The New Nation - Internet Edition

Awareness against global warming: World tour on wheels

Rafiqul Islam Azad

Mohammed Ayub, an Indian national, has arrived Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh, on June 15 carrying out awareness campaign among the students against Climate Change, now a burning issue in the region as well as across the globe.

Starting his journey from India Gate, in New Delhi he entered into Bangladesh, the neighbouring country by crossing Bhomra border on June 12.

Mohammed Ayub, a successor of Turkish origin and works in a private organisation, visited 12 schools and college on his way to Dhaka and exchanged views with teachers and students of the respective schools on the issue.

Describing his tour on his way from Delhi to Dhaka, he said he has visited few schools and informed students of those institutions about the possible dangers of climate change how to fight global warming and save the beautiful planet for the future generation.

"The main idea of my visit is to create awareness among the students and inform them what is Global Warming and Climate Change and how we will fight against it," he said while talking to this correspondent in Dhaka.

Replying to a question, he said that he has chosen the students of school and college, since what he said they are the most promising part of the society and the future backbone of the nation About his next plan, Mohammed Ayub, a physics graduate, said that his main aim is to visit the globe on bike to create awareness among the students on the consequence of climate change.

"As part of the world tour programme, I want to visit a number of countries in Central Asia in the coming two years," he said.

The adventure biker, who has taken the initiative for social and humanitarian causes, however, said that he need sponsor but getting a cold response.

He said that the Dhaka tour was made by his own initiative and only his company "Inter Globe Technologies" offered little assistance to him.

"I thoroughly noticed the problem of "Global Warming/Climate Change" since 2004. I always feel good from with in when I do biking campaign on the issue," he said.

He said he has visited Teknaf by bus due to adverse weather.

"I have gathered lot of experiences during the solo trip to Bangladesh. The scorching sunshine and huge humidity are unbearable. I can see the change in my skin on hands and face. These two and sudden rain spoiled few hours of my biking hours," he said.

This is Ayub's first ever visit to Bangladesh he is expected to meet with noble Laurent Prof Dr Mohammed Yunus this morning and return to India tomorrow.

Earlier, he had travelled many parts of India campaigning against "Thalassaemia" disease and plastic pollution.

Europe toughens stance on immigrants

Agency, Hamburg

In one of the clearest signs yet of Europe's hardening stance on immigration, on Wednesday the European Parliament approved tough new rules for expelling undocumented immigrants, among them a provision allowing member nations to keep migrants in detention centers for up to 18 months. Foreigners who have been forcibly deported also face a five-year ban on reentering the European Union.

The measure, which met stiff opposition from liberal lawmakers and human rights groups, comes as a wave of anti-immigrant feeling and policy proposals are sweeping Europe and parts of the United States. Many observers see the EU vote as a litmus test of the public mood and bellwether of policies to come. "It is clearly a symbol of the direction the EU is going," says Andrew Geddes, a political scientist at the University of Sheffield in England. "When it comes to immigration, the focus is going to be limiting access through very strict controls."

The product of nearly three years of negotiations, the new measure aims to standardize rules for deporting immigrants, which vary widely across the 27-nation bloc. Under the terms, EU countries are required to give illegal immigrants seven to 30 days to leave Europe after receiving deportation orders.

Those who don't depart voluntarily, or who officials fear may go into hiding, can be detained for up to 18 months while awaiting removal to their home country or a third nation. This includes families and unaccompanied children, though EU nations are urged to detain minors only as a "last resort." The measure also lays out some safeguards, like provisions for medical care.

Supporters contend the rules were needed to give weight to immigration laws. "Europe has made it clear that it is not tolerating any form of illegal status," says Manfred Weber, a German center-right lawmaker, who shepherded the directive through parliament.

But critics argue the EU measure will erode humanitarian standards in Europe and beyond. During the floor debate that preceded the vote, Giusto Catania, an Italian leftist, called the measure "an insult to civilization in Europe."

The new policy -part of a wide-ranging package of policies under negotiation in the EU that aim to create a common European approach to immigration - is part of a widespread anti-immigrant backlash.

Last month, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who blames immigrants for soaring crime rates, proposed a raft of measures, among them a law to make entering the country without permission a crime punishable by up to four years in prison. Meanwhile, Roma (gypsy) camps around Naples have been reduced to charred ruins by a string of fire-bomb attacks.

On Tuesday, Spain announced plans to give legal immigrants who have lost their jobs lump sum payments if they agree to return home (see accompanying story).

And France has vowed to make illegal immigration a key focus of its EU presidency, which begins July 1. Among the measures it hopes to see the European Parliament approve are sanctions for companies that employ undocumented immigrants.

The new EU directive is part of a wide-ranging package of policies under negotiation in the EU that aim to create a common European approach to immigration.

Critics argue the measure could encourage European nations to hold immigrants and asylum seekers in detention for longer periods. Currently, two-thirds of member states have limits shorter than those specified under the new law. In France, for instance, immigrants can be held only 32 days; Hungary has a one-year cap.

Italy has already announced that it plans to abandon its two-month limit in favor of the new 18-month standard.

In the EU, there are 224 detention centers for migrants, with space for more than 30,000 detainees. While the centers vary greatly, a 236-page report contracted by the European Parliament last year found that the conditions at many are "grim," "inhumane," and "degrading," with immigrants kept in small, prisonlike cells.

The report also notes that investigators were "particularly shocked by the presence of detained minors in closed detention centers in the vast majority of the States studied," and expressed grave concerns about young detainees' mental health.

Critics of the new EU directive take issue with the five-year reentry ban, saying it doesn't make enough provisions for shifting political realities or unforeseeable events, such as famine and war, which could leave expelled immigrants vulnerable. "This piece of the policy could be very dangerous in terms of refugee protection," says Kris Pollet, of Amnesty International's EU office.

In the run-up to Wednesday's vote, emotional debate erupted among members of European Parliament, as Amnesty International and others lobbied vigorously to block the measure. The Roman Catholic Church and Latin American leaders also weighed in. Bolivian President Evo Morales went as far as threatening to abandon negotiations on a trade pact between Europe and Andean nations if the EU adopted the directive.

In the end, the measure was approved 369 to 197, with 106 abstentions. Many lawmakers made it clear they backed the measure despite reservations because of pressure from the European Commission, the EU's executive branch, which threatened to block future talks on rules for returning immigrants if this measure didn't pass without amendments.

"The council said take it or leave it," said Claudio Fava, a liberal French lawmaker, adding that he found it "very grave" that parliament had "wasted this opportunity by simply accepting the council's firm request to wrap everything up."

Professor Geddes argues that many of these measures have as much to do with how Europe views itself as how it sees the newcomers. "Unlike the US, most European nations don't see themselves as immigration countries," he says. "Many people here are still trying to reconcile themselves with the fact that this situation is permanent, that people who have arrived won't just going away."

Congenital hypothyroidism: Govt-NGO role stressed to save affected children

Staff Reporter

Both the government and NGO's should stretch out their hands to save the country's newborn babies from the curse of congenital hypothyroidism (CHT), a condition that affects infants from birth and results from a partial or complete loss of thyroid function, speakers at a national seminar said yesterday.

They said congenital hypothyroidism (CHT) is a condition of thyroid hormone deficiency present at birth. Approximately 1 in 2000 newborn infants in Bangladesh suffers from congenital hypothyroidism.

Manik Lal Sammaddar, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, addressed the seminar on 'Screening of Congenital Hypothyroidism in Newborn Babies,' as chief guest. The seminar was held at Atomic Energy Commission Bhaban at Agargaon in the city.

SM Wahid-uz-Zaman, Secretary, Ministry of Science, Information and Technology, addressed the seminar as special guest.

Shafiqul Alam Bhuiyan, Chairman of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, presided over it.

Dr Mizanul Hasan presented the keynote paper.

Manik Lal Sammadar said both government and NGO's should stretch out their hands to save the country's newborns from this curse. He said that government would extend all-out cooperation to the commission in this regard. SM Wahid-uz-Zaman said the project should carry on for the endless years.

Mizanul Hasan said if the disease could be diagnosed within a week of birth, it could be cured easily. Project of screening of congenital hypothyroidism in newborn babies would help to save babies from lifelong mental and physical retardation he said.

Blood is taken from the newborn child's intestine or foot, which is then preserved in a filter paper, he said and added that the sample is examined in the laboratory to know whether the child has congenital hypothyroidism.

Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission introduces the project in the country to diagnose congenital hypothyroidism.

Jamaat accuses govt of illegally detaining Khaleda, Nizami

UNB, Rangpur

Jamaat secretary general has squarely blamed the government for unlawfully detaining Khaleda Zia and Matiur Rahman Nizami and demanded the Chief Adviser should immediately release them with an apology.

Speaking at a party meeting at the Town Hall here yesterday Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid claimed Jamaat is a democratic party with men of integrity. The government should take lessons from them how to curb corruption.

Jamaat was in the immediate past 4-party alliance government, top leaders of which have been accused of high profile corruption.

Mujahid also claimed that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and Jamaat chief Maulana Nizami were falsely implicated in corruption cases. He said Chief Adviser of the interim government Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed should release them immediately with an apology for falsely implicating in corruption cases.

On election schedule of four city corporations and nine municipalities the Jamaat leader said the interim government has no mandate for holding any election other than parliamentary polls. He demanded cancellation of the schedule, call for parliamentary polls at the earliest and hand over power to the elected government.

Mujahid expressed doubt of a deep-rooted conspiracy of certain alien forces against the nation. He called upon the party workers and leaders to face up the evil designs against Jamaat and the country as well.

BNP meet on programmes to free Khaleda, her sons

UNB, Dhaka

A joint meeting of BNP and its front organizations began Saturday night at party secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain's NAM apartment residence discussing future action programs to free their detained chairperson Khaleda Zia and her two ailing sons.

A party-insider told UNB that the joint meeting also discussed the Election Commission's schedule for city and municipal polls. The meeting continued till 9 pm.

BNP senior leaders Dr RA Gani, Selima Rahman, Nazrul Islam Khan, Prof MA Mannan, NI Khan and Adv Joynul Abedin and presidents and secretaries of Juba Dal, Chhatra Dal, Krishak Dal, Mahila Dal, Swecchasebak Dal, Muktijoddha Dal, Olama Dal, Tanti Dal, JASAS and Matsyajibi Dal were present at the meeting.

Journalists urged to uphold code of ethics

Staff Reporter

Press Council Chairman Justice Kazi Ebadul Huq yesterday called for enhancing standard of journalism by upholding the code of ethics to serve the people.

Addressing a training workshop organised by the council at the seminar room of Press Institute of Bangladesh, he advised journalists to keep themselves abreast of the developments taking place in countries where the press is most free and yet most responsible.

Some 24 Journalists from across the country attended the workshop titled 'Code of Conduct of Journalists'. The New Nation Editor Mostafa Kamal Majumder moderated the session while senior sub editor of Daily Ittefaq Abbas Uddin Afsari and senior trainer of Press Institute of Bangladesh M Oliur Rahman were guest speakers.

Huq said newspaper owners sometimes sack journalists illegally without paying their dues and sometimes the owners dismiss journalists without prior notice.

He said rights of journalists have been protected with by laws. But those should be more effective, he opined.

The Press Council Chairman advised the participants to be more industrious to prove their efficiency and study hard to increase their knowledge.

"All of us are fighting to build our country. Newsmen have the highest scope to contribute for building a golden Bangladesh," Huq noted.

BCL calls strike at RUET

RU Correspondent

The Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) yesterday called for and indefinite strike on the campus from Tuesday to protest against the attack on them by the activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), activities Earlier, on Thursday, armed cadres of JCD swooped on BCL activists living 20 students injured. They also torched and vandalized dozens of rooms of RUET halls belonging to BCL activists.

BCL leaders Al-Amin, Nazmul and Moshiur at a press conference yesterday demanded immediate arrest and punishment of the JCD activists for repeated attacks on their members.

They also called on Vice-Chancellor Prof Anwarul Haque and demanded immediate resignation of the university's student Welfare Adviser Prof Sayed Abdul Mofiz, alleging that the teacher instigated the JCD cadres to swoop on the BCL activists.

They threatened of students strike for an indefinite period, if Prof Mofiz is not removed from his post within Monday. However, Prof Mofiz denied the BCL's allegations against him terming those as baseless. He refused to talk any more with the journalist.

The BCL also demanded unconditional release of some arrested students who are innocent.

Injured BCL activists Abdullah Al-Amin and Ahsan Ullah Russell, third year students of Civil Engineering Department, yesterday filed two separate cases with Motihar Police Station accusing 18 JCD activists of RUET.

The accused are-Sharif, Ahmed, Lalon, Emdad, Russell, Rony, Tipu, Choton, Bappi, Sihab, Sujon, Sohag, Susom, Didar, Sayem, Sadi, Nuhin and Kowshik.

Motihar police arrested a JCD activist, Sharif, for his alleged involvement in Thursday's attack.

Meanwhile, hall provosts of Shaheed Shahidullh Hall and Shaheed Ziaur Rahman hall yesterday issued show cause notices on 20 BCL men who are also residential students, for in discipline.

The hall provosts in the notices said that the accused students violated discipline by damaging hall properties, beating up the hall guards and staging demonstrations inside the hall.

Uttara Extension Project: Victims demand return of land

Staff Reporter

The landowners, who have lost their land for the Uttara Extension (Third Phase) Project, at a press conference in the city alleged that the Government had reneged from providing them alternative land or cash compensation.

Acting Chairman of Harirampur Union, Mojibur Rahman, one of the victims, told journalists at the Dhaka Reporters Unity yesterday that in the year 2000 RAJUK authority requisition 2,100 acres of land from the local landowners for the extension of the city with the promise that Government will return half of the requisition land after completion of the project.

At the press briefing, Ward Commissioner Mostafa Zaman, Aman Ullah Bhuiyan, Jainal Abedin Milon, Ismail, Lutfar Rahman. Suroz, Alak, Zamal Uddin Bhuiyan and 50 other people, who have lost their entire landed property, were present.

Mojibur alleged that the Government had completed most of the project and handed over more than 500 plots to other people, but not to the victims. According to the law the affected people gets priority in the allotment of land, he said.

They demanded immediate return of their land according to the Requisition Act.

Car of Khaleda’s brother Shamim seized in Dinajpur

UNB, Dinajpur

Police seized the private car of Shamim Eskandar, younger brother of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, from his Balubari residence in the district town on Friday.

Police said they seized the silver-coloured car of Shamim Eskandar at about 6:30pm directed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) as he didn' t mention about the vehicle in his wealth statement. On May 5, this year, the ACC filed a case with Ramna police station in Dhaka against Shamim Eskander, one of the high profile corruption suspects in the second list announced by the ACC, for concealment of information in his wealth statement.

Hasina suffering from fever

Sheikh Hasina

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, now in the US for medical treatment, is running temperature, a spokesman said yesterday.

"She had fever last night. She was very sick all day yesterday," the spokesman told bdnews24.com around 11am Washington time Saturday.

"She still has fever and been complaining of ear problems."

"The temperature shot up to 103," the spokesman said.

Hasina flew to Washington from Boston on Thursday and is set to fly to Orlando for ear treatment, said the spokesman, reached by phone around 9pm Bangladesh time.

Martian probe makes ice discovery

Reuters, Los Angeles

The Mars Phoenix Lander has found ice on the surface of the Red Planet, triumphant NASA scientists said on Thursday, a key discovery for the spacecraft as it searches for water and signs of life on Earth's closet planetary neighbor.

The proof came in a series of pictures sent back by Phoenix of a trench it dug with its robotic arm at the arctic circle of Mars, showing dice-sized chunks of white material that are seen to melt away over the course of several days.

"It is with great pride and a lot of joy today that I announce we've found the proof we've been seeking that this really is water ice and not some other material," mission principal investigator Peter Smith, of the University of Arizona, said at a press conference.

The presence of water on Mars is crucial because it is a key to the question of whether life, even in the form of mere microbes, exists or has has ever existed on Mars. On Earth, water is a necessary ingredient for life.

Scientists first discovered what they believed was a vast sheet of ice under the barren surface of the Martian north pole in 2002, when the Mars Odyssey Orbiter detected it through a hydrogen analysis while circling the planet.

Phoenix landed on May 25 and uncovered the white chunks when it dug a trench a few inches into the soil but NASA was at first cautious in pronouncing it ice because of the possibility that it could be salt.

But the sequence of photographs showed about eight dice-sized chunks slowly vanishing, confirming for the scientific team at about noon PDT (1900 GMT) on Thursday that it was water ice.

"It was just so incredibly convincing," Smith said of seeing the images for the first time. "There was no argument to be made anymore and we all just kind of applauded."

Though the scientists pronounced themselves "thrilled" with the discovery, it is only the first step in the primary mission of Phoenix to determine whether water has flowed on Mars and if life exists on the planet at any level.

"Now we know for sure that we are on an icy surface and can really meet the science goals our mission," Smith said. "I am just sitting on the edge of my chair, really, waiting to find out what (our instruments) can tell us."

Over the next several weeks the science team will analyze the ice and soil to determine its geologic history and look for organic material.

"The fact that there's ice there doesn't tell you anything about whether its habitable," Smith said. "The ice may be always in a frozen state and with ice in a frozen state and no food, thats not a habitable zone.

"Its really the modern history of these plains we're here to unravel," he said.

The $420 million lander spent 10 months journeying from Earth to Mars and has already analyzed soil samples scraped from the surface and put into its onboard laboratory.

32 Bangladeshis stranded at KL

Staff Reporter

At least 32 Bangladeshi workers have become stranded at Kuala Lumpur Airport due to the failure of the recruiting agency concerned in renewing their visas.

These Bangladeshi workers have become stranded as their visas have already expired.

The recruiting agency officials said the Bangladeshi workers were sent upon assurance from the concerned Malaysian employer. Now the employer is not showing any response.

It is learnt that Source Link Resources of Malaysia sent visas of 40 workers to Shikha Trade International on May 28 last. After getting the visas, the recruiting agency received approval of the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training on June 9. The recruiting agency completed all the formalities to send these Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia though the tenure of the visas was about to be expired. The 32 workers went to Malaysia by a flight of Bangladesh Biman on June 18. But, none from the employing organization came to the airport to receive them. Later, they were sent to the nearby visa working camp. The officials of the recruiting agency claimed that they were not involved in any kind of irregularities in sending the workers.

One killed in city road mishap: Body of youth recovered

Staff reporter

A man was crushed to death under the wheels of a bus and the body of an unidentified youth was recovered in the city yesterday.

The dead, identified as Joynal Abedin, 60, accountant of Mabs Coaching Centre at Mouchak and a resident of New Paltan of Azimpur, was crushed under the wheels of a bus at Malibagh crossing.

Sources said a bus of S Alam Paribahan ran over Joynal, when he was standing on the roadside, killing him on the spot at about 7:00am. Police seized the bus and arrested the driver.

Meanwhile, the body of an unidentified youth was recovered from Khilgaon area.

On information, police recovered the body of the youth, in his 30's and wearing black pants and pink shirt, from Noyapara Balurmath area.

A scarf was found tied around his neck and the body bore some injury marks.

Global refugee total rises again

BBC Online

The number of refugees worldwide has risen to 11.4 million, the United Nations refugee agency has said.

It is the second year in succession the number has gone up, after five years of falling, the agency said. Afghanistan and Iraq were behind much of the rise.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres blamed conflicts, climate change and rising food prices.

In addition to the refugees, another 26 million people globally are internally displaced, the UN says. Guterres said: "We are now faced with a complex mix of global challenges that could threaten more forced displacement."

The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Geneva says that what the UN wants is harmony at European level on the rules for accepting refugees, because recognition rates vary too widely.

It wants a harmonisation of policy that errs towards the generous rather than the strict, she says. The report said that 11.4 million was the number of refugees the UN agency (UNHCR) had responsibility for at the end of 2007, up from 9.9 million the year before.

Of these, almost 3.1 million were Afghans, while 2.3 million were Iraqis - most of whom had sought refuge in Jordan and Syria. "Much of the increase in refugees in 2007 was a result of the volatile situation in Iraq," the report said.

The UNHCR's Jennifer Pagonis said: "Pakistan is the country which has the most refugees in it followed by Syria and Iran - Germany and Jordan they are then top five."

The number of people displaced by conflicts - including those uprooted in their own countries, who are not strictly defined as refugees - rose to 26 million from 24.4 million.