Himu's Window

Even after eight years, Rajshahi Development Authority (RDA) could not complete a 5km road expansion and construction work of the city's first ever flyover. Throughout the years, the design has been changed multiple times and new features added, increasing project implementation cost by Tk 119 crore. "We want to complete the works in a way that is beneficial for people. This is why we're taking our time with it," project director Md Abdullah Al Tariq told The Daily Star recently. Beside the cost increase, and its toll on people's coffers, people are also the victim of the delay as commuters of a traffic-logged city. According to documents and officials, RDA took up the project in February, 2013. They planned expanding the five-kilometre Ruet to Kharkhari road (15.85 metres wide), at a cost of Tk 87.36 crore. The project was scheduled to end in three years, by June, 2016. By 2016, it was already half-way there. But then the RDA authorities decided t...

Wednesday, July 8, 2009 Barrister Aminul Haque, one of the powerful ministers of the four-party government, was finally sent to jail yesterday in connection with a graft case in which he was earlier jailed for 10 years in absentia. Aminul, a key patron of banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in Rajshahi region during 2004-2005, was also sentenced to 31 years and six months' rigorous imprisonment for aiding and abetting militants. Judge Tanjina Ismail of the Special Judge-6 passed the order sending Aminul to jail after he along with his lawyers appeared before the court to seek bail. The defence submitted three petitions -- one for surrender to send him in jail, another for giving him first-class division in jail and the other for allowing him to go to jail on an ambulance. The prosecution did not oppose the petition for allowing the fugitive convict Aminul to go to jail on ambulance. After hearing both sides, the judge ordered to send Aminul to jail directing the jail a...

A woman works at a strawberry field in Rajshahi. Growers and traders of the fruit are expecting a Tk10 crore annual turnover, as they launch its commercial cultivation this year. Photo: STAR Strawberry growers and traders in Bangladesh are expecting Tk 10 crore in annual turnover, as they go into its first-ever commercial cultivation this year.  Rajshahi University teacher Dr Manzur Hossain, who developed the fruit nearly a decade ago, expects nearly 25 tonnes of output from about 8.5 acres of land in 45 districts until April.  Growers claim the cultivation of this money-spinning, nutritious, delicious foreign fruit will spin nearly Tk 10 crore worth of trade a year.  “The initial commercial production will meet 50 percent of the gross annual demand for the fruit. At present, the demand for the fruit stands at 50 tonnes,” said Hossain, also the general secretary of Bangladesh Strawberry Farmers Association, which monitors the fruit's cultivation in the country.  Production will con...

View of a strawberry garden in Rajshahi.Photo: STAR The Quantum Foundation authorities in Rajshahi bought over 1,000 strawberry plants for Tk 20,000 a month ago. They spent a further Tk 13,000 cultivating a fallow eight decimal pieces of land in Shitlai Kazipur area. They are now waiting to cash nearly Tk 2 lakh, six times the amount they invested, by selling 250kg of the lip-smacking fruit, in just 10 days. “Strawberry cultivation is relatively new in the country, but it is not difficult. It spins money," said Muzahidul Islam Zahid, an official of the foundation. "For the first time I have cultivated the fruit." Major Hafizur Rahman Mollah, deputy inspector general of prisons for the Rajshahi division, cultivated some 2,500 strawberry plants at the Rajshahi Central Jail property, six months ago. The jail authorities have spent over Tk 50,000 on the cultivation and now sell 1,000 saplings for Tk 70,000. Also, they are set to sell around 600kg of the fruit at an expected ...

Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Thirty-year-old housewife Lal Banu died yesterday, five days later her admittance into Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH). Her mother Ez Banu was lamenting while her hapless husband was sitting silently by two minor children on the hospital premises for the release of her body. "Life of my wife must have been saved, if I could afford proper treatment. Doctors seldom attend patients at the government hospital," Lal Banu's husband Haider Hossain of Vetkibari village under Niamatpur upazila in Naogaon described his plight with certain anger in his eyes as this correspondent proceeded them. "There is only one doctor at Ward No 3 that was full with patients as we admitted her with both of her legs severely broken in a road accident and she was bleeding profusely", Haider, a solvent farmer, added. He said, "We managed them (doctors) whatever medicine or medical equipment they sought. She was given blood. But doctors and nur...

Anwar Ali, Rajshahi "I couldn't even try to realise how and when the Eid days had passed", said rickshaw puller Ariful Islam as he was sitting idle on his rickshaw near a tea stall at Kumarpara in the city with a shadow of gloom on his face yesterday afternoon. He usually rushes to the city from Malanchi in Natore by train at dawn for earning his livelihood by pulling a rickshaw on rent and he could hardly manage a square meal for his family on the day by Tk 175 he earned on the day before. "I couldn't go for work in the city as all transports were off the road on the Eid day. I went to my home with Tk 150 on the second day. But today, I counted so far only Tk 40, Tk 5 more than the rent of the rickshaw." The 28-year-old unmarried Arif, who has to look after his parents, broke down in tears when asked about his Eid. He said he could not manage new dresses for none of his family members, as he could not work for some 15 days before the holy...

The 10 Hizb ut-Tahrir leaders and activists arrested on September 18 were released from Rajshahi Central Jail Tuesday night. They were arrested in Rajshahi on suspicion of their involvement in militancy and inciting anti-state activities. The release came after police submitted before a court a discharge report. Based on the report, the Rajshahi District and Sessions Judge's Court earlier that day granted them bail. Hizb ut-Tahrir had threatened of waging a movement to oust the government. In the discharge report, police said nothing was found to sue the Tahrir men. Police only two weeks ago told the media that they would launch an investigation and would seek green signal from the government high-ups to bringing sedition charges against them. A number of Hizb ut-Tahrir activists, many of whom went to Rajshahi from the capital, greeted the freed people at the jail gate around 8:00pm. "They were freed as we received the court order to release them," said Ha...

Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Although a large number of last-minute Eid shoppers are cramming into markets, the festivity could not touch the poverty-striken people of the northern region of the country. The poverty due to crises of job and food have overshadowed Eid celebration of the underprivileged hundreds, many of whom are flocking to shopping centres at district and upazila headquarters for begging alms. During this period, the poor people usually suffer from monga, a near- famine situation, following lack of agricultural work and food shortage. The situation is likely to persist till the harvest in December, said the government officials, adding that the situation has however improved a bit following various government measurers. "The main buyers at Eid markets in northern region are the villagers. So the traders are also facing dull markets in their absence. Most farmers and day labourers are still in severe hardships," said Mustafijur Rahman, a businessman. ...

Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) yesterday arrested the coordinator of Bangladesh chapter of Hizb ut-Tahrir and nine of his cohorts at Rajshahi City Press Club on suspicion of promoting militancy in the country. The police said the Hizb ut-Tahrir men were distributing leaflets calling for establishing its self-styled Khilafat rule dethroning the present government in this holy month of Ramadan. "We arrested them on suspicion of encouraging militancy in the country...We are investigating their activities," said RMP Commissioner Mahbub Mohsin yesterday. Quoting the Quran in its leaflets, the Islamist group called upon Muslims asking them to "take oath for establishing the rule of Khilafat by dethroning the present ruler in this holy month of Ramadan" to unite Muslims and revive their lost glory. It criticises sending of forces in United Nations Peace Keeping missions for protecting "enemies" instead of "turning them the flag beare...

Anwar Ali, Rajshahi   Banned Islamist militant outfit Harkatul Jihad al Islami (Huji), comprised of Afghan war veterans, has started activities across the country to take part in the next parliamentary polls under a new name. Huji leaders under the banner of Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) gathered for an iftar party in a Rajshahi community centre in Shalbagan on September 8 claiming to be in negotiations with the government for holding political programmes openly. Even though they claimed that they are not involved in any criminal or anti-state activities, they admitted that their organisation began from Huji. They said they are still in Jihad as before in Afghanistan but the Jihad is for "rebuilding the country by promoting true democracy". They said two top Huji founders--Mufti Abdus Salam and Rahmatullah alias Shaikh Farid--are president and secretary of the party. They collected the application form for getting IDP registered with the Election Commission ...

  Anwar Ali, Rajshahi The government is planning to officially ban 18 splinter groupings of clandestine armed communists soon, as law enforcing agencies identified them as organisations engaged in anti-state activities in 13 north-west and southern districts. According to top officials of police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), the decision is being taken for the first time since the independence of the country, with an aim to eradicating such organisations before the next parliamentary election. Responding to recommendations of different intelligence agencies, the police headquarters in early August sent a proposal to the home ministry for banning the outfits, sources said. On Thursday, the home ministry in a top level meeting with chiefs of law enforcement and intelligence agencies discussed the matter and initiated a process of banning the outfits. Home Adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin chaired the meeting. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Nur Muhammad confirmed ...

Published On: 2008-09-03 National   Outlaws, Islamist militants active again in 18 groups in northern, southern districts Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have launched special operations in 13 northern and southern districts as intelligence reports said outlaws and Islamist militants have become active again in 18 groups ahead of planned upazila and parliamentary elections. The law enforcing agencies have started the operations with a list of some 1000 outlaws and about 500 Islamist militants in hand, sources said. Of them, 350 outlaws and 150 Islamist militants are in Rajshahi division. Their numbers may be more as all the outlaws and militants could yet to be identified, sources in the law enforcement agencies said. The operations are going against both the outlaws and militants simultaneously. The special operations to dismantle the militant outfits and outlaws' organisations were taken following recent investigations into their a...

  Asadullah Al Galib, chief of Islamist militant outfit Ahle Hadith Andolan Bangladesh (Ahab), was freed on bail yesterday from Bogra Jail. The High Court (HC) granted him bail in two cases as the trials could not be held within the time set by the HC six months ago. Since his arrest on February 23, 2005, a total of ten cases were filed against the militant kingpin and a close ally of executed Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) chief Shayekh Abdur Rahman. However, during the then BNP-Jamaat alliance government, Galib was relieved of charges in six of the cases and was granted bail in another case. On July 26, during the term of the present government, a Gaibandha court declared him not guilty in an explosives case. Six months back, the HC ordered that Galib would be awarded bail in two other cases (one for explosions in Shahjahanpur and the other for murdering a person in the explosions) unless the trial of the murder case is completed within three months and the ...

  Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Spiritual leader of Jama'atul Mujahideen, Bangladesh (JMB) Dr Asadullah Al Galib may be freed in a few days. Galib, Arabic teacher at Rajshahi University and also chief of Ahle Hadith, Bangladesh (Ahab), was granted bail by Bogra Session Judge's court in Shahjahanpur theatre (jatra) bombing case in pursuance of an earlier conditional bail by the High Court. Now there is virtually no legal barrier in his release, said his lawyers. His release would take a few days more as there were two warrants for producing him before courts in under-trial cases, they said adding that recalling warrants are a matter of time. Out of total nine cases filed against him by the state since his arrest, he was acquitted in one case while final reports were given in five cases, relieving him of charges. He was granted bail by High Court in three other cases. However, acquitting Galib in Polashbari jatra blast case in Gaibandha, the judge had said, the prosecution ...

  Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Leaders of Awami league and BNP in Rajshahi are worried that they may face a 'risk of impending intra-party rift' by approving candidature of party men in the planned upazila election. They apprehend that grassroots leaders who will not get party nod in upazila elections may work against them in general election. The situation is worst for BNP. Party leaders in many northern districts are already witnessing splits in the party while the gap between BNP and its ally Jamaat is widening. "We are against holding of upazila election before national polls as it will create manifold problems in country's politics that is already in crisis", said Azizur Rahman, president of Rajshahi BNP. He, however, admitted that many BNP leaders have expressed opinions for contesting the upazila election. "They are taking their own decisions as we are against the polls". Some Awami League bigwigs said, rift in the party has already started...

  Anwar Ali, Rajshahi A fresh controversy is racking Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) as the corporation authorities are getting ready to give permanent appointments to 72 temporary staff just ahead of the new mayor-elect's induction to the office. The temporary staff had allegedly been hired on political consideration during the tenure of former mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu, a BNP leader currently in jail on charges of corruption. RCC Mayor-elect AHM Khairuzzaman Liton is scheduled for taking the oath of office on August 29, and the recruitment move just before his induction has given rise to some questions in the city. RCC officials said current Acting Mayor Rezaunnabi Dudu, who also claims to be a member of BNP, has been pressuring them to complete the recruitment process 'in a hurry'. Liton, who won the recent mayoral election with an Awami League ticket, condemned the move and termed it a part of RCC authorities' 'recruitment business'. He alread...

  Anwar Ali, Rajshahi After the victory in Rajshahi mayoral elections, the feud in Rajshahi Awami has come into the open while some bigwigs in the local committees are publicly saying about change in the leadership to 'ensure victory in next polls'. The split will certainly affect the party's vote bank in next upazila and parliamentary polls, a number of party insiders told this correspondent. The party's fate in the two elections will be uncertain without changes in leadership, they added. The difference between the groups loyal to city AL general secretary AHM Khairuzzaman Liton and district AL president Tajul Islam M Faruk surfaced during campaign for the August 4 city corporation polls when Tajul backed the 'rebel candidate' and city AL president Masudul Haque Dulu instead of Liton. After Liton won the polls, the split became quite open as grassroots leaders and workers loyal to him demanded action against those who worked against him (Liton) ...

Published On: 2008-08-13 Front Page Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Even before taking oath, Rajshahi mayor-elect and Awami League leader AHM Khairuzzaman Liton has drawn considerable controversy for his activities like visiting the den of militant-kingpin Asadullah Al Galib. Referring to the visit, even his party men say he bagged votes from many of Galib's followers. They add Liton during campaign avoided clearing his stance on militancy fearing impact on his vote tally and now made the visit. He visited central offices of Galib's outfit Ahle Hadith Andolon, Bangladesh (Ahab), its youth front Ahle Hadith Jubo Sangha (AHJS) and Ahab-run Al Markajul Islami As-Salafi Madrasa in Nawdapara on Sunday and was accorded a reception. An AHJS press release says Liton in his speech observed that Ahab and AHJS [suspected militant outfits] leaders and workers faced atrocities during BNP-Jamaat rule as Galib and his men were detained over "false" accusation. The release also...