The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University (DU) Professor SMA Faiz on Thursday laid stress on ensuring sustainable development in education sector to improve the quality of life of the people.

"Being one of the pioneer educational institutions of the country, the Dhaka University is continuously pursuing to implement its pious goal of ensuring sustainable development in education to address socio-economic issues", said Prof Faiz at a roundtable while addressing as chief guest.

Organized by the Institute of Education and Research (IER),the roundtable on 'Situation Analysis of Education for Sustainable Development in the University of Dhaka was held in IER training room.

Chaired by Director of IER Professor Iqbal Aziz Muttaqui, the function was addressed , among others, by eminent journalist and Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury as special guest.

Professor of IER Md Hedayet Hossain moderated the roundtable.

In his speech, Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury described education for sustainable development (ESD) as a new concept.

He underlined the need for organising extensive discussion on ESD in view of the country's socio-economic context to enable the future generation cope with the challenges of globalization.

Chowdhury said the socio-economic development would be meaningless without ensuring ESD in the country.

Prof Iqbal Aziz Muttaqui laid stress on addressing the socio- economic problems by ensuring sustainable educational development.

Prof Hedayet Hossain, in his welcome speech, said the ESD is a unique concept featuring social, cultural, environmental and economic perspectives.

Deans of different faculties and institutions of the university also spoke on the occasion.

BSS, Dhaka

Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal SM Ziaur Rahman handed over a cheque for Taka five lakh to Chief Adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed at his office here on Thursday.

During the cheque hand over, chief of air staff apprised the Chief Adviser of the all-out involvement of BAF helicopters and transport aircraft in delivering relief goods to the cyclone affected areas, an ISPR press release said.

Assistant Chief of Air Staff (Ops and Trg) Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Enamul Bari was also present on the occasion.

Immediately after the cyclone, early in the morning BAF transport aircraft conducted reconnaissance mission over the affected areas to assess the extent of damage.

Soon after the Chief Adviser along with Army and Air Chief visited Kolapara, Kuakata, Patuakhali, Pathargata and Barguna by BAF helicopter and distributed relief goods among the cyclone affected people.

So far BAF helicopters and transport aircraft have flown 230 relief missions and carried 685 tonnes of various food items and relief goods to the remote cyclone hit areas.

BSS, Dhaka

Different organizations and individuals on Wednesday donated more than Taka 2.56 crore including US $ 300 to the Chief Adviser's Relief and Welfare Fund in aid of the cyclone- affected people in southern region of the country till 4 pm on Wednesday.

On Thursday's donors are: Bangladesh Police - Taka One crore, Children and Maternal Health Institute at Matuail under Health and Family Welfare Ministry-Taka 1,31,633, Officials and Employees of Water Resources Ministry and its subordinate organizations-Taka 12, 89,060, Former Secretary and IGP Y B I Siddiqi- Taka 10 lakh, Establishment Ministry-Taka 22 lakh, Resident students of Bangladesh Engineering University-Taka 7,55,100 lakh, Islamic University in Kushtia-Taka 2,27,375 lakh, Bangladesh Navy-Taka 5 lakh, Pubali Bank Ltd-Taka 50 lakh, Bata Shoe Company Bangladesh-Taka 10 lakh, Uttara Club-Taka 5 lakh, family members of the founder-editor of The Daily Star SM Ali- Taka 5 lakh, MAK Steel Industries Ltd-Taka one lakh, RDRS Bangladesh's one day salary-Taka two lakh, Ever Fashion Ltd- Taka one lakh, Professor Mainul Haq of Chapainawabganj- Taka 50,000, Enamul Haq Khondokar of Comilla- Taka 50,000, Kovanta Bangladesh Operating Ltd- Taka 8,64,000, Eastland Insurance Company Ltd- Taka 5 lakh, ETBL Securities and Exchange Ltd- Taka 2 lakh, International Chamber of Commerce Bangladesh- Taka 3 lakh, M Nurul Islam of Chittagong- Taka 50,000, American Crista Mac Aulip International School teacher Miss Disegorori- US $ 200 and student Nazifa T Suba- US$ 100, Bangladesh expatriate in Italy M Azad Miah- Taka 50,000, Nalbahar Jame Mosque in Sylhet-8,150, M Hossain Patwari of National Bank- Taka 2,000, STMK of Land Force Institute in Kuwait- Taka 12,940, Shibnath Roy Chowdhury of Khulna- Taka 2,000, Shamsuddin-Taka 200, Kuddus Mia and Kudrat Ali of Brahmanbaria - Taka 1,000 and Amanur Rahman-Taka 6,000.

BSS, Dhaka

National Association of UNESCO Clubs in Bangladesh and Foundation for Peace and Conflict Studies will jointly hold a seminar on "Human Rights in Bangladesh" on December 9.

Eminent economist and TIB Chairman Prof Muzaffar Ahmed will be the chief guest at the seminar while Chief Editor and Managing Director of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury will attend the function as special guest.

The seminar, to be organised on the occasion of the Human Rights Day at the auditorium of the BNCU, BANBEIS Bhaban in Nilkhet, will be followed by a photographic exhibition on the same day.

Editor of daily Amar Desh Amanullah Kabir, Principal of Eden College Prof Yeasmin Ahmed, Prof ANM Saleh of Rajshahi University, Director of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Zinnat Barkatullah and Secretary-General of the UNESCO Club Mahbubuddin Chowdhury will participate in the seminar.

Chairman of Foundation for Peace and Conflict Studies AHM Shamsul Muktadir will present a keynote paper at the seminar while Secretary of Bangladesh National Commission for UNESCO Dr M Mahmudul Hassan will preside.

Officials of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and UNESCO Club, teachers and students of different colleges and universities, rover scouts, media personalities and human rights activists will participate.

BSS, Dhaka

Journalist leaders yesterday welcomed the approval of the recommendations of the sixth Wage Board Award for journalists, press workers and general employees of the newspaper industry.

The government yesterday approved the final recommendations of the 6th Wage Board award.

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) President Mozammel Haque told BSS that the approval of the government to the Wage Board recommendations deserves thanks.

"We are happy that the government has met a long-cherished demand of the journalists, press workers and general employees through the approval, but we will give formal reactions after reviewing the recommendations," he said.

BFUJ Secretary General Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan thanked Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, Information Adviser Barrister Mainul Hosein and others concerned for the approval to the Wage Board recommendations. He said, "We have declared specific programmes from a joint rally of the journalists, press workers and general employees at the National Press Club on December 3 for announcement of the Wage Board award. We will shortly sit for evaluating the recommendations after gazette notification."

Dhaka Union of Journalist (DUJ) General Secretary Omar Faruk while thanking the government for approval of the award expressed his hope that the government would extend all-out cooperation and lawful measures for implementation of the award.

BSS, Dhaka

The government yesterday approved the final recommendations of the 6th Wage Board Award relating to salaries, allowances and other benefits for journalists, employees and press workers of the newspaper industry.

It may be mentioned that in 2005 a 13-member Wage Board was constituted with a retired judge of the Appellate Division as its chairman, said an official Handout Thursday night.

The Handout said the 6th Wage Board submitted its recommendations to the government and in the light of those, the final recommendations have been approved by the government.

The Ministry of Information has sent the recommendations to the BG Press for a gazette notification, the Handout added.

BSS, Dhaka

UNHCR yesterday welcomed the European Commission's (EC) donation of 3.9 million euros (over USD $ 5.7 million) over the next two years to end the plight of refugees from Myanmar languishing in Bangladesh for long.

This contribution-more than double the amount the EC gave in 2006-2007--underline just how serious the European Community is about helping UNHCR and the government of Bangladesh to bring to an end the protracted plight of these refugees, said UNHCR chief in Dhaka, Pia Prytz Phiri.

Phiri and Ambassador Stefan Frowein, Head of the EC delegation in Bangladesh yesterday signed the contribution agreement.

The EC has long been the largest donor to UNHCR's operations in Bangladesh, which cost USD $ 54 million since the arrival of the Rohingya refugees from Myanmar in 1991 and 1992, said a UNHCR press release.

Most of the refugees from the northern Rakhine state went back home to western Myanmar soon after seeking refuge in Bangladesh, but 27,000 in two refugee camps near Cox's Bazar, await repatriation, it said.

"The money of course allows us to provide the daily necessities for refugees in the camps," Phiri said.

"And we are especially grateful that the EC speeded up the process so that we will be able to spend this money from January, without any delays," he said.

"But just as important has been the solidarity of the European Community in working together with UNHCR and other donors to help the Bangladesh government find lasting solutions for these refugees. It's clear to everyone that these people cannot go on living in refugee camps forever," he said.

With the backing of the EC and other donors, UNHCR won agreement from the Bangladesh government for significant improvements over the past year in the two camps, Nayapara and Kutupalong, which had been among the worst in the world, said the UNHCR release.

New shelters, being constructed for all the refugees with another grade added to the informal education system, and the national school curriculum is being introduced, it said.

BSS, Pabna

A cadre of an outlawed party was slaughtered by unidentified extremists at Dhaharjani village under Sathia upzila of the district on Wednesday night.

Police and hospital sources said being informed a team of police recovered the body this afternoon from a field in the same village and sent it to Pabna General Hospital for postmortem.

Officer in charge of Sathia thana Mahbubur Rahman told BSS that 10 to 12 armed extremists called the cadre Abdul Malek out of his father-in-law's house late on Wednesday night.

The extremists indiscriminately chopped and slaughtered Malek in a nearby field and then left the spot leaving behind the body.

Abdul Malek, son of Tajal Mondal of Faridpur upazila, has been living at his father-in-law's house since the marriage.

Police suspect that he might have been killed over an intra- party feud. A case was filed with Sathia thana in this connection.

BSS, Rajshahi

A court here yesterday awarded death penalty to two youths in the sensational Jamil murder case of Rangpur.

Judge of the Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal ATM Mesbauddowla found the convicts guilty under sections 302/34 of BPC and pronounced the verdict in presence of the convicts.

The convicts are Mehedi Hassan alias Razib, 30, and Shafiqul Islam alias Pappu, 28. Both hail from Keranipara area in Rangpur town.

The prosecution story, in brief, is that Razib had a family feud with his brother-in-law Zakir Hossain alias Jamil.

As a sequel to the enmity, Razib and his friend Pappu stabbed and spread bullets on Jamil indiscriminately on the night of August 6, 2006. Jamil succumbed to his injuries on the way to Dhaka Medical College Hospital on the same night.

A murder case was lodged with Kotwali police station in Rangpur on the following day against Razib and Pappu. Police after investigation submitted chargesheet, accusing the two.

After examining deposition of 20 prosecution witnesses and other evidence, the tribunal handed down the verdict.

Special Public Prosecutor Sheikh Jahangir Alam Selim appeared for the state, while Advocates Golam Arif Tipu and Asaduzzaman Mithu defended the accused.

BSS, Dhaka

The government will send Taka 50 crore more for the cyclone affected areas soon from the Chief Adviser's Relief and Welfare Fund for repairing the dwelling houses of cyclone victims.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed said this while receiving donations in aid of cyclone victims from different government institutions, private organisations and individuals at his office yesterday.

He said Taka 60 crore has already been allocated for the affected people from the fund as part of their immediate rehabilitation.

Expressing gratitude to those who donated to the CA's Relief and Welfare Fund, he said a portion of the donated money would be spent for the rehabilitation of the affected people as well as repairing their dwelling houses damaged by the Cyclone SIDR.

He said relief and rehabilitation activities are being conduced in the affected areas in a massive scale as the key objective of the government is to bring the victims in their normal life.

He said district and upazila relief committees have been conducting the relief operations in the affected areas on priority basis.

The Chief Adviser said the government is also working for long term rehabilitation of the victims to ensure a better life for the people in the coastal belt. In this connection, he said the government has sought cooperation from foreign friends and donors to implement the long term rehabilitation programme.

Secretary to the Chief Adviser's Office Kazi M Aminul Islam and Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim, among others, were present on the occasion.

Those who have handed over cheques of donation to the Chief Adviser are- Former Minister Habibullah Khan, Former Ambassador M. Mizanur Rahman, former secretary Dr. M Ayubur Rahman, President Uttara Sector-3 Welfare Association Maj. Gen (Rtd) M Abdul Latif, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Chairman of NBR Abdul Mazid, Chairman of Bangladesh Steel and Engineering Corporation Md Abu Jafar, principal of Chittagong Medical College Prof. Dr. M A Wahab Chowdury, President of TV Producers Association of Bangladesh Mamunur Rashid, Chairman of the University of Asia and the Pacific AA Moniruzzaman, Vice- Chancellor of Ahsanullah Science and Technology University Prof. Dr M Anwar Hossain, Vice-Chancellor of Asian University of Bangladesh Prof. Dr. Abul Hasan M. Sadeq, Principal Nur Mia Degree College in Chowddhagram, Comilla Md. Monirul Islam, Headmaster of Dhanmondi Government Boys High School Monzur Ahmed, Headmaster of Mostafa Kamal High School, Chowddhagram, Comilla Mohammad Mahbubul Huq, Chairman of Meghna Group of Industries Mostafa Kamal, Managing Director of H S Enterprise Ltd Mahbub Siddique, Manager of Nestle Bangladesh Ltd Mirza Golam Hossain, Mohammad Ferdous on behalf of Bangladesh Association in Florida, Principal of South Point School and College Begum Hamida Ali, President of Bangladesh Auto Biscuits and Bread Manufacturers Association Md. Shafiqur Rahman Bhuiyan and Convenor of Bashundhara Shopping Mall Shops Owners Association M A Hannan Azad.

BSS, Beijing

An explosion at a coal mine in northern China killed 40 people Thursday and trapped another 74 underground, officials said, in the latest tragedy to strike the notoriously unsafe industry.

The gas blast happened just after midnight at a mine in Linfen city, a big coal mining area in Shanxi province, the State Administration of Mine Safety said on its website.

"Thirteen miners have been rescued and sent to the hospital for emergency treatment, 40 have been found dead and 74 are trapped," the statement said.

No reasons were given for why the explosion at the Ruizhiyuan mine occurred but the administration said an investigation had been launched even as rescue operations were underway.

"We must immediately organise the police force, place the mine boss and other people responsible under detention, seal the mine offices and freeze its bank accounts," the statement said.

China's coal mines are among the most dangerous in the world, with safety standards often ignored in the quest for profits and the drive to meet the nation's booming energy demands.

The central government has previously spoken out against endemic corruption in the coal mining industry, with a particular concern the collusion between local government officials and businessmen.

More than 4,700 coal miners died in China last year, according to official figures-a fatality rate of nearly 13 a day.

Independent labour groups put the real toll at closer to 20,000 annually, saying many accidents are covered up.

The mine safety administration said the Ruizhiyuan mine had a license to produce 210,000 tonnes of coal a year, but no details were given as to whether that output was being exceeded, as is often the case.

One local farmer said residents were being kept from approaching the mine.

"The mine is locked down by all kinds of departments, including the police, no one can get near," said the farmer, who refused to identify himself after being contacted by AFP by phone.

Meanwhile, the official Xinhua news agency reported that at least 11 workers were missing after the entrance to an illegal iron and gold mine well collapsed in neighbouring Hebei province.

BSS, Dhaka

The embassy of Bangladesh in Kathmandu will organize four-day "Bangladesh Single Country Fair-2007" from today.

Speaker Subash Chandra Nemwang of Nepal will grace the opening ceremony of the fair as the chief guest, according to a message received here yesterday.

Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Minister for Home Affairs and Shyam Sundar Gupta, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies of Nepal will be present as special guests at the function which is organized by the embassy with Export Promotion Bureau of Bangladesh.

A high level Bangladesh delegation will be present in the opening ceremony. Thirty seven Bangladeshi firms will display a variety of products in the fair.

It is expected that this fair will further encourage cooperation between the business communities of the two countries and help accelerate the trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

This fair is also expected to generate a great deal of awareness and interest about the quality products from Bangladesh and the potential of enhanced cooperation between the two countries in trade and commerce, the message added.

BSS, Bogra

Industries Adviser Geeti Ara Safiya Chowdhury yesterday laid emphasis on expansion of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to reach their benefit to the remote areas.

Inaugurating a newly built help line centre here, she termed the SMEs as effective tools to reduce poverty and said such ventures could create tremendous job opportunities in rural areas.

With Deputy Commissioner Md Humayun Kabir in the chair, the function was also addressed, among others, by chairman of BSCIC Mahbub-ur-Rahman, Deputy Director General of Borga BSCIC Shankar Kumar Das and women entrepreneur Shahana Yousuf.

Geeti Ara Safiya Chowdhury said Bangladesh has a bright prospects of area- based industrialisation and this has to be materialised in line with the country's socio-economic context.

2-3rds of under-5 children die of

malnutrition

BSS, Dhaka

Adviser for Health and Family Welfare Major General (retd) Dr ASM Matiur Rahman yesterday said malnutrition in the country is responsible for the death of nearly two-thirds of children under the age of five.

Quoting figures from a recent research report, the adviser said breast-feeding could reduce mortality rate by at least 13 per cent of children of 0-6 months age group while extra food minimises the rate by six percent of the under-five children.

Although poverty remains as a major cause of concern, ignorance, unhealthy food habit and superstition are also responsible for malnutrition, Dr Rahman observed.

To break the vicious cycle of poverty and malnutrition, the health adviser said, steps should be taken to create awareness among the people to remove ignorance and superstition and change their food habit.

Dr Rahman was addressing a national workshop on Role of Nutrition in Bangladesh to Attain the Millennium Development Goals as the chief guest at ICDDRB here.

National Nutrition Programme (NNP) organised the workshop.

The workshop was addressed, among others, by NNP Executive Director Ranjit Kumar Biswas.

Under the NNP, the heath adviser said, over three crore people in 105 upazilas under 34 districts have been getting different types of nutrition services since July 2004.

This year, he said, 63 upazilas were brought under the NNP programme. The government has taken a decision to bring 60 more upazilas under the NNP network in 2008-2009 financial year.

The government has formulated a national strategy paper styled 'National Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding' and published it help to remove malnutrition from the country.

BSS, Rajshahi

Police, in anti-crime drives, rounded up 44 alleged criminals including a drug-peddler from different areas in city and nine upazilas of the district in last 24 hours till Thursday evening, police sources said.

Of the arrested, 18, including the drug-peddler, were rounded up from different areas in the metropolis while 26 others from nine upazilas of the district.

Police rounded up the drug-trader identified as Rafiqul Islam, 30, son of Nurul Islam with 10 bottles of phensidyl and 800 grams of ganja from Haragram under Rajpara thana in the city.

Traffic police lodged 32 cases under motor vehicles ordinance during drives against the non-registered motor vehicles and other document-related malpractices in different parts of the city during the time.

BSS, Dhaka

Adviser for Finance and Planning Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam yesterday said the information and communications technology (ICT) will play a pivotal role in alleviating poverty from the country.

The adviser, also in-charge of the ministry of post and telecommunications, and commerce, was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on "Multi-stakeholder partnership for building information and knowledge system for the poor and marginalised" at the Bangladesh Tele-center Network Mission 2011 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Convention Centre in the city.

Economist Hussain Zillur presented a keynote paper at the event chaired by Advocate Sultana Kamal of the Ain-o-Salishi Kentra. Discussants at the seminar included ICT experts TIM Nurul Kabir and Azhar Uddin Chowdhury.

UNDP's deputy country director Larry Maramis, ADB's country director Hua Du and Prof Zafar Iqbal spoke on the occasion as special guests.

Dr Mirza told the seminar that the use of the ICT will strengthen the participation of the poor in the free market economy.

Pointing to the role of the ICT in overall development of the country, he said it may also help develop human resources, diagnosis of diseases, management of ports and customs, and expansion of business.

The adviser said in the expansion of the ICT, the government is giving increasing opportunities to the private sector operatives. He also said the government has taken the move to set up an alternative optical fibber way to sustain unforeseen shocks.

Referring to regional cooperation in the expansion of the use of information technology, the adviser said the government has taken up an ADB funded project to achieve the goal.

He further advised the stakeholders to use the government and non-government installations in setting up tele-centres all over the country to spread the use of the system.

He said the government would favourably consider any request by the concerned agencies to use its outlets for the purpose.

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a discussion yesterday said people irrespective of class, party and creed should resist strongly the emission of greenhouse gases that are leading to global warming.

They also demanded of the government to campaign against global warming that leads to climate change, as the country would be seriously affected due to climate change and many coastal areas would submerge under the water and the incidences of natural calamities would increase in the country.

Bangladesh Communist Party (CPB) organised an open discussion on "Climate Change and Environment of Bangladesh" at its office in the city.

CPB President Manzurul Ahsan Khan presided over the discussion while its General Secretary Mojahidul Islam Salim, Prof Ashrafuz Zaman Selim of Dhaka University, Environmentalist Dr Abdul Matin, Dr Gul Hossain and N Rasheda, among others, spoke.

Critising the developed counties for enhancing global warming by emitting greenhouse gases, they said that most of the advanced countries were responsible for the emission of greenhouse gases and they should provide compensation to the affected people.

CPB President Manzurul Ahsan said Bangladesh was in most vulnerable position to face the global climate change.

He also said the climate change is a global problem, that was why all the countries would have to take steps globally to reduce the emission greenhouse gases and protect the environment.

Kazi Madina presented keynote paper in the discussion moderated by CPB leader Ruhin Hossain Prince.

Kazi Madina said, "We have to ensure preparedness by using our technologies to face the environmental disaster and to adapt ourselves to the changed situation."