property of the minority Buddhists.

The riot that began on Sep 29 night lasted for two days, leaving houses, shops and temples of Buddhists and Hindus looted, ravaged and burnt.

Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua, a resident of Ramu, moved the court. The Home Secretary was also asked to respond but he failed to turn in his version and prayed for more time.

According to the report, immediately after receiving the news of riot from the Cox's Bazaar district's Superintendent of Police, the IGP had made arrangements for additional police deployment at Ramu, and contacted other stakeholders of the government for ensuring security of the minority community.

"He along with the Home Minister visited the area the day after the incident. At that time he ordered Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the area to take immediate action against those involved in the incidents at Ramu and other places," said the report.

"The DIG himself monitored the overall situation and performances of RAB, police, Armed Police Battalion and BGB deployed in the affected areas.

"A three-member team led by the DIG of the Chittagong range has been formed to investigate the Sep 29 incident at Ramu, alongside the probe initiated by the government," the report continued.

"As many as 16 cases were filed with four police stations in Cox's Bazaar following the incidents at Ramu and its adjoining areas and 211 suspects have been arrested."

The report continued, the police had also been directed to secure the lives and property of all minority communities, their places of worship including pagoda, temple, and church in line with the High Court order.

It further said precautionary measures were taken to prevent a repeat.

"The Inspector General of Police is also holding meetings with local leaders of all religious communities, politicians, and members of the civil society in the affected areas. The Inspector General of Police visited Cox's Bazaar district on Oct 15 for evaluating the latest situation there," it clarified.

The riot broke out over the allegation of denigrating Islam by a Buddhist youth. At least seven Buddhist temples, 30 houses and a number of shops were set afire during the riot.

The hate attacks spread to Cox's Bazaar's Ukhia and Teknaf and Chittagong's Patia the next day.

Ramu Police Station's Officer in-Charge Nozibul Islam was removed after the incident amid allegations that the riot would have been avoided had police gone into action immediately.

Train services on the Dhaka-Chittagong route resumed after a nine-hour halt due to derailment of the engine and two vans of a container train in Kasba of Brahmanbaria on Thursday.

Rail operations resumed only minutes before the noon, Assistant Station Master of Brahmanbaria Shoyeb Ahmed told bdnews24.com.

The Kasba derailment took place in less than 24 hours of restoration of rail link with Chittagong after a derailment in Feni, snapping the link again.

Earlier, another Assistant Station Master at Brahmanbaria, Moinul Islam, told bdnews24.com, "The Dhaka-bound train from Chittagong derailed around 3am when it neared Kasba station, snapping rail link of Chittagong with Dhaka and Sylhet."

He added that a rescue train from Akhaura was at work to remove the derailed engine and the vans.

Dhaka-bound Turna Nishita and Dhaka Mail were stuck midway as the lines were closed since dawn.

Rail link of Chittagong and the rest of the country was snapped on Wednesday dawn also after a similar accident near Feni. A container train had derailed and blocked the lines hampering train operations.

Speaker Abdul Hamid on Tuesday cast doubt of the Transparency International, Bangladesh (TIB) survey that said at least 97 percent Members of Parliament are involved in 'negative activities'.

He also questioned the identities of the 600 participants based on whose opinion the TIB made the claim.

Speaking with the journalists, Hamid said the TIB report meant only to dishonour Parliament and its members.

"Seeing this kind of report, even I have been offended as a Member of Parliament."

After conducting a 'survey' on 149 MPs, the Berlin-based anti-corruption organisation's Bangladesh chapter on Sunday published the report. It said 97 percent of these MPs were directly involved in 'negative activities', seven of whom are reserved seat women MPs and five are MPs from the opposition.

The Speaker said, "This cannot be called a survey in any way."

"There are 160 millions of people in 64 districts in the country. TIB conducted the survey by taking opinions from only 600 people at 42 districts. Based on their words, they concluded that 97 percent MPs are bad. Is it right?"

About the participants of the survey, he said, "My question is – who are these 600 people whose opinion TIB has taken? Do they work for TIB? If this is the case, then the survey was not conducted scientifically."

"Ninety-seven percent bad MPs means only nine are good among a total of 300 MPs. Doesn't it mean that 291 MPs have established a reign of anarchy across the country?"

"The people would have protested if that had happened. Because people of this country are conscious enough. But nothing like that has been seen or has happened anywhere," he added.

The Awami League on Monday brushed aside the TIB findings saying the report was prepared to make way for unelected people to assume power.

Main opposition BNP, on the other hand, said the survey was applicable only in case of the ruling party MPs.

Speaker Hamid on Tuesday was speaking with the journalists after inaugurating a tree plantation programme at Parliament building premises.

He also blamed the 'culture of being late' for the quorum crisis in Parliament, which the TIB report mentioned.

"Bangladesh's culture is like this—the programme scheduled to start at 9 will begin at 9:30. But Parliament session never begins half an hour behind schedule, maybe it starts five or 10 minutes late. It happens all around the world. But I don't get it in what way this raises the cost to run Parliament?"

Acting Secretary to Parliament Mahfuzur Rahman and the Speaker's Personal Secretary Zainal Abedin were also present during the tree plantation programme.

The FBI on Wednesday arrested a Bangladeshi man in a sting operation on charges he attempted to blow up the New York Federal Reserve Bank with what he believed was a 1,000-pound (450-kg) bomb, federal authorities said.

Quazi Mohammad Rezwanul Ahsan Nafis, 21, faces charges of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to provide material support to al Qaeda, the US Department of Justice said in a statement. If convicted, he faces life in prison.

The FBI said the public was not in danger because the explosives provided to Nafis were never in working condition and the suspect was closely monitored by the undercover agent - highlighting a script law enforcement has employed several times this year in similar cases, including one in Washington and another in Ohio.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Barack Obama had been briefed about the arrest.

"Attempting to destroy a landmark building and kill or maim untold numbers of innocent bystanders is about as serious as the imagination can conjure," said Mary Galligan, FBI acting assistant director-in-charge. "The defendant faces appropriately severe consequences."

In an initial appearance in federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday, Nafis wore a plain brown crew-neck T-shirt, dark-colored jeans and sneakers. He barely spoke during the brief hearing, mumbling answers of "yes" to questions from US Magistrate Judge Roanne Mann.

According to the criminal complaint, Nafis traveled to the United States in January 2012. Once in New York, he claimed to be in contact with al Qaeda members overseas, although federal agents found no evidence that he was working for al Qaeda or that he was directed by the organisation, according to a US official who declined to be named.

Nafis considered several targets for his attack, including the New York Stock Exchange and a high-ranking government official, whom the US official identified as Obama.

In the end, the criminal complaint said, Nafis decided to focus on the Federal Reserve Bank in lower Manhattan, which stands like a limestone and sandstone fortress atop what is believed to be one of the world's largest stockpiles of gold.

RECRUITS

To create a cell to help him carry out the bombing, Nafis began to seek out recruits, eventually bringing on board an undercover agent working for the FBI.

The two met on Wednesday morning and traveled by van to a New York warehouse, where Nafis assembled what he thought was a 1,000 pound bomb, before driving to the Federal Reserve Bank, among the most secure and guarded buildings in Manhattan.

After parking near the bank, Nafis walked to a nearby hotel and recorded a video statement in which he said, "We will not stop until we attain victory or martyrdom," according to the FBI.

Nafis was arrested in the hotel as he repeatedly attempted to detonate the inert bomb, the FBI said.

New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, whose department was part of the operation, objected to suggestions that Nafis' plans were crude and bumbling.

"I don't see how you characterise (him as) unsophisticated, I mean he was arrested, but he clearly had the intent to create mayhem here," Kelly told reporters.

Other FBI sting operations this year have netted at least one foreign suspect, as well as some from the United States.

In February, a 29-year-old Moroccan man was arrested near the US Capitol wearing a vest he believed was full of al Qaeda-supplied explosives, and charged in an attempted suicide bombing of Congress.

Five self-described anarchists in the Cleveland area were arrested in May and accused of plotting to blow up a four-lane highway bridge. An undercover FBI agent had sold the men inoperable detonators and plastic explosives.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange benchmark index opened Tuesday's trade with a surge as it gained 39.11 points bagging a Tk 774.08-million turnover within half an hour.

The DSE General Index reached 4506.89 points gaining 0.87 percent at 11am on the week's third business day.

Of the traded issues so far, prices of 163 advanced, 18 declined and 11 remained at their opening prices.

Bangladesh's premiere bourse had opened the week lower shedding 30 points in its key index.

Over the previous week, the DGEN shed 164 points or 3.53 percent. The average daily turnover was Tk 8.51 billion. In the week before, the key index fell by 36 points.

The central bank is buying US dollars from the market to keep the expatriates interested in remitting money back home.

Bangladesh Bank on Monday bought $50 million.

"We are buying dollars from the market to prevent fall in its price against taka," General Manager of the bank's Foreign Exchange Reserve and Treasury Management Department Kazi Saidur Rahman told bdnews24.com.

The inter-bank exchange rate for the greenback was Tk 81.25 on Monday which was Tk 81.80 a fortnight ago.

The foreign exchange reserves with the central bank on Monday reached a new record of $11.65 billion.

The expatriates remitted $593 million in the first 12 days of October, setting another record. They are remitting more money to foot the Eid-ul-Azha bill, Saidur Rahman said.

According to him, the forex reserve was $11.53 billion on Thursday. Bangladesh received $203 million in the first five days of October and $390 million in the next seven days (Sep 6 to 12), he said.

Rahman hoped the remittance in October would be the highest for a month.

In the first week of September, just before paying import bills of Asian Clearing Union (ACU), the reserves stood at $11.46 billion.

A top official of the central bank, requesting anonymity, told bdnews24.com that the reserves would go further up once the International Monetary Fund clears $150 million in the second tranche of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) next month.

According to Bangladesh Bank, the first three months (July-September) of the current fiscal year saw expatriates remit $3.5517 billion, nearly 20 percent higher than $2.9687 billion they had in the same period last fiscal year.

Last year, Bangladesh had received $1.0115 billion in July, $1.1018 billion in August and $850.5 million in September.

In January this year, it received $1.2214 billion remittance, which was also a record for a single month.

The World Bank's external panel on Monday asked the Anti-Corruption Commission for some documents.

Commissioner M Shahabuddin told reporters the touring delegates of the global lending agency requisitioned for the papers in the second meeting with them.

"They have some requirements and we will supply them with the papers," M Shahabuddin said after a meeting with the panel at the ACC headquarters.

The three-strong panel led by former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Luis Moreno Ocampo arrived in Dhaka early Sunday.

The two other panel members are Timothy Tong, former Commissioner of the Independent Commission against Corruption in Hong Kong, and the former director of the UK Serious Fraud Office, Richard Alderman.

The Commission will again meet with the panel in December or January, Shahabuddin said. The commissioner added the panel did not say when they would submit their report, nor did they hand any list to the ACC

"They also have some suggestions and we also have some. We will assist each other by exchanging those," he added.

ACC lawyer Anisul Haq said the panel was reviewing the information already given by the commission. "They inquired about anticorruption laws and which activities are considered as corruption," he added.

The lawyer categorically said the panel was yet to hand over any documents to the commission.

In the meeting, ACC chairman Ghulam Rahman and WB Country Director for Bangladesh Ellen Goldstein were present.

Earlier on Sunday after the first meeting, Chairman Rahman said the World Bank had agreed that Bangladesh's laws and rules will be followed in investigating alleged corruption in the Padma bridge project and handing down punishment to the guilty.

The fate of the $2.9 billion project now depends on the panel's findings, as the report will decide whether the largest financier in the project will return with its $1.2 billion promised fund.

The World Bank on June 29 had cancelled its pledged fund, claiming to have found 'credible evidence' of high-level corruption by government officials, SNC-Lavalin executives and private individuals for the project. But the government refuted the allegations.

Amid the government's persuasion, the Bank announced revival of the agreement on Sep 20 but said the final decision would be taken based on its enquiry supervision panel's report.

The Bank's graft probe panel is assigned to supervise the anti-graft watchdog's current investigation into the corruption allegations from outside as per the condition set by the bank.

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim on Saturday expressed his hopes that the lender's review panel will ensure transparent investigation into the alleged corruption in the project.

Bangladesh had signed a loan agreement with Washington-based lender, Asian Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency last year to construct the six-kilometre long bridge, biggest ever infrastructure project in Bangladesh.

After the World Bank decided to cancel funding for the project, former Communication Minister Syed Abul Hossain resigned and the Bridges Division Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan was sent on leave, as part of an understanding with the global lending agency.

Besides these moves, the government also agreed to allow the ACC to supervise the investigation into the alleged corruption later.

শারদীয় দুর্গোৎসব, বিশ্বকর্মা পূজা, ঈদ-উল-আযহা ও সাপ্তাহিক ছুটির কারণে টানা ১১ দিন বাংলাদেশের সবচেয়ে বড় স্থলবন্দর বেনাপোল দিয়ে আমদানি-রপ্তানি বন্ধ থাকছে।

এতে সীমান্তের দুই পাশের ট্রাকজট আরও বাড়বে বলে মনে করছেন বন্দর সংশ্লিষ্টরা।

ভারতের পেট্রাপোল বন্দর সিঅ্যান্ডএফ স্ট্যাফ ওয়েলফেয়ার অ্যাসোসিয়েশনের সেক্রেটারি কার্ত্তিক চক্রবর্তী বিডিনিউজ টোয়েন্টিফোর ডটকমকে জানান, শারদীয় দুর্গোৎসব, বিশ্বকর্মা পূজা ও ঈদ-উল-আযহা উপলক্ষে পশ্চিম বাংলায় ২০ অক্টোবর থেকে ২৯ অক্টোবর পর্যন্ত ছুটি ঘোষণা করেছে রাজ্য সরকার। ছুটির কারণে এ সময় পেট্রাপোল বন্দরের সব কাজকর্ম বন্ধ থাকবে।

তবে বন্দর, কাস্টমস ও দুই দেশের সিঅ্যান্ডএফ এজেন্টরা জানান, ১৮ অক্টোবর বিকেলের পর পেট্রাপোল ও বেনাপোল কাস্টমস ও বন্দর কার্যালয় বন্ধ হয়ে যাচ্ছে।

৩০ অক্টোবর মঙ্গলবার সকাল থেকে আবার আমদানি-রপ্তানি কার্যক্রম চলবে বলে জানান বেনাপোল কাষ্টমস ক্লিয়ারিং অ্যান্ড ফরোয়ার্ডিং এজেন্টস অ্যাসোসিয়েশনের সহ-সভাপতি সিরাজুল ইসলাম সিরাজ।

এদিকে সীমান্তের দুই পাশের ট্রাকজট টানা ছুটির কারণে আরও বাড়বে বলে আশঙ্কা করছেন সংশ্লিষ্টরা।

সিরাজুল ইসলাম জানান, প্রায় এক মাস ধরে নোম্যান্সল্যান্ড থেকে আমড়াখালী পর্যন্ত পাঁচ কিলোমিটার ট্রাকজট রয়েছে। বন্দর চালুর পর থেকে কখনও এত দীর্ঘ ট্রাক জট হয়নি।

“রপ্তানি পণ্য নিয়ে যে সংখ্যক ট্রাক প্রতিদিন পেট্রাপোল বন্দরে যাচ্ছে তার চেয়ে অনেক বেশি ট্রাক দেশের বিভিন্ন স্থান থেকে বেনাপোল বন্দরে আসছে। আর এ কারণে ট্রাকের জট কমছে না। দীর্ঘ ছুটির কারণে বেনাপোল থেকে পেট্রাপোল বন্দরে রপ্তানি বন্ধ হয়ে গেলে এ জট আরো বাড়বে।”

বেনাপোলের মতোই পেট্রাপোলেও ট্রাক জট রয়েছে বলে জানান পেট্রাপোলের কার্ত্তিক চক্রবর্তী।

তিনি বলেন, বন্দরে স্থান সংকুলান না হওয়ায় বন্দরের ট্রাক টার্মিনাল, পেট্রাপোল পার্কিং ও বনগাঁও টার্মিনালে কয়েকশ’ পণ্যবোঝাই ট্রাক অপেক্ষা করছে।

“দীর্ঘ ছুটির কারণে এসব পণ্য পেট্রাপোল থেকে বেনাপোল বন্দরে ঢুকবে ছুটি শেষে। এতে পেট্রাপোল বন্দর এলাকায় তীব্র যানজটের সৃষ্টি হবে।”

বেনাপোল আন্তর্জাতিক চেকপোস্ট ইমিগ্রেশন পুলিশের পরিদর্শক কামরুজ্জামান জানান, ছুটিতে বেনাপোল আন্তর্জাতিক স্থলবন্দর দিয়ে আমদানি-রপ্তানি বন্ধ থাকলেও পাসপোর্টধারী যাত্রীদের যাতায়াত স্বাভাবিক থাকবে।

পাওনা টাকার খোঁজ করতে গিয়ে রাজধানীর বাড্ডায় দুর্বৃত্তদের গুলিতে আহত হয়েছেন এক প্রবাসী বাংলাদেশি ও তার স্ত্রী।

রোববার রাত সাড়ে ১১টার দিকে মধ্য বাড্ডার আদর্শনগর বড়টেক এলাকায় এ ঘটনা ঘটে।

আহত নিজামুল হক (৩০) ও তার স্ত্রী নাজমা বেগমকে (২৪) ঢাকা মেডিকেল কলেজ হাসপাতালে ভর্তি করা হয়েছে।

নিজামুল হাসপাতালে সাংবাদিকদের বলেন, তিনি যুক্তরাষ্ট্রে থাকেন। সেখানে পলিক নামে আরেক বাংলাদেশিকে তিনি কিছুদিন আগে কয়েক লাখ টাকা ধার দেন।

গত সেপ্টেম্বরে দেশে আসার পর টাকার প্রয়োজন হলে পলিকের সঙ্গে যোগাযোগ করেন নিজামুল। আলোচনার পর পলিক মধ্য বাড্ডার আদর্শনগর এলাকায় আজাদ নামে তার এক বন্ধুর কাছ থেকে টাকা নিতে বলেন।

সে অনুযায়ী আজাদের সঙ্গে যোগাযোগ করে রোববার রাতে আদর্শনগরে যান নিজামুল ও নাজমা। আজাদের দেয়া ঠিকানা অনুযায়ী একটি দোকনে যাওয়ার পর দুই যুবক তাদের ‘কিছু টাকা’ দেন বলেও নিজামুল জানান।

এরপর ওই দোকান থেকে বের হতেই কয়েকজন যুবক তাদের লক্ষ্য করে গুলি ছুড়ে পালিয়ে যায় বলে জানান নিজামুল।

ঢাকা মেডিকেল পুলিশ ফাঁড়ির উপপরিদর্শক মোজাম্মেল হক বিডিনিউজ টোয়েন্টিফোর ডটকমকে বলেন, “নিজামুলের শরীরে তিনটি এবং নাজমার শরীরে দুটি গুলি লেগেছে।”

আহত নিজামুল পুলিশকে বলেছেন, তিনি পলিককে ৭ লাখ টাকা দিয়েছিলেন। তবে রোববার রাতের ঘটনার পর নিজামুলের কাছে ৫৩ হাজার টাকা পাওয়া গেছে বলে এসআই মোজাম্মেল জানান।

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Monday detained a doctor for allegedly threatening Meher Afroz Shaon, wife of late celebrated writer Humayun Ahmed, on Facebook on her birthday.

RAB Legal and Media Wing chief M Sohail told bdnews24.com Ehsanuzzaman was caught from Dhaka's New Eskaton area.

"Ehsanuzzaman and his associates created a Facebook group of 12 people and threatened Shaon in the social networking site. They ran negative propaganda against her," he said.

He (the doctor) was detained based on Shaon's complaint, Sohail added.

The RAB officer said they will hold a press conference on the issue later.

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Monday seized around 67,000 yaba pills from Cox's Bazar district's Teknaf upazila.

BGB personnel seized the banned but popular club drug at around 12:30am from Sabrang area near the Myanmar border from the banks of the Naf River, BGB's 42nd Battalion's Commanding Officer Lt Col Zahid Hasan told.

No one was detained during the seizure, he said.

The pills, which were smuggled from Myanmar, have an approximate value of around Tk 20.14 million, he added.

The newly appointed four judges of the High Court Division took oath on Monday.

Chief Justice Mohammad Muzammel Hossain administered the oath while Supreme Court Registrar A K M Shamsul Islam moderated the programme. Justices from both the divisions of the Supreme Court were present at the programme.

The four judges are – Justice Mohammad Ruhul Quddus, Justice Mohammad Khasruzzaman, Justice Farid Ahmed and Justice Mohammad Nazrul Islam Talukder.

They were appointed as additional judges of the High Court on Nov 4, 2010. There services have been regularised on Sunday in line with Article 95 (1) of the Constitution.

With the new appointments, there are 98 judges in the High Court now bringing down the number of additional judges to 20. The Appellate Division has seven judges.

Ferry service through Mawa in Padma river came to almost standstill as the only terminal in operation there were under threat due to river-erosion and strong current.

According to BIWTA Mawa terminal officials, the number 1 ferry terminal suddenly perished in the Padma River around 7pm on Sunday. Fifteen shops that were there on the river-bank also lost in the river. Several people standing on the pontoon and the river-bank also fell in the river. Five of them were missing till Monday morning, they said.

Under the circumstances, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority on Sunday night requested all vehicles to use Paturia to cross the river.

Meanwhile, cracks were seen on the new number 4 terminal, which was ready to put in operation. Terminal officials said land from under the terminal 3, which is in operation, has started eroding.

"On Oct 9 the number 2 terminal were closed down due to erosion. Just after five days number 1 terminal faced the similar fate. Work to prepare the number 4 terminal as alternative was underway, but cracks were seen on it at night," Assistant General Manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Ashikuzzaman said.

"Tension is running high in Mawa," he added.

He said the fire service divers could not conduct rescue operations at night due to strong current. "They will resume rescue operation in the morning to look for the missing shopkeepers," the BIWTC officer said.

Officer-in-charge of Mawa Police station Khandaker Khalid said four of the five missing have been identified as Byron Mia, 45, Abul Kashem, 60, Janu Mia, 50 and Abul Kalam, 55. All of them are shopkeepers at Mawa and hail from Kandipara village under Medini Mandal union.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Azizul Alam said the BIWTA Chairman has been informed of the overall situation and added that efforts were underway to maintain ferry services.

Munshiganj-2 ruling party MP Sagufta Yasmin, also Parliament Whip, has asked authorities to take immediate steps to look for the missing persons. She also urged the Water Development Board officials to take steps to stop erosion.

bdnews24.com Munshiganj correspondent said that vehicles only in case of emergency were using the number 3 terminal to cross the river. Fewer vehicles were seen at the terminal in the morning.

The government has announced to provide food support for the victims of a storm that rolled through the southern districts on Wednesday.

Disaster Management Minister A H Mahmud Ali on Sunday told a conference at the Press Information Department that each victimised family will get 20 kilograms food grains a month for three months.

The government also allotted Tk 200,000 to build houses urgently in Bhola and Noakhali, he said.

More help will be provided to rehabilitate the victims of the storm, if they need, he added.

At least 27 people died in the storm. Many went missing and are yet to be found.

The government has launched an investigation to find out as to why the weathermen failed to forecast the storm.

The first war crimes tribunal ordered the prosecution to submit a progress report or the full investigation report against Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary general A T M Azharul Islam on Dec 2.

The prosecution submitted a progress report of investigations into the Jamaat leader's alleged war crimes.

The prosecution said in its report that it had already collected some material but needs more time to collect more materials and consult witnesses regarding some new allegations that have come up.

The three-judge International Crimes Tribunal – 1, set up to try crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, said it was 'also of the view that some more time is required to complete the investigation'.

Azharul Islam has also been ordered to be present at the court on Dec 2 and the court ordered that an appropriate production warrant be at hand.

In another war crimes case against Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, the tribunal ordered the prosecution to bring its first witness Misbahur Rahman Chowdhury on Oct 21 for the remainder of his cross-examination.

The prosecution witness, according to prosecutor Mir Iqbal Hossain, had taken ill and was not in a position to testify. The prosecution had brought Zahiruddin Jalal for deposition but the tribunal chairman, Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq, said the tribunal was not inclined to introduce another witness without completing another cross-examination in progress.

Jamaat guru and former chief, Ghulam Azam's war crimes investigator Matiur Rahman took the stand for being cross-examined for the rest of the day till lunch.

In over nine months since its formation, the Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission's anti-cyber crime cell has received over a thousand complaints, most of which centre around the popular social networking site Facebook and are lodged by female students.

Bangladesh Computer Security Incident Response Team (BD-CSIRT), which has been working since Jan 25, has also received complaints including uploading of objectionable videos on YouTube, e-mail threats and websites being hacked.

"We are letting the Facebook authorities know after we get the complaint. The objectionable contents are then being removed from the Facebook pages," the regulatory body's acting chief Gaisuddin Ahmed, also the cell's convenor, told bdnews24.com.

Various complaints are also being lodged against posts on YouTube and other video sharing sites. The sites are urged to remove the posts after complaints are received, one of the cell's cybercrime specialist told bdnews24.com. "Or else we block those sites."

YouTube is currently blocked in Bangladesh after its mother company, Google Inc, refused to pull-down a video, which sparked worldwide protests from muslims for derogatorily representing Prophet Muhammad.

The cell, headed by three cybercrime specialists (given Assistant Director status), has been working since its inception against contents on various websites that spreads national, social, political and religious hatred.

It has been receiving complaints and suggestions from Apr 22 through its e-mail address contact@cirsrt.gov.bd, and have been taking immediate steps on a priority-basis.

Facebook

One of BTRC's cybercrime specialist told bdnews24.com that most of the complaints are being lodged about fake Facebook profiles.

Many have complained that their identities are being used to harass them by opening fake accounts in their name or using their pictures.

To address such allegations, the CSIRT takes a two steps. First it identifies the complainant, if they have Facebook ID, through a copy of photo-IDs sent over mail and then informs the Facebook authorities, who removes the fake accounts within 2-3 weeks.

In case, the complainant does not have Facebook ID, then they have to file a general ID with their local police and send a copy to the cell. The cell then informs the Facebook authority, the BTRC specialist added.

He added that most of the complainants are girls studying in schools and colleges and that most of it is about fake profiles and objectionable pictures.

According to checkfacebook.com, the amount of Facebook users in Bangladesh stand around 1.6 million.

Immediate action

BTRC takes immediate steps to takedown Facebook profiles which spread political and religious hatred. The cybercrime specialist added that the Facebook authorities also takes such matter seriously and reacts immediately.

There are allegations that the recent communal violence in Cox's Bazaar Ramu was sparked by a Facebook post allegedly defaming the Quran. The picture was downloaded and circulated spreading the communal hate.

Police have already arrested an youth for circulation the picture and it was immediately taken off the social networking site due to initiative by the BTRC.

Facebook was first blocked by the Bangladesh government on May 29, 2010. It was reopened after a number of days.

State-run mobile phone operator Teletalk is set to introduce the much-awaited third generation (3G) mobile technology, for the first time in the country, on Sunday that provides video calling, mobile TV, high-speed download.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the service on an experimental basis, Mujibur Rahman, Managing Director of the state-owned cell phone operator, told bdnews24.com.

The official said that they have completed all the preparations in this regard and that the government's aim is to provide 3G technology to Teletalk subscribers very soon.

3G is a term used to represent the third generation of mobile telecommunications technology. It is fully a wireless broadband which is technically called high-speed packet access (HSPA), and it can be enjoyed through 3G- enabled handsets, smartphones and modems. 3G technologies enables faster data-transmission, greater network capacity and more advanced network services.

After installing the 3G technology, the mobile user would enjoy the Real-Time Video Calling, Live Mobile TV, High-Speed Download, HD gaming, e-education, public health, tele-medicine and e-shopping.

A senior official of the Teletalk said that Teletalk Bangladesh Limited would publish advertisements in the newspapers about 3G service this month.

Initial price for a 3G-enabled SIM ((Subscriber Identification Module) will be Tk 1,000 while existing users will get preference. Preparations are over to provide the services to over 300,000 subscribers in the capital initially after the inauguration.

According to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, untill August, Teletalk had nearly 1.4 million subscribers of which only 25,000 subscribers are using its internet connection while the six mobile-phone operators had a combined 99.5 million subscribers.

Being the state-run operator, Teletalk was given the opportunity to launch 3G experimentally before other operators. It was supposed to launch the service in March for six months but deferred the launch for 'technical reasons.'

The recently approved 3G licence draft says the spectrum would be auctioned by this year. Teletalk will have to take the 3G spectrum spending the same amount of money like others even if it does not take part in the auction.

Apart from Bangladesh's private operators Grameenphone, Banglalink, Citycell, Airtel and Robi, foreign companies will also be able to take part in the auction.

A Dhaka court on Sunday allowed law enforcers to grill in custody for five days four other suspects of the murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.

The four – Kamrul Hassan Arun, 'Rafique', 'Bakul' and 'Syed' – are also accused for the murder of BMA leader Dr Narayan Chandra Nitai. Arun was Nitai's driver while the rest were dubbed as 'professional robbers' by the police.

Dhaka's Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Keshab Roy Chowdhury approved the remand following Oct 10 petition by RAB's Investigation and Forensic Wing officer Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mohammad Zafar Ullah.

He asked for 10 days to grill them after they were shown arrested for the journalist couple's murder.

On Oct 9, Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir claimed at a press conference to have identified eight persons associated with the killing.

He said one of them, Tanvir, was a family friend of the slain couple. The security guard of the building in which the journalist duo lived, Rudra alias Palash, had also been arrested, he added.

Five of the arrested seven people are also accused in a case filed over the killing of Dr Narayan Chandra Datta Nitai.

The Minister said another person, Humayun alias Enamul, who worked as a security guard in the building Sagar-Runi lived, was also found to be tied to their killing. A Tk 1-million reward for his arrest has been declared.

Maasranga Television News Editor Sagar Sarowar and ATN Bangla's Senior Reporter Meherun Runi were killed at their rented West Rajabazar flat on Feb 11.

The World Bank's three-strong panel to review the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) investigation into alleged corruption in the Padma Bridge project has arrived in Dhaka Sunday morning.

The fate of the $2.9 billion project now depends on the panel's findings, as its report will decide whether the largest financier in the project will return with its $1.2 billion promised fund.

A Bank official in Dhaka, asking not to be named, told bdnews24.com: "The three members of the panel arrived early this morning (Sunday). They will stay until Oct 16."

The panel is led by former Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Luis Moreno Ocampo. The two other members are Timothy Tong, former Commissioner of the Independent Commission against Corruption in Hong Kong, and the former director of the UK Serious Fraud Office, Richard Alderman.

The team is expected to have a meeting with the ACC Chairman Ghulam Hossain and other top officials of the graft watchdog Sunday.

When contacted, Ghulam Hossain on Saturday also confirmed bdnews24.com about the meeting over phone. "We will have a meeting with them at the ACC headquarters after lunch."

Officials from both the ACC and the global lender's Dhaka office said the three-member panel will hold several meetings with the anti-corruption body officials.

The WB official in Dhaka said the panel will also meet Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, who is currently in Tokyo, if the minister can make it to Dhaka in time before the delegation's departure.

The Finance Minister is supposed to return to the country at around noon on Oct 16.

The Washington-based multi-national lender on Oct 5 had constituted the panel to review the ACC investigation on the alleged corruptions on the Padma Bridge project.

The government and the ACC have already assured the panel led by former ICC Chief Prosecutor Ocampo of providing all necessary assistance in carrying out the enquiry.
The World Bank on June 29 had cancelled its pledged fund, claiming to have found 'credible evidence' of high-level corruption by government officials, SNC-Lavalin executives and private individuals for the project. But the government has been refuting the allegations.

Amid the government's persuasion, the Bank announced revival of the agreement on Sept 20 but said the final decision would be taken based on its enquiry supervision panel's report.

The Bank's graft probe panel is assigned to supervise the anti-graft watchdog's current investigation into the corruption allegations from outside as per the condition set by the bank.

Ocampo , the 61-year old Argentine criminal law specialist, was vocal against the 'corruption' and 'violation of human rights' by the autocratic government in his own country.

A former member of the advisory board of Transparency International, Ocampo was also an associate professor of Criminal Law at the University of Buenos Aires and a visiting professor at Stanford University and Harvard Law School.

He was appointed as the first prosecutor of the ICC following its formation in 2003.

WB President Jim Yong Kim on Saturday expressed his hopes that the lender's review panel will ensure transparent investigation into the alleged corruption in the project, which is currently being investigated by the ACC.

Bangladesh signed a loan agreement with WB, Asian Development Bank, Islamic Development and Japan International Cooperation Agency last year to construct the six-kilometre long bridge, biggest ever infrastructure project in Bangladesh.

However, the implementation of the project was clouded in uncertainty after the World Bank announced that it was pulling out from it.
The global lender earlier suspended its promised fund soon after graft allegations surfaced in the project in September last year. They said they had to scrap the loan agreement as the government did not meet all of their conditions.

After the World Bank decided to cancel funding for the project, former Communication Minister Syed Abul Hossain resigned and the Bridges Division Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan was sent on leave, as part of an understanding with the global lending agency.

Besides these moves, the government also agreed to allow the ACC to supervise the investigation into the alleged corruption later.

A slum caught fire in Dhaka on Sunday evening.

According to Fire Service Control Room, the fire broke out at around 7:30pm at Sattala slum in the city's Mohakhali.

They could not immediately say about the origin of the fire.

A correspondent has seen smokes billowing in the air.

The Dhaka Stock Exchange's benchmark index ended Tuesday's trade 1.81 percent higher.

The DSE General Index gained 81.64 points to close at 4578.71 points on the week's third business day.

Shares and mutual funds worth around Tk 6.28 billion changed hands with prices of 244 issues advancing, 26 declining and six remaining unchanged.

Earlier in the day, the Cabinet nodded a proposed law, The Exchanges Demutualisation Act 2012, and approved changes to the existing SEC laws to give more teeth to the capital market regulator.

The Cabinet Secretary said the changes would pave way for setting up special tribunals for stock market-related cases and punishing SEC top brass if they failed to protect confidential information.

The changes will also make tenure of SEC Chairman and Members longer, making it four years from the existing three.

On Monday, the General Index shed 45.56 points to close at 4497.08 points with Tk 5.26-billion turnover.

In the week's first trading session on Sunday, the DGEN closed in the red slipping 103.43 points. The turnover was also lower than the previous week's daily average, standing at Tk 5.24 billion.

Overall trade in the previous week saw a 36-point fall in the DGEN and the average daily turnover was Tk 8.51 billion.

A faction of a road transport owners and workers' platform has enforced an indefinite strike in seven south-western districts to press for an 11-point charter of demands, though another faction refrained from the strike after talks with the Communications Minister.

The South-Western Road Transportation Owners-Workers Unity Council-enforced strike came into effect since Tuesday morning.

No long-route buses were seen leaving Kushtia, Jhenidah, Meherpur, Rajbari and Faridpur since morning affecting road communication in 21 districts and leaving thousands of commuters and goods for transport stuck.

General Secretary of the Kushtia District Motor Workers' Union, Abjal Hossain said, "We had to enforce the pre-announced strike as no effective solution to our demands came out of the meetings with the government."

The platform of transport owners and workers had announced strike in 21 south-western districts on Oct 1 to press for their 11-point charter of demands which included bringing an end to smashing and torching of vehicles after accidents and providing adequate compensation to the owners of the damaged vehicles.

The other demands include stopping human haulers plying on the roads, returning vehicles damaged in accidents to owners within 48 hours and stopping police extortion.

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader had a meeting with the platform's leaders on Monday in Dhaka following announcement to enforce the strike.

On the other hand, General Secretary of the Paribahan Malik Sramik Oikkya Parishad Abdur Rahim Baks Dudu told journalists that they decided to withdraw their strike following the minister's assurance on their demands.

Quader had said the road transportation advisory council meeting on Sunday had had a 'fruitful' discussion on nine of the demands. Those would be implemented gradually, he had said.

News reports based on the statements of Quader and Dudu said that the transport strike had been put off, but the transporters of seven districts dissented and enforced strike in their districts.

Deputy Commissioner of Kushtia Banamali Bhoumik and Superintendent of Police Mafiz Ahmmed, however, could not be reached for their comments.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) on Sunday asked for help to spot people who leaked question papers of the 33rd Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination.

PSC sought the assistance, in the form of information, data and evidence, a day after the written tests of the compulsory subjects of the 33rd BCS examination, scheduled between Oct 7 and Oct 18, were postponed citing unavoidable reasons, a media statement said.

The examinations were cancelled following allegations that the written test question paper for the 33rd BCS had been leaked and were available at the Dhaka University campus at a price of Tk 500,000.

Allegations also had it that the question papers were available on sale at a number of other educational institutions.

PSC considered the allegations as rumours, but did not take any risk and cancelled the examinations finally a day before it began.

The media statement said its decision was taken at the last moment for relieving aspirants of any confusion during the tests.

Newspaper reports on the rumours of the leak and information from the government intelligence were verified before taking the decision, the statement added.

The PSC said it, however, encouraged all to supply information, data or any evidence for stopping the business of forging question papers.

The PSC on June 28 published the preliminary test results of the 33rd BCS Examination, with a total of 28,917 candidates qualifying for the written tests.

Around 193,000 jobseekers attended the first round at 142 centres on June 1.

The Commission on Feb 29 advertised the 33rd BCS exams to fill 4,206 government posts.

French scientist Serge Haroche and American David Wineland have won the 2012 Nobel Prize for physics for work in quantum physics, the prize committee said on Tuesday.

"The Nobel laureates have opened the door to a new era of experimentation with quantum physics by demonstrating the direct observation of individual quantum particles without destroying them," the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement on the award of the 8 million crown ($1.2 million) prize.

Physics is the second of this year's crop of awards. The prizes, which reward achievements in science, literature and peace, were first awarded in 1901 in accordance with the will of Swedish dynamite millionaire Alfred Nobel.

($1 = 6.6125 Swedish crowns)

Mahela Jayawardene stepped down as Sri Lanka's 20-over captain after failing to lead his team to their maiden World Twenty20 title on Sunday.

Hosts Sri Lanka lost to West Indies by 36 runs for their fourth successive defeat in World Cup finals in front of a full house at the R. Premadasa Stadium.

"It's not a surprise... I have had a chat with the selectors before the tournament started. I was going to step down from T20 captaincy after this World Cup," Jayawardene told reporters.

"I personally feel that for Sri Lanka going forward, we need a younger leader. I think it's a great opportunity for somebody to start in the T20 format.

"So I have spoken to the selectors. They were quite happy with the choice I have made."

Jayawardene, who played in each of the team's two 50-over World Cup final losses in 2007 and 2011 and the T20 final loss to Pakistan in 2009, said he would continue to lead the team in the other two formats.

"I haven't stepped down from other formats. I took over (to lead) till the Australian tour (in December)," he said.

"I will assess what I want to do after that. But this I am going to step down, they will make a call on who is going to lead the national team in T20."

Jayawardene said Sri Lanka would have to figure out how to break the World Cup final jinx.

"It hurts a lot, because you want to do something special, not just personally, but for the public as well," the stylish right-handed batsman said.

"We've been playing really good cricket but we haven't been able to cross that hurdle. So it hurts as a player, as a cricketer, as an individual...

"But we just need to move on, try, and see how well we can get over this and get back on and keep fighting again."

It was a rare off-day for Lasith Malinga, considered one of the best bowlers in the shortest format with his unique slinging action and toe-crushing yorkers.

Marlon Samuels hit five sixes off Malinga to wrest back the momentum as the unorthodox paceman gave away 54 runs off his four overs.

"He (Malinga) went to areas where he is very comfortable with when somebody is going after him. That's why I brought him because they were going big and I backed my number one bowler to deliver.

"But Marlon batted really well, so hats off to him. He played some really good shots. So that's one of those days when the momentum shifted and it was pretty tough to get back in it again."

Marlon Samuels turned up with more than just his best form in Sunday's World Twenty20 final against Sri Lanka on Sunday.

The 31-year-old Jamaican, architect of West Indies' 36-run victory over the hosts, was seen wearing a yellow neckerchief, which he later described as his lucky charm.

"(It's for) good luck," Samuels, who hit a match-winning 78 runs off 56 balls and claimed one wicket for 15 runs to walk away with the man-of-the-match award, said in the presentation ceremony.

"I take it on tour and I decided I am going to wear it in the final. I batted with it underneath my shirt and I field with it outside. Thought it would bring some luck today."

Asked if he would keep it around his neck when he partied on Sunday night, Samuels said, "No definitely, I'm going to give it some rest until the test series starts in Bangladesh. That's what I'm looking for. I need to set my standard to get at least five centuries per year."

Sunday's victory meant a lot for Samuels, who was banned in 2008 for passing on team information to a bookmaker during a one-day series in India in January 2007.

"Everything what happened to me in my life is important, everything that happened to me in tough times. I know that I'm someone who never gives up," Samuels said.

"Never-say-die, I think that's the person I am, dominant inside. That is the reason I'm still here playing cricket and not giving up."

Samuels was particularly harsh on Sri Lankan pace bowler Lasith Malinga on Sunday, hitting him for five sixes, including three in the same over.

"The wicket was a bit slow. But today was a different mindset. I decided to attack their best bowler which is Malinga and it paid off for me," he said, revealing he a score to settle.

"Well, I was facing him one time in Mumbai when he got me out bowled and I was very upset. So it was my time today..."

West Indies defied the odds to claim their first World Cup in 33 years after upstaging Sri Lanka by 36 runs in the final of the World Twenty20 at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.

The Caribbeans, always favourites with the game's romantics, bowled their opponents for 101 in 18.4 overs defending a modest 137-run total. This is their first major global title since 2004 when they won the Champions League.

The low-scoring final was turned on its head after Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene's dismissal for 33.

Concerned at being behind the Duckworth-Lewis score, an unsettled Jayawardene tried to reverse sweep but succeeded in top-edging to point.

And thereafter the Lankans lost three more wickets, two of them being run outs for nine runs.

Nuwan Kulasekara entertained the crowd with cameo 16-ball 26 that took them close to the 100-run mark.

Sunil Narine took 3 for 9 and Darren Sammy 2 for 6.

Sri Lanka's chase got off to a terrible start when Tillaratne Dilshan (0 ) was clean bowled by Ravi Rampaul with the score on six in the second over.

Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara however steadied the ship putting on 42 runs.

But Sangakkara (22) was taken out at deep midwicket trying to pull Samuel Badree.

All-rounder Angelo Mathews, having faced a couple of dot balls, tried to scoop over short fine leg but was bowled by Sammy.

Earlier, Marlon Samuels launched an audacious counter-attack under pressure to smash a superb half-century and rally the West Indies to 137 for six after they won the toss.

The right-hander, Man of the Final, saved his best performance for the final with a 56-ball 76 that contained six sixes and three fours.

Towards the end, Sammy made a quick 15-ball 26 not out.

All of Sri Lanka's frontline bowlers subjected the West Indies to a torrid time at the crease. Ajantha Mendis led the show with four wickets for 12 runs.

The West Indians laboured to 32-2 after 10 overs.

Johnson Charles was out for a duck off the fifth ball of the opening over that was a maiden bowled by Angelo Mathews.

Much was expected of Chris Gayle; however, he was trapped lbw by Ajantha in the sixth over when he missed a straight delivery. He faced 16 balls to make three – a rare failure.

Such was the dominance of the Lankan bowlers that the West Indies had managed to score just one four at the halfway point of the innings.

Samuels and Dwayne Bravo added 59 runs for the third wicket after their side slumped to 14-2 after six overs.

But Mendis ended the stand getting Bravo lbw for 19 in the 14th over.

The spinner then put the Windies under more pressure with a double-wicket strike to remove Kieron Pollard (2) and Andre Russell (0), who tried to sweep the first ball he faced. It made the score read 87-5.

All the time though Samuels was dealing in boundaries until Akila Dananjaya had him caught at mid-wicket as he pulled one from outside off for another big hit.

West Indies qualified for the final after inflicting a crushing 74-run defeat on Australia. Sri Lanka sealed their place with a 16-run victory against Pakistan in their semi-final.

The West Indians, the original kings of one-day international cricket, last won a global title at the 2004 Champions Trophy held in England. Sri Lanka had been to three major finals - two World Cup 50 overs finals losses in 2007 and 2011 and the T20 final loss to Pakistan in 2009.

Meanwhile, Australia's Shane Watson has been named World Twenty20 player of the tournament after dominating the event with both bat and ball.

The opener topped the run-scoring list with 249 at an average of 49.80, including three half-centuries.

Watson also claimed 11 wickets at 16.00, second on the bowling list behind Mendis (15 victims at 9.80)

Rapid Action Battalion on Sunday night arrested Hallmark Group Managing Director Tanvir Mahmud in Mirpur on charge of taking loan from Sonali Bank against phony collateral.

RAB's Media and Legal Wing Director Commander M Sohail confirmed bdnews24.com the arrest of the first high-profile official in Bangladesh's biggest bank scandal.

Mahmud was detained around 9:30pm from the house of one 'Pavel' on road 2 of Mirpur-6. Mahmud's brother-in law Tusher Ahmed, the Hallmark General Manager and the third accused in the corruption case, was also arrested with him.

The MD was hiding in the two-room flat on the fourth floor of the five-storied apartment building.

RAB found five BlackBerry mobile-phone sets, a foreign pistol loaded with four rounds of bullets and over Tk 0.2 million in cash on him, said Sohail.

When asked about his relations with Pavel, Mahmud said he was taken there by one of his employees and that he did not know Pavel.

Sohail said they will hand over Mahmud to police after the formalities.

On Oct 11, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed 11 cases against 27 people, including Mahmud and a former Manager of Sonali Bank, after investigations pointed to their collaboration in misappropriating over Tk 15.68 billion taken as loan through forgery.

Seven of the accused are Hallmark officials while the rest are from the largest state-owned commercial bank.

Investigators are set to submit their reports before court on Nov 18, 19 and 20 in connection with the cases.

State-run news agency BSS said the elite force raided Mahmud's favourite retreat at Nandokhali in Hemayetpur of Savar in the early hours of Sunday, but did not find him there.

RAB-4 Camp Commander at Nabinagar in Savar Tahsin Salehin said they launched the raid tipped off that Tanvir was staying in his factory at Hemayetpur. The raid lasted until 5am from 2:30am.

The scam surfaced after Bangladesh Bank in May revealed branches of the state-owned commercial bank had given out over Tk 36 billion to little-known textile firm Hallmark Group and five other dubious organisations between 2010 and 2012. Hallmark Group alone took Tk 26.86 billion of the sum.

A six-strong special ACC investigation team headed by Deputy Director Mir Joynal Abedin Shibli investigated the scandal.

On Oct 2, Mahmud had admitted before a Parliamentary Sub-Committee on the Ministry of Finance that they took loans from Sonali Bank flouting rules.

Sonali Bank suspended a couple of General Managers and 18 other officials on Aug 30 for their alleged link with the scam. The bank has also asked the Group to return the credit money.

ACC also interrogated Prime Minister's Health and Family Affairs Advisor Syed Modasser Ali after newspapers reported that he had influenced the disbursement of the loan and frequented the branch.

The graft-busters on Sept 26 also quizzed several members of the bank's Board of Directors who also held the bank's management responsible.

They said the board on Jan 2, 2011 had issued an order banning issue of Inland Bill Purchase (IBP). But the Hallmark Group was given the loan violating that order as the board had based its decision on the information provided by the management.

Biman Bangladesh Airline Ltd has resumed flights on domestic routes through connecting flights.

The national carrier in a media statement made the announcement on Sunday.

The statement said a total of 30 flights are operating on Dhaka-Chittagong and Sylhet-Dhaka routes every week, with 11 flying on Dhaka-Chittagong, 14 on Chittagong-Dhaka and five to seven on Sylhet-Dhaka routes.

DC-10, Boeing-777 and 737 are the carriers being used for transporting passengers, said the statement.

Biman hoped it would help passengers travel at a lower cost.

It will cost Tk 3,500 and Tk 2,800 to travel to Chittagong and Sylhet per passenger.

Biman shut its flights on local routes until Nov 29 for avoiding schedule chaos and facilitating unhindered operation of flights for Hajj pilgrims.