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News, Briefly	SEP 2007
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Shrimp Conspiracy! BANGLADESH'S shrimp exports seem to be running into a deep conspiracy. It appears that some NGOs have launched a smear campaign against the sector by raising slogans against what they call labor rights violations in the industry. The slogans echo the concerns of the United States and the European Union. It all comes ahead of an EU delegation's visit to Bangladesh planned for Oct 17. The delegates will file a report back in Europe meant to determine highs or lows in export volume. It is widely feared that the exports may come to a halt in the event of a 'bad report'. There is no denying that the NGOs are pandering to some foreign countries. Shrimp and frozen foods make an important area of exports, which brought in Tk3,600 crore in fiscal 2006-07 'despite all political odds ' up from Tk500 crore in fiscal 1972-73 when the sector took off. The government must defuse the conspiracy to harm the shrimp exports sector as the NGOs have raised the issue of labor rights violations with ill intent. Many NGOs are mired in corruption and profit from the women's empowerment, human rights and child rights issues. We hope the government will step in. (Editorial in Aamar Desh, Oct 11)
Bangladeshi questioned over blast in India OCT 13 - A Bangladeshi national was among several men being questioned on Friday in connection with the bombing of one of India's holiest Islamic shrines that left two dead, Indian police said. No charges had been brought against the suspects, who were detained after a handbag containing a mobile phone was recovered from the blast site in Ajmer in Rajasthan state. Police initially said three people were killed on Thursday in the bombing of the Dargah Sharif.
Ex-minister 'took 3-mln-dlr bribe' OCT 11 - A former interior minister has been accused of taking a three-million-dollar bribe to have murder charges dropped against the son of a tycoon, an official said Thursday. Part of the money was delivered to Lutfozzaman Babar's home in sacks, alleged Abul Kashem, deputy. Babar was nabbed on suspicion of corruption in May. He was home minister in the emergency-ruled country's last elected government which held power until last October. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) politician and his co-accused are accused of taking the bribe from Ahmed Akbar Sobhan, chairman of the Bashundhara Group conglomerate, said Kashem. Babar had the name of Sobhan's son, Shafiat Sobhan Sanvir, dropped from the list of those charged over the murder last July of one of the group's directors, he added.
Bangladesh elections could be next October OCT 10 - Bangladesh could go to the polls in October 2008, 21 months after disputed polls were cancelled and a military-backed government took power, officials said on Wednesday. �Our projection is that the voter list will be completed by July next year. Generally an election takes place three months later so we expect the election will be held in October 2008,� said election commission information officer. Elections scheduled for January 22 this year were cancelled because of vote-rigging allegations by the opposition. A state of emergency was then imposed ending months of political turmoil.
Ex Home Minister jailed OCT 8 - Mohammad Nasim, home minister in the Awami League government of 1996-2001, was jailed by a special court on Monday for amassing illegal wealth worth 16 million taka (232,000 dollars) and concealing income, said prosecutor Shamim Ahsan.
22 Bangladeshis arrested in India OCT 8 - Twenty two Bangladeshi nationals, including two women, who were allegedly staying illegally in the Indian city of Hyderabad, were arrested on Monday and were being questioned in connection with the terror attacks here, PTI reported today. They were picked up from various localities of the Indian state capital which were rocked by three blasts since May. According to reports , the Bangladeshi nationals were engaged in petty businesses like selling suitcases and umbrellas. The suspected mastermind of the blasts Shahed alias Bilal, a native of Hyderabad, is believed to be hiding in Bangladesh, said the report.
Khaleda denied bail by Supreme Court OCT 4 - The Supreme Court ordered a corruption case against former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to go forward and denied her bail while awaiting trial in jail, Bangla Vision television reported. The high court granted bail on September 30 and ordered a halt in proceedings for technical reasons. However, the government immediately appealed the decision to the Supreme court, and the former premier has remained in detention.
Malaysia bans Bangladeshi workers, Dhaka upset OCT 4 - Malaysia has banned import of Bangladeshi workers into the country after hundreds of them were stranded at an airport because their employers failed to collect them promptly, a newspaper said on Thursday. The move, which took immediate effect, drew a sharp protest from employers and the Bangladeshi government, with Dhaka calling it "disheartening." "We hope it is only for weeks, not months or years," the Bangladeshi ambassador to Malaysia said.
Dhaka wants deal with London to recover corrupt millions OCT 3 - Bangladesh is planning to sign a deal with Britain to recover hundreds of millions of dollars siphoned off by corrupt politicians and stashed abroad, an official said Wednesday. �We will strike a deal with Britain's Scotland Yard to bring back the money siphoned off illegally by the country's corrupt bigwigs,� said Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) secretary Mukhlesur Rahman. �We are doing the homework and setting up the strategy. The British authorities said they would help us bring the money back to Bangladesh,� he said. Media reports estimate several billion dollars were stolen by politicians and laundered abroad during 16 years of democratic rule that ended in October last year.
Three elderly people honored for contribution to society OCT 3 - To mark the United Nations International Day of the Elderly People, the United Nations Association of Bangladesh (UNAB) yesterday honored three elderly people for their outstanding contributions to the society. The awardees are Prof Shafiqul Ameen, Musician Sudhin Das and Nurjahan Begum, editor of the weekly magazine Begum. They received wreaths, crests, books published by UNAB, and UN Charter, Shams-Ul-Huq, journalist Obaid-Ul-Huq, Prof Innas Ali, educationist Ferdous khan, Prof Akhter Imam, architect Mazharul Islam, media personality Ashrafuzzaman Khan, physician Zohra Kazi and Baul Shah Abdul Karim were honoured by the UNAB in 2004-06.
Bangladeshi kidnapped in Afghanistan SEP 16 - A Bangladeshi development worker was kidnapped in Afghanistan by unknown men in a brazen daytime attack on his office, a Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) official said Sunday. Another Bangladeshi employee from the same group was shot dead in the mountainous northeast of the country five days ago. He was working on a micro financing project, as was the abducted man. BRAC has been in Afghanistan since 2002 and works on development projects, including building schools, roads and clinics. Its microfinance programs in Afghanistan work largely with poor and disadvantaged women.
Ban on indoor politics lifted SEP 10 - A ban on indoor political meetings has been lifted, the military-backed interim government head Fakhruddin Ahmed said. The end of the ban comes ahead of talks between the country's election commission and political parties regarding voting reform. Ahmed said the talks would begin Sept. 12 and would continue until November.
Hasina seeks phone facility in jail SEP 9 - Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina has demanded phone facility in jail since she has been charged but "not yet convicted". The Awami League (AL) president has demanded all legal rights including the right to communicate over telephone from her detention centre on the parliament house premises, her lawyer Tawfique Nawaz said. "She [Hasina] is not getting many rights which she is entitled to under the jail code," the lawyer said. "As a prisoner not convicted, she [Hasina] has the right to talk to anyone over telephone, but she is not getting the right," he said after meeting her at the sub-jail yesterday. "According to the jail code, under section-682, Sheikh Hasina has the right to communicate to anyone verbally," he was quoted as saying by the Daily Star today. "There are many irregularities in the way things are being dealt with," he alleged, adding "There are many things going on which are beyond the constitution." People should remain alert, her lawyer quoted her as saying. She also asked her party leaders and workers to remain united and have patience.
Hyderabad blasts suspect "made calls to Bangladesh" SEP 4 - According to an Indian news report, calls were allegedly made to Bangladesh after the August 25 twin blasts in Hyderabad from the two mobile phones of Ridwan Gazi, a Bangladeshi who was living in the Old City and is now said to be absconding. Citing police sources, the Indian newspaper The Hindu has reported that a bus ticket seized from Gazi�s rented room confirmed that another Bangladeshi living in Bangalore was also involved in the blasts in which more than 42 people were killed. �Once these two Bangladeshi nationals are picked up, a clear picture will emerge about the conspiracy and execution of the blasts� a top city police official told the paper. Calls by Gazi were allegedly made to a mobile phone of the Grameenphone company.
Ex-premier Khaleda Zia arrested SEP 3 - Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who faces graft and extortion charges, was on Monday arrested at her home, police said. Mrs Zia and her younger son Arafat Rahman Coco were taken from their Dhaka cantonment house and were being transported to court, deputy police commissioner Anwar Hossain said. "The government's anti-corruption commission filed a graft case against Zia and her son last night," Hossain said. A large contingent of police took them to the Dhaka's chief magistrate court amid heavy security, he added. She was refused bail in a Dhaka court and jailed as she awaits trial, her lawyer said. Security forces had surrounded her home since midnight. Mrs Khaleda is facing charges of corruption and abuse of power for allegedly using her influence to determine the operators of two state container depots in 2003, during her second term as prime minister. Coco is accused of pushing his mother to approve the deal.
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