The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Barisal

The historic Barisal Freedom Day was observed in a befitting manner here yesterday.

Wreaths were placed at the 'Trish Godown killing field' in the city yesterday under the banner of the 'Suicide Square of the 1971 Liberation War' in observance of the day.

A rally was also brought out from the local law college which subsequently assembled in front of the memorial plaque near the deputy commissioner's office.

Saima Jalil, spouse of valiant freedom fighter late Major (retd) Jalil, Manirul Hassan and Hasina Nazrul addressed the rally. Later, the local unit of Muktijoddha Sangsad brought out a procession in the afternoon.

The processionists paraded different city streets before terminating at the Shaheed Minar. December 8 is a memorable day for the people of Barisal. On this day in 1971, Barisal was freed from the occupation of the Pakistani Army.

The freedom fighters, in collaboration with the local people, had liberated Barisal district from the occupation forces on December 8.

Patuakhali, Jhalakathi and Pirojpur districts were also freed on the same day.

BSS, Dhaka

Begum Rokeya Day will be observed in the country today to pay glowing tributes to the memory of the legendary woman.

On the day, the nation will recall with deep respect the contributions of Begum Rokeya, who had played a pioneering role in the establishment of the rights of women in the subcontinent and promotion of education of the Muslim women.

President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed gave separate messages on the occasion.

President Prof Iajuddin Ahmed, in his message, said Begum Rokeya had made outstanding contributions for the promotion of women education and their rights, besides helping to remove superstitions in the then Indian sub-continent.

He said the books written by Begum Rokeya were still continuing to inspire the nation to stand against child marriage, polygamy and other social vices.

Paying rich tribute to the memory of Begum Rokeya, Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed said she had acted as the beacon of light to lift the women from the backwardness.

"I believe the ideals, works and thoughts of Begum Rokeya will serve as the source of inspiration for the women community," he added.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to develop three upazilas as models for promotion of women on the occasion of Begum Rokeya Day this year.

Paba of Rajshahi, Rupsha of Khulna and Sadar upazila of Sylhet have been selected to be developed as model upazilas through coordinated efforts of the government and NGO.

Besides official programmes, various institutions and socio- cultural organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to celebrate the day in a befitting manner.

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a seminar here yesterday stressed the need for increasing regional cooperation among the SAARC member countries in biotechnology research for utilising its potentiality in agriculture production.

"Though some memorandum of understanding (MoU) on biotech research between some SAARC counties have been signed but these are not enough, we need to do something concrete for enhancing the research," they said.

The seminar titled 'Biotechnology: A Cutting-Edge Technology for Agricultural Development' was organszed by the SAARC Agriculture Centre to mark the SAARC Charter Day in the conference room of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council (BARC) here.

The SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) member countries, including Bangladesh, yesterday observed the 22nd anniversary of the signing of the SAARC Charter with a view to raising awareness about this regional forum and its activities.

Agriculture secretary M Abdul Aziz presented the keynote paper at the seminar, while BARC executive chairman Dr M Nurul Alam was in the chair.

Staff Reporter

Air Slovakia has made its debut on Friday, as second European airlines, in Bangladesh, with its inaugural flight to Italy.

The airline, at present, will run one flight each week towards different European destinations while from January next year it will be twice a week. The airline is running its service with nine aircraft.

Air Slovakia authority on Friday observed the debut at a formal ceremony at Hotel Sonargaon. Civil Aviation Secretary Sheikh Altaf Ali, speaking on the occasion, welcomed the Air Slovakia saying, "I am in favour of connecting with different nations."

Former Secretary of the government Syed Marghub Morshed, Aero Speed chairman Abdul Kadir, Air Slovakia vice chairman Rikbl Sidu Rockyee and Managing Director Dabloo Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion.

Staff Reporter

A US Congressman sought support from his congressional colleagues to help Bangladesh recover economic losses caused by the recent cyclone.

US Congressman McDermott has urged his congressional colleagues to support the New Partnership for Development Act 2007 (NPDA) to help recover Bangladesh the economic losses caused by the Cyclone Sidr, according to a message received in Dhaka yesterday.

NPDA would eliminate tariff and quotas on all products originating in Bangladesh and in other LDCs, and provide capacity building support necessary to help the countries recover the competitiveness needed to flourish.

The Congressman made the appeal in the context of recent devastating cyclone Sidr that battered the southwestern part of the country.

"The United States responded by launching a humanitarian relief operation, but it would take sustainable efforts to help this vulnerable country recover," said McDermott, who introduced the NPDA in the US Congress.

NPDA would provide critical development assistance needed to help Bangladesh recover in part by eliminating tariffs on products that are exported from Bangladesh.

Citing the huge tariffs Bangladesh pays for its export sales to the USA, the Congressman said, "This unfairness is crippling a country that is already determined by the UN as a least developed country, and would continue to be an obstacle to economic recovery from Cyclone Sidr."

The Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington was working with the Congress, the diplomatic community, think tanks and private sector to gather more support for the Bill, the Bangladesh Embassy said in Washington.

BBC Online

Gunmen in Pakistan have killed three supporters of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto amid campaigning for January general elections, police say.

The attackers opened fire on an office of Bhutto's opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in a village in the south-western Baluchistan province.

The pre-dawn attack could be linked to tribal rivalries, police said. Violence is common in the run-up to and during elections in Pakistan, especially in remote rural areas.

The shooting occurred in the village in Naseerabad district, about 240km (150 miles) east of the provincial capital of Quetta, police said. "Unidentified men entered the PPP office and sprayed bullets on men sleeping there, killing three and injuring another," a local police officer was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency. Police believe the attack could be linked to a land dispute between two local tribes.

The death toll was later confirmed by PPP officials.

Bhutto returned to Pakistan in October after spending eight years in exile.

Her homecoming was overshadowed by two bomb blasts in the southern city of Karachi that killed some 140 people celebrating her return.

Pakistan's Army has said it has cleared most of the restive north-western Swat valley of pro-Taleban militants.

Troops were pursuing several hundred hardcore supporters of cleric Maulana Fazlullah in the region's mountains, the army's head of operations said.

BSS, Dhaka

President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed urged upon the country's surgeons to build patients' confidence in country's existing medical facility.

"The surgeons have to realise that a good number of patients go abroad for treatment and spend huge amount of foreign currency every year, which is not desirable," he said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 10th International Surgical Congress at Hotel Sonargaon here on Saturday.

Adviser for Health and Family Welfare Major General (retd) Dr ASM Matiur Rahman addressed the function as special guest. Congress president Professor A.A Ashraf Ali, chairman of the of the Congress Organizing Committee Professor TIMA Faruq, secretary Professor Feroze Quader, Professor Dr Atai Rabbi, and Professor Dr Humayn Kabir Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion.

Military Secretary to the President Major General Mohd Aminul Karim, Secretary Md Sirajul Islam and Press Secretary Abdul Awal Howlader were present.

Foreign delegates from eight countries including USA, UK, Japan, Singapore, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have also been participating in the congress. Describing the role of surgeons and physicians as paramount importance in serving the humanity, President Iajuddin said the service of physicians are unmatched in term of its merit and importance in saving valuable lives of the patients.

"The surgeons have immense responsibility to discharge their duties with utmost sincerity and dedication as their services is not only a profession but also a noble mission to serve the mankind," he added.

Professor Iajuddin underscored the need for improving the infrastructural facilities as well as ensuring quality of service and called upon the surgeons to keep in mind that most of the patients in our country are poor who cannot afford the cost of modern treatment.

"You know Bangladesh is a small country with huge population.

Due to this burden and consecutive natural disasters, Bangladesh faces manifold problems of providing basic needs including food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, education for her citizen," he said

In this regard he referred to the recent cyclone which had caused huge loss of lives and property. He said the government has engaged its all-out endeavours to overcome this situation.

President Iajuddin also hoped that the international congress would open a new horizon to exchange newer views and ideas through different scientific deliberations among the participants and thus will be mutually benefited.

"I think research and exchange programme on medical education in this region can play significant role for promoting and boosting modern knowledge and development of medical sciences," he added.

The President also handed over Asir Memorial Gold Medal to the chairman of the Department of Pediatric of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Professor Shafiq Hoque for his procedure as a surgical treatment for Portal Hypertension in children.

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a discussion meeting yesterday called upon all to stop using religion for politics and hold trial of war criminals.

Addressing the meeting on 'Trial of war criminals and misuse of religion' they alleged that secularism has been snatched from the Constitution to strengthen the autocracy in country.

The speakers said religion is being used as shield to frustrate the demand for ensuring rights to democracy, food and franchise.

Organised by the Combined Youth Professionals' Council (Sammilito Tarun Peshajibi Parishad), in collaboration of Dainik Bhorer Kagaj, the meeting was held at the National Press Club with Barrister Zakir Hossain, President of the organisation, in the chair.

Awami League Presidium Member Abdur Razzak said it is not possible to file a sedition case by any person or group demanding trial of war criminals. He, however, said that the nation is united for holding trial of the war criminals and anti-liberation forces and it is the Government's responsibility to form a special tribunal in this regard.

The AL leader called upon the new generation to get involved in demanding the trial of war criminals. Justice Mohammad Golam Rabbani said the trial of war criminals could be held earlier but it could not be done, as there was mistake earlier on.

CPB General Secretary Mojahidul Islam Selim said they want banning of communal politics in the country.

AL leader Prof Abu Syed said Bangabandhu had enacted the Collaborator Law to hold trial of war criminals.

Jatiya Party leader GM Kader said different measures taken by the BNP and the Jatiya Party, including making Islam the religion of state by his party were their mistakes, which lead religion into politics.

Prof Asif Nazrul said trial of war criminals cannot be done under the collaborator Act. He said it is not correct that Ziaur Rahman did not take measure for the trial of the war criminals. Shahriar Kabir said the state has to be separated from religion.

Among others, the meeting was also addressed by Col (Retd) Faruq Khan, Subid Ali Bhuiyan, Dr Arefin Siddiqui, Harun Habib, Rabiul Islam Kotwal and Subhas Singh.

Advocate Inaetur Rahim presented the keynote paper while Shamol Dutta, Editor of the Bhorer Kagaj acted as moderator.

Staff Reporter

The developed and rich countries should contribute 50 billion US dollars per year to a UN fund, as they are mostly responsible for increasing the level of Carbon-di-Oxide in the atmosphere, which is causing climate change.

Speakers demanded this on Saturday at a press conference after the launching of a book jointly organised by COAST and Equity and Justice Working Group (EJWG), two local NGOs, at the Dhaka Reporters Unity.

Speakers said the main element of climate change Carbon-di-Oxide is mostly expelled into the air by the developed countries, so they should contribute 50 billion US dollars in the UN Climate Change Adaptation Fund every year for payment to the LDCs as compensation.

They also said the rich countries should reduce emitting Carbon-di-Oxide and they should not create any pressure on the LDCs by imposing any condition on them.

The NGOs organised the press conference to raise these demands in the next Bali ministerial level conference from December 10 to 12.

The speakers urged the developed countries to handover the clean and green technologies that they invented to reduce climate change free of cost.

Chief guest at the conference Dr Muhammad Ibrahim urged the main leaders of the LDCs to take necessary steps to reduce the bad effects of climate change, otherwise the World would not be liveable in the next 20 to 30 years.

Dr Tofail Ahmed urged the Government to publish an annual research report on effects of climate change in Bangladesh.

HM Bazlur Rahman of EJWG presented the charter of demands in front of the journalists at the press conference.

Later the NGOs organised a human chain at the Manik Mia Avenue in 4:00 to 5:00 pm and the same programmes were simultaneously organised in 45 districts of the country.

UNB, Dhaka

Results of first year honours admission test of 'Ka' unit under Science Faculty for the sessions 2007-2008 have been published Saturday.

A total of 7587 examinees have passed in the test among 24,456 candidates, says a press release. Details of the results are available at Science Faculty Dean Office and university website-www.univdhaka.edu.

Candidates securing 1st to 1000th positions in the merit list will have to collect choice forms on January 5, 1001-2000 on January 6 and 2001-3000 on January 7. Interested candidates are requested to contact the Dean Office of Science Faculty for further information.

UNB, New Delhi

Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury paid a courtesy call on Indian Vice President Dr Hamid Ansari at his residence here on Saturday.

The Foreign Adviser thanked the Vice President for India's offer of relief and expression of solidarity with Bangladesh in the aftermath of Cyclone Sidr.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Liaquat Ali Choudhury and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty were present.

Earlier, the Foreign Adviser held a joint meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh along with other SAARC Ministers who were in New Delhi to attend the SAARC Council of Ministers' Meeting. Iftekhar conveyed to the Indian Prime Minister greetings from Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and "thanks for the offer of 500,000 tonnes of rice and the reconstruction of 10 coastal villages", which he said "fitted into the Bangladesh plans of massive coastal development as announced by the Chief Adviser". The Indian Prime Minister deeply appreciated the cooperation Bangladesh has been extending to India in international fora as well, which he observed, "contributed to the current excellent bilateral relations".

Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee was present on the occasion.

BSS, Dhaka

Both internal and international migration spur land tenancy in the rural areas as higher incidence of land purchase is evident in places which have higher concentration of migration like Chittagong, Dhaka and Sylhet Divisions.

A recent study by Bangladesh Development Study said that in rural areas, the sale of land was 1.3 percent of the owned land, compared to 1.7 percent in 1987-88 and land purchase, which was reported at 2 percent in 1999-2000.

It said higher incidence of land purchase than its sale indicates that the important contribution of migration to the transactions in the land market.

By purchasing rural land, the urban settlers and overseas immigrants become the absentee landowners and get their land cultivated by the resident relatives under tenancy arrangement.

The study also pointed out that 21 percent of the migrant households were moderately poor prior to overseas migration by the respondents. In the post-migration period the proportion of such households slashed down dramatically to seven per cent.

At the rural end it was found that the extent of poverty was much lower around 30 percent for households having migrant members than non-migrant households around 60 percent.

In addition the flow of remittances also improved the standard of living of the recipients and helped in improving the income distribution in favour of the poorer and the less skilled workers.

Contribution of remittances to households' income hovers at around 20 percent, which has increased significantly by about 8.1 percent per year during 1988-2000 when per capita income grew at 3.2 percent.

Moreover, decline of poverty is most rapid in Chittagong, Dhaka and Sylhet Divisions indicating important role of remittances in poverty alleviation as these divisions have highest concentration of migrants.

Continuous flow of remittances might have reduced severity of poverty in these districts. Between 10 and 19 percent of remittances is used to repay loans, one major source of funding the migration process.

Drawing on the size of remittances, existing estimates suggests that it takes more than four years to send remittances that can help keep the household out of poverty threshold if it is dependent solely on respondents' remittances.

Bush to visit ME

RAMALLAH: US President George W. Bush will visit Israel and the Palestinian territories from Jan. 9 to 11, a senior Palestinian official said on Saturday. After Bush hosted Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at talks in the United States last week, the White House said he would travel to the Middle East in early January. No venues or dates were given. Senior Abbas aide Saeb Erekat told Voice of Palestine radio that Bush's visit would take place between Jan. 9 and Jan. 11, following a trip to the region by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Dec. 19.

Hindu gods summoned

BBC Online: A judge in India has summoned two Hindu gods, Ram and Hanuman, to help resolve a property dispute. Judge Sunil Kumar Singh in the eastern state of Jharkhand has issued advertisements in newspapers asking the gods to "appear before the court personally". The gods have been asked to appear before the court on Tuesday, after the judge said that letters addressed to them had gone unanswered. Ram and Hanuman are among the most popular Indian Hindu gods. Judge Singh presides in a "fast track" court - designed to resolve disputes quickly - in the city of Dhanbad.

Absent at Nobel festivities

STOCKHOLM: The glittering Nobel Prize festivities Monday will be a little less luminous without the presence of literature laureate Doris Lessing of Britain, who at 88 was unable to travel to Stockholm due to ill health. But the other star of the 2007 Nobel season, former US vice president Al Gore who shared the prize with the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), arrived in Oslo on Friday.