The New Nation - Internet Edition

Nawab Salimullah pioneer of Muslim reawakening: Speaker

BSS, Dhaka

Speaker Barrister Muhammad Jamir Uddin Sircar on Saturday said Nawab Sir Salimullah was the pioneer of Muslim reawakening in this sub-continent.

Speaking at an award-giving ceremony as the chief guest at Shilapakala Academy here, Sircar said Sir Salimullah had realized that the progress of the nation was not possible without educating the Muslims.

Jatiya Lekhak Forum organised the function with its president Anwar Hossain in the chair.

The function was addressed, among others, by former chief election commissioner Justice Abdur Rouf, former VC of Dhaka University Prof Anwarullah Chowdhury, Prof Dr Lutfor Rahman and journalist Mostafa Kamal Majudmer.

The speaker said Sir Salimullah had supported the policy of Bengal partition in 1905 considering the rights of the deprived people in East Bengal.

In his speech, Justice Rouf said there is no scope to forget the contribution of Sir Salimullah in the history of Bangladesh.

He said Salimullah was the hero in the struggle for realizing the rights of the oppressed Muslims in this sub- continent.

Board meeting of BTCL, BSCCL in city today

BSS, Dhaka

The first board meeting of the newly formed companies of Bangladesh Telephone Company Ltd. (BTCL) and Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Ltd. (BSCCL) will be held in the conference room of the Post and Telecommunication Ministry at 3pm today.

The high officials of the two companies today held discussions in preparation of the first board meeting with their chairman and secretary Post and Telecomm Ministry Iqbal Mahmud in the chair.

To mark the launching of the two new companies, a number of important decisions were taken, meeting sources said.

A press conference will be held in this connection at 4pm on June 30. The newly formed BTCL replacing the BTTB may start its journey from the first day of July cutting down its call charges at off peak hour to 10 paisa and peak hour 15 paisa.

The current BTTB call charge is Taka 1.50 paisa per unit covering five minutes.

FBCCI invites application for internship

BSS, Dhaka

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) has invited applications from students of MBA of reputed institutions for internship programme.

The internees will be assigned to research on trade policy, trade agreements, market access, WTO compliances, corporate management, private sector development, said a press release on Saturday.

Suitable candidates are requested to contact through chairman of their respective department or faculty dean to the secretary general of FBCCI.

Applications should be reached to the Federation Bhaban, 60 Motijheel Commercial Area, Dhaka-1000, by July 10 next.

Smoke-free drug treatment, rehabilitation centre favoured

BSS, Dhaka

Action on Integrated Development (AID) Society, an NGO, on Saturday suggested prohibition of smoking at drug treatment and rehabilitation centres to lessen possibilities of re-addiction to drugs of the patients.

"Possibility of re-addiction to drugs becomes lesser if the addicts give up smoking along with drugs," the organization said in a statement issued after it held a seminar.

"It is essential to make drug treatment and rehabilitation centres smoke-free as among drug addicts 99 percent start with smoking", it said.

The statement said almost each drug addiction treatment centre supplies 8 to 12 cigarettes to the drug addicts daily which hamper recuperation of the patients.

Citing a study it said about 12 lakh people are affected by 8 major diseases due to the use of tobacco annually.

Aid Society organized the seminar titled "Smoke Free Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Center" jointly with NARCOB, a network of drug addiction and treatment centres with the support of World Health Organization (WHO) at Dhaka Ahsania Mission Bhaban Auditorium.

Presided over by NARCOB Convener Brother Rabi P Purification, Narcotics Control Department Director General M Humayun Kabir was present as the chief guest at the seminar.

Home Ministry Deputy Secretary M Salimullah and WHO Technical Officer Dr Iqbal Kabir were present as special guests. Narcotic Control Directorate Deputy Director Abu Taleb was the main speaker in the seminar.

Call for adopting CSR to improve working atmosphere

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a seminar in the city on Saturday called for adopting the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) to improve working atmosphere in both public and private sectors.

They felt the necessity of bringing adequate changes in working methodology in line with global changes for improving the performances to render quality services for ensuring growth and development.

The Centre for Management Development of International University of Business Agriculture and Technology organised the international seminar on 'Corporate Social Responsibility in Bangladesh: Current Issues and Future Trends at Agargaon IDB Bhaban, said a press release.

Resource persons from Canada, India, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands and Bangladesh conducted the seminar, presided over by IUBAT Vice-Chancellor Professor M Alimullah Miyan.

European Commission Ambassador Dr Stefan Frowein inaugurated the seminar as the chief guest while Netherlands Charge d'Affaires Fritz Meijndert was present as the special guest.

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) acting President Salahuddin Abdullah, Dutch-Bangla Chamber Vice- President Hasan Khaled, Prof Dr Syed Saad Andaleeb from USA, Nick Genis from UK, Dr D Rajasenan and K Vijayachandram from India, among others, took part in the discussion.

Stefan Frowein expressed the hope that Bangladesh would march ahead with good practice of CSR in every sector by improving the operational activities in their respective areas.

Fritz Meijndert called upon the professionals in all organisations to change their mental faculty and adopt to changes in conformity with the principle of CSR, the release said.

AL pays tribute to Manekshaw

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh Awami League (AL) has expressed deep shock at the death of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, the chief of Bangladesh-India Allied Forces during the War of Liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.

The party at its Central Working Committee meeting on Friday, also observed one-minute silence as a mark of respect to the departed soul of General Manekshaw, a party press release said.

The party, in a condolence reference, said the people of Bangladesh would never forget the contribution of the Indian people, its government and specially the Indian Army under the leadership of Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw during the War of Liberation.

The meeting also recalled the outstanding contribution of General Sam Manekshaw to the Bangladesh's War of Liberation with gratitude and paid rich tributes to the departed soul.

The party said the Pakistan occupation army was forced to surrender to the allied force of Bangladesh and India after nine months of bloody war, under the leadership of Indian Army Chief General Sam Manekshaw.

"The name of Manekshaw has become inseparable with our War of Independence" the party observed.

The meeting also conveyed sympathy to the members of the bereaved family, the people and the government of India and the members of the Indian armed forces.

Mass awareness about arsenic problem stressed

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a workshop on Saturday stressed the need for raising mass awareness about arsenic problem.

They also called upon health officials, employees and media people to work unitedly for fighting the menace of arsenic.

The workshop on arsenic problem was held in the Sasakawa International Conference Room of ICDDR,B at Mohakhali in the city.

Health Secretary AKM Jafarullah was the chief guest at the workshop, chaired by Director General of Health Directorate Professor Dr Mohammad Abul Faiz.

Head of Department of Skin and Venereal Diseases of BSMMU Professor Dr AZM Mayeedul Islam, Head of Epidemiology Department of NIPSOM Professor Dr Mohammad Anisur Rahman and Line Director of NCD and OPHI of Health Directorate Dr Abdur Rahman addressed the function as special guests.

The health secretary assured overall government assistance in solving arsenic problem and wished success of the programme.