Developed nations urged to pay
back their carbon debt
Civil society protest in Dhaka, London
Staff Correspondent
Some 21 civil society organizations called upon the developed country representatives and donors, who are participating in Bangladesh Development Forum, to pay their ‘carbon debt’ as compensation for global warming and climate change.
The Bangladesh government on Monday began a two-day dialogue with multilateral lenders and donor countries in Dhaka seeking approval of the poverty reduction strategy, a lender-driven development document.
The rights activists, who also staged a human chain, said that Bangladesh is facing the most catastrophic fall out of climate change, which is the result of high carbon emissions, historically, by the developed countries.
The protesting rights organizations are — Arpon, AMKS, Eso, Bangladesh Krishak Federation, CSRL, EquityBD, Kishani Shova, Lead Trust, On line knowledge centre, Potikrit, La via campesina, MFTD, Prantik, Purbasha, RCASV, Swadhin Bangla Garments Sramik Federation, Solidarity Workshop, Sirajganj Flood Forum, Uddipan, Voice and World Development Movement, UK.
They formed the human chain in front of National Press Club to remind the donor and developed country representatives to keep their commitment to help the poor nations in facing the challenge of climate change.
They expressed their dismay that the developed countries were not keeping their commitment in supporting the countries vulnerable to climate change.
In a joint statement, they also claimed that the developed countries are indebted to the people of Bangladesh and they should pay their carbon debt.
Mustafa Kamal Akanda of EquityBD, Badrul Alam of La Via Campesina, Feroz Ahmed of Lead Trust, Prodip Roy of On Line Knowledge Centre, and Shamsuddoha and Rezaul K Chowdhury of EquityBD, among others, also spoke at the human chain.
In the statement they mentioned that in recent years Bangladesh has been facing recurring and more intense cyclonic disasters which have clear link with the climate change.
Cyclone SIDR in Bangladesh in 2007 took a toll of 4,000 lives and US $ 1.7 billions of in economic loss. Then again cyclone AILA in Bangladesh in 2009 caused death of 150 people and destroyed property worth US $ 1.5 billions.
But so far Bangladesh has received less then 20 per cent in aid to recover the economic loss caused by these disasters.
Meanwhile Bangladesh is already indebted in such a way that the country has to pay 20 per cent of its revenue budget as debt servicing liabilities, which is much higher than its annual health and education budget.
The rights activists mentioned that debt business, capitalizing the climate crisis, by the developed countries was an injustice. The developed countries did injustice historically by utilizing more atmospheric space and global public goods than their fair shares.
Meanwhile, another rally was also organized in front of the office of Britain’s donor agency, Department for International Development, in London.
The rally was jointly organized by World Development Movement, Jubilee Debt Campaign UK, Friends of the Earth and Christian Aid.
They were critical of the role of DFID as this organization is pressing Bangladesh government to allow World Bank to manage the multi-donor trust fund on climate change.
Besides, in response to a joint call by EquityBD and WDM, thousands of people in the UK sent e-mails to the British Prime Minister for not channelling climate funds for Bangladesh through the World Bank.
The also called upon the British government to allocate special climate funds in addition to the existing ODA commitment.
Organisers declared that they would hold a similar rally and human chain in front of national press club on Tuesday, demanding sovereign, democratic and responsible financing to ensure that aid reaches the poor through a transparent and locally accountable means, a press release on Monday said.
One stabbed to death in city
United News of Bangladesh . Dhaka
A tribal man was stabbed to death while his friend injured in an attack by muggers in the city’s Mohammadpur area early Monday.
The deceased was Amit Rema, 26, son of Mohit Rema, of East Raja Bazar in Tejgaon thana of the capital.
The police, quoting family sources, said armed muggers coming in a microbus swooped on Amit and Sohag at about 1:45am just after they got down from a bus at Asad Gate in Mohammadpur area.
At one stage, they stabbed them indiscriminately, as the victims screamed for help while they tried to snatch valuables from them.
‘Amit died on the spot while Sohag was taken to Orthopaedic Hospital,’ said eyewitness.
‘They came under mugger’s attack when they were returning in Dhaka from Netrakona after attending a religious function Sunday night,’ the sources said.
Hearing screams, a patrol police team of Mohammadpur thana went to the spot and detained one of gang, Sujan alias Monir, 24, with a big-sized knife.
Acting on Monir’s confession, the police carried out a drive at Graveyard in Tajmahal road area to track down the fugitive muggers.
Sensing police presence, the gangsters fired shots targeting police, triggering a gunfight, the police said.
Three alleged muggers — Habib, 24, Ershad alias Munna, 26, and Monirul, 25, — were arrested along with a bullet-loaded revolver.
A case was filed.
Thailand to extradite 28
Bangladeshi prisoners
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha . Dhaka
Thailand is to expatriate 28 Bangladeshis languishing in Thai jails for
different periods, a foreign office statement said in Dhaka on Monday.
It said the Thai decision came after a meeting between the charge
d’affaires in Bangkok, Paban Chowdhury, and Thai foreign ministry director, Chitraporn Arpornart, at the latter’s office.
According to the
statement in line with the decision a Biman Bangladesh Airlines would carry them back home on February 17 evening.
‘The Embassy is now in the process of issuing Travel permits for them,’ the statement said.
Bangladesh and Thailand have an extradition treaty which was signed in 1998.
Galachipa UZ chairman, municipality
mayor attacked
United News of Bangladesh . Patuakhali
Galachipa upazila chairman Harun-ar-Rashid and municipality mayor Abdul Wahab Khalifa were assaulted allegedly by the ruling Awami League activists in an internal rivalry in the party Monday.
The police rescued them and took to Patuakhali General Hospital.
Rashid said he and Wahab after attending the district coordination committee meeting were returning in a rickshaw in the afternoon when a group of assailants attacked them in front of Patuakhali Girls High School. The attackers beat them indiscriminately with iron rods and sticks.
He squarely accused Golam Maola Rony MP of Awami League for deploying his musclemen for the armed attack on them. The chairman and mayor also belonged to Awami League. They are having bitter relations with Rony and their groups engaged in clashes in the past.
Rony was not immediately available to comment on the allegation against him.
Section 144 imposed in Ctg
United News of Bangladesh . Chittagong
Local administration on Monday imposed Section 144 in Dhoparhat ground in Sandwip upazila as the Awami League and Chhatra League leaders called separate meetings there at the same time.
The police said upazila unit BCL called its conference at Dhoparhat ground while the local Awami League arranged a rally at the same venue protesting at the recent killing of a BCL leader at Rajshahi University.
Under the circumstances, the authority slapped ban to fend off any trouble.
A tense situation was prevailing in the area as the meetings could not be held.
Milad-un-Nabi on Feb 27
United News of Bangladesh . Dhaka
The holy Milad-un-Nabi will be celebrated across the country on February 27 as the Rabiul Awal moon was sighted on Monday.
This was announced by the Islamic Foundation after a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee in the evening that ascertained the sighting of the new moon.
Three of a family killed
in road crash
United News of Bangladesh . Sylhet
Three people of a family were killed and another was injured critically as a truck rammed into their auto-rickshaw at Osmaninagar in Balaganj upazila Monday afternoon.
The deceased were Nuresa Begum, 50, widow of Arifullah, her sons Rafique Mia, 28, and Quiyum, 24.
10 hurt as BCL factions
clash in Kushtia
United News of Bangladesh . Kushtia
At least 10 people were injured in clashes between two factions of Chhatra League on Kushtia Government College campus Monday.
The police quoting witnesses said supporters of Saiful-Mamun group equipped with lethal weapons entered the college at about 10:00am to establish their supremacy.
Hearing the news, supporters of Hannan-Zahid group brought out a protest procession on the campus. But, Saiful-Mamun group intercepted the procession, chased and drove them out from the campus.
Later, a chase and counter chase took place between the two groups on the campus and continued till 12:00pm. They fired three gunshots and pelted brickbats to each other, leaving a number of activists from both sides injured.
The police went to the spot and brought the situation control after lobbing seven rounds tear gas shell.
The police recovered six lethal weapons from Kataikhana crossing and College crossing.
Additional police have been deployed on the campus to fend off further trouble.
HC again defers hearing of
Khaleda’s cantt house case
Staff Correspondent
The High Court on Monday deferred till March 1 the hearing of the rule issued earlier, asking the government to explain why the third notice served on BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to vacate the cantonment house would not be declared illegal.
The High Court bench of Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice ATM Fazle Kabir passed the order after TH Khan, the counsel for former premier Khaleda, sought a month’s time for the hearing.
Khaleda’s case came up for hearing in the High Court bench on Monday as attorney general Mahbubey Alam had replied to the rule and prayed for expeditious disposal of the case.
The High Court bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury on 27 May, 2009 stayed for three months the operation of the third notice issued by the government on 24 May, 2009, asking leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia to vacate the house in Dhaka cantonment.
The Directorate of Military Land and Cantonments issued the notice after the Cabinet on 8 April, 2009 decided to cancel Khaleda’s leasehold of the house that was allotted to her after her husband, President Ziaur Rahman, was killed in a military putsch on 30 May, 1981.
Khaleda filed the writ petition on 3 May, 2009, challenging the notice issued by the directorate on April 20 that asked her to vacate the house (6, Moinul Road in Dhaka cantonment) within 15 days.
She also filed a supplementary petition on 17 May, 2009, challenging the second notice served by the directorate on 7 May, 2009, asking her to explain in 15 days why she would not be directed to return the house to the military estates officer.
Khaleda replied to the second notice on 10 May, 2009, asking the directorate to recall the notice as it was ‘illegal.’
The directorate issued the third notice on 24 May, 2009, asking her to hand over the house in which the Zia family has been living since the 1970s, to the military estates officer by 30 June, 2009, and Khaleda filed a supplementary petition on 27 July, 2009, challenging the third notice.
Bomb-like objects found in
front of Khaleda’s office
Police say that they were harmless
firecrackers, not real bombs
Staff Correspondent
Police on Monday seized two bomb-like objects in front of the office of Khaleda Zia, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s chairperson, in Gulshan.
The office’s executive, Jasim Uddin, told New Age that the security guards of the office found something wrapped with red scotch tape beside gate of the office while making a routine check in the morning.
‘The guards immediately informed us and we called in the police, and they took the thing away at around 8:30am. We intensified our search and found another object which was hidden underneath fallen leaves beside the drain in front of the office,’ he said.
As the news spread several hundred agitated activists rushed to the office and began chanting slogans. Demonstrations were also held in front of the party’s central office at Naya Paltan and various district units.
Assistant commissioner (patrol) of the Gulsan zone police, Abdul Warish, told New Age that the objects were not bombs at all. ‘They are mere firecrackers and would have hurt no one if they had exploded.’
The additional deputy commissioner (media) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Walid Hossain, said a bomb disposal unit from the Detective Branch went to the spot and defused the objects and found only sulphur with some small stones kept in round containers.
‘There was no chance of explosion. The objects might have been left intentionally to create panic,’ he told New Age.
The BNP-backing lawyers also demonstrated in the Supreme Court’s premises, denouncing the attempted attack on the BNP’s chief.
The party’s standing committee member and former speaker, Jamiruddin Sircar, at the impromptu rally said that like Sheikh Mujib her daughter has established another BKSAL in disguise and is relentlessly oppressing the opposition activists.
‘They are attempting bomb attacks on Khaleda Zia in a BKSAL manner,’ he said, and called on countrymen to thwart such evil acts at any cost. He also criticised the ruling party for trying to keep them out of the Parliament by making indecent remarks.
Senior lawyers Najmul Huda, Khandakar Mahbub Hossain, Rafiqul Islam Mia, Aminul Huq, Mahbubuddin Khokan and Nasiruddin Asim also spoke at the rally.
The BNP’s secretary general, Khandakar Delwar Hossain, in a statement expressed concern at the finding of bombs in front of the BNP chief’s office.
He asked the government to provide adequate security measures for the leader of the opposition and demanded exemplary punishment of the persons responsible for the attempted attack.
The BNP’s parliamentary party, at a media briefing, demanded a probe to find out who had placed the two objects, thought to be crude explosive devices, in front of Khaleda Zia’s office on Monday.
‘The law and order situation has seriously deteriorated,’ said opposition chief whip Zainul Abdin Farroque after a meeting of BNP’s parliamentary party.
‘We want a proper investigation into the incident,’ he said. Farroque also demanded tightened security for Khaleda. ‘We had earlier requested proper security for the opposition leader, but no step was taken.’
He said that only 12 policemen are currently deployed for Khaleda’s protection. ‘But there were 154 members from the police and intelligence agencies for the security of the opposition leader (Sheikh Hasina) during the BNP-led four-party government,’ Farroque claimed.
The parliamentary party meeting also criticised the government’s move to rename the Zia International Airport, named after BNP founder and late President Ziaur Rahman.
The Cabinet in its weekly meeting on Monday decided to change the name of the country’s largest airport to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
‘We will launch a mass movement if the Cabinet has taken any such decision,’ threatened Farroque.
Govt plans to raise power tariff
Staff Correspondent
The government has plans to raise power tariff to make up for the rising costs of generation and transmission of electricity in phases in line with suggestions by lenders and donors.
The decision was conveyed to representatives of lenders and donors at the Bangladesh Development Forum on Monday, when they prescribed adjustment of rates of electricity.
‘The process of adjusting price is there and we will continue to adjust power tariff,’ Toufiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury, energy adviser to the prime minister, told newsmen about the issues discussed at the forum.
He added that price ‘adjustment’ would not be at the same rate for the rural and urban consumers of electricity. ‘The price will be adjusted not at the same rate,’ he added.
The lenders suggested that the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission should be adequately empowered to make price adjustment in line with the costs of power generation and distribution.
They also recommended privatisation of more state-owned power entities.
11th death anniv of
Kazi Aref today
Staff Correspondent
The 11th death anniversary of Kazi Aref Ahmed, one of the founders of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, will be observed today.
On this day in 1999, assailants fired shots at an anti-terrorism rally of JSD on the Kalidaspur school ground at Daulatpur upazila in Kushtia, which killed Kazi Aref and four other JSD leaders.
The other leaders who were killed in the attack were Kushtia district unit JSD president Lokman Hossain, its general secretary Yakub Ali and local leaders Israil Hossain Tafser and Shamser Mondal.
To mark the day, different political and socio-cultural organisations, including JSD, Kazi Aref Parishad and Kazi Aref Foundation, have chalked up elaborate programmes.
The programmes include hoisting the party flags at half mast, black flags atop the JSD offices at 6:00am and placing flowers at the grave of Kazi Aref in the Freedom Fighters’ graveyard at Mirpur at 9:00am.
Another faction of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal will also place flowers on the grave of Kazi Aref at 8:00am and hold a brief rally there.
The JSD and Kazi Aref Foundation orgnaised discussion meetings at the Colonel Taher Auditorium at Bangabandhu Avenue and at the liberation war museum respectively on Monday.
Kari Aref Parishad will hold a discussion at the National Press Club at 4:00pm today. The Bangladesh Television will also air a discussion on Kazi Aref.
Nazir Ahmed passes away
United News of Bangladesh . Dhaka
Chairman of Islami Bank Training and Research Academic Council Nazir Ahmed died at the United Hospital in the city Monday. He was 72.
He left behind his wife, a daughter, 4 sons, host of relatives and admirers to mourn the death. The namaj-e-janaz of Nazir Ahmed was held at the Baitul Mukarram Mosque after Asr prayer.
26th anniv of death of
General Osmani today
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha . Dhaka
The 26tH death anniversary of Bangabir General Mohammad Ataul Gani Osmani, War Time commander-in-chief of Bangladesh Armed forces, will be observed in a befitting manner today.
Bangabir Osmani Smriti Parishad has chalked out elaborate programmes to observe the day, a press release of BOSP said in the city on Monday.
As part of the programmes, a discussion will be held at Osmani Memorial Hall at 4:00pm and a publication ceremony on ‘Sepoyshalar War of Liberation - Bangabir General Osmani’ on the same day.
The social welfare minister, Enamul Huq Mostafa Shaheed, Gono Forum president Dr Kamal Hossain, chairman of parliamentary standing committee on ministry of law and justice Suranjit Sen Gupta, former chairman of Privatisation Board Enam Ahmed Chowdhury, Major general (Retd) M Azizur Rahman, Bir Uttam and former Chairman of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Sheikh Kabir Hossain will addressed the discussion.
Sgt Zahurul’s death anniv observed
Staff Correspondent
The Bangladesh Air Force observed the 41st anniversary of the death of Sergeant Zahurul Haque in Chittagong on Monday.
He was killed by the Pakistani army on February 15, 1969, when he was arrested in the Dhaka Cantonment in connection with the Agartala conspiracy case.
Officers and all ranks of the air base attended the prayer session at the BAF Base central mosque after the asr prayers.
They prayed for the departed soul and also peace and prosperity of the country.
DU hall provost tenders resignation
DU Correspondent
The provost of Fazlul Haq Hall of Dhaka University, Mojammel Haq, tendered his resignation letter to the Dhaka University
vice-chancellor, AAMS Arefin Siddique, Monday afternoon following allegation that he had involvement with Shibir activists.
The vice-chancellor said he had received the resignation letter, but he was yet to accept it.
FH Hall residents said the provost requested the university proctor to release a Shibir activist who was arrested from a Shibir mess near Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.
All 75 Marisha BDR men deny
their involvement in mutiny
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha . Rangamati
All the 75 accused BDR personnel Monday denied the charges brought against them for their alleged involvement in the mutiny at 9th Marisha Battalion under Rangamati sector.
The denial came when the judges of Special Tribunal Number-4 brought the charges against the 75 BDR personnel of Marisha Battalion after two intervals.
Rezaur Rahman, complainant of the case, brought the charges against the detained BDR personnel just after beginning of the court procedure at about 9:00am.
The court also recorded the statements of some prosecution witnesses and adjourned it till 1:00pm today.
Court sources said Lance Naik Hedayetul Islam suddenly fell sick in the dock with severe chest pain during the trial and the court instructed prosecutor Shamimur Rahman to give treatment to him.
The court also accepted the appointment of SM Abdur Rouf and Kazi Bashir Ahmed, two lawyers of the High Court, to move for 22 accused BDR personnel.
Major General Moinul Islam, director general of BDR, presided over the court where Lieutenant Colonel Abdur Rouf and Major Golam Mostafa Al Mamun were co-judges.
Deputy attorney general Mohammad Sarwardi and the government appointed public prosecutor Mosharraf Hossain Kajol and Additional PP Mohiuddin Dewan were also present to assist the trial.
$1.2b WB assistance for
Padma Multipurpose Bridge
United News of Bangladesh . Dhaka
The World Bank will provide exceptional support of $1.2 billion or more to meet the resource gap for the proposed Padma Multipurpose Bridge.
This was assured by the World Bank vice-president for the South Asian region, Isabel M Guerrero, when she met with the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, during her visit to Dhaka, said a World Bank press release.
‘We have seen from our earlier support for Jamuna Bridge that this kind of transformative infrastructure leads to greater and fester poverty reduction in surrounding counties,’ she said. ‘Our expectation is that Padma Bridge will do the same, unlocking the potential of the Southwest Region.’
She thanked the prime minister for the trust placed in the World Bank as coordinating donor for the mega project, and noted the success of the recent mission in agreeing on basic design, procurement packaging and harmonised procurement methods.
‘South Asia is one of the least integrated regions in the world, yet the potential gains from grater cooperation are substantial. Cooperation in areas such as trade facilitation and power pooling world help boost Bangladesh’s annual growth rate from six per cent in recent years to the eight percent needed to achieve your poverty reduction goal and to reach middle-income status by 2021.’
The World Bank official indicated that the bank with global knowledge and regional presence could support the government in implementing recent accords with India, through analysis and invest in regional operations, like the proposed electricity interconnection between two countries.
In her opening statement to the BDF, the vice-president pointed to the progress since the last forum in 2005, which included maintaining macro-stability and economic growth, improving human development, restoring peace and democratic government and navigating global food, fuel and financial crisis.
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