Archive for August 2008
Rajshahi govt college campus off limits to females after 4pm
The college authorities said the move was taken to check increasing anti-social activities and movement of drug runners on the campus while students and NGO activists said the authority imposed the ban without any logical ground.
The decision has been implemented following a meeting of the Academic Council, college Principal Dr Ali Reja Abdul Mazid said, adding, “There are reports of abuse of female students and outsider women on the campus by their so-called friends or fiancés. The situation worsens in the evening when drug peddlers and users also become active. So, we took the action.”
Terming the college authority’s decision as an anti-women move, students said the decision will be harmful for the students who are engaged in private tuition.
The authority could prevent unfair activities on the campus with the help of police and vigilance teams, they said.
Advocate Dil Sitara Begum, Rajshahi divisional chief of Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association, said, they are investigating the matter for taking legal action as the decision goes against women’s rights.
Militant kingpin Galib freed on bail
The High Court (HC) granted him bail in two cases as the trials could not be held within the time set by the HC six months ago.
Since his arrest on February 23, 2005, a total of ten cases were filed against the militant kingpin and a close ally of executed Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) chief Shayekh Abdur Rahman.
However, during the then BNP-Jamaat alliance government, Galib was relieved of charges in six of the cases and was granted bail in another case.
On July 26, during the term of the present government, a Gaibandha court declared him not guilty in an explosives case.
Six months back, the HC ordered that Galib would be awarded bail in two other cases (one for explosions in Shahjahanpur and the other for murdering a person in the explosions) unless the trial of the murder case is completed within three months and the trial of the explosion case in six months.
Galib was released on bail at around 5:30pm yesterday following the HC order as both the trials could not be held in time.
GALIB’S MILITANT TIES
In 1978, Galib formed Ahab’s youth wing Ahle Hadith Jubo Shangha (AHJS), said AHJS workers.
While forming the AHJS, Galib argued that they needed to engage in Jihad against Islamic fallacies including the mazar culture to bring an Islamic rule in the country.
Galib received funds from the Middle East through an Indian Islamist leader named Moulana Abdul Matin Salafi. In 1988 the Ershad government expelled Salafi, who had been working as a Muballig (religious preacher), for anti-state activities. Abdul Matin Salafi sent huge funds to Galib from Saudi Arabia, sources said.
The mainstream organisation Ahab was formed in late 1994.
With Galib’s help and funds from Revival of Islamic Heritage Society (RIHS), the JMB militants used 700 mosques across the country. The bank accounts of RIHS in Pakistan were seized after the 9/11 incident.
Galib toured Afghanistan, India and Pakistan with fake travel documents. He had close relations with Islamist militants in Kashmir. He visited India in 1998 with a business passport.
Police and intelligence sources said Ahab is just a cover-up of the JMB and most of the Ahab members are involved in JMB activities.
Militants arrested in Thakurgaon, Joypurhat, Bogra and Natore told police that Galib was their leader and he used to meet with them at Ahle Hadith mosques.
JMB chief Rahman and Ahab Amir Galib were well-known to each other. Rahman studied at Madina University in Saudi Arabia on Galib’s recommendation and after completing his course, he joined with Galib.
Galib may be freed in a few days; Bogra court grants bail in Shahjahanpur jatra bombing case as per an earlier HC order
Galib, Arabic teacher at Rajshahi University and also chief of Ahle Hadith, Bangladesh (Ahab), was granted bail by Bogra Session Judge’s court in Shahjahanpur theatre (jatra) bombing case in pursuance of an earlier conditional bail by the High Court. Now there is virtually no legal barrier in his release, said his lawyers.
His release would take a few days more as there were two warrants for producing him before courts in under-trial cases, they said adding that recalling warrants are a matter of time.
Out of total nine cases filed against him by the state since his arrest, he was acquitted in one case while final reports were given in five cases, relieving him of charges. He was granted bail by High Court in three other cases.
However, acquitting Galib in Polashbari jatra blast case in Gaibandha, the judge had said, the prosecution failed to prove charges against him.
Final reports in the five cases against Galib were given at the fag wend of BNP-Jamaat coalition government.
The cases include Brac and Grameen Bank office robbery cases in Kotalipara of Gopalganj, Govindaganj of Gaibandha, Ullapara of Shirajganj, Porsha of Naogaon districts and Khejur Ali murder case in Raninagar of Naogaon district.
Among the three cases still under trial in Bogra, Galib was granted bail by High Court in Gabtali blast case before the present caretaker government assumed power.
Six months ago, the High Court ordered Galib’s bail in two other cases (one for Shahjahanpur blasts and another filed death of a person in the blast) on condition that trial of the murder case should be completed in three months and that of explosion case in six months.
As the trials could not be held in time, Galib was granted bail following a HC order.
After yesterday’s bail, Ahab leaders said Galib was being harassed by the government in false cases.
Galib was arrested in February 2005 from Nawdapara in Rajshahi city after JMB leaders arrested earlier named Galib to be their spiritual leader.
Law enforcers also seized a huge quantity of documents including audio cassettes of Galib’s Jihadi speeches during his arrest.
Intelligence agencies were reporting on Galib’s underground activities since 1997, but bigwigs in both Awami League and BNP-Jamaat governments protected him. Rajshahi Mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu have a certificate in 2004 that he was not engaged in militancy.
Galib’s name came in 2000 when militant organization ‘Qital Fee Sabilillah’ circulated leaflets terming Ahab to be their ally.
He was blamed for maintaining relations with overseas militants and abetting local militants under cover of Ahab and his AL Markajul Islami Salafia Madrassah.
Intelligence sources said Galib started receiving foreign funds through an Indian Islamist leader named Moulana Abdul Matin Salafi who was expelled from Bangladesh in 1988 for anti-state activities.
In mid 90s, JMB was formed headed by Shayakh Abdur Rahman. With Galib’s help, Rahman’s JMB militants used facilities of some 700 mosques built across the country by the RIHS.
Upazila polls may trigger intra-party feud in AL, BNP
They apprehend that grassroots leaders who will not get party nod in upazila elections may work against them in general election.
The situation is worst for BNP. Party leaders in many northern districts are already witnessing splits in the party while the gap between BNP and its ally Jamaat is widening.
“We are against holding of upazila election before national polls as it will create manifold problems in country’s politics that is already in crisis”, said Azizur Rahman, president of Rajshahi BNP.
He, however, admitted that many BNP leaders have expressed opinions for contesting the upazila election. “They are taking their own decisions as we are against the polls”.
Some Awami League bigwigs said, rift in the party has already started surfacing as a number of grassroots leaders are showing up to contest for posts of upaizla chairmen. The aspirants are also facing obstacles.
On Saturday night, Abdul Latif, a chairman aspirant in Durgapur upazila in Rajshahi lodged a complaint with Puthia police station that district Awami League president Tajul Islam M Faruk and his cohorts threatened to kill him.
Latif of Hoja Anantapur village wrote in his complaint that Tajul’s men were threatening him since he started campaign for upazila election following support of grassroots leaders.
“I am feeling insecure as Tajul’s cadres threatened me with death on August 20. His cadres had attempted on my life in 1998 after giving threats”, he said in the compliant.
Three other accused in the complain are Tajul’s brother Anisur Rahman, Durgapur upazila Awami League president Nazrul Islam and his close aide Tofazzal Hossain.
Reacting to the complaint, Tajul said, “How Latif, being a listed terrorist, was allowed into the police station for lodging complain?.
“Such embarrassment like the one created by Latif will surely hamper our image ahead of parliamentary election”, Tajul said.
Ahsanul Haque Masud, former central vice-president of Bangladesh Chhatra League and a probable chairman candidate in Puthia upazila echoed Tajul’s sentiment.
He said, leaders who are likely to contest in parliamentary polls are already in a dilemma in choosing party men for contesting for the post of upazila chairman.
Mozaharul Islam, former vice-president of Chowgram union BNP in Shingra upazila in Natore district said, district leaders who are likely to contest in parliamentary polls are not intervening into upazila election affairs.
“They are giving assurances to all aspirants in planned upazila election”, he said. Many leaders are avoiding workers in the unhealthy political scenario, he added.
Move to regularise 72 RCC staff sparks controversy
The temporary staff had allegedly been hired on political consideration during the tenure of former mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu, a BNP leader currently in jail on charges of corruption.
RCC Mayor-elect AHM Khairuzzaman Liton is scheduled for taking the oath of office on August 29, and the recruitment move just before his induction has given rise to some questions in the city.
RCC officials said current Acting Mayor Rezaunnabi Dudu, who also claims to be a member of BNP, has been pressuring them to complete the recruitment process ‘in a hurry’.
Liton, who won the recent mayoral election with an Awami League ticket, condemned the move and termed it a part of RCC authorities’ ‘recruitment business’. He already complained to the LGRD ministry about the matter and urged the authority concerned to take immediate measures for stopping the process of permanent recruitment.
The staff selected for permanent recruitment are two deputy tax officers, 18 lower level clerks, 13 tax collectors, 27 health assistants, four pump operators, four chauffeurs, one MLSS, one work assistant, one imam, and one tube-well installer.
Sources said Minu recruited around 500 temporary staff without any test in 2004, although he had put out an advertisement in the media for the recruitment.
Dudu, who had been the councillor of ward no 9 before becoming the acting RCC mayor a year and a half ago, identified some 300 staff as unnecessary.
He told reporters during a meeting about the corporation’s budget in June that 500 temporary staff would be dismissed in July due to a budget deficit of Tk 17 crore, which in his words ‘had been incurred due to unnecessary recruitment and corruption that had been plaguing the city corporation’.
Dudu also observed at the time that those staff ‘do no work but take part in BNP and Jamaat events’.
But he however did not dismiss any of the staff till the August 4 mayoral election, in which he also was a candidate.
In an abrupt reversal of position after the election, the acting mayor is now hurrying to make permanent the 72 temporary staff, and also sent a letter to the LGRD ministry for sending a representative to the RCC recruitment board.
Meanwhile, Mayor-elect AHM Khairuzzaman Liton announced that he will dismiss political cadres and unnecessary staff who were appointed by Minu.
“The corporation is already suffering from a fund crisis and it has become difficult to pay even the salaries of regular staff. Under the circumstances when the authorities were planning to downsize, the sudden fresh move for permanent recruitment has utterly disappointed us,” said a senior RCC official.
He also said the mayor-elect also requested the acting mayor and the staff to handle only the day to day affairs until his induction to the office.
“The move is a conspiracy. A certain quarter is trying to make things difficult for me ahead of my induction to the office. At the same time, some are planning to make some quick bucks from the recruitment process,” Liton told The Daily Star.
When contacted, Acting RCC Mayor Rezaunnabi Dudu said, he initiated the process of making temporary staff permanent as he has ‘a responsibility for them’. “Their permanent recruitment has been stalling for the last several years,” he said.
Asked about his sudden 180 degree turn on the matter, he said, “The process was scheduled to begin before the election, but it was delayed due to the polls.”
Rebelling Liton in Mayoral Polls: Rajshahi city AL expels Dulu, Labu
The city AL unit in its executive committee meeting also expelled vice-president of the city unit Mostaque Ahmed Labu, Dulu’s close associate.
The expulsion orders would be sent to AL central committee for its approval, said meeting sources.
Twelve other Dulu’s men including three city AL vice- presidents were also asked to explain why they would not be expelled from the party for ‘breaking party rules’.
The vice presidents are Bazlar Rahman, Mir Iqbal Hossain and Tabibur Rahman Sheikh.
The other leaders are Shamsur Rahman, Mir Abul Kalam Azad, Khairul Bashar, Salauddin Raju, Menajjul Hossain, Mansur Zaman, Khairul Kabir, Wares Ali and Saiful Islam.
They were asked to show cause within seven days.
The decisions were taken unanimously at the executive committee meeting that was presided over by the unit’s vice president Rafik Uddin, said city AL acting general secretary Shafikur Rahman Badsha.
Among the 71 members of the committee, 56 were present in the meeting, the sources said.
Badsha told newsmen that the actions came mainly as Dulu contested in the mayoral election against his party man while others assisted him in election campaign, defying the city AL unit’s approval of AHM Khairuzzman candidature.
They are also blamed for violating many other party decisions and for inaction in party activities in the past, he said.
Before the decisions, Dulu and Labu were asked to show cause on August 10.
Editorial: How do we get over this clannish hysteria?
The student was allegedly forced out of a Dhaka-bound bus for demanding a seat he has paid for. The behaviour of the bus conductor was reprehensible calling for disciplinary action, no doubt. What should have been the normal option for the student to exercise was to approach the coach authority to lodge a formal complaint with, ask for refund of the fare and furthermore demand compensation for the journey missed. Instead, he reported the incident to his fellow students which had the effect of agitating them to attack Rajshahi-Dhaka bus ticket booth at Binodhpur Bazar. This in turn triggered a retaliatory strike by the workers of transport services and other local businesses.
At each point of the way there was a trouble-shooting potential to calm the agitating students and the workers. Just as the university authorities, if they were agile and serious enough, could effectively persuade the students to keep their cool on an assurance of taking up the matter with the coach authorities so also the latter should have intervened with their workers making sure that they didn’t take the law into their own hands.
We attribute the creation of the law and order situation to the manifest sense of irresponsibility on the part of the students, the mindless behaviour of the workers and their employers and the combined failure of the university authorities and the local administration to get a move on timely. Let the inquiry instituted be not a barren exercise in blame-trading; something should come out of it as a preventive recipe.
The paramount question that we must find an answer to is: Why can’t we rise above petty-fogging and clannish mentality in dealing with things that can be perfectly soberly handled with a positive and constructive attitude. If we can’t do it, clannish reprisals will make the society descend into total anarchy. The sociologists and community leaders must put their heads together to find a solution out of this vicious circle.
Aug 21 attacks: Missing masterminds mock probes, charge sheets
The government investigators believe although 22 people are charge-sheeted, the key planners of the grisly grenade attack are still untraced.
“The gravity of the attack indicates it was not possible to be carried out without backing of any influential group or some most powerful people. But we don’t see any such findings,” says an investigator who was assigned soon after the attack and discharged the duty for quite a long time.
Referring to charge-sheeted accused BNP leader and former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu and Harkatul Jihad al Islami (Huji) top leader Mufti Abdul Hannan, another former investigator says though it’s convincing that Huji was involved, they could not trace those who were behind Pintu and Hannan to carry out such a well-planned attack.
“It’s not possible to reveal the mysteries of an unreachable place. I’ve submitted my investigation report on the area within my reach. If I could go further, more mysteries of the attack might have been revealed,” current investigation officer (IO) of the cases CID Assistant Superintendent Fazlul Kabir told The Daily Star.
RU closed after violent clashes
The RU authorities asked resident students to vacate all of the 16 dormitories by 12:00 noon yesterday.
At least 60 people including teachers, students and police personnel were injured and six off-campus stores vandalised during the clashes. Out of the seriously injured, mostly students, 20 were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital while the rest were given first aid at RU Medical Centre.
Bangladesh Rifles and Rapid Action Battalion were deployed on the campus at around 2:00am to contain the situation.
The RU syndicate in an emergency meeting held later in the morning at the vice chancellor’s (VC) residence decided to close the university sine die.
Prof Mamnunul Keramat, the acting VC, said the decision was taken to avoid further casualties or damage to properties. “Academic activates will resume as soon as possible,” he added.
Many students had to start vacating their dorms as early as 2:30 in the morning when senior teachers following a meeting with law enforcement agencies informed them that the RU authorities had decided to close the university.
RU Proctor Enamul Haque, Assistant Proctor Abdul Haque, Student Adviser Faridul Islam, Prothom Alo photojournalist Azahar Uddin were also injured in the clashes
The students were infuriated with transport service operators at around 8.30pm on Tuesday as one of their fellow students was allegedly forced out of a Dhaka-bound bus, said sources.
The student, Humayun Kabir, said even though he had paid Tk 250 for the trip, the bus crew refused to ensure his designated seat. As he insisted on getting a seat, he was forced off the bus near Natore — 45km away from Rajshahi.
Kabir’s fellow RU students were agitated when he returned to Rajshahi and told them about his ordeal. A large number of students then attacked a Rajshahi-Dhaka bus ticket booth at Binodpur Bazar, triggering workers of transport services and other local businesses to retaliate.
Chase and counter chase continued for hours when a number of students pelted stones at the VC’s residence and the locals assaulted the proctor.
Vehicular movement on Dhaka-Rajshahi highway came to a halt as both the clashing groups barricaded the highway.
At one stage, as Shah Mokhdum and Sher-e Bangla halls and the residences of hall provosts came under attack of outsiders, police fired blank shots and lobbed tear gas shells to get the situations under control, said Mahbubur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police.
No one was arrested till filing of this report.
Meanwhile, AHM Khairuzzman Liton, the mayor-elect of Rajshahi City Corporation, blamed the RU authorities for not taking necessary steps to avert the incident that ensued over a trivial matter.
He also urged the authorities concerned to investigate into the matter and take stern action against responsible persons.
PROBE COMMITTEE FORMED
The RU syndicate yesterday formed a seven-member committee headed by Prof Dr Delwar Hossain of Applied Physics Department to probe into the incident.
Other members of the committee are Prof Entajul Haque, syndicate member
Siddik Hossain, Dean of Social Sciences Faculty Prof Sadekul Islam, former
RU proctor Prof Shamsul Alam Sarker, Prof Abdul Latif and Shahabuddin Sarker.
