The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bush, allies threaten Iran with sanctions

AP, Washington

President Bush and European allies on Tuesday threatened tougher sanctions to squeeze Iran's finances and derail its potential pursuit of a nuclear weapon. Bush said the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran would endanger world peace.

"They can either face isolation, or they can have better relations with all of us," Bush said of Iran's leaders while capping his final European Union-U.S. summit.

The president and EU leaders embraced new financial sanctions against Iran unless it verifiably suspends its nuclear enrichment. They said Iran must fully disclose any nuclear weapons work and allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to verify that work.

Iran is also under fire for defying three sets of U.N. Security Council sanctions and continuing to enrich uranium - which can generate both nuclear fuel and the fissile material for the core of nuclear warheads. Iran insists that it has only civilian uses in mind for its nuclear program.

The president flatly said Iran "can't be trusted with enrichment."

"A group of countries can send a clear message to the Iranians," Bush said. "And that is: we're going to continue to isolate you, we'll continue to work on sanctions, we'll find new sanctions if need be if you continue to deny the just demands of a free world."

Speaking to reporters on the lush, sun-splashed lawn near Brdo Castle, Bush also fielded questions on economic woes at home and climate change.

Bush essentially rejected the idea of possible government intervention to prop up the value of the U.S. dollar. He said he believed in a strong-dollar policy, but that world economies will end up setting the value of the dollar.

On global warming, Bush declared, "I think we can actually get an agreement on global climate change during my presidency," which ends on Jan. 20, 2009.

He said no global warming agreement can be effective without China and India. The United States has been at odds with allies about whether any climate strategy should include mandatory emission reductions, among other sticking points.

Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, the president of the European Council, said European members and the United States might have different approaches to some of its common challenges. He said a global agreement without the developing countries would be a short-term solution.

But he added "those who are the most developed have to take the leading role."

The summit, consisting of about three hours of meetings and a working lunch, took place in a modern glass building on the vast Brdo grounds in the shadow of Slovenia's jagged mountain peaks. The president had a long list of issues to cover with his European counterparts, but Iran seemed to dominate.

Six world powers - the United States, Russia, China, Britian, Germany and France - are developing a package of fresh penalties and incentives aimed at reining in Tehran's alleged atomic ambitions. The EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, plans to visit Iranian leaders soon in Tehran to appeal to them to accept negotiations over the nuclear standoff.

Bush and the heads of the EU, a political and economic coalition of 27 countries that works to promote security and commerce across the continent, called on Tehran to stop its support for terrorist organizations destabilizing the Mideast. The statement said the United States and the EU would work to ensure that "Iranian banks cannot abuse the international banking system to support proliferation and terrorism."

It was unclear whether the freshly stated concern over Iranian banks meant that Europeans had signed on for the kind of tough measures the U.S. favors, such as banning business with Iranian banks, or merely represented a repeat of previous calls for closer monitoring of dealings with them.

The Bush administration has warned that Iran is using an array of deceptive practices to hide involvement in nuclear proliferation and terrorist activities.

Iran insists that it has only civilian uses in mind for its nuclear program. Yet it is under fire for defying three sets of U.N. Security Council sanctions and continuing to enrich uranium, which can generate both nuclear fuel and the fissile material for the core of nuclear warheads. Iran has also stonewalled attempts by the IAEA to delve into allegations that several Iranian projects appear to represent different components of a nuclear weapons program.

RAJUK fails to prepare DAP in a decade

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

Despite passing of a decade Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (RAJUK) has failed to prepare the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) of Dhaka city, one of the major components of Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (DMDP).

The DAP is important for the urban planning and to ensure the proper use of the land of the 1530-square kilometre of Dhaka city.

The 20-year DMDP was drafted in 1995 and approved by the Government in 1997 with retrospective effect, but it could not materialise for the want of the DAP.

The non-completion of the area plan led to unplanned urbanisation in a vast area of Dhaka, said urban experts and RAJUK officials.

According to the development plan, the DAP was rescheduled to be completed within one year of the formulation of the DMDP. But the RAJUK failed to do it even after 12 years.

Non-completion of the DAP has been delaying the implementation of the DMDP, resulting in the filling up of vast low-lying areas pushing the city to flood, said urban experts, architects and planners and adding, "It is also causing unplanned urbanisation."Earlier, the RAJUK assigned four organisations - Sheltech, DDC, EPC and Gani Bangla - to prepare the DAP dividing the city into five divisions.

Then four firms were asked to prepare reports for one division each and after submitting their reports, they will make area plan of the remaining division. The firms were given two years to do the works.

Prof Nazrul Islam, urban expert and Chairman of Centre for Urban Studies, said, "The DAP was scheduled to be formulated 12 years ago, which is yet to be completed."

The authorities concerned should complete the work as soon as possible, otherwise, unplanned urbanisation will go on unabated, he said.

"Two things are very important for the implementation of the Master Plan of Dhaka city - the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) and Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC)," said Prof Nazrul.

Meanwhile, last week the Government has introduced new building construction rules 'Building Construction Rules'08,' but failed to prepare the area plan, which is very important to stop unplanned urbanisation, he said.

The Government should extend the timeframe of the development plan for another 20 to 25 years as 12 years of the 20-year plan had already passed, said the RAJUK officials.

Delwar denounces double standard about 2 ex-PMs

UNB, Dhaka

BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday criticized government's "double standard" in application of law about two top leaders-Hasina and Khaleda-which he said will not be acceptable to the people.

"By dint of executive order you grant bail to one leader and detain another-such double- standard policy cannot be accepted," he said at a discussion on President Ziaur Rahman's death anniversary at the National Press Club.

Continuing his tirade against the interim administration, Delwar said, "You extend your executive hands so long as setting up courts at your whims at any place anytime granting bail to Sheikh Hasina. If so, why deny bail to Tarique and Koko?"

He demanded immediate release of Tarique and Koko, the two detained sons of detained ex-PM and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, for their overseas treatment to save their lives.

"Why do you expect double-bonus from one mission?" he said, reminding that Begum Zia has already cleared her position that she won't leave the country under any circumstance. "She is unequivocal that, if necessary, she will have her treatment at home." Delwar emphatically said that if to hold the parliamentary elections, the government must release Begum Zia. The people will not accept any plan to send her abroad without her consent.

The BNP leader said people would be happy as soon as power would be transferred to elected representatives through credible elections. He said BNP would join in the political dialogue only after release of Begum Zia. "We will not go to dialogue to put the stamp on your package," he said.

Delwar once more said the people would not accept any 'mock election' under a blueprint.

The BNP secretary general called for removing all doubts and confusions and creating condition for all political parties' participation in dialogue and election.

He called for a rock-solid unity of nationalist forces, as he observed if the nationalist forces are strengthened, no conspiracy would stand.

Presided over by Jatiyatabadi Tanti Dal president Humayun Islam Khan, the discussion meeting was also addressed, among others, by BNP leaders Sarwari Rahman, Shamuszzaman Dudu and Rizvi Ahmed, Juba Dal leader Adv Abdus Samad Azad and JCD leaders Sultan Salahuddin Tuku and Shafiul Bari Babu.

Budget draws mixed reactions in Ctg

Chittagong Correspondent

The national budget placed by the Finance Advisor for the next fiscal yesterday reportedly did not reflect the aspirations of the ordinary masses.

Though a handful of relatively known individuals and the business community hailed the budget, no political party apparently called it a budget of ultimate national welfare and vision.

Acting Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation M Manzurul Alam said he had felt rather happy of the budget announced for the next fiscal because it contained several propositions for slashing the miseries of the ultra-poor.

President of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) Saifuzzaman Chowdhury in a late night statement welcomed the proposed budget and thanked the Finance Advisor Dr. Mirza Azizul Islam for adopting some of the chamber's proposals.

The statement said that the CCC&I leader had felt hurt as priority funding went to Rajshahi, Khulna and Barisal divisions skipping Chittagong and the absence of clear directive on abolishing the Pre-shipment Inspection (PSI) system.

He thanked the government for focusing on agricultural boost, rural development and employment generation. "Proposal for expanding the social safety net program deserves appreciation," the statement said.

Economic Affairs Secretary of the BNP Golam Akbar Khandaker called the budget an ambitious one and doubted its ultimate implementation.

Vice President of Chittagong City Awami League Advocate Sunil Sarkar said the budget would not address the miseries of the poor.

Presidium member of the Jatiya Party (Ershad) Solaiman Alam Sheith frustrated over the national budget saying it lacks direction on many issues including development of the port city.

Former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Chittagong University Professor Abu Yusuf Alam said that the propositions were not enough but its implementation would be important. "No successive government has ever implemented the budget of their tenure," he added.

5 die, 100 ill after eating 'potka’ fish in Natore

Rajshahi Correspondent

Atleast 5 persons died and 100 others became ill , 56 of them were seriously after taking Patka fish popularly known as Tepa fish on Sunday at different villages of Singra upazilla under Natore district.Those who became seriously ill were admitted to Rajshahi medical college hospital on Sunday night. The hospital authority said that 56 seriously ill patients were admitted to RMCH last night and they were undergoing treatment with special care.

According to the ill fated patients and their relatives they were affected and became ill few hours after having their meal with Patka fish on Sunday.They said that the nearby villagers of Singra bazer purchased patka fish when they found that the fishes were selling at a cheaper prices.They also claimed that a huge amount of patka fish were bought to Singra bazar yesterday from Chittagong and local fish agent sold those terming these as a sea fish.Getting these fish at a lower prices the villagers purchased these with greater interest.

Fish specialists and specialists doctors of Rajshashi Medical College Hospital told this correspondent that these patka fish contains some neurotoxins known as Detrodotoxin which might cause immediate serious effect of human body and may cause death of the affected persons.

Those of the affected persons were died are Anguri Begum(40), Rana (22), (Arif), (Annanay Kumer) and and (Nargis).

RMCH director with his own initiative has started collecting the patients blood and urine for the confirmation of the toxicity of the disease.eom

Anti-crime drive 22,000 held so far

Staff Reporter

At least 22,000 people have been arrested so far by Joint Forces in the anti-crime crackdown launched across the country under emergency power rules.

A press release issued by the Police headquarters yesterday said 1,605people were arrested in the past 24 hours. The law enforcers also recovered 13 firearms, 24 crude bombs, 16 cocktails and 29 rounds of bullet during the period, it added.

In Jessore, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), in separate drives, recovered a pistol and 1,014 bottles of Phensidyl fron Benapole on Monday morning.

Acting on a tip off, a team of RAB-6 raided a rice mill at Shyamolgachha on Jessore-Benapole road in the morning and seized the Indian cough syrup.

But, the elite force could not arrest anybody as the drug peddlers managed to flee the scene sensing their presence.

Meanwhile, another team of RAB recovered a pistol lying abandoned at Shikri Bottola in Benapole.

In Chandpur,Bangladesh Coast Guard members seized a trawler along with 2,200 sacks of urea and also arrested five people from Dakatia river on Tuesday.

Acting on a tip off, coast guard members seized the fertilizer from the trawler near ghat no 5 in the town when the urea was being smuggled to India from the district.

The team also arrested five staff of the trawler - Ripon, 16 and his brother Humayun Kabir, 35, Mainuddin Bepari, 65, Ismail Hossain, 26, and Liton, 16 -- and handed them over to Sadar Model Thana.

Nepal king leaves palace today

BSS, Kathmandu

Nepal's ex-king Gyanendra will leave his palace on Wednesday, a day before the expiry of a deadline set by a constitutional assembly which abolished the monarchy, a palace official said.

"The (former) king will leave the palace on Wednesday, and before leaving he will hold a press conference," Phanindra Raj Pathak, the chief of the palace press secretariat, told AFP Tuesday.

The former monarch will move to a former hunting lodge on the outskirts of Kathmandu and his massive palace in the heart of the city will be turned into a museum.

Nepal's monarchy was abolished on May 28 by a constitutional assembly, which was set up following a peace deal with Maoist insurgents and mainstream political parties.

The Maoists, who have told the king to bow out gracefully or else be put on trial, welcomed the news.

"It's a very positive step that the king has peacefully accepted the decision to vacate the palace. We are thankful to him," Krishna Bahadur Mahara, spokesman for the former rebels, told AFP.

Convention of impaired persons June 12

Staff Reporter

Action on Disability and Development in collaboration with Jatiya Treenamool Sanghstha (National Grassroot Impaired Organisation) and Pratibandhi Narider Jatiya Parishad (National Organisation of Impaired Women) is going to organise a national convention on 'Democratic Rights of Impaired Persons' on 12 June at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Convention Centre.

The issue of the convention is to create awareness among masses about 'the representation and participation of impaired persons would make the national polls fair and free'.

On the day the organisations will put forward their recommendation to the election commission to ensure easy way for entering into the polling booth, confidentiality of vote and transportation facilities for the impaired persons.

They will also urge the political parties to include impaired people's issues in their election manifesto.

About 2000 impaired persons from 32 districts, representatives of local government, government officials and political leaders will participate in the convention.

Budget: BCI mixed reaction

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) has welcomed certain taxation and duty measures in the proposed budget but feared that the government would eat up the bulk share of banks' credit crowding out the private sector as the Finance Adviser has proposed a huge deficit budget.

The Board of Directors of BCI held a meeting at its office to discuss and evaluate the budget. The reduced size of ADP is also not a good sign, they said.

The BCI board said reduction of import duty on machinery and spare parts from 5 per cent to 2 per cent, basic raw materials from 10 per cent to 7 per cent, intermediary raw materials from 15 per cent to 12 per cent and VAT exemption for cottage industries will help industrial growth.

They praised Dr Aziz for proposing income tax exemption for SMEs of Tk 24 lakh or less turnover, handicraft export, Tk 2 lakh income from agriculture and women and aged people.

ACC chairman returns home

BSS, Dhaka

Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury returned home last night after his 22-day foreign trip.

ACC director general (Admin) Colonel Hanif Iqbal told UNB that the ACC chairman returned home tonight.

Earlier on Monday, Hanif told journalists that Mashhud might cut his trip short due to his mother's illness.

Hasan Mashhud had left Dhaka on May 19 for a long visit to Australia, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates, and was scheduled to return home on June 12.

He is expected to join office on June 15.

Meanwhile, there had been a rumour that the ACC Chairman tendered his resignation letter for reasons unknown.

Two traders killed, boy found dead

Staff Reporter

Two young traders were hacked to death and a boy was found dead in the city yesterday.

The deceased were identified as Jewel, 32, son of Haji Habibullah of 39/14 DIT Plot in Ganderia, and Maruf Hossain Tutul, 30, son of Mosharraf Hossain of 35/21 DIT Plot of the same area.

Victim's uncle Shamim Ahmed alleged that driver Akbar took a pick-up van from Jewel on a daily hire basis.

Few days ago, there was an altercation between Jewel and Akbar over the dues, he added.

In a bid to resolve the matter, two groups of people one led by Akbar and another led by Jewel went to Dayaganj CNG Station area around midnight of Monday.

At one stage of negotiation, Akbar along with his people attacked pick-up owner Jewel and Maruf Hossain, with sharp weapons.

Injured critically, both were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where the attending doctors declared Jewel dead while Maruf succumbed to injuries at about 3:20 AM.

A case was filed with Shyampur police station.

The other victim, was identified as Rajan, 15.

Rajan, son of Salamatullah of 2/3 Katal Baghan, Dhanmondi, vendor of vegetables, found dead from beside his room at about 9:00 AM, said police.

Family source said Rajan was missing since Friday noon. "After frantic search, they have not found him.

The brother of Rajan, Monday filed a kidnap case with Dhanmondi Police station.

Police recovered the body and sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

Listed criminal killed in gunfight with RAB

BSS, Rajshahi

A listed criminal was killed in a fierce gunfight between some of his associates and the members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-5 in Panchur Chalk Sonarpara area under Sadar upazila of Joypurhat district in the early hours of Tuesday, RAB sources here said on Tuesday afternoon.

According to the official sources, the terrorist identified as Alauddin, 30, son of Nabir Uddin of Devipur village under the same upazila, was a fugitive of seven criminal cases including four murder cases along with several other allegations.

On a tip-off, a team of the elite force went to the area at around 2.10 a.m. and sensing its presence a gang of 10/12 terrorists start opening fire on the RAB team indiscriminately that led to a fierce gun-battle between them, which continued for around 7 to 8 minutes.

The team also seized a shutter-gun, a .22-bore revolver, bullets, two live bombs and some indigenous weapons from the spot.