Staff Correspondent, Dhaka Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain today urged the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to facilitate safe and regular migration for skilled human resources. He made this call when the new Chief of Mission of IOM to Bangladesh, Lance Bonneau, submitted his Letter of Credence at the foreign ministry, according to a ministry press release. Welcoming the new IOM Chief, the foreign affairs adviser emphasized the importance of creating databases for job seekers and utilizing digital tools for skills profiling and matching. Bonneau noted that maintaining the integrity of regular migration is a key priority in IOM’s strategic plan. The Foreign Adviser assured Bonneau of his ministry’s full support in carrying out IOM’s activities in Bangladesh.

Staff Correspondent, Dhaka The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) today set December 19 for submitting probe report over allegations of killings, genocides and crimes against humanity against eight former security officials, including former director general (DG) of NTMC sacked Maj Gen Ziaul Ahsan, whom the prosecution compared with Serbian atrocious war criminals Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic. The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, fixed the date as the prosecution pleaded for two months time for submitting report on investigation against the alleged crimes committed by the arrested top security officials. The other seven accused are- former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, former additional superintendent of police (ASP) Abdullahel Kafi, former deputy commissioner (DC) Mirpur Zone Md Jasim Uddin Mollah, former Additional Superintendant of Police (ASP) Md Shahidur Islam, former officer-in-charge of Jatrabari Police Station Abul Hasan, former officer-in-charge of Gulshan Police Station Mazharul Islam and former detective branch (DB) of police inspector Arafat Hossain. The tribunal also ordered to keep the eight accused in detention. Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam at the start of today`s proceedings pleaded for two months time to submit report of investigation into the alleged killings, genocides and crimes against humanity committed by the accused, saying the extent of the crimes committed by them is almost beyond the imagination. "Around 2,000 people were killed, more than 25,000 were injured in the July-August mass uprising. We have received only 200 complaints so far. They have been accused of planning, preparation for the heinous crimes, ordering, abetment, complicity, inciting and participating in the crimes. We have received so many evidences that we need time to collect and compile those in order. Even the devil would be afraid of committing the crimes committed by these accused," the chief prosecutor said. Muhammad Tajul Islam at that time read out a summary of the allegations brought against the accused. Implicating former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun for all the crimes committed during the July-August mass uprising, the chief prosecutor said police, its different units like DB, CID and APBn, and RAB worked under his supreme command, and carried out the barbaric crimes that are rare in history. "He, being the supreme commanded, bears the liabilities behind all the crimes as he was in the superior position," the chief prosecutor said. Comparing former director general (DG) of National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) sacked Maj Gen Ziaul Ahsan with the Serbian atrocious war criminals Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, Tajul said as they were known as "Butcher of the Balkans", Ziaul Ahsan was the butcher of Bangla. "He was the father of culture of enforced disappearance, torturing people in different torture centers, killing and disposal of the bodies. Whoever tried to raise their voice against Awami League government, Ziaul Ahsan, first being the senior official of RAB and later as the DG of NTMC, abducted them, made them victims of enforced disappearance, tortured them, put them through near death experience. Many of his victims are yet to return home," the chief prosecutor added. "During his tenure as NTMC DG, Ziaul Ahsan imported many globally banned technologies or equipments, only to keep the people of opposite ideology and opinion under surveillance. Even during the July-August student-led mass uprising, the information blackout enforced by then government, was done following his order so that the people in and outside the country cannot learn about the atrocities being carried out by the government and its machineries," he said. The chief prosecutor also narrated the crimes of Abdullahel Kafi, Md Shahidur Islam and Arafat Hossain in short, saying the police killed more than one hundred people in a single spot in Savar under Kafi`s order. "We will never be able to forget the horrific story of Asadul Yamin, who was shot and became unconscious. Then he was brutally thrown from an Armoured Personnel Carrier. He was left to die from his injuries as they barred people to take him to hospital. They were the officers, under whose guidance bodies of the protesters were set on fire to hide the evidences," Tajul said. Meanwhile, at the end of today`s proceedings, sacked Maj Gen Ziaul Ahsan stood up inside the box, where he was made to sit with other accused, in the courtroom, and pleaded for court`s permission to let him speak. "The job I used to do was a technical one. I never worked in any Ayna Ghar (torture camp)," he said at the time. ICT Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder at that time asked him to raise his points through his lawyers, adding, "Being a responsible person, you should obey the court rules. If you want to raise any points, tell those through your lawyer." The other members of the three-judge panel of the ICT are Justice Md Shofiqul Alam Mahmood and Judge M Mohitul Hoque Anam Chowdhury. Prosecutors Gazi Monawar Hossain Tamim, BM Sultan Mahmud and Abdullah Al Noman were present at the hearing today, among others.

Staff Correspondent, Dhaka Chief Adviser (CA) Dr Muhammad Yunus has said the tenure of the interim government will be less than four years, and its intention is to hold elections as quickly as possible. "I didn`t say that I will be [in power] for four years. This is the maximum term. But that`s not our intention. Our intention is to get it [hold polls] done as quickly as possible," he said while responding to a question during an interview with Qatar-based media Al Jazeera. Yunus said the exact timeframe for the interim government`s tenure has not been determined yet. "It should be under four years, that`s for sure. It may be less," he said. The chief adviser said it is all about what people and political parties want. "If political parties say, `Forget about it (reform), give the election,` we will do it," Yunus said. Asked if he plans to stand for election, Yunus said: "I am not a politician. I enjoy my role and what I am doing." In the interview, Yunus acknowledged the challenges ahead. “Bangladesh is deep in corruption because of the system that we had for the past 15 years – mismanagement, misgovernance, the destruction of our institutions,” he said, adding that rebuilding the system “point by point, sector by sector” will be a “big task.”

Staff Correspondent, Dhaka BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman has called upon people from all walks of life to extend their helping hands to those affected during the recent student-led mass movement, saying if the BNP forms a government with public support, different institutions and establishments across Bangladesh will be named after martyrs of the uprising. Speaking virtually at a wheelchair distribution program on Monday, Tarique said: “I call upon every person in society to come forward to help the people affected by the movement according to their ability.” Amra BNP Poribar arranged the program at the National Press Club to distribute wheelchairs among 10 people maimed during the recent student movement against Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic regime. BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the current interim government was formed with the support of the BNP and others who had carried out movements to oust the Sheikh Hasina regime. “We are still supporting this government.” He, however, said the chief adviser’s remarks during an interview with an international media outlet about the tenure of the government for four years to carry out reforms are a matter of concern. The BNP leader said politicians have led state reforms for ages and will carry out the necessary reforms, while the current government can make some suggestions. He said the government may try to prolong its power in the name of reforms due to some complications or any evil plan. “It is a matter of concern for us. The country’s people want to know why four years will be necessary for the reforms and the election.”

Staff Correspondent, Dhaka Diplomats representing 27 European countries, stationed in Dhaka and New Delhi, will together meet Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus soon in a show of support to his interim government and boost economic cooperation with Bangladesh. "Never before, 27 ambassadors from the European Union have come together to discuss with the government," said Prof Yunus. The reason for this meeting is to express the EU`s support and to develop high-level cooperation in the economic field, he said on Sunday evening in his televised speech to the nation. Twenty ambassadors from 20 European countries are based in New Delhi, and seven ambassadors are based in Dhaka. The twenty European ambassadors from Delhi will come to Dhaka in the next few days to meet Prof Yunus together with the seven ambassadors based in Dhaka. The ambassadors of various countries who voluntarily met Prof Yunus in Dhaka have already reiterated the commitment of their heads of government. They have started working on a completely new framework for helping the interim government. "The ambassadors who are based in Delhi have come from Delhi to meet me," Prof Yunus said. Ambassadors from many countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Turkey, Russia, Finland, Singapore, and Libya, have already met Prof Yunus. He said the diplomats have assured him of increasing trade and investment, along with various bilateral cooperation.