How Ershad became President?



Special Correspondent, Bartatwentyfour.com
HM Ershad, photo: collected

HM Ershad, photo: collected

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HM Ershad became president of Bangladesh in a newer way unknown to the people. Practically he became president removing the elected president of the republic through a bloodless coup.

The day was March 24, 1982. He became the Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA). He played all the game behind the screen of making Justice AFM Ahsanuddin Chowdhury as president removing the then President, Justice Abdus Sattar. Finally Ershad himself became president by removing Justice AFM Ahsanuddin Chowdhury on December 11 of 1983.  

There are two opinions about taking of power by Ershad. BNP claims that Ershad removed Justice Sattar on gun point while Ershad claimed that Jusice Sattar voluntarily handed over power to Ershad. 

While as CMLA he gave election in 1984. At that time the political parties boycotted the election that resulted in the suspension of the process. Then he wanted to consolidate his power through making a new political party for him. He first formed 18- point implementation committees across the country. That 18 -point committee was later on converted into Janadal. On August 16, 1985 he merged Janadal, UPP, Ganatantrik party, BNP(Shah), Muslim League(Sa) and formed National Front. After four months fourteen days Ershad formed Jatiya Party(JP) on January 1 of 1986. 

Ershad became president for the second time through a rigged and one sided election held on October 23 of 1986. He left his military uniform after this election. But though he brought an artificial democracy of his own style he could not finally saved himself. His downfall came on December 6 of 1990. 

He was in power for almost nine years. His frequent changing habits of the cabinet often created jokes in the country. His extra attraction to the eves was also very discussed feature of his character which continued till few years back. However he took some good initiatives for the overall development of the country. 

His initiatives of making the capital attractive and easy going were very much appreciable and visible. Twenty two new roads including Bijoy Sarani, Rokeya Sarani, Panthaapath, Dhaka city protection embankment, completion of the National Memorial at Savar, radical improvement of the communication system across the country by building and renovating the old and new road network connecting through bridges and bailey bridges were remarkable.   

He was the first ruler of this country who took historical decisions by decentralizing the administration. The upazilla system was the outcome of that decentralization system. He made 64 districts by dividing the existing 19 districts and at the same time 464 upazillas were also created. He took the High Court benches out side Dhaka to make the judiciary available to the poor people. However he had to amend the decision of setting up higher courts outsideDhaka and was again reinstated in the face stiff opposition by the both lawyers and bench members. He set up courts and jails in the upazillas.  

His drug policy, reforms in land law, sending troops to UN peacekeeping mission were some of his epoch making steps in state policy.  But the upazilla system was suspended for some time after his departure from power but Awami League revived the system.  

After he was dethroned in the face of popular movement several cases were filed against him in connection with Radar purchase, Janata Tower, Major General Manjur murder , procurement of equipments of BTV. After his resignation he was sent to jail where he had stayed for six years.

In 1990 being imprisoned he was elected from five Jatiya Sangsad seats in Rangpur. After that he was elected parliament member in every election. In 2008 he was elected MP from a Dhaka constituency.  

In 2014 after many dramas he became the special envoy (status of cabinet minister) of the Prime Minister after being elected as MP. In the current parliament he was elected from Rangpur -3.  He took the responsibility of the leader of Opposition in the parliament. Jatiya Party founded by Ershad played the role of Opposition party at a stretch for two terms, though many quarters term JP as a domestic opposition party of the ruling government.

   

Dhaka is the sixth most polluted city in the world, Seoul is on top



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Today, Dhaka is sixth in the list of the most polluted cities in the world. The air quality of the capital has become 'unhealthy' with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 172 at 6:50 am today.

South Korea's capital Seoul topped the air quality index with 343. South Korea's Incheon, Pakistan's Lahore, Vietnam's Chiang Mai and India's Delhi occupy the second, third, fourth and fifth places in the list with AQI scores of 217, 187, 179 and 177 respectively.

An AQI score between 101 and 200 is considered 'unhealthy' for sensitive groups. An AQI score between 201 and 300 is considered 'very unhealthy'. And an AQI between 301 and 400 is considered 'hazardous', posing a serious health risk to residents.

AQI in Bangladesh is determined based on 5 parameters of pollution, namely - Particulate Matter (PM10 & PM2.5), NO2, CO, SO2 and Ozone (O3).

Dhaka has been suffering from air pollution for a long time. Its air quality generally becomes unhealthy during winters and improves slightly during monsoons.

In March 2019, a report by the Department of Environment and the World Bank stated that the three main causes of Dhaka's air pollution are brick kilns, smoke from vehicles and dust from construction activities.

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Taka 400 crores laundered through digital Hundi, controlled by Dubai



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested 5 people for allegedly laundering around Tk. 400 crore abroad through Digital Hundi using Mobile Banking Service (MFS).

CID Chief Additional IGP Mohammad Ali Mia informed this in a press conference at CID headquarters on Thursday (March 28) afternoon.

The arrested are - Nasim Ahmed (62), the owner of Tasmia Associates, Fazle Rabbi Sumon (32), the territory sales manager of Agent SIM, Md. Kamruzzaman (33), Zahir Uddin (37), representative of Jet Robotics Apps Bangladesh and Khairul Islam alias Pius (34).

Additional IGP Mohammad Ali Mia said, a gang has smuggled around Tk. 400 crore abroad through digital Hundi using mobile banking services. Five members of this gang were arrested during the operation.

He said that Tk. 400 crores illegally came to Bangladesh through Jet Robotics app in the last few months. Police traced the app through intelligence.

He also said that the money of this gang was transacted from the Chattogram based distribution house. Five members of the gang were arrested in separate raids in Dhaka and Chattogram on Wednesday night.

He said that Tk. 28 lakh 51 thousand cash was seized from them at the time of arrest. He said that they used to rent development agent SIMS and deliver money through them to the grassroots level.

The head of CID said that Mamun, the master of this gang lives in Dubai. He is using agent SIM here. This app used for smuggling cannot work outside 48 SIM along the specific link sent from Dubai. Only seven people can enter this app.

Referring to this as a modern form of Hundi business, he said, money is being circulated in the country through this app by blocking remittances coming to Bangladesh. Already we got 5-7 more such organizations who are working like this.

He said, in the last three months, Tk. 400 crores have been hindered from coming to Bangladesh through Jet Robotic Apps. Five people using these apps have been arrested and their devices seized.

He said, Chattogram's development distribution house Tasmia Associates company has 1000 Bkash Agent SIMs. These agent SIMs who are not performing well, the agent SIMs provide DSOs to the users of Jet Robotic Apps.

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Demand for punishment for those responsible for electrocution death in Moulvibazar



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: barta24.com

Photo: barta24.com

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The death of 6 members of the same family due to electrocution in Moulvibazar is very shocking and heartbreaking. The chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Dr. Kamaluddin Ahmed said that the main responsible person and institution should be brought under accountability.

He made this comment at a discussion on 'Role of Media in Protection of Human Rights and Consumer Rights' organized by 'Business Digest' at a hotel in the capital on Thursday (March 28).

The Chairman of the Human Rights Commission said, after investigating the incident of Moulvibazar, appropriate legal action should be taken against those responsible and necessary measures should be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. We could not do anything for one family, but we have to do for hundreds of such families.

He also said that the issue of rights is directly and indirectly the daily practice of the media. Media can question all the irregularities; make people aware of their rights and duties and play an important role in establishing rights. We can carry out reformative activities only in view of the news published in the media.

Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmed called on the media workers to take all-out efforts to spread the necessary knowledge about the constitution, law and rights among the people.

At one stage of the discussion, he said about the recurrence of fires, we have not learned proper lessons from the big fires and explosions in Nimatli, Newmarket and Bangabazar in the past years. Had we taken effective measures, recurrence of fires could have been prevented.

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Suggestion to introduce Human Rights Wing in the Foreign Ministry



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

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Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recommended setting up a new wing on human rights to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The suggestion was made at the parliamentary committee meeting held at Jatiya Sangsad Bhavan on Thursday (March 28). After the meeting, this information was informed in a press release of the Parliament Secretariat.

The meeting recommended taking necessary steps to recognize March 25 as International Genocide Day. A proposal was made in the meeting to visit the Rohingya camps Kutupalong and Bhasanchar with the members of the Standing Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Chairman of the committee AK Abdul Momen chaired the meeting and members of the committee and Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, Shahriar Alam, Nahim Razzak, Nizam Uddin Jalil, Nurul Islam Nahid, Habibur Rahman, Saimum Sarwar, Zara Zabeen Mahbub took part in the meeting. #

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