The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

There were found mixed trend of prices of essentials at Khilgaon-Goran area on Friday. Prices of certain items increased while that of several others decreased which bemused the consumers. A buyer said, "I am at a loss to adjust myself with the price's nature of voyage in the country. Today, price of one kilo purbal is taka 20 whereas it was above taka 30 just two days ago. On the other hand, price of edible oil climbs to taka 190 for a can of two liter (Rupchanda brand), showing an increase of taka 10 in just last seven days. As the benefits of the withdrawal of tariff on edible oil have not reached us, we oppose any further move to withdraw import duty/VAT of any percentage on any imported item in future."

Meanwhile, river shad price of one kilo slightly increased by taka 10 to 20. When it was said, plenty of sea shad were being netted in the Bay of Bengal and the price had gone down there, the seller nodded his head in disbelief. However. the same day, prices of some other fish were as under:

Sheat price taka 180, walking fish taka 180, fri taka 120, mola taka 100, climbing fish taka 200, lancer (jial) taka 300 to 350, barbal taka 250, salmon taka 120, carp taka 120, shrimp taka 200 and shad taka 180. On the other hand, prices of vegetables are almost beyond purchasing capacity of the members of the lower income group. As for example, calery was selling at aka 20, palk at taka 32 and basil at taka 24.

One Abul Hossain (not real name) from Gabtoli, Bogra told the New Nation while traveling by bus to Ghazipur on Thursday last, "Price of one kilo green pepper in our area is taka 10 only. On arrival in Dhaka, I found it taka 80, which surprises me. Rice is also cheap comparing with Dhaka. In Bogra, the fine quality of rice sells at taka 20 to 22 per kilo because of bumper production." He also quoted the potato price as taka 22, brinjal taka 20, onion taka 55 and edible oil 85 only."

It is often said that the middlemen's intervention in the movement of the products from the hands of the producers to the consumers is one of the main causes of the price hike then why does not the government take appropriate measure to stop it? Said a college student.

Reuters, New York

Citigroup Inc Chief Executive Charles Prince plans to resign this weekend, the Wall Street Journal said on Friday, as the widening subprime mortgage crisis brings to an end the reign of Sanford Weill's troubled successor. The largest US bank by assets plans to hold an emergency board meeting on Sunday, at which Prince will step down, the newspaper said, citing people familiar with the situation.

Citigroup spokesman Michael Hanretta declined to comment. Prince did not immediately return a call to his office.

Speculation that Prince's hold on his job was tenuous has swirled for weeks, after a $6.5 billion third-quarter write-down fed fears of more losses to come, dragging Citigroup's shares to a 4-1/2-year low.

"Prince had told investors this would be the year of no excuses. It unfolded into a year of lots of excuses," said Thomas Russo, a partner at Gardner Russo & Gardner in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which invests more than $3 billion and owns Citigroup shares.

Prince's departure would be the second of a top Wall Street executive in less than a week, following Tuesday's ouster of Merrill Lynch & Co Chief Executive Stan O'Neal, following an $8.4 billion write-down.

A lawyer by training, Prince is widely credited with having addressed Citigroup's many legal and regulatory problems after he replaced Weill in October 2003. But he has struggled to consistently boost revenue faster than costs, raising worries about whether it has sufficient capital to grow and boost profitability. It was not immediately clear who might replace Prince at Citigroup. Analysts have said the bank has few, if any, candidates ready to step in now. Robert Rubin, the former Goldman Sachs & Co chief and US Treasury Secretary who chairs Citigroup's executive, was being floated as an interim replacement, but is reluctant to take over, the Journal said.

"He may not want the job, but if you are a Citigroup stockholder, you would wish he would take over," said James Armstrong, president at Henry H. Armstrong Associates, which does not own the bank's shares.

UNB, Chapainawabganj

Farmers of the district may not achieve the target of Boro and wheat cultivation due to acute seed crisis. According to Department of Agriculture Extension, farmers have set a target to cultivate Boro on 44,940 hectares while wheat on 15,000 hectares in the district during the current season. To achieve the target, they need 990 mts boro seeds and 1,800 mts wheat seeds. While contacted farmers said that they would start preparing boro seedbeds and wheat cultivation in the middle of the current month. But they are apprehending that they might not achieve the target as Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC) and its appointed dealers have failed to supply them adequate seeds.

Farmers said that usually they store seeds every season but they failed to store seeds this year due to floods and other natural calamities and are now depending on BADC's seed due to its high quality and reasonable price. Local agricultural officials, however, denied the seed crisis and said that farmers have stocked sufficient despite natural calamities but they are depending on BADC's seeds due to its high quality and reasonable price.Assistant Director of local BADC Hasan Toufiqur Rahman said BADC received 75 mts of seeds for boro cultivation in the district and of the total, 14 mts were sanctioned for its sale center and the rest seed to its 16 dealers.

He also said the sale center sold out the seeds during the last part of October and dealers have almost finished their quota. He further said, as the farmers are knocking the door of BADC for seeds every day they have urged the higher authorities to sanction more seven metric tons boro seed to meet the increasing demand. BADC sources said some 130 mts seeds of wheat have been allocated for the district, which will be available within a week.

PTI, Washington

International Monetary Fund yesterday advised India against putting any restrictions on capital inflows in the face of appreciating rupee, saying any such move may undermine confidence of foreign investors on the Indian economy. "It has been said or asked or written that India should implement some limits to the capital inflows. The problem with this kind of thing is that it may undermine confidence on the Indian economy.

It would certainly have influence on capital inflows but not always a good influence," IMF new managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn told reporters.

Literature is the voice of a nation, and an easy flow of publications between two countries goes a long way in stimulating a greater understanding of each other's joys and pains.

Between India and Bangladesh, in spite of a healthy interest in each other's writers and their writings, there are glitches, which prevent a smooth exchange of books.

The India-Bangladesh Festival of books and writers has, therefore, planned to gbring writers, publishers and academics with the hope that it can act as a platform for working out the modalities for an easier exchange of books and ideas.

The festival has been designed in two parts. The first three days at Independent University, Bangladesh comprises of academic sessions with the participation of writers, academics and publishers. It is hoped that each session will provide a multiple perspective, and that writers, translators, academics, publishers and reviewers according to their respective fields of practice will address the issues in question in diverse ways. The second part of the festival, at the Central Public Library, intends to draw a more public participation and includes book readings from the writings of both Indian and Bangladeshi writers. It also includes sessions between publishers and booksellers of both the countries to discuss various issues related to publishing. Both venues will have book stalls with publications from both India and Bangladesh. Book readings have also been scheduled at a few bookshops in Dhaka.

The Festival is an initiative of the Indo Bangia Cultural Initiative, supported by the High Commission of India, Dhaka. The Independent University, Bangladesh is the academic partner. The Academic and Creative Publishers Association of Bangladesh is the co-organizer for the sessions at the Central Public Library.

It is hoped that this event will be the first of many more such India-Bangladesh get-togethers of writers, publishers, academics - and all those who love books.

Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited have been continuing relief distribution & post-flood rehabilitation activities in flood-affected areas across the country. Tangail Branch, Chauddagram Branch, Jhalakathi Branch and Natore Branch of the bank distributed several types of relief materials in cash and kinds.

Relief materials were distributed among two thousand flood victims by Tangail Branch recently at Tangail Sadar Thana. Mohammad Abul Hasan, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) of Tangail District & Ibrahim Bhuiyan, Manager of the Branch were present in the programme.

Relief materials were, distributed among two hundred flood victims by Chauddagram Branch at Kasinagar & Gunobati union. Md. Abdus Sattar, President of Comilla Ehasan Society, Moulana Abdul. Hai, Chairman, Gunoboti Union & A B M Mustafa, Manager of the branch were present at that time.

Relief materials were distributed among two hundred flood victims by Jhalakathi Branch. Hafizur Rahman, President of Hafez Foyez Mohammad Foundation & Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Manager of the branch were present at that time.

Relief materials were distributed among five hundred flood victims by Natore Branch at Singda, Noldanga & Sadar thanas of Natore district. H M Rafiqul Islam, Assistant Vice President & Manager of the Branch, Younus Ali, Professor of Bagatipada College & Delwar Hossain Khan, Principal of Natore City College were present at the programme.