Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Murshedi stands for MSC presidency
Staff Correspondent
In a dramatic development in the election of Mohammedan Sporting Club, former footballer Abdus Salam Murshedi became a new candidate for the post of president on Thursday.
Murshedi was eying to challenge the authority of Kazi Salahuddin in the Bangladesh Football Federa- tion next year and so he kept himself away from club politics in the recent times.
However, he changed his mind now, reportedly at the insistence of Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, the former general secretary of the club, who is facing the heat from the supporters of former president Mosaddek Ali.
Lokman went into back foot after his preferred candidate, acting president Kutubuddin Ahmed, decided not to challenge Mosaddek.
Officials said Lokman and his backers are now working hard to find a suitable presidential candidate and have kept several options open for them with Meghna Group chairman Mostafa Kamal and Orion Group chairman Obaidul Karim also buying nomination papers.
Lokman himself also brought a nomination paper for himself.
Murshedi, however, said they are still trying to reach a consensus and avoid the election.
‘We all are working for to
the betterment of the club. For this whoever is needed, I think we will make him the president,’ he said.
The club’s 213 councillors will cast their votes elect a chairman and 16 directors in the election which will be held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre from 5:00pm to 8:00pm on June 5.
An election commission headed by former secretary Akhtar Hossain Khan will conduct the election.
The submission of nomination papers will begin on May 28 and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is May 31.
Govt pushing country into uncertainty: Mirza Fakhrul
The acting secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, on Thursday accused the ruling Awami League of pushing the country towards uncertainty as its popularity, what he said, was on the wane.
Mirza Fakhrul was addressing a ceremony at the party’s Naya Paltan central office in which a group of leaders and activists of Tangail’s Shakhipur municipality unit of AL and Krishak Sramik Janata League joined the BNP.
Some 200 AL and KSJL leaders and activists joined the main opposition under the leadership of former mayor of Shakhipur municipality and KSJL leader Sanwar Hossain and former general secretary of AL’s Shakhipur municipality unit Abdul Gafur, BNP sources claimed.
Asaduzzaman Milton, a former commissioner of Shakhipur municipality and local AL leader, also joined the BNP, they said.
BNP chairperson’s adviser Ahmed Azam Khan, also Tangail district BNP president, and joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, also the office secretary of the party, attended the joining ceremony.
Welcoming the newcomers to the BNP, the party acting secretary general said, ‘You are joining the party at a time when Bangladesh is passing through a grave crisis caused by the ruling party.’
‘The country’s socio-political situation is fragile and its economy is in a shambles due to misrule,’ he said.
Mirza Fakhrul referred to the recent share market debacle and said, ‘Some 33 lakh small investors bore the brunt of share market manipulation.’
‘No new industries are being set up in the country while old ones are being shut down,’ he alleged.
Accusing the government of pushing the country towards uncertainty by creating a constitutional crisis, the BNP spokesperson said, ‘With its popularity on the wane, the government is unsettling the settled issues.’
‘We do not know under which constitution the country is running now. We do not know exactly whether the caretaker government system exists and whether the next general elections will be held under a political government,’ he said.
He said, ‘All the pillars upon which democracy rests have been destroyed by the Awami League-led government. Judiciary has been ravaged through wholesale politicisation while political rivals are being persecuted.’
Mirza Fakhrul vowed to compel the government to hold interim polls for establishing a ‘popular’ government.
He congratulated BNP party chairperson Khaleda Zia for her ‘successful’ visit to the US and UK.
Mirza Fakhrul was addressing a ceremony at the party’s Naya Paltan central office in which a group of leaders and activists of Tangail’s Shakhipur municipality unit of AL and Krishak Sramik Janata League joined the BNP.
Some 200 AL and KSJL leaders and activists joined the main opposition under the leadership of former mayor of Shakhipur municipality and KSJL leader Sanwar Hossain and former general secretary of AL’s Shakhipur municipality unit Abdul Gafur, BNP sources claimed.
Asaduzzaman Milton, a former commissioner of Shakhipur municipality and local AL leader, also joined the BNP, they said.
BNP chairperson’s adviser Ahmed Azam Khan, also Tangail district BNP president, and joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, also the office secretary of the party, attended the joining ceremony.
Welcoming the newcomers to the BNP, the party acting secretary general said, ‘You are joining the party at a time when Bangladesh is passing through a grave crisis caused by the ruling party.’
‘The country’s socio-political situation is fragile and its economy is in a shambles due to misrule,’ he said.
Mirza Fakhrul referred to the recent share market debacle and said, ‘Some 33 lakh small investors bore the brunt of share market manipulation.’
‘No new industries are being set up in the country while old ones are being shut down,’ he alleged.
Accusing the government of pushing the country towards uncertainty by creating a constitutional crisis, the BNP spokesperson said, ‘With its popularity on the wane, the government is unsettling the settled issues.’
‘We do not know under which constitution the country is running now. We do not know exactly whether the caretaker government system exists and whether the next general elections will be held under a political government,’ he said.
He said, ‘All the pillars upon which democracy rests have been destroyed by the Awami League-led government. Judiciary has been ravaged through wholesale politicisation while political rivals are being persecuted.’
Mirza Fakhrul vowed to compel the government to hold interim polls for establishing a ‘popular’ government.
He congratulated BNP party chairperson Khaleda Zia for her ‘successful’ visit to the US and UK.
Tiger kills fisherman
United News of Bangladesh . Khulna
A fisherman was killed in an attack by tiger while he was catching fish at deep forest of Sundarbans at Dakop in Khulna on Wednesday.
The deceased was Hemayet Sheikh, 32, son of late Abul Kashem Sheikh of village Tengramari of Dakop.
Tengramari Forest station sources said the tiger suddenly attacked Hemayet from back side when he was fishing at River Ghangramari at about 8:00am.
A fisherman was killed in an attack by tiger while he was catching fish at deep forest of Sundarbans at Dakop in Khulna on Wednesday.
The deceased was Hemayet Sheikh, 32, son of late Abul Kashem Sheikh of village Tengramari of Dakop.
Tengramari Forest station sources said the tiger suddenly attacked Hemayet from back side when he was fishing at River Ghangramari at about 8:00am.
Video confce with Fakhruddin, Moeen likely
Bdnews24.com . Dhaka
A parliamentary watchdog is thinking of taking statements of former caretaker government chief Fakhruddin Ahmed and ex-army chief Moeen U Ahmed through video conference on the 2007 students-army violence at Dhaka University.
Rashed Khan Menon, chief of the sub-committee on the education ministry, told the news agency on Thursday: ‘Video conferencing with them is being considered in case of their failure to appear before the committee.’
He said committee members discussed the matter with the speaker.
Fakhruddin and Moeen, now staying in the United States, have been summoned by the committee, for the second time, to turn up on June 5 to explain their actions on the violence.
Menon said Bangladesh embassy in the US made the second summon letter reach Fakhruddin on May 19. Quoting family members of the retired army chief, the committee head said he was sick and undergoing treatment.
Fakhruddin, chief adviser to the 2007-08 military-backed caretaker government, and Moeen had expressed their inability to appear before the committee when it first summoned them.
They, however, emailed written statements that the committee rejected and insisted on their presence.
The sub-committee was formed on August 19 last year to investigate a ruthless assault on Dhaka University students by army personnel for several days in August, 2007.
The army men went on action after some students assaulted their officers following a row with troops at the temporary camp at university’s playground during a football match.
Hundreds of students alleged at the time they had been chased, beaten up or detained by the troops. Scores others were also sued.
At least two senior teachers were also detained, assaulted by army officers and sued for ‘treason’. They were later released.
A parliamentary watchdog is thinking of taking statements of former caretaker government chief Fakhruddin Ahmed and ex-army chief Moeen U Ahmed through video conference on the 2007 students-army violence at Dhaka University.
Rashed Khan Menon, chief of the sub-committee on the education ministry, told the news agency on Thursday: ‘Video conferencing with them is being considered in case of their failure to appear before the committee.’
He said committee members discussed the matter with the speaker.
Fakhruddin and Moeen, now staying in the United States, have been summoned by the committee, for the second time, to turn up on June 5 to explain their actions on the violence.
Menon said Bangladesh embassy in the US made the second summon letter reach Fakhruddin on May 19. Quoting family members of the retired army chief, the committee head said he was sick and undergoing treatment.
Fakhruddin, chief adviser to the 2007-08 military-backed caretaker government, and Moeen had expressed their inability to appear before the committee when it first summoned them.
They, however, emailed written statements that the committee rejected and insisted on their presence.
The sub-committee was formed on August 19 last year to investigate a ruthless assault on Dhaka University students by army personnel for several days in August, 2007.
The army men went on action after some students assaulted their officers following a row with troops at the temporary camp at university’s playground during a football match.
Hundreds of students alleged at the time they had been chased, beaten up or detained by the troops. Scores others were also sued.
At least two senior teachers were also detained, assaulted by army officers and sued for ‘treason’. They were later released.
Hunt for contractors on to dredge Buriganga
Bdnews24.com . Dhaka
Dredging work in the River Buriganga is getting delayed for want of qualified contractors.
Water Development Board will float a second tender soon for hiring four contractors for the job, according to officials.
‘We’ve so far selected two qualified firms for two parts of the 23-kilometre river stretch. For the others, we’ll call tenders soon,’ WDB regional chief engineer Sunil Baran Dev Roy told the news agency.
The move was under way in line with the government project to keep the river’s depth at minimum four metres (13 feet) during the dry season, and to curb its pollution.
The part of the Buriganga—from Rustompur to Rayerbazar—was divided into six pats and separate tenders were floated for their dredging.
WDB officials also pointed at the recent dilemma arising over demarcation of the river. The district administration was asked to resolve the issue immediately, they said.
Putting borders on the four rivers around Dhaka, launched last month by a government taskforce, stumbled over protests from different quarters and due to illegal encroachment of most parts of those rivers.
The three other rivers are Turag, Sitalakkhya and Balu.
Dredging work in the River Buriganga is getting delayed for want of qualified contractors.
Water Development Board will float a second tender soon for hiring four contractors for the job, according to officials.
‘We’ve so far selected two qualified firms for two parts of the 23-kilometre river stretch. For the others, we’ll call tenders soon,’ WDB regional chief engineer Sunil Baran Dev Roy told the news agency.
The move was under way in line with the government project to keep the river’s depth at minimum four metres (13 feet) during the dry season, and to curb its pollution.
The part of the Buriganga—from Rustompur to Rayerbazar—was divided into six pats and separate tenders were floated for their dredging.
WDB officials also pointed at the recent dilemma arising over demarcation of the river. The district administration was asked to resolve the issue immediately, they said.
Putting borders on the four rivers around Dhaka, launched last month by a government taskforce, stumbled over protests from different quarters and due to illegal encroachment of most parts of those rivers.
The three other rivers are Turag, Sitalakkhya and Balu.
Dhaka buys 290 double decker buses
United News of Bangladesh . Dhaka
Hinduja Group flagship company Ashok Leyland has bagged a $23.3 million order for supply of 290 fully-built double decker buses to Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation.
This represents the company’s largest single order for double decker buses from Bangladesh, Indian media quoting a company statement said.
An agreement to this effect was signed between Ashok Leyland and BRTC recently, it said.
Ashok Leyland managing director Vinod K Dasari said, ‘Bangladesh has always remained a very important market for us. Our continued focus on this robustly growing market has helped us establish ourselves today as the second largest brand in the country’s commercial vehicle market.’
Hinduja Group flagship company Ashok Leyland has bagged a $23.3 million order for supply of 290 fully-built double decker buses to Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation.
This represents the company’s largest single order for double decker buses from Bangladesh, Indian media quoting a company statement said.
An agreement to this effect was signed between Ashok Leyland and BRTC recently, it said.
Ashok Leyland managing director Vinod K Dasari said, ‘Bangladesh has always remained a very important market for us. Our continued focus on this robustly growing market has helped us establish ourselves today as the second largest brand in the country’s commercial vehicle market.’
Harkat leader Sabbir on 5-day remand
Bdnews24.com . Dhaka
A Dhaka court has ordered Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami leader Sabbir to four-day police custody for grilling in the August 21 grenade attack case.
Dhaka metropolitan magistrate Shahriar Mahmud granted the remand on Thursday upon a petition by the investigation officer for seven-day police custody.
Sabbir, one of the top leaders of the banned Islamic outfit, was arrested from Atibazar of Keraniganj, Dhaka on April 24.
At least 23 people, including Ivy Rahman, wife of president Zillur Rahman, were killed and scores injured in the grisly attack on an Awami League rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka on August 21, 2004.
The Harkat leader was earlier remanded in police custody in a case of bomb attack on a Communist Party of Bangladesh rally at Paltan Maidan in the city on January 20, 2001. The attack had left at least five people killed and 50 others injured.
A Dhaka court has ordered Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami leader Sabbir to four-day police custody for grilling in the August 21 grenade attack case.
Dhaka metropolitan magistrate Shahriar Mahmud granted the remand on Thursday upon a petition by the investigation officer for seven-day police custody.
Sabbir, one of the top leaders of the banned Islamic outfit, was arrested from Atibazar of Keraniganj, Dhaka on April 24.
At least 23 people, including Ivy Rahman, wife of president Zillur Rahman, were killed and scores injured in the grisly attack on an Awami League rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka on August 21, 2004.
The Harkat leader was earlier remanded in police custody in a case of bomb attack on a Communist Party of Bangladesh rally at Paltan Maidan in the city on January 20, 2001. The attack had left at least five people killed and 50 others injured.
One killed in Khulna storm
United News of Bangladesh . Khulna
A fisherman was killed, scores injured, 400 houses were razed and innumerable trees uprooted as tornado lashed Chalna municipality and nine unions in Dakop upazila Thursday evening.
The deceased, Shahjahan Gazi, 35, son of Abdul Hamid Gazi, was instantly killed by thunderbolt when he was fishing in River Bhadra near their house at Keworatali village in the upazila.
The most affected unions were Kamarkhola and Sutarkhali where a dozen people were injured as nor‘wester swept over different villages of the two cyclone Aila-hit unions.
Crops in vast tracts of land were damaged and many power poles were uprooted.
Besides, Loudore, Banishanta, Koilashganj, Tildanga, Bajua and Dakop sadar union and WAPDA area and Chalna town were heavily damaged.
Scores of villagers were injured as storm razed 400 dwelling houses to the ground
from NEW AGE
A fisherman was killed, scores injured, 400 houses were razed and innumerable trees uprooted as tornado lashed Chalna municipality and nine unions in Dakop upazila Thursday evening.
The deceased, Shahjahan Gazi, 35, son of Abdul Hamid Gazi, was instantly killed by thunderbolt when he was fishing in River Bhadra near their house at Keworatali village in the upazila.
The most affected unions were Kamarkhola and Sutarkhali where a dozen people were injured as nor‘wester swept over different villages of the two cyclone Aila-hit unions.
Crops in vast tracts of land were damaged and many power poles were uprooted.
Besides, Loudore, Banishanta, Koilashganj, Tildanga, Bajua and Dakop sadar union and WAPDA area and Chalna town were heavily damaged.
Scores of villagers were injured as storm razed 400 dwelling houses to the ground
from NEW AGE
Oil, gas committee asks govt to scrap the plan
The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports on Thursday called on the Awami League-led alliance to refrain from leasing out two offshore gas blocks to a US oil company.
Committee member secretary Anu Muhmammd warned the government from a protest rally in front of the National Press Club that they would launch tough agitation programmes, including hartal, if the plan was not scrapped.
The committee will lay siege to energy ministry on June 14 to mount pressure on the government to drop the plan, Anu said.
He said, ‘We must use our national resources for our own use and export of any such resources must be stopped.’
The cabinet on Monday approved the plan for leasing out two offshore gas blocks to Conoco Phillips of the USA under the model Production and Sharing Contract 2008.
Committee convener Sheikh Muhammad Shaheedullah termed the model-PSC-2008 an imbalanced one, saying under it the company would get 80 per cent of the extracted gas and enjoy the right to export it.
He demanded that the model-PSC-2008 should be scrapped and called on the government to refrain from signing any new PSC with international oil companies.
‘The government has proved that it is loyal to the imperialist America and so is going to sign deals with the IOCs. It has already allowed two multinational companies, Halliburton and Santos, to sell the gas extracted by them to third parties, a move that will ultimately prove to be suicidal for the nation’s interests,’ Shaheedullah said.
National committee leaders Tipu Biswas, Saiful Huq, Ruhin Hossain Prince, Bazlur Rashid Firoz, Mushrefa Mishu, Abdus Salam, Zonayed Saki, and Mozammel Haque Tara, among others, spoke on the occasion.
The rally was followed by a protest procession that paraded a number of city roads.
Committee member secretary Anu Muhmammd warned the government from a protest rally in front of the National Press Club that they would launch tough agitation programmes, including hartal, if the plan was not scrapped.
The committee will lay siege to energy ministry on June 14 to mount pressure on the government to drop the plan, Anu said.
He said, ‘We must use our national resources for our own use and export of any such resources must be stopped.’
The cabinet on Monday approved the plan for leasing out two offshore gas blocks to Conoco Phillips of the USA under the model Production and Sharing Contract 2008.
Committee convener Sheikh Muhammad Shaheedullah termed the model-PSC-2008 an imbalanced one, saying under it the company would get 80 per cent of the extracted gas and enjoy the right to export it.
He demanded that the model-PSC-2008 should be scrapped and called on the government to refrain from signing any new PSC with international oil companies.
‘The government has proved that it is loyal to the imperialist America and so is going to sign deals with the IOCs. It has already allowed two multinational companies, Halliburton and Santos, to sell the gas extracted by them to third parties, a move that will ultimately prove to be suicidal for the nation’s interests,’ Shaheedullah said.
National committee leaders Tipu Biswas, Saiful Huq, Ruhin Hossain Prince, Bazlur Rashid Firoz, Mushrefa Mishu, Abdus Salam, Zonayed Saki, and Mozammel Haque Tara, among others, spoke on the occasion.
The rally was followed by a protest procession that paraded a number of city roads.
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