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The government has yet to complete the recruitment process of several thousand jobseekers under the food department even after nearly two years, causing immense sufferings to them.
   Food ministry sources said the establishment ministry issued the clearance order on October 3, 2005 for the fulfilment of some 3,106 vacant posts of Class III and Class IV employees at the Department of Food.
   As the department failed to complete the entire recruitment process for Class IV employees by October 2, 2006, the establishment ministry extended the deadline for two times till November 30, 2006 and January 4, 2007.
   But the food and disaster management ministry has yet to issue the appointment letters.
   The ministry also fixed the deadline for completion of the appointment process of Class III employees by January 20 this year, but the food department failed to complete the process, sources in the food ministry said.
   About the recruitment of Class IV employees, the food department director general, Molla Waheduzzaman, said that the previous appointment process was not fair.
   An April 22 letter signed by the director general also said that the timeframe of the clearance order has already expired and asked the establishment ministry to issue new clearance order soon.
   As the interview is a lengthy process and a large number of candidates have interview, the district committees should interview them, but it should not be held centrally, the letter said.
   The official suggested that the government should form four-member selection committees, headed by the district food controllers as the conveners, in each district for the appointment of Class IV employees.
   Meanwhile, 450,643 applications had been submitted against vacant posts of 18 categories of both Class III and IV employees. The last date for submission of the application was May 25, 2006.
   The food department completed the interview for the candidates of Class IV employees from July 11 to September 17 last year, but could not issue appointment letters yet, the sources said, adding that the authorities also formed twelve boards to the interview process.
   The letter proposed to issue clearance order for 1477 posts of Class III employees. Of them, 4 posts are for steno, 350 for food inspector, 350 for sub-inspector of food, 550 for assistant sub-inspector of food, 50 for upper division clerk, 30 for auditor, 4 for assistant foreman, 10 for typist, 4 for supervisor, 20 for assistant operator, 5 for vehicle mechanic and 100 posts for driver.
   On the other hand, the letter asked to issue clearance order for proposed 1307 vacant posts for Class IV employees. Sixty-four of them for spray man, 1000 for gate keepers, 57 for MLSS, 31 for night guards, 5 for driver assistants and 150 posts for sweepers.
   The approved posts for Class III and IV employees under the department are 12,705 while some 6,312 posts remain vacant till now.

Government and non-governmental organisations working for the development of 1.64 crore people with disabilities have had no major success in 10 years since the establishment of the National Pratibandhi Foundation in 1998.
   The government had established the foundation to
   monitor the programmes undertaken for the people
   with disabilities across the country.
   The National Grassroots Disability Federation general secretary, Habibur Rahman, said a number of NGOs are run by the people who do not have any disabilities. ‘The NGOs are making money in the name of welfare for the people with disabilities.’
   The activities of the foundation need to be transparent and it should be made accountable, he said.
   When asked about the success of the foundation, its deputy director Salma Nasreen said, ‘The foundation has been facing multiple problems. We need more help and support from the social welfare ministry.’
   ‘People with disabilities are not, in fact, disabled. We need to change the mentality of the common people,’ she told a recent conference in Dhaka.
   The federation in collaboration with the Action on Disability and Development works for the development of the people with disabilities in 27 districts.
   The federation president, Akter Hossain, said there was no inclusion of the people with disabilities in the national policymaking bodies working for their welfare. ‘In many cases, people misbehave with a person with disability,’ he said.
   At a recent programme in the CIRDAP auditorium in Dhaka, Sara Hossain said that about 90 per cent of lawyers were not aware of the laws related to peple with disabilities.
   A source in the foundation told New Age the government had allocated Tk 25 crore for the foundation in 2006 to be distributed among the organisations working with the people with disabilities. It distributed the money among 500 NGOs. ‘Most of the money has been misused,’ said a person with disability in the conference.
   The ADD’s country representative Mosharraf Hossain said, ‘Repression on the people with disabilities still continues, although their dignity has been increased.’ He demanded that discrimination against such people should be eliminated, both in private and public sectors.
   The law for the reservation of a 10 per cent quota in services for people with disabilities has not yet been implemented, said such a person, adding people with disabilities, especially women, have no access to government services and benefits. ‘A rights-based society for the welfare of the physically challenged people has not yet been established.’
   The representation of the people with disabilities in policymaking bodies working with the issues of such people has not yet been ensured, said Julekha Akter, a member of the National Council for Disabled Women.
   Another disabled such man, Ibrahim Hossain, said the law formulated in 2001 cannot protect the rights of the people with disabilities. He stressed the need for ratification of the UN convention, adopted on December 13, 2006, on the rights of people with disabilities. Mizanur Rahman, a law teacher of Dhaka University, also echoed the same.

Two brothers died after a pickup that was carrying the body of their father was hit by a truck on the Barisal-Dhaka Highway Friday afternoon.
   Three other pickup passengers severely wounded in the accident were admitted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barisal. The truck managed to get away.
   The Gaurnadi police officer-in-charge, Imtizar Rahman, highway police, the injured and the relatives of the victims said Barek Mridha, 55, died of asthma at Demra in Dhaka Thursday night.
   The family was taking the body to Bhushinga at Bauphal in Patuakhali for burial. The truck hit the pickup at about 3:30pm Friday near the Ashukati Proshika office at Gaurnadi.
   Bashar Mridha, 26, and Russel Mridha, 22, both sons of Barek Mridha, died on the spot.
   Critically injured Akbar Ali, 31, son-in-law of Barek Mridha, Mizanur Rahman, 24, and Ismail, 29, family friends of the victims, were admitted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital Barisal.

Two suspected activists of the Islamist outfit Hizbe Abu Umr have been taken back to Barisal on Friday after they were interrogated in custody for seven days by the joint interrogation cell in Dhaka.
   They were sent to jail after they were produced in a trial court in Barisal in the evening on Thursday.
   The Detective Branch officer-in-charge of the Barisal metropolitan police, Safar Rahman, also the investigation officer, who lodged the cases against the two suspected militants under explosive substances and sedition acts, said Maulana Md Jobaer Shikdar and imam Maulana Sheikh Akramuzzaman had divulged important bits of information during the interrogation in Dhaka.
   He said other suspected activists of the militant outfit arrested at other parts of the country would be taken to Barisal for interrogation face-to-face Jobaer Shikdar and Akramuzzaman.
   Sources in the court and the police said the Rapid Action Battalion arrested Akramuzzaman, imam of the Shayestabad mosques, and Jobaer Shikdar, principal of the Dharmadi madrassah during April 4–5 in possession of four grenades, explosive and bomb -making materials, and sharp weapons
   The deputy assistant director of the Barisal kotwali police, Abdur Rashid, lodged the two cases against 13 Hizbe Abu Umr activists, including Akramuzzamand and Jobaer.
   Eleven others accused in the cases are Abdur Rouf of Rajair in Madaripur, Abu Yusuf Sagor of Bakerganj, Abul Bashar of Maheshpur, Hozzaika Babu and Mehdi Hassan Kafi of Sagardi in Barisal, Mustafizur Rahman Bayezid and Mahbub of Kashiani in Gopalganj, Harun of Bijoysingh and Emdadul Huq of Sonagaji at Feni in Noakhali, Mustafa of Chauddagram in Comilla and Nazmul Huq alias Rafiqul Islam of Arambugh in Dhaka.
   Akramuzzaman and Jobaer were interrogated in custody for five days, from 10 to April 14 in the explosive case in Barisal and in custody for seven days, from April 20 to April27, in the sedition case in Dhaka.

Media people have stressed that issues relating to food security need to get focussed attention to ensure sustained access to food for the extreme poor, especially vulnerable groups in the country.
   They came up with the views at a discussion organised by CARE Bangladesh seeking a bigger role of the media in ensuring food security and social accountability in Bangladesh.
   Syed Badrul Ahsan, current affairs editor of the Daily Star, presented the keynote paper at the discussion held at the CIRDAP auditorium.
   Samakal deputy editor Mozammel Hossain Manju, Ekushey Television commissioning editor Parvez Chowdhury and rights activist Abul Hasib Khan joined the discussion moderated by CARE executive HK Das.
   CARE country director Steve Wallace and officials Jamil Ahmed and Sajedul Hasan spoke about the development agency’s ongoing programmes aimed at increasing poor people’s access to food and strengthening household ability for exploring development opportunities.
   Syed Badrul Ahsan stressed the need for stronger partnership between the media and oraganisations working on food issues. ‘Food security issue ought to be stressed as part of the programmes the political parties mean to launch in their campaign to attain power at the state level,’ he said.
   Mozammel Hossain Manju said the media could play a strong role in the campaign for ensuring food security for the marginal groups. ‘If the media was strong enough like present time, the famine of 1974 could have been averted.’
   Parvez Chowdhury said the electronic media in Bangladesh has little focus on people’s issues compared with their attention to corporate character.
   Abul Hasib Khan said until the buying capacity of the poor could be increased, they would continue to have limited or no access to food. ‘And the media should focus it.’

A man was electrocuted at Kotwali in Old Town of Dhaka Thursday night and at least eight, including four children and two DESA electricians, sustained injuries when they came in contact with a dislodged live electric wire at Alam Market at Jurain Friday afternoon.
   In Old Town, the police said Masum Mian, 45, son of Mohammad Alauddin, died on the spot when he came in touch with a live electric wire on Mitford Road at around 10.30pm Thursday.
   The body of the victim was sent to the Mitford Hospital morgue for a post-mortem organisation.
   At Jurain, Sanjida Khatun, 10, Alamgir Hossain, 10, Abdus Samad, 40, Mohammad Sentu, 23, Shihab Hossain, 8, Al Amin, 8 and two Dhaka Electric Supply Authority electricians Amir Hossain, 42, and Mohammad Matin, 40 sustained injuries as live electric wire fell on them.
   Local people said a live electric wire fell on them in front of the Alam Super Market at about 12:10pm after the storm Thursday night. The area has remained without power since then.
   Informed, DESA linesmen went to the place for repair of the line at about 4:45pm. As they were working, another live electric wire fell off the pole, in which eight of the people, gathering at the place to seek the linesmen working, became injured.
   The injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where they were under treatment there till Friday night.
   Of the injured, DESA linesman Amir Hossain is reported to be ain a critical state.

The British high commissioner, Anwar Choudhury, has said it is vital for the people of the UK and Bangladesh to articulate common values of peace, tolerance, social justice, human rights and democracy.
   ‘We will continue to work together to counter the threat of those who seek to profit from division, suspicion and violence and to address the root causes of extremism…,’ he said at a reception at the high commission Thursday evening, marking the birthday of Queen Elizabeth 11.
   Saying that Bangladesh and Britain enjoy special bilateral relations, the envoy said British Council was doing a great job in promoting people-to-people links and cultural exchange.
   He said the UK welcomed genuine applicants because they have much to offer, just as they have much to gain from Britain as a place of business, study, tourism and family life.
   Choudhury said the UK remained one of the largest investors in Bangladesh and a key market for Bangladeshi exports. The UK companies are taking a lead in making corporate social responsibility work in Bangladesh.
   On aid programme, he said Britain intended to scale up its contribution substantially from current bilateral aid programme of 125 million pound a year ($250million). The high commissioner said the UK was committed to working in partnership with Bangladesh to achieve its millennium development goals and to lift millions out of poverty for good.

The Awami League general secretary, Abdul Jalil, left Dhaka for Singapore Friday night for treatment.
   ‘I will fly for Singapore tonight [Friday] for regular medical check-up and will return on May 2,’ Jalil told New Age in the afternoon. Jalil said that Syed Ashraful Islam would act as the party general secretary in his absence.

Residents vacated an apartment building fearing collapse anytime following appearance of a crack in it in the city’s Dhanmandi area.
   The locals said the crack appeared in the second, third and the top floor of the six-storey Green Jesmine Apartment on Road No 7 at Dhanmandi in the first week of April. It posed threat to the inmates of the building on Wednesday evening.
   Seeing the cracks widening, 15 families who used to reside in the building started leaving it and they vacated it completely on Friday.
   The building, located in between Northern International Medical College Hospital and South Bridge International School, also panicked the residents of the adjacent buildings.
   The members of police and Rapid Action Battalion reached the spot upon information on Friday afternoon.

The Election Commission has moved to make a new law empowering expatriate Bangladeshis to vote in national elections. Dual citizenship is an obstacle.
   In a telephone interview Friday, election commissioner Sahul Hosain told the news agency, ‘After reviewing the Representation of the
   People Order, 1972, we
   have realised reforming or amending this law alone is not enough to give the expatriates franchise’.
   ‘We are also reviewing laws related to citizenship and the constitution for the purpose. We have to make a new law for expatriate franchise.’
   The former law secretary mentioned that many expatriate Bangladeshis appealed to the High Court and obtained orders in favour of their franchise. ‘We have to consider the court orders too.’
   Sahul said, ‘We need to grant franchise to all expatriates including those who are Bangladeshi by birth and have been living abroad for three generations.’
   Asked if there exists any
   legal complication, Sahul said, ‘Dual citizenship here
   poses a hindrance and we are reviewing franchise laws as relevant laws differ from country to country.’
   Sahul said Bangladeshis who migrated to other countries as professionals would be able to cast their votes if they are included in the new voters’ roll with photographs.
   He also said the expatriates were remitting millions home which also was an indicator of their patriotism that might erode eventually if they were denied franchise.
   Another EC official said the Election Commission would decide the issue of granting expatriate franchise after consulting journalists, political parties and a meeting with the ministries of foreign affairs and law.
   The commission has to decide whether the expatriates will cast their votes through the embassies abroad or via email or using postal ballots.
   The EC has already had a daylong meeting Thursday with civil society representatives discussing expatriates franchise.

A man was killed in an encounter with the Rapid Action Battalion at Shamlapur of Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar early Friday, taking to 807 the number of such deaths after June 2004.
   The deceased, Syed Kashem, 32, a resident of Shamlapur, was the chief of a pirates’ gang active in the Bay of Bengal, the battalion said.
   The battalion said their patrol team found a group of 10 to 12 people roaming about in the Jhauban area at Shamlapur at about 4:00am and challenged them.
   The men ran into the
   nearby bush and started firing on the battalion, forcing the battalion to fire back, the battalion said, adding the people left the place within few minutes.
   The battalion then conducted a search in the bush and found Kashem lying on the ground, wounded with bullet.
   He was taken to the local health complex where he was declared dead, the battalion said.
   The battalion seized a 303 rifle, a single-barrel gun, a light gun and three cartridges from the place.

The Rangpur police arrested 31 persons from different places in the district during the past 24 hours till 6:00pm on Friday.
   The police said the arrested include warrantees, absconding convict and accused persons, drug-peddlers, terrorists, muggers, thieves and other anti-social elements. They also recovered ganja, wine and lethal weapons.
   The Badarganj police arrested absconding convict Shahadat Hossain, from his house at Kutubpur Khiarpara in Badarganj.
   The Kotwali police arrested 10 persons, Gangachara police two, Badarganj police five, Mithapukur police six, Pirganj police four, Pirgacha police two and Kawnia police arrested two persons during the period. The arrested persons were sent to jail when police produced them before different Rangpur courts this afternoon.

Roads and Highways investigators detected misappropriation of Tk 6.25 crore collected as tolls from two bridges on Dhaka-Barisal highway during the last three years and a half.
   The money was collected from vehicles crossing the Birsrestho Captain Mohiuddin Bridge at Doarika and Major MA Jalil Bridge at Shikarpur on the highway, officials at the Roads and Highways Department said.
   Investigation and vigilance committees formed by the department found evidences that an amount of about Tk 6.25 crore of the total tolls was not deposited with the exchequer, meaning that Tk 25,000 of the bridge tolls was misappropriated per day on an average.
   To have a real picture of average toll collection, a vigilance team conducted a week-long survey and collected Tk 1.75 lakh on an average daily from vehicles passing through the bridges. The average would be around Tk 1.5 lakh three-and-half years back, they estimated.
   Shahin Sarkar, sub-divisional engineer of Barisal R&H and other sources said the department itself collected bridge tolls from 2003 till day and six previous months after complications arose out of the lease contact in 2002.
   R7H officials and staff engaged in the collection deposited an average of only Tk 1.5 lakh with the exchequer as tolls.
   After media reporting on corruption in bridge toll collection, the joint forces monitored toll collection between January 20 and April 24.
   R&H department also formed two investigation and vigilance committees headed by Abdur Razzak, executive engineer of Madaripur and Sushil Chandra Saha, executive engineer of Gopanganj district R&H. Their spot investigation and vigilances continued until April 19.
   During collection of tolls in April, these two committees daily collection averaged Tk. 1.75 lakhs and peaked to Tk 1.90 lakh.
   Shahin Sikder, SDE of Barisal R&H, said the toll collection during the period might have gone up due to increased vigilances and a surge in the number of vehicles carrying seasonal fruits.
   Earlier, transports of government and semi-government offices and officials, journalists, poor rickshaw and rickshaw van pullers, bi-cyclists were exempted from tolls. But all these categories were to pay toll during the vigilance period, he added.
   Abdur Razzak and Sushil Chandra Saha, who led the two teams, denied any comment. They would submit their findings to the chief engineer of R&H department within this month, officials said.

Seven hundred workers died and 4,238 were injured in work-related accidents in different industries of the country last year.
   The Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation revealed the figures at a press conference at the Dhaka Photo Journalists’ Association Friday on the eve of World Day for Safety and Health at Work on April 28.
   In a report on workers’ occupational safety, the foundation said two workers die and 12 get crippled in accidents at work a day because of unsafe work environment.
   Majority of the casualties occur in garment factories. Construction and scraps sectors come second and third.
   The situation has been deteriorating because of improper implementation of labour laws of the country, the foundation leaders said, adding: In 2006, a new labour code had been enacted but no step was taken to implement it. added.
   Md Nure Alam, who was wounded in the Spectrum garment factory collapse in Savar, alleged that the victims of the accident were assured of all out cooperation but the workers did not get any help. Even the owners did not pay compensation, he said.
   The foundation vice-chairman, SM Morshed, read out a statement at the press conference.