Himu's Window

RCC defies rules to favour AL lawmaker Tuesday, May 19, 2009 Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) plans to let an Awami League (AL) lawmaker's real-estate company implement two multi-storeyed commercial building projects worth Tk 150 crore on corporation land. The RCC does not have any rules or regulations that allow private real-estate companies to make commercial developments on RCC land, according to officials concerned. The RCC rules also do not allow it to follow instances or rules of other city corporations under any circumstances, they said. However, RCC Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton has already publicly spoken about awarding the projects to Ena Properties, owned by AL lawmaker Enamul Haque of Rajshahi-4 (Bagmara) constituency, way before any tender in this regard was floated. Ena Properties has been short-listed for the projects during the pre-qualification process. The final tender is yet to be floated. The RCC decided to sign contract with the "tender winni...

Monday, May 18, 2009 Rajshahi Theatre has come up with yet another unique production, "The Flag", a short film based on the Liberation War and war crimes. The second screening of the film was held at the Padma Ranga Mancha last Friday. Ahsan Kabir Liton, a promising young playwright and member of Rajshahi Theatre, came up with the concept and directed the 34-minute thought provoking film. The film stands out for no use of dialogue. Background score has been done by Bappa Majumder. Another highlight is that the film does not show the faces of the actors. Actions are denoted by lower parts of the body, especially legs, and hands, and shadows. A few years ago, Rajshahi Theatre drew much acclaim at home and in India for staging its play "Aronney" on a tree. Eminent litterateur Hasan Azizul Haque attended the film screening ceremony as the chief guest. Renowned dramatist and teacher Malay Kumar Bhowmik and Dr. Syed Shafikul Alam, general secretary of Rajshahi Sammilito S...

Published On: 2009-05-16 An Awami League (AL) leader was stabbed to death at Balia under Bagmara upazila yesterday afternoon. Bagmara upazila acting president of AL Mokbul Hossain Mridha blamed armed cadres of Jamaat-e-Islami for the murder. The deceased was identified as Shahadat Ali, 45, a teacher of Jatrapukur Dakhil Madrasa. He was the convener of AL's election conducting committee of Balia during the December 29 polls, Mokbul added. The attackers numbering over 15 waylaid Shahadat at around 4:00pm when he was going to Bhawaniganj bazar with his son Emdadul by a motorcycle, locals and police said. The attackers also clashed with locals who rushed out of their houses to his rescue leaving 20 villagers injured, said locals. Ahad Ali, the victim's elder brother, was also injured in the attack. Later, the angry mob torched the houses of Seher Amin and his sons Shamsul Islam, Amjad, Amser and Ashaful blaming them for the murder. Police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members ru...

Sunday, May 17, 2009 Speakers at BBC Bangladesh Sanglap (dialogue) in Rajshahi yesterday said the government should not delay in starting trial of the war criminals to avert political disasters in future. They observed that those who opposed the country's liberation in 1971 are engaged in militancy and other subversive activities in the country. The speakers called on the government to ensure employment of underprivileged people in the northern districts and take action against manpower recruiting agencies those are cheating with the job seekers. They also called upon all political parties to be united for combating militancy in the country. The programme on contemporary issues was recorded at Rajshahi Medical College auditorium in the city last evening. It will be aired on BBC Bangla service today after its news bulletin Probaha at 8:00pm and will also be telecasted at Channel i at 8:00pm tomorrow. Panelists at the dialogue were Fazle Hossain Badsha MP, Mizanur Rah...

Sunday, May 17, 2009 Prof Dr M Saidur Rahman Khan, the newly appointed Bangladesh High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, was accorded a reception at Rajshahi Metropolitan Press Club (RMPC) on Friday. Bulbul Chowdhury, president of the club, chaired the reception while Hasan Millat, president of Rajshahi Union of Journalists (RUJ) moderated the function. Rajshahi University Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof Muhammad Nurullah, columnist and teacher Moloy Kumar Bhowmik, former RMPC president Dr Dayem Uddin and RU teacher Hasibul Alam Pradhan attended the function as the special guests. Journalists Shafikul Islam and Anisuzzaman also spoke on the occasion. Dr Saidur, also former vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University, in his speech said his new job is very challenging. "I will do my best for brightening the image of our country alongside protecting the interest of expatriates in London", he said. He recalled his days in prison over the campus violence of August 2007, ...

Published On: 2009-05-10   The government must hold the trial of war criminals as the anti-liberation forces are still active hatching conspiracy against the country. This was stated by Shahriar Kabir, president of Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, a forum for Secular Bangladesh and Trial of War Criminals, in Chapainawabganj yesterday. "Evaluate sincerity, skill and pro-liberation ideology over the political identity while engaging lawyers and investigators for the trial which should begin without any delay," he urged the government. "If the trial is delayed, the conspiracies will be uncontrollable," he cautioned. Shahriar was addressing a public meeting at Bir Shrestha Capt Mohiuddin Jahangir Mancha in Chapainawabganj town demanding speedy trial of war criminals. He said the present government has come to power promising the trial of war criminals, so it has no scope to avoid it. Shahriar called upon people to boycott Jamaat-e-Islami and the i...

Saturday, May 9, 2009 The government is facing conspiracies mainly for its election pledges that include trial of war criminals, steps against militancy and restoration of the spirit of the Liberation War in the constitution. This was stated by Shahriar Kabir, president of Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, a forum for Secular Bangladesh and Trial of War Criminals, yesterday. He was addressing a public meeting at Bhubon Mohon Park in Rajshahi demanding speedy trial of the war criminals. "We are concerned as the government's move to try the war criminals is being hindered. If the trial is not held, the existence of the nation would be at stake," said Kabir. He called upon all to stay alert on streets to help bring the war criminals to book. Dr Sujit Sarker, vice-president of the district unit of Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, chaired the meeting. Rajshahi Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, Dr Sayed Shafikul Islam, Zihad Ali Mamun, Mostafizur R...

Thursday, May 7, 2009 M Manik, a torture victim of Bangla Bhai-led outlawed organisation, of Bagmara upazila yesterday filed a case with a Rajshahi court against 34 people including Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) adviser Lutfar Rahman. The accused include Mahtab Khamaru, Bipul Ahmed, Mofazzal and Aynal Darji, close associates of the executed JMB leader Siddikul Islam Bangla Bhai. Other accused include alleged JMB militants Kalimuddin, Siddik, Aynul, Razzak, Jalil, Abdul Majid, Zaidul and Sayeedur. The third Rajshahi court of judicial magistrate Asafuddoula recorded the case and directed the officer-in-charge of Bagmara Police Station to investigate into the matter and take legal actions, said Manik's lawyer Shamsunnahar Mukti. The plaintiff in his case alleged that the accused people abducted him from his house in Jhikra on April 6, 2004. He was just an SSC candidate then. They tortured him for several days at the JMB camp set up at Ramzan Kaya's h...