print edition: 31 december 2013

8/13/2019 Print Edition: 31 December 2013

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Now nonstopblockadesfrom Jan 1Khaledas movement still restricted

nMohammad Al-Masum Molla

Having failed to carry out its march

again yesterday, the BNP-led 18-party

alliance announced nonstop peace-

ful blockades from January 1 to resist

what it called a farcical election slat-

ed for January 5.

The opposition alliance will also

stage demonstrations across the coun-

try today, protesting against the ob-

struction of its March for Democracyprogramme.

The blockade programme will start at

6am on January 1 and continue until

the announcement of the cancellation

of the election schedule, Khandaker

Mahbub Hossain, adviser to the BNP

chairperson, said yesterday evening at

his residence.

The BNP-led opposition alliance

failed to observe its Dhaka march pro-

gramme on Sunday and Monday.

Previously, it had observed fivespells of nationwide blockades, de-

manding that the schedule for the 10th

national elections be cancelled and thepolls be held under a non-partisan in-

terim government.

On Sunday, BNP Vice-Chairman

Hafizuddin Ahmed announced that

party leaders and activists would keep

staging sit-ins at bus, train and launch

terminals across the country.

The same day Khaleda Zia said the

March for Democracy programme

would continue on Monday, but she re-

portedly did not attempt to come out of

her residence as of 9pm last night. Her

Gulshan offi ce and the partys Nayap al-

tan centra l offi ce were deserte d as no

leaders and activists showed up.

No major attempts by opposition

men to gather at Nayapaltan were seen

yesterday, and vehicle movement was

considerably higher than on Sunday.

Journalists had waited since yester-

day morning in anticipation that Khale-

da might attempt to come out and join

the march. In the afternoon, there were

rumours that she was making prepara-

tions to leave the house, but no suchattempts were seen.

Law enforcers also kept Khaledas

PAGE 2 COLUMN 1

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Vol 1 No 277 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2013 www.dhakatribune.com SECOND EDITION

AL CANCELS RALLYP3

A policeman frisks a passenger of a CNG-run auto-rickshaw at Shanir Akhra in the city yesterday MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

India, US in tangle over BangladeshnTribune Report

India hinted that it wants to reach anunderstanding with the United States

regarding Bangladesh in the final phase

of the c urrent Congress government.

There were obviously some differ-

ences of perception that I noticed last

time I was there (Washington), Indian

External Affairs Minister Salman Khur-

shid told Indian daily The Hindu.The differences were particularly

over the actions of the present govern-

ment (in Bangladesh) with regard to

some of their own internal situations,

he added.

Khurshid pointed out that Indias

understanding of Bangladesh would be

helpful to the US. While the US is at

some distance from Bangladesh, we are

right next to it.

So our understanding of the region

and the sentiments of its people should

be helpful in the positions they (UnitedStates) want to take.

Regarding the prevailing political

situation in Bangladesh, Khurshid

commented by calling it an obvious

uncertainty and delicate with the

two main political parties in deadlock.

We dont take sides in elections

in a friendly country. For democracy

to prosper there should at least be a

commitment that violence will not be

allowed to distort the democratic pro-

cess, he added.

The Hind u report sa id offi cials atthe Indian foreign ministry have been

PAGE 2 COLUMN 2

2013 IN RETROSPECT

TensionscarriedforwardnJulfikar Ali Manik

2013 has been a year of uproars for the

country.

Many things happened for the first

time this year some of these were so hor-

rific that they drew the attention of the

whole world, while some were consid-

ered positive signs and jubilant events for

the nation. But the political turbulence at

the end of the year upsets the most.

The outgoing year inherited many

challenges from 2012, war crimes trials,

designed to ensure justice in the ten-

ure of this government; in the garment

industry, improving safety in factories

after deadly fire at Tazreen Fashions;and in politics, arranging a polls-time

government for peaceful elections.

Yet the upcoming year, 2014, also

inherits many similar challenges from

the outgoing one.

Many pending war crimes cases in

the Supreme Court and the Interna-

tional Crimes Tribunal, the repercus-

sions from the collapse of Rana Plaza

in April, which caused havoc for the in-

dustry, and no consensus between the

ruling Awami League and opposition

BNP over the interim government issue

has pushed the country into a deeper

political crisis.

These all will remain the biggest

challenges to deal with in the New Year.

Among the many firsts, the nation

saw the first implementation of a war

crimes verdict, against Abdul QuaderMolla this month.

PAGE 2 COLUMN 3

TMAGTwo stepsforward, twosteps back


2/21

News2 DHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Tensions carried forwardPAGE 1 COLUMN 6

Centring on Mollas case, the nation

also saw an unprecedented sponta-

neous movement against war crimi-nals and the anti-liberation force Ja-

maat-e-Islami. Initiated by some young

bloggers, the movement continued

nonstop for 21 days since beginning

on February 5. The international com-

munity also praised the mass upsurge,

known as the Shahbagh Movement,

for its peaceful nature, which is unusu-

al for the country.

When this movement was at the top

of discussions, the people also saw an-

other unprecedented street violence

programme of religious fanatics. A lit-

tle known fundamentalist group He-

fazat-e-Islam suddenly surfaced to foil

the Shahbagh Movement, labelling its

leaders and activists atheists. Their

two rallies at Shapla Chattar in the cap-

ital one in April and another in May

frightened the nation for their atroc-

ities and the 13-point demand they

made. Those were termed by many to

be medieval demands.

Centring on the May 5 rally, the He-

fazat supporters carried out violencein Dhaka and some other places in the

country that killed at least 40 people.

They wanted to continue their sit-in on

the street to help the opposition BNP and

Jamaat movement topple the govern-

ment. Law enforcers launched a 10-min-

ute-long operation at night to drive them

away from the citys financial hub.

But that operation also created huge

crisis and challenges as the opposition

launched propaganda claiming that the

police had killed 2,500-3,000 people

during the operation, which was not

true at all.

Before all these, the Rana Plaza col-

lapse on April 24, five months after the

Tazreen fire that killed 112 garment

workers, came as the worst ever dead-

ly industrial incident in world history.

More than 1,130 garment workers were

killed because of the collapse of thefaulty building where five factories

were housed.

Following the incident, the US gov-

ernment suspended Bangladeshs Gen-

eralised System of Preferences (GSP)

facilities in their markets. Many other

threats including not purchasing gar-

ments from Bangladeshi factories put

the industry in grave crisis. It came as

a huge threat to Bangladeshs economy

as the garment industry makes a tre-

mendous contribution to the countrys

economy.

The Rana Plaza victims families

have been struggling in many ways

as many of them did not get compen-

sation, many children have become

orphans, many workers have become

physically crippled, many others are

suffering from the trauma of the trag-

ic collapse while many other jobless

workers have become a burden to their

families.

Besides the large number of deaths

due to the collapse, several hundred

people were also killed throughout

the year due to political violence and

planned atrocities. After the verdict

in the war crimes case against Jamaat

leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee on

February 28, his followers carried out

atrocities in many districts, especially

in the northern region.

Sayedees followers bluffed people,

saying that they had seen their leader

in the Moon. Over the year the Jamaat

men, especially before and after the

verdicts against war criminals who

are leaders of their party, carried out

attacks on police, ordinary people, and

torched and vandalised vehicles.

There were many other political

atrocities carried out either by the BNP

or the Jamaat in different places of the

country, including mayhem in Sitakun-

da and Fatikchharhi of Chittagong, Sat-khira, Chapainawabganj, Lalmonirhat.

The people of those areas still have to

suffer for the attacks.

Besides scores of killings, the coun-

try lost some eminent citizens who

died natural deaths including former

president Zillur Rahman, a veteran pol-

itician of the co untry.

Abdul Hamid, then speaker of

the parliament, took the oath as the

new president. Against the backdrop

of these changes, the ruling Awa-

mi League alliance moved to make a

new speaker in parliament, Dr Shirin

Sharmin Chaudhury was appointed as

the first female speaker of the country.

As the ruling Awami League and op-

position BNP could not reach a consen-

sus over the polls-time government,

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina moved

forward with plans for the 10th parlia-mentary elections, to be held on Jan-

uary 5, amid the oppositions boycott

threat. This political issue has created

huge and manifold crises, impacting

on peoples security and the economy

amongst other things.

Continuous violent blockade pro-

grammes across the country, especially

the killing of people by burning them

alive in vehicles, allegedly by the op-

position men, and the slaughtering of

political rivals, has created a sense of

insecurity among the people. Block-

ades have hugely hampered the normal

life of the people, academic activities,

trade and business.

On the other hand, the ruling gov-

ernments bar on the opposition hold-

ing political programmes, and the ar-

rest of many of their leaders, has put

the ruling party and its alliance part-

ners in line for huge criticism. They

have been blamed for being dictatori-

al against the opposition.

The whole political crisis has got-ten powerful countries, and the UN,

engaged with the government and the

opposition in an attempt to solve the

countrys political crisis, which will re-

main the biggest challenge for the po-

litical players next year.

The current year ends today, leaving

people in fear of more suffering in the

New Year as the political turbulence

continues.l

Now nonstop blockadesPAGE 1 COLUMN 2

Gulshan residence cordoned off like

on the previous day. Four sand-laden

trucks were parked, blocking the roadsleading out of the house.

Law enforcers requested journalists to

leave the front of the Russian Embassy fo r

security reasons. The media left the place

and took positions on the other side of

the road. Residents of the adjacent build-

ings refused to let them use the rooftops,

claiming that police had asked them not

to allow journalists in their buildings.

When journalists were barred from

crossing barricades on Sunday to cover

activities around Khaledas residence,

they used buildings in the vicinity to

take pictures and enter her residence.

BNP Vice-Chairman Selima Rahman,

lawmaker Rasheda Aktar Hira and for-

mer lawmaker Newaz Halima tried to

enter Khaledas residence around noon

but the law enforcers prevented them

and picked them up. Police, however,

released them two hours later.

At 4pm, the partys Sports Affairs

Secretary Col (retd) Abdul Latifat-

tempted to enter Khaledas house o

discuss the upcoming T20 World Cupissue and the oppositions pr grammes,

but he also failed to enter the house.

At 5pm, BNP Vice-Chairman Sham-

sher Mobin Chowdhury, and Khaledas

advisers Reaz Rahman and Sabihuddin

Ahmed, entered the house as the Brit-

ish High Commissioner to Bangladesh

Robert Gibson was scheduled to meet

the BNP chairperson.

The British envoy went to meet

Khaleda around 5:30pm. However, nei-

ther Gibson nor the BNP leaders said

anything about the hour-long meeting.

When Mobin came out of Khaledas

house after the meeting, law enforcers

detained him and sent him to the De-

tective Bra nch offi ce. Reaz an d Sabi-

huddin took shelter in Khaledas resi-

dence to avoid arrest or detention.

Protesting Mobins detention, Sylhet

district BNP called a daylong hartal inthe district and metropolitan area for

Wednesday.l

India, US in tanglePAGE 1 COLUMN 5

engaged in closing the gap with the US

for quite some time.

The move to close the gap with the

US over the Bangladesh issue takes

place ahead of the end of the incum-

bent Congresss rule, which will end on

May 31 of next year.

A series of diplomatic talks have

been held in and outside Bangladesh

between several countries, including

the US and India, ahead of the coun-

trys national polls on January 5.

Recently, the United States directly initi-

ated a move to mediate a dialogue between

the Awami League and BNP, the two major

political parties, ahead of the polls.

However, such attempts have failed

since the BNP is not included in the polls

and more than half of the 300 constituen-cies have already been won uncontested.l

Clockwise from top left: Law enforcers stand guard in front of the National Press Club yesterday, following an attack on the club lBNP Vice-Chairman Selima Rahman is being taken into custody after she left BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zias Gulshan residence yesterday lAn

elder travels on a wheelchair as there was lack of passenger vehicles because of restrictions surrounding BNP's 'March for Democracy' programmelAwami League activists chase pro-BNP lawyers in front of Supreme Court yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Khaleda declaredunwelcome inGopalganjnOur Correspondent, Gopalganj

Awami Leagues Gopalganj unit has de-

clared the main opposition leader and

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia persona

non grata in the district due to a com-

ment she made about Gopalganj, the

home district of incumbent Prime Min-

ister Sheikh Hasina.

At a demonstration held in front of

Bangabandhu University College in

Gopalganj town, Chowdhury Emdadul

Haque, general secretary of the ruling

partys district unit, said former Prime

Minister Khaleda Zia would not be wel-

come in the district.

The protesters, led by district AL

president Raja Miah Batu, also gave

an ultimatum to have all pictures of

Khaleda Zia and her eldest son, Tareq

Rahman, removed from the district.

During an exchange with police per-

sonnel posted outside her Gulshan res-

idence in the capital on Sunday, Khale-

da Zia angrily blurted out that the name

of Gopalganj would be changed. She

made the remark without mentioning

who would rename the district.

The district unit of the ChhatraLeague, the ruling partys student

wing, also brought out a protest rally

at Bangabandhu College and paraded

through th e town, setti ng fire to effi -

gies of Khaleda Zia.

On Sunday, AL supporters held spon-

taneous demonstrations across the dis-

trict, demanding that Khaleda apologise

for her unsolicited remark.l

PM: Agitation democratic right,but not killing peoplenUNB

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday

said the government had no problem

with the agitation programmes of the

opposition as it is their democratic right.

You can go for your agitation pro-

gramme, we have no objection. It is

your democratic right. But you have to

stop the killing of innocent people and

hindering the academic life of the stu-

dents, she said.

The prime minister made the obser-

vations after receiving the results of

Primary School Certificate (PSC) and

Ebtedayee terminal examinations-2013

from Primary and Mass Education Min-

ister Nurul I slam Nahi d at her offi cial

residence Ganabhaban.

She said the agitation programmeof the opposition is against the govern-

ment, but it is very unfortunate that they

opted for subversive activities against

the general people of the country.

Hasina alleged that the opposition

had been killing people and setting fire

to properties and they hired hooligans

for doing such destructive activities.

The opposition is now conducting

their agitation programme with the

help of the hired hooligans. This is no

movement at all; people have no con-

fidence in this agitation programme.

Talking about the opposition spon-sored hartals and blockades, the prime

minister said she had repeatedly re-

quested the opposition leader to with-

draw the programmes at least during

the exam dates.

I requested her not to enforce har-

tals and blockades on the exam dates.

But she had denied my request and

said she will impose hartals.

Mentioning that the opposition had

enforced hartal on November 4, the

first date of the JSC examination, Ha-

sina said: We also went for agitation

programmes [in the past]. But is killing

people an agitation programme?

She said: The opposition is now en-

gaged in killing people in the name of

agitation.

Hasina thanked the students, guard-

ians, teachers and others concerned for

completing the exams defying all odds

and preparing the results within the

stipulated timeframe.

Describing her governments efforts

for the development of the educational

standard of the country, the prime min-

ister said the main aim of her govern-

ment was to put the education system

of the country on a strong base.

In this connection, Hasina men-

tioned the distribution of free text-

books, introduction of school feeding

programme and formation of educa-

tion trust fund.

She requested the guardians and

teachers not to put unnecessary pres-

sure on the students. You [teachers and

guardians] have to make them under-

stand that they have to study regularly

for their own interest. This will bringthem good results in the future. l

Government

declares Jan 5general holiday

n UNB

Dhaka: The government has declared

general holiday for January 5 in 59 dis-

tricts to facilitate franchise by the vot-

ers in the 10th parliamentary elections.

The public holiday was announced

for all government, semi-government,

autonomous and private offi ces, organi-

sations, agencies and educational institu-

tions in those districts except Joypurhat,

Shariatpur, Madaripur, Chandpur and

Rajbari, said a PID handout yesterday.

There is no need to arrange

vote-casting in the five districts as con-

stituencies under the districts got sin-

gle candidates who are set to be elected

unopposed.

The Election Commission will ar-

range election in 146 constituencies of300 on January 5 as the rest 154 con-

stituencies got single candidates across

the country.

On November 25, the EC announced

schedule for the general election. l

On Sunday, Khaleda Zia angrilyblurted out that the name ofGopalganj would be changed


3/21

3NewsDHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, December 31, 2013Awami League cancelsJan 2 Suhrawardy rallynEmran Hossain Shaikh

The ruling Awami League has can-

celled its January 2 rally at the capitals

Suhrawardy Udyan because holding it

would violate the Election Commis-

sions electoral code of conduct.

Instead, the party will arrange cam-

paigns in the electoral constituencies in

the capital, in which party chief and Prime

Minister Sheikh Hasina will take part.

Awami League Offi ce Secretar y Mrinal

Kanti Das confirmed to the Dhaka Trib-

une that the rally was not taking place.

EC rules do not permit rallies in ca-

pacious places [so close to the national

elections]. For holding a rally, we will

also have to use loudspeakers and build

a big stage. The EC code of conduct

does not allow that either, Mrinal said.

A couple of days ago, Sheikh Hasina

expressed her desire to stage a major

showdown by holding a big rally at the

Suhrawardy Udyan before the January

5 elections, party insiders said.

Mrinal also said on January 1, the

party chief would attend campaigns

in favour of party candidates at Kafrul,

Pallabi and Uttara. The next day, she

would attend two election rallies in two

other constituencies in the capital.

Party sources said Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina in her address to the na-

tion on Friday would explain why hold-

ing the January 5 elections was man-

datory from the constitutions point

of view. She would also highlight theinitiatives taken by the government to

make sure that the opposition parties

joined the elections and in the wake of

the ongoing political turmoil.

This will be Sheikh Hasinas last ad-

dress to the nation during her current

term in o ffi ce. l

SCBA calls for strikenNazmus Sakib

The Supreme Court Bar Association,

led by pro-opposition lawyers, yes-

terday asked judges and lawyers to

observe a work abstention in all the

courts of the country today, in protest

against the attack made on the pro-BNP

lawyers on Sunday.

The attack is like a strike on the ju-

dicial system, AJ Mohammad Ali, presi-dent of the organisation told a press brief-

ing held at the SCBA building yesterday.

The apex court premises again ex-

perienced clashes yesterday, as fight-

ing broke out between the pro-Awami

League men and the pro-opposition

lawyers, though not violent like the

previous day.

The lawyers who support the oppo-

sitions programme against the January

5 polls brought out a procession at the

SCBA building around 11:35am. When

the demo reached the main entrance

of the court, activists of Jubo Mohila

League threw bricks and shoes at them.

The pro-opposition lawyers in retalia-

tion hurled stones.

In the meantime, AKM Shamul Islam,

the Supreme Court registrar, reached

the spot to observe the situation. But he

faced the wrath of pro-BNP lawyers.

Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, a pro-BNP

lawyer, termed him a collaborator of

Awami League and alleged that he

had allowed the ruling party-backed

hooligans to storm the court premises

on Sunday. Th e registrar, however, de-

nied his role in Sundays incidents.

They told him that it was the duty of

the registrar to ensure security of the

lawyers.

In reply, Shamsul said it was not pos-

sible to shield them all the time. Do

you want to cross the gate? he asked.

The pro-opposition lawyers said they

did want to cross. Few minutes later,

the registrar left the spot whereas the

clashes continued for 15 more minutes.

When the lawyers left the place,

stick-wielding activists of Muktijoddha

Projonmo League joined with Jubo Mo-

hila League, and tried to enter the court

premises but were resisted by the law

enforcers.

Around half an hour after the clashstopped, a procession of more than

100 pro-Awami League lawyers led by

former Bar Council vice-chairman and

Bangabandhu Ainjibi Parishad Presi-

dent Abdul Baset Majumdar reached

the main gate amid slogans against

the BNPJamaat. Senior lawyer Yusuf

Hossain Humayun, also member of

the Awami Leagues Advisory Council,

condemned the attack on lawyers. He

said: Yesterdays [Sundays] incident

is disrespectful towards the Supreme

Court and a violation of the ethics of

practice. l

Hardly any BNP activistsduring Dhaka marchSecurity measures loosened on second day

nTribune Report

No programmes from the opposition

party activists were observed across

the country on the second day of their

March for Democracy and the first

day of a sit-in programme.

No major movement by opposition

activists was seen in the capital ex-

cept a clash between BNP and Awami

League supporters at the Supreme

Court premises.

Pro-BNP lawyers brought out a pro-

cession inside the apex court premises

in the morning supporting the March

for Democracy programme and a

clashed with Awami League support-

ers. Both groups pelted stones at each

other for more than half hour, creating

panic and tension in the area.

The surrounding areas of the BNP

headquarters at Nayapaltan were

blocked as strict security measures

were taken to prevent any sort of un-

wanted occurrence.

The tight security blanket in the

capital was loosened compared to Sun-

day. Many businesses, shops and other

offi ces were open from the mo rning.

Some local buses were on the

streets, however passengers were few

because of the restrictions imposed by

law enforcers at all entry points of the

city. A good number of rickshaws, tax-icabs and CNG run vehicles ran in the

streets.

In Malibagh Chowdhury Para area

two handmade bombs were exploded.

In Abdullahpur, presence of law

enforcement was thinner compared to

Sunday. In the morning people walked,

but as the day moved on several public

transports became available.

People alleged of harassment in the

hands of law enforcement at the entry

points of the ca pital. Many were turnedback as they failed to satisfy law enforc-

ers on the reasons why they needed to

enter the capital. Ruling party activists

accompanied the law enforcement at

many checkpoints.

Although there were no pro-

grammes observed by the opposition,

ruling party activists took out proces-

sions in many areas with sticks. Such

processions were held at the Rajmoni

Cinema Hall area at Kakrail, in the sur-

rounding areas of Awami League cen-

tral offi ce at Bangaba ndhu Avenue and

on Mirpur Mazar Road.

At the Babubazar point, police check

posts were withdrawn after yesterday

noon and trucks and lorries started

moving to the local storehouses.

Long route transport services did

not resume across the country.

Supporters of the 18-party alliance

blocked the roads at Dada intersection

of Kurigr am city, ca using huge t raffi c

congestion across the city, our corre-

spondent said.

Our Meherpur correspondent re-

ported that no long-route buses had

left the town due to transport strikes

that began on Friday. The Meherpur

Minibus Owners Association general

secretary, who is also the president of

the Sadar Upazila Awami League, said

they had suspended services fearing

violence.l

Pro-AL lawyerscondemn SCskirmish,

not AL mennUdisa Islam

Pro-Awami League lawyers have con-

demned Sundays skirmishes on the

Supreme Court premises, although

none of them said anything about the

involvement of Awami League activists

with the incident.Shahedur Rahman said: I am also a

lawyer and actively involved with the par-

ty [Awami League]. But I think we have to

condemn whatever has happened. If we

label them as outsiders and keep mum,

they will get the wrong message.

However, a junior lawyer, seeking

anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune

that everyone knew the identity of the

attackers. Apparently indicating at the

Awami League activists, who allegedly

launched the attack on pro-opposition

lawyers, he said: Therefore, we need

to admit that; not only for protecting

the environment of the apex court but

also our constitution.

Yusuf Hossain Humayun, member

of the Awami League Advisory Council,

yesterday said: Existing rules do not

allow any kind of political activity on

the Supreme Court premises. But the

BNP lawyers brought out a procession

supporting the March for Democracy.

However, when Humayun was mak-

ing the comment yesterday, pro-Awami

League lawyers brought out a proces-sion on the SC premises.

When asked whether any Awami

League activist was involved in Sun-

days skirmish, SM Rezaul Karim, for-

mer secretary of the Supreme Court

Bar Association, said: I do not know.

Those who entered were outsiders.

Yesterday it was the Mohila Jubo

Leauge, led by its president Nazma

Akhter and Secretary Opu Ukil, who

hurled bricks at a procession of pro-op-

position lawyers.l

DMP: Press clubused by militants

nKailash Sarkar

Journalists yesterday condemned and

protested the Dhaka Metropolitan Po-

lice commissioners comment that

militants hold meetings at the National

Press Club and advised him to concen-

trate on maintaining law and order in-stead of making such comments.

Asked about the attack on the press

club by ruling party men on Sunday,

Commissioner Benazir Ahmed at a

press briefing at the DMP media centre

yesterday said: We have information

that militants hold meeting at the press

club. A sector uses it as a shelter out of

political interests, which should not be.

Leaders of the National Press Club

later held a meeting, protesting and

condemni ng the poli ce offi cials com -

ments and his role.

In a press release, press club Presi-

dent Kamal Uddin Sabuj and General

Secretary Syed Abdal Ahmad outright

rejected the allegations made by the

DMP commissioner and said his com-

ments were baseless and irresponsible.

Asked about the attacks on lawyers

on the Supreme Court premises by rul-

ing party men, the commissioner said:

The High Court is a sacred place, but

outsiders use it as a shield. We will re-

quest the honourable court to take ac-

tions following an investigation.On obstructing the movement of

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, however,

he declined to make any comment. l

DMP restricts 31stcelebrations

nKailash Sarkar

Residents of Dhaka city will be celebrat-

ing the 31st night on the eve of the New

Year in a different mood as the Dhaka

Metropolitan Police has banned stay-

ing out in Hatirjheel area after 8pm and

holding of any kind of open air functions.It has asked people to return to their

homes by the time and has also dis-

couraged access to residential hotels

and restaurants.

The crossings at Phoenix Road, Road

11, Chairmanbari, Amtoli, Shooting

Club, Badda Link Road, Group 4, DOHS

Baridhara, United Hospital, Notunba-

zar will remain closed.

Residents of Gulshan, Banani and

Baridhara areas have been asked to use

only the Kemal Ataturk Avenue for enter-

ing between 8pm and 5am on January 1.

No one except Dhaka University

teachers, students and employees will

be allowed to enter the campus area.

Residents there have been asked to use

the High Court-Doyel Chattar road and

keep their identity cards with them.

The DMP has also advised residents

of these areas to return to their homes

by 8pm and those who do not live there

are discouraged to go to these places.

At a press briefing, DMP Commis-

sioner Benazir Ahmed said the moves

had been taken to avoid any disorderin view of the prevailing situation of

Dhaka ahead of the upcoming January

5 national polls.lActivists of Awami Jubo League gather at the Bangabandhu Avenue with sticks yesterday SYED ZAKIR HOSSAIN

Shamsher Mobin and 250

others arrestedAwami League man killed, 65 injurednKailash Sarkar

Over 250 BNP-led 18-party alliance ac-

tivists, including BNP Vice-Chairman

Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, were ar-

rested in Dhaka and nine o ther districts

yesterday. An Awami League leaderwas killed in Sirajganj and 65 people

were injured in clashes with law en-

forcers and ruling party activists across

the country.

Detective Branch (DB) personnel ar-

rested the BNP vice-chairman from in

front of party chief Khaleda Zias Gul-

shan residence in the evening, imme-

diately after he came out of a meeting

between the BNP chairperson and the

British envoy in Dhaka.

Witnesses said a DB team asked the

BNP leader to get into their vehicle as

soon as he came out of Khaledas resi-

dence around 7:35pm.

Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Joint

Commissioner Monirul Islam of DMP,

also its spokesman, confirmed the ar-

rest and said he was taken to the DB

headquarters at Minto Road, but he did

not say why he was a rrested.

Another BNP Vice-Chairman Selina

Rahman, along with BNP MP Rasheda

Begum Heera, and former MP Newaz

Halima Arly, were also detained. How-

ever they were released later.The three BNP leaders were de-

tained at the gate of Khaledas resi-

dence while they were trying to enter

the house around 1:25pm. They were

taken to Gulshan police station and

freed around 3:30pm.

Meanwhile joint forces arrested

around 90 people in the capitals Mo-

hammadpur and Mirpur areas while

police arrested around 15 people in dif-

ferent places.

The 90 included a Shibir cadre who

were arrested with 200 crude bombs,

gunpowder, banners and publications

at a mess in Mohammadpur while the

rest were arrested during clashes at dif-

ferent places.

Additionally seven people were in-

jured in a clash with police in Lalbagh.

A shoe factory worker, Shariful Islam,

20, sustained injuries in an explosion,

and a cake vendor, Yusuf Ali Khan, 50,

sustained bullet wounds in a clash be-

tween police and opposition men atNawabpur. A student Md Rafi, 18, sus-

tained injuries from a crude bomb blast

in front of the National Press Club.

Several other people were also injured

in clashes between pro-BNPJamaat

lawyers and ruling party men inside

the Supreme Court.

In Sirajganj, Sports Secretary of Sa-

dar upazila unit Awami League Saiful

Islam was stabbed to death, allegedly

by BNP men, in the afternoon.

Around 25 Jamaat-Shibir men were

arrested for subversive acts in Ullapara

under the district during the afternoon.

In Chandpur, around 30 people sus-

tained injuries, of them 12 with bul-

lets, when Jamaat-BNP and Shibir men

locked in clashes with police, BGB and

Rab men several times.

During clashes that started in the

afternoon and continued into the

evening, police fired 42 rounds, and

teargas canisters, at the Jamaat-Shibir

men who attacked with homemade

weapons, sticks, bombs and brick

chips, vandalising 18 vehicles.

In Habiganj, a clash between BNP

activists and police accompanied by

ruling party men, left over 20 people

injured in Chunarughat upazila. Police

and army personnel launched separate

drives immediately after the clash.

BNP men attacked police at noon

when they detained two BNP activists

in Modhyabazar at a procession.

In Khulna, at least 54 BNP and Ja-

maat-shibir men were arrested at dif-

ferent places in the city and district,

said Additional Commissioner of KMP

Rasheda Begum.

She said 10 of them were arrested in

the city and 44 in the district, including

eight in Batiaghata, two in Terokhada,three in Dighalia, two in Phultala, 15 in

Dumuria, two in Dakop, seven in Paik-

gacha and five in Koyra.

In Chittagong, 59 people were ar-

rested in overnight drives at different

places in the city and across the district

for their alleged involvement with re-

cent violence.

Of them, 49 BNPJamaat-Shibir men

were arrested in Satkania, Sitakunda,

Banshkhali and Lohagara upazilas of

the district, and 10 at the Chittagong

Medical College Hospital.

A joint forces drive arrested three

Jamaat men in Meherpur, three BNP

men at Fatullah, Narayanganj, a Jamaat

leader in Kolarowa upazila. In addition,

Police in Feni arrested eight people, in-

cluding the Joint Convener of the BNP

district unit Samsuzzaman Samu. l

EC rules do not permit ralliesin capacious places, so close tothe national elections

In Habiganj, a clash betweenBNP activists and police

accompanied by ruling partymen, left over 20 peopleinjured in Chunarughatupazila. Police and armypersonnel launched separatedrives immediately after theclash


4/21

News4 DHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, December 31, 2013

City High Low

Dhaka 24.3 13.6

Chittagong 26.5 14.0

Rajshahi 22.4 09.5

Rangpur 21.6 10.8

Khulna 24.5 13.0

Barisal 24.5 13.0

Sylhet 25.4 11.9

Coxs Bazar 28.0 15.5

PRAYER TIMES

Fajar 5:20am

Sunrise 6:40am

Zohr 12:01am

Asr 3:46pm

Magrib 5:22pm

Esha 6:43pm

Source: IslamicFinder.org

WEATHER

Change in temperatureunlikelynUNB

Weather may remain dry with tempo-

rary partly cloudy sky over the country

until 6pm today.

Moderate to thick fog might occur

over the country during night till morn-

ing, Met Offi ce said.A mild cold wave is sweeping over

Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions and it

may continue. Night and day tempera-

ture may remain nearly unchanged

over the country.

The sun sets in the capital at 5:22pm

today and rises at 6:42am tomorrow.

Countrys highest temperature 28.0

degree Celsius was recorded at Coxs

Bazar and lowest 9.2 degrees at Ishwar-

di yesterday.Highest and lowest temperatures re-

corded in some major cities yesterday

were:

Foreign minister

reassures envoys

of their security

nTribune Report

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali has

assured foreign diplomats of their se-

curity and of the diplomatic zones inGulshan, Baridhara and Banani areas of

the city.

He gave the assurance at a meeting

with the envoys of the European Union

nations, a foreign ministry press re-

lease confirmed.

Adviser to the Prime Minister for In-

ternational Affairs, Gowher Rizvi and

Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque

were also present at the meeting.

The foreign minister said the govern-

ment would leave no stone unturned to

ensure the safety and security of diplo-

matic missions in Bangladesh as well as

their residences, schools and cultural

centres.

The session was also attended by

the ambassadors, high commissioners

and CDAs of the UK, Sweden, the Neth-

erlands, Germany, France, Italy, Spain

and Denmark.l

Memo protesting

attacks on DU

teachers

nArif Ahmed

BNP-backed White panel teachers

of Dhaka University submitted a

memorandum to the universitys

vice-chancellor yesterday, criticisingthe unprovoked attacks made on

teachers and demanding the dismissal

of th e offi cer-in-charge of Sh ahbag

police station.

A group of teachers, led by

former Pro-VC AFM Yousuf Haidar

and Secretary General of Dhaka

University Teachers Association Dr

Mamun Ahmed, met with VC AAMS

Arefin Siddique and submitted the

memorandum.

The teachers alleged that they had

been attacked without provocation by

the activists of Awami League while

attending a rally at the National Press

Club on Sunday.

They als o said po lice offi cials o n

duty, led by Shahabag police stations

offi cer-in-c harge Shiraju l Islam,

did nothing to stop the attackers

and even used expletives whiledeterring them from going to Paltan

to join the oppositions March for

Democracy.It was a totally unprovoked attack

and we demand punishment of those

involved. We will form a human chain

on January 1 protesting the incident,

said Dr Mamun Ahmed.

On Sunday, around six teachers were

injured after they came under attack

from some activists of Muktijoddha

Projonmo League at the Press Club.l

Top bureaucrats toretire by MarchPublic administration ministry completes preparations to fill

the vacancies and made a list of offi cers for postingnMohosinul Karim

A good number of high-level civil bu-

reaucrats will retire by March next year

as their two-year extension ends.

The government had extended the

retirement age to 59 from 57 years on

December 26, 2011.

None of the senior offi cials and civil

servants have retired in the last two

years.

According to the public administra-

tion ministry, a total of 10 secretaries

and senior secretaries, and 17 addition-

al secretaries will go into retirement by

March 31.

Of them, three secretaries and five

additional secretaries will retire from

January 1.

Agriculture Secretary SM Nazmul Is-

lam already started his post-retirement

leave (PRL) yesterday.

Parliament Secretariats Senior Sec-retary Ashraful Moqbul, Science and

Technology Secretary Rafiqul Islam

and Offi cer on Spec ial Duty (OS D) Sec-

retary Mohammad Golam Quddus will

end their service today. They will be

sent on PRL tomorrow.

Among the additional secretaries,

the Madrasa Education Boards Chair-

man Abdun Noor and OSD bureaucrats

Abul Quasem, Mosharraf Hossain,

AKM Yahya Chowdhury and Hafizur

Rahman Bhu iyan will att end the offi ce

for the last time today. Their PRL pe-

riod will start tomorrow.

Senior Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder

yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune: The

public administration ministry has al-

ready finished its preparations for fill-

ing up the vacanc ies immediately after

the secretaries retire. We have finalised

the lists of offi cers for posting.

The lists have already been sent to

the Prime Mini sters Offi ce for consen t.

But we are yet to get instructions fromthe government high-ups.

When asked whether the orders

posting tho se offi cers will be issued by

today, he said: It may take time until

next week. But, we are prepared.

Among othe r offi cials, t he contrac-

tual appointment of the Prime Minis-

ters Secretary Molla Waheduzzaman

will expire on January 17. Local Gov-

ernment Secretary Abu Alam Md Sha-

hid Khan will also retire on the same

day.

The Prime Ministers Principal Sec-

retary Shaikh Md Wahid Uz Zaman,

Secretary of Internal Resources Divi-

sion and NBR Chairman Md Ghulam

Hussain, BPATC Rector AZM Shafiqul

Alam, Land Secretary Mokhlesur Rah-

man and OSD Secretary Nurul Haque

will retire by March 7.

Among the additional secretaries,

OSD Sitangshu Sen, Swapan Kumar

Sarker, Mahbubul Alam and Syed Mus-

tafizur Rahman, the Home Ministrys

Mainuddin Khandker, the Finance Di-

visions Emdadul Hoque, the Agricul-

ture Ministrys Abdul Hamid, BRDB

Director Tohid Uddin Ahmed, DTCB

Executive Director Aftabuddin Taluk-

der, Principl e Informati on Offi cer Ami-

nul Islam, Director of Department of

Jute Azim Uddin Ahmed Choudhuryand Chief Electrical Inspector of Rail-ways Ekramur Rahman will retire by

February 28.

According to the public administra-

tion minis try, most of the offi cials who

will retire shortly are trying to get a

contractual appointment and so com-

municating with the government top

brass.l

Belal made

ambassador to theNetherlands

nTribune Report

The government has appointed Sheikh

Mohammad Belal as the ambassador of

Bangladesh to the Netherlands.

He was also concurrently accredited

to Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

He is currently working as the di-

rector general of the East Asia and Pa-

cific wing of the foreign ministry, said a

press release from the ministry.

He completed his masters in inter-

national relations and commerce from

Monash University of Australia. He also

received a masters degree from Har-

vard University in public administra-

tion in 2012.

Belal belongs to the 10th BCS batch

and has served in Australia, Malaysia,

the US and Uzbekistan in different ca-

pacities.l

The road in front of the BNPs Nayapaltan central offi ce remained vacant yesterday as law

enforcers put barricades on both sides of the road MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Hafiz on 2-day remandnMd Sanaul Islam Tipu

A Dhaka court yesterday granted a two-day remand for BNP Vice-President Maj

(retired) Hafizuddin Ahmed , rejecting

his bail in a case of the murder of a po-

lice offi cer and an arso n attack in th e

capitals Banglamotor.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Harun-

Or-Rashid passed the order after hear-

ing the petitions for his bail, remand

and remand rejection. Defence coun-

sels filed the rejection and bail pleas,

saying Hafiz had been arrested to sup-

press the oppositions movement and

to destroy the opposition party.

Masud Ahmed Talukder said Hafiz

was not listed in the FIR.

The police showed him arrested in

this case under instructions from the

ruling party, he said.

Shah Alam Talukder, a public pros-

ecutor of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions

Judges Court, opposed the bail peti-

tion.

After the hearing, pro-BNP lawyers

held a rally in front of the CMM court

building. Pro-Awami League lawyers

also gathered there and got into a heat-

ed exchange with the other group. Po-

lice intervened and dispersed them.

The case was filed with Ramna po-

lice station following an arson attack

on a police vehicle on December 24that killed constable Ferdous Khalil.

Sub-Inspector Mohammad Ali Hos-

sain of Ramna police station produced

Hafiz before the court seeking a seven-

day remand.

On December 25, SI Nazrul Islam

of Ramna police station filed a case

in connection with the arson attack

against BNP acting secretary general

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 20other leaders and activists from BNP,

Jamaat-e-Islami, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra

Dal and Islami Chattra Shibir.

On Sunday evening, the Detective

Branch of police arrested Hafizuddin

Ahmed from the National Press Club

area when he came out from a press

conference where he had announced

that the oppositions March to Democ-

racy programme would continue.

On Friday, BNP lawmaker Mahbub

Uddin Khokon was also interrogated by

the police at the jail gate as a part of the

same case.l

A few construction workers at Paltan in the capital pass a idle day, watching television yesterday as they had no work amid the ongoing

political situation MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Coxs Bazar to have most dispiritingnew year momentsnOur Correspondent

The celebration of this years New Years

eve in Coxs Bazar is set to be the most

dispiriting of its kind in several years, as

months of persisting political turmoiland unrest have affected the seaside

town like everywhere else.

Hotels, motels, resorts and guest-

houses usually decked out in an-

ticipation of a tourist influx during the

celebration have witnessed dismal

booking figures so far. Many hotel res-

ervations were cancelled in the past one

week alone.

The situation has forced hotel own-

ers and event management firms to stop

elaborate preparations, with many can-

celling previously planned concerts and

entertainment programmes.

The businessmen said they had been

affected equally by the present condi-

tions in the country, and that the loss to

their business this year could run into

millions of taka.

Coxs Bazar is usually one of the most

visited spots during the new year cel-ebration. Most celebrations take place

in the hotels, seaside areas and beaches

and on average about 300,000 revellers

and vacationers visit the town during

this time of the year.

The business has been showing

a downward trend in the past four

months, according to Sifat Ullah, man-

ager of the Hotel Sea Gull. Like everyyear, we had preparations to celebrate

the arrival of new year with revelry,

through open-air concerts and all that.

But all plans had to be cancelled,

because of the existing turmoil and se-

curity crisis in the country.

Kibria Khan, president of Coxs BazarTour Operators Association, said the as-

sociation had organised around 20 cel-

ebration programmes in Inani Beach,

Himchhori and Saint Martins Island on

the new years eve last year. But this

year we are organising only one.

Hotel Ocean Paradise, one of the

most popular five-star hotels in the

district, had, as of yesterday, advance

bookings for only 100 rooms out of its

300. Sayed Alamgir, a public relations

offi cer of the hotel, cal led the situation

unprecedented.

There is no way of knowing if even

those bookings would remain.

Usually, we make elaborate prepara-

tions for New Years Eve; this year it will

be different. We are organising only two

programmes. The performers had been

invited to come five days prior to the

day to ensure that nothing goes wrong.

However, the situation might have

a long-running negative impact on thebusiness, argues Abul Kashem Sikder,

general secretary of Coxs Bazar Hotel-

Motel Owners Association. It has been

a terrible year for us businessmen. I fear

this situation will continue to take its

toll on our bay-based tourism and hos-

pitality businesses in the future.

He urged the government and politi-

cal parties to restrain themselves from

doing anything detrimental to the in-

dustry.

Contacted for comments, Tofael Ah-

mad, additional police super of Coxs

Bazar, said he was not expecting large

crowds to gather at the tourist spots of

the district. However, there will be a

five-tier security arrangement across

the important points.

We will do everything necessary toprovide security to the residents and

visitors of the district. Aside from police

offi cials, there wi ll be offi cials from Rab

and other law enforcement agencies in

order to maintain law and order. l

Fire at RussianEmbassy

nUNB

A fire broke out on the Russian Embas-

sy premises at Gulshan 2 in the capital

yesterday morning, but no one was in-

jured in the incident.

Fire serv ice offi cials s aid the fire

erupted in a tin-shed waiting room ofthe embassy around 9am and soon en-

gulfed the entire room.

Two fire fighting units doused the

blaze around 9:30am. The cause of the

fire is unknown. l

US embassyclosed on Jan 1nTribune Report

The American Embassy, including the

Consular Section and the American

Center with the Archer K. Blood Ameri-

can Center Library and the Education

USA Student Advising Center, will be

closed on Wednesday on the occasionof New Years Day.

New Years Day is an American holi-

day. Emergency services for American

citizens will be available. The embassy

requested persons concerned to call,

if necessary, 885- 5500 and ask for the

duty offi cer.l

200 crude bombs hauled, 3 Shibir men heldnKailash Sarkar

Three activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir,

a student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami,

were held with 200 crude bombs in the

capitals Mohammadpur area in the

early hours of Monday.

The haul was made during an on-going crackdown in the capital in view

of the continuing agitation programme

of the main opposition BNP.

Police said the raid began at 1:30

and continued till Monday morning.

During this time, 200 crude bombs,huge publication materials and small-

sized national flags were seized

from a mess on Razia Sultana road of

Mohammadpur.

Three Shibir activists were heldfrom the mess.

However, details identities of the

arrestees could not be confirmed in

initial reports.

Mohammadpur police station

Offi cer-in-Ch arge Azizul Haque

told the Dhaka Tribune on Monday

morning.l

Restriction onmotor vehicles inelection areasnUNB

The government has asked the deputy

commissioners and metropolitan police

commissioners concerned to impose a

restriction on the plying of motorised

vehicles in 59 districts for 24 hours start-

ing from January 4 midnight in order to

smoothly hold the national election on

January 5.

The restriction will remain in force

from 12am (midnight) on January 4 to

12am the following day in all districts

except Joypurhat, Rajbari, Madaripur,

Shariatpur and Chandpur, said a noti-

fication issued by the communications

ministry yesterday. Besides, there will be

a ban on the plying of motorcycles from

January 3 midnight to January 7 mid-

night.l

Pro-BNP lawyers held a rallyin front of the CMM courtbuilding while pro-AwamiLeague lawyers gatheredthere got into a heatedexchange with them

According to the publicadministration ministry, a totalof 10 secretaries and seniorsecretaries, and 17 additionalsecretaries will go intoretirement by March 31


5/21

Highest number of PSC passes and GPA 5scores since introductionMinister links it to government measures; many believe scripts being marked generously

nMushfique Wadud

This year, the result of the Primary

School Certificate examinations broke

all the previous records with the high-

est pass rate and highest number of

GPA 5 scoring candidates since the in-

troduction of the examination for class

five students in 2009.

The pass rate is 98.58% this year

and 240,961 students achieved GPA 5.

The pass rate in the PSC equivalent for

madrasa students, Ibtedayi Certificate

Examination, is 95.80% and 7,253 stu-

dents achieved GPA 5. The results were

published yesterday.

The pass rate and number of GPA 5

scores has been increasing over the years.

The PSC exam was first introduced

in 2009. That year the pass rate was

88.84%. The pass rate was 92.34% in

2010, 97.26% in 2011, 97.35% in 2012

and 98.58% this year. In the first twoyears, there was no system of GPA 5. In

2011, 105,673 students got GPA 5 and in

2012, 230,220 students.

This year, students took the exams

amid political tension. Several exam-

inations were postponed due to hartals

called by the opposition parties. The

exams began on November 20. They

were scheduled to end on November

28 but were delayed until December 6

because of opposition programmes.

Moreover, rumours that the ques-

tion papers had been leaked surfaced

during the exams. Education Minister

Nurul Islam Nahid admitted that the

question papers were leaked in some

parts of the country.

Despite this the result broke the all

the previous records.

When asked what contributed to the

good results, Nahid said the govern-

ment had taken some measures, which

contributed to the good results.

He said that the pass rate was evi-

dence that the quality of education was

increasing.

However, some examiners and of-

ficials of the Directorate of Primary

Education said examiners had been

instructed to mark scripts generously.

As there was political instability

and question papers were leaked, we

had instructions that we should mark

the scripts generously. We tried to give

as many marks as po ssible, an examin-

er in Mymensingh told the Dhaka Tri-

bune over phone.Former director and a professor of

Dhaka Universitys Institute of Educa-

tion and Research, Siddiqur Rahman,

said while increasing the pass rate and

GPA 5 scores normally means that qual-

ity of education is improving, there

should be research on this.

Pass rates and GPA 5 scores are in-

creasing in all public examinations in

the last couple of years. There should

be a research on whether the increase

is due to improving quality or due toany other reasons, he said.

Farhad Hossain, principal of Mo-

nipur High School and College, which

topped the merit list among schools,

said that he sees the increasing pass

rate positive.

He said that normally in the primary

level, pass rates remain high.

Before the introduction of PSC when

there were annual examinations con-

ducted by schools, normally a hundred

percent of students used to pass the ex-amination. I do not see the increasing

pass rate in PSC as abnormal, he said.

Nahid handed over the results to

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the

morning. T he minister the n offi ciall y

announced the results at a press brief-

ing at the secretariat at 12:30PM. After

that, students collected results from

their schools. The results were also

available at the Directorate of Primary

Educations website and through mo-

bile operators short messing system.

Nahid also said the result that they

got from the field offi cials of Amtoli v il-

lage of Borguna district, has some devia-

tion and that the result is postponed. He

said that it would be published in 7 days.

A total of 2,961,237 students took

the PSC exams. Of them, 2,639,045

were school students and 322,192 were

madrasa students.

All students passed in Jessore and

Lalmonirhat districts, the highest in the

country, and 95.77% in Sylhet, the lowest.

In 73,600 schools and 7924 madra-

sas no students failed the exams, while

in 46 schools and 294 madrasas no stu-

dents passed.

In terms of pass rate, male stu-

dents performed slightly better than

female students. The pass rate among

male students was 98.62% and 98.54%

among female students.

Monipur High School and College

was first in the country in terms of pass

rate and GPA 5 scores, National Ideal

School came second, and MilestonePreparatory KG School came third. l

News 5DHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, December 31, 2013

UP chairman killedin shootout

nOur Correspondent, Satkhira

A union parishad chairman was killed

in a gunfight with joint forces in Sat-

khira yesterday afternoon.

The deceased was Agardhari UnionParishad Chairman Anwarul Islam.

Sources said there were several cas-

es filed against him including a murder

case.

The district BNP unit claimed that

Anwarul was their active supporter.

Satkhira sadar circle Assistant Police

Superintendent Kazi Moniruzzaman

said members of the joint forces were

heading towards Agardhari Kushkhali

area, an upazila which is a stronghold

of the Jamaat-e-Islami around 12:45pm.

Miscreants intercepted the law en-

forcers at Shikri and opened fire from

a plum orchard, while the joint forces

fired back in retaliation.

The clash left Anwarul injured, he

was pronounced dead Satkhira Sadar

Hospital.l

Barisal-Dhakatransportsuspensiontriggers fearsof job lossesnOur Correspondent, Barisal

The suspension of Dhaka-bound pas-

senger carriers from Barisal region

since Friday, has not only added suf-

fering of the daily life but also triggered

fears of job losses among the low in-

come people.

After visiting Barisal river port and

bus stations, this correspondent found

thousands of Dhaka-bound passengers

stranded at different points.

They expressed concerns that they

might lose their jobs.

Monir Hossain of Jhalakathi

said he might lose his job in Saudi

Arabia as he would miss his flight on

early today.

Abdul Jabbar of Barguna said he had

been working at Bangabandhu Sheikh

Mujib Medical University and had to

get there by yesterday s offi ce opening

hour, but he failed.I do not know how I and other low-

paid people will satisfy our employers,

he helplessly said.

Mansur Dewan of Barisal said he had

been working at a private factory in the

Kamrangir Char area of Dhaka, and that

he would lose his if job, as he had failed

to get there by yesterday.

Rashid Haoladar of Pauakhali, a

garments worker at Savar, said he did

not know whether he would be sacked

from his job.

Dr Mizanur Rahman, member sec-

retary of Barisal Bivagio Swartha San-

grakkhan Parishad, said the suspen-

sion of transportation not only created

hazards in professional sectors, but

also isolated the capital from the coun-

try. This would have more bad effects

in the coming days.l

Nakugaon customs station will turninto a land portnOur Correspondent, Sherpur

Nakugaon customs station in Nalitabari

upazila of Sherpur is going to turn into

a fully-fledged land port, which will

help develop road communication

with neighbouring countries like India

and Bhutan.

The shipping ministry has already

issued a notice in this regard under the

Bangladesh Sthala Bandar Kartipaksha

(land port authority) Act 2010, sources

said.

A Tk1.73 crore project for broaden-

ing the road from Nakugaon to Nokla

upzila, to facilitate access to the new

land port, is expected to be completed

soon.

To improve communication with

neighbouring districts, a 216 km-road

from Sylhet to Sunamganj was ex-

tended by building a bridge over the

Bhogai River in Nalitabari, while an-

other bridge was constructed on the

Brahmaputra River between Bogra and

Rangpur.

Sources said there was a possibility

of connecting the new land port to the

trans-Asian highway. Nakugaon is only

200km from the border with Bhutan.Local businessmen said they could

make profits by importing fruits, mar-

ble, car spare parts, spices, onions,

ginger, wood and bamboo through the

land port.

Besides, a large amount of foreign

currency could also be earned by ex-

porting readymade garments, jute,

salted hilsa, pangash fish, silk sarees

and cosmetics using the port.Recently, coal and stones have

been imported through the port, while

cement and mosquito nets were ex-

ported.

A trilateral business structure will

be established with Bangladesh if the

Nakugaon customs station becomes a

land port, said AM Hakam Hira, gen-

eral secretary of Nakugaon Land Port

Importing-Exporting Union.

The Nakugaon customs station

started operation in April 1995. The

government issued a notice on Septem-

ber 2011 to upgrade it to a land port.l

Sufferers blast bothgovt, oppositionnAbu Bakar Siddique

Amena Khatun makes a living selling

bananas at a makeshift roadside shop

at Abdullapur in the capital.The 60-year-old grandmother col-

lects bananas from a wholesaler on

credit, and makes a small profit selling

them throughout the day.

However, recent political pro-

grammes like blockades, hartals and

protest marches have been ruining her

livelihood even pushing her into huge

debt as she is unable to run her busi-

ness smoothly.

I already owe Tk35,000 to the

wholesaler as I failed to pay him on time

because of reduced sales, said Amena,

who lives in a slum in Uttara Sector-8

with her only son and his family.

While talking to the Dhaka Tribune,

Amena said there are fewer people

around during opposition-called shut-

downs and her sales go down. Also,

whatever little money she makes, she has

to spend on food and other essentials, the

prices of which usually go up during con-

tinuous hartals and blockades.

In addition, perishable foods like ba-

nanas do not keep for long, so she loses

money daily.I do not know whether I will be able

to repay the wholesaler in this life, or

whether I will die with the loan, Ame-

na rued.

Like Amena, most small vendors

from vegetable sellers to tea stall keep-

ers who run their businesses on the

footpaths or by the roadsides of Dhaka

have been incurring huge losses in the

present political climate.

The situation makes me so vulner-

able that I do not feel comfortable re-

turning home at the end of the day as

I repeatedly fail to manage food for my

six family members, day after day, said

Tota Mia, who runs a tea stall near Ton-

gi bridge on the outskirts of the city.

I have already taken a Tk10, 000 loan

with interest from a lender at my vil-

lage home in Fulpur, Mymensingh, he

added.

Terming the prevailing situation as

helpless, Tota Mia blamed both the

government and the opposition par-

ties for his suffering, saying they are

doing this kind of politics for their own

interest and the common people do not

have any say.

Echoing him, Rashidul Islam, a veg-

etable vendor, blasted politics in Ban-

gladesh as a popular profession for

making money that is pushing both

sides to quarrel over power.

Rashidul said he believes that the

people would live in peace if the two

top leaders of Awami League and BNP

were to retire, as they were the main

problems of the country. l

HC allows a candidate to contestupcoming pollsnMohammad Zakaria

Just five days before the 10th parlia-

mentary election slated for January 5,

one more candidate secured his can-didature following a High Court order

yesterday.

Independent candidate ASM Kam-

rul Islam of Comilla 8 got the chance

to contest the polls, reducing the total

number of uncontested constituencies

to 153.

Jatiya Party backed candidate Nurul

Islam Milon was set to be elected un-

contested from this constituency.

The Election Commission has in-

structed the re turning offi cer c on-

cerned to allocate election symbol to

the candidate, said Basudev Roy, dep-

uty secretary of its legal wing.

Kamruls nomination was cancelled

at the appeal hearing in EC while the

nomination remained valid after scru-

tiny by the retu rning offi cer.

Earlier, two candidates Mahfuzur

Rahman of Chittagong 3 and Jatiya

Party backed Zafar Iqbal Siddiqi of Nil-

phamari 1 also got chances to contest

the polls.

With the latest additions, the num-

ber of candidates participating in the

January 5 elections stands at 389 and

elections will be held in a total of 147

parliamentary constituencies.

Offi cials at the co mmission said bal-

lot papers would have to be reprinted

following the latest additions.

Meanwhile, Border Guard Bangla-

desh and Coast Guard will be deployed

from tomorrow to January 7 to main-

tain the law and order situation during

the polls.l

Dense fog disrupts

communicationsnAbu Bakar Siddique

Road and waterway communications

all across the country, including the

major river routes of Paturia-Dowlatdia

and Mawa-Keurakandihave been dis-

rupted over the last few days because

of dense fog.

On Sunday, ferry operations on the

Mawa-Keurakandi route remained sus-

pended for over eight hours, creating a

few kilometre-long tailbacks on both

the sides of the river.

Sirajul Islam, manager of Bangla-

desh Inland Water Transport Corpo-

ration (BIWTA) at Mawa, said:Water

transport remained suspended to avoid

accidents. However, the ferry service

resumed at 7:45 yesterday morning, af-

ter 8 hours.

BIWTC sources said the ferry servicewas totally haltedon Sunday at 11:45pm

as Ro Ro Ferry Shah Mukhdum, Ferry

Raniganj and Ferry Kanakchanpa were

anchored.

Sirajul Haque, manager of BIWTC

at Mawa said these three ferries were

anchored out in the river to avoid acci-

dents, as signal lights could hardly be

seen in the dense fog.

The suspension of the ferry service

caused tra ffi c jam on bo th sides of th e

river Ghat, causing immense suffering

for the passengers.Meanwhile, a mild cold spellhas

hitthe northern parts of the country,

giving way to cold-related diseases and

causing suffering for the poor.

The Me t offi ce yes terday re cord-

ed the lowest temperature as9.2 de-

grees Celsius-in Ishwardi. 8.5 degrees

Celsius, the lowest temperature this

season so far, was alsorecorded in the

same district on December 28. l

CU reschedulesviva testsnCU Correspondent

Chittagong University authorities

yesterday rescheduled the H unit

spoken admissions exam for January

3, said Prof Khan Tawhid Osman in a

press release.

The statement also said the candi-

dates for 2013-2014 academic session

would have to bring their SSC and HSC

mark sheets, along with their registra-

tion cards, to the examination.l

PSC examinees of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College and Monipur High School and College celebrate after receiving their results yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

A day labourer in Rajshahi returns without getting any work because of the ongoing unrest in the country. The photo was taken yesterday

DHAKA TRIBUNE

The situation makes me sovulnerable that I do not feelcomfortable returning homeat the end of the day as Irepeatedly fail to manage food

for my six family members,day after day

300 magistratesto control polls

nMohosinul Karim

The government has appointed 300

executive magistrates to oversee law

and order and avoid election anomalies

during the upcoming elections.

The public administration ministry

yesterday issued an order, appointing

them and giving them the magistracy

power to take immediate action if it

was necessary.

According to the order signed by Se-

nior Assistant Secretary Rezaul Karim,

at least two magistrates out of the 300

would discharge their duties in each of

the 147 electoral constituencies where

the polls will be held.

They will discharge their duties

from January 3 to January 6.

The executive magistrates, who

have been working in different minis-

tries and divisions, will return to theiroffi ces after Janua ry 6, the ministry or -

der said.l


6/21

6 NationDHAKA TRIBUNE Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Barisal fire gutted 50 shopsnOur Correspondent, Barisal

A devastating fire gutted more than 50

shops, with some properties worth Tk8

crore, at Shaheberhut under Agoiljhara

upazila in Barisal on Sunday.

Fertiliser dealers, stationers, gro-

cery stores, hotels, restaurants, studi-

os, pharmacies, building suppliers and

residential houses.

Fire Service sources said at least 51

shops gutted and the losses caused by

the fire were between Tk5 -7 c rore. The

businessmen claimed their losses were

about Tk8 crore.

Bishwajit Haldar, secretary of Sahe-

berhut Bazaar Committee, said the fire

was started by an electric short-circuit

at a tailors shop, named Student Tai-

lors, around 8:30pm

Ainul Islam, station manager of Gour-

nadi Fire Service Station, said fire service

units from Gournadi and Ujirpur reached

the scene around 9:15pm and brought

the flames under control by 1am.

Agoiljhara Upazila Nirbahi Offi cer,

Abul Kalam Talukdar, said a probe com-

mittee would be formed to investigate the

incident. Upazila Project Implementation

Offi cer Shachindranath Boidya said a

fund would be set up immediately to fa-

cilitate the rehabilitation of the victims.l

7 Myanmar citizensheld in Bandarban

nTribune Report

Police arrested seven Myanmar citizens

from Haludia area under Bandarban sa-

dar upazila yesterday morning, for ille-

gally entering Bangladesh territory.

Sub-Inspector Nasir Ahmed of

Bandarban sadar upazila said they

were arrested in separate raids in the

Haludia area. The arrestees in their

confessional statements said they had

entered Bangladesh through different

border areas of Naikhongchhari.

A case was filed against them with

the Naikhongchhari Thana. l

Seven murdered across the countrynTribune Report

At least seven people have been killed

in separate incidents in Joypurhat,

Gazipur, Satkhira, Gaibandha and Pab-

na since Sunday night.

Panchbibi police of Joypurhat recov-

ered the bodies of three youths yester-

day afternoon.Offi cer-in- Charge Md Noor Hos sain

said some miscreants slaughtered the

three youths, adding that all of themhailed from Bogra.

Superintendent of Police Md Ha-

midul Alam said Saikat, 26, of Kalaiha-

ta village under Shibganj upazila of

Bogra; with Bipul of the same upazila,

and along with Rasel, a Tejgaon College

student; went to Dinajpurs Hili to visit

his in-laws house.

Bipul called his mother that night

saying that they were returning to

Bogra, the SP added.

The motive behind the killing was

unclear. At the time of filing this report,

no one has been arrested.

In Gaibandha, a union parishad

member was shot dead by miscreants

at Khanchapara under Fulchhari upa-

zila early yesterday.

Locals and police said the criminals

attacked the house of Abdul Karim

around 2am and fired several rounds,

leaving Karim and his wife injured in-

side the house. The culprits forcibly

brought Karim outside the house and

hacked him to death him with sharp

weapons before leaving the scene.

Injured Amela Begum was admitted

to Gaibandha Sadar Hospital in a criti-

cal condition.

Offi cer-in-C harge of F ulchhari po-

lice station M Mashiur Rahman told the

Dhaka Tribune that Karim might have

been killed by rivals over a fight for su-premacy in the area.

Karim had been involved in terror-

ism and robbery, and was accused in a

number of criminal cases.

The dead body of a fish trader, hung

from a mango tree, was recovered in

Gazipurs Kaliakoir area yesterday

morning.The deceased, Mobarak Hossain,

32, had a dispute with his neighbour,

Azhar, over the boundary wall of the

house. Laili Begum, wife of the de-

ceased, said that friends of Azhar might

have hung the body up after killing

him.

Sub-Inspector Shafikul Islam of Ka-

liakoir police station said Mobarak had

been missing since Sunday afternoon,

adding that they recovered the body

the after getting information from the

locals. The body was sent to Gazipur

Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

In Satkhira, the dead body of a c attle

trader was recovered yesterday morn-

ing at Shikri village under Satkhira Sa-

dar upazila.

The deceased, Liakat Ali, was foundby his family members.

Kushkhali UP Chairman Anwar Bis-

was said Liakat was returning at home

by a truck from Kadamtala area on Sun-

day evening, adding that he might have

slipped and died while getting downfrom the truck, as there was bruise

marks in his head.

OC Inamul Haq of Sadar police sta-

tion said police were working to unveil

the mystery of the incident.

A kid was hacked to death in Gopi-

nathpur village in Sathia upazila of

Pabna on Sunday night.

The deceased, Shahdat Hossain, 14,

hailed from the same village.

Police and locals said Shahdats

friends stabbed him inside his resi-

dence on Sunday night due to previous

enmity. He was taken to Sathia Upazila

Health Complex where he succumbed

to his injuries, they added.

OC Shahed Mahamud of Sathia po-

lice station said police sent the body to

Pabna Medical College Hospital morgue

for autopsy, adding that a suspectedyouth was arrested in this regard. l

Road accidentkills four

nTribune Report

Road accidents killed four persons in

three districts yesterday.

Among them three were in Pabna

and one in Gopalganj.

The deceased Shah Alam, 34, a truck

driver, Nabir Uddin, 48, and another

unidentified victim were killed in atruck accident in Pabna and Anis Khan,

24, a day labourer, was killed in a mo-torcycle accident in Gopalganj.

Our Pabna correspondent reports

three people were killed when a stone-

laden truck slipped off the road and fell

into a roadside ditch in Santhia upazila

under Pabna yesterday.

Shahed Mahamu d, offi cer-in-c harge

of Santhi police station, said the acci-

dent happened around 7:30am.

The day labourer was killed as a mo-

torcycle ran over him around 4:30am.

The accident took place at Hari-

daspur Neemtala area under Sadar upa-

zila of Dhaka-Khulna highway.

Md Zakir Hoss ain Molla , offi cer-in-

charge of Gopalganj sadar police sta-

tion, said Anis went to the place to un-

load sand from a truck.

He died at the scene when a motor-

cycle hit him from the back and ran

over him.l

Railwaypensionersin troublein ChandpurnOur Correspondent, Chandpur

Hundreds of retired railway employ-

ees in Chandpur failed to draw their

monthly pension, apparently because

of a drop in ticket sales which funds

their retirement benefits.

The authorities have cited the po-

litical crisis and lack of security on the

railways as the reasons behind the drop

in sales, which has made a big dent in

their earnings.

So far only 150 pensioners out of

the 623 affi liated with Cha ndpur-Bo ro

Station have received their pension for

the month of December. Many, coming

from different areas of the district, re-

turned empty-handed.

Sokhina Begum, a former railway

employee now living in Motlob area,said: My family depends on the mon-

ey I get from my pension.

I wouldnt have come for the lump

sum if I had an alternative. No one un-

derstands the pain and suffering that

we pensioners have to go through if we

do not have the money on time.

Another pensioner, Ainul Haque

said, We got the monthly pension for

October in November. Only 205 pen-

sioners were able to manage that.

In this regard, Assistant Station

Master of the station Sirajul Islam said

the failure to pay pensions had to do

with the drop in sales. Previously, we

would have earned Tk100,000-150,000

by selling tickets for the Meghna Ex-

press but yesterday we earned only

Tk1,500.

The passengers are afraid of com-

muting by train because of the vio-lence and acts of sabotage on the rail-

ways, according to the Station Master

of Chandpur Boro Station Md Hossain

Majumder.

There are consequences to the vio-lent developments in the sector. We are

struggling to manage pension funds

because of these developments.

He said he would inform the higher

authorities about the matter, and do as

instructed.l

WB-supported projecthelping improve ruralconnectivitynUNB

The Rural Transport Improvement Pro-

ject (RTIP II), supported by the World

Bank, will help improve the rural road

network in the countryside, benefitingapproximately 22 million people.

RTIP II, aimed at maintaining and

improving around 5,250 km of union

parishad and upazilla roads in 26 dis-

tricts, said a WB press release.

The WB is providing $302 million for

the project. The financing was in the

form of a zero interest credit with 40

years to maturity and a 10-year grace pe-

riod, including a service charge on dis-

bursed funds of 0.75%, from the Inter-

national Development Association (IDA)

The release said that the project will

also pilot the restoration of rural water-

ways to provide year round connectiv-

ity to the poor and isolated rural com-

munities, who have no road access but

have access to waterways, which are

open for service only part of the year.

Approximately 22 million people liv-

ing near roads and waterways, which

will be rehabilitated and maintained,

will be benefited by this initiative.

The project was also developing a

comprehensive rural roads transport

safety framework, and is to implement

sustainable enhancements to the Lo-cal Government Engineering Depart-

ments (LGED) capacities in planning,

monitoring, finance, asset manage-

ment, administration and governance.

A recent review of the implemen-

tation status of the project found that

progress has been made in all compo-

nents of the project.

Regarding the rehabilitation and

periodic maintenance of roads, a total

of 114 contracts (777 km) have been

awarded for about $23 million, spread

out in 26 districts. Of these, nine have

already been fully completed, whileanother 96 contracts were under im-

plementation.

The finalisation of the second

year implementation program for all

components was well underway with

the screening of the selected roads in

progress.l

Three children take textbooks, which were supplied by the government b efore the New Year, on a van at Rajshahis Godagari upazila yesterday DHAKA TRIBUNE

Farmers harvest green vegetables in the field at Rajshahis Godagari upazila yesterday. The farmers alleged that because of the ongoing

political crisis in the country they were not even being able to get their production cost DHAKA TRIBUNE


7/21

7Long Form Tuesday, December 31, 2013DHAKA TRIBUNE

nJamil Majid

In 2002 BBC organised an elab-

orate programme, spread over

weeks, to determine whom the

British public considered the

greatest Britons in history. Over

30,000 people were polled to identify

persons who epitomised greatness

to the public. A list was compiled of

the 100 individuals who received the

highest votes. The top 10 were then

profiled in a series of hour-long TV

films, in which eminent presenters ar-

gued for their favourites to be named

the greatest Briton in history.

The grand finale of the programme

was a live 2 hour TV debate where

the presenters argued for their choices

ahead of a final vote by viewers to

choose the greatest Briton in histo-

ry. Mo Mowlam, who served in the

cabinet of Prime Minister Tony Blair,

argued for Sir Winston Churchill, whileformer Conservative Cabinet Minister,Michael Portillo, made the case for

Queen Elizabeth I.

Over 1.6 million viewers participat-

ed in the final vote to choose the great-

est Briton in history, Winston Church-

ill, who polled 28.1% of the votes, was

adjudged the winner. In second place,

the surprise choice, with 24.6% of the

votes, was Isambard Kingdom Brunel,

a distinguished engineer who lived

in the 19th century. Brunel was the

creator of the Great Western Railway,

and had designed ships, tunnels and

bridges. Others in the top 10 were, in

descending order, Diana, Princess of

Wales, Charles Darwin, Shakespeare,

Isaac Newton, Queen Elizabeth I, John

Lennon, Admiral Horatio Nelson and

Oliver Cromwell.

The nature of the whole exercise

was such that the results were less an

objective assessment than a reflection

of public perception and sentiment.Former Deputy Leader of the Labour

Party, Roy Hattersley, described the

programme as an artificial contestand a trivial exercise. One expert

obs

print edition: 31 december 2013

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