The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh Railway has arranged special trains on different routes on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, a press release said on Monday.

It said a special train will run between Dhaka and Dewanganjbazar from December 17 to 31 excepting on the Eid day. The train will leave Dhaka at 8.40 AM and reach Dewanganjbazar at 2.20 PM. It will leave Dewanganjbazar at 3 pm to arrive at Dhaka at 10.05 PM.

The Balaka Express running between Dhaka and Mymensingh will operate up to Jamalpur from December 18 to 20.

Two special trains will ply Chittagong-Chandpur-Chittagong route from December 17 to 31 except for the Eid day.

Of them, special train-1 will leave Chittagong at 1.30 PM and reach Chandpur at 6-50 PM. It will depart from Chandpur at 3AM and arrive at Chittagong at 9 AM.

Special train-2 will leave Chittagong at 4 PM to reach Chandpur at 9.25 PM. The train will depart from Chandpur at 6 AM to reach Chittagong at 12.45 PM.

Besides, all Inter-City trains will run on the weekly holidays from December 16 to 31 barring the Eid day. Additional compartments will be added to all Inter-City, Mail Express and local trains.

UNB, Dhaka

Eastern Bank Ltd has donated 32 cartons of clothes for the Sidr-victims.

Eastern Bank Managing Director Ali Reza formally handed over the relief goods to Chairman of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society Professor Dr M Abdur Rab at the society office on Monday morning. Professor Abdur Rab thanked the bank officials for their humanitarian efforts and urged the affluent people in the society to come forward and stand beside the poor and needy people, said a press release.

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh will get Japanese loan assistance of US$ 324 million, approximately Tk 21 billion, for implementing three projects.

To this effect, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Masayuki Inoue and Secretary, Economic Relations Division (ERD), M Aminul Islam Bhuiyan will sign an Exchange of Notes at the ERD tomorrow (Tuesday), said a Japan Embassy release.

Under the agreement, the Government of Japan will provide the loan assistance to the Government of Bangladesh through Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for the implementation of the projects.

The projects are : New Haripur Power Plant (360 MW) Development Project (Part I), Dhaka-Chittagong Railway Development Project and Small Scale Water Resources Development Project. The conditions of the loan are the most generous. The interest rate is 0.01% per annum and the repayment period is 40 years inclusive of 10-year grace period for the three loans.

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed Monday said relief operation is taking an institutional shape in the country and the ongoing relief activities in the cyclone-affected areas are being carried out properly.

He said rice is being distributed through 26 lakh VGF cards among 26 lakh distressed families in the cyclone-battered areas. The Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme will continue for four months from December to March.

The Chief Adviser said this while receiving donations for the CA's Relief and Welfare Fund from individuals and organisations at his office.

He said works on infrastructure rehabilitation is going on and power supply in all the affected upazilas, except Morolganj, has been restored. Restoration of electricity supply in the rest upazila will be possible next week.

He said it will take some time to overcome the losses and damages caused by Cyclone Sidr, but the process is on.

Referring to his appeal to international development partners for cooperation in rehabilitation works, the Chief Adviser hoped that the government would soon start the programme.

Thanking the donors of the CA's Relief Fund for their contributions, he said it's a matter of pride for the nation the way assistance coming from different ways at this national catastrophic situation. Those today handed over cheques to the CA include ex-IGP and president Bangladesh Retired Police Officers' Welfare Association ABMG Kibria, chairman Atlas Bangladesh Ltd M Abu Zafar, national cricket captain Md Ashraful on behalf of Bangladesh National Cricket Team, CEO and branch manager Goodman Co Ltd Bangladesh Park Dae Chun, president of Japanese Commerce and Industry Association in Dhaka Takao Kobayashi, secretary general of Bangladesh Poverty and Health Development Centre Rusel Ahmed, president of Dhaka Motor Parts Traders Welfare Association Fazlul Huq Mintu, president of Keraniganj Garments Traders and Shop Owners Cooperative Society Md Anwar Hossian and Bilkis Khanam of Lake Circus Kalabagan, Dhaka.

UNB, Dhaka

Owners of shops, markets, shopping malls and other commercial establishments will have to pay overtime allowance to their workers and employees for extra duties for the two-week period before Eid-ul-Azha.

The shop workers and employees will also be entitled to compensatory leave as per rules, said a PID handout quoting a notification of the Factories and Establishments Inspection Directorate.

BSS, Dhaka

The government has taken an initiative to build one thousand more cyclone shelters to protect the life and property of people living in the coastal areas, officials said.

An inter- ministerial meeting was held yesterday in this connection at the disaster management ministry committee room with food and disaster management secretary Dr Mohammad Ayub Mia.

The meeting was attended by officials from the education, primary and mass education, public works, fisheries and livestock, meteorological department, red crescent society and disaster management bureau.

The meeting was informed that in 1992 a committee headed by Professor Jamilur Reza Choudhury recommended for construction of 3500 cyclone shelters in the coastal areas. Two thousand cyclone shelters were built following the recommendation.

The food and disaster management secretary told BSS that only 1800 cyclone shelters out of the 2000 remain in good condition and the rest have either disappeared due to river erosion or have been damaged.

He said after detailed discussions at the meeting two committees were formed for the construction of new cyclone shelters.

A technical committee headed by the chief engineer of the public works ministry and another committee on site selection, headed by Abdul Bari Khan, additional secretary of the food and disaster management ministry have been formed. The committees will submit their reports by December.

Dr Ayub Mia further said the food and disaster management ministry has sent a project proposal for construction of 500 cyclone shelters to the planning commission for it's approval. Primary and mass education ministry will also construct 500 cyclone shelters . All the cyclone shelters will have the same design, he added.

He further said the local government engineering department and some NGOs have expressed their interest to build some cyclone shelters. The number of which would be known soon, the secretary added.

BSS, Chittagong

Huge quantities of wheat were damaged in a devastating fire at a godown in Bayezeed Bostami area in the city on Sunday night.

Fire Brigade sources said the fire originated from a cigarette near the godown of Asif Steel Re-roling Mills on yesterday evening and it soon engulfed the entire storehouse located near the re-rolling mills site.

Fire Brigade personnel brought the flame under control with the help of local people at 11.30 pm on Sunday night.

The estimated value of the damaged wheat is Taka 6 lakh, the sources said.

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has announced programmes to observe the Martyred Intellectuals' Day on December 14, and the great Victory Day on December 16.

On December 14, the BNP will hoist the party flag half-mast at the party office early in the morning and place wreath at Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals' Graveyard at 9 am, said a press release on Monday.

A discussion meeting will be held at 66 Kakrail at 3 pm on December 15.

On December 16, the national flag and party flag will be hoisted at the BNP office early in the morning, and the BNP leaders will place wreath at the National Mausoleum at Savar at 7 am.

Then the BNP leaders will place wreath and offer fateha at the mazar of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, the proclaimer of country's independence, at 9 am, the press release said.

BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain and other central leaders will take part in those programmes, says the release signed by acting BNP office secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. BNP leaders, workers and supporters have been requested to be present at those programmes.

Besides, the BNP leaders and activists have been requested to hold milad mahfils across the country on the Intellectuals' Day and Victory Day, added the press release.

UNB, Dhaka

Members of the National Moon Sighting Committee will meet on Tuesday o n sighting moon for the month of Jilhajj and fixing the date of Eid-ul-Ajha.

Committee Chairman and Religious Affairs Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Dr ASM Matiur Rahman will preside over the meeting, to be held at the conference room of Islamic Foundation, Bangladesh at 6pm said a press release.

People have been requested to contact the foundation if the moon is sighted anywhere in the country.

The phone numbers are : 9559493, 9559643, 9556407, 9558337, 9555951 and 9555947 or 02-9563397 (fax).

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh and Switzerland have signed an agreement for Avoidance of Double Taxation.

Ambassador of Switzerland in Bangladesh Dora Rapold and Chairman of National Board of Revenue (NBR) of Bangladesh Muhammad Abdul Mazid signed the agreement on behalf of their respective states at NBR Conference Room in Dhaka yesterday (Monday).

After signing the agreement, Ambassador Dora Rapold expressed the hope that imports from Bangladesh to Switzerland would increase further through the signing of 'Avoidance of Double Taxation' agreement.

Over the last years, economic and trade relations between Switzerland and Bangladesh have been expanding and deepening. The signing of the agreement marks an important landmark in bilateral economic cooperation. The treaty is expected to contribute to favourable conditions for Swiss investments in Bangladesh.

A number of large Swiss companies have investments in Bangladesh since independence in different sectors such as pharmaceuticals, food and diary, cement etc. Swiss Investment in Bangladesh now stands at US$118 million, according to the Board of Investment. In total, around 100 Swiss companies are represented by themselves or by agents in Bangladesh.

Trade between Switzerland and Bangladesh is increasing. In 2006, Bangladesh export to Switzerland was $118 million and Swiss export to Bangladesh was $107 million, according to official Swiss figures.

A business body called 'Switzerland Bangladesh Business Forum' (SBBF) was formed in Dhaka in 2004 to facilitate trade and investment cooperation. Currently, the forum has 32 members.

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a meeting yesterday emphasised the need for mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS and raising awareness to prevent the deadly disease.

Bangladesh Centre for Communication Programs (BCCP) in collaboration with the Daily Samakal organised the meeting titled " Sensitisation meeting on HIV and AIDS mainstreaming" at the CIRDAP Auditorium. Concern Worldwide supported the programme.

Speakers said HIV does not respect status, income, education or religion. It is a threat to everyone. AIDS has caused more deaths than all the wars in the last century more combined.

They emphasised on mainstreaming of HIV and AIDS for addressing vulnerabilities to HIV infections to avert potential negative impact. It is also essential for implementing multisectoral responses to HIV and AIDS.

The speakers said media can play vital role to prevent the disease.

Country Director of Concern Worldwide Kieron Crawley, Deputy Editor of The Daily Samakal Mozammel Hossain, Joint Secretary of Ministry of Information Kamal Uddin Ahmed, Dr Zeenat Sultan, Dr Nahid Ahmed Chowdhury, Assistant Editor of The Daily Samakal Ajoy Das Gupta spoke, among others, on the occasion.