The New Nation - Internet Edition

Talks with Tata resumes today

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh's military-backed government will reopen negotiations with Indian conglomerate Tata on Sunday on the group's record three-billion-dollar investment plan, officials said.

Senior Tata officials led by its executive director Alan Rosling will meet top government bureaucrats nearly two years after the conglomerate postponed what would be the biggest single foreign investment in Bangladesh.

The Indian salt-to-telecoms giant offered to build a steel plant, two power plants, a fertiliser plant and a coal mine back in 2006, after upgrading a 2004 plan.

Bangladesh Investment Board Chief Kamaluddin Ahmed confirmed the talks, but refused to provide agenda details.

A Tata official said the Group was encouraged by "positive indications" from the Dhaka government.

Ban on indoor politics outside Dhaka to be lifted

BSS, Rajshahi

Home Adviser Major General (Retd) MA Matin here yesterday said, the matter for lifting ban on the indoor politics across the country outside the capital Dhaka is under active consideration of the government.

In this context, he reiterated that the government had earlier lifted the ban on indoor politics in the capital Dhaka aimed at creating congenial atmosphere for holding dialogue between the Election Commission (EC) and the political parties.

He was addressing a view-sharing discussion with the Divisional Officials, Deputy Commissioner (DCs), Superintendent of Police (SP) and some other high officials at the Conference hall of DC here.

Referring to the police-killing and firearms looting incident at Taherpur here Home Adviser said, the government is committed to maintain law and order and it would check any kind of terrorist activity strictly.

He asked all the field level government agencies like administration, police, RAB, BDR, Ansar and intelligence agencies to work unitedly to root out the extremist network along with their subversive activities and said, the terrorists, irrespective of any identity, must be given exemplary punishment after bringing them to book.

With Commissioner of Rajshahi Division Hafizur Rahman Bhuiyan in the chair, DCs and SPs from all the 16 districts under the division and divisional heads of BDR, RAB, intelligence agencies, Ansar-VDP and representative of Army attended the meeting.

Matin said, the government is very much confident that the EC would able to present a free, flawless and acceptable election to the nation on the basis of holding bilateral discussion and understanding between the EC and political parties.

Terming the 2008 as a significant year for the nation, he observed that the government has been working relentless for attaining democracy through following a selective roadmap.

Referring to a series of success of the government, particularly institutional reforms and corruption elimination despite some failures like price hike of essential commodities he said, the work for institutionalising democracy is being advanced at present in the country.

He said, as many as 59 influential persons were so far awarded with different terms of punishment by the Courts out of some 455 pending corruption-related cases.

Vice-Chancellor of Rajshahi University Professor Dr Altaf Hossain, Mayor-in- charge of Rajshahi City Corporation Rejaunnabi Dudu, DIG of Rajshahi Range Mukhlesur Rahman and Commissioner of RMP Mahbub Mohsin also joined the meeting.

Trader killed, 4 terrorists held in Tongi

BSS, Tongi

Police on Saturday arrested four terrorists with firearms after they gunned down a trader at Duttapara Banomala here yesterday morning.

They said a gang of terrorists opened fire on Jahangir Hossain, 48, in front of his Banomala Road residence at around 9.30 AM.

Jahangir, who hailed from Chandpur, died on the way to Tongi Hospital.

As the terrorists were fleeing the scene, police and local people chased them and caught four of them. They were identified as Dalim, Faruq, Selim, and Mobarak.

Police recovered two revolvers and one pistol with ammunition from the terrorists, reportedly came from Maddha Badda area of Dhaka city.

A case was filed with Tongi Thana in this connection.

The body was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for autopsy.