The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Bagerhat

Bikalpa Dhara president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury yesterday urged all politicians to come forward in aid of Sidr affected people as the main objective of politics is to serve people.

He was talking to newsmen on return from some of the badly affected areas.

The former President said his party had urged the government to declare the calamity as a 'National Disaster'.

He called upon the government officials and employees to properly utilize the money allotted for rehabilitation of the cyclone victims in a planned way.

Dr Chowdhury also urged the government to see that corruption does not creep into the rehabilitation work that involved huge money.

He advised the people in cyclone prone areas to store under the earth some rice, pulse and dry foods in their respective home yards in the event of great danger signal to meet the emergency. BDB secretary general Maj (retd) MA Mannan was present.

BBC Online

Snow storms in the central US have left at least 22 people dead and tens of thousands without electricity, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Hundreds of accidents were reported as far south as Texas, where there was a 50-vehicle motorway pile-up.

The storm has also felled trees and power lines and caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights.

More heavy snow has been forecast as the storms move into the Great Lakes region bordering Canada. The US National Weather Service has issued several heavy snow and winter storm warnings.

Among others, north-central Idaho, western Montana, and western and north-east Wyoming were expected to suffer fresh falls of snow and freezing rain on Monday.

Officials reinforced their warnings to people to stay at home. "I know it's the holidays but we hope people use some common sense when travelling," said Sergeant Chad Breuer in Wisconsin.

"There are a lot of people saying: 'Ill just leave that much earlier,' but still the roads are not favourable for travelling."

Multiple vehicle pile-ups closed major highways in the central states over the weekend.

In Minnesota alone, there were more than 300 road accidents and at least eight deaths.

At least 12 people died in accidents in Wyoming, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan and deaths were also reported in Texas and Kansas.

The fatality in Texas came in a pile-up on Interstate 40.

At least 16 people were taken to hospital, two with life-threatening injuries.

Many in the pile-up were holidaymakers, including families with small children not dressed for

the weather, police said.

The storm system had blown out to sea by Monday morning, leaving sunny skies in its wake, but new warnings were out along the shores of the eastern Great Lakes region in both the US and Canada.

Storm warnings for parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan were lifted but the authorities said this did not mean safer roads - with interstate routes still icy and rural roads even more dangerous.

In Chicago, around 300 flights were cancelled on Sunday night because of high winds.

Michigan Utilities reported that around 15,700 customers were still without power on Monday morning, although power had been returned to many communities.

AFP, Bethlehem

Christians around the world celebrated Christmas Tuesday as the Catholic leader in the Holy Land pleaded for peace in the Middle East and Pope Benedict XVI spoke against selfishness.

Iraqi Christians meanwhile celebrated a fearful Christmas in the shadow of suicide bombings and sectarian violence, while Christians from the Gaza Strip crossed a heavily-armed checkpoint into Israel.

Hundreds crossed the checkpoint clutching special permits enabling them to spend Christmas outside the Hamas-run territory.

In Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah said in a sermon for Christmas midnight mass: "This land of God cannot be for some a land of life and for others a land of death, exclusion, occupation, or political imprisonment.

"All those whom God, the lord of history, has gathered here must be able to find in this land life, dignity and security," he said, addressing thousands of Christians from all over the world in a sermon delivered in his native Arabic.

Sabbah, who last week said peace in the Middle East depended on Israel, reiterated that message in a less direct way on Tuesday.

"It is not up to the weakest to submit themselves and continue to live a life of deprivation; it is up to the strongest, to those who have everything in hand, to detach themselves and to give to the weakest what is due to them."

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas attended the mass fresh from last month's meet in the US city of Annapolis, where he formally relaunched the peace process with Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Palestinians hope the number of tourists and the income they bring will make it the best Christmas since the outbreak of the intifada in September 2000 and the building of Israel's massive barrier through the West Bank.

Pope Benedict spoke out against selfishness as he celebrated midnight mass at Saint Peter's Basilica packed with thousands of worshippers.

"Man is so preoccupied with himself, he has such urgent need of all the space and all the time for his own things, that nothing remains for others-for his neighbour, for the poor, for God," he said in Italian.

The leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics also spoke of degradation of the environment as thousands listened in the vast basilica and millions more on television.

Recalling Christmas homilies of the fourth-century Bishop Gregory of Nyssa, who lamented a "universe torn and disfigured by sin," the Pope asked: "What would he say if he could see the state of the world today, through the abuse of energy and its selfish and reckless exploitation?"

Earlier, the 80-year-old pope kicked off Christmas festivities by lighting a candle for world peace in a window overlooking St Peter's Square as this year's nativity scene was unveiled.

Midnight mass is nothing more than a memory for Christians in Baghdad where danger is ever present. The last was celebrated four years ago, before the American invasion in 2003. A mass is now held at dusk on Christmas Eve, and another on the morning of Christmas Day.

Several police cars were parked outside the church, in the Shiite district of Karrada. But checks on those entering the building were cursory to non- existent.

According to official figures, the Christian community in Iraq has slumped from around 800,000 in the 1990s to between 400,000 and 600,000 now.

In Afghanistan, Christmas menus and services were planned well in advance in Camp Warehouse, which gathers 2,000 soldiers from 15 countries in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force assisting the Afghan government.

In the Gaza Strip, married couples laden with suitcases and young children, grandparents and others struggled to walk on the long muddy path from the main road to the Erez checkpoint.

Many were hoping to pray on Christmas Eve in Bethlehem. Others were planning to visit friends and relatives in the occupied West Bank, Israel or Jerusalem.

Israel has imposed a total closure on Gaza since Hamas-a radical Islamist movement officially sworn to the destruction of the Jewish state-seized armed control of the territory six months ago, routing Palestinian moderates.

But in a special dispensation for the holiday, Israel granted permits to 520 of the some 3,500 Christians living in Gaza to leave until January 2 so they could celebrate Christmas and the New Year in Israel and the West Bank.

Cuba's Catholic church called in its Christmas message on Monday for changes in the communist country to meet the expectations of the people, days after ailing leader Fidel Castro hinted he would not cling to power.

Chittagong Correspondent

An unidentified person was killed and five others suffered wounds in a head-on collision between a truck and a human hauler locally called 'maxi' at Kumira under Sitakund police station yesterday. Police said that the victim and the wounded people had been the passengers of the human hauler.

The accident took place at about 6:15 a.m. when a cargo-laden truck collided head on with the maxi.

Critically wounded people were sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where the attending physicians declared one of them dead. Condition of Kamrul Hasan and Austomi Bala Das had been stated critical.

Police detained both the truck and maxi. However, drivers and assistant of the vehicles managed to escape the spot. A case was filed with Sitakund police station in connection with the incident.

In another road mishap that took place on Ramu-Cox's Bazaar connecting road claimed two lives apart from wounding four others.

Police quoting locals said that the accident took place at about 12:10 p.m. when a Chittagong-bound passenger bus rammed a Cox's Bazaar bound minibus from the rear.

The victims were identified as Songkor Pal (28) and Khaleda Begum (16), daughter of Abul Hossain. Police said that they died on the way to hospital.

Four of the wounded people were admitted to Chokaria Health Complex. Two of them are identified as Fatema Begum (18) and Rubi Akhter (15). They are the daughters of Abul Kashem. They were shifted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital later on.

A case was recorded with Ramu police station in connection with the incident.

UNB, Barisal

Export of Hilsha to India is set to resume on January 9 next after the expiry of a six-month ban by the caretaker government.

Yusuf Sikder, secretary of Barisal Fish Exporters Association, said the decision banning Hilsha export for six months was approved in a meeting of the Council of Advisers on July 4, 2007 and came into effect from July 8.

According to the decision, the export of Hilsha fish to India will resume on January 9, 2008.

A letter in this regard reached the Benapole land customs port on Wednesday for taking necessary preparations, Sikder informed.

He said: "We have already contacted Atul Das, president of Kolkata Hilsha Fish Importers Association, and he expressed the hope that if the exported Hilsha reach India before Saraswati Puja, it could gain a good market."

He added: "An average of 40 tons of Hilsha were exported daily to India through Benapole land port and 20 importing firms of West Bengal purchased Hilsha worth Tk 250 crores from us last year."

The volume of Hilsha export from Bangladesh was 3,414 metric tons in fiscal 2006-07 and 4,495 metric tons in fiscal 2005-06.

Yusuf Sikder further said the price of standard size Hilsha became high due to the rise in expense of catching, as prices of fuel and spare parts of the fishing trawlers increased.

The decision of banning Hilsha export was taken after an investigation team of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock submitted a report following visits to Barisal, Bhola and Cox's Bazar to find out the cause of excessive price of Hilsha fish.

The team was formed following media reports on high price of Hilsha in the local market during the peak season and sale of exported Hilsha in Indian markets at prices lower than the country of origin.

During the visits, the team talked to Hilsha merchants including wholesalers, retailers, exporters and importers, as well as fishermen and officials of the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry.

After imposing ban on Hilsha export, the price of Hilsha in local markets came down by 30-50 percent.

Meanwhile, Nur Muhammad, manager of Barisal BFDC fish loading and unloading center, said a framework and guidelines about Hilsha fishing and marketing, including export quality, quantity and price, would have to be prepared keeping in view the internal demand.

Such guidelines should be announced before export of Hilsha is resumed, he said.

BSS, Rajshahi

Speakers at a meeting here yesterday underlined the need for establishing a sound and friendly atmosphere for the disabled to ensure a dignified position for them in society.

"The disadvantaged community is an integral part of our society and we must give them an opportunity for enjoying all basic rights like other privileged sections in the country," they said.

They were addressing the inaugural session of the annual council session of National Grassroots Disabled Organization (NGDO) here.

In collaboration with the Action on Disability and Development (ADD), NGDO arranged the daylong meeting to discuss the ways for rehabilitating disabled persons in society. Additional Commissioner of Rajshahi division Asit Kumar Mukutmoni addressed the opening session as the chief guest with NGDO President Akhter Hossain in the chair.

ADD Country Representative ASM Mosharraf Hossain as the main discussant described the activities of ADD and NGDO.

Referring to the poverty alleviation through involving disabled persons in various income-generating activities, the speakers said the disadvantaged group must be brought under the existing vocational training programmes to enable them live a decent life like others.

They said the disabled children must be given equal opportunity in institutional education like the privileged ones, so that they could grow as worthy citizens and contribute their best for the country's further development in various fields.

The disadvantaged children need cooperation, not mercy, they said, adding that due attention should be given on mainstreaming them in the society.

The speakers referred to the government various effective steps for the welfare of disabled persons in the country and said all concerned in different spheres of the administration should make the best use of all facilities in the greater interest of these people.

In this regard, they urged the rich people as well as the philanthropists to come forward with their helping hands to help the government properly establish the disadvantaged people in society.

Director of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Khandaker Hafizur Rahman, Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Rajshahi University Dr. Tabibur Rahman Sheikh, NGDO Secretary Habibur Rahman and President of Disabled Women Parishad Umme Kulsum Ranjona also spoke on the occasion, among others.

A total of 36 councilors from 24 districts attended the council meeting.

Chittagong Correspondent

A girl died and several others suffered wounds in a fire that broke out at the cluster of thatched houses of Amin Jute Mill workers and employees in the city slightly after zero hour yesterday.

The fire also damaged dozens of shops and dwellings nearby. Neither the firefighters nor the local inhabitants could tell for sure the number of structures destroyed in the fire. A source of the Fire Brigade and Civil Defense, however, claimed that 294 semi-concrete dwellings, 19 grocery shops and two local offices of private voluntary development organizations (PVDO) were gutted completely in the fire.

Police quoting the neighborhoods identified the victim as Shahnaj Begum (12). She was a daughter of Mohammad Ali, a worker of the public jute mill. Firefighters believed that the fire might have originated from electric short circuit at a shop shortly after the midnight. It turned ferocious and spread over the adjoining shops and dwellings quickly.

Shahnaj who had been sleeping during the incident got trapped in the huge blaze and died instantly. Firefighters later recovered her roasted body and sent it to Chittagong Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Nearly a dozen fire engines from all nearby fire stations backed by locals carried out joint dampening operation and finally became successful in dousing it in the morning. "We packed up rescue operation at about 6:15 a.m.," a rescuer said. Officials though claimed the extent of damage above a million, affected people estimated the damage over five million.

Though a process had been in progress for framing a probe body to look into the incident, none of the sources confirmed it till the time of dispatching this report at 6:00 p.m. today.

Another incident of fire reportedly destroyed half a dozen semi-concrete dwellings at Maispara under Patenga police station early today.

Sources said the fire originated from a clay stove and engulfed the adjacent dwellings. Later, firefighters doused the flame at about 7:30 a.m.

ANI, Karachi

A team of international observers has arrived in Pakistan to monitor the January 8, 2008 general election.

The team sent by Washington-based International Republican Institute (IRI) started its scheduled visits to Sindh starting from Jamshoro district on Monday.

Initially the team met with Nawab Abdul Ghani Talpur, the Pakistan People's Party candidate for NA-231, Sehwan-Kotri, who briefed them about upcoming polls.

Talpur told the foreign observers that the PPP welcomed the most recent steps taken by Musharraf, especially giving up the uniform and removing emergency, and added that the PPP expected he would also hold free and fair elections.

He also feared there might be rigging as the caretaker government was partisan and the state functionaries were running election campaign of a certain political party.

Talpur told election observers that the PPP candidates from Dadu and Jamshoro districts have strong reservations over the state resources being used by the same party's candidates in these districts.

He also showed them a documentary proof particularly about political transfers and postings on the directives of the former rulers.

The team was also apprised of the fact that some close relatives of the caretaker ministers and even of Prime Minister were in the election run and who were being supported by the area DCOs and DPOs.

The IRI team consisted of Aoun Geoung Keyong of Malaysia, Kirsipy Keryo of Youngnda, Roseni of Singapore, Soumera of USA and Zulfiqar of Pakistan.

On the occasion, team's senior member Aoun Geoung of Malaysia said that the team was in Pakistan to look into the efforts being taken by the present government for holding free and fair elections.

The News quoted Geoung as saying that they were also meeting with the district Nazms, citizens and candidates to know their reservations and opinions.