e_Paper, Tuesday, October 18, 2016

News 3
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2016
PM expects WB’s stronger role in
Bangladesh’s development efforts
• UNB
Militants to wives: Choose your partner for cause of Jihad
• Mohammad Jamil Khan and
Arifur Rahman Rabbi
“If we do not come back, or disappear
or are killed, then move on
and choose a new partner from the
group to marry, for the sake of further
Jihad.”
In face of law enforcers’ drive,
the militant leaders before going
into hideout, instructed their wives
to act in this way. They advised
their wives to marry any member
of the group without judging qualification,
said sources from law enforcing
agencies after interrogating
a number of female militants detained
recently.
A high official of Police’s Counter
Terrorism and Transnational
Crime (CTTC) Unit, yesterday confirmed
the news to Dhaka Tribune.
He said they were instructed by
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with World Bank President Jim Yong Kim at the inauguration of a public event at Osmani
Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka yesterday. The event was organised by the Economic Relations Division in observance of
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
BSS
their husbands to teach proper militant
lessons to their children while
growing up and also to increase female
members of the group.
Meanwhile, three female militants
– Afrin alias Priyoti, 25, Adedatul
Fatema alias Khadiza, 35, and
Shaila Afrin, 23 – who were arrested
from a den of Azimpur of Dhaka on
September 10, gave confessional
statement in the court yesterday.
In their statements, the female
members said that they got
involved in militant activities
through their husbands. Getting
instruction from husbands, they
left their home and took shelter in
the Azimpur den.
Monirul Islam, chief of CTTC
unit, said, “Females get involved
in militancy holding hand of their
husbands who instruct their wives
to teach militancy to their children.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday
said she expects the World
Bank to play a stronger role in Bangladesh’s
development endeavours
as its leading development partner.
“The World Bank is our one of
the leading development partners.
I hope, it’ll play a more proactive
role in our endeavours,” she told a
function.
The government and the World
Bank jointly arranged the programme
at Osmani Memorial Auditorium,
marking the International
Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
The prime minister said the
partnership with the world community
will further be strengthened
towards Bangladesh’s development
endeavours.
“All our development plans, are
aimed at realising our Father of
the Nation’s dream of building a
hunger, poverty, illiteracy and exploitation-free
Sonar Bangladesh.”
Sheikh Hasina said the people
of Bangladesh are very brave, committed
and hard-working ones. The
resilient people of this country are
determined to change their future
and build a better Bangladesh for
the next generation, she added.
The prime minister mentioned
that the country has already been
placed at the medium category of
human development index and upgraded
to a lower middle-income
country according its per capita income
level.
“We’re pursuing an inclusive
growth strategy to graduate from
the LDC status shortly and become
a developed nation by 2041 with a
land of peace, prosperity and harmony,”
she told her audience.
About the spread of terrorism
across the world, she said: “Our
government has adopted a ‘zero
tolerance’ policy towards any kind
of violent activities. We’ve been
able to contain militancy in the
country. We’ll further strengthen
our drive to eliminate the scourge
of militancy from the society.”
She urged all to come forward
to make the world a beautiful place
which will be free from poverty
and hunger. “Let’s work closely to
make this world free from poverty
and hunger.”
Hasina said Bangladesh has experienced
a robust progress in poverty
reduction from more than 70% in 1971
to 56.7% in 1991 and 22.4% at present.
She said her government’s development
has a human face and
strives to protect and promote the
livelihoods of poor and vulnerable
groups. Social safety net programmes
coupled with inclusive
growth approach played a catalytic
role in this regard.
In this context, she acknowledged
the contributions of all players – national,
regional and international – in
Bangladesh’s development.
Hasina said Bangladesh has
been quite successful in managing
its macro-economy very prudently.
While the average GDP growth
rate for the last 10 years was 6.4
percent, the government has been
successful in raising the growth
rate to 7.05% in fiscal year 2015-16.
The country’s power generation
capacity also increased by three
“We have got some sensational
information after interrogating
three arrested female militants, but
we did not find any evidence regarding
their direct involvement in
any operational activities,” he said.
An official involved in militancy
investigation, requesting anonymity,
told the Dhaka Tribune that involvement
of women in militancy
activities is not a new. Recently, it
has been known that the new JMB
is trying to follow strategies of the
Islamic State and being inspired by
IS, the local militants also are trying
to keep women as ‘sex partner’.
“For this reason, the militant
leaders also brought women in
their group from different social
communication sites. We have succeeded
making a big crack in the
recruitment system of New JMB,”
the official also said.
times to 15,000 MW, she said adding
that her government has ensured
almost 100% enrollment at primary
level, while a significant progress
has been made in tertiary education
in terms of reducing the gender gap.
A significant progress has also
been made in establishing “Digital
Bangladesh” as the country is now
exporting soft-ware and ICT services
to about 30 countries, including
some developed ones.
Though Bangladesh has been
acclaimed internationally for disaster
management, it is still one of
the most vulnerable countries that
suffers and will continue to suffer
from climate change issues.
She hoped that the implementation
of Paris Climate Agreement
will ensure climate justice.•
Sources in CTTC unit said the
three detained females of Azimpur
den told the law enforcers that Major
(retd) Jahidul Islam’s wife Jebunnesa
Shila was also staying with them at
the Azimpur den, but she left away
before the law enforcers’ drive.
Ahsanul Haque, Assistant Commissioner
of CTTC unit, yesterday
told the Dhaka Tribune: “All the
three females have confessed to
court that they were involved in
militancy. But, they have now realised
that this is not a good path and
they are sorry for it.”
Regarding female militancy, a
high official of Rapid Action Battalion,
requesting anonymity, said
on September 6, militant members
Marjia Akther alias Shumi, her
husband Shariful Islam, Nahida
Sultana and her husband Aminul
Islam were arrested from Farmgate
Quader: Strong
action against
extortion for
council
• Mohammad Abu Bakar
Siddique
DT
Bangladesh Awami League will be
holding its 20th council on October
22 and 23.
Awami League leader Obaidul
Quader declared that anyone involved
in extortion in the name of
the upcoming Awami League council
will face the music.
Road Transport and Bridges
Minister Road Obaidul Quader
spoke to journalists yesterday afternoon
following a meeting with
the council subcommittees.
Quader said the expenditure of
holding the council is directed by
party president Sheikh Hasina.
He added that the approved
budget cannot be exceeded at any
cost.
When asked if the sum of the
budgets proposed by the eleven
subcommittees exceeded the approved
budget of Tk 2.65 crore,
he answered that the central committee
has fixed the amount as per
Sheikh Hasina’s directives.
The minister also said that they
are looking to cultivate the veteran
experience and youthful experience
in the leadership.
The minister added that there
will be seven guests from, as well
as political leaders from around 15
countries have been invited.
He also addressed the traffic
issues during the council. He
said since the council would host
thousands of party activists, there
can be no assurance of a congestion-free
traffic. But, he added,
there will be a roadmap to direct
the traffic and minimise public suffering.
•
and Naraynaganj.
“Some information has been
found after interrogating the detainees.
We are now checking the
authenticity of their information,”
said the RAB official.
“It was learnt during interrogation
from Marjia that she got involved
in militancy from Facebook
first, later she used to operate JMB
“Thrima” and “telegram” mobile
applications. She was shown different
war videos of Middle East,
pictures of some injured child and
women and were given some information
regarding Jihad,” he also
said.
“Marjia said in interrogation
that watching the videos and pictures,
she left her home on August
20 for Jihad and married Shariful in
Signboard area of Gazipur as per organisational
decision,” he added. •