Baby Killing: Father held

Five days after a woman committed suicide killing her baby girl in the city, the husband was finally arrested from a city hotel yesterday.

Sarjina Akhter, 30, had people coming to her house demanding money that her husband took from them with false promises of jobs abroad.

Failing to cope with the increasing social humiliation, Sarjina on Friday slit open the throat of her one-and-a-half-year-old daughter Anifa Akhter before hanging herself from a ceiling fan.

Detective police arrested Anisur Rahman alias Tuhin from a hotel at Nawabpur in the city at about 3:45am yesterday.

He admitted that he took several lakhs of taka from various people with false promises of jobs in other countries.

Quoting Anisur, 41, police said he had to cheat the money, as he has been unemployed for several years.

He said he had an argument with Sarjina on the day before she committed suicide. But he never imagined that her wife would take such "drastic measures," he told police.

Source : The Daily Star 

Govt urged to duly honour Col Taher

The left political parties yesterday urged the government to confer the "due posthumous honour" to Col Abu Taher, a sector commander of the 1971 liberation war, in recognition of his contribution to the war and to the country.

Addressing a discussion on the eve of the 35th death anniversary of Col Taher who was executed following a secret trial on July 21, 1976, the left leaders said killing of Taher was a tragedy for the country.

They also demanded posthumous trial of Ziaur Rahman, former president of the country, and his associates for masterminding the killing of Taher in the name of trial.

"Role of Taher was portrayed wrongly during last 35 years due to political reasons. Now, he should be given due respect", said Mainuddin Khan Badal, a lawmaker and central leader of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD).

"Taher was a symbol of conscience and bravery of the nation", he told the discussion organised by the JSD marking Taher's death anniversary at the city's Mahanagar Nattya Mancha.

JSD President Hasanul Haque Inu said a permanent structure should be built for the memory of Taher in the capital alongside naming of streets and other structures after him.

Inu, who was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment in the same 1976 trial, said Taher was not killed in conflict of power but for his attempt to free the country from the grip of the then military rulers.

He criticised Ziaur Rahman for establishing communal politics in the country by killing Taher.

Attending the programme, Taher's wife Lutfa Taher said, "Taher saved Zia's life during the November 7 soldiers' upsurge. But Zia betrayed my husband later and killed him in the name of trial".

She urged the JSD leaders and workers to continue their movement to establish a society free from all sorts of repression as dreamt by Taher.

Gono Forum presidium member Pankaj Bhattacharjee said the High Court verdict that declared Taher's trial illegal has brought back Taher on his own glory after 35 years of confusion.

JSD leaders Adv Robiul Alam, Dr MA Karim, Prof MM Akash of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), and Anisur Rahman Mallik of Workers Party also spoke.

Source : The Daily Star 

JS body for stronger ACC

A parliamentary body said yesterday it will propose amendments to the Anti-Corruption Commission Act to ensure that the anti-graft body gets administrative and financial powers to carry out its job independently.

The parliamentary standing committee on law, justice and parliamentary affairs ministry took this decision at its meeting held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

On February 28, the government placed a bill in parliament for introducing a provision in the ACC Act for prior government permission to file corruption cases against government officials and start trial. If it is passed no court will, without prior government sanction, take cognisance of an offence for trial of a judge or a magistrate or any public servant in corruption cases.

The bill was tabled amid criticisms that it is a move to clip the ACC's wings.

Suranjit Sengupta, chief of the House body, told The Daily Star they are working to bring changes in the bill since it is a very important one. The committee members have expressed the view that the bill should provide for effectively curbing corruption for progress of the country.

Talking to journalists after yesterday's meeting, Suranjit, a ruling Awami League lawmaker, said, committee members asserted that the anti-graft watchdog needs to have an independent administration and financial powers. It should also have the authority and manpower to investigate any corruption-related allegations.

Suranjit said diplomats, donors and other development partners are concerned about the changes proposed in the bill.

On the proposal for increasing different parliamentary committees' powers, Suranjit said the law minister yesterday gave assurance that he would look into some relevant laws in other countries, and then place the proposal before the cabinet.

Facing opposition from most of the ministers, the cabinet on May 30 rejected the proposal. And it sparked sharp criticism by a number of AL lawmakers.

Source : The Daily Star

Labour Unrest: RMG factory in Dhaka EPZ shut

Grameen Knitwear Ltd, a top garment factory in Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ), was shut down sine die yesterday after workers staged violent demonstrations over wages.

The factory authorities declared the indefinite closure after the workers vandalised the factory and looted goods, Sirajul Islam, officer-in-charge of Ashulia Police Station, told The Daily Star.

Several hundred workers began staging protests at the factory from 9:00am on Tuesday asking for a 10 percent increase in their wages, said the policeman.

They also demanded their lunch allowance to be raised to Tk 1,500 from Tk 500 and an increase of Tk 300 in transport allowance, Sirajul said.

Factory officials were beaten up by the workers when they tried to prevent them from ransacking furniture and machinery.

Later, police reached the spot and brought the situation under control, though the workers refused to resume work.

The workers looted at least 7,000 pieces of T-shirts along with some electronic tools and gadgets, claimed Kutub Khan Chowdhury, deputy general manager of the company.

"We have met some of their demands but the workers are demanding 10 percent share of the factory," he said.

"We will decide whether to reopen the factory or not after our managing director, who is out of the country, returns on July 25," Kutub Khan said.

No case was filed in this connection yesterday.

Export-oriented composite knitwear factory Grameen Knitwear Ltd is one of the Grameen family of organisations.

Source : The Daily Star 

PM defends president's move

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday defended the presidential clemency to ABM Biplob saying that he was a political victim of BNP-Jamaat coalition.

The premier said this when Mohammad Nasim raised the issue in the Awami League Central Working Committee meeting at PM's official residence Gano Bhaban yesterday.

Nasim told the meeting that people did not like clemency to Abu Taher's son.

AL president Sheikh Hasina, who chaired the meeting, said the case against Biplob was false and politically motivated.

Source : The Daily Star 

Iran shot down a US spy plane

Iran has shot down an unmanned US spy plane over its Fordu nuclear site, a state-run website reported yesterday, a day after it confirmed it was installing a new generation of advanced uranium enrichment centrifuges.

"An unmanned US spy plane flying over the holy city of Qom near the uranium enrichment Fordu site was shot down by the Revolutionary Guards' air defence units," MP Ali Aghazadeh Dafsari was quoted as saying by the Youth Journalists Club, affiliated to Iran's state TV.

The Fordu site, secretly built inside a mountain bunker near Qom, was acknowledged by Iran only after Western intelligence agencies identified it in 2009.

In January Iran announced it had shot down two unmanned western reconnaissance drone aircraft in the Gulf.

Source : The Daily Star

South Yemen car bomb kills Briton

A police official said a Briton was killed in a car bombing yesterday in the main southern Yemeni city of Aden, in an attack that an intelligence officer said carried the "fingerprints of al-Qaeda."

The Briton, who was the head of a shipping company, was killed by a bomb in his car in the Moalla area near a hotel where his company has an office, the police official said.

The police officer did not comment on the motive of the attack but an intelligence officer told AFP: "The operation carries the fingerprints of Al-Qaeda."

Police did not let journalists approach the site of the blast.

Witness Abdullah al-Sharafi told AFP: "I heard the explosion, I hurried there and I found the car in pieces and a charred body."

Source : The Daily Star

BNP will complain to int'l HR bodies

The main opposition BNP last night decided to write to internationally reputed rights organisations about the police assault on Opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque during a hartal on July 6.

The decision came at a meeting of BNP lawmakers chaired by Opposition Leader Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan residence.

Meeting sources said the letter signed by the opposition leader will be sent to rights bodies, including the United Nations and Amnesty International, to draw attention regarding the "deteriorating human rights situation" in the country.

In the letter, the party will also mention about the torture on other opposition leaders, including BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, in police custody.

Source : The Daily Star

Clemency for killer: President grants mercy to Laxmipur AL leader Taher's son in death row

President Zillur Rahman has granted mercy to AHM Biplob, a son of ruling party leader Abu Taher of Laxmipur and a death row inmate in much-talked-about Nurul Islam murder case.

The clemency came into effect from July 14.

Biplob, however, is in Laxmipur District Jail as he received a life sentence in two other murder cases.

The Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal of Chittagong on December 9, 2003 condemned five people including Biplob to death for kidnap and murder of Nurul Islam.

Nine others were sentenced to life and two to five years in jail in the same case.

On September 18, 2000, advocate Nurul Islam, Laxmipur BNP's the then organising secretary, was abducted and then hacked dead.

His body was sliced into pieces and dumped in the river Meghna.

The tribunal in its verdict acquitted 15 of the 31 accused. Abu Taher, the then general secretary of Awami League's Laxmipur district unit, and his wife Nazma Taher were among the acquitted.

However, Biplob surrendered before the tribunal on April 6 this year after absconding for over 10 years.

Abu Taher then appealed to the president for his son's life.

Meanwhile, the district jail superintendent has sent a letter to the inspector general of prisons regarding the clemency and also sent a copy to the tribunal.

Contacted, Public Prosecutor Ayub Khan yesterday told The Daily Star that the Laxmipur jail super had sent them a copy of the letter on Tuesday informing about the presidential order.

In another instance, Zillur Rahman pardoned 20 death row convicts in Jubo Dal leader Gama killing case on September 6 last year.

Sabbir Ahmed Gama was the nephew of former BNP deputy minister Ruhul Quddus Talukdar Dulu and he was gunned down in Natore in 2004.

Source : The Daily Star 

Go to Pakistan: PM asks constitution throwers

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said those who can say they would throw away the national constitution and throw it to dustbin should go to Pakistan.

"The opposition leader [Khaleda Zia] has said that she would throw away the constitution and some of her associates have wanted to throw it to dustbins. How audacious they are! They do not believe in the country's independence and sovereignty. They should go to Pakistan," she said.

Hasina made the remarks at the Awami League (AL) working committee meeting held at her Gano Bhaban residence in the afternoon.

If she [opposition leader] would have respect toward the constitution, she could not make such remarks, the premier said.

"She has forgotten that 30 lakh people sacrificed their lives and two lakh mothers and sisters sacrificed their honour to attain the constitution of independent Bangladesh," Hasina said.

The premier alleged that the opposition leader and Jamaat are trying to save the war criminals and the killers of others who lost their lives in the August 21 grenade attack.

On strengthening the Election Commission (EC), she said "The commission is independent now. It will be further strengthened to arrange elections in free and fair manner."

The AL government never tries to influence the EC, Hasina said.

The premier said that with the 15th amendment to the constitution, avenues of grabbing the state power unconstitutionally have been stopped forever.

"People have got their power back through this amendment," she said.

"If she [Khaleda Zia] demands the caretaker system of government, she has to admit that the last caretaker government had done the right thing by filing corruption cases against her and her sons," the premier said adding that it was the last caretaker government which found out that Khaleda Zia had "plundered the money of orphans under the Zia Orphanage."

Listing various development works done by the preset government, she said that on Tuesday total electricity generation was 4,993 megawatt which was the highest after the government assumed power.

Hasina said the government is making all out efforts so that people do not suffer during the ensuing holy month of Ramadan.

"We are keeping close watch so that none can hoard food to make extra profit at the cost of public suffering," she said.

Source : The Daily Star

Ex-cop Rafiq, 2 others handed death: Another 6 get life-term for killing college student Momin

Former officer-in-charge of Motijheel Police Station AKM Rafiqul Islam and two others were condemned to death yesterday for killing Kamrul Islam Momin, a student of Dhaka Commerce College, in September 2005.

Judge Mohammad Rezaul Islam of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-4, Dhaka, also passed life term imprisonment on six people in the case.

The OC and his goons Tareq alias Zia and Shakhawat Hossain Jewel were given death penalties while the six other accused-- Habibur Rahman Taj, a top listed criminal; "Thot Ucha" Babu, Mohammad Zafar, Mohammad Sharif Uddin, Monir Howlader and Hasibul Haq Jony-- were awarded life term imprisonment.

Rafiqul, Taj and Babu were present in the courtroom yesterday. The others went into hiding after obtaining bail from different courts.

Momin, 22, was shot dead in front of his Ibrahimpur residence in the city on September 13, 2005.

During the verdict, the judge pointed out that the Criminal Investigation Department had not mentioned Rafiqul's name in the first charge sheet, which made their investigation questionable.

The punishment of the fugitives will be effective from the day of their arrest or surrender and the convicts with death sentence can appeal against the judgement with the higher court within 30 days upon receipt of the judgment copy, the judge said.

The victim's four brothers---Saiful Islam, Shamsul Islam, Enamul Islam and Nazrul--and three sisters--Farzana Akhter, Shahana Akhter and Shuhana Akhter-- at the court expressed their satisfaction over the judgement.

Rafiqul was sent to jail on October 16, 2005 after he surrendered to a court seeking ad interim bail in the case.

According to the prosecution, Rafiqul and Momin's families have two adjacent pieces of land. Momin's family erected a boundary wall around their land, which angered the OC.

Rafiqul had an intention to encroach on the neighbour's land, says the case statement. He hired a group of miscreants to break down the boundary wall.

Momin took a snap of Rafiqul and his accomplices breaking the boundary wall. Enraged, Rafique threatened Momin and his family members.

Later, a group led by Jewel and Tareq, on instructions of Rafiqul, killed Momin, the prosecution added.

Following the incident, Momin's father Abdur Razzak filed a case against the OC and 25 others with Kafrul Police Station.

But CID and Detective Branch of police after their enquiry into the matter submitted a charge sheet, dropping the name of Rafiqul. They said the charge brought against him was not proved.

Then a metropolitan magistrate conducted a judicial inquiry and included the OC' name in the charge sheet.

The court framed charges against the nine accused on October 5, 2009.

Special Public Prosecutor SM Rafiqul Islam and advocates Syed Mizanur Rahman and Habibur Rahman Shawkat appeared for the state while Mahboob Ahmed and Saidur Rahman Manik defended the accused.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court on January 30 cancelled division facilities for Rafiqul in jail when it was proved that he had obtained the facility by forging a court order with the help of an administrative officer of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court. He was enjoying the facility since July 2009.

The administrative officer had sent a forged copy of the court judgment to the jail authorities. The court had not ordered any division facility for Rafiqul and there is no such privilege for a former OC.

The court earlier also requested the metropolitan sessions judge to take necessary action against the then administrative officer Abu Al Hossain who allegedly supplied the forged court order.

Source : The Daily Star

EC partisan: Says BNP rejecting talks offer for third time

The main opposition BNP has turned down the third invitation of the Election Commission (EC) to its ongoing dialogue with political parties, reiterating that it would not sit with a 'controversial' and 'partisan' commission.

BNP conveyed the message to EC through a letter signed by its acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday, the day scheduled for BNP-EC talk.

Abdul Latif Jony, party's assistant office secretary, handed over the letter to EC's acting Secretary Dr Muhammed Sadique around 2:40pm.

The letter reads: "The allegations that were raised earlier by the BNP against the EC still remain there. So, it is not possible for the party to join the EC's dialogue."

On June 13, BNP in a letter termed the EC 'controversial' and 'partisan' and refused to join the talk.

In response to BNP's allegation, the EC on July 5 sent a letter saying the allegations against the commission are baseless and again invited the party for the third time to sit in a dialogue yesterday.

Earlier on Tuesday, Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said BNP would not get any more chance to join the ongoing session of dialogue if it skipped yesterday's talk.

The EC invited BNP for the dialogue on June 13, for the second time any day between June 19 and 22 and for the third time yesterday.

Talking to The Daily Star, Election Commissioner M Sakhawat Hussain yesterday said, "We have invited them [BNP] three times. But they rejected. We will later discuss whether the commission will invite them again."

The EC on June 7 launched dialogues with the registered political parties for their opinion on some key issues like the RPO; laws on demarcation of constituencies and appointment of election commissioners; and introduction of electronic voting machine (EVM).

Jamaat-e-Islami also skipped the dialogue.

Source : The Daily Star

AL too looks for new allies

Ruling Awami League has moved to expand its alliance in response to main opposition BNP's ongoing push for a greater anti-government political platform.

Upon directives from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, some AL top brass, over the last few days, scrambled to talk unity with some smaller parties.

BNP already formally sat and discussed possible alliance with some smaller parties including some Islamist parties that exist only in letterheads.

AL Presidium Member Obaidul Quader informally talked to at least 10 top leaders of different parties including the Communist Party of Bangladesh, Krishak Sramik Janata League, Bangladesh Kallyan Party, Liberal Democratic Party, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, and Gono Forum seeking to form a greater unity to work on some common matters.

"If everything goes fine, our leader Sheikh Hasina will sit and talk to them finally," said Quader.

The ruling party simultaneously took an initiative to reduce the existing gap between AL and its allies in the grand alliance and 14-party coalition. It also made a move to involve its "out of favour" leaders like Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzaq, Tofail Ahmed, and Suranjit Sengupta in gearing up the party's activities.

AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam will sit with the components of 14-party coalition within a couple of days. Obaidul Quader already visited on Tuesday night the offices of the Workers Party of Bangladesh, and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), two components of the 14-party combine.

After Ashraf's talks with AL's 14-party allies, chief of the grand alliance Sheikh Hasina will also talk to the leaders of each ally personally.

Asked about the necessity of expanding the alliance, Obaidul Quader said, "We are not thinking about the next election. Rather we are thinking about the next generation and the future of Bangladesh. Our common glory is the country's war of liberation and parliamentary democracy, our common enemy is poverty, and our common dangers are militancy and religious extremism."

"To combat the enemy and the dangers we need common friends to work together, and for this reason we want a greater unity. Even we want to reach a consensus with the main opposition BNP, as we want to protect and uphold our glory anyhow."

He said BNP wants unity with smaller parties only to go to power, which will not be successful.

AL ORGANISATIONAL TOUR
Eighteen central teams of AL will tour 21 districts of the country this month to drum up public support for the 15th amendment to the constitution, against which BNP is seeking a greater anti-government unity.

The tours will take place between July 26 and 29, and AL stalwarts including Amu, Razzaq, Tofail, and Suranjit, who were dropped from the helm of the party, will lead some of the touring teams.

"The objectives of our organisational tour programmes are to focus on the constitutional amendment, explaining under which circumstances the government had to bring the amendments, and on strengthening coordination among the government, the party, and the grand alliance components," said Obaidul Quader who will lead a team to Feni and Noakhali.

ALCWC MEETING
At a meeting of the AL Central Working Committee (ALCWC) chaired by party President Sheikh Hasina yesterday, most of the party leaders emphasised on strengthening the organisation through holding councils of all grassroots units.

The five-hour meeting starting at 5:00pm was held in prime minister's official residence Gono Bhaban.

At the meeting the AL leaders recommended bringing coordination among ministers and party leaders, and reducing the gap between the party lawmakers and grassroots leaders and workers, and also with the allies in the grand alliance, according to sources present at the meeting.

Some leaders suggested highlighting the government's development activities among the people to weaken the opposition's anti-government propaganda.

They also urged the premier to anyhow keep the prices of essentials stable during the Ramadan. One leader criticised the police assault on the opposition chief whip during the last hartal.

Hasina told the meeting that she is closely monitoring the activities of the party lawmakers. If the lawmakers do not work for the people's welfare, and maintain distance from party leaders and the common people, they will not be given party tickets in the next election, she cautioned.

Source : The Daily Star

Ctg chamber to launch open market shops in Ramadan

Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry is going to take up an action plan to contain the prices of essentials during the month of Ramadan, the chamber president, Murshed Murad Ibrahim, said on Tuesday.

Speaking at a view exchange meeting with cross section of people, he sought co-operation from all in keeping prices of essentials within the reach of the people.

Murad Ibrahim also announced that CCCI would launch open market shops during the month of Ramadan so that people can buy daily necessities at reasonable price.

Speaking on the occasion, Mahbubul Alam, senior vice president of CCCI, called upon the large business houses to sell in open market and make minimum profit.  

Syed Sagir Ahmed, general secretary, Khatunganj Trade and Industry Association, said that it would be of little use by putting the blame on the business community.

'Rather, the authorities should take measures to bring down the interest rate to single digit to help businessmen to bring down the prices,' he added.  

The view exchange meeting was attended by representatives from different trade bodies, professionals, business leaders, ward councillors, teachers and transport associations.

Source : New Age

Four-day Textech kicks off

Three International Exhibitions opened on Wednesday at the city's Bangabandhu International Conference Centre showcasing a wide range of textiles machinery, garment products and accessories.

The three exhibitions are '12th Textech Bangladesh 2011 International Expo', '9th Dye+Chem Bangladesh 2011 Int'l Expo' and '5th Dhaka Int'l Yarn & Fabric Show 2011'.

Conference and Exhibition Management Services–Global USA in association with CEMS Bangladesh organised the four-day international fair to help modernise the country's booming textile and garment sectors.

Commerce minister Faruk Khan inaugurated the expos.

Bangladesh Grey and Finished Fabrics Manufacturers and Exporters Association president Harun-Ur-Rashid, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association first vice-president Habibur Rahman, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association vice- president Faruque Hassan, CEMS Global-USA & Asia Pacific president Meherun N Islam were present at the inauguration ceremony.

Nearly 450 exhibitors from over 16 countries are participating in these exhibitions.

Source : New Age

BB plans easy access to bank loans for entrepreneurs in IT: Atiur

Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman on Wednesday said the central bank is contemplating easy access to bank loans for creative entrepreneurs in the information technology and renewable energy sectors, reports Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.

BB has a renewable energy fund, which gives loans at five per cent interest rate to commercial banks, he said, adding that these loans could be arranged for entrepreneurs in IT and solar energy sectors.

Atiur was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on 'Alternative Sources of Finance for Small, and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)' in the auditorium Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

DCCI and Small Enterprise Assistance Fund (AEAF) Ventures Bangladesh LLC jointly organised the seminar, chaired by DCCI president Asif Ibrahim.

Business leaders, chiefs of trade bodies, senior bankers and trade analysts shared views on diverse issues related to SMEs at the function.

Atiur said the country witnessed a tangible progress in agriculture sector due to the combined efforts of the government and the central bank but the IT sector is yet to be developed.

The BB governor said the government was fully committed to support development of the SMEs with financial as well as technical and business know-how support through SME Foundation and other agencies, adds United News of Bangladesh.

'The just launched online CIB [Credit Information Bureau] services of Bangladesh Bank will facilitate SME financing activities in faster and more transparent manner,' he said.

Asif Ibrahim said SMEs are treated as one of the engines of growth for many countries around the globe, especially for the developing nations, adds Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.

'We should intensify our efforts to develop SME sector to reinforce our industrial base and increase the volume of foreign trade,' he said.

The DCCI chief suggested SMEs upgrade their technological capabilities and production facilities in order to produce quality products at a competitive price.

Source : New Age

Dhaka bourse launches mock online trading

Dhaka Stock Exchange on Wednesday launched a month-long mock online trading using the MSA Plus software installed in the trading system of the bourse.

DSE president Shakil Rizvi inaugurated the mock trading at a ceremony. DSE senor vice-president Ahasanul Islam, vice-president Md Shahjahan Khan, director Ahmed Rashid Lali and chief executive officer Satipati Moitra were also present.

Shakil Rizvi said MSA Plus would take the trading system of the DSE to the next level of the automation of the bourse.

'The new trading software is very secured one and its level of protection from hacking is also high,' he said.

The new internet-based trading software MSA Plus will allow clients of different brokerage houses to place their buying and selling orders online, DSE sources said.

The sources said fifteen representatives of three brokerage houses participated in the launching of the new software.

They said the members of the bourses would run the mock trading for one hour every day after the scheduled trading session is over.

They said the mock trading would be running for 21 working days to make the stakeholders familiar with the new process and find out if there was any flaw in it.

The training of the authorised representatives on the software has already been completed and the new online trading is scheduled to come into operation from September, the DSE sources added.

Source : New Age

Four expired BSCIC projects to be revived under a foundation

The government decided to form a foundation to continue the work of four expired projects under the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation.

Emerging from a meeting with BSCIC officials, finance minister AMA Muhith on Wednesday told the reporters that the foundation would be formed under the Companies Act 1994.

The projects are poverty alleviation through income generation programmes, self-employment through small and cottage industries, women entrepreneurship development programme and revitalization of the rural economy through development of rural industries.

The projects were for promotion and extension of small and cottage industries through providing credit facilities with the help of banks and other financial institutions.

Muhith said that the government would give the foundation seed money for the payment of all dues owed to 511 employees of the projects and for resuming their work under the foundation.

The government offered Tk 23 crore as seed money while the BSCIC officials demanded Tk 60 crore.

BSCIC chairman Fakhrul Islam told the reporters that there was money amounting to Tk 77 crore circulating under these four projects.

Earlier, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs rejected a proposal to form a company by enacting a new law.

'So we have decided

to form a foundation

under the Companies Act,' said Muhith.

Source : New Age

OT, ICU opened at Maa O Shishu Hospital in Ctg

An operation theatre and intensive care unit were inaugurated at Maa O Shishu Hospital in the Chittagong city on Wednesday.

The facilities were opened by Rakesh Mohan, chairman and managing director of the Unilever Bangladesh Limited, which had so far donated around Tk 1.40 crore for the upgrade of the hospital.

The OT will have four specialised beds while the ICU will be equipped with modern facilities, said Rakesh Mohan.

Source : New Age

Proper implementation of women dev policy stressed

Speakers at a workshop in Dhaka on Wednesday observed that there was no alternative to implementing the National Women Development Policy for the overall political, economic and social development.

It will not be possible to attain the desired level of development keeping women backward, the half of the country's populace, they said.

Women affairs department under the women and children affairs ministry organised the workshop titled 'implementation of National Women Policy 2011 in achieving equality, development and empowerment of women' with the support of UNFPA.

State minister for women and children affairs Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury inaugurated the two-day workshop as chief guest while officer-in-charge of UNFPA Bangladesh Yuki Suehiro spoke as special guest.

Director of the department Kamal Uddin made the welcome speech.

The state minister elaborated various government initiatives so far taken to implement the women policy successfully.

She, however, said though the government had so far taken many steps, a huge work plan should be adopted for implementing the women policy.

Suehiro congratulated the government for formulating the new national women policy and assured that UNFPA would provide all kinds of support to implement the policy.

Source : New Age

Injured DU student gets financial aid

A student of Dhaka University, who was injured and lost his hearing capability while playing a cricket match, has been provided with Tk 1 lakh for carrying out his treatment.

DU vice chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique handed over the cheque for the money to Kabir Uddin, also skilled cricket player, at VC's office on Wednesday.

Kabir, Master's student of political science department of DU, is now undergoing treatment at BSMMU.

Source : New Age

Inter-dept debate competition at RU

The inter-departmental debate competition at Rajshahi University passed its second day on Wednesday with debate sessions being held between the participant groups. 

RU Business Studies Faculty Debating Forum organised the five-day programme titled 'Anginay Juktir Pakhi, Swapner Naksha Tar Rangin Danay' to continue till July 23.

The programme, assisted by Cambrian School and College, was inaugurated on Tuesday by RU proctor CM Zakaria at the Deans' Complex of the university.

Sixteen debating forums from 10 departments of the university have been enlisted as participants in the competition, said M Ashikur Rahman Ashik, BFDF chief executive member.

Source : New Age

Call to protect water bodies in Sylhet

Speakers at a programme in Sylhet on Wednesday stressed the need for taking effective steps to protect the water bodies and fisheries in the county.

They recommended stopping the fishing of immature fishes and egg-bearing fishes alongside leasing the water bodies to the genuine fishermen are essential to increase the fish production up to the required level in the country.

They were addressing the inaugural programme of 'National Fisheries Week-2011' organised by the divisional fisheries department at the district council auditorium in the city in the morning.

Sylhet city mayor Badar Uddin Ahmad Kamran addressed the programme as chief guest, while the district water resources officer Iresh Chandra Bhoumik and district fisheries officer AKM Siddique were special guests.

The speakers said local species of fishes were being extinct day by day in the region in the absence of specific efforts to preserve water bodies and water resources in the division.

Deputy commissioner Khan Mohammad Bilal chaired the programme which was addressed, among others, by Aftab Chowdhury, Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Saeef Uddin Al-Faruk, Akmal Hosen and Azir Uddin.

The fishery department also awarded three best fish farmers in the programme.

Earlier in the morning, a procession was brought out from in front of the deputy commissioner's office and it paraded different city roads to mark the week.

The fisheries department has also taken a weeklong programmes that include training on fish farming, sessions to sensitise people about water resources and biodiversity.

Source : New Age

Ershad for JP’s independent participation in next polls

Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad called upon the party activists to take preparation so that his party can take part in next general election independently.

Ershad was exchanging views with party leaders of Sylhet division, led by Mohammad Atiqur Rahman Atik, JP presidium member and Sylhet divisional coordinator, at party's Banani office in Dhaka on Wednesday.

'Demand has been raised across the country that JP should contest the next poll unilaterally. We have to achieve organisational strength if we want to take part in the polls independently. Hence, activities of JP and its associate organisations should be geared up,' said Ershad, adding that people now want to see change.

Reminiscing about his rule, the former president said that there were development, prosperity, peace and security in the country during the tenure of his party. 'The countrymen still remember the period.'

The JP leader hoped that his party would be able to fulfil people's expectation if it returned to power.

Referring to the price of essentials, he said that price of essentials were within the purchasing capacity of people during his tenure while people have been fed up now due to price spiral. Hence, Ershad asserted, people again want to see JP in power.

Source : New Age

BM College student jailed

Arrested Nazrul Islam Nayon, 22, a honours third year student of Govt Brojo Mohon College, was sent to jail after the court rejected his bail prayer on Wednesday in a case for prompting his female classmate to commit suicide after she was videoed naked by force before making it public.

Police appealed for five days' remand and the court fixed the date for hearing of remand prayer next week.

Zahangir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Barisal Kotwali police station, said Kamanashish Mandal, 26, a master's final year student of physics department at the same college and husband of the victim, lodged a case in this connection on Tuesday night accusing Nayon.

The dead body of the victim was handed over to her parents after conducting autopsy at Barisal SBMCH morgue and taken to her native village in  Satkhira.

Sub Inspector Abdur Rahman, investigation officer of the case, said police produced the arrested accused before Barisal senior judicial magistrate's court on Wednesday afternoon with a prayer for five-day remand for further interrogation.

A bail prayer also submitted on behalf of the accused and his advocates opposed remand prayer.

Arrested Nayon reportedly confessed to having videoed the girl while he was in custody of Kotwali police.

The magistrate of the court Abul Bashar Mia after a hearing rejected the bail prayer and ordered the accused to be sent to jail and fixed date for hearing the remand prayer next week.

Different rights activist meanwhile called for enacting laws for restriction on random use of camera-fitted mobile phone sets to prevent such crime.

Dr. Mizanur Rahman, secretary of Barisal Nagorik Samaj, said the culprit must be given exemplary punishment so that none can do the same.

Source : New Age

BNP to write to int’l bodies

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party is likely to send letters to 19 countries and international human rights organisations, including the United Nations, informing them of rights violations such as police assault on the opposition chief whip, Zainul Abdin Farroque, in Bangladesh.  A meeting of the BNP parliamentary party made the decision, opposition lawmakers told New Age on Wednesday night.

The meeting, presided over by the party's chairperson Khaleda Zia, was held in the chairperson's office at Gulshan in Dhaka.

BNP lawmakers Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mahbubuddin Khokan, Abul Khair Bhuiyan, Sheikh Sujat Mia, Nilofer Yesmin Chowdhury Moni and Rehena Aktar Ranu, among others, attended.

The meeting, which continued for an hour, decided that the BNPPP would send the letters to the countries and organisations informing them of the police assault on Farroque terming it a serious violation of human rights.

'The party will also request them to take necessary action in this regard,' a BNP lawmaker told New Age.

'Apart from the Farroque incident, the BNP will also inform them of some human rights violation such as extrajudicial killings and repression against opposition leaders,' he said.

Farroque was injured in a police assault on July 6 when he along with party lawmakers was in a procession on Manik Mia Avenue passing by the national assembly complex to enforce nationwide general strike in July 6–7.

Source : New Age

Ministers find census report unrealistic

Some ministers of the Awami League-led government expressed confusion over the preliminary findings of the latest census, according to which the country's total population is only 14.23 crore.

Terming the report 'unrealistic', the Cabinet members hoped that the final report of the census would come with the actual figure, otherwise they would face difficulties in implementing the plans and programmes of their ministries.

Agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury said that the number 14.23 crore did not correspond with the current figures of the domestic demand for food and of the total production and import of foodgrains.

'If the population is 14.23 crore, we should have a large surplus of food because of our total production and import,' Matia told New Age, adding that Cabinet members would try to learn more details of the preliminary findings of the census.

She said that the total demand for food proved that there was a wide gap between the census's figure and the real population.

The agriculture minister also said that last year's domestic production and import of foodgrains could meet the demand of more than 16 crore people.

'The real statistics are essential for everything, including measuring the demand for food,' said Matia, adding that she was still hopeful of getting the actual figure in the final report of the census.

Food minister Abdur Razzak told New Age that lack of a realistic assessment of the size of the population would obstruct the government from importing the right amount of foodgrains.

'There is no consistency between the country's consumption of food and the preliminary census's assessment of the size of the population,' said Razzak, adding that the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies has been asked to make its final report realistic.

Commerce minister Faruk Khan echoed his fellows and said that the actual size of the population was very important for the export-import trade and domestic business and commerce.

'I hope the number will be increased in the final report of the census,' Faruk Khan told New Age.

The commerce minister, however, said that as the census was a technical subject, it was difficult to judge the preliminary report before getting the final report.

The preliminary findings of the Population and Housing Census 2011 were released on July 16 at a press conference in the capital.

The report said that the country's population was now 14.23 crore, which was only 1.8 crore higher than the population of one decade back.

It also said that the annual growth rate was 1.34 per cent and the number of people living in every square kilometre was 964.

Source : New Age

Presidential clemency to murder convict widely denounced

President Zillur Rahman has remitted the death sentence of Lakshmipur mayor Abu Taher's eldest son AHM Biplab, which has triggered intense criticism by law experts and human rights activists.

Biplab was sentenced to death by the Chittagong Speedy Trial Tribunal on 9 December, 2003 on charge of killing lawyer Nurul Islam, a local leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, on 18 September, 2000 in Lakshmipur.

After more than 10 years in hiding, Biplab surrendered to a court in Lakshmipur on April 4, and was sent to the local jail.

The president remitted the death sentence after receiving a petition filed by Biplab's father Abu Taher, an Awami League leader, who has been widely criticised for alleged involvement in terrorism during the Awami League government's regime between 1996 and 2001, and especially after threatening journalists for reporting on the murder of Nurul Islam.

The home affairs ministry on July 17 issued a letter to the prison authorities in Lakshmipur, informing them that the president had remitted Biplab's death sentence.

Referring to the letter, the prison authorities sent a letter the Chittagong Speedy Trial Tribunal which was received on Tuesday.

The tribunal, in its reply, said that even though the president had remitted the death sentence, Biplab had to serve the sentences of life-term imprisonment in two other murder cases.

The presidential clemency has panicked Nurul Islam's family members.

Nurul Islam's wife Rashida Islam on Wednesday told New Age, 'We are suffering from a feeling of grave insecurity due to the clemency, and we cannot understand how a murderer can get such clemency.'

'We could not stay at home in Lakshmipur during the Awami League's rule after the killing, and now we are facing a similar situation,' she added.

The clemency has also drawn widespread criticism from legal experts and human rights activists.

Former adviser to the caretaker government AF Hassan Ariff and BRAC University's teacher Shahdeen Malik, both of whom are Supreme Court lawyers and rights activists, demanded that the government should make public the grounds for remitting the sentence.

'The people have the right to know the grounds on which the president has remitted the death sentence of the convict,' said Ariff, also a former attorney general.

'The government should make public the documents that have led the president to extend clemency so that the people can examine the legality of the clemency, as it has raised questions in the citizens,' said Shahdeen.

Odhikar's secretary Adilur Rahman Khan, also a Supreme Court lawyer, said that such clemency was against the principle of the rule of law, as it would encourage other criminals.

The Supreme Court Bar Association's president Khondker Mahbub Hossain, also a criminal law expert, said that the clemency was a political decision of the government, as the president had to act in this regard on the advice of the prime minister.

'The government is withdrawing all the cases against its leaders and activists and remitting the sentences against them on the one hand, while on the other it is filing new cases against the opposition leaders and activists, exposing its contempt for the principle of rule of law,' he said.

In June the government was criticised for remitting the sentence of imprisonment of Shahdab Akbar Chowdhury Labu, son of deputy leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, a member of Awami League's presidium.

Labu had been jailed by a special judge's court on charge of amassing illegal wealth which was disproportionate to his legitimate sources of income.

Nurul Islam was abducted from his house in Lakshmipur on 18 September, 2000 and was never seen again.

He was allegedly slaughtered at Taher's house by his sons and others, chopped into pieces and then thrown into the Meghna River in a sack.

The tribunal on 9 December, 2003 delivered the verdict in the case, sentencing five persons, including three sons of Taher, to death and nine others to imprisonment for life. Taher, his wife Najma Taher and another accused were acquitted of the charge.

However Taher was sentenced to imprisonment for life on charge of killing BNP activist Kamal in Lakshmipur in 2000. Taher's sons AKM Salahuddin Tipu and Abdul Jabbar Lablu were sentenced to death, and Biblab and Awami League workers Khaleq, Babar and Marzur were sentenced to imprisonment for life in the Kamal murder case. All of them, except Biplab and Khaleq, were later acquitted of the charges by the High Court.

Source : New Age

Grameen Knitwear closed after workers’ protest

The Grameen Knitwear Limited, a project of the Grameen Bank, on Wednesday shut down its factory for an indefinite period after a violent protest by its workers over wages on Tuesday.

The Ashulia police officer-in-charge, Sirajul Islam, told New Age on Wednesday afternoon that the management had closed the factory, an enterprise of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, in the morning for an indefinite period as the workers vandalised the factory on Tuesday over wages increase.

'More than 2,400 workers of the factory held violent protests, demanding a big increase in lunch fees and transport costs and at least 10 per cent ownership in the company. They damaged parts of the factory on Tuesday,' the police officer said.

Sirajul said that the police were investigating the protests. He said that the Grameen Knitwear was one of the very few companies with a 'good record' of payment to workers.

'The workers shattered some windows of the factory and set fire to some products manufactured by the company for exports,' he said.

On Wednesday, many workers, who came to join the factory, had to return as the authorities posted a notice announcing the closure of the factory, Sirajul said.

The authorities, however, filed no case in this connection till Wednesday evening.

The factory located inside the export processing zone at Savar on the outskirts of the capital is one of the 30 business establishments by Yunus.

Source : New Age

Hasina asks critics of constitution to go to Pakistan

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Wednesday suggested that those who wanted to throw the constitution to dustbin should go to Pakistan, as they do not believe in sovereign Bangladesh.

'The opposition leader has said that she would throw away the constitution and some of her associates have wanted to throw it to dustbin. How audacious they are! They do not believe in the country's independence and sovereignty. They should go to Pakistan,' she said.

Hasina said these in her opening remarks at the Awami League working committee meeting held at her official Ganobhaban residence in the afternoon.

Strongly condemning the opposition leader's remark on the constitution, the prime minister said that if she (opposition leader) would have respect toward the constitution, she could not make such remarks.

'She has forgotten that 30 lakh people sacrificed their lives and two lakh mothers and sisters sacrificed their honour to attain the constitution of independent Bangladesh.'

Referring to a condolence message of the then prime minister Khaleda Zia on the death of a Pakistani General, Hasina said that being a prime minister she (Khaleda) had sent a condolence message on the death of a Pakistani General. 'We all know where her (Khaleda) heart lies.'

She alleged that the opposition leader and Jamaat are trying to save the war criminals and the killers of Ivy Rahman and others who lost their lives in the August 21 grenade attack. 'But they would never be able to save the killers and the war criminals,' she said.

The prime minister said that during the Awami League's upcoming sitting with the Election Commission, the party will emphasise further strengthening the Election Commission.

'The Election Commission is independent now. It will be further strengthened to arrange free and fair elections.'

She said the Awami league government never tried to influence the Election Commission.

Hasina said with the 15th amendment to the constitution, avenues of grabbing the state power unconstitutionally that had begun after the killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman have been stopped forever.

She said: 'People have got their power back through this (15th) amendment. This amendment has safeguarded the people's empowerment.'

The premier said the opposition leader is now 'crying' for the caretaker form of government, but when the Awami League in the past spoke about this, she (the opposition leader) had commented that none is neutral except a mad person or a kid.

'If she (Khaleda Zia) demands the caretaker system of government, she has to admit that the last caretaker government had done the right thing by filing corruption cases against her and her sons.'

She said that it was the last caretaker government which found out that Khaleda Zia had 'plundered the money of orphans under the Zia Orphanage.'

Hasina said the people now want to see the country's democracy running uninterruptedly and economic emancipation is attained.

Listing various development works done by the preset government, she said that on Tuesday total electricity generation was 4,993 MW which was the highest after the government assumed power.

The prime minister said the previous Awami League government had increased power generation to 4300 MW from 1600 MW, but after taking office this time the government found the power generation at about 3100 MW.

'They (BNP government) did not do anything for increasing the power generation as they know only to plunder people's money.'

She said the present government would not let people suffer from any crisis. 'We are importing food at higher price and supplying people at lower price.'

Hasina said the government is making all out efforts so that people do not suffer during the holy month of Ramadan.

Issuing a stern warning against hoarding to increase prices of essentials during the Ramadan, she said: 'We are keeping close watch so that none can hoard food to make extra profit at the cost of public suffering.'

Source : New Age

BNP, allies turn down EC invitation

BNP stuck to its stand and once again turned town an invitation for Wednesday's talks with the 'biased' Election Commission.

'We express our sincere regrets as it is not possible to take part in the discussion at your invitation  today because  there is no change  in our position as I had conveyed to you in my previous letter,' BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir wrote in reply.

Mirza Fakhrul had written in his letter to the Election that the current Election Commission's initiative on for making new laws and amending the existing laws for the next general elections was far from credible due to its controversial role in holding the ninth general election in 2008.

He said that all the actions the current Election

Commission took since taking responsibility on February 5, 2007 were 'biased, motivated and designed to destroy BNP' and to get a particular party victorious to 'suit the wishes' of the emergency caretaker government of the day.

He said that the current Election Commission lost its credibility in the public eye by backtracking thrice from its own announcement of the date of election of Dhaka City Corporation, the tenure of which had expired four years back only to satisfy the concerns of the incumbent Awami League led government.

The chief election commissioner, ATM Shamsul Huda, on Tuesday said that   no further chance would be given to BNP to sit with the commission if the main opposition party failed to attend the dialogue scheduled for Wednesday.

It was the commission's second invitation to BNP for dialogue.

On June 13, BNP turned down an invitation for dialogue from the Election Commission describing the EC as 'controversial' and 'biased and motivated.'

BNP said that it considers it would be an exercise in futility to discuss the next election with the current Election Commission which lost the people's confidence for its weak and partisan attitude.

BNP said this Election Commission 'cannot hold fair elections.'

BNP said that this Election Commission did everything on instructions from the emergency caretaker administration and the incumbent Awami League led government to weaken and eliminate BNP to ensure a particular party's victory in elections.

Besides, BNP said, it would be useless for this controversial Election Commission to take any initiative, at the fag end of its tenure, to reform and update electoral law and rules because it would not be there at the time of the next polls.

'The task should be left for the next Election Commission,' said BNP.

Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Jatiya Party and Jamiyat-e-Ulama-e-Islam, also turned down the EC invitation for talks.

Source : New Age

VVIP protocol for Sonia Gandhi, 3 others

The government will give VVIP protocol to and arrange foolproof security for four regional dignitaries who will arrive in Dhaka on July 24 to participate in a two-day regional conference to create awareness of autism, foreign ministry officials said. 

The dignitaries are the Congress Party of India president, Sonia Gandhi, also the main adviser to the Action for Autism in India, Ilham Hussain, wife of Mohammed Waheed Hassan, the first elected vice-president of the Maldives, Pakistan's national assembly speaker Fehmida Mirza and Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of Mahinda Rajapaksa, the sixth president of Sri Lanka. Sonia Gandhi will join as chief guest the conference titled 'Autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities in Bangladesh and South Asia.'

The Centre for Neurodevelopment and Autism in Children of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and the US-based Autism Speaks will organize the conference. The World Health Organisation is lending its support to the programme.

Saima Wazed Putul, daughter of the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, is convening the conference to be followed by a three-day training workshop, according to the BSMMU vice-chancellor, Pran Gopal Datta.

About 50 specialists from 12 countries will participate in the conference to be inaugurated in the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel.

Three hundred and seventy participants, including parents of children with autism, therapists, psychologists, and teachers and students of psychology from across the country will join the training workshops scheduled for July 27–29.

Sonia Gandhi will also receive Bangladesh Swadhinata Sammanana on behalf of her mother-in-law and former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi for her outstanding contribution to Bangladesh's independence.

The president, Zillur Rahman, will hand over it to Sonia Gandhi in programme in Bangabhaban in the afternoon on July 25.

Source : New Age

People deserve safe roads

ROAD safety remains a neglected issue during all governments, irrespective of their political identity, Professor Hasib Mohammed Ahsan, director of Accident Research Institute under Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, said Tuesday. 

'The situation has become very bad and is getting worse, day by day. There is hardly any enforcement of law (on road safety),' he said in an exclusive interview with New Age.

Incompetent drivers with genuine and fake licenses, faulty vehicles and lack of maintenance of roads are also responsible for the increasing number of fatalities in road accidents, he said.  

Pedestrians account for 54 per cent of the people killed in accidents, Ahsan, also a professor of civil engineering at BUET, informed.

The policymakers need to make roads safe, as

'people deserve safe roads. It is their right no matter which party is in power', he said.

They should take appropriate measures against any negligence and failures of the officials concerned, he added.

Source : New Age

Govt asked to explain in action

The High Court on Wednesday asked the government to explain in ten days why it should not be directed to take punitive action against the persons responsible for lynching six students on suspicion of robbery on July 18 in Amin Bazaar.

The government and the police were also asked to explain why their inaction and failure to protect the six youths, studying in various reputable institutions in Dhaka, from mass beating should not be declared unlawful.

The court also asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to pay compensation to the families of the deceased and to the surviving victims.

The bench of Justice Farid Ahmed and Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif passed the order after hearing a public interest litigation writ petition filed by Tajul Islam, secretary general of the National Forum for Protection of Human Right and a Supreme Court lawyer, challenging the government's inaction during and after the horrendous event.

In response to the petitioner's prayer to the court to issue a directive to the government to form a committee to inquire into the brutal and inhuman killings, the court said that it would pass an order in this regard next week after receiving the government's answer.

The home affairs secretary, inspector general of the police, commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, superintendent of the police in Dhaka, and the officers-in-charge of the Savar and Ashulia thanas were made respondents in the writ petition.

The petitioner' lawyer, M Badruddoza, told the court that every citizen has the constitutional right to move freely around the country, and in exercise of the right the young boys had visited Amin Bazaar.

'It was the constitutional obligation of the state to protect the lives and the liberty of the victims, but it failed to discharge its duty,' Badruddoza argued.

He also said that the inaction of the respondents to protect the lives of the six students was highly illegal, mala fide and not sustainable in law.

Families and friends of the victims said they had gone on an outing to Keblar Char when a mob attacked them, apparently mistaking them for robbers.

But villagers said that they had surrounded the youths while they were preparing to commit a robbery.

Al-Amin, a survivor of the mass beating who was taken into the custody of Savar police after treatment at Savar Upazila Health Complex, told reporters that they had gone to the village on an outing and smoked cannabis there for fun.

Businessman Abdul Malek of the village filed a robbery case with the Savar thana, and the police registered a murder case against 600 unnamed villagers in this connection.

Malek said that the villagers were guarding the area where one Anwar Hossain was robbed in his house on July 6.

Source : New Age