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The Election Commission is planning to hold the long overdue elections to municipalities across the country in March next year as the related laws have already been passed in the parliament.
   ‘With the laws already passed in parliament, we can start taking preparation to hold the municipal polls in March,’ Election Commissi-oner M Sakhawat Hussain told a group of reporters at his office on Thursday.
   Parliament passed the Local Government (Municipality) Bill 2009 on September 14 paving the way for the Election Commission to conduct polls for the municipalities. On the same day, the Local Government (Union Parishad) Bill 2009 was also placed in parliament.
   The commission, earlier, expected the laws would be passed in the second session of parliament and accordingly planned to start holding local government elections, including that of Dhaka City Corporation, by October-November.
   The chief election commissioner, ATM Shamsul Huda, earlier on July 22 said polls for all government bodies were likely to begin in January 2010. Explaining the reasons for the delay in holding local government polls, he said, ‘The local government ordinances promulgated by the interim government have not yet been enacted into laws by the parliament.’
   Almost all municipalities and union councils served out their tenure about a year ago. There are 308 municipalities and 4,508 union councils in the country. Elections to these local government bodies were last held in February 2003.
   The Election Commission, headed by ATM Shamsul Huda, had announced a roadmap in July 2007 and said that parliamentary polls would be preceded by elections to city corporations, municipalities, and union and upazila councils.
   But the commission dropped the plan for elections to local government bodies before the parliamentary election in the face of opposition from all major political parties.
   Election commissioner M Sakhawat Hussain on Thursday once again said that EC was planning to introduce electronic voting machines, a move taken four years back, in the Dhaka City Corporation elections which is likely to be held in March next year.
   ‘We may try to use the electronic voting machines as a pilot project in some wards in the coming DCC election,’ the election commissioner said.
   The Election Commission, as early as 2004, had carried out a feasibility study and invited a experienced Indian company to demonstrate the process of EVMs.
   But the move, taken when MA Syed was the Chief Election Commissioner, virtually died down due to lack of interest among his successors and concerned EC officials.

The BNP’s secretary general, Khandaker Delwar Hossain, on Thursday blasted the state minister for law, Quamrul Islam, saying the minister has lost his head at getting such an ‘unexpectedly high post’ and is making unbalanced remarks.
   Delwar said the minister is not qualified to utter any remark about him.
   He told the government not to force the BNP to take to streets, saying that the consequence of such action would bring no good.
   ‘They are filing one fresh case after another against the opposition activists and oppressing them in a steamroller fashion, and yet they react when the activists protest against such oppression. The BNP will not be cowed by any threat,’ he said while speaking at a gathering of the Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal in Bhasani Auditorium, protesting against the demolition and defacing of the murals of late President Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia in several places across the country.
   ‘Where were you after 11 January, 2007? Where was your courage then to speak out and where was your sentiment for your leader Sheikh Hasina and the people? No one was found protesting then,’ said Delwar, aiming the remarks at Quamrul.
   The government was surprisingly silent about the applications of BNP leaders to withdraw the cases filed during emergency to harass them, said Delwar, adding that the government was not considering a single case filed against BNP members.
   Delwar said the imperialist axis wants to destroy democracy everywhere. ‘They have put Awami League in power and want to make us poorer. And the Awami League is submissive to them and is signing secret deals and making one after another anti-state move,’ he said.
   BNP joint secretaries general Mirza Abbas and Gayeshwar Chandra Roy were, among others, present at the gathering.

Student organisations on Thursday demanded that the education policy draft should be scrapped and another draft should be formulated proposing a universal, scientifically-oriented and unitrack policy.
   The organisations made the demand marking Education Day, commemorating the death of students rallying against the communal education policy formulated by the government in 1962.
   They said the spirit of the 1962 education movement, the movement of 1983 and students’ uprising of 1990 was not reflected in the education policy draft and the draft was contradictory, to a large extent, to the 10-point charter of demands of the All Party Students Unity.
   Three of the major political alliances agreed to meet the demands and two of them had not heeded the demands when they assumed office, the organisation leaders said.
   Various student bodies brought out processions and held rallies on the occasion. They placed flowers at Shiksha Adhikar Chatwar in front of Shiksha Bhaban.
   Students this day in 1962 went out on demonstrations in Dhaka, demanding cancellation of the report of the National Education Commission, headed by Hamudur Rahman, prepared by the military government.
   The police fired on the demonstrators of whom several students, including Mostafa, Wajiullah and Babul, were killed and many others injured.
   After the firing by the police, the student movement spread all over the country, sparking off the Six-Point Movement in 1966 and the mass uprising in 1969.
   The square has been set up in honour of the students who laid down their lives during movements against communalism and autocracy between 1962 and 1990.
   The Progressive Students’ Alliance, a combine of left-leaning organisations, brought out a procession and placed flowers at Shiksha Adhikar Chatwar, and held a rally at Aparajeya Bangla.
   The Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front and Bangladesh Chhatra Federation brought out processions in Dhaka University.
   Samajtantrik Chhatra Front at the rally condemned the process of formulation of the draft education policy and said the recommendations of the policy were against the spirit of the 10-point charter of demands of the students.
   They said they would protest against the government’s conspiracy to commercialise the education system.
   The Bangladesh Chhatra Federation brought out a procession and held a rally on the campus.
   The ruling Awami League’s associate body of students Bangladesh Chhatra League also placed flowers at Shiksha Adhikar Chatwar and thanked the government for making public the education policy draft and for inviting public opinions.

Gangsters killed another cabbie and took away his cab at Mirpur in Dhaka late Wednesday. This has been the second such incident in about two days.
   Criminals earlier Tuesday night stabbed another cabbie and took away his cab at Mirpur. The cabbie was Md Shamim, 35, a resident of Mathabanga in Nilphamari. Shamim later died in hospital early Wednesday.
   In the late Wednesday incident, a group of three hired a cab at Mirpur at about 11:30pm and as the cab got on the Mirpur Road, the group stabbed the driver, Nuruzzaman, and pushed him out of the car before driving away, the police said quoting witnesses.
   The critically injured cabbie, Nuruzzaman, was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where he died at 1:30am Thursday.
   The police arrested a suspected carjacker after a gunfight with a gang and later could recover the cab from the area early Thursday.
   A Pallabi police team on information on the incident reached the spot and fired into the gangsters,
   in which Imran, one of the gangsters, was injured.
   He was being treated in hospital in police custody.
   A case was lodged with the Pallabi police station in this connection.

As the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community Sharadiya Durgotsab begins on September 24, leaders of the Hindu community called for upholding the spirit of secularism in all spheres of national level to strengthen the democracy and national unity.
   At a press briefing at Dhakeswari Mandir in Dhaka Thursday, leaders of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad said this year puja would be arranged in around 24,000 mandaps, including 172, in the capital. They said the government allocated Tk 10 crore in addition to a special sanction of Tk 1 crore from the Prime Minister Fund.
   ‘We want a modern democratic state which will strengthen national unity, uphold secular spirit and ensure rights of every citizen irrespective of caste, creed and religion,’ said Satyendra Chandra Bhakta, general secretary of the Puja Udjapan Parishad.
   He urged the government to announce a four-day public holiday on the occasion of Durga Puja to allow people to celebrate the festival and take measures to show equal state honours to the religious festivals of all communities.
   In this regard, he called for illuminating Bangabhaban and all government buildings, decorating road and road islands with national and goodwill flags and messages, distributing improved diets in prisons, hospitals and orphanages on the occasion of Durga Puja.
   Chief adviser of the parishad, CR Dutta, president Nimchandra Bhoumik, Parimal Guha, Tapas Kumar Paul, Nirmal Chaterjee, Monju Dhar and Mihir Ranjan Haldar were present.
   The parishad leaders said their volunteers would be engaged in maintaining peace at mandaps. However, they urged the administration to take adequate measures for traffic control and checking any unpleasant incidents during the festival.
   CR Dutta said the number of mandaps had been in-creased this year due to ext-ended support from the government. The number of incidents before Puja is also less than previous years, he said.

A group of Ahle Hadith Andolan Bangladesh activists with help of some armed outsiders on Wednesday vandalised Al-Markajul Islam As-Salafi madrassah complex in Rajshahi to take control of the institution.
   Ahle Hadith Andolan leaders at a briefing in the city on Thursday demanded arrest and punishment of the people responsible for the attack.
   Asadullah Al Ghalib is the chairman of Ahle Hadith Andolan Bangladesh.
   The leaders said some activists of the organisation led by former Al-Markajul Islam As-Salafi superintendent Abdus Salam Salafi recently left the organisation.
   After the resignation, Abdus Salam Salafi had tried to have the madrassah closed, the leaders said. As part of the conspiracy, Salafi and some activists, who left the organisation, along with some armed outsiders entered the madrassah Wednesday noon in the absence of students and vandalised the complex. They also locked up some rooms.

Members of the Hindu community will celebrate Mahalaya, seven days before Durga Puja heralding its advent, today.
   Mahalaya is a kind of invocation or invitation to the mother goddess to descend on earth, done through chanting mantras from Chandi and singing devotional songs.
   Since the early 1930s, Mahalaya has been associated with Durga Puja with an early morning radio programme called ‘Mahisasura Mardini’ (annihilation of the demon).
   All India Radio first arranged the audio
   programme with recitation by Birendra Krishna Bhadra from the scriptural verses of ‘Chandi Kabya’ and Bengali
   devotional songs and classical music in pre-dawn hours.
   Bhadra has long passed away, but his recorded voice still forms the core of the Mahalaya programme, which is broadcast from other audio and visual media, has almost become synonymous with Mahalaya.
   Durga Puja committees across the country will arrange programme on the occasion. Dhaka Mohanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee will arrange special programme at Dhakeswari Temple on the occasion.

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, Thursday extended her warmest congratulations and heartiest felicitations to Yukio Hatoyama on his election as the prime minister of Japan.
   In a message, the prime minister said, ‘The overwhelming support of the people of Japan in your favour, in the just concluded election of the House of Representatives, is a clear expression of the trust and confidence they have in your leadership.’
   ‘We believe under your wise and able guidance Japan will continue to progress and prosper as a leading nation and play an important role in supporting global peace, stability and development,’ she said.
   Sheikh said Bangladesh and Japan enjoyed long-standing friendly ties deeply rooted in history. ‘We fondly recall your illustrious father’s visit to Bangladesh in 1977 as the foreign minister of Japan, which greatly contributed to the steady development of the excellent relations between our two countries,’ she said.
   The prime minister expressed her confidence that with the progressive outlook and personal dynamism of Hatoyama, the current relations between the two friendly countries would see further expansion in depth and dimension bringing meaningful benefits to our peoples.
   ‘In the coming days, it would, therefore, be my earnest desire to work closely with you towards attaining those aspired goals,’ she said.
   The prime minister wished good health, long life and happiness of Hatoyama as well as peace, progress and prosperity of the friendly people of Japan.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council Thursday approved six development projects involving Tk 3,240 crore, including Tk 764 crore in project aid.
   With the prime minister and ECNEC chairperson, Sheikh Hasina, in the chair, the ECNEC at a meeting in Sher-e- Banglanagar NEC conference room gave the approval to the development schemes.
   Among the approved schemes are one project for setting up Bangladesh University of Professionals, a unit of Bangladesh University Grants Commission and army headquarters, at Mirpur Cantonment under the education ministry, Dhaka University Special Development 2nd Phase (1st Revised) project under the education ministry, Revival of Community Healthcare Initiative in Bangladesh Project under the health and family welfare ministry, the revised project on installation of studio machinery at the extended building of the television centre in Dhaka, Emergency Disaster Damage Rehabilitation Projects 2007 (Part-E: Water Resources) (1st Revised) project under the water resources ministry, RCC Bridge Construction Project (Former Steel Bailey Bridge Construction Project, 2nd phase) 2nd Revised Project under the Local Government Department.
   Finance minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhith, planning minister AK Khandaker, water resources minister Ramesh Chandra Sen, commerce minister Faruk Khan, communications minister Syed Abul Hossain, shipping minister Shahjahan Khan, local government, rural development and cooperatives minister Syed Ashraful Islam, information minister Abul Kalam Azad, health and family welfare minister AFM Ruhal Haque, education minister Nurul Islam Nahid, advisers to prime minister HT Imam, Mosiur Rahman, Modasser Ali, Alauddin Ahmed and Toufiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury attended the meeting.

Joint forces recovered firearms, ammunition and arms manufacturing materials raiding tents of a separatist group of Myanmar in Fatrajhiree forest area at the bordering Naikhyongchhari upazila in Bandarbun on Wednesday.
   BDR and police sources said they seized six single-barrel and double-barrel guns, four bags of ammunition and some arms-manufacturing materials conducting raids on the tents.
   Commander of the 15th battalion of Bangladesh Rifles stationed at Naikhyongchhari, Lt Col Shafiul Azam, said on an information three teams of BDR personnel and policemen raided the Fatrajhiree forest at Rizu-Amtali area under Nikhyonchhari where the separatists were staying setting up tents for several days.
   He said that the separatists fled to Myanmar crossing the frontier sensing the raid.
   The Myanmar separatists frequently cross the border, locals said.
   Chairman of Ghumdhum union parishad Dipak Barua and member of Rezu-Amtali union parishad Farid Ahmed quoting the locals said a group of 15–16 activists of the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation, a separatist group of Myanmar, stayed in the tents at the Fatrajhiree forest during the last five days creating a concern among them.
   SP of Bandarbun, Kamrul Ahsan said additional SP Nihar Ranjan Howlader, ASP of Lama circle Mohidul Islam and officer-in-charge of Naikhyongchhari police station Obaidul Haque, along with 50 police personnel took part in the joint raids.

The newly set up Tea Resort and Museum has opened its doors in Moulvibazar for preserving the heritage of tea gardens and introducing the new generation to the culture and history of this industry.
   A project of Bangladesh Tea Board, the museum will be open for visitors without any entry free from Sunday.
   The Bangladesh Tea Board chairman, Major General Ruhul Amin, on Wednesday launched the museum located on the Srimangal-Kamalganj Road, two kilometres from Srimangal Sadar.
   The Bangladesh Tea Research Institute director, Mainul Haque, said they had arranged four rooms with furniture and other materials used in tea gardens during the British period and before pre-liberation Bangladesh.
   The materials and furniture include chairs and tables used by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, special coins used by tea workers, compass, clocks and watches, pump tube-wells, and beds, tables and water filters from London.
   The museum also displays ornaments, electric fans, fork, survey chain, radio, refrigerators and dressing tables used by the British planters and a car chassis used by former Pakistan president Ayub Khan.
   Haque said they were still trying to collect other antiques from tea garden areas. They have also plan to set up a new building for the museum, he added.
   The museum was previously known as Tea Resort.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday stayed for four weeks the bail the High Court granted to four accused in the case related to three murders at Tejgaon in Dhaka of June 26.
   Justice SK Sinha of the Appellate Division vacation chamber judge passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the government seeking permission to appeal against the bail.
   The High Court vacation bench of Justice AFM Abdur Rahman and Justice Md Rezaul Hasan on Wednesday granted interim bail for four months to Lutfar Rahman, president of the Ward 39 unit BNP, Nabi Solaiman, former religious affairs secretary of Juba Dal, and Abu Sayeed and Nurul Islam, two ward-level leaders of the BNP.
   After hearing petitions filed by the four seeking bail in the case, the court also asked the government to explain why the petitioners should not be granted regular bail.
   On June 26, a group of assailants shot dead three people, including two businessmen who were local leaders of the ruling alliance, and wounded another in the Karwan Bazar kitchen market.
   The deceased were M Faruque Mollah, 55, president of the Karwan Bazar Fruit Traders’ Association and Tejgaon unit Jatiya Party general secretary, Ashraf Miah, 53, former vice president of the DIT Market Traders’ Association and senior vice-president of Ward 39 unit Awami League, and Nuruddin Sarkar Jewel, 35, Faruque’s bodyguard.
   Faruque’s brother Mobarok Hossain Mollah filed a case with the Tejgaon police the same day accusing the four and seven other unnamed people in connection with the killing.
   Metropolitan sessions judge ANM Basir Ullah on August 30 sent the four to jail after they had surrendered in court seeking bail in the case.

A court in Dhaka on Thursday granted a three-day remand to a local BNP leader and Dhaka City Corporation’s councillor of Ward-53 in connection with the bomb blast case at the Communist Party of Bangladesh’s rally in 2001.
   The Criminal Investigation Department had shown Arifur Rahman arrested on Wednesday in this connection after he was picked up from his residence in Malibagh on Tuesday evening.
   The police on Wednesday produced him in the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court and sought a 10-day remand, but he was sent to the Dhaka Central Jail after the court fixed the hearing of the remand prayer on Thursday.
   Metropolitan Magistrate Munshi Abdul Majid granted a three-day remand after the Criminal Investigation Department brought Arifur to the court on Thursday.
   ‘The councillor was arrested in connection with the blasts at a rally of the Communist Party of Bangladesh on 20 January, 2001 after vital information was divulged during interrogation by others accused in the case,’ the Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police of the CID, Abdul Kahhar Akand, told New Age.
   Seven persons were killed and 50 others injured in nearly simultaneous bomb blasts at a rally of the Communist Party of Bangladesh in Paltan Maidanand near the Awami League headquarters on 20 January, 2001.

Dr Noor Mohammad was appointed new assistant representative of United Nations Population Fund on Wednesday.
   Prior to his new assignment, Dr Noor was working with UNFPA as National Programme Officer for Youth and Education.
   Dr Noor won the Population Leadership Programme Award from the University of Washington.

The High Court on Thursday granted interim anticipatory bail to BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury in a treason case in which a Tangail court had issued a warrant for his arrest.
   The High Court vacation bench of Justice AFM Abdur Rahman and Justice Md Rezaul Hasan also asked the government to explain why Salauddin should not be granted regular anticipatory bail in the case.
   The court passed the order after hearing a petition filed by Salauddin, seeking bail in the case.
   On September 10, judicial magistrate Mohammad Wayez Al Baruni issued the warrant for the arrest of Salauddin in the case filed against him for reportedly making a very provocative statement to media on August 14, saying, ‘If the events of 11 January, 2007 [when emergency was enforced ahead of 22 January, 2007] are considered unavoidable, then the events of 15 August, 1975 [when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was killed along with his family members excepting Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana] can also be considered unavoidable.’
   The AL’s Tangail district unit’s Juba League’s vice-president, Abdur Rahim Mollah, filed the case with the Tangail judicial magistrate’s court on August 19, alleging that Salauddin was involved in ‘unseating the then elected government’ as well as ‘killing Bangabandhu’ along with most of his family members in 1975.
   After hearing the complainant, the court ordered the assistant commissioner (land), Shaila Yasmin, to submit a report on the allegation after investigation by August 9.
   The arrest warrant was issued after Shaila submitted her report, stating that ‘the allegations of the plaintiff were borne out by the statements of the accused as published in different dailies’.
   Meanwhile, the same High Court bench directed the government not to arrest or harass BNP leader Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu in three extortion cases filed against him with the Natore police station in 2007.