# No headway at the FS level meeting with Pakistan
Daily Star Dhaka, Nov 3: At the 5th round of bilateral consultations, Pakistan once again avoided making any commitment to resolve long outstanding issues with Bangladesh, including apology for the 1971 genocide, repatriation of stranded Pakistanis, and sharing of pre-separation period state assets. Since independence, Bangladesh has been asking Pakistan to resolve the issues which also include transfer of foreign aid that was meant for cyclone victims of 1970, and payment of war reparations.
But successive Pakistani governments, including the present one, have completely ignored the request, except repatriation of a small number of stranded Pakistanis. Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes raised the issues with his Pakistan counterpart at the latest bilateral consultations held in Islamabad on Monday. But Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir said "they remain open to continue discussion on these at all levels".
Diplomatic sources said Pakistan officials’ assurances since independence are merely rhetorical. They did not take any initiative to resolve the issues. Full diplomatic ties between the two countries were established in 1976.
However, Pakistan agreed at the meeting to provide access to information and database particularly geological surveys and archaeological excavations conducted by Pakistani agencies before 1971 in Mainamati, Chittagong, and other places.
Pakistan agreed to the proposal of the Bangladesh Foreign Secretary for holding regular Directors General level bi-annual meetings of the two foreign ministries. They agreed to redouble efforts to achieve US$1 billion target set for bilateral trade, and to address the issues of market access, trade facilitation, and removal of tariff barriers for export of Bangladeshi products to Pakistan.
Both sides agreed on the need for easing visa procedures, and for enhancing connectivity through direct shipping and increased air links.
# 567 B’deshis in Indian jails, court asks Govt to bring them back
Daily Star Dhaka, Nov 2: The High Court yesterday directed the government to inform within 30 days of the steps it has taken to bring back 567 Bangladeshi nationals languishing in different Indian prisons in India even after completing their jail term. Acting on a public interest petition, the Court ordered the government to submit the details of over 2,500 Bangladeshi nationals within 60 days, including the 567, who are reportedly detained in different jails in India. The petition was based on Oct 27 report in the Bengali daily, Prothom Alo, that over 2,509 Bangladeshis including children were currently imprisoned in West Bengal..
# Resolve Rohingya problem, Hasina tells Foreign Ministry
New Age, Nov 2: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday ordered the foreign affairs Ministry to take up with Myanmar the Rohingya problem since the refugees are an increasing burden on the country’s economy and a threat to law and order.
‘The Prime Minister has asked the foreign affairs Ministry to initiate diplomatic moves to solve the problem as some of the Rohingyas are allegedly involved in militancy and other crimes. They are also creating social problems in Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar,’ it was stated after a weekly cabinet meeting.
She asked the authorities to raise the issue in the European Commission and other organizations for an immediate solution to the problem.
About 28,000 Rohingyas are recognized as refugees by Bangladesh and Myanmar and they live in official camps in Nayapara and Kutupalong in Cox’s Bazar under the supervision of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, while around three to four lakh unregistered Rohingyas are living in various places, said an official of the food and disaster management Ministry. They are also living in slums in Dhaka and other big cities, according to the officials concerned.
The Rohingyas, an ethnic, linguistic and religious minority in Myanmar, have a tendency to flee en masse to Bangladesh because of the state-sponsored violence in their country.
# B’desh-Myanmar border demarcation begins
Daily Sun, Bandarban, Nov 2: Demarcation of the 30-kilometre long inaccessible land border amidst forests and hills in Nikhongchhari began on Monday by a Bangladesh-Myanmar joint team after 18-long years.
The survey and setting up of border pillars in the area was suspended in 1992 following the death of a number of security officials in a mine blast triggered by terrorists. Survey officials and border security personnel of the two countries held a joint meeting at Lembuchhari before starting the survey and demarcation of the border. Local BDR Commander Lt Col Shafiul Alam, said later that the demarcation would be conducted in two phases ending in March next. Some 18 new pillars will be set up on the border.. Bangladesh and Myanmar share 271 km long border and out of that 210 km is in Bandarban district alone. Myanmar has erected barbed wire fence along a 40 km long border stretch last year.
# India to help dredging four-five inland water routes
Manabzamin, Bengali publication, Nov 3: Environment department has given the go ahead for the India aided Tk. 898.30 crore dredging project. Of this outlay, Tk. 30 crore will be provided locally and the balance amount would come as Indian donation. The proposal envisages removal of waste and water purification of the rivers Buriganga, Shitalakha and Turag, dredging in 12 important water routes and dredging the Madaripur-Charmuguria-Tekerhat-Gopalganj route. The project will be completed by June 2013
# India lifts ban on cotton exports to B’desh
Financial Express, Nov 2, By Nazmul Ashan India has decided to allow export of cotton to Bangladesh with immediate effect, trade officials said in Dhaka Monday. Immediately, Bangladesh will get 0.20 million bales of raw cotton against which the letters of credit (L/Cs) already been opened by importers.
India has also agreed to export 1.1 million bales of raw cotton to Bangladesh out of the total 5.5 million bales that it has decided to sell globally this year, a high official in the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) said.
India imposed restriction on cotton exports in April this year. This relaxation of the ban is the outcome of Bangladesh commerce Minister Muhammad Faruk Khan’s to Delhi in October. ‘India has extended their support to Bangladesh to ensure its cotton security’, he told the Financial Express.
The prices of cotton and yarn shot up in recent months due to crop failure in Uzbekistan, China, Pakistan, Brazil and other cotton growing countries
# Ban on cotton import through Benapole to be lifted
Daily Sun, Dhaka Nov 3 By Asif Showkat Kallol: Commerce Minister Faruk Khan promised that the government would allow cotton import through Benapole Land Customs Station (LCS), as the price of the commodity continued to rise in the international market. It would be allowed only in cases of part shipment process.
Faruk gave the assurance at a meeting with the stakeholders like Cotton Council, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) and Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) at the Commerce Ministry. The meeting was convened on an urgent basis to follow up on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s directive to solve the cotton problem, said a senior official
Bangladesh imports nearly 50 lakh bales of cotton per year – 70 percent from Uzbekistan, 26 percent from India and the remaining from USA, West Africa, Turkmenistan and some of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
# ‘Tarique involved with supply of 10-truck load of arms to ULFA’.
Janakantha, Bengali, Nov 3 – Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s elder son Tarique Rahman was involved with the import of ten –truck load of arms and ammunition meant for ULFA, a report said. The consignment was to be sent to Assam ultras secretly in 2004, The Sunday Guardian, a Delhi weekly publication, said.
Tarique made the bid to supply the weapons to ULFA leader Paresh Barua with the assistance of ISI; his mother Khaleda Zia was the Prime Minister then. Two senior officials of the Pakistani High Commission, Dhaka used to brief Tarique Rahman regularly at Hawabahban. The despatch said the arms consignment was funded by the Pakistani ARI Group. Paresh Barua had asked Tarique Rahman to unload the arms consignment at the CUFL jetty instead of the Chittagong Port as he did not trust the AL Mayor of the city, Mohiuddin Ahmed. He thought of the CUFL jetty to be safe as it was under the then Industries Minister Jamaat Amir Matiur Rahman Nizami’s jurisdiction.
# Transit facility to attract fee, not duty: Finance Minister
Daily Star Dhaka, Nov 3: Finance Minister AMA Muhith said the government is going to formulate new rules to fix fees for giving transit facility to India for transporting goods through Bangladesh.
"They (India) will use our facilities to transport their goods. Our infrastructure will be used and that involves some costs… So we’ll have to take something; it may be called fee or anything," he told journalists after a meeting with the visiting mission Chief of IMF.
Muhith pointed out that transit facility fee is being levied already for goods transported through waterways and said there is no such provision for road and rail transport. So, new set of rules will be formulated for all the transit routes.
He said as per the international rules no duty can be imposed for giving transit but fees can be charged.
The finance Minister overruled the opposition’s reservations about giving transit to India and said Bangladesh is a geographically transit country.
International Monetary Fund Mission Chief David Cowen led a six-member team at a meeting with Muhith. Prime Minister’s Economic Affairs Adviser Mashiur Rahman, Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman and Finance Secretary Mohammad Tareq were present at the meeting.
Muhith said they discussed with the IMF delegation the extended credit facility and they (IMF) are likely to give $1 billion. He added it is normally given for balance of payment support. He said now Bangladesh’s import has increased requiring money for balance of payment support.
# Study shows foreign cargo holds new hope
Daily Star Dhaka, Nov 3: An estimated 15.64 million tonnes of freight traffic between different states in India could potentially be diverted through Bangladesh where rail corridors could be the most cost effective, says an independent study on transit-transshipment. Bangladesh is expected to earn a net profit of $23 billion from cargo handling in 30 years.
A team of experts from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Bhutan conducted the study for the think tank Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD). Dr Rahmatullah, former director of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, led the team.
The study estimates that about 12.02 million tonnes of cargo from Assam and another 2.32 million tonnes from Nagaland could be diverted through Bangladesh. Additionally, 68,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of inter-state containers could potentially be diverted through Bangladesh.
The study also found that 1.75 million tonnes of international cargo traffic could be diverted through Bangladesh. It is estimated that 26,000 TEUs of international containers (through Kolkata Port Trust or KPT) originating from and destined to the northeastern states of India (NEI) and Nepal could be diverted through the Bangladesh port system. After analyzing the projected traffic, the study revealed that about 38.54 million tonnes of cargo move between the NEI states and the rest of India. Assam alone accounts for about 34.33 million tonnes and Nagaland for 2.32 million tonnes. In addition to cargo freight traffic, about 18,000 TEUs move between these states and the rest of India.
The study said KPT handles about 3.26 million tonnes of international cargo for NEI, Nepal and Bhutan. Of these, 2.35 million tonnes originate from and are destined to Nepal and Bhutan. In addition to cargo freight traffic, KPT handles about 52,000 TEUs for the NEI states and Nepal. Of the amount, the port handles 31,770 TEUs for Nepal and the rest originate from or are destined to the NEI states. The study selected eight road corridors, including five rails and one river, for transit traffic between Bhutan, India and Nepal through Bangladesh. Of the road corridors, five will be the most cost-effective for the Bangladeshi government, according to the study, while the road corridor of Tamabil-Chittagong port would be the least cost effective.
The Burimari-Mongla port corridor is not found to be economically viable, given the current small flow of Bhutanese traffic. By contrast, all the rail corridors and the lone river corridor are economically viable. Bangladesh has a unique geographical location with two landlocked countries and one nearly landlocked region of NEI at its hinterland, the study said. It has two seaports (Chittagong and Mongla), which these areas can access, and it also has further potential to develop a deep-sea port in Sonadia.
# Evidence found against SQC, Mir Kasem Ali
Daily Star Dhaka, Oct 30: The agency probing 1971 war crimes has obtained enough evidence to arrest BNP standing committee member Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Kasem Ali.
"We have all the evidence and proof required to arrest Salauddin Quader Chowdhury (SQC) and Mir Kasem Ali. We have also prepared a report to make the arrests," said Mohammad Abdur Rahim, member of the investigation agency.
The report would be submitted to the prosecution immediately for making their arrests.
Prosecution and investigation teams of International Crimes Tribunal visited Chittagong in September and unearthed evidence that links SQC with the murder of a local Hindu leader during the Liberation War.
Prafulla Chandra Singha, son of Nutan Chandra Singha, a philanthropist and former owner of the herbal medicine factory, ‘Kundeshwari’, alleged that SQC on instructions of his father Fazlul Quader Chowdhury brought Pakistani army personnel to their residence on April 13 in 1971. They killed Nutan Chandra Singha.
# Anyone under probe for war crimes is an accused: Tribunal
Daily Star Dhaka, Nov 2: The International Crimes Tribunal has amended its rules of procedure to stipulate that anyone being investigated for crimes against humanity in 1971 would be considered an accused. Till now, a person would be regarded as an accused only if formal charges against him were submitted to the tribunal.
The new rule empowers the tribunal to order the arrest of the seven leaders who are being investigated for war crimes but have yet to be detained. They are former Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Ghulam Azam, BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, Jamaat leader Mir Kashem Ali, Jatiya Party’s Abdul Hannan, former Jamaat lawmaker Abdus Sobhan, former BNP Minister Abdul Alim and Abul Kalam Azad of Faridpur.
# Find bank transaction details of LeT activist, court tells police
Daily Star Dhaka, Nov 3: A Dhaka court yesterday allowed Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to find out from Uttara branch of Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited how much money did Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) member Abdul Malek withdrew and distributed among the militant organizations. Judge Mohammad Zohurul Hoque of the Metropolitan Sessions Court gave the direction.
Malek is an accused in the August 21 grenade attack case. The court also directed Dutch-Bangla Bank authorities to help CID by supplying account statements which they need.. During interrogation, LeT’s members Abdul Majid Butt and Malek disclosed that one Shahed of Pakistan sent huge money through Western Union to the Dutch-Bangla Bank on different occasions. The money was meant to patronize Bangladesh-based militant organizations. Malek withdrew the money from the bank and supplied to different militant organizations for running their activities.
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Malek from Dhaka’s airport railway station area on October 5 for his alleged role in supplying grenades, which were used for attacks on the AL rally. Abdul Majid Butt, who was arrested much earlier, gave confessional statements to the magistrate regarding his involvement in the grenade attacks.
# Jail killing case to be revived
bdnews24.com: Dhaka, Nov 3-: Home Minister Shahara Khatun Wednesday reiterated the Awami League government’s pledge to revive the trial of the jail killing cases. During a visit to the memorial to the four slain leaders inside the Dhaka Central Jail, the minister said: “The present government is not pleased with the verdict of the case. So it will request the court through the Law Ministry for a re-trial."
On Nov 3, in 1975, four leaders of the wartime national government—acting President Syed Nazrul Islam, Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmed and Cabinet Ministers M Mansur Ali and AHM Qamruzzaman—were killed inside Dhaka Central Jail. The assassins, believed to be the mastermind of the 1975 coup, gunned down the four leaders, just three months after murdering Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members on August 15, 1975.
Pointing an accusing finger at Zia-ur-Rahman, the founder of BNP and a former president, as the mastermind of the jail killing, Minister Shahara Khatun alleged that as Prime Minister Zia’s wife, Khaleda Zia had tried to protect the murderers. ‘Those who had committed the murders and those who had instigated it, as well as those who saved them, will be brought to justice," she said.
The Awami League government had revived the trial of the jail killings case after it came to power in 1996. But the trial went through several hiccups, and the High Court, on October 20, 2004, during the tenure of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government, handed down a verdict, sentencing 15 of the 20 accused. Appeals on the verdict are still pending before the court.
# Sedition charge against top Jamaat leaders, Shibir chief
Daily Star Chittagong, Nov 3: Chief of Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), Rezaul Karim, acting Jammat Ameer Maqbul Ahmad and Acting Jamaat Secretary General ATM Azharul Islam, and five other opposition leaders were sued in a sedition case with a Chittagong court for making "derogatory remarks" about the Prime Minister and Home Minister.
Abu Taiyab, General Secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League Chittagong (North) unit, filed the case. He alleged that Rezaul on October 28 made the "threatening and derogatory remarks," referring to BDR carnage and Paltan killings. During a discussion at Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka, Shibir Chief reportedly said: “You (PM) relinquishes power. Pilkhana carnage and Paltan killings are waiting for you. You (PM) have committed the most crimes against humanity… One swallow doesn’t make a summer.”
Others sued in the case are Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Secretary General Shamim Al Mamun, Secretary General of a faction of Islami Oikya Jote Abdul Latif Nezami, Jatiya Gonotantrik Party (Jagpa) President Shafiul Alam Prodhan, National People’s Party (NPP) President Sheikh Showkat Hossain Nilu and Bangladesh National Awami Party (NAP-Bhashani) President Sheikh Anwarul Haque. They were present at the discussion as speakers and involved in the conspiracy, stated the plaintiff.
The case was filed before the 5th Judicial Magistrate, AKM Akhter Hossain on Nov 2 around 12:30pm.
# Prisoner of war deal: Court gives split orders
Daily Star, Dhaka Nov 3: A division bench of the High Court yesterday passed split orders on a writ petition challenging the 1974 agreement among Bangladesh, India and Pakistan under which 195 Pakistani Prisoners Of War (POWs) were released. Senior member of the bench Justice Mohammad Anwarul Haque rejected the petition. And junior member of the bench Justice Syed Abu Kowser Md Dabirushshan issued a rule upon the government to explain within four weeks why the tripartite agreement should not be declared illegal. The government was also asked the government to explain why it should not be directed to bring the 195 POWs back to Bangladesh to put them on trial. Wing Commander (retd) Hamidullah Khan filed the writ petition in September as public interest litigation. Earlier on August 22, another HC bench rejected a similar the petition, filed by a Supreme Court lawyer, saying that the petitioner does not have substantial interest in this matter.
# Keep Nayeb-e-Ameer in jail, Tribunal says
Daily Star Dhaka, Nov 3: The International Crimes Tribunal yesterday directed that Nayeb-e-Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Delwar Hossain Sayedee be detained in prison till December 29. The direction followed a prosecution request for extending his detention to facilitate ‘proper investigation’ into war crime charges against him. It asked the investigating officials to submit their report by Dec 23. The three-member tribunal headed by Justice Md Nizam ul Huq fixed December 29 for further hearing in the case.
# Leaders come under scanner
The Independent, B’desh Intelligence agencies are keeping a close watch on senior leaders and other influential members of different political parties and Islamist organisations, with close ties to Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, to foil possible attacks to scuttle the trial of those who had committed war crimes during the Liberation War of 1971. Sources pegged the number of leaders under scanner at 100, from 23 political and Islamist organisations known to be harbouring radical sentiments.
Home ministry sources, quoting intelligence reports, said that leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami are providing assistance to these people, to carry out acts of sabotage at different places, like super-markets, bus, rail and ferry stations, public meetings and key point installations (KPIs).
These people are known to be making plans to sabotage the country’s communications systems, during the upcoming World Cup Cricket tournament, scheduled to be held in February 2011.
The parties and the organisations under the scanner are – Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA), National People’s Party, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan, Khelafat Majlish, Islamic Party, National Youth Forum, Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam (Maulana Mahiuddin group), Muslim League, Jatiya Sharia Council, Ahkame Sharia Hefajate Committee, Imam-O-Olama Parishad, Islami Buddhijibi Front, Farayeji Jamaat, International Tahfuze Khatme Nabuwat, Aimma Parishad, Islami Parishad, Mufti Parishad, Biswa Muslim Bhratri Parishad, Islam Birodhi Totporota Protirodh Committee, Koran Prochar Sangastha, Nodwatul Islam, Jamiatul Shabab and Shacheton Olama Samaj.
# Arrest warrant issued against Koko
Daily Star Dhaka, Oct 30: A Dhaka court has issued an arrest warrant against Arafat Rahman Koko, the younger son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, in connection with a money laundering case.
The court fixed November 30 for hearing on charge framing of the case filed against Koko, now in Bangkok for treatment. Koko was arrested on September 2, 2007 in connection with the Gatco corruption case and was later released on parole for treatment. The Anti-corruption Commission filed the case against Koko on March 17, 2009 under the Money Laundering Prevention Act.
