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High input costs coupled with middlemen and traders reaping the bulk of the profit margin have rendered the livelihood of farmers somewhat unsustainable.
   Most rural farmers still continue with their work for being born into it, so to speak, or for having no other alternative occupation.
   Vegetable farmers of villages Purbahati, Shyampur and Maitka under Hemayetpur union of Savar upazila, only 30 kilometres from the capital, told New Age that their yields of staples or vegetables alike have become economically unviable as the input costs far exceed the output prices.
   The situation is further exacerbated when the middlemen are factored in at both ends — input and output.
   The farmers said all kinds of fertilisers including TSP, MOP, DAP, zinc and gypsum, including the imported ones, and all types of pesticides sell at exorbitant prices.
   Currently, the dealer-level price of a 50kg-bag TSP is Tk 820, DAP Tk 750, MOP Tk 750, a 5kg-bag of zinc Tk 150, a 60-kg bag of gypsum Tk 300 and a 50-kg bag of urea Tk 300. These are frequently used by the farmers almost all year round.
   But at the time, the average importer level price at three main trading stations — Chittagong, Noapara and Narayanganj — is Tk 606 for a 50-kg bag of TSP, Tk 747 for DAP and Tk 521 for MOP since the government declared a 25 per cent subsidy on imported fertiliser.
   It was alleged that the farmers did not benefit for the delay in processing the subsidy by the government. In fact, the farmers seldom benefit from such subsidies and that too marginally because of the middlemen.
   According to the farmers, prices of these fertilisers vary greatly from the importer to the farmer — 35 per cent for TSP and 44 per cent for MOP. Understandably the middlemen are responsible for the difference.
   Adding to the middlemen, increase of input prices has far outpaced the increase in the prices of agricultural outputs.
   Even four years ago the prices of similar quantities of TSP, DAP and MOP were Tk 525, Tk 630 and Tk 428 respectively. During this time, the prices had risen by 50 per cent on an average with TSP rising by 56 per cent and MOP by 75 per cent.
   The cost of irrigation is also high as farmers need at least Tk 1,200 to irrigate 33 decimals of land between January and June for a deep tube-well. The cost almost triples in the case of a shallow tube-well.
   The minister for agriculture, M K Anwar, admitted the fact that the cost of agriculture production in Bangladesh is much higher than the neighbouring countries. ‘Our farmers pay much higher prices for fertilisers, irrigation and energy compared to what the farmers in the neighbouring countries pay,’ he told a recent function.
   He told New Age earlier that fuel or electricity is heavily subsidised in India — up to about 80 per cent — for irrigation.
   In Punjab of India, farmers spend $47 (one dollar equals Tk 63) for producing a tonne of paddy, $58 in Thailand and $63 in Vietnam, while Bangladeshi farmers produce a tonne of paddy at a cost of $89.
   The story of high-cost production being what it is, the farmers are further undone during harvest. Local traders drag their feet and offer them way below what would be the fair price.
   As the farmers need to offset the burden of cost and loans already incurred, they are compelled to sell their produce in a buyer’s market of sorts.
   As the immediate recovery of cost urgently weighs on them and they have no direct access to marketing their produce or preserve the produce till such time as it fetches the economic price, the farmers are the total losers. One farmer of village Purbahati said he lost over 40 per cent selling his cabbages.
   According information the price between farmers and the wholesale markets vary up to a staggering 300 per cent. A wholesaler from Karwan Bazar said he bought aubergines from a trader at Tk 4.91 per kilogram while at the village level the rate was hardly at Tk 1.5.
   Member director of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council, Jahangir Alam, told New Age that co-operative marketing system and integrated transport facilities for farmers’ cooperatives should be developed to ensure fair prices.
   ‘Such systems have already been developed in different countries,’ he said.

The Hemayetpur union under Savar upazila, only 30 kilometres from Dhaka, is the capital’s nearest farming community so to speak. Typical to the rural countryside, villagers of Hemayetpur are farmers.
   They have been farmers for generations and continue their tradition. This small community also supplies a portion of Dhaka’s daily demand for vegetables or staples.
   But the small community of Hemayetpur, like thousands others across Bangladesh, is dying a slow painful death with the farmers losing money every year.
   During a recent visit to the villages of Purbahati, Shyampur and Maitka in Hemayetpur, farmers told New Age of their grave predicament.
   Nazimuddin, of village Purbahati said during winter — November to January — he grew 4,000 cabbages on 33 decimals of land spending more than Tk 6,000. ‘But I only got Tk 3,500 for the entire produce.’
   He also referred to over-production as one of the causes for a depressed market price, as there was rush among the farmers to produce winter vegetables after the devastating flood and rains last year.
   Abdur Rashid, a wholesaler at Karwanbazar in Dhaka told New Age that the price of cabbage is from Tk 3-4 per kilogram as the season is dull. ‘During the peak season the price of a cabbage was from Tk 10-12 in the wholesale market and retail price averaged at Tk 15.’
   He said he bought 1,100 cabbages from Hemayetpur at Tk 2750 and expected to sell those for at least Tk 3300.
   aThe very cabbages that incurred a loss of over 40 per cent for Nazimuddin the farmer, will bring profits of at least 20 per cent for Rashid the trader.
   Another wholesaler of the market, Mohammad Akter Ali, said he had bought 14 maunds (560 kgs) of aubergine from a trader for Tk 2750 — the price per kilogram being Tk 4.91 and was selling per kilogram at Tk 5 while at growers’ level, the price of aubergine is only Tk 1.5 per kilogram.
   Nazimuddin’s neighbour might have been surprised to see that a distance of 30km resulted in a 300 per cent increase of his own produce.
   Abu Taher, a farmer of village Maitka under the Tetulzora union told New Age that he had grown potato, cabbage and bottle gourd spending Tk 12,000 and somehow earned Tk 12,000 from sales — which he believes is break even.
   Being a simple farmer Taher does not believe his hard labour has any value.
   Rabi Awal, a tomato grower of village Shyampur, said he sells tomatoes at Tk 2 per kilogram while the wholesale price in the city is more like Tk 5, 250 per cent more than what he gets.

The killing of former finance minister and Awami League leader Shah AMS Kibria had much to do with the political aspirations — to become member of parliament from Kibria’s constituency — of more than one local leader of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party, believe many an official investigating the case.
   The investigators believe that Habiganj district BNP vice president Abdul Quayum could well be one of those who executed the plan, while there are other political aspirants, one of whom has become very powerful in the ruling quarter over the last few years, who could be the masterminds.
   Sources in the investigation committee, headed by the deputy inspector general of police, Sylhet Range, AKM Mahfuzul Huq, told New Age the investigation was in its final stage and the report would be submitted within a few days.
   So far the police have arrested 14 persons and all are being quizzed by the Joint Interrogation Cell in Dhaka. Some of the arrested, including Quayum, would be produced before court at any time to record their confessional statements.
   Three local-level BNP leaders, M Zamir Ali, Joynal Abedin Momin and the driver of the microbus used for the killing, Tajul Islam, on Friday confessed to their involvement in the killing before a first-class magistrate, Shafiqur Reza Biswas.
   They said Quayum got the team organised to execute the plan to kill Kibria.
   DIG Mahfuzul is now in Dhaka to finish the inquiry and prepare the report. The timeframe for submission of the inquiry reports were extended twice and as per the last extension March 16 is the deadline for submission.
   ‘The investigation suggests that Quayum organised and financed a group to implement the plot but he may not be the only gainer from the death of Kibria,’ said a police official involved in the investigation.
   The official said there were two other local-level BNP leaders who could be part of the team that implemented the Kibria murder plan. ‘Both are very influential in the locality and nothing can be done without their knowledge,’ he told New Age. ‘Besides, they have their non-MP political “godfather” in the corridors of power.’
   Meanwhile, most of the investigators point their fingers at Quayum as the main man in the field.
   Quayum, who has been enjoying the blessings of the said BNP leader in the power corridor, became the vice president of the party’s district unit upsetting better candidates, some of the investigators suggested.
   They said his huge amount of ‘unearned money’ and ‘political patronage’ made Quayum an aspirant to become a parliament member, which could have made him desperate to pave the way for himself by removing Kibria.
   ‘Now, if Quayum is eventually caught in the murder case, his political patron in the power corridor becomes the ultimate beneficiary, by way of winning the parliamentary polls easily,’ a top home ministry official told New Age Thursday. ‘He was sure that he would not come out wining as long as Kibria was alive.’
   The investigators are keeping eyes on the other prospective candidates ‘who might be arrested at any time’. They are verifying all the clues to be sure about their involvement in the killing.
   Meanwhile, the government investigation into the financial background Quayum, revealed that last year he invested huge amounts of money in the stock market, particularly in one scrip — Bank Asia.
   Quayum is a deputy general manager of Sea Resources Limited, a flagship company of the Rangs Group, whose proprietors also own much of Bank Asia.
   The investigation report, done with the help of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Dhaka Stock Exchange, showed huge transactions of the bank’s stock on Quayum’s accounts with two brokerage houses.
   The report shows that Quayum purchased at least Tk 5 to 6 crores worth of shares of Bank Asia which rose in value to almost double that price.
   ‘It seems unlikely that a general manager of a company would have such huge savings to invest in the market and suggests that his involvement could be a form of “insider trading” on behalf of someone who wanted to acquire the shares without letting the regulator know,’ the report observed.
   The report further said ‘Rangs Group employees were extremely tight lipped and nervous’ during the investigation, while ‘one employee on condition of anonymity revealed that hundreds of employees of the group were “encouraged” by the management to purchase shares of Bank Asia’.
   ‘A thorough investigation could confirm whether they purchased these with their own finance or whether they were supported by a “large kitty” of an interested party.’ It said.
   Investigators while scrutinising the financial status of Quayum found that he acquired huge money and wealth in a short span of time. Being a deputy general manager of a private company, his huge bank balance raised many questions which led the investigators to further inquiry.
   They have already found his accounts with 12 banks of which eight are foreign. Quayum himself ran all the accounts transacting crores of money. Earlier, the police seized Tk 81 lakh in cash from his residence after his arrest.

The parliamentary standing committee on rules of procedure sits today to deal with a package of proposals to amend the parliamentary rules to streamline the lawmakers’ financial and official behaviour, and making the parliamentary system more vibrant, according to sources at the Parliament Secretariat.
   The lawmakers will abide by the constitution, laws and rules concerned while discharging their responsibilities, said a proposal put forth by Abdul Mannan, BNP lawmaker for the Dhaka 2 constituency.
   Every lawmaker has to ‘declare their interests’ in advance. Their businesses must be registered with the parliament since such financial interests may exert influence on the state when the owner is a lawmaker, another proposal said.
   Most of the proposals that the meeting is scheduled to deal with are related to lawmakers’ conduct in and outside the parliament.
   Headed by the speaker of Jatiya Sangsad, Jamiruddin Sircar, the 12-member committee will sit today two years and a half after its last meeting on October 5, 2002.
   Mannan also proposed seven other norms that the lawmakers would need to strictly follow for the wellbeing of their respective constituencies.
   The norms include that the lawmakers should refrain form any activities demeaning the parliament.
   The proposal also calls for lawmakers to refrain from securing personal interest and working in exchange of money.
   Another point raised by the proposal, stressing on regular attendance at the parliament, is that the lawmakers earn their remuneration that they receive from the exchequer.
   Mannan also proposed to form a 10-member committee at the first session of every parliament regarding the conduct of the lawmakers in parliament.
   The committee will report whether their parliamentary conduct is appropriate and suggest remedial measures.
   As the existing provision has no clear deadline for forming the parliamentary standing committee on different ministries, Manjur Kader of the BNP suggested that the formation of the committees should take place in the second session of every parliament.
   In another proposal related to the placement of bills, Abdul Mannan said the parliament must settle all the personal bills of the members deposited to the Parliament Secretariat if similar bills are brought in by the government.
   Regarding starred question, Shakhawat Hossain Bakul of the BNP suggested that the authorities should select and prioritise the starred question for regular question session on ballot.
   The previous meeting of the committee suggested half an hour increase in the existing one-hour question session.

Tension kept rising on the frontier in Chuadanga on Friday over erection of barbed-wire fence along the border by the Border Security Force of India.
   The Bangladesh Rifles have been put on red alert on the Rokanpur frontier at Gomastapur in Chapainawab-ganj, following killing and taking away of the body of a Bangladeshi citizen, Monirul Alam, into the Indian territory on Friday, the police said.
   A company commander-level flag meeting is expected to be held on Saturday.
   The weeklong strain eased across the Ramgarh border in Khagrachari after a flag meeting between the Bangladesh Rifles and the Indian border guards on Friday.
   The New Age correspondent in Jhenaidah reported from Chuadanga that a war-like situation prevailed in the bordering areas at Damurhuda as the Indian force masses troops with heavy arms across the border on Friday centring barbed-wire fence.
   The Indian force was trying to set up the fence near the zero point, violating international rule, the Bangladesh Rifles sources said.
   The Bangladesh border guards also strengthened its manpower and were trying to build resistance with the help of the local people. Commanding officer of the 18 Rifles Lieutenant Colonel Abu Sufian was staying at the border to monitor the situation.
   The Kurigram correspondent reported that a battalion commander-level flag meeting between the Bangladesh Rifles and the Border Security Force was held at Bhurungamari on Friday.
   The four-hour meeting ended at 3:00pm, the outcome could not be known.
   Officials of both the border guards visited the road which the Indian force began to construct on the disputed land, but stopped after being resisted by the Bangladesh Rifles.
   The Indian force is trying to construct the road through the Dakkhin Mashaldanga enclave. The Indian border guards earlier stopped the construction of a road at the Ramkhana border at Nageswari. The Bangladesh Rifles sent a letter, but it is yet to get response.
   In Lalmonirhat, the suspected Indian spy, Soma Munde, 35, who was caught by villagers on the Singimari border at Hatibandha on Thursday, was sent to jail on Friday.
   The villagers caught Soma while he was roaming about suspiciously during the confrontation between the border guards on Thursday. He was later handed over to the Bangladesh Rifles.
   Soma remained silent during interrogation; he only said he is from Jharkhand in India and his father’s name is Buddhadev Munde.
   After interrogation, Soma was handed over to the Hatibandha police, who sent him to jail. He is likely to be sent to Dhaka to be questioned at the joint interrogation cell, the police said.
   In Khagrachari, a company commander-level flag meeting between the Bangladesh Rifles and the Border Security Force was held on Friday at Dolabari in the Indian state of Tripura, which decided not to erect any barbed-wire fence before any higher level bilateral meeting.
   Although the situation along the frontiers in Khagrachhari, including Ramgarh, became normal after the meeting, both the sides are carrying out strong vigilance in the areas.
   The Bangladesh Rifles sources said a three-day meeting would be held between the border guards at the deputy director general level at Agartala in Tripura within this week.

Nepal freed sacked prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba from house arrest on Friday, amid mounting international pressure on the country’s king to relinquish power and restore democracy.
   Deuba was sacked and placed under house arrest on February 1 by king Gyanendra, who said the prime minister had failed to control an increasingly deadly Maoist revolt which has killed thousands.
   ‘Yes, we have lifted his (Deuba’s) house arrest,’ an official said, adding Deuba’s aide Minendra Rijal, his home minister Purna Bahadur Khadka and 18 others were also released from different detention centres.
   However, he did not say when more activists would be freed from house arrest or detention.
   Deuba’s release follows that of eight political leaders on Wednesday, including Prakash Sharan Mahat, a junior foreign minister in Deuba’s government.
   So far, nearly 50 people detained after the king suspended civil liberties have been freed. Government officials have not given numbers of those in custody.
   Party officials said key leaders remained under house arrest and hundreds of others were in detention.
   Among them are Girija Prasad Koirala, a former prime minister and head of the Nepali Congress party, and Madhav Kumar Nepal, head of the Communist Party of Nepal.
   The centrist Nepali Congress, the country’s largest political party, vowed to step up protests against the king from Monday and asked members to stage sit-ins in front of government buildings.
   ‘All cadres should come forward and court arrest by participating in the peaceful and non-violent movement,’ the party said in a statement.
   Political parties began staging small protests about a week ago – in defiance of a ban – but they have been largely crushed by security forces, who have made more than 100 arrests.
   The turmoil is the latest in the poor Himalayan country where more than 11,000 people have been killed since the Maoists launched a revolt in 1996 to topple the constitutional monarchy and establish communist rule.

Seasonal viral disease chicken pox has been spreading across the capital for the past two weeks, affecting especially the children.
   Professor M Abid Hossain Mollah, the head of the paediatrics department at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said incidence of chicken pox has been increasing since the beginning of March, but it has not reached its peak yet.
   He said, ‘Spring environment is favourable for the virus to grow and spread. The epidemic will become sporadic when the monsoon begins.’
   Although most patients are going for private consultations, hospital outdoors are also getting one or two cases a day. Experts predict that more cases will come before the end March.
   Chicken pox is a viral infection that causes a blister-like rash on skin and mucous membranes. Blisters usually appear first on the torso and face, then spread to almost everywhere on the body. It is mostly self-remitting, but may turn complicated. Pregnant women are especially at risk.
   People usually have only one attack of chicken pox in their lifetime. But the virus that causes chicken pox can stay dormant in body and may cause a different type of skin eruption, called shingles.
   Dr Abdul Mannan, assistant professor of paediatrics at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, said, ‘Chicken pox can spread through contact, droplets or airborne spread of vesicle fluid, or secretion of the respiratory tract such as coughing and sneezing.’
   He said, ‘It is contagious beginning from two days before the onset of rashes and may spread until all lesions have dried up and become scabs. After one is exposed to the disease, it may take 10 days to three weeks before the patient notices it.’
   Patients are advised to stay inside until all the lesions dry up, the process usually takes five to seven days, and not to use public transports, attend classes or social events.
   Patients may have visitors who had chicken pox in the past. But avoid friends who have not had the disease, the doctors said.
   Patients should not share utensils, food, smoking materials or allow others to drink after them. They should use plastic utensils and paper plates, pace all paper products including tissues in a plastic bag for disposal after a patient uses them.
   Patients should also keep their own supply of toiletries including soap that are stored away from the items used by others.
   As the disease is self-limiting, vaccination is optional; it is also expensive, said Dr Shahidul Islam, associate professor of microbiology of Sir Salimullah Medical College. ‘People can be vaccinated before going on a serious assignment or before important exams.’ A single dose of vaccine cost about Tk 1,500.
   Chicken pox can lead to foetal death if the disease is acquired by a pregnant woman within four days immediately before delivery.
   Patients should report to doctors immediately if they develop severe chest pain, difficult or labored breathing, blood in their cough, sudden onset of severe headache, unexplained drowsiness (some medications, including decongestants and medications to relieve itching may also cause drowsiness), or severe vomiting.
   No food is prohibited and cleanliness is the only treatment unless the matter is complicated.

The Bogra police on Friday hung a signboard on the Ahmadiya Muslim Jamaat Complex at Seuzgari in the district town, renaming it as upasanalaya (place of worship).
   The members of the Ahmadiya Jamaat were left stunned by the police activity and some of them burst into tears on the scene.
   The signboard read, ‘The Kadiani upasanalaya in Bogra town: Muslims, do not be fooled by thinking it to be a mosque’, and was set at the Ahmadiya Complex in the evening in the presence of four central leaders of the organisation.
   The other organisation leaders and civil society members instantly denounced the police act.
   Earlier the police stopped the activists of International Khatme Nabuwat Bangladesh half a kilometre off the Ahmadiya Complex where the political and civil society leaders from the capital gathered to extend their solidarity with the members of the small religious group.
   The Khatme Nabuwat
   leaders at a rally threatened to go for tough programme if the Ahmadiyas are not declared non-Muslims by December 23.
   Several thousand supporters of the Khatme Nabuwat wearing red, yellow, and green ribbons on head gathered at Satmatha crossroad at noon.
   They blocked vehicular movement on the streets causing a huge traffic jam in the northern city.
   They also said the staffs are the symbol of Sunnah. ‘We have brought them for our own security,’ one of the Khatme Nabuwat leaders said.
   ‘If the Ahmadiyas are not declared non-Muslim by December 23, we do not know what would be in the fate of the government,’ another leader said.
   At 4:00pm the activists gave an ultimatum to set the signboard at the Ahmadiya Complex.
   Later the police hung a signboard inscribed with ‘Kadiani Upasanalaya’ at the Complex at 6:00pm.
   Tight security measures were taken around the Ahmadiya Complex. High officials of the police were also present on the spot.
   Local and central leaders of the Awami League, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, and Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Jatiya Samannay Committee, led by Justice KM Subhan, stayed in the complex in support of the Ahmadiyas.
   The Khatme Nabuwat Bangladesh amir, Mahmudul Hasan Momtazi, member-secretary Maulana Nazmul Haque, Mamtazul Karim Hathazari, Abu Zafar Kashemi, Abul Kashem, Gazi Ataur Rahman, Mansurul Haque, Azizur Rahman, Nur Hossain, Abu Taher, Mojibur Rahman and Kazi Fazlul Karim, among others, addressed the rally. The Khatme Nabuwat Bogra unit president, Maulana Abdul Haque Azad, chaired the programme.

Identities of three more youths — Farhad Hossain, Shohel Rana and Amir Hossain — of the 11 who died in the Mediterranean Sea during their illegal voyages to Spain were known on Friday.
   The three youths, who were a part of 24-member team, chose the illegal and risky way to reach Spain to materialise their long-cherished dreams, met the tragic end of their lives with another eight in the sea. Instead of Spain, they were laid to rest on the blue waters of the Sea like Himel and Mokaddes, two brothers, after fighting with nine-day hunger.
   Of the dead, identities of five were known as of Friday.
   The starving 24 youths were setting out for Spain from Mediterranean Sea boarding an engine boat, which lost direction and sailed towards Algeria instead of Spain on February 24. After nine days, its stock of fuel and drinking water exhausted and the youths died one after another.
   Among the dead, 10 bodies were thrown into the sea and another youth died in a hospital in Algeria.
   The three youths, who were lured by false promises of a travel agency, hailed from Dohar upazila.
   Three youths — Mamun, Rabiul and Mintu, who survived the incident miraculously, narrated the tragic episode when the victims’ family members contacted with them over telephone. The youths are now undergoing treatment at a hospital in Algeria under the police custody.
   Son of Hiron Bepari, Farhad hailed from Notakhola village.
   Farhad’s younger brother Julhas told the news agency that they had paid Tk 8 lakh to Mostaq Hossain, owner of Dohar Travels, for sending his two brothers to Spain.
   ‘They assured us that my brother will be able to enter Spain,’ he added. They, along with 22 other youths, left the country on December 24 by Qatar Airways.
   Jobeda Khatun, wailing mother of Farhad, demanded exemplary punishment for the culprits who trapped her son along with 23 other youths.
   Shohel hailed from Jamalchhar. He joined the Spain-bound team from Dubai, said victim’s younger brother Mukul.
   Shohel went to Dubai about eight months back, and joined the team to go to Spain.
   Amir, son of Qurban Morol, hailed from Joypara village. His sister Lipi Akhter said that they had paid Tk 8 lakh to Mostaq.

The ‘controversial’ superintendent of police, Masud Mian, finally left Rajshahi Friday following an order from the inspector general of police, ending a weeklong tug-of-war between him and the deputy inspector general of police.
   The Rajshahi-based policemen has got ‘a sigh of relief’ as Masud, who was transferred on March 5, left Rajshahi at noon handing over the charge to the senior assistant superintendent of police (sadar circle), Mozammel Haque, police sources said.
   The armed activists of Bangla Bhai, who were patronised reportedly by Masud and were staying in Bagmara despite ban on the Islamist outfit, Jagrata Muslim Janata, also started going to their hideouts after his departure, the police and people of Bagmara said.
   The inspector general of police, Ashraful Huda, ordered Masud to leave Rajshahi by Friday noon after the DIG, Noor Mohammad, had requested him Thursday to withdraw Masud, the police sources said.
   The DIG made the request to the IGP after Masud had closed 15 policemen, including the officer in-charge of Bagmara, Golam Kibria, to the district police lines since March 7.
   The DIG, however, asked the closed policemen to carry on their duties in their respective workplaces that created the DIG-SP ‘power battle’.
   The row reached to the top on Thursday when the DIG asked Masud to leave Rajshahi, but he declined, saying that he would not leave before March 15, the scheduled date of joining of a new superintendent of police from Khulna.
   The Bagmara OC, who was closed by the SP, lodged a general diary on March 7 alleging that the SP demanded him Tk 1 lakh and threatened to close him to the police lines in case of non-payment.
   Meanwhile, leaders of the left political parties, including the Workers Party of Bangladesh politburo member Fazle Hossain Badsha, district unit presidents of the Communist Party of Bangladesh, Liakat Ali Liku, and of a faction of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Abdullah Al Masud Sibli, demanded punishment of Masud for what they said his patronisation to the armed activists of Jagrata Muslim Janata, including its leader Bangla Bhai.
   They also demanded probe into the ‘misdeeds’ of Masud Mian.

The government has recently rejected a proposal by the consultants of the Asian Development Bank, for giving preferential treatment to the potential buyer of a state-owned oil company for five years after disinvestment, said officials in the energy ministry and Privatisation Commission.
   The consultants of the lending agency had made the proposal last year in a provisional report on the modalities for privatising the Standard Asiatic Oil Company, a subsidiary of the state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation.
   In the report, the consultants insisted on renewing the lease agreement with the Chittagong port authority for the next five years, guaranteed supply of LP gas from the Eastern Refinery at market price for three subsequent years and agreement with the petroleum marketing companies — Meghna and Jamuna — for blending facilities.
   In their combined response, the energy ministry and the Privatisation Commission in early February informed the lending agency that it was not possible for the government to give ‘preferential treatment’ to any disinvested industrial unit.
   The commission, in particular, discarded the suggestions for privatising the unit, said sources.
   They said the suggestions of the lending agency consultants were immature as they are yet to submit the final report, although the project deadline was December 31.
   The consultants, appointed under the project styled ‘Technical Assistance to the Privatisation Commission’, prepared the report without up-to-date information and audit report of the oil company, for which they blamed the company’s managerial inefficiency.
   The consultants included a number of options such as public offerings, initial public offerings, direct listing and private sale for disinvesting the company — currently engaged in blending and marketing lubricants.
   Standard Asiatic is half owned by the petroleum corporation and the other half by private shareholders.
   An inter-ministerial meeting at the commission recently stressed on the need for extension of the project up to December 31, 2005 to get a complete and updated report on the company’s divestment.
   The energy ministry and the petroleum corporation had pledged to submit the company audit report by March 31 to help the consultants prepare the final report, said sources.

A wanted criminal was killed in crossfire between his accomplices and Rapid Action Battalion at a suburban village under Uttara police area early Friday.
   RAB said Syed Monir Hossain alias Chikna Monir, 30, who was wanted in a number of criminal cases and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment in an arms case, was engaged in sabotage activities in the country and making bombs for the purpose.
   A cousin of Syed Imam Hossain, one of the 23 most wanted criminals of the Dhaka City, Monir became the leader of Imam’s gang after Imam had gone into hiding as the government had announced cash reward for his arrest, claimed RAB.
   They said Monir, arrested Thursday afternoon from his Sector 13, Uttara residence along with 84 rounds of bullet, 20 hand bombs, over Tk 1.30 lakh and a fake passport, was killed at Chandalbhog where he was taken to recover arms as per his statement.
   ‘Monir received bullets as he tried to escape during the gunfight that took place after his accomplices had fired shots at the elite force prompting them to retaliate,’ claimed a RAB release. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where the doctors declared him dead.
   The RAB members earlier raided a number of his hideouts at Mohakhali in the city and Gazipur to nab his associates and recover arms, but failed.
   Meanwhile, Yasmin, wife of Monir, told newsmen that the RAB members arrested her husband along with his uncle, Anwar, on Thursday and took away about Tk 1.50 lakh and three mobile phone sets from their residence.
   With the killing of Monir, the number of people killed in crossfire since june 2004 stood at 243.

The National University has taken a move to form governing bodies for public colleges. And some college teachers have expressed their fear that this will help the government to be in more control of the institutions.
   The university registrar, Shamsher-uz-zaman, on February 7 requested the ministry to issue a circular directing immediate formation of governing bodies in the public colleges, ministry officials said.
   The university, to which government and non-government colleges offering bachelor’s and master’s course are affiliated, in the letter said, ‘The public colleges have to be regulated by governing bodies and the formation, power, and functions of the bodies will be fixed according to rules of the National University.’
   ‘It is necessary to form governing bodies in public colleges,’ the university in its letter said. It sought opinion and directives of the ministry in this regard.
   More than 1,066 government and non-government colleges offer bachelor’s (pass and honours) and masters’ courses under the National University. About 375 of them are government colleges having no governing bodies.
   According to the National University Act 1992, it is mandatory for all the affiliated colleges to be regulated by governing bodies and statutes of the body will be controlled by the National University Ordinance.
   ‘The 11-member governing body (including chairman) are to be elected for a three-year tenure and the college principal will be made member-secretary (ex officio) of the body,’ according to the university proposal. The vice-chancellor will select the chairmen of the governing bodies.
   Each of the bodies will also include three elected representative from teachers and guardians and two patrons, one selected by the vice-chancellor and the other by the director general of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, and a registered physician.
   Alongside the government directives, the terms of references for the formation of the bodies are to consult the authorities for smooth running of the institution and to hold meetings according to government directive.
   It will have the authority to interfere in any problems and its solutions, the letter said, adding that ‘the bodies will review development planning and its amendments.’
   A number of professors of government colleges have, meanwhile, expressed their concern about it.
   ‘There are wide-spread allegations of corruption and chaos regarding the governing bodies in non-government institutions,’ a professor of a Dhaka government college told New Age.
   ‘Colleges will be politicised as the local lawmakers will be made chairmen of the bodies,’ he said. ‘Government institution teachers will be regulated by non-government persons.’
   ‘A meeting on the issue will hold soon,’ a high official in the ministry said. ‘The circular is expected to be issued immediately after the meeting,’ he said.
   Talking with New Age on Wednesday, the state minister for education, ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milan, said the ministry would approve the National University proposal after scrutiny at the meeting.
   ‘The government has taken the move to ensure to more regulation of the institutions,’ he said. ‘The government has no intention to create political pressure on the teachers of public colleges.’

At least 15 students were injured in clashes between the Jatiyatabadi Chattra Dal and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir at the Government Azam Khan Commerce University College in the Khulna city Friday morning, centring on giving welcome to admission seekers.
   Witnesses said an altercation took place between the ruling BNP-backed Chhatra Dal and the Jamaat-e-Islami-backed Shibir acitivists at around 9:15am when the Shibir activists left the place for a while.
   They then started throwing brick-bats on the Dal activists, injuring Saidur Rahman and Iftekhar Jamal Nabin injured. They were admitted to Khulna Sadar Hospital, said witnesses and the hospital sources.
   The Shibir activists then entered the campus, took control over the campus and torn the banners of different organisations.
   Violence spread on the campus when activists of Chhatra Dal, Bangladesh Chhatra League and Bangladesh Students’ Union separately entered the campus and stood against Shibir.
   Mahabubul Haque and Imrul Kayes Jewel of JCD, Arafat Hossain poltu of Chhatra League, Mehedi Hasan and Shariful Hasan of Shibir were injured. Among them, Mehedi Hasan was admitted to a local clinic and others were given first aid at the sadar hospital, local clinics.
   The witnesses said the Shibir activists left the campus at around 10:00am when the admission tests began. The Chhatra Dal, Chhatra League and Union activists brought out a procession on the campus, protesting against the attack and held a rally.
   They also alleged that Shibir activists attacked the rally with lethal weapons and started to throw brick-bats at around 11:00am when the admission test was about to end.
   They separately encountered the Shibir activists while at least five activists of different organisations were injured. They were given first aid.
   The college units of Dal, Chhatra League and Students Union blamed Shibir for the attack and alleged that the policemen watched the clash. They also declared Shibir unwanted on the campus.
   The Shibir activists, on the other hand, blamed JCD for attacking them. They also claimed that policemen were nothing but witnesses.
   The college principal, Professor Md Shamsuzzoha Sarkar, told New Age Friday noon that the clash began out of the college main gate, centring on giving welcome to the admission seekers.
   ‘Extra police were deployed as violence spread on the campus. The admission test, however, was held timely. About 1200 students took part in the test,’ he added.

Germany looks ahead to coming general election in Bangladesh as very ‘crucial’ for the country’s development and offered dialogue with the authorities on how best the polls could be held, the German ambassador, Dietrich Andreas, told the news agency on Friday.
   He said it is an offer of support and cooperation. This offer, of course, needs response from the authorities in Bangladesh. ‘If the Bangladesh authorities prepare the elections with full democratic commitment, they will be a success.’
   He said that such things as ‘the by-election in the Dhaka-10 constituency did not contribute to the feeling that elections in Bangladesh are held in a free and fair way under any circumstances.’
   Andreas, who attended February’s lender’s meeting in Washington, made his observations on terrorism in Bangladesh, corruption, separation of the judiciary from the executive, bilateral trade, investment and cultural cooperation, Dhaka’s macroeconomic success etc..
   He said there are difficulties relating to law and order and governance — a view widely shared by the public in this country. ‘We’re not interested in accusing somebody, but we discussed these problems trying to find a common approach to support the government in overcoming them” in the Washington meeting.
   While appreciating the progress made in different fields, the ambassador said that Bangladesh’s development partners believe that governance issues are very crucial to further development of Bangladesh.
   He noted that Bangladesh has attained success in macro-economy and progress in the last 10 years towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals by 2015 through reducing the level of poverty.
   The German diplomat said the recent developments like bomb attacks and a climate of insecurity caused great concerns and are ‘detrimental’ to Bangladesh’s development and image abroad.
   ‘One may argue with the definition of terrorism, but if bombs are thrown at leading politicians, at cultural functions, cinemas, mosques and churches, I think it is justified to speak about a threat of terrorist actions in Bangladesh.’
   The German envoy said the investigation of the grenade and other attacks and the prosecution of the perpetrators should have ‘the highest priority for the government which must clearly show that there is no tolerance against such types of violence.’
   On the Chittagong arms haul he noted with disappointments that, although it happened under the nose of the police and although many facts and names were reported in the media, no progress was known in bringing the culprits to justice. He warned that such incidents and the lack of prosecution must not be underestimated as a threat to regional stability.
   Welcoming government actions against some militant organisations and activists, Andreas hoped that the government’s action would be followed up with thorough investigations into militant activities.
   The ambassador said in a country like Bangladesh there might be extremist thinking among some people, but they should not be allowed to impose their extremist thinking on the majority of liberal-thinking people and society.
   Praising the measures against militant elements, he said, ‘This is a first step in the right direction and we are following with great attention the outcome of the investigations.’
   The German envoy hoped that the Anti-corruption Commission would soon start functioning in effective way to contain the level of corruption.
   He also emphasised that the government should take credible and strong efforts for quick separation of the judiciary from the executive for the betterment of the country and its people.
   The ambassador noted that it is better to develop bilateral trade rather than remain dependent on grants and named food processing, pharmaceuticals, light mechanical engineering, software services and development and leather as sectors with good potential for increased exports.

Garry Kasparov, the former world chess champion who is still considered the world’s greatest player, announced on Thursday that he was retiring from the professional game.
   The emotional grand master made the surprise announcement after winning the Linares chess tournament here against Bulgaria’s world number three Veselin Topalov, despite losing the final game.
   ‘I will continue to play chess because it is a lot of fun, but no longer on a professional level. I will still play simultaneous games or blitz (lightning-fast) games but nothing else,’ the 41-year-old told a news conference in this city in southern Spain.
   The Russian champion said he had taken the decision due to enormous pressure he had been under during the past few years and complained of a lack of support from the World Chess Federation (FIDE).

The incidents of repression against women increased alarmingly in the 16 districts of the Rajshahi division.
   A recent survey report prepared and published by two non-governmental organisations, ADG and Amader Samaj, based on the newspaper reports, said in 2004, about 950 incidents of repression were reported in the newspapers, which was higher than incidents reported in year 2003.
   The report said every day more than two women on an average were victims of such incidents.
   The report said the actual picture of women repression might be worse than what
   was recorded in the survey report as all incidents were not reported or published in newspapers.
   According to the survey, incidents of rape topped the list, followed by the number of killing of women.
   The number of rapes was reported to be 288, about 24 more than that in 2003; 136 women were killed after torture and rape in 2004, which was said to be the highest in seven years, the report said.
   The number of women becoming permanently disabled after sustaining acid burn was 24, the survey said. During the period, about 110 women were abducted, 58 were tortured for dowry and 80 women committed suicide after being tortured.
   There were 124 incidents of tortures on domestic helps and 130 incidents of attempt of rape and attack with sharp weapons during the period in 2004, the report said.
   The Pabna chapter Mahila Parishad president, Purabee Maitra and the secretary, Rubina Khatun, said when incidents of repression against women were on the rise, there were hardly any attempts to create awareness of such repression among the people.
   They demanded that the government should reform and enforce related laws strictly.

The Gabkhan channel has been closed for an indefinite period, disrupting river communication between Jhalakati and other parts of the country.
   The channel has been closed as a cargo ship sank in the canal near Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge on Thursday after it collided with an oil tanker.
   The cargo vessel, MV Trishna-1, bound for Bashundhara Cement Factory at Mongla from Chittagong with 1000 tonnes of cement, capsized in the channel at about 5.00pm after being hit by the oil tanker, MV Jamuna.
   Rocket steamer PS Lepcha anchored at Kawkhali and MV Sonartari at Jhalakati river port for a long following the closure of the channel for navigability.
   The Dhaka-bound rocket steamer, however, crossed through the channel under the supervision of the BIWTA officials. But the Khulna-bound vessels anchored at Jhalakati river port as these were bigger than the Lepcha.
   A cargo vessel, Sugandha-2, also got stuck at a shoal in the channel on the day.
   Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority had sent a team headed by its deputy director for rescue operation. The director said it is very difficult to salvage the sunken vessel immediately as it went under 40 feet deep water with 1000 tonnes of cement apart from accumulation of mud and sand.

A powerful bomb was recovered from near the Rangpur residence of the Jatiya Party chairman, HM Ershad, on Friday.
   The police said the bomb was lying near a grocery shop, only 150 yards away from the former president ‘Palli Nibash’ house at Alhaj Nagar.
   Later, an explosive team of the army came and kept the bomb in water on the spot.

The police recovered two powerful live grenades from Khoira Beels under Sripur union of Bagmara Friday noon. Grenade specialists from the army were called to deactivate the explosives.
   The Bagmara police said a number of young men, fishing in the swamp, found the grenades in the water.  They informed the local police who rushed to the spot and recovered the explosives.