The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS holds condolence meet for 4 employees

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) held a condolence meeting at the death of its four employees who died recently at the office room here Tuesday.

The employees died recently of various diseases are: Desh Priyo Talukder, Alamgir Hossain, Abul Basher and Anwar Hossain.

The speakers recalled with deep gratitude the services rendered by the deceased in their respective sections for development of the organization.

They called upon the management to immediately pay their dues for the convenience of the family members of the deceased.

Presided over by Managing Director and Chief Editor of BSS Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, the condolence meeting was addressed, among others, by former Managing Director and Chief Editor Gaziul Hasan Khan and journalists and general employees S M Zahurul Alam, Golam Mohiuddin Khan, Azizul Islam Bhuyian, Swapan Kumar Saha, M A Aziz, Kazim Reja, Reazuddin Khan, Afazuddin Mondol, Ruhul Amin, Yusuf Ali Mollah, M A Motalib, Badruzzmana, Prakash Kuhsum Barua, Shariful Islam Chy, Abdul Latif Khan and Awal Sarker.

In his presidential speech , Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury called upon all rank and file staff-member of the organization to be respectful to each other and demonstrate fellow feelings and amity as members of a single family. He assured that every thing possible would be done by the managements to help the family members of the deceased.

The meeting over, a special munajat was offered seeking divine blessings for the eternal peace of the departed souls.

Germany to intensify 51m Euro support to Bangladesh

BSS, Dhaka

Germany is planning to intensify its support to Bangladesh for the establishment of transparent, citizen-responsive administration (good governance) in cities and municipalities of the country.

This is the most important result of the government negotiations on German-Bangladesh development cooperation that concluded here today.

According to a release of the German embassy here, in the framework of a credit programme implemented with the Asian Development Bank, incentives will be created in the future for cities and municipalities to orient their activities to poverty reduction and to increase the participation of their own citizens in municipal planning process.

This, the release said, includes, for example, joint programs for investment in streets, public markets, and water supply as well as improvements in the living conditions in slums - measures that directly translate the reform process into benefits for local people.

A total of 51 million euros for the years 2008 and 2009 was committed during the just-concluded government negotiations. In addition to municipal development, measures to improve energy efficiency and to strengthen the legal and social position of women in Bangladesh will be supported.

Bangladesh is particularly affected by the results of climate change. In order to help prevent climate- induced harm, German development cooperation is supporting, for the first time in Bangladesh, a programme to preserve biodiversity and protect river banks in one of the large river systems of the country.

'Prices of essentials lower at BDR- run sale centres'

BSS, Dhaka

Prices of essentials were lower in the BDR-run sale centres and markets than those in the city's ordinary markets on Monday according to a BDR market report released here on Tuesday.

Flour in packet was sold between Taka 42 and 46 per kg in the ordinary markets, it said adding, the item was sold at Taka 43 in BDR-run open markets and Taka 35 in the BDR-run sale centres. The price of one-kg flour in Kolkata is equivalent to Taka 24.13.

Coarse rice was sold at Taka 33 to Taka 34 per kg in different markets in the city. The items was sold at Taka 32.50 in BDR-run open markets and Taka 25 in the BDR-run sale centres. In Kolkata markets, it is being sold at Taka 25.86.

Lentil (imported) was sold in different city markets at Taka 82 to Taka 84 per kg which is Taka 72 in BDR-run open markets, the item was sold at Taka 72 in BDR-run sales centres and Taka 77.58 in Kolkata markets.

Onion (imported) was sold at Taka 15 per kg in the BDR-run open markets. Price of onion was in other city markets ranged between Taka 16 and 20. The item is available in Kolkata at Taka 10.34.

The price of potato was between Taka 12 and Taka 13 per kg in the ordinary markets, while it is Taka 12 in BDR-run open markets and Taka 10 BDR run sales centres. In Kolkata, the price of the item is Taka 10.34.

Sugar is being sold at Taka 36 to 39 per kg in different markets of the city against Taka 35 in BDR-run open markets. In Kolkata, its price stands at Taka 29.31.

Salt is being sold between Taka 12 to 13 per kg in different markets of the city, while it was sold at Taka 10 per kg in the BDR-run sale centers and Taka 14 at BDR run open markets. The item is available in Kolkata at Taka 8.74, the report said.

The price of soybean oil ranges between Taka 106 and Taka 110 per liter in the ordinary markets, while it is available at Taka 106 in the BDR-run open markets and Taka 105 in BDR run sales centres. In Kolkata, price of soybean oil is Taka 124.13 per liter.

Palm oil was sold between Taka 97 and Taka 104 per liter in the ordinary markets, compared to Taka 103 per liter in the BDR- run open markets and 94 at BDR-run sale centres. In Kolkata, price of palm oil is Taka 106.89 per liter.

Hilsa fish was sold in different markets at Taka 250 to Taka 360 per kg yesterday.

Seminar on 'Stop TB strategy' held in AFMC

BSS, Dhaka

A seminar on 'Stop TB strategy' was held at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in the city recently.

Jointly organised by the AFMC, the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTP), Bangladesh, and the WHO, the seminar was inaugurated by Principal of the AFMC Major General Mohammmad Masud, an ISPR release said here on Tuesday.

Speakers at the seminar underscored the need for creating mass awareness against the TB at both the government and private levels. They also pleaded for free medicine and its easy availability to combat tuberculosis.

A total 90 officers of various units of the Armed Forces, all fifth years' cadets of the AFMC and 11 representatives, including a foreign national, from the NTP and the WHO took part in the seminar.

Consultant physician of the Armed Forces Major General Md Golam Rabbani declared conclusion of the seminar.

Netherlands raises Sidr support to $ 10 million

BSS, Dhaka

The government of the Netherlands decided to make an additional amount of US $ 1.6 million available for food assistance to the most needy because of the continued and crippling effect the devastating cyclone Sidr has on the most vulnerable group of victims.

This Dutch additional assistance raises the total amount of the Netherlands' support to Sidr victims to US $ 10 million, said a release of the Netherlands embassy issued here today. The just announced food assistance will be delivered through the World Food Programme (WFP)

The formal agreement to this effect will be concluded between WFP and the government of The Netherlands soon, the release added.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, the government of Netherlands commited and released an amount of US $ 8.4 million for emergency and to the victims.

Meet on demarcation maritime boundary held at Bangabhaban

BSS, Dhaka

A meeting on demarcation maritime boundary of the country was held at Bangabhaban on Tuesday in presence of President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed.

Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam, Principal Staff Officer of Armed Forces Division Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury, Military Secretary to the President Major General Mohd Aminul Karim and Chief of General Staff of Bangladesh Army Major General Sinha Ibne Jamali spoke at the meeting.

Secretaries of concerned ministries including Home, Defence, Foreign, Mineral Resources and Law Affairs took part in the discussion.

Secretary to President's Office Md Sirajul Islam and Press Secretary Abdul Awal Howlader were present.

Director General of Coast Guard and Director General of Legal Affairs of the Foreign Ministry were also present.

Deputy Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Mustafizur Rahman delivered a power point presentation on the maritime boundary at the meeting.

The meeting discussed the different issues of marking the country's maritime boundary with the neighboring countries under the UN Clause-III of 1982.

It also discussed the various difficulties and the way-out in Demarcation of the country's maritime boundary and collecting necessary data on it.

The President gave a patient hearing and witnessed the presentation and gave directive to foreign ministry to take necessary initiatives through bilateral discussion with the friendly neighboring countries as soon as possible, as the issue is involved impact in the country's sovereignty and economic interest.

Drastic actions

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a discussion on Earth Day, launched in 1970 in USA as a protest against corporate environmental misconduct, here yesterday called for taking urgent actions against all polluters, encroachers, poachers to help conserve the fragile ecology and environment.

Addressing the Earth Day discussion organised by Forum of Environmental Journalists of Bangladesh (FEJB) at its conference room here with its Chairman Quamrul Islam Chowdhury in the chair, they regretted that though Earth Day had helped USA and western countries to clean their air and water significantly, in Bangladesh both are now getting more contaminated risking the public health and sustainable development.

They asked asked the concerned authorities to update and enforce the Environment Conservation Act 1995 and Rules 1997 and take stern actions against rampant polluting industries which are the main sources of degrading land, waterbodies and air in the country.

The speakers also regretted that now Earth Day celebration has become a planet-hugging marketing frenzy for multinational companies themselves.

They emphasised the need for learning lessons of the Earth Day which has helped galvanise support to successfully fight smog and contaminated waters and said, similarly the environment should be placed higher on the nation's agenda as Bangladesh is already facing the adverse impacts of climate change.

They underlined the need for taking urgent measures for adaptation as well as mitigation to combat climate change and asked the development partners to compensate Bangladesh and other least developed country for their ( industrialised countries) per capita carbon footprints of dangerous greenhouse gas emissions.

FEJB vice chairman Badiul Alam, former vice chairman Anwar Hossain Manju, general secretary Mofizur Rahman, joint secretary Arun Karmakar, treasurer Hasan Hafiz, members Mrinal K Roy, Shahidul Islam Chowdhury, Aditi Rahman, Shamima Chowdhury, Kazi Shahnaz, Rosy Ferdous, among others, spoke.

No doubt about nat'l polls by year-end: CEC

BSS, Dhaka

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday reiterated that there is no doubt about holding of the national election by the end of the current year.

The new year, 2009, will begin with the installation of an elected government through a free and fair election, he said while addressing a function as chief guest at the multipurpose hall of Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) at Mirpur Cantonment in the city.

The function arranged to distribute certificates among the MIST students, who participated in the preparation of voter lists and national identity cards.

Dr Huda said the Election Commission (EC) is working to hold the polls in December 2008, and 60 million voters have already been registered to this end.

The EC has also accomplished other tasks, including redrawing of the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies, he added.

He said the huge task of preparing voter lists with photographs and national identity cards is being accomplished with the help of the army. He thanked the army and all concerned for their cooperation in this regard.

A total of 70,000 data entry operators have been recruited for the preparation of voter lists and national identity cards. They will be able to work as skilled manpower in IT sector in future, the CEC said.

Military Secretary of Army Headquarters Maj Gen M Shafiqul Islam and MIST Commandant Maj Gen Abdul Wadud also spoke on the occasion. Election Commissioners Sohul Hossain and Brig Gen (Retd) Sakhawat Hossain, and Secretary of EC Secretariat Muhammad Humayun Kabir were present.

A total of 353 students of MIST took part in the preparation of voter lists and national identity cards from December 1, 2007 to February 14, 2008. As mark of recognition to their service, they were awarded the certificates at the function.