Haque Specialized Group's News

Ousted South Korean President Park Geun-hye is being questioned by prosecutors over a corruption scandal that brought her down. After arriving at the office on Tuesday, she told reporters she was "sorry". Ms Park resisted efforts to question her when she was president, but lost her immunity when judges upheld parliament's decision to impeach her. She could be charged for allegedly allowing close friend Choi Soon-sil to extort money from large firms. Ms Choi has been charged with bribery and corruption. On Tuesday, Ms Park's supporters gathered outside her home in an affluent suburb of Seoul, as she was escorted by police to the prosecutors' office in a short journey covered live on television. People waved the South Korean flag, a symbol of the pro-Park movement. "I am sorry to the people. I will faithfully cooperate with questioning," Ms Park told the media when she arrived. Ms Park is the first democratically elected leader to be ousted in South Korea. Thousands of people celebrated in Seoul after her removal from office on 10 March. However, angry protests by her supporters outside the Constitutional Court left two people dead. The court ruling was the culmination of months of political turmoil and public protest. An election now will be held by 9 May. Hwang Kyo-ahn, who is loyal to Ms Park, is now the acting president.....

Published at: 2017-03-21 00:00:05

A passenger plane crash-landed and burned at Wau city in northwestern South Sudan on Monday, but all 49 passengers and crew survived, airport official said. The plane was landing but then crashed, said Wau's Acting Airport Manager Stephen Youngule. "The plane touched down and then jumped up again. The pilot couldn't control it," said Youngule, who is also Deputy Director of Air Traffic Services.  "I saw it until the very last moment before the fire engulfed the aircraft," the deputy director said. When the plane crashed, its door flew open, which allowed the pilot and rescue crews to get everybody out, he said. Those with injuries were taken to Wau's hospital for treatment, said Youngule. The plane, an Antonov 26, carried 44 passengers and had five crew members, said Youngule. UN peacekeepers worked with local emergency workers to evacuate passengers from the plane, according to David Shearer, head of the UN mission in South Sudan.  Peacekeepers from Bangladesh, Nepal and China helped in the emergency work, he said, according to AP.....

Published at: 2017-03-21 00:00:04

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) started a demolition drive against risky dilapidated buildings in the capital on Sunday for protecting people's life from untoward casualties.    DSCC Mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon inaugurated the demolition drive by hitting with a hammer an old building at the corporation's Cleaner Colony in the capital's Dhalpur area. He said there are many risky dilapidated buildings in various areas under DSCC. But due to some restrictions demolition of these buildings cannot be possible.       He sought the Prime Minister's immediate intervention in deciding the fate of these buildings. Most of these ramshackle buildings are located in Shakhari Bazar, Tanti Bazar, Dayaganj, Shyampur and Lalkhuti areas in the capital. There is a high risk of losing lives and property due to damage of those risky buildings during minor earthquakes or other untoward incidents. "As an elected representative I consider ensuring public safety is more important than preserving heritage," Mr Khokon said.   He noted that in Europe back side of many dilapidated buildings with historical background is renovated keeping their front side intact.     The DSCC mayor told the media that Bonolata market and Dhaka New Market are now in a risky condition, and the market committees have decided to take measures in this regard. "If the respective market committee does not take any step, DSCC will take necessary initiatives regarding the two markets," he added.   There are about 109 risky buildings, located in different areas under DSCC, according to Rajuk and city corporation officials. Of these buildings, three at Dhalpur, two at Dayaganj and two at Sutrapur were demolished. The mayor further said DSCC will issue notices to the owners of risky buildings to dismantle their buildings at their own initiatives. Otherwise the city corporation will take steps in this regard.       talhabinhabib@yahoo.com....

Published at: 2017-03-20 00:00:05

Despite assurances from the government, women rights activists appear worried over the new child marriage act, reports bdnews24.com. They expressed apprehensions that the law may make sexual predators more reckless. The Child Marriage Restraint Act 2017, passed by Parliament on February 27, fixed the minimum age of marriage for men at 21 and women at 18, but allows exceptions in "special situations, in the best interest of (minor girls), (who) can be married with consent of court and (their) parents". According to the law, underage girls can be married if it is a love marriage, if the girl is pregnant, if she has no close relatives or if it is difficult to ensure her support and security. The law faced opposition from women's rights and development activists and they urged the president not to sign the bill. Concerns about the law would be relieved once it went into effect, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroz Chumki had said. On March 11, the day after the president signed the bill to make it law, the ministry held a meeting with representatives of several women's rights and development organisations. Exceptions for 'special circumstance' will put the lives of girls at tremendous risk and make sexual predators more 'reckless', said 'Nijera Kori' Coordinator Khushi Kabir. "The law was made to suit the desires of guardians and society," she told the news agency. "It was not made with the concerns of the girl child in mind." "Even if an underage girl falls in love willingly, she cannot sell land or cast a vote before the age of 18. She is underage, and not everyone is born mature. This is why they have guardians to help children resolve their problems." "If a child makes a mistake does that mean her life should be ruined? Should she have to give up her education, her livelihood, her dreams, her body? How can a young girl build a life for herself? Can her parents force her into marriage just because she made a mistake?" Khushi Kabir said she fears the new law would encourage the powerful to commit violence against women. "This law opens up opportunities for rapists, stalkers, those with power, and their sons. They can no longer be punished, even if they rape or abduct. It is handing them a blank cheque." "Most people live in rural areas, and the poor live in slums. Parents of this class have little standing to speak up in society and are often unable to tell their stories. Often, even with our backing, they do not file cases and the perpetrators escape. If given this opportunity it will encourage these men and put the lives of women at risk." "Everyone working on human rights, working with women, has objected to the law," said Khushi Kabir. "Are all of us wrong? If we have a misunderstanding, should they not take the time to explain it to us? This is risky and dangerous." The special exemptions are completely unacceptable, said Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust Executive Director Sara Hossain. "It is incompatible with common law and creates the possibility of girls being married off to their rapists," she said. "The consent and decisions of the boys and girls involved must be respected," she said. "But the new law ignores them. This not only conflicts with British law, but also with Muslim law. Even Muslim law says every person of age can make their own decisions." "Will a love marriage be allowed if the girl is pregnant? Would it be allowed if it is a forced marriage? Neither is rational. Who is giving consent and who is making the decisions? If the parents do not approve of the girl's relationship will her partner become a criminal? And, if the parents force a marriage, would that be acceptable?" "If a girl is raped, will she have to bear it for the sake of her parents' social standing? Will the girl's consent not be taken into account? It is difficult to see how this is coherent." In addition, Sara Hossain announced she would be going to court over the law's perpetuating the difference in the minimum age of marriage between men and women, claiming it to be discriminatory. "There is still time to challenge the law on constitutional grounds," said Sara Hossain. "It can be done once the rules are finalised." Bangladesh Women Lawyers Association Executive Director Salma Ali has also said she would file a case against the special provisions of the law. "We will file a case against the special clause of the law," she told the news agency.....

Published at: 2017-03-20 00:00:05

SHILLONG, Mar 19: here are multiple aspects that led to the increase in cases of cattle smuggling from Dawki-Pyrdiwah-Lynkhat-Lyngkhong and Tukha stretch of Meghalaya located along the Indo-Bangladesh border, reports sentinelassam.com. The Sentinel trekked through the areas located along the 'zero line' of the International boundary and move to the treacherous slopes to get the firsthand account on the rampant smuggling of cattle heads that originated largely from Rajasthan, U.P and Bihar. The demand for cattle in Bangladesh has grown tremendously in the past five years and quite a few the Meghalaya traders with traditional trading liaisons with the Bangladesh counterparts get engrossed in the booming cattle market. These cattle are oxen (and not cows) with a demand of 35,000 takas (Bangladesh currency) for the smaller ones and around 85-90,000 takas for the bigger ones.  Knowing the topography as well as the unfenced international borders, the cattle smugglers simply needed to transport the cattle from the comfortable hideout before shepherding them through the thick beetle nut and broomstick cultivations towards the border. These safe hideouts are located in areas adjacent to Pongtung, Riwai, Nohwet,Nongjri and other villages located just below Pynursla. It was the shepherding process of the cattle heads through the terrain, but the hired laborers simply said that they are simply caretakers of the Malik. There are at least 25-30 odd cattle consignment unloading places that this correspondent noticed in upland areas locating merely 8-9 Kms of a crow fly from the Indo- Bangladesh border. Interestingly, the smugglers procured the cattle's in the garb of domestic consumption, stated a Central custom official, who added, "since there can be no official restriction on movement of cattle in the hinterland  in a "beef eating' state like Meghalaya, unwanted elements uses these flaws that has created a problem in checking international smuggling. BSF officials said, "Movements of cattle is such that we have deflected ourselves from the purported line of duty". "We have an unfenced porous border filled with our protocol to guard the frontiers, but off late we have to going after cattle". In the intervening night of 16th and 17th of March, the sentinel learns that there were 22 cattle were seized from Lyngkhat-Nayabazaar area.....

Published at: 2017-03-20 00:00:05