More billion-dollar export sectors in the offing, after RMG and jute

Emergence of jute as the country's second billion-dollar export earning sector and growth of two other similar sectors are seen as a very significant development for the national economy, say export industry insiders and trade analysts.

After readymade garments, jute has emerged as the second billion-dollar export earning sector of the country, a report of the Export Promotion Bureau disclosed on Thursday.

Shipment of raw-jute and jute goods amounted worth $1.03 billion, growing 42 per cent year-on-year, in 11 months of the current fiscal year.

Of the amount, jute yarn shipment shared $363 million, up 27 per cent year-on-year, raw-jute $183 million, up 81 per cent and jute sacks and bags shared $126 million, up 50 per cent.     

'The emergence of jute sector as the country's second billion-dollar export sector is a milestone for our economy,' said Sabbir Yussuf, a former president of Bangladesh Jute Spinners' Association.

The association groups nearly 80 jute spinners, who command more than nearly 90 per cent supplies to the global market of jute yarn. Carpet backing clothes and other diversified jute goods manufacturers in Turkey, Iran, India, China and other parts of the world are the main buyers of Bangladeshi jute yarn.

'The uniqueness of jute export sector is that maximum local value addition is ensured as jute is grown in Bangladesh,' said Sabbir.

Readymade garment export sector earned $15.5 billion, up 43 per cent year-on-year, in 11 months of the current fiscal year.

Industry people say that depending entirely on imported cotton and major portion of required fabrics, the local value addition of readymade garment industry still remains at around 50 per cent of the export proceeds.

Export Promotion Bureau Vice-chairman Jalal Ahmed strongly hopes that home textiles—bed linen, curtains and terry towels—sector will be the third billion-dollar export sector of Bangladesh very soon.

The EPB report shows export precedes, in 11 months, by home textiles amounted worth $827 million including $111 million worth of terry towels. Shipment of bed linen and curtains increased by 98 per cent with the unit price increasing in global market and volume of shipment rising from newly set up production units.

Industry insiders said that many retailers like IKEA and H&M had encouraged the local industries to expand their production capacity.

Nearly half a dozen bed sheet and curtains manufacturers here have already built up skills for managing large-scale production line with fine weaving, dying and printing plants.

Export industry observers also see that leather and leather goods export sector would become the third billion-dollar export sector of Bangladesh in the up coming fiscal year.

Shipment of finished leather amounted worth $271 million, up 35 per cent year-on-year, in July-May period, footwear $265 million, up 46 per cent and diversified leather goods export rose by 109 per cent, year-on-year, to $52 million.

Sikder Mesbahuddin Ahmed, operation director of the Korea-based Youngone Corporation says that the billion-dollar leather and footwear export sector would no more remain a dream for Bangladesh.

'Many retailers in USA, EU and Japan, who had been sourcing only from China, Vietnam and Thailand, are now looking at Bangladesh,' said Sikder.

Employing nearly 35,000 workers, Youngone is the largest foreign investor in Bangladesh's export-oriented readymade garment manufacturing sector. The company is now setting up Asia's biggest footwear manufacturing complex in the port city Chittagong.

Youngone's export-oriented footwear complex, to employ nearly 50,000 workers, will produce 30 million pairs of shoes annually which will be several times more than Bangladesh's entire shipment of footwear now.

Nasir Khan, the immediate past vice-president of Bangladesh Footwear Manufacturers and Exporter Association, said besides Youngone, at least 10 factories, set up by local and foreign investors are almost ready to go into production.

'Footwear shipment is set to see a fresh boosts in the next fiscal year… A billion-dollar leather and leather goods export sector for Bangladesh will no more be a dream,' said an upbeat Nasir Khan, pointing out that like jute, footwear exports will ensure maximum value addition as Bangladesh has a good stock of quality hides.

EPB's Jalal Ahmed said frozen food—mainly shrimps and fish—has the potentials to become another billion-droller export sector in the near future with global market inviting more and more sourcing from Bangladesh.

Industry insiders said despite growth in the supply of raw shrimp remained weak, frozen shrimp export earnings grew 44 per cent to $428 million in 11 months of the current fiscal. Fish exports, specially Hilsha and others, amounted worth $123 million, up 65 per cent year-on-year.

According to industry observers, earning from frozen food shipment rose as price of the product increased in global market while Bangladeshi suppliers are sending value-added items like semi-cooked or ready-to-eat shrimp products to EU and other markets.

The Center for Policy Dialogue executive director Prof Mustafizur Rahman says, emergence of non-garment billion-dollar export sectors is a very significant development in Bangladesh's industrial economy.

'The challenge is now to consolidate the newly emerged and upcoming billion-dollar export industries, expand them and grab more share in global markets,' said the renowned international trade analyst.

Growth of diversified and large-scale export industries is conducive for domestic industrialization, said Prof Mustafiz. 'It will leave multiple impacts on Bangladesh's economy.'

Source : New Age 

Rise in temperature likely

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

Moderately heavy to heavy falls are also likely at places, the Meteorology Office said in a forecast on Sunday.

Day temperature may rise by 1-2 degrees Celsius over the country.

The sun sets in Dhaka today at 6:49pm and rises tomorrow at 5:12am.

The country's highest temperature, 36.0 degrees Celsius, was recorded on Sunday in Sylhet and the lowest, 24.0 degrees Celsius, in Cox's Bazar.

Source : New Age 

BNCC Naval Wing training camp ends in Ctg

A seven-day capsule training camp of the Chittagong Flotilla of the Naval Wing of Bangladesh National Cadet Corps ended at Chittagong College on Sunday.

Around a hundred cadets from different schools, colleges and Chittagong University took part in the camp.

The concluding part of the programme began with the cadets giving a guard of honour to the Chittagong College principal, Shekhar Dastidar, at around 12:30pm, followed by a discussion, prize distribution and cultural programme held at the Chittagong College auditorium.

Major Jamaluddin Zakir Hossain, acting commander of the Karnaphuli Regiment, expressed his satisfaction at the successful completion of the training camp.

Lieutenant Saud, Chittagong Flotilla commander, expressed his hopes for arranging better training for the cadets in future.

Rowshan Ara Begum was the chief guest of the programme.

Source : New Age 

Rajshahi Metropolitan Press Club election held

Rajshahi-based Dainik Lalgolap editor Mahtab Uddin was elected president and The Daily Star staff correspondent Anwar Ali Himu general

secretary in the Rajshahi Metropolitan Press

Club election held Saturday.

A press release said that Mahtab Uddin bagged six votes more than his nearest contestant Bulbul Chowdhury, bureau chief of Dainik Jugantar.

Anwar Ali won over Kazi Shahed of Dainik Samakal by two votes in which 38 out of 39 votes were cast.

Other office bearers elected were vice-president Jabid Apu of Dainik Samakal, joint secretaries Mamun-or-Rashid of Dainik Janakantha and Abdullah Iqbal of Dainik Jugantar, treasurer Azizul Islam of Bangladesh Television (uncontested), office secretary Ziaul Haque of Bangladesh Samay (uncontested) and members Abu Kalam Azad, Rashed Ripon and Mamun Reza.

The election of the second vice-president remained withheld as the two contestants Shafiqul Islam of Desh Bangla and Kazi Gias of In-depth News of Bangladesh had tied with each other.

Source : New Age 

Reconstruction of Rajshahi Central Temple begins

The reconstruction of the Rajshahi Central Temple, the biggest Hindu temple of the city, began on the premises of the Rajshahi Darmashabha at Ganakpara on Saturday.

A programme was organised to formally launch the work with Rajshahi mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton attending as chief guest.

He also said that he would manage a fund of Tk 6 crore from the prime minister's special fund for the development of the temple and the Rajshahi Bara Masjid.

He also informed that the Rajshahi City Corporation was mulling over building a city on the chars of the River Padma to reduce the increasing pressure on the existing urban areas.

Source : New Age 

Physical, emotional cares stressed for children’s brain dev

Speakers at a seminar on Sunday emphasised the support of physical and emotional cares for critical intelligence and brain development of children.

They said this at the orientation seminar and exhibition for proper execution of 'early childhood care and development at BDS auditorium in Barisal city.

Society for People's Education, Empowerment and Development Trust in collaboration with Gana Shakkharata Ovijan (Mass Literacy Movement) organised the programme.

About 50 people including primary education directorate officials, teachers, guardians, mass literacy programme activists, local government representatives and journalists participated in the programme.

AHM Shamsul Islam Dipu, head of mission, SPEED Trust Barisal, presided over the programme attended by Dr Nani Gopal Das, principal of Government Brajamohan College as chief guest.

SM Faruk, deputy director, primary education, Alpana Barua, Jiban Krishna Dey, Faizun Nahar Shelly, Jhumu Karmakar and others also addressed the programme.

Shuvangkar Chakrabarty, child rights activist, presented keynotes on the topic and Pankaj Roy Chowdhury, district children affairs officer, conducted the programme.

The speakers informed that a child's learning begins at birth irrespective of his/her circumstances. The opportunities provided to children in the early years are crucial in determining their development.

Critical intelligence and brain development occurs before the age of seven, particularly during the first three years of life, they observed.

Cognitive development is influenced by a child's nutritional and health status and also by the way a child interact with people and objects in the environment.

Child's brain development is highly dependent on adequate nutrition, stimulation, and optimal care and this process has been encouraged by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, they added.

Once developed, the brain is much harder to modify and it is clear that adequate attention to the first months and years, including pre-natal, of a child's life ensures the best possible start for future life, they observed.

ECCD emphasises integrating health, nutrition and intellectual stimulation, providing opportunities for exploration and active learning as well as providing the social and emotional care and nurturing to a child.

A baby needs all of the supports in order to realise her/his human potential and play an active role in their families and later in their communities as good citizens, they informed.

However, the participants detected economic insolvency, river erosion, engaging children in family and financial activities as the main obstacles in implementing ECCD programmes in the region.

Source : New Age

Speakers for building cancer awareness

Speakers at a seminar in Sylhet on Sunday emphasised building awareness of cancer that the patients with cancer could have treatment at the disease's primary stage.

They also warned against unhygienic lifestyle as this was one of the major reasons of cancer infection.

North East Medical College organised the seminar on cancer at its office at Dakkhin Surma in the city in the afternoon.

The speakers revealed that about 15-18 lakh people had suffered from cancer so far in he country and each year a good number of people sustain infections.

Cardiology specialist MA Rakib, also North East Medical College governing body chairman, addressed the seminar as the chief guest, with the medical college hospital chairman Afzal Miah in the chair.

The USA Harvard School of Medicine Science haematologist, Bimalangshu Dey, the North East Medical College managing director, Shahriar Hossain Chowdhury, the principal, Nurul Ambia Chowdhury, and the medicine department chairman, Enayet Ullah, also spoke at the programme.

Among others, USA Harvard School of Medicine Science lecturer Eyal Attar, Bangabandhu Medical University professor Sultana Razia Begum addressed the seminar.

Source : New Age 

BTTB union forms human chains in Rajshahi, Ctg

The Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board Workers and Employees Federal Union formed human chains and staged demonstrations in Rajshahi and Chittagong on Sunday, pressing its 28-point demand, including restoration of the earlier name of the state-owned organisation.

In Rajshahi about one hundred members of the union brought out a procession, which starting from the Bangladesh Telecommu-nications Company Limited Rajshahi office, paraded through the major points of the city and ended in a human chain and rally at Shaheb Bazar Zero Point.

The speakers at the rally demanded that the government give back BTCL its old name BTTB and blamed the last BNP-led government for changing its name and structure in a bid to destroy the organisation.

Their other main demands were: integration of five telecom companies, regularisation of their jobs and shutting down the illegal Voice Over Internet Protocol operations.

They threatened to wage tougher actions if the government failed to respond to their demands immediately.

Sharif Ali, president, and Omar Faruk, general secretary, of the Rajshahi unit of the union addressed the rally among others.

In Chittagong, over 500 members of the union formed a human chain on the Chittagong Press Club premises in the afternoon.

Bishwaranjan Chakra-barty, president, and Ajay Kumar Chowdhury, general secretary, of the regional committee of the union, Abdul Latif, Abdul Majid, Paritosh Chowdhury, Mujibur Rahman, Abdul Malek, Jahangir Alam, Putul Barua, Amjad Hossain and Nargis Akhter attended the programme among others.

Ajay Kumar Chowdhury said that this was part of a countrywide human chain programme of the union.

'We want the organisation to go back to its former name. The existing bureaucratic tangles are destroying the organisation. We also want the removal of the present secretary of the telecommunication ministry as he has failed to prove his competence,' he said.

Source : New Age 

WASA bottled water project goes belly up

Bottled mineral water Shanti marketed by the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority is failing to attract Dhaka city dwellers' attention in the absence of a proper marketing policy, observed officials concerned.


Shaheda Islam, microbiologist at the Mirpur Bottled Water Production Plant (Shanti), said the authorities took the Tk 17-crore Shanti project in 2006, when a US company, Severn Trent Services, set up the plant with its own equipment.
The plant itself produces bottles and caps and purifies water through ultra violet treatment for four times, filtration with carbon filter, 0.5, 1.0 and 0.2 micron filters, reverse osmosis system, mineral dosing and ozonation, she said, detailing the process.
But despite its better quality, Shanti bottled water is not in good demand, she said, putting it down to the absence of a sound marketing policy.
The water in half, one, one and a half, two, five and twenty litres' bottles is respectively priced Tk 10, Tk 14, Tk 18, Tk 21, Tk 50, and Tk 60.
'See a half-litre Shanti water bottle's wholesale price is Tk 7.70 and the retail price Tk 10 while the wholesale price of the same-size bottle of water marketed by other mineral water companies ranges between Tk 5.50 and Tk 7.50. But they are retailed at Tk 12,' she said, explaining, 'that is why businessmen or shopkeepers take no interest in selling Shanti water.'
She said, 'The plant collects underground water and can treat 10,000 litres per hour. We can bottle 30,000 to 40,000 litres per day.'
Shaheda Islam, however, said at present they were bottling 15,000 litters of water because of the reduced demand in the market.
Two high officials of the plant, seeking anonymity, said WASA had no marketing policy for its Shanti mineral water, which pushed down its demand in the market.
'We do not have any marketing department,' said one of the high officials, adding, 'we should also have sales representatives who could promote our water as it is the best in this country.'
They also alleged that some bottled mineral water companies at different times tried to hinder the sale of Shanti.
An official of the certification marks department of the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute, seeking anonymity, said the institute had a standard for drinking water and every bottled water company must follow it.
He said the institute gave licence to about 15 bottled water companies which maintained good quality of their products.
'See there are no marketing department of Shanti,' he said, asking, 'So how can you expect that its water will sell good?'
Shanti mineral water has twenty selling outlets in the city like at Shabagh, Ramna, Dhanmondi, Kalabagan, Farmgate, Motijheel, Mirpur, and Pallabi in the capital.
Source : New Age 

Water crisis in Rangamati acute

Local people in Rangamati are facing an intensifying water crisis due to a number of factors.

The Department of Public Health Engineering in Rangamati, the agency responsible for supplying water to the townspeople, mainly blamed to frequent power outages for the crisis. The department also blamed several other factors, including outdated infrastructure, staff and pump shortage, misuse of water, illegal connections, and system loss, for worsening the situation.

The frequent load-shedding of power in the town seriously hampers the water supply activities of the DPHE, which does not have any electricity generator of its own to continue with the work, according to the officials of the department.

The DPHE sub-assistant engineer, Somesh Ali, said they had lifted water from the Kaptai Lake with seven pumps, reserved it in a large reservoir, and from there supplied it to the town using 15 other pumps.

'We can lift 1.4 million gallons of water a day while the town's present demand is for at least two million gallons,' he said.

The pumps used to lift water from the Kaptai Lake were rundown and could go wrong any time, disrupting the town's water supply system, he said.

'The department is also understaffed, having only 10 staff to carry out the water supply tasks for the town,' Shomesh Ali said.

'We need at least 40 people to do the work,' he added.

Some DPHE officials estimated that there were around 3,000 illegal water connections in the town, while the number of legal connections was 4,687.

'While these connections deprive our office of considerable revenue, we have no proper means to disconnect them,' said Achiur Rahman, a DPHE engineer in-charge of its Kawkhali upazila office.

The department needed mobile court to take action against the users of illegal connections, he said.  

The Rangamati DPHE could not become cost-effective as its revenue was less than the electricity bill it paid for the water supply operations, said Shomesh Ali, citing that in March 2011 it earned Tk 5,03,800 from its clients and paid Tk 9,44,000 in electricity bill.

The office was yet to pay Tk 132 lakh to the Power Development Board while its clients owed it around Tk 5 lakh in water bills, he said.

The Chittagong Hill Tracts affairs ministry had recently granted a Tk 400 million project for development of the water supply system in Rangamati, said Achiur Rahman.

A new water treatment plant would be set up under the project, he said.

At present, they have three such plants for Rangamati – two at Tabalchari and the other on the DPHE premises at Kalindipur.

The DPHE officials called on the townspeople for not wasting water and to have patience until the new water treatment plant was set up.

Source : New Age 

One killed, 12 injured in bridge collapse

A man was killed and 12 others were injured as a bridge collapsed on them on Hoykong-Baharchara Hilly Road at Teknaf in Cox's Bazar on Saturday night.

The deceased was identified as Siraj Ahmed, 45, son of late Omar Ali of Balokhali Panbazar area under Ukhiya upazila in Cox's Bazar.

The Teknaf police said the accident took place at about 9:00pm when the bridge collapsed on a betel-leaf loaded truck on Hoykong-Baharchara Hilly Road. The truck helper Siraj Ahmed died on the spot. Another 12 persons including the truck driver and helpers were injured.

The Hoykong and Baharchara police rushed to the spot and recovered the body.

Source : New Age 

Old man hacked to death

Unidentified miscreants hacked an old man to death at Natun Bazar Dawlat Kha village in Kalkini upazila of Madaripur early Sunday.

The deceased was Mohabbat Ali, 60, of the village.

The police quoting family sources said some assailants called Mohabbat out of his house at about 2:30am and stabbed him to death in the nearby area.

Local people found his body beside a crop field early in the morning and informed police.

Later, the police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy.

The reason behind the murder could not be known immediately. A case was filed.

Source : New Age 

Wastes of industries pollute rivers in Narsingdi

Continuous dumping of garbage, waste and chemical-mixed poisonous wastes of local industries are polluting water of the Old Brahamaputra, Haridoa, Arial Kha and Kalagasia rivers posing serious health hazards and creating adverse effect on environment in Narsingdi, according to locals.

Once the River Old Brahamaputra in Madhobdi area of sader upazila, River Haridoa at Shibpur and Sader upazila, River Arial Kha at Raipura and Belabo upazila and River Kolagasia at Shibpur were turbulent rivers.

But at present, the rivers have lost their very existence and fishing resources due to insufficient water flowing and chemical-mixed poisonous water.

The rivers have now turned into canals because of the filling of the rivers bed by some influential people of the areas, according to the locals.

Professor Amir Hossain of Narsingdi Government College said that his family members living in Bongshirdia village of Shibpur upazila were suffering from various diseases by using the polluted water of the river Haridoa. He said that the chemical-mixed waste and dye water of the local industries were posing serious health hazard to the people of the areas.

The local people said the authority concerned could still save the rivers by recovering the occupied areas of the rivers from the land grabbers and starting massive dredging operation in the rivers.

Source : New Age 

Breaches in protection dam threaten Hatia

The Hatiya upazila protection embankment in Noakhali has developed cracks and become vulnerable to sudden rainfall and flood causing concern to local people.

Local people said that low land of Sukhchar, Nalchira, Chareshawar, Tomoruddi, Nolerchar and Nijumdip of Hatiya had already been inundated on Thursday night by the tidal surge promoted by depression over the Bay of Bengal.

Low lands of Hatiya went under three to four feet of water on Thursday night and Friday morning as the upazila protection embankment developed cracks, the locals said.

Anwar Khan, a farmer of the upazila, said that thousands of landless farmer's families were suffering due to water logging. 'The vulnerable condition of the upazila protection embankment causes

concern among us,' he said.

Noakhali Water Development Board executive engineer, Habibur Rahman, said, 'The authorities concerned usually work for repairing in the embankment every year before heavy rainfall in the rainy season.'

He admitted that this year the authorities had failed to carry out repair in some damaged portions of the embankment. He said that the authorities started repairing works in some damage portions of the embankment few months back but had to stop the work for fund crisis. 

He also expressed his fear that the rise in water level of River Meghna in the rainy season or full moon would create a sever threat to the rest of embankment.

The executive engineer said that the high authorities had not assured them of allocation of new fund to repair the damaged

portions of the embankment.

The upazila chairman Professor Wali Ullah said that the damaged embankment caused a great concern to Hatiya dwellers. He urged the respective authority of the government to take necessary steps immediately.

Source : New Age 

Import of 50,000 tonnes of non-basmati rice approved

The cabinet committee on purchase on Sunday gave approval for the import of 50,000 tonnes of non-basmati rice and procurement of 2.15 lakh tonnes of urea fertiliser.

The finance minister, AMA Muhith, chaired the meeting held at the Cabinet Division in the Secretariat on Sunday.

The meeting also decided to import 25,000 tonnes of paper for supplying books free of cost to secondary-level students of the 2012 academic year.

After the meeting, the Cabinet Division joint secretary, Nurul Karim, briefed the reporters.

He said 50,000 tonnes of non-basmati rice would be supplied by Phoenix Commodities Pvt Ltd of British Virgin Island at the rate of $509 per tonne. With the exchange rate of Tk 74.50 per US dollar, the government will have to spend around Tk 189.60 crore.

Karim said to improve the stock of fertiliser in the country, the meeting decided to import 2.15 lakh tonnes of urea fertiliser at a total cost of Tk 668 crore. Of the quantity, 2 lakh tonnes of urea will be supplied by Korean Autoen Co. Ltd. while 15,000 tonnes will be procured from Saudi Arabia.

Source : New Age 

DCCI demands withdrawal of July 3 hartal

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports to withdraw its call for half-day hartal on July 3.

In a statement signed by its secretary Mustafa Mohiuddin, the business body, reiterated its previous stand on hartal saying such programme would aggravate the country's economy especially the industrialisation process for want of gas and energy.

'Such initiatives of gas exploration should be encouraged after ensuring that the interest of Bangladesh is adequately protected,' the statement said.

It further said DCCI believes that rapid industrialisation was essential to implement government vision 2021 for Bangladesh to become the 30th largest economy in the world by the year 2030.

Source : New Age 

4 injured in blast

Four people were injured in a bomb explosion near a polling centre at Chatrajitpur union in Shibganj upazila Sunday morning.

The police said Kajal, Badal, Sujan and Mahtab were injured when a hand bomb exploded near the Ghorapakhia Govt Primary School centre at about 11:00am.

Source : New Age 

Transport strike called in greater Ctg from June 26

Transport operators of Chittagong division have called a transport strike for an indefinite period in greater Chittagong from June 26 to press home their 12-point demands.

Greater Chittagong Road Transport Owners Workers Struggle Council called the strike in all districts of Chittagong including Cox's Bazar, Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari.

The decision came from a meeting of transport operators of Chittagong held at their office on June 7. The organization had already submitted a memorandum to the minister for communication through the deputy commissioner of Chittagong on the same day.

The 12-point demands include withdrawing the government's decision to stop renewal of route permit of 20-year old vehicles, setting up terminals for vehicles, stopping the filing murder case under Section 302 against transport workers involved in  road accidents, stopping police harassment, reducing the price of vehicle accessories, stopping corruption in BRTA, stopping robbery on transports, returning the vehicles involved in road accident to the owner within 24 hours in metro area and 72 hours in district areas etc.     

Source : New Age 

Minister takes on Anu, brands oil, gas committee ‘foreign agent’

State minister for environment Hasan Mahmud on Sunday criticised in strong terms economist Anu Muhammad of the National Committee for Safeguarding oil, gas, mineral resources, power and ports for calling hartal opposing the production sharing contract the government signed with ConocoPhillips, a US company.

Digressing from budget discussion in parliament, the state minister took on the economist calling him 'Monu Mohammad.'

The minister called the committee 'foreign agent and spy' which wanted to stay in the limelight by making an issue out of the contract the government signed with Conoco.

'What is the Oil Gas Committee? It was formed by some Tokais (street urchins),' he said.

He said that these people were just trying to make an issue out of the contract to remain in the limelight.

The state minister mentioned Anu's name as 'Monu Mohammad' three times and said that the professor of economics had no right to speak on oil gas as he had no knowledge of mineral resources.

'They are just like those who want to be in the limelight even by urinating on others' head,' said Hasan Mahmud.

He asked he did not understand why Anu speaks about oil and gas though he is not a professor of mineral resources.

He said that the people would reject the 'so called committee' for calling  hartal against the contract.

The minister was angered by the hartal called by the oil and gas committee in Dhaka city for July 3 in opposing the production sharing contract calling it contrary to national interest.

Anu Muhammad recently announced the hartal at a news conference.

The oil and gas committee considers the contract as one-sided designed to benefit the US company, not Bangladesh.

Source : New Age 

Steps taken for dredging 36 rivers: minister

The shipping minister, Shajahan Khan, has said the government has taken initiative to dredge 36 rivers of the country to bring back the navigability for their existence and smooth movement of the water vehicles.

'The dredging work by the 15 dredgers has already begun in a few of the rivers and it is progressing fast. In near future, more dredgers will be purchased at the government and private initiatives and many rivers of the country will be brought under dredging work', he said.

The shipping minister said this while addressing a reception meeting organised by District Motor-Truck Workers Union at the central bus terminal of the town in Gaibandha Saturday night as the chief guest where local lawmaker Mahbub Ara Begum Gini was present as the special guest.

With president of DMTWU Abdul Karim in the chair, the function was also addressed, among others, by sadar upazila parishad chairman Abdur Rashid Sarker, Sadullpapur Upazila Parishad chairman Khademul Islam Khudi, Gaibandha municipal mayor M  Shamsul Alam and general secretary Abu Hossain Abu while general secretary of Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation Osman Ali was the main speaker.

The minister also assured that he would take necessary steps to make the Balashighat under Fulchhari upazila in the district functional and active during the tenure of the government.

Terming the discussion the way of all problems' solution, he also urged the BNP to sit in a dialogue on caretaker government system by shunning all the anarchy and trouble creating activities like hartal, and torching of vehicles.

Source : New Age 

Tk 82.8cr project for quick cargo handling at Mongla port

The government has taken a project involving Tk 82.80 crore for a quick and smooth cargo handling at Mongla port.

The shipping minister, Shajahan Khan, told the Jatiya Sangsad, Sunday replying to a written question from Awami League lawmaker Sadhana Halder.

Shajahan said the project titled 'Collection of Container and Cargo Handling Equipment for Mongla Port' will be approved soon.

He said the government had been implementing a number of programmes to modernise Mongla port. And as a result, he said, a large number of ships are now started arriving at the port.

A total of 256 ships arrived at the seaport in the current fiscal 2010-11 as against 156 in previous fiscal 2009-10, said the minister.

He said on an average 30 ships are arriving at the port every month.

Shajahan said a number of projects had been taken to turn the seaport port into a modern one.

The projects are: navigational aids to Mongla Port, dredging at Poshur Channel and collection of cutter section dredgers and boats, improvement of logistic efficiency and development of jetty, yard and link road.

Source : New Age 

Five BCL activists injured in factional clash at Pabna Govt Bulbul College

At least five activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League—the student front of ruling Awami League—were injured as cadres of two rival factions of the party clashed at Pabna Govt Bulbul College on Sunday noon over establishing supremacy in the campus, sources said.

The injured students included the president of college unit of BCL, the campus sources said.

The college unit BCL leaders, however, claimed that outsiders had attacked the leaders inside the college campus, triggering the clash. They demanded punishment of the attackers.

The injured included Shibli Sadik, president of BCL Pabna Bulbul college unit, Md. Ripon, secretary of Chatra Shangshad and Anik Hossain and Misu, both members of BCL college unit.

They were admitted to Pabna Medical College Hospital. Of them, the condition of Anik turned critical and he was shifted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

Police said the clash occurred between the groups of Shibli Sadik and Anik over establishing supremacy in the college campus.

Both the groups used lethal weapons and attacked each other, turning the campus into a battlefield.

Source : New Age 

AL-led govt allows India to occupy Bangladesh’s territory: Alamgir

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party's acting secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, on Sunday accused the Awami League-led government of handing over Bangladesh's land to India.

'Apart from cultural aggression, India has begun another aggression in order to occupy Bangladesh's territory. The government itself handed over land (to India) in the name of land survey at Tamabil in Sylhet,' said Alamgir, quoting a newspaper report.

He was addressing a book launching ceremony at the National Press Club. The cover of a book titled 'Bishwamay Nazrul', written by Abdul Hai Sikdar, was unveiled at the ceremony.

'Whenever we speak of protecting our lands and of protecting our people, we are asked why we are so anti-Indian,' he said.

Alamgir alleged the government was working for the neighbouring country against the country's interest. 'The government remains silent when India annexes our territory,' he said.

Alamgir said the government's 'one-party rule' was posing a great danger to the country's independence and democracy.

He claimed that Awami League was too fond of India and said there has been 'economic and cultural aggression' which must be stopped.

Alamgir called on the countrymen to be imbued with the spirit and ideals of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam in order to save country's independence and sovereignty, which were at stake due to the government's 'misrule'.

He alleged that country's print and electronic media were not being able to work freely.

'Intelligence agencies are controlling the electronic media,' he alleged.

Referring to the obstruction of BNP's human rights affairs secretary, Barrister Nasiruddin Asim, from going abroad, Alamgir said, 'Asim was barred from leaving the country despite having a legal passport and clearance by the High Court.'

He alleged that a certain intelligence agency had stopped him going abroad.

Source : New Age 

Bigwigs of PMO, finance ministry involved: BNP

Senior leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Sunday alleged that a syndicate of top officials of the Prime Minister's Office, finance ministry, Bangladesh Bank and the Securities and Exchange Commission plundered crores of takas from investors in the country's share market.

They said that the recent stock market manipulation was a state-run operation.

They made the allegations at a seminar styled 'Share Market Scam and Interest of Small Investors', organised by the Bangladesh Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad, a platform of pro-BNP professionals, at the Engineers Institution.

Peshajibi Parishad's convener Mahmudur Rahman, also acting editor of daily Amar Desh, presented the keynote speech at the seminar, which was addressed by BNP standing committee member MK Anwar, BNP chairperson's advisers Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Abdul Awal Mintoo, noted columnist Farhad Mazhar and Dhaka University's Professor Mahbubullah, along with others.

BNP's chairperson Khaleda Zia also attended the seminar but did not address the audience. Mahmudur, in his keynote speech, alleged that a syndicate of top officials of the Prime Minister's Office and finance ministry was 'involved in plundering crores of takas from the share market in a planned manner'.

He alleged that the family of commerce minister Faruk Khan had siphoned off about Tk 1600 crore from the share market.

He described how various companies belonging to Awami League bigwigs had fleeced the investors in the capital market by manipulating share prices at different times.

'Beximco Pharma plundered Tk 410 crore, Summit Power Tk 300 crore, Aftab Automobiles Tk 180 crore, People's Leasing Tk 120 crore and Bangladesh Thai Aluminium Tk 75 crore from the share market,' said Mahmudur.

He said that when Awami League took office in 2009 the general index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange, which was 2,757 points, jumped to 8,919 points in two years even though there was no substantial economic progress in that period.

Mahmudur said that Ocean Container Ltd, Khulna Power Company Ltd and CMC Kamal Ltd, owned by Awami League's high-ups, were directly involved in share market manipulation.

He said that the SEC had violated many rules and regulations to favour certain companies. Many of these companies, especially the OCL and KPCL, were over-priced when they were listed and the finance ministry pressured the SEC to enlist them, he alleged.

'The finance minister claims that he was directed by the Prime Minister's Office to issue such instructions,' said Mahmudur. 'It is clear that the ruling party's high-ups were involved in stock manipulation.'

Asking the government to try the plunderers of the share market, Mahmudur voiced some demands including resignation of the finance and commerce ministers, Bangladesh Bank's governor and officials the Anti-Corruption Commission.

He also asked the government to apologise to the small investors, many of whom had become bankrupt.

'Bangladesh never saw such a huge debacle in the share market,' said Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, a former commerce minister, who echoed Mahmudur's statements.

He slammed the government for forming the Bangladesh Fund to apparently stabilize the share market and warned small investors against being taken in by the fund.

'It is a new mechanism to plunder money,' he claimed.

Amir Khasru accused the government of politicising the SEC in the name of reconstituting it.

MK Anwar said that the BNP, after going to power, would take the necessary measures to try the looters of the share market.

Farhad Mazhar called on Khaleda Zia to formulate a 'Nationalist Economic Policy' to strengthen nationalist forces in Bangladesh, which will 'eventually help the BNP to gain power in the next general elections'.

He also asked the BNP to learn from its past mistakes.

Source : New Age 

Youth jailed for stalking

A mobile court in Rajbari Sunday sentenced a youth to six month imprisonment for sexually harassing a female student in Baliakandi upazila.

The youth made an indecorous behaviour with the girl, who raised hue and cry. Locals came forward and caught the youth and handed him over to a mobile court.

Source : New Age

HC passes split order over Ghulam Azam’s son’s dismissal from army

A two-member High Court bench has passed split orders in response to the writ petition filed by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami's former amir Ghulam Azam's son, Abdullahil Aman Azmi, challenging the legality of the government's order to dismiss him from the post of brigadier general of the army.

Justice Miftah Uddin Chowdhury, a senior judge of the bench, in his order on January 25 issued a rule asking the government to explain why Azmi's dismissal should not be declared illegal, while Justice Md Jahangir Hossain, in his order last Sunday, summarily rejected the petition.

Azmi's lawyer Abdur Razzaq told reporters that the two-member bench, after hearing the writ petition in an open court, issued the rule on January 25. Later Justice Jahangir Hossain felt embarrassed during the signing the order in his chamber.

Razzaq said that the writ petition was then sent to the chief justice, who returned it to Justice Jahangir Hossain for expeditious disposal.

'Justice Jahangir Hosain heard the writ petition again, which is unprecedented in legal practice, and finally rejected it,' he told reporters.

Attorney general Mahbubey Alam told reporters that the writ petition would now be sent to the chief justice for assigning another judge to finally dispose of the matter.

He also said that the country's president approved Azmi's dismissal order so his writ petition against the president's order cannot be maintainable.

Mahbubey Alam also said that the writ petition was not maintainable as the Constitution bars the armed forces' members from moving to the court.

The defence ministry

on 23 June, 2009 dismissed Azmi from service with the approval of the president.

Azmi filed the writ petition, challenging the dismissal, on 1 November, 2009.

Source : New Age 

Chilhati-Haldibari land port operation soon

The shipping minister, Shahjahan Khan, has said activities at Chilhati-Holdibari land port will start this month.

Along with full operation of the port, a rail route would also be established between Mongla Port and Chilhati-Holdibari as transit railway, he said.

The present government, led by the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, believes in balanced development across the country, the minister said while exchanging views with leaders of district bus-minibus workers unions ahead of visiting the land port.

Lawmakers AA Maruf Saklan, Jafar Iqbal Siddiqui and workers' leader M Altaf Hossain also spoke on the occasion.

Source : New Age 

Ashim barred from going abroad

The human rights affairs secretary of opposition BNP, Nasir Uddin Ahmed Ashim, was barred at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport from going abroad early on Sunday.

The BNP leader, along with his wife Mehnaz Mannan and two children, was scheduled to go to London by a Gulf Airlines flight at 5:35am.

Ashim alleged the immigration officers took away four passports from him shortly before taking the flight and told him that he could not go abroad because of his political involvement.

'When I asked for clarification, the immigration police told me that they had been given directions from the intelligence agencies DGFI and NSI,' Ashim told New Age.

Official sources said that the government imposed restrictions on a number of professionals and political leaders on their leaving the country. Ashim's name was also on the list.

But the BNP leader claimed that the High Court on November 10 last year had directed the government not to bar him from going abroad following a writ petition challenging the restriction.

'I went to Bangkok on November 11, 2010, and to London on December 15. But on both the occasions, the immigration police had kept me waiting for hours,' Ashim said.

The immigration officials confirmed the incident and said that he was barred due to government instruction.

Source : New Age 

Hasan remanded again in police custody

Hasan Syeed, the detained husband of Dhaka University teacher Rumana Monzur, was taken on a one-day fresh remand on Sunday for quizzing on charge of attempt to murder his wife.

Metropolitan magistrate Shahriar Mahmud Adnan issued the order as the investigation officer, subinspector Bahauddin Faruki of the Detective Branch, produced Hasan before the court with a prayer for further 10 days' remand.

The investigation officer, in his remand petition, said Hasan Syeed should be quizzed more to know why or at whose instigation he had assaulted his wife so brutally.

On June 16, the same court had placed Hasan on two days' police remand.

Hasan was arrested from the city's Uttar Mugda area on June 15 on charge of brutally torturing his wife, Rumana Monzur, an assistant professor of international relations department of Dhaka University.

She was tortured by her husband on June 5 when her husband allegedly tried to gouge both of her eyes during an alleged scuffle between them.

Meanwhile, dozens of graduate and post-doctoral students and visiting scholars, including the acting principal of Saint John's College of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Olav Slaymaker, in a statement, on Sunday said, 'Her husband publicly confessed that he tried to kill her, and accused her of cheating on him while she was studying in Canada and living in St John's College of University of British Columbia  in Vancouver. We, people from Saint John's College, who lived with Rumana during her stay in Canada, strongly reject this accusation.'

After undergoing treatment in Labaid Specialised Hospital in Dhaka, Rumana along with her parents and only daughter went to Chennai on June 14 for better treatment of her eyes.

Rumana will return home on Monday as eye specialists in India found no hope for her eyes to cure, the family members said.

Source : New Age 

AL MPs want implementation of election pledges

Jatiya Party lawmaker Mujibul Haque Chunnu on Sunday told the Jatiya Sangsad that the government should bring the prices of  essential commodities within the reach of the common people if it wanted to return to state power in future.

Speaking on the proposed budget for the fiscal 2010-2011, he said that development works would not help the ruling AL-led alliance to go power in future, if the price spiral of the essential commodities including rice and oil could not be controlled.

'If the government wants to come to state power in future, the price of essentials should be brought within the capacity of the common people and if necessary, the development activities should be stopped to ensure food for the people,' said the JP lawmaker.

Alleging partisan role of the high court judges, he said that the procedure to appoint judges should be specified in the constitution to ensure transparency in the appointment of judges.

'The role of judiciary is now under question as the judges are being appointed from among the ruling party men,' he said.  Criticising the deployment of mobile courts during the opposition sponsored hartal, he said that a private member's bill to protect public property was placed by himself in the House but the bill was not passed.

'Both the present and past prime ministers during their regimes spoke against hartal but they did not stop the practice,' he said, adding that if the bill was passed, it could save the life and property of the people from the anarchy of hartals.

Chunnu also expressed disappointment over the status of lawmakers in the warrant of precedence and demanded up-gradation of the lawmaker's status by bringing a bill in parliament to this effect.

'It is unfortunate that the public servants like cabinet secretary and chiefs of the army, navy and air force are holding higher status than the MPs and it should be changed,' he added.

He said that the lawmakers had no role in the budget enactment process and demanded that there should be scope for the lawmakers to contribute in the preparation and implementation of the national budget.

'Although we get a chance to speak on budget in parliament, our opinions are never taken into consideration,' he said.

The state minister for Forest and Environment, Hasan Mahmud, however, claimed that the prices of essential commodities did not increase in last two and a half years during the regime of the  AL-led alliance government.

'The important matter is the purchasing capacity of the people. The purchasing capacity of the people has increased by at least double during the regime of the present government,' he said.

Awami League lawmaker SK Abu Baker said that the ministers of the government should be aware of the commitments of the Prime Minister given to the people in different times as any failure in implementation of her commitments  would put a negative impact among people in the next elections.

He also demanded to bring pace in the activities of the war crimes tribunal to ensure trial of the war criminals by next year.

'The  Anti-Corruption Commission should be strengthened to reduce corruption as the commitment of uprooting corruption was given in the electoral pledge of the AL-led alliance,' he said.

Another AL lawmaker Asaduzzaman Khan said that Taka 3,000 crore subsidy given to the agriculture sector in the last fiscalyear had been withdrawn from this year's budget.

'But I think the subsidy should be continued to the agriculture sector,' he added.

AL lawmaker Shah Alam also wanted more subsidy for the agriculture sector.

Source : New Age 

CID completes probe of Ctg arms haul: official

Criminal Investigation Department has completed its extended investigation into arms haul in 2004 when a 10-truck loads of weapons reportedly destined to hideouts of India's separatist United Liberation Front of Assam, official said Sunday.

'We are now set to submit the supplementary charge sheet based on our (extended) investigations within the stipulated deadline June 29,' a senior official of the Criminal Investigation Department told the news agency.

He said public prosecutor Kamal Uddin gave consent to the memorandum of evidence okaying the report while the case documents were being sent to CID headquarters in Dhaka for vetting in next two days.

The extended investigations were carried out under a court order as the case was initially brought for trial before the Metropolitan Session Judge of Chittagong on February 12, 2008.

But the deadline for submission of the charge sheet was delayed as the CID required extended time for unveiling the 'revealing facts' behind the abortive weapon smuggling as the court extended the deadline for 17 times on prayers by the investigators.

CID officials said they would seek indictment of now detained former state minister for home Lutfuzzaman Babar and former industries minister Motiur Rahman Nizami and ULFA leader Paresh Barua, ex-director general of National Security Intelligence retired brigadier general Abdur Rahim, ex-director general of Forces Intelligence ex-major general Rezzaqul Haider Chowdhury.

The other suspects were former additional secretary of the industries ministry Nurul Amin, former managing director of Chittagong Urea Fertiliser Limited Mohsin Talukdar and its former director general (administration) Enamul Haque, former NSI director retired wing commander Sahab Uddin, former NSI deputy director retired major Liakat Hossain and its field officer Akbar Hossain Khan.

Of the 11 suspects nine were now in jail to face the trial in person while Paresh Barua and Nurul Amin are on the run to evade the justice and CID has sought INTERPOL assistance to arrest Paresh Barua as he is believed to be hiding abroad.

Earlier, former industries secretary Shoeb Ahmed, former Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation chairman retired major general Imamuzzaman, former commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police SM Sabbir Ali and several other intelligence and security officials gave their statements before a magistrate on their knowledge and idea about the haul.

'Their statements revealed astounding information relating to the involvement of several high-profile people including Babar in the haul,' a CID official familiar with the developments said.

Source : New Age 

N’ganj hartal withdrawn

Nagarik Odhikar Committee, a local citizens' group and Jatri Odhikar Sangrakkhan Forum, which backs the rights of bus passengers, on Sunday night withdrew today's half-day hartal in the river port town of Narayanganj after the bus owners announced their decision to reduce extra bus fare they had been charging of late.

They withdrew the hartal after the bus owners announced across the town over loudspeakers that they had decided to reduce Narayanganj-Dhaka bus fare to Tk 27 from Tk 28 they had been charging since the government increased the fuel price.

Before the government raised the fuel price, bus fare between Narayanganj and Dhaka was Tk 22. 

The protesters have been asking for slashing the extra bus fare by at least Taka two. They said that the transport owners arbitrarily raised bus fare on the plea that the government had increased fuel price.   

But there was no let up in tension that gripped the port town as the rift between two rival groups of ruling Awami League had widened over support and opposition to the hartal called in protest against bus fare hike.

Former AL legislator Shamim Osman lent support to the transport owners in opposing the hartal.

Sitting ruling party MP Sarah Begum Kabori lent support to the hartal, which was called to oppose the bus fair hike on Dhaka- Narayanganj route.

The two groups held separate demonstrations and rallies, one supporting and the other opposing the hartal, which only heightened the tension gripping the port town.

The rift between the two rival groups of ruling Awami League in the port town widened on Saturday when a meeting convened at the office of the deputy commissioner to solve the problem of bus fare hike ended in a pandemonium as the supporters of Shamim Osman and Kabori scuffled with each other. Shamim Osman traded abuse with Kabori.

The police obstructed Nagarik Odhikar Committee and Jatir Odhikar Sanrakkhan Forum from taking out a procession from the Shahid Minar at Chashara on the plea of that it could aggravate the town's traffic congestion, said Narayanganj police station officer-in-charge.

Source : New Age

352 people die in river accidents in two years

The minister for shipping, Shahjahan Khan, on Sunday informed parliament that a total of 352 people were killed in accidents on waterways in last two years.

Responding to a question from AM Mahbubuddin Khokan, Shahjahan said 244 people died in 2009 and 108 people died in 2010—mostly in ferry capsize and launch accidents.

He said the government was aware of the hazards in river transport and took measures to contain accidents on the waterways, including departmental vigilance, operation of mobile courts during Eid and monsoon and amending and updating rules concerning river transport.

Replying to another question from Mezbahuddin Farhad, Shahjahan Khan said there were 12 roll-on roll-off ferries under Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation which was less than the requirement. Ten of the ferries were on operation at Aricha sector and two in Mawa sector.

In response to a query from Mollah Jalal Uddin, the minister said the BIWTC has four coastal passenger carriers and four passenger carriers on inland routes. He said the government has taken initiatives to procure two more passenger carriers for inland routes.

The minister also said a project of circular waterways around the capital was under implementation. In the first phase of the project, development of 29 kilometere waterway from Sadarghat to Ashulia has been carried out at a cost of Tk 36 crore.

The second phase of the project, 40 kilometeres of waterway between Ashulia and Kanchpur was ongoing which would require expenditure of Tk 65 crore. The project will be completed by 2012, he said.

Replying to a question from Zafrul Islam, he said the capacity of Chittagong port container yard was more than the requirement.

He informed that at present Bangladesh Shipping Corporation has 13 vessels, two of them being used for lightering crude oil from mother vessels. The remaining 11 vessels are used for carrying import-export goods.

The minister said arrival of vessels to Mongla port has increased due to appropriate moves taken by the government. In 2009-2010, some 156 vessels called on the port and till April 2011, the number was 256.

Source : New Age 

BNP talks latest political situation with diplomats

The opposition BNP on Sunday held meeting with ambassadors and high commissioners of some 10 foreign embassies and missions in Dhaka and discussed the latest political situation with them.

BNP's acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, vice-chairman Shamser Mobin Chowdhury, party chairperson's advisers Reaz Rahman and Sabihuddin Ahmed, among others, were present at the meeting, according to the party sources.

The meeting was held at a restaurant in the capital's Gulshan area in the afternoon.

Ambassadors of the USA, Iraq, Denmark, the Netherlands, Palestine, European Union and high commissioners of the UK, Australia and Pakistan were, among others, present.

Source : New Age 

5 hurt in clash

Five people, including a top leader of Pabna Government Shaheed Bulbul College unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, were injured in an intra-party clash over admission on Sunday.

Local sources said results of admission test of eleventh class of the college were published on the day.

Source : New Age 

British, German ministers, EU commissioner due today

German minister for economic cooperation and development, Dirk Niebel, and the European Union commissioner for development cooperation, Andris Piebalgs, arrives here today on a five-day joint official visit.

'The joint mission of minister Niebel and commissioner Piebalgs signals the importance of Bangladesh to Europe as a partner in international development, climate change and trade,' the German embassy and the EU delegation in Dhaka said in a joint press release Sunday. 

British minister of state for international development Alan Duncan, MP, also arrives on the same day on a three-day separate official visit.

In his second visit here, Duncan would observe the development challenges Bangladesh faces, and reaffirm his government's  'growing commitment' to work in partnership with Bangladesh to assist millions of poor people to lift themselves out of poverty, a British High Commission press release said in Dhaka  Sunday.

The joint German-EU delegation would call on prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and the leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia and several ministers to discuss 'priority issues' facing Bangladesh.

Niebel and Piebalgs would take stock of EU and German bilateral development projects in Dhaka, Tongi, Sathkira and Jessore.

They would also exchange views with representatives of the civil society.

The EU remains the largest export market for products made in Bangladesh and Germany ranks the second largest export destination after the US.

Duncan would visit UK-funded projects focusing on improved health care, economic and social empowerment, and cyclone preparedness in remote parts of Bangladesh to meet individuals and families getting help under the UK aid programmes.

Source : New Age 

Indian army chief in city

The Indian army chief, General Vijay Kumar Singh, arrived in Dhaka Sunday on a five-day visit.

His wife Bharati Sing and high officers of Indian army accompanied him.

Area commander, Logistic Area Major General Sheikh Mamun Khaled received the Indian army chief on his arrival at the airport.

During the visit, General Singh will call on the president, Zillur Rahman, the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, the chiefs of the three services, the principal staff officer of the Armed Forces Division and other senior army officers and visit different installations of army, an ISPR release said.

He will take the passing out salute by the graduates of Bangladesh Military Academy at Bhatiary in Chittagong on June 21 as chief guest.

Source : New Age 

Verdict on Arafat case June 23

The verdict on the money-laundering case against Khaleda Zia's son Arafat Rahman Arafat will be pronounced on June 23.

Judge Mohammad Mozammel Hossain set the date after a hearing on Sunday, special counsel for the Anti-Corruption Commission Mosharraf Hossain Kajol said.

The case proceedings concluded in absence of Arafat and another accused Ismail Hossain Simon, son of former shipping minister Akbar Hossain.

Arafat has been in Bangkok on parole since July 19, 2008. He was arrested on September 3, 2007 in the GATCO corruption case.

The case was filed on Mar 17, 2009 while charges were pressed against Arafat and Simon on November 30 for laundering $0.93 million and Singapore $2.9 million.

Source : New Age 

Sufia Kamal’s 100th birth anniv today

Poet Begum Sufia Kamal's birth centenary is going to be observed across the country today.

The poet, short story writer and human rights activist was born into a landowner family on June 20, 1911 at Shaestabad in Barisal and died on November 20, 1999 in Dhaka.

Though she could not afford to get academic education, she learnt Bangla, Hindi, English, Urdu, Arabic, Kurdish and Persian language at home.

She was first married at the age of 11 to her cousin Syed Nehal Hossain and had a daughter, Amena Kahar.

After Nehal Hossain's death in 1932, she married Kamaluddin Ahmed in 1937.

Later, she gave birth to two daughters, Sultana Kamal and Saida Kamal, and two sons, Shahed Kamal and Sajed Kamal.

Her first poetry collection, Sanjher Maya [Evening Enchantment] was published in 1938. In 1937, her first collection of short stories, Keyar Kanta [Thorns of the Keya tree] was published.

In 1947, she became the founder editor of weekly Begum. She was also a language movement veteran in 1952 and later played significant role in the movements against military and autocratic rulers in 1961, 1969, 1971 and 1991.

She was also one of the founders of women's rights organisation, Mahila Parishad.

She was awarded Bangla Academy Award for literature (1962), Ekushey Medal (1976), Independence Day Award (1997) and Lenin Centenary Jubilee Medal (1970).

The president, Zillur Rahman, and the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Sunday paid tribute to Begum Sufia Kamal's memory calling her a symbol of Bengali women on her anniversary of birth.

Source : New Age 

Thousands marooned in coastal areas

Waterlogged created by tidal surges and downpour for the last few days in the costal districts that damaged crops, houses and marooned thousands of people creating their untold sufferings.

A depression in the Bay triggered unusually tidal surges and heavy rainfall which submersed low-lying areas in the coastline.

Officials of Met Office told the news agency that no fresh area would be flooded as tidal surges already disappeared with reducing of wind pressure in the bay.

Weather is becoming normal in the coastal region as land depression gradually weakening and it will be moved out occurring some rainfall.

The land depression over West Bengal and adjoining South-western part of Bangladesh moved West- North-Westwards and now lies over West Bengal and adjoining area, a Met Office release said.

Under its influence steep pressure gradient persists over North Bay. Squally weather may continue over the maritime ports and coastal area of Bangladesh. Sea will remain rough, it said.

Maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Mongla have been advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal number three.

All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice, it added.

In Bhola, rushing of tidal surge is continuing in the district as flood control dams in different areas were damaged by strong currant in the River Meghna and stormy weather influenced by the land depression in Bay.

The tidal surges submerged fresh areas particularly low-lying areas leaving over 50,000 people marooned.

In Patuakhali, water-loggings is created in the low-lying

areas due to tidal surge and heavy rainfall for four consecutive days marooning around one lakh people.

Most flood control embankments damaged by the tidal surges that flooded a number of villages creating untold suffering of villagers.

In Khulna, low-lying areas in four upazilas—Koyra , Dakop, Rupsha and Batiya Ghata upazilas — have been flooded by the last three day's consecutive rainfall.

Koyra upazila chairman GM Mohsin Reza told said that 30 villages under six unions of the upazila were flooded due to consecutive downpour and tidal surges.

In Barguna, inclement weather almost disappeared in the district as tidal surges are not seen in the Bay due to weak wind pressure.

Under the influence of land depression, a little rainfall occurred in different places in Barguna.

In Cox's Bazar, tidal wave, heavy rainfall and hilly water have submerged the areas of Nazirartek, Pokkhlai, Coupadondi, Teknaf sadar, Hoyaikong, Sabrong, Shahpari Island, Matarbari and Kutibdia and washed away many houses and crops land.

In Bagerhat, several dozens of shrimp enclosures were washed away as flood control embankments were damaged in different points in the district.

Source : New Age 

National committee hits back at PM

The National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports and a combine of left-leaning political parties in separate statements on Sunday hit back at Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her criticism of the committee for calling hartal in protest against the deal with ConocoPhillips and accused her of resorting to lies.

The convener of the national committee, Sheikh Muhammad Shaheedullah, and member-secretary, Anu Muhammad, in a statement defended its action programme, saying 'a half-day strike has been called for July 3 in the capital to protect national interests as most of the extracted gas will be exported according to the deal signed with the US company'.

The prime mister on Saturday castigated the national committee for calling hartal to press for cancellation of the deal signed between Petrobangla and ConocoPhillips for extraction of gas from two offshore blocks on Thursday.

Referring to the prime minister's comments that the national committee activists had not been active during national crises in the past, the statement said that many of the committee members had taken part in the movements in the then East Pakistan and in the War of Independence in 1971.

Since its inception over a decade ago, the committee has always been on the streets to safeguard the country's natural resources.

During BNP's rule, it held several 'long marches' to oppose its bid to export gas to India from the Bibiana gas-field, the statement said.

The committee also opposed BNP government's bid to lease out the container terminal at Chittagong port to a US company, it said.

Moreover, the committee spearheaded the Phulbari movement in 2006, to prevent coal extraction by the open-pit method by Asia Energy.

It reminded the prime minister that the then BNP government was compelled to sign a six-point deal with the national committee to stop the process and the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina in a rally at Phulbari warned the government of dire consequences if the agreement was not implemented.

But after coming to power more than two and a half years ago, Sheikh Hasina's government has not yet implemented the agreement, the committee said.

About the prime minister's call on the national committee to take the responsibility of solving gas and power crisis, the committee said that the energy ministry should be freed from the grip of corrupt officials and lobbyists of foreign oil companies.

Leaders of Democratic Left Alliance, a combine of the left leaning political parties, in a separate statement also censured the prime minister for her criticism of the activities of the national committee.

They called upon the prime mister to reconsider the deals signed with ConocoPhillips as 'it is contrary to national interests.'

Source : New Age 

Robbers loot businessman’s house in city

Robbers looted valuables and Tk 8 lakh from the residence of a garment businessman at New Eskaton in city's Ramna thana on Sunday.

Rafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Ramna thana, said 6 to 7 robbers entered the fourth floor flat at Eskaton Tower finding its doors open at 1:30pm.

House owner Ekramul Kadar Bablu and his wife were not present at the flat at that time.

The miscreants kept a female domestic help and baby son hostage at gun point and looted 300 tolas of gold ornaments, one licensed shot gun and Tk 8 lakh in cash.

The female domestic help and an unidentified security guard have been taken to thana for interrogation.

Source : New Age

Ershad, Marry acquitted in money laundering case

A special judge's court of Dhaka Sunday acquitted former president HM Ershad and his fiancé Mariam Momtaz Marry from money laundering charge in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau about 16 years ago.

Expressing satisfaction at the verdict Ershad told his counsel by phone that he got the justice. 'The case was filed with a political motive,' said Ershad, chairman of the Jatiya Party which is a component of ruling AL-led  alliance.

He was not present in the court when special judge Zahurul Haq pronounced the judgment. The prosecution had engaged four investigators in succession but all of them failed to probe that the accused funnelled out Tk 31 crore as complained in the case and no charge sheet was submitted to the court.

The case was filed on 9 September 1995 when Ershad was in jail.

Source : New Age 

War crimes trials begin in July

The International Crimes Tribunal will begin in July the trials of BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee, already detained on war crime charges, said a member of the investigation agency.

He said that the tribunal would begin the trials of Jamaat-e-Islami's amir Motiur Rahman Nizami, secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, and also former amir Ghulam Azam, in August.

Law minister Shafique Ahmed on Sunday said that war crimes trials would start from July.

Claiming that sufficient progress had been made in the investigation of war crimes by the International Crimes Tribunal, also known as war crimes tribunal, he told reporters that the tribunal would first try two detained suspects, whom he refused to name. 'The trials of others will be held in turns,' he added.

Shafique said this after a meeting on necessary logistical support for the International Crimes Tribunal that was held at the finance ministry and chaired by finance minister AMA Muhith.

LGRD minister Syed Ashraful Islam, planning minister AK Khandker, home minister Sahara Khatun, state minister for home Shamsul Haque Tuku and state minister for law Quamrul Islam were among those who attended the meeting.

Muhith said that the allegation that war crimes trials were suffering from inertia due to lack of logistic support was baseless.

He claimed that the tribunal was not facing any financial problems.

'There was lack of coordination in the tribunal, but now that problem has been solved,' he added.

Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, Delwar Hossain Sayedee, Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Mohammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla were detained because of the complaints filed by the investigation agency of the tribunal.

Of those accused of war crimes, BNP leader Abdul Alim is on bail and Ghulam Azam is yet to be detained.

Source : New Age 

Toddlers among nine dead in ‘NATO raid’ on Tripoli

Libyan officials showed reporters five bodies, two of them of toddlers, they said were among nine civilians killed in a 'barbaric' NATO air raid Sunday, as pressure mounted on the alliance to allow a political solution.

Government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim accused the Western alliance of 'deliberately targeting civilians,' insisting there were no military targets anywhere near the residential neighbourhood of the capital that was hit.

NATO said it was looking into the Libyan claim.

Ibrahim demanded that the alliance end its 'aggression' to pave the way for dialogue, speaking just hours after organisations including the Arab League, the European Union and the United Nations highlighted the importance of 'accelerating the launch of a political process' to end the conflict.

Journalists were taken to the Al-Arada district of Tripoli before 1:00am (2300 GMT Saturday) to see rescue teams helped by bystanders desperately searching for survivors among the wreckage of a two-storey block of flats.

An AFP correspondent saw two bodies pulled from the rubble.

Journalists were then taken to a Tripoli hospital where they were shown the bodies of a woman and two toddlers that officials said were members of the same family and had died in the raid.

Ibrahim said that four passers-by were also killed, bringing the death toll to nine, and that 18 people were wounded.

A NATO official in Brussels confirmed that the alliance had had planes in the air over Tripoli over the past 24 hours.

'We're aware of the claim made by the Libyan regime and we're looking into it,' a second NATO official said.

If confirmed, the civilian deaths would be an embarrassment for the alliance which has been leading the bombing campaign under a UN mandate to protect civilians.

'It is another night of massacre, terror and horror at the hands of NATO,' the Libyan government spokesman charged.

Western leaders 'are morally and legally responsible for these murders,' Ibrahim said.

'This is not propaganda. It is not something that we can stage.'

Libyan officials have been on the defensive over their credibility after they showed journalists a little girl being treated in hospital two weeks ago and said she had been wounded in a NATO air strike. A member of the medical staff said she had been injured in a traffic accident.

Ibrahim called on NATO to halt its 'aggression' against Libya to pave the way for dialogue to end a conflict now in its fifth month.

'NATO is very good at attacking and killing people but it is very bad at starting dialogue,' he said.

The alliance has acknowledged mis-hits in the past, most of them involving rebel fighters wrongly identified as loyalist troops.

Only Saturday, NATO acknowledged that aircraft under its command had accidentally hit a rebel column near the oil refinery town of Brega on the frontline between the rebel-held east and the mainly government-held west on Thursday.

'NATO can now confirm that the vehicles hit were part of an opposition patrol,' it said in a statement.

'This incident occurred in an area of conflict between Gaddafi forces and opposition forces.

'We regret any possible loss of life or injuries caused by this unfortunate incident,' NATO said.

The alleged civilian casualties in Tripoli come amid mounting international pressure on the alliance to seek a negotiated solution as the frontlines between the rebels and the government show little movement despite the protracted bombing campaign.

After talks in Cairo on Saturday, the African Union, Arab League, European Union and United Nations issued a joint statement on the importance of 'accelerating the launch of a political process that responds to the legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people.'

The EU foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, attended the meeting along with outgoing Arab League chief Amr Mussa and African Union head Jean Ping, while the UN chief, Ban Ki-moon, joined by live video link.

Ban said the roots of a negotiating process were showing but that the international community needed to give a 'consistent message' on a political solution with Gaddafi.

The UN chief's comments came after both the Libyan prime minister and Russian envoy Mikhail Margelov insisted that contacts were under way between the two sides despite furious denials by the rebels.

'Ask the Egyptians, French, Norwegians and Tunisians for information. They will tell you the truth,' Mahmudi said. 'We are sure of our meetings and everything has been recorded.'

Margelov said after visiting Tripoli that Gaddafi's regime had forged multiple contacts with the Libyan rebels' National Transitional Council in foreign capitals including Berlin, Paris and Oslo.

But the NTC denied there were any talks.

'I can assure you there is and there was no negotiation between the NTC and the regime,' said the council's head of international affairs, Mahmud Jibril.

Source : New Age 

Support sought for people threatened by erosion

Experts and rights activists urged the government on Sunday to take immediate steps to protect thousands of people,  their livelihoods and assets threatened by erosion of the rivers — the Jamuna , the Ganges and the Padma.

They asked the government to take the steps responding to forecasts of since 2004 of the Centre for Environmental and Geographic Information Services which states that erosion by the rivers would displace more than 24,000 people in 15 districts this year.

Nazrul Islam, chairman of Center for Urban Studies, told New Age, 'It's the responsibility of the government to take steps immediately to protect and rehabilitate thousands of people threatened by erosion.'

Millions of people rendered homeless by erosion in Bangladesh ended up in urban slums.

Since 2004, CEGIS has been forecasting morphological changes based on studies of the behavior of the Jamuna, the Ganges and the Padma.

Nazrul Islam said that erosion threatens their existence, livelihoods and belongings.

The victims of erosion are always neglected, he said.

The government generally supports the victims of flood and tidal surge, he said

But the rehabilitation of people, who lose everything, thrown out of their homes and hearths by river erosion —the worst victims of natural disaster —are generally neglected, he said. 

Nazrul Islam said that every year thousands of people migrate to urban centres to take shelter in slums after losing everything including, their ancestral property due to river erosion.

The middle class families among the victims of erosion become the worst sufferers as they cannot take shelter in slums, he said.

He said that the government should take a comprehensive plan including providing insurance coverage to the victims of erosion.

According to the CEGIS forecast, about 2,428 hectares of land, habitations on 413 hectares,  2,620 metres of embankment, 770 metres of roads in the districts, 770 metres of roads in upazilas and 3,990 metres of rural roads are vulnerable to erosion by the three rivers,

Besides, it says  erosion by the rivers also threaten this year 35 educational institutions, four market places, six government offices, one NGO office and two health centres.

The studies identified at least 45 locations as  most vulnerable to erosion.

Experts said that the rivers could erode other lateral locations as well within 100 metres along the rivers.

Adilur Rahman, general Secretary of rights organisation Odhikar, asked the government to make the people aware about the possible consequences of the impending erosion by the rivers.

He said it is the responsibility of the government to identify whether or not the impending erosion would be due to natural or man-made causes that is upstream interventions with the flows of the international rivers.

Rahman said that pursuing a weak kneed foreign policy, the government remains silent about the upstream interventions with the international rivers.

State minister for water resources M. Mahbubur Rahman said the government was aware about the CEGIS forecast.

 He said that the departments concerned have been asked to provide support to people threatened by erosion.

Source : New Age 

Police flout HC directives on vehicle requisition

The police continue to harass transport owners by requisitioning their vehicles in direct violation of the High Court directives that ordered them to requisition vehicles only in the public interest and to pay the owners rent and operating expenses.

In the directives issued on 23 May, 2010 in response to a public interest litigation writ petition, the High Court asked the deputy commissioner (traffic) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police to pay the owner or driver of the requisitioned vehicle the rental charge at the existing rate within a week, and compensate him for any damage caused to the vehicle.

The court also asked the law enforcers not to harass the owners or drivers of vehicles during their requisition drive and refrain from using the requisitioned vehicles for a government officer's personal use.

The deputy commissioner (traffic east zone) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Iqbal Hossain, told New Age that the police requisition private vehicles for the government's purposes in accordance with the law.

'We feel embarrassed to requisition vehicles but we have to do so as we are asked to do it by the deputy commissioner during elections or other important occasions,' he added. 'We provide fuel for the requisitioned vehicles but I think there is no law for paying anything to the owners or drivers.'

But Supreme Court lawyer Manzill Murshid, who moved the writ petition on vehicle requisition, pointed out that the police have to pay drivers and vehicle owners on a daily basis the same rent given to hired transport.

'Such a comment from the police is tantamount to disobeying both the law and the court's ruling,' Manzill added.

Shamoli Paribahan's executive, Mehdi Hasan Rani, told New Age that a police sergeant near Gabtali bus terminal had stopped and requisitioned two inter-district buses from Rajshahi at about 4:00pm on June 11, the day before the BNP-led alliance enforced the 36-hour hartal.

'The sergeant released the buses only when I assure him that we would provide two mini-buses immediately,' said Mehdi.

The mini-buses' drivers, Khokan Miah and Ashraful Islam, complained that the police officer in on duty in Mirpur-14 had assured them that they would be paid for food and labour, but paid not a paisa after releasing the vehicles at about 8:00pm on June 13.

'I told the police who were using my bus that I didn't have enough money to buy food, and they told me that I would be given a bill to collect money from the Rajarbagh police headquarters, but later said that they are not required to pay anything,' said Ashraf.

Mehdi of Shamoli Paribahan said that the police only provided 10 litres of diesel for each bus during the time of use.

He said that the company had to pay Tk 2,000 to four staffers — a driver and a helper for each bus — after completion of the requisition period.

'We did not demand any rent and other charges from the police to avoid harassment,' he added.

The court passed the directives on the requisition after hearing the writ petition filed by rights organisation Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh which drew the judge's attention to the report of a leading newspaper on May 13. The report said that the sudden requisitioning of taxicabs led to clashes between police and cab-drivers at Farm Gate, Manik Miah Avenue and Bijoy Sarani in which 20 people were injured.

The petitioner's counsel, Manzill Murshid, told the court that the police requisition motorized vehicles at their whim by enforcing Section 103A of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance 1976.

Section 103A reads, 'Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, the Police Commissioner may, by order in writing, requisition any vehicle, for a period not exceeding seven days, if such a vehicle is required in the public interest.'

'Whenever any vehicle is requisitioned, the owner thereof shall be paid such compensation as may be prescribed,' the Section stipulates.

Source : New Age 

3 more killed in UP polls violence

At least three persons were killed in Chandpur, Madaripur and Rajbari districts on Sunday in polls-related violence, including one in police firing, raising the number of people killed during the ongoing second phase of the union parishad elections to 16.

Thirteen persons were killed earlier after the local government polls began on May 31 amid stray clashes, intimidation and snatching of ballot boxes. The elections will continue till July 5.

Polling in 182 unions was held on Sunday and elections to 44 more UPs are scheduled to be held today.

According to bdnews24.com from Chandpur, at least one person was killed when police opened fire during an attempt to snatch a ballot box from a polling centre in Matlab upazila of the district on Sunday.

The victim was identified as Abu Yusuf Mona, 30, of Awshinpur Baidyabari under Nayergaon Dakkhin union of the upazila.

Police superintendent Mohammad Shahidullah Chowdhury said Mona had died on the spot after being hit by a bullet when he tried to snatch a ballot box and attacked police at about 10:00pm.

His body was sent to Chandpur General Hospital morgue for autopsy. Polls in three centres were postponed after the incident. Two people were also arrested on charge of breaching peace.

Police said Mona had snatched the ballot box around 10:20am from Kaliaish Registered Primary School centre. As police challenged him, Mona along with his cohorts attacked the law enforcers. 'Constable Abu Jafar was stabbed in the attack.'

To control the situation, police fired in the air first and then shot Mona, leaving him dead on the spot. A bullet pierced his chest, the police officer said.

The SP said police had fired eight shots — two from a shotgun and the rest from Chinese rifles.

He said Mona was working for chairman candidate Abul Hossain and member aspirant Habibur Rahman.

Presiding officer Abdur Rashid said the ballot box could not be retrieved yet.

Elections were suspended at Narayanpur Hafezia Madrasa centre of Khadergaon union around 11:00am following the trouble, presiding officer Mahbubul Alam said.

Nazim Uddin, presiding officer of Ghilatali Primary School centre of the same union, said polls there were disrupted around 12:10pm.

The United News of Bangladesh reported that an elderly man was hacked to death by his rivals over UP election at Natun Bazaar Dawlat Kha village in Kalkini upazila on Sunday.

The deceased was identified as Mohabbat Ali, 60, of the village.

Police said rivalries intensified between two chairman candidates – Sardar Abdul Mannan and Chan Mia of Cidikhan union – over UP polls.

Supporters of Chan Mia called Mohabbat, a supporter of Mannan, out of his house at about 5:00am and stabbed him to death in a nearby place. Local people found his body beside a crop field and called police.

'Later, Chan Mia's supporters exploded over 20 crude bombs, leaving seven people injured from both sides,' said OC of Kalkini police station Shaheen Mondol. Elections to the union were held on Sunday.

In Rajbari, at least five persons received bullet injuries in post-polls violence at Babu Para union under Pangsha upazila on Sunday morning and one of them succumbed to his injuries.

Witnesses said the clash erupted between Ali Akbar, who won a councillor post, and his rival defeated candidate Abdur Razzak. Both the group traded gunshots leaving five persons, including Momin, 25, brother of Akbar Ali, Ainal and Ranju wounded. They were admitted to Faridpur Medical College Hospital where Momin succumbed to his injuries. Additional police have been deployed in the area.

Source : New Age 

Changes in model PSC likely

The government for the next hydrocarbon block bidding is likely to increase the gas price by up to 10 per cent, the rate at which Petrobangla buys gas from international oil companies under Production Sharing Contract, said an energy division official.


The state-run oil, gas and mineral resources corporation Petrobangla for the Bidding Round-2011 has also proposed to change some other provisions of the model PSC-2008 before floating international tender.
Energy secretary Mohammad Mesbah Uddin on April 6 said that Petrobangla would call fresh international bidding for oil and gas exploration in the land and shallow sea area in the Bay of Bengal by June.
The state-run oil, gas and mineral resources corporation Petrobangla has sent the proposal to the energy ministry for its opinion.
The official said that Petrobangla had proposed to increase the price of gas that would be extracted from the country's western part, shallow and deep sea area in the Bay of Bengal. Petrobangla wanted to keep the price of gas from other on-shore areas unchanged.
When asked, Petrobangla chairman Hossain Monsur refused comments on the issue.
Petrobangla has proposed to increase the price of gas at the rate the contractor will sell it for cost recovery and sharing profit with Petrobangla.
According to the proposal, the corporation or its affiliates will buy the contractor's share of gas and pay it $4.157 for 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas extracted from the western part onshore and shallow sea area instead of $2.87 and $2.9 respectively.
For deep sea gas, Petrobangla will pay the contractor $4.573 for one unit of its share of natural gas.
Petrobangla also proposed to scrap the controversial provision for conditional gas export though it keeps another such provision for conditional gas sales to the private sector unchanged, the official said.
According to the latter provision, a contractor has the option to sell its share of natural gas to private sector in the domestic market, subject to Petrobangla's right of first refusal.
Activists and experts have demanded scrapping of the two conditional provisions for gas export and sales to the private sector from the model production sharing contract.
Petrobangla on May 16 signed a deal with oil company Santos, successor of Cairn Energy, allowing it to sell gas directly to private sector from hydrocarbon block-16.
Cairn in 2009 threatened to withdraw its investment from the Bay if Petrobangla did not allow it to maximise its profit.
After getting the right to sell gas to the private sector at higher prices, Carin sold its stake to Santos last year.
Santos will sell gas directly to the private sector at negotiated prices if Petrobangla does not buy gas from it at the price it sets.
Santos set the minimum price at $4.5 per thousand cubic feet, but Petrobangla has been buying gas at $2.9 from the Sangu field in block-16.
About allowing IOCs to sell the gas of their share directly to the private sector in the next PSC for the bidding round 2011, the prime minister's energy adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury on April 6 said that some changes might come in the model PSC in the changed perspective.
It also proposed to revise the contract terms and the hydrocarbon blocks specified in the model PSC-2008.
According to the proposal, an IOC will have four years for initial exploration work and complete the task in the rest of the area specified in the contract in next three years.
In the model PSC- 2008, an IOC is bound to conduct a minimum exploration work that involves only geological and geophysical surveys with no commitment for exploratory drilling and complete exploration work over the rest of the contract area in next two phases in two years each.
Petrobangla proposed to divide the whole territory into 53 hydrocarbon blocks among which 23 would be in land and the rest 30 in the Bay of Bengal.
In land, Petrobangla proposed to divide hydrocarbon block 2, 3, 4 and 6 into A and B sub-blocks and 22 into A, B and C sub-blocks.
In the Bay, Petrobangla proposed to define shallow sea (SS) by 10 from SS-01 to SS-10 and deep sea (DS) by 20 hydrocarbon blocks from DS-09 to DS-28.
Source : New Age 

Sweeping changes to constitution proposed

The cabinet is likely to consider today a bill seeking sweeping changes to the constitution, including abolition of the election-time caretaker government and punishment on charges of treason for illegal takeover of state power.

The bill proposes retention of Islam as the state religion and Bismillah.

The Constitution (Fifteenth Amendment) Bill 2011 is scheduled to be placed in the cabinet today for consideration, officials in the cabinet division and law ministry confirmed.

The law ministry sources said that the ministry prepared the bill in line with the recommendations made by the special parliamentary committee on constitution amendment.

The committee on June 8 placed its report in parliament with 51 recommendations.

According to the sources, the bill proposes insertion of a new Article 7B, which says that the preamble, Article 1–7B, Article 8–25 which deal with fundamental principles of the state, Article 26–47A dealing with fundamental rights, Article 150 which protects the transitional and temporary provisions, and any other articles relating to basic structure of the constitution can in no way be amended.

The bill, however, proposes deletion of the provisions on referendum.

According to the existing Article 142, any amendment to Article 8 (fundamental principles), Article 48 (president) and Article 56 (ministers) needs a referendum.

According to the bill, 'Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim' will be retained with its Bangla translation before the preamble.

The bill proposes substitution of the existing Article 2A by a new one.

The proposed article says, 'The state religion of the republic is Islam, but the state shall ensure equal status and equal rights for practising other religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity.'

The existing article, inserted by the Fifth Amendment to the constitution, says, 'The state religion of the republic is Islam, but other religions may be practised in peace and harmony in the republic.'

The bill proposes amendment to the preamble restoring the preamble as it was in 1972.

The bill proposes insertion of a new clause (5) in Article 4 making it  mandatory to preserve and display the portrait of the 'Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman' in all government, semi-government and autonomous offices.

It also proposes omission of Article 4A, inserted by the 14th Amendment, which made provision for preserving and displaying the portraits of the president and the prime minister.

The bill proposes amendment to Article 6 saying that the nationality of the people of Bangladesh will be Bangalee and the citizens of Bangladesh shall be known as Bangladeshis.

It proposes insertion of a new Article 7A that says any unconstitutional seizure of state power should be considered treason and persons involved should be tried on sedition charges.

It proposes amendment to Article 8 restoring the fundamental principles of the state – nationalism, socialism, democracy and secularism – and omitting Clause (1A) that says, 'Absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah shall be the basis of all actions.'

The bill proposes replacement of the existing Article 9 with the original Article 9, which says, 'The unity and solidarity of the Bangalee nation, which, deriving its identity from its language and culture, attained sovereign and independent Bangladesh through a united and determined struggle in the war of independence, shall be the basis of Bangalee nationalism.'

It proposes substitution of the existing Article 10 by a new one.

The proposed Article 10 says, 'A socialist economic system shall be established with a view to ensuring attainment of a just and egalitarian society, free from exploitation of man by man.'

The existing article says, 'Steps shall be taken to ensure participation of women in all spheres of national life.'

The bill, however, proposes insertion of the existing Article 10 in Article 19.

It proposes insertion of Article 12, which was omitted by the Fifth Amendment.

The article says, 'The principle of secularism shall be realised by the elimination of – (a) communalism in all its forms; (b) granting by the state of political status in favour of any religion; (c) abuse of religion for political purposes; any discrimination against, or persecution of, persons practicing a particular religion.'

The bill proposes insertion of Article 18A making provisions for conservation and development of the environment and biodiversity.

It proposes insertion of a new Article 23A for preservation of the heritage of national minorities and their development.

It proposes omission of the existing Article 25(2), inserted by the Fifth Amendment, which says, 'The state shall endeavour to consolidate, preserve and strengthen fraternal relations among Muslim countries based on Islamic solidarity.'

It proposes substitution of the existing Article 38 by a new one.

The proposed article says, 'Every citizen shall have the right form associations of unions, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interests of morality or public order.'

It will, however, add a proviso barring formation of any association or union with an intention to hamper religious, social and communal harmony, create discrimination among citizens or encourage militancy.

It proposes amendment to Article 47(3), which says, 'Notwithstanding anything contained in this constitution, no law nor any provision thereof providing for detention, prosecution or punishment of any person, who is a member of any armed or defence or auxiliary forces or who is a prisoner of war, for genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes and other crimes under international law shall be deemed void or unlawful, or ever to have become void or unlawful, on the ground that such law or provision of any such law is inconsistent with, or repugnant to any of the provisions of this constitution.'

The bill proposes substitution of the words 'auxiliary forces' by the words 'any person, group of persons or organisation'.

It proposes omission of Article 58A, B, C, D and E, which deal with the provision of the caretaker government and the posts of chief adviser and advisers, from Article 147.

It proposes amendment to Article 65 saying that the number of reserved seats for women in parliament would be increased to 50 from the existing 45.

It, however, proposes no change in the provision for elections to the reserved seats on the basis of procedure of proportional representation in parliament through single transferable vote. The provision was made by the BNP government through the 14th Amendment.

It proposes amendment to Article 66 barring from contesting parliamentary polls a person who 'has been convicted of any offence under the Bangladesh Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order 1972.'

The bill proposes substitution of the existing Article 70 by a new one.

The proposed article, like the existing one, also bars a lawmaker from voting in parliament against the party or to resign from the party from which he has been elected.

The existing article, however, also bars a lawmaker from remaining absent from a sitting or from abstaining from voting defying the party directives.

The bill proposes substitution of the existing Article 95 by a new one, which says, 'The chief justice shall be appointed by the president, and the other judges shall be appointed by the president after consultation with the chief justice.'

It proposes replacement of the existing Article 96, which deals with the tenure and removal of Supreme Court judges, with a new article.

The proposed Article 96, however, stipulates similar provisions, including the provisions of the Supreme Judicial Council, stipulated in the existing article.

It proposes substitution of the existing Article 99 by a new one, which will disqualify the Supreme Court judges from holding any office of profit in the service of the republic not being a judicial or quasi-judicial office after their retirements.

It proposes amendment to Article 118 limiting the number of election commissioners, excluding the chief election commissioner, to four.

It proposes amendment to Article 122 disqualifying from being enrolled on the electoral roll a person who has been convicted of any offence under the Bangladesh Collaborators (Special Tribunals) Order 1972, which was revoked on December 31, 1975.

It proposes substitution of the existing Article 123(3) by a new one which says that an election to parliament will be held in 90 days before the expiration of its term. In case of dissolution of parliament by reason of such expiration, the election will be held in 90 days after its dissolution.

The bill proposes amendment to Article 141A saying that no state of emergency would be in effect 120 days after its proclamation.

Although the bill proposes replacement of the existing Article 145A with new Article 145A, no change has been proposed to the provisions stipulated in the existing article.

The article says, 'All treaties with foreign countries shall be submitted to the president, who shall cause them to be laid before parliament: provided that any such treaty connected with national security shall be laid in a secret session of parliament.'

The bill also proposes that the fifth, sixth, and seventh schedules should be inserted after the fourth schedule, including the March 7, 1971 address of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, declaration of Independence by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman shortly after midnight of March 25, ie early hours of March 26, 1971 and the proclamation of independence by the Mujibnagar government on April 10, 1971.

Source : New Age