News from Bangladesh-Updates and Discussion

[BanglaBhoot]

Abdur Rahman the leader of JMB had said he did not support the Kashmir struggle and favoured an Akhand Bharat.

We need more substantive evidence than newspaper reports. Some of the answers can be found in the Zainal Abedin Judicial enquiry report but that will never be opened to the public.

There are also a lot of contradictory confessional statements that have yet to be disclosed.

The matter of where the arms and explosives of JMB came from indicates an Indian hand.

Why does it seem most of the news reports favour the Indian/AL interpretation of events.

The media and press in BD cannot be trusted to give unbiased information.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

The fertilizer puzzle

It's been almost 15 days now that the Government had announced a drastic reduction of fertilizer prices and assured everyone that adequate quantities of this most essential ingredient to agriculture would be made readily and easily available to farmers but as yet farmers all over the Country are facing a paucity of fertilizers in this peak farming season. So, it really remains a puzzle as to why farmers are not getting fertilizers in quantities that they need and at prices that they can afford.
Traders and distributors are contending that government measures take time to get implemented and so fertilizers at new prices have not been made available to them in sufficient quantities to satisfy every farmer's needs. Also, government bureaucrats, given responsibility to ensure proper availability and distribution of fertilizers, are claiming that many farmers have stocked up on fertilizers with the peak season in view, putting an extra pressure on the markets. Be that as it may, being farmers in and of Bangladesh, they know that governments rarely do anything effectively and so they are not waiting around for the government to give them fertilizers; farmers are smuggling in cheaper fertilizers from India in such quantities as to raise alarm among local traders, distributors, government bureaucrats and BDR! Such are economic realities.
The Bangladesh Today issue of 29 January, 2009 carries a report of how and why farmers are being forced to resort to smuggling to get at the fertilizers that they desperately need for their crops. One reason cited by farmers, distributors and traders, for this sudden spate of fertilizer smuggling, is that prices are still too high as compared to smuggled in Indian fertilizers. Another reason often cited for paucity and high prices of fertilizers, is that fertilizers are used for other purposes, such as in production of melamine and partex and in textile dying and garment washing, in such large quantities as to affect availability and prices in markets.
The government therefore, has to look at the many-sided puzzle of fertilizers. One measure it definitely ought to take is to find out what quantity and type of fertilizers are being used for industrial purposes and make that quantity and type exclusively available to melamine, partex, textile and garment industries. A 2nd necessary measure the government ought to consider is to continuously monitor prices of fertilizers in India and continuously adjust prices at par with prices of Indian fertilizers because if smuggling is allowed to continue it will create an "informal" fertilizer economy which will destroy the local distribution system and markets. A 3rd necessary measure the government ought to take is to further streamline the entire import, local production, transportation and distribution system of fertilizers, so that these are positively and immediately responsive to demands and markets. It is by such and other measures that the government can permanently resolve the "fertilizer puzzle" affecting agriculture throughout the year, every year.

editorial

 

[leonblack08]

Steps taken to bar war criminals from leaving country




The home ministry has taken necessary measures so that the war criminals cannot leave the country, Home Minister Sahara Khatun said today.


"After parliament's decision over the trial of the war criminals, the home ministry has already sent the list of the war criminals to all possible places so that they cannot leave the country," she said replying to a question from reporters after 23th convocation of the Bangladesh Ain Samiti in the city.


The home minister also called upon all concerned to play active roles in maintaining law order of the country, ATN Bangla reports.


Parliament yesterday unanimously passed a resolution calling on the government to ensure immediate trial of the war criminals.


The historic motion came five days into inauguration of the ninth legislature.


It is meant to affirm the ruling Awami League's (AL) electoral pledge that if voted to power, it would put on trial those who had committed atrocious crimes against the nation during the Liberation War in 1971.


“Measures be taken immediately to try the war criminals,” reads the resolution adopted amid thunderous desk-thumping.


The proposal was piloted by Mahmud-us-Samad Chowdhury, AL lawmaker from Sylhet-3.


Taking part in discussions on the motion, Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina said her government is now gathering experts' opinions on the issue from across the globe. The foreign ministry is working on the matter.


Urging Speaker Abdul Hamid to take the resolution as a property of the House, she said: “The war criminals will be brought to justice, no matter what.”


Following the discussions, State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Tajul Islam said the trial would be held in a credible and transparent manner so there arises no question over the proceedings.

The Daily Star - Details News

 

[leonblack08]

BNP has moral backing for trial: Delwar

The BNP will back trial of war criminals if it is properly done and not politically motivated, the party's secretary general said on Friday.

"The demand for trial of war criminals has our moral support," Khandaker Delwar Hossain said in response to reporters' queries at his Armanitola home in Old Dhaka. "None should have any objection to the issue."

His comment came after parliament on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution on "immediate" trial of war crimes suspects.

"The trial for war crimes is an old issue that should have been settled a long time ago," he said. "Those who took the reins of power in the country after the independence war in 1971 were expected to try the war offenders."

Referring to the Awami League assuming office in 1996, he said, "(I don't understand) why they (the AL government) did not try the war criminals."

But he warned the government of dangers of a non-transparent process.

The former chief whip urged the speaker, deputy speaker and the leader of the House to be more magnanimous and try to bring back the opposition MPs to the parliament.

BNP has moral backing for trial: Delwar :: Politics :: bdnews24.com ::

 

[TopCat]

Good going... JI also going to shun itself from backing war criminals within the party...

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Predictably the AL will use this merely as a publicity prop to hide all its other failures in governance. It is as if beginning these trials will solve all the problems of BD. When people realize that this is all crap then the AL will find other people to hound and hunt down.

 

[leonblack08]

Projects cancelled by BNP govt reintroduced: Muhith

Finance Minister AMA Muhith today said some projects taken by the previous Awami League (AL) government and later cancelled or shelved by the immediate past BNP government have been reintroduced.

“The rest of the projects will also be reintroduced on the basis of their merit and importance,” he said while talking to newsmen about AL’s election manifesto after paying tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at his mazar.

About trial of the war criminals, the minister said parliament has unanimously passed a resolution to ensure immediate trial of the war crimes. “The trial process will begin soon,” he said.

He also talked about grenade attacks on AL President Sheikh Hasina in Kotalipara and Dhaka, and the trial of the perpetrators.

Earlier, the finance minister placed wreaths at the mazar of Bangabandhu at Tungipara at about 2:30pm, stood in solemn silence for a while and offered fateha.

The Daily Star - Details News

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Why do they call it Bangabandhu's mazar??he wasn't a peer or something.

 

[leonblack08]

US welcomes move for trial of war criminals

US Ambassador James F Moriarty today welcomed the move to try the war criminals and said the Government of Bangladesh should share the experiences of different countries over the issue.

The trials of war criminals are being held in different countries and Bangladesh has to decide on the matter after taking experiences from those countries, ATN Bangla reports.

He also welcomed Bangladesh for its initiative to form a South Asian Anti-terrorism Taskforce. "It is good to see that Bangladesh is taking a leadership."

When sought his opinion over the war criminals' trial, the US envoy said, "It depends on individual cases and individual people...Yes, actually convicted people. Again this is a matter of the government and the people of Bangladesh and they will have to decide on it."

He was talking to reporters after a courtesy basketball match in the capital between the US embassy in Dhaka and Bangladesh Police.

Earlier on January 29, parliament unanimously passed a resolution calling on the government to ensure immediate trial of the war criminals.

The historic motion came five days into inauguration of the ninth legislature.

It is meant to affirm the ruling Awami League's (AL) electoral pledge that if voted to power, it would put on trial those who had committed atrocious crimes against the nation during the Liberation War in 1971.

“Measures be taken immediately to try the war criminals,” reads the resolution adopted amid thunderous desk-thumping.

The proposal was piloted by Mahmud-us-Samad Chowdhury, AL lawmaker from Sylhet-3.

Taking part in discussions on the motion, Prime Minister and Leader of the House Sheikh Hasina said her government is now gathering experts' opinions on the issue from across the globe. The foreign ministry is working on the matter.

Urging Speaker Abdul Hamid to take the resolution as a property of the House, she said: “The war criminals will be brought to justice, no matter what.”

Following the discussions, State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Tajul Islam said the trial would be held in a credible and transparent manner so there arises no question over the proceedings.

The Daily Star - Details News

 

[M_Saint]

Abdur Rahman the leader of JMB had said he did not support the Kashmir struggle and favoured an Akhand Bharat.

We need more substantive evidence than newspaper reports. Some of the answers can be found in the Zainal Abedin Judicial enquiry report but that will never be opened to the public.

There are also a lot of contradictory confessional statements that have yet to be disclosed.

The matter of where the arms and explosives of JMB came from indicates an Indian hand.

Why does it seem most of the news reports favour the Indian/AL interpretation of events.

The media and press in BD cannot be trusted to give unbiased information.

Very subtly and intelligently questioned on sealing JMB leader’s fate. And IMO this type of manipulation, injustice would be demonstrated in JI leader’s trial as well. The most rational and cherished question was that why Abdur Rahman, Sunny or Bangla Bhai's logical pledge to make them public before execution wasn't pursued by GOB? Why was GOB so scared like Bush cronies on presenting OBL on Media or Public? Aren't there existing similarities of hush-hush Between MUA/FUA and Bush GOVTS? Infect everything through media and video against them could be discounted on this ground and MUA/FUA's motive on hanging them hurriedly could be questioned. And that could be supplemented by the timing of bomb blast, especially when it happened during Khaleda's flight on the way China. I wonder what prevented Madam to wake up and be suspicious about RAB, ARMY after that incident. A series of such inactions led the fall of BNP IMO.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

AL MP causes clamour in Ctg

Chittagong, Jan 31 (bdnews24.com)—An Awami League MP caused a stir in Chittagong after showing up at a social event along with an alleged war criminal, who is also a local Jamaat-e-Islami figure.

The Chittagong-10 MP, Abdul Latif, also president of the Chittagong Chamber, later said he had no knowledge about the background of Moulana Shamsuddin, president of the Islami Social Welfare Council.

"I learnt after attending the programme that Moulana Shamsuddin is a 'war criminal'," Latif told bdnews24.com.

Speaking to bdnews24.com, a local commander of the Bengal Liberation Force (BLF) during the 1971 war, Kazi Inamul Huq Danu, and liberation war historian Dr Mahfuzur Rahman gave details about Shamsuddin's role.

"The Moulana was one of those who controlled the city's notorious torture cell at the Dalim Hotel," said Dr Rahman. Danu confirmed the historian's version.

The MP was chief guest and the Moulana special guest at the ceremony, hosted by the local Chashi Kalyan Samity, a Jamaat-e-Islami outfit, at the Rajmukut Community Centre at Boropul in the city.

"I joined a social event, where 17 couples wed without any involvement of dowry. My son was among those who got married," Latif told bdnews24.com.

The deputy head of Jamaat in Chittagong, Afsar Uddin Chowdhury, and Muktijddha Sangsad commander Mozaffar Ahmed were also present at the event.

"Shamsuddin is a war criminal," said freedom fighter Danu, also general secretary of the AL city committee.

"I am not sure whether the MP knew what he was doing. If he did it knowingly, he has done wrong."

AL MP causes clamour in Ctg :: Politics :: bdnews24.com ::

 

[M_Saint]

Good going... JI also going to shun itself from backing war criminals within the party...

1. Here is how JI chief clarifies his party's position. He isn't fleeing away from BD like ALers has done it after 75 and 2001's debacle.

The Daily Sangram


2. The following is another link where Mujahid rationalizes his party's stance... Yet again he is not making any efforts to run away from BD---

AMAR DESH PUBLICATIONS

 

[M_Saint]

"After parliament's decision over the trial of the war criminals, the home ministry has already sent the list of the war criminals to all possible places so that they cannot leave the country," she said replying to a question from reporters after 23th convocation of the Bangladesh Ain Samiti in the city.


The home minister also called upon all concerned to play active roles in maintaining law order of the country, ATN Bangla reports.


Parliament yesterday unanimously passed a resolution calling on the government to ensure immediate trial of the war criminals.


The historic motion came five days into inauguration of the ninth legislature.


It is meant to affirm the ruling Awami League's (AL) electoral pledge that if voted to power, it would put on trial those who had committed atrocious crimes against the nation during the Liberation War in 1971

The proposal was piloted by Mahmud-us-Samad Chowdhury, AL lawmaker from Sylhet-3.

The Daily Star - Details News

Funny thing is that Samad Chowdhury's father is a war criminal by AWAMY's own measure but hey when has AL showed fairness?

1.AMAR DESH PUBLICATIONS

2.::Welcome to Daily Naya Diganta::

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Ensure army never 'turns guns on us': Alamgir

Dhaka, Feb 1 (bdnews24.com)— Senior Awami League MP Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir on Sunday urged parliament to prevent any further military intervention into state affairs in future.

"The army, who are supposed to guarantee our security, our safety, we must make sure they never turn their guns on us," Alamgir told parliament.

"Otherwise, future generations will not pardon us."

The former state minister also alleged that the Anticorruption Commission had become a "den of corruption", and proposed a parliamentary probe body to investigate the ACC's antigraft drives.

Alamgir had harsh words too for president Iajuddin Ahmed, while delivering his speech on the president's Jan 25 address to parliament.

"The president betrayed the republic and breached his oath in office," said the MP.

Alamgir also alleged "the highest amount of money was laundered when Fakhruddin Ahmed was Bangladesh Bank governor".

"I also propose a parliamentary body to investigate this."

Echoing Awami League general secretary Abdul Jalil, Alamgir came down heavily on Iajuddin and ACC chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury.

"It is painful for me to thank this President.

"The ACC during Iajuddin's time turned into a den of corruption," said Alamgir who got 13 years for alleged corruption during the caretaker government headed by Fakhruddin Ahmed.



He also questioned the legality of the ACC chairman's appointment and termed him a "shameless" person.

"Was the appointment of the ACC chairman legal? Were the ACC rules legal?"

"I propose formation of a parliamentary body to investigate the illegal activities of the ACC," he said.

"This ACC tried to control politics in the name of anti-corruption drives. This ACC violated the constitution in the name of anti-corruption drives".

He asked why had the ACC appointed 12 out of 18 directors from the members of the armed forces.

"Is it true that only members of the defence forces are honest," he questioned.

"This president has betrayed the republic. They (the president and the caretaker government) will have to be accountable for their betrayal," said Alamgir, who was state minister for planning in the previous Awami League government.

Asaduzzaman Noor, A B M Golam Mostofa, Abu Jahir, A H Mahmud Ali, M A Mannan, Shamsul Haq Cowdhury, Israfil Alam and Nurul Islam also addressed their fellow MPs Sunday. The house was adjourned until 4.45 pm Monday.

Ensure army never 'turns guns on us': Alamgir :: Politics :: bdnews24.com ::

 

[TopCat]

Ensure army never 'turns guns on us': Alamgir

Dhaka, Feb 1 (bdnews24.com)— Senior Awami League MP Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir on Sunday urged parliament to prevent any further military intervention into state affairs in future.

"The army, who are supposed to guarantee our security, our safety, we must make sure they never turn their guns on us," Alamgir told parliament.

"Otherwise, future generations will not pardon us."

The former state minister also alleged that the Anticorruption Commission had become a "den of corruption", and proposed a parliamentary probe body to investigate the ACC's antigraft drives.

Alamgir had harsh words too for president Iajuddin Ahmed, while delivering his speech on the president's Jan 25 address to parliament.

"The president betrayed the republic and breached his oath in office," said the MP.

Alamgir also alleged "the highest amount of money was laundered when Fakhruddin Ahmed was Bangladesh Bank governor".

"I also propose a parliamentary body to investigate this."

Echoing Awami League general secretary Abdul Jalil, Alamgir came down heavily on Iajuddin and ACC chairman Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury.

"It is painful for me to thank this President.

"The ACC during Iajuddin's time turned into a den of corruption," said Alamgir who got 13 years for alleged corruption during the caretaker government headed by Fakhruddin Ahmed.



He also questioned the legality of the ACC chairman's appointment and termed him a "shameless" person.

"Was the appointment of the ACC chairman legal? Were the ACC rules legal?"

"I propose formation of a parliamentary body to investigate the illegal activities of the ACC," he said.

"This ACC tried to control politics in the name of anti-corruption drives. This ACC violated the constitution in the name of anti-corruption drives".

He asked why had the ACC appointed 12 out of 18 directors from the members of the armed forces.

"Is it true that only members of the defence forces are honest," he questioned.

"This president has betrayed the republic. They (the president and the caretaker government) will have to be accountable for their betrayal," said Alamgir, who was state minister for planning in the previous Awami League government.

Asaduzzaman Noor, A B M Golam Mostofa, Abu Jahir, A H Mahmud Ali, M A Mannan, Shamsul Haq Cowdhury, Israfil Alam and Nurul Islam also addressed their fellow MPs Sunday. The house was adjourned until 4.45 pm Monday.

Ensure army never 'turns guns on us': Alamgir :: Politics :: bdnews24.com ::

Alamgir is a convict in corruption charges.. It does make sense that he will talk against ACC.. I dont buy his words. Jalil also had a mental breakdown for DGFI. He was the one who became a bank owner from a bankrupt right?? Babul's newspaper Jugantor is bashing ACC everyday but we all know Babul is a Mastan and corrupt.. I am not seeing this parliament is any different than the previous ones.. All the MPs stand up to talk about relief works on their constituency or glorifying Hasina.. Senior leaders just hide their faces sitting in the front bench... MINUS TWO was necessary ...

 

[TopCat]

1. Here is how JI chief clarifies his party's position. He isn't fleeing away from BD like ALers has done it after 75 and 2001's debacle.

The Daily Sangram


2. The following is another link where Mujahid rationalizes his party's stance... Yet again he is not making any efforts to run away from BD---

AMAR DESH PUBLICATIONS

Neither of them can flee the country.. Home minister made it clear... They are barred.. Thanks