Dr. Kazi Faruq Ahmed

The other accused in these cases include Khaleda's Political Adviser Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, former communications minister Nazmul Huda, former BNP lawmaker Mosaddak Ali Falu, former deputy minister for land Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu, Dhaka City Corporation Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, former Barisal City Corporation mayor Mojibur Rahman Sarwar, former AL lawmaker Mostafa Kamal alias Lotus Kamal, former BNP lawmaker Hafiz Ibrahim, Jamuna Group Chairman Nurul Islam Babul, Salman F Rahman, Proshika chief Kazi Faruqe Ahmed and Janakantha Editor Atiq Ullah Khan Masud.

BFTA chairman Sheikh Amanullah, general secretary Prof. Kazi Faruk Ahmed, president of Bangladesh Teachers¢ Association Mohammad Azizul Islam, general secretary of Bangladesh College Teachers¢ Association Prof. Asadul Haque, general secretary of Bangladesh College-University Teachers¢ Association Prof. Abdur Rashid were, among others, present on the occasion, a press release said.

Also spoke in the meeting co-fighter of Master da Surja Sen and veteran revolutionary Binod Bihari Chowdhury, Retired Air vice Marshal and second command in charge in the independence war A K Khandekar, Justice K M Sobhan, Sector Commander and Commander of S force Retired Mejor General K M Shafiullah, Former Vice Chancellor of the Dhaka University A K Azad Chowdhury, General Secretary of the United citizen's movement and ADAB president Kazi Faruq Ahmed, Ex president of the teacher's forum of the University of Dhaka Arefin Siddique, Writer of the draft of the proclamation of Independence and eminent lawyer Barrister Amirul Islam, Promod Mankin MP, President of the central command council of Muktijoddha Sangsad Abdul Ahad Chowdhury, Ramendu Majumdar, Asaduzzaman Noor MP, Journalists Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Novelist Selina Hossen, Nasiruddin Yousuf, General secretary of Ekattorer Ghatok Dalal Nirmul Committee Kazi Mukul, Shirin Akhter and many others.

Chaired by Prof. Anupam Sen, central advisor of Nirmul Committee, the meeting was addressed by Justice KM Sobhan, central advisor of Nirmul Committee and presidium member of the 'South Asian Peoples' Union against Fundamentalism & Communalism', Major General (retd.) KM Shafiullah Biruttam, former army chief and commander of the Liberation War, writer journalist Shahriar Kabir, acting president of Nirmul Committee, Dr. Kazi Farukh Ahmed, general secretary of 'United Citizens Movement', Cultural activist Asaduzzaman Noor MP, Abdul Ahad Choudhury, Chairman of Freedom Fighters Association, Nasiruddin Yousuf, president Sammilito Sangskritik Jote, woemn activist Shirin Akhter, convener of Nari Sangram Committee and Local leaders of the civil society.

Dr Zafarullah Chowdhury, Projects Coordinator of Gonoshasthaya Kendra, Dr Iqbal Arsalan, General Secretary of Swadhinata Chikitsak Parisad, Dr Mostak Hossain, former general secretary of Dhaka University, Dr M Abu Sayed, Associate Professor of Ibrahim Medical College, Kazi Faruk Ahmed, President of Consumer Association of Bangladesh, Istiaque Ahmed, General Secretary of PGA, Dr Saifur Rahman Khasru, Associate Professor of BSMMU, among others, addressed the session.

The police also raided the houses of Abed Khan, another popular columnist, and Dr. Kazi Farooq Ahmed, president of the Association of Development Agencies of Bangladesh (ADAB), but have not yet arrested them.

A day later, Awami League leader and former Minister Tofael Ahmed was arrested in connection with a murder case that was filed several years ago.Other leaders of the party from Mymensingh, including Al Haj Matiur Rahman, a well-known politician and freedom fighter, and his son Mohitur Rahman, were also arrested.Leaders of other Opposition parties were also interrogated by the Army.Amidst the growing number of arrests, the Opposition has alleged that the arrests are a "ploy to eliminate the spirit of the country's independence from Pakistan, secular democracy and liberal thinking".

The government's actions following the Mymensingh blasts were challenged by Sheikh Hasina, who released a strongly worded statement in which she said that she suspected the involvement of a "terrorist fundamentalist group" within the ruling alliance in the bomb blasts."It appears that an identified fanatic terrorist group within the ruling alliance is behind the heinous crime," she said.Describing the bomb blasts as "carnage", Sheikh Hasina demanded the immediate arrest and trial of the offenders.She referred to a report by the news agency Reuters that quoted Home Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury as saying that the Al Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden might have been involved in the blasts.Chowdhury's remarks, which he later denied, have put the Khaleda government in a very uncomfortable situation because it has been denying, rather strongly and consistently, that there were no Al Qaeda men or Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) activities in Bangladesh.The news agency, which stood by its report, quoted the Home Minister as saying that the "police suspect Al Qaeda or any other terror groups are behind the bomb blasts".

President of the Association of Development Agencies in Bangladesh (ADAB) and Proshika chief Dr. Kazi Faruk Ahmed yesterday filed a defamation suit against Gano Sasthya Kendro chief Dr....

* Roundtable calls for task force on workers' rights Speakers at a roundtable yesterday stressed the need for a taskforce to ensure workers' rights....

* Ctg auction witnesses strong tea demand

Later, 152 staff of the country's largest NGO Proshika including its president Dr. Kazi Faruque Ahmed were arrested.

MR KAZI FARHAD UDDIN AHMEDExecutive Director

AHM Md Maqsood Sinha and Iftekhar Enayetullah of Waste Concern, Kazi Faruq Ahmed, General Secretary of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) and Hossain Shahriar, Executive Director of ESDO also spoke.