The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The long-cherished dreams of middle-income group of people to buy a piece of land or apartment in the capital are yet to be fulfilled as they have found that the prices still remain beyond their affordability.

Visiting the Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh fair at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel over the last five days, most of the visitors found that land or apartment prices were much beyond their reach. Real estate developers attribute the skyrocketing prices of apartments to abnormal rise in prices of land, construction materials, as well as the government's high registration charges.

Visitors said prices are so high that most people cannot think of buying a residential plot or apartment in spite of the availability of loan facilities with the housing financing institutions. However, developers said price of apartments is going up day by day as the land area in the capital is squeezing. Some 75 companies are offering hundreds of apartments ranging from Tk 2,000 to Tk 9,000 per square foot with a price tag from Tk 32 lakh to Tk 1.8 crore for an apartment.

Most of the visitors experienced that they need at least Tk 32 lakh to buy a livable apartment in Dhaka.

Sukriti Mukherjee, Senior Manager (Business Promotion) of Sheltech, a leading real estate developer, said they have apartments available at Dhanmondi, Uttara, Mohammadpur and Pallabi. "Per square foot at Pallabi costs Tk 2,200 while per sft at Mohammadpur costs Tk 3,400 and per sft at Dhanmondi costs Tk 5,100," he said. Subsequently, a customer will have to pay around Tk 33 lakhs for each of the 1325 sft size apartments at Pallabi. The amount includes the cost of car parking space (Tk 2 lakh), stamp duties, registration, mutation, VAT, cost of utility connections and other registration, documentation and transfer charges, according to the brochures provided by the Sheltech official.

Besides, Sheltech offers plots at Sheltech Grand City at Ashulia, some one and a half kilometers from Jirabo Bazar at Tk 5-7 lakh per katha.

Md Nesar Uddin, Senior Executive, Marketing of Advanced Development Technologies, said they were overwhelmed witnessing the unprecedented responses from visitors. Mohiuddin, another senior executive of the company said price of apartments at Motijheel and Kakrail areas is comparatively lower. Per sft at Motijheel is Tk 3,000 while at Kakrail is Tk 3,200. "Dhaka city will not remain as same in future as it is now. So, we suggest buyers to buy apartments at Motijheel, Kakrail and old parts of the city."

Salauddin Manik, Senior Executive, Sales of Assurance Developments said they offer quality apartments at prime locations in the city at affordable prices.

Saleh Md Shariful Alam, Assistant Manager, Planning and Development of ENA Properties, said their company offers high quality apartments at different locations in the city at comparatively lower prices.

Mohammad Alamgir Hossain, Junior Executive of Xenovalley said they offer high quality houses at their Pink City.

Reuters, Islamabad

Nawaz Sharif, the prime minister deposed by President Pervez Musharraf in a coup eight years ago, will return to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia on Sunday, his brother Shahbaz Sharif told a Pakistani news channel.

General Musharraf, under intense criticism at home and abroad for imposing emergency rule three weeks ago, agreed to Sharif's return in discussions with Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh this week, according to a leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML).

Sharif met King Abdullah in Riyadh for a "farewell meeting" on Friday.

"We will fly on Sunday on Saudi Airlines directly from Medina to Lahore," Shahbaz, speaking from London, told the private television channel ARYOne World. Sharif will be joined by his wife Kulsoom and Shahbaz in Saudi and they will perform a pilgrimage to Mecca before taking the flight to Lahore, the capital of Punjab province and power base of the Sharif family. Both brothers went into exile a year after the 1999 coup. By returning on Sunday they will get back in time to file election nominations in order to contest a parliamentary poll on Jan. 8. Politically isolated, Musharraf allowed another former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, to return to Pakistan last month after years abroad, by granting her protection against prosecution in old corruption cases she says were politically motivated. The president sought to engage Bhutto as a potential ally, but Sharif refused to negotiate with the man who overthrew him.

Musharraf blocked an earlier attempt by Sharif to end his exile in September. Sharif was put on a flight to Jeddah hours after landing in Islamabad on Sept. 10, but Saudi Arabia became increasingly embarrassed by its complicity.

Musharraf imposed a two-term limit on the prime ministership in 2002, which currently bars both Sharif and opposition leader Benazir Bhutto from another stint. Having spent eight years trying to marginalise Sharif, and allowing Bhutto back last month, Musharraf appears to have admitted his failure to re-engineer Pakistan's polity, split by the coup that ended a decade of chaotic civilian rule.

Staff Reporter

The Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) under the Information Ministry is in a disarray following feud between two groups of employees, sources said.

Police said the feuding groups belong to two former director generals (DG). Both the groups locked in violent clashes recently tarnishing the image of the government organisation. Both the groups filed cases and counter cases accusing each other of various criminal acts. Ramna police said at least four criminal cases were filed by the two groups in this connection.

According to sources, Md Alauddin, personal assistant to DG of the PIB, filed a case on November 20 accusing 12 employees for attempt on his life. He also alleged that he was forced by those 12 accused to sign an undertaking which read: "I am taking away some documents at the directives of the immediate past DG Mridula Bhattachariya," Mridula has been transferred to the Parliament Secretariat on November 20.

Another employee Shahela Akhter, a PIB reporter, also filed a case alleging that some of the PIB employees had stolen official documents under her possession. On the other hand, Ratna Bijoy Saha, a deputy director (DD) of the PIB, filed a counter case on November 22, accusing PA Alauddin of attempting to take away official documents following the directives of immediate past DG Mridula Bhattachariya.

DD Ratna Bijoy Saha also filed another case countering the allegation of Shahela Akhter.

Sub-Inspector (SI) Wahiduzzaman of Ramna thana told The New Nation, "The employees of the PIB is divided into two groups due to the feud between the two former DGs."

When contacted, acting DG Syed Ali Haider said, "DD Ratna Bijoy Saha filed the cases on behalf of me."

Replying to a question, he said departmental actions would be taken against Alauddin and his associates.

Mridula Bhattachariya said, "I have nothing to say about the present condition of the PIB as I am no more in office."

In reply to a query, she said, "All the matters are under investigation and let the investigation be completed."

According to PIB sources, soon after the present Caretaker Government came to power, Mridula Bhattachariya replaced former DG Rezowan Hossain Siddiqi.

The government also formed a committee to probe various allegations against former DG Rezoan Siddiqi. Besides, some of the followers of Rezowan Siddiqui, including his son Ovik Adnan Siddiqui who is a photographer of the PIB, could not accept the change, the PIB sources said.

Those who were not the followers of Siddiqui had become the followers of Mridula Bhattachariya. Thus the PIB become divided into two groups.

Staff Reporter

In an effort to save cattle-heads during natural calamities like flood and cyclone the government is planning to build mud-forts as shelter homes for the domestic animals.

Food and Disaster Management Secretary Dr Mohammad Ayub Mia yesterday at a regular press briefing at his office said that a plan is underway to build 1000 more cyclone shelters, of which 500 will be financed by the government.

There are presently 2,033 cyclone shelters in the country's coastal districts.

Ayub Mia said the government-sponsored VGF programme that would start in December and continue through March will cover 790 unions of 12 coastal districts. This would require 1.5 lakh metric tones of food. So far, 8,000 metric tones of food grains have been distributed, while 7,000 metric tones more will be allocated.

The government will provide funds for repairing educational institutions damaged by the November 15 cyclone, he said.

Mia said so far Tk 47 crore has been distributed in cash against house building grants.

He said some 732 medical officers would be put in place by Sunday for treating the injured people in the cyclone-hit areas.

The Secretary said 13,000 tents and 18,000 blankets were distributed among the victims. He said pond waters spoiled by fallen trees and leaves would be cleaned up.

Staff Reporter

Leaders of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) yesterday distributed relief materials among the cyclone-hit people at different places under the Patuakhali and Pirojpur districts.

Led by president Mir Nasir Hossain, the FBCCI leaders distributed relief at the premises of Kalakhali union parishad in Pirojpur. They distributed sari, lungi, dry food, rice, pulse, potato, edible oil and salt as relief materials.

Deputy Commissioner of Pirojpur district Abdul Kaiyum, FBCCI directors M A Awal, Abdul Wahed, SM Nazrul Islam, president of Pirojpur Chamber Ali Ahmed Khan, UNO Ziauddin Ahmed and Kalakhali UP chairman Nasir Ahmed was present on the occasion.

The FBCCI leaders later distributed relief materials at Mirjagonj upazila in Patuakhali. Seeing the painful situation Mir Nasir Hossain pledged to build a house for a family in Mirjagonj. FBCCI vice-president Dewan Sultan Ahmed, Giasuddin Chowdhury Khokan and Patuakhali chamber vice-president Awal Mia were present, among others, on the occasion.

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a seminar suggested for a common passport, currency and parliament in the South Asian region for a smoother development process for the millions of people and the regional stability, prosperous and peace.

Referring to the different political and socio-economical obstacles of the region, they emphasised the need for taking proper initiatives to strengthen the local government, ensuring people empowerment especially for the women class ,which can significantly change the situation.

Speakers at a seminar on 'Social Exclusion in South Asia and Imagine a New South Asia (INSA) Process' organised by Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad(BUP) in association with Action Aid , Bangladesh at National Press Club yesterday made this observation.

Eminent educationist Prof M Anisuzzaman moderated the seminar while economist Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Chairman, BUP presented a keynote paper.

Former BTV official Nawazesh Ali Khan, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal leader Shirin Sultana ,women leader Rokeya Kabir, NGO activists Rashed Al Mahmud and Abdul Karim, among others, took part at the discussion.

While presenting the paper Dr Kholiquzzaman said, inequality, poverty and deprivation are concomitants of social exclusion in the region

The socially excluded are constrained from all direction such as human capability, accesses to resources, access to institution, participation in social-political process, and so on he stated. Referring to the various difficulties he said, the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets of halving the proportion poor and number hungry by 2015 compared to 1990 is sure to remain unfulfilled to a significant extend in South Asia.

''The elites exploit all the non-elites to different extends and in different ways and each hierarchical group also trends to exploit those below them in various ways and to different degrees in the South Asian region,'' Kholiquzzaman said.

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Communist Party (CPB) yesterday demanded immediate restoration of road communication for supplying relief items speedily to the cyclone affected people in the southern region of the country.

Speaking at a discussion meeting CPB President Manzurul Ahsan Khan said the Government should supply fertilisers and seeds among the cyclone hit-farmers free of cost.

CPB organised a discussion meeting on cyclone affected people at its office in the city.

CPB president also demanded housing materials for the poor free of cost, interest-free bank loans for the victims, water purifying tablets, baby food and distribution of VGF cards among the poor. CPB General Secretary Mozahidul Islam Salim said the Government should ensure ferry communication, repair roads and the educational institutions immediately, distribute educational materials and build multi-purpose shelter centres in the coastal region.

He said the NGOs should exempt the poor from their loan interest and refrain from collecting of installment.

Mahbub Alam, Ahsan Habib Lablu and Ruhul Amin Rasel, among others, were present in the discussion meeting.

BSS, Dhaka

The United Nations has increased allocation to a total of US dollar 14.7 million for cyclone Sidr survivors as its humanitarian affairs office called the impact of Sidr "essentially a mini-tsunami".

A UN statement on Saturday said the United Nations increased its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) allocation to a total of US dollar 14.7 million to pay for international relief assistance for the cyclone victims and the amount brought the total UN system response to about US dollar 35 million, and this figure "will continue to rise over the next few weeks".

"This funding will enable UN system to provide life-saving drinking water equipment for communities at risk from water-borne illness and other vital assistance," said Renata Lok Dessallien, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh.

"The CERF funding is crucial for preventing epidemics of water-borne disease in the cyclone-affected areas and for saving lives at this moment".

The development came a day after the United Nations humanitarian affairs office in Geneva on Friday said the impact of Sidr was "essentially a mini-tsunami.

"When you see the damage caused on the coast, they are just the same sort of images we saw after the tsunami" that struck the Indian Ocean in December 2004," said Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman for the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Staff Reporter

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has launched an investigation to ascertain for whose negligence the government was going to lose Tk 30 crore from Grameenphone, the largest mobile operator in Bangladesh, in VAT.

NBR sources said, the GP signed a lease agreement of Tk 200 crore with Bangladesh Railway (BR) in 1997 for using its optical fiber network.

Grameenphone signed a lease agreement of Tk 200 crore with the Bangladesh Railway in 1997 for using its fibre-optic communication network and 15 per cent VAT to the government.

Later, the Central Intelligence Cell, and the VAT Inspection, Intelligence and Investigation directorate of the NBR had found that the company did not pay the 15 per cent VAT while paying Tk 123.67 crore to the Bangladesh Railway as lease money between 1997 and 2004.

The GP, as per the rule, was supposed to pay 15 per cent of the total amount in VAT, which was about Tk 30 crore.

But the GP authorities refused to pay the VAT saying it was included in the total amount as per the agreement.

The matter first came in the limelight when an NBR official went through the agreement in 2000, but there was no move to investigate it as a vested quarter tried to put a lid on it.

Later, in 2004, an official of Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) restarted the case and found that the GP evaded Tk 30 crore in VAT.

The NBR official then submitted a report in this regard.

"After years of hassle, the NBR at last succeeded to realise Tk 30 crore from GP in VAT," said an NBR official, who was involved in the case.

The GP paid the whole amount in six installments with the last installment being paid in June 2007.

"There is a provision in tax rules to fine for tax or VAT evasion (generally 2.5 times than the original amount), but the GP just paid the original amount and there was no fine," the official said expressing anonymity.

After assuming office, the new NBR chairman asked the officials concerned to detect the officials for whom the national revenue-collecting agency was going to lose the huge money in VAT.

Meanwhile, the GP gave its part of the fibre-optic network to some other companies, including mobile phone operators, in sub-lease, and they were taking VAT on the total amount.

BBC Online

Controversial Bangladeshi feminist writer Taslima Nasreen has been moved out of the western Indian city of Jaipur to a location in Delhi.

Nasreen had flown from Calcutta to Jaipur on Thursday after violent protests by Muslims. But she has now been transported to the Indian capital, Delhi, for her safety.

On Wednesday, police in Calcutta used tear gas and baton charges to control crowds calling for her Indian visa to be cancelled. Rioters blocked roads and set cars alight. At least 43 people were hurt. More than 100 arrests were made.

Critics say she called for the Koran to be changed to give women greater rights, something she denies.

Nasreen fled Bangladesh in the early 1990s after death threats and has spent the last three years in Calcutta after a long stay in Europe.

Indian intelligence officials say Ms Nasreen was flown out of Calcutta in a special plane to Delhi from where she was taken to Jaipur in the western state of Rajasthan.

She spent Thursday night at a hotel in Jaipur under heavy security, the police said.

Early on Friday, Ms Nasreen moved out of the hotel and sped away with a police convoy towards the main road linking Jaipur with Delhi, the BBC's Narayan Bareth in Jaipur says.

Taslima Nasreen's Indian visa is valid until March 2008.

Wednesday's trouble in Calcutta began after the predominantly Muslim All-India Minority Forum called for blockades on major roads in the city.

The group said Ms Nasreen had "seriously hurt Muslim sentiments". Many Muslims say her writing ridicules Islam.

The army was called out and a night curfew imposed.

The All-India Minority Forum says Taslima Nasreen's Indian visa should be revoked and she should be forced to leave the country.

In August this year, she was attacked in the southern city of Hyderabad during a lecture by Muslims upset by her remarks on the Prophet Muhammed and the Koran.

Meanwhile, Life is returning to normal in the eastern Indian city of Calcutta a day after protests over a controversial writer turned into riots.

Troops called to maintain peace in the city continue to patrol the streets, but a curfew has been lifted.

On Wednesday, police using tear gas and baton charges were unable to control crowds calling for Bangladeshi feminist writer Taslima Nasreen to leave India.

Rioters blocked roads and set cars alight. At least 43 people were hurt.

More than 100 arrests were made.

Crowds were also protesting at recent attacks on Muslims in the Nandigram area in the east of West Bengal state.

A number of people have been killed and thousands left homeless in Nandigram after violence over now-abandoned state plans to industrialise farm land in the area.

"The night was peaceful and we hope things will return to normal," Calcutta police chief Gautam Chakraborty said.

Shops have reopened and children are back at school.

But more than 700 soldiers are still on the streets of central Calcutta to prevent any fresh trouble.

Wednesday's trouble in the state capital began after the predominantly Muslim All-India Minority Forum called for blockades on major roads in the city.

The group said Ms Nasreen had "seriously hurt Muslim sentiments". Many Muslims say her writing ridicules Islam.

Police arrived in strength to disperse the demonstrators.

Violence then broke out in Ripon Street in the north of the city and spread to Park Circus, Moulali and many other areas of central Calcutta.

For most of Wednesday, parts of the city centre were a no-go area, with main roads closed to traffic and commuters stranded.

Children spent hours in buses before they could be returned to the safety of their schools.

Critics say Ms Nasreen called for the Koran to be changed to give women greater rights, but she vehemently denied making the comments.

She fled Bangladesh in the early 1990s after death threats and has spent the last three years in Calcutta after a long stay in Europe.

India has not granted her citizenship which she has requested but has granted regular visa extensions.

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a discussion meeting yesterday paid rich tributes to eminent journalist late Obaid ul Haq saying that he was one of the leading reformers of the society as well as the nation.

"The entire nation will be ever grateful to him for his sacrificing attitude to the society," said one of the speakers while addressing the meeting held at the National Press Club.

The meeting, organised by Chittagong Divisional Development Association in Dhaka, was held with its President Barrister AKM Nazrul Islam in the chair.

Addressing the discussion, Prof Anwar Ullah Chowdhury, former Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor, said Obaid ul Haq was a good soul, extremely amicable and progressive minded.

"He had depth of knowledge. He read a lot," Chowdhury said adding, Dukkhe Jader Jibon Gara (Those lives built on sorrow), a Bengali film, was one of his significant creations based on the aftermath of the Second World War.

Abdul Awal Mintoo, former president of FBCCI, said Obaid ul Haq was an exceptional personality.

He said the country is in need of more such people like him.

Mashuk ul Haq, the eldest son of the late journalist, said his father was not interested in material gains. "My father abhorred wastage in any form, he said.

The meeting was also addressed by JSD President ASM Abdur Rab, Tofazzal Hossain, Alauddin, Dr Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan, Dr AKM Abdullah and Advocate Shawkat Ali Chowdhury.