The New Nation - Internet Edition

Khaleda petitions: HC for quashing Niko graft case

UNB, Dhaka

Detained former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has filed a petition with the High Court for quashing the much-talked-about Niko graft case filed against her by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

A counsel for Khaleda told UNB that the petition is likely to be heard by the court Tuesday.

The anti-graft watchdog filed the Niko graft case with Tejgaon police station on December 9, 2007 for allegedly causing huge loss to the exchequer through signing deals with the Canadian oil company.

The same day, a separate Niko case was filed with the same police station against another detained former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina.

The charge-sheets in both the cases have already been submitted with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court.

Buddha Purnima today

BSS, Dhaka

'Buddha Purnima', the biggest religious festival of the Buddhist community, will be celebrated across the country today with utmost religious fervour and enthusiasm.

This occasion marks three most important events in the life of Lord Buddha-his advent, enlightenment and nirvana, 2,500 years back.

On this day in around 563 BC, Buddha was born as Siddartha Gautam in Kopilabostu at the foothill of the Himalayas, now in Indian state of Bihar. He got supreme enlightenment at the age of 35 in 528 BC and finally departed into 'nirvana" at the age of 80 in 483 BC.

The Buddhist community will celebrate this holy occasion in all monasteries and offices of the Buddhist religious organisations through a day-long programme. The programme includes hoisting the national flag and the Buddhist religious flag atop all monasteries, recitation of sacred verses from the Tripitak and breaking of fast by the monks.

Mass prayers, blood donation, 'sangadana' (presentation to the monks), discussion, 'panchashilla' (prayer) and pradip puja are the other highlights of the day's programme.

Special prayers will be offered at the monasteries across the country seeking peace, progress and prosperity of the Buddhist community as well as the nation.

Govt to import essentials for Ramzan

Staff Reporter

The government will import some essential commodities through the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh to meet demands during the month of holy Ramzan.

The items include 3,000 tonnes of edible oil, 3,000 tonnes lentil, 500 tonnes of onion and pulse.

A meeting of the Price Monitoring Committee of the Ministry of Commerce was held yesterday with Additional Secretery Golam Mustakim in the chair to decide the volume of commodities to be imported.

Tender for some of the items has already been floated, meeting sources said.

Meanwhile prices of almost all commodities still remain out of purchasing capacity of common people.

In the last few days the price of coarse rice rose by Tk 1 to Tk 2 per kilogram. Harvesting of Boro paddy had little impact on the rice market.

According to the TCB price list, price of edible oil increased by 5 per cent over the month while lentil by one per cent, onion by 18 per cent, garlic by 24 per cent, turmeric by 26 per cent and powder milk by 3 per cent.

Meanwhile, the Asian Development Bank Sunday said inflation in the country rose to 10 per cent.

Price inflation continues: Unstable macroeconomic situation worries policymakers

Pulack Ghatack

Price inflation has been continuing to soar over double digit in the country making policymakers worried about unstable macroeconomic situation and possible public backlash.

Skyrocketing food prices, despite bumper cropping of rice and potatoes, has been leading inflation to go up, analysts observed. Figures of the annual consumer price inflation was creeping up to 10.06 per cent in March which was 10.16 percent a month earlier, official data showed.

A senior official at the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics on Sunday said that a 12.92 percent spike in food prices drove inflation, while prices of non-food items rose 5.63 percent from a year earlier.

A high official of the central bank said that the main challenge for the government now was to curb inflation, which might diminish successes in other areas.

'Other successes matter very little to the people if they do not get food at a reasonable price,' he pointed out.

Claiming that the current macroeconomic position was satisfactory, the senior official of the central bank warned that situation might deteriorate abnormally if inflation was not contained. He warned that inflation would upset the economy if the government failed to reduce supply side pressure.

'The central bank is doing everything to control the demand side pressures on the inflationary trend, but we are helpless against the supply side,' he added. It is the duty of other government agencies and authorities to control supply side pressures stemmed from fragile supply chain management, he said.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in its quarterly report yesterday noted that higher international food and non-food commodity prices and shortfall in domestic food-grain production heightened inflation.

Bottlenecks in the distribution and retail management chain, monetary accommodation of previous years, and panic buying also pushed inflation higher, it said.

Price hikes for several commodities in the world market, especially rice, wheat, crude and edible oils, and other essential products has created inflationary pressure in the Bangladesh economy, Bangladesh Bank said in its latest report.

Chief economist of the central bank Mustafa Mujeri, while releasing the quarterly report, termed the inflation rate as 'alarming.' He said, "The fight against inflation has to continue with increasing zeal since persistent pressure, as measured by 12 months moving average, is till evident."

The central bank projected inflation would rise to 8.5 percent against a target for average annual inflation of 6.5-7.0 percent for the current fiscal year to June 2008.

However, BB Governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed at a function on Saturday said high inflation would not put strains on consumers if the purchasing power of people could be strengthened.

"Many countries faced up to 40 percent inflation but they did not have much problem. But 10 percent inflation turned out to be a matter of concern for us. It is because of the level of our purchasing power," he added. Salehuddin suggested the government give emphasis on job-creating sectors, including the agriculture sector to enhance purchasing power.

US Dy Asst Secy Erica Barks-Ruggles arrives today

UNB, Dhaka

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Erica Barks-Ruggles arrives On Monday for a three-day visit to Bangladesh.

During her visit, she will hold discussions with senior government officials and members of civil society on a range of issues, including human rights, progress on the electoral roadmap and other issues.

Biharis eligible to become voters: High Court verdict

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court Sunday declared valid the claim of the Urdu-speaking people, known as Biharis, eligible to become voters as citizens of Bangladesh.

A division bench comprising Justice MA Rashid and Justice M Ashfaqul Islam passed the order upon a writ petition filed by a group of Urdu-speaking people.

On November 26 last year, the High Court, following the writ petition, issued rule on the government and the Election Commission to show cause why the Urdu-speaking people living in different camps of the country, including "Geneva Camp" in the capital, shall not be enrolled as voters.

The High Court judgment today made its rule absolute. Presently, about 300,000 Urdu-speaking people are living in the country, including the Geneva Camp in the capital. Of them, nearly 200,000 are eligible to become voters, said Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mian, counsel for the Biharis.

5,000 telephone lines inoperative

UNB, Dhaka

Some 5,000 telephone lines in the city's Khilgaon area went out of order since Sunday morning due to cable pilfering.

Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board, in a press release, said the matter of lifting of the underground cable from the manhole under Khilgaon Flyover came into the notice of the authority Sunday morning.

Khaleda petitions: HC for quashing Niko graft case

Businessman murder: 3 to die, 10 get life term

BSS, Dhaka

Three persons were sentenced to death while ten others were awarded life term rigorous imprisonment (RI) by a court here yesterday for killing a businessman at Dalipara under Turag thana in the city two and half years ago.

Judge of the Speedy Trial Tribunal No 1, M Mazdar Hossain delivered the judgment in a crowded courtroom yesterday.

The convicts who were sentenced to death were identified as Akbar Ali alias Auto Akbar, Akbar Ali and Israil Majumder.

Those who were awarded life-term RI were identified as Mithun Majumder, Manik Majumder, Mithu, Feroza Begum, Kalam, Sarwar, Nur Alam, Delwar Hossain, monir and Khokan.

The court also fined the life-term convicts Taka 50,000 each, in default, to suffer five years more RI each.

Two of the accused were acquitted as charges against them could not proved.

The prosecution story in brief, is that, the convicts attacked businessman Salahuddin and his family members at his Dalipara residence under Turag thana with knives and other lethal weapons on August 17, 2005.

They stabbed Salahuddin and four others including his elderly father indiscriminately. Critically injured Salahuddin was taken to Tongi Hospital where the doctors declared him dead.

Father of Saluddin, Haji Hamid Ali filed a murder case with Turag police station.

The investigative officer of the case submitted chargesheet before the court accusing 15 persons.

After examining 14 witnesses and relevant documents, the court handed down the verdict yesterday.

2 children hurt in cocktail blast

BSS, Rajshahi

Two children were injured seriously when a cocktail exploded in their thatched house at Birail village under Tanore upazila of the district Saturday night.

Quoting witnesses police said the cocktail was exploded suddenly in the house of one widow Kulsum Khatun, 35, at around 11.30 in the night that left her daughter Rubi, 10, and son Rubel, 6, injuries while they were asleep.

Police said Kulsum's neighbors Shahidul and his brother Sirajul had kept the cocktail in the house a couple of days ago. Both of them are hiding now.

The injured were undergoing treatment at Tanore Upazila Health Complex at present.

Police picked up Kulsum for interrogation and a case has been lodged with the police station.

Charges framed against Tariqul

BSS, Jessore

A special judge Court here Sunday framed charges against central vice chairman of BNP and former minister Taqriqul Islam and four member of his family in a graft case.

Tariqul, now in Jessore central jail, was produced before the court, which fixed May 25 next for recording the depositions of the witnesses.

Other four accused, wife of Tariqul, Nargis Begum, son Shantanu Islam Sumit and Aninda Islam Amit and daughter-in-law Lamia Sharmin were in absentia.

Deputy Director of the Jessore Regional Office of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) Manjur Morshed had filed the case with Katwali thana against the accused persons on September 9 last.

Assistant director of ACC Aminur Rahman carried out the investigation of the case and found that Tariqul Islam and members of his family concealed information about Taka 1 crore 26 lakh 63 thousand 324 in their wealth statements submitted to the ACC.

Besides, they have wealth worth about Taka 1 crore 94 lakh 30 thousand 621, which is disproportionate to their known sources of incomes, said in the case.

The joint forces arrested the former minister at Jessore town on February 5 last.

NBR's call: Take up savings as social movement

Staff Reporter

National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Abdul Mazid yesterday called upon the people to take up savings as a social movement for the betterment of the country.

"The Government is trying to encourage people to take to savings by reducing taxes from savings schemes," Abdul Mazid said while speaking as a chief guest at the inaugural ceremony of National Savings Week 2008 at Jatiya Press Club.

Stressing the need for savings, he said it is not possible to lift the burden of foreign loan without internal resources mobilisation. Foreign direct investment does not come in the country without internal resources mobilisation," he added.

He urged all to popularise the habit of savings among themselves and also among family members for the economic progress of the country.

The NBR Chairman pointed out that the country had to depend on foreign loans as mobilisation of its savings is very meager. Today Bangladesh is burdened with foreign loan ranging from Tk 12,400 crore to Tk 12,800 crore, he added.

He said only mobilisation of internal resources and savings could rid the country of the burden of foreign loan.

Speaking on the occasion, Morshid Kuli Khan, Deputy Governor of Bangladesh, said that increase in domestic investment was linked with the increase in savings.

"The domestic savings of Bangladesh is 20.5 per cent as against 32.4 per cent in India," Muli Khan said adding, " We have already received 6.5 billion US dollars in loan from different aid agencies during the 2007 -08 fiscal and it would increase to 8 billion US dollars in the next two months.

He regretted many were squandering staggering amount of money in purchasing land and enjoyment of life.Describing such huge expenditure as wastage, he pointed out that if we saved the money it would have reduced our dependence on foreign loan substantially.

Mobasherur Rahman, Director General of Bangladesh Post Office, said shortage of manpower in post offices was the main hurdle in the activities of deposit savings. 8,000 posts of rural post offices out of total 10,000 across the country had no role to play in savings activities due to shortage of manpower, he mentioned.

Saifuddin Ahmed Mojumder, Director of DNS presided over the inaugural ceremony of National Savings Week 2008.

5 city corporation polls in July, Aug

UNB, Dhaka

Election to Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) will be held in the last week of August or first week of September, Election Commissioner Sakhawat Hussain said Sunday. Elections for Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Barisal City Corporations and nine municipalities will be held earlier, in the third week of July, he informed reporters at his office in the afternoon. He said poll schedules for Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet and Barisal City Corporations and the nine municipalities would be announced in the first week of June.

"Election to DCC will be held separately in August or September," he said.

Meanwhile, Canada is providing the Election Commission 2 lakh transparent ballot boxes free of cost to use in the national elections, Sakhawat said.

As part of the poll preparations, the EC has asked the election offices concerned for the names of potential vote centres and presiding officers for the national elections, tentatively set for the third week of December.

"The task of voter listing is on in Dhaka City Corporation areas. We're expecting that the draft voter list (of DCC) will be ready at the end of this month (May). Election to Dhaka City Corporation will be held end of August or in the first week of September," he told the reporters.

"As election can't be held when HSC examinations are on, election schedule for the four city corporations and nine municipalities will be announced in the first week of June and election at those places will take place in the second or third week of July," the Election Commissioner said.

Sakhawat said election would also be held at those places where voter list would be completed before announcing the election schedule in June.

So, the number of nine municipalities could increase o the list of holding elections in July. "But, election won't be held at places where municipality election is suspended due to legal cases in the courts," he said.

About holding local-body elections prior to national elections, the Election Commissioner said the local elections have importance for national elections. "It's a test case for the Election Commission… Preparations are going on in the Commission to implement the Chief Adviser's declaration that national elections will be held in the third week of December," he said.

Already, seven-crore voters have been registered, Sakhawat said, adding that hopefully the task of voter listing would complete by October across the country.

"Schedules for the local-body elections will be announced in the first week of June. Before that, it has been expected that the new local-body ordinance for city corporation and municipality elections will be published as gazette. The election schedule will be announced after getting the gazette of the law and its rules in hand," he said about the local elections.

About transparent ballot box, the Election Commissioner said the Canadian government is providing the EC two-lakh transparent ballot boxes of large size for free, which, hopefully, would reach here before October.

"If the boxes come earlier, then it will be used in DCC elections," he said.

About the preparation for the general election, Sakhawat said the officials concerned at field level had already been asked to send the lists of vote centres and presiding officers from across the country. "If any individual, party or public representative places objection regarding the lists, then the Election Commission will scrutinise ardently," he said.

Rotary chief calls on President

UNB, Dhaka

Visiting President of Rotary International Wilfrid J Wilkinson made a courtesy call on President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed at Bangabhaban on Sunday. Welcoming Wilfrid J Wilkinson, President Iajuddin praised various activities of Rotary International, especially Rotary's assistance in eradicating Polio through its Polio-Plus project. He also thanked Rotary International and its District in Bangladesh for their contribution through their various activities, including pioneering role in setting up of cancer detection centre, arsenic mitigation, non-formal education and providing low coast shelters for the underprivileged of the country.

President Iajuddin expressed his satisfaction over the activities of Rotary district in arranging post flood and post cyclone relief activities.

The Visiting Rotary International President told President Iajuddin that literacy problem is a global problem as he observed when he visited across the glob, especially many countries in Africa and Asia.

Wilfrid J Wilkinson praised Bangladesh government for its initiative in poverty alleviation.

Among others, Governor of RI District 3280, Bangladesh, RTN Rafiq Ahmed was also present.

Military Secretary to the President Maj Gen Mohd Aminul Karim, Secretary to the President's Office Md Sirajul Islam and President's Press Secretary Abdul Awal Hawlader were present.

Museum Day celebrated

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh National Museum yesterday celebrated the International Museum Day highlighting the importance of museums in preserving the heritage and culture of a nation.

The theme of the International Museum Day this year was: "Museums as Agents of Social Change and Development".

Over 60 countries have been celebrating the International Museum

Day since 1977.

The event provides an opportunity for museum professionals to meet the public and alert them to the challenges that museums face if they are to be an institution in the service of society and its development'.

Bangladesh National Museum chalked out various programmes on the occasion. These included rally, seminar, discussion, views exchange and exhibition.

Md Sharful Alam, Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, inaugurated a rally that started from t Shahbag and ended at the National Press Club. Mohammad Mosharaf Hossain Bhuiya, Secretary of Primary and Mass education, inaugurated a seminar and special exhibition in the morning at the Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the National Museum.

President of National Museum Board Dr Kazi Saleh Ahmed said museum played a vital role in inspiring the youths generation after generation for the spread of education. Its importance in building an educated society is also immense, he noted.

Samar Pal, Managing Director of the National Museum, presented the keynote paper on "Social Change and Museum for Development"

Museum could teach the new generation about heritage and culture of a nation, he said.