The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

A two-day symposium on German Textile Technology began at a city hotel Monday to introduce local garment textile owners with the latest world class machinery.

German Federal Ministry of Economy in cooperation with the Association of the German Trade Fair Industry and the German Textile Machinery Association jointly organized the symposium at Hotel Sonargaon.

German Ambassador in Dhaka Frank Mayke presided over the programme.

Industries Adviser Geeteara Safiya Choudhury, attended the function as chief guest, said the Germans are well known in innovating of the latest technologies.

By using their updated technologies, Bangladeshi people could move forward keeping consistency with the globalization, she added.

The adviser urged the German government to send their expert technicians to Bangladesh so that they could train up Bangladeshi technicians to develop their skill.

She also emphasized on setting up a training center in the country for imparting training to the local technicians properly.

In his speech, German Ambassador Frank Meyke said that the symposium would undoubtedly strengthen and promote the long lasting, successful trade links between Germany and Bangladesh and contribute to further enhancing both the countries partnership.

"The symposium will be a great opportunity for manufacturers in Bangladesh to get to know the latest developments in textile technology to deepen business relations and establish new contacts.

BTMA President Abdul Hai Sarker, BGMEA President Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury, BKMEA President Fazlul Haque and Director of the German Textile Machinery Association Ragnar Strauch, among others, spoke at the inaugural function.

UNB, Dhaka

Christoffel-Blinden Mission (CBM), a German based non-government development organization, has so far donated Tk 3,14,76,680 for the cyclone-affected people of the country particularly for disabled.

CBM has provided the money initially through two local NGOs-

Bangladesh Protibandhi Kallayan Samity (BPKS) and Centre for Disability in Development (CDD).

CBM would be able to help around 20,600 disabled and distressed people in 12 of the cyclone-battered districts through its relief operation, said CBM country coordinator Mosih Uddin Ahmed.

Rolf Mueggenburg, CBM continental director for Asia, will visit Bangladesh from December 4-11 to see the extent of damage by hurricane "Sidr" in the affected areas, post-flood rehabilitation program and different ongoing projects being implemented here with the CBM's support.

Earlier, the organization had come up with the assistance worth Tk 6,18,13,435 for relief and rehabilitation of distressed people affected by the two recent consecutive floods.

UNB, Dhaka

The Netherlands Govern-ment pledged an additional 4 million euros of emergency aid in relief assistance for the people of cyclone Sidr hit areas.

The new funding will bring the total contribution of the Netherlands to 5 million euros.

The Ambassador of Netherlands in Dhaka Bea ten Tusscher expressed the solidarity of the people of Netherlands with the victims of the cyclone and praised the government of Bangladesh for its rapid response.

The Dutch aid will be channeled through the World Food Programme (WFP), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and international NGO's, said a press release.

UNB, Dhaka

Post-graduate Diploma Course under 2007-08 session of Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) was inaugurated on Sunday.

Acting Dean of Social Sciences Faculty and Professor of Mass Communication and Journalism Department of Dhaka University Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique inaugurated the course at a function held at the PIB auditorium in the afternoon.

PIB Director General Syed M Haider Ali presided over the function.

Addressing the occasion, Dr Arefin laid emphasis on institutional education of all involved in media and journalism to face the challenges of the present era.

PIB Director (Training and Administration) MA Halim, course management committee member Sheikh Majlish Fuad, among others, addressed the occasion.

UNB, Dhaka

More government and private organizations and institutions donated over Tk 74.53 lakh, blankets and radio sets to the Chief Adviser's Relief and Welfare Fund for cyclone affected people till 12 noon Monday.

The organizations and institutions contributed to the Chief Advisor's fund included LGRD and Cooperative Ministry-Tk 17,33,500, BASIC Bank Ltd-Tk 25 lakh, Bangladesh Krishi Bank-Tk 20 lakh, Rotary Club of Dhaka West-Tk 5 lakh, Bangladesh Agriculture University Mymensingh-Tk 3 lakh, New Zealand Dairy-Tk 2 lakh, JK group-1000 pieces of blankets, Zaman Radio Co-1000 sets of T one band radio, Institution of Diploma Engineers' Bangladesh-Tk 2 lakh and Seatime Shipping Services Tk-20,000.

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed Monday urged those who were carrying out relief and rehabilitation works in the cyclone-affected areas at private initiatives to maintain coordination with local administrations to get the jobs done more effective.

The Chief Adviser made the request while receiving donations for the CA's Relief and Welfare fund from various institutions and individuals at his office for the cyclone-hit people.

Thanking the donors for their humanitarian contributions, Dr Fakhruddin said the donations would be reached to the cyclone victims as soon as possible.

Both relief and rehabilitation operations are getting institutional shape, the CA said adding that the rehabilitation work has started alongside the relief operation.

The Chief Adviser mentioned about launching a special VGF programme for 26 lakh families in the affected districts, providing Tk 130 crore in soft loan by the government to small traders and fishermen to resume their works for livelihood and disbursement of Tk 50 as house rebuilding grant in the cyclone-affected areas.

He said steps have taken for repairing badly damaged infrastructures, which would also create employment opportunities for the affected people.

Referring to the full-fledged operation of Coordination Cell in Barisal headed by the Communications Adviser, the Chief Adviser said the army, navy and air force, and civil administration would work in a coordinated way to further strengthen the relief and rehabilitation operations.

LGRD and Cooperative Adviser Md Anwarul Iqbal, Industries Secretary and chairman of BASIC Bank Ltd Md Nurul Amin, Managing director of BASIC Bank AH Iqbal Hossian, Vice Chancellor of Bangladesh Agriculture University Prof Mosharraf Hossain Mia, chairman of board of governors of Bangladesh Krishi Bank Sirajuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, president of Rotary Club of Dhaka West M Mubarak Ali, Managing Director of New Zealand Dairy SA Mallik, former FBCCI president and chairman JK group MA Kashem, proprietor of Zaman Radio Co Chowdhury Moniruzzaman and president of Institution of Diploma Engineers of Bangladesh Rafiqul Islam Bhuiyan, among others, made donations and were present on the occasion.

DU Correspondent

Dhaka University (DU) correspondents of different print and electronic media have taken step to help the cyclone-hit area's students specially who are SSC examinees.

They will collect fund by holding a two-day long film exhibition at the TSC auditorium from tomorrow.

Four shows will be displayed each day from 10:00am. Tk 20 has been fixed for each ticket which will be available at the DUCSU Building, TSC Food Corner and DUS.

The films which will be screened are-'Aganttak' of Kolkata, 'Roman Holliday,' 'Mahapurush' of Satyajit Roy, 'Om Santi Om' of Farahkhan, 'Fana,' 'Bachelor,' and 'Sawaria' of Sanjoylila Bansalir-are the main ones.

Northern University and DUS are providing all kind of help to arrange the exhibition.

Mahbubur Rahman, joint secretary of Dhaka University Journalist Association told the New Nation that they would allocate the collected fund only to the students so that their study could not be stopped owing to lack of money.

UNB, Dhaka

Shaheed Dr Milon Day is being observed today marking his death in the Dhaka University campus during the movement against the Ershad Regime in 1999.

Milon, joint secretary general of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA), was shot dead on this day.

Different organizations have chalked out programmes to observe the day.

Awami League acting general secretary requested the leaders and workers of the party and its front organizations to observe the day with due respect.

They have been advised to assemble at the Milon Chattor of Dhaka Medical collage premises at 8.30 am today (Tuesday).

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Comm-ission is set to emerge as a self-governing body as President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed has approved the Commission's proposal in this regard.

"Yes, the honourable President has signed the proposal to make the Commission a self-ruled body. The Commission received the signed copy of the circular this evening," ACC director general (admin) Col Hanif Iqbal, also the Commission's spokesperson, told UNB.

On October 18, the Commission decided to put forward the proposal to the government to make the anti-graft body a self-governing body by amending the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004.

Subsequently, a proposal was forwarded to the Cabinet Division. And, later the proposal was approved by the Law Ministry before being forwarded to the President for approval.

The proposal has been put forward mainly to recruit employees as their requirement and determine their service rules. The Advisory Council on October 31 approved the amendment of the law making the Commission a self-governed entity.

UNB, Dhaka

The government Monday formed two task forces to guide the country to get a new US trade bill passed, which could benefit the apparel industry significantly.

US Congressman Jim McDermott introduced in the US Senate the trade bill titled "The New Partnership for Development Act of 2007" on October 18.

Commerce secretary Feroz Ahmed will head one taskforce comprising the BGMEA, BKMEA, line ministries and business representatives while CPD executive director Dr Mostafizur Rahman will lead another taskforce comprising research and civil society organisations. The taskforces were formed at a meeting held at the Ministry of Commerce, with Finance and Commerce Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam in the chair.

The meeting examined possible benefits out of the bill, if it is passed, as well as discussed the possible measures to get it passed. The meeting decided to take government and private sector initiative through Bangladesh missions abroad to inform the proposed beneficiary countries, particularly the beneficiaries of AGOA and other African countries, of the possible benefit of the bill.

It also decided to examine various aspects of the proposed bill and take corrective measure to motivate placing an amended bill to be suitable for Bangladesh and other proposed beneficiaries. Commerce secretary Feroz Ahmed, FBCCI president Mir Nasir Hossain, BGMEA president Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury, BKMEA president Fazlul Haque, BTMA president Abdul Hye Sarkar and officials concerned were present at the meeting.

UNB, Dhaka

The process of submitting charge sheet in GATCO case against 13 persons, including former Prime Minister and detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, is at the final stage.

"We've made enough progress about the GATCO case. The process of submitting charge sheet in the case is almost completed. It's in the final stage of scrutiny," ACC director general (administration) Col. Hanif Iqbal, also the Commission's spokesperson, said during a regular briefing this (Monday) afternoon.

He informed that earlier in the day eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain came to meet with ACC chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury at the ACC head office to express his support to the Commission's activities.

"He (Dr Kamal) also gave legal advice about the ACC's ongoing cases," Col. Hanif said.

Asked about the allegations of tax evasion against Dr Kamal, he said:

"I'm not his spokesman. He will be able to best answer (the question). Moreover, this is the matter for National Board of Revenue (NBR), not of the Commission."

Replying to a query, the ACC director general said: "I myself submitted my wealth statement on the first day of joining the Commission. There is no one in the Commission who didn't submit his wealth statement. It has become a practice for all officials to submit their wealth statement before joining (ACC)."

About the 12 suspected corrupts who were asked to submit wealth statements within seven working days, he said they have not submitted their wealth statements as yet, nor prayed for any time. But the deadline is yet to expire.

He said the Commission has a plan to send a 10-member team, including five lawyers on ACC panel, to Jaipur in India in the first half of December to receive training on Asset Recovery and International Cooperation in the context of anti-corruption investigation. The British Government will finance the training program.

The ACC spokesperson said the process of recruiting more manpower by motivation from different government organizations to fill up the vacant posts in the Commission. At the same time, the Commission is also conducing training programs to raise the skills of its manpower.

The anti-graft watchdog, he said, has already decided to fill the posts of its six divisional directors for strengthening the activities of the Commission outside the Dhaka. The Commission also decided to shift its Rajshahi divisional office to Bogra considering operational and administrative facilities, he added.

Col Hanif informed that the Commission's public awareness program for Dhaka Division would be held at the Shilpakala Academy in the city on December 6 with ACC chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury in the chair.

He said the ACC chairman would hold a view exchange meeting with the chiefs of electronics media on November 29 in creating public opinion against corruption.

UNB, Dhaka

A special court, trying high-profile corrupt suspects, Monday sentenced ex-additional IGP M Shahidullah Khan to six years' imprisonment in absentia for evading income tax and concealing his wealth information.

Judge M Ashraf Hossain sentenced him to five years' in jail for evading tax and one year for concealing information in his wealth statement.

The court also fined him Tk 7 lakh.

However, the convict will have to suffer in jail for five years after his arrest or surrender, as the sentences would run concurrently, court sources said.

The former additional IGP was charged with concealing his income of Tk 76,53,020 in the tax return and thus evaded income tax of Tk 16,54,832.

Assistant Commissioner of Taxes Nahid Nawshad filed the case with CMM Court for submitting false income statement and concealing real income.

Earlier, the special court jailed Shahidullah's wife Masuda Khanam tried in absentia for six years on the same charges.

UNB, Dhaka

South Korea has provided US$ 500,000 for cyclone victims of Bangladesh.

Foreign Adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury received a cheque for the amount from South Korean Ambassador in Dhaka Seong-Ung Park when the latter called on him at the Foreign Ministry Monday.

In addition, relief material worth US$ 200,000 would also be forthcoming, said a press release.

"This is a mark of friendship, and solidarity", the Foreign Adviser said to the media afterwards.

"Apart from this generous donation, the Republic of Korea is emerging to be a prominent partner of Bangladesh in trade and development", the Adviser added.

Several more investment projects are expected, now that the issue of the Korean Export Processing Zone is resolved, Dr. Iftekhar further stated.

"We are also hoping the process of the export of our manpower to Korea will begin soon; this will open up yet new doors for this important sector", the Adviser concluded.