The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reshuffle at joint secretary level

UNB, Dhaka

A number of joint secretary-level officials have been transferred and given new postings in the latest reshuffle in the administration.

Joint secretary of Home Ministry M Mujibur Rahman has been made project director of Housing Project of Chief Adviser's office, project director (joint secretary) of non-government primary project AKM Amir Hossain made director of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation, OSD (joint secretary) of Establishment Ministry M Ershad Hossain made executive director of Nazrul Institute, and executive director (joint secretary) of Nazrul Institute M Abul Kashem made member Bangladesh Tea Board, Chittagong.

Besides, OSD (joint secretary) of Establishment Ministry Sarder Abul Kalam has been transferred to Textile and Jute Ministry at the same post, director of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) Ahmed Ullah has been appointed joint secretary of Education Ministry, joint secretary of Education Ministry AZM Shafiqul Alam made joint secretary of Home Ministry, director of Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) M Fajle Rabbi made joint secretary of Housing and Public Works Ministry, said a PID handout yesterday.

However, Industries Ministry's joint secretary Muhammad Mostafa made DG of Jute Department while DG (joint secretary) of the Jute Department Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam appointed DG of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, OSD (joint secretary) of Establishment Ministry Nasiruddin made MDS of Bangladesh Public Administration Training Center (BPATC) and DG of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy Kamrul Hasan made project director of Palli Pragati Project.

Hasina: hold polls soon, Hannan Shah urges govt

Staff Reporter

BNP Chairperson's Adviser Brig Gen (Retd) ASM Hannan Shah yesterday called upon the Government to release two detained premiers-Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina-immediately and hold the election as soon as possible to overcome the situation.

"Release the two top leaders taking the people in confidence and find out a safe way to overcome present crisis sitting across the table with political leaders," he said while addressing a discussion meeting at the conference room of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) in the city.

The meeting, organised by Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Kar Ainjibi Dal, to mark the Independence and National Day was held with MA Hannan, President of the organisation, in the chair.

ASM Hannan Shah said the present government has already lost its confidence as the people are passing through a tough time as they became bewildered due to price hike.

He asked the Government not to make country's people angry and suggested introducing OMS programme to sell rice in open market across the country.

Referring to the Chief Adviser's statement that the state of people is not good, the outspoken BNP leader held the present government responsible for the situation.

He said the Government has proved its failure in all sectors as it involved in unnecessary task rather than engaging in its own business.

Hannan Shah suggested the Government to refrain from game blame against political governments and carry on election work neutrally.

The meeting was also addressed, among others, by Bazlul Haque, MA Gafur Majumder, Abbas Uddin, Quamrul Alam Chowdhury, Gias Uddin Chowdhury and Zahed Ali.

Offshore Gas Biddings Petrobangla sticks to May deadline

Staff Reporter

Petrobangla is sticking to a May deadline for international oil firms to submit documents for offshore gas bidding because it is keen to press on with efforts to boost output, a senior official said.

The move comes yesterday despite requests by a number of international companies to extend the time limit for submitting the documents, which closes in the first week of May 2008, as per schedule.

"We conveyed to all our international bidders our inability as we are keen to begin exploration by October 2008, to avoid any delay in the total package of gas drilling in 28 offshore blocks," said a Petrobangla official.

Before the bidding, the state owned Petrobangla organised a two-day presentation on the energy sector attended by representatives of 28 international oil companies (IOCs), which ended on Monday in Dhaka.

Bangladesh, with 13.54 TCF of proven and recoverable gas reserves, is facing at least 100 million cubic feet of gas (mmcf) shortages a day.

The country now supplies up to 1,738 mmcf of gas daily against a daily demand of 1,833 mmcf, officials said.

"The demand is growing fast and we will face a crisis by the 2011. Before that, we must add more gas to ensure at least 7 percent economic growth," Petrobangla Charmin Jalal Ahmed said at a news conference.

Officials said the firms that bought documents and held talks included BP Plc (BP.L: Quote, Profile, Research), Cairn Energy (CNE.L: Quote, Profile, Research), Chevron (CVX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and ConcoPhillips (COP.N: Quote, Profile, Research), China's CNPC International, Japan's Nippon Oil Exploration, India's ONGC Videsh and Indian Oil Corporation, and Total of France.

US political adviser meets Oli Ahmed

Staff Reporter

US Political and Economic Adviser and Officiating Deputy Chief of the US Embassy Danny Louise yesterday called on President of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Col (Retd) Oli Ahmed at later's residence in the city.

During one and a half hour-long meeting they discussed different national issues including the ongoing political development and forthcoming election.

The US Adviser wanted to know from the LDP president about his party's opinion on the coming polls.

Col Oli Ahmed said, his party has urged the government to hold the election as early as possible as it believes in democratic process.

He said, the LDP must participate in the coming elections scheduled to be held by the end of this year.

The LDP leader expressed his gratitude to the US government for providing all-out cooperation to Bangladesh in difficult periods including cyclone of 1991 and Sidr last year.

He hoped that the US government would extend its cooperation in solving the present food crisis.

LDP Secretary General Prof Jahanara Begum was present on the occasion.

JU VC seeks co-operation for congenial academic atmosphere

JU correspondent

The newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the Jahangirnagar University Prof. Maniruzzaman has sought cooperation of the teachers, syndicate members and officials of the university for creating congenial academic atmosphere on the campus.

Since taking over charge of the vice-chancellor on March 25, Prof.Zaman has been holding dialogue with them to seek their support and suggestion for achieving this goal." We must keep the university free from violence and indiscipline", he stressed during his talks with senior teachers and senate and syndicate members of the university.

Talking to the New Nation university correspondent, the VC said he would give more emphasis on research activities and infrastructural development of the university.

Maintenance of peaceful atmosphere on the campus would also be one of his main task,he noted.

Prof.Afser Ahmed, former dean of Arts Faculty and professor of the Department of Drama and Dramatis, said the teaching community of the university should extend their all-out co-operation to the new VC in the interest of our seat of learning.

Food rationing for non-govt teachers demanded

UNB, Dhaka

National Front of Teachers and Employees (NFTE) yesterday demanded food rationing for the teachers and employees of non-government school, college, madrasah and vocational institutions.

They said the non-government teachers and employees need rice, pulse, edible oil and ata (flour) at cheaper rates as they are passing through a hard time for the current exorbitant prices of essentials.

"The government has little idea how hundreds of thousands of teachers and employees are living with their family members in this terrific condition. We urge the government to do something for them, or else, they won't not be able to survive," NFTE chief coordinator principal Kazi Faruk Ahmed said.

He was addressing a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the morning.

The NFTE also put forward 11 other demands, including 50 percent dearness allowances of their basic salaries and raising house rent to a logical level from the present amount of Tk 100.

Shafiq Ullah, Bir Protik dead

UNB, Dhaka

Valiant Freedom Fighter Colonel (Retd) Mohammad Shafiq Ullah, Bir Protik died of cardiac arrest at Combined Military Hospital yesterday. He was 67.

Colonel Shafiq Ullah left behind his wife, one son, a host of relatives and well wishers to mourn his death.

He was buried with full state honour at military graveyard at Banani after namaj-e-Janaza at Army Central Mosque, Dhaka Cantonmnet at about 1:15pm.

Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed, high military officials, and his relatives attended the janaza.

Lt General M Jahangir Alam Choudhury, Quarter Master General (QMG) of Bangladesh Army placed floral wreaths on his coffin on behalf of Chief of Army Staff.

Qulkhwani for late Shafiq Ullah will be held at IUBAT at 6.30 pm on Wednesday. All relatives and well wishers have been requested to attend the qul.

Col (Retd) Shafiq Ullah was the Commander of "E" company and No. 5 guerilla unit under sector No. 08 in the liberation war. He was awarded Bir protik for his valiant contributions in liberation war, said an ISPR release.

Yunus unveils clean water deal for poor

AFP, Paris

Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus yesterday unveiled a deal between his pioneering Grameen Bank and French group Veolia Environment to provide clean water to poor rural communities in Bangladesh.

The Bangladeshi economist also sought support from President Nicolas Sarkozy for creating more microcredit schemes to fight poverty, particularly in Africa.

"I wanted to make him understand how effective a tool microcredit is in helping the poor people, particularly the poor women, to take control of their own lives and pull themselves out of the problems and benefit the children," Yunus told reporters after his meeting at the Elysee palace.

After meeting with Sarkozy, Yunus sat down with top business leaders at the Elysee including billionaire Vincent Bollore and announced the creation of the new joint company with Veolia Environment.

Called Grameen-Veolia Water, the company will operate several water treatment plants in Bangladeshi villages, with the goal of bringing clean water to 100,000 people.

The project represents investments worth 500,000 euros (790,000 dollars).

A first venture is planned for the end of the year in the town of Goalmari, some 100km from the capital Dhaka, where clean water will be provided through drinking fountains, according to a joint statement.

During his meeting with Sarkozy, Yunus reminded him of the Group of Eight commitment to expand microcredit to Africa and said lending schemes could help the international community meet the UN millennium development goals of halving world poverty by 2015.

"In many other countries, particularly in Asia, many of the development millennium goals would be achieved but Africa is way behind so we need to focus our attention to African countries so they still have time left, so they still can achieve those goals," he said.

Sarkozy told Yunus that France would continue and step up its efforts to provide access to loans to the poor and noted that more than a third of France's African aid funding was now directed toward microfinance.

Yunus, 47, and his Grameen bank were jointly awarded the 2006 Nobel Peace prize for the pioneering programme of lending small sums to poor people who would not qualify for bank credit.

Last month, one of France's top banks, Credit Agricole, launched a foundation with Grameen bank to provide guarantees for microfinance institutions in rural and farming communities.

The Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation was launched with a 50-million-euro endowment.

New UK laws to tackle visa cheats come into effect from tomorrow

UNB, Dhaka

British visa applicants who use deception, withhold information or employ false documents to try to gain entry into the UK will face a ten-year ban.

The new law will come into effect from 1 April, this year, a release of the British High Commission said here yesterday.

Under the changes to the UK's immigration laws, which are being applied globally, the release said applicants who have previously breached UK immigration laws by staying in the UK illegally or working without permission will also be banned from coming to the UK.

Jon Verney, Head of Immigration Services at the British High Commission said, "Legitimate Bangladeshi applicants have nothing to fear from these changes and I feel confident that they will understand and share our desire to stamp out fraudulent applications."

He said "dealing more effectively with the minority of individuals who seek to cheat the system enables us quickly to identify and welcome legitimate travellers and offer a high quality, transparent and efficient service."

Across the world, Verney said applicants for a UK visa are required to provide digital photographs and electronic fingerprint scans as part of the application process. This identifies those individuals who have previously broken the rules in the UK or who have made an application under a different name.

He said developments in risk assessment and forgery identification have also made it far easier to uncover individuals who have abused the UK's immigration system.

Verney said "Across the world, the UK is committed to a firm but fair migration system. We openly encourage and welcome newcomers, travellers and visitors who enrich the UK culturally and economically and who play by the rules."

He said "to maintain this we need to be able to hold migrants into the UK to account for their actions if they do break the rules - whether that is overstaying their visa or attempting fraud or forgery. "

Verney advised applicants not to risk going through agents that offer to "guarantee" a visa through fraudulent means or by providing false documents - applicants doing this risk losing an awful lot more than their money.