E-Bangladesh

General Moeen U Ahmed with Editors, Photo: Banglar Chokh

Two days after his term as army chief was extended by another year, General Moeen U Ahmed on Tuesday asserted that the army would not follow the examples of military takeover in neighbouring countries.

The army chief made his stand clear once again as he sat over lunch with the country’s leading editors at the army headquarters to give an account of his and the army’s role in national life.

On the army’s role in running the affairs of the state, he said, ‘We are subservient to the government and we shall not take any steps so that (the society) becomes militarised.’

One editor said the real power lay with the army chief, which prompted him to assert: ‘Let me assure you that we are not having power.’

‘We will neither follow Pakistan or other neighbours, nor our predecessors,’ Gen Moeen said in reference to military coups in Thailand and Pakistan and previous ‘takeovers’ in Bangladesh.

The general touched upon topics ranging from the upcoming polls to failed attempts to rein in prices.

Gen Moeen blamed ‘the hoarding tendency of importers, buyers and sellers’, as well as last year’s floods, cyclone Sidr and the global economy for spiralling prices.

He spoke of the role of the armed forces in tackling the food crisis, saying they had helped farm an extra 342,993 acres yielding an extra 22 lakh tonnes of rice for the upcoming boro harvest.

The army chief stressed the need for the nation to consume potatoes alongside rice to alleviate the food crisis.

‘Bhater pashe aloo protidin (potatoes alongside rice every day)’ is the slogan the army chief has been spreading throughout the army.

Also at lunch with the editors, the menu was dominated by seven items of potato.

Answering a query on speculation over the polls uncertainty, Gen Moeen said, ‘Please wait until December 31. Why won’t there be elections by December 31?’

‘This is the cut-off time and we must not miss the date,’ he said.

The government and the Election Commission pledged the national polls by the year-end, but many political leaders doubted it.

The army chief dispelled the doubt and said, ‘The roadmap is there and I don’t see any deviation (from it).’ But he pointed to some ‘minor problems’, which are seemingly slowing the process.

Gen Moeen referred to the EC, political parties, the government and people as the key players of elections.

Referring to a 1996 circular, Gen Moeen touched upon a 23-member Security Council, designed to ensure national security and accountability of the government.

The NSC, never made effective, was led by the then prime minister to make decisions on defence affairs.

A circular issued at the time by the Cabinet Division said the council had also been given responsibilities to deal with all internal problems tied to security.

The NSC had also been empowered to make decisions or direct the authorities concerned to take actions and make recommendations to the cabinet, if necessary.

Gen Moeen spoke on his recent visit to India in reply to a query by one of the editors and said, ‘I have invitations (from China and Pakistan) too.’

He hoped that the next elected government would pursue the changes made through various reforms by the present caretaker government, reports UNB.

Asked about lifting the state of emergency, he said the army had nothing to do in this matter - the government would take the decision.

About political dialogue, Gen Moeen said this was, again, an affair between the government and political parties.

Terming the media as parliament in the absence of an elected parliament, the army chief said the government, different agencies and even the army were taking many actions on positive reports in the media. ‘We are not media-shy rather we want to be media- friendly.’

Citing an example of a report on the hanging order for a freedom fighter in Comilla, he said the army immediately took the initiative and approached the president who cancelled the death sentence.

The army chief made a 5-point appeal to the press to help bring down prices of essentials, hold credible elections, encourage people to diversify their food habit, improve the rule of law and security and highlight rural news.

During the two-and-half-an-hour-long meeting, the army chief also narrated achievements so far made by the armed forces in various sectors.

The army chief, whose force is acting in a countrywide anti-corruption drive under the National Coordination Council, said the council identified 222 corrupt persons so far. Of them, 81 were arrested and trial of 50 completed in lower courts. They can go to higher court.

He said 31,619 acres of land grabbed by ruling-party musclemen and thugs were recovered by the army and handed over to government. These lands should be distributed among landless people to be used for welfare activities, or else, the government lands might again be grabbed.

Gen Moeen said the army recovered Tk 8,372 crore as unpaid bills of utility services, like electricity. ‘Those who can afford to pay bills evaded it,’ he said. ‘Even,’ he told the editors, ‘it was found that some rich people hired experts from abroad for meter tampering to evade paying to government the due electricity bill.’

He further apprised the media that Tk 1,220 crore was recovered from home and abroad and most of the siphoned-off money already deposited with Bangladesh Bank.

The army chief said the taskforce in operation in the interim period made investigation into 13 institutions to dig out institutional corruption. Citing an example from RAJUK, he said the taskforce found 49 per cent of plot-allotment documents missing. The government, he said, is taking action on taskforce report.

In Titas gas corporation, he said, corrupt persons confessed to having committed corruption in minting Tk 1,900 crore which he said was one-third of the total corruption which would come to about Tk 50,000 crore. Considering overall corruption in Titas only, he said, it would account for two-and-a-half-year’s national budget of Bangladesh.

General Moeen said the army sped up loading and unloading at Chittagong seaport which was in a very bad shape before the state of emergency. Earlier, it used to take 13 days for a ship to unload, load and for outer anchorage. But, after the army intervention, it took only three days to complete the task, resulting in reduction of 30 per cent expenses and improvement of efficiency by 40 per cent.

The army chief said now 38 containers were being handled per hour, which is better than Singapore port that handles 40 containers per hour. This has been possible only through improving the management and maintenance.

He said manpower export increased 76 per cent last year compared to 2006.

‘We believe we have enough resources,’ General Moeen said, and if the human resources were developed through proper training, the situation in Bangladesh would improve a lot.

The general was flanked by Major General Sina Ibn Jamali, chief of the general staff, and Major General Golam Mohammad, head of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, when he spoke to the editors.

The journalists who attended the lunch meeting include Daily Independent editor Mahbubul Alam, Ittefaq editor Rahat Khan, Amar Desh’s acting editor Ataus Samad, Samakal editor Abed Khan, Prothom Alo editor Motiur Rahman, New Nation editor Mostafa Kamal Majumder, Bangladesh Observer editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Financial Express editor Moazzem Hossain, News Today editor Reazuddin Ahmed, UNB chief editor Enayetullah Khan, Manav Zamin editor Motiur Rahman Chowdhury, BTV director general Kamal Uddin, head of news of Channel i Shykh Siraj, editor-in-chief of bdnews24.com Toufique Imrose Khalidi, New Age editor Nurul Kabir, Bhorer Kagoj editor Shyamol Dutt, Naya Diganta editor Alamgir Mohiuddin, ATN Bangla adviser Saiful Bari and its chief of news Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul and Channel i head of news Nazmul Ashraf.

A panel of advisers has started working on modalities of the much-awaited dialogues between the military-controlled interim government and political parties for transition to democracy by holding of parliamentary elections in December. 

The four-member panel of advisers held informal talks with the Awami League, one of the major political parties, on Monday evening and is expected to sit with others to seek ’support for formal talks to take place shortly’, according to a meeting source. 

The government will send formal proposals to the parties in this regard in a day or two.  

Earlier on the day, the panel headed by communications adviser Ghulam Quader reviewed the situation and discussed possible agendas, dates and venues to start the dialogues, the process for which, the policymakers said, was in progress. 

‘The matter related to the dialogues was in progress’, the law, justice and parliamentary affairs adviser to the interim administration, AF Hassan Ariff, told a group of reporters after the informal meeting held at the communications ministry. 

About the details of their discussion, the adviser said, ‘You will know about it in due course of time.’  

Communications adviser Ghulam Quader, commerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman and local government, rural development and cooperatives adviser Anwarul Iqbal attended the meeting that lasted nearly two hours.  

The same team, tasked with preparatory work for the dialogue, met four Awami League leaders – Tofail Ahmed, Matia Chowdhury, Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Hasan Mahmud – at the Railway Bhaban in the capital.

The advisers informed the AL leaders that the government would sit with the political parties formally in a day or two to discuss the preparations for a fruitful dialogue. 

‘We have had informal discussion on the proposed dialogues,’ a source present at the meeting said. 

The advisers told the AL leaders that formal talks with the political parties would start in a day or two, the source said adding that the chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, was expected to announce the modalities and dates for the talks in an address to the nation. 

An AL leader said that the advisers also assured them that the dialogues would be unconditional. 

Holding of a fair and participatory election, giving legitimacy to the work done by the interim administration and power handover to an elected government would be at the centre of discussions with the parties, according to sources in the administration.  

Besides, lifting of emergency and ban on political activities across the country, restoration of civil and political rights, announcement of polls date, balance of power between the prime minister and the president, and food prices would also feature at the discussions, they said. 

The government has been pondering over how quickly it could hold the dialogues as nearly three months have already elapsed since the chief adviser announced that the government would open dialogues with the parties ’soon’.  

He had made the announcement on January 12 on the occasion of the first anniversary of government, which was born through a state of emergency in January, 2007 following political turmoil. 

Asked about next major programmes of the chief adviser, his official spokesman told E-Bangladesh that holding of the planned dialogues would be the next major task.  

‘Definitely the dialogue is the major programme of the chief adviser, but the time, venue and method of the talks is yet to be  finalised,’ Syed Fahim Munaim, the press secretary to the chief adviser said.  

When his attention was drawn to media speculations that the chief adviser might make an announcement on the dialogues in a televised address to the nation on the occasion of Pahela Baishakh, the first day of the Bangla calendar, the spokesman said that he was not aware of it. 

The dialogue will take place this month, he said.  

Sources in the administration said that the panel of advisers tasked with preparation for the dialogue would shortly place their suggestions before the chief adviser and other authorities concerned. A final decision will be made by the chief adviser. 

The dialogues with the parties will take place at a time when the government was struggling to tackle the soaring food prices that made the commoners’ life miserable and major political parties were gearing up for movement to press for release of two detained former prime ministers – Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia.  

Earlier on March 25, communications adviser Ghulam Quader said that the agenda for the proposed dialogues between the interim administration and political parties would be fixed in consultation with the parties concerned.

Transparency International, Bangladesh chapter chairman Professor Muzaffer Ahmad on Monday said he believed that the nation could not come out of the present situation without a decision on the detained top leaders of the two major political parties. 

‘The question of the two leaders will arise in the proposed dialogue between the political parties and the government. Whether one likes them or not is not the question since people want them,’ he said.  

Reaching a decision regarding the fate of detained Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina and Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia is a must, he noted.  

A political solution may end their detentions or help suspend their cases and there are instances of such compromises like that in the case of Mahatma Gandhi, he pointed out.  

Professor Muzaffer, also the president of civic group Shujon, was chairing a roundtable discussion on ‘Dialogue: Necessity for attaining national consensus before election.’ 

Organised by Media Initiative for Public Policy, the discussion at the National Press Club was also addressed by senior journalist ABM Musa, former Awami League lawmakers Asaduzzaman Noor and Saber Hossain Chowdhury, FBCCI’s former president Mir Nasir Hossain, Jatiya Party presidium member Ziauddin Bablu, Dhaka University law professor Asif Nazrul and Bikalpa Dhara leader Mahi B Chowdhury. Associated Press bureau chief and MIPP convenor Farid Hossain moderated the discussion.    

‘The political culture needs changes to make the public representatives accountable,’ he said, suggesting that constitutional reforms could be thought of, if needed. 

The TIB chairman, stressing the need for reforms within the political organisations, said that a qualitative change was going on and the political parties should therefore act more responsibly and guide their workers accordingly. 

Emergency should be relaxed to discuss these issues for reaching a consensus among major political parties, he said. 

The neutrality of the administration is a must for holding a free and fair election which the present government has to ensure and that should be openly discussed, he added. 

Referring to the role of the army called out in various situations, Muzaffer said, ‘If we bring them in a situation where there is a chance of the chain of command to be broken, this army will not remain the same.’ 

ABM Musa expressed doubts whether any dialogue would be fruitful without the presence of Hasina and Khaleda. 

He was also critical of the political parties for forgetting their election manifestoes soon after going to power. 

‘What is the guarantee that the political parties would fulfil the issues agreed in the proposed dialogue?’ he said.   

Awami League’s organising secretary Saber Hossain Chowdhury said the tendency of deciding everything at this very moment was not right. ‘It should not be a compulsion that a consensus should have to be reached in the proposed dialogue.’ 

Asaduzzaman Noor said reforms were needed within the party so that the aspirations of the grassroots people were reflected in the activities of the political parties. 

Lamenting on politicisation of the police and administration by the past government, he said institutional reforms were needed to give democracy a stable shape.  

Business leader Mir Nasir Hossain said election was important not only for political reasons but also for the economy. 

‘Foreign and local investments depend on political stability. Nothing can be achieved unless there is qualitative difference in national politics,’ he added. 

Jatiya Party leader Ziauddin Bablu said the January 11 changeover took place due to lack of dialogue among the concerned parties. ‘It is unfortunate that the government and opposition never had dialogue.’ 

Professor Asif Nazrul said consensus had to be reached on issues like parliament boycott and hartals. 

‘The proposed dialogue should have been held much earlier,’ the law professor said. 

Mahi B Chowdhury said that serious thought should be given on formulating laws for checking political activities on the streets.

Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of Awami League, wore black ribbons during a silent procession in protest against the presence of the Chancellor of the University President Iajuddin Ahmed on campus during the 44th Convocation at the Dhaka University. Dhaka, Bangladesh. April 7 2008:Photo- © Amdadul Huq/DrikNEWS.

The University of Dhaka held its 44th convocation on Monday amid boycott by a section of teachers and different student organisations in protest at the presence of the president Iajuddin Ahmed, also the chancellor of the university. 

The university conferred honorary doctor of law degrees on 1952 language movement heroes, Abdul Matin and Gaziul Haque, at the convocation. 

Abdul Matin also delivered the convocation speech and Gaziul Haque’s son, Rahul Gazi received the degree on his father’s behalf. 

The university gave out certificates among 3,385 graduates, including 2,042 females. 

Thirty-three students were awarded gold medals for their outstanding academic performances. Twenty-nine students received doctorate degrees and 24 M Phil degrees. 

President Iajuddin Ahmed chaired the convocation. Diplomats, representatives of foreign missions in Bangladesh and other dignitaries attended the programme on the university playground. No political leaders were seen in the rows reserved for guests. The row reserved for the members on the university senate and syndicate also remained empty all along the programme.

The convocation began with a procession led by the chancellor and joined in by convocation speaker Abdul Matin, vice-chancellor SMA Faiz, deans of faculties, and the teachers from the Curzon Hall in the morning. 

Security was tightened on and around the campus with the deployment of the personnel of the Special Security Force, Special Branch, National Security Intelligence, Rapid Action Battalion and the police. 

The student organisations and teachers with progressive ideals boycotted the programme to protest against the presence of Iajuddin. 

Activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student front of Awami League, paraded the campus in a silent procession with black cloths wrapped around their faces as a mark of protest against the presence of Iajuddin at the convocation. 

The Chhatra League activists, who earlier gathered at Madhu’s Canteen, came out one after another as the president arrived on the campus. They joined in a procession carrying placards inscribed with ‘Iajuddin, enemy of education, go back’, ‘enemy of democracy, go back’.  

After the procession, they held a rally at Aparajeya Bangla, where the student leaders accused the president of being responsible for the present political crisis and declared him persona-non-grata on the campus. 

Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, BNP’s student wing, boycotted the convocation saying that the president had not played the expected role in the release of the teachers and students detained after August 2007 campus protests. 

Mujibur Rahman, a student of sociology, and two of his friends staged demonstration at the Aparajeya Bangla against ‘commercialisation of the convocation’. They also set fire to convocation cap. 

The university authorities had taken sponsorship from a number of corporate houses and published an unusual jacket-advertisement in the local edition of the International Herald Tribune. No advertisements for the convocation were printed in local newspapers.  

The university campus wore a festive look as hundreds of jubilant students in convocation robes moved around and remained busy holding photo sessions. 

President Iajuddin Ahmed, in his speech, said that a large chunk of public money was being spent on Dhaka University and other public universities for real interest of the nation and suggested ‘cautionary measures’ so that the people were not deprived. 

‘The universities do not need code of conducts like other institutions but some cautionary measures need to be taken so that the people are not deprived’, he said. 

‘Guardians should be involved in running the universities alongside teachers, students, officers and employees’, he said. 

‘Although the state of sessions jam in public universities is not alarming, it remains a cause for worries. It escalates educational expenses and wastes many valuable years in the students’ life. I call upon all students, teachers, guardians, civil society members and national leaders to give a serious thought to the problem’, he said. 

Language movement hero Abdul Matin, in the convocation speech, urged the government to declare the language martyrs as national heroes and suggested formation of a commission comprising members from all quarters concerned to establish Bangla  language in every sphere of national life. 

‘There are some other small communities in the country who speak in their own languages. If we ignore their mother tongue, we would face a setback as a nation’, he added. 

Abdul Matin also stressed the need for learning other languages, including English, and asked Dhaka University to be the pioneer in teaching other languages. 

Recalling the glorious history of the university, vice-chancellor SMA Faiz urged the graduates to contribute to the welfare of the people of the country. 

Former chief justice Muhammad Habibur Rahman said on Sunday that is was axiomatic that military interference in politics and administration could not benefit a country.  

Addressing a citizens’ dialogue at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre, Habibur Rahman said, ‘Bangalees are not bestowed with any special attributes that they should prove otherwise.’

‘The thought of the day is transfer of power to an elected government after holding elections to the ninth parliament within this year; but there are worries about whether it will take place’, he said. 

The present government will have to take the responsibility for the uncertainties they have caused by suspending the democratic process, said the former head of a caretaker government adding, ‘They have to be cautious so that they do not harm the country by their overzealous activities.’ 

Justice Habibur Rahman observed that the constitution could be amendment and a constitution commission might also be formed for the amendment, but added, ‘We cannot be optimistic given the little potential of the law commission. Senior figures in government consider themselves to be omnipotent and do not want to consult people.’  

Expressing concern over the rising food costs, he called for increased investment in the agriculture sector. 

‘We have neglected this sector giving priority to industry.’  

He urged the government to ensure seed, manure and power supplies to farmers, saying, ‘We have to institute necessary reforms in agriculture and water resources, and devise better management modes, otherwise the present ‘famine situation’ will become our permanent national attribute.’ 

Gana Forum president Kamal Hossain, who presided over the daylong dialogue organised by Bangladesh First-Bangladesh 2025, said that price hike of essential commodities and power shortage were the two problems that needed to be addressed urgently. 

The government should hold a meaningful dialogue with the political parties for holding a free and fair election according to the roadmap announced by the Election Commission, he said. 

‘We want to establish a democratic country where there will be no poverty.’  

Former adviser Sultana Kamal, also the executive director of Ain O Salish Kendra, said, ‘We are not in a better condition now than when an elected government was in power’. 

‘But we do not want to return to the pre-January 11, 2007 situation and at the same time do not want to remain under a state of emergency’, she said. 

‘We want restoration of the people’s rights’, she added. 

Economist Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad urged the interim government to augment food stocks to ease the food crisis. 

He also called for raising an emergency fund for facing calamities. 

Yussuf Abdullah Harun, former president of FBCCI, said the food crisis was the most serious challenge facing Bangladesh at the moment and ‘we should take steps for strengthening our fragile economy’.  

BGMEA president Anwarul Alam Chowdhury said that the political parties must reach a consensus on ensuring stability in the country. 

Badiul Alam Majumder, country director of Hunger Project in Bangladesh, said that the country should be ruled by the politicians, not by others. 

He hoped that the government would hold a free and fair election in the country according to the roadmap announced by the Election Commission.    

The opening session was followed by two more sessions chaired by regulatory reforms commission chairman Akbar Ali Khan and educationist Anisuzzaman. 

The sessions discussed issues of food situation, agriculture and rural development and the youths.

[Update:2] ISPR Press Release uplaoded.

[Update-1]

The government on Sunday extended the tenure of General Moeen U Ahmed as the chief of army staff by one year. 

The decision was taken after the approval of the president, Iajuddin Ahmed, who is also the supreme commander of the armed forces, Bangabhaban sources said.  

As per the decision Moeen will act as army chief for one more year from June 15 2008 to June 15, 2009, for people’s interest, the source added. 

After the change over of January 11, 2007, General Moeen several times said he has no ambition but did not clear the shape of ambition he wants to avoid. 

In past references, the tenure of Lieutenant General HM Ersahd was extended several times by a year. And before coup of March 24, 1982, Erashad too said that he had no ambition.

[Developing Story]

E-Bangladesh correspondent in Dhaka just informed that tenure of General Moeen has been extended for one year. Reporters are running to and fro around Bongobhobon to catch the story.

The army chief, General Moeen U Ahmed, on Saturday dismissed the notion of any crisis of rice in the country, saying ‘a crisis has been created’.

While visiting Dhaka city’s wholesale market at Karwan Bazaar General Moeen told E-Bangladesh ‘Where is the crisis? There is no crisis. Crisis has been created. Price has increased, but no crisis,’

The army chief made the comment to the newsmen in the wake of alleged jacking up of the commodity prices.General Moeen, whose force is aiding the interim government, observed that people now went for panic buying of excess rice. ‘If a consumer buys four sacks of rice, a situation may crop up out of this pooling.

‘Inshallah, there’ll be no problem if we can tackle the situation for next 20 days,’ he said.

Seeking positive role from the media, the army chief said it is the responsibility of all to stabilise the market prices. He advised the market association to monitor that same variety of rice is sold at the same price.

General Moeen said there is enough stock of rice with the dealers. He viewed that there is no Indian rice–all of it is Bangladeshi rice. ‘Millers charge high, resulting in the price hike.’

The army chief expressed the optimism that this year there is going to be a good harvest of Boro paddy.

General Moeen said this year 80 lakh tonnes of potato were produced while the preservation capacity is only 20 lakh tonnes.

He advised people to change their food habit and eat rice along with potato everyday so that potato growers get fair price and be encouraged to cultivate potato next year too.

The director general of paramilitary BDR, Maj General Shakil Ahmed, whose force is engaged in rationing rice and some other essentials under OMS, also said there is sufficient rice in the country with a stock of three months’ provisions.

He said this year Boro production is likely to exceed 1.70 crore tonnes and there is no reason to be worried.

Politicians, economist and rights defenders on Saturday slated the government for failing to ensure food security for people, and unanimously called for an immediate dialogue among government, political parties and experts to resolve the present food crisis. 

Citing the statements of Regularity Reform Commission chairman Akbar Ali Khan and food adviser AMM Shawkat Ali, the panellists at the BBC-sponsored Bangladesh Sanglap said whatever euphemism was used for food crisis, the reality was that the people were feeling the pinch and the lone duty now was to shield them from soaring food prices. 

Awami League presidium member Abdur Razzak said reality showed that people were not getting food as prices spiralled beyond their capacity, though there seemed to have no problem in supply. 

BNP leader ASM Hannan Shah said there remained no scope to downplay the severity of the situation by branding it with attractive words. ‘People are getting no food… prices have gone out of their buying capacity and reports of death from starvation are also coming. If this is not famine, then what is it?’ he questioned. 

‘Should we wait for large-scale deaths to confirm it as famine, or immediately ensure food for people?’ said Hannan Shah, adviser to the BNP chairperson. 

Rights defender and former adviser to caretaker government Sultana Kamal saw ‘defensive attitude’ in the statements of the government leaders. ‘It should not be done. They could invite stakeholders to find out ways to resolve the crisis.’ 

She also found serious lack in preparation, planning and initiatives on the government’s part to face the crisis. 

Hannan Shah and Abdur Razzak echoed her saying the political parties much earlier alerted the government to such a situation and suggested building a safe stock of food grains. 

KAS Murshid, research director of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, said phasing out of the food rations at the lending agencies’ suggestion also hampered proper distribution of food items and destroyed the government’s institutional mechanism to shield cross-section of people from price hikes.

‘We are talking much when the fire has already broken out. It is the time to douse the fire and the government should concentrate on that,’ he said. 

Most of the panellists agreed that foreign assistance could be sought in terms of food to tackle the situation.

But Murshid opposed the idea saying, ‘If we want to face the present situation seeking foreign assistance, it will bring no good as food aid, even if granted now, will take four to six months to reach the country.’

Foreign food aid could help at best future food security and it would not meet the immediate need of the people, he pointed out. 

On the proposed dialogue between government and political parties, the politicians at the programme said it would not be fruitful in absence of two top leaders, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, both in jail now.  

Sultana Kamal agreed on this point, but reminded the politicians of their history of mudslinging. 

Each of the panellists categorically rejected the need for formation of a ‘truth commission’ to curb corruption. They said the proposed move was simply aimed at giving few business people a safe exit from trial that landed many senior politicians in jail with graft charges. 

Abdur Razzak and Sultana Kamal said a South African-style truth commission could be formed to deal with offences like human rights violation and war crimes.

The deputy commissioners on Saturday sought ration cards and an increase in the pay structure for government employees to help them to cope with the soaring essential goods prices.

The local administrators placed the proposals at their annual conference, inaugurated by the chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, in the Chief Adviser’s Office in Dhaka on the day.

In the working sessions, they observed although law and order was better at the moment, it might deteriorate any time if the commodity prices could not be kept at a tolerable level, said sources attending the meeting.

‘We have stressed the need for arresting the soaring essential goods prices to maintain law and order, which is now at a satisfactory level,’ a deputy commissioner told E-Bangladesh.

They also suggested that government officials and employees should be provided with health cards so that they could get medical facilities free.

‘We have proposed that the government should introduce rations for government employees and officials to help them to cope with exorbitant prices of essential commodities,’ the Sherpur deputy commissioner, Samsunnahar Begum, told E-Bangladesh at the secretariat, adding that the government would consider the matter.

Talking with the reporters in his office, the cabinet secretary, Ali Imam Majumder, said, ‘The deputy commissioners have placed proposals concerning both national and local problems. They have recommended revising schedules of the development projects because of increase in construction material prices.’

In the first working session, chaired by the finance adviser, AB Mirza Azizul Islam in the Chief Adviser’s Office, the district administrators spoke about the difficulties the government officials and employees were facing with goods prices spiralling out of control, said official sources.

All other sessions were held at the Cabinet Division in the secretariat as was scheduled.

The deputy commissioners informed the government it had become almost impossible for government officials and employees to continue with the education of their children and ensure health facilities for their families with the limited incomes in the present situation.

‘Spiralling prices of essential commodities, law and order and poor implementation of the annual development programme were the issues widely discussed in the first day’s working sessions, also addressed by the home affairs adviser, MA Matin, the cultural affairs adviser, Rasheda K Chowdhury, and the establishment secretary, Md Abdus Salam.

Matin said the meeting discussed overall law and order of the country. ‘We have also discussed the police reform proposals with the deputy commissioners.’

The deputy commissioners requested the finance ministry for quick release of the fund allocated for development projects to ensure their proper and timely implementation.They informed the meeting of the impediments they faced in discharging their responsibilities, including mobile court operation and the preparation of reports on various cases after the separation of the judiciary that had come into force in November 2007.

The cabinet secretary in his address of welcome stressed the need for legal protection for deputy commissioners so that they could function better in protecting people’s interest.

The four-day annual conference was curtailed to three days.

The Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh has protested at the release of a list of war criminals naming a number of its leaders in it.

The convenor of the War Crimes Facts Finding Committee, MA Hasan, released a list of 1,597 war criminals at a news conference in Dhaka on Thursday.

The Jamaat leaders, including its incumbent amir Matiur Rahman Nizami and ex-amir Ghulam Azam, were named in the list.

In a statement on Friday, Jamaat publicity secretary M Tasnim Alam said releasing of such list is tantamount to taking law in own hand and it is contrary to democracy, international human rights, justice, civility and courtesy.

Hasan has no right to implicate Jamaat leaders as war criminals, he said. ‘Only the country’s highest court can declare anyone as war criminal. No individual, agency or organisation has any such right.’

The Jamaat leader accused Hasan of echoing the ‘provocative remarks made by an Indian intellectual, Hironmoy Karlekar, and Indian retired army general Jacob demanding trial of war criminals.’

He called upon the people to beware of the ‘deep conspiracy’ being hatched against the country.