Teesta deal anytime: Gawher Rizvi

The Daily Star, 14 September 2012

The much-expected deal on Teesta water sharing will be signed with India anytime soon, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Gawher Rizvi said on Friday.

“India’s central government is trying to bring West Bengal government to such a position that they agree for the Teesta deal,” Rizvi said at a discussion at the National Press Club in the city.

India and Bangladesh were expected to sign the treaty during Indian Premier Manmohan Singh’s visit to Bangladesh early September last year, but the last-minute objections from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee foiled the effort.

“Though the deal is yet to be signed, Bangladesh is getting water share,” Gawher Rizvi said while addressing, as chief guest, the discussion organised by World Peace and Human Rights Movement, Bangladesh on regional unity for harmony and prosperity.

He said the Land Boundary Agreement has already been approved by Indian cabinet, and will be ratified soon. Its ratification by Indian parliament will facilitate sealing of the Indian and Bangladeshi positions on enclaves and areas under adverse possession.

Gawher Rizvi said relations among the South Asian neighbours have been adverse for long. As, there are certain limitations in Saarc framework, there are now bilateral and sub-regional initiatives to improve the relations for prosperity of the region’s people.

Power and transit connectivity in the region covering Nepal, Bhutan, India, Bangladesh and even Myanmar would hugely boost trade and investments, he said.

“Bangladesh’s GDP growth could go up by 2 percent if power deficiency is removed,” he said.

Bangladeshi drowns as BSF chases

The Daily Star, 14 September 2012

A Bangladeshi cattle trader drowned after he jumped into a river as Indian Border Security Force (BSF) hurled a bomb targeting him at Benapole in Jessore on Friday.

The deceased was identified as Md Alam, 25, son of Asgar Ali, a resident of Dautalpur Dakkhinpara village of Benapole.

Alam along with other cattle traders were coming back to Bangladesh after buying cattle from India.

At a stage, Indian Border Security Forces (BSF) at Dhaldanga area chase them and blasted a bomb, said Mukul, one of those cattle traders.

To avoid the bomb, the cattle traders jumped into the river Putkhali where Alam drowned but other cattle traders managed to swim ashore.

Alam’s body was taken to his family by the surviving cattle traders.

Gazipur-4 by-polls: Electoral symbols allocated

The Daily Star, 14 September 2012

The Returning Officer on Friday distributed electoral symbols to the three candidates contesting in the Gazipur-4 by-election.

Awami League backed candidate Simeen Hussain Rimi has been allocated with ‘boat’ as election symbol, independent candidate Afsar Uddin Ahmed Khan with ‘Hen’ while Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) candidate Asadullah Badal got ‘Scythe’ as symbol.

Afsar Uddin and Asadullah received the symbols in person while a representative of Simeen took the electoral symbol on behalf of her.

Simeen Hussain Rimi, daughter of slain national leader Tajuddin Ahmed and sister of Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj, will contest the Gazipur-4 by-polls slated for September 30 with Awami League ticket.

The EC Secretariat has already completed all preparations for holding the polls. The main opposition BNP, however, has already announced that they would not contest in the by-polls.

It will be the first election under the current EC, which was constituted in early February.

The Gazipur-4 (Kapasia) constituency fell vacant following the resignation of Awami League (AL) MP Tanjim Ahmed alias Sohel Taj in July.

Sohel Taj, the only son of Bangladesh’s first prime minister Tajuddin Ahmed and elder brother of Simeen Hussain Rimi, also resigned as a state minister for home on May 31, 2009.

Refused by AL, Afsar Uddin, younger brother of slain national leader Tajuddin Ahmed, decided to contest the by-polls as an independent candidate.

20 die as houses collapse in India

The Daily Star, 14 September 2012

At least 20 people were killed as dozens of houses collapsed following a cloudburst in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand in north India on Friday.

Twelve people were killed in Rudraprayag district, PTI news agency said while NDTV said eight more deaths were reported in Kapkot near Almorah in Bageshwar district, reports our correspondent from New Delhi.

Several people are feared trapped under the debris and rescue operations have been launched, Disaster Management and Mitigation department officials said citing initial reports.

According to officials, incessant rains since Thursday followed by a cloudburst in the wee hours Friday have left a trail of destruction in Timada, Sansari, Giriya, Chunni and Mangali villages in the district.

River Saryu and Kaliganga are flowing above danger mark following rains since Thursday night.

Communication and power lines were disrupted and traffic along several roads, including national highways, in the area has been blocked due to landslides, officials said.

The local administration has sought the assistance of the Army in view of the large-scale destruction caused by the cloudburst in Rudraprayag district.

China ships enter waters near disputed islands

The Daily Star, 14 September 2012

Six Chinese surveillance ships have entered waters near islands claimed by both China and Japan.

China said the ships were carrying out “law enforcement” to demonstrate its jurisdiction over the islands, known as Diaoyu in China and Senkaku in Japan.

Two of the vessels left after the Japanese coast guard issued a warning, Japanese officials say.

The move came after Japan sealed a deal to buy three of the islands from their private Japanese owner.

Japan controls the uninhabited but resource-rich East China Sea islands, which are also claimed by Taiwan.

‘No force’

The Japanese Coast Guard said the first two Chinese boats entered Japan’s territorial waters at 06:18 local time (21:18 GMT Thursday), followed by another fleet of four other ships just after 07:00.

The first two ships then left the area. No force was used, Japanese officials added.

“Our patrol vessels are currently telling them to leave our country’s territorial waters,” the coastguard said in a statement.

The Chinese foreign ministry confirmed that its ships were there.

“These law enforcement and patrol activities are aimed to demonstrate China’s jurisdiction over the Diaoyu Islands and its affiliated islets and ensure the country’s maritime interests,” a statement said.

The US has called for ”cooler heads to prevail” as tension intensifies between China and Japan over the islands, which lie south of Okinawa and north of Taiwan.

The Japanese government says it is buying the islands to promote their stable and peaceful management.

Its move followed a bid by right-wing Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara to buy the islands using public donations – an action that would likely have further raised tensions with China.

China, on the other hand, says the islands have historically been its territory and fishing grounds.

China’s defence ministry has issued a strongly-worded statement against Japan’s move to buy the islands.

“We are watching closely the evolution of the situation and reserve the right to take reciprocal measures,” ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Guatemala volcano eruption triggers evacuation

The Daily Star, 14 September 2012

Guatemala has evacuated thousands of people after the Fuego volcano started spewing ash and lava.

Volcanologists said powerful eruptions were catapulting burning rocks as high as 1,000m (3,280ft) above the crater and lava was flowing down its slopes.

Local residents reported how the roaring of the volcano shook windows and roofs in nearby villages.

Experts say the eruption of the Fuego, 50km (31 miles) south-west of Guatemala City, is the biggest since 1999.

Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina said the eruption could affect people as far away as the capital.

“We will do the best we can to avoid people being harmed,” he said.

Cars, lorries and buses covered in grey ash could be seen speeding away from the area towards Guatemala City

‘Pressure cooker’

Some of those who fled their homes headed for an emergency shelter at a school in the town of Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa.

Miriam Carumaco, 28, who arrived there with 16 members of her family, said, “We heard loud thunder and then it got dark and ash began falling.

“It sounded like a pressure cooker that wouldn’t stop.”

Head of Emergency Evacuations Sergio Cabanas originally said evacuation orders for more than 33,000 people in 17 towns and villages had been issued.

However, he later said that 11,000 had been evacuated and no more would be necessary as the eruptions had died down by late Thursday.

“It is hoped that by tomorrow [Friday] the volcano will return to normal activity and that families will be able to return home,” he said.

Officials said lava was covering a 7km (4.3-mile) area on the south and south-western side of the Fuego.

The authorities recommended that air traffic controllers suspend flights in the vicinity of the volcano, as the ash cloud emanating from its crater was spreading quickly.

The 3,760m-tall (12,336ft) Fuego is one of Central America’s most active volcanoes

Libya makes arrests over US embassy attack

The Daily Star, 14 September 2012

Libyan authorities have made several arrests in connection with the attack on the US consulate in Benghazi in which the ambassador was killed.

New Libyan Prime Minister Mustafa Abu Shaqur told the BBC the investigation was making progress.

The attack happened on Tuesday during protests over a US-made film that mocks the Prophet Mohammed.

Similar protests have spread across the Middle East and North Africa and further unrest is expected on Friday.

Clashes between riot police and protesters continued overnight in the Egyptian capital Cairo, where Islamist groups and others have called for a peaceful “million-man march” later on Friday.

US President Barack Obama has promised to do whatever is necessary to protect US citizens abroad and said he was urging foreign governments to guarantee their security.

A White House statement said he had thanked Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi for condemning an attack on the US embassy there and for launching an investigation.

“President Obama expressed appreciation for the co-operation we have received from the Yemeni government and underscored the importance of working together to ensure the security of US personnel,” the statement said.

‘Wild actions’

In Benghazi, US and Libyan officials are investigating the possibility that heavily armed militants used the protest as a pretext for a co-ordinated assault.

Libyan officials say those arrested are being interrogated on suspicion of having instigated the attack.

Four embassy staff died, including Ambassador Chris Stevens.

Mr Shaqur blamed the attack on “criminals” and said anger against the film could not justify it.

“The people, they don’t understand that such a case like this, the American government has nothing to do with it,” he told the BBC.

“Somebody made a film and they put it on YouTube. It was very offensive for sure but that doesn’t justify taking this wild actions against Americans or American embassies. People can come out and demonstrate and express their opinion peacefully.”

Following the attack, some Libyans have taken part in rallies in Benghazi and Tripoli denouncing the violence.

Libyan Deputy Interior Minister Wanis al-Sharif told reporters that those arrested had been taken from their homes on Thursday but gave no further details.

No group has said it carried out the attack and Mr Sharif said it was too early to say if those arrested belonged to a particular organisation.

Appeal for calm

Meanwhile, further protests against the US-made film are expected on Friday.

In Yemen, demonstrators briefly stormed the grounds of the US embassy in Sanaa on Thursday and burnt the US flag before being driven back by security forces.