Khoka-Abbas war of words

Leaders of Khoka faction and Mirza Abbas faction of BNP yesterday embarked on a war of words in a meeting for finalising the programmes for marking the death anniversary of the party founder, late president Ziaur Rahman. A committee, headed by convener MK Anwar, formed for observing Zia's death anniversary discussed related issues in the meeting held in the party headquarters in Naya Paltan of the capital with Anwar in the chair.In the meeting, Abdus Salam, former general secretary of the party's Dhaka city unit committee, proposed that the programme be co-ordinated by Dhaka City Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka and pro-BNP city ward councillors. Protesting the proposal, former lawmaker Salahuddin Ahmed (daur Salahuddin) said Mirza Abbas is a senior leader, so he should lead the programme. At one stage of the debate, Abbas asked why Khoka should coordinate the programme, and questioned the roles of ward councillors during the immediate past emergency period. Following an exchange of rather unpleasant words among the leaders of the two factions, the party finally decided that its Chairperson Khaleda Zia will distribute food among destitute people at different locations in the city on May 30 to mark Zia's death anniversary. BNP's Office Secretary Rizvi Ahmed briefed reporters after the meeting, saying the party will kick off the programmes on the morning of May 30 by placing wreaths at Zia's mausoleum.BNP, the main opposition in the parliament, will host a discussion meeting on the day in the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, and a seminar on May 31 in the Institution of Diploma Engineers.Aman Ullah Aman, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Barkat Ullah Bulu, Syed Moazzem Hossain Allal, Fazlul Haque Milon, and Khairul Kabir Khokon, among others, were present in the meeting.

Four ministers, 2 whips now in Khulna

Four ministers and two whips of parliament went to Khulna yesterday on a two-day tour and held separate talks with the lawmakers of Khulna district, government and port officials and party workers.Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Shipping Minister Dr Afsarul Amin, Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen, state minister for Labour and Employment Begum Mannujan Sufian, whips Sheikh Abdul Wahab and Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury are visiting the southwestern district.Sources said Matia Chowdhury exchanged views with the leaders of local Awami League at party office in the evening. She was also scheduled to hold meeting with the officials of Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira districts of her ministry at the local circuit house last night.The shipping minister held a meeting with the high officials of Mongla port authority and port users at the circuit house in the afternoon. This meeting was followed by a view exchange meeting with the lawmakers of Khulna district on issues related to the development of Mongla port. Whip Sheikh Abdul Wahab will attend a rally to be organised by Sramik League attached with the West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd at Boira Bidyut Bhaban today. Noor-e-Alam will visit Mongla port today, as he is the chairman of parliamentary standing committee on shipping ministry.Other ministers also held separate meetings. All the four ministers and two whips will visit Mongla port today at different times.

Warrant against SIT Foundation chief, 6 others

The Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate in Bogra on Thursday issued warrant against Md Abdul Mannan Sarker, chairman of swindler NGO Science and Information Technology (SIT) Foundation, and his six accomplices for failing to appear before the court as per its previous order. Bogra Chief Judicial Magistrate Md Hasanuzzman had ordered Abdul Mannan Sarker and six others of the Bogra-based NGO to appear before the court on May 21 but they did not comply. The court order followed a case filed by 'cheated' job seeker Md Mushtaq Zamal on April 21 against Abdul Mannan Sarker, who is also director of National Academy for Computer Tanning and Research (NACTAR) under the Ministry of Education, and six others.Among the accused are Abdul Mannan's son SIT Foundation Executive Director ASM Rawshan Kabir alias Shahin and Regional Director Md Hafizur Rahman Zahangir. Complainant Mushtaq Zamal said some SIT Foundation men including its chairman cheated him of deposited Tk 1.92 lakh ensuring him a job. On Thursday, another job seeker Rina Sultana filed a criminal case with the same court against Abdul Mannan Sarker and two other SIT Foundation men including Md Hafizur Rahman Zahangir, for cheating Tk 1.15 lakh ensuring her a job. Earlier five cases were filed against Md Abdul Mannan Sarker and other SIT Foundation men including his son Rawshon Kabir. Previously Anti-Corruption Commotion (ACC) filed three corruption cases with Shahajahanpur Police Station against Abdul Mannan Sarker for misappropriation of huge government money as director of NACTAR. A number of job seekers in a press conference at Bogra Press Club had complained to the local journalists that SIT Foundation embezzled about Tk 12 crore that the NGO received as deposit money from 4,000 job seekers.

Housewife succumbs to burn injuries in Satkhira

A housewife, who sustained serious burn injuries by her husband at Joynagar village in Shyamnaagr upazila on Wednesday night, succumbed to her injuries at Khulna 250-bed Hospital early yesterday. Daughter of Arshad Ali Mollah of Ismailpur village, Parvin Sultana, 20, married Miraj Hossain of the village seven months ago. Miraj had been demanding a motorcycle from his father-in-law as dowry. On assurance, he bought a motorcycle on contract of payment in installment. As Miraj's father-in-law failed to pay the money, he poured kerosene on Parvin's body and set fire to it on the fateful night, police said. She was immediately taken to the Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries yesterday morning. Police arrested the victim's father-in-law Abdur Razzal Morol but her husband went into hiding soon after the incident. Contacted, Shyamnagar officer-in-charge (OC) confirmed the incident.

Faridpur town bypass incomplete for 12 yrs

Twelve years after start of the project work, a five-kilometre bypass road across Kuizuri union on the outskirts of Faridpur town has remained incomplete mainly due to fund constraints.To ease traffic congestion on a ten-kilometre busy road passing through the town and shorten journey time on Dhaka-Barisal route, Roads and Highways Department (RHD) of Faridpur started work for construction of the bypass road from Rajbari Road crossing to Munshir Bazar in 1997. The Tk 7 crore 20 lakh project was scheduled to complete within two years.But over Tk 13 crore has already been spent for land acquisition, soil work, brick pavement, and construction of three box culverts while the rest of the work for the bypass road has remained suspended as budget for the project is too inadequate to meet the expenditure, RHD sources said. “Recently we have got Tk 20 lakh as fresh allocation for the project and we will resume the work immediately. But around Tk 14 crore will be required to complete rest of the work for completion of the road,” Bulbul Hossain, executive engineer of Faridpur RHD, said. Meanwhile, there are allegations that a few contractors of the project did not get full payment for their work under the contact.During a recent visit to the area, this correspondent saw that three culverts were constructed and around four km of the proposed road was covered with bricks in last 12 years.Several places of the road are badly damaged, showing signs of negligence about the important bypass road.In absence of a bypass road, a large number of vehicles from other districts use the 10km road touching Rajbari Road crossing, heliport, Rab camp, new bus stand, Goalchamat No-1 Sarak crossing, Khodabox Road, Sreeangayan, Luxury Hotel, New Elish Chattar, old bus stand, Faridpur Medical College Hospital, River Research Institute and Munshir Bazar in Faridpur town, making the road congested and vulnerable to accidents.

ICL releases Naved Rana

Yorkshire's overseas star Rana Navedul Hasan has been released from his Indian Cricket League contract.The decision means the Tykes will now be able to field the Pakistan right-arm medium-fast bowler in the Twenty20 Cup, which begins next week.This development should mean Yorkshire will face no repercussions for fielding Naved should they win the cup and qualify for the Champions League.The International Cricket Council has still yet to sanction the ICL.Last season, any English county who fielded players from the unsanctioned ICL in any domestic competition were banned from taking part in the lucrative Champions League.However, before the start of the 2009 season the Champions League's administrators relaxed rules that meant Yorkshire would be eligible for the Champions League as long as Naved did not play in the Twenty20 Cup.Now Naved is no longer contracted to the ICL, he will be able to play in the competition with no fear of punishment for either him or his county.

ICC World Twenty20; Tigers leave today

The Bangladesh cricket team will leave for London today to take part in the ICC World Twenty20, which will kick off from June 5. Captain Mohammad Ashraful and his deputy Mashrafe Bin Mortaza however will not accompany the team as they are scheduled to fly out tomorrow. Mashrafe has already returned home and Ashraful is expected to return today after their idle IPL adventure in South Africa. Ashraful's men will be based in Wormsley until the end of this month. Bangladesh have additional practice matches lined up against New Zealand at Wormsley on May 26 and travel to Kent to take on the Netherlands on May 28 and face Scotland on May 29 at Wormsley. Their official practice games are against Australia on June 1 and Sri Lanka a day later at Nottingham.The five practice matches will definitely help Jamie Siddons charges to accustom themselves with the English condition before the tournament proper. The Tigers has been out of international cricket for the last four months after the scheduled home series against Pakistan was cancelled in March. The national players made up the loss by playing in the PCL T20 competition in Chittagong and three T20 matches against mediocre Maharashtra Cricket Association but it was not the case for Ashraful and Mashrafe.So the two frontline players look set to benefit most to make up their lack of match practice due to warming the dugouts for most of the time in the IPL.Mashrafe played one match for Kolkata Knight Riders but the pace spearhead will never like to recall that match against Deccan Chargers where he conceded 26 runs in the last over. For Mashrafe the IPL is now past rather he was looking forward to the World Cup. "IPL is past now. I am looking forward to play from the first practice match in England," said Mashrafe. Bangladesh captain Ashraful was also played in just one match for his side Mumbai Indians and there was nothing encouraging in his performance. Bangladesh has been pitted in Group A and play defending champions India at Trent Bridge on June 6 and ICC associate member Ireland on June 8.Bangladesh set their first target to qualify in the Super Eights and they need to beat only Ireland to fulfill their dream but Jamie Siddons said that he has also targeted India. SQUADMohammad Ashraful, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Zunaed Siddiqui, Rokibul Hassan, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Nayeem Islam, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain, Syed Rasel, Mahmudullah Riyad, Rubel Hossain, Shamsur Rahman and Mohammad Mithun.