The New Nation - Internet Edition

$4.8m Danish help for rural water schemes

UNB, Dhaka

Denmark will provide US$ 4.8 million for a new two and half years project for improvements of the rural water supply in the three districts of Rajshahi, Chapainawabgonj and Naogaon.

The project will assist in designing and constructing 200 piped rural water supply schemes for a population of around 400,000 people.

In this regard, Denmark embassy and Bangladesh government have agreed to extend assistance to the Barind Multi-purpose Development Authority (BMDA) for support to piped rural water supply in the northwestern region of Bangladesh.

The overall objective of the support to BMDA is to contribute to the provision of safe rural water supply combined with environmental sanitation and hygiene in the northwestern region of Bangladesh, said a Danish Embassy press release yesterday.

The project will be financed through the HYSAWA Fund, which is an autonomous company established under the Companies Act 1994. The Fund has been established to provide financial support to decentralised rural water supply and sanitation in direct cooperation with the Union Parishads and local partner organisations.

As an autonomous organisation from 1995, BMDA has obtained a mandate from GoB to utilise their deep tube wells to provide safe drinking water to nearby villages. BMDA has so far developed more than 300 water supply systems in cooperation with local authorities and communities.

"We hope that the Danish assistance will contribute to the Government' s efforts of strengthening decentralised implementation and management of rural water supply and sanitation in cooperation with Union Parishads and BMDA," Jan Møller Hansen, Chargé d'Affaires of Danish embassy, said.

He continues: "With the increasing population density, also in rural areas, and localised water quality problems, we are keen to support community-based piped water supply schemes in rural areas of Bangladesh. We are looking forward to this new partnership with the HYSAWA Fund, BMDA and local Union Parishads and communities."

The project will be implemented by BMDA and overall responsibility for monitoring and evaluation of the project will be with the HYSAWA Fund Management office.

Danida will provide an amount of US$ 4.2 million for piped rural water supply and US$ 0.4 million for water resource management from its unallocated budget under Water Sector Programme supported by GoB and Denmark.

98,000 cleared for foreign employment in June alone

UNB, Dhaka

Some 98,000 workers were issued emigration clearance for overseas employment in June, which is seen as an all-time record.

"This is an all-time record, exceeding the previous one of September 2007 when 92,000 were cleared," Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, also in charge of the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, said to the media Wednesday.

He further said, "While we are pleased with these numbers, we are also aware that much remains to be done, particularly in terms of upgrading skills."

'SAARC Food Bank’ to meet food crisis urged

BSS, Dhaka

Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Dr Sheel Kant Sharma today laid emphasis on keeping the 'SAARC Food Bank' operational with a view to addressing the prevailing food crisis in a coordinated manner in the region.

"I need strong supports from the SAARC member states to materialize the idea of the SAARC Food Bank in the forthcoming SAARC summit to ensure redundant benefit for the SAARC nations", he said while addressing a roundtable here.

Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) organized the roundtable on 'SAARC: Short Window of Opportunity' in its conference room here.

Foreign diplomats, former Bangladeshi diplomats, Directors General of the Foreign Ministry, Former Secretary general of SAARC Q A M A Rahim, intellectuals and academics took part in the discussion. BEI president Farooq Sobhan moderated it.

Dr Sheel Kant Sharma said in recent years a number of promising and substantial achievements were made in the region, but more expectations need to be fulfilled.

Apart from the regional trade, he said, the bilateral trade within the SAARC member states stood at 100 million US dollar in 2007 bringing extra benefits for the 1.5 billion people living in this region.

"We have given a clear instruction to the SAARC ministerial meetings with priority on various issues including energy, climate change, water, food security, trade facilitation and non- tariff barriers in the region," he said.

Dr Sharma, also a former Indian diplomat, said "We believe that the strong leadership of the SAARC member states will have numerous action-oriented agendas in the upcoming summit."

"A multi-modal transport corridor among India, Nepal and Bangladesh will be a prime agenda in the coming SAARC summit," he added.

The SAARC Secretary General also said that with the keenness of Indian Prime Minister, a SAARC University is being established, so students in the SAARC region can have their higher degrees from that institution.

Q A M A Rahim said the SAARC member states should be more realistic in terms of strengthening the regional cooperation by exploring trade related issues.

"Fund is no problem, rather structural problem in the implementation process of any decision of the SAARC is a major bottleneck," he said.

Terrorism still persists in the South Asian region due to lack of legislation, the former SAARC Secretary General said.

Farooq Sobhan called for discussing important issues like high food prices, duty-free access of SAARC products to each other's market in the region, energy security, labour migration and human trafficking in the next SAARC summit "I hope a finer SAARC development fund will be created with the strong leadership of SAARC secretariat" he said.

The people of the SAARC nations can get vast benefit of the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) by stimulating regional cooperation and people-to- people understanding, said BEI president.

CA directs concerned authorities: Go for short-term solution to meet power, gas demand

BSS, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed on Wednesday directed the ministries concerned to go for short-term solution to meet country’s increasing demand of power and gas.

Dr Fakhruddin gave the directives when a presentation was made at his initiative on behalf of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources at his office this afternoon. Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Prof M Tamim apprised the Council of Advisers about the latest power and gas situation of the country at the presentation meeting.

Members of the Council of Advisers, Special Assistants to the Chief Adviser, Cabinet Secretary, Secretary to the Chief Adviser’s Office, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser and Secretaries concerned attended the meeting.

After the meeting, while briefing newsmen, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser Syed Fahim Minaim told that the Chief Adviser asked the ministry to make the presentation on energy and power situation and steps to be taken to improve the existing condition.

The presentation stated that the country is now producing 1800 mm cft gas against the required amount of 2000 mm cft. It said that the shortage of gas is due to limitation of production and transmission. Regarding power, the presentation said that shortage of about 500 megawatts electricity was existing due to shortage of gas.

The meeting held a threadbare discussion on the presentation focused on short, mid and long term programmes, government preparedness and private initiatives as well in power and energy sector.

In his directives, the Chief Adviser asked the authorities concerned to identify the bottlenecks for the shortage of power and energy.

Dr Fakhruddin emphasised on more coordination between the Ministries of Power and Energy to improve the overall power and energy situation in the country.

He asked the authorities concerned to find out ways on how to raise the extraction of gas at the Bibiana gas field.

War criminals can be tried even after a hundred years

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a roundtable yesterday said the trial of war criminals could take place even after a hundred years.

But correct information and data were essential for holding the trial they said speaking at a roundtable, "Trial of war criminals of 1971: A demand of the time," organised by Sammilita Sangskritik Jote (SSJ) at the conference room of the National Press Club.

Chaired by SSJ prsident Nasir Uddin Yussuf Bachchu, the roundtable was addressed by, among others, Workers Party chief Rashed Khan Menon, CPB president Manzurul Ahsan Khan, Sector Commanders' Forum convener Air Vice Marshal (retired) A K Khandaker, Awami League leader and play actor Asaduzzaman Noor, sector commander Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Abu Osman Chowdhury, Peshajibi Sammilito Parishad (PSP) convener A A M S Arefin Siddiqui, PSP member secretary Dr Qamrul Hasan, AL women affairs Secretary Dr Dipu Moni, poetry reader Hasan Arif and singer Fakir Alamgir.

Play actor Mamunur Rashid presented the keynote paper, "Trial of war criminals: Always the most contemporary demand."

Supporting the Sector Commanders' Forum's movement against the war criminals Rashed Khan Menon said, a joint conspiracy hatched at home and abroad was delaying the trial of the war criminals.

He urged the caretaker government to appoint a commission to prioritise the issue of the trial of the war criminals.

3 to die for killing youth in Natore

BSS, Rajshahi

Three persons were sentenced to death by a tribunal here yesterday in the sensational Rafiqul murder case of Naldanga under Natore district.

Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge ATM Mezbauddowla found the convicts guilty under section 302/34 of BPC and handed down the verdict in a crowded courtroom.

The convicts are identified as Mijanur Rahman, Sohrab Hossain alias Bolay and Yeakub Ali. They are the residents of Chhatarbhanga village under the same upazila. Of them, Yeakub Ali has been absconding since the murder.

Six other accused of the case-Amjad Hossain, Khorshed Ali, Habibur Rahman, Sentu, Nurul Islam and Rohidul Haque- were acquitted, as the murder charge brought against them could not be proved.

According to the prosecution, the convicts in association with some of their accomplices chopped Rafiqul Islam to death at Chhatarbhanga village as sequel to a long-standing previous enmity over a piece of disputed land on July 5, 2006.

Father of the deceased Rahmat Ullah had lodged a case with Naldanga police station in this connection on the following day and after completing investigation police pressed charges accusing them.

The tribunal examined 18 prosecution witnesses and relevant evidences and finally pronounced the verdict.

Special Public Prosecutor Sheikh Zahangir Alam Selim appeared in the case on behalf of the state while Advocate Saiful Alam Shelly defended the accused.

MDR-TB may be diagnised in just two days

BSS, Geneva

People in low-income countries, suffering from multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR- TB), will now get a faster diagnosis in just two days with appropriate treatment instead of standard two to three months, thanks to two new global initiatives.

The new development in TB field was unveiled on Monday by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Stop TB Partnership and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), which together announced last year in South Africa that effective TB diagnosis and treatment are on the cards.

The initiatives come ahead of the world TB conference that takes place in Nigeria next month and just one week after WHO recommended "line probe assays" for rapid MDR-TB diagnosis worldwide.

WHO sources said, the change in diagnosis was driven by data from recent studies, including a large field trial-conducted by FIND together with South Africa 's Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS)-- who produced evidence for the reliability and feasibility of using line probe as says under routine conditions.

MDR-TB is the mid-extreme form of tuberculosis that responds poorly to the standard treatment because of resistance to the first-line drugs---Isoniazid and Rifampicin.

An estimated two per cent of MDR-TB cases worldwide are now being diagnosed and treated appropriately, mainly because of inadequate laboratory services.

MDR-TB also exists in Bangladesh, costs at least hundred times than normal TB treatment side by side causing a number of side effects. The treatment time is also much higher.

The government of Bangladesh, based on the poor diagnosis performance, recently launched another form of MDR-TB diagnosis in Rajshahi division.

The Stop TB Partnership said the new initiative would ensure wider diagnosis access and increase the existing proportion at least seven-fold over the next four years to 15 per cent or more.

"I am delighted that this initiative will improve both the technology needed to diagnose TB quickly, and increase the availability of drugs to treat highly resistant TB," said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who helped launch the Stop TB Partnership's Global Plan to Stop TB in 2006 and whose government is a founding member of UNITAID, a co-fighter against TB.

"The UK is committed to stopping TB around the world, from our funding of TB prevention programmes in the poor countries, to our support of cutting edge research to develop new drugs," Brown said.

In developing countries including Bangladesh most MDR-TB patients are tested only after they fail to respond to standard treatment. Even then, it takes two months or more to confirm the diagnosis.

Patients have to wait for the test results before they can receive life-saving second-line drugs. During this period, they can spread the multidrug-resistant disease to others.

Often the patients die before results are known, especially

if they are HIV-infected in addition to having MDR-TB. "Five months ago, WHO renewed its call to make MDR-TB an urgent public health priority," said WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan.

Extortion case: Next hearing against Hasina July 13

BSS, Dhaka

The trial court on Wednesday set July 13 to give its decision on a prayer for Sheikh Hasina seeking exemption from appearing in person in the court in an extortion case lodged by businessman Azam J Chowdhury.

Judge M Ashraf Hossain fixed the new date after hearing the petition along with another prayer seeking bail for Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, detained in jail in the case.

On July 13, the court will also issue its order on Sheikh Selim's bail prayer.

Sheikh Selim was produced before the court from jail custody.

Earlier, the trial was stayed while the witnesses were testifying as the High Court halted the proceedings till disposal of a writ petition filed by Hasina.

The High Court ordered quashment of the case granting the prayer but the Appellate Division turned down the High Court verdict.

Later, in light of the Appellate Division order, the metropolitan sessions judge on June 15 referred the case to the special court to restart the trial.

Azam J Chowdhury lodged the case on July 16 last year alleging that he had paid about Taka three crore to Sheikh Hasina through her cousin Sheikh Selim as they threatened to cancel the work order for construction of a power plant when Awami League was in power during 1996-2001.

On that very day, Hasina was arrested from her residence while Sheikh Selim, a minister in her cabinet, was taken to custody earlier.

In the charge sheet submitted by police, Sheikh Rehana, Hasina's younger sister, was also made an accused following a confessional statement of Sheikh Selim. The case was later brought under coverage of the Emergency Power Rules (EPR).

BPC’s photography competition begins tomorrow

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) has got tremendous responses from both amateur and professional photographers to its photography competition.

Sources in the BPC said that over 2,000 photographs on 19 topics were submitted for the competition till Monday, the last date for submission.

The topics of the photographs include natural beauty of Bangladesh, sea beaches of Cox's Bazar and Kuakata, the Sundarbans, lifestyle of indigenous people, eternal Bangla, rural lifestyle, city lives, fairs, national days, culture, historic and archeological remains, installations and statues, bio-diversity, beasts and birds, haors and rivers, seasonal diversity, development activities and panoramic beauty.

A high official of the BPC said the judges would select 300 photographs for display at its

Photography Exhibition to be held at Shilpakala Academy in the city on July 4 and 5. Around 350 photographers from diverse sections have submitted their works.

Three best photographs will be awarded while the selected photographs for the exhibition would be honoured, he said.

Secretary of Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry Syed Mohammad Zobayer is expected to inaugurate the exhibition tomorrow (Friday).

The BPC official expects that the competition would help explore unknown talents in photography and unveil the beauty of the country.

Suspended police officer confesses for killing his sister, four nieces

Barisal Correspondent

Shahjahan Boiragi, a suspended sub-inspector of police, yesterday publicly confessed to killing his own sister and her four daughters at village Khalishar Uttar par under Mehendiganh upazila in Barisal district on Monday night.

The SP of Barisal said in a press briefing that Shahjahan Boiragi and his brother Shahidul Bairagi during their 24-hour long interrogation confessed to killing their sister Tanjira Begum and her four daughters.

They hatched a conspiracy to kill their sister and her daughters to punish their rivals over a land dispute, police sources said.

The police are also trying to arrest other members who were involved in the killing mission.

Both Shahjan and Shahidul have been placed on seven-day police remand for further interrogation.

The victims were identified as Tanjira Begum, 38 and her four daughters Anjumanara Begum,Sathi Begum, Jannatunessa Begum and Ferdousi Begum.

WB approves two new projects for vulnerable groups

UNB, Dhaka

The World Bank has approved two new projects to benefit poor families affected by last year's cyclone Sidr, vulnerable children in urban slums, and people with disabilities in Bangladesh.

An amount of US$50 million in additional financing for the Social Investment Program Project (SIPP) is designed to help restore assets, and livelihoods for families affected by cyclone Sidr that caused extensive damage to lives, property, livestock, and crops, with total damage and losses estimated at US$1.7 billion.

SIPP, which has already benefited over 1,000 villages across Bangladesh, was identified as the best instruments for quickly channeling funds to support livelihoods restoration at the community level, according to a message received here yesterday.

Xian Zhu, World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh, said, "This is one of the operations in a series of the World Bank's planned support to respond to Government of Bangladesh's request for rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance in the aftermath of the cyclone."

The two other interventions - a quick disbursing budget support that has already been approved and the longer-term support for disaster management, an Emergency Recovery Credit - are currently under preparation, he added.

After the devastating cyclone SIDR, the World Bank offered US$250 million short, medium and longer- term support to help the millions of affected people to recover and to strengthen disaster- mitigation systems.

Meena Munshi, World Bank Senior Economist and team leader for the project, said, "This project will provide them with financial resources to gradually restore their lives and livelihoods. It will also help in establishing community institutions that in the longer term can identify, plan and carry out their own development priorities."

The US$35 million Disability and Children-At-Risk Project will support the government in expanding the coverage, use, and quality of social-care services for these vulnerable groups.

The project will also help build the capacity of NGOs, Disabled People's Organizations, and government agencies that provide support to disabled people and their families, and advocates for greater disability awareness, inclusion, and empowerment.

CA directs concerned authorities: Go for short-term solution to meet power, gas demand

BSS, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed on Wednesday directed the ministries concerned to go for short-term solution to meet country's increasing demand of power and gas.

Dr Fakhruddin gave the directives when a presentation was made at his initiative on behalf of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources at his office this afternoon. Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Prof M Tamim apprised the Council of Advisers about the latest power and gas situation of the country at the presentation meeting.

Members of the Council of Advisers, Special Assistants to the Chief Adviser, Cabinet Secretary, Secretary to the Chief Adviser's Office, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser and Secretaries concerned attended the meeting.

After the meeting, while briefing newsmen, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser Syed Fahim Minaim told that the Chief Adviser asked the ministry to make the presentation on energy and power situation and steps to be taken to improve the existing condition. The presentation stated that the country is now producing 1800 mm cft gas against the required amount of 2000 mm cft. It said that the shortage of gas is due to limitation of production and transmission. Regarding power, the presentation said that shortage of about 500 megawatts electricity was existing due to shortage of gas.

The meeting held a threadbare discussion on the presentation focused on short, mid and long term programmes, government preparedness and private initiatives as well in power and energy sector.

In his directives, the Chief Adviser asked the authorities concerned to identify the bottlenecks for the shortage of power and energy.

Dr Fakhruddin emphasised on more coordination between the Ministries of Power and Energy to improve the overall power and energy situation in the country.

He asked the authorities concerned to find out ways on how to raise the extraction of gas at the Bibiana gas field.

Memo to CA Release of Khaleda demanded

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Tanti Dal, the weavers' wing of BNP, yesterday placed a memorandum to the Chief Adviser to realise its seven-point demand including unconditional release of BNP's Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and her two sons.

The Tanti Dal led by its President Humayun Islam Khan and general secretary Abul Kalam Azad placed the memorandum at the Chief Adviser's office at noon. Its senior vice president Adv Mukbul Hossain, organising secretary AM Anisuzzaman, Jahangir Alam Mintu, Amirul Islam, Abdul Mumim Chowdhury, among others, were present.

The seven-point demand includes release of all political detainees including former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, her two sons Tarique Rahman, Arafat Rahman Koko, to send Tarique and Koko abroad for better medical treatment, to hold national election by October 30, to lift state of the emergency, to reduce price of essentials including rice, dal, edible oil and fuel, to exempt weavers loan and waive penalty on loan's interest.

Japan to give Tk 1,061 crore for 43 projects

BSS, Dhaka

The budget for 2008-09 will have allocations for 43 projects and programmes to the tune of Taka 1,061.34 crore from the Japanese government's debt allocation fund.

A press release issued by the Japanese embassy here on Wednesday said the amount includes Taka 900 crore from the original debt cancellation. The remaining sum would come from the unused fund of the last year.

In March 2004, the Japan government and Bangladesh agreed on Japanese debt relief measures in the form of debt cancellation.

The agreement exempts Bangladesh from the repayment of the principal amount and payment of the interest for the loans agreements signed with Japan Bank for International Cooperation before 1988.

The two governments agreed the funds would be utilized for projects and programmes focused to achieve poverty reduction and promote socio-economic development.