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Twists in politics of Peelkhana investigations
Sadeq Khan
The attempt to contain the BDR mutiny in February by "political" manoeuvres of the Prime Minister's emissaries led to belated discovery of the scale and savagery of Peelkhana massacre. The Director General with his family and all sector commanders of our border guards assembled in festive spirit for the BDR week were brutally killed.
The culprits were allowed ample time by white-flagging cool-down signalmen to hide the mutilated corpses of unsuspecting victims in camouflaged mass graves. The perceived indulgence of the mutineers by a declaration of general amnesty sparked spread of the mutiny to some outposts. Further time-lapse in ritual show of arms surrender gave cover for a behind-the-scene orgy of rape and pillage in the officers' quarters of Pilkhana. ..[ FULL STORY ]
NATION SITS ON GEOPOLITICAL MINEFIELD
Is the Govt. hidings omething?
M. Shahidul Islam
"An attack on my soldier is an attack on me," so declared a European king in 1648 following conclusion of the Treaty of Westphalia that had brought into vogue the concept of sovereignty after 30 years of bloody wars between various Kings, Vickers and Princes of Europe.
Ever since, sovereignty and soldiering have evolved almost symbiotically and the power of a sovereign nation began to be measured by the power of its armed forces, the quest for economic power running in tandem...[ FULL STORY ]
PEELKHANA MASSACRE PROBE
Faruk Khan's surprising U-turn
Mumtaz Iqbal
The past fortnight's verbal communiqués by Commerce Minister Lt. Col (retired) Faruq Khan recalled the timeless admonition during the First World War of Field Marshal Douglas Haig by British PM David LLoyd-George that "...you military men should not make the mistake of thinking that the seat of the intelligence is in the chin!"
This dictum applies to the Minister as demonstrated by his inappropriate remarks after being appointed Coordinator of the three probes-Anisuzzaman Khan and Army Commissions and CID-into the BDR mutiny...[ FULL STORY ]
BNP starts party restructuring
Abdur Rahman Khan
Facing manifold pressures from inside and outside, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition in Bangladesh, has geared up its pprogramme to revamp the party organisation in line with the suggestions received from grassroots consultation.
After the debacle in the general elections on December 28, BNP opted for soul-searching and consultation with the grassroots leaders to assess the causes of failure. Under a central plan, BNP held review meetings with the leaders of district, upazila and union levels in groups during the month of February.
Six central groups were formed to compile the reports for six divisions. The reports have already been submitted to party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. Only last week, she initiated meetings with senior leaders to review the divisional reports...[ FULL STORY ]
BDR mutiny probe report delayed
Special Correspondent
The government has extended its time for completion of the inquiry into BDR mutiny while Commerce Minister Lt Col (retd) Faruk Khan, who is the coordinator, has drifted away from earlier statement he made implicating JMB.
Meanwhile, the progress of the investigating agencies suggests that the incident was not due to the demand of the soldiers but also a pre-planned design to kill the senior officials in a bid to cripple the force.
The investigators have been able to pinpoint the killers and their abettors by analyzing the video footage, audio records and the eyewitness account of those present at BDR Darbar hall during the occurrence...[ FULL STORY ]
Bangladesh faces threats from
Islamist & Hindutvadis
M I Ali
Last week most newspapers failed to give due importance to a news item in which the Commerce Minister Faruk Khan confirmed that his claim of Islamist Fundamentalists' involvement in the BDR massacre was not based on report or assessment by any Bangladeshi intelligence agency. The BDR incident is probably the most serious threat to the stability of the country since its independence and can not be taken lightly. It is therefore unlikely that a senior minister of the government would make wild guesses on such an important matter.
In this age of the internet, all one has to do is to browse the Indian newspapers to realise that the intelligence agencies of that country are trying desperately to establish a link between the BDR incident and the Islamic Fundamentalists. They have created scenarios based on the BDR incident to present Bangladesh as a country where fundamentalist elements have infiltrated into our armed forces. This will be very damaging to Bangladesh as this country has the second largest contingent of UN Peacekeepers, ahead of India...[ FULL STORY ]
Editor shot dead in Assam
Nava Thakuria in Guawahati
Unidentified gunmen shot dead an editor of a newspaper in revolt-racked north-eastern province of Assam. Police said a group of gunmen fired several bullets at Anil Majumdar, editor of the Assamese daily 'Aji', while his driver was opening the gate of his house late on Tuesday in Guwahati.
Majumdar was killed instantly as the attackers fired indiscriminately with pistols from a close range, according to state police.
The killing came days after security officials warned journalists that rebel groups could target some of them ahead of an upcoming general election in India. Majumdar, who had been campaigning for peace talks between the separatist United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) with the government, was in his late 40s...[ FULL STORY ]
REMARKS OF TAJ, KHAN
Ministers causing great harm
to RMG, economy
Faisal Rahim
At a time when the country's business community is repeatedly urging the Government to distance the militancy issue from business to keep investment and exports - such as RMG or manpower - unimpeded, their cry goes unheeded.
State minister for home state minister for home affairs Tanzim Ahmed Sohel Taj on Tuesday last once again raised the militancy issue relating to business to bring new shock to the country's business community and the nation as a whole. He told reporters after a meeting with a BGMEA delegation that militants may hit this time the country's garment sector under the cover of some NGOs. He said especially some NGOs in the outskirts of Dhaka city may be at work to attack garment factories and destabilise them. He said the Government was keeping its eyes open to flash out the outfits...[ FULL STORY ]
GLIMPSES OF THE GREAT
Ronald Reagan
K. Z. Islam
The United States which Ronald Wilson Reagan (1911-2004) took over as President early in 1981 was not at ease with itself. Indeed, it was deeply unhappy at a public level. The strong presidency of Richard Nixon had been destroyed, leaving a vacuum of power. Into that vacuum stepped, a divided and leaderless Congress. President Gerald Ford did nothing to stop the rot. He had never been elected and did not have sense of rightful authority. His successor Jimmy Carter was a natural one-term president who found impossible to strike a national note. Both men ran a low-key presidency, stripping the White House of any element of grandeur...[ FULL STORY ]
FOLLOWERS DISCOVERED DIFFERENCES
'Mujib-Zia had best relations in their lifetime': Brig Gen. Zaman
Abdur Rahman Khan
Sheikh Mujbur Rahman and Ziaur Rahman, both the national leaders had best of their relations during their lifetime. However, it was unfortunate that their followers discovered differences between the two and created controversy on political line.
This has been the observation of Brigadiar General (rtd) Chowdhury Khalequzzaman, a former Ambassador and valiant freedom fighter. As a young captain the newly raised 8th East Bengal Regiment of Pakistan Army, Chowdhury Khalequzzamn, was closely associated with Major Ziaur Rahman, the then second in command of the unit who revolted on the dreadful night of March 25, 1971 instantly after the Pakistani Army went for the military crackdown.
"Zia was always respectful to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who also showed much love and affection to Zia" said Chowdhury Khalequzzaman adding while recalling his closeness with both the national leaders...[ FULL STORY ]
China demands replacement of US$ as global currency
Fazle Rashid in New York
The Rise of China as an economic, military and diplomatic player during the past three decades has been astonishing. And now China is deeply worried about "America's profligate spending endangering its $1trillion nest egg there."
There are only two countries in the world that matter, America and China. Thus in London next month the real business will not be the G20 meeting but the G2 summit between Presidents Obama and Hu Jintao, a reputed British magazine said.
Concerned about its huge dollar denominated reserve China is demanding replacement of the US dollar as an intervening currency by a new international currency. New currency reserve system controlled by International Monetary Fund (IMF) could prove more stable and economically viable, the New York Times quoted Zhou Xiaochuan, China's central bank governor as saying...[ FULL STORY ]
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