Saturday, November 14, 2009

Dhaka, Delhi to sign on prisoner exchange

Dhaka, Nov 14 (bdnews24.com)—Dhaka and New Delhi are set to sign three agreements, including one on prisoner exchange, during prime minister Sheikh Hasina's upcoming visit to India, foreign secretary Md Mijarul Quayes said on Saturday.

The other two are for mutual legal assistance on criminal matters and one on combating international terrorism, organised crimes and illegal drug trafficking.

Briefing journalists after meeting his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao on Saturday, Quayes said, "We have received appreciation from the Indian government on security related issues."

India has long blamed Bangladesh for harbouring anti-India groups, in particular banned separatist organisations. However, that tone has changed as a string of top Indian militants have been caught by Bangladesh authorities in recent months.

The Indian foreign secretary arrived in Dhaka Saturday, on a two-day visit, to prepare the ground for Sheikh Hasina's visit in December.

Rao also met prime minister Sheikh Hasina, foreign minister Dipu Moni and leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia.

Quayes told reporters after his meeting with Rao that India had "responded positively" to giving Bangladesh railway passage through Indian territory to carry its products to Nepal.

He told a briefing at the foreign ministry, "The India side has responded positively to giving us railway transit through three bordering points (Birol-Radhikapur, Rahanpur-Singhabad and Chilahati-Haldibari)."

He said they also discussed implementation of the Dhaka-Delhi joint agreements reached during foreign minister Dipu Moni's visit to India in September.

Rao told journalists at state guest house Padma after her talks with Quayes, "This is a significant visit. We discussed different issues of the joint agreements."

Quayes said, according to a joint statement by the two sides after Dipu Moni's visit, Bangladesh would allow India to carry machinery to its northeastern states to set up a power plant.

Replying to a question on whether Bangladesh would give India multi-modal transit facilities via Ashuganj, Quayes said, "There was no mention of declaring Ashuganj as a port of call in the joint statement".

He, however, said any development could take place during the highest-level—i.e. upcoming prime minister-level—visit.

The two also resolved to outstanding border problems "as soon as possible".

"[Rao] said border killings must stop immediately," said Quayes.

Frequent killings of Bangladeshis by the India's Border Security Force is one of the thorny issues between the two countries.

There are more than five kilometres of un-demarcated land boundary between Bangladesh and India.

BNP hints at accepting final Bangabandhu trial verdict

Dhaka, Nov 13 (bdnews24.com)--The main opposition BNP, which the ruling Awami League accuses of aiding the assassins of independence hero "Bangabandhu' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has hinted at accepting the Supreme Court's final judgement in the murder trial.

"The nation will accept the final verdict the Supreme Court hands down to the real accused," BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain said on Friday.

The top court set Nov 19 for the final verdict as hearing of appeals by death convicts ended on Thursday.

Speaking at a programme of the party's student front, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, in Ramna in the capital, Delwar, however, was critical of attorney general Mahbubey Alam and prosecution counsels.

"It does not appear that justice and rule of law are there."

"The way the attorney general and state lawyers are dropping hints about the final verdict before its delivery is inconsistent with the independent judicial system."

Military coups and counter-coups after the assassination of president Sheikh Mujib on Aug 15, 1975 saw major general Ziaur Rahman taking state power.

Gen Zia later founded BNP to back his political ambitions.

Awami League alleges that Zia had aided and abetted the killers of Sheikh Mujib.

'Govt won't back away from war crimes trial'

Dhaka, Nov 13 (bdnews24.com)--The government will not submit to any pressure from home and abroad to stop the planned trial of war crimes in the 1971 independence war, the planning minister has said.

Many refer to local and foreign powers to resist the trial, said AK Khandaker, also Sector Commanders' Forum that has been campaigning for the trial.

"These powers are nothing before people's will."

"We made the country independent in 1971 in the face of the entire world's opposition except India."

"Those who we fear might stand for war criminals were also our enemies in 1971. So, the government will not yield to these hurdles," he said at a views-exchange meeting with students at the Senate Bhaban at Dhaka University on Friday.

Former army chief Harun-Or-Rashid fears that the country may slip into a terrible chaos once the war crimes trial begin.

"So, the government has had to move cautiously though it is sincere about trying 'war criminals'."

"They are holding many big posts in parties and may try to foil the trial process by using their political powers. This is why the trial process is taking time to begin," he explained.

In answering to a query, he said, "Coups took place 19 times in the army against (former president Gen Ziaur Rahman) for rehabilitating war criminals in politics. He cruelly quelled those coups."

"He completed the hanging process of 77 army men in one day. Of course, he lost his life in such a coup."

On May 30, 1981, a group of army officers shot dead Zia at Chittagong Circuit House.

Many incidents get lost forever in the army, he commented.

"Families of many army members, who were killed during the tenure of Zia, do not know where their dear ones are."

Dhaka University vice chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique moderated the meeting.