By Rakib Hasnet Suman in the Daily Star, Aug 1
Dhaka: A clique at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office is responsible for the gap developing between the opposition leader and the party faithful, said grassroots level leaders at the national executive committee meet yesterday.
They also came down heavily on central leaders who are not working for the organisation despite getting posts in the committee.
The speakers alleged that some leaders have even been involved in trade over positions in committees at different levels.
Several executive committee members blamed the “Bhaia group” for the current “dismal state” of Senior Vice-chairman Tarique Rahman.
Chairperson Khaleda Zia presided over the daylong closed-door meeting, which began at 11:30am after a brief inaugural session at the Diploma Engineers Institution auditorium in the city.
Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain delivered the welcome speech. Later, more than 50 leaders from central and district units spoke in presence of the chairperson.
It was the first meeting of the 386-member new national executive committee announced on January 1.
In her speech, Khaleda Zia said conditions are ripe for an anti-government movement
She urged the party men to strengthen the organisation to make the movement a success.
“A strong movement is necessary to free the country from misrule of this government,” she asserted.
Khaleda said the Awami League-led grand alliance government has failed miserably and is now scared of opposition programmes.
At the beginning of the closed-door meeting, she urged the party leaders to speak on organisational matters instead of making personal attacks on anyone, said meeting sources.
Shahzada Mia, president of Faridpur district BNP, said, “The Bhaia group (who claim to be Tarique loyalists) should be thrown out as they use Tarique Rahman’s name for their personal gains.”
Central member Mahbubul Haque Nannu said those who are responsible for the discomfiture of Tarique Rahman should be identified and purged from the party.
GK Gouse, Habiganj district general secretary, said Tarique, elder son of Khaleda Zia, should be brought back to the country once the party is back on a strong footing.
He also said the central leaders do not visit even their own districts. “They stay in the capital and think they are national leaders,” he added.
Many speakers said a group of leaders and officials at the chairperson’s Gulshan office is driving a wedge between the chairperson and party men.
Khulna city BNP President Nazrul Islam Manju said those who confine themselves to showing up at the chairperson’s office would be of little use in waging a movement.
“I am in politics for 32 years and have only managed to be an assistant secretary, while some have got secretarial posts in the central committee with only a couple of years under their belt.”
Suggesting forming a committee to monitor party activities, Mujibur Rahman Sarwar, convener of Barisal city (south) unit, said there are some who have got posts but do not attend party programmes.
Abdul Wadud Bhuiyan, former BNP lawmaker from Chittagong hill tracts, said dedicated leaders cannot get inside the chairperson’s Gulshan office. “You are surrounded by flatterers,” he told the chairperson.
Lawmaker Rehana Akhter Ranu said those who come with money for nomination before elections but remain aloof from party activities for years must be identified.
Addressing the chairperson, Comilla (south) district BNP General Secretary Aminur Rashid Yasin said, “Madam, we cannot enter your office for a few persons.”
Some leaders criticised the party high-command for announcing “wrong programmes” in movement against the government.
“A human chain after a dawn-to-dusk hartal is ridiculous,” said Fazlul Haque Aspia, president of Sunamganj district BNP.
Some executive committee members said the chairperson must be careful in giving nominations in future general elections. The party must ensure that political neophytes including businessmen, retired civil and military bureaucrats and musclemen do not get polls tickets.
Khaleda assured everyone that she would take necessary steps in the light of the discussions.Among others, members of the standing committee were present at the meeting.http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=148904
2.PM warns against anarchy, violence, sees provocation in unrest in garment industry
Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday warned that the government will not tolerate any anarchy and destructive activities in the garment sector.
Tough action would be taken against the people who are creating anarchic situation in the garment sector over the minimum wage, she said.
The premier administered the caution while opening two BGMEA projects at the Bangabandhu Poverty Alleviation Complex at Tungipara through tele-conference from Gono Bhaban.
PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Mahbubul Hoque Shakil briefed reporters on the tele-conference of the PM who cancelled her visit to Tungipara due to bad weather.
“We will not spare anyone who is behind this. We will find out the provocateurs and try them,” Shakil quoted the PM as having said.
Hasina said she took personal initiatives to raise the minimum wage of the garment workers to Tk 3,000 from Tk 1,600.
BSS adds: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday accused the Leader of the Opposition of instigating unrest in garment industry and other areas in the country.
The BNP, in five years, resorted to plundering, corruption, extortion, hooliganism, killings, nepotism and repression of political personalities, women and children, she said.
The PM said the party (BNP) patronised the terrorists and militants.
"They amassed thousands crore of Taka through corruption. After the defeat in last election, they are now unable to make money through corruption and exploitation. Therefore, the opposition leader is conspiring to oust the government", she observed.
Referring to the present chaotic situation and destructive activities in the garment sector by some vested quarters, she said these kinds of activities are just to destroy the country’s highest foreign exchange earning sector.
She questioned the garments workers who will be benefited if the garment factories are closed. “The workers should not engage in such activities that would destroy their sources of livelihood,” she said, adding, “If the factories are closed, the workers will be unemployed.”
Hasina asked the workers to accept the new minimum wages and pay attention to their work.http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=148908
3. One killed as Jhenidah AL factions clash
Jhenidah: A person was killed and 15 others were injured on Saturday in a clash between two factions of Awami League over establishing supremacy at Dogachipara village in Jhenidah.
The dead was identified as Tota Mia, 42, son of Hamid Mondol of Dogachipara village.
Supporters of Ishaq Ali, president of Dogachipara AL, clashed with the followers of local AL secretary Zinna Ali, near a tea stall at the village at about 12:00noon.
Disputes between the two AL leaders had been going on for quite long over the union parishad election, said Sagir Mia, officer-in-charge of Jhenidah Sadar Police Station.
Police said most of the injured are followers of local AL secretary Zinna Ali.
The wounded include Bashir Uddin, son of Ameer Mondol, Joshna Khatun, wife of Badal Mia, Mashura Khatun, wife of Chunnu Biswas, Maznu, son of Thandu Biswas, Nilu, son of Shahadat Biswas, Rubel, son of Ameer Biswas, Dalu, son of Shahadat Biswas, Rafikul and Nurangi.
Law enforcers had been deployed in the area to ward off further clash, said police.http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=148912
4. EC to decide fate of religion based politics,says law minister
Dhaka: The Election Commission (EC) will decide whether to cancel registrations of religion-based political parties in the country, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed said on Saturday.
“The Election Commission is a constitutional body and it’ll uphold the supremacy of the constitution,” the minister told reporters after attending a national consultation meeting titled “Children Justice System in Bangladesh” in the city.
In reply to whether Jamaat-e-Islami’s politics would be banned following the Supreme Court (SC) verdict on the fifth amendment, Shafique said the Election Commission as an independent body will decide which political parties it will allow to operate within the constitutional framework.
The fifth amendment to the constitution, which the SC declared illegal, scrapped article 12 of the original constitution that prohibited religion-based politics and communalism in all forms. The SC verdict, published in full on Wednesday, however, reinstates that article.
The law minister said article 38 of the original constitution stated whether or not a political party can use religion in its political pursuits.
Save the Children, Children Justice Network (CJN) and the Shishu Shurokkhay Amra (SSA) jointly organised the consultation meeting at CIRDAP auditorium to explore ways to a comprehensive justice system for children in Bangladesh. http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=148911
5. Pranab Mukherjee due Aug 7
Dhaka: Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will pay a whirlwind visit to Bangladesh on August 7.
Pranab Mukherjee is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the visit.
He is also expected to present at a ceremony where a memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed between India and Bangladesh granting Bangladesh Tk 100 crore as loan, private television ATN Bangla reports.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed to provide the loan during Hasina’s visit to India on January this year.http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=25074
6. Savar faces fresh RMG unrest
Savar: The readymade garment workers on Sunday for the third consecutive day after the government announced their new wage structure staged demonstration and rampaged in Jamgora area demanding cancellation of their pay scale.
The RMG workers also put barricades on EPZ-Abdullahpur road at about 9:00 in the morning, bringing the traffic to a halt.
The angry workers demanded that the government fix the minimum monthly pay at Tk 5,000 with effect from August 1.Witnesses said the workers of Polmol group at first took to the road to press home their demands. Later, the workers of other factories joined them.
Several garment factories in the area have announced holiday for today fearing further clash.
The angry workers also clashed with police at several points and vandalised vehicles on the road.
On Saturday, two day after the government announced the new wage structure for the garment workers, more than 200 RMG workers and 20 policemen were injured in clashes between the two sides in Ashulia after the labourers protested a new wage hike, which they say is still too low.
On Friday, several thousands garment workers rampaged through different parts of the capital and Gazipur on the same demands.
The workers also damaged around 200 business establishments, including several garment factories, and seven vehicles at Mohakhali, Tejgaon industrial area, Banani Chairmanbari and Gulshan Avenue.
On Thursday, Labour and Employment Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain announced the new pay structure for around 3.5 million RMG workers in the country.
The minimum salary at the entry level has been fixed at Tk 3,000: Tk 2,000 in basic pay, Tk 800 in house rent and Tk 200 in medical allowance. The apprentice level wage is fixed at Tk 2,500, up from Tk 1,200 now.
The new wage structure will come to effect from November 1, 2010, said the minister.http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=25071
