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News
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2016
Police want to close Kalpana Chakma case
‘BD eager to join IndoMyanmar-Thai highway’
n Muktasree Chakma Sathi
Bangladesh ‘wants to join’ India-Myanmar-Thailand (IMT) trilateral highway to boost regional connectivity for greater economic gains, according to a BBC report. The IMT trilateral highway is a highway under construction that will connect Moreh, India with Mae Sot, Thailand via Myanmar and likely to be completed by 2020. The ambitious three-nation highway that will connect India with Thailand through Myanmar is a central plank of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Act East policy, which seeks to boost trade and
Kalpana Chakma abduction case would come into halt as the investigators have failed to gather any further information about the case. The police urged to court to end the investigation when they submitted the investigation report to the Rangamati Court recently, said court sources. Police submitted the report to the Rangamati Court on September 27, 2016. However, the information came into light yesterday. The investigation reports said that in the last 20 years total 39 investigation officers of police investigated the sensational abduction case but all of them failed to gather any further information about Kalpana abduction. They also failed to find out the indigenous women rights activist. While contacted, Sayed Tariqul Hasan, superintendent of Rangamati Police, said, “We have followed every instructions given by the court. Still we did not get any further information. That’s why we seek court order to halt the case.” Claiming that police have given
n Tribune Desk
Tracts Commission, also said: “My biggest question is that whether the state institution can give notion to the perpetrators if they able to hide their victims, the police will eventually close the case,” Kalpana Chakma, an indigenous and women rights activist was abducted from her village home at New Lalyaghona village in Baghaichari upazila of Rangamati, just hours before polling to the seventh national elections on 12 June, 1996. Kalpana had been campaigning for Bijay Ketan Chakma, then senior presidium member of Pahari Gana Parishad, supported by all hill peoples’ organisations which were then active. Kalindi Kumar Chakma, brother of Kalpana, also an eye witness of the abduction, alleged that of law enforcement agency member Lieutenant Ferdous along with the help Nurul Haque and Salah Ahmed, members of Village Defence Police (VDP), abducted Kalpana. Later, Kalindi filed a case and Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) has been providing legal help in this case after its filing. l
full of its efforts to find out Kalpana, he also said, “In the investigation report we have said that if we receive any information in future about the case, we will start investigation again.” Though police want to halt the case, right activists claimed that police cannot halt the investigation. Renowned rights activist Khushi Kabir said: “Police cannot halt any investigation whether or not they trace any missing person.” Khushi Kabir, also a member of International Chittagong Hill
connectivity with Southeast Asia. The road is expected to boost trade and commerce in the Asean-India Free Trade Area, as well as with the rest of Southeast Asia. There is a plan for extending the highway to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. At this moment, discussions are going on to include Bangladesh in the planned tri-nation highway through Bimstec. The BBC Bangla report claimed that ahead of the Bimstec Outreach meeting, Bangladesh has conveyed that its one of the key aims at the outreach meeting will be to get connected with Thailand and South East Asia. l
Israel cuts ties with Unesco over holy site Conjoined twins abandoned n BBC
Israel has frozen co-operation with the UN’s cultural agency, accusing it of denying Judaism’s connections to the religion’s holiest sites. Its education minister said a Unesco draft decision concerning Jerusalem “denies history and encourages terror”. It comes after the body approved a text which repeatedly used only the Islamic name for a hilltop complex which is also the holiest site in Judaism. The site is known to Jews as the Temple Mount and Haram al-Sharif to Muslims. The draft decision, submitted by several Arab countries, criticises Israel’s activities at holy places in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. While acknowledging the “importance of the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls for the three monotheistic religions”, the document refers to the sacred hilltop only by the name “al-Aqsa Mosque/al-Haram al-Sharif” (Noble Sanctuary).
committee stage by 24 votes in favour, six against, and 26 abstentions. Two countries were absent. It will now be submitted to Unesco’s executive body, which will vote on whether to adopt it.
It is the location of two Biblical Jewish temples and is flanked by the Western Wall, venerated by Jews as part of the original supporting wall of the temple compound. Haram al-Sharif is also the place where Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven, and is the third holiest site in Islam. The draft refers to the precinct in front of the wall as “al-Buraq Plaza ‘Western Wall Plaza’” - placing single quote marks only around “Western Wall”, giving the name as it is known to Jews less weight than the one by which it is known to Muslims. The stated aim of the text was “the safeguarding of the cultural heritage of Palestine and the distinctive character of East Jerusalem”. It repeatedly denounced Israeli actions, including the use of force, imposition of restrictions on Muslim worshippers and archaeological work. Israel regards such criticism as politically motivated. The draft text was passed at
TEMPERATURE FORECAST FOR TODAY
DRY WEATHER LIKELY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16
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A pair of conjoined twins were abandoned by their parents at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) yesterday. They are joined at the heads with, four hands and two feet leaving. “The twins were born at an unidentied clinic in the capital and were brought to DMCH yesterday around 2:00am. Their parents abandoned them when they were taken to the Pediatric Surgery unit,”
‘Delusional decision’
Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett said Unesco was ignoring “thousands of years of Jewish ties to Jerusalem” and aiding “Islamist terror”. Unesco chief Irina Bokova criticised the draft resolution, saying “different peoples worship the same places, sometimes under different names. The recognition, use of and respect for these names is paramount.” However, Bennett said Bokova’s statement was insufficient. “Words are important, but they are not a replacement to the actions of the organisation she heads,” he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a Facebook post that Unesco had become a “theatre of the absurd” in taking “another delusional decision”. l 26
Rajshahi
DHAKA TODAY SUN SETS 5:31PM
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YESTERDAY’S HIGH AND LOW
TOMORROW SUN RISES 5:57AM
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20.7ºC Rajshahi
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DMCH Deputy Director Khaja Abdul Gafur told the Dhaka Tribune. DD Gafur also said that the twins are now undergoing treatment under the supervision of ward master Zillur Rahman as they have legal guardian at present. Their current condition according to DD Gafur is good moving, crying and urinating like regular infants while they wait to into surgery soon. “We are trying our best to save the twins and have kept them in the surgery ward,” he said. l
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Fajr: 5:20am | Zohr: 1:15pm Asr: 4:30pm | Magrib: 5:50pm Esha: 7:45pm Source: Islamic Foundation