The New Nation - Internet Edition

Obama may pick Hillary as running mate Unannounced stop at Washington

Obama and Hillary Clinton

AP, New York

Barack Obama stoked vice presidential speculation Wednesday with an unannounced stop at the Washington law firm of a search team member and then a flight to New York fundraisers with potential pick Hillary Rodham Clinton and a second vetter.

"I'm not going to tell you" any details, the smiling likely Democratic nominee told reporters after spending more than two hours inside a downtown office building where attorney Eric Holder, a member of his vice presidential search committee, has offices.

Obama wouldn't say why he visited the building or whom he saw there, and the two top aides at his side - campaign manager David Plouffe and chief strategist David Axelrod - also stayed mum.

The midmorning stop was one of at least two that weren't on his public schedule, and aides would say only that Obama had private meetings planned while in Washington. They wouldn't provide additional details, including whether Obama had met with Holder, a partner at Covington and Burling. The firm is located just blocks from the White House that Obama hopes to occupy come January.

Later, Obama was appearing with Clinton, his rival-turned ally who is mentioned as a possible running mate, at two fundraisers spanning two days. Vice presidential searcher Caroline Kennedy accompanied the two on the flight from Washington. Aides were tightlipped about why the trio traveled together other than to cite the fundraisers.

Kennedy introduced Obama at one fundraiser Wednesday evening, asking donors to "pledge to do all we can to elect Barack Obama." She did not mention the running mate search. Obama, for his part, praised Clinton, who was not present. He had finished speaking but returned to the microphone to ask his donors to help Clinton retire her debt by filling out fundraising forms left on every chair.

Clinton was introducing Obama at a second event. They also were appearing together at a third fundraiser Thursday morning.

Just before leaving Washington, Obama, an Illinois senator, and Clinton, a New York senator, greeted each other on Obama's plane and chatted in the aisle for several minutes before takeoff, but they otherwise didn't speak. Clinton sat in the first row on the right side of the plane; Obama sat in the second row on the left and slept for much of the flight. Kennedy sat at the front of the plane near the two senators.

Earlier Wednesday, Clinton deflected a reporter's inquiry about whether she has turned over her personal financial documents for Obama's campaign to review as part of the vice presidential search, or whether she's even been asked for such records.

Obama also spent part of the afternoon at a hotel near the Capitol. His campaign didn't announce that stop either and also refused to disclose details of it.

In a city that revels in the intrigue surrounding a vice presidential pick, Obama's unannounced stops and traveling companions fueled the guessing game about who he would choose for the No. 2 spot on the Democratic ticket - and whether he met with any of them at Holder's office or, perhaps, elsewhere at another time.

Several people thought to be on Obama's list have indicated they lack interest in the job. The latest was Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, who this week said he had told Obama he intended to remain in the Senate and "under no circumstances will I be a candidate for vice president."

Both Obama and GOP rival John McCain are trying to keep a tight lid on their searches, including only a small handful of top aides in the discussions to make sure the vetting process is as discrete as possible.

Nonetheless, each candidate is believed to be deep into the process of picking a vice presidential candidate. They may even be to the point of asking potentials for records, such as tax returns, financial holdings, medical documents and military files, or secretly interviewing candidates face-to-face.

So-called "short lists" of prospects probably exist, given how long both campaigns have been weighing their options. Obama's search committee, made up of Holder and Kennedy, has been working since early June, while McCain's helper, attorney Arthur B. Culvahouse Jr., has been involved in the Republican's efforts for a couple months.

Time is a consideration for both candidates as they narrow their choices, announce their selections - and hope it produces a bump in the polls.

Typically, careful planning goes into the elaborate, staged "roll out" of a vice presidential pick to get maximum media coverage of what is perhaps the most eagerly anticipated decision a presidential hopeful makes before accepting their party's nomination at the national convention.

Obama is making an overseas trip later this month to Europe and the Middle East, which could make a July announcement difficult. It's also summertime and voters tend to pay little attention to politics, and McCain aides are mindful of that.

The window tightens more on Aug. 8 when the Beijing Olympics opens, running through Aug. 24. The Democratic National Convention in Denver runs Aug. 25-28, immediately followed by the Republican convention Sept. 1-4 in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Wednesday's hint that Obama likely is fully engaged in the process began around 9:30 a.m., when his entourage, including a small contingent of reporters, left the Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, presumably to head to his Senate office so he could vote on a couple of bills later in the day.

A few minutes later and surprising even some of his staff, the motorcade pulled over and Obama entered the building housing Holder's law offices through a back door labeled "Tenant Entrance Only."

Obama spent most of the day on Capitol Hill for a series of votes, including on a bill overhauling rules on secret government eavesdropping.

By late afternoon, Obama's campaign had disclosed that Clinton and Kennedy would travel on his plane.

JCD holds rally demands release of Khaleda, Tarique

Chhatra Dal activists brought out a procession on
Dhaka University campus yesterday demanding unconditional
release of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and her two
sons Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman Koko. NN
photo

DU Correspondent

Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), student wing of BNP, yesterday staged demonstration on Dhaka University campus demanding release of all national leaders particularly Begum Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman.

JCD declared that it would observe consecutive programmes which will include student chain on July 13, hunger strike on July 15 and submission of memorandum to the Chief Adviser on July 17 to realise their demands.

JCD activists from different universities and colleges gathered in the morning in front of the Modhu`s canteen of the university and brought out a demonstration that paraded throughout the campus. Later, a rally was held at the Aparajeyo Bangla.

Denouncing the upcoming local government election, acting president of the organisation Sultan Slahuddin Tuku said the present government was not capable to run the country, they had failed to control the soaring of prices of commodities.

He urged the government to hold national election before holding the local government election.

General secretary Shafiul Bari Babu, vice president Babu Jayanta Kumar Kunda, Ekramul Haque Biplab, Shahidul Islam Babul, organising secretary Abdul Kader Bhuiyan Jewel, Bazlul Chowdhury Abed and DU unit president Hasan Mamun, among others, spoke in the rally.

US-India nuclear deal unlikely to be reached soon

AFP, Washington

Even with India's last-minute revival of a languishing civil nuclear accord with the United States, it may be too late for time-pressed U.S. lawmakers to ratify what has been one of President Bush's top foreign policy initiatives.

The Bush administration hopes the agreement will form the cornerstone of a closer relationship with a democratic, economically vibrant country that borders nuclear-armed China.

After months of deadlock, India is confident it now has the political support at home for the deal. But it could be weeks, or even months, before the accord is taken up by crucial international organizations and, if approved, is then sent to Congress for final approval.

By then, lawmakers probably would have only a handful of days left in their legislative calendar. The lack of time even has supporters skeptical about the immediate future of the deal, which would allow shipments of atomic fuel and technology to India.

"There's not that many days left to do this, assuming they act yesterday," Democratic Rep. Gary Ackerman, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on South Asia and the self-described "lead cheerleader" for the deal, said in an interview. "It's not impossible but highly unlikely that they've done this thing in time."

The next president could take up the accord when he takes over in January. Failure to secure approval under Bush, however, would leave it to an uncertain fate. Both leading candidates for president, Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain, have indicated support for the deal, but it is not clear that either would consider it a priority as president. The new administration also would be working without many of the high-level Bush officials who led painstaking talks with India and then persuaded skeptical U.S. lawmakers to give their approval.

Christine Fair, a South Asia specialist at the RAND Corp. think tank, said "the underbelly of this deal, as Bush envisioned it, was that, with our help, India was going to become a global power, and that meant becoming a global nuclear power. I just don't know if McCain or Obama are going to embrace that."

Bush has argued that the nuclear deal would empower a friendly democracy that has demonstrated what he sees as nuclear responsibility. The deal would reverse three decades of U.S. policy on India, which has not signed international nonproliferation accords but has tested nuclear weapons. India, in exchange for much-needed energy support, would open its civilian, but not its military, reactors to international inspections.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's communist allies have withdrawn their support for his coalition government to protest his plan to push forward with the nuclear deal. Those communist parties were not part of Singh's coalition, but the government counted on those parties' lawmakers for a majority in parliamentary votes. Singh said this week, however, that he was able to secure alternative support from new allies that would allow the communists to walk away and still keep the deal and his government afloat.

Despite Singh's political maneuvers, the agreement still must be approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog organization, and the Nuclear Suppliers Group of countries that export nuclear material. The IAEA could meet on the issue by the end of this month, but Congress has only a few remaining weeks of work left in July.

Lawmakers will be campaigning for November elections in their home districts in August and return to Washington for a few weeks in September before they again resume campaigning. Ackerman's staff estimates that about 30 legislative days remain, and many of those will be devoted to pushing through measures necessary to keep the government running. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has said there will not be an extra legislative session after Nov. 4 elections but before newly elected lawmakers take office in January.

"There are a lot of uncertainties," said Ashley J. Tellis, a senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who served as an adviser to former Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, a top negotiator on the deal. "It's going to be tight, if only because we are in the second half of an election year."

Critics say the deal would ruin global efforts to stop the spread of atomic weapons and boost India's nuclear arsenal.

Democratic Rep. Ed Markey of Massachusetts, a leading critic, said the Bush administration is pressuring the IEAE and NSG for quick approval of the deal. That, he said, compromises the integrity of the review process of the deal's nonproliferation implications. If Congress cannot ratify the deal, and the IAEA and NSG approve it, Markey added in an interview, "nothing would stop India from signing deals with other international suppliers."

Garment leaders demand lifting ban on trade union activities

Staff Reporter

Leaders of the National Garment Workers Federation (NGWF) yesterday demanded immediate lifting of all types of restrictions on trade union activities to protect the basic rights of the readymade garment workers.

"Though the government has relaxed the restrictions imposed on the political activities, but they are yet to withdraw or relax it on the trade union activities that seriously hampered the basic rights of the workers," NGWF general secretary Amirul Haque Amin said at a press conference at Dhaka

Reporters Unity.

He warned the government that continuation of the restrictions on trade union activities for long would be counter-productive. He asked the government for immediate lifting of the ban.

Amin apprehended that Bangladesh would be seen as violator of workers' rights by the international community, which would not be a good thing for the government.

Terming the trade union activities as basic human rights of workers, he said this was the only way by which all kinds of problems could be solved systematically.

NGWF president Shahida Sarkar and vice-presidents Nurun Nahar and

Faruk Khan were, among others, present at the press conference.

ACC sues Sajeda, KM Jahangir: Filing of cases against Khaleda’s APs Matin, Samakal owner Azad okayed

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday sued senior Awami League leaders and former ministers Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury and AKM Jahangir Hussein for amassing illegal wealth and concealment of information, apparently stoking up the purge against former ruling politicians.

According to sources, ACC assistant director Mozahar Ali Sarder filed a graft case with Ramna police station against the AL presidium member and former Environment Minister, Sajeda, for acquiring Tk 13.87 lakh beyond known sources of her income.

ACC deputy director Mofidul Islam filed another case with the same police station, much the same time, against former state minister Jahangir for amassing illegal wealth worth Tk 1.40 crore and concealment of information of assets worth Tk 76.45 lakh. Both the cases have been filed under sections 26(2) and 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004 and section 15 of the Emergency Powers Rules 2007.

They two are among a good number of high-profile persons listed as corruption suspects following a change of fortune through the 1/11 episode in Bangladesh's political scenario that brought the present reformist interim regime into the helm. Their names appeared on the fourth and last list of 35 graft suspects published by the ACC on October 4, 2007.

Earlier, ACC director general (admin) Col Hanif Iqbal told the

Commission's regular briefing that the anti-graft watchdog yesterday approved the filing of the cases against the two leaders

of the former ruling party.

He also informed that the Commission approved the filing of cases against managing director of Hamim Group AK Azad and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's APS Abdul Matin, a deputy secretary (now officer-on-special duty).

Hanif said the Commission would file a first-information report (FIR) against business-tycoon Azad for acquiring Tk 20.36 crore beyond his known sources of income and hiding information of assets worth Tk 4.94 crore.

A competent source told UNB that ACC deputy director Golam Mostafa would file the case with Ramna police station on Sunday under sections 26(2) and 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2004 and section 15 of the Emergency Powers Rules 2007.

Colonel Hanif told the newsmen at the briefing that the ACC would file three separate FIRs against Matin on charges of "abuse of power and misappropriation through misuse and embezzlement of money from the exchequer".

He said the anti-corruption watchdog has filed two cases against five individuals after catching them red-handed while taking bribe. They were caught on the mousetrap laid to catch graft suspects in the act.

A case was filed on Wednesday with Chittagong Bandar police station against two Customs employees - Abul Kalam and Abdul Majid-for taking Tk 7,000 in bribe.

The second case was filed on July 6 with Barisal's Uzirpur police station against Nurul Islam, Jahangir Alam and Hasnat Hawlader, employees of the office of assistant settlement officer, Uzirpur, for taking Tk 3,000 in underhand dealings.

Population Day today: Call to reduce fertility rate to 2.2 pc

Staff Reporter

Health and Family Welfare Adviser Dr AMM Shawkat Ali said yesterday that the government plans to reduce the fertility rate to 2.2 per cent from 2.7 per cent by 2010.

He was speaking at a press briefing on the occasion of the World Population Day 2008, which is observed each year on July 11.

Dr Shawkat said population increase is related with the fertility rate and if the rate could be reduced to 2.2 per cent the number of total population will stand at 17 crore and 20 lakh in 2020 and stabilize at 21 crore by 2060.

"Since basic needs and poverty reduction are related with population increase, we have to bring down the population growth rate at logical level", he added.

He told the press that a new initiative has been taken to provide family planning service and information to the people living in Char, Haor and Slum areas and to the floating population.

As the people of Chittagong and Sylhet are lagging behind in accepting family planning, he said the family planning programme has been strengthened in these two divisions in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Local Government Ministry and non-government organisations (NGOs).

When the adviser's attention was drawn to the excessive prices of birth reduction tools in the market he said the government would take proper steps in response to the appeal of the consumers.

He further said the government has built a stock of 9 lakh 23 thousand tonnes of food grains this year against 4 lakh 99 thousand tonnes of last year to meet emergency situation.

The adviser informed that government will recruit 5000 persons to fill the vacant posts of the Population Bureau.

Among others, AKM Zafar Ullah Khan, Secretary of Ministry of Health and Ministry were also present at the briefing.

Cultivate every inch of land for self-sufficient in food: Moeen

UNB, Bagerhat

Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed yesterday said the country would be self-sufficient in food someday if all can produce food-grains in uncultivated land in the country.

"Even an inch of land can't be left uncultivated. We would have to grow new crops so we can feed ourselves," he said addressing a meeting at Srifaltala School ground in Rampal upazila after inaugurating Ashar Alo Dairy Farm and Biogas Energy project.

He urged all to cultivate fish and mushroom under cooperatives as the army will reach the technology to them.

"We'll have to help one another. Send your children to school as education is the key to development," said General Moeen, whose force is assisting the interim government at a trying time for the nation.

The Army Chief said a total of Tk 27.80 crore has been received so far for Army's Relief Fund after Sidr and the money is being distributed among the cyclone victims.

Under the Ashar Alo Dairy Farm and Biogas Energy project, milk, biogas and energy will be produced by using cows and each of 150 families under the self-help scheme can save Tk 25 everyday.

Around 13.5 cubic feet of biogas and 3-KV power will be produced under the project. Each member-family will be supplied an energy bulb to light their homes in the backwoods.

Grameen Shakti is providing biogas technology for the project and 20 local and foreign cows will be used to run the project. The total cost of the project is Tk 10 lakh.

Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Shahidul Islam, Jessore Cantonment GoC Maj Gen Rafiqul Islam, 88 Brigade Commander Brig Gen Ehteshamul Haque, Bagerhat Army Camp commander Lt Col Shahinul Haque, Khulna RAB-6 commander Mestaul Haque and Bagerhat Police Super AKM Shahidur Rahman, among others, were present on the occasion.

The Army Chief later handed over deed of the project to Nahar Begum and Gobinda Lal, two of the cooperators under the project.

General Moeen is scheduled to inaugurate a mosque- cum-cyclone centre in the Sidr-hit Southkhali Union in Sharankhola upazila today.

CA calls for austerity in energy consumption

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed Thursday appealed for austerity in electricity and energy consumption by using energy- saving efficient lights and applying newer technologies for an optimum utilization of the nation's scarce natural resources.

He called for avoiding waste of gas, electricity and water, applying energy-saving technologies in industries and utilizing renewable energy resources like solar and wind power.

The head of the caretaker government made the clarion call while inaugurating a two-day national workshop and exhibition on Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Programmes organized by the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources at the Sheraton Hotel.

He informed that Power Division is presently preparing a draft Energy Conservation Act, saying that the Act will require inclusion of necessary provisions in the Building Code for ensuring efficient use and conservation of energy in building complexes.

"These provisions would include shading building from sunlight, use of energy-efficient lights and installation of energy-efficient appliances," he added.

He further said that the government is now considering adoption of a comprehensive Renewable Energy Policy. He expressed his optimism that this would pave the way for removal of barriers to promotion of renewable energy technologies in Bangladesh.

The basic idea behind energy efficiency is 'A kilowatt saved is better than a kilowatt generated'.

Some 50 percent of peak-hour load shedding can be managed by using compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). A CFL consumes one fifth of the electricity of an incandescent bulb, the function was told.

As much as 720 megawatts of power can be immediately saved nationally through conserving electricity.

To encourage the nation in practicing austerity in the use of electricity, Chief Adviser Fakhruddin mentioned that he has started using less electricity in his office. His office room now looks darkish against what he had seen when he first came into the office having flood lights.

He said he has also asked all concerned in the CA's office to raise thermostat to 24 degree Celsius in air-conditioner to save electricity. Though some of his colleagues have complained of feeling hot for raising temperature in air-conditioner, he remained persistent.

The Chief Adviser informed the function that he has directed the Cabinet Secretary to convert Incandescent Bulb (IB) into energy-efficient and energy-saving Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) in all government offices.

He told the function that less use of power and energy would not hamper comfort or efficiency.

"Let us resolve we will conserve energy --- and we can do," he said in his call.

Prof Ijaz Hossain of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) presented the keynote on Enhancing Energy Security. He said today country's energy security is greatly threatened due to rising oil prices, depleting natural reserves and widespread inefficiencies. German Ambassador in Bangladesh Frank Meyke, UNDP resident representative Renata Lok Dessallien and the chairman of Bangladesh Heritage Foundation also spoke at the function.

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Power and Energy Ministry Prof M Tamim chaired the inaugural session. Advisers, Special Assistants to the Chief Adviser, energy experts, diplomats and distinguished personalities were present.

The CA pointed out that promotion of energy conservation and renewable energy technologies has become a global trend in recent years due to phenomenal rises in price of petroleum products, growing awareness about the impact of global warming and climate change and fast depletion of natural resources across the world.

Bangladesh can't be exception to this global trend, he said.

Fakhruddin said energy conservation is considered as the fifth fuel:

complement to coal, natural gas, hydropower and nuclear energy. It reduces investment needs in new exploration and generation and thereby saves valuable resources. It also scales down environmental pollution.

"We can increase conservation of energy through standardization of our equipment and appliances and promotion of energy-efficient technologies."

As Bangladesh has been blessed with adequate sunlight throughout the year, the government has undertaken several programmes for off-grid electrification through solar-home system, Dr Fakhruddin said about one of the innovations on hand.

He informed that, so far, over 250,000 solar-home systems have been installed in remote rural areas, and the government is providing grants, soft loans and technical assistance for the promotion of Solar Home System besides reducing import duty from 5 percent to 3 percent.

A 250-kilowatt rice-husk-based power plant has been set up in Gazipur, he said, adding that the country has potential for about 300 megawatts of electricity from rice-husk.

He also informed that a total of 60,000 domestic biogas plants would be installed under a programme which would reduce the use of firewood and cowdung for cooking purpose and help increase fertility of the soil.

Narrating success stories of energy-renewable projects by many countries, the Chief Adviser said those successes provide confidence that Bangladesh can also emerge successful.

The Chief Adviser later opened the exhibition styled 'Let there be light' under energy conservation and renewable energy programmes on the hotel premises.

Expatriate workers, not RMG sector highest forex earner

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed yesterday said that expatriate workers are now the highest foreign exchange earner for the country, not the readymade garment industry.

"Net highest foreign exchange earner is the remittance, not the RMG sector," he noted.

This is the big contribution to the country's development, he said while addressing a function launching the information campaign on remittances at a city hotel. International Organisation of Migration (IOM), DFID and the British overseas development agency, jointly organised the function.

Salehuddin pointed out that RMG sector is a huge earner of foreign exchange, but it has to pay a certain portion of earnings for opening back-to-back Letter of Credit (L/C).

He said that migrant workers are contributing immensely to foreign exchange earnings and this helped improve the economic and social status of these migrant workers and their families. It is necessary for the banking system to encourage migrant workers to use formal channels for sending remittances, the BB Governor said.

Salehuddin stressed the need for using the remittances in productive sectors and suggested that the banks should encourage the expatriate workers' families in this regard.

Commercial banks should realise that they can increase the volume of remittances by introducing advanced technology for fund transfer, especially introducing electronic and other innovative payment channels, the central bank chief said.

He said electronic payment services would reduce both the time and cost of remitting money by the migrant workers.

About the ongoing hundi business, he said if the legal channels could provide cost effective and timely services then remittances through hundi will decrease a lot.

In this connection, he mentioned that the Post Office will introduce payment of remittances through the postal system from next week.

The BB Governor said the country received an impressive amount of US$ 7.9 billion in FY 2007-08 which is US$ 2 billion more that of FY 2006-07.

Speaking on the occasion as special guest, Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain said that most of the remittances went for constructing houses, rather in savings and investment.

About the problems of expatriate workers, he said most of those originate in Bangladesh, not in the foreign lands where they work.

He pointed out that there was a time when the employers used to pay money to the recruiting agencies for sending workers.

Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Secretary Md Abdul Matin Chowdhury also attended the function as special guest.

S Arabia happy with Bangladeshi workers

UNB, Dhaka

New Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr. Abdullah Bin Naser Al-Bosairi praised the Bangladeshi workers for their performance contributing to the Saudi economy. After maiden call on Foreign Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed, Al-Bosairi told reporters that there are many Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia who are contributing to the Saudi economy and the Saudi authorities are very happy with them.

In reply to a question he denied that there were any large scale

problems but said that given the large numbers, there may be some issues at both ends which are being discussed and addressed with a view to resolving them.

Asked about the Saudi King's visit to Bangladesh Al-Bosairi said King Abdullah would be happy to visit Bangladesh at a time of mutual convenience.

Iftekhar said: "Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia have the strongest possible ties. I hope these continue to grow and consolidate during the Ambassador tenure of office."

During the meeting they discussed the total range of Bangladesh-Saudi relations and the ways and means to promote greater trade and investments.

Hasina leaves for Finland on a family business

UNB, London

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina Wednesday left here for Finland on a family business, her party sources said.

Hasina, accompanied by her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, left London at about 2.30 pm (Local time) for Helsinki to see the bridegroom of Rehana's son Redwan Siddique Bobby.

Hasina may stay over there for a week, the sources said.

Crackdown on delinquent millers: License of 1,969 rice mills cancelled forviolating law

UNB, Dhaka

Amid an unusual crunch in the food sector, the government cancelled the license of 1,969 delinquent rice mills across the country, mostly those that didn't cooperate in the public procurement drive.

According to an official disclosure, the owners of most of those mills had either kept their mills closed or rented out to others instead of operating on their own, "breaching the rules of the business".

The decision of canceling license was taken according to the decision of the Food-grain Collection and Monitoring Committees of different districts, who are playing the watchdog in the wake of food-price spirals, partly blamed on hoarding by profiteers.

An official announcement yesterday said the action was taken against the 1,969 rice mills among a total of 13,986 licensed ones countrywide.

The axe fell on a wider scale in Rajshahi division, considered country's granary. License of 1,513 rice mills was cancelled in Rajshahi division alone, while 268 in Dhaka, 160 in Khulna, 17 in Chittagong, 10 in Sylhet and one in Barisal Division.

Earlier, the authorities had requested the rice- mill owners to sign agreement with the government for supplying rice at fixed price in an effort to make the current Boro-collection drive a success in different districts of the country.

Following the request, most of the rice-mill owners signed agreement with the government. But a few did not do any deal.

"It was found out through investigation that those who didn't sign agreement were not operating rice mills according to the law," says the government disclosure.

The license of the 1,969 mills was cancelled for violating the Rice Mills Operation Ordinance 1943, said the announcement.

Moreover, it was also a demand of the rice-mill owners who entered into agreement to take action against those who went freewheeling.

HC rejects writ against local local-body poll schedules

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court yesterday summarily rejected a writ petition challenging the validity of the Election Commission's schedule for holding election to four city corporations and nine municipalities before publication of the final voter list.

A division bench comprising Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice Farid Ahmed passed the order, after hearing submission by advocate ABM Nurul Islam, the counsel for petitioner Giasuddin Ahmed, a lawyer.

The grounds for rejecting the writ were not known immediately.

The elections are scheduled to be held on August 4.

Tk. 274.65 cr BCC budget

BSS, Barisal

A Taka 274.65 crore budget for the Barisal City Corporation (BCC) for 2008-'09 with a revised budget of Taka 69.47 crore for the immediate past fiscal year was announced here on Thursday evening.

However, no new taxes have been imposed on city dwellers this year.

Acting BCC Mayor Awalad Hosein Dilu announced the budget at a press conference in presence of divisional and district level officials, journalists, elites, commissioners and professional groups at the Nagar Bhaban here.

Taka 39.48 crore would come from revenue incomes while the remaining money would be earned from the government, foreign donors and agency's funds, the Mayor said.

Padma, Ganges may cross danger level in 24 hrs

BSS, Dhaka

A rising Ganges-Padma may cross its danger level in next 24 hours at Bhagyakul, Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) reported on Thursday.

The river may cross its danger level at Bhagyakul in Munshiganj district downstream. But it may come down on Saturday as the river had become steady upstream at Farakka point in India, Saiful Hossain, an official at the FFWC told BSS.

He said there is nothing to be worried about the situation, if the river crosses its red mark as there are no chance of a severe flooding at this moment.

The Ganges-Padma normally goes in spate in early August. But it fluctuates for sometime during the monsoon period with rains upstream, going up and down.

The flood situation turns bad in Bangladesh when the Ganges- Padma rises together with the Brahmaputra-Jamuna. But it happens when the Brahmaputra-Jamuna remains swelled well until the early August to mate with a swollen Ganges-Padma.

Ex-AL MP Mohiuddin jailed for 11 years

UNB, Dhaka

A special court yesterday sentenced ex-Awami League lawmaker Mohiuddin Ahmed to 11 years in jail for corruption.

Judge M Ashraf Hosssin handed down the verdict, as Mohiuddin was found guilty of two counts of charges --- making wealth illegally and concealing information about his real wealth in a statement to the Anti-corruption Commission.

He was tried in absentia.

The judge also fined Mohiuddin, a former lawmaker from Munshiganj, Tk 10 lakh, in default, to suffer another year behind bars.

The court ordered authorities to confiscate his property worth about Tk 3.74 crore.