Dhaka, May 20 (UNB)- Leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), who did not get posts in the newly announced committee, alleged that they were attacked by General Secretary Golam Rabbani and his followers on early Saturday.

The incident happened around 2:30 am inside the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University (DU).

But the demonstrators went ahead with a hunger strike programme protesting against the attack at the base of Raju Memorial Sculpture amid rain at 3am.

“We were attacked first at Madhur Canteen when our 10-member delegation went to meet BCL president and general secretary,” said Saif Babu, spokesperson of the deprived faction and former BCL publicity secretary.

“Suddenly, BCL general secretary Golam Rabbani charged BM Lipi Akter (Deputy cultural affairs secretary in new committee) why she delivered a speech against him at a media talk show. Lipi replied that she learnt it from him,” Saif said.

“Rabbani got furious, abused her verbally and slapped her. Activists, loyal to Rabbani, also attacked other deprived students,” Saif Babu alleged.

The alleged attackers included drama and debate affairs secretary Jewel Molla, GS (general secretary) of Sir AF Rahman hall union Abdur Rahim (Rahim Sarker), VP (vice-president) of Bangabandhu hall union Akmol Hossain, GS of Ziaur Rahman hall Hasibul Hossen Santo.

Those who claimed to have been assaulted are – Deputy Cultural Affairs Secretary Nipo Islam Tonni, Tilottama Sikder, Deputy Publication Secretary Farida Parvin, deputy Student-Scholarship Secretary Srabony Shaila, former deputy international affairs secretary Emdad Hossain Sohag, former assistant secretary Azmir Sheikh, former deputy publicity secretary of DU unit Sheikh Abdullah and general secretary of Shamsun Nahar hall unit Chhatra League Jiasmin Shanta.

Around 3am, Chhatra League President Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon and General Secretary Rabbani tried to calm down the protesters amid rain but they had been told to go away.

“There were some altercations. But they weren’t serious … we’ll solve the problems,” he told UNB.

Rabbani rejected the claims that the protesters had been attacked. “They’re staging a drama,” he claimed.

Dhaka, May 19 (UNB) – Joining office four days after his return from Singapore, Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday said he is starting the second innings of his life.

“Now, the major challenges are - reducing traffic jam, bringing back discipline on roads and implementing mega projects on time,” he told reporters.

He received a warm welcome at the Secretariat. He started working around 10am and signed some files before meeting senior officials in the conference room.

Quader said that the Eid-ul-Fitr journey will be more comfortable this time. Prime Minister will inaugurate second Gumti and second Meghna bridges on Dhaka-Chattogram Highway through video conference on May 25.

Eid special services of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation will begin on May 27 and continue until June 10. A total 1,089 special buses will be operated. Besides, for emergency cases, 50 buses will be kept stand by.

Replying to a question about council, he said that a team is working following the direction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. “It’ll be held on time,” Quader said.

The minister said that he would be able to work at full speed after a one and half month. Doctors have advised him to avoid excessive works during this period. He said that he would need to go to Singapore on July 16 for checkup.

Quader, also Awami League general secretary, returned home on Wednesday evening after receiving medical treatment in Singapore for over two months.

He had been admitted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University on March 3 following breathing complications. Tests revealed three blockages in his coronary artery. He was then flown to Singapore the next day for treatment.

He underwent a bypass surgery in Singapore on March 20.

Dhaka, May 19 (UNB) – A man, who suffered 97 percent burns in a fire at his Agargaon residence on Thursday, died at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital early Sunday.

The deceased was identified as Muktar Hossain, 38.

“Muktar succumbed to his injuries around 2am,” said Inspector Bacchu Miah, in-charge of DMCH police camp.

His wife Salma, 28, suffered 95 percent burns during last week’s fire. She is now undergoing treatment at DMCH.

Their son Shafin, 6, was unhurt as he was not home when the fire broke out.

Cox’s Bazar, May 18 (UNB)- Law-enforcers rescued 84 Rohingyas from Pekua of Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf upazila on Saturday while they were waiting to board boats heading to Malaysia.

The rescued Rohingya comprise 31 men, 38 women and 15 children.

Five human traffickers were arrested and handed over to police after filing case with Teknaf Police Station, said Lt Commander BNM Hamidul Islam, Coast Guard's assistant director.

He said 17 Rohingya men and women were rescued from an area adjacent to Saint Martin’s island early Saturday. Ten of this group are men and the rest women.  
Md Jakir Hossain Bhuiyan, acting officer-in-charge of Pekua police station, said on secret information, police led a drive in Ujantia Jetighat area and rescued 67 Rohingyas Friday midnight.

Among them 21 are men, 31 women and 15 children. Sensing law enforcers’ presence, the traffickers managed to flee, OC added.

The OC said also, rescued Rohingyas were sent to Kutupalong and other camps after interrogation and identifying their addresses.
 

Feni, May 18 (UNB) – The family of Nusrat Jahan Rafi, whose last days formed one of the most cruellest and ultimately heartbreaking episodes the nation witnessed in recent memory, has categorically rejected any notion of a film or other such dramatisation depicting the chain of events that led to her finally, after a heroic battle, succumbing to her injuries - burns upto 80 percent- at the DMCH Burn Unit on April 10. She was only 19. 

Some five days earlier, on April 6, miscreants hiding behind burqas had lured her to the roof of her school, rather the Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasah in Feni, and set her on fire after pouring kerosene on the poor girl. Some of them were her fellow students at the madrasah. 

They had been turned against Nusrat by the unlikely figure of the madrasah’s principal, Shiraj-ud-Dowla -  a pervert and sexual predator who was in jail at the time, on charges of sexual harassment filed by Nusrat shortly after she rejected an indecent proposal he made calling her into his room on March 27. 

Used to getting his way in most matters around the madrasah, Shiraj could hardly countenance the tenacity and courage Nusrat showed in not just going to the police, something many women find themselves incapable of in our conservative society, but then also refusing to budge under all kinds of pressure to withdraw her complaint. 

In the midst of the global #metoo movement, whereby women have been supporting and encouraging each other in defying the chains placed on them by patriarchy to call time on despicable characters like Shiraj, Nusrat’s story - buttressed by subtle nuances such as the backdrop of the highly conservative setting in which it occurred - immediately captured the entire nation’s imagination, and across borders as well. It ended of course in tears all around, yet the impact was such that it’s fair to assume it will occupy a place in the national consciousness for a long time to come. 

Now it has come to light that a film was proposed by notable director Delwar Jahan Jhantu based on the tragic tale of ‘Nusrat’, which was even set to be the name of the movie. However, Nusrat’s family expressed their unhappiness and disapproval of the entire idea as soon as they came to know of it.

Nusrat’s elder brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman told UNB that some interested film and drama directors have contacted the family to acquire permission regarding their proposed projects on Nusrat, but the family rejected the offers based on their strong religious convictions. Most members of the family such as their father, uncles, grandfather, siblings and cousins are all part of the ‘Alem’ community, so it is impossible for them to approve such a proposal.

Nusrat’s mother Shirin Akter said “My daughter had become a ‘Shahid’ in the name of Allah. Recently we have been hearing that some are planning to make drama and films based on my daughter. Please, do not make any drama or movie based on her. Some have already made a few ghazals and waaz programs - we don’t reject those and they can even make more if they want- but please, do not hurt my daughter’s soul by making dramas and films on the incident.”

She added, “Nusrat had made an impact on billions around the world through her death. She is now resting in eternal peace in her grave. We would not be able to answer her in the Akhiraat (Afterlife) if people hurt her soul by making drama or films on her. My daughter is an innocent flower, please do not harm her. Although she suffered a miserable ending to her life in this world- we believe she will get martyr’s respect in the Akhiraat.”

The filmmakers thus miss out on an epic story, yet it is also doubtful that any of them working in Bangladesh even possess the skills and wherewithal to do it justice on screen in the first place. For now though, the grieving family’s wishes must override all other considerations.