Policy Research Group   - Strategic Insight:  B'desh Govt won't ban religion based parties, Cabinet decides in principle

B'desh Govt won't ban religion based parties, Cabinet decides in principle
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editor on 03 August, 2010 03:25:00
 
Dhaka:  Despite having the mandate from the Supreme Court, the government
yesterday decided in principle that it would not ban any religion-based
political party.
The SC in its landmark verdict gave the government the mandate to ban
religion-based political parties. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, however,
categorically told her cabinet colleagues that her government would not ban any
such party since banning them could make them take up underground politics and
create trouble in the country.
Presiding over the weekly cabinet meeting at Bangladesh Secretariat, Hasina said
it is the Election Commission which will oversee the political parties as to
whether they fulfil the terms and conditions for getting registration with the
commission.
"Restoration of the '72 constitution does not mean that many religion-based
political parties will be banned. The government will take no measure in favour
or against any party," a senior cabinet minister quoted the premier as saying.
The government would not put any pressure on the Election Commission to ban any
party. If any party fulfils the criteria for registration of political party
with the commission, it will be allowed to do politics, the minister quoted the
prime minister as saying.
The minister, also a close aide to Hasina, said the EC set the terms and
references for registration with the EC as political parties during the
caretaker government. "At that time, all the parties were considered equally.
So, it is the Election Commission to make the decision in this regard," added
the minister.
At the cabinet meeting, Hasina also reiterated that the words
"Bismillah-Ar-Rahman-Ar-Rahim" in the preamble to the constitution will remain
as it is, since it reflect the beliefs of the people, highly-placed government
sources told The Daily Star after the meeting.
A number of the ministers sought premier's move in preventing ministers and
lawmakers from speaking too much about the restoration of '72 constitution
without knowing much details. The ministers told the cabinet that people are
confused due to some of their colleague's misleading and contradictory speeches
on the constitution amendments, sources that attended the cabinet meeting told
The Daily Star.
In response, the premier directed all her colleagues not to make any misleading
statements on the amendments since an all-party parliamentary committee is
dealing with the
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2. RMG sector still in grip of violence
RMG workers continued demonstrations in Ashulia and Narayanganj yesterday even
though labour representatives agreed to the new pay scale the previous day with
a pledge to help maintain normal work environment in industrial areas.
t least 80 people were injured as labourers clashed with police in Ashulia and
Narayanganj for the third consecutive day.
Production in several factories was suspended after the workers resorted to
violent protests demanding a minimum wage of Tk 5,000 with effect from August 1.
Meanwhile, workers of two garment units of Azim Group in Kalurghat BSCIC
Industrial Area in Chittagong went on the rampage on Sunday night and yesterday
bringing production to a halt, reports our staff correspondent from Chittagong.
The labour representatives at a meeting with ministers, chamber leaders and
garment owners on Sunday agreed to the new pay structure for garment sector and
promised to help keep normal work environment in industrial areas.
Agitating workers got involved in a series of clashes with police at Katherpool
of Fatulla and adjoining areas in Narayanganj leaving 50 people injured.
The angry labourers put barricades on the Dhaka-Narayanganj Link Road in Shibu
Market area shortly after 11:00am bringing the traffic to a halt for three
hours.
The authorities of nine export-oriented garment factories at Fatulla wrote to
the deputy commissioner and the police super urging them to ensure proper
security at the factories.
Witnesses said, about 20,000 workers of Pall Mall, Mircrofibre, Liberty, Midland
and Cadtrex Garments turned up at the factories. They demonstrated inside the
factories instead of joining work.
Nearly 12,000 workers from different garment factories in Katherpool area took
to the streets at around 10:30am defying police obstruction..
3. RESTRICTION ON FOREIGNERS' INVOLVEMENT WITH TU
The cabinet has decided not to allow any foreign national with tourist visa to
get involved with trade unions in Bangladesh.
The decision came at a weekly meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the
chair.
The cabinet expressed concern over the recent labour unrest in the garment
sector.
Many foreign nationals with tourist visa have been involved with trade unions
and are causing unrest in the sector for the interests of their nations, the
meeting was told.
"It will be strictly overseen from now on so that no foreign national can come
to Bangladesh with tourist visa to get involved with trade unions. If they want
to come here for this purpose, they must get visas under a special category from
the Bangladesh government," a senior minister told The Daily Star wishing
anonymity.
The government has a list of foreign nationals, who came to Bangladesh with
tourist visa and got involved with trade unions with the help of many NGOs, said
sources close to the meeting.
Many of them are staying in Bangladesh although their visas have already
expired, added the
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4. CU shut after 8 days of clashes
Ctg: The authorities closed the Chittagong University till September 16
following a series of violent clashes between agitating students and police that
left over 50 students and 20 policemen injured.
Police detained around 50 students during clashes in the morning and held 200
more after raiding three male dormitories in the afternoon.
The CU syndicate in an hour-long meeting that started around 3:00pm took the
decision of closing the university in the wake of the violent situation, said CU
Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Abu Yusuf.
A three-member committee headed by Law Faculty Dean Prof Zakir Hossain was also
formed to probe yesterday's violence, the VC said
Earlier in the morning, over 1,500 students brought out a procession from
Chittagong University Central Students' Union (CUCSU) building around 10.00am to
continue their protest for the eighth consecutive day to press home their
three-point demand including cancellation of fee-hike.
At least 15 students, including a journalist were injured as police charged
batons on the demonstrating students. The journalist identified as Rajib Nandi,
university correspondent of the daily Kaler Kantho, was wounded during the
police raid.
The aggrieved students in different groups then went on the rampage at CUCSU
building and different faculty buildings protesting the police attack. They,
however, blamed a section of students for the vandalism. Tobarak Hossain, a
student, said, "Some students started vandalism all of a sudden ignoring our
request."
Samajtantrik Chhatra Front CU unit president Probal Mazumder said they requested
the students not to involve in vandalism but they ignored the request.
INCREASED FEES
The decision of fee hike was proposed at the 298th meeting of the university
finance committee, which was later approved at the 459th syndicate meeting on
May 22 this year.
According to the syndicate decision, the increased fees were made effective from
July 1 this year.
Admission fees in the first year were increased to Tk 4,100 from Tk 3,420 for
Science Faculty and Tk 3,200 from Tk 3,030 for the Arts, Commerce, Social
Science and Law Faculties, according to the sources in CU.
Tuition fees for second, third and fourth year non-resident students were
increased to Tk 2,230 from Tk 1,327 for Science Faculty (except Mathematics
Department) and Tk 2,170 from Tk 1,327 for other faculties while for Masters
classes Tk 3,115 from Tk 2,186 for science faculty and Tk 2,655 from Tk 1,796
for other faculties.
Tuition fees for second, third and fourth year resident students were increased
to Tk 2,740 from Tk 1,911 for Science Faculty (except Mathematics Department)
and Tk 2,680 from Tk 1,851 for other faculties.
Meanwhile, fees for improvement examination were increased to highest Tk 600
from highest Tk 180.
The students claimed that the departments are realising more money from them
without giving any receipt.
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