The New Nation - Internet Edition

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

BSS, Dhaka

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

Flour in packet was sold between Taka 42 and 45 per kg in the ordinary markets, it said adding, the item was sold at Taka 41 in BDR-run open markets and Taka 35 in BDR-run sales centres. The price of one-kg flour in Kolkata is equivalent to Taka 22.41.

Coarse rice was sold at Taka 31 to Taka 34 per kg in different markets in the city. The item was sold at Taka 33 in BDR-run open markets and Taka 25 in BDR-run sales 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 73 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 BDR-run open markets. Price of onion was in other city markets ranged between Taka 16 and 18. The item is available in Kolkata at Taka 10.34.

The price of potato was Taka 13 per kg in the ordinary markets, while it was Taka 12 in BDR-run open markets and Taka 10 in BDR-run sales centres. In Kolkata, the price of the item is Taka 8.62.

Sugar is being sold at Taka 36 to 38 per kg in different city markets against Taka 34 in BDR-run open markets. In Kolkata, its price stands at Taka 29.31.

Salt is being sold at Taka 12 per kg in different city markets, while it was sold at Taka 10 per kg in BDR-run sales centers and Taka 14 in 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 110 and Taka 112 per liter in the ordinary markets, while it is available at Taka 108 in BDR-run open markets and Taka 100 to 105 in BDR-run sales centres. In Kolkata, the price of soybean oil is Taka 124.13 per liter.

Palm oil was sold between Taka 95 and Taka 108 per liter in the ordinary markets, compared to Taka 103 per liter in BDR- run open markets and Taka 94 in BDR-run sales centres. In Kolkata, the 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 on Thursday.

Friendly relations with S Africa to be strengthened: President

BSS, Dhaka

President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed have greeted South African President Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki on the occasion of the Freedom Day of the country.

In separate messages to the South African President, President Prof Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed wished peace, progress and prosperity of the people of South Africa.

The President and the Chief Adviser hoped that the friendly relations between Bangladesh and South Africa will be strengthened in the days ahead.

The President and the Chief Adviser have also greeted the Presidents of Sierra Leone and Tanzania on the occasion of the Independence Day and Union Day of their respective countries.

President Prof Iajuddin and Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin sent separate messages of felicitations to President Ernest Bai Korama of Sierra Leone on the Independence Day of the country and President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete on the Union Day of Tanzania.

In their messages, the President and the Chief adviser wished peace, progress and prosperity of the countries and hoped that their relations with Bangladesh would further be strengthened in future.

Prof Iajuddin Ahmed extended his felicitations to President Faure E. Gnassingbe of Togo on the Republic Day of the country.

In his message, the President expressed the hope that the friendly relations between the two countries would further be strengthened in the days ahead.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed also sent a separate message of felicitations to Prime Minister of Togo Komlan Mally on the occasion of its Republic Day.

World intellectual property day today

BSS, Dhaka

The World Intellectual Property Day will be observed in Bangladesh as elsewhere of the world today with a view to creating opportunities of generating public and media interest towards this important issue.

This year's theme of the day is: 'celebrating innovation and promoting respect for Intellectual Property (IP).'

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed issued a message on the eve of the day describing every human being as the source of immense potentials.

Keeping this in view, he underlined the need for creating proper awareness among all sections of the people by nurturing their merits to stimulate the potentials in them.

The Chief Adviser expressed the hope that all concerned would take necessary initiative for proper nourishment and development of human merit to help create a meritorious society in the country.

"I am happy to note that the World Intellectual Property Day will be observed in Bangladesh tomorrow and I wish a total success of the day's programmes," he said in his message.

Reunion of retired, active navy officers held

BSS, Dhaka

A reunion of retired and active officers of Bangladesh Navy was held in the Multipurpose Hall of Naval Headquarters at Banani here on Thursday night.

Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam attended the function as the chief guest, an ISPR press release said today.

Speaking on the occasion, the Naval Chief thanked all retired officers and urged them to build a heartiest relationship with the officers of new generation.

He advised the active officers to enrich their knowledge and gather experiences from the retired officers.

The Naval Chief proposed to establish a Retired Naval Officer Welfare Association (RNOWA).

Among others, former naval chiefs and presidents of Bangladesh Navy Family Welfare Association, retired naval officers and their spouses and senior officers of Naval Headquarters were present on the occasion.

Painting competition for children of pavement dwellers held

BSS, Dhaka

A different type of painting competition for children of pavement dwellers held at the Institute of Fine Arts (Charukala) on Dhaka University campus on Friday.

Concern Worldwide, an international humanitarian organisation, organised the competition to encourage the children of pavement dwellers of Dhaka city.

Prof Rokeya Sultana, a renowned artist and teacher of the Institute of Fine Arts, inaugurated the competition as the chief guest.

Nearly 100 children of pavement dwellers participated in the programme drawing pictures on the theme 'Moner Anandey Aki' (Drawing with Joy).

A Baul (folk) song programme and a magic show by Ulfat Kabir and Ruksana Kabir followed the competition.

Information and Communication Officer of Concern Worldwide Mitul Nasiruddin told BSS that selected paintings from the event will be put on display later.

He said general people would have a better understanding of pavement dwellers and their life through this programme held under 'Amrao Manush', a five-year project being implemented by Concern Worldwide.

UN chief to host food crisis summit in Swiss capital

AFP, Geneva

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will host a meeting of key agencies next week in the Swiss capital Berne to discuss the growing global food crisis, the UN said Friday.

"The global food crisis and the solutions that the UN can bring to it will be at the centre of the discussions" which will take place behind closed doors on Monday and Tuesday at the offices of the Universal Postal Union, UN spokeswoman Elena Ponomareva told journalists.

Ban will be joined by the head of the World Food Programme (WFP), Josette Sheeran, as well as World Bank head Robert Zoellick and the director of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation Jacques Diouf.

He will also meet Swiss President Pascal Couchepin and Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey in the evening, before travelling to Geneva on Tuesday to give a lecture at the UN headquarters on the Millennium Development Goals.

Rising populations, strong demand from developing countries, increased cultivation of crops for biofuels and increasing floods and droughts have sent food prices soaring across the globe.

The WFP has warned of a "silent tsunami" as an extra 100 million people who previously did not require help now cannot afford to buy food.

4 get death penalty in Lakshmipur

BSS, Lakshmipur

Four persons were sentenced to death in a murder case here on Thursday.

District and Session Judge AKM Jahirul Alam pronounced the verdict. The court also fined them Taka 20,000 each.

The convicts are Khurshed Alam Sagar, Korban Ali Liton, Mohammad Hanif and Anwar Hossain Jahid.

The prosecution story, in brief, is that the victim Mohammad Yousuf was killed by his nephew Khurshed Alam Sagar and others while he was returning home from Poddarbazar at 11PM on January 19 in 2002.

120 years of Ctg Port observed

BSS, Chittagong

Historic Chittagong Port, the country's principal seaport, observed 120th 'Port Day' yesterday with a brief programme pledging to maintain the current pace of productivity and development resulted from a massive reforms initiated by the present caretaker government.

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) observes 'Port Day' on April 25 each year as the port get institutionalised for the first time through enactment of Port Commissioner's Act in 1887 which was introduced on 25th April 1888.

The appointed Commissioner started functioning from the same year. The 3-day programme undertaken by the CPA on this occasion inaugurated yesterday morning through hoisting of national and port flag a top at the port bhavan and 3-minute long blowing of whistles at all stationery ships at port harbour.

CPA chairman Commodore Muhammad Faruq inaugurated formally the programme.

Other programmes include blood donation by the CPA employees at port hospital yesterday, serving improved diet to the patients at hospital and doa mahfil at mosques , temples and monastery under the jurisdiction of CPA yesterday.

CPA chairman will also brief the newsmen on the overall state of the port tomorrow.

The history of this port dates back to the 4th century BC. Chittagong was known in the 9th century onwards to the 15th century as 'SHETGANG' -an Arabic word meaning 'Delta of the Ganges' .

The old port in this part of the world had sufficient trade and was important enough to attract fleet from the Middle Eastern ports, China and other South Eastern countries.

During the 9th century, the Muslim traders known as Banik from Arabian Peninsula and Yemen started using the Chittagong port as their base port, then popularly known as 'Port Grande'.

During its activities over the centuries, the name and fame of the port reached far and wide. According to works of great traveler Fa-Hien, Hieu-en-Tsang and Ibn Batuta, the port of Chittagong mingled with the ancient civilization of the world.

The Chinese, Turkish and traders from Middle East and Europe used to trade with this part of the world through this port. In the year 1517, Joaoda Silveria , the first Portuguese captain reached the port with his ship 'LOPO SOANA' and the year 1526 marked the anchoring of vessels by Captain Caaz Penira at Chittagong.

During and after the Portuguese existence, Chittagong port emerged as one of the busiest and competitive ports in the Southeast Asia. From 1887 to 1910, only four jetties were constructed to handle 0.5 million tones of cargo annually.

After it's long historic journey, Chittagong port become the country's principal sea port which at present handling over 3 crore metric tons of cargo per annum. It handles 9.5 Lakh TEU's(Twenty Equivalent Units) of containerized cargo against the declared capacity of 2.5 lakh TEU's.

The Author of the book 'The history of the port of Chittagong', Mesbahuddin Khan traced down the history of the port into five phases- the Harbour era (before 1888),beginning of operation(1888-1900), transformation period (1901- 1947), reformation period (1948-1971)and new journey started from 1972.

CPA and Custom House sources said that Chittagong port contribute to earn yearly approximate 70 per cent of the total national revenue equivalent to Taka around 11,500 crore through export- import trade and it handled 80 percent out of the country's total export-import trade.

Statistics shows that it achieved growth every year and handles nearly 1800 vessels annually. It handled 9.58 lakh TEUs of containers while 3.08 crore metric tons of cargoes in 2007 which are 9.34 percent and 2.19 percent more respectively compared to the calendar year 2006.

The seaport witnessed a massive reform during 2007 under active supervision of Army-led joint forces which resulted in raising of both the productivity and dynamism to a great extent.