The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

New executive committee of the 'Surya Sen Bitarka Dhara' debating society of the Surya sen Hall of the Dhaka University has been formed. Abdul Mohaimin Asif and Md Tarikul Islam has been made President and General Secretary of the society respectively for the session 2007-2008.

Provost of the hall Prof Dr Sirazul Islam announced the 13-member committee of the debating society.

Staff Reporter

Dr Kamrul Ahsan, the first Asian Secretary of the UK-association for Human rights has won 'CAE supreme international award 2007' and gold medal for mankind from the Corporation of Executives and Administrator.

He was given the award on December 9 on the 26th award giving event at the Sir Alexander Fleming Hall, Imperial College, University of London.

Dr Ahsan has been recognised for this award for his contribution to promote higher education and human rights in the developing countries.

Staff Reporter

A high level delegation of specialist doctors from USA will examine urology and gynaecology patients free of cost at the Ganoshastha Nagar Hospital at Dhanmondi in the city and Ganoshastha Community Based Medical College and Hospital at Savar from January 18 to 21.

Urology and Gynaecology patients are requested to enlist their names for examining and operations. To enlist names patients can contact the following telephone numbers 9673512, 8617208, 7708081.

UNB, Dhaka

Law and Housing Adviser Barrister Mainul Hosein has said housing projects would be approved as per land ownership to bring dynamism into the real estate business.

"The approval of any project without absolute ownership of land is not legal," he said while talking to the delegations of Amin Mohammd Foundation and BDDL at his Housing Ministry office Monday.

"As 'Power of Attorney' does not ensure the full ownership of a plot, so there is no chance to approve it as a project," he said, adding that the government wants to see real dynamism in economy where people's basic rights would be preserved.

Housing Secretary ASM Rashidul Hye, RAJUK chairman K A M Harun, chairman of Amin Mohammad Found-ation Md Enamul Haq and BDDL chairman Habibul Haq were present.

UNB, Dhaka

The government is going to exempt all export earnings, except that of RMG and Knitwear, from tax deductible at source system which is considered as 'tax finally paid'.

The government, in this year's budget, introduced the system for all export earnings at a rate of 0.25 percent.

But the export earners, apart from those of RMG and Knitwear, are facing problems to cope with the new system and entrepreneurs alleged that it would create a severe problem for them.

An NBR official told UNB that they are hopeful of amending the old system very soon through an SRO.

The government at a meeting of the Council of Advisors on Sunday approved the matter and the amendment proposal will be sent to the Law Ministry for vetting before the final approval.

The government initially decided to omit the 'tax finally paid' clause so that the exporters can settle the final tax during their overall assessment of the entire tax.

UNB, Comilla

Dacoits took away cash and other valuables worth over Tk 14 lakh from the head office of Warid Telecom in the town early Monday.

Police said a gang of bandits broke into the office of the private mobile phone company at Racecourse Rashid Manjil around 2am and took away cash Tk 4.75 lakh, scratch cards, mobile phone sets and other valuables.

A case was filed.

UNB, Comilla

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Sunday filed three cases against dismissed Comilla pourashava chairman Monirul Haque Sakku and 41 others.

Shaheen Ara Momtaz, ACC Assistant Director of Comilla, filed a case against Sakku and his wife Afroz Jesmin with Ramna thana in Dhaka on charge of concealing information on his wealth statement.

Another case was filed against Saidul Hossain, an official of Mineral Resources Development Bureau, and Sakku and his wife with Comilla Kotwali thana.

According to the prosecution, the accused caused a loss of Tk 3.30 crore to the government exchequer by illegally capturing 96 hectares of land on the bank of the Gomati river here since June 26 in 2002.

Besides, the ACC Assistant Director filed a case against Sakku and 39 BNP and AL leaders and activists with Comilla Kotwali thana, the same day.

According to the case Sakku abusing power illegally allocated shops of the under-construction New Market here.

Sakku, one of the 50 corrupt suspects on the second list published by the ACC, remained absconding.

UNB, Savar

Universe Knit Garments factory was closed sine die here on Monday amid labor unrest, in a chain of such demonstrations across the export-oriented apparel industry in recent years.

Police said the garment workers had observed various agitation programmes, including work abstention and staging demonstrations, to realize various demands, including pay hike, since last Thursday.

On Sunday night, the authorities met with local administration and workers' representatives to review the demands, but the meet finished without any fruitful decisions.

Failing to meet the demands of the workers, the management hung a notice at the main gate declaring indefinite closure of the garment factory at 8am Monday.

The notice also said the workers would be removed from their job on Thursday after paying off their salary and allowances as per the Labour Act.

"Hearing about the notice, some workers of the factory tried to gather there but left the place as police asked them to leave," sources said in a firsthand account of the incident.

A huge contingent of police was deployed in and around the factory to avert any untoward situation.

Dismissing the demands of the workers as "illogical", General Manager of Human Resource Department Major (retd) Habibur Rahman said the authorities had to shut down the factory as it was "not possible to realize all of their demands".

UNB, Dhaka

The mortal remains of Bangladesh Ambassador to France Ruhul Amin will arrive here tomorrow (Tuesday) by an Emirates flight.

Amin, 47, died in Paris due to brain hemorrhage on January 3.

The Foreign Adviser and the Foreign Secretary will receive the mortal remains of the Ambassador at Zia International airport Tuesday morning, according to a Foreign Ministry release.

UNB, Dhaka

A fast-track anti-graft court Monday framed charges of corruption against bigwigs like fugitive Harris Chowdhury, political secretary to ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, detained former Whip Ashraf Hossain, absconding business-magnet Obaidul Karim and another person involved in a luxury-car scam.

Passing the indictment orders, Judge Shamsunnahar Begum set January 10 for commencing the trial through recording depositions by the prosecution witnesses in the case.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case accusing Ashraf Hossain, Obaidul Karim and Harris Chowdhury of "illegally" selling and buying a tax-free car within three years of import under the special privilege of Members of Parliament.

According to the case, Ashraf's car was sold to Obaidul Karim, chairman of the Orion Group, who then offered the luxury vehicle to Harris, the then political secretary to ex-PM Khaleda Zia, allegedly in bribe to manage work order for Jatrabari flyover.

Harris and Karim have been hiding, reportedly abroad, since the army-led joint forces launched the ongoing operation against serious crime and corruption under the state of emergency in the interim period.