The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The students seeking admission either to IBA of Dhaka University or Bangladesh College of Textile Engineering and Technology are going to miss one of the admission tests since the two exams have been scheduled for the same date and time. Both the admission tests of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) and the BCTET are scheduled for 10 am on November 23. The IBA authorities have asked the candidates to arrive at the exam halls at 9:30am.

"I don't want to miss any of the admission tests as I got the admit cards for both of them," said Shuvo, an aspiring candidate of Jhigatola.

He, like many other candidates, expected that the authorities of the two institutions would consider the situation and reschedule the admission tests.

UNB, Dhaka

A 10-day 'Photograph Exhibition 2007 on Historical Sites in Bangladesh', highlighting the country's cultural heritage, will be held at Drik Gallery in Dhanmondi from November 10-25.

More than 1200 photographs have been submitted for competition and exhibition by more than 150 photographers-from all levels including photo journalists to amateur photographers-from all over Bangladesh, said the organizers.

A jury of highly competent professionals has selected photographs for awards and exhibition. Winners of this competition will be awarded substantial prizes.

Staff Reporter

The fifth Furniture Fair 2007 began at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city yesterday evening.

Furniture Traders Association and Design and Technology are jointly organizing the fair.

A total of 30 furniture manufacturing firms, including Otobi, Navana, Hatil, Akhtar, Golden Teak, and Furnitech are taking part in the fair. There are as many as 108 stalls at the fair. Every furniture house has brought furniture of attractive designs and colours at the fair. They are also offering special discounts on the occasion of the fair. They are offering five to 10 per cent discounts to customers. The fair will continue up to November 25.

Visiting the fair, this correspondent found yesterday that strong preparations were going on to take part in the fair. A large number of cots, kitchen cabinets, executive tables, chairs, sofa sets and showcase have been put on fair for displaying and selling.

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Bank executive director Murshid Kuli Khan has been appointed deputy governor of the bank for a four-year term.

An Establishment Ministry notification on Monday said his appointment would be effective after his resignation from the bank as its executive director.

Khan, a carrier banker, joined the central bank as assistant director in 1976 and discharged duties in various positions of the bank. Meantime, he worked as the managing director of the state-run Krishi and Janata banks on deputation before rejoining the Bangladesh Bank as executive director in early 2005.

UNB, Dhaka

The one-member Judicial Inquiry Commission formed to inquire into August 20-22 students protest on Dhaka University campus will submit its report to the Chief Advisor on November 15.

The commission headed by former High Court Judge Habibur Rahman Khan was scheduled to submit its report today (Tuesday). " The commission was prepared to submit its report in time. But the Chief Advisor has given us the time on November 15," Justice Khna told UNB tonight.

In finalizing the report, the probe body collected statements of more than 100 people including university teachers, students and senior army and police officials.

Dhaka University, the country's premier educational institution, witnessed violent student protests for three days against alleged beating of students by some army personnel following a quarrel over a football match at DU playground on August 20. To control the situation, the government closed down the university sine a die.

Four DU Professors including Deans of three faculties and several students were arrested on charge of breaking emergency power rules. Sources said the commission in its report has made a set of recommendations that include banning teacher-student politics for establishing congenial academic atmosphere on campuses. The commission in its report observed the student unrest erupted due to sense of self-respect of both the university students and the army personnel, the sources said.

UNB, Cox's Bazar

Cox's Bazar, Nov 12 ()-Rice import from Myanmar started again on Monday after a one-and-a-half-year break under a crash course to bring down the soaring prices of the staple on the domestic market. Assistant Collector of local Customs and VAT Office Sikder Anwarul Islam said 7,400 kgs of rice in 148 sacks were released on the first day through the land port on Teknaf border.

Border sources said that as Aman harvest began in the neighboring country, their government permitted the export of rice to Bangladesh. "Besides, the importers in the country have shown interest in importing rice as the government made rice import duty-free," said one official.

The caretaker government has lifted import duties on nine essential commodities, including rice, wheat, pulses, oils and milk, in the wake of unprecedented price spirals, blamed on short supply as well as market manipulation.

Also, reports said, recent restrictions on rice export from India contributed, to some extent, to the upturn of the market. Local importers here said huge quantities rice would be imported from the rice-surplus Myanmarese market.

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Bar Council, a regulatory body of the lawyers on Monday urged the government to immediately initiate a drive to purge inefficient and suspected corrupt judges, including those at higher courts, to revive the lost image of the judiciary.

"If it doesn't happen right now, people are unlikely to get the benefits of the judiciary separation," Khondaker Mahbub Hossain, vice-chairman of the Bar Council, told a press conference. He said the judiciary was separated from the executive control on November 1 to ensure fair dispensation of justice right from the higher courts down to the subordinate ones for the people. "So the judiciary must be purged from vices by constituting an appropriate commission," he said.

To make the criminal justice delivery system effective, Mahbub, also a top criminal lawyer, said a separate police investigation agency equipped with logistic supports and recruitment of public prosecutors through a competitive examination sans political consideration should be introduced immediately.

Parrying a question about the number of inefficient and suspected corrupt judges at the higher court benches, the bar leader said, "If we cannot make the higher judiciary garbage-free, justice for all will remain a far cry."

In reply to another question, he said the Bar Council has sought

government permission for holding its election. "But, there has been no response so far. So, we're facing a lot of complications for the delay in holding the election."

The tenure of the executive committee of the Bar Council expired in June last, but the overdue election could not be held due to state of emergency.

However, the government has constituted an ad hoc committee with Mahbub as its vice-chairman to run the statutory body until an elected committee takes over.

Bar Council house committee chairman Moshiuzzaman and relief committee chairman Fakir Delwar Hossain were present at the press conference.