News from Bangladesh-Updates and Discussion

[eastwatch]

'Imbalanced person can't remain MP'
Monday, October 05,2009

DHAKA: BNP Secretary General Khandakar Delwar Hossain yesterday said that the government termed Abdul Jalil, former general secretary of Awami League as 'mentally imbalanced' to cover their involvement in the conspiracy of January 11, 2007 and the election held on December 29, 2009.

He said this to reporters at BNP central office at Nayapaltan in the city in his reaction regarding the declaration of Abdul Jalil as 'mentally imbalanced' by AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam on Saturday.

He raised the question about the legitimacy of retaining Membership of Parliament of Jalil after the declaration.

"No mentally challenged person can continue to remain Member of Parliament according to law," Delwar said.

Gayashwar Chandra Roy, joint secretary general of BNP, Rizvi Ahmed, office secretary of the party, Moazzem Hossain Alal, general secretary of Jubo Dal and Sultan Salauddin Tuku, president of Jatiyabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), among others, were present.

Jalil's London statement was true what BNP and people have said about a deal with AL and forces at home and abroad who brought AL to power, Delwar said.

Delwar said his party supports the government only for the interest of democracy, as 'a government elected by any means is better than a non-elected, undemocratic army backed government'.

The government he said has failed to hold a fair trial of BDR mutiny as the ruling party men were involved in the incident, Delwar alleged.

Now the government is busy to satisfy its foreign allies, who brought AL to power, by giving corridor in the name of Asian Highway, the BNP Secretary General said.

Delwar said, "We are with those who work to preserve the national interest. This initiatives at one stage will turn into a movement."

 

[Al-zakir]

Cases against Ershad, Tarique to be dropped


An inter-ministerial committee for reviewing 'politically motivated' cases recommended the withdrawals,


Tuesday October 13 2009 15:43:05 PM BDT


The government today decided to withdraw more 297 'politically motivated' cases including two cases filed against Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's eldest son Tarique Rahman.(The Dily Star)

An inter-ministerial committee for reviewing 'politically motivated' cases recommended the withdrawals, State Minister for Law Qamrul Islam told reporters emerging from the meeting.

The case against military ruler Ershad which will be dropped was filed by the now defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption (Bac) for misusing power on August 31, 1998.

On the other hand, the Tk five crore extortion case which was filed with the Gulshan Police Station on May 13, 2007 against Tarique will be dropped following a petition by Tarique.

http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=289030

 

[eastwatch]

The Daily Star - Details News

'GRAFT' by BNP TRIO
Govt, not JS, to recover the money - Sircar threatens legal action

Staff CorrespondentTuesday's parliament resolution for recovering money from former speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, his deputy Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui, and former chief whip Khandaker Delwar Hossain will be sent to the government, said incumbent Speaker Abdul Hamid yesterday.

The parliament had reached the resolution following its inquiry of an allegation that the trio had misappropriated the money from the government exchequer.

Sircar meanwhile said yesterday that he will take necessary legal actions against any 'illegal move' to ask him to return the money, while BNP Secretary General Delwar said the ruling party arrived at the resolution to defame the three politically.

Sircar however withdrew a writ petition from the High Court yesterday, which had challenged the legality of the formation of a parliamentary body to probe the corruption allegations against the trio.

The withdrawal of the writ came hard on the heels of the parliament's decision not to strip Sircar of his parliament membership.

According to the parliamentary probe committee, the amount of money misappropriated by the trio is around Tk 2.5 crore, which they allegedly took illegally as medical bills, additional fuel allowances, and other expenses during the last parliament.

Talking to reporters yesterday in his office, Speaker Abdul Hamid said the parliament has nothing more to do regarding the issue.

"Now the government will be asked to recover the money through necessary legal steps. Cases will be filed against them if they refuse to return the money to the government exchequer," the speaker added.

He said the matter might also be send to the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) for investigation.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday over the phone, Suranjit Sengupta, chief of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, said the government might apply the Public Demand Recovery Act to recover the money.

"Cases will be filed if they refuse to return the money to the government exchequer," Suranjit also said. He however said there is no need to send the matter to the ACC for further investigation as the parliamentary body already inquired it.

The parliament on Tuesday held a discussion and passed resolutions for recovering the money from the BNP trio, but it rejected a recommendation of the parliamentary probe body for scrapping Sircar's membership in the House.

The BNP secretary general however questioned the legality of the discussion of the probe report in the parliament.

"There is no tradition of holding a discussion after placing a report in the parliament, but they [the ruling party] did it, which was unprecedented," Delwar claimed.

"They did that only to defame us politically," he added.

Asked about his next course of action, he said there is no hurry on his part. "Let me see where their [government] game ends. If necessary we will take legal steps."

The BNP secretary general claimed that all allegations raised against them are false and baseless. "We did everything following the rules," he said, adding that the probe committee failed to produce any document supporting its allegations.

Sircar however said he will monitor the new developing situation following the parliament's resolution, and then he will decide on his next course of action.

 

[eastwatch]

The Daily Star - Details News
'GRAFT' by BNP TRIO
Govt, not JS, to recover the money - Sircar threatens legal action

The leader of RAWNP trio who stole money from govt coffer is the former Speaker Jamiruddin Sarker. He stole money by producing unauthorized medical bills. This is a real DIGITAL STEALING by the RAWNP at a time when digitalization had not quite spread.

Politicians always find some loopholes or make some compromise so as not to be punished by a Court. But, some of their small low level cronies without serial numbers here and there keep on crying for them and want us to believe that these leaders are innocent of wrongdoing. This is the reason why our politicians do not rectify themselves.

 

[Al-zakir]

Jalil: faces arrest warrant in tax evasion case


The veteran AL leader annoyed the party high command by making derogatory statements about the party...


Friday October 16 2009 00:01:30 AM BDT


A Dhaka court has issued a warrant to arrest former Awami League general secretary Abdul Jalil this afternoon in a tax evasion case.(The Daily Star )

Judge ANM Bashirullah of the Senior Special Judge's Court passed the warrant for the ruling AL leader's arrest in line with a case filed by Deputy Tax Commissioner Bazlur Rahman Khan.

According to the case details, Jalil dodged income tax of Tk 4.07 lakh on Tk 54.6 lakh in four successive fiscal years from 2003-04.

Jalil allegedly concealed information on Tk 54 lakh income in his tax returns submitted to the National Board of Revenue.

The AL leader came up against the lawsuit nine days after he was dropped from the post of chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on commerce ministry on October 6.

The veteran AL leader annoyed the party high command by making derogatory statements about the party and ninth parliamentary election.

In an interview with London-based Bangla TV recently, Jalil said the party's landslide victory in the election came through an 'understanding.'

He received kudos from opposition BNP for his remarks.

Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasinsa had said action would be taken against Jalil in due time.

He however said in London later that he still suffers from trauma due to torture by the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) personnel while in detention during the caretaker government's tenure. And he blamed this state of mind for the remarks he made in the interview with Bangla TV.



http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=289362

 

[eastwatch]

Persons like Abdul Jalil and all other tax-dodgers who take shelter in the big political Parties should be punished in the courts. They must pay the arrears with compound interest, and should pay fine.

I propose a tax court, where the Judges are well-versed in taxes, economics and Banking matters. All developed countries have separate branches of tax court, labour court, indutrial court etc. We should follow the good legal system of the westerners.

 

[TopCat]

Persons like Abdul Jalil and all other tax-dodgers who take shelter in the big political Parties should be punished in the courts. They must pay the arrears with compound interest, and should pay fine.

I propose a tax court, where the Judges are well-versed in taxes, economics and Banking matters. All developed countries have separate branches of tax court, labour court, indutrial court etc. We should follow the good legal system of the westerners.

This is a harrasment case. He talked against his master and now paying the price. We are in democracy, joke of the century.

 

[eastwatch]

This is a harrasment case. He talked against his master and now paying the price. We are in democracy, joke of the century.

Outwardly, it is a harassment case. But, if you think deeply you will see that he did not pay any income taxes for the last few years, although he had a taxable income of more than 60 lakh Taka. The reality check shows that when he was in the shelter of a political Party, no one dared to touch him. But, since he has lost that shelter, he is now being summoned to the law court.

I personally detaste this political culture where these cronies go to politics only to get this kind of unlawful HARAM benefits. With this HARAM money and crooked mind they even dare to go to Mecca for a Hujj. There are hundreds of Jamiruddins and hundreds of Jalils in the political circle. The BD MPs do not even pay the telephone and utilities bills. Bangladesh must not be ruled by their thumbs, but by the laws. This country must get rid of the prevailing 3rd world culture.

 

[eastwatch]

South Asian Media Net

Hasina, Khaleda to rally against poverty
Friday, October 16,2009

DHAKA: In a virtual watershed-event in the context of acrimonious Bangladesh politics, prime minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia will appear on the same dais in observance of the International Poverty Eradication Day tomorrow, October 17.

A three-day countrywide programme under the slogan 'National Unity will Prevent Poverty' has been chalked out to observe the day starting today, October 16, and end on the 18th. The parliament, the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), the government and People's Empowerment Trust (PET) will jointly observe the day at national level from this year.

A National Committee for Anti-Poverty Campaign (NCAPC) headed by Speaker Advocate Abdul Hamid has been formed to organise the countrywide mass gathering to make the event successfully.
The main programme of the event will be held tomorrow at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital which both the prime minister and opposition leader will attend to express their solidarity in the fight against poverty, apparently heralding a new era in Bangladesh politics.

Speaker Abdul Hamid at a press briefing at the media centre of the parliament (JS) yesterday said both Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia will attend and speak at the programme as chief guest and special guest respectively. The Speaker will chair the function.

"It will be a unique instance not only in the history of Bangladesh but also in the world history," he told reporters. The world would witness that the entire people of Bangladesh have stood against poverty and hunger, he added.

The cabinet members, MPs, political party leaders, members of the diplomatic missions, government high officials, representatives of the civil society and representatives from all strata will attend the programme, he added.

"The aim of our democracy is to establish a happy, prosperous and equity-based Bangladesh. But then existing poverty and hunger are big impediments to the way of building up a developed Bangladesh. It is a global challenge also. So we feel solidarity with the people of the globe on the International Poverty Eradication Day," Speaker Hamid said.

"We will celebrate the golden jubilee of our independence in 2021. We have to work together to establish a solvent Bangladesh before the golden jubilee. Besides, we have to achieve the United Nations-announced Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) before 2015, which is a promise of the Bangladesh government also," he added.

The Speaker said the call of two chiefs of the two main political parties of the country to combat poverty will be a unique instance not only in Bangladesh but also in the history of the world.

The Speaker hoped that more than 8 crore people will take part in the various programmes of the three-day event, which will be the biggest display against poverty in the history of Bangladesh. The main programme on October 17 will be observed at a time in all the 64 districts through digital technology, he added.

Replying to a query of journalists, the Speaker said he was trying to bring the opposition to parliament and the presence of the prime minister and the opposition leader on the same dais on October 17 can be considered a great achievement in the list of successes of the present government.

Chief whip Vice Principal Abdus Shahid, opposition chief whip Joynal Abedin Faruque and Shishir Kumar Shill on behalf of the MDGs were present at the press briefing.

 

[eastwatch]

Khaleda won't launch anti-poverty call with PM :: Politics :: bdnews24.com ::

Khaleda won't launch anti-poverty call with PM
Fri, Oct 16th, 2009 6:32 pm BdST

Dhaka, Oct 16 (bdnews24.com)–BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has announced that she will not share the stage with prime minister Sheikh Hasina in launching a joint call for fight against poverty on Saturday.

Khaleda and her bitter political rival Hasina were scheduled to to make the anti-poverty call at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

She hit out at the Awami League-led government for not cooperating with the opposition and said, "Unilaterally cooperating with the government amounts to condone its crime, anarchy, repression and violation of human rights."

At an emergency news conference at her political office in Gulshan on Friday, the opposition chief said: "Observing the events over the last few days, we regret to announce that it will not be possible for us to join tomorrow's programme in the current circumstances."

Replying to questions from the media, she said: "We wanted to attend the programme. But I am ethically pressed to make this statement here today following the events over the past few days."

Khaleda pointed to the deteriorating law and order, high prices of commodities and politicisation of administration.

"The government has failed to protect the country's national unity. They have become a failed government.

"They have taken the country to point where people do not have minimum security."

She said the government has been more tyrannical in its nine months than the military-installed immediate past caretaker government was in the two-year term.

She asked the government to meet her party's four-point charter of demands, pointing out that creating a 'congenial atmosphere' is the pre-requisite for national unity.

"The process for creating national consensus on various issues can begin only after the government creates an congenial environment.

"Otherwise, the call for unity to alleviate poverty will ring hollow."

She quoted the famous lines of poet Sukanta Bhattacharya, "In the land of hunger, the earth is prosaic," and said, "If poverty rate does not reduce in Bangladesh, people may see the moon in the sky but will not see bread or even singed bread on their plates."

She thanked speaker Abdul Hamid for his efforts regarding the programme and said a letter of regrets will be sent to him on Friday.

Speaker Hamid said at a media briefing, flanked by chief whips of the ruling and opposition parties, on Thursday that it will be an unforgettable moment when the two leading ladies of the country will will for efforts to cut poverty.

Opposition chief whip Jainal Abdin Farrouque said at a press conference the same day: "We (government and opposition) are working together outside the parliament to make Oct 17 successful.

"I am hoping the speaker will create an environment suitable for the opposition to return to the parliament."

Farrouque also told a few TV channels that Khaleda would attend the event.

At Friday's news conference, Khaleda called on the ruling Awami League-led government to behave like the country's government, not the party.

"Ruling party people have been harassing and filing false cases against opposition party (BNP) activists in every thana across the country.

"Section 144 is being imposed on the spot where our MPs are calling meetings to prepare for council at their areas. Ruling party goons are also committing violence against women."

Replying to a query on transit, Khaleda said, "We want Asian Highway Network, but not any corridor. The government has not held any talks with us on the Asian Highway issue."

"The Indian high commissioner has also not contacted us."

The former prime minister said she was still willing to reduce the gap with the government. "We have been speaking of cooperation to close the gap with the government.

"But you can see what they are doing. The government itself is widening the distance."

Khaleda also pointed out the programmes her past 1996-2001 government had taken to reduce poverty.

She expressed the willingness to give the new government more time and cooperate with

"People will take to the streets against the government even if we we do not announce programme against it. Then we will have to stand by people."

BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain, former speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, ASM Hannan Shah and Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, among others, were present at the

 

[eastwatch]

I am wondering what are the reasons of sudden about turn of Begum Zia with regard to the joint appearence with the PM. Could someone tell me if she was expecting some promise from the govt that major corruption cases against her two SHONAR CHAND sons would be withdrawn, but then her expectations did not materialize. However, one major case against Mr. 10% Tareque has already been withdrawn and it could also be that other promises are also forthcoming.

Politicians steal public money, lands and properties of others on which Allah has not given them any HUQ. Then they compromise with politicians in the govt, and this give and take thing keeps on continuing for centuries. All the Parties are similarly responsible for ths kind of crimes. An end is needed.

 

[TopCat]

who knows.. BNP is in a quagmire. They even dont know what they are doing. Its a gone case.

 

[eastwatch]

who knows.. BNP is in a quagmire. They even dont know what they are doing. Its a gone case.

It seems Begum Zia is being squeezed between two opposite forces in the Party. However, once she had declared her intention of joining the anti-poverty rally, she should have sticked to it.

The swinging shows only the division within. I can only say that if the Party Chairperson and the Secretay General are together, then it is almost impossible for all other central committee leaders combined to reverse a decision.

Since before the election, Delwar has been working against the Party interest, and thus, the Party unity. Begum Zia has, somehow, become just a figurehead Chairperson and Delwar has become the Executive Secretary General. It is a kind of 'coup. Begum Zia seems to have little power to reverse the situation.

 

[eastwatch]

South Asian Media Net

AL men on grabbing spree
PM痴 warning falls on deaf ears
Staff Correspondent

Errant leaders of the Awami League and relatives of its lawmakers continue flexing their muscles for grabbing public and private property, tender manipulation and extortion in defiance of the party chief Sheikh Hasina痴 instructions to stop such crimes.

船eputy commissioners reported from different districts that a section of ruling party leaders and relatives of some party lawmakers were still engaged in crimes, including grabbing of lands, patronising tender manipulation and extortion and destruction of forests,・a senior official at the cabinet division told New Age Wednesday quoting reports sent from the field administration by October 14. 禅he MPs and their followers continue seeking undue favours from the government offices.

When asked whether the situation improved after the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, had asked the party lawmakers to refrain from patronising offences in their constituencies, the official said, 禅here is hardly any difference between the reports sent by field administrations before and after the prime minister issued the warning in the middle of last month.

At a meeting of the Awami League痴 parliamentary party on September 17, the prime minister warned party lawmakers that stern action would be taken if they encouraged tender manipulation and extortion and tried to put pressure on civil administration, which, she said was tainting the image of the nine-month-old government.

Awami League lawmaker ABM Abul Kashem Master痴 son SM Al Mamun on October 7 allegedly grabbed land of four ship-breaking yards along the coast of Sitakunda in Chittagong. Hired goons of Mamun also assaulted journalists, who went there to cover the incident.

When contacted, Abul Kashem told New Age Thursday that the allegation of grabbing shipyard against him and his son was 素alse・ 糎e have been in shipyard business for quite a long time. My son has bought some land to expand the yard and the sellers had erected fences in preparation for handing over the land,・he said.

Henchmen of former Awami League lawmaker Shamim Osman and his brother Nasim Osman of Jatiya Party were engaged in activities like tender manipulation, extortion and lording over the local administration, according to a source in the Narayanganj district police.

Narayanganj municipality mayor Selina Hayat Ivy, also a local Awami League leader, on Wednesday told reporters that people of the area were afraid of speaking against the henchmen of the two brothers. 選 will continue to be vocal against criminals even if he is my brother,・she told New Age Thursday.

A section of AL lawmakers made themselves controversial by assaulting government officials, interfering in upazila elections, torturing opposition and rival activists and patronising their henchmen who seemed hell-bent on grabbing whatever they could in respective constituencies.

Awami League lawmaker Abdur Rahman Bodi made himself controversial in less than a month of his election for Cox痴 Bazar-4 (Ukhia-Teknaf) constituency.

Aggrieved by his atrocities in the area, many locals have started calling him another 遷oynal Hazari・

At an election rally on January 18, Bodi threatened to 奏rigger an earthquake・in Teknaf if the chairman and vice-chairman candidates backed by him were not elected in the January 22 election, said witnesses and a few candidates for the posts.

Gias Uddin, assistant presiding officer of Sufia Community School centre at Phoolerdail village, filed a case with Teknaf police station on January 22 accusing Bodi of beating election officials.

Some local Awami League and Jubo League men were allegedly involved in felling 30,000 Jhau (tamarisk) trees on about 250 acres of land in August to sell land in the form of plots for hotel, motel and business firms on the Teknaf beach in Cox痴 Bazar.

Denying the charges, Bodi said an anti-Awami League quarter had engineered the filing of the case against him in a bid to taint the government痴 image.

On April 12, a group of AL activists went to the office of the upazila nirbahi officer, Nuruzzaman, at Kumarkhali in Kushtia and assaulted him. They also ransacked the office and allegedly threatened to kill him. The incident took place after the UNO, also the chairman of Kumarkhali Degree College, set a date for appointing a principal for the college without consulting local lawmaker Sultana Tarun.

When contacted, Sultana Tarun said the problem had been settled after the prime minister痴 instruction. 鮮obody indulged in excesses in Kumarkhali,・she told New Age Thursday.

Cronies of AL lawmaker Golam Moula Roni filed four 素alse・cases last month against two local journalists at Galachipa in Patuakhali in a bid to avenge their reports on land grabbing on a riverbank and setting up of a market with Roni痴 backing.

They vandalised and burnt arches and the stage erected for a public meeting at Galachipa to welcome state minister for water resources, Mahbubur Rahman less than a week after the prime minister had addressed the AL parliamentary party meeting.

Golam Moula Roni, however, claimed that he had not asked anybody to file cases against journalists or vandalise the arches and the stage erected for the minister痴 visit.

Shamsul Haq Tuku, state minister for home, said the administration had been asked to take action against the persons involved in crimes no matter which party the offenders belonged to.

 

[idune]

Awami general sec is tacitly encouraging grabbing and looting.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

AL men to get business for their sacrifice, says Ashraf

Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee

Leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League must be given opportunities for doing business as a reward for their sacrifices for the party in its difficult times, a high-level meeting of the party was told on Saturday.
The meeting, however, suggested that the party men should also show restraints, maintain discipline and abide by the laws of the land while seeking business opportunities, meeting sources said.
The meeting was held at the party chief, Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi office between AL general secretary, Syed Ashraful Islam, and its departmental secretaries.
It was the first meeting of the party secretaries more than three months after its national council held on July 24, although the party constitution stipulated that the general secretary should call a meeting of the secretaries at least once a month.
The meeting was convened to discuss ways to reactivate the AL’s grassroots units against the backdrop of a stagnation of organisational activities after it assumed power on January 6. Organisational inertia and bickering at different tiers have caused concern among the party high-ups.
‘The party needs leaders and activists and we should offer them something in return for their sacrifices. They should be provided with opportunity for doing business,’ Ashraful was quoted to have told the meeting. But, he issued a note caution, ‘the party men must not go beyond decorum and discipline.’
While briefing newsmen, the AL general secretary warned that stern actions would be taken against corruption and violence, as the party was pledge-bound to fight graft. ‘The party will not tolerate violence and indiscipline and it will take tough actions against whoever will be found guilty of violating discipline,’ he said.
The meeting decided that the party would launch a drive to recruit members and renew membership in the second week of November and hold an extended meeting of the party in the third week of next month.
Ashraful assigned the organising secretaries the tasks division-wise asking them to do everything possible to strengthen the party’s bases at the grassroots level.
He also asked them to submit reports of their respective units in the next meeting of the Awami League Central Working Committee, the highest policy-making body of the party.
Organising secretaries Jahangir Kabir Nanak has been given the responsibilities for Dhaka divisional units, Ahmed Hossain for Chittagong, BM Mozammel Huq for Khulna, Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan for Rajshahi, AFM Bahauddin Nasim for Barisal, Mesbah Uddin Siraj for Sylhet and Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury for Rangpur division.

http://www.newagebd.com/2009/oct/18/front.html#1