From left (1) Cracks developed at the wall of Rabeya Mansion in Raja Pukur Lane area as city dwellers experienced a major tremor on Wednesday noon. (2) Cracks in Sonali Bank building at Bandarban (3) A Muslim devotee is seen performing Azan seeking Allah's help at Chowmuhoni area in city. Photos : Sadek Chowdhury & SK Morshed.
Samir Kanti Barua
Despite strong warning by the national and international geologists and seismologists that Chittagong is at the great risk of earthquake and tsunami in present day world no effective preventative measures are visible to cope with the eventuality.
The warning of weather office Dhaka on September 12 about a possible tsunami may risk coastal areas of Bangladesh and today's strong earthquake measuring at 6.0 in the Richter scale rocked Chittagong and other parts of south eastern regions of the country triggered instant panic among the people of coastal belt particularly of Chittagong .
The people of Chittagong passed the night of impending tsunami without sleep and today's strong tremor made them in gnawing sense of insecurity.
Eminent Australian geologist Phil Kumins in his article on September 6 in "Nature" journal warned that Chittagong which is at the mouth of the Bay Bengal is at the great risk of earthquake and tsunami across the globe.
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Huge VoIP equipments seized from Halishahar, Pathantuli
Staff Correspondent
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in separate drives on Wednesday seized a huge quantity of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) equipments and detained a person in connection with the illegal business from Halishahar and Pathantuli area. RAB sources said,
acting in a tip off, a squad of RAB- 7 conducted a drive at House no-7 of Block no-K in Halishahar at about 1:30 pm.
The team found at the six floor of the house that some miscreants were evading government taxes by conducting VOIP business illegally.
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Hearing of graft case against Shahjahan, Foisal deffered
Staff correspondent
A Chittagong Court here on Tuesday deferred the hearing of the graft case against Ex-Jamaat legislator Sahjahan Chowdhury and Foysal Morshed Khan, son of former minister M Morshed Khan and re-fixed November 15 for next hearing. The judge of Divisional Special Judge Court, Moznul Ahsan rescheduled the date as the lawyers of Sahjahan submitted a copy of stay order of High Court petitioned by Barrister Rafiqul Haque.
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BNP factions clash at Zia's mazar
UNB, Dhaka
Assault and chase of pro-reform BNP leaders near Zia's mazar and cancellation of discussions by rivals in the capital today (Wednesday) marked the former ruling party's observance of the National Revolution and Solidarity Day, commemorative of their leader's eventful emergence in political scene from the barracks.BNP Standing Committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman was assaulted while party leaders Mayor Sadeq Hossain Khoka and Maj Gen (retd) ZA Khan were chased by pro-Khaleda activists near the mazar at Chandrima Udyan in the morning, witnesses said.Police arrested three BNP workers from the trouble spot. They are Ali Arshad, 40, Zakir Hossain Kajol, 30, and Abul Bashar, 27.The BNP leaders went to the mazar of the slain former President and party founder, Zia, to offer fateha on the
occasion of the National Revolution and Solidarity Day. Expelled BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan was conscious by his absence.Witnesses said the brawl erupted at about 10:15am when former army chief Lt Gen (retd) Mahbub and senior party colleagues were returning after placing wreath at the mazar.Some BNP workers, believed faithful to Khaleda-Delwar leadership, called General Mahbub when he was about to get into his jeep at the Bijoy Sarani crossing. "As he got down, the workers caught hold of his collar and assaulted him," says a spot account of the incident.
Police, however, rescued him before things could turn for the worse.The angry BNP workers also chased Mayor Khoka and Maj Gen (retd) ZA Khan while they were returning in their respective cars. During the melee, Saudi Arabia chapter Sramik Dal president Zakir Hossain
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I, too, believe Sheikh Mujib is Father of the Nation : Col (Rtd) Rashid
bdnews24.com, Dhaka
Bangabandhu murder convict Khandaker Abdur Rashid has said in a TV interview aired early Wednesday that independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman should be the Father of the Nation. The lieutenant colonel (dismissed), convicted of killing Sheikh Mujib in Aug 15, 1975, said: "The Awami League thinks Sheikh Mujib is the Father of the Nation, so do I." Rashid in an interview with private television station Channel i said former president Ziaur Rahman was just a helping hand during the 1971 independence war. "Those who are trying to glorify the role of Ziaur Rahman to match the stature of Sheikh Mujib are mean-minded," he said. He however did not refuse to give any credit to Zia but added that it would be futile to equate Zia's role with the contribution of Sheikh Mujib. "I am not saying that Zia does not have any contribution to the liberation war," he said. "And who delivered the historic March 7 speech at Suhrawardy Uddyan? Was it Zia or Mujib?" Rashid questioned. The interview was aired at 1 am during a programme titled Tritiyo Matra on Channel i. It was not clear, though, where and when the interview was recorded. A grey-bearded Rashid appeared on TV in suit and tie.
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Benazir vows `long march' calls Musharraf to quit
Reuters, Islamabad
Former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto threatened on Wednesday to lead a mass protest march to the capital unless President Pervez Musharraf quits as army chief, holds elections and restores the constitution. Bhutto, leader of the largest opposition party and the politician most capable of mobilising street power, gave Musharraf until Friday to comply. Government officials have said national elections due in January will be held on time and a
UN mission in Myanmar appears headed for failure
AP, Yangon
A U.N. envoy's attempts to end Myanmar'spolitical crisis appeared headed for failure Wednesday after themilitary government rejected proposed talks with detained democracyleader Aung San Suu Kyi, saying it refuses to bow to big powers.U.N. diplomat Ibrahim Gambari seemed likely to leave Myanmar on Thursday without meeting with the country's most powerful figure,junta chief Senior Gen. Than Shwe.Gambari had proposed a three-way meeting among Suu Kyi, a junta member and himself to promote political reform and reconciliationfollowing the government's violent crackdown on pro-democracyprotests in September."Currently, the tripartite meeting will not be possible,"Information Minister Brig. Gen. Kyaw Hsan told Gambari on Tuesday,according to the state-run New Light of Myanmar