The New Nation - Internet Edition

Tk 4.42 cr to be provided for social welfare activities

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh National Social Welfare Council (BNSWC) under the Ministry of Social Welfare will provide Tk 4.42 crore to 5,558 voluntary organisations in grant to gear up their social welfare activities.

Of the amount, Tk 1.25 core will be provided to 743 organisations involved in income-generating programmes, Tk 3.9 crore to 4,807 voluntary organisations and Tk 8 lakh to eight organisations working nationally.

The grant allocation was approved at the 31st annual meeting of the council at Social Service Department here yesterday with Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Social Welfare Ministry Brigadier MA Malek (retd) in the chair.

The meeting also approved a Tk 9.5 crore budget of the council for fiscal 2008-2009.

MA Malek directed the authorities concerned to properly spend the grant fund ensuring accountability and transparency of the organisations.

Social Welfare Secretary Dewan Zakir Hossain, Director General of the Social Service Department Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, BNSWC Executive Secretary MA Kashem Masud and other high officials attended the meeting.

PSI co filed suit against inviting fresh bidding

UNB, Dhaka

The Assistant judge's court of Dhaka yesterday issued show cause notice upon the finance secretary, Chittagong Port authority and Asian Development Bank to explain in seven days why invitation of bids for selection of pre-shipment inspection agent should not be declared illegal and unlawful.

The court order came upon a suit filed by COTECNA, a Switzerland based company that worked as pre-shipment inspection agent at Chittagong Port. The engagement of PSI agent was financed by ADB.

Seeking temporary injunction on the government move the petitioner submitted that invitation of fresh bidding for selection of PSI agent was not done on prior approval of ADB, financier of the project, as required under the agreement.

Baishakhi Raffle Draw held at Bashundhara City

Staff Reporter

Sixteen attractive prizes including one Maruti Suzuki Car, two-125cc Motor Cycles, one 80cc motor cycle and one 15" LCD Monitor and 120 super prizes were given yesterday in "Boishakhi and Summer Grand Raffle Draw-2008"to the buyers who had purchased items and services worth minimum Tk 200 between1 April and 31 May 2008 in the Bashundhara City.

Rahat Khan, Editor of the Daily Ittefaq was present as the chief guest and gave away the prizes among the winners of the raffle draw.

With a view to increasing the attraction of the ceremony a cultural show was organised on the occasion, which was participated by the popular artists of Bangladesh. A large number of peoples from all walks of life particularly the customers, visitors, shop owners and their representatives profusely enjoyed the function.

Md Fazlul Huq, Senior Executive Director and Ashraf Hossain Mondal, Executive Director of Bashundhara Group, MA Hannan Azad, Convener and Md Khalilur Rahman, Member Secretary of Basundhara City Shopping Mall Dokan Malik Samity, Bashundhara City were present in the function as special guests.

TIM Latiful Hussain, Resident director and Mirza Abul Hassan Md Maleque, Executive Director (Eng) of Bashundhara City were present in the function.

BNP leader held on charge of manhandling a police official

Staff Reporter

A local BNP leader, accused of manhandling a police official, was arrested from a residence at Mugdapara in the city Wednesday night.

The arrested was identified as Nabi Newaz Khan Lohani Bipul, general secretary of Islampur upazila BNP in Jamalpur district.

After arrest, he was brought to Islampur Police Station yesterday and later produced to a local court. The court sent him to jail hajat after rejecting his bail petition.

Islampur Police Station sources said Bipul came to the thana. Manhandled the then ASI Ahad and took away an accused from thana at dead of night on August 17, 2006 during the tenure of four party alliance government.

Ahad filed a case against nine people in connection with the incident.

The BNP leader went into hiding following the imposition of emergency rule.

Earlier, a court here issued warrant of arrest against Bipul and also ordered the attachment of goods of his residence.

Case filed against: 108 vehicles for collecting extra fare

Staff Reporter

The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) filed cases against 108 vehicles and seized another vehicle during a special drive in the city yesterday.

The drive was conducted against vehicles collecting excess fare from passengers, registration less, old, date-expired and other vehicles without route permit and fitness certificates, said a handout.

Dhaka Metropolitan police assisted the drive which was carried out Satmasjid Road, Joar Sahara, Kamlapur, Mugdapara and Shanir Akhra.