Dhaka, Aug 23 (UNB) – Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed on Friday said the government is working to make the labour migration process safe, regular and responsible.

He urged the authorities concerned to make sure that migrant workers get proper services on time.

Imran was addressing the concluding ceremony of Labour Welfare Conference-2019 at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel.

He described the government’s decision to incentivise remittance as groundbreaking and urged the officials concerned to make migrant workers aware about sending remittances through the legal channel.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam addressed the programme as special guest while Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment secretary was in the chair.

Additional Secretary of the ministry Ahmed Monirus Salehin, Labour Counsellor at Riyadh Mehdi Hasan, Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) President Benazir Ahmed MP, former secretary Begum Shamsunnahar, among others, were also present.

Dhaka, Aug 23 (UNB) - The Hindu community of the country observed Janmashtami, marking the birth of Lord Krishna, on Friday with due religious fervour.

According to Hindu religion, Lord Vishnu incarnated in the universe as Lord Krishna in the prison of Raja Kangsa on this day, the eighth of “Shukla Pakkha” (bright fortnight) in the month of Bengali calendar Bhadra in Dwapara Yuga in order to protect “Dharma” from the hands of devils.

Sri Krishna was born to Devaki and her husband Vasudeva in Mathura to which Krishna’s parents belonged.

Members of the Hindu community brought out processions in the capital, divisional cities and district towns displaying the eventful life of Krishna and held other programmes on the occasion.

The largest procession of Janmashtami was brought out in the city’s Palashi intersection. Even torrential rain could not dampen the festivity. The participants had colorful banners and festoons depicting the birth of Krishna and his early years. 

Animesh Paul, a student who took part in the procession with his friends, said this festival helps him believe in a future for everyone. “The message is that no-one should be without love for others,” he said.

Various social, cultural and religious organisations chalked out elaborate programmes to celebrate the occasion.

The day is a public holiday.

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in separate messages greeted the members of Hindu community.

In his message, the President said Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony where people of all religions perform their own religious rituals freely.

In her message, the Prime Minister hoped that the ideals and teachings of Krishna will inspire his disciples to further consolidate the ties of communal harmony, friendship and fraternity.

National dailies will publish special articles while Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television and other private TV channels and radio stations aired special programmes highlighting different aspects of the eventful life of Lord Krishna.
 

Dhaka, Aug 22 (UNB) – Muzaffar Ahmed, who was part of the wartime Bangladesh government in exile and a close friend of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, died at a hospital in the capital on Friday night.

The 98-year-old was admitted to hospital recently with old age complications.

The chief of National Awami Party (NAP) breathed his last around 7:50pm while being treated at the ICU of Apollo Hospital, his niece Anwara Begum said.

Muzaffar, born on April 14, 1922 in Debidwar upazila of Cumilla, taught at Dhaka College and Dhaka University. He took part in the 1952 Language Movement.

He was one of the organisers of NAP, CPB and guerilla force of the student union. After the independence, he was elected an MP in 1979 and contested the 1981 presidential polls.

Three years ago, he declined the government’s offer Swadhinata Padak, the highest civilian award.

President, PM mourn death

President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina mourned the death of the veteran politician.

In a message, the President prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and extended condolences to the bereaved family.

Prime Minister Hasina, in a separate message, expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Prof Mozaffar.

She described his role in the Liberation War and various democratic movements of the country in his long political life.

“The Nation will forever remember his contribution in the progressive politics of the country,” the Prime Minister said.

Sheikh Hasina prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family.

Dhaka, Aug 23 (UNB) – Bangladesh expects the United States and Canada to make a “difference” by sending back self-confessed killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and help execute the court verdict establishing the rule of law in the country. 

“We’re still hopeful,” said Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday explaining the legal complications regarding the matter.

Of the six fugitive killers, Maj (retd) Noor Chowdhury is living in Canada while Maj (retd) Rashed Chowdhury in the USA. The other four fugitive killers are Col (dismissed) Khandaker Abdur Rashid, Lt Col (relieved) Shariful Haque Dalim, Capt Abdul Majed and Risaldar Moslehuddin Khan.

During a discussion titled “15 August and Its Impact on Bangladesh” at Bangabandhu Memorial Trust auditorium, the Foreign Minister said the diplomatic efforts will continue to get the two killers back before the celebration of Bangabandhu’s birth centenary. 

Former Bangladesh Bank governor Mohammed Farashuddin, international affairs sub-committee chairman and former Ambassador Mohammad Zamir; and international affairs secretary Dr Shammi Ahmed, among others, spoke at the programme.

Farashuddin, who also served as the personal secretary to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from 1973 to 1975, presented a keynote paper.

Abdur Rahman Rama, who was working at Bangabandhu’s house, narrated the witnessed account of that horrific night.

They, along with the Foreign Minister and diplomats, paid tributes to Bangabandhu and his family members placing wreath on the portrait of Bangabandhu there.

“I spoke to US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo and our Prime Minister (Sheikh Hasina) has sent a letter to President Donald Trump on the issue. We’re hoping to have a positive outcome,” he said adding that the USA has not made any decision yet.

The Foreign Minister also met the US Secretary of State in Bangkok recently. “We’re hoping that the USA will make a decision.”

He said they shall be very pleased if the USA sends that killer, as they believe in the rule of law, before the birth centenary celebration of Bangabandhu.

Regarding Noor Chowdhury, the Foreign Minister said Canada does not share information as they do not like death penalty.

He said the government is still working on that and the court will give another verdict in November this year though Canada refuses to send back the killer.

Dr Momen mentioned that Canada does not send any of those killers to those countries where there is death penalty.

And in the process possibly, the Foreign Minister said, Canada is becoming a hub of killers and murderers. “That’s very sad that a country like Canada has become a hub of so many killers and murders.”

Dr Momen said they are still hopeful and cited an exception that Canada showed by sending back one gentleman in an alternative place instead of Texas where there has been no death penalty.

Once the person entered the place Texas had the privilege to take him back to their custody. “So, Canada can make a difference and can do the same,” said the Foreign Minister.

On August 15, 1975, Bangabandhu along with most of his family members was assassinated brutally at road 32 in Dhanmondi.

Eighteen members of his family including Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, three sons -- Captain Sheikh Kamal, Lieutenant Sheikh Jamal and 10-year-old Sheikh Russel, two daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal and Rosy Jamal, brother Sheikh Naser, peasant leader Abdur Rab Serniabat, youth leader Sheikh Fazlul Haq Moni and his wife Arzu Moni, Baby Serniabat, Sukanta Babu, Arif and Abdul Nayeem Khan Rintu, were, among others, killed on that fateful night.

Military Secretary Brigadier General Jamil was also killed. Several members of a family in the capital’s Mohammadpur area were also killed by artillery shells fired by the killers on the same day.

Five killers of Bangabandhu -- Syed Farooq Rahman, Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Bazlul Huda, AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed and Mohiuddin Ahmed -- were hanged in January 2010. Another killer Aziz Pasha had met natural death in Zimbabwe in 2001.

On November 19, 2009, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court upheld the death penalty of 12 convicted former army officers for the assassination of Bangabandhu and his family members.

Speakers at the discussion said the gruesome assassination of Bangabandhu, along with his family members, had been carried out to plunge Bangladesh into a pit of darkness and stall its process of development from a war-ravaged country.

That brutal and nefarious act was designed only to annihilate the ideals that drove hundreds of thousands of freedom loving people to sacrifice their lives to free the country, they said.  

About 30 diplomats from different countries, including US, UK, Russia, China, Japan, and Switzerland, attended the programme arranged in observance of the National Mourning Day.

Cox’s Bazar, Aug 23 (UNB) – Hundreds of agitated locals stormed a Rohingya camp and vandalised makeshift houses and NGO offices following the murder of a local Jubo League leader in Teknaf.

They burned tyres and plastic boxes to block a five-kilometre road from Teknaf municipality to Leda Point for three hours. The residence of Rohingya leader Noor Mohammad was also torched.

Agitated locals burned tyres and plastic boxes to block a five-kilometre road from Teknaf municipality to Leda Point in Cox’s Bazar

Pradip Kumar Das, officer-in-charge of Teknaf Police Station, said they persuaded the agitated locals to end their blockade around 3pm assuring them of arresting the killers and bringing them to justice.

Jubo League leader Omar Faruk, 30, was shot dead at Jadimura in Teknaf upazila on Thursday night.

His elder brother Osman Goni alleged that a group of Rohingyas picked Faruk up from near his house and shot him dead at a nearby hill.

Two other locals were also killed, allegedly by Rohingyas, since the 2017 influx and there have been reports of attacks on police and harassment of journalists by the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals.

Bangladesh is currently hosting more than 1.1 million Rohingyas who fled here from Myanmar over the years. Many Rohingyas have been accused of getting involved in criminal activities.

Two attempts to repatriate them – the latest one was on Thursday – were abandoned as no one of the Rohingyas could be sent back.

Dhaka has been saying that the prolonged stay of the large number of Rohingyas will pose a serious security threat, not only for Bangladesh but also for the neighbouring countries.

OC Das assured locals of stronger police presence in the area but the promise alone could not pacify the residents.

“We, the Bangalees, aren’t safe here anymore,” said Ayasur Rahman, General Secretary of Cox’s Bazar Bachao Andolan.