The New Nation - Internet Edition

Toufiq-e-Elahi re-arrested hours after release from jail

UNB, Dhaka

Former energy secretary Toufiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury was re-arrested yesterday, hours after his release on bail in the barge-mounted power plant graft case.

Tejgaon police said they re-arrested Chowdhury from Panthapath area, as he violated the Emergency Power Rules by gathering his supporters over there and made anti-government remarks.

He was sent to jail after being produced before court in the afternoon.

Chowdhury had been released in the morning as the High Court granted him bail Thursday.

He is one of the accused in the barge-mounted power plant graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and seven others on September 2 last year.

Coal-based power plant in Khulna soon: Tamim

UNB, Khulna

Chief Adviser's Special Assistant for Power and Energy Dr M Tamim yesterday said the present government has a plan to set up a coal-based power plant in Khulna and work in this regard is progressing.

"Tender has already been floated for setting up a 210-MW power plant in Khulna," he said at a meeting at the head office of West Zone Power Distribution Company while discussing the power situation of Khulna region.

Dr Tamim said a similar coal-based power plant would also be built in Chittagong.

At present, some 3,900MW power is being generated daily in the country against the demand of 4,800- 5,000MW during the peak hours, he told the meeting.

Works on setting up a number of rental power plants are going on, the CA's special assistant said adding that upon completion of these plants by next May, power generation in the country would increase by 200MW. "Power generation will be raised by some 1,000MW by the end of the current year," he said.

Khulna Divisional Commissioner M Yunusur Rahman also spoke at the meeting chaired by managing director of West Zone Power Distribution Company Abu Ishaq.

The CA's special assistant earlier visited the under construction 40MW rental power plant at Khalishpur, Khulna Power Company Ltd. and 110MW power plant at Goalpara.

Meanwhile, Dr M Tamim inaugurated the boro paddy harvesting at Daulatpur in the morning and distributed the subsidy money to the marginal farmers against use of diesel-run irrigation pumps for boro cultivation.

Iftekhar concerned over Israeli killings in Gaza

UNB, Dubai

Foreign Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury who transited through Dubai on his way to lead the Bangladesh delegation at UNCTAD xii in Accra, Ghana, expressed "grave concern" at the news that Israeli military actions have killed 19 people in Gaza, including many children.

In a statement, he said "killing of innocents will only render a grave problem even graver."

The Adviser added "restraint, calm and a deep commitment to negotiations and peace are called for at this time, if the problem is to be resolved, and the sufferings in Palestine are to end." He concluded saying "It is the responsibility of the international community to ensure that."

SSC examinee among two killed in road accidents

UNB, Dhaka

A schoolgirl and an SSC examinee were killed and three other examinees injured in road accidents in Comilla and Barguna on Thursday.

In Comilla, an SSC examinee was killed and three others were injured when a bus dashed their auto-rickshaw at Shahidnagar area in Daudkandi upazila on Dhaka-Chittagong highway Thursday morning. Police said the Dhaka-bound passenger bus hit the three-wheeler at about 9:30 am when the four examinees were going to the Subal Aftab High School centre, leaving them critically injured. The four injured - Jesmin, 16, Fatema alias Kakoli, 15, Rabiul, 16, and Shanto, 15, - were first rushed to a local hospital and then shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where Jesmin died shortly after admission.

In Barguna, a schoolgirl was crushed under the wheels of a motorcycle in Khejurtala area of Sadar upazila Thursday afternoon. Witnesses said the speeding motorcycle ran over Sabina, 7, daughter of Masud, 7, of Betbunia village in the upazila and also a class one student of a local primary school, at the spot at about 2:30pm while she was returning home.

She was rushed to the Sadar hospital where she succumbed after a few minutes.

Local people after a hot chase caught the motorcycle driver and handed him over to the police.

Separate cases were filed with the police.