The New Nation - Internet Edition

Motijheel City Centre safe

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

A committee has recommended a restart in the construction of City Centre, a high-rise in Motijheel, which developed a crack on its front wall.

The committee has declared the building safe for use.

The committee that probed the safety of the building owned by Dhaka City Corporation submitted its report to DCC chief executive officer Md Alauddin Tuesday.

DCC mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka formed the probe committee on March 29 after the crack was spotted on the front wall of the building during construction.

The committee recommended recruitment of a DCC engineer to oversee construction properly, Alauddin said.

"Construction suspended after the crack was noticed will resume in a week," the official said.

According to the report, the crack did not leave any impact on the main structure of the building.

"The committee did not find any fault with the construction," the official said, referring to the report.

The committee questioned the DCC's "sense of responsibility" as it failed to assign a site engineer to oversee construction.

The committee alleged that the DCC did not assist in the investigation.

The probe committee was led by BUET teacher Joynul Abedin. Dr Khan Mahmud Amanat, also from BUET, Lt Col Nurul Huda and Ahmad Ali Khan of the Public Works Department were also on the committee.

2 electrocuted in Sherpur

UNB, Sherpur

Two workers were electrocuted and another injured as they came in touch of a live wire at Janakipur village in Nakla upazila yesterday.

The deceased were identified as Fazlul Haque, 55, and Maham Mistry, 60.

Locals said a Palli Bidyut power line snapped when a jackfruit tree fell on it as it was cut down by the three workers, killing two of them and injuring another.

The injured, Nawab Ali, was admitted to Nakla Health Complex in a critical condition.

Nakla Upazila Nirbahi Officer Golam Mostafa visited the village.

20 RMG workers hurt in Narayanganj clash

UNB, Narayanganj

Around 20 garment workers were injured in a clash between two rival groups of worker in Fatullah Industrial area yesterday morning.

Locals said Kazi Ripon, collar in-charge of Time Sweater Factory of Katherpul area, filed a case against 20/25 workers of his garments after he was beaten allegedly by them on June 6.

The workers asked to withdraw the case by Tuesday and also threatened the factory owner to go for strike for an indefinite period.

As the case was not withdrawn, workers of the garments went on work stoppage and started demonstration on the street at about 8am today. Workers of different nearby garments also joined them.

The clash ensued between the two groups of workers at Shibu Market area when workers of Liberty Garments refused to join them leaving 20 workers injured.

Police charge batons on the agitated workers to disperse them at about 10.15am. On information, RAB and Joint forces members rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

Of the injured, 11 workers were admitted to the 200-bed Hospital.

Vehicular movement on Narayanganj-Dhaka lonk road was disrupted for one hour due to the clash.

Matin clarifies NCC statement

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Home adviser MA Matin yesterday clarified a statement on the National Coordination Committee that he made the previous day.

The NCC that works to check serious crimes has no legal validity for taking up new cases, said Matin, the committee's chairman, in Tuesday's statement which created some confusion.

"I was asked (by reporters) whether NCC would continue its activities. As I thought the query was related to court matters, I said NCC did not have any legal validity," said Matin on Wednesday.

"I meant that the NCC does not have the legal basis to file cases with the court or execute cases," Matin told reporters.

"The police, the Anticorruption Commission and the National Board of Revenue have the powers," he said.

Matin said the committee would not itself take up any new case because of paucity of time.

"Steps will be taken by selecting among the charges submitted to the committee so far."

On whether the committee would constrain its activities by year-end, the adviser said: "We have not constrained our activities. But we will not start any fresh anticorruption drive either. We will consider cases on a priority basis from the list of corruption suspects already submitted to the government."

"We don't have sufficient time on our hands. Time is too short," said the NCC chairman.

The NCC has so far investigated 488 cases. Of them, 65 have been disposed of, following trial. The remainder of the cases are either on trial or being investigated, the home adviser said Tuesday.

On whether the taskforce would remain active after December, Matin said: "I am hopeful about the taskforce that the next democratic government will continue with it."

Bangladesh fair in Nepal in August

UNB, Dhaka

A four-day 'Bangladesh Single Country Fair' will be held at Decoration Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC), Kathmandu on August 26-29 to promote local products in the Nepalese market.

Nepal, the most potential market of Bangladeshi products among the SAARC countries, has keen import Bangladeshi products like saree, ready made garments, all kinds of ladies wear, medicine, ceramic and sanitary wares, food and beverage, industrial products, electric cable and wire, plastic wares, household durables, toiletries and cosmetics, lubricant oil and services.

Bangladesh is also the best choice of Nepalese students for higher study. So, the universities can expose their services in Nepal.

An agreement was signed on June 23 with Surround Nepal, a leading event management company and the authorized agent of DECC, and Dhaka International Exhibition Company (DIEC).

Surround Nepal Director Marketing Rajesh KC and Managing Director of DIEC Enayet Karim signed the agreement on behalf of their respective companies.

Bangladesh Abmassador in Nepal Imtiaz Ahmed and Head of Chancery M Abul Hossain were present in the signing ceremony.

Father beaten to death by son

UNB, Barisal

An elderly man was beaten to death by his mentally deranged son at Jalabad-Laxmipur village in Muladi upazila here on Monday.

The dead was identified as Mohabbat Ali Molla, 70.

Police and family sources said Bellal Hossain, 26, who has been suffering from mental sickness for last six months, suddenly became violent on the night and beat his father to death.

Bellal was handed over to police on Tuesday.

Police sent the body to hospital morgue and Bellal to jail after Ilias Hossain, younger son of the victim lodged a murder case with Muladi police station on Tuesday.

Justice Naimuddin hospitalised

UNB, Dhaka

Justice Naimuddin Ahmed, a former Law Commission member, was admitted to Square Hospital in the city yesterday with various health complications.

He was rushed to the hospital at 2:30pm and later shifted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at 5pm, family sources told UNB.

He fainted, they said, adding that he has been suffering from low pressure.

Children team call on CA

UNB, Dhaka

A delegation of three children's organizations yesterday called on Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed to formally apprise him of holding International Children's Festival in Bangladesh this year to make future generation aware about the adverse impacts of climate change.

"The International Children's Festival 2008" will be held aiming to make the children and juvenile aware about the adverse impacts of degradation of world environment and climate change in all countries of the world, including Bangladesh, and means to get rid of the adversities.

The 13-member delegation of Kanchi Kanther Asar, USA, Kanchi Kanther Asar and Kanchi Kantha Foundation, Bangladesh, requested the Chief Adviser to inaugurate the festival.

The Chief Adviser thanked them for taking such important initiative and choosing the topic, saying that adverse impacts of climate change would affect more severely the future generations.

As the delegation members sought government cooperation, Dr Fakhruddin said he would ask the Ministries concerned to look into the matters and extend their cooperation.

They also informed him that they want to launch a TV channel styled 'Kids Vision' in Bangladesh.

The delegation members include chairman of the International Children Festival 2008 Dr Mizanur Rahman Shelly, Prof Shaheda Obaid, Principal Hamida Ali, Syed Margub Morshed, Nurun-nabi Milon, Abduallah al Mamun, Mahnur Rahman, Rana Huq and Principal Rawshanara Mannan.

Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim was also present.