HSC results today

The results of this year's Higher Secondary Certificate and its equivalent examinations will be published simultaneously today.

The results will be released at 2:00pm through the respective centres, educational institutions, websites of all education boards and also short message services (SMS) of different mobile phone operators, officials said.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid will announce the results at a press conference at his ministry after handing over the copy of the results to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Students have been asked to collect their results from respective centres or educational institutions. Heads of all academic institutions have been advised to receive the result sheets from the officials of the respective centres.

The examinees can get their results directly from the website -- www.educationboardresults.gov.bd

The results will also be sent to the email addresses of the colleges and madrasas that had submitted their addresses earlier.

Results will not be available at the education boards, education ministry and newspaper offices.

A total of 7,79,441 students registered for this year's exams in 2,074 centres under 10 education boards.

Around 6,29,619 lakh students took the exams under eight general education boards while 76,957 sat the Alim exams under madrasa board and 68,961 BM exams under technical board.

Source : The Daily Star

BNP, Jamaat demonstrations tomorrow

BNP and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami will stage demonstrations across the country tomorrow protesting price hike of essentials, issuance of arrest warrants against Tarique Rahman and demanding release of detained leaders.

BNP and Jamaat's acting secretaries general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and ATM Azharul Islam announced the programme yesterday from separate press briefings at their respective central offices at Nayapaltan and Moghbazar.

Before addressing the media, Mirza Alamgir chaired a joint meeting of his party leaders. The meeting discussed the country's latest political situation including arrest warrants against party's Senior Vice-chairman Tarique Rahman.

Two Dhaka courts recently issued arrest warrants against Tarique in connection with the August 21 grenade attack cases.

"The government has failed to run the country. Prices of essentials are already beyond people's power of purchase. This situation must be improved before Ramadan," Alamgir told the newsmen.

He also threatened to declare more agitation programmes even during the holy month of Ramadan if the government fails to check the price spiral.

The Jamaat acting secretary general at his briefing censured the government for its "absolute failure to control soaring prices of essentials."

People are annoyed with the government and that is why they (govt) have scrapped the caretaker government system aiming to hold a one-party poll to stay in power, mentioned Azharul.

Parliament on June 30 passed the 15th amendment to the constitution. It annulled the caretaker government provision making way for the next general election to be held under the incumbent government.

Source : The Daily Star 

5 Hizb-ut Tawhid men held

At least five activists of the Islamist outfit Hizb-ut Tawhid, including the district Ameer were arrested by Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) Monday night in front of Northern University in Rajshahi city.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of Rab-5 arrested the district Ameer Md Mizanur Rahman along with four activists as they gathered in front of the university to hold a meeting around 8:00pm, Rab officials said.

The arrestees, Md Azizul Haque, 24, Tota Sheikh, 38, Md Abdul Hasan, 25 and Md Moniruzzaman, 39, were handed over to Motihar Police Station.

All arrestees confessed to their involvement with the outfit, said Akbar Ali, officer-in-charge of the station.

Rab also recovered a Jihadi book, six notebooks containing information about the outfit and 10 mobile phone sets from their possession.

The outfit which is not banned yet was hurting religious sentiments of Muslims by propagating their ideology.

Source : The Daily Star 

Tarique's Arrest In Aug 21 Case: Cops asked to report by Aug 11

The prosecution yesterday drew flak from the court for its failure to submit any progress report on arrest of Tarique Rahman and 11 others in August 21 grenade attack cases.

Also, the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court directed heads of different police stations to submit by August 11 their reports on the execution of warrant against the 12, who are yet to be held.

An additional public prosecutor on condition of anonymity told The Daily Star police negligence in submitting reports on execution of warrants for their arrest would delay the start of trial.

Meantime, pro-BNP lawyers yesterday brought out a procession on the court premises, demanding withdrawal of names of BNP's Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique and other leaders from the grenade attack cases.

Earlier on Monday, another Dhaka court asked Tarique to appear before it on August 8 in connection with a money laundering case.

Tarique, also the elder son of former premier Khaleda Zia, and the 11 are among the charge-sheeted accused in two cases filed following the attack on an Awami League rally on Bangabandhu Avenue in 2004.

The court on July 14 issued arrest warrant against Tarique and 11 others in a case filed under the Explosive Substances Act.

Also yesterday, thirty-one accused including Lutfozzaman Babar, former state minister for home; Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general; Abdus Salam Pintu, former BNP deputy minister; the three former inspectors general of police and three former CID officials and Harkatul Jihad (Huji) chief Mufti Abdul Hannan were produced before the court during a hearing.

Another accused, Ariful Islam Arif, a ward councillor of Dhaka City Corporation and now out on bail, was also present in the court.

Judge Mohammad Zahurul Hoque asked Syed Rezaur Rahman, chief counsel for the grenade attack cases, to explain why they failed to place the reports and he got no satisfactory answer.

The court further asked the prosecution why police were making so much delay in submitting reports on the execution of the arrest order while it takes only two to three days.

It also rejected the bail petitions of eight accused including three top police officers--Ashraful Huda, Khoda Baksh Chowdhury and Shahudul Haque--and three former CID officials who probed the cases earlier and reportedly forced Joj Miah, a Noakhali youth, to make false confessional statements.

The court will hear the bail petition, submitted on behalf of Babar, on August 11.

On July 3, a metropolitan magistrate's court issued arrest warrants against 18 accused in a murder case lodged for killing 24 Awami League leaders and workers in the gruesome attack.

Earlier that day, the Criminal Investigation Department submitted supplementary charge sheets in the August 21 blast cases, accusing 30 including the 18.

The CID on June 11, 2008, submitted charge sheets in the cases against 22 people, including Pintu and 21 Huji men.

Source : The Daily Star 

Remarks on Charter, SC Amini, Azharul have to face HC

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld the High Court orders that summoned Fazlul Haque Amini and ATM Azharul Islam for their derogatory remarks about the constitution and the apex court.

Following the decision, Amini, president of a faction of Islami Oikyo Jote, and Azharul, acting secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami, will have to appear before the HC to explain their comments.

Giving "no order" on the petitions by Amini and Azharul seeking stay on the HC order, Appellate Division chamber judge said there is no such precedent, Manzill Murshid, counsel for the writ petitioners, told The Daily Star.

The HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore on July 20 summoned Amini to appear before it on August 2 to clarify his remark about the country's charter.

On July 25, the same bench ordered Azharul to appear before it on August 8 to explain his comments about the SC.

The orders came following separate writ petitions.

Amini at a meeting in the city's Lalbagh on July 14 reportedly said the recently-amended constitution will be thrown in the dustbin.

Azharul on July 19 at a press conference said that the government scrapped the caretaker government system by exploiting the SC.

Source : The Daily Star 

Arrest sand trader, probe role of OC: Demand families of 6 students beaten to death

Families of the six students killed in mob beating in Aminbazar on the outskirts of the city last week have demanded arrest of sand trader Abdul Malek and investigation into the role of the officer-in-charge of Savar Police Station.

The actual incident will come to light if the two are interrogated, they said in separate written statements to a high-powered police probe team yesterday.

The families also demanded withdrawal of the robbery case filed by the sand trader against the six and one injured.

They alleged that OC Mahbubur Rahman is acting mysteriously since the killings on July 18.

Contacted, the OC refused to comment on the matter.

Yesterday, the investigation team took statements of the relatives for the second time at the office of the deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Tejgaon division) from 9:00am to 2:00pm.

After giving the depositions, the family members told reporters that their boys did not go to Aminbazar for robbery. They claimed miscreants stabbed and beat to death them in police presence.

Three of the deceased were from Mirpur Bangla College, and one each from Tejgaon College, Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT) and Maple Leaf International School.

Sirajul Islam, brother of slain Touhidur Rahman Palash, told The Daily Star that those responsible for the incident are very powerful and remain beyond reach.

Savar police filed a murder case against some 600 unnamed villagers in connection with the killings and arrested two accused on Saturday.

Sanwar Hossain and Md Selim of Baradeshi, the arrested, were taken on a two-day remand for interrogation on Sunday. However, they were sent to jail the day after as they fell sick.

The case was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department last night.

Source : The Daily Star

Free Suchitra Sen's house from grabbers: HC asks govt

The High Court yesterday directed the government to take over the family house of Bangla film icon Suchitra Sen in Pabna within a week and ensure all necessary steps for its protection.

However, before the HC directive came, religious bigots had occupied the house for 24 years. Suchitra Sen along with her family left Pabna a few months before the partition of the sub-continent in 1947.

Over the years successive governments extended the single-year lease Jamaat-e-Islami took of the house in 1987 in phases, ignoring demands from intellectuals and general people to reclaim the house from the clutch of religious fundamentalists, reports our Pabna correspondent.

Finally the HC directive came as a beckon of hope for the local people to have the house reinstituted in accordance with their long-standing demand of turning it into a museum, shedding lights on the life of the heartthrob actress and evolution of Bangla film as well.

"The entire Pabna is happy with the verdict. I believe it is news of joy and hope for every conscious and progressive individual of the country," said Saidul Haque Chunnu, convener of Suchitra Sen Smrity Shangrakkhan Parishad in Pabna, a forum comprising cultural activists and intellectuals to press home their demands.

The HC directive to take appropriate legal action against the grabbers holds great importance for the local people, who witnessed how the house on 21 decimal of land underwent a change in construction as the Imam Gazzali Trust run by Jamaat-e-Islami extended its business in education using the land.

Once accommodating only five brick-built rooms, the house now has extra five corrugated-iron-sheet-made rooms to accommodate about three hundred students of Imam Gazzali Institution, a kindergarten run by the Gazzali trust.

Earlier, the trust ran a high school and college on the compound. The institutions were relocated to their own property at Raghabpur village after those were listed on the MPO.

"We are maintaining the school in Suchitra Sen's residence after taking lease of the land from the district administration," said Abid Hassan, secretary of the Gazzali trust and ameer of Jamaat's municipal unit.

"People labelled the institution as one of Jamaat's organisations, but this is only an educational institution, not an institution of a particular party," he claimed.

However, Jamaat even tried to have the house as its own property in 1991, immediately after the BNP-led alliance assumed power.

The then government could not hand over the house due to some technical difficulties over the land survey but suggested that the trust continue occupying it by renewing the lease every year until the matter is finally settled, Hassan informed.

Against increasing demand of reclaiming the house after the AL-led grand alliance assumed power, the district administration cancelled the lease last year. The kindergarten however challenged the cancellation with the HC, drawing a stay order on operation of the cancellation.

"On receipt of the court order we will take next decision after consulting our counsels," said Aiyub Ali, a teacher of the kindergarten who challenged the cancellation order.

The HC has made the deputy commissioner, superintendent of police and officer-in-charge of Pabna police to act in compliance with its directives and report back in 10 days.

A public interest litigation filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) drew a series of directives from the HC that ruled the government to explain in two weeks why its inaction to take action against the grabbers should not be declared illegal.

The HRPB filed the petition following a report published in Shokaler Khobor on July 13.

Born in April of 1931, Suchitra Sen stayed in the house till a few months before the partition. She made her debut in film with Shesh Kothaay in 1952. The films in which she paired with another icon actor Uttam Kumar became classics in the history of Bangla film.

Suchitra is the first Indian actress to be awarded in an international competition. She received Best Actress award for the movie Saat Paake Bandha in Moscow Film Festival, 1963.

Source : The Daily Star

Drama over arrest of Rajshahi militant: Arrest warrant found missing; cops capture him on duplicate order

Police yesterday "discovered" that arrest warrant against the chief of a banned militant outfit was missing for the last three years and arrested him in the evening after obtaining a duplicate from the court.

Sayed Kawsar Hussain Siddiki alias Raja, chief of outlawed Shahadat-e Al Hikma, was arrested at his house in Haragram Pashchimpara in the city at 8:00pm.

The Court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Rajshahi issued the arrest warrant against him in a sedition case on July 10, 2008. However, the warrant went missing, allowing Kawsar to remain at large and pursue his activities.

Taking this opportunity, Kawsar, who had affiliation with Freedom Party, was developing a big-budget beverage company in Rajshahi city.

Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Commissioner M Obaidullah told The Daily Star that both the police stations concerned and the court police had no whereabouts of the warrant. They found it missing while looking into the documents of the cases filed against Kawsar, he said.

"We are trying to detect how such an important document went missing and whether an insider was involved," the city police chief added.

The sedition case (non-FIR prosecution) was filed against Kawsar on April 13, 2005 for his involvement in militant activities.

He was also accused in another sedition case filed on March 25, 2003. Both the sedition cases filed by the Detective Branch of RMP are now pending with the CMM court.

Kawsar appeared with Al-Hikma in late 90s with leaflets and posters that carried the slogan "Good use of arms is the only way of eradicating injustice" and termed the Liberation War a "terrorist activity".

He was arrested thrice in 2002 for his involvement with Al-Hikma and the sedition cases were filed following the outfit was banned on February 9, 2003. He was arrested for the last time in February 2003 and was out on bail three years later.

Kawsar had meanwhile started setting up Himaloy Beverage Company Ltd renting a four-storey building at Dingadoba Nimtala in the city.

During a recent interview at his office, Kawsar told newspersons he is the managing director of the company. He rented the house at Tk 40,000 per month for the last three months.

On his link with Al-Hikma, Kawsar said he is no more with the outfit. "I was young and stupid then. I am a businessman now."

Asked about his investment, Kawsar, who lived on khas land only eight years ago, claimed he inherited property from his in-laws and earned huge amount as a contractor.

He also claimed his Tk 300-crore beverage project would generate employment for around 40,000 people. He also said he would get foreign funding for the company but did not elaborate.

During a visit to his office, it was found there was nothing but a chair and a table in every room of the first two floors. Kawsar lives with his family on the third floor, while the fourth floor is still under construction.

To prove himself a real businessman, he showed this correspondent several copies of licences and certificates.

Asked how Kawsar obtained business documents, Assistant Commissioner (Tax) Jahangir Alam of Circle-3 and Ziaul Haque, in-charge of Rajshahi office of the Joint Stock Companies and Firms, said they don't need to verify criminal records while issuing certificates.

They said they would consider criminal records only when anyone files any complaint against a person.

Source : The Daily Star 

Death at Construction Site: HC orders arrest of builders

The High Court yesterday ordered immediate arrest of builders Sagufta Group's managing director and director in connection with the death of a college student.

The officers-in-charge of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and Pallabi police stations were ordered to arrest Khalled Mohammad Jewel Mollah, managing director, and Walid Mohammad Mollah, director.

Hearing a suo moto rule, an HC bench also directed the two OCs, Khaled , Walid and contractor Md Osman Ali to appear before it tomorrow along with relevant papers to explain their responsibilities concerning construction of the building in violation of safety rules, and the death of the student.

The bench comprised of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore, however, exempted Chairman of Sagufta Group Noor Mohammad from personal appearance before it considering his old age.

Habibur Rahman Munna, 18, an HSC examinee from Tejgaon College, was killed on the spot on July 16 as a brick fell on his head from the 10th floor of an under-construction 15-storey building of a Sagufta project on Panthapath in the capital.

On July 19, the court issued a rule upon the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, the two OCs and Sagufta Group to explain within two weeks why the company should not be punished for not taking appropriate safety measures at the construction site.

Noor Mohammad and Khalled appeared before the HC bench yesterday as per its July 19 rule.

Their counsel Anisul Huq told the court that the two were not responsible for the death of a student as they had given all responsibilities of the construction to the director and contractor.

The court said nobody will be allowed to evade justice after committing such a serious offence.

Deputy Attorney General ABM Altaf Hossain stood for the government.

Source : The Daily Star 

Tourism in Bangladesh

This video shows the beautiful tourist spots in Bangladesh.

Beautiful Bangladesh Tourism Video (World Cup 2011)

Beautiful Bangladesh tourism video shown during ICC World Cup Cricket 2011

Military plane crash kills 80 in Morocco

A military transport plane slammed into a mountainside in bad weather in southern Morocco yesterday, killing all 80 people on board, hospital and military sources said.

The army said 78 people were killed on the spot and two rushed to hospital after the Hercules C-130 crashed on the edge of the Sahara desert in Morocco's worst military aviation disaster.

A hospital source later told AFP that the injured died of their wounds.

The plane crashed into a mountain northeast of Guelmim, located about 830 kilometres south of the capital Rabat, the army said in a statement.

Most of those onboard the aircraft were soldiers flying from Laayoune in Western Sahara to the coastal city of Agadir. But the army said civilians, including family members, were also on the flight.

King Mohammed VI has sent a message of condolence to the families of the victims, an official said.

The army statement blamed the accident on "bad weather conditions".

"Above all, it was the fog and bad weather conditions that are believed to be behind this accident. But for the moment, we don't have enough information," an interior ministry official said.

The plane slammed into a mountain around 10 kilometres (six miles) from Guelmin, known as the gateway to the Sahara desert.

Another provincial official said the plane had been preparing to land at the local military airport at Guelmin when "a huge pall of smoke came from the mountain".

He said the plane had hit the well known mountain of Sayyert.

The bodies of several victims have been recovered from the mountainside and taken to the military hospital at Guelmin, the army said in the statement.

Source : The Daily Star

Beautiful Bangladesh Exclusive Video Clip

GlaxoSmithKline Bangladesh chairman due today

Duncan Learmouth, senior vice-president, developing countries and market access business unit, emerging markets, GlaxoSmithKline, UK and chairman, GSK Bangladesh Limited, arrives in Dhaka today on a three-day visit.

Duncan Learmouth joined GSK in 1991. Before taking up the current assignment of leading the operations in about 50 countries, Duncan, in his role of SVP Global Communications, was also a member of GSK's global corporate executive team. Prior to that, he worked as vice-president, global investor relations and competitive excellence, said a news release.

Duncan joined the board of GSK Bangladesh as chairman in August 2010. He is also a board member of ViiV Healthcare, a global specialist HIV company which is established by GSK and Pfizer to deliver advances in treatment and care for people living with HIV.

Source : New Age

Oil mixed as traders eye US debt standoff

Oil was mixed in Asian trade Tuesday, with sentiment muted amid a budget standoff in Washington as lawmakers struggle to agree on a plan to avoid a default by the world's biggest economy.

New York's main contract, light sweet crude for September delivery, advanced 37 cents to $99.57 a barrel and Brent North Sea crude for September delivery eased 29 cents to $117.65.

'Investors (are) keeping to the sidelines as Washington debates the debt ceiling,' analysts from Phillip Futures said in a commentary.

The US Treasury says Congress must raise the government's $14.29 trillion debt limit by August 2 to prevent a default, which would have devastating repercussions on the global economy.

But Democrats and Republicans are deadlocked, with bitter disagreements over tax increases and spending cuts.

US President Barack Obama warned in a primetime televised speech to the nation on Monday that a default would risk 'a deep economic crisis'.

Washington hit its debt ceiling on May 16 but has used spending and accounting adjustments, as well as higher-than-expected tax receipts, to continue operating normally. However, it can only do so until August 2.

At that point, US leaders will have to cut an estimated 40 per cent from spending and stop paying either its debts or other obligations such as government health or retirement benefits.

Source : New Age

market Disclosures

Gemini Sea Food
As per un-audited quarterly accounts for the 3rd quarter ended on 30th June 2011 (April '11 to June '11), the company has reported net profit after tax of Tk 1.31 million with EPS of Tk 11.86 as against Tk 1.09 million and Tk 9.88 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Whereas net profit after tax was Tk 9.52 million with EPS of Tk 86.53 for the period of nine months (Oct '10 to June '11) ended on 30.06.2011 as against Tk 4.07 million and Tk 36.97 respectively for the same period of the previous year. Accumulated profit/ (loss) of the company was Tk (10.86) million as on 30.06.11.

Barakatullah Electro Dynamics Ltd
The company has informed that Barakatullah Electro Dynamics Ltd. (51 per cent shareholding company of Baraka Patenga Power Limited) has received a letter from Bangladesh Power Development Board to sign the Power Purchase Agreements ('PPA') for the development of a HFO-Fired Power Generation Facility of 50.00 MW at Patenga, Chittagong, Bangladesh with Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) along with the implementation agreements ('IA') with the government for the facilities on July 31, 2011.

CMC Kamal
The company has informed that it has credited the Bonus shares for the year 2010 to the respective shareholders' BO accounts.

Aims 1st MF
In response to a DSE query, the trustee of the fund has informed that there is no undisclosed price sensitive information of the fund for recent unusual price hike.

Aramit
The company has informed that it has already sent cash dividend warrants through courier to respective shareholders' mailing address.

Safko Spinnings
In response to a DSE query dated 25.07.11, the company has informed that there is no undisclosed price sensitive information of the company for recent unusual price hike.
    Source: DSE
Source : New Age

Indian rate hike spooks business

Business leaders in India expressed alarm on Tuesday after the country's central bank raised interest rates by a larger-than-expected 50 basis points.

The Confederation of Indian Industry umbrella group led the charge following the Reserve Bank of India's rate rise, the 11th in less than 18 months.

CII director-general Chandrajit Banerjee accepted that policymakers were aggressively trying to curb inflation but warned there could be a tipping point beyond which recovering from a downward spiral could prove difficult.

'At a time when data indicates a clear slowdown in industrial output, this (the sharp rate rise) is a matter of great concern,' he said in a statement, repeating industry-wide calls for a pause in monetary tightening.

India's annual industrial output growth slowed in May to 5.6 per cent, its weakest pace in nine months, down from 8.5 per cent expansion a year earlier.

'The current hike coupled with the past actions will have an impact on overall growth,' said Anis Chakravarty, director of global consultants Deloitte, Haskins and Sells.

The RBI's repo rate, at which it lends to commercial banks, stands at 8.0 per cent and the reverse repo — the rate it pays to banks for deposits — is at 7.0 per cent.

Rate-sensitive real estate firms in particular expressed dismay and concern that the rising cost of borrowing will put off home buyers.

'(Tuesday's hike) will make cost of funds expensive for both developers and buyers and make the business environment very complex across industries,' said Pradeep Jain, chairman of Parsvnath Developers.

Jain said property developers had no option but to pass on the burden to buyers.

Source : New Age

Maruti Q1 beats forecast

Maruti Suzuki, India's top car maker, beat estimates with an 18 per cent rise in June-quarter profit, helped by higher other income, even as yet another rate hike by the central bank made the sector's outlook murkier.

Car makers in the country are set to see a sharp drop in demand amid surging interest rates and fuel prices in the world's second-fastest growing auto market after China.

Indian car sales, which grew at a breakneck 30 per cent in the fiscal year that ended in April, are now expected to grow by just 10 to 12 per cent this fiscal year, down from an earlier forecast of 16 to 18 per cent, an industry group has said.

The demand outlook has weakened further after the central bank stunned investors by raising interest rates by 50 basis points on Tuesday, showing unexpected resolve in fighting persistently high inflation.

Source : New Age

Singapore’s GIC shifts assets to emerging markets

Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC has shifted more assets to emerging markets amid uncertainly over the recovery of the US and European economies, its annual report said Tuesday.

The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation disclosed the shift as it reported a steady 7.2 per cent rate of return on investments in the year to March, from 7.1 per cent a year ago, on a nominal 20-year annualised basis.

GIC, which manages the republic's reserves, cautioned that global financial markets still faced significant challenges including the pace of recovery in the world's major economies from the 2008 financial crisis.

'Although the global financial crisis is now behind us, we still face challenges in the economic and investment environment,' said Ng Kok Song, GIC's group chief investment officer.

'The sustainable recovery of the developed economies remains uncertain, while the emerging economies face challenges in restraining inflationary pressure and currency appreciation,' he said in a statement.

In its annual report, the fund said there was a further five per cent shift in its asset allocation to emerging-market equities.

'The main changes were the increase in exposure to Asia and Latin America and the reduction in exposure to the United States and Europe,' GIC said.

'These changes largely resulted from the asset allocation shift to emerging market equities from developed market equities,' it said.

GIC, one of two investment vehicles set up by Singapore, invests in a wide range of assets such as equities, real estate and natural resources with a 20- year horizon as the key focus.

Singapore's total foreign reserves stood at just under $240 billion in May, according to the central bank's website.

Among GIC's main investments are stakes in Citigroup, UBS as well in China Industrial Bank, China International Capital Corporation and commercial properties in major world capitals.

Unlike Temasek Holdings, the other state investment firm, GIC does not give any data on revenues or profits apart from the overall rate of return.

Earlier this month, Temasek Holdings said it earned a net profit of Sg$13 billion ($10.8 billion) in the year to March from Sg$5.0 billion the previous year.

Source : New Age

Bangladesh 114th in attracting FDI

Bangladesh has been ranked 114th among 141 countries in terms of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), according to the World Investment Report.

The 21st World Investment Report 2011, published recently by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, showed that Bangladesh's ranking, which was 120th in 2009, has improved slightly in 2010.

The FDI in 2010 grew by 30 per cent to $913 million, up by $213 million over the previous year but lower by $173 million in 2008.

Much of the FDI however, went to acquisition of old assets rather than setting up Greenfield companies.

BoI executive chairman S A Samad while unveiling the investment report said it was up to the foreign companies to decide whether to purchase the existing companies or set up new ventures.

He acknowledged that FDI flow in acquisition did not help enlarge the economy.

SA Samad said that the country should receive $5 to $6 billion of FDI annually as it has a rapidly growing economy with an extensive market.

He identified political unrest, military intervention, incompetent public sector, obstructive bureaucracy and natural disasters as some of the factors that discourage FDI in the country.

He said that the investment procedure, which needed the approval of several authorities from the Prime Minister's Office to the secretariat, was very complicated and prolonged.

But he thought that the FDI would increase in the future as risk and uncertainty were being reduced gradually.

In the total FDI in 2010, around $360 million, of which $317 million came from Singapore alone, was invested in the telecommunications sector.

About $145 million was invested in textiles, $163 million in banking and $92 million in power and energy, investment increasing by 41 per cent in the four sectors over 2009.

But the report said that investment in food production decreased from $24 million in 2009 to $12 in 2010.

The report also said that the country ranked 2nd after Maldives in terms of inward FDI growth. India and Pakistan were declining in position and Sri Lanka was improving.

'Bangladesh has done well regarding FDI compared with other South Asian economies such as India and Pakistan,' said Professor M Ismail Hossain of Jahangirnagar University while highlighting the salient features of the report in the BoI's boardroom today.

The report said that foreign investment increased by 5 per cent worldwide in 2010, which was less by 37 per cent compared to investment in 2007.

The total registered foreign investment in Bangladesh in 2010, which amounted to $3,138, increased by 372 per cent over the previous year.

Local investment in 2010, which was $6,276, was 142 per cent more than that of the previous year.

Chairman of Privatisation Commission of Bangladesh Dr Mirza Abdul Jalil, member (engineering) of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority Abu Reza Khan, representatives of Bangladesh Bank and concerned officials of various agencies were present on the occasion.

Source : New Age

Banks asked to set up complaint cell in zonal offices

Bangladesh Bank on Tuesday asked all banks to set up complaint cells in their zonal offices to improve client service.

BB also directed the banks to send the names and details of the appointed officers of the newly established complaint cells in the BB zonal offices within next 30 days.

Banking Regulation and Policy Department issued a circular in this regard on Tuesday and sent it to the banks.

The circular said, 'It has been observed that the complaints against bank branches under the jurisdiction of Bangladesh Bank branch offices cannot be settled quickly as there is no complaint cell in the zonal offices of the banks like the head offices.'

Source : New Age

Listed SoEs start offloading additional shares

Two state-owned enterprises listed with the Dhaka bourse will today start offloading additional shares as part of the government's measure to increase the quantum of shares in the market.

The state-run Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation on Tuesday announced that it would offload more shares of two of its enterprises, Meghna Petroleum Ltd and Jamuna Oil Company Ltd, on the Dhaka Stock Exchange within 30 days.

The BPC said that it intended to sell 54,97,800 shares out of its total holdings of 3,23,39,994 shares of Meghna Petroleum, and 53,55,000 shares out of its total holdings of 3,14,99,994 shares of Jamuna Oil at the prevailing market prices within a month.

MD Fayekuzzaman, managing director of the Investment Corporation of Bangladesh which deals with the shares of the state-owned enterprises (SOE), told New Age that the sales of the shares of the companies would start from today.

The BPC had earlier offloaded 30 per cent of the total shares of the two companies which were listed with the Dhaka Stock Exchange in 2007.

Out of the total 4,85,10,000 shares of Meghna Petroleum, BPC holds 70 per cent, institutional investors 13.69 per cent and general investors 16.31 per cent. The BPC holds 70 per cent of the 5,40,00,000 shares of Jamuna Oil, institutional investors 15.04 per cent and general investors 14.96 per cent.

BPC's chairman Muktadir Ali told New Age that they would offload an additional amount of 17 per cent shares of the companies as per the government's directive.

'Once we complete offloading of around 54 lakh shares of Meghna Petroleum and 53 lakh shares of Jumuna Oil by 30 days, the total amount of offloaded shares of the companies would reach 47 per cent,' he said.

Officials of the finance ministry said that more shares of other listed SoEs, such as Titas Gas, Dhaka Electric Supply Company and the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh, would soon be offloaded after announcement on the DSE's website.

They said that at least 16 other SoEs would be listed with the Dhaka and Chittagong bourse in the coming months.

The government last year announced the offloading of more shares of already listed companies and listing of other SoEs to increase the supply of securities to the booming capital market, but failed to do so because of bureaucratic red tape and obstruction by certain quarters.

Finance minister AMA Muhith on Thursday

disclosed that offloading shares of the listed

SoEs on the capital market was being held back because of the reluctance of 'some people'.

'I could not ensure the offloading of the shares within a month, but I am still trying,' said the minister.

Muktadir told New Age that the BPC would soon list LP Gas Ltd with the bourse.

The other SoEs which are intended to be listed and whose shares offloaded include Bakhrabad Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, Telephone Shilpa Sangstha and Submarine Cables Company Ltd, Rupantarito Prakritik Gas Company Ltd, Pragati Industries Ltd, Chittagong Dry Dock Ltd, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd, Bangladesh Cables Ltd, Essential Drugs Company Ltd, Teletalk Bangladesh Ltd, BTCL, Jalalabad Gas T&T System Ltd, West Zone Gas Company Ltd and Gas Transmission Company Ltd.

A number of stockbrokers told New Age that

the announcement of offloading of additional shares of Jamuna and Meghna had an immediate affect on Tuesday — the price of Jamuna's shares declining by 3.91 per cent and Meghna Petroleum's by 3.87 per cent.

The price of each of DESCO's shares slid by 2.30 per cent, of Titas Gas by 1.80 per cent and Power Grid by 1.23 per cent.

'The price of the SoE's shares might fluctuate heavily because of increase in supply in the coming days,' said a stockbroker.

Source : New Age

BCL men beaten over extortion

The students of the Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology on Tuesday severely beat two Bangladesh Chhatra League activists allegedly for snatching mobiles.

The injured, Nabil, a third year civil engineering student and also the joint secretary of BCL Selim Hall unit, and Johnny, a third year electric and electronics engineering student, were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

Students at RUET Tin Shed Hall said that Nabil and Johnny came to their hall at about 2:00am Tuesday and, entering Room Number 17, snatched two mobiles from Sifat, a second year computer science student, at gunpoint.

Sifat told New Age that they also threatened him with dire consequences if he disclosed the matter.

However, some time later when the students of the hall sensed the incident they swooped on the two.

Nabil and Johnny were rescued by the police, on information, and sent to hospital.

The RUET students also alleged that Nabil and Johnny, along with some other BCL activists, had long been extorting money and mobile phones from the students whom they found vulnerable.

The victims, under threat from the extortionists, had kept mum.

A resident of RUET Selim Hall, preferring anonymity, said that two weeks ago Nabil took away Tk 2,000 from him too.

Harun-or-Rashid, convener of BCL RUET unit, while admitting Nabil as their member, denied any organisational link with Johnny. 

'Actions will be taken if the allegations against them are proved,' he added. 

The RUET director of students welfare, Mohammad Shamimur Rahman, also pledged stern actions if the probe, undertaken by the university, proved the allegations against them.

Motihar police officer-in-charge Akbar Ali told New Age that they would take step about Nabil and Johnny after discussing with the RUET authorities.

Source : New Age

Four persons die in different incidents in Dhaka

A man was killed in a road accident, the police recovered the body of an unidentified man, while a boy drowned and a housewife committed suicide in the capital on Tuesday.

Poultry trader Mohammad Billal Hossain, 50, died on the spot when the rickshaw-van carrying him was hit by a truck on Khilgaon Flyover at about 4:00am.

The victim lived at Goran at Banasri in the capital and was going to Kaptanbazar when the accident occurred.

The police sent the body to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Meanwhile, the Uttara police recovered the body of a 70-year-old unidentified man from Jasimuddin Road after midnight.

The body was first sent to Uttara Mahila Medical College Hospital and later to the DMCH morgue for post-mortem.

The man died of heart attack, the hospital authorities said.

In another incident, the police recovered the body of Mohammad Rafique, 6, son of Mohammad Julhas of Paschim Agargaon, from a nearby water-body at about 9:30am.

Victim's uncle Hamidul Islam said that the boy probably drowned after he had gone out to play with his friends the previous afternoon.

The body was sent to the DMCH morgue for post-mortem, the police said.

A 23-year-old housewife committed suicide at Dakkhin Khan at Uttara at about 3:00pm.

The police, on information, recovered the body of the deceased, Lima Akhter, from her residence at Dakkhin Mollar Tek.

Her father and mother said that she committed suicide following an altercation with her husband Rayhan Kabir.

The body was sent to the DMCH morgue for post-mortem.

Four unnatural death cases were filed with the respective police stations.

Source : New Age

Change in temperature unlikely

Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely at a few places over the Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong and Sylhet and till 6:00pm today.

Day temperature may remain unchanged over the country, the Meteorology Office said in a forecast on Tuesday.

The sun sets in Dhaka today at 6:44pm and rises tomorrow at 5:26am.

The country's highest temperature, 35.2 degrees Celsius, was recorded on Tuesday in Jessore and the lowest, 24.0 degrees Celsius, in Rangamati.

Source : New Age

Khulna teachers to boycott classes over BCL anti-social activities

Teachers of Haji Mohammad Mohsin College have decided to boycott classes today protesting at stalking and anti-social activities by a group of BCL students.

The teachers at a meeting heard the written complaint of a lady teacher who said she was subjected to harassment by a group of students led by Imran Sabuj.

It was told in the meeting that Imran, also BCL secretary of city Ward No 13, and his associates were  stalkers and engaged in anti-social activities. He often entered the campus at night with women and forced the night guard to open the rooms for carrying anti-social activity.

The atrocious manner and misdeeds of the BCL leader were also informed to president of college managing committee Begum Munnujan Sufian, also state minister, who advised for taking legal action against Imran and his associates. A case was readied to file today against them but the attempt was thwarted by threat of dire consequences.

Confirming all of it vice-principal Nazmul Ahsan told the news agency that the teachers in their meeting on Monday and Tuesday expressed serious concern and strongly protested at the misdeeds of BCL group.

The meeting suggested expulsion of Imran and his associates from the college for restoration of sanctity and academic atmosphere.

Source : New Age

Mobile court seized fake Samsung TVs

A Dhaka mobile court, led by chief magistrate Shakil Ahmed, seized a total of 27 fake Samsung TVs during its drive at Shanir Akhra Bus Stand Market at Jatrabari in the capital on Monday.

The court with support of Samsung Dhaka branch office conducted the drive, confirmed a Samsung India Electronics Private Limited release on Monday.

The court also fined the shop owners a total of Tk 20,000, in default to suffer a month jail.

The court seized 10 TVs at Ovi Electronics, 8 TVs at Singapore Electronics and 9 TVs at Malaysia Electronics.

The shops were selling poor quality products using Samsung logos on them.

Source : New Age

Green activists criticise ministry of environment

Green activists at a seminar on Tuesday strongly criticised the role of the ministry of environment and forests due to its negligence in protecting the country's environment and forests.

They said in fact, the ministry of environment and forests is engaged in taking projects, going abroad and acquiring forests resources.

Paribesh Bachao Andolan, an environmental organisation, arranged the seminar at the National Press Club in the capital Tuesday morning.

Chaired by PBA chairman Abu Naser Khan, the seminar was addressed, among others, by Mujibul Haque MP, former member of Planning Commission Prof Mamtazuddin Ahmed, chairman of Zoology Department at Dhaka University Prof Nurjahan Sarkar and poet Lily Haque.

Environmentalists said although 15 ministries were involved in managing environment and biodiversity, no effective step had been taken yet to protect the environment and forests, and biodiversity.

They said environmental stewardship was always ignored in the 'Allocation of Business' and the 'Rules of Business' of different ministries and the ministry of environment and forests did not emphasise its allocation of duty to conserve environment and biodiversity.

They urged the government to rename 'environment management ministry' instead of the ministry of environment and forests with a view to protecting the country's environment and forests.

Former secretary Sohel Ahmed Chowdhury read out a keynote paper on 'Environment Management: the Role of Ministry and Social Audit' at the seminar.

Source : New Age

Sub-panel formed to probe BRTA graft

A three-member sub-committee has been formed for investigating corruption of Bangladesh Roads Transport Authority.

Parliamentary standing committee on the ministry of commutations Tuesday formed the committee at a meeting held in the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban making Apu Ukil its convenor.

Other two members of the committee are Golam Mawla Rony and Abu Jahir.

Chairman of the parliamentary standing committee  Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said this at a press conference at the media centre of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

Besides, another three-member sub-committee has been formed for investigating of appointment of consultation organisation to Bangladesh Railway in the 2005-06 fiscal year.

Zillur Rahman Hakim has been made convenor of the committee.

Source : New Age

3 Khulna college students stabbed

Identified miscreants stabbed three college students leaving them injured allegedly over dispute relating to woman in Dal Mill area in the city on Tuesday.

The injured were Wasikur Rahman, 22, son of Habibur Rahman, Galib, 22, son of Sahabuddin of Goborchaka Mollabari and Omi, 22, son of Khushroj Mahmood of Poipara in the city. They were students of Khulna Government Commerce College and Government Sundaraban College.

Witnesses and families of the victims said Anik, Jacky and Iman of Dal Mill area engaged in a brawl with Wasikur, Galib and Omi over a trifling matter involving a girl in front of Zia Hall on Monday.

At one stage, Anik, Jacky and Iman stabbed Wasikur, Galib and Omi leaving them critically wounded at Dal Mill Intersection at night.

A case was filed and the police arrested Faisal Sharif Pappu, suspecting his involvement with the attack and injuries.

Source : New Age

JS body advises action against four Adamji officials

A parliamentary standing committee on Tuesday asked the government to take action against a private company for misappropriating Tk 5.75 crore through cheque forgery.

The committee on Jute and Textile ministry at a meeting asked the action against Adamji Sons Limited for the wrongdoing.

It called the action after reviewing a report the ministry submitted to it following an inquiry.

It asked the chairmen of Janata Bank and Prime Bank to look into the forgery which took place through illegal transactions at their Motijheel branches, said committee sources.

They said that an inquiry by the ministry found that the functionaries of Adamji Sons Limited misappropriated Tk 5,74,81,640 from the two banks through checque forgery.

The ministry informed the committee that it had appointed a three-member committee headed by a joint secretary to investigate into the irregularities.

Accordingly, the committee submitted its report to the parliamentary committee at its meeting on Tuesday.

According to the report the money was withdrawn from five accounts of the company using forged cheques of the two banks.

In the forgery, it found the involvement of the company's general manager Delwar Hossain, deputy general manager Kanti Lal Chakrabarty,  manager (Accounts) Ferdous Beg and assistant manager (Accounts) Abdul Matin, said the report.

Committee members Hayatur Rahman Khan, Shafiqul Islam and Abdul Wadud and senior officials of the ministry attended the meeting chaired by its  chairman Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury.

Source : New Age

Ethnic Bangalis are indigenous people: FM

The government on Tuesday requested foreign governments and international communities to rectify their misperception about the identity of the ethnic minority communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

The foreign minister, Dipu Moni, made the call at a meeting with ambassadors of different countries. 

'Please sensitise your governments to the misconception about the identity of the ethnic minority communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts,' a foreign ministry official quoted the minister as telling the ambassadors.

'Unfortunately once again Bangladesh and the ethnic

Bangali nation, has become a victim of global misperception about our ancient anthropological roots, our colonial history and our identity as a nation,' she said, according to excerpts of her statement distributed to reporters by the external publicity wing of the ministry. 

'This record needs to be set straight  so that Bangladesh's friends and international partners see eye to eye on our historical and ethnic roots as a nation and how this misperception and misrepresentation of historical facts about the ethnic minorities in the CHT is running counterproductive to the internal political process and spirit of the CHT Peace Accord that was signed between the government of prime minister Sheikh Hasina and tribal leaders of the CHT region in good faith and confidence in 1997,' she said.

More than 50 ambassadors, charge de affaires and deputy heads of missions and top officials of the UN bodies attended the meeting held at the foreign ministry. There are about 53 missions of foreign countries and international agencies in Dhaka. 

Describing majority Bangalis as 'indigenous people' of Bangladesh, the minister said, the first nation of this soil 'are the ethnic Bangalis by descent' that constitute nearly 99 per cent of Bangladesh's population.

They have all been original inhabitants of this ancestral land for 4,000 years or more, according to archeological proof found in the 'Wari Bateshwar' excavations, she said giving historical, anthropological, colonial and legal references.

'Recently we have noted with concern that the tribal people or ethnic minorities in the CHT region have been termed as 'indigenous peoples' of Bangladesh in two paragraphs of the 2011 Report of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues,' she said.

'There is misplaced linkage between the term "indigenous peoples" and the identity of the ethnic minorities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region,' she said. 

A section of the leaders of the ethnic minorities have, however, kicked up new controversies by demanding their recognition as 'indigenous people', the minister said. 

The majority Bangali people will be 'disfranchised' if the ethnic minority communities are recognised as 'indigenous' people, she said.

The recorded history of the presence of the ethnic minority communities in Chittagong hill districts, are found from 18th century, she said.  

The word 'tribal' was mentioned as the identity of ethnic minorities in all of the WW Hunter Census of 1881, the Chittagong Hill Tracts Regulation, 1900 and Chittagong Hill Districts Acts, 1989, she said.

Most significantly in the CHT Peace Accord 1997 itself the CHT ethnic minorities have been definitionally categorised as 'tribal', not 'indigenous peoples', she said.

Now the word 'indigenous is arbitrarily and wrongly' introduced by some quarters nationally and internationally going beyond the CHT accord, she said. 'It is a major detraction from the accord.' 

'Attempts by some vested quarters to establish those very people who signed the CHT Accord as 'tribal'' to the status of 'indigenous' in some international and UN Forums is solely aimed at securing  a privileged status for an established and legally accepted entity, at the expense of national identity, image and territorial integrity of Bangladesh,' the minister said.

Dipu Moni said in the constitution of Bangladesh all minorities were recognised generically as minorities. 'Through the 15th amendment the present government took the initiative to categorise them to a more honorable and distinct status recognising their ethnicity for the first time and term them as "ethnic minorities" and no longer only as "tribal people", ' she said.

The foreign minister said Bangladesh was a 'unitary' country where majority Bangali and all religious and ethnic minority communities were citizens of the land.

The government has started implementing the CHT accord, she said. 'We are also ready to consider recommendations made to implement the entire accord.'

After the meeting with the diplomats, Dipu Moni held a luncheon meeting with select editors of the print and electronic media on ethnic minority issues.

Some of the editors described the government's latest position on the issue as a 'wake-up call', meeting sources said.

Source : New Age

Authorities asked to free Suchitra Sen’s house

The High Court on Tuesday directed the concerned authorities in Pabna to recover the ancestral house of Suchitra Sen, Bangla movies' legendary actress, from land-grabbers within seven days, and to protect and preserve it henceforth.

The secretaries to the home affairs and land ministries, Pabna's deputy commissioner and superintendent of police, deputy inspector general of police (Rajshahi range) and Pabna Sadar thana's officer-in-charge were asked to submit a compliance report to the court within 10 days after taking action against the illegal squatters.

The bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore passed the order after hearing a public interest litigation writ petition filed by a rights organization, Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh, which referred to a report published on July 13 in the daily Shokaler Khobor that Suchitra Sen's house was not being freed from the illegal possession of Jamaat members.

The bench also asked the concerned authorities to explain in two weeks why their failure to take appropriate legal steps against those who had occupied Suchitra's house should not be declared illegal, and why they should not be directed to ensure protection of the house.

Manzill Murshid, who represented the rights organization, sought the High Court's directives to free Suchitra's paternal home from illegal occupancy.

Screen legend Suchitra Sen turned 80 on April 6. She was born in her maternal grandfather's house in Bhangabari village in Pabna, and grew up at Gopalpur in Pabna town. Unfortunately her ancestral home is still occupied by the Imam Gazzali Institute, despite popular resentment in the locals. The people of the district want the historic house to be freed from illegal occupation and restored to its former condition.

Suchitra, whose original name was Rama Dasgupta, started her academic career at Mahakali Pathshala in Pabna town, and later studied at Pabna Girls School (now Pabna Government Girls High School).

According to the elderly people of the district, Suchitra's father Karunamoy Dasgupta left Pabna with his whole family just before the Partition in 1947.

Source : New Age

JS panel asks govt to curb road accidents

A parliamentary standing committee on Tuesday asked the government to immediately stop issuing of driving licence to unskilled drivers.

The committee on the ministry of communication at a meeting also asked the government to set up the needed number of driving training centres to cut down the increasing number of road accidents in the country.

At least two members of the committee pulled up the communications minister for not caring to maintain transparency in project implementation and personnel recruitment.

They requested him to ensure transparency in all actions in the interest of the image of the government, committee sources said after the meeting.

The meeting condoled the loss of life of 43 school boys in a road accident at Mirsarai in Chittagong on July 1, they said.

They asked the government to take effective steps to cut down road accidents.

The committee also asked the authorities to set up more speed-breakers across the country to cut down accidents.

The committee chairman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman said that approximately 6,000 people were killed in road accidents a year due to faults of the drivers.

He said that most of the drivers had no proper training and genuine licence.

He said that the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority often issued driving licence to inexpert drivers.

He asked the government to rectify the irregularities.

 He also asked for setting up more driving training centres to meet the requirement.

The committee suggested a reduction in the number of speed breakers on the highways and to increase them in the cities.

It decided to make an on the spot evaluation of location of the speed breakers across the country.

Committee members Omor Faruk Chowdhury and Golam Maula Rony pulled up the minister, Syed Abul Hossain for ignoring transparency in project implementation and personnel recruitment.

Faurk said that raised the question because the minister directly intervened in the recruitment of class four employees and in the appointing a private company as consultants though it had failed in its tasks in the past.

Omor Faruk told New Age he drew a blank from the chief engineer and general manager of Railway about the recruitment of an MLSS and a peon.

He said that asked him to get the information from the minister.

Omor Faruk said that the minister also failed to give proper answer to his queries about his involvement in petty issues like this.

Rony told New Age that he drew attention of the minister to the attitude of the ministry officials towards lawmakers.

He said that the officials do not show due respect to the lawmakers.

He told the minister that it calls for a change.

The committee also decided to review, at its next meeting, the performance of the civil servants who had confessed their corruption to the now defunct Truth Commission.

It constituted a three-member sub committee headed by Zillul Hakim to probe into the incident of appointment of Canarail Consultant Limited as consultants although it had failed to properly discharge its duty in the past.

It constituted another sub-committee headed by Opu Ukil to inquire into the irregularities in the BRTA during the year 2005-2006, meeting sources said.

Source : New Age

SC asks Amini, Azharul to face contempt charges

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the High Court's order, directing Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami's acting secretary-general ATM Azharul Islam and Islami Oikya Jote's president Fazlul Haque Amini to appear before the High Court to explain the remarks they had reportedly made while criticizing the Constitution and the Supreme Court in separate meetings.

The Appellate Division's chamber judge, Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the 'no order' after the counsels of Azharul and Amini filed separate petitions seeking permission to appeal against the High Court's order, and also sought a stay on its operation.

On Monday, the High Court bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore directed Azharul to appear before it on August 8 for 'committing contempt of court' by saying on July 19 that the Awami League-led government had used the Supreme Court to abolish the provision of election-time caretaker government as the ruling party wants to continue in power by holding elections under its own supervision.

On July 20 the same bench directed Amini to appear before it on August 2 to explain why he had said that the amended Constitution 'would not only be thrown away but would be thrown into the dustbin' at a meeting with the Bangladesh Islamic Ain Bastabayan Committee in his office at Lalbagh on July 14, which was published in the daily Amar Desh on July 15.

Source : New Age

Students of Rangpur Polytech Instt go berserk

Students of Rangpur Polytechnic Institute at Shalbon in the town on Tuesday went berserk on the campus to press their demand.

Campus sources said farewell to outgoing students of all the eight departments of the institute is held together at a time every year.

As the principal Akbar Ali asked the students to organise this year's farewell separately, the students became angry and damaged the principal's office room and 3 other rooms at about 11:00am.

The police rushed in and brought the situation under control.

The principal could not be reached on the mobile phone despite several attempts.

Source : New Age

HSC, equivalent exams results to be published today

Results of the Higher Secondary Certificate and equivalent examinations under 10 education boards will be published today.

The education minister, Nurul Islam Nahid, will hand over the results of all boards to the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, in the morning.

The minister will then announce the results at a press briefing at the secretariat at noon.

Students can collect their results from educational institutions after 2:00pm.  Results will also be available on the web sites of the education boards and by sending text messages to mobile operators.

Source : New Age

Govt asked to make autism detection tools available

Doctors and child development specialists on Tuesday asked the government to make autism rating scale and other possible instruments available in Bangladesh to facilitate detection of the impairment among children.

They said that early detection of the syndrome would help develop the affected children in improving their communication skills and socialisation.

Speaking at the concluding session of the two-day conference on 'Autism Spectrum Disorders and Development Disabilities in Bangladesh and South Asia' at a city hotel, they requested government functionaries and the policy makers to consult foreign organisations to make the tools available in the country as the families having autistic children cannot afford them.

Naila Zaman Khan, professor of child development and neurology unit at Bangladesh Institute of Child Health of Dhaka Shishu Hospital said that by accurately detecting autism spectrum the tools would help develop the affected children better socialise.

She said that it would also help develop communication skill and solve the problem of behaviour among autistic children.

She said that protected by copy rights the tools are not affordable in Bangladesh and other developing countries.

Naila said that although child mortality declined in last 20 years the number of children with disabilities increased.

Quoting a survey done between 2008 and 2009, she said that 3.5 per 1,000 children in Malibag in the city alone had symptoms of autism.

She, however, said that another survey done among 4,000 children in Kishoreganj in 2005 showed none of them had autism.

'From this, we cannot come to a conclusion that the city children are more vulnerable to autism than those in the rural areas,' Naila said.

The chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on autism and prime minister Sheikh Hasina's daughter Saima Hossain in her closing remarks asked the countries in South Asia to work together to bring smile to the families having disabled and autistic children.

She said that participation of political personalities and global experts with the conference on autisms in Dhaka only indicated their awareness about this global crisis.

The conference concluded with the World Health Organisation pledging to support Bangladesh in autism care.

Representatives from the regional countries, including Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand spoke at the concluding session.

They all lent their support to the 'Dhaka Declaration' adopted at the inaugural session of the conference on Monday.

Syed Modasser Ali, prime minister's adviser and Enamul Huq Mostafa Shaheed, social welfare minister also spoke at the concluding session.

Source : New Age

Khaleda invites Hasina for iftar

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, on Tuesday invited Awami League president and prime minister Sheikh Hasina to an iftar party she would host on August 4.

Khaleda, also the opposition leader in parliament, will host the iftar in honour of the leaders of different political parties at Bangabandhu International Convention Centre.

The BNP chief also invited AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, also the LGRD and cooperatives minister, to the iftar party.

BNP assistant office secretary Abdul Latif Joni and agriculturist Shamimur Rahman Shamim went to Hasina's Dhanmondi office and handed over the invitations to AL deputy office secretary Mrinal Kanti Das, BNP's press wing official Shamsuddin Didar told the news agency.

Mrinal Kanti Das told the news agency that invitation to iftar was a religious culture. Mutual relations between political parties develop through such invitations, he added.

Source : New Age

HC acquits 3 condemned convicts

The High Court has acquitted three condemned convicts and three lifers in the ward commissioner Saidur Rahman Newton murder case.

A bench comprising justices Mohammad Fazlur Rahman and Bhabani Prasad Singha on Tuesday also commuted the punishment of seven other condemned convicts, including top criminal Kala Jahangir, to life-term imprisonment.

After the orders were issued, court in-charge deputy attorney general Bhisma Deb Chakrabarti told reporters that the six convicts were acquitted as the charges brought against them were not proved beyond doubt.

Of the 10 convicts condemned to death by the Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 on

May 24 2006, 'Abbas' alias Killer Abbas, Ibrahim Khalil and Zakir Hossain Khan were acquitted.

The punishment of other convicts to walk the gallows was commuted to life-term in jail. They are Mohammad Khorsed, Shahadat Hossain, Munir Hossain, Kala Jahangir, Kazi Mohammad Ismail, Kazi Towfiq Alam Pial and Sadequl Islam Chowdhury Sagor. All seven are on the run.

Shawakat Hossain, Nazmul Hasan alias Banga Babu and Kamal Hossain were three of the six lifers who were acquitted by the High Court. The other lifers are Mohammad Aiyub, Jhantu Rasel and Mohammad Rubel Hossain.

The acquittals and the commutations were awarded following plea from nine of the convicts.

Newton, the then BNP-backed commissioner of ward-10 of Mirpur under the Dhaka City Corporation, was shot dead in public in Dhanmondi area on May 10 2002.

His mother Rabeya Begum filed a case with Dhanmondi police station on the same day.

Source : New Age

AL leaders term it ‘strategic retreat’

A number of leaders of the ruling Awami League believe the party has compromised its principles by retaining some provisions like Bismillah and Islam as state religion in the constitution which they say contradict the spirit of the Liberation War.

The central leaders of the AL, which led the Liberation War in 1971, said they believed that the provisions went against the spirit of Liberation War, which would encourage religious fundamentalism and take the nation backward.

But they admitted that the party had to take the decision as a political strategy considering the reality.

Some leaders said that such decision would encourage religious fundamentalism which was unacceptable while some others were less critical saying that it would have been better if the spirit of liberation war had not been affected, but they hoped things would be corrected in future.

'When the world is advancing, we cannot take the nation backward by retaining such provisions in the constitution that encourage religious fundamentalism,' said a central executive committee member of the party having a background in leftwing student politics.

He said that he had expressed his personal views over the matter in the party forum but as a member of the party he had to accept its decision as it was taken considering the 'reality'.

'It would have been good if the issues of religion had not been retained, but the party had no option… You cannot ignore the sentiment of the majority people,' AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif told New Age.

He said practice of religions did not depend on whether the constitution recognised them or not as law could not impose it on anyone.

'Most of the people of the country are Muslim and they want Islam as state religion to be retained in the constitution,' said Hanif, also the party's spokesperson. He said even the

educated section of the population were in favour of retaining state religion and Bismillah in the constitution.

AL presidium member Obaidul Quader said that the party had to compromise its principles to some extent by retaining the religion-related provisions in the 15th amendment as a 'political strategy' as 'you cannot be blind to the reality'.

'It is true we could not restore the spirit of 1971 completely as we could not ignore the socio-political reality. However, I hope it could be done it future,' Quader told New Age, admitting that the party had made the decision for 'politics of votes'.

AL treasurer HN Ashequr Rahman also admitted that the party had to make compromise over a few issues but hoped that in the long run the goal of establishing a secular country would be achieved when the society would advance with the blessings of modern education.

'We have retreated from one or two small fronts in the battle on strategic ground to prepare for the crucial battle ahead for full restoration of the spirit of the Liberation War as dreamt by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,' he told New Age.

AL general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam at a press conference on July 2 said that some realities had made it impossible for the Awami League to completely return to the 1972 constitution.

'We will say no, if anyone asks whether we are absolutely satisfied with the constitutional amendment,' said Ashraf, adding that their ultimate goal was to return to the constitution of 1972.

Senior AL leader, Suranjit Sengupta, also the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on law, justice and parliamentary affairs ministry in his report on the 15th amendment bill said that he had to compromise over number of issues, including keeping Islam as the state religion and Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim in the constitution.

'I have compromised over the issues…although it seems contradictory [to other provisions of the constitution],' he said.

Source : New Age

School committees led by MPs involved in graft

Deputy commissioners on Tuesday sought authority to conduct 'summary trial' by executive magistrates besides operation of mobile courts to keep law and order under control. 

At the inauguration of the three-day annual conference, the district administrators complained to prime minister Sheikh Hasina that non-government school management committees led by local lawmakers had been involved in irregularities and corruption, especially in appointment of teachers. 

They said that the school management bodies were not functioning properly. The DCs suggested that recruitment for non-government schools and colleges should be controlled centrally to do away with the anomalies.

Inaugurating the conference at the Prime Minister's Office, Sheikh Hasina asked the deputy commissioners of all 64 districts and seven divisional commissioners to guard against attempts at price manipulations in the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan beginning in the first week of August.

Dhaka divisional commissioner Mohammad Moinuddin Abdullah along with Rajbari deputy commissioner Sahana Bari and Chittagong deputy commissioner Foyez Ahmed spoke at the inaugural session.

Two deputy commissioners from each of the seven divisions also took part in the discussions during a lunch with the prime minister.

'It is an important service to the public to keep the prices of the essentials at a normal level. Be more active during Ramadan so that unscrupulous traders cannot increase prices through manipulations,' the prime minister told the deputy commissioners. 

She asked the district administrators to deal with businessmen cautiously since the matter becomes more sensitive in the month of Ramadan, 'If you go tough on the traders to contain prices, they will become inactive, which will create another problem,' Hasina warned.

The prime minister's directives came amid rising prices of essential commodities and crisis of oil and sugar which were still selling beyond the government-set prices before Ramadan.

The prime minister said mobile courts should be operated with efficiency so that innocent people were not harassed. Mobile courts operate across the country to try scheduled offences, including food adulteration, stalking and acts of violence, that affect public life. 

'We ask for an amendment to the code of criminal procedure so that executive magistrates can hold summary trials besides operating mobile courts to maintain law and order more effectively,' a deputy commissioner told New Age.

He said that mobile courts could try a person summarily only when the accused confessed to their guilt.

After separation of the judiciary from the executive, the executive magistrates do not have the legal authority to hold summary trial in case an accused denies having committed the crime, said officials.

The district administrators also suggested setting up of a separate attorney service either under the Cabinet Division or under the public administration ministry to effectively defend the state in legal battles, a number of deputy commissioners said.

The prime minister, however, reminded the deputy commissioners of their responsibilities as public servants.

She said the present-day administration was different from the administrative system instituted by the British in the 19th century when the officials' only responsibility was to collect taxes. 'But now your responsibility is to deliver services to the people …You are not masters of the people. You have been appointed to serve the people.'

Five working sessions dealing with the ministries of education, primary and mass education, science and ICT, finance, home, liberation war affairs, land, public works, planning and environment were held at the Cabinet Division on the first day of the three-day conference.

'Some DCs have complained against the non-government school management committees. We will take measures over the matter,' education minister Nurul Islam Nahid told reporters without saying anything about the complaints.

He asked the deputy commissioners to inspect the schools to ensure that the institutions run better.

The deputy commissioner of Dhaka recommended inclusion of 'Ka' category drugs – phensidyl and heroine – in the schedule of mobile court law. He also asked for providing more police to effectively run the mobile courts.

Talking to reporters, home minister Sahara Khatun claimed that there was no gap between the police and local administration and claimed that law and order was now better.

Three deputy commissioners from Chittagong Hill Tracts urged the finance ministry to raise the hill allowance of officials from Tk 3,000 to Tk 5,000.

Cox's Bazar deputy commissioner recommended that tourists' destination Cox's Bazar should be declared an 'expensive district' as everything was costly in the area.

The district administrators raised the issue with the prime minister that they could not perform as expected and faced difficulties in defending the state in many cases 'in fear of contempt of court' and also because of 'inefficient attorneys', a deputy commissioner told New Age. 

The deputy commissioners have submitted a total of 320 recommendations relating to 36 ministries to be discussed in 20 sessions, according to officials at the Cabinet Division.

Cabinet secretary M Abdul Aziz earlier said that a total of 289 decisions were made in the last conference of which 127 had been implemented immediately and the rest 162 were in progress.

The deputy commissioners' conference 2011, the third after the Awami League-led government assumed office in January 2009, is also expected to focus the government's vision for a digital Bangladesh by 2021 at various sessions, according to officials. 

Source : New Age