The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Most of the essentials, including rice, flour, lentil and soybean were sold at cheaper prices in BDR run sales centers and markets in the city on Tuesday in comparison to ordinary city markets.

According to a market report of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) today, the price of coarse rice in different markets, including Kamlapur, New Market, Karwanbazar, Kalyanpur, Kachukhet and Mohammadpur, ranged between Taka 21 and Taka 24 per kg on Tuesday.

Rice was sold at Taka 24 at BDR-run open markets and Taka 20 at BDR-run sales centres on Tuesday while in Kolkata per kg coarse rice was sold at a price equivalent to Bangladesh Taka 21.62.

Each kg of packet flour was selling at Taka 37 and 38 and in ordinary markets while the price of the item was Taka 37 in BDR- run open markets and Taka 35 at BDR-run sales centres. In Kolkata, the flour is being sold at Taka 25.22 per kg, the report said.

The price of imported lentil (mashur) is ranging between Taka 66 and Taka 68 per kg in ordinary markets, while it is being sold at Taka 64 in BDR-run open markets and Taka 60 at BDR-run sales centres. In Kolkata, the price of the lentil is Taka 61.26 per kg.

Onion (imported) was sold at Taka 56 to Taka 60 per kg in ordinary city markets while its price in Kolkata was Taka 32.14 Onion is being sold at Taka 60 per kg in BDR-run open markets and Taka 45.30 at BDR-run sales centres.

The price of imported gram (Chhola) was between Taka 46 and Taka 50 per kg in different retail markets on Tuesday while in Kolkata, the item is being sold at Taka 57.65.

The item is being sold at Taka 56 in BDR-run open markets and Taka 60 at BDR-run sales centres.

Sugar is being sold between Taka 29 and 30 per kg in ordinary markets compared to Taka 26.78 in Kolkata and Taka 30 in BDR-run open markets.

The price of green chili, however, is ranging from Taka 40 to Taka 50 per kg in ordinary city markets. The item is sold at Taka 45 at BDR-run open markets. The green chili in Kolkata is being sold at a price equivalent to Taka 35.71.

Potato is being sold at Taka 22 to Taka 26 per kg in the ordinary markets. The price of potato in BDR-run open market is Taka 22 and at BDR sales centres Taka 18. In Kolkata, the price of the item is equivalent to Taka 16.07.

Soybean oil is being sold at Taka 88 to 92 per liter in ordinary markets, while it is available at Taka 88 in BDR-run open markets and Taka 81 in BDR-run sales centres. In Kolkata, the price of soybean oil is Taka 103.57 per liter.

Palm oil is being sold at Taka 78 to Taka 82 per liter in ordinary markets while it is available at Taka 82 per litre in BDR-run open market. In Kolkata, the price of palm oil is Taka 98.21 per liter.

BSS, Dhaka

The construction of the 500-bed Ahsania Mission Cancer Hospital (AMCH) at Uttara in the city is going on in full swing with support of the people from all walks of life.

So far construction the 10th floor of the hospital building has been completed including two basements.

Donation for the hospital received in the month of October 2007 stands at more than Tk. 31.86 lakh, a press release said on Tuesday.

Among the contributors, Lutfa Rahman and Nizam-ul-Islam donated Tk. 5 lakh each, Hosne Ara Islam, Shahnaz Habib and one anonymous person Tk. 2 lakh each, Shahana Begum, Feroza Mahmud, Feroza Begum and 7 anonymous persons Tk. 1 lakh each, Dr. M.A. Talukder (from sale proceeds of gold ornaments) Tk.84,800, Rezwan Rahman Tk. 75,000, Rowshan Ara Begum and 2 anonymous persons Tk. 50,000 each, Aminuddin Ahmed and Fazilatunnessa Tk. 40,000 each, Syeda Ismat Rahman and Shaheen Fahmida Islam Tk. 30,000 each, Jesmin Rabbani, Sharmin Wahida Islam, Irene Farida Islam and Shaila Islam Tk. 25,000 each, A.K.M Fahim Mashoor and Md. Khairul Alam Tk. 20,000 each, Rowshan Tamanna Tk. 15,000, Zahidul Islam Tk. 12,520, Rowshan Ara Begum, S.A. Haider and Javed Salam Rahim Tk. 10,000 each, Syed Ataur Rahman Tk. 9,500, Md. Aminul Islam, Rowshan Islam, Riyad Arafat Ameen, Md. Rishad Arafat Ameen, Sabrina Ameen and Syed Hasanur Rahman Tk. 6,000 each, Saira Nazneen, Ashiq Alam and Abdul Kader Khan Tk. 5,000 each, Kumar Shoroof Tk. 3,400, Md. Nayeem and Hosne Ferdous of USA Tk. 2,000 each, Justice Hassan Ameen and Mozammel Hossein Tk. 1,000 each, Farida Yasmin and Md. Golam Mostafa Tk. 500 each and Khandakar Lutfar Rahman Tk. 300.

With the benevolent support of the government and people, the hospital is being constructed. For a complete and timely completion of this health project Tk. 200 crore is needed.

Being built on a 3-acre plot, the project has so far received donation in cash and commitment of Tk. 569,838,900.

Dhaka Ahsania Mission appeals fervently to all corporate bodies, business organizations and generous people to participate in this noble venture and help complete the project on time, the press release added.

BSS, Dhaka

President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed on Tuesday expressed his hope that the members of the Armed Force would be able to keep upholding the glory of the force through the highest excellence of patriotism, professional skill and intense exercise.

In a message on the occasion of the Armed Forces' Day, he also appreciated the members of the armed force for their role in building the nation and maintaining peace and order in the country including facing disaster, side by side of protecting the country's independence and sovereignty.

Describing the Armed Force as the symbol of our dignity, the President also recalled the gallantry, sacrifice and contribution of the force to the War of Liberation in 1971 and pray for the eternal peace of the departed souls of the members of the Armed Force, who sacrificed their lives in the war.

Professor Iajuddin, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Force also extended his profound sympathy to the injured freedom fighters and members of the families of Liberation War martyrs.

The President said the members of the Armed Force have upheld the image of the country to the United Nations (UN) and outer world by discharging their obligations with sincerity and efficiency in the UN peace keeping mission.

He also sought peace for the departed souls of the members of the Armed Force who lost their lives while on duty at the UN peace keeping mission.

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh Scouts started their relief operation to the recent cyclone hit 22 districts in the South and South Western part of the country.

Members of the scouts distributed 24,9000 packets water purifying powder and 80,000 packets of ORS to the flood and cyclone affected people, according to a press release.

Besides this, with the help of UNDP the scouts arranged to distribute 10,800 pieces tent to the affected areas.

In the meantime 25,000-kg Chira and 5,000 kg Ghur has been distributed among 5,000 families of Kathalia, Rajapur, Nalchiti, Jhalokhati Sadar of Jhalokahati district.

Scouts and the leaders of the flood hit areas working round the clock.

BSS, Dhaka

Gender guidelines have been launched for police stations in the country yesterday aimed at making the staff in police stations more gender sensitive.

Md. Anwarul Iqbal, BPM (Bar), PPM, Adviser for the Ministry of Local government and Rural Development (LGRD) and Labour and Employment launched the guidelines at a formal meeting.

"The preparation and launch of the first-ever gender guidelines for police in Bangladesh as part of the Police Reform Programme (PRP), is a very significant milestone," Mr. Iqbal said on unveiling the guidelines.

Gender inequalities, imbalances, biases and gaps exist at all levels in the society of the country. So far, the pace of mainstreaming gender in the delivery of police services has been slow party due to the absence of appropriate tools and guidelines. The guidelines have been developed to accelerate the gender mainstreaming process.

"The implementation of the guidelines will change the current situation for the better. It is expected to sensitize police personnel and lead to a re-orientation of the police attitude towards women and children," Mr. Iqbal added.

Md. Abdul Karim, secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, ASM Shahjahan, senior Adviser for police reform, UNDP, N B K Tripura, ndc, Additional IGP and National Project Director, PRP, Ms Honor Flanagan, Governance Adviser, DFID, and Mr. Hubert Staberhofer, Programme Manager, PRP spoke on the occasion.

The PRP of the Government is implemented by the Police supported by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Department for International Development (DFID) and the European Commission. Gender issues are one of the major crosscutting issues relevant to all outputs and activities of the programme.

Since 2005, the PRP has undertaken several initiatives in order to make policing gender responsive. These activities include: organising gender sensitive training for police officers across different departments; assisting in the creation of a Women Police Network; professional development of women police; and establishment of Victim Support Centres strategy with the involvement of women police.

BSS, Dhaka

The European Commission (EC) is launching a second humanitarian decision for 5 million euro to help victims of Cyclone SIDR that struck Bangladesh last Thursday.

The proposed new emergency funding comes on top of 1.5 million euro in fast-track aid allocated on Friday and would bring the total Commission contribution to 6.5 million euro so far, an EC press release said yesterday.

Announcing the move, Louis Michel, the European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, spoke of the "shocking picture emerging from the coastal regions of Bangladesh". He said "the Commission's humanitarian field experts, who are in the stricken region, have reported total devastation in some villages; people left with nothing and living in the rubble.

The homes of around 280,000 people have been swept away. The immediate and critical needs are for food, clean drinking water, shelter materials, clothes, blankets and cooking utensils. The enormous damage to infrastructure, coupled with losses of both crops and livestock, mean that urgent action is also needed on basic rehabilitation. Otherwise, disease and malnutrition could claim many more victims".

The new funds will meet vital needs for water, food, shelter and house hold items such as soap, cooking utensils and jerrycans, the press release added.

Commission humanitarian funds are managed by its Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) and channeled through partner implementing agencies including non- governmental organisations that specialise in international relief, United Nations agencies and the Red Cross and Crescent movement.

BSS, Dhaka

The teachers and students of the universities and collages under national university would start relief operation through preparation of dry food, collecting clothing and medicine for the cyclone victims in southern parts in the country.

The decision was taken at a meeting between President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed and Vice Chancellors (VCs) of the public universities held at Bangabhaban here yesterday.

During the meeting, the President, who is also the Chancellor of universities, shared his experience during his visit to cyclone-affected areas on Saturday with the VCs. He also expressed his profound sympathy to the cyclone-victims, as the survivals of cyclone have been facing measurable condition since the cyclone hit.

The President said he saw himself the extent of the devastation of cyclone that made him shocked deeply.

He said if the cyclone-victims were not supplied foods, fresh drinking water, medicine and clothing timely, many of them have to face untold suffering and the death toll might increase further.

The Chancellor of the universities sought all-out cooperation from the students and teachers of the universities to extend their help to the cyclone victims.

Responding to the president appeal, the VCs assured the President of all out cooperation to the cyclone victims in providing them with food, clothing others relief materials.

They informed the President that they would undertake initiatives tro involve the students in preparing dry-foods and saline and collecting clothing for the cyclone victims.

The meeting also took decision to send the relief materials to the cyclone-affected areas through helicopters and other vehicles under the coordination of the Military Secretary to the President Major General Mohd. Aminul Karim.

Dhaka University VC Professor Dr SMA Faez, Bangladesh Engineering University VC Professor Dr AMM Safiullah, Jahangir Nagar University VC Professor Dr Khandaker Mustahidur Rahman, National University VC Professor Dr Wakil Ahmed, Open University VC Professor Dr farid Ahmed, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University VC Professor Dr Mohammad Tahir, Bangabandhu Seikh Mujibur Rahman Agriculture University VC Professor Dr Lutfar Rahman Khan, Dhaka Engineering and Technology University VC Professor Dr M Anowarul Azim, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University VC Professor Dr AM Faruque and Jaganath University VC Professor Dr AKM Sirajul Islam Khan were present.

Dr SMA Faez informed the meeting that the students and teachers of his university would begin preparation of dry foods and saline at the university Teachers and Student Centre from today.

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD), Comilla has conducted 159 training courses for 6,000 persons and accomplished 15 research studies in the field of Rural Development and Poverty Alleviation last year.

Besides, the BARD has been implementing seven experimental projects in Comilla and other regions of the country, said a press release yesterday.

This was informed at an evaluation meeting on BARD's activities attended by the secretary of Rural Development and Cooperatives Division M. Nazrul Islam on Monday.

The secretary in his speech urged BARD officials to be more active in future and play more fruitful role in the socio- economic uplift of the common people.

Director general od BARD Qamrul Islam, additional director general M. Khairul Kabir, directors Dr Mihir Kumar Roy and Tapash Ranjon Bose, deputy director Abdulla Al Mamun and Md. Zakir Hossain also spoke on the occasion.

BARD faculty members and all other employees were present in the meeting.

Earlier, the secretary laid foundation stone of an IT building on the BARD campus.

Staff Reporter

Environmentalists and experts at a roundtable in the city said construction of the bridge over Gulshan-Banani Lake would create serious threat to the local environment.

Due to construction of the bridge traffic jam would not be reduced rather it would be radiated to other areas. Simultaneously water flow of the lake would be hampered, they said.

The Gulshan-Banani-Baridhara Lake is an environmentally endangered zone, which was declared by the government earlier. Construction of the bridge in this area is a serious threat to the local residents. This bridge will decrease the area of the lake and due to construction of the bridge, water movement will be hampered in future, they added.

The roundtable on 'Bad impact of Gulshan-Banani Lake to ease traffic jam and development of the lake' was held at National Press Club yesterday organised by Save Environment Movement (SEM).

Representatives of the Gulshan Society said before construction of the bridge, opinions from the local residents were not taken. They raised question about the encroachment of the lake area in the name of construction of the bridge.

Eng Inamul Haque, Director General of Water Resource Research Agency, said, "It is not right for constructing bridge after filling the lake. As a result, earth of the upper part of the lake bed will be affected and hamper the water ecosystem of the environment."

While presenting the key-note paper, Barrister Raihan Khalid said, "Construction of the bridge over the lake is contradictory for the City Development Law, Wetland Conservation Act and Environment Conservation Act. Government organisations should be aware while building the bridge over the lake and should follow those laws."

CM Murshed, former ambassador, said, "After construction of the bridge traffic jam will increase in that area."

Prof AQM Mahbub of Geography Department of Dhaka University said the Government should take long term planning to reduce traffic jam in Dhaka city and should stress on decentralisation of the city.

Eng Sheikh Md Shahidullah urged the government to control private vehicles on Dhaka city streets rather than constructing bridge over the lake.

Abu Naser Khan, Convener of SEM, moderated the meeting, while Eng Fazlul Rahman, Vice President of Gulshan Society, Moniruzzaman, convener of Zone-3 of Gulshan Society, Syed Mahbubul Alam Tahin, Programme Manager of WBB Trust, among others, spoke.

Staff Reporter

Samajik Pratirodh Committee, a platform against social repression yesterday demanded the trial of anti-liberation forces and bar them from any national election.

The committee demanded this at a meeting to observe the 8th death anniversary of poet Sufia Kamal.

Leaders of the organisation said Sufia Kamal always fought against women repression and blind communalism and fundamentalism.

The leaders also demanded of the government to increase the number of reserved seats for women to cent per cent and to continue it for at least two general elections.

President of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad presided over the meeting, which was attended by former adviser of the caretaker government, Ayesha Khanam, general secretary of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad and Rokeya Kabir, Bangladesh Nari Pragati Sangha.

UNB, Dhaka

Former Awami League lawmaker from Dhaka's Demra area Habibur Rahman Mollah was sent to jail after he surrendered before a court here Tuesday in a tax-dodging case. Mollah surrendered before the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Azizul Haq at noon and appealed for bail. After hearing, the court rejected his bail petition and ordered him into jail.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) filed a case with Judge Azizul Haque's court on Nov 18 (Sunday) against the ex-lawmaker on charge of evading Tk 45.41 lakh in wealth tax during fiscal years 1996 through 2007.

"He evaded paying the tax through hiding wealth worth over Tk 1.92 crore," it is stated in the case.

The day when the case was filed, the court issued arrest warrant against Habibur Rahman Mollah.