Gazipur, Nov 1 (UNB) – An Ansar man was killed and three others were injured in an attack allegedly by garment workers during a demonstration over the death rumour of their fellow at Hatimara in the city on Thursday noon.

The deceased was identified as Bhairab Chandra Sarkar, 35, son of Tapan Kumar hailing from Goalbari area in Gaibandha district.

The agitating workers swooped on the Ansar men when they intercepted them from going berserk at Delta Spinning Mill of the area during their demonstration, leaving four of them -- Bhairab, Saju Miah, Abu Bakar and Rahisul Islam injured, said Giasuddin Mollah, commander of an Ansar team deployed at the factory.

Later, the Ansar members fired 10 shots in the fire in self-defece and managed to disperse the workers, he added.  

Bhairab and Saju Miah were taken to Enam Medical College Hospital where the duty doctor declared the former dead.

Earlier in the morning, garments workers staged demonstrations and went on a rampage in the area over the death rumour of a fellow worker.

Emdad Hossain, officer-in-charge of Konabari Police Station, said Mahedi Hasan, a worker of ‘Mitali Fashion Limited ‘, was beaten over a theft charge on Wednesday and his co-workers staged demonstrations on Wednesday evening protesting the incident.

On Thursday morning, when a rumour spread over Mahedi’s death at a hospital, the workers of several factories got furious. They gathered in front of their factories and hurled brick chips towards Mitali Fashion Ltd and other adjacent factories.

Later, the agitated workers took to the Konabari road and vandalised gates and windows of Jamuna Garments, Tusuka and Keya Spinning Factory.

Dhaka, Nov 1 (UNB) - Though all the issues will come up for discussions at the dialogue with political parties, the decisions will be taken as per the Constitution, said Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Thursday.

 “Receiving Dr Kamal Hossain’s letter, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took the decision to hold dialogue after discussion with us. They mentioned in the letter that they want to discuss their seven-point demand and 11 goals. We informed them that the discussion will be held as per the Constitution,” he said.

The minister was talking to reporters after an Indian delegation, led by its Food and Public Distribution Secretary, met him at the Secretariat.

Responding to a query about whether the dialogue is an initiative to bring back those who were once involved in Awami League politics, he said there is no last word in politics.

About the release of political prisoners, Tofail said, “We, many leaders, were in jail after 1975 though there was no allegation against us. Bangabandhu was also sent to jail. The country’s people got him freed through a mass upsurge. But Begum Zia and others are now behind the bars on specific allegations. They’re not political prisoners.”

He said their main aim is to hold a free, fair and participatory election. “The Election Commission will accomplish the work and the government will assist it. Whatever the outcome of the dialogue might be, we all will take part in the election under this government being supervised by the Election Commission.”
 

Dhaka, Nov 1 (UNB) - At least 10 people were injured when a gas cylinder of a pickup exploded in the city’s Banani area on Thursday afternoon.

Eight of the injured were identified as Md Khokon, 32, Abdur Rob, 45, Abul Quashem, 50, Mozammel, 35, Saidul, 30, Md Billal, 24, Md Karinm, 32, and Md Sohel, 33. They were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. 

Sub-inspector (SI) Md Abdul Baten of Banani Police Station said the gas cylinder of the Mohakhali-bound pickup went off around 2:30 pm on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway near the Navy headquarters, leaving its 10 passengers injured.
 

Bogura, Nov 1 (UNB) – Police here early Thursday recovered body of a madrasa student from a septic tank of a madrasa in Mokamtola of Shibganj upazila in the district.

The deceased was identified as Al-Hasib, 4, son of Abdur Razzak of Kashipur village and student of Ganeshpur Hafezia Madrasa.

Md Nannu Khan, inspector (operation) of Shibganj Police Station said that madrasa authorities spotted the body in an abandoned septic tank around 2:30am and informed police.

Later, police recovered the body.

Locals said that Hasib remained missing since Wednesday afternoon.
 

Dhaka, Nov 1 (UNB) – Mentioning that the country belongs to all, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the trend of change they introduced should be taken forward.

She came up with the remarks in her introductory speech at the high-profile dialogue between the Awami League-led 14-praty alliance and Dr Kamal Hossain-led Jatiya Oikyafront, including BNP, being held at Prime Minister’s official residence Ganobhaban.

The Prime Minister said their main aim is to change the fate of people, take the country forward and ensure its overall development. “I can say we’re working for the country’s overall development and maintain democracy after a long struggle.”

“I’ll leave it to you to judge it. You’ll certainly consider how much development the country witnessed in the last nine years and 10 months. I can say Bangladesh’s general people are now having good days as their fate has changed. The trend of change we introduced is on,” she further said.

Sheikh Hasina said they were working to take the fruits of independence to every doorstep.

Earlier, the Prime Minister welcomed the Oikyafront delegations to Bangabhaban. “I welcome you to the Ganobhaban.”

The dialogue between the ruling and opposition alliances began at 7am in a bid to reach a consensus over holding the next general election in a fair and credible manner with the participation of all parties.

Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is leading 23-member 14-party delegation while Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain 20-member Jatiya Oikyafront team in the discussion.

Through the talks with the Oikyafront, the Prime Minister opened her door of discussions over the 11th parliamentary polls before the announcement of its schedule as Bikolpo Dhara Bangladesh, Jatiya Party and some other parties and alliances are interested in dialogue with the Prime Minister.

Political analysts think the dialogue will not only determine the mode of the next general election, but also the country’s future politics. They also think the success of the talks depends on sincerity and liberal stance of both the ruling and opposition sides on their current positions.

Meanwhile, Awami League announced the names of the 14-party’s 23 delegation members through a press release signed by party office secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap.

Of them, 19 leaders, including the Prime Minister, are from Awami League while four others from its alliance partners.

The other AL leaders are Obaidul Quader, Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Matia Chowdhury, Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohammad Nasim, Abdur Razzak, Kazi Zafar Ullah, Abdul Matin Khosru, Ramesh Chandra Sen, Advocate Anisul Huq, Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni, Jahangir Kabir Nanonk, Abdur Rahman, Abdus Sobhan Golap, Dr Hasan Mahmud and SM Rezaul Karim.  

The four 14-party leaders are Samyabadi Dal leader Dilip Barua, leader of Workers Party of Bangladesh Rashed Khan Menon, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal leader (JSD) Hasanul Huq Inu and JSD-faction leader Moinuddin Khan Badal.

On Tuesday night, Jatiya Oikyafront sent the names of its 16-member delegation, led by Dr Kamal Hossain, to Awami League for the talks. The names of the last five delegation members were added today.

The other Oikyafront delegation members are BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, JSD president ASM Abdur Rob, vice president Tania Rob, general secretary Abdul Malek Ratan, Nagorik Oikya’s Mahmudur Rahman Manna and SM Akarm,  Gono Forum general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu, executive president Subrata Chowdhury, Jatiya Oiky Prokriya’s Sultan Mohammad Mansur Ahmed, ABM Mostafa Amin, Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, BNP standing committee members Dr Abdul Moyeem Khan, Gano Forum leaders Mokabbir Khan, Jaglul Haider Afrik and AHM Shafiq Ullah.

In favour of Jatiya Oikyafront, Dr Kamal Hossain on Sunday sent a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina seeking dialogue over the national election.

In response to it, Sheikh Hasina sent a letter to Dr Kamal on Tuesday morning and invited Oikyafront leaders to join the dialogue.

 On October 13, BNP together with Dr Kamal Hossain-led Jatiya Oikya Prokriya, JSD and Nagorik Oikya launched the Jatiy Oikyafront to press for their seven-point demand.

The Oikyafront’s seven-point demand includes installation of a neutral interim government, dissolution of parliament, reconstitution the Election Commission, release of all the political prisoners, deployment of army and cancellation of the move to use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for holding the next polls in fair and acceptable manner.