The New Nation - Internet Edition

Grameenphone, TSC partnership accord signed

Director of TSC of Dhaka University and Grameenphone
Head of Marketing Rubaba Dowla signed a partnership deal on
behalf of their respective organisations at the TSC
yesterday. Banglar Chokh

DU Correspondent

Grameenphone Ltd. signed a partnership agreement with the Teachers Students Centre (TSC) of Dhaka University (DU), the university cultural hub, for the beautification, modernisation and maintenance of TSC Cafeteria and the surrounding areas, among others.

Director of TSC Alamgir Hossain and Grameenphone Head of Marketing Rubaba Dowla signed the partnership agreement on behalf of their respective organisations yesterday.

The 30-year partnership agreement with the TSC authorities will also include a 10-year agreement strengthening grameenphone network on the campus, and completion and maintenance of the 'Peace Bird' sculpture in front of the TSC.

In order to provide better customer service in the university area, GP will also set up a customer touch point at the TSC premise. Grameenphone will also sponsor the modernization and upliftment of the TSC Cafeteria, under the djuice brand, including the installation of central air-cooling facilities.

Additionally, a fund will also be set aside towards sponsorship of events held at Dhaka University throughout the year.

DU treasurer Prof Abul Kalam Azad, adviser of TSC Prof AKM Mustafizur Rahman, Hamiduzzaman Khan, sculptor of Peace Bird, were also present on the occasion, among others.

EmOC unit opened in Narsingdi

BSS, Dhaka

A comprehensive emergency obstetric care (C-EmOC) unit was launched at Raipura upazila health complex (UHC) in Narsingdi district to check maternal and neonatal deaths among the poor.

The initiative was taken under the safe motherhood promotion project (SMPP), which is being implemented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare together with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), said a press release here on Monday.

Under the SMPP, the C-EmOC was equipped with an operation theatre and necessary apparatus. The project also supports CARE Bangladesh to facilitate community mobilization, a major component of the programme.

Raipura upazila, biggest upazila in the country, consists of 24 unions with more than five-lakh population. EmOC had been the long demand of the local people.

The C-EmOC was formally inaugurated on June 14 at a simple Ceremony in Narsingdi.

Director General of Health Services Prof MA Faiz, Divisional Director of Health Services of Dhaka Division Dr. Lutfor Rahman and JICA representatives were present on the occasion.

BIMSTEC ministerial meeting in city July 9

BSS, Dhaka

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) ministerial meeting on poverty alleviation will be held here on July 9.

Senior officials of the member countries will meet on July 8 to prepare the ground work for the meeting, official sources said today.

The issues which are expected to figure prominently at the meeting include food security, environment and climate change.

The senior officials of member countries are also expected to discuss the mechanism for exchange of information on best practices to tackle poverty, achieve millennium development goals (MDGs) and explore ways and means to develop project based collaboration among the member countries, the sources said.

BIMSTEC members are Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

ADB to provide $ 130 m initial budgetary support

BSS, Dhaka

The visiting Asian Development Bank (ADB) director general for South Asia Khunio Senga on Monday said the bank will initially provide Bangladesh with $ 130 million as budgetary support to the coming fiscal 2008-09.

He made the disclosure after a meeting with Finance Adviser Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam at his secretariat office here. ADB Country Director Hua Du was present on the occasion.

Khunio Senga, however, indicated that the ADB budgetary support for the next fiscal is expected to rise and may hit a $ 200-million mark. The fund will be available from July when the next budget will come into force.

Responding to a question, the finance adviser said he did not agree with the FBCCI proposal to allow regularization of irregular income without paying an additional punitive rate of interest.

Persons having irregular income will have to pay the penalty if they want to legalize the fund and use it, he said.

Karim stresses improving quality of fruits

BSS, Dhaka

Agriculture Adviser Dr CS Karim on Monday underscored the need for improving quality of fruits side by side with increasing its production to compete in the global market.

Addressing a national seminar on 'The cultivation of traditional and non-traditional fruits in food and nutrition security', Karim said the production of fruits and food grains has gone up in the country.

More research is needed to improve quality of fruits for increasing its exports, he added.

Chaired by Agriculture Secretary M Abdul Aziz, the seminar was addressed by Executive Chairman of BARC Mohammad Abdur Razzaque at the auditorium of Bangladesh Agriculture Research and Council (BARC) here.

Chief Scientific Officer (fruits) of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) Dr Mohammad Jalil Bhuiyan presented a keynote paper.

Karim said "We have to produce varieties of crops and fruits keeping in mind the demand of the target group living abroad so that we can export it easily".

He laid stress on making concerted efforts to ensure agriculture production to meet the demand of food.

Karim said the government has increased fertilizer prices due to increasing price of fertilizer in the international market.

He said increase of fertilizer prices would not affect the agriculture sector as the government has increased different other facilities including providing of agriculture loan.

The adviser urged the BARC and concerned organizations to develop hybrid and super hybrid crops to increase food output.

In his keynote speech, Jalil Bhuiyan said presently 70 varieties of fruits are being produced in the country. Of them, 12 types of fruits are traditional and the rest 58 are non- traditional, he said.

He said about 19.36 lakh metric tonnes fruits are produced in the country.

Others speakers urged the government to set up a horticulture department in the country to increase fruits production, which would greatly help reduce food deficit.

They also put forward a set of recommendations including taking up a long-term action plan to enhance research and development activities, bringing more land under fruits cultivation and organising training for researchers, field workers and farmers.

Principal Scientific Officer of BRRI and Programme Coordinator of 'BRRI-Model Monga Mitigation Programme for Greater Rangpur' Dr Abdul Mazid told BSS that 19 lakh farm-labourers would get jobs by the year 2010 during the Monga period when the targeted land would be brought under BRRI DHAN-33 farming.

The farmers cultivated the paddy in 24,188 hectares last year with the help of the DAE, BRRI, RDRS, Inter-Cooperation Leaf, GAUS, Solidarity, Jibika, BRIF, Sharp, Uddog, Concern Worldwide Bangladesh and other partner NGOs to fight Monga in the area, he added.

He said a total of 3,81,633 farm labourers will get jobs everyday for 45 days during the peak hour of Monga when the targeted land would be brought under the BRRI DHAN-33 paddy farming and subsequent crop farming in the relay method by the end of the 2008-2010 Action Plan.

Harvesting periods of all crops will be advanced by at least 40 days in all seasons to enable farmers get more profits as farming of BRRI Dhan-33 would be followed by the relay-method cultivation of early variety crops potato, moog, vegetables, maize and mustard, he added.

The government has adopted this technology throughout the country not only to mitigate the seasonal job crisis of the farm labourers but also to increase the overall crop production for ensuring food security in the country.

They added that the technology could substantially minimize the irrigation requirements, save fuel and leave less negative impact on nature because of the new pattern of crop farming throughout the year.

They said the short-term paddy farming technology evolved by the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) could also increase overall crop production with less cost and reduced risk of natural calamities during cultivation.

Govt urged to Set up EPZ River port in Noakhali

BSS, Dhaka

The leaders of Dhaka based-Companyganj Samity Limited (CSL) urged the government to set up an export processing zone(EPZ) at Noakhali and a river port at Companyganj.

They made the call while a reception was accorded to president of Noakhali Zila Samity in Dhaka Mohammad Shahab Uddin, who received national export trophy this year, a press release said today .

The function was held at a local hotel here yesterday.

"There was a river port in Companyganj during the British rule, but that was later devoured by river erosion," Shahab Uddin said.

Mentioning contribution of the businessmen to Noakhali region, the samity leaders said job opportunities would be created for youths and the economic development would be accelerated if an EPZ was established in the district.

The function, presided over by president of CSL Kazi M A Karim Belal, was also addressed,among others,by Belayet Hossain Swapan,Mohammad Mofiz Uddin, Dr.Nazrul Islam,Mohammad Ismail and Moksudar Rahman Manik.

HR Commission delegation meets President

BSS, Dhaka

A four-member delegation of Bangladesh Human Rights Commission (BHRC) on Monday called on President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed at Bangabhaban.

Led by BHRC adviser and former ambassador Barrister Harun- ur-Rashid, the delegation apprised the President of activities of the Commission.

They urged the government to hold general elections using transparent ballot boxes after the national identity cards with photographs and the voter list are prepared.

The delegation also requested the President to take a tough stand so that no candidate can exceed the expenditure limit set by the Election Commission (EC).

The President said a fair, impartial and acceptable general election will be held in due time according to the roadmap announced by the EC.

Prof Iajuddin expressed satisfaction over the service- oriented activities of the BHRC.

Secretary to the President's office Mohammad Sirajul Islam and Press Secretary to the President Abdul Awal Howladar were present.

President, CA greet Iceland President, PM

BSS, Dhaka

President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed greeted his Iceland counterpart Dr Olafur Ragnar Grimsson on the eve of the National Day of Iceland.

In a message to President Dr Olafur on Monday, he expressed his firm belief that the existing friendly relations between the two countries would be further strengthened in the coming years.

He wished good health, happiness and long life of President Olafur and continued peace, progress and prosperity of the friendly people of Iceland.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed in a separate message on the occasion felicitated Prime Minister Geir H Haarde of Iceland.

Bangladesh enjoys excellent bilateral relations with Iceland and is committed to further strengthen and deepen the close ties existing between the two countries, Dr Fakruddin said.

He wished good health, long life and happiness of the prime minister of Iceland and continued peace, progress and well being of its people.

Murtuza leaves for Malaysia

Kazi Md. Mortuza Ali, Managing Director of Prime Islami Life Insurance Limited left Dhaka for Malaysia on 14 June, to attend the Takaful network meeting of International Co-operative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF) scheduled to be held on 16 & 17 June at Kuala Lumpur, says a press release. The programme takes place at Prince Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, arranged by Etiqa Takaful Berhad. He will also visit Asean Re-takaful International Limited at the 'Financial Park Office Tower' Kuala Lumpur followed by another programme at Malaysian Ins. Institute on 18 June.

OIC foreign ministers meet June 18-20

BSS, Dhaka

The three-day Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) meeting of Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) will begin in Kampala, Uganda from June 18.

The meeting will throw light on Islamophobia and review the implementation of 10-year plan of action adopted in the special summit in Mecca in 2005, official sources said on Monday.

The revised charter of OIC which was adopted at the Dakar Summit this year, will be open for signature by ministers of the member countries during the CFM, the sources added.

Bangladesh delegation to the CFM meeting will be led by Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain.

Mosud Mannan, Director General (International organization) and one director from the International Organization Desk will be two other members of the delegation.

The foreign secretary with the delegation will leave here for Kampala this evening and return home on June 22.

20 pc ADP allocations for water, sanitation significant: Water Aid

BSS, Dhaka

WaterAid country representative in Bangladesh Dr Khairul Islam on Monday described as "very significant" the government's 20 percent allocation in ADP to ensure sanitation-related facilities for the hardcore poor.

At a press conference at Dhaka Reporter's Unity (DRU), Dr Islam suggested setting up a proper monitoring and evaluation system to make this positive step of the government a success.

Making a number of key points relating to improvement in water supply situation and sanitation sector of Bangladesh, Dr Islam said the country needs an investment of Taka 2674 crore annually in the 'Sector Development Programme'.

He said Taka 774 crore has been allocated in ADP for the sector in the current financial year.

The WarerAid chief said water supply and sanitation (WSS) sector need separate allocations in the national budget as three per cent allocation for water supply and sanitation in ADP is not adequate.

Calling for ensuring 'sanitation for all by the year 2010', he urged the government to take up a realistic 'Medium Term Budgetary Format' to ensure adequate water supply and proper sanitation.

Dr Islam said efforts should be made to arrange more funds to achieve the target of water supply and implement sanitation programmes.

He suggested effective programmes to bring larger segment of people under the water supply and sanitation coverage.

Noted economist Dr Abul Barakat was present.

SAARC ministerial meet on climate change July 3

BSS, Dhaka

The SAARC ministerial meeting on climate change will be held here on July 3.

Chief adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed is expected to inaugurate the meeting.

The ministerial meeting will be preceded by an expert level meeting on July 1 and 2.

The meeting will held in the backdrop of growing concern for adverse impact of climate change, particularly sea level rise of some countries of the region, official sources said yesterday.

It needs to be recalled that in view of growing concern for climate change the 29th session of the SAARC council of ministers in New Delhi in December last year decided to hold the ministerial meeting.

The meeting, the sources said, is expected to draw a plan of action to address climate change issues through regional cooperation.

The expert level meeting will make an in-depth assessment of the adverse impact of climate change in the region and suggest measures to face the situation through cooperation, the sources said.

Hua Du leaves Bangladesh first week of July

BSS, Dhaka

Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director Hua Du is leaving Bangladesh in the first week of July after her five years stay in the country.

ADB sources said Hua Du, who has been working as head of the mission here since 2005, will join the bank's head office in Manila. She also served as the senior most functionary of the ADB before taking over the mission as the country director in 2002.

During her tenure, the ADB official made effective contribution in strengthening the working relations between the bank and Bangladesh government at different levels, the sources said.

Law to prevent sea pollution demanded

BSS, Chittagong

Experts at a workshop in Chittagong yesterday underscored the need for enacting a comprehensive marine legislation by updating existing laws to protect the country's marine environment and ensure a safe maritime trade.

They said an explicit marine legislation is urgently needed against the backdrop of unabated sea pollution by many sources damaging marine environment and bio-diversity.

Bangladesh's progress, they said, was insignificant in reshaping the laws and full implementation of international provisions and conventions in past years though the country ratified various international conventions and codes for the protection of the marine environment.

The conventions include MARPOL (The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution by Ships-1973/1978), INTERVENTION (The International Convention relating to Intervention on the High Seas in cases of Oil Pollution Casualties, 1969) and OPRC (International Convention on Oil Spill Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990).

The national workshop on "Marine Pollution Legislation-2008" was held under the auspices of Component-4 (Shipping) of Bangladesh Trade Support Programme (BTSP), co-funded by the European Union and the Ministry of Commerce. It is aimed at pursuing a trade and economic reform agenda in line with WTO agreements.

The component-4 within the Ministry of Shipping aims at establishing an improved legal and regulatory framework related to maritime transport services and linkage to multi-mode transport services.

Abdul Malek, local consultant of the Component-4 of BTSP and former DG of Department of Shipping, Commodore AKM Alauddin, Chief Engineer and Ship Surveyor of the department, and Md Shafiqul Islam, Principal Officer of Mercantile Marine Department, among others, spoke at the inaugural session of the workshop. Hans-Martin Forsund, legal expert on marine pollution working with Component-4 of BTSP project, presented the key-note paper on the subject.

Stakeholders representing different public and private organisations in port and shipping sectors participated in the discussion.

Organisers said the objective of the workshop was to focus on different aspects of the draft marine pollution legislation and incorporate suggestions of the participants in the proposed law before finalisation.

Hans-Martin Forsund said currently only ocean going ships, not the coastal and inland vessels, are complying with the MARPOL requirements.

He said apart from improving the existing inappropriate legal set up in line with international conventions, Bangladesh could benefit if South Asian states work together under a common strategy to tackle the threat of rising sea pollution.

Abdul Malek said Bangladesh has to protect its marine environment and have a secure atmosphere for maritime trade for preserving huge natural resources in vast coastline and sea-bed including world's biggest mangrove forest, longest sea beach and also for the sake of health of millions of people living in the coastal areas.