The New Nation - Internet Edition

NDC delegation calls on BGMEA leaders in city

Staff Reporter

A 52-member delegation of National Defence College (NDC) yesterday made a courtesy call on BGMEA leaders at BGMEA office in the city.

The delegation led by NDC Commandant Lt Gen Md Aminul Karim, ndc, ldmc, psc. Apart from the members of Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Air Force, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Civil Service, the delegation also comprised members of the defence forces of China, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka and Sudan.

With BGMEA president Anwarul Alam Chowdhury Parvez in the chair, the meeting was attended by BGMEA vice-president (Finance) Mahmud Hasan Khan, directors MA Rahim (Firoze), Md Mesbahuddin Ali, Md Shahidul Huq Mukul, Inamul Huq Khan Bablu and Md SM Mannan Kochi.

During the meeting, BGMEA president Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury informed the NDC delegation about the overall activities of BGMEA, its mission and vision, steps taken to expand the market of readymade garments to the international market industry and the steps to be taken for further expansion.

NDC Commandant Lt Gen Md Aminul Karim said BGMEA is working well for the economic security of the country. He said the country would face a major setback if the garment industry faced any stagnation.

Death anniversary of Mahbub Anam today

Today is the seventh death anniversary of eminent journalist and author Mahbub Anam, former Editor of The Bangladesh Times. In a distinguished career as a journalist, he also served as a Senior Executive of the then Pakistan Observer, Senior Vice-President of the Bangladesh Editors Council and Executive Committee Member of Bangladesh Sangbadpatra Parishad, Bangladesh Press Council and Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha Porichalona Board. For his contribution to journalism, he received the Swadhinata Padak, Sher-e-Bangla Gold Medal and Moulana Akram Khan Gold Medal, says a press release.

He was the second son of eminent litterateur, journalist and polician late Abul Mansur Ahmad and elder brother of Mahfuz Anam, Editor and Publisher of The Daily Star.

Academic feat

Tanvir Alam has got GPA-5 in Dakhil Examination 2008 from Ekhri Dakhil Madrasah, Khulna under Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board from Arts Group. He received scholarship in the Muslim Aid UK Bangladesh (Rainbow Family) per month Tk 1820/-. He is the only son of Late Oliar Rahman and Afroza Begum.

Obituary

Amal Majumdar, former Chief Engineer of the Meteorological Department and Freedom Fighter died of brain haemorhage at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Monday. He was 56. He left behind wife, three sons and a host of relatives to mourn his death, says a press release. He was cremated at the city's Postogola Crematorium with state honour on Monday evening. His obsequies will be held at Dhakeshwari temple in the city on July 19 next.

Academic feat

Md. Rahbarul Islam (Masud) has obtained GPA-5 (Golden A+) from Science group of Palshia Rani Dina Moni High School, Nikrail, Tangail in the SSC examination held in 2008. His father is Md. Abdul Barek and mother is Hashna Begum. He comes of a middle case Muslim family with extraordinary merit. He wants to be a doctor, says a press release.

Low over Bay may intensify

BSS, Dhaka

A low-pressure area has developed over the North Bay and adjoining West Bengal-Bangladesh coast.

It is likely to intensify further. Under its influence, deep convection is taking place over the North Bay, said a press release.

Squally weather is likely over the North Bay and adjoining coastal area and may affect the maritime ports.

Maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Mongla have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal number three.

All fishing boats and trawlers over the North Bay and deep sea have been advised to come close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice.

Steps to ensure

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a press conference on Tuesday urged the government for undertaking an integrated efforts to ensure safe inland water transport in the country by rearranging and strengthening the present inspection system.

They called upon the government for identifying the risky water routes and unfit and unsafe launches plying at present and fixing a timeframe for withdrawing from the routes in order to avoid frequent river accidents and save a large number of lives.

They were speaking at a press conference on "Safe Water Transport" organised by the Safe Water Way Implementation Movement at the National Press Club here.

Member Secretary of the Safe Water Way Implementation Movement Md Aminur Rasul read out the written statement at the conference. Leaders of the organisation Shahadat Islam Chowdhury, Azizul Islam, Monir Ahmed Shubra, Shah Zaman Dulal, Sharmin Islam Daisy, Rafiqul Alam and AM Feroz Hossain also spoke.

Highlighting various irregularities in the inland water transports Aminur Rasul said, most of the water transports in the country do not have fitness and these vessels were not made following the proper design. Besides, most of the crews are not skilled and they lack proper awareness.

As a result, a total of 529 launches faced accident in the country during last 31 years, of which about 70 percent were unfit and made violating the appropriate design, he said adding that if the vessels were made as per the design, then the risk of sinking the water vessels could be minimised.

Aminur Rasul also emphasised the need for formulating an inland waterway transport guideline in line with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

Mentioning that a total of over five thousand river vessels in the country are operative illegally, he said, out of 7,873 river vessels, the fitness of only 2,423 were tested although it is mandatory to examine fitness of all vessels officially.

The launch owners overload the vessels with passengers beyond the capacity, he said adding, they also collect excessive fare from the passengers violating the rates fixed by the government.

Md Aminur Rasul urged the government for raising the allocations in the budget for improving transport in the waterways by increasing the skill of the crews, increasing the manpower for inspection of the launches and for undertaking measures to reduce accidents in the waterways in the coastal areas.

He also demanded amendment to the Inland River Ordinance 1976 with the provisions that the persons responsible for accidents could be brought under legal actions and the families of the victims could be compensated.

For reducing the loss of lives in waterway accidents he suggested for constituting taskforce of the rescuers at the land near the banks of the rivers and arranging their regular training so that more people could be rescued.

He also demanded providing of life jackets proportionately to the number of the passengers in every launch and ensuring the radio communication system in all river vessels at the same frequency and forecasting the weather report.

'Breastfeeding can save 37,000 lives annually'

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a meeting underscored the need for creating favourable atmosphere for mothers to breastfeed their babies.

Saving life of 37,000 babies is possible annually through breastfeeding in the very first hour of their birth, they told the national review and preparatory meeting on the 'World Mothermilk Week' to be observed August 1-7.

Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation in cooperation with Save the Children-USA arranged the meeting at the Spectra Convention Centre here on Monday, a press release said today.

The meeting was addressed by National Professor MR Khan, Chairperson of Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation Dr SK Roy, Adviser of the foundation Professor Talukder, Additional Director General of Health Directorate Dr Mohammad Moyezuddin, Director of Family Planning Department Mostafa Kamal, Executive Director of National Nutrition Programme (NNP) Biman Kumar Saha, Director of NNP Dr Fatima Parveen and Dr Riad Mahmud of Save the Children- USA.

They also stressed the need for breastfeeding babies up to the sixth month of their birth and giving proper supplementary food to them from the sixth month to two years.

Citibank honors Nazrul singer Sohrab Hossain

UNB, Dhaka

Citibank, N.A. Bangladesh will hold 'Gunijon Shombordhona' to honor the lifetime contribution of Nazrul artist Sohrab Hossain at Radisson Water Garden hotel on Friday.

The other distinguished artists of the present times are also supposed to render songs on the occasion in honor of Nazrul artist Sohrab Hossain and the invited guests.

Citibank has in the past honored artists Nilufar Yasmin, Farida Parveen, Feroza Begum and Sanjida Khatun for their outstanding contribution to Bengali music and culture, said a press release.

Dr Aziz for BIMSTEC cooperation to ensure regional food security

UNB, Dhaka

Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam on Tuesday called for effective regional cooperation among BIMSTEC member countries to ensure food security and prevent negating the gains already achieved in poverty alleviation.

"The sheer availability of food is under strain, in part, because of the impact of climate change to which the member countries of BIMSTEC have contributed little," he said, inaugurating the BIMSTEC senior officials' meeting at Sonargaon Hotel.

The meeting, preceding the first BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting on Poverty Alleviation scheduled here on Wednesday, will set agenda for discussion in the ministerial to be inaugurated by Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed.

The Finance Adviser said the recent global scenario has become highly unfavourable for the poor due to the dramatic increases in the prices of food grains, fuel and fertilizer, giving rise to "ugly inflation."

"Their (poor) capacity to meet minimal food requirements is severely constrained as they have hardly any saving to draw down," he said, seeking valuable input for the Ministerial meeting tomorrow.

He expected that the Ministerial would adopt concrete steps towards reaching shared destination of establishing societies free from the curse of hunger, deprivation and poverty.

The Finance Adviser apprised the meeting of Bangladesh's efforts in mitigating the sufferings of the people due to inflation through social safety net measures and employment creation programmes.

He also told the meeting that Bangladesh had set up a climate change fund to implement adaptation and mitigation measures for dealing with the impact of natural disasters induced by climate change.

The BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) was formed on June 6, 1997 in Bangkok and its member countries are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

PDB fails to install 90MW Fenchuganj plant on schedule

UNB, Dhaka

When the country is smarting from a severe power crisis, the state-owned PDB again failed to install a 90-MW power plant at Fenchuganj in Sylhet.

The plant is now 9 months behind the schedule and officials apprehend further delays.

Sources said a dispute between the Power Development Board and its Chinese contractor over the payment of tax mainly caused the hurdles-and it again raised question about seriousness of the authorities concerned towards resolving the nagging power crisis.According to official sources, the US$ 85 million power- plant project, having three generation units, 2 simple cycles and 1 combined cycle, was supposed to be installed by October last year.

It was learnt that the Chinese contractor, Harbin Power Engineering, brought all the equipment in the country last year and moved to install those at the project site.

But, at one stage of the project works, PDB and Harbin locked horns over the payment of tax and customs duties on the imported equipment.

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) billed about US 5 million as customs duty and other taxes and asked the PDB to pay the dues. But PDB communicated to the NBR that the customs duties and taxes would be paid by Harbin.

When NBR asked the Harbin to pay the bills, it replied that, as per contract, all customs duties and taxes are to be paid by the PDB as employer of the contractor.

This dispute ultimately delayed the project implementation for last nine months, and the issues still remained unresolved.

Harbin officials, however, mentioned another cause of the project holdback, saying that PDB took 18 months additional time to hand over the site for installing a gas booster.

Member (generation) of PDB M Mortuza Ali expressed his hope of completing the installation by next month although the tax-related issues remained unresolved.

"Now, installing the plant is being delayed only for a technical reason… after completion of gas booster, we can commission the plant," he told UNB.

But a top Harbin official disagreed with the PDB's fond hope, saying that unless the tax issues were resolved, they would not be hopeful about the commissioning of the plant.

He said two units, out of three, are now ready to go into operation.