Continuity of democratic process important for economic emancipation: PM

Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said the country's democratic process needs to be maintained to gain the economic emancipation of its people.
"Our goal is to achieve economic emancipation and to make that happen, the democratic process has to be maintained," she said while addressing the officials and employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on its premises. This was her first visit to the Foreign Ministry since 2000.
The Prime Minister categorically said power-hungry small quarters had never been able to suppress the Bengali nation nor they would be in the future. "If Bangladesh could gain its expected economic progress, then no one would be able to play with it." She also noted that several attacks were carried out against the country's democratic process on many occasions in the past, pushing the country backward.
The Prime Minister mentioned that her government has achieved many successes during its tenure and referred to the recent win in maritime boundary case against Myanmar. "I hope we'll also win the maritime boundary case against India in 2014," Mentioning that the Bangladeshi expatriates are playing an important role in energising the country's economy by providing their remittances, Sheikh Hasina directed the Foreign Ministry officials to ensure the due facilities for the expatriate Bangladeshis where they were living.
She said around 80 lakh Bangladeshis are working abroad and directed the ministry to take better care of them and look into their problems, if necessary in cooperation with the ministries concerned, including the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment and the Ministry of Commerce. Hasina asked the Foreign Ministry officials to put in their best efforts to brighten the country's image abroad. UNB

  Malaysian team to come in two weeks to sign MoU on manpower recruitment

Dhaka: A delegation of the Malaysian Home Ministry will come Bangladesh within a couple of weeks to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government to reopen the labour market for Bangladeshi workers.
Briefing reporters on return from Kuala Lumpur visit, Expatriate Welfare and Oversees Employment Minister Engr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Wednesday said that after signing of the MoU, the Malaysian cabinet will take the decision making ways for reopening their labour market for Bangladeshi workers within a month or two.
During his May 12-15 visit, the Minister had meetings with the Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Human Resource Development Minister, and discussed the issues of reopening and expanding the Bangladesh labour market in Malaysia.
He said both sides are thinking actively to send Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia on government-to-government management so that the migrant workers do not fall victims of fraudulence by fake manpower agents.
Engr Mosharraf said if it is possible, a worker will require TK 50,000 including the cost of air ticket to go to Malaysia with job. If the respective company agrees to pay the air ticket, the total cost of immigration will be Tk 30,000 to Tk. 35,000 only. During the meetings, the Expatriate Welfare Minister said since the cost of immigration from Bangladesh is very high, the Bangladesh delegation proposed to make sure that a worker could realise his expenses with three months' salary.
The Bangladesh side also proposed to ensure that the concerned Malaysian company recruits workers for three to five years.
The Minister, who led a five-member delegation to Kuala Lumpur, advised the intending workers not to go to Malaysia illegally without registration. The government has already set up registration centres in 64 districts, he said. UNB

  SQ Chy witness quizzing to continue

Dhaka: BNP MP Salauddin Quader Chowdhury's defence on Wednesday continued cross-examining the first prosecution witness at the first war crimes tribunal of Bangladesh and is set to resume for the fourth day on Thursday.
Chowdhury is standing trial having been indicted for 23 war crimes charges.
The International Crimes Tribunal-1, set up on Mar 25, 2010 to deal with crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War, began deposition and cross-examination of prosecution witnesses from Monday.
The tribunal had ended Tuesday's cross-examination before lunch adjourning the matter until Wednesday on the understanding with senior defence counsel Ahsanul Haq that cross-examination would end on Wednesday.
Haq had said he would try. Just before going into lunch recess tribunal chairman, Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq on Wednesday told the defence counsel that the cross-examination would continue after lunch and expected that it would be finished within the day.
When prosecutor Zead-Al-Malum told the tribunal that it must adopt a policy on a time limit of cross-examination so that witnesses do not have to spend an inordinate time standing at the witness stand. Justice Huq replied, "We did not find anything irrelevant in today's questions."
However, that did not happen on Wednesday although the tribunal was adamant to wrap up the first witness against Salauddin Quader and move on to Sayedee's case. bdnews24.com

  JS body for an end to land grabbing, tree felling in CHT

Dhaka: A parliamentary body on Wednesday asked the authorities concerned to take steps to put an end to land grabbing and destruction of forests in the hill districts. At its 22nd meeting at Sangsad Bhaban, the parliamentary standing committee on the CHT Affairs Ministry also called for taking actions against those involved in land grabbing and tree felling.
It also discussed the activities of Forest Department in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and asked the relevant authorities for placing statistics on grabbed reserve forests before the committee. The meeting called for taking necessary steps for maintaining the law and order and resolving militancy in the CHT region in line with the CHT peace treaty.
It stressed intensifying the anti-crime drive aimed at recovering illegal weapons for maintaining peace in the CHT region, taking initiatives to make the CHT residents aware and involve them into the mainstream of national politics, making the Land Commission functional and strengthening the capacities of civil administration and paramilitary force.
Chaired by committee chairman Mohammad Shah Alam, the meeting suggested ensuring services by posting teachers, doctors and other officials to the CHT through inter-ministerial coordination.
Committee member and State Minister for CHT Affairs Dipankar Talukder, ABM Fazley Karim Chowdhury, Gius Uddin Ahmed, Abu Zahir and Abdur Rahman Bodi attended the meeting. Secretary to CHT Affairs Ministry Nabo Bikram Kishore Tripura, officials of Home, Health, Education, Environment and Forest Ministries and security agencies were, among others, present. UNB

  Mozena hails Bangladesh for great progress in eradicating violent extremism

Dhaka: US Ambassador in Dhaka Dan W Mozena on Wednesday praised Bangladesh for making great progress in digging out the violent extremism that had begun to take root in this country a decade ago.
"Bangladesh has demonstrated clearly how effectively partnership with neighbors and friends can turn the tide against terrorism," he said at a regional workshop on 'Implementation of the UN Global Counterterrorism Strategy in South Asia' held at Sonargaon Hotel in the city.
Mozena said: "No nation is immune to the horrors of terrorism. No nation, no matter how big or powerful, can single-handedly defeat terrorism."
He added that "working together we can ensure that the future belongs not to the hate-mongers and terrorists, but rather to those who believe in freedom, peace, tolerance and democracy."
The US Ambassador said that as Secretary Clinton made clear during her Dhaka visit earlier this month, America is pleased to be Bangladesh's partner in the struggle against violent extremism. UNB

  JS body stresses airing quality programmes by Betar, BTV

Dhaka: A parliamentary body emphasised taking necessary measurers for airing quality programmes by Bangladesh Betar and BTV keeping in mind the needs of their audiences.
The recommendation came from the 35th meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on Information Ministry held at Sangsad Bhaban on Wednesday.
The meeting discussed issues relating to Cable Television Network Operation Act 2006 and recommended airing programmes by government channels without any change in prime bands from E2 to E6 as per the act.
It held elaborate discussions on development projects and manpower structure of Bangladesh Betar and called for taking steps for implementing the projects immediately ensuring transparency and accountability. It also suggested the ministry to take steps to fill up the vacant posts in BTV and Betar. Chaired by committee chairman AKM Rahmatullah, the meeting was attended by committee members and Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad, Zainul Abdin Farroque, Shahin Monwara Haque, Sarah Begum Kabori, Sukumar Ranjan Ghosh, BM Mozammel Haque and Anisul Islam Mondal attended the meeting. UNB

  Quader Molla indictment order on May 28

Dhaka: The International Crimes Tribunal-2 will decide on May 28 whether to frame charges against the Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Abdul Quader Molla.
The ICT-2, led by Justice A T M Fazle Kabir, fixed the date after completing indictment hearing where the prosecution argued for framing charges against Molla.
Indictment hearing of the Jamaat leader began on Mar 7 at ICT-1 with the prosecution presenting seven charges against him. It was later shifted to ICT-2 on Apr 16 following a prosecution petition.
A case was filed with Keraniganj police on Dec 17, 2007 against a number of Jamaat leaders including Molla for killing a person named 'Mostofa' during the Liberation War. Another case was filed against him with Pallabi police in 2008. He was arrested on July 13, 2010 for the second case.
The prosecution brought crimes against humanity charges including murder, rape and arson in its probe report placed at the tribunal on Nov 1 last year. bdnews24.com