The New Nation - Internet Edition

Leaders warns on biofuels and food: Corn grains drying in China’s Liaoming province

BBC Online

Two Latin American leaders have issued warnings about the effects of biofuel production on food supplies.

Speaking at the UN in New York, Bolivian President Evo Morales said the development of biofuels harmed the world's most impoverished people.

And President Alan Garcia of Peru said using land for biofuels was putting food out of reach for the poor.

Meanwhile UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown is hosting a meeting to discuss European policy encouraging biofuels.

Ahead of the meeting, Brown said that the UK should be "more selective in our support" for biofuels, which convert cereals into fuel. Campaigners say providing a renewable alternative for conventional fuels could help stop global warming.

Tackling hunger is a moral challenge to each of us and it is also a threat to the political and economic stability of nations

Gordon Brown

PM urges food price action

But as food prices climb worldwide, there is a fear that development of biofuels could reduce the production of badly-needed basic foodstuffs.

Ethanol production is on course to account for some 30% of the US maize crop by 2010, dramatically curtailing the amount of land available for food crops.

The EU has meanwhile come under criticism for its target of getting 10% of road transport fuel from crops by 2020.

The head of the UN World Food Programme and the chief of the African Development Bank chief are among those attending the London meeting.

Opening a UN forum on the global impact of climate change on indigenous peoples, Morales said that capitalism should be scrapped if the planet is to be saved from the effects of climate change. "If we want to save our planet earth, we have a duty to put an end to the capitalist system," he said.

Bolivia's left-wing president said unbridled industrial development was responsible for the pillaging of natural resources.

But, he said, "some South American presidents who were talking about biofuels but did not understand what they were talking about".

The BBC's Daniel Schweimler says this is a clear reference to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who says his country has enough land to grow food crops as well as plants to produce biofuels.

Last week, he rejected allegations that biofuels were responsible for the recent rise in global food prices.

And on Monday, Brazil announced a major joint venture in Ghana to grow sugar cane for bio-ethanol.

Lack of fund, manpower crisis hit health sector

Staff Reporter

Experts at a workshop in the city said there is lack of allocation in health sector in the national budget.

Budget should be prepared with the need of poor people and there must have community participation while preparing it, they said. The government should ensure proper medicine, equipment and necessary facilities for the poor patients in all clinics and hospitals across the country, they added.

Family planning programme in the country is being hampered often due to lack of manpower, said the experts at the concluding session of the workshop on 'Health and Family Planning Budget Monitoring: Tools and Indicators Formulation' organised by Development Organisation of the Rural Poor (DORP) held at BIAM Conference Room yesterday.

Hosne Ara Begum, Director (Finance) of Directorate of Family Planning, was present as chief guest, while Enamul Huq, Assistant Director of Family Planning, AHM Nouman, Secretary General of DORP, Apurba Chakraborty, Expert of Endangerhealth, among others, spoke at the concluding session.

Speakers urged the government to increase community involvement at upazila level in the country so that the service delivery system will be decentralised.

While planning of the national budget, allocation in the health sector was not properly made. The allocation of budget in the heath sector is disproportionate, they said.

Director of Family Planning said 83 per cent of the poor people have got family planning facilities from the government hospitals till now.

Manpower problem is the main obstacle to improve the family planning activities in the country, she said.

Experts urged the government to identify major health requirements, appropriate allocation of funds and optimal utilisation of available funds, supplies and use of manpower for positive outcome of the existing state of affairs.

At present, our health sector at the upazila level is deplorable and an effective mechanism is needed to find out the cause, they said.

They urged the government to ensure budget-monitoring tools before planning of the national budget as per the proper distribution of allocation.

Some 30 participants including journalists and upazila health and family planning officers attended the three-day workshop.

Siemens finance officer found dead

Staff Reporter

Chief Finance Officer of Siemens Bangladesh Limited (SBL) Berndt Lutkenhoener was found dead in the bedroom of his house at Gulshan yesterday morning.

Police said legal adviser of the organisation Omar Shahadat rushed to Berndt's home at Gulshan-2 after failing to contact him over mobile phone and found his body lying on the bed. Omar immediately informed a doctor.

Senior medical officer of the emergency division of Apollo Hospital Dr Kazi Shahidul Alam was called in immediately but he declared the German national dead at about 9:30am.

On information, police recovered and sent the body to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue. However, the reasons for the death could not be ascertained.

The SBL in an obituary note yesterday said Bernd Luetkenhoener, passed away on Monday night at his residence at the age of 53 only. He was a German national and worked for last three years in Bangladesh.

He left behind his wife, three sons, relatives, colleagues, friends and a host of admirers to mourn his death. Employees of SBL expressed deep shock at the sudden and unexpected death of Bernd.

The SBL employees also pray to the almighty Allah for the eternal peace of the deceased and convey condolence to the bereaved family.

Govt rejects wheat procurement on the plea of 'good stock’ in godown

Staff Reporter

The government yesterday rejected a proposal of procuring 43,000 metric tonnes of wheat on the plea of a 'good stock' in godown.

The Advisers Committee on Public Procurement rejected the proposal of Food Directorate at a meeting at cabinet division with Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam in the chair. .

The Ministry of Food and Disaster Management placed the proposal on behalf of the Food Directorate, in the wake of high prices of wheat flour in the domestic market, alongside price spiral of rice.

Finance Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam after the meeting told newsmen that the wheat stock in government storage is good. Besides, the wheat price on the international market is 'downward'.

"So, in overall consideration of the situation, we have decided not to approve the tender offer as the offered price of wheat was found to be little bit higher," he said. In the meeting the Committee approved a tender proposal placed by the Power Division to conduct rehabilitation works for the unit-4 and 5 of the

Karnaphuli Hydroelectric power plant.

The Japanese Marubeni Corporation was the responsive bidder, quoting Tk 139.97 crore for the works. Marubeni installed the plant in 1998.

Also, the Committee approved a proposal of the Industries Ministry for procurement of 12,000 metric tonnes of rock sulphur for BCIC fertiliser plants at a cost of Tk 91.61 crore.

The Committee, however, rejected a proposal of Education Ministry for appointing a consulting firm for its Secondary Education Sector Development Project as the proposal was found to have some flaws. The committee asked the Education Ministry to place the proposal again after necessary correction.

RCC identifies 202 laws for annulment or amendment

UNB, Dhaka

The Regulatory Reforms Commission (RRC) has identified 202 laws for review and scrutiny, which may ultimately be sent to the government for annulment or amendment.

A meeting of the RRC at its office yesterday approved the list of the laws, setting the reform body's work plan for next six months when its tenure expires.

"The laws deserve either annulment as redundant or amendment," RRC chairman Dr Akbar Ali Khan told reporters after the meeting.

He said the list has been sent to all the trade bodies for their review and seeking suggestions if the laws or provisions thereof cause impediments to their businesses and thus hampering economic activities.

"We've approved the list considering our capacity to complete within our tenure. It's not possible to look into all the laws within this short period," he said. The RRC has already passed half of its one-year tenure.

Asked if they could complete the task of reviewing so many laws with the next six months Dr Akbar said identification of bad or redundant laws itself was a daunting task. Once it has been done the review work has been distributed among groups. "We are hopeful of completing the task." The annulment of or amendment to the laws are to simplify and reduce requirement of time facilitating economic activities, he added.

Of the laws identified, the RRC today (Tuesday) decided to recommend the government to annul the Sarais Act 1867, which he said runs counter to the Bangladesh Hotels and Restaurants Ordinance, 1982. It will also recommend amendment to the ordinance.

Replying to a question, the RRC chairman said the reform body has so far put forward eight recommendations to the government.

Khaleda to endorse decisions of senior BNP leaders

UNB, Dhaka

Detained BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday gave her advance consent to whatever decisions to be taken by senior leaders led by party's secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain about BNP's unity and dialogue with the government.

Barrister Nawshad Zamir and Adv Masud Ahmed Talukdar stated this to reporters after meeting with Begum Zia at makeshift jail. The meeting lasted for nearly one-hour and 45 minutes from 5pm.

Masud Talukdar told UNB that Begum Zia would accept any decision to be taken by Adv TH Khan and Adv Khandaker Mahbub Uddin in consultation with senior lawyers regarding the High Court decision that discharged her writ petition about the election commission's letter to Saifur-Hafiz group for dialogue.

Begum Zia told her lawyers that sitting in jail she has already advanced some reforms in BNP and after being released she would initiate further necessary reforms in consultation with BNP leaders.

She enquired about the latest health condition of detained Awami League president Sheikh Hasina and urged the government to ensure her appropriate treatment.

The lawyers said the former Prime Minister also urged the government to give subsidy to fertilizer and fuel for the benefit of farmers.

DESA engineer held for taking bribe

Staff Reporter

The Rapid Action Battalion yesterday arrested DESA executive engineer Shamsul Alam Bhuiyan for taking bribe from a client in Kajla under Jatrabari police station in the city

The RAB-10 control room duty officer, Corporal Anwar Hossain, said a RAB team had arrested Bhuiyan in a raid on the Kajla power distribution office in Demra.

The RAB officer said, Abida Sultana Mitu, a Demra resident, filed an application with the office on March 22 to take a domestic power connection.

Mitu met the executive engineer after the power connection was not given as promised.

Bhuiyan demanded Tk 22,000 from her in return for a quick connection, the RAB officer said.

Mitu gave Bhuiyan Tk 10,000, but the connection was not given to her house. Mitu again met Bhuiyan and he demanded the remaining Tk 12,000, prompting her to inform the RAB about the matter, Hossain said.

Mitu assured the engineer of giving the rest of the amount on Tuesday and tipped off RAB officials of her plan.

The RAB members raided the power distribution office when Mitu was giving the money to Bhuiyan.

Fida’s Mother of India on record sale

Internet

A painting by one of India's best-known artists, Maqbool Fida Husain, has sold for a record $1.6m at an auction in the American city of New York.

The art work, titled "Ganga-Yamuna", was sold by auction house Christie's. It was painted in 1971.

Outside the venue, a group that lobbies for Indian Americans held a protest, demanding the auction be scrapped.

Husain has incurred the wrath of hardline Hindu groups in India for painting Indian goddesses in the nude.

In 2006, he publicly apologised for a painting in which he depicted India as a nude goddess.

Hindu nationalist groups accuse Husain - a Muslim - of hurting their religious sentiments by painting Hindu gods and goddesses in a "derogatory and vulgar" form.

The painter's work has been critically acclaimed worldwide.

In a letter sent to Christie's earlier this week, the president of the Indian American Intellectual Forum, a lobby group, warned of protests unless Christie's withdrew the auction of Husain's paintings.

The auction house rejected demands to withdraw the controversial artist's work.

Kataria's letter said MF Husain had gained "ignominy and notoriety" in India by painting hurtful images of Hindu gods.

Husain is one of India's most eminent artists Last year police in India's financial capital Mumbai (Bombay) began legal proceedings to seize property belonging to Husain.

The order came after he failed to attend hearings in a court regarding an obscenity case filed against him.

Husain is now thought to be living in the Middle East.

Correspondents say that his paintings are much sought after and some have been auctioned for fantastic sums.

He has even made two Bollywood films, although both bombed at the box office.

Husain is almost a cult figure in the world of Indian art.

The 89-year-old artist is a maverick who is one of India's most successful artists.

Govt-political parties talks should be transparent

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a discussion yesterday laid emphasis on holding a free, fair and credible election in the country with a view to govern the nation by honest and people oriented politicians.

The formal dialogue between the political parties and the government should be in open-minded and transparent manner otherwise it would be 'abortive', they apprehended.

They also called upon the Government to allow detained two key political parties leaders to participate in the dialogue for bringing a fruitful result of the dialogue.

"People of the country are highly desirous that the Election Commission (EC) would arrange national elections as per road map by December of the year," they observed at a round table discussion on "Government versus Political Parties Dialogue and People's Aspirations" organised by Coalition for Good Governance at VIP lounge of Jatiya Press Club yesterday.

Eminent political scientist Professor Dr Emajuddin Ahmed presided over and Feroz M Hasan, Chairperson of the organisation moderated it.

It was also attended, among others, by Awami League organising secretary Mahmudur Rahman Manna, former MP of Jatiya Party M Kader, former MP of Awami League Colonel (Retd) Faruk Khan, Politburo member of Bangladesher Workers Party Haider Akbar Khan Rono, Executive President of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) Mainuddin Khan Badal, Taleya Rehman of Democracy Watch and Morshed Ali of Communist Party of Bangladesh.

Mahmudur Rahman Manna demanded of the government to release his party's President Sheikh Hasina on bail for taking part in the forthcoming dialogue with the government. He called upon the Government to ensure Sheikh Hasina's treatment.

Terming the dialogue as important and crucial Professor Dr Emajuddin Ahmed said that many problems of the country had been solved in the past through 'dialogue'.

He suggested political parties to sit dialogue among them for removing mutual confusion before sitting with in the government.

Mentioning political leaders as key drivers for steering the nation towards peace and progress Professor Dr Emajuddin Ahmed said "Politicians are capable and authorized to make parliament effective,".

He hoped the formal dialogue between Government and the political parties would be meaningful and would pave the country towards democracy through holding a free, fair, transparent and participatory election.

Dr Kamal demands withdrawal of emergency

UNB, Dhaka

Ganoforum president Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday demanded withdrawal of state of emergency to make the long-awaited parliamentary polls meaningful.

"There is no alternative to holding the long-awaited parliamentary election as per the declared roadmap. State of emergency will have to be withdrawn for a meaningful election," he told reporters after pre-dialogue meeting with five Advisers at the state guesthouse Meghna in the evening.

Dr Kamal said the election will have to be arranged on the basis of national consensus. He urged the election commission to expedite its activities and complete its preparation to hold the election as per its promise to the nation.

The Ganoforum leader suggested the government to work more actively to free the country from various crises including food scarcity and price-hike of essentials.

CDA completes distribution of Ananya Housing plots

Staff Reporter

The Chittagong Development Authority has completed distribution on housing plots under the Ananya Housing Scheme.

Plots were distributed yesterday among applicants, categorized in 15 different categories on public lottery.

The lottery session was organised at the Chittagong Development Authority hall room on Monday, which was attended by Acting Mayor of Chittagong Manjurul Alam as the Chief Guest.

According to the plot distribution policy, all applicants were categorized in 15 different categories. They were Freedom Fighters, Armed Forces personnels, Judges, Teachers, Doctors, Engineers, Artists, Journalists, Businessmen, Non-Resident Bangladeshis and others.