Mohiuddin, Latif face off today

Two rival leaders of the ruling party -- ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury and MA Latif -- will face each other at a meeting of the advisory committee on Chittagong Port today.
Both the leaders, also members of the committee, confirmed that they would attend the meeting to express their opinions on different issues of the port.
Mohiuddin's supporters assaulted Latif on Thursday during a clash following a month-long debate and conflict over alleged irregularities in the bidding process to appoint an operator for New Mooring Container Terminal.
Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan is scheduled to preside over the meeting at Chittagong Circuit House, said Rear Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed, chairman of the Chittagong Port Authority.
The CPA chairman said the shipping ministry may give its decision on the bidding process at the meeting.
Mohiuddin, Awami League's Chittagong city unit president, started a movement on August 28, bringing allegation of irregularities in the bidding.
He blamed the irregularities on the shipping ministry, saying the ministry changed and relaxed several conditions in the original pre-qualification documents to favour a local firm in the bidding.
He blamed the irregularities on the shipping ministry, saying the ministry changed and relaxed several conditions in the original pre-qualification documents to favour a local firm in the bidding.
MA Latif, AL lawmaker from Chittagong-10 constituency, has been criticising Mohiuddin for his stand.
Latif alleged that Mohiuddin, in the name of a movement, was trying to create chaos in the port only for his personal interest.
Morshed Murad Ibrahim, president of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, issued a statement on September 22 against Mohiuddin's movement that infuriated his supporters.
Mohiuddin's supporters attacked on a rally of the chamber on Thursday where Latif was assaulted.
When asked, Mohiuddin said he would speak about the irregularities in the bidding and other corruptions in the port at today's meeting.
Latif said he would make his points about the bidding at the meeting.
Five international and local firms, who were pre-qualified according to the revised pre-qualification documents of 2010, submitted their bids on August 30.
Following review appeals by two aggrieved bidders, a panel of Central Procurement Technical Unit gave orders on September 11 and September 17 to cancel the bidding and asked for a re-tender.
Meanwhile, the High Court issued last week a three-month stay on the decision of the review panel.