Chittagong Univ closed over BCL clashes

The authorities have suspended academic activities, including all examinations, at Chittagong University from May 2 to May 12, following factional clashes of the university unit Bangladesh Chattra League, associate student body of the ruling Awami League.

Campus sources said the university syndicate took this decision at an emergency meeting held in vice-chancellor's room at 12:30pm on Sunday.

Ten BCL activists were injured in factional clashes that took place between April 29 and May 1.

The university disciplinary committee on April 30 expelled seven students in connection with the campus violence, which, however, continued unhindered.

In this situation, Professor Md Alauddin, acting vice-chancellor of the university, on Sunday convened the syndicate meeting, which expelled four more students for two years in connection with the violence.

The expelled students are Ataul Mannan Babul of English, Anisul Hasan of political science, Ariful Islam of philosophy and Mithu of marketing department.

The syndicate also formed two committees comprising seven members each to probe into the reason behind the clashes, with Professor Al-Amin of forestry department and Professor Monir Uddin of chemistry department heading the committees.

The committees were asked to submit their reports within 14 days.

Tofzal Hossain, a CU syndicate member, told New Age, 'We took some measures to stop violence on the campus. The university has been closed as part of the measure.'

Besides, police raided different student hostels of the city to arrest the BCL activists who were involved in the clashes.

The police deployed on the campus also raided the student dormitories on the campus but nobody was arrested.

Meanwhile, the frightened students were seen leaving the campus.

Halim Uddin, student of Bangla department, told New Age, 'Though the university has been closed only for 10 days, I am going home as the situation here isn't safe at all.'

Akter Hossain, CU proctor, said that the campus situation was under control.

They were looking for the culprits and said that they would be punished.

Source: New Age

BM College closed over BCL factional clashes

Barisal Brojo Mohun College was closed for two weeks on Monday following a tense situation created by continuous showdowns by two rival factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League — the student front of the ruling Awami League.

The college authorities also asked the students, except the examinees, to vacate the halls within Tuesday morning.

The college principal Nani Gopal Das said the decision was announced after the college academic council approved it at a meeting held at 1:00pm on Monday.

Written and practical examinations would, however, be held duly during the shut down, but normal classes would resume on May 15 if the situation improves, the college principal said.

On Friday noon, two rival factions of BCL led by Rafik Serniabat, college BCL joint convener, backed by former chief whip and district AL secretary Abul Hasanat Abdullah and their rival faction led by Moin Tushar, college BCL joint convener, backed by city AL president and Barisal mayor Shawkat Hossain Hiron, clashed and ransacked the principal's room over immediate declaration of schedules for election of BM College Students' Union.

Rafik and Moin, leaders of rival BCL factions, blamed each other for the rampage and lodged cases against each other group with the Kotwali Police Friday night.

Both factions continuously held rallies and showdowns on the campus on Saturday and Monday creating a tense situation.

Both groups chanted slogans demanding ouster of each other from the campus and engages in scuffles.

Huge number of armed activists and outsiders participated in these activities, backing one faction or the other demanding immediate announcement student union elections at the college.

Source: New Age

Farmers protest at RCC housing project

Several hundred farmers in the Rajshahi city on Monday staged a demonstration and submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner, protesting at the land acquisition by the Rajshahi City Corporation for its housing project.

They said with this they would have to give up their land property for the seventh time for the government projects.

The farmers, women and men, from three areas, namely Chotobangram, Meherchundy and Mushroil under RCC wards number 24, 25 and 26, gathered at the Rajshahi court area to join the protest at around 11:00am.

Later they had gone to the Rajshahi DC office to submit the memorandum demanding steps to cancel the RCC project.

The farmers complained that the RCC was going to acquire 136 acres of cultivable land in the three areas for a commercial housing project.

They said the situation of the inhabitants, already seriously affected by the land acquisition for so many times, would further be aggravated by the RCC initiative.

The demonstrators informed that the government authorities have already acquired land in the same area for different purposes in the past — initially for establishing the Rajshahi University, then for the Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, later for the Rajshahi City Bypass road and yet again for a housing project by the Rajshahi Development Authority.

The RDA only acquired land in these wards for three times, they said.

Land Protection Committee convener Aslam Uddin, joint conveners SM Omar Faruk, Abdul Malek, Awal Hossain and Moshlem Ali were present, among others, at the programme.

Rajshahi DC Subol Bose Moni said he would send the memorandum to the authorities concerned.

The RCC sources said in May 2010 the city corporation decided to undertake a housing project with 1300 plots in 136 acres to be acquired in the three villages with an estimated cost of Tk 350 crore.

Source: New Age

KMCH interns call off strike

The Khulna Medical College Hospital interns on Monday called off the strike they had been enforcing for last five days to push for their four-point demands, including ensuring security of on-duty doctors in the hospital.

They also threatened the hospital authorities with toughest demonstrations after seven days if their demands were not fulfilled by this time.

They joined their works in the afternoon following a meeting attended by the hospital superintendent, Bangladesh Medical Association Khulna unit leaders and the striking interns at the hospital conference room where the hospital authorities assured the strikers of ensuring workplace security.

The interns went out on indefinite strike in the hospital on Tuesday after the relatives of a patient, reportedly mother of a Satkhira Awami League leader, beat up a doctor for his delay in examining the patient, according to sources in the hospital.

KMCH Intern Physicians' Council president Jillur Rahman said if they face any problem in their workplace within seven days, they would enforce strike again.

He acknowledged that the hospital authorities in a meeting on Monday assured them of providing adequate security.

Hospital superintendent QH Asgar said they had taken adequate security measures in the hospital.

Source: New Age

Three commit suicide in capital

Three persons committed suicide in the capital in last two days.

The deceased are Sahana Akhter, wife of carpenter Mohammad Sharif of Dakkhin Khan, Sulov Roy, the son of Sufalang Roy of Khilkhet, and Soma Akhter, wife of Salahuddin of Lalbagh, according to the police.

The sources also said garment worker Sahana Akhter threw herself under a train near Khilkhet railway station at about 3:30pm on Sunday.

She left a note requesting police to send her body to her village home.

A case was filed, confirmed the police.

At Khilkhet, construction worker Sulov Roy committed suicide by hanging himself from a ceiling fan at about 4:00pm on Sunday.

The police sent his body to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for post-mortem examination and a case was filed, said the police.

At Lalabagh, 32-year-old housewife Soma Akhter attempted suicide allegedly by taking pesticides at her residence Sunday night.

She died at DMCH at about 1:00am on Monday after she was taken there at about 11:00pm on Sunday.

The police said she committed suicide over a family feud.

A case was also filed.

Source: New Age

More than 80 shanties burnt in city slum fire

More than eighty shanties were burnt down and a woman received burn injuries as a devastating fire broke out at a slum in the Dhaka city's Kalyanpur area Sunday night.

Fire brigade sources said the fire originated from the kitchen of a shanty of the slum, well known as 'Pora Bustee' at about 7:15pm on Sunday.

A total of 14 fire-fighting units from different fire brigade stations put out the flame at about 11:20pm.

The fire originated from a burner of a kitchen and soon engulfed the adjacent shanties, said an officer of the fire brigade control room.

The estimated loss from the fire is about Tk 20 lakh and a woman, identified as Minara Begum, 40, received burn injuries in the fire incident, the officer added.

Source: New Age

9 get Youth of the Nation 2010 Award

Nine have got the Youth of the Nation 2010 Award for contributing to voluntary and development works for the betterment of society.

The award was handed over to the recipients at a function organised by JAAGO Foundation and sponsored by Airtel Bangladesh at Shahid Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium Mirpur.

The US ambassador to Bangladesh, James F Moriarty, addressed the award giving function as chief guest.

Of the recipients, Shaba Tasnim Huq from SunnyDale School got award in Best Partner School, Suman Ahmed from United International University in Best Partner University, Tausif from 1Di in Best Partner Organisation, Imtiaz from Grafics People in Best Corporate Partner, Fahad Alam Talukder from Black Group in Best Group in Wonderland, Farhan in Best Captain and Antara in Highest Fund Raiser categories.

Valerie Taylor got the life time achievement award and Ivdad Ahmed Khan Mojlish got the Youth of the Nation Award.

Source: New Age

Man stabs wife

A housewife was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Monday after she was stabbed allegedly by her husband at Abdullahpur at Uttara in Dhaka in the morning.

Injured Marzina Khatun Moyna, 32, is the wife of rickshaw puller Hashenur Rahman.

The police said Hashenur Rahman stabbed Marzina Khatun on her face and abdomen at her house following a feud over dowry at about 7:00am on Monday.

Marzina complained that her husband tried to kill her as her family failed to pay him Tk 1 lakh as dowry.

Source: New Age

Fire burns jute warehouses in Khulna

Two jute warehouses at Maheshwarpasha at Daulatpur in Khulna were gutted in a fire originated from short circuit on Monday.

Khulna Fire Service and Civil Defence sources said fire broke out at a shed of a warehouse of Zia Jute Trading at about 2:00pm and spread to adjacent sheds.

The fire also engulfed the warehouse of Mollah Jute Trading, witnesses said.

Fire fighters from Bayra, Khalishpur, Daulatpur and River Stations brought the fire under control after fours hours.

Mohammad Sirajul Islam of Mollah Jute Trading said the fire burnt raw jute worth about Tk 15 crore.

Source: New Age

JnU Badhan observes founding anniv

Jagannath University unit of Badhan, a platform for the blood donors, on Monday observed its 5th founding anniversary on the campus.

The activists brought out a procession, led by university vice-chancellor Mesbahuddin Ahmed, at about 11:00am.

They also organised a discussion at the university auditorium. JnU Badhan president Earshad Ahmed presided over the discussion.

Source: New Age

Non-implementation of CHT accord is a shame: roundtable

Lawmakers of the Awami League and its allied parties on Monday expressed regret for not implementing the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord 1997.

They said it was a shame for them that no pragmatic step has been taken in the last 13 years for the implementation of the peace treaty which brought an end to decades of conflict.

They made the remarks at a roundtable on 'Human rights of indigenous people and ILO Convention 169: self-determination rights and constitutional recognition', organised by Research and Development Collective at Hotel Sonargaon.

Chakma circle chief Raja Devashish Roy, while presenting the keynote paper, said that constitutional recognition of the ethnic communities was essential to ensure their protection.

The state has to be not only secular, but also impartial with regard to race and caste.

The chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the land ministry, AKM Mozammel Haque, said that disregarding the peace accord after signing it is nothing but self-contradiction.

It is deceitfulness that will compel the people of the CHT to distrust the Awami League, he said.

The Parbattya Chattagram Janasanghati Samity's president, Jyotirindra Bodhipriyo Larma, popularly known as Santu Larma, pointed out that no significant measure has been taken by any government for implementing the accord.

'I am not at all optimistic as 28 months have passed since the ruling party came to power for the second time and there is still no sign of implementing the accord. Rather, some decisions have been made which go against the CHT's people,' he told the roundtable supported by the International Labour Organisation and attended by a number of lawmakers and human rights activists.

He said that the present situation of the country's indigenous people clearly proves the government's failure to ensure democracy, secularism and progressiveness. 'I think this oppression will continue even in the future,' Santu added.

Emphasising the need for constitutional recognition of the ethnic minorities as indigenous, lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon said it was not possible to solve their problems overnight but there are some basic issues which need to be resolved immediately.

'Constitutional recognition of them as indigenous people is a major issue,' said Menon, who is also chairman of the parliamentary caucus on indigenous affairs.

Lawmaker Hasanul Haque Inu said, 'The indigenous people will definitely be included in the Constitution, but the concern is not to identify them with an unscientific word.'

Regarding using the term 'small anthropological group' for ethnic minority, Inu said it does not mean anything as every individual belongs to one or other anthropological group.

National Human Rights Commission's chairman Mizanur Rahman said that a 'majority psyche' was hindering the process of recognising the ethnic minorities as indigenous.

Lawmakers Shah Zikrul Ahmed and Noni Gopal Bhowmik, Bangladesh Adivasi Forum's general secretary Sanjeeb Drong, and RDC's general secretary Mesbah Kamal spoke on the occasion, along with others.

Source: New Age

May Day observed

The International Labour Day, widely known as May Day, was observed in Bangladesh on Sunday, as elsewhere around the world, with colourful processions and the voicing of the workers' demand for pay-hike to enable them to cope with continued inflation and price-spiral.

Apart from the government, various trade and labour unions, human rights organisations, professional bodies, socio-cultural organisations and political parties observed the day by staging rallies, holding seminars, discussions and cultural programmes in the capital and elsewhere in the country.

The day was a public holiday, and the entire city was full of programmes of the working class people carrying red banners and flags and chanting slogans for the workers' rights.

May 1 was adopted as the International Labour Day by socialist delegates in Paris in 1889. More than 400 of them met in Paris on the centenary of the French Revolution at the Marxist International Socialist Congress, the founding meeting of the Second International.

The Federation of Organised Trades and Labour Unions of the United States and Canada, in its convention in 1884, passed a resolution: 'Eights hours shall constitute a legal day's labour, from and after 1 May, 1886.'

 Many of the strikes in 1886 were unsuccessful but on 3 May, 1886 one of the anarchists, August Spies, addressed a crowd of strikers at McCormick Harvester Works in Chicago, Illinois, where a force of 200 policemen attacked the crowd. At least one striker was killed. About half a dozen were seriously wounded.

The anarchists convened a meeting in the next evening in Haymarket Square in Chicago to protest against the police action. The police carried out a series of attacks on participants of the peaceful rally on May 4.

A bomb, thrown from the crowd into the ranks of the police, wounded sixty-six policemen, of whom seven died later. The police pulled out their guns and fired salvo after salvo at the workers, two hundred of whom were injured and several killed.

Labourer's organisations, socio-cultural bodies and political parties in the country held a number of programmes to mark the day.

 The labour ministry brought out a procession and held a discussion and initiated a three-day fair in the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre. The prime minister opened the government's May Day programmes.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party's workers wing, Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, brought out a procession from the party's central office in Naya Paltan at around 9:45am on Sunday.

The processionists carried colourful banners, festoons and flags and demanded that the minimum wage for workers in Dhaka city be fixed at Tk 5,000.

BNP's senior vice-president Abul Kashem Chowdhury, vice-president Mojibar Rahman Sarwar, secretary-general Jafrul Hasan, joint secretary-general Anwar Hossain, city unit leader Nurul Islam Nasim and other central leaders led the procession.

The BNP's chief, Khaleda Zia, addressed a workers' rally at Konabari in Gazipur.

Workers vandalised several restaurants on May Day in various parts of the capital because they had not been shut down for the holiday. Police said the vandalism started at 10am and lasted until noon in Karwanbazar, Gulistan and Hazaribagh and surrounding areas.

The Bangladesh Hotel Restaurant and Sweetmeat Federation's general secretary, Rafiqul Islam, said, 'A circular was issued to the owners asking them to keep their shops and restaurants closed on May 1, But some owners still went ahead, threatened their employees and kept their shops open.'

The National Garment Workers' Federation staged a workers' rally and brought out a procession carrying red flags from Purana Paltan crossing. The Bangladesh Garment Workers' Unity Council also staged a rally in Muktangan.

The Samajtantrik Sramik Front staged a rally in the Tejgaon Industrial Area and the Bangladesh Garment Sramik Sanghati staged a rally and screened a film in Pallabi.

The president, Zillur Rahman, the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, the leader of the opposition in the Parliament, Khaleda Zia, and leaders of various political parties and labour organisations issued separate messages to mark the day.

Source: New Age

Teachers challenge EC polls bar decision

Teachers of non government schools and colleges filed a writ petition on Monday challenging a recent Election Commission decision to debar them and the other employees of these institutions from contesting Union Parishad polls scheduled to be held from May 31 to July 5.

A High Court bench of Justice Mohammad Anwarul Haque and Justice Md. Akram Hossain Chowdhury adjourned for two days hearing the petition filed by 47 teachers from 15 districts to see whether or not the EC retracts from its decision.

The election commissioner, Muhammed Sohul Hussain, told reporters at a news briefing at his office on April 21 that the EC would issue a statutory order very soon to debar the teachers from contesting the Union Parishad polls.

He also said that the Election Commission took the decision in accordance with Section 30 (1) of the Intermediate and Secondary Education Ordinance of 1961 which does not allow the teachers and the employees of educational institutions, run by the government or recognised by secondary

and higher secondary education boards, to contest

the local government elections. 

But the teachers' lawyer ABM Nurul Islam said that the Election Commission decision not only violates but also disobeys an Appellate Division order in the case of Mofizul Haque.

He said the order did not debar teachers from contesting the elections.

He said, in its verdict, the Appellate Division had observed that a Union Parishad is neither a statutory body nor a local authority within the meaning of the General Clause Act.

On April 24, Shikkhak Karmachari Oikya Jote, an umbrella organization of the teachers and employees of schools and colleges demanded immediate withdrawal of the Election Commission decision.

It said that the 1979 rules governing the recruitment of the teachers and employees of the non-government institutions do not debar them from contesting the elections.

 It also pointed out that the chief whip of Awami League Parliamentary Party Abdus Shahid, MP, is a teacher of a non-government college and the late Ahsan Ullah Master of Gazipur was elected to parliament when he was a schoolteacher.

It termed the Election Commission's recent decision as 'discriminatory' it sought the prime minister's intervention for resolving the matter.

Source: New Age

School kids sweat under sun for nothing

Kids of Bhatapara Primary School in a village in Lalmonirhat had to queue up on the two sides of the road under the scorching sun for six hours Sunday to welcome the state minister for primary education Motahar Hossain with the vain expectation that the visit would help change the status of the non government institution founded 12 years back.

 For the 130 kids no punishment could be harsher than sweating on the Durakuti –Durgapur Road leading to the school for the minister who came late and left almost in no time without even caring to listen to the problems of the school for which the committee have been begging his presence.

The summer heat was as pitiless as it always is in Durgapur union under Aditmari upazila in the remote northern the corner of Bangladesh.

The kids had no choice but to keep standing from 10 AM to 4 PM without any break though the minister was late in arriving after attending several functions on the way.

And the minister left the school immediately without caring to listen to the problems of the non government school for which its managing committee took all the pains to invite him.

The experience equally disheartened the teachers, the school committee, the students as well as the guardians.

Forced to keep waiting by the teachers and the school managing committee under the sun no kid could take their midday meal at school or take their bath before leaving home.

As a number of the kids fell sick the guardians became angry with the decision of the teachers and the school managing committee to compel the young learners to wait under the sun.

Khairun Akhter, a student of Class V told New Age, all the students had to queue up on the road as the teachers and the school committee president 'asked us.'

Her classmate, Shefali Akhter said, 'We could not have our midday meal or bath today as we spent all these hours on the road.'

Mintu Islam, a student of Class III said, 'I became sick standing under the sum.'

Nur Haque, a guardian said that the students had to stand under the sun for six hours in stead of half an hour as the teachers and the school committee had said.

'We feel really angry about the whole thing,' he said.

Mozibor Rahman, another guardian said that the teachers and the school committee forced the kids to stand under the sun ignoring the guardians' protest against the decision.

The school managing committee president Kazi Mohammad Slayman Alom said that the minister had been invited to facilitate nationalisation of the school established in 1999 with seven teachers providing voluntary service.

Sirajul Islam, the headmaster, said that the teachers and the committee had no choice as the minister visited the non-government school on their request.

Durgapur UP AL secretary Aminul Islam said the minister paid the unscheduled visit to the school due to repeated requests from the teachers and the committee.

He said that he informed the committee that the minister would visit the school after attending the scheduled programmes in Durgapur union on his way back to the district town.

He said that he never asked the school committee to keep the kids waiting under the sun to welcome the minister.

The minister even didn't spend five minutes in the school arriving there late.

Source: New Age

HC seeks govt explanation

The High Court has asked the government to explain why an order to conduct a land survey in Chittagong Hill Tracts to stop land disputes should not be issued.

The cabinet division secretary, law secretary, CHT secretary and 10 others have been asked to explain to the court within 12 weeks.

The bench of justices Farid Ahmed and Mohammad Shawkat Hossain issued the rule on Monday following a writ filed by CHT residents Mohammad Jahangir Kamal and AHM Shahidullah.

Lawyer Monzil Morshed stood for the petitioner during the hearing.

He told the court that the CHT Land Dispute Settlement Commission on August 3, 2009 decided to conduct survey in three districts. As per law, it was compulsory for the administration to implement the decision, he said.

'But the administration is yet to implement the decision,' Morshed added.

Source: New Age

9 killed in road accidents across country

Nine people were killed and 30 others wounded in separate road accidents in Dhaka, Lalmonirhat and Cox's Bazar on Sunday and Monday.

In Dhaka, four people were killed and one was critically injured in two separate road mishaps at Mirpur Beribadh, Naya Paltan and Khilkhet areas on Sunday.

The deceased were identified as Suronjan Madhu, 23, son of Mukandu Madhu, a resident of Agailjhara of Barisal, Abdul Jabbar, son of Amir Ali, a resident of Tongi, Probir Odhikari, son of Nirmal Odhikari, a resident of Dakkinkhan and Rashida Khatun, a resident of Naya Paltan.

Police said Suronjan and Mukandu were killed and Shahnaz Begum was injured critically when a speedy truck hit a taxi-cab near Beribad at Mirpur at around 12:30pm on Sunday.

The bodies were taken to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination.

In Khilkhet, Probir was killed when a speedy private car knocked him down near Khilkhet bus station while he was crossing the road at around 1pm on Sunday. The body was sent to DMCH morgue for autopsy.

At Naya Paltan, Rashida Khatun was killed when a private car hit her from behind at around 10:30pm on Sunday.

Body of Rashida was taken to DMCH for post-mortem examination.

New Age correspondent from Lalmonirhat reported a motor cyclist was killed when a truck hit his bike near Barobari area of Rangpur-Kurigram Road in Lalmonirhat Sadar Upazila on Monday morning.

The victim was identified as Manzur Islam, 45, a resident of  Fulbari village in Kurigram district.

Police said Manzur Islam was going to Rangpur riding a motorcycle. A goods laden truck from opposite side hit the motorcycle injuring Manzur critically. He died in the way to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital.

The killer truck and its driver managed to flee from the scene of accident, police said.

New Age correspondent in Cox's Bazar reported that four people were killed  and 30 injured in separate road mishaps at Harbong point under Chakoria Upazila of the district on Cox's Bazar-Chittagong highway on Sunday.

The deceased were identified as Mohammad Farook, 30, son of Hanif Hossen, of Fishery Ghat of Cox's Bazar town, Rafique Ahmed, 19, son of Ishaque Ahmed, of New Pallan Para village under Teknaf Sadar Union of Teknaf Upazila, Soma, 5, of Badarkhali of Chakaria Upazila and Parvez, 4, of same area.

Chakoria police recovered the dead bodies and sent them to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Separate cases were filed with Chakoria Upazila police in  connection with the accidents.

Source: New Age

Government asked to stop extra-judicial killings

Human rights organisation Odhikar has expressed grave concern over continued extra-judicial killings and deaths in custody of law-enforcement agencies.

The members of law-enforcement agencies have been killing people, including suspicious 'criminals', bypassing the due process of law, despite repeated assurances of the government to stop extrajudicial killings, the human rights watchdog said in a press release on Monday.

Odhikar in its monthly report for April demanded that the government should arrange better treatment and compensations for college student Limon Hossain, who became a victim of RAB shooting.

Odhikar also was critical of the shooting at the HSC examinee Limon Hossain, who had to undergo amputation of a leg after being shot by the Rapid Action Battalion on March 23 at Saturia village under Rajapur upazila of Jhalakathi district.

The organisation also expressed concern over 'secret' submission of a charge-sheet through a sub-inspector of Rajapur police station against Limon to the court.

The rights watchdog demanded legal action against the members of the law-enforcement agencies, including RAB, responsible for extra-judicial killings and deaths in custody.   

The report cited five incidents extrajudicial killing in April and demanded that the government should put an end to such abuse of law. 'The government must bring all people involved in extra-judicial killings to book through proper and independent investigations by an independent investigation committee. The investigation report should also be made public,' it said. 

The report mentioned killings of five and injuring 12 Bangladeshi nationals along the border by Indian Border Security Force. The government should take effective measures to stop intrusion and killings by the BSF and also to ensure the security of the people living in the border areas, Odhikar demanded.

It called for appropriate action against the perpetrators following a judicial investigation into the incidents of killing and arson attack in Ramgarh and Manikchari of Khagrachari hill district on April 17.

It asked the state to ensure the security and rights, including those to life and property, of the religious and ethnic minorities.

Odhikar also reported deaths of seven people in jail.

Eighteen people were lynched across the country in April and eight people were killed in political violence, the report said, adding around 1,229 people were also injured in political violence in the month.

Violence against women continued in April with 54 incidents of rape, seven of acid violence, 28 of dowry-related violence, and 56 of sexual harassment or stalking.

Nine newspersons were injured and three were assaulted in April, the report said. 

The organisation recommended that the government should refrain from shrinking the space for democratic practices and from repression on political opponents.

It also recommended taking appropriate measures to stop violence against women and ensure punishment to the offenders to ensure that justice was served.

Source: New Age

Birth anniversary of Jahanara Imam today

The 82nd birth anniversary of Shaheed Janani Jahanara Imam will be observed today across the country in a befitting manner.

On the occasion, Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee will place wreaths at her grave at Mirpur Intellectual Graveyard.

Jahanara Imam, a prominent writer and mother of freedom fighter Rumi, was born in an aristocratic family in Murshidabad on May 3 in 1929.

Under her leadership, Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee was formed on 19 January in 1992.

Strong civil movement demanding trial of war criminals and amendment to the constitution in line with the spirit of liberation war began after the formation of the committee.

Owing to unavoidable reasons, discussion of the central Nirmul committee will be held on May 12, 2011 at 4:00pm at BILIA auditorium at Dhanmondi.

Source: New Age

Islami Andolan threatens strike

Islami Andolan Bangladesh on Monday threatened to enforce a general strike if the proposed women policy and education policy were not withdrawn by May 30.

At a press conference held at its Purana Paltan office, amir of the Islamist party, Syed Mohammad Reazul Karim, said, 'We will go for a hartal and agitation programmes if the demands are not met within the given timeframe.'

He also declared protest rallies on May 4 at every Upazila, at Muktangon in Dhaka on May 5 and at all districts on May 11, protesting police attacks on the party activists at Muktangan on Sunday evening.

Source: New Age

Towhid Samad new chair of IUB Trust

Former chairman of Independent University, Bangladesh, Governing Council, Towhid Samad, has been elected the chairman of the Board of Trustee of the university recently for two years, said a release.

He is also the chairman of Bangladesh General Insurance Company, the Savar Group and the managing director of Holiday Publications Limited.

Towhid Samad earlier worked as the chairman of ESTCDT, the founding trust of the IUB, in the year 2004 and re-elected for the second term in 2006.

Source: New Age

Passengers suffer for launch owners’ caprice

The Launch Owners' Association, continuing self-imposed rotation system, has decreased number of vessels on Barisal-Dhaka-Barisal route violating rules, timetables and conditions of route permit of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, according to passengers.

Following the rotation system introduced by the launch owners defying the rules of BIWTA, two or three launches are plying instead of five or six launches from each end of the route every day.

The passengers on this route alleged that the self-imposed rotation system of the LOA had increased sufferings of them leaving a little scope to choose better vessel for the journey or services and book seats as per their choice and avoid travel on overloaded launches in stormy monsoon season.

According to BIWTA sources, 12 launches named as MV Sundarban-7, 8, MV Suravi-7, 8, MV Parabat-2, 7, 9, 11, MV Dipraj, MV Kitankhola, MV Tipu and MV Kalam Khan have route permits to ply six launches from each end of Barisal-Dhaka-Barisal route.

Each of the launches has capacity of 760-1220 passengers with 20-25 per cent cabin and sofa seats and required at least 4500-5000 passengers per day to ply six launches from each end.

The Launch Owners Association sources claimed number of passengers did not exceed 2500 per day from each end except on holidays and weekend days. So the owners had become bound to decrease number of launches by imposing rotation system to avoid losses of operating cost of at least Tk 1 lakh per one way trip for each vessel, the sources said.

Saidur Rahman Rintu, vice- president of Barisal launch owners association, said normally one or two launches had to remain off from service as number of deck passengers drastically decreased following development of road communications.

Rush of cabin passengers on this route had increased on every weekend and holiday, he said.

'We requested the authority to consider our system due to the poor number of deck passengers which forced us to incur huge loss daily,' he also said.

Kazi Wakil Newaz, deputy director BIWTA Barisal port, said they had failed to apply terms and conditions of the route permits and the timetables and cancel illegal rotation system on the Barisal-Dhaka-Barisal route under pressure of the launch owners.

Source: New Age

Conservation of wetlands stressed

Ramsar East Asia Centre director Seung-oh Suh said conservation of wetlands and their resources were essential for human beings and maintaining ecosystems.

Drying up of wetland usually affects the livelihood of thousands of people adversely, said Suh while addressing a four-day 'wetland management workshop' at the Korean EPZ Centre in Chittagong recently.

Ramsar Convention, named after the city in Iran where it was signed in 1971, is the international body responsible for maintaining the wetlands across the globe. Bangladesh ratified this convention in 1992.

About 42 representatives from different organisations, including the Department of Environment and IUCN-Bangladesh, attended the workshop, held from April 21 to April 24, was organised by non-governmental organisation Bangladesh Paush with support from Korean company Youngone, said a release.

Former secretary Jafar Ahmed Chowdhury, Centre for Sustainable Development secretary general and IUCN regional councillor Mahfuz Ullah, NACOM chairman Abdur Rob Mollah, former ambassador Jahangir Saadat, KEPZ president Sung-hoon Woo and Paush executive director Sanowar Hossain, among others, addressed the workshop.

The speakers observed that the wetlands of Bangladesh were not properly protected despite government intervention.

They urged all concerned to mobilise public opinion and programmes in the interest of protecting the wetlands, which cover a huge area of Bangladesh.

Source: New Age

Lightning strike kills three in Lalmonirhat

Three persons include a farmer were killed by lighting strike at different places in Lalmonirhat Monday morning and Sunday night.

The deceased were identified as Yasin Ali Mollah, 52, son of late Abdul Gofur at village Shimulbari in Lalmonirhat sadar upazila, Alimuddin Miah, 58, son of late Nantu Mia at village Azizpur of Patgram upazila and Rahul Miah, 46, son of late Tarek Ali at village Dawabari of Hatibandha upazila in the district.

The police and family members said the thunderbolt stuck farmer Yasin Ali when he went paddy field adjacent to his home Monday morning, leaving him dead on the spot. Two other persons were stuck by lighting when they went out from their homes during raining Sunday night.

Source: New Age

Rapist arrested in Kurigram

A rapist was arrested on Monday at Nageswari in Kurigram.

The rapist was Hafijul Islam Hapu, 24, son of Abdul Wahed at village Kuti Payradanga at Nageswari.

The police said Hafijul forcibly raped a 19-year-old girl on the way while she was going to a shop at the village Sunday evening.

A case was filed.

Source: New Age