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Praise, worry in Iran after Rushdie attack; government quiet
Iranians reacted with praise and worry Saturday over the attack on novelist Salman Rushdie, the target of a decades-old fatwa by the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini calling for his death.
It remains unclear why Rushdie's attacker, identified by police as Hadi Matar of Fairview, New Jersey, stabbed the author as he prepared to speak at an event Friday in western New York. Iran's theocratic government and its state-run media have assigned no motive to the assault.
But in Tehran, some willing to speak to The Associated Press offered praise for an attack targeting a writer they believe tarnished the Islamic faith with his 1988 book “The Satanic Verses.” In the streets of Iran’s capital, images of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini still peer down at passers-by.
“I don’t know Salman Rushdie, but I am happy to hear that he was attacked since he insulted Islam," said Reza Amiri, a 27-year-old deliveryman. “This is the fate for anybody who insults sanctities.”
Others, however, worried aloud that Iran could become even more cut off from the world as tensions remain high over its tattered nuclear deal.
“I feel those who did it are trying to isolate Iran," said Mahshid Barati, a 39-year-old geography teacher. “This will negatively affect relations with many — even Russia and China.”
Khomeini, in poor health in the last year of his life after the grinding, stalemate 1980s Iran-Iraq war decimated the country's economy, issued the fatwa on Rushdie in 1989. The Islamic edict came amid a violent uproar in the Muslim world over the novel, which some viewed as blasphemously making suggestions about the Prophet Muhammad's life.
"I would like to inform all the intrepid Muslims in the world that the author of the book entitled ‘Satanic Verses’ ... as well as those publishers who were aware of its contents, are hereby sentenced to death," Khomeini said in February 1989, according to Tehran Radio.
He added: "Whoever is killed doing this will be regarded as a martyr and will go directly to heaven."
Early on Saturday, Iranian state media made a point to note one man identified as being killed while trying to carry out the fatwa. Lebanese national Mustafa Mahmoud Mazeh died when a book bomb he had prematurely exploded in a London hotel on Aug. 3, 1989, just over 33 years ago.
Matar, the man who attacked Rushdie on Friday, was born in the United States to Lebanese parents who emigrated from the southern village of Yaroun, the town’s mayor Ali Tehfe told the AP.
Read: Author Salman Rushdie stabbed on lecture stage in New York
Yaroun sits only kilometers (miles) away from Israel. In the past, the Israeli military has fired on what it described as positions of the Iran-backed Shiite militia Hezbollah around that area.
At newsstands Saturday, front-page headlines offered their own takes on the attack. The hard-line Vatan-e Emrouz's main story covered what it described as: “A knife in the neck of Salman Rushdie.” The reformist newspaper Etemad's headline asked: “Salman Rushdie near death?”
The conservative newspaper Khorasan bore a large image of Rushdie on a stretcher, its headline blaring: “Satan on the path to hell.”
But the 15th Khordad Foundation — which put the over $3 million bounty on Rushdie — remained quiet at the start of the working week. Staffers there declined to immediately comment to the AP, referring questions to an official not in the office.
The foundation, whose name refers to the 1963 protests against Iran's former shah by Khomeini's supporters, typically focuses on providing aid to the disabled and others affected by war. But it, like other foundations known as “bonyads” in Iran funded in part by confiscated assets from the shah's time, often serve the political interests of the country's hard-liners.
Reformists in Iran, those who want to slowly liberalize the country's Shiite theocracy from inside and have better relations with the West, have sought to distance the country's government from the edict. Notably, reformist President Mohammad Khatami's foreign minister in 1998 said that the “government disassociates itself from any reward which has been offered in this regard and does not support it."
Rushdie slowly began to re-emerge into public life around that time. But some in Iran have never forgotten the fatwa against him.
On Saturday, Mohammad Mahdi Movaghar, a 34-year-old Tehran resident, described having a “good feeling” after seeing Rushdie attacked.
“This is pleasing and shows those who insult the sacred things of we Muslims, in addition to punishment in the hereafter, will get punished in this world too at the hands of people,” he said.
Others, however, worried the attack — regardless of why it was carried out — could hurt Iran as it tries to negotiate over its nuclear deal with world powers.
Since then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord in 2018, Tehran has seen its rial currency plummet and its economy crater. Meanwhile, Tehran enriches uranium now closer than ever to weapons-grade levels amid a series of attacks across the Mideast.
“It will make Iran more isolated,” warned former Iranian diplomat Mashallah Sefatzadeh.
While fatwas can be revised or revoked, Iran's current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who took over after Khomeini has never done so.
“The decision made about Salman Rushdie is still valid,” Khamenei said in 1989. “As I have already said, this is a bullet for which there is a target. It has been shot. It will one day sooner or later hit the target.”
As recently as February 2017, Khamenei tersely answered this question posed to him: “Is the fatwa on the apostasy of the cursed liar Salman Rushdie still in effect? What is a Muslim’s duty in this regard?”
Khamenei responded: “The decree is as Imam Khomeini issued.”
BNP sees Ganatantra Mancha in line with its call for united opposition
Welcoming the new political platform bringing together 7 political parties, BNP senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan on Tuesday said the emergence of an opposition alliance is a success for their party’s move to wage a united movement against the current government.
“We welcome the launch of Ganatantra Mancha. We have long been making the demands those they (new alliance) have mentioned,” he said.
Talking to reporters before a doa mahfil-cum discussion, the BNP leader said their party have been saying this regime has to resign and no election can be held under it, the parliament must be dissolved, the next polls must be arranged under a non-party neutral government and the Election Commission must be reconstituted.
“We have seen they (new alliance) are also making the same demands. So, we think this is a success of our efforts to initiate a united movement. We think this is a step forward for the future united movement,” he observed.
BNP arranged the programme at its Nayapaltan central office marking the Holy Ashura.
Read: Hasan Mahmud dismisses Ganatantra Mancha as out-of-touch, insignificant
Earlier on Monday, "Ganatantra Mancha”, (Democracy Forum) a new platform of seven opposition parties, was launched with the objective to oust the current government through a united movement.
The components of the alliance are Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rob), Nagorik Oikya, Bangladesher Biplobi Workers Party, Gonosamhati Andolon, Gono Odhikar Parishad, Bhasani Onusari Parishad and Rastra Sangskar Andolon.
Asked about the progress in their move to float a greater platform with the opposition parties for a simultaneous movement, Nazrul, a BNP standing committee member said, they are still working on it very carefully so that no one can foil their efforts.
As his attention was drawn to BNP standing committee members’ comments that this government cannot be ousted without harsher programmes like hartal and blockade, he said their party had been on a movement with harsher progrmames in 2014 and 2015.
“There are many ministers who also say, we cannot wage a movement…movement means people's protest and resistance in an organised way. It can be through hartal or through various other ways. It's not like we can’t enforce a hartal or a blockade. But why should we do it randomly at an inappropriate time?” Nazrul said.
Stating that political parties are getting organised against the government’s incompetence and failure to run the state, he said people will participate in their parogrammes tremendously in the days to come out of their growing anger.
The BNP leader alleged that the ruling party leaders are making unguarded remarks about BNP and its movement out of fear to face a fall. “There is reason to be confused with their remarks. They are in great danger."
Ecnec postpones Tk 236-crore project of Teletalk to save dollars
The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday suspended a Tk 236-crore project of Teletalk on commercial introduction of 5-G services in the capital as a part of the government's austerity measures amid the global crisis.
But the Ecnec approved seven other development projects with the estimated cost of Tk 2,007.57 crore (only additional costs of the three revised projects were counted here).
The approval came from the Ecnec meeting held at the NEC conference room. Prime Minister and Ecnec chair Sheikh Hasina joining it through a virtual platform from her official residence Ganobhaban.
Also read: PM: BNP plundered national resources during its rule
"Today's meeting approved seven projects, but postponed a fresh project of Teletalk," said Planning Minister MA Mannan while briefing reporters.
He said the Teletalk project was postponed as it would cost dollars from the country's reserve of foreign currencies but it is so much essential right now.
The minister said the project was not cancelled. It will be implemented later, he added.
The new project titled " Commercial Introduction of 5-G technology in the Teletalk Network in Dhaka Metropolitan area" involving Tk 236.54 crore was designed to implement by December 2023.
The main objectives of the project include to introduce 5-G technology commercially, to raise interest among the people over 5-G technology, and encourage other mobile phone operators to introduce 5-G services.
The largest project among four fresh ones approved in the meeting is "Land Acquisition, providing compensation to the victims and their rehabilitation in order to establish the divisional headquarters for Mymensigh Division Project" with the cost of Tk 1,224.81 crore.
Also read: PM urges the youth to acquire skills to become entrepreneurs
Three other new projects are "Strengthening research activities of Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA)" with the estimated cost of Tk 164.01 crore; "Procurement of Equipment and Machineries from Belarus for Selected Municipalities and City Corporations" with Tk 150.62 crore; and "Extension and Modernisation of Dhaka Central Drug Addiction Treatment Centre" with Tk 162.34 crore.
The three revised projects are Rehabilitation of 67A, 67, 67B and 68 polders along the Naf River in Ukhia and Teknaf Upazilas to improve the border security on Bangladesh- Myanmar Border (first revised) project" with additional cost of Tk 227.02 crore (Now the cost raised to Tk 368.67 crore); Uttara Lake Development (1st revised) Project with additional cost of Tk 53.41 crore (now cost is Tk 90.74); and Jail Training Centre, Rajshahi (1st revised) project with additional cost of Tk 25.36 crore (now cost is Tk 98.78.crore).
Government aims to provide safe and healthy fish for all: Minister
Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim on Saturday said that the government’s plan is to ensure supply of safe and healthy fish to everyone.
He said this at a press briefing held at the meeting room of the Fisheries Department at the Fisheries Building in the capital.
Stating that the government has been able to bring massive changes in the fisheries sector, the Minister said that the government is now aiming to produce fish safe for everyone.
“This year’s National Fisheries Week will be celebrated between July 23 and July 29 keeping this aim in mind”, Rezaul said.
Fish production in the country has more than doubled in last 16 years. At present, the fisheries sector contributes 3.57 percent to the country’s overall GDP and 26.50 percent to the agricultural GDP. Besides, Bangladesh is at 3rd position in fish farming in open water and at 5th position regarding fish farming in closed water.
“All of these developments have been possible due to the goodwill of entrepreneurs and patronage from the government,” said Rezaul.
Rezaul added that scientists at the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute in Mymensingh have brought back a total of 36 fish species from extinction.
Read: Hilsa will soon be on platter of common people, says Rezaul
“Exploratory ships are conducting research in the Bay of Bengal to learn what types of fishes constitute the aquatic life there. Shrimp has been recognized as a Geographically Indicated (GI) product. We’re currently exporting fish to 52 countries of the world,” added Rezaul.
“The government has established three modern laboratories to control the quality of fishes. All these developments indicate the revolution that is going on in the country’s fisheries sector,” Rezaul further said.
The Minister also said that Bangladesh is among the three countries which have been successful in producing fishes during tough times like the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This has been possible because the government has provided incentives to the fish farmers and fought both domestic and international crises regarding fish production during the Covid period,” said Rezaul.
The Minister mentioned that Bangladesh produced 299,000 tons of Hilsha fish in FY 2008-09, which has increased to 5,65,000 tons by FY2020-21.
“The government is working to increase Hilsha production so that people from all walks of life can taste the fish,” said Rezaul.
Secretary of Fisheries and Livestock Ministry Muhammad Yamin Chowdhury, Additional Secretaries Shyamal Chandra Karmaker and Md Abdul Kaiyum, and other senior officials of the fisheries ministry and the fisheries department were present at the press briefing.
No more caretaker government in Bangladesh: Law Minister
Law Minister Anisul Huq on Saturday said that as the highest court of the country has declared caretaker government system illegal, there won’t be any such government in the country before the next general elections.
The minister added that the government will abide by this decision because it believes in the rule of law.
The minister was speaking to journalists after attending an event titled ‘National Stakeholder Consultation on Institutional of Paralegal Approach’ at a city hotel.
“The Election Commission has been established following laws of the land to conduct elections. The current commission is capable of holding a free and fair election. So there won’t be any need of anything else,” said Anisul.
Read: Law Minister contracts Covid-19
Anisul reiterated that elections are held under partisan governments all over the world. Same will happen in Bangladesh too.
The minister hoped that all the political parties will join the elections that will be held under the current government.
Replying to a question, Anisul said that if any leader or activist from the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is in jail for political reasons, he/she will be freed. But this won’t be the case for those who are convicted in cases.
“In the second scenario, the detainees will need the court’s help to come out of jail,” Anisul said.
Also read: Cases under DSA decline: Law Minister
The event was presided over by Md Golam Sarwar, Secretary of Law and Justice Division. Ambassador of European Union to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley, High Commissioner of the UK to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson and Ambassador of Germany to Bangladesh Achim Troster, among others, spoke in the event.
Govt focuses on food security in new action plan amid global crisis
The government has worked out an action plan for 2022-23 fiscal for the agricultural sector to ensure food security as the world faces pressure in food production due to COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war.The plan has been worked out in line with the National Agriculture Policy 2018, Agricultural Extension Policy 2020 and 8th Five Year Plan, according to an official document.The main aspects of this action plan are to ensure country’s food security through increased production of all types of crops including paddy and maize; innovate adverse environment-tolerant crop variety and technology and to roll it out quickly, and develop and enhance the quality of their seeds using biotechnology, said the document obtained by UNB this week.
Also read: Flood waters receding again in Sylhet but food, water crises persistThe document highlighted optimum use of surface water and solar- powered irrigation, promotion of the production and application of organic fertilizers to safeguard soil health and issueing smart cards to all farmers in the action plan.
BNP's GM Siraj urges govt to drop Padma Bridge opening ceremony
BNP lawmaker from Bogura GM Siraj on Wednesday urged the government to avoid the mammoth celebration of the Padma Bridge inauguration.
He also demanded that the flood-affected Sylhet and Sunamganj districts are declared disaster areas.
‘The government is not aware of the situation in flood-affected areas. Now they are intoxicated with the festival of the Padma Bridge inauguration," he said.
The BNP lawmaker said while taking part in the general discussion on the proposed national budget for the 2022-23 financial year in Parliament.
READ: BNP turns down invitation to join Padma Bridge opening programme
He also mentioned that he has no objection to the celebration of the festival for Padma Bridge.
"But it is inhumane and inappropriate to hold this festival in the misery of the present miserable people of the country," he added.
"Let the Padma Bridge be inaugurated. Prime Minister you can open the bridge by thanking to Allah. But please stop the unbridled insanity of celebration," he said.
At that time, the members of the ruling party protested against the statement creating chaos in the House.
GM Siraj said that the Padma Bridge is the dream bridge of the whole country and the foundation stone was laid by the then prime minister Khaleda Zia in 2001, which Sheikh Selim, a ruling Awami League lawmaker, acknowledged in his speech in the budget discussion.
Siraj requested the prime minister to allow BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia for treatment abroad through an executive order.
He said that despite repeated requests, Khaleda was not given the opportunity to get medical treatment abroad.
"If she dies, who will take the responsibility? All the people of this country and even the leaders and workers of Awami League will put all the responsibilities on your [Sheikh Hasina] shoulders," Siraj said.
Fakhrul urges people to rise against ‘misrule’ of AL govt
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday urged the people to wake up to end the ‘misrule’ of the current government.
“We have to get out of the misrule, fascism, injustice and repression that have engulfed entire Bangladesh. We have to wake up and free ourselves,” he said.
Also read: BCL’s attacks on female JCD leaders cowardly: BNP
Fakhrul was speaking at a discussion arranged by Jatiyatabadi Sangskritik Foundation at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 23rd birth anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam.
He said Poet Nazrul is now very relevant in the current context of Bangladesh. “I often remember him and his poems. We have to cross the inaccessible mountain and dangerous gigantic desert being imbued with his poems to overcome the current situation in the country.”
The BNP leader slammed the government for what he said its repressive acts and said their party chief Khaleda Zia is now under house arrest while Tarique Rahman is in exile outside the country. “Cases have been filed against 35 lakh pro-democracy people in Bangladesh,” he said.
Referring to the Bangladesh Chhatra League’s attack on the leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal on the Dhaka University campus on Tuesday, he said, “We still have to see that women are being subjected to extreme torture on the university campus. This is where Nazrul Islam is most relevant.”
Fakhrul urged the young generation to wake up and awaken others to overcome the current situation in the country.
Also read: BNP starts pro-democracy movement dialogue with political parties
He requested the politicians to read Nazrul more to get inspiration for courageously serving the nation without bowing to others. “If we read Nazrul properly and try to realise his messages, then we will be able to know and recognise ourselves.”
Fakhrul also called upon the researchers to carry out more research on the literature of Poet Nazrul.
Govt pondering significant shake up in personnel to key missions abroad
The government is “thinking of” bringing changes in a number of important missions abroad, including Washington, New Delhi, Canberra and Geneva.
This is according to a highly placed diplomatic source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, although they did add it may still take a "couple of" months at least to complete the necessary procedures for the planned changes, and that nothing is finalized yet.
But they did disclose some very specific possibilities.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to New Delhi Muhammad Imran is likely to be the next ambassador to the USA if everything goes well, while current Ambassador M Shahidul Islam will return to Dhaka.
The government appointed Shahidul Islam, who served as the Secretary General of BIMSTEC, as Ambassador to the USA in September 2020.
Islam is a career foreign service officer belonging to 1985 batch of Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) Foreign Affairs cadre and served in Bangladesh Missions in Kolkata, Geneva and Washington DC.
READ: Brand Bangladesh, tap opportunities: Momen to missions abroad
He served as Ambassador of Bangladesh to South Korea and France. At the headquarters, he worked in various capacities including Director General (Americas) and Director General (Europe).
In January this year, the government extended contractual appointment of Muhammad Imran by three more years as Bangladesh High Commissioner to India.
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Offices and other International Organizations in Geneva Md. Mustafizur Rahman is likely to be appointed as Bangladesh High Commissioner to India.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Australia Mohammad Sufiur Rahman is likely to become Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Offices and other International Organizations in Geneva.
Eid: Govt employees to get salaries, allowances within April 25
Ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, the government Sunday asked to pay the salaries and allowances of the employees of government, semi-government, and autonomous institutions by April 25.
The government has decided to pay salaries and allowances by April 25, the Finance Division said in a notification, as Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on May 3, subject to the sighting of the moon.
Also, retired government employees will get their monthly pensions at the same time.
Also read: HC seeks explanation over permission before arresting govt employees