The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Rajshahi

Two government officials were crushed under the wheels of a train at Arani rail crossing in Bagha upazila Sunday afternoon.

The deceased were identified as Nazrul Islam, an official of Social Service Department, and Helaluddin, Kanungo (recorder) of local Land Office.

Locals said Rajshahi-bound inter-city train 'Kapataksha' crushed them when they were passing Arani rail crossing by motorcycle at about 4pm. They alleged that there was no gate man at the crossing during the accident.

UNB, Barguna

Former BNP lawmaker Nurul Islam Moni, along with his three party colleagues, was Sunday awarded 14 years rigorous imprisonment in a case of embezzling relief tins. The three other convicts are Patharghata upazila BNP president Adv. Shamsuddin and general secretary Saiful Islam Jamal and party activist Jamal.

The trial court also fined the convicts Tk 5000 each, in default, to suffer one year more in jail.

All the four were tried in absentia, as they went into hiding to dodge arrest.

According to prosecution, joint forces during the ongoing operation against corruption and crime seized 79 pieces CI sheets of relief from Patharghata upazila BNP office on February 18 this year. A case was filed in this connection.

After examining records and 33 witnesses, additional district and sessions judge Md Shahjahan Majumder pronounced the verdict. Another four accused persons were acquitted of the charge "for lack of evidence".

UNB, Dhaka

On a highly politically significant note, Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Sakhawat Hossain Sunday said he sees a black patch of cloud at 'Ishankone'-a precursor to a storm and concomitant troubles.

In the weather system in the region, violent storms usually brew up when clouds gather at Ishankone (northeast corner of the sky). Sakhawat made the remark in the midst of dialogue with an Awami League delegation on the Commission's proposed electoral reforms, preparatory to holding the general election that was last stalled amid a grave political crisis.

He suddenly took the microphone interrupting Awami League delegation leader Zillur Rahman who was summing up his deliberations during the dialogue.

"I have some comments," he cut in and took the microphone, looking at Chief Election Commissioner Dr Shamsul Huda. "We want to hold a free and fair election as per our roadmap and we seek your cooperation," he told the Awami Leaguers, who came up with a package of their own proposals on election matters. He however said, " Being an expert I can see a patch of black clouds at Ishankone, but I don't want to tell more about that." In a style of sermons, the Election Commissioner said, "There should not be a situation created for us that may lead to the fall from the top. You please try to understand and we want to get over this election."

Although Sakhawat wouldn't explain what precise issue prompted him to make such comments in metaphorical terms, but issues like restriction on war criminals and religion-based parties in participating in elections came up prominently during the dialogue.

UNB, Dhaka

The French government will donate 948.000 Euros, equivalent to over Tk 9 crore, to three NGOs working in the country to support the post-flood food and rehabilitation programmes. The grant will be provided through the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, said a French embassy handout. French NGO Friendship, working in health care in the remote char areas through a floating hospital, will be awarded two separate grants. Some 500,000 Euros under the food aid programme while 312,000 Euros under the rehabilitation aid programme.

Friendship will thus provide houseing, water and sanitation to some 1,300 families in seven districts along the rivers Jamuna and Brahmaputra and will also distribute food among 1.8 million char people.

Another French NGO, Handicap International, which started operation in Bangladesh in 1997 to support and help disabled and vulnerable groups, is will receive 67.000 Euros to help people affected by floods in the northern Gaibandha region.

Besides a third French NGO, Action Against Hunger, which has just stepped into Bangladesh to work on food security, water sanitation and hygiene promotion, will get a grant of 79,000 Euros from the Humanitarian Action Wing of the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

UNB, Dhaka

Despite frantic efforts, the caretaker government could not get rid of the re-tendering hazard in awarding the power plant projects.

According to official sources, after assuming the office, the post-1/11 caretaker government had to go for re-tendering in at least a dozen small, medium and large-sized power plants that ultimately turned out to be the main reason behind the slow-pace in power sector development.

The projects, for which the government had to go for re-tenders include 450 MW Sirajganj power plant and seven rental power plants - 50 MW Fenchuganj, 20MW Bogra, 80MW Shahjibazar, 20 MW Kumargaon, 20 MW Feni, 20 MW Barabkunda and 50 MW Shikalbaha. Some 10 small power plants, which were also re-tendered are 30 MW Jangalia, 30 MW Maona, 30 MW Rupganj, 20 MW Feni, 20 MW Barabkunda, 10 MW Habiganj, 10 MW Sirajganj, 20 MW Barabkunda, 20 MW Tangail, 20 MW Narsingdi.

After re-tendering on two/three occasions, some of these projects are now being implemented far behind their schedule. The delay in evaluation is also another reason for excessive delay in the implementation process of power plants.

In this case, the industry insiders mentioned the name of 100 MW Sylhet power plant, which was first tendered in 2002 and its fourth time tender was received in July 2007. But after receiving the tender for the project, three months have passed, but its final evaluation is yet to be completed.

Only recently, the government decided to cancel the tender of 450 MW Meghnaghat plant and 150 MW Chandpur plant as the bidders were finally found non-compliant with the government's terms and conditions.

The re-tendering of power projects remained a big hindrance to appointing international firms, either to install the plants or awarding projects to implement those as per schedule.

The experts in the country's power sector also blamed the re-tendering issue for stalling the power sector's growth.

There is lot of instances of more than five-time re-tendering of a single project to select a bidder.

The post-1/11 caretaker government, since assuming office, has focused on maintaining transparency and fairness in dealing with the tender process, but they could not bring the power sector out of peril.

Staff Reporter

The taka has gained nearly 0.1 per cent against the US dollar over the past week owing to an increased supply of the US currency in the inter-bank market.

An increase in remittances from Bangladeshis working abroad and steady exports have contributed to a rise in the supply of dollars, central bank officials said yesterday.

However, Bangladesh Bank has injected about $65 million into the banking system to indirectly help the taka to appreciate, as demand for dollar was high due to increased import payments, they said.

The taka closed on Sunday at 68.65 per dollar against 68.71 taka yesterday.

Officials said the increase might continue. "We are closely monitoring the foreign exchange market to check unnecessary transactions in the dollar by the dealer banks and ensure discipline in the market," a senior official of Bangladesh Bank said.

The central bank also withdrew cash through auctions of reverse repurchase agreement, treasury bills and the government treasury bonds to keep pressure on liquidity.

The inflow of remittances from expatriate Bangladeshis surged by 33 per cent in September from a year ago, central bank data showed.