The New Nation - Internet Edition

Founding anniversary of Chayan Literary Club held in city

Staff Reporter

The sixth founding anniversary of Chayan Literary Club (CLC) was observed yesterday at Poet Sufia Kaman Auditorium of the National Museum in the city with festive mood.

In observance of the day, the CLC accorded reception to the eminent personalities and distributed gold medal and certificate among them.

Five eminent personalities have got CLC gold medal for their outstanding contribution to literature, music and social services. Of them, Mohammed Nurul Huda has secured gold medal for poetry, Momtaz Wadud for literature (posthumous), Nomita Ghosh and Monoranjan Ghosh for music and Bodrunnisa Pasa for social services.

Prof M Anisuzzaman distributed the gold medal among the selected person as chief guest in the function while writer Ali Imam and Makbula Manjur were present as special guest. Besides, Poet Lili Haq presided over the function.

The cover of poetry book on 'Oshab Kata Thakana Ekhan' of Lili Haq was unveiled at the function.

Later, a cultural function was held. A large number of writer, singers and intellectuals were present in the function.

New books for all pry students from next year

Staff Reporter

The government has initiated to distribute new books of all subjects from the next year among the primary level students where currently 50 per cent books are distributed by re-circling, said Rasheda K Chowdhury, Adviser Ministry of Primary Education and Women, Child and cultural affairs to the caretaker government.

She made this comments at the launching ceremony of "Asia-South Pacific Education Watch Report" organised by Campaign For Popular Education (CAMPE) at LGED auditorium yesterday.

The Government has planned to set up at least one disabled school at every district with a view to enlightening them as the disabled are the part of the society and they have the right to learn. Some more schools would be set up in public-private partnership as the students and guardians faces the shortage of quality schools in the rural areas. It is a major responsibility of the government to provide education to all to achieve the goal of 2015, she added.

The CAMPE initiated to sketch a report titled "Education Watch" in 1999 to publish the entire development of the education sector. This initiative spread out to the other countries of Asia and South-Pacific region and the policy makers of these countries showed keen interest to publish report in their respective countries. Ten countries of this region had already drafted the report.

The Bangladesh report is a status report in relation to the level and pattern of financing of primary and secondary education in Bangladesh by types and location of institutions and in relation to the economic condition of students' families.

The public funding per student in government school at primary level is Tk 138 per month and at secondary level is Tk318. this is too much low. But the expenditure of primary and secondary education requires more.

the report showed that the quality of primary and secondary education is not satisfactory and the drop out rate of students due to financial crisis is increasing day by day.

The report proposals: increasing public expenditure on primary and secondary education, improving the quality of education in both primary and secondary level, providing special support to the students coming from the unprivileged families, raising awareness among the masses about the importance of education and so on.

The programme was presided over by Kazi Fazlur Rahman, Former Adviser to the Caretaker Government while Tasneem Athar, Deputy Director of CAMPE; Rene Raya, lead policy analyst of Asia Pacific Bureau of Adult Education; Raquel D Castillo, Campaign Coordinator of Real World Strategies for Education for All, were present at the launching ceremony.

Police-workers clash” Over 100 injured at Savar EPZ

UNB, Savar

Over 100 people, including 20 policemen, were injured in a clash between garment workers and police at a garment factory at Export Processing Zone (EPZ) here yesterday.

Witnesses said the workers of Amra Apparel Ltd got furious and came out of their workplaces at about 11am, as the factory authorities announced a decision to retrench some of its workers.

As the tension heightened, police appeared at the spot and sat in a meeting with the factory authorities in a room.

At one stage, the unruly workers damaged the doors, windowpanes, computers and other valuables of the factory, and sprayed fire-extinguishing gas on the police and the factory executives, leaving two people unconscious.

They also put barricades on Kaliakoir-Nabinagar road, disrupting traffic for about an hour.

Later, police fired shots in the air to bring the situation under control and picked up three workers' leaders-Monira Begum, Josna and Salma-from the scene.

Bail under EPR: SC puts off verdict on HC ruling

UNB, Dhaka

The crucial judgment by the Supreme Court on a government appeal challenging a HC ruling over its jurisdiction to dispose of bail petitions in criminal cases under the EPR could not be pronounced yesterday as a judge fell sick.

Before the resumption of the court at 9-20 am, a bench officer informed that the scheduled judgment would not be delivered today, as one judge of the 7-member full court of the Appellate Division fell sick.

"The next date for the announcement of the judgment will be fixed when the judge returns to the court," the bench officer added.

Attorney General Fida M Kamal, who moved the government appeal against the High Court ruling, was present at the court.

On April 22 last year, a High Court division bench, comprising Justice Nozrul Islam Chowdhury and Justice SM Emdadul Huq in its verdict had affirmed that it has the locus standi to dispose of petitions by persons seeking bails in criminal cases under the stringent Emergency Power Rules.

The HC verdict came following an application by an oil trader of Khulna, Maijuddin Sikder, on March 29 last year seeking bail in a case, filed under the EPR, over adulterated oil supply.

Iftekhar tells UNCTAD: Climate change, food securitymust for developing world

UNB, Accra

Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury Sunday told the Ministers of the Group of 77 and China that climate change and food security have been the twin concerns for the developing world.

He said this at a Ministerial Meeting of G-77 took pace in Accra during the UNCTAD XII Conference.

Speaking as chairman of the least developed countries (LDCs), Iftekhar underscored the need for maintaining close relations between the LDCs and the G-77 as both sides represent the developing world.

"The LDCs are part of the G-77. For decades they have shared empathy and aspirations. They have been supportive to each other. They have championed similar causes. They stand together in firm solidarity," he said.

About food security, Iftekhar said the developing world is passing through a critical time. "We've asked the UN Secretary General to take initiatives himself to set up a high-level panel with eminent persons to examine all related issues for consideration of an international conference for addressing the crisis."

He also referred to a specific proposal he had made the previous day to the LDC Ministers, which was incorporated in the LDC Ministerial Declaration issued in Accra.

On climate change, he said the global phenomenon is affecting the LDCs mots severely. "Many face extinction. For the small islands of developing states and those with long vulnerable coastlines, it's a life and death question. Mitigatory and adaptation measures must be taken to counter these negative effects," he said.

He said in today's world the aspirations of the developing countries can only become a reality if the people from across the globe recognise that ameliorating the pains of some is the responsibility of all.

Dr Iftekhar later gave an interview to UN radio and was the keynote speaker at an event, 'LDC Watch', took place on the sidelines of the UNCTAD Conference XII.

2 alleged burglars lynched in Ctg

Chittagong Correspondent

Locals assaulted two alleged burglars to death here at the premises of an apparel factory at Baro Awlia hours before dawn yesterday.

Police identified the dead burglars as Mohammad Harun (28) son of Abul Monsur, and Jahidul Islam (31) son of Shariful Islam.

Police quoting the eye-accounts said that both the burglars came under the watch of the night guards of the Equity Readymade Garment Factory while cutting the grill of a window at about 4:30 a.m.

The nightguards raised alarm. Responding to the alarm locals from the neighbourhoods rushed there and caught the burglars red-handed. Frenzied locals assaulted the detainees mercilessly leaving both of them critically wounded.

Police rescued them from the hands of the angry people and took both of them to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where the attending doctors declared Harun dead, while his accomplice succumbed to his wounds shortly after admission.

Sitakund police recorded a case in connection with the lynching. None was, however, taken into custody so far.

Cylinder blast kills 2 ship scrappers in Ctg

Chittagong Correspondent

Two workers of a ship-scrapping yard were killed and two others suffered minor wounds when a gas cylinder blew off here at Shitalpur in Sitakund on Saturday night.

Police quoting the fellow workers of the victims said that a cylinder of acetylene gas exploded with bang while some of the workers of Namrin Ship Breaking yard had been cutting steel plates by oxy-acetylene flames at about 10:30 p.m.

The explosion killed two of the iron-plate cutters Zahed (31) and Razzak (28) on the spot while two of their fellows Munir and Quamrul -wounded.

Responding to phone call, police rushed to the spot and recovered the ragged bodies of the victims. The bodies were taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy later in the morning.

Two wounded workers Munir and Quamrul were released after first aid.

None of the ship-scrapping yard management could be contacted for their comment on the accident.

Police recorded a case in connection with the incident. No arrest has been made so far