Khaleda Zia loses final battle

BNP chief Khaleda Zia has lost the final legal battle to win back her cantonment house.

The Appellate Division turned down three of Khaleda's four appeals regarding the house on Monday.

Khaleda's bid to seek permission to challenge a High Court verdict was turned down.

A regular bench headed by chief justice A B M Khairul Haque scrapped the petition around 11 am on Monday.A third appeal urging to return the house to her possession was also quashed by the court.The court, however, accepted the hearing of Khaleda's contempt of court petition which has been adjourned until Tuesday.

BNP-backed lawyers, immediately after the order, brought out a procession protesting the verdict. Meanwhile, the Awami League lawyers welcomed the judgment.

Attorney general Mahbubey Alam argued for the state while Supreme Court lawyers Khandaker Mahbub Hossain and Moudud Ahmed represented Khaleda.

Lawyers on both sides engaged in heated argument duing the hearing.

The court said, "It was decided to hear the issue 29 Nov (Monday) upon T H Khan's Nov 10 adjournment appeal. The leave to appeal, the stay order and the contempt of court appeals have been included as number three in the list of the court's Monday activities.

"T H Khan at the very beginning of the hearing requested to hear first the contempt petition. But as the day was fixed for the leave to appeal and the two others had derived from that, it will be heard first.

"T H Khan, however, repeatedly pleaded for hearing on the contempt petition first."

The court said, "We assured him that all the three subjects will be heard and settled one by one. He was also assured that barrister Rafiq-ul-Haque and Moudud Ahmed will be allowed to present their statements. As he (Khan) is the most senior lawyer, he will start the hearing."

It went on to say, "At this stage, he (Khan) requested to adjourn the leave to appeal hearing and said he needs more direction from his client [Khaleda]."

The court order stated that the counsels of the petitioner, Khaleda Zia, took 90 minutes at court and still did not start the hearing on the leave to appeal petition despite repeated urgings by the court.

So, the leave to appeal and the petition for an injunction on removal of structures and furniture from the premises and asking for the residence to be returned to her possession in the same condition was being rejected for not being presented to court.

Attorney general Mahbubey Alam, after the court verdict was delivered, told reporters, "Probably the appeal (leave to appeal) had no merits. It had only been filed to make it a political issue."
Regarding the chaos in the courtroom, Alam said, "Some lawyers loyal to BNP created similar commotions at the High Court."
Khaleda's counsel Moudud said, "T H Khan and Rafiq-ul-Haque requested the court to exclude the leave to appeal from the court's proceedings since Khaleda had been evicted from her house.

"This is why hearing on that appeal could be held later. But the court did not accept any statements. It had unexpectedly annulled two appeals without any hearing," Moudud added.

Rajuk's new projects fall under flood zone

Rajuks' Purbachal New Town and Jhilmil Residential projects fall under the designated 'flood flow' zone, according to the Detailed Area Plan.

"Both projects are situated in the flood flow zone and if developed, these will worsen living condition in Dhaka," Khandaker Ansar Hossain, a DAP consultant told bdnews24.com.

This plan aims to regulate Dhaka metropolitan's real estate development covering around 590 square miles. The area plan marks different zones of Dhaka and identifies the areas designated for different uses, for instance, real estate development, roads, parks and water bodies.

It stretches to the northern part of Gazipur municipality in the north, bank of the Dhaleshwari River to the south, Shitalakhya River and Tarabo municipality to the east and a larger part of Keraniganj.

"Water from the high lands of Madhupur and Dhaka flows through these areas and land development will seriously aggravate water logging problem in the city," Hossain said.

Rajuk, Dhaka's real estate regulator, has been engaged in unplanned real-estate development, blamed the urban planner.

THE PROJECTS

Proposed "Purbachal New Town Project" is under Rupganj of Narayanganj with an area of 6150 acres (1 acre = 100 decimals), divided into 30 sectors. Development work is going on in 4500 acres and plot allocation has already started from 2009.

On the other hand, Jhilmil Project will be developed on 381 acres and the second phase will include 1,150 acres. It will be located along the Dhaka-Mawa Highway in Shubhadda, Chunkatia and Tegharia Mouja's low-land areas of Keraniganj.

"Both the projects will block water flow during the rainy season as these are on the flood flow zones," Hossain told bdnews24.com.

"The low-lying areas (like Badda) of the city will be worst effected as rain water will be trapped in this areas," the urban planner added.

However, Rajuk officials told bdnews24.com that these projects were planned years before the DAP and Dhaka Structure Plan (1995-2015) was developed.

"All these government projects were planned in the 80's and were under development since then, these cannot be reversed instantly," Jahurul Hoque, director planning of Rajuk told bdnews24.com.

"DAP and Dhaka Structure Plan was made after the inception of the projects," Jahurul added.

But the urban planner begs to differ and stressed on the need for stopping development in the areas.

"Still there is time to stop developing these areas; in the Jhilmil Residential Project only earth-filling has been done Rajuk can stop it now," said Hossain.

"It has to be done if we want to save Dhaka."

Prince Charles suggests Camilla could be queen

Prince Charles has for the first time said his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, could become queen if he were to succeed his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Asked in an interview with NBC television about the possibility of Camilla becoming queen if he is crowned king, Charles said: "We'll see and I don't know if I'll -- if I'll still be alive, but that -- that could be."

The hour-long interview is part of a program on the Prince of Wales set to air in the United States on Friday. NBC released a transcript of the interview with anchor Brian Williams before the broadcast.

In the interview, conducted in August, Charles also talks about his love of nature, his relationship with the media and his sons, Harry and William, who this week became engaged to his girlfriend, Kate Middleton.

Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles, his long-time lover, five years ago after the death of his first wife, Princess Diana.

Throughout British history, the wife of a king becomes queen and is given the title Queen Consort, which has no constitutional powers. But at the time of the marriage, it was officially decided that Camilla would have the title Princess Consort if Charles becomes king.

Eid-ul-Azha being celebrated

Dhaka, Nov 28 -- around the country are celebrating Eid-ul-Azha, or Festival of Sacrifice, the second largest festival of the Muslim community.

Thousands upon thousands of people scrambled to get out of the capital of Dhaka to celebrate Eid with their near and dear ones at home.

A rush of commuters clogged the city's streets, ferries were full to bursting and trains crammed full. The police have taken special security measures in the capital. The Dhaka City Corporation has also taken initiatives to remove refuse of the sacrificial animals.

The main congregation of Eid-ul-Azha was held at the National Eidgah at 8am on Wednesday.
President Zillur Rahman, acting chief justice Mojammel Hossain, cabinet members, leaders of different political parties and diplomats along with thousands of common people said their Edi prayers at the main congregation.

Mohammad Salahuddin, khatib of Baitul Mukarram mosque will preside over the main congregation as the imam (priest).

The DCC made separate arrangements for women in the National Eidgah with separate entrances on the south side. Arrangements for ablutions and temporary toilets were set up at the Eidgah.

The National Mosque—Baitul Mukarram—held five prayers at 7am, 8am, 9am, 10am and 10:45am.

Dhaka University Central Mosque hosted two prayers. The first one was held at 7am and the second at 9am. Prayers were also held at 8am at Salimullah Muslim Hall Mosque and at the lawn of Shahidullah Hall.

The DCC arranged 361 congregations around the city in its 90 wards and another at the Dhaka University Sports Grounds.

The city was decorated beautifully on the occasion of the Eid. National flag was hoisted atop government and non-government offices including the Bangabhaban, prime minister's office, parliament building, secretariat and the High Court in the early hours of the Eid day.

Main city streets were also decorated with flags imprinted with 'Eid Mubarak' in Bengali and Arabic.

Like the preceding years, a special menu was served in hospitals, jails, state-owned children's shelter homes, other welfare centres, and shelter homes for the destitute.

President Zillur Rahman, prime minister Sheikh Hasina and main opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia issued separate messages wishing peace and prosperity of the people of the country and the Muslim community all over the world.

President Rahman will exchange greetings with notable personalities and diplomats at presidential palace—Bangabhaban.

Hasina is exchanging Eid greetings at the prime minister's official residence—Ganabhaban—with central Awami League leaders, activists of different levels and well-wishers from 10am to 11am.

Sakiba new Bangladeshi drama actress in Gulshan Avenue

akiba is a newcomer actress in Dhallywood. She's model in popular Dhallywood site. Sakiba now actress in Drama, full drama, half drama television actress. also she is now TV presenter in different hot new programs. Bangladeshi television Bangla Vision new drama Gulshan Avenue is a running 500 episodes. Here is Sakiba acting very gorgeous and Awesome.

SIDDIKUR MAKES HISTORY at Singapore Open Golf 2010 successa

Siddikur Rahman became the first Bangladeshi golfer to win on the Asian Tour after the 25-year-old held his nerve to edge out Jbe Kruger in a play-off to win the Brunei Open at the Empire Hotel and Country Club.

Starting the day tied for the lead with Ben Leong, Siddikur carded a four-under-par 67 to finish 16-under. However, a bogey at the last when he missed a 15-foot putt proved costly as Kruger went one better with a 66 to force the play-off.But there was no repeat as Siddikur parred the 18th, the first extra hole, to take the title after Kruger missed his putt from 10 feet.

"It is very exciting. I'm the first Bangladeshi to play on the Asian Tour and in the two years that I'm on Tour, I have won a tournament. It is unbelievable," said Siddikur.

"I didn't expect to win. Thankfully, everything in my game clicked and I was able to win. I hope to inspire more people to take up the game of golf in Bangladesh. This is a good victory for me and my country."

Adam Scott hopes his third Singapore Open title triumph on Monday will act as a springboard for an assault on golf's four major tournaments next year.

The Australian completed a final-round 68 after the tournament went into a fifth day following weather disruptions, finishing on 17-under-par 267 -- three shots clear of Denmark's second-placed Anders Hansen.

The victory, his first at Sentosa since the Asian Tour event became co-sanctioned by the European Tour last year, launched him back into the top-20 of golf's world rankings.

Khaledar Birudde ak Kuttar Kotha - November 16, 2010

The Daily Amadershomoy - November 16, 2010