Dhaka in mess: Students, transport workers go berserk over death, arrest
City commuters suffered badly as traffic came to a standstill for hours yesterday due to separate clashes between students, police and transport workers in Gulshan, Mirpur and Dhaka College areas.
Tailbacks on both sides of the roads in these areas caused severe traffic congestions, which clogged other roads across the capital. Law enforcers were seen struggling to ease traffic and avert vandalism by diverting vehicles to other roads.
In Gulshan, several hundred students of Titumir College clashed with police, demanding release of 26 of their fellow students who were arrested on Tuesday night.
Gulshan police had detained them after they allegedly vandalised a Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation bar at Mohakhali after the bar authorities refused to give a few students alcohol for free.
Protesting the arrest, the agitating students took to the streets around 11:00am yesterday and put up barricades on both sides of the roads in front of Titumir College, between Mohakhali and Gulshan-1.
They damaged at least 10 vehicles and blocked traffic movement on Gulshan-Mohakhali road and its adjacent areas for more than five hours since 11:00am, witnesses said.
They fought pitched battle till 4:00pm with police who came to disperse the students. They also set fire to tiers and wooden furniture and hurled brickbats at the law enforcers.
At one stage, police baton charged the students, witnesses added.
The street battle that followed left at least 20 students and a few police personnel injured.
Gulshan Police Station Officer-in-charge Rafiqul Islam was among the injured policemen, Khandaker Lutful Kabir, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Gulshan division), told The Daily Star.
Caught between the street battles, hundreds of people were seen stranded on different city roads waiting for transport for hours in vain.
Offices and other businesses in the area were shut and hundreds of vehicles remained stuck on both sides of the roads during the clashes.
The agitating students lifted their barricades around 4:00pm after police released all the 26 students against bonds following a meeting with the college authorities.
A number of students alleged that police “inhumanly tortured” the 26 students after their arrests from the college campus.
Gulshan police, however, dismissed the allegation.
Meanwhile, vehicular movement in Mirpur and its adjacent areas remained suspended for four hours from 9:00am as transport workers took to the streets over a rumour that a fellow driver was placed on remand.
Yasin, a bus driver, was arrested on Monday night after the death of a Dhaka College student under the wheels of his bus in front of the college. Victim SM Zakaria Dalim, 25, was a master’s student of English Literature at the college.
As rumour spread that Yasin was placed on a seven-day remand, around 300 hundred transport workers poured into the streets, blocking the roads from Mirpur-10 to Mirpur-12 and Mirpur-1 to Farmgate.
The rumour, however, turned out to be baseless as although the police appealed for Yasin’s remand, the court is yet to issue an order in this regard. Hearing over the remand prayer is fixed for tomorrow.
Witnesses said the unruly workers vandalised at least four vehicles and beat up the drivers and workers who did not take part in the demonstration and tried to operate vehicles.
Traffic resumed after the demonstrators lifted their barricades around 1:00pm, said Kazi Wazed Ali, officer-in-charge of Mirpur Police Station.
Meanwhile, students of Dhaka College also took to the streets for the second consecutive day yesterday and vandalised at least eight vehicles, protesting the death of Zakaria.
They also set ablaze a passenger bus in front of the college, spreading panic in and around the area.
Traffic movement on Mirpur Road was halted for nearly one and a half hours before it resumed after the students returned to their campus around 1:30pm, said Mostafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of New Market Police Station.
Source:The Daily Star
Political standoff takes heavy toll on stock market
Dhaka stocks slumped on Sunday, stretching the latest bear-run to four days, as panic spread among investors amid fresh general strikes enforced by the opposition alliance over disappearance of a key BNP leader.
DGEN, the benchmark general index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, fell by 152.19 points or, 2.95 per cent, to close at 5,011.24 points, as investors went for sell-offs in thin trading.
In total, the DGEN lost 377 points in last four sessions amid political standoff.
‘The market had been on the rebound till the week before last week since mid-February following a year-long depression. But the total stability of the market is now at a stake because of the latest volatility amid confrontational politics,’ said a stockbroker on Sunday.
Besides, he said, investors were also nervous as they found very few share purchase orders from sponsor-directors of listed companies although the deadline to meet the minimum shareholding is approaching fast.
The turnover of the bourse declined further to Tk 430.35 crore on Sunday from Tk 614.06 crore on Thursday as many of the large investors took a wait-and-see policy to see where the political situation was heading for, said market operators.
Out of the 259 issues traded on the day, 222 declined, 30 advanced and seven remained unchanged.
Market operators said that stocks had usually advanced in previous general strikes during the three years and three months tenure of this government. But this time a series of strikes made the investors panicky.
He said many of the investors feared that the market would fall further following the latest two-day dawn-to-dusk general strikes called by BNP on Sunday and Monday after three days of similar strikes last week.
The opposition blamed the government for Ilias’s disappearance while the government claimed that BNP was staging a ‘drama’.
‘Investors are now uncertain about BNP’s next movement and where the market will head for as the government is yet to recover Ilias. Besides, the government and the ruling party Awami League also took a hard line against BNP and its allies raising fear of more confrontation,’ said a market analyst.
He said that investors, who had sustained heavy losses in the market crash in 2011 and were recovering their losses, fell victim again.
The DGEN which came down to 3,616.29 points on February 6 this year from a record high of 8,918.51 points on December 5, 2010 following severe crashes, recovered up to 5,502 points on April 16.
But the key index lost 491 points in last eight trading sessions as share prices in seven out of eight sessions declined because of political standoff, which businesses said was taking a heavy toll on the economy of the country.
Analysts also said that although the Securities and Exchange Commission’s May 21 deadline for company directors to fulfil their minimum shareholding was nearing, lack of buying order from the directors made some of the investors nervous.
‘Some investors are not sure what would be the outcome of the writ petition which was filed early this month challenging the SEC rule to hold minimum 2 per cent shares individually and 30 per cent jointly by the company directors,’ he said.
The SEC’s move giving deadline for shareholding worked as a tonic for the ailing market and helped restoring confidence among general investors.
He, however, said that the market might rebound soon despite the political standoff as the price level of most of the issues is becoming lucrative.
31st National Rabindra Sangeet Conference opens
The three-day 31st Jatiyo Rabindra Sangeet Sammelan (National Rabindra Sangeet Conference) began at Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Auditorium of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) on March 8. Jatiyo Rabindra Sangeet Sammelan Parishad’s (JRSSP) central unit is the organiser of the event.
The three-day programme with the theme “Bondhon Hok Khoy” (destruction of bondage) includes discussions, informal gatherings of Tagore singers, rendition of Tagore songs, staging of dance-drama, recitation from Tagore’s poetry and felicitating eminent personalities.
This is the first such national conference in Mymensingh organised by JRSSP. About 80 artistes from different districts and Dhaka began the celebrations with a chorus “Hobe Jai, Hobe Jai”. Later they also rendered “Bhengechho Duar Eshechho Jyotirmoy” and “Agun-er Poroshmoni Chhowao Pran-e”.
Some 200 artistes from Dhaka attended the conference. Besides, 300 artistes and organisers from 76 branches of Jatiyo Rabindra Sangeet Sammelan Parishad also joined the conference.
Veteran Tagore artiste Kazi Shahjahan Hafiz inaugurated the conference. Among others, BAU Vice-chancellor, Professor Md. Rafiqul Hoque; president of Sammelan Parishad’s central unit, Zillur Rahman Siddiqui, and veteran Tagore artiste Dr. ABM Nurul Anwar were present at the inaugural session.
Sohrab Uddin, secretary, Sammelan Parishad’s central unit, and its Mymensingh unit president Dr. Manjurul Alam delivered the welcome speeches.
Marking the inaugural session of the conference, a seminar was held on the first day. The seminar, titled “Rabindra Bhabna-e Shishu Shikkha”, was attended by a large number of Tagore enthusiasts, academicians and BAU teachers. Professor Asitbaran Ghosh presented the keynote paper at the seminar.
Not just his writings but also his paintings with a modern ethos are a timeless wealth for our culture, they said.
Sushanta Ghosh, secretary of Satkhira Rabindra Sangeet Sammelan Parishad, said that the conference is being held at Mymensingh, a region famed for its traditions and culture. “We are elated seeing the participation of people from different professions,” said Sushanta.
Ajanta Rahman, secretary, Jamalpur Rabindra Sangeet Sammelan Parishad, said that through the conference, the activities of the Parishad will gather momentum in greater Mymensingh.
Another seminar will be held at Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin Sangrahashala (art gallery) premises today.
Mustafa Monwar, an eminent artiste of the country, will attend the concluding ceremony of the three-day celebrations as chief guest. Zillur Rahman Siddiqui, president of Sammelan Parishad’s central unit, will preside over the event.
Veteran cultural activist Professor Jatin Sarker from Netrakona and artiste Shamsuzzaman from Rajshahi will be honoured on the concluding day.
Source:The Daily Star
IPL 2012: Delhi Daredevils defeat Rajasthan Royals by 6 wickets
Virender Sehwag played his trademark punishing knock after little
known left-arm spinner Pawan Negi’s brilliant effort with the ball as
Delhi Daredevils juggernaut kept on rolling with a thumping six-wicket
victory over Rajasthan Royals in an IPL match, on Tuesday.
This was Daredevils’ eighth win in 10 matches as they now have 16 points and are assured of a berth in the knock-out stages.
Sehwag blasted 73 off only 38 balls as Daredevils knocked off a target of 142 with as many as 28 balls to spare.
Kevin Pietersen (36, 34 balls, 3×4, 1×6) also ended his IPL campaign on a high as he added 96 for the second wicket with Sehwag who smashed 12 boundaries and a six.
This was after young Negi had a career-best haul of four for 18 as he ran through the Royals top and middle-order after Rahul Dravid (57) and Ajinkya Rahane (42) had added 71 runs in only 8.3 overs. From 71 for no loss, Royals slumped to 95 for five and their hopes of posting a sizeable total were dashed.
The Daredevils innings began on a disappointing note when Mehela Jayawardene (0) was trapped leg before by Ankit Chavan off the third delivery but there was no stopping Sehwag.
He started off with a couple of boundaries off Pankaj Singh and then launched into Chavan hitting him for three boundaries. The Nawab of Najafgarh punished each and every Rajasthan bowler as he reached his 50 off 20 balls. It was his fifth consecutive half century — a record in this format. It came with a slashed six over third man off Pankaj’s bowling.
Sehwag treated the bowlers with disdain and shots all around the wicket really confused Royals bowlers as to which length they should bowl.
By
the time Pietersen departed, the duo had added 96 runs and the match
was in Daredevils’ pocket. Sehwag continued with his boundary hitting
spree and was out with only 11 required for a win.
Earlier, when Rajasthan batted, current ‘Orange Cap’ holder Ajinkya Rahane (42, 32 balls, 7×4) and skipper Rahul Dravid (57, 43 balls, 7×4) added 71 runs from only 8.3 overs before Negi dismissed Rahane, Shane Watson (8), Brad Hodge (1) and Ashok Menaria (1) to get Daredevils right back in the match.
Even though Dravid completed his half century in only 35 balls, the Royals had lost momentum courtesy a brilliant Negi and never recovered from that batting collapse.
Rahane, who has been in sublime form during this edition started off from where he had left against Daredevils in the match at the Kotla. The third over of the innings — second from Irfan Pathan saw the left-arm medium pacer hit for four boundaries. With skipper Dravid also playing confidently, runs flowed from the blades of the two batsmen. The 50 came at the end of five overs and Royals were off to a flier.
Daredevils’ find-of-the-season Shahbaz Nadeem didn’t bowl a good first spell but another youngster — Delhi boy Negi rose to the occasion as he got four wickets in a space of three overs. First it was Rahane who needlessly played a reverse sweep only to offer a simple catch Sehwag at point.
Shane Watson (8) announced his arrival at the crease with a big six off Nadeem but was cleaned up when he went for a cross-batted heave to give Negi his second wicket.
In between, Owais Shah (1) was hurried into a shot by a quicker delivery from Umesh Yadav that popped as Naman Ojha took a simple catch behind the stumps.
Negi had Royals reeling when he struck twin blow in his last over when he induced Brad Hodge (1) to play cut that landed straight into Sehwag’s hands and Ashok Menaria (1) top-edged one to Kevin Pietersen at long-on. Suddenly from 71 for no loss in 8.3 overs, Rajasthan were down in the dumps at 95 for five at the end of 13 overs. The pint-sized spinner maintained a good line and got a bit of turn and bounce which also helped his cause.
-The Times of India-
This was Daredevils’ eighth win in 10 matches as they now have 16 points and are assured of a berth in the knock-out stages.
Sehwag blasted 73 off only 38 balls as Daredevils knocked off a target of 142 with as many as 28 balls to spare.
Kevin Pietersen (36, 34 balls, 3×4, 1×6) also ended his IPL campaign on a high as he added 96 for the second wicket with Sehwag who smashed 12 boundaries and a six.
This was after young Negi had a career-best haul of four for 18 as he ran through the Royals top and middle-order after Rahul Dravid (57) and Ajinkya Rahane (42) had added 71 runs in only 8.3 overs. From 71 for no loss, Royals slumped to 95 for five and their hopes of posting a sizeable total were dashed.
The Daredevils innings began on a disappointing note when Mehela Jayawardene (0) was trapped leg before by Ankit Chavan off the third delivery but there was no stopping Sehwag.
He started off with a couple of boundaries off Pankaj Singh and then launched into Chavan hitting him for three boundaries. The Nawab of Najafgarh punished each and every Rajasthan bowler as he reached his 50 off 20 balls. It was his fifth consecutive half century — a record in this format. It came with a slashed six over third man off Pankaj’s bowling.
Sehwag treated the bowlers with disdain and shots all around the wicket really confused Royals bowlers as to which length they should bowl.
Earlier, when Rajasthan batted, current ‘Orange Cap’ holder Ajinkya Rahane (42, 32 balls, 7×4) and skipper Rahul Dravid (57, 43 balls, 7×4) added 71 runs from only 8.3 overs before Negi dismissed Rahane, Shane Watson (8), Brad Hodge (1) and Ashok Menaria (1) to get Daredevils right back in the match.
Even though Dravid completed his half century in only 35 balls, the Royals had lost momentum courtesy a brilliant Negi and never recovered from that batting collapse.
Rahane, who has been in sublime form during this edition started off from where he had left against Daredevils in the match at the Kotla. The third over of the innings — second from Irfan Pathan saw the left-arm medium pacer hit for four boundaries. With skipper Dravid also playing confidently, runs flowed from the blades of the two batsmen. The 50 came at the end of five overs and Royals were off to a flier.
Daredevils’ find-of-the-season Shahbaz Nadeem didn’t bowl a good first spell but another youngster — Delhi boy Negi rose to the occasion as he got four wickets in a space of three overs. First it was Rahane who needlessly played a reverse sweep only to offer a simple catch Sehwag at point.
Shane Watson (8) announced his arrival at the crease with a big six off Nadeem but was cleaned up when he went for a cross-batted heave to give Negi his second wicket.
In between, Owais Shah (1) was hurried into a shot by a quicker delivery from Umesh Yadav that popped as Naman Ojha took a simple catch behind the stumps.
Negi had Royals reeling when he struck twin blow in his last over when he induced Brad Hodge (1) to play cut that landed straight into Sehwag’s hands and Ashok Menaria (1) top-edged one to Kevin Pietersen at long-on. Suddenly from 71 for no loss in 8.3 overs, Rajasthan were down in the dumps at 95 for five at the end of 13 overs. The pint-sized spinner maintained a good line and got a bit of turn and bounce which also helped his cause.
-The Times of India-
Cabinet approves bill for quick civil case disposal
The cabinet on Monday approved the draft of Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2012 aiming at quick disposal of pending civil cases.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan said disposal of civil cases will be quicker once the parliament passes bill.
Explaining the amendment, the cabinet secretary said artists of Radio and Television whose honourarium is below Tk 10,000 do not have to pay 10 percent tax at sources from now on.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting held at the Cabinet Division at Bangladesh Secretariat.
During the meeting, Home Minister Shahara Khatun informed her cabinet colleagues the outcomes of her recent visit to India.
Revised USD savings Bond for NRBs soon
Nazmul Ahsan
The government is likely to introduce a new USD savings bond soon with high interest rate and attractive facilities for the Non Resident Bangladeshis (NRBs), a top official of the Ministry of Finance (MoF) said.
This new bond will be introduced by closing down the operation of the existing USD Premium Bond and USD Investment Bond for their ‘poor’ performance in attracting potential clients.
The proposed bond, name of which is yet to be finalised, will be vigorously marketed in the countries, where a significant number of NRBs reside with sound financial footings.
The country’s fragile foreign exchange reserve and current stress in balance of payment (BoP) situation would be fundamentally redressed after introducing the new USD bond, hoped an official.
The move to introduce the new bond and abolition of two existing schemes, available for the NRBs, came after a technical committee, formed about two months back, made recommendations in this line last week.
Syed Monjurul Islam, additional secretary of the Finance Division, was the head of the technical committee. Other members of the committee were – Najmus Sakib, joint secretary of the Finance Division, Md Ahsan Ullah, executive director of the Bangladesh Bank, Dr Ahsan H Mansur of Policy Research Institute, Md Humayun Kabir, managing director of Sonali Bank Ltd, Shah A Sarwar, managing director of Trust Bank Ltd, and Mahmuda Akter Mina, director of the Directorate of National Savings.
“We are reshaping the existing USD bonds to pump more US dollars into the country’s forex reserve, taking into account most of the recommendations made by the committee,” a senior official of the Finance Division said.
Interest rate for the new bond will be above 8.0 per cent, and the interest will be payable in US dollar. No tax will be imposed on the interest income of the bond, and no investment limit will be in place for the bond buyers, sources said.
Currently, the interest rates of USD Premium Bond and USD Investment Bond are 7.5 per cent and 6.5 per cent respectively.
The interest against USD Premium Bond is now given in Bangladesh currency. As a result, the bond is considered as the least attractive savings tool among the NRBs, resulting in its poor sale or the government’s less-than-projected borrowing from the bond, a senior banker of Sonali Bank Ltd said.
On the other hand, the interest now given against USD Investment Bond is in the form of US dollar. However, interest repatriation where the NRB currently resides is not allowed under the bond.
In the case of the proposed USD bond, interest against investment will be given in US dollar, and interest repatriation where the NRB currently resides will be allowed, so that a good number of NRBs are attracted towards the new bond, said an official concerned.
Under the plan, a financial institution – either a commercial bank or a leasing company – will be appointed as the agent to promote sales of the bond in the countries like the US, the UK and the Middle-Eastern ones.
The government last month raised the rates of return on all existing savings tools, except USD Premium Bond and USD Investment Bond, by as much as 2.64 per cent with effect from March 1, to help lower its borrowing from the banking system.
The rates of return on five categories of savings schemes – 5-year Sanchayapatra, three-monthly Sanchayapatra, Pensioner Sanchayapatra, Poribar Sanchayapatra, and Postal Savings Bank (fixed deposit) – have been revised.
History Distortion: Arrest warrant against BOU ex-VC Ershadul Bari
A
Dhaka court on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant against Ershadul
Bari, a former vice chancellor of Bangladesh Open University (BOU), in
connection with a charge of distorting the history of the War of
Liberation.Metropolitan Magistrate Kamrunnahar Rumi issued the order as the former BOU VC would not appear before it for second time in compliance of the court order.
Earlier on April 5, the metropolitan magistrate summoned Bari for the second time to appear before it on May 9 as they were absent from it.
The court also directed officer-in-charges of Alamnagar Police Station in Rangpur and Gazipur Police Station to submit report by June 14 on execution of arrest warrant. The former VC is from Alamnagar of Rangpur and BOU situation at Gazipur.
Dhaka University Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Harun-or-Rashid on March 4 filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Dhaka against 10 academics on charge of distorting history of the War of Liberation in a textbook of the Bangladesh Open University.
In the case statement, Prof Harun said he and Dr Shawkat Ara Hossain, the chairman of DU political science department, wrote the Civics second paper book of Higher Secondary Certificate that was published in 2000.
Later, the accused distorted history by deleting the name of Bangabandhu from the main copy.
Nine other academics, who secured bails on different times from the court, were present at the court during Wednesday’s hearing.
Pakistan to Face Sri Lanka today in Asia Cup
Pakistan
will be keen to build on their winning start in the Micromax Asia Cup
while Sri Lanka will be eager to bounce back to winning ways when the
teams meet in a day-night affair at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium
today.In a match that promises flair and keen contest, both the teams will be cautious not to repeat the mistakes they committed in their respective matches in the tournament.
Though Pak openers notched up good scores against Bangladesh, their experienced middle-order comprising the likes of Younis Khan and Misbah-ul Haq failed to fire.
Sri Lanka batsmen, on the other hand, failed to prove their worth in their match against India.
Following fifties by Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, little resistance from the tail-enders proved to be the deciding factor in their 50-run defeat although their depth meant even the number nine could bat.
Led by Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka arrived in Bangladesh with a lot of confidence after finishing second in the tri-nation CB series in Australia, but now they are in danger of crashing out early.
Pakistan will be more confident of victory, not only because they have beaten Bangladesh, but also because they have come on top in their last three matches against Sri Lanka.
In fact, they have won seven out of nine matches since August 2009.
In the Sri Lanka tent, all eyes will be on Tillakaratne Dilshan, as a big innings from him will propel the team after a rather disappointing start to the tournament.
However, they will feel the absence of two of their attacking all-rounders, Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera, both of who are out injured.
Umar Gul will remain the spearhead of Pakistan under conditions where reverse-swing can be attained with the semi-old ball. That, allied with the presence of Shahid Afridi and Saeed Ajmal, will pose a big threat to the Sri Lankan batting line up.
Sri Lanka is expected to introduce Lasith Malinga, who was given a rest in the last match, as he has a poor record against India with the new ball.
Dav Whatmore was in a pleasant mood at the nets on Wednesday. “We have seen both of our opponents on Tuesday and we have been chalking out the war plans accordingly. We are prepared for the match and we have enjoyed the rest. However, the match is important for both and we will take a big step towards the final if we win the match,” said the Australian.
Mahela Jayawardene, the Sri Lankan skipper, was not taking anything lightly.
“We have to be at our best. Pakistan after winning against the hosts will be high in confidence and we are not in a position to lose. We hope to give our best and win the match, which is possible,” said Mahela.
case against 50; Arrests, raids; leaders hiding
Amid
raids and arrests, senior BNP leaders have gone into hiding, as the
government’s sudden tough stance against the opposition’s continuous
agitation yesterday sent panic sweeping through the ranks of the
18-party alliance.Police arrested the BNP’s Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi in the capital’s Kakrail area around two hours after yesterday’s dawn-to-dusk hartal, the last of the two back-to-back shutdowns called by the BNP-led opposition alliance to protest the disappearance of its leader M Ilias Ali.
Earlier, during the hartal hours and on Sunday night, law enforcers rounded up 10 opposition men, including former student leader Kamruzzaman Ratan — a close associate of Ilias Ali — and former deputy minister Sirajul Haque.
In the early hours yesterday, police raided BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s Uttara residence. In the afternoon, they swooped on standing committee member Mirza Abbas’ house at South Shahjahanpur.
Unlike on other hartal days, Fakhrul and other top leaders were not seen in the party’s central office at Nayapaltan yesterday. They had gone into hiding fearing arrests in two cases filed for explosions in the secretariat compound and the torching of buses on Sunday, insiders said.
Fakhrul and several senior leaders of the BNP and its allies are accused in the two cases, filed on Sunday night.
Yesterday’s lockdown ended without any major incidents of violence with a thin presence of opposition pickets on the streets.
The main opposition party termed the cases against its leaders “ill-motivated” and called a countrywide demonstration for tomorrow in protest at the raids and filing of the cases.
Hours before his arrest, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan office said fresh agitation programmes would be announced from a protest rally tomorrow.
Asking the government to withdraw the cases, party’s senior leader Moudud Ahmed at the briefing said cases and raids would not be able to weaken the agitation and that the government would be removed through a movement.
Meanwhile, State Minister for Home Shamsul Haque Tuku at a briefing at his office said the BNP leaders were named in the cases on the basis of intelligence and more opposition leaders would be accused if their names came up.
He claimed the violence during Sunday’s hartal took place on instructions of the BNP high-ups.
Political tensions have been running high since the disappearance of Ilias Ali, an organising secretary of BNP and also a former lawmaker, and his driver around midnight of April 17 from the capital’s Banani area.
On April 19, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia alleged some government agencies had picked up Ilias Ali. On the same day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Ilias might be hiding himself on Khaleda Zia’s instructions.
Two weeks on, law enforcers are yet find the two.
In protest at the incident, BNP enforced back-to-back countrywide hartals across the country from April 22 to 24.
RAIDS, CASES AND ARRESTS
The law enforcers raided Mirza Fakhrul’s Uttara residence early yesterday. However, Fakhrul was not home.
Considering the distance between his house and the party office, he usually spends the night before a BNP-enforced hartal day at places adjacent to the Nayapaltan office, party sources said.
Police scaled the boundary wall of Fakhrul’s house around 4:30am and knocked on the door.
Rahat Ara Begum, his wife, opened the door and allowed the law enforcers in. They combed through all the rooms before they left, Rahat told The Daily Star.
Police also raided BNP leader Mirza Abbas’ South Shahjahanpur residence yesterday afternoon to arrest him in connection with the case filed for torching of buses. He was not home at the time either.
Afroza Abbas, wife of the BNP leader, said some 25 cops entered her house around 2:30pm and wanted to know the whereabouts of her husband. The team then searched the house for nearly 30 minutes before leaving.
Police also searched the house of Khairul Kabir Khokon and his wife Shirin Sultana’s at the capital’s Khilgaon. Both of them are former lawmakers.
A raid was also conducted at BNP leader Habib-un-Nabi Sohel’s house in the capital.
In a late night development, police raided the house of Jubo Dal president Moazzem Hossain Alal’s Lalmatia residence in the capital around 11:00pm yesterday, when he was not home.
The accused include Mirza Fakhrul, party standing committee members Mirza Abbas, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and Hannan Shah, party Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, party lawmaker Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, and Liberal Democratic Party President Oli Ahmed.
On the same day, Shahbagh police accused 28 opposition leaders in a case in connection with the “bomb” blasts on the secretariat compound, with Mirza Fakhrul the main accused.
CHIEF JUSTICE REJECTS APPEAL
The chief justice yesterday turned down an appeal to constitute a special High Court bench for an urgent hearing on bail petitions of five top BNP leaders accused in the two cases.
The five are Mirza Fakhrul, Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, MK Anwar, Sadeque Hossain Khoka and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
A group of senior pro-BNP lawyers led by Moudud Ahmed and Zainul Abedin made the appeal, meeting Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain at his Supreme Court office yesterday afternoon.
Zainul Abedin told The Daily Star that the chief justice refused to constitute a special HC bench as the court hours had expired by the time they made the request.
“The chief justice, however, advised us to move the bail petitions before a regular bench of the High Court on Wednesday [tomorrow].”
He added they will place the petitions before the HC tomorrow.
THE HARTAL
Yesterday, all educational institutions, business establishments and most shops and shopping malls by the major thoroughfares remained closed. The government offices remained opened.
The city started to get back to normalcy in the afternoon, with the opposition not declaring any more shutdowns.
On Wednesday, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday issued a four-day ultimatum to the government to locate Ilias Ali and his driver, or her party would go for tougher agitation.
The BNP-led 18-party alliance called the back-to-back shutdowns on Saturday afternoon.
Police picked up former deputy minister for health Sirajul Haque on his arrival in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan office yesterday around 7:40am.
A running battle took place after pro-hartal activists brought out a procession and were jointly resisted by Bangladesh Chhatra League members and law enforcers at Adabor around 7:00am, leaving one injured. Police picked up one from the spot.
Pickets exploded five cocktails at different areas in the city.
Like recent hartals, the BNP headquarters remained cordoned off since the morning. Law enforcers did not allow party leaders and activists to hold processions or rallies.
Large contingents of law enforcers were seen patrolling the main thoroughfare and key points of the capital.
Most passenger buses and private cars stayed off roads fearing vandalism. A few CNG-run auto-rickshaws were seen on major roads of the city.
At least 15 buses started from the city’s Sayedabad Bus Terminal for Comilla and Narsingdi in the morning. There was no report of any long-route bus leaving the other terminals in the capital.
BNP BREIFING
Moudud Ahmed, a member of BNP standing committee, said filing cases against the party leaders and activists will not weaken the opposition movement.
“The government is committing crimes one after another; it is only a matter of time before it will fall,” he said during a press conference at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office.
Asked about the whereabouts of Mirza Fakhrul, Moudud, skirting around the question, said two cases had been filed against the acting secretary general.
To a query on alleged involvement of the accused leaders in violence, Moudud replied, “Top leaders like Fakhrul can never be associated with crimes like vandalism or bomb explosion.”
LDP President Oli Ahmed in a statement said he has been on a tour in Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar since April 26 to attend some family programmes. “It’s really funny that cases have been filed against me while I’m not even in the capital.”
Rajshahi clinch title
Rajshahi posted a comfortable nine-wicket victory to maintain their supremacy in the country’s lone first-class competition as Khulna surrendered meekly on the third day of the five-day National Cricket League (NCL) final at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.
File PhotoThe five-day match frustratingly finished inside three days when Khulna lost their remaining five wickets in their second innings for only 37 runs to set a meagre 127-run winning target which the champions achieved in 22 overs for the loss of captain Forhad Reza’s wicket.
Bowlers dictated terms in the final but it was not because of the wicket; rather it was a lack of patience among the batsmen as young Anamul Haque proved that one could bat long if the basics are done right.
The overnight batsman Anamul clung to the crease at one end while his teammates rallied to return to the dressing room as quickly as possible. The right-hander was not out on 58 from 97 deliveries with the help of four boundaries. Particularly frustrating for the young batter was that he failed to receive the cheque of Tk 50,000 for the competition’s highest run-getter despite the fact that he scored 816 runs against Dhaka Metro’s Asif Ahmed’s 801 as only first and second phase performances were considered.
“It’s really frustrating,” was the reaction of the young batsman.
Forhad Hossain, who was adjudged man of the final and man of the tournament for his brilliant all-round performance, once again provided the early breakthrough, removing Taposh Ghosh, who added only two runs to his overnight score of five.
And after that Khulna lost wickets like ninepins to be bundled out for 172 runs after resuming the day on 135 for five.
Forhad picked up one more wicket, that of Murad Khan, to finish with figures of three for 33 while Sanjamul Islam also captured three wickets conceding 47 runs.
while Forhad Hossain added an unbeaten 32 off 39 balls that featured six boundaries.
Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak took the only wicket of Forhad Reza, who made 12 runs.
SCORES IN BRIEF
KHULNA: First innings 212 all out in 53.3 overs and second innings 172 all out in 54 overs (overnight 135-5) (Ziaur 21, Imrul 47, Anamul 58 not out, Dollar 10; extras 9; Forhad Hossain 3-33, Sanjamul 3-47, Saqlain 2-38)
RAJSHAHI: First innings 258 all out in 86.2 overs and second innings 129-1 in 22 overs (Mizanur 80 not out, Forhad Reza 12, Forhad Hossain 32 not out, extras 5; Razzak 1-24).
RESULT: Rajshahi won by nine wickets.
Man-of-the-final: Forhad Hossain (Rajshahi)
Fact Box
Champions prize money: Tk 20, 00,000.00
Runners up prize money: Tk 10, 00,000.00
Highest run-scorer: Asif Ahmed (Dhaka Metro), 801 runs.
Highest wicket-taker: Enamul Haque (Sylhet), 59 wickets.
Man-of-the-tournament: Forhad Hossain (Rajshahi), 29 wickets & 574 runs.
News Source:
The Daily Star
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