News 24: 07/21/11

Share climate data to tackle impacts: Speakers urge S Asian countries

South Asian countries should enhance regional cooperation and sharing of environmental data to tackle climate change.

Speakers said this yesterday on the last day of a three-day conference on climate change held at Brac Centre Inn in the capital. Shelly Feldman, professor of Cornell University and president of American Institute of Bangladesh Studies, moderated the session.

South Asian region has so far failed to abide by the international environmental provisions and to use the common rivers basin-wise though people of the region are the worst victim of climate change, speakers observed.

Asif Nazrul, professor of law, Dhaka University, yesterday presented his paper on "Climate change issue: inadequacy of watercourse agreements in South Asia".

He said the South Asian practice of sharing river waters is not similar to what the other regions do. The South Asian agreements are bilateral, often project specific or restricted to a particular part of a watercourse.

The region provides no scope for basin-wise management of the rivers for adaptive measures, he added.

The political leaders of South Asia, more particularly the politicians and the civil society of smaller and lower riparian countries like Bangladesh, failed to raise their voice to ensure their rights, said Asif.

On the failure of the bilateral treaty between India and Bangladesh, Asif said it failed as it did not address the issue of water diversion by India in the upstream areas.

In her concluding remark, Shelly Feldman said such regional conferences are necessary as this can be a platform to reach a bigger audience.

Referring to very little information available for the government, civil society members and experts of Bangladesh about Tipaimukh dam, Prof Amena Mohosin of international relations department of Dhaka University said sharing environmental data among the bordering countries is very necessary as this is a question of life and death for the people.

Source : The Daily Star

Four visiting S Asian women to get VVIP protocol

The government will provide VVIP protocol to four important women of South Asia during their visit to Dhaka to attend a two-day regional conference on autism beginning July 25.

They are Sonia Gandhi, Indian Congress Party president and chairman of United Progressive Alliance; Dr Fehmida Mirza, speaker of National Assembly of Pakistan; Sri Lanka's First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa; and Ilham Hussain, wife of the Maldives vice president.

Sonia, who will arrive in Dhaka on July 24 at night, will attend the inaugural session of the conference styled "Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Disabilities in Bangladesh and South Asia" as the chief guest.

Local Government and Rural Development & Co-operatives Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Capt (retd) AB Tajul Islam will receive her at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Saima Wazed Hossain, daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, will also be present at the airport.

Foreign ministry sources said a team comprised of security personnel and officials will arrive in Dhaka today to coordinate security and programmes of Sonia.

Sonia will also attend a special ceremony at Bangabhaban at 5:30pm to receive "Bangladesh Swadhinata Sanmanona", Bangladesh's highest state honour, on behalf of her late mother-in-law former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi, from President Zillur Rahman.

Bangladesh is going to honour Indira Gandhi for her outstanding contribution to Bangladesh's War of Liberation in 1971.

She will leave Dhaka on July 25 after attending the ceremony and a dinner to be hosted by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in honour of the distinguished participants at the conference.

Meanwhile, an inter-ministerial meeting held at the foreign ministry yesterday took several decisions regarding the protocol to VVIPs, logistics and other necessary matters related to the visits.

Source : The Daily Star

Change in policy to promote govt employees if needed: PM

Keeping the greater interest of national development in mind, the government would promote its employees even if it means relaxing the respective department's policies, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday.

She was addressing the inaugural function of National Fisheries Week 2011 in the city's Osmani Memorial Auditorium.

Hasina said she knows there are promotions pending in some of the ministries and the government already solved Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock's backlog of promotions, which has been stalling for a long time.

"The government is working to ensure your job satisfaction and your duty is to give your best effort with sincerity for the country's development," she said.

On fisheries resources, Hasina said the government will soon provide the country's fishermen with Identity (ID) Cards to ensure the proper distribution of government incentives.

"Some 1.50 crore people depend on fisheries while some 13 lakh people catch fish for their livelihoods. We will identify the real fishermen and give them ID cards," she said.

Hasina underscored the need for hatchery-based production of fries to increase fish production in the country.

She said the government would set up two polymerised chain reaction (PCR) labs in Satkhira and Cox's Bazar for the final scrutiny of shrimps before export.

Hasina said European Union stopped importing shrimps from Bangladesh as it found antibiotics in the processed shrimps.

"That was the result of the BNP-Jamaat government's indifference. However, we formed a National Working Committee and solved the crisis," she said.

She said the country's fish production must be increased so that it can export fish and processed fish products after meeting domestic demand.

"There are 78 lakh Bangladeshi citizens living in various countries. They would always prefer to have fish than any other food while foreigners are also very fond of Bangladeshi fish, particularly Hilsha," she said.

Hasina said processed fish products of Bangladesh could be a useful product to capture international markets.

She urged youths to take loans from Employment Bank and get involved in fish farming using modern methods.

She said ensuring only food security is not enough as people have to be provided a balanced diet to build a healthy nation.

The prime minister directed the fisheries ministry, fisheries department and all other law enforcing agencies to stop catching jatka (Hilsha fries) and use of illegal "current nets" for the larger interest of the nation.

Hasina requested people from all walks of life to remain alert about water pollution in rivers and wetlands.

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Food Minister Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, Secretary to the fisheries ministry Ujjal Bikash Datta and fisheries department Director General Md Mahbubur Rahman Khan spoke at the function with Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdul Latif Biswas in the chair.

The prime minister also distributed gold medals to five people and bronze medals to 12 people for their outstanding contribution in increasing the country's fish production.

She later released 5,200 fries of five species at Ganobhaban Lake marking the occasion.

Source : The Daily Star

BNP, LDP to forge unity

BNP and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) yesterday agreed to forge a greater unity to face some key political issues including the latest amendment to the charter and scrapping of the caretaker government system.

The two parties also decided to form a six-member joint committee to work out the next course of action, to be finalised by the respective party chiefs.

The decision came from a meeting between Acting Secretary General of BNP Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and LDP President Oli Ahmad MP, held at the latter's residence in the city's Mohakhali.

All the democratic and nationalistic forces should be united considering the country's "critical situation," Oli said after the meeting and thanked BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia for taking the initiative for greater unity.

"Both BNP and LDP have opposed the latest amendment as the ruling party has made the country's charter a bio-data," mentioned Oli adding, "They introduced some inflexible provisions which are unacceptable to us."

He insisted the government must cancel the "one-sided and illegal" 15th amendment. The lawmaker hinted to go for an anti-government agitation to meet one-point demand.

Terming the meeting successful, Mirza Alamgir hoped the unity would soon lead the way to protest the 15th amendment and other wrongdoings of the government.

City BNP convener Sadeque Hossain Khoka and LDP Secretary General Jahanara Begum were present in the meeting, among others.

BNP has recently initiated a move to bring like-minded political parties together for launching a movement especially for reinstating the caretaker government system.

Oli, a founding member of BNP, left the party along with 13 other BNP lawmakers and floated LDP on October 26 in 2006, a day before completion of the tenure of the then BNP-led four party alliance government. He blamed the BNP leadership for corruption and misrule.

LDP later sided with Awami League but contested the general election separately and won a parliamentary seat.

Source : The Daily Star

South Yemen car bomb kills Briton

A police official said a Briton was killed in a car bombing yesterday in the main southern Yemeni city of Aden, in an attack that an intelligence officer said carried the "fingerprints of al-Qaeda."

The Briton, who was the head of a shipping company, was killed by a bomb in his car in the Moalla area near a hotel where his company has an office, the police official said.

The police officer did not comment on the motive of the attack but an intelligence officer told AFP: "The operation carries the fingerprints of Al-Qaeda."

Police did not let journalists approach the site of the blast.

Witness Abdullah al-Sharafi told AFP: "I heard the explosion, I hurried there and I found the car in pieces and a charred body."

Source : The Daily Star

HSC results on July 27

The results of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and its equivalent examinations will be published on July 27.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid will announce the result through a press conference at the ministry after handing over the copy of the results to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Dhaka Education Board Chairperson Prof Fahima Khatun told UNB.

The total number of candidates for HSC and equivalent exams was 779,441 this year under the ten education boards including Madrasa and Technical education boards.

Of the total examinees, 424,823 are male and 354,618 female. The number of examinees was 629,619 in eight general education boards, 76,957 in Madrasa Education Board and 68,961 under Technical Education Board.

The examination began on April 5 this year.

Source : The Daily Star

3 drown in rivers

Three people including a child drowned in Cox's Bazar and Bandarban on Tuesday in unusually strong river currents.

Mohammad Arafan, 12, a madrasa student, of Teknaf upazila of the district was swept by the strong current while he was crossing a stream, said Mahbubul Haque, officer-in-charge of Teknaf Police Station. Locals recovered the body.

Nojibul Haque, 32, of Ramu upazila in Bandarban drowned while crossing another stream with his cattle. The onrush of water from upstream washed him away.

In another incident, Sultan Ahmed, 30, died while trying to save two women from drowning. The women were crossing a dam at Kawyerkup union in Cox's Bazar, a correspondent from Cox's Bazar reports.

Incessant rain for the last four days triggered unusually strong currents in streams and rivers of the hilly areas.

Nearly two lakh people in Cox's Bazar have been marooned as a 596km long cross-dam developed breaches in at least 80 spots, said Md Mohiuddin, executive engineer of Cox's Bazar Water Development Board.

Source : The Daily Star

Sugar Tk 65, soybean oil Tk 109: New prices effective from today

The government yesterday put ceilings on retail prices of sugar and cooking oil to curb unusual price spiral ahead of Ramadan.

From now on, maximum retail price of sugar will be Tk 65 each kilogram.

Prices of loose palm and soybean oil will be Tk 99 and Tk 109 per litre respectively, according to a decision reached at a meeting with sugar and cooking oil refiners at the commerce ministry.

''Millers have declared these rates. If anyone violates the price ceiling, action will be taken,'' said Md Mozibur Rahman, chairman of Bangladesh Tariff Commission (BTC).

The meeting, chaired by Mozibur, set the mill gate prices of sugar refiners at Tk 58-62 per kg.

The refiners will sell each litre of palm and soybean oil at Tk 93-96 and Tk 103-105 respectively at factory gates.

Prices of bottled cooking oil will be Tk 15 higher per litre than the loose product, noted the BTC chief.

Both the government and companies will monitor market prices to ensure the announced rates are followed, maintained Mozibur.

The decision coincides with a recent trend of price spiral of sugar and some other essentials in the domestic market ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan, when the consumption of these items shoots.

Sugar price increased further by Tk 1.5 per kg yesterday as a supply crunch continued due to closure of four out of six refiners and hoarding by a section of wholesalers.

However, its retail price rose to Tk 70-74 per kg from Tk 68-73 the previous day, according to data of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh.

Price of loose cooking oil also maintained upward trend during last week.

Wholesalers and retailers attributed the volatility in sugar prices to supply dearth.

''The announced prices will be on paper if supply of sugar does not rise,'' said Abul Hashem, vice-president of Bangladesh Sugar Merchants Association.

Source : The Daily Star

Police role in question: Only survivor tells The Daily Star about the fateful night

Al Amin, the lone survivor of Aminbazar mob beating early Monday, told yesterday how he saved his life and that plainclothes police just watched his friends get killed from a couple of yards away.

Traumatised and with injuries all over his body, 17-year-old Al Amin is now at home after he obtained bail on Tuesday in a robbery case filed by Savar police after the dreadful incident. A mob beat to death six students on the night of Shab-e-Barat suspecting them to be robbers.

Since the incident, police has been insisting that the students were out on Keblarchar to rob villagers.

According to Al Amin, on the fateful night he, his friends Towhidur Rahman Palash and Kamruzzaman Kanto offered prayers at Darussalam Furfura Sharif Mosque and met Shams Rahim Shamam, Ibrahim Khalil, Tipu Sultan and Sitaf Jabi Munif when they came to the main road for a walk.

The seven decided to have tehari at Gabtoli and took two rickshaws. Reaching there they changed their mind and decided to spend the night roaming the area and have some fun. So they crossed Gabtoli bridge on foot and went along the Turag river up to Keblarchar.

"We split into two groups and sat by the river. Palash, Kanto and I were together while Shamam, Tipu, Ibrahim and Munif were about 200 yards away. Suddenly, we three heard the other four screaming for help. We thought they were attacked by muggers or robbers.

"We rushed for their help but found hundreds of villagers beating them indiscriminately while about 50 others were coming to attack us calling us robbers," Al Amin continued.

"We tried to tell them that we were students, not robbers and have come from Darussalam area. But by then, several people swooped on and started beating us up. I heard the assaulting villagers say they had already killed four of us.

"Scared of death, I grabbed the legs of an elderly man and begged for my life but he kept hitting me. Then I spotted plainclothes policemen with shotguns standing there and watching the mob go crazy. I begged them to save my life."

A policeman then stopped the attackers, he said.

"All of your friends are dead and so will you soon unless you agree to say whatever we want you to say," said Al Amin quoting the "saviour" policeman as saying.

The policeman asked him to admit that the students had robbed a sand trading post and taken away Tk 5,000. Al Amin agreed. He was then sent to a hospital under police arrangement.

Earlier, police and villagers claimed that there were 14 to 15 "robbers" and the rest of them got away by an engine boat. Police also claimed to have recovered six sharp weapons from the spot.

But Al Amin dismissed the claims saying that there is no question of carrying sharp weapons as they were there just to have fun. He believes that the villagers brought the weapons as the bodies of the six students killed in the incident bore injury marks from sharp weapons.

Al Amin, eldest of two brothers and a sister, supplies fruit juice to shops to help his family.

His father Khabir Bapari, who used to drive a CNG-run-auto rickshaw, told the daily star that he can only afford to admit his son to a hospital but is in no position to bear the cost of the treatment. Moreover, the family is afraid to take him to a hospital since police are against them.

Source : The Daily Star

BDR CARNAGE TRIAL: Pintu, AL man Torab among 430 indicted

A court yesterday framed charges against 430 of 850 accused in a carnage case filed in connection with the 2009 Pilkhana mutiny.

Arson, lootings, dumping bodies, burying people in mass graves and theft are the other charges brought against the accused.

Of the 430, 409 are members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) while the rest include former BNP lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, Awami League leader Torab Ali and 17 civilians.

The court will frame charges against the remaining 420 people on July 27.

A total of 74 people including 57 army officers were killed at Pilkhana, the headquarters of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), now renamed BGB, in the mutiny on February 25-26, 2009.

Yesterday, the trial began at 9:50am.

Judge Mohammad Zohurul Hoque of Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court began framing charges after rejecting discharge pleas of the accused.

The court, set up at Bakshi Bazar in the city, read out specific charges against the 430 and wanted to know from each of them how they would plea. All the accused pleaded not guilty.

The court started charge framing with the prime accused Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) Towhid who was leading a group of BDR jawans in a negotiation meeting at the prime minister's residence on February 25, 2009, night but he "concealed information about the murder of army officers".

Subedar Maj Gofran Mallik and Sepoy Selim Reza, who were among those to play major role in the carnage, were also indicted.

A brief deadlock developed as defence lawyers said the indictment is illegal since the accused were not earlier informed in writing about the charges brought against them.

Many accused alleged they had made confessional statements in the face of severe torture and not before any magistrate.

A total of 543 accused in this case made confessional statements.

"You shot and killed Col Mujibul Haque, Col Enayet and Maj Mokbul and you have already confessed that," the court told Havilder Yusuf Ali and asked whether he would admit it now.

As the court insisted that records show he made confessional statement, Yusuf just denied it.

As he tried to explain, the court said, "You take that much opportunity the court allows at this stage." As he continues, the court asked guards to take away the microphone from him.

The court said the accused, who have no defence counsel, would be provided with state defence to move for them.

Of the 850, 20 are still absconding while three are dead. Twenty three of the accused are civilians.

About the absconding accused, one of the special public prosecutors of the case, Sheikh Baharul Islam, said charges will be framed against those on the run in their absence.

Criminal Investigation Department submitted charge sheet against 824 people. Later, 26 other BGB jawans were made accused in a supplementary charge sheet.

Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu and Torab Ali were indicted for instigating and planning the killing. The other nineteen were charged with theft.

Pintu was also charged with abetting mutineers to flee Pilkhana, attending a meeting at the residence of an accused on February 24, 2009 and masterminding the massacre and organising procession in support of mutineers.

As the court asked Pintu how he would plea, he said many accused placed confessional statements against many ministers and lawmakers. "There is nothing against me, but I have been made an accused."

Source : The Daily Star

IMF urges action to tackle debt crisis

German chancellor Angel Merkel talked down the chances Tuesday that a eurozone summit will deliver the silver bullet to resolve the debt crisis as the IMF pressed leaders to take urgent action.

While senior eurozone finance officials met in Brussels to craft a second Greek bailout for Thursday's summit, Merkel warned against more far-reaching proposals that have been invoked to master the euro's year-long crisis.

'If you want to act responsibly, you know that such a spectacular step will not happen, including on Thursday,' Merkel told a news conference after talks in Hanover, northern Germany, with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.

The German leader voiced concerns about ideas such as restructuring Greece's debt, creating joint euro-area bonds or forming a transfer union — a step towards a federal Europe.

Merkel also said governments needed to reduce their debt and improve competitiveness. 'Thursday will help in this but further steps will be needed, not one spectacular event solving all problems.'

Source : New Age

Samsung takes shot at iPad with new Galaxy Tab

Samsung Electronics Co launched a thinner and lighter version of its Galaxy tablet in its lucrative home market, trying to chip into blockbuster sales of Apple Inc's iPad.

The Galaxy Tab 10.1 inch is an upgraded version of the 7-inch introduced in October. Priced from $500 onwards in the US market, the same as the 9.7-inch iPad, it faces tough me-too competition from more than 100 devices, mostly running Google's Android operating system.

However, so far, Apple and Samsung have the market to themselves as tablets, initially viewed as Web entertainment gadget for consumers, have caught the imagination across businesses such as luxury hotels, airlines and wedding planners.

Competing products including Research In Motion's PlayBook and Motorola's Xoom have received lukewarm reviews, Hewlett Packard's TouchPad is a late entrant and Internet retailer Amazon.com Inc unveiled plans only last week to join the overcrowded market.

Apple's market-beating June-quarter sales for iPad reported on Tuesday underscore the challenge for the South Korean company. Shares in Samsung closed up 3.5 per cent, boosting the market capitalisation of Asia's most valuable technology company to about $130 billion, in a strong market for technology stocks.

Apple sold 14 million iPads in the first half of this year, compared with analysts' sales estimates of about 7.5 million units for the Galaxy Tab over 2011.

'Apple's quarterly results showed again it's indeed the strongest rival to beat. Samsung will have a tough second half due to growing competition from Apple as it is set to introduce a new iPhone,' said James Song, an analyst at Daewoo Securities.

Samsung is Apple's nearest rival in the booming mobile device industry as it leverages its cost competitiveness and access to chips and core tablet components.

It has sharply narrowed the gap with Apple in the smartphone market, but remains a distant second in the tablet market, which research firm Gartner forecasts will surge to 108 million devices next year from an estimated 70 million in 2011.

'As our smartphone business grew very fast within a very short period of time, I believe it's just a matter of time for our tablet business to improve,' J.K. Shin, head of Samsung's mobile division, told reporters.

Source : New Age

India cuts growth forecast as rate hikes bite

India on Wednesday cut its growth forecast for this financial year to 8.6 per cent from nine per cent following a string of interest rate hikes introduced to tame inflation.

The finance ministry's forecast is above last year's expansion of 8.5 per cent and higher than most private economists' expectations, which fall as low as 7.5 per cent.

'In the short run, lowering inflation can have a dampening effect on growth, but (it) is positive for sustained medium- to long-term growth,' the ministry said in a statement.

The Congress-led government had projected nine per cent growth for this financial year to March 2012 in its budget presented in February but 10 interest rate hikes since March 2010 have hit industrial output.

The government's decision to lower its growth projection came after data earlier in the month showed industrial output in May grew just 5.6 per cent year-on-year — its weakest pace in nine months.

While growth of seven-to-eight per cent would be envied by Western economies, experts say India needs at least 10 per cent expansion to lift hundreds of millions of Indians out of crushing poverty.

Neighbouring China, which is also tightening monetary policy to fight inflation, reported this month that its economy expanded at a slower but still robust 9.5 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter.

Analysts expect the Indian central bank to hike interest rates again at a policy meeting later this month as it struggles to subdue inflation running at 9.44 per cent.

The finance ministry said it aims to reduce inflation to 6.0-6.5 per cent in coming months.

It also warned that high commodity prices and the eurozone sovereign debt crisis could hit India's strong export growth and forecast a slowdown in the volume of global trade.

During the first quarter of the financial year, from April to June, India's exports surged 46 per cent, buoyed by renewed demand in European and US markets.

Source : New Age

DSE turnover hits this year’s peak

The turnover of Dhaka Stock Exchange on Wednesday reached its highest in the year to Tk 1,765.12 crore as stocks prices continued to gain, recovering from six months of volatility.

The DGEN, the benchmark general index of DSE, on the day gained 31.51 points, or 0.47 percent, to close at 6,619.09 points after advancing by 100.99 points on Tuesday. The DSE turnover was Tk 1,783.10 crore on December 30, 2010.

The turnover on Wednesday increased by Tk 378 crore from the previous day.

The bourse's turnover earlier hit an all-time high of Tk 3,249.57 crore on December 5, when the market witnessed a boom, but plunged to Tk 206.41 crore on January 25 following a series of huge stock crashes that drove away the investors from trading.

A liquidity crisis also hit the market at that time as most of the banks as well as other large investors withdrew their huge investments in December, pocketing hefty profits.

After around six months of volatility, the market started to go up just before the passage of the finance bill on June 29 on speculation among the investors that the government might allow legalising undisclosed money by investing it in the stock market.

After the government allowed investment of undisclosed money in the capital market by paying 10 percent tax from July 1, the market started to stablise with the average daily turnover rising to Tk 1,562.00 crore in the past week.

Market operators said investors, both individual and institutional, continued to inject funds on Wednesday as they became optimistic about the market, observing its uptrend sustaining for last one month.

They said individual investors started injecting fresh funds into the market and also switching to different shares which boosted the turnover.

They also said that sharp rise of share price of GrameenPhone made it the market dominator on Wednesday.

'The market is on a bull run for more than a month and investors believe it will continue further,' said a stockbroker.

He said that the institutional investors, especially commercial banks, might increase their capital market investment as the Bangladesh Bank extended time to adjust their capital market exposure.

'Banks might have started investing in the capital market again for that,' he said.

Market operators said although the DGEN

had increased sharply

in the first hour of trading on Wednesday, it fell slightly in the late hour because of profit taking sell-offs.

Of the 262 issues traded on the day, 127 advanced, 127 declined and eight remained unchanged.

United Airways topped the top-10 turnover leaders' list with its shares worth Tk 69.97 crore changing hands. The rest of the turnover leaders of the day were One Bank, GrameenPhone, Shahjalal Islami Bank, Beximco, RN Spinning, MI Cements, United Commercial Bank, MJLBD and First Lease Finance and Investment.

Source : New Age

Soya bean oil price reset at Tk 109, sugar Tk 65

The ministry of commerce on Wednesday made an upward revision of soya bean oil price to Tk 109 per litre and fixed sugar price at Tk 65 per kg about two weeks ahead of Ramadan

The government had earlier set soya bean oil price thrice but retailers continued to sell oil at much higher prices while the government took no action against the errant traders.

A commerce ministry meeting, headed by Bangladesh Tariff Commission chairman Mujibur Rahman set soya bean oil price at 109 per litre increasing from Tk 103 per litre set in December last year.

The ministry for the first time also set sugar price at Tk 65 per kilogram.

Leaders of oil and sugar refiners and the senior government officials were present in the meeting.

The newly set prices for sugar and soya bean oil came into effect from Wednesday.

The meeting also set the maximum retail price of palm oil at Tk 99 per litre.

The meeting, however, did not set prices of bottled soya bean and palm oils.

Although the government set the new price for sugar at Tk 65 per kg, sugar was retailed at Tk 72 to Tk 74 per kg at the retail markets in the capital while the price of non packaged soya bean oil is around Tk 116-Tk 118 per litre.

Earlier, the price of bottled oil was set at highest 15 percent more than that of the unpacked ones.

Retailers on Wednesday claimed that they did not get any soybean oil at the new rate from the refineries.

Commerce minister Faruk Khan, meanwhile, claimed that the government has taken initiative to control the price hike of essential commodities including sugar and edible oil in coming Ramadan.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of 12th Textech Int'l Expo 2011 on Wednesday at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, the minister said a number of subsidies have been given on essential commodities so that the consumers can buy them at fair price.

Besides, an initiative has been taken to sell essential commodities at the market through Trading Corporation of Bangladesh across the country.

Commerce minister, however, admitted that prices of some commodities have increased.

He said as adverse weather and international price hike affected our local economy and pushed up prices in the local market.

Faruk Khan said that market monitoring will be more forceful in the light of High Court order as well as subsidy provided on essential commodities.

Source : New Age

Change in temperature unlikely

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

Moderately heavy to heavy falls are also likely at places over the country, said Met Office.

Day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.

The sun sets in the capital today at 6:47pm and rises tomorrow at 5:23am.

The country's highest temperature, 34.2 degrees Celsius, was recorded on Wednesday in Sylhet and the lowest, 23.5 degrees, in Rangamati.

Source : New Age

DU signs MoU with Bergen University

A memorandum of understanding on education and research was signed in Dhaka on Wednesday between the University of Dhaka and the University of Bergen, Norway.

Dhaka University vice-chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique and rector of the University of Bergen Sigmund Gronmo signed the MoU on behalf of their respective universities, a DU release said.

Under the MoU both the institutions will promote and develop cooperation for progress of academic and research activities and exchange of teachers, students, researchers, academic staffs, post-doctoral fellow and publication and information between the two universities.

Source : New Age

14 fake-brand TVs seized in capital

A mobile court on Wednesday seized 14 fake brand televisions from four electronic shops at Moulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium Market in the capital.

During the drive, a team of law enforcers, led by executive magistrate Shakil Ahmed, raided different shops and realised Tk 40,000 in fine from the owners of the four shops for showcasing and selling fake Samsung brand televisions.

The team seized six televisions from Soma Enterprise, four from Badal Enterprise, three from Konika Enterprise and one from Arab Enterprise.

The team also found other fake electronic products of different renowned companies such as Panasonic, Konka, LG, Sony, Sharp etc.

Samsung Dhaka branch assistant manager of consumer electronics Reazul Islam Chowdhury said the price of original Samsung television starts from Tk 16,000, from which the distributors or sellers could make Tk 400 to Tk 500 profit.

But from the sale of fake television at Tk 8,000 to Tk 10,000, they can make Tk 1,000 to Tk 2,000 profit.

Shakil Ahmed said the drive was meant to make both the sellers and consumers aware and they would continue the drive against sale of fake products.

'Many shopkeepers are selling fake electronic goods and we will try to stop them,' he added.

Source : New Age

Incumbent CCC body recounts first year in office

The Chittagong City Corporation on Wednesday celebrated the first anniversary of its current elected body of mayor and ward councillors.

The programme was held at the auditorium of Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh with the Chittagong mayor, M Manjurul Alam, in the chair.

Political and business leaders, engineers, journalists, academicians and other professionals attended the programme.

The organisers at the programme gave a power point presentation on the development activities undertaken by the present CCC body in last one year.

The mayor, informing that a series of projects were under implementation at the moment, hoped that after being fully carried out they would bring a real difference in the life of the city dwellers.

He also said that organising the ICC World Cup in the city was a major challenge for the CCC which it had successfully handled.

'The corporation also gave employment to 300 beggars with disabilities,' he informed.

'To bring the water stagnation in the city to a tolerable level we have re-excavated 65 canals and 302 drains to ensure free flow of water,' said the mayor, adding that the activity cost them around Tk 13 crore.

Former commerce minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, also a senior leader of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, suggested that the CCC update its website regularly to keep people abreast of its development undertakings.

Ali Ashraf said that the CCC should immediately undertake efforts to ease the growing traffic congestion in the city and dig new canals and drains to improve the drainage system.

'The corporation should also take stern measures to prevent illegal hill cutting,' said Mohammad Harun, Chittagong unit president of Institute of Engineers.

Parvin Akhter Chowdhury demanded buses for women in the city while journalist Mostafa Noyeem urged the corporation to take initiatives to improve the public transport system for the city commuters.

Moderated by CCC secretary Shamsuddoha the programme was attended, among others, by former minister Jafrul Islam Chowdhury, lawmaker Nurul Islam, former lawmaker Majharul Haque Shah, International Islamic University vice-chancellor Mahbubullah, Delwar Hossain Majumder, Mohammad Harun, Chitta-gong unit general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh Shah Alam, journalists Jahangir Alam and Mahfujul Haque Shah.

Mohammad Manjurul Alam won the mayoral election, held on June 17, 2010, by a landslide while 41 ward councillors and 14 female ward councillors in reserved seats were also elected.

Source : New Age

Demand for Parimal’s punishment continues

The investigative committee of Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka, on Viqarunnisa School and College incidents visited the school's Bashundhara campus on Wednesday.

Four members of the committee were present visited the campus and spoke with students, teachers and guardians.

'We started our work on Sunday. We visited the main campus that day. Today we visited the Bashundhra campus. We are investigating the whole incident,' said Shrikanta Kumar Chandra, the inspectors of colleges and a member of the committee.

When asked about the findings of the committee so far, no committee member wanted to disclose anything.

'We don't want to say anything for the sake of investigation. You will know every thing when we submit the report,' another member of the committee, Dhaka Board's deputy secretary, SM Kamal Uddin Haider, told New Age.

The students of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College have been protesting for more than a week demanding punishment of Parimal Jayadhor, a teacher of the institute arrested on rape charge and removal of college principal Husne Ara Begum for defending the accused.

Parimal, a teacher of Bangla at the school's Bashundhara campus, allegedly abused a girl and videoed it with his mobile. He confessed to have committed the crime in his statement on July 11.

The government on July 13 dissolved the managing committee of the school and formed a three-member investigation committee to investigate the overall incidents.

On July 14, the government appointed assistant professor Manju Ara Begum of the college the acting principal after a week-long protest of students.

Earlier the investigation committee had three members with inspectors of colleges, Shrikanta Kumar Chandra as convenor and inspector of schools Shahedul Kabir Chowdhury and deputy examination controller Nazmul Haque as members.

The committee was later reorganised. Now Dhaka Board's examination controller, Wahiduzzaman is the convenor and the Board's deputy secretary SM Kamal Uddin Haider as another member. The investigation committee was given seven days to submit their report.

Meanwhile, a number of socio-cultural and rights groups on Tuesday staged human chains on Wednesday demanding exemplary punishment of Parimal Jayadhor, arrested on charge of raping the girl and people who defended him.

Jatiya Abhivabak Parishad formed a human chain in front of the school's main campus at Baily Road. Among others, Muktijuddher Prajanma president Shama Obaid, Parishad's president Shahina Khan, Nagarik Shangshad president Khaleda Yasmin spoke at the human chain.

They demanded that Parimal should be hanged. They also demanded immediate arrest of Husne Ara Begum and Lutfer Rahman.

On Wednesday, Samajtanrik Mahila Forum also formed a human chain in front of the school's Azimpur campus to push for the same demand. Among others organisation's secretary general Sangeeta Baroi and Dhanmondhi convenor Shampa Basu spoke at the programme.

Source : New Age

Teenager strangled after rape

A female madrassah student was strangulated to death after rape by a young man at Chhoto Vaijora village in Bamna upazila in the early hours of Tuesday.

The deceased was identified as Jenny Akhter, 15, a class VIII student of Cholavanga Darus Salam Rashidia Dakhil Madrassah and daughter of ex-army man Motaleb Hawlader of the village.

Family members said Golam Jisan Hayder alias Tapu, 22, son of upazila Awami League vice-president and local UP member Golam Hayder Hemayet Mridha, used to sexually harass Jenny on her way to madrassah since long.

At one stage, Jenny's parents stopped her studies two months back and arranged her marriage with a neighbouring young man which was scheduled to be held on next Friday.

On Tuesday night, Tapu sneaked into her room late and raped her. Hearing the hue and cry, when her mother tried to rescue Jenny, Tapu beat her mercilessly.

At one stage, Tapu dragged Jenny outside the house and strangulated her to death.

Source : New Age

Elderly woman killed in Khulna

A 65-year-old woman was killed allegedly by robbers on Tuesday night at a village in Dighalia upazila in Khulna.

They had also allegedly looted around Tk 20,000 and several bhari of gold ornaments, breaking the lockers of the house, said the police, quoting her family members.

The deceased, Rashida Beg-um, was alone that night at her home at village Deyara as her son Mohammad Nasiruddin with his wife went to the Khulna city.

They returned home after midnight and found Rashida lying dead on the floor.

On information, the police recovered the body and sent it to Khulna Medical College Hospital for post-mortem.

They had also seized two pa-irs of slippers, which, they suspected, belonged to the killers.

Dighalia police officer-in-charge Nasim Khan said that the incident might have occurred between 10:00pm and 11:45pm. A case was filed.

The inhabitants of the village complained that although a number of robberies had already occurred in the area in the past several months none were arrested so far.

Denying the accusation, the Dighalia police officer-in-charge said that no robberies had occurred in his area in last six months.

Source : New Age

Death penalty for OC Rafiq

Rafiqul Islam who was suspended as the officer-in-charge of the Motijheeel police and two others were on Wednesday sentenced to death on charge of killing college student Kamrul Islam Momin in 2005.

Dhaka speedy trial tribunal judge Mohammad Rezaul Islam convicted Rafiqul, Tareq alias Zia and Shakhawat Hossain Jewel to death sentences.

The court sentenced six others — Habibur Rahman Taj, Monir Howlader, Babu, Hasibul Haq Jony, Zafar Ahmed and Sharifuddin — to imprisonment to life imprisonment and fined each of them Tk 25,000.

The court pronounced the verdict in a jam-packed courtroom in the presence of Rafiqul, Habibur and Babu in the dock. The six other convicts are still in hiding.

According to the case records, Kamrul Islam Momin, 22, a student of Dhaka Commerce College and activist of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-backed student organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League, was shot dead near his house at Ibrahimpur in the capital on September 13, 2005.

Kamrul's father Abdur Razzak filed a case with the Kafrul police the same day accusing Rafiqul and 27 others of killing Kamrul over previous enmity over the boundary of the house.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police closed Rafiqul, the then Motijheel police officer-in-charge, on September 15, 2005 and suspended him on October 2, 2005 for not reporting to the Rajarbagh Police Lines.

Rafiqul was sent to jail after he had surrendered and sought bail in the case on October 16, 2005. He has been in jail custody since then.

The Criminal Investigation Department on May 13, 2007 submitted the investigation report dropping Rafiqul's name from the charge sheet.

The plaintiff filed a petition with the court opposing the investigation report and seeking further investigation. The Dhaka metropolitan magistrate's court on July 22, 2007 ordered reinvestigation of the case.

The Detective Branch then investigated the case and inspector Forman Ali submitted a fresh charge sheet to the Dhaka chief metropolitan magistrate's court on March 4, 2008.

Kamrul's father again opposed the charge sheet as it dropped the names of Rafiqul and 20 others and sought a judicial inquiry.

A Dhaka court on April 16, 2008 accepted the plaintiff's petition and a no-confidence petition and ordered a judicial inquiry.

During the judicial inquiry, a metropolitan magistrate recorded statements of nine witnesses. The magistrate found Rafiqul's involvement in the killing and sent the matter to the CMM for the next steps.

On receipt of the judicial inquiry report prepared by a metropolitan magistrate, the chief metropolitan magistrate, AKM Enamul Haque, on November 16, 2008 took cognisance of the charge sheet against Rafiqul and eight others.

Dhaka speedy trial tribunal judge Kaniz Akhtar Nasrina Khanam on October 5, 2010 framed charges against Rafiqul and the eight.

Speedy trial tribunal judge Mohammad Rezaul Islam on January 2, 2011 charged Rafiqul and Habibur Rahman Taj, also wanted by the police, with conspiring to kill Kamrul.

The court passed the order after special public prosecutor SM Rafiqul Islam had submitted a petition seeking inclusion of the accused as conspirators in the killing.

Source : New Age

AL men talk tough on prices, law and order

Ruling Awami League leaders on Wednesday criticised the government's performance in some specific areas, especially its failure to contain soaring prices and keep law and order.

The leaders at a meeting of the party's central working committee at Gana Bhaban, the prime minister's residence in the capital, also urged the government to make effective efforts to arrest price spiral before Ramadan and keep law and order, sources attending the meeting said.

The meeting, which continued for four hours and a half, also discussed the present political situation and decided to gear up the party's activities to face the movement of the opposition parties politically, the sources said.

The party's president, Sheikh Hasina, also the prime minister, presided over the meeting.

The sources said that party leaders had also agreed to sit with the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party if it was willing to discuss alternatie proposals for the caretaker government system to hold free, fair and credible elections.

'We have discussed various organisational issues and the present political situation,' the party's presidium member Kazi Zafar Ullah told New Age after the meeting.

Abnormal prices of essential commodities and dipping law and order were also discussed, he added.

The sources said that executive committee member Mohammad Nasim raised the issue of prices and law and order and urged the government to be attentive to the issues to uphold the popularity of the government.

He also said that the presidential clemency to AHM Biplob, son of Lakshmipur Awami League leader Abu Taher, had created a controversy but the prime minister said that Taher's son had been falsely implicated in the case and he was not given the chance to appear for his bail.

Nasim suggested that the government should take special measures to check prices before Ramadan, the sources said.

Harun Ur Rashid, another leader, accused the ministers of not maintaining proper communications with leaders and activists which frustrated the party men at the grass roots, the sources said.

Another executive committee member, Altaf Hossain, accused some ministers of not cooperating with the lawmakers, upazila chairmen and local leaders in development activities.

The sources said that a leader had accused the communications minister of not working properly for the development of road communications.

'We pointed out different issues and suggested that the government should take special measures in some areas,' Altaf told New Age.

The party's law affairs secretary, Abdul Matin Khasru, said that the prime minister had instructed the party men to create awareness among the people of the propaganda of some vested interests who are trying to tarnish the image of the government.

'The issue of the caretaker government is very much political and the party should work to win public support for the amendment to the constitution,' Khasru quoted Sheikh Hasina as saying. She also said some vested interests were trying to misguide the people by misinterpreting the issue of religion regarding the amendment to the constitution.

The meeting also finalised programme of holding rallies in 19 greater districts in July 26–28 to strengthen party's activities.

It also decided to hold the pending council sessions of 11 district units and such sessions of grassroots units.

Source : New Age

Pintu, Torab, 428 others indicted

A Dhaka court on Wednesday charged 430, out of the 847, accused, including former BNP lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu and local Awami League leader Torab Ali, with murder and other criminal offences committed during the rebellion at the headquarters of the Bangladesh Rifles, now renamed as Border Guard Bangladesh, in February 25–26, 2009.

After rejecting pleas that sought discharge of the 827 accused in the morning, Dhaka metropolitan sessions judge Mohammad Jahurul Haque began framing charges against the individual accused person.

As the proceedings began, the court said that the prosecution had already read out the charges and now the accused would answer individually whether they pleaded guilty.

Some defence counsel, including Faruque Ahmed, Sultan Mahmud and Ramjan Ali Khan, opposed the court's framing of charges and requested the court to read out charges to the accused individually.

The court then stared framing charges against the accused amid heightened security about 10:00am.

The court read out the charges against the accused individually in the overcrowded room till 4:40pm with a 30-minute break and asked whether they pleaded guilty or not.

The makeshift court room has been set up on the Aliya Madrassah ground at Bakshi Bazar in the capital.

None of the accused pleaded guilty and they all sought court's compassion.

Most of the accused, including a number of deputy assistant directors, wanted to say something when the charges were being framed but the court did not allow anyone to do so. It said that the law does allow anyone to say anything in this stage.

The court then read out the charge against Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu, who was sporting beard and was wearing an Islamic cap and a long punjabi.

During the framing of the charge, Nasir Uddin told the court, 'The charges you [the court] read out were false.'

He said that he had not even given any statement in court under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure or to the police under Section 161.

Nasir Uddin said that the authorities concerned had implicated the ministers and parliamentarians in the case although they had given statements in court and to the police on the rebellion.

'They were made witnesses and were not accused,' he told the court. 'If there are irregularities here, I do not know whether I could get justice?'

The court then told him, 'You are a former lawmaker. You make laws. You know laws. If you do not get justice in court, then you could go to the High Court.'

After the charges against the 430 had been read out, the court adjourned the proceedings till July 27 when the court would start framing charges against the other accused.

The jail guards, who were in the dock, snatched the microphone from the accused whoever wanted to say anything about the rebellion.

The accused Shakil Ahmed told the court that he had been tortured for 14 days just after his arrest.

He told the court, 'You cited my confession in the charge sheet but no statement was taken from me in the presence of a magistrate.'

Abdul Qaiyum, another accused, sought a minute from the court when he was asked to say whether would plead guilty. But one of the jail guards snatched away the microphone from him.

'If we cannot talk to the court, where will we get justice?' nayek Motiur Rahman Khan told the court.

The court then said, 'Stay here! There is no provision to allow you to say anything in court in this stage of the trial.'

During the proceedings, a number of the accused told the court that statements were extracted from them through torture.

The accused Hayder told the court that he had been a victim of torture and conspiracy. 'The Rapid Action Battalion had tortured me for 39 day in its custody.'

Of the accused, 829 including Nasir Uddin and Torab Ali, a retired Subedar, were present in the courtroom.

Torab, Towhidul Alam, deputy assistant director of the border guards, and subedar major Gofran Mallik were also indicted.

The Criminal Investigation Department filed two cases — one under the Penal Code for murder, arson, robbery and other crimes and the other under the Explosive Substances Act for illegally taking up arms — against 850 border guard personnel and civilians.

Three of the accused have meanwhile died and they were not indicted. Twenty of the accused are still in hiding.

Source : New Age

Bangladesh recognises South Sudan

Bangladesh recognises the Republic of South Sudan, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

South Sudan became independent on July 9 and earned the United Nations membership on July 14.

Bangladesh pledges full commitment to support South Sudan in its journey towards consolidation of democracy, sustainable development and equitable social justice, according to the release.

The Bangladesh contingent of UN peacekeepers comprising more than 1,500 troops played an important and constructive role under the United Nations Mission in Sudan in implementing the Compre-hensive Peace Agreement signed in January 2005 that led to the full independence of the Republic of South Sudan, the ministry added.

Source : New Age

Japanese woman found dead in city

A Japanese women allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself in the city's Uttara area on Wednesday.

The deceased was identified as Sato Matico, 32, engaged in verifying readymade garments products which are exported to Japan, police said.

Uttara police officer-in-charge Rezaul Karim said, 'Police recovered the body of Matico at around 10am. Earlier, her colleagues had called police as she was not responding to their phone calls since morning.'

'She had been working for a garment factory as a quality controller for last one month,' he added.

The police officer said, 'We found her hanging body. We won't be able to say whether it was a case of suicide or anything else unless we receive the autopsy report.'

The body was sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for post-mortem.

A case was filed in this connection.

Source : New Age

Hasina asks constitution critics to go to Pakistan

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Wednesday suggested that those who wanted to throw the constitution to dustbin should go to Pakistan, as they do not believe in sovereign Bangladesh.

'The opposition leader has said that she would throw away the constitution and some of her associates have wanted to throw it to dustbin. How audacious they are! They do not believe in the country's independence and sovereignty. They should go to Pakistan,' she said.

Hasina said these in her opening remarks at the Awami League working committee meeting held at her official Ganobhaban residence in the afternoon.

Strongly condemning the opposition leader's remark on the constitution, the prime minister said that if she (opposition leader) would have respect toward the constitution, she could not make such remarks.

'She has forgotten that 30 lakh people sacrificed their lives and two lakh mothers and sisters sacrificed their honour to attain the constitution of independent Bangladesh.'

Referring to a condolence message of the then prime minister Khaleda Zia on the death of a Pakistani General, Hasina said that being a prime minister she (Khaleda) had sent a condolence message on the death of a Pakistani General. 'We all know where her (Khaleda) heart lies.'

She alleged that the opposition leader and Jamaat are trying to save the war criminals and the killers of Ivy Rahman and others who lost their lives in the August 21 grenade attack. 'But they would never be able to save the killers and the war criminals,' she said.

The prime minister said that during the Awami League's upcoming sitting with the Election Commission, the party will emphasise further strengthening the Election Commission.

'The Election Commission is independent now. It will be further strengthened to arrange free and fair elections.'

She said the Awami league government never tried to influence the Election Commission.

Hasina said with the 15th amendment to the constitution, avenues of grabbing the state power unconstitutionally that had begun after the killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman have been stopped forever.

She said: 'People have got their power back through this (15th) amendment. This amendment has safeguarded the people's empowerment.'

The premier said the opposition leader is now 'crying' for the caretaker form of government, but when the Awami League in the past spoke about this, she (the opposition leader) had commented that none is neutral except a mad person or a kid.

'If she (Khaleda Zia) demands the caretaker system of government, she has to admit that the last caretaker government had done the right thing by filing corruption cases against her and her sons.'

She said that it was the last caretaker government which found out that Khaleda Zia had 'plundered the money of orphans under the Zia Orphanage.'

Hasina said the people now want to see the country's democracy running uninterruptedly and economic emancipation is attained.

Listing various development works done by the preset government, she said that on Tuesday total electricity generation was 4,993 MW which was the highest after the government assumed power.

The prime minister said the previous Awami League government had increased power generation to 4300 MW from 1600 MW, but after taking office this time the government found the power generation at about 3100 MW.

'They (BNP government) did not do anything for increasing the power generation as they know only to plunder people's money.'

She said the present government would not let people suffer from any crisis. 'We are importing food at higher price and supplying people at lower price.'

Hasina said the government is making all out efforts so that people do not suffer during the holy month of Ramadan.

Issuing a stern warning against hoarding to increase prices of essentials during the Ramadan, she said: 'We are keeping close watch so that none can hoard food to make extra profit at the cost of public suffering.'

Source : New Age

BNP to write to int’l bodies

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party is likely to send letters to 19 countries and international human rights organisations, including the United Nations, informing them of rights violations such as police assault on the opposition chief whip, Zainul Abdin Farroque, in Bangladesh. A meeting of the BNP parliamentary party made the decision, opposition lawmakers told New Age on Wednesday night.

The meeting, presided over by the party's chairperson Khaleda Zia, was held in the chairperson's office at Gulshan in Dhaka.

BNP lawmakers Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mahbubuddin Khokan, Abul Khair Bhuiyan, Sheikh Sujat Mia, Nilofer Yesmin Chowdhury Moni and Rehena Aktar Ranu, among others, attended.

The meeting, which continued for an hour, decided that the BNPPP would send the letters to the countries and organisations informing them of the police assault on Farroque terming it a serious violation of human rights.

'The party will also request them to take necessary action in this regard,' a BNP lawmaker told New Age.

'Apart from the Farroque incident, the BNP will also inform them of some human rights violation such as extrajudicial killings and repression against opposition leaders,' he said.

Farroque was injured in a police assault on July 6 when he along with party lawmakers was in a procession on Manik Mia Avenue passing by the national assembly complex to enforce nationwide general strike in July 6–7.

Source : New Age

Ministers find census report unrealistic

Some ministers of the Awami League-led government expressed confusion over the preliminary findings of the latest census, according to which the country's total population is only 14.23 crore.

Terming the report 'unrealistic', the Cabinet members hoped that the final report of the census would come with the actual figure, otherwise they would face difficulties in implementing the plans and programmes of their ministries.

Agriculture minister Matia Chowdhury said that the number 14.23 crore did not correspond with the current figures of the domestic demand for food and of the total production and import of foodgrains.

'If the population is 14.23 crore, we should have a large surplus of food because of our total production and import,' Matia told New Age, adding that Cabinet members would try to learn more details of the preliminary findings of the census.

She said that the total demand for food proved that there was a wide gap between the census's figure and the real population.

The agriculture minister also said that last year's domestic production and import of foodgrains could meet the demand of more than 16 crore people.

'The real statistics are essential for everything, including measuring the demand for food,' said Matia, adding that she was still hopeful of getting the actual figure in the final report of the census.

Food minister Abdur Razzak told New Age that lack of a realistic assessment of the size of the population would obstruct the government from importing the right amount of foodgrains.

'There is no consistency between the country's consumption of food and the preliminary census's assessment of the size of the population,' said Razzak, adding that the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies has been asked to make its final report realistic.

Commerce minister Faruk Khan echoed his fellows and said that the actual size of the population was very important for the export-import trade and domestic business and commerce.

'I hope the number will be increased in the final report of the census,' Faruk Khan told New Age.

The commerce minister, however, said that as the census was a technical subject, it was difficult to judge the preliminary report before getting the final report.

The preliminary findings of the Population and Housing Census 2011 were released on July 16 at a press conference in the capital.

The report said that the country's population was now 14.23 crore, which was only 1.8 crore higher than the population of one decade back.

It also said that the annual growth rate was 1.34 per cent and the number of people living in every square kilometre was 964.

Source : New Age

Presidential clemency to murder convict widely denounced

President Zillur Rahman has remitted the death sentence of Lakshmipur mayor Abu Taher's eldest son AHM Biplab, which has triggered intense criticism by law experts and human rights activists.

Biplab was sentenced to death by the Chittagong Speedy Trial Tribunal on 9 December, 2003 on charge of killing lawyer Nurul Islam, a local leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, on 18 September, 2000 in Lakshmipur.

After more than 10 years in hiding, Biplab surrendered to a court in Lakshmipur on April 4, and was sent to the local jail.

The president remitted the death sentence after receiving a petition filed by Biplab's father Abu Taher, an Awami League leader, who has been widely criticised for alleged involvement in terrorism during the Awami League government's regime between 1996 and 2001, and especially after threatening journalists for reporting on the murder of Nurul Islam.

The home affairs ministry on July 17 issued a letter to the prison authorities in Lakshmipur, informing them that the president had remitted Biplab's death sentence.

Referring to the letter, the prison authorities sent a letter the Chittagong Speedy Trial Tribunal which was received on Tuesday.

The tribunal, in its reply, said that even though the president had remitted the death sentence, Biplab had to serve the sentences of life-term imprisonment in two other murder cases.

The presidential clemency has panicked Nurul Islam's family members.

Nurul Islam's wife Rashida Islam on Wednesday told New Age, 'We are suffering from a feeling of grave insecurity due to the clemency, and we cannot understand how a murderer can get such clemency.'

'We could not stay at home in Lakshmipur during the Awami League's rule after the killing, and now we are facing a similar situation,' she added.

The clemency has also drawn widespread criticism from legal experts and human rights activists.

Former adviser to the caretaker government AF Hassan Ariff and BRAC University's teacher Shahdeen Malik, both of whom are Supreme Court lawyers and rights activists, demanded that the government should make public the grounds for remitting the sentence.

'The people have the right to know the grounds on which the president has remitted the death sentence of the convict,' said Ariff, also a former attorney general.

'The government should make public the documents that have led the president to extend clemency so that the people can examine the legality of the clemency, as it has raised questions in the citizens,' said Shahdeen.

Odhikar's secretary Adilur Rahman Khan, also a Supreme Court lawyer, said that such clemency was against the principle of the rule of law, as it would encourage other criminals.

The Supreme Court Bar Association's president Khondker Mahbub Hossain, also a criminal law expert, said that the clemency was a political decision of the government, as the president had to act in this regard on the advice of the prime minister.

'The government is withdrawing all the cases against its leaders and activists and remitting the sentences against them on the one hand, while on the other it is filing new cases against the opposition leaders and activists, exposing its contempt for the principle of rule of law,' he said.

In June the government was criticised for remitting the sentence of imprisonment of Shahdab Akbar Chowdhury Labu, son of deputy leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, a member of Awami League's presidium.

Labu had been jailed by a special judge's court on charge of amassing illegal wealth which was disproportionate to his legitimate sources of income.

Nurul Islam was abducted from his house in Lakshmipur on 18 September, 2000 and was never seen again.

He was allegedly slaughtered at Taher's house by his sons and others, chopped into pieces and then thrown into the Meghna River in a sack.

The tribunal on 9 December, 2003 delivered the verdict in the case, sentencing five persons, including three sons of Taher, to death and nine others to imprisonment for life. Taher, his wife Najma Taher and another accused were acquitted of the charge.

However Taher was sentenced to imprisonment for life on charge of killing BNP activist Kamal in Lakshmipur in 2000. Taher's sons AKM Salahuddin Tipu and Abdul Jabbar Lablu were sentenced to death, and Biblab and Awami League workers Khaleq, Babar and Marzur were sentenced to imprisonment for life in the Kamal murder case. All of them, except Biplab and Khaleq, were later acquitted of the charges by the High Court.