Himu's Window

Anwar Ali, Rajshahi With announcement of the schedule for Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) polls on Friday, all probable candidates for the post of mayor and councillors have beefed up electioneering. Probable candidates from the Awami League and BNP-Jamaat coalition too passing busy days meeting people as part of their election campaign even though the major parties are still dragging feet from taking part in the elections. Several of them, speaking in return for anonymity, said, their parties would soon understand the necessity of taking part in the elections, otherwise, they would join the polls independently. At least 17 probable candidates from seven political parties, including two newly formed ones, have already informed newsmen that they are keen to take part in the fray. Workers' Party's politburo member Fazle Hossain Badsha is seen to be enjoying advantageous position in the present situation. "One can call it electioneering, but I am meeting pe

    Divisions within the major political parties including Awami League (AL) and BNP seem growing with the local ranks vying for nominations to contest the August 4 polls to four city corporations and nine municipalities. Alongside intra-party disputes, rivalry between prospective candidates within alliances too is obvious. In four divisional headquarters, AL and BNP leaders seeking nomination for mayoral elections brace themselves for challenges coming from components of the 14-party and four-party alliances. In Rajshahi, dispute between the Workers Party politburo member Fazle Hossain Badsha and city AL General Secretary AHM Khairuzzaman Liton for mayor nomination has already grown intense. As many as eight candidates in BNP have begun informal election campaign for the mayoral post. Of them, party insiders said, Central Office Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi who has long been working for the mayoral fray has a better chance. In Rajshahi, Sylhet and Barisal, Jamaat-e-Isla

A truck opts for the adjoining lane to avert the jerks on the main road of Dhaka-Rajshahi Highway in Tarash union in Sirajganj district...STAR Five years into opening, the country's first and longest 'toll road' connecting Natore and Sirajganj on Rajshahi-Dhaka Highway has become risky for thousands of commuters due to substandard construction and poor maintenance. Pitch and carpeting on the 55-km road started to be dislocated and large craters appeared within one year of its inauguration in May 2003, locals and Roads and Highways Department (RHD) officials said, adding that some 27km of the highway is now hard for vehicles to ply. In five years, the road authorities earned over Tk 12.70 crore as toll with around Tk 71,000 daily average collection from movement of 2000 vehicles. But the road with large potholes, craters and ditches is now causing one-hour sufferings to passengers from and to the Capital. In the rainy seasons, the situation turns worse as rainwater remains s

  Intelligence agencies fear that militancy might rear its head again as the 12 decisions the government took to step up its campaign against the menace about a year ago remain unimplemented. There is a strong possibility that the militants still at large might mount fresh attacks. Their leaders behind bars might pass them instructions to that end, taking advantage of slow trial of the cases against them, observed intelligence officials. Besides, they added, absence of motivational and reorientation programmes for over 500 detained militants, mostly operatives of banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Harkat-ul-Jihad al Islami (Huji), keeps alive the threat of militancy even though it has been on the wane for some time. "Since there are no motivational programmes for the militants in jails, they might become sucked into militancy again on return to society after serving out terms. Not only that, they might try to brainwash the other inmates to join the

  Published On: 2008-06-21   Eminent jurist and Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday called for national unity to build a terrorism-free country and face national challenges. "Unity is the answer to all questions. If we want democracy, student politics without terrorism, an accountable government, rule of law and equal rights for all, unity among citizens is a must", said Dr Kamal, also convener of Jatiay Oikya Mancha (JOM), while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion at a local restaurant in Rajshahi. "People of the country have never tolerated anarchy. They sacrificed their lives for a honourable life. Although we drove out colonial rulers long ago, we are yet to be freed from disparity," he said. In history, no party could always remain at top. Muslim League was a major political party but it suffered huge defeat in the elections in 1954, Dr Kamal said. "Those who go to the parliament should keep in mind that people are the

A Rajshahi court yesterday sentenced six militants of Jama'atul Mujahideen, Bangladesh (JMB) to life terms in jail for the murder of a rickshaw-puller during the serial blasts of August 17, 2005 in Chapainawabganj district. Rajshahi speedy trial tribunal Judge ATM Mesbauddoula convicted them for murder and sedition charges under Sections 302 and 120 (B) of Bangladesh Penal Code. The judge also fined each convict Tk 10,000, in default of which they are to spend one more year of imprisonment. Convicted Shahidullah Faruk Selim, Abul Kashem Tufan, Shakhawat Hossain Ziad and Hafez Ali Akbor Riaz were produced present on the court dock during the delivery of the verdict. The other two convicts, Shafiullah Shahid and Hafijur Rahman Dalim, are absconding. JMB militants orchestrated around 500 synchronised blasts across in all districts of the country but one, with a call for an Islamists' Jihad on August 17 of 2005. In Chapainawabganj, the blasts rocked Biswaroad crossing

Around 40 top tier leaders of different outlawed outfits from 10 southwestern districts are still at large despite all-out efforts to trap them in last several years. Sources say these outlaws are still active and involved in various crimes, mostly extortion and murder, in the 10 districts. They say the leaders are also trying to reorganise their own outfits and gangs to increase strength before the local government and national elections. The outlaw leaders are also trying to recruit new cadres and allegedly maintaining close contact with some top political leaders including former lawmakers. The sources say these political leaders had earlier used outlaws to manipulate polls and establish supremacy in the districts of Kushtia, Meherpur, Chuadanga, Jhenidah, Magura, Jessore, Narail, Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira. Of the top criminals, all are from outlawed parties except four gang leaders. The outlawed parties are four factions of Purba Banglar Communist Party -- (PBCP-ML