HC asks govt to stop army pullout from CHT

Embargo lasts until hearing on writ against peace treaty resumes on August 19

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court on Sunday asked the government to stop the ongoing army pullout from Chittagong Hill Tracts until the hearing on the pending duo-writ petitions challenging the validity of the 1997 CHT peace treaty resumes on August 19.
A division bench comprising Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury passed the interim order of stay as Attorney-General Mahbubey Alam prayed for a weeklong adjournment after an exhaustive arguments and counter-arguments by both sides over the matter, court sources said.
On August 9, two separate supplementary applications over the pending writ petitions were filed seeking injunction against the troop pullout from the Chittagong Hill Tracts region under a recent government decision taken for implementing the CHT peace treaty.
The supplementary petitioners apprehend that if the army is withdrawn, "the sovereignty of the country and security of the non-tribal Bangladeshi settlers living in the hill tracts would be threatened".
On August 7, the formal pullout started with the closedown of two camps in Khagrachhari and Rangamati hill districts.
The present government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on July 29 announced its decision to withdraw one full brigade of troops and 35 temporary security camps from the CHT region by this September, as part of the latest move for implementing the peace accord.
On December 2, 1997, the government of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signed the peace accord with PCJSS leader Jyotirindra Bodhipriaya Larma alias Shantu Larma, putting an end to over a two-decade bloodletting bush war for self-rule. The accord also brought back refugees from camps across the border.
Barrister Abdur Razzaq and Barrister Moudud Ahmed appeared for the writ petitioners-Jamaat-e-Islami activists M Tajul Islam and Badiuzzaman.

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Water experts want nat’l convention on Tipai Dam

UNB, Dhaka

Environment experts on Sunday urged the government to hold a national convention on India's proposed Tipaimukh Dam across the Sylhet border that will leave a perilous affect on Bangladesh.
Addressing a press conference they also demanded forming a national committee to work together on various aspects of the dam and take the decision how to ensure availability of waters of the common rivers.
New Work based International Farakka Committee (IFC), a trans-boundary water rights group, held the press conference at the National Press Club.
IFC chairman Atiqur Rahman Salu, former UN water expert Prof Dr SI Khan, former Vice Chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Prof Dr Jasim Uddin Ahmed, river law expert Prof Dr Asif Nazrul of Dhaka University and daily New Nation Editor Mustafa Kamal Majumder spoke at the press conference.
A six-member expert-committee was formed comprising Prof Dr M Adel Mia of Arkansas University of USA, Prof Dr Monirul Kader Mirza of Toronto University of Canada, Prof Dr Khalequzzaman of Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania of USA, Prof Dr SI Khan, Prof Dr Jasim Uddin Ahmed and Prof Dr Asif Nazrul of Dhaka University.
IFC chairman Atikur Rahman said the committee will discuss and exchange views with Awami League and BNP expert teams and, if necessary, assist both of them.
At the same time the IFC expert-team will monitor the activities of other national expert teams. It will also collect information on the river water rights and arsenic problems, he added.
Prof Asif Nazrul said earlier his name was included in the BNP-expert team but he refused to work under any political organization.
He was critical of Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakraborty for his objectionable remarks on water experts of Bangladesh.
On June 21, Pinak called the water experts who are dealing with the Tipaimukh Dam as 'so called experts' at a seminar in presence of Foreign Minister Dipu Moni.

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Sircar challenges in HC validity of JS probe body against him

UNB, Dhaka

Former speaker barrister Jamiruddin Sircar, now a BNP lawmaker, challenged in the High Court the locus standi of a parliamentary probe body to investigate corruption charges against him.
He has filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the validity of the all-party parliamentary body to probe allegations of financial anomalies and waste of public money against him as speaker, its recommendations and follow-up activities.
A division bench comprising Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice Borhan Uddin on Sunday fixed August 25 for hearing of the writ petition, court sources said.
On March 19, speaker advocate Abdul Hamid constituted the all-party parliamentary body, first in the history of parliament in Bangladesh, to probe the allegations against his predecessor.
The parliamentary probe body, headed by Adv Fazle Rabbi Mia, finalized its report on July 5, recommending that Sircar's present parliament membership be scrapped on the graft charges.
Furthermore, the lawmakers' panel recommended recovering Tk 27.86 lakh the ex-speaker had taken as medical bill "in breach of the rules", cancelling the appointments of 3rd-and 4th-class employees he had given as he was the one responsible for the waste by appointing those staff members when the eighth parliament had already ceased to exist.
The all-party committee had its report based on the findings and recommendations of three subcommittees it formed to dig out the irregularities.
Senior advocate TH Khan along with BNP stalwart lawyers appeared to move their colleague's case.

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Half-day hartal in Rangamati against army withdrawal

UNB, Rangamati

A half-day hartal was observed peacefully in Langadu upazila on Sunday in protest against the withdrawal of army camps from this hill district under the government plan for troop pullout from the CHT region.
There was no untoward incident reported during the shutdown jointly enforced by Bangalee Chhatra Parishad and Parbatya Chattagram Sama-Adhikar Andolan.
All shops and educational institutions in the upazila headquarters remained closed and launches, steamers and engine-driven boats were off the waterways.
Additional police were deployed to maintain law and order during the shutdown.
The government has decided to withdraw 21 army camps from here as part of implementation of the 1997 CHT Peace Treaty.
To date, nine temporary army camps have been withdrawn from here, sparking off tension among Bengali-speaking people who apprehend their security risks in the event of withdrawal of the security force from the hills.
Another UNB report from Khagrachhari said a temporary army camp at Baillachhari in Matiranga upazila was withdrawn at noon Sunday.
With this, a total of seven temporary security camps have been dismantled in this district as part of implementation of the CHT Peace Treaty. The government has decided to dismantle 13 temporary army camps in this hill district.
The present government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on July 29 announced its decision to withdraw one brigade of troops and 35 temporary security camps from the CHT region by this September.
On December 2, 1997, the government of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signed the peace accord with PCJSS leader Jyotirindra Bodhipriaya Larma alias Shantu Larma, putting an end to over a two-decade bloodletting bush war for self-rule. The accord also brought back refugees from camps in the northeastern Indian state of Tripura.

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Court asks Moeen to submit reply by Sept 13 in defamation suit

UNB, Dhaka

A Dhaka court on Sunday asked ex-Army Chief General (retd) Moeen U Ahmed to submit his reply by September 13 in the Tk 100 crore defamation suit filed by former BNP state minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku on July 12.
Third Joint District Judge SM Saiful Islam re-fixed the date of submitting the reply upon a petition filed by defendant's lawyer Humayun Kabir seeking time, saying that an ex-parte decision will be taken if the reply is not submitted by Sept. 13.
Former BNP state minister for power and energy Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku on July 12 filed the defamation case against ex-army chief Gen (retd) Moeen U Ahmed and claimed Tk 100 crore in damages. On his behalf, Barrister Moudud Ahmed lodged the case with the Third Joint District Judge's Court.
Following the defamation suit, Judge SM Saiful Islam ordered the ex-army chief to appear before the court and submit a written statement on August 16.
The complainant said he was hurt and defamed by some remarks Gen (retd) Moeen made in March 2007.
On a petition filed by Tuku the same day the court asked Moeen to explain within three weeks why his property should not be attached.
The complaint said that on March 27 in 2007, the then army chief said corrupt politicians had siphoned off at least Tk 20,000 crore from the energy sector during the four-party alliance rule.
General Moeen had made the remark at a tea party he hosted in honour of the freedom fighters at the National Parade Square.
The following day (March 28) different national dailies ran reports on the comments that, the complainant said, damaged his reputation in society and political fraternity.
In the complaint, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku cited the incumbent energy minister's observation in parliament that allocations for the sector during the four-party rule amounted to Tk 13,500 crore.
Moeen, who was appointed the army chief on July 15 in 2005, went into retirement on completion of his tenure of service on June 15 this year.
He left Dhaka for Singapore on June 29 and is yet to return.
Gen (retd) Moeen is considered a key architect of the political changeover of January 11, 2007.

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Anniversary of Aug 17 serial bombings today

UNB, Dhaka

Today (Monday) is the 4th year of the black episode of August 17 countrywide serial bombings that virtually heralded the presence of banned militant outfit of Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
The synchronizing bombings rocked the international media and conscience as well as gave a wake up call to the Bangladesh government about the active emergence of the Islamic militants.
The JMB's deadly terror campaigns for establishing Shari'a laws. This not only triggered concern and condemnation at home and abroad but also posed a threat to democratic dispensation as well as Islam as a religion of peace.
The JMB militants carried out the simultaneous bomb attacks mainly at courts and government institutions in 63 district headquarters in the morning of August 17, 2005, leaving three people dead and hundreds more wounded.
Later, the JMB suicide squads killed judges, lawyers, police, cultural activists and common people in Jhalkati, Gazipur, Netrokona, Chittagong and other places in the same year.
After the Aug 17 serial bombings, police and RAB started massive haunts to nab JMB militants. They so far arrested over 1000 suspected militants, including seven members of Mujlish-e-Sura, the highest policy making body of JMB.
Commenting on the present situation of militancy, DG RAB Hasan Mahmud Khandaker told UNB that the situation is completely under control of the law enforcing agencies. "We think militancy is under the control of the law enforcers to a large extent."

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Reckless extortion pushes up prices of essentials: Dr Razzak

UNB, Dhaka

Reckless extortion through the supply chain makes vegetables and other essentials dearer as two senior ministers of the government on Sunday recognized the criminalization of the market system.
Food and Disaster Management Minister Dr Abdur Razzak was bold enough to criticize his own govt when 70 pc of the transportation costs apparently go to the pockets of extortionists.
He expressed frustration seeing the result of his own personal survey among vegetable traders and truckers, and said he conveyed the findings of his survey on extortion to the intelligence agencies for further probe.
Echoing with Dr Razzak's revelation at a function at Hotel Sheraton, Finance Minister AMA Muhith sought the next 10 years free of "greed, criminalization and extortion" to make Bangladesh a happy, prosperous and peaceful country.
"If we can continue next 10 years peacefully and curb greed, criminalization and extortion, we'll build a happy and prosperous country," he said. The allegation of extortion and criminalization in the commodity supply chain has long been prevailing in the country, but so far remained unaddressed.
The two ministers delved deeper into the problem than their colleague Commerce Minister Faruk Khan, who is charged with monitoring the price situation to ensure fair prices for the consumers as committed by the government. Faruk Khan often blames profiteering by businessmen for the rising prices.
Rahimafrooz Superstore 'Agora' organized the function to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hridoye Mati O' Manush Krishak Samabay Samity Limited, a cooperative of vegetable growers.
Addressing the signing ceremony, popular media personality on agriculture issues Shykh Seraj and farmers from the cooperative pointed out a wide difference in prices at growers' level and the consumers' end.
The Food Minister said the development of agriculture, the backbone of the country's economy, is unlikely to take place as long as the country would fail to go for commercial production.
"I don't know whether it would be wise for me, as a minister, to tell you the story of extortion," said Dr Razzak. To begin with, he said a truck owner received only Tk 7,000 for a trip from Jessore to Mymensingh although the trip was pre-settled at Tk 28,000.
"The rest Tk 21,000 had to be paid as extortion," he said, adding that the truck driver paid Tk 1,700 each at only two points within 15 kilometre distance in Gazipur.

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