BSS, Dhaka, 15 December : The nation celebrates the 40th Victory Day tomorrow with a fresh vow to materialize the dreams of three million martyrs as well as uphold the spirit of the hard- earned independence.
The day marking the nation's ultimate victory on 16 December in 1971 after a nine-month bloody War of Liberation will be celebrated all over Bangladesh and the country's missions abroad with paying glowing tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for relentlessly leading a struggle towards the country's independence.The grateful nation will pay their deep homage to those great valiant sons of the soil whose supreme sacrifices during the War of Liberation brought the long-cherished independence for the oppressed Bangalees on this day 39 years ago.
16 December is a day of historic triumph for the Bangalees but the most humiliating defeat for the Pakistanis. On this day in 1971, Pakistani Army General AAK Niazi led his 93,000 soldiers to bow under an instrument for unconditional surrender to the allied forces of Mukti Bahini and Indian army at the historic Race Course Maidan (now Suhrawardy Udyan) in Dhaka. န Photos : UNB
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Hike in petrol prices due to high international prices: Pranab
Kolkata, 15 December : The hike in petrol price was because of increase in prices of crude oil in the international market, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Wednesday.
“The price of crude oil in the international market has touched $90 a barrel. Petrol prices have been deregulated already. So the hike in price was in parity with international prices,” Mukherjee told reporters here.
Kolkata, 15 December : The hike in petrol price was because of increase in prices of crude oil in the international market, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Wednesday.
“The price of crude oil in the international market has touched $90 a barrel. Petrol prices have been deregulated already. So the hike in price was in parity with international prices,” Mukherjee told reporters here.
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Kolkata to host Five-day 'Bangladesh Utsav' from tomorrow
Bangladesh Film Festival as another event to add next year
Kolkata, 15 December : 'Bangladesh Utsav',an annual event to mark the country's victory over Pakistani forces in 1971, begins here tomorrow with an ensemble of the country's rich socio-cultural heritage being presented for the next five days.
Being held for the third year in a row and organised by the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission here, the event would see more than 200 leading artistes from Bangladesh representing different spheres of art and culture. Counsellor and Head of Chancery at the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission Tareq Md Ariful Islam and Press Secretary Kazi Moshtaque Zahir here today said apart from presenting a host of cultural events as many as 30 stalls would be set up within the Utsav complex to showcase famous Bangaldeshi saris like Dhakai and Jamdani besides other dress materials,a large variety of handicrafts and Bangladeshi cuisine.To a query on whether they were considering to hold the event in a wider and open space in view of its increasing popularity, Kazi Moshtaque Zahir replied in the positive. ''Yes we are on the look out for a bigger space to accommodate more people from next year,'' they said and disclosed their plan to include Bangladeshi Film Festival as another event to add more festivity to the Utsav concept.
Among popular Bangladeshi singers and artistes to participate in the Utsav are Shama Rehman, Aditi Mahsin, Nahid Choudhury, Sarmin Sathi, Bidit Lal, Bangladesh Silpakala Academy and Lalan Academy. န Last year's Photos : Shankar Mondal
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Chief Minister Buddhadeb to head WB security commission
Kolkata, 15 December : West Bengal government today decided that Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee will head the state security commission, replacing Health Minister Dr Surjya Kanta Mishra, following a Supreme Court directive."A government notification has been issued today," Home Department sources said. The decision was taken following the Supreme Court's directive that only the chief minister or home minister could head the commission, they said. The Supreme Court had earlier asked states to form state security commissions to formulate their own police policy and strengthen security, until a Model Police Act was framed by the Centre as part of police reforms.
The six-member commission retained Leader of the Opposition Partha Chatterjee, Justice (Retd) D K Bose, Member State Human Rights Commission S N Roy, Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh and the DGP Naparajit Mukherjee as members. န File Photo
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International Monetary Fund to provide US$ 1billion: Muhith
Dhaka, 15 December : Bangladesh Finance Minister AMA Muhith Wednesday said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would provide US$ 1 billion to Bangladesh under its Extended Credit Facility for the next three years.
“IMF assistance of US$ 1 billion under its Extended C edit Facility (ECF) for three years would be finalized soon. Hopefully, it will be passed by its Board in February,” he said while briefing reporters after an IMF delegation called on him in his ministry.
Dhaka, 15 December : Bangladesh Finance Minister AMA Muhith Wednesday said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would provide US$ 1 billion to Bangladesh under its Extended Credit Facility for the next three years.
“IMF assistance of US$ 1 billion under its Extended C edit Facility (ECF) for three years would be finalized soon. Hopefully, it will be passed by its Board in February,” he said while briefing reporters after an IMF delegation called on him in his ministry.
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HC rejects Nizami’s petition for quashing Int’l Crimes Tribunal proceedings against himUNB, Dhaka, 15 December : The High Court on Wednesday summarily rejected the plea of Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami, a war crime accused now detained, seeking quashing of the proceedings of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) against him.
After hearing both sides for five days, a division bench comprising Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Justice AKM Abdul Hakim delivered the judgment terming incompetent the petition as the trial is yet to commence and no formal charge has been framed against the petitioner by the ICT.
The day’ HC order cleared the way for the trial of the war crimes to be conducted uninterrupted by the International Crimes Tribunal set up at the Old High Court building. Emerging from the court, Additional Attorney General MK Rahman told reporters that following the HC ruling the consequence will be the same for the three other identical petitions filed by detained Jamaat secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, assistant secretaries general M Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla.
Earlier, on 23 August this year, the High Court rejected a writ petition filed by the detained accused war criminals challenging the validity of the Constitution’s first amendment, along with certain sections of the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973 under which the war crimes trial is being held. န Photo : UNB
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"Dhaka Stock Exchange" hits lowest ebb in three months
Dhaka, 15 December : Turnover at Dhaka Stock Exchange hit the lowest ebb in three months, while the general index slipped by 1.77 percent due to heavy sale pressure.
The turnover stood at Tk 12.69 billion on Wednesday, 18 percent lower than the previous session. Earlier on 13 September, the turnover at the DSE slipped to Tk 10.28 billion.
Dhaka, 15 December : Turnover at Dhaka Stock Exchange hit the lowest ebb in three months, while the general index slipped by 1.77 percent due to heavy sale pressure.
The turnover stood at Tk 12.69 billion on Wednesday, 18 percent lower than the previous session. Earlier on 13 September, the turnover at the DSE slipped to Tk 10.28 billion.
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Pakistan likely to host B'desh full series Cricket next year
IANS, Karachi, 15 December : Pakistan is confident of hosting Bangladesh in what will be a ground-breaking home series next year after its cricket chief had a fruitful meeting with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials in Dhaka.
Ijaz Butt, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, met top Bangladesh cricket officials in Dhaka on the sidelines of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting and discussed the possibility of Bangladesh visiting Pakistan in 2011. Butt said Wednesday that the BCB has shown its willingness on sending a Bangladesh team to Pakistan for a full series.
IANS, Karachi, 15 December : Pakistan is confident of hosting Bangladesh in what will be a ground-breaking home series next year after its cricket chief had a fruitful meeting with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials in Dhaka.
Ijaz Butt, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, met top Bangladesh cricket officials in Dhaka on the sidelines of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting and discussed the possibility of Bangladesh visiting Pakistan in 2011. Butt said Wednesday that the BCB has shown its willingness on sending a Bangladesh team to Pakistan for a full series.
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P Chidambaram reiterates appeal to N-E militants for talks
New Delhi, 15 December : Militancy-related violence in northeastern states barring Assam and Manipur was subsiding, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Wednesday and appealed to all rebels to come forward for talks.
The Centre, he said, was working for solving problems of the northeastern states and stressed that peace was necessary for good governance. Reiterating his call to militants, he told civil society representatives in interior Churanchandpur in Manipur that development in all fields would suffer if there was no peace.
New Delhi, 15 December : Militancy-related violence in northeastern states barring Assam and Manipur was subsiding, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said on Wednesday and appealed to all rebels to come forward for talks.
The Centre, he said, was working for solving problems of the northeastern states and stressed that peace was necessary for good governance. Reiterating his call to militants, he told civil society representatives in interior Churanchandpur in Manipur that development in all fields would suffer if there was no peace.
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Behrampore Congress activists block Mamata's Rail track
PTI, Kolkata, 15 December : Congress activists today blocked rail tracks near Sagardighi in Murshidabad district, where Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to attend a function.
Congress workers set up banners on the tracks and shouted slogans demanding a road overbridge at Behrampur and doubling of the lines from Plassey to Behrampore in the district. Earlier in the day, Congress leader and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee called off his scheduled visit to Sagardighi for attending the function after the helicopter in which he was to fly was stated to have developed a technical problem !!
PTI, Kolkata, 15 December : Congress activists today blocked rail tracks near Sagardighi in Murshidabad district, where Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to attend a function.
Congress workers set up banners on the tracks and shouted slogans demanding a road overbridge at Behrampur and doubling of the lines from Plassey to Behrampore in the district. Earlier in the day, Congress leader and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee called off his scheduled visit to Sagardighi for attending the function after the helicopter in which he was to fly was stated to have developed a technical problem !!
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BDR obstructs survey of disputed Indo-Bangladesh border
PTI, Shillong, 15 December : Around 20 Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) personnel today entered India and allegedly prevented a joint team of survey officials from carrying out an exercise of verification of the disputed Indo-Bangla border stretches.
Government sources told PTI the 20-odd BDR personnel entered Pyrdiwah area and confronted the survey officials of Meghalaya and Bangladesh before returning.
This followed yesterday's incident when some 40 BDR men, allegedly backed by armed Bangladeshis, prevented survey officials from carrying out the exercise twice during the day prompting BSF to chase them away on both the occasions.
PTI, Shillong, 15 December : Around 20 Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) personnel today entered India and allegedly prevented a joint team of survey officials from carrying out an exercise of verification of the disputed Indo-Bangla border stretches.
Government sources told PTI the 20-odd BDR personnel entered Pyrdiwah area and confronted the survey officials of Meghalaya and Bangladesh before returning.
This followed yesterday's incident when some 40 BDR men, allegedly backed by armed Bangladeshis, prevented survey officials from carrying out the exercise twice during the day prompting BSF to chase them away on both the occasions.
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I signed surrender document with trembling hands : Niazi
BSS, Dhaka, 15 December : Commander of the defeated Pakistani troops Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi has admitted he had signed the surrender deed on 16 December, 1971 with trembling hands while a deep sense of frustration gripped him.
As I signed the document with trembling hands, sorrow rose from my heart to my eyes brimming them with unshed tears of despair and frustration," Niazi wrote in an autobiography titled "Betrayal of East Pakistan", which he wrote years after the incident.
As I signed the document with trembling hands, sorrow rose from my heart to my eyes brimming them with unshed tears of despair and frustration," Niazi wrote in an autobiography titled "Betrayal of East Pakistan", which he wrote years after the incident.
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Surrender document prepared with a soft approach : Jacob
BSS, Dhaka, 15 December : A high profile Indian general who was tasked to negotiate and organise the Pakistani surrender in 1971, said the surrender deed was prepared with a soft approach so it did not appear very "offensive" to the defeated Pakistani force.
"When we were drafting the Instrument of Surrender we had tried to word it in such a manner that it would not be offensive," said Jacob in a autobiography titled "Surrender at Dacca", he wrote years after the historic event. Jacob, the then chief of general staff of the Indian Eastern Command, reiterated his view to BSS during a Dhaka visit saying, "history has shown that rigid, uncompromising surrender terms have had adverse repercussions in succeeding years".But Jacob recalled the entire episode of negotiation and laying down of weapons were done within few hours as the joint command of Bangladesh forces and Indian army decided the ceremony to be held on 16 December, 1971.
"At 0915 hours (9.15 am) on 16 December, (Indian army chief) General Manekshaw spoke to me on the telephone telling me to go to Dacca (Dhaka) immediately to organize the surrender so that it formally took place that same evening," Jacob said.
On receipt of the order, Jacob said, he asked Manekshaw to specify the terms on which he would negotiate when he was instructed "not to be difficult" and that he should apply his own senses in carrying out the crucial task.
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