The New Nation - Internet Edition

Jamal Uddin Jami

The Judicial Inquiry Commission formed to investigate the violent incidents on Dhaka University campus in August is likely to suggest banning politics from the universities by teachers and students as lackeys of political parties.

The Commission is expected to place some important recommendations in its report to be published on October 22 to uphold congenial atmosphere on campuses.

The report is being prepared on the basis of depositions of people of different sections of the society, video footages, news clippings and evidence of the violent incidents, Commission sources said.

The key recommendations include amendment of the 1973 Ordinance, banning campus politics and steps for removing the gap created between the army and teachers-students.

Sources said the Commission would also recommend changing the proctorial law of the universities because the law is not suitable to face uncalled for situations.

Chief of the Inquiry Commission Justice Habibur Rahman Khan said the main purpose of the report would be to help increase the quality of education of the universities and to smoothen teacher-student relations. He said he would recommend measures so that such incidents like those of the month of August do not occur on the campus in future.

The Commission has so far talked to 94 individuals of different sections of the society including representatives of Dhaka University authorities, journalists, professionals, armymen, police personnel and ordinary witnesses of the incident of beating up a student

Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Prof SMA Faiz, Maj Gen Sina Ibn Jamali, Commandant of National Defence College Lt Gen ATM Zahirul Islam, President of Asiatic Society Prof Sirajul Islam and former Adviser of the Caretaker Government Sultana Kamal are some of the important persons, who exchanged views with the Commission in this regard.

Besides, the Commission took depositions from the arrested teachers of Dhaka University and president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) who are now in jail.

The arrested teachers are: Prof Sadrul Amin, president of Dhaka University Teachers' Association (DUTA), general secretary of the Association Prof Anwar Hossain, Prof Harun-or Rashid, Dean of Social Science Faculty, Prof Neem Chandra Bhoumik of Applied Physics Department, and Azizul Bari Helal, president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD).

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

Like previous years, saree is ladies first choice for the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja festivals. Salwar kamiz, lehenga, skirt, ladies fatua and trousers also remain in the choice list of all ages of females this year.

While visiting different city markets, this correspondent found that this year the price of ladies clothes including saree, salwar kamiz, lehenga, fatua and other dresses are much higher than that of the previous years. Shopkeepers of these opined that due to increase of price of threads and production cost, price of saree has increased this year.

A piece of saree is selling from Tk 300 to Tk 1 lakh 65 thousand depending on its fabrics in this year.

Buyers could get saree from various shops at Mantra and Pink City Shopping Complex at Gulshan, Elephant Road and Science Laboratory, Eastern Plaza Shopping Complex, Pir Yemeni Market, Mauchak Market, Basundhara City Complex, Shah Ali Market, Prince Plaza, Gazi Bhaban, Pall-well Super Market, Rapa Plaza, Bangabazar, Gawsia Market and different fashion houses including Aarong, Nipun Crafts, Kay Krafts, Anjan's, OG, Anya Mela, Nabarupa, Karushaily, Rang, Banglar Mela, Prabartana, Deshal, Grameen Check, Grameen Samogri, Trendz, Tara Marka, Nikhut, Kazi Craft, Abartan, Zahid Craft, Nari Mela and others.

Emdad Haque, Fashion Designer of Banglar Mela, said, "Females are buying tops, kurti, long skirt and trousers as well as saree. Buyers are giving priority to light works on gaudy dresses. Patchwork, block and embroidery are their choices in this regard. In case of colour, they prefer colours including red, blue, white and yellow."

Specialty of this year designs of salwar kamiz is on patern, cuting and neckline rather than surface design. Length of kamiz has reduced and so that variation is found in pajama. As an example, different types of loose salwar on 'churidar.' Besides, products were designed on different textures of voel, khadi, kahdi silk, nib coton, oven and linen clothes. Most of the females like fashion houses for buying their choice clothes for this year's festival.

Khalid Mahmud Khan, Fashion Designer of Kay Kraft, said, "Females are choosing long skirt, skirt and trousers of different cuting this year simultaneously with saree and salwar. In case of clothes, young females are buying Andy and different types of coton clothes."

At Rupahali, saree is selling between Tk 3,500 and Tk 15,000. At Metro Shopping Mall, 'Jhum Barabar Saree' is selling between Tk 8,000 and Tk 10,000, kafla is selling between Tk 7,000 and Tk 8,000, Italian crape silk is selling at Tk 5,000 to Tk 6,000 and Dubai Bariz saree is selling at Tk 9,000 to Tk 10,000 and Pakistani saree is selling at Tk 5,000 to Tk 6,000.

At Charka, saree is selling at Tk 590 to Tk 6,750. At Nipun, salwar kamiz is selling at Tk 650 to Tk 3,700, ladies fatua is selling at Tk 350 to Tk 800 and ladies panjabi is selling at Tk 350 to Tk 600. At Bubli, saree is selling at Tk 350 to Tk 3,850 and salwar kamiz is selling at Tk 550 to Tk 1,325.

At Banglar Shova, salwar kamiz is selling between Tk 650 and Tk 3,500 and saree is selling between Tk 450 and Tk 2,500. At Priyangan, saree is selling at Tk 500 to Tk 6,000, at Chandan, saree is selling at Tk 1,500 to Tk 4,000. At Tantpalli, handloom saree is selling at Tk 350 to Tk 4,200 and salwar kamiz is selling at Tk 650 to Tk 1,680, at OG, saree is selling at Tk 650 to Tk 3,800.

At AB Fashion, three-piece is selling between Tk 500 and Tk 1,500, ladies fatua is selling between Tk 250 and Tk 500 and skirt is selling between Tk 600 and Tk 1,000. At Labonno, brightness of colour was given priority in design. Prices of its dresses are selling between Tk 950 and Tk 3,500.

At Deshal, salwar-kamiz-urna is selling as set prices between Tk 800 and Tk 1,200, skirt is selling between Tk 450 and Tk 1,250, utario is selling between Tk 130 and Tk 280, ladies chappal is selling between Tk 50 and Tk 130. At Charka, salwar kamiz is selling between Tk 750 and Tk 5,950 and tops is selling between Tk 350 and Tk 790.

At Anyamela, saree is selling between Tk 750 and Tk 35,000, salwar kamiz is selling between Tk 950 and Tk 6,500 and ladies fatua is selling between Tk 450 and Tk 1,850 and at Abartan, saree is selling between Tk 775 and Tk 2,250.

At Suti, Andy of Manikganj and handloom saree of Tangail with embroidery, block, cut work were selling between Tk 700 and Tk 2,500, salwar kamiz is selling between Tk 900 and Tk 3,000 and ladies fatua is selling between Tk 300 and Tk 650.

At Kinnari, coton saree is selling between Tk 300 and Tk 3,000, cuff silk is selling between Tk 900 and Tk 2,200, silk saree is selling between Tk 1,400 and Tk 5,000 and handloom jamdani is selling between Tk 400 and Tk 3,000.

At Tuhu's Creations, saree is selling between Tk 700 and Tk 7,500, salwar kamiz is selling between Tk 3,500 with all over machine embroidery and sequence works. At Mayuri, saree is selling between Tk 550 and Tk 4,500. At Chaity, coton wears are selling between Tk 1,200 and Tk 2,000, salwar is selling between Tk 600 and Tk 4,500.

Staff Reporter

Acting President of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) Zillur Rahman demanded the release of party president Sheikh Hasina before the Eid-ul-Fitr.

Zillur Rahman made this demand yesterday at an Iftar party organised by the Dhaka City Awami League at Imperial Hotel Convention Centre in the city.

He said the leaders and activists of the AL were united in the past and they are also united now in absence of the AL chief Sheikh Hasina.

Adv Kamrul Islam, Acting General Secretary of Dhaka City Awami League, gave the welcome speech at the function whole the AL leaders and activists offered special munajat praying for the release of Sheikh Hasina.

AL leaders Tofail Ahmed, Matia Chowdhury, Mukul Bosh, Adv Abdul Matin Khasru, Asaduzzaman Nur, Maj Gen (Retd) Subed Ali Bhuyain, Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Sultan Mohammad Mansur, AKM Zahangir, Syed Jafar Sajjad, Professor Shahidullah, Adv Sahara Khatun, Dipu Moni, Samyabadi Dal leader Nurul Islam, JSD leader Mainuddin Khan Badol, Gano Forum leader Pankaj Bhatracharya, among others, were present at the Iftar party.

Staff Reporter

Expelled BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan yesterday brought Khaleda Zia's portrait back to decorate his drawing room, sending a signal that there is progress in the rapprochement move between the two factions of the party.

He had put-off the BNP Chairperson's portrait from his room immediately before launching his proposal for reform of the party with a view to free the BNP from the influence of dynastic control of Begum Zia's family and corrupt elements as well as democratise the party.

The BNP became virtually divided into two following the announcement of the reform proposals, as Begum Zia opposed it terming it as an "anti-party and unconstitutional move" by her Secretary General.

Begum Zia removed Mannan Bhuiyan from the post of Secretary General and appointed Khandaker Delwar Hossain to the post on September 3 immediately before her arrest

The reformist group of the BNP initiated a reunification move following the disclosure of a new list of 80 corrupt suspects, as the list included names of a number of the group's leaders.

Reinstalling the imprisoned Prime Minister's portrait yesterday, Mannan Bhuiyan said he want unity of the party and reforms.

Asked to comment on the new ACC list of corrupt suspects, he said corruption could not be erased from the society through coercion or repression, it needs social movement

Meanwhile, front ranking reformist leaders Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed and Dr Osman Farruk had a meeting with BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain on Thursday night at the later's NAM Building residence.

Meeting sources said Mannan Bhuiyan brought back the portrait of Begum Zia as outcome of the understanding reached between the two factions.

Staff Reporter

Migrant workers remitances posted 22.61 per cent rise in the first three months of the current fiscal year over the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.

The robust growth of remitances helped the country's foreign exchange reserve to stand at 5.11 billion dollar on Thursday, sources in the Bangladesh Bank said.

The upward trend in remitance inflow is expected to continue in the month of October as the expatriates are expected to send additional money to their near and dear ones in Bangladesh ahead of the Eid-ul Fitr festival.

Non-resident Bangladeshis sent home 1.63 billion US dollars during the July-September of the current financial year (2007-08) while the amount was 1.33 million dollars during the same period of last fiscal year, according to the provisional figures of Bangladesh Bank (BB) released on Thursday.

The remitance earnings in the period came as a continuation of last fiscal's trend and record inflow of 5.98 billion dollars. The growth in 2006-07 was 24.52 per cent over the previous year.

Remitances from Bangladeshi nationals working abroad were estimated at 592.78 million dollars in September 2007. That marked an increase of 25.86 per cent, over the previous month. In August 2007, the remitance was 470.95 million dollars, the data showed.

Bangladeshis working abroad send over 7 billion dollars annually and a substantial portion of the total amount still comes through hundi, an illegal way of transferring money, according to bankers.

The central bank earlier took a series of measures to encourage the expatriate Bangladeshis to send their money through the formal banking channel instead of the illegal "hundi" system. That move was designed to boost the country's foreign exchange reserves.

Pulack Ghatack

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has invited six interested buyers to discuss the pros and cons of buying the shares worth Tk 4.0 billion (US$ 58.22 million) of the troubled Oriental Bank Limited.

Six parties from home and abroad earlier submited expression of interests (EoI) to purchase shares of the troubled bank.

The central bank has already sent such invitation leters to the companies after scrutinising the EoIs on the basis of 'Fit and Proper Test' method of BB.

A commitee will be formed to evaluate the tender documents after receiving bids from the interested parties, sources in the central bank said.

The interested local parties, which have already submited their expression of interests (EoIs), have been given 10 working days from October 7 while foreign interested parties will also get the same number of working days from October 27 next to cross check the information.

The local parties are BRAC Bank Ltd, Summit Industrial and Mercantile Corporation (Pvt) Ltd and Domestic Investors Consortium, a forum comprising local commercial banks and non-banking financial institutions.

The foreign companies are the United Kingdom-based East Invest Private Equity Ltd, ICB Financial Group Holdings of Switzerland and Haton National Bank of Sri Lanka.

Bangladesh Bank earlier sought EoIs from strategic investors to sell Tk 4.0 billion Oriental shares. The bank has 30 branches with Tk 22.05 billion in assets and Tk 23.08 billion in deposits.

The BB floated the tender as part of its plan to recapitalise the embezzlement-ridden Oriental, which has been facing a moratorium following a Tk 5.96 billion financial scam by its former management The central bank offered management control to the new investors in its tender schedule.

Under the recapitalisation scheme, the bank's paid-up capital will be raised to Tk 7.0 billion, with Tk 4.0 billion from strategic investors and Tk 3.0 billion from depositors.

Bangladesh Bank took over Oriental Bank Ltd after dissolving its board of directors, as the bank faced severe financial crisis due to massive corruption and irregularities done by its past authorities.

Shahidul Islam

The size of the national economy has grown from US$ 47 billion to US$ 71 billion that is, by US$ 24 billion during the last 15 years from 1993 to June 2006, official sources said yesterday.

The growth (15 years) was 295.84 per cent or over 2.9 times.

The continuous growth in readymade garment (RMG) exports and remitance earnings by overseas expatriate Bangladeshis contributed to the expansion of formal economy despite persistent impediments, including political violence, hartals and instability.

The RMG sector alone earned US$ 7.8 billion in the last fiscal while the remitance expatriates Bangladeshis sent US$ 5.7 billion through official channel during the same period. About US$ 1.5 billion to US$ billion remitance comes in the country through hundi.

Besides, there was tremendous growth in the agriculture sector during this time. The country has atained near self-sufficiency in food productions, as the farmers never responded to the disruptive political programmes, the officials added.

"The growth and expansion of economy both could have been many times more if the country could have avoided disruptive political programmes like that of hartals and political violence," an official of the IMF said.

According to the International Monetary Fund, growth will remain around 6.5 per cent to 7 per cent in the medium term.

Meanwhile, the Government has decided to provide cash subsidies for a range of products to help boost the country's export earnings in the current fiscal year (July 2007 to June 2008).

"The government has decided to allow the cash subsidies to several exportable products against net repatriation of the FoB (free on board)," a Bangladesh Bank statement said on Thursday.

Up to 20 per cent in cash incentives will be granted for agro-products, including fruits and vegetables, to help exporters with running costs and to keep export prices competitive.

Bangladesh Bank, the central bank, has asked all commercial banks to comply with the government's decision. Cash subsidies on leather products, bone dust, bicycles and day old chicks are 15 per cent, and for frozen foods, tobacco and potato 10 per cent, the statement said.

"The agriculture sector has been identified as a priority sector to create more job opportunities in rural Bangladesh to reduce poverty," a senior official said.

The agricultural sector accounts for more than 20 per cent of gross domestic product, and over the last four years Bangladesh has maintained double-digit export growth.

Rafiqul Islam Azad

Cairn Energy, which is exploring gas and oil in the offshore areas, has hinted at the prospect of striking 2.5 trillion cubic feet of hydrocarbon at the Magnama point

The company expects there is possibility of exploration of such quantity of gas or oil from this point under Block No 16 in the Bay of Bengal.

Sources said the Cairn Energy's optimism is based on 2-D seismic survey conducted in the area at the fag end of the four-party alliance government A senior official of the Energy Division also expected that a huge stock of gas or oil might be explored from the Magnama point

If the Cairn Energy succeeds in exploration of gas or oil there it will dig an appraisal well to asses the quantity of stock available at the site. Then, the company will conduct 3-D seismic survey early next year and dig a exploration well there, according to sources.

The Scotish company, which explored country's only offshore gas field at Sangu, 40kms off the new site, in 1995, started exploration work at Magnama since Tuesday and it may take about 200 days to complete the work.

The company sources said the structure of gas in Magnama zone is different from Sangu. They assume that there might be two tier of gas-first one is under 10 to 12 thousand feet and other is located under 15 thousand feet The sources also assume that there is high temperature and pressure of gas there. For this it needs to use heavy rig to explore gas and oil at the point instead of the traditional one.

Sources said five assisting ships including rigs and a helicopter have already reached Bangladesh to explore gas and oil at Magnama point in the Bay of Bengal. The Cairn will invest US$ 117 million to explore gas and oil at this point

A senior official of the Petrobangla, the only state-owned oil gas company, said if the Cairn succeeds to explore huge stock of gas or oil at Magnama point expected they are to get good response in the third phase of tender from different International Oil Companies (IOCs). He expects that the third phase of tender can be floated by December next

Sources said if gas is explored at the zone it would be connected with the Sangu Field through pipeline and will be brought to the Sangu Gas Processing Plant

A 2.5km long bypass pipeline has to be set up from Silimpur to Chitagong to supply gas using the existing line of Sangu Gas Filed.

Staff Reporter

At least seven policemen were arrested and suspended within three days for their involvement in criminal acts.

Police sources said the involvement of the police in criminal activities has increased on the eve of the holy Eid-ul-Fitr.

Joint Police Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Abdul Jalil, however, said, "Police has increased its internal vigilance to prevent police crime."

"We are active to prevent any kind of crimes commited by anybody, including police", he said.

Meanwhile, various punitive actions were taken against over 3,000 policemen on different charges since the State of Emergency was imposed, police sources said.

On July 20, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Noor Mohammad, told The New Nation while he was in Chitagong that said no members of the law-enforcing agencies would go unpunished if found guilty.

According to Motijheel police station, members of the Detective Branch (DB) caught sub-inspector Ali Hossain red-handed Thursday night while he was taking Tk 10,000 as bribe from one Kamal Pasha.

Motijheel thana duty officer said the SI took the money from Pasha promising him to recover two vehicles. A case was filed in this connection and the DB members were interrogating SI Ali Hossain.

Besides, two other policemen of Utara thana were caught red handed and suspended Wednesday on charge of taking bribe from a woman.

Day before the suspension of the two policemen, four other members of Mirpur thana were suspended on charge of pocketing gold bars seized from a city dweller.

The two suspended policemen of Utara thana were identified as Sub-Inspector (SI) Azaharul Islam and Assistant Sub-inspector (ASI) Mohammad Alauddin.

They were arrested from Monolova Restaurant in front of Zia International Airport (ZIA) while taking Tk 5,000 from the woman, Shantona Karim.

After their arrest, the high officials suspended them and kept at the DB office for interrogation.

Moreover, four policemen of Mirpur thana -- SI Syed Asaduzzaman, ASI Shahidul Islam and constables Safdar Ali and Sakamal Alam- - were suspended on Wednesday for pocketing a gold bar instead of taking any legal steps.

Mirpur thana OC Mohiuddin Mahmud said the suspended policemen had recovered the gold bar from a person at Mirpur Bangla College on September 28 last But, they did not inform it to the thana. Rather, they shared the sales proceed of the gold bar among themselves. Being informed of the incident, an inquiry commitee was formed which found the four police personnel guilty.

Staff Reporter

Criticising the commercialisation of county's education systems, former Adviser to the caretaker government Dr Akbar Ali Khan alleged that the ill -practice has been degrading the education sector day by day.

Comparing 'sales of knowledge' with selling one's physical beauty for money, he urged the teachers to restrain themselves from doing this unethical act

He said,'' If we can ensure proper awards to the honest persons for their honesty and punish the dishonest persons for their dishonesty, good governance and rule of law in the country can be easily established.''

He was speaking at a discussion meeting jointly organised by UNESCO and Bangladesh National Commission for UNESCO in the city yesterday marking the International Teachers Day.

According to Dr Akbar Ali, without eradicating the increasing discriminations between the rural and urban education, quality education could not be ensured in the country.

Referring to the teacher's financial condition, he added that some teachers are living under extreme poverty while some others are earning more than one lakh per month from private coaching or any other means.

He opined that bad people are driving the good people out, which is a major obstacle to the establishment of the rule of law in the society.

Stressing the need for quality education, he suggested introducing evaluation system for the teachers.

He said in the present knowledge based society, teachers must admit that they would also learn from their students as knowledge is a continuous process.

Terming increasing centralisation of the education system the major problem for our education sector, he suggested for the rapid decentralisation for quality education.

Presided over by Ashraful Mokbul, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Education, Malama Meleisea, Direcror UNSECO Dhaka Office, eminent educationalist Prof Abu Syed, Dr Md Mahmudul Hasan, Prof Md Nazim Uddin, AKM Abdul Awal Mujumder, Prof Hasan Wise and some students, also participated at the discussion.

UNB, Dhaka

Swimmer Al Mahmud Bin Dipu clinched the first gold for Bangladesh in 50-meter freestyle group AQ50 event of the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2007 at Shanghai Pudong Natatorium in China on Friday.

Dipu won the gold medal clocking 00:59:30 ahead of Azerbaijan's Shahriyar Ablullaya who took 00:59:62. Guatemala's Erick V. Gonzalez became 3rd taking 01:00:41.

Another swimmer Masud won the second silver for Bangladesh clocking 00:36:40

Abdulla Zubair Altajer of UAE got the gold with 00:36:30 while Ramadan Amran of Singapore took the bronze in a time of 00:41:41.

Earlier, on Thursday, AKM Saidul Islam of Bangladesh won the first silver in the Special Olympics World Summer Games in the men's singles of Bocce game.

Bangladeshi swimmers are eyeing for more gold as they will take part in the 50-meter breaststroke on October 9.

Meanwhile, in cricket, Bangladesh beat China (A) by 155 runs in their first match.

Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Bangladesh amassed 254 runs in the allocated 20 overs while China (A) managed to score only 95 in their 20 overs.

Bangladesh will play their 2nd match against China (B) on Sunday (Oct 7) and face India in 3rd match on Oct 9.

In table tennis, Mushfika Sultana of Bangladesh beat her Chinese and Israeli counterparts, both by 2-0 sets. She got walk over from Serbia's participant

In the mixed doubles of badminton, Shammi and Moinul pair qualified for the 2nd round beating a pair from Singapore.