The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Global Finance Magazine, an internationally well reputed business magazine based on USA, Wednesday awarded Janata Bank as one of the best banks in South Asia.

M Humayun Kabir, Ambassador of Bangladesh to the USA, received the award on behalf of the bank in a ceremony held at National Press Club in Washington D.C, said a Foreign Ministry release. The President and publisher of Global Finance Magazine handed over the award.

The organizers, at the award giving ceremony, expected that Janata Bank would be more active in developing their service standard and play also vital role regional level.

Apart from Janata Bank, the organizers also awarded India's ICICI Bank and Sri Lanka's Commercial Bank of Cylon as best banks in South Asia.

Citi Bank NA, HCBC, UBA Sate Street Global Advertisers and the Bank of New York Melon also received awards as best global banks.

UNB, Dhaka

Three people were killed by the assailants in the city's Shabujbagh, Khilgaon and Jatrabari area on Wednesday. The deceased were identified as Azibul Haque, 22, Shahin, 26 and Jamaluddin.

In Shabujbagh, van puller Azibul was stabbed to death at early hours yesterday Family sources said Azibul went out of his house at Modinabagh in Mugdapara on Tuesday afternoon. But he did not return home till midnight.

After a hectic search, Azibul's family members found his body lying on the road near his house at about 1am.

In Khilgaon, police recovered a slaughtered body of a young man from Bhuiyanpara lake in Khilgaon at about 12:30pm. The deceased was identified as Shahin, 26, son of Lal Miah of Khilgaon.

The reason behind the killing could not be ascertained immediately. Meanwhile, police recovered the body of a young man from Jatrabari in the afternoon.

Local people found the man, identified as Jamaluddin,30, of Daulatpur in Kushtia district, lying in an unconscious state in front of Jatrabari fish wholesale market at about 1pm. They rushed Jamaluddin to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where attending doctors declared him dead.

Police suspect Jamaluddin might have been a victim of "aggyan party".

Separate cases were filed with the respective police stations.

UNB, Dhaka

BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain Wednesday said a new office would be set up temporarily so the BNP leaders and workers could meet him easily.

BNP central office at Naya Paltan remains closed following dispute over the two factions led by Delwar and Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan. Addressing the members of Dhaka City Jubo Dal (North) at his NAM apartment, Delwar said he has overcome the initial jolt and feels relaxed that BNP is now united under the leadership of Begumn Khaleda Zia.

On unity of the party, he said they want unity following the examples set by Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and Begum Zia, but the opportunists will not be welcome.

Delwar said if necessary, BNP will give the call for unity, but those who are not in BNP have no right to give any unity call. "Remain united so it becomes easy to free the detained chairperson," he told the Jubo Dal members.

Delwar expressed concern over the health condition of Arafat Rahman Koko and urged the government to send him abroad for better treatment following the demand of his family or release him. About reported scarcity of fertilizer, the BNP secretary general said farmers are not getting adequate fertilizer and called for taking immediate steps to ensure supply of the much needed agricultural input.

BNP joint secretary general Gayeshwar Chandra Roy alleged that some BNP leaders are pressing for party reforms to hide their own corruption.

"Consequence for those who have taken stand against Begum Zia will be bad," he said, adding, however, that the door of BNP is open to those who believe in party constitution.

Jubo Dal general secretary and ex-MP Moazzem Hossain Alal and acting office secretary of BNP Rizvi Ahmed were present.

UNB, Bagerhat

District Correspondent of the Daily Bhorer Kagoj Sheikh Shawkat Ali Shimul was jailed for five years in an extortion case by a tribunal.

Shimul was also fined Tk 10,000, in default, to suffer six months RI more.

The Speedy Trial Tribunal also acquitted leader of Awami

Swechchhasebok League Sheikh Ataur Rahman and Jubo Dal activist Kazi Shihabuddin from the case as allegations brought against them could not be proved.

According to the prosecution, joint forces arrested Shimul alongwith Tk 10,000 from Journalists' Union office in the district town on August 24.

Shimul took Tk 30,000 from businessman Taposh Saha and threatened him to publish a false report on him. Taposh Saha gave him Tk 10,000. Later, he filed an extortion case Shimul, Sheikh Ataur Rahman and Kazi Shihabuddin.

After examining records and witnesses, Judge Saroj Kumar Nath pronounced the judgement.

Bhorer Kagoj authority, however, suspended Shimul soon after he was arrested by the joint forces

BSS, Dhaka

Two seminars on Bangladeshi garments were held in Tokyo and Osaka of Japan recently to help expand the markets of garments there.

Quality and different aspects of the apparel industry and possibilities and opportunities of foreign investments in Bangladesh were also highlighted at the seminars.

The Bangladesh embassy in Japan and the JITA jointly organised the seminars, a press release of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Asraf-ud-Doula chaired the seminars where director of BGMEA Osama Tasir represented his organization.

Tasir focused on the Bangladesh economy, its population and quality of garments and different aspects of the garment industry with their immense possibilities and working of the BGMEA.

He also presented a ten-minute video on the garment industry in Bangladesh and opportunities on foreign investment in the country.

It generated enthusiasm among Japanese buyers to import garments from Bangladesh.

Tasir also invited Japanese buyers to attend the fair on Bangladeshi readymade garments in Tokyo and BATEXPO-2007 fair in Dhaka on November 15-17.

A large number of Japanese buyers and officials of the JITA attended the seminars.

BSS, Dhaka

The government has chalked out elaborate programmes across the country to celebrate the victory day on December 16 at an inter-ministerial meeting held on Tuesday.

The meeting was organized by the Liberation War Affairs Ministry at its conference room here Tuesday with Adviser Major General (retd) M A Matin in the chair.

The meeting formed different committees and sub-committees and distributed responsibilities among the concerned divisions, departments and organisations for organizing the programmes. The day, to be heralded with 31 gun salutes before the Sun rise, will be a public holiday.

The programmes include publishing the speeches of the President and the Chief Adviser in all national dailies, hoisting of national flag at all government and private offices, placing of wreaths at the National Mausoleum, illuminating public buildings and decorating roads and islands with flags and festoons in all cities of the country.

The President and the Chief Adviser will place wreaths at the national mausoleum in the morning on the day. Later, the freedom fighters will place wreath led by the Adviser for Liberation War Affairs Ministry.

The other programmes include parade of the youths at Bangabandhu National Stadium here. Parades by freedom fighters, BNCC, Police, Ansar-VDP, Bangladesh Scouts, Girls guide and different educational and social organizations in all districts and upazila sadars except Dhaka. Army, Navy, Air force, BDR, police, Ansar and VDP bands will play patriotic tunes at different places of the capital.

The Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) will organize receptions for the freedom fighters in their respective areas.

Besides, different sports events will be organized at district and upazila level. The Shilpakala Academy, Shishu Academy and Bangla Academy will organize cultural functions on their premises to mark the day.

The Liberation War Affairs Ministry will arrange discussion and national level essay competition across the country.

Newspapers will bring out special supplements while Bangladesh Television and Betar as well as private TV channels will put up special programmes on the day.

Besides, students will be allowed to enjoy films based on the liberation war without ticket at cinema halls in all districts and upazilas and documentary films will be screened under open places across the country on the day.

Special diets will be served in hospitals, jails and vagrant centres. Special prayers will be offered in all masques, temples, churches and pagodas seeking divine blessings for peace and progress of the country and the people.

The meeting formed committee to celebrate the Victory Day- 2007 with Liberation War Affairs Secretary as its convener.

The General Officer Commanding of 9th infantry division of the Bangladesh army was made convener for the committee for giving salute and placing wreath at National Mausoleum.

BSS, Dhaka

A Bangladeshi youth stood second in an international Quran reciting competition held in Jordan last week.

Hafez Imran Hossain of Barisal district stood second in the World Hifjul Quran Competition among competitors from 60 countries.

Iran became first in the competition, said an Islamic Foundation press release on Wednesday.

Son of businessman Mohammad Yunus, Hafez Imran was born on January 1, 1997.

Bangladesh, meanwhile, won three awards in Quran reciting competitions held in three countries this year. Of them, Fazle Rabbi won award in Dubai, Shazeda Khatun in Libya and Abdullah Al Mahmud in Egypt.

BSS, Dhaka

Foreign Adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said here yesterday that the government will always work for national interests, specially with WTO, through interactions with civil society organisations.

Addressing a function of unveiling the cover of translation works of WTO agreements, organized by 'Karmajibi Nari' at CIRDAP, he said the constructive and pioneering role of Bangladesh as an LDC has earned appreciation after becoming a member of WTO in the early 1990s.

As a recognition of this, he said, Bangladesh was elected chairman of the LDCs recently.

Presided over by Ms Shirin Akhter, the function was also addressed by Bangladesh ambassador to WTO Dr. Debapriya Bhattacharya, Human Rights activist advocate Hamida Hossain, Trade Programme Manager of Delegation of European Commission Ms Jenni Christensen and Manzur Ahmed.

The foreign adviser said Dhaka has been successful in projecting harmful aspects of globalization in different forums. Dhaka together with others have been trying to convince others about the unequal competition created following globalisation regarding distribution of income, employment and production in developing countries.

Using words of praises for Karmajibi Nari for the translation of the WTO agreements into Bengali, Dr. Chowdhury said, it will help creation of awareness and spread of knowledge among the people.

In this context, he said the government has been working hard for equitable distribution of income through economic development of the country. He said the government wants to reach the benefits of globalisation to the door steps of people.

Advocate Hamida Hossain said the government should take steps so that people can understand the language of WTO. WTO, she said, uses jargons, which are not understandable to the ordinary people.

Dr. Debapriya said the translation will reduce dependence on research workers. World trade, he said, should be a means for development.

Ms Shirin Akhter thanked the European Commission for its support for the translation work.

BSS, Tokyo

The four-day Bangladesh's single country trade fair began here on Tuesday with the hope of further increasing trade and business between the two friendly countries in the days to come.

Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) and Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Bangladesh with the active support of Bangladesh Embassy in Tokyo have been organizing the fair at the JETRO Building in the Japanese capital, a message received here yesterday said.

Japanese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Osamu Uno inaugurated the fair dubbing Bangladesh as one of the next 11 emerging economies of the world. "Cooperation to harness trade between the two friendly countries would be further increased in the days to come," he said.

Japanese dignitaries including Akihiro Nishimura, Kenji Ogiwara, JETRO Chairman Yasuo Hayashi, Vice-Chairman of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Md. Shahab Ullah and Bangladesh Ambassador in Tokyo Ashraf-ud-Doula, among others, were also present at the opening ceremony.

The EPB Vice-Chairman attached due importance on increasing bilateral trade, especially through enhancing exports to Japan. "This exhibition will unfold new avenues when the Japanese importers come across the products by talking to the producers directly during the fair," he said.

He thanked the Japanese government, especially the JETRO, for providing supports towards organising this fair.

The JETRO chairman assured their cooperation towards promoting Bangla-desh business in Japan through extending technical assistance to produce quality products in fulfilling the taste of Japanese consumers, the message said.

In this context, he referred to the long 35 years of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Japan and said it would be further strengthened to the mutual benefit of both the countries.

In the fair, twenty-nine Bangladeshi and five Japanese companies are displaying products of international standard. They include leather products, ceramic tableware, home textile, Jute goods, RMG (both woven and knit) and Handicrafts.

It is expected that the fair would be able to motivate the Japanese consumers as well as business communities' sentiment towards expanding the market of Bangladeshi products.

BSS, Rajshahi

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-5 arrested the general secretary of a faction of Rajshahi Union of Journalists (RUJ) Jahangir Alam Akash from his resident here in the early hours of yesterday.

RAB sources said Akash, a local correspondent of the Daily Sangbad, has been arrested in connection with an extortion case filed against him with Puthiya thana of the district on Tuesday.

In his case, plaintiff Abdul Jalil, a resident of Tandra village under the Puthiya upazila, alleged that Jahangir Alam realised Taka 30,000 as toll from him.

A RAB team conducted a sudden raid to his Upashahar resident at around 4.00 a.m. and picked him up and handed him over to Boalia Police in the city yesterday afternoon.

BSS, Dhaka

Communications Adviser Maj Gen (Retd) M A Matin yesterday said the government would expedite the anti- corruption drive in the coming days conducting it more effectively.

"The taskforce is fully aware of how to deal with anti- corruption cases correctly and speedily," the adviser told a press briefing at his Secretariat office here.

Matin, also chairman of the national coordination committee (NCC) on serious crimes control drive, said conducting anti-graft cases would be easier for the taskforce members in future as they earned good experience dealing with such cases in the last nine months.

The adviser informed that 44 out of 573 anti-corruption cases have so far been disposed of and the remaining cases are at different stages.

The taskforce is consulting senior lawyers and former judges before filing the FIRs and submitting charge sheets of the cases, he said.

Replying to a question, Matin said a total of 62 anti- corruption taskforces are working across the country and their number might be increased to strengthen the anti-graft drive.

Anti-corruption drive is a continuous process, he said and asserted that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Taskforce would go ahead with the drive more efficiently.

BSS, Rajshahi

Classes and examinations of Rajshahi University (RU) will resume on October 28 after more than two months of unscheduled closure.

Campus sources said the students' dormitories will reopen today. The Provosts Council and the proctorial body in separate meetings decided that only the residential students would enter their respective halls showing identity cards at the gates.

They said the non-residential students could stay at their chosen dormitories with prior permission from the authorities concerned. But no outsiders will be allowed to stay at the halls.

The university authorities have asked the students to carry their identity cards on the campus.

The girl students have been instructed to abide by the existing evening rule for security reasons.