The European Union on Tuesday night (Jan. 6) assured BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman that it will stand beside Bangladesh with stronger and increased cooperation in the coming days. "They (the EU) said they would extend cooperation on a larger scale and with greater commitment in the days ahead," BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan told reporters after a meeting between Tarique Rahman and an EU delegation.
The delegation, led by European Union Ambassador Michael Miller, visited the BNP Chairperson's Gulshan office in the evening and held talks with Tarique Rahman on various issues. The meeting, which lasted for more than one and a half hours, mainly focused on the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election, BNP's views on holding a free and fair election, the overall political situation in the country, and the condition of workers in Bangladesh. During the meeting, Nazrul Islam said, Tarique Rahman thanked the European Union for its continued support to Bangladesh's development.
The Detective Branch filed charges against a total of 17 people, after the investigation into the murder of Sharif Osman Hadi, convener of Inqilab Moncho. The chargesheet was submitted Tuesday in the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in Dhaka. DB officer Shafiqul Islam said that Hadi had initiated a new kind of political movement. Because of this politics, Hadi was shot and killed under the orders and planning of Taizul Islam Chowdhury (Bappy), organisational secretary of Dhaka Metropolitan North Jubo League and former ward councilor of Mirpur.
Faisal Karim, identified as the shooter in the Osman bin Hadi murder case, is a former Chhatra League leader, and his accomplice, Alamgir, is a member of the Adabar Thana Jubo League. However, none of these three have been arrested, as they have reportedly fled to India, according to DB. In addition, Faisal Karim's brother-in-law and a fugitive named Philip are also involved in the shooting. So far, 12 people have been arrested in connection with the case.
Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has said that the Election Commission's decision to bear the accommodation and meal expenses of foreign election observers is imprudent, discriminatory, and contrary to impartial observation due to conflicts of interest. Referring to media reports, TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, in a statement issued today, said, "On the flimsy pretext that the vocal presence of foreign observers will enhance the acceptability of the election at national and international levels, the Election Commission's imprudent decision to bear their accommodation and meal costs is bound to be counterproductive."
"If the Commission can bear the accommodation and meal costs of foreign observers, why would the same arrangement not apply to domestic observers as well? How will the Election Commission answer this question?" the statement said. Furthermore, if this decision is implemented, on the one hand those receiving such facilities will face the risk of being perceived as hired agents.
The International Cricket Council told the Bangladesh Cricket Board that it was rejecting the latter's request to play Bangladesh's matches outside India due to security concerns. The ICC is understood to have told the BCB that Bangladesh will need to travel to India to play the T20 World Cup or risk forfeiting points. The BCB, though, has claimed no such ultimatum has been relayed to them by the governing body.
There has also been no official communication issued by either the BCCI or BCB on the outcome of Tuesday's call, which was arranged by ICC after BCB wrote in on Sunday asking to "consider" moving Bangladesh's matches outside India, after the BCCI "instructed" IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release Bangladesh fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman. The development comes nearly a month before the 20-team tournament starts in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 and concludes on March 8. Bangladesh, placed in Group C, are scheduled to play their first three matches in Kolkata.
