The New Nation - Internet Edition

Public-private partnership to treat cancer underscored

BSS, Dhaka

Adviser for Finance Dr A B Mirza Azizul Islam on Tuesday emphasised the need for public-private partnership in providing treatment for cancer patients along with creating preventive awareness to face the dreaded disease.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the prize giving ceremony of a lottery held by the ENT & Head-Neck Cancer Foundation at the Jatiya Press Club on Tuesday afternoon.

Former adviser of the caretaker government and vice president of the Foundation Prof Dr M A Majid, its secretary general and head of the department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery of BSMMU Prof Alauddin and board member Syed Abdul Muktadir also spoke on the occasion.

President of ICC-Bangladesh Mahbubur Rahman and treasurer Dr Abdul Mobin, among others, were present.

The finance adviser said the country has already been able to create health infrastructure down to the rural level and the share of the private hospitals and clinics is also on the rise in shouldering the treatment load.

But there is a great need for increasing the quality and coverage of the treatment, he said adding the ENT Foundation's efforts to bring cancer treatment to people deserves appreciation.

Since cancer treatment is expensive, he said there should be collective efforts by the government and the private sector to educate and create awareness among the masses about preventive measures.

The ENT foundation will play a significant role in creating the mass awareness, he said and assured all out government support to it.

Earlier, Prof Alauddin explained the efforts behind the establishment of the foundation.

He said the foundation is also providing rural clinical facility and they have recently held two field camps - one at Chunarughat and the other at Norshindi where they have treated the poor patients.

Later the finance adviser handed over the prizes to four top winners. The first prize of the lottery was Taka 25 lakh, the second Taka three lakh and the third Taka 75,000. The fourth prize went to three winners, each having Taka 10,000.

Prof Alauddin said the foundation has been launched with contributions made by individuals, business leaders, NGOs, various government organizations and other charitable organizations.

They are planning a second lottery to raise fund to consolidate the organization and expand its activities, he said.

TQM for improvement of public service stressed

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a seminar on Tuesday underlined the need for providing total quality management (TQM) training for government officials for improving the public service of the country.

They also called for strengthening the institutional capacity of Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC) to train public servants in TQM approach.

The seminar titled 'Improving Public Service through Total Quality Management' under the 'Project for Enhancing Capacity of Public Service Training in Bangladesh' was jointly organized by the BPATC and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at a city hotel here.

Establishment Secretary Abdus Salam Khan spoke at the function as the chief guest while Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Masayuki Inoue as the special guest.

Resident Representative of the JICA Nobuko Suzuki Kayashima also spoke at the seminar with Rector of the BPATC Abu Md Maniruzzaman Khan in the chair.

Abdus Salam said the TQM course introduced in the BPATC has so much of potential that it has been included recently in the 20-hour training for officers of the government.

Masayuki said it is time to initiate reforms in the civil service for realization of better services in Bangladesh.

Nobuko said TQM approach is an effective tool for reform- minded public servants to improve their services at their workplaces.

Professor Dennis Tachiki of Tamagawa Universtiy in Japan made a presentation entitled 'Delivering Quality Service in the Public Sector - A TQM Way and the Next Steps'.

The overall goal of the Project for Enhancing Capacity of Public Service Training in Bangladesh is to improve the quality of service delivered by public sector organizations through an approach of TQM.

Since the start of the project in January 2007, the BPATC has developed and conducted an action-oriented training programme on TQM tailored to the Bangladesh public sector and enhance its trainees' capacity.

Top officials attended the seminar.

Tk. 6 lakh donated for SIDR victims

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BGCCI) has donated Taka six lacks for the sidr victims of Bangladesh, a chamber press release issued here today said.

The BGCCI collected donations from its member firms like Picard Bangladesh Ltd, Bayer CropScience Ltd., Tootal Quality Resources Ltd., BASF Bangladesh Ltd, Kuehne+ Nagel Ltd., RH Corporation Ltd, Pacific Associates Ltd, Multi Freight Ltd, Computer Source Ltd., Kryolan Bangladesh Ltd, SW Shipping Ltd, New Asia Ltd, Omnitrans Interantional Ltd, Siemens Bangladesh Ltd, Pan Aviation Ltd, and ABX Logistricts (Bangladesh) Ltd.

Policy to project newspapers urged

Staff Reporter

Speakers at discussion meeting urged the government to form appropriate policy and take action for the protection of Newspaper Industry of the country, as crises grabbed the sector after the one-eleven.

They said the sector now passes its fragile situation. More than 150 newspapers' declaration were banned and excluded from the media list last year.

The speakers were addressing the meeting on the problems of the newspaper industry organised by the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) at the CIRDAP auditorium in the city yesterday.

PDP President Dr Ferdous Ahmed Quraishee presided over the meeting, while Naimul Islam Khan, Editor, the daily Amader Somoy, Amanullah Kabir, Editor, the daily Amar Desh, Shaymol Datta, Editor, the daily Bhorer Kagoj and PDP leader Golam Sarwar Milon, among other editors of different national and local newspapers, spoke at the discussion.

Matiur Rahman, Chief Editor, the daily Manabjamin, presented keynote paper.

The speakers said, downward trend of private advertisements' flow in the newspapers was seen due to recession in business sector arisen after one-eleven.

They said, the three key sources of the newspaper advertisements in the recent year were real estate and mobile phone operator companies and tender, but real estate and mobile phone operator companies were gravely affected in the situation arisen during the present caretaker government.

The rate of the government's advertisement has not been increased for 18 years, though the publication cost of the newspapers increase about 25 per cent last year. Decentralisation of the advertisement added to corruption and harassment, they added.

They blamed the government for not standing by the newspaper industry during its critical time.

Naimul Islam Khan suggested forming a committee to identify the problems of the sector and holding a national conference with editors, publishers and concern persons after three months to save the sector. The minimum price of newspaper should be fixed, he said.

The publication of a frontline a national daily was ended due to financial crisis and the existence of many newspapers is now on the verge of threat, they added.

Niko case Hasina, Khaleda not produced in court

UNB, Dhaka

The detained two former Prime Ministers, Sheikh Hasina and Begum Khaleda Zia, were not produced in the CMM court yesterday in two Niko corruption cases involving deals with the foreign oil company.

Another petition was filed on behalf of Khaleda Zia for bringing her before the court, as the previous plea of her counsel went in vain.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Golam Rabbani fixed March 12 for IO report but didn't pass any order.

There was no prayer before the court on behalf of Sheikh Hasina, who has already been on a stalled trial in a different graft case.

It was stated before the court that for the last 158 days, Begum Zia has been passing her days in a sub-jail. "There has been no inquiry in any cases and no charge sheet filed either so far."

"It is against the law to confine anybody in continuous process without showing any specific allegation. Moreover, she has been suffering from various illnesses, without proper treatment," her counsel further submitted.

The two former rulers were arrested under the ongoing purge in the interim period against corruption, particularly in high places, during their times in power.

Businessman shot

UNB, Dhaka

A businessman was injured in a gun attack by the assailants at East Kazipara of Kafrul in the city yesterday morning.

The businessman was identified as Asaduzzaman alias Asho, 30, son of Abdur Rashid and resides at 299, East Kazipara. Aasho is the owner of Maa Engineering Works, a hardware shop.

Police said a gang of miscreants, numbering 5, intercepted the way of Asho and fired two gunshots on his head and chest when he along with his nephew were going to market by a motorbike at about 10:30am.

Asho was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition. His nephew Omi, however, escaped unhurt from the attack.

Reason behind the attack could not be ascertained immediately. A case was filed with the Kafrul police station.

Outlaw slaughtered in Pabna

UNB, Pabna

An extremist was slaughtered by his rivals at Kashinathpur Noordoho village in Sathia upazila on Monday midnight.

The deceased was identified as Forman Ali, 30, a cadre of Purba Banglar Communist Party (ML Janajuddha).

Police said armed miscreants called Forman out from his house and hacked and slaughtered him taking to Sonakandi Noordoho field.

On information, police recovered the slaughtered body of Forman this yesterday morning and sent it to Pabna General Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Hakim made CAG

UNB, Dhaka

Ahmed Ataul Hakim was on Tuesday sworn in as Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh, replacing Asif Ali. Chief Justice M Ruhul Amin administered oath to the newly appointed CAG at a simple ceremony at the judges' lounge of the Supreme Court. Asif Ali retired from his services on January 1, leaving the vacancy in the country's top-slot accounting job.

Artist Kustermann to talk on Art for for Peace today

UNB, Dhaka

Famous German artist and peace activist Peter Kustermann will talk on Art for Peace at the Asiatic Society Auditorium here at 4pm on Wednesday.

Kustermann, who's name has been included in the Guiness Book Records, is an ambassador of art and peace. Several European countries have issued postal stamps in his honour.

One of his art works is now on display at the International Art Exhibition at the Asiatic Society Gallery of Fine Art, said a press release.