The New Nation - Internet Edition

Wildlife conservation for living environment urged

UNB, Dhaka

Speakers at a programme yesterday stressed the need for conserving the country's wildlife and bio-diversity to ensure a worthy living environment for the people.

They also urged the people including young schoolboys and girls to unitedly come forward to plant more saplings in their houses and open places for protecting the natural balance.

"Everybody with responsibility should work together to protect the environment," Chairman of Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh (WTB) Enayetullah Khan said while inaugurating the programme as chief guest at the Dhaka Zoo auditorium in the morning.

The WTB in collaboration with the Dhaka Zoo organized the daylong programme in order to create the conservation awareness among schoolchildren and general public.

WTB member and former director general of Livestock Department Dr Abdur Razzaque was the special guest at the function, chaired by Dhaka Zoo curator Aminur Rahman. WTB chief executive Prof. Md Anwarul Islam, among others, spoke at the function.

Addressing the function, Enayetullah Khan said on this day everybody in the family in all the areas should be made aware of food, shelter, energy, education, transportation and public awareness to monitor each of the activities carefully.

He stressed the need for reducing the carbon footprints and protecting the wildlife and bio-diversity to face the effects of global climate change. "To combat global climate change we not only need to reduce our carbon footprints but also protect our wilderness."

The WTB chairman urged the government to increase public transport in order to minimize the private transport and also called upon the authorities concerned to ban any tree cutting without prior permission.

Enayetullah Khan, also chief editor of United News of Bangladesh (UNB), an independent news agency, requested the government to make an inventory of all trees of the country.

Welcoming the young children, he said the children are the glorious future of the country and so they should be encouraged to help protect the endangered wildlife to keep environment healthy and beautiful. "Our environment will be beautiful if we repair what was harmed by us."

Dr Abdur Razzaque in his speech encouraged the children to work unitedly to protect the environment for the existence of the mankind. "We'll not survive unless the environment is protected," he said.

Aminur Rahman said everybody should have the responsibility of helping to create a living worthy environment by protecting the wildlife and bio-diversity in the country.

He expressed deep anxiety over the dangers of climate change in the world and said the sea-level would rise and "a portion the southern part of our country will be inundated within few years due to the greenhouse effect and climate change."

During the programme, about 100 participants raised their voice in favor of bio-diversity conservation through various activities like animal song and other behavior, lectures and games on values of bio-diversity, trash clean-up and rally inside the zoo.

The children and other participants planted Neem saplings on the Dhaka Zoo campus as part of the programme. They also produced a poster on the theme of the World Environment Day 2008 titled 'Kick the Habit-Towards a Low Carbon Economy and Lifestyle'.

The participants including the chief guest and special guests wrote down their names on the canvas with a view to creating awareness and encouragement among the school kids about the wildlife and bio-diversity conservation.

The children were communicated an environmental education event called 'Ecological Foot Steps'. Corrin LaCombe of the Oxford Brookes University, UK and WTB intern was there to evaluate the programme.

The function was designed and coordinated by Gawsia Wahidunnessa Chowdhury of Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh and Corrin LaCombe of the Oxford Brookes University.

The WTB arranges such programme every year to celebrate the World Environment Day, the organizers said adding that the World Environment Day is an opportunity to raise awareness and promote actions on all environmental issues.

First Pvt Internet gateway to start June 25

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The first private International Internet Gateway (IIG) is set to start operating in Bangladesh from June 25.

Chairman of Mango Teleservices Ltd, A Mannan Khan, told bdnews24.com that two points-of-presence (POPs), or access points to the Internet, will be installed in Dhaka and Chittagong in the first phase of operations, to be expanded later.

Mango Teleservices, a unit of Dhaka-based Communication Solution Limited, set up the IIG in partnership with multinational corporation Cisco Systems, Inc.

Khan said Cisco would work as a technology solution provider and help Mango provide cost efficient and quality Internet solutions.

Rajesh Chainani, senior vice president of Cisco India and SAARC, told bdnews24.com from Delhi by telephone, "It has been proven that access to high quality bandwidth helps transform the economy of a country."

Mango Teleservices won its IIG license by open tender from Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) on Feb 25, 2008.

The IIG operator will give internet service providers and businesses high speed, high bandwidth international connections through its network, and claims the network architecture is built with the capacity to accommodate 100-fold internet traffic growth in Bangladesh.

Mango's IIG will be connected with the existing submarine cable as its main link and with the Satellite Earth Station/VSAT as its back up until another submarine cable is available.

"Our goal is to deliver the most advanced network infrastructure that enables Mango to roll out services to customers in a timely and cost effective manner," said Rajesh Chainani.

"We believe demand for internet bandwidth in Bangladesh will grow up to nine times within next five years."

The information and communication market has mushroomed in Bangladesh as Internet bandwidth became cheaper with the recent introduction of submarine cable connections.

But at present maximum Internet connectivity speeds are still less than two gigabits per second, with very low Internet penetration of 0.35 percent in 2007 against the Asian average of more than 12 percent.

Mango claims its end customers will get high gigabit connectivity to their network, accommodating multiple-10 gigabit Internet connectivity.

"The IP backbone requirement in Bangladesh is expected to increase to 20 gigabits per second within the next 3 years," said Chainani.

"With Mango rolling out services across Bangladesh, we are confident that this will have a positive impact on the economy and GDP growth of the country. It is a globally proven fact," he added.

Speaker off to Bulgaria

BSS, Dhaka

Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Barrister Muhammad Jamir Uddin Sircar left here on Thursday for Bulgaria to attend the sixth general meeting of the International Parliamentarians Assembly for Information Technology (IPAIT) there.

The five-day meeting will begin in Bulgarian capital Sofia on June 8, an official handout said.

During the meeting, the Speaker will participate in different sessions as well as deliver a speech in one of the sessions.

UK based BCA donates Tk. 44 lakh to Sidr survivors

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh Caterers Association (BCA) of the Surrey Region of the United Kingdom has donated Taka 44 lakh for the cyclone Sidr affected people of Kalapara upazila in Patuakhali district.

The BCA leaders informed a press briefing held at the Jatiya Press Club here on Friday.

President of BCA Surrey Mohammad Abdul Malik, general secretary Shah Abdul Malik Azad, treasurer Jahangir Haque former president Mahmudur Rashid, among others, addressed the press briefing.

The BCA and Friendship, an NGO, in association with local administration distributed the donation among 180 cyclone affected fishermen and farmers through a project at Kalapara on June 4.

The donation included 15 wooden boats, three fibre glass boats, three power tillers, three irrigation pumps, two deep- tube-wells and equipments for two medical centres.

The BCA leaders said the items were provided among the fishermen and farmers so the they could continue their livelihood smoothly.

They said such initiative will encourage other expatriate organizations to come forward with their helping hands to serve the distressed people of the country.

The BCA leaders said 50 Bangladeshi restaurant owners of UK had collected Taka 44 lakh by hosting charity dinner.

Mohammad Abdul Malik said the association is interested to make investment in Bangladesh particularly in tourism sector to accelerate economic development of the country.

He said Bangladeshi expatriates in the UK and other countries should come forward to invest in Bangladesh to uplift the country's economy.

Qulkhwani

BSS, Dhaka

The qulkhwani of Brig. Gen. (retd) Sabihuddin Ahmed, founder chairman of Rural Electrification Board (REB), was held on Friday after Asr prayer at Gulshan Azad Mosque in the city.

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Social Welfare and Post and Telecommunication Brig. Gen. (retd) MA Malek attended the qulkhwani.

After the qulkhwani, the special assistant paid tribute to late Sabihuddin Ahmed and said because of his efficiency, sincerity and hard work the REB became a renowned organization at home and abroad, an official handout said.

"The nation would remember for ever the outstanding contribution of Late Ahmed's to the power sector," Malek said.

He expressed deep shock at the death of Ahmed and conveyed sympathy to the members of the bereaved family.

Malek also prayed for the peace of the departed soul.

Shabiauddin Ahmed died on May 30 in Maryland of the United States. Later, he was buried at George Washington Lebanon graveyard.

10 'Shada Moner Manush' honoured

On 6th June '08, the prestigious award giving ceremony of "Shada Moner Manush '80" was held at the Winter Garden of Hotel Sheraton. Ten personalities from across the country were selected this year as ``Shada Moner Manush`` and they were aptly honoured by Unilever Bangladesh Limited. In this gala event, authors, journalists, intellectuals, eminent personalities from the cultural arena and distinguished celebrities from the civil society were present, says a press release.

The programme started off with a dance to the theme song ``O Alor Pothojatri.`` Through a documentary film these 10 `Shada Moner Manush` were introduced to the guests. These 10 individuals were rewarded with a gold medal and a crest by prominentpersonalities of the society. Aside from these awards, an honorarium of Tk. 1 lakh was presented by Unilever Bangladesh Limited to each of these individuals as part of their praiseworthy effort. These 10 individuals chosen from across the country are: Ms. Fajilatunnessa Bulu from Rangpur, Rokib-Ud-Dowla Akand from Gaibandha, from Rajshahi Dr. Khalequzzaman, from Comilla Mr. Manobendra Nath Sarker, from Chapainawabganj Kanai Chandra Das, Jahir Alam from Sylhet, Shamsuddin Mondol from Naogaon, from Khulna Ms. Jahanara Begum, Shrimath Tilokananda Mohathero from Rangamati and Mr. Shudhir Chandra Bordhon from Brahmanbaria.

These outstanding people have been working ceaselessly, untiringly and unselfishly for the benefit and the welfare of the people, society and country.

Naushad Chowdhury, Brands & Development Director of Unilever Bangladesh Limited, highlighted on the arrangements and features of `Shada Moner Manush.' Educationist Mustafa Nurul Islam, social worker Ms. Valerie Taylor and renowned economist Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud also spoke on the occasion.

Unilever Bangladesh Limited has been involved in arranging the programme Shada Moner Manush since 2006. Continuing the sequel of the previous year, this year 10 people were also recognised and honoured by Unilever Bangladesh Limited as `Shada Moner Manush.' ATN Bangla acted as a media partner with Unilever Bangladesh Limited in this programme.