The New Nation - Internet Edition

Quake forecast

The San Andreas Fault extends almost the full length
of California

BBC Online

Scientists have made an important advance in their efforts to predict earthquakes, the journal Nature says.

A team of US researchers has detected stress-induced changes in rocks that occurred hours before two small tremors in California's San Andreas Fault.

The observations used sensors lowered down holes drilled into the quake zone.

The team says we are a long way from routine tremor forecasts but the latest findings hold out hope that such services might be possible one day.

"If you had 10 hours' warning, from a practical point of view, you could evacuate populations, you could certainly get people out of buildings, you could get the fire department ready," said co-author Paul Silver of the Carnegie Institution for Science, Washington.

"Hurricane [warnings] give you an idea of what could be done," he told the BBC's Science In Action programme.

The new work comes out of the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (Safod) project which has been set up in Parkfield, a tiny rural town halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The town experiences small to moderate-sized quakes at regular intervals as the Pacific and North American tectonic plates grind against one another along the San Andreas Fault.

Safod has drilled two holes - a shallow pilot hole, and a deeper hole right into the heart of the shifting rocks. The idea has been to recover sub-surface material for study in the lab and to use instrumentation in the holes to observe changes in the rock over time.

In one experiment, the scientists used a piezoelectric device to generate seismic waves a kilometre down in one hole and then timed their arrival at a receiver seismometer in the other.

"What we're looking for are changes in the velocity that would correspond to changes in stress, and it has been hypothesised that such stress changes would precede seismic events and could be used as precursors," said Dr Silver, explaining that wave speed varies with stress due to cracks opening and closing in the rock.

"For a long time, people have been trying to do this. I think right now the technology has gotten better so we can measure this change more accurately."

The team - which includes researchers from Rice University and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory - measured significant changes in seismic wave speed just before two small earthquakes.

In one instance, the signal was seen two hours before the quake; in the second, the change occurred 10 hours before the tremor.

The scientists tell Nature that the measurements are an encouraging sign that hold promise for the field of earthquake prediction.

"We are very encouraged by these pre-seismic signals and are planning a series of experiments to expand on them, so that we may further understand their timing and physical basis," said lead author Fenglin Niu of Rice University.

Referring to the 12 May Sichuan quake, which claimed thousands of lives, Dr Niu told the BBC: "What happened in China was that a lot of children were killed in school in their class; so if we can predict earthquakes even by a few minutes, we can help then to evacuate the classroom."

Trade deficit widening alarmingly: Country’s imports exceed $20bn

Pulack Ghatack

Pressure on the overall economy is mounting as the country's import is increasing inconsistently with its export growth. Bangladesh's overall imports exceeded the $20 billion mark in the just concluding financial year, against $14 billon export leaving deficit of as much as $6 billion.

The trade deficit is widening alarmingly and putting serious pressure on the balance of payment, which is still surplus due mainly to a robust growth in inward remittances from the expatriates, officials of the Bangladesh Bank informed.

The country's foreign exchange reserves will need to increase by 20 per cent to $6 billion to reflect the rising cost of imports, they said.

Central bank officials estimated that total imports might reach $20.28 billion, an increase from the $15.97 billion of the previous year.

The overall import grew by 26.99 per cent during July-June period of fiscal 2007-08 over the same period of the previous fiscal while export earnings marked nearly 15 per cent growth over the same period a year ago.

The trade gape is likely to be enlarged further in coming days, as soaring global food and fuel prices have been swelling the country's import costs.

The high trade imbalance is also putting pressure on the country's current account balance. Current account balance, which had around US$1 billion surplus in the last fiscal year, is likely to run to deficit this year.

The Government recently sought financial support of IMF to cope with the current account deficit, sources concerned said.

"The pressure on the balance of payments has intensified significantly and our current account balance is now negative for the first time in several years," Finance Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam said in a letter to the IMF recently.

According to estimation of the central bank at least $6 billion will need as reserve to make the country able to pay ever-rising import bills for a minimum three months without any hassle.

The central bank raised the reserves target to $5.0 billion in August 2007 from $3.0 billion.

After a routine payment of $591 million to the Asian Clearing Union (ACU) against imports for May-June period, the country's foreign exchange reserve stood at $5.60 billion in the first week of the new financial year. The figure was $6.20 billion at the end of June.

However, despite larger deficit in trade balance the current account balance recorded a surplus of $390 million during July-March, 2007-08 against the surplus of $605 million during July-March, 2006-07 due mainly to larger current transfers of $6.233 billion," the central bank says in its Major Economic Indicators: Monthly Update for May, 2008.

The overall balance of payments recorded a surplus of $215 million at the end of March last as against a surplus of $809 million during the same period of the previous fiscal due to surplus in capital account and current account amounting to $390 million and $358 million respectively, according to the Update.

The country's overall balance of payments is maintaining a surplus trend due to higher inflow remittances and foreign aid, the experienced sources said.

Expatriate workers sent home a record $7.94 billion in the fiscal year nearly 33 per cent higher than in 2006-07.

On the other hand, the net receipts of foreign aid recorded higher at $877.74 million during the period against $537.52 million of the corresponding period of previous fiscal, thanks to huge donors' assistance for the floods and cyclone victims, officials confirmed.

Regional coop needed to resolve upstream river water sharing

Noted economist Dr Kazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed speaking
at a discussion on 'Collaborate Management of Common Water
Resources is Key to a Better Future for South Asia'
organised by Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad at the Auditorium
of Bangladesh Economic Associat

Staff Reporter

Water experts, environmentalists and economists yesterday at a meeting said meaningful and effective cooperation amongst the countries of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra river basin could have been resolved by proper regional water management.

Management of proper water sharing between Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal had been impeded due to mistrust, fear and misperception, they observed.

They said that the water related problems were getting acute in the South Asia along with other parts of the world.

They called upon the government of those countries to amicably resolve the long-standing water management crisis.

Their observation came at a discussion on " Collaborative Management of Common Water Resources is Key to a Better Future for South Asia" organised by Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad (BUP) at the auditorium of Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) at Eskatan in the city.

Dr Qazi Koliquzzaman Ahmad, Chairman, BUP presided over and Tauhidul Anwar Khan, former member of Joint River Commission presented the keynote paper.

Qumrul Islam Siddique, President of Bangladesh Water Partnership and Jalaluddin Md Abdul Hye, Additional Director General (planning) of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) also took part in the discussion.

The river basin areas face floods during the monsoon and scarcity of water in the dry season resulting in the dryness of many small rivers.

The hazards become more pronounced in the downstream Bangladesh by depriving its people livelihood and causing environmental degradation.

Bangladesh needs more water in the Ganges during dry season to support the socio-economic development for present and future generations.

The Ganges water sharing treaty signed between Bangladesh and India on 12 December 1996 is facing hurdles.

In the treaty, both countries have recognised the need to cooperate with each other in finding a long-term solution to the problem of augmentation of dry season Ganges flow.

Dr Qazi Koliquzzaman Ahmad said long-term management should be taken for resolving water sharing among the South Asian countries.

"We should resolve water management with other countries by giving priority on people and country's interest," he said.

Recommendations of the meeting include taking a true and meaningful cooperation among the countries, appropriate implementation of plans drawn collectively by the countries for resolving water sharing of the trans Boundary Rivers, not to treat waters of international rivers as 'ours' and 'theirs' and strengthening the BWDB.

Emission cut: G8 target unachievable

Mahbubur Rahman Khan

The target of Group of Eight (G8) rich nations on cutting global emissions by at least 50 per cent by 2050 will be unachievable, opines country's prominent environmentalist.

The emission of six greenhouse gases (GHG) - carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons, and perfluorocarbons are responsible for the climate change. The high-industrialised countries emit the gases more than any other least developed countries of the world.

One American emits annually 20 tons of carbon, one Indian 1.1 tons, one Brazilian 1.8 tons, one Chinese 3.9 tons, one South African 7.0 tons while a Bangladeshi emits only 0.5 tons according to Equity and Justice Working Group (EJWG).

Due to climate change, 29 per cent area of Bangladesh from Cox's Bazar to Badarmokam will be submerged if the sea level and temperature rise to 45 cm and 2 degree Celsius respectively. A vast area of arable lands will become salty for the rising of the sea level and the risk of cyclone will increase.

Mentioning the three shortcomings of G8 decision on cutting emissions Dr A Atiq Rahman, Executive Director of

Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BACS), said the target of G8 would fail to reduce the GHG emission, as there was no vision determined.

He said the G8 countries did not set up any base year from which the targeted 50 per cent reduction of emissions will be calculated.

"How much GHG will be reduced in 2015, 2020 or 2025 was absent in the decision of G8 summit", Dr Atiq said, "in other words short term and mid term target were missed in their mutual recognition."

The USA seems to make its emission cut target conditional to reduction by emergent industrial countries like China, India, etc. This conditional approach is supposed to make the possibility of achieving the G-8 target doubtful.

Dr Atiq believes that adoption of climate and environment adaptable technology would help to reduce greenhouse gas.

Md Shamsuddoha, Researcher and General Secretary of EJWG opined that the World Bank (WB) should not have any control on adaptation fund as the investment and loan policy of WB in least developed and developing countries expedited the world climate change in the past. He advised that adaptation fund could be made through United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC).

He also urged the developed countries to adopt the year 1990 as the base year in reducing the emission of GHG.

Samsuddoha thinks that the entire attempts in reducing climate change will be futile and the world will turn to a reversed condition if we could not adopt green technology.

Oil hits new high on Iran fears

Agencies

US light sweet crude rose to highs of $147.27, before dipping back to $145.08. In London, Brent crude climbed to $147.02, before settling at $144.49.

Market experts put the increase down to concerns about Opec member Iran's recent missile tests, concerns about global supplies and the weak dollar. As a result, oil prices have jumped more than $10 in the past two days.

On Thursday, oil prices surged by almost $6 on the back of worries about missile tests by Iran - the second largest member of oil producing cartel OPEC.

A day earlier, the country successfully test-fired long and medium-range missiles adding to concerns about Tehran's disputed nuclear programme. Traders are also said to be concerned about global supplies after a Nigerian militant group said it would call off a ceasefire following a UK offer to help quell violence in the oil-rich Delta.

The group - the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) - has been behind a series of high profile attacks on oil installations and kidnaps of expatriate oil workers in the past which has contributed to oil production in the country falling by around a quarter.

Meanwhile the weaker dollar has also made oil an attractive prospect for market players as it is cheaper for buyers using stronger currencies, analysts said.

Manmohan seeks confidence vote

BBC Online

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government is expected to call a parliamentary confidence vote later this month that will determine its fate and the future of a controversial nuclear deal with the United States, a party official said Friday.

Singh met with his coalition partners on Friday to assess their strength ahead of the vote, following a withdrawal of support by key communist allies.

"I have no doubt that we shall prove our majority," the Press Trust of India news agency quoted Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi saying at the meeting.

India's Cabinet was meeting later Friday to set a date for the confidence vote. It's expected to recommend a date in the third week of July, said the party official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.

Singh's government would have to put off the U.S. deal and face early elections if the confidence vote is defeated. His five-year tenure ends in May next year.

The governing Congress party says it has secured alternative parliamentary support from new allies after the communist parties, which normally vote with the government, said they would not back the nuclear deal.

The communists say the deal would undermine India's weapons program and give Washington too much influence over Indian foreign policy. The government denies the charge.

If ratified, the agreement would reverse three decades of U.S. policy by allowing the sale of atomic fuel and technology to India, which has not signed international nonproliferation accords but has tested nuclear weapons. India, in exchange, would open its civilian reactors to international inspections.

The nuclear agreement also 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 before the U.S. Congress can approve it.

CG to invite BNP again to dialogue: Zillur: No response yet from AL for 2nd dialogue

UNB, Dhaka

The caretaker government will again invite BNP, if necessary, to join the ongoing national dialogue and the government's contact in this regard with the party is on, Education Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman Saturday told a post-dialogue joint press briefing.

Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon at its dialogue with the caretaker government urged for taking steps so that no female can be head of the state or government saying that these posts should be set aside for only men.

It also proposed for introduction of Presidential form of government making arrangements for election of President by direct balloting of the people. The Islamic Party favours for relaxing emergency power rules during elections, but it is not in favour of full lifting of the state of emergency.

At the joint-press briefing on the outcome of the talks, the Education Adviser who is now acting as the government's spokesman said they hope BNP would join the dialogue. "From the beginning, the caretaker government has been advancing with some principles and objectives to involve all the political parties in the dialogue and the process still remains unchanged."

He made the remarks as he was asked about the latest position regarding BNP's joining the dialogue and the government's efforts to this end.

Replying to a question regarding the second dialogue with Awami League, he said Awami League has not yet contacted the government as decided by it earlier.

Asked about the allegation of secret selection of candidates for local-body election by the government, Zillur said there is no base of such allegation as it is not possible these days by anyone to manipulate because people are conscious and the media are strong enough.

Regarding upazila polls and schedules, he said the government will give importance to the expectations of the people. "People want election to local government institutions to have strong local bodies. Political parties are also giving importance to local body elections.

He said it is up to the Election Commission to fix dates for upazila polls.

About reining in the red hot prices of foods, the Education Adviser said the government is carrying out efforts to keep the market stable amid economic reality and is alert so that the market cannot be manipulated.

He also said the government has taken various steps for giving food and economic support to various special social groups who are vulnerable to the spiral price hike of essential items.

Khelafat Andolon secretary general Mohammad Zafarullah Khan said they were assured in the dialogue that the caretaker government wants to transfer power to an elected government through holding the elections fairly.

He said people had immense confidence in the caretaker government when it assumed office but now things have changed and its popularity has waned due to the abnormal rise in the prices of essentials items.

Had the government been able to keep the prices of essentials at tolerable level people would not have wanted the change of this caretaker government, he added.

Regarding the state of emergency, he said they think it should partially prevail during the general election to check election violence and proposed for deploying army with magistracy power during the polls.

5 govt jute mills leased out to private sector

Staff Reporter

Terming state-owned jute mills as 'losing concerns', the Textile and Jute Adviser Md Anwarul Iqbal yesterday declared leasing out five state-owned jute mills to private management for five years.

Such initiative by the government will create employment for more than 6000 people, the Jute Adviser Anwarul said while speaking at a Press Conference at the Textile and Jute Ministry Auditorium in the Secretariat.

The People's Jute Mills has been leased out to M/s Kazi Farms Ltd at Tk 6.13 crore annually, RR Jute Mills at Tk 1.50 crore and M M Jute Mills at Tk 1.26 crore to Nature Back limited, Karnaphuli Jute Mills at Tk 3.11 crore and FKCF jute mills at Tk 0.48 crore to M/s Saad Musa Fabrics Ltd.

Besides, the Government has invited tender again to lease out the Kaomi Jute Mills and BDCF Jute Mills as no acceptable bid was available.

"The government will receive Tk 12.48 crore from the five leased out mills as lease money annually," he said adding, "We shall be able to spend the cash for paying outstanding arrears of laid out jute mills' workers and also pay loan of the banks."

"It is the first step to create employment generation of the government in this sector," the Jute Adviser said adding "The government initiative will help to revive the sector."

The productivity of the leasing mills in aggregate will be 33,780 tonnes of jute goods annually, the adviser said.

Iqbal further said that the state-owned jute mills were receiving loosing concerns of the government since independence of the country. The government initiative will help the jute mills to come out of the losing state, he added.

Managing Director of Kazi Farms Ltd Kazi Zahedul Hasan said that they would have needed at least one year to start full swing operation of People's Jute Mills.

"The workers of the mills will work in three shifts and the production will weigh to 100 tonnes to 150 tonnes of jute goods annually," he said.

People's Jute Mills will resume production on July 15, Karnaphuli Jute Mills and FKCF Jute Mills on July 20.

Besides, the RR Jute Mills has started production on July 1 last. The MM Jute Mills will start production by next one month.

The government had shut down the Kaomi Jute Mills, People's Jute Mills and Karnaphuli Jute Mills in July 2007, leaving a total of about 6000 employees and workers jobless while the RR Jute Mill and MM Jute Mills remained operative under bad financial conditions.

Later, the government decided to lease out its closed and loss-making jute mills to the private operators to revitalise the country's public jute sector, the accumulated loss of which has already reached to Tk 50 billion.

Bangladesh's export earning from jute goods stood at 483.62 crore in the fiscal year 2007-08.

Textile and Jute Ministry secretary Abdur Rasid Sarker, Chairman of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation Md Atharul Islam and senior official of the Ministry were present at the press conference.

Launch workers call off strike partially

UNB, Dhaka

Ferry workers yesterday withdrew a nationwide strike partially after a series of meetings with the owners of the vessels in presence of the government mediators.

The workers of the passenger ferries called off the strike but the employees of the cargo vessels did not take any decision till Saturday evening, said Shah Alam, chairman of the Bangladesh Water Transport Workers Federation, a group of the workers.

"The strike has been withdrawn partially," Alam told UNB by phone in the evening.

He said there was a possibility of another meeting late Saturday to decide the matter of cargo vessel workers. "If the meeting gets through, a decision may come," he said.

The cargo vessel workers were not happy with the outcomes of a series of meetings Saturday.

The federation began the protests Thursday midnight to demand better wages amid arguments that they were unable to cope with soaring prices of daily commodities with their current earnings. An effort to end the work stoppage failed Friday.

Alam said a series of meetings involving owners, workers and the government Saturday made a deal that the owners would provide some "interim benefits" to the workers from next month.

A six-member committee has been formed to determine the structure of the "interim benefits" in 15 days, he said.

He also said that a wage board would take three months to decide the structure of a new pay scale for the workers in different categories. The new pay scale is expected to be effective from January, 2009.

Abdul Awal Hawlader, acting chairman of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, said the decision to end the strike came after both sides have reached a deal.

"A committee will examine the wage structure of other sectors to fix possible benefits for the ferry workers," he told reporters.

Mohammad Bodiuzzaman Badal, chairman of Bangladesh Inland Waterways Passenger Carriers Association, said that the owners would go by the decisions that would come from the committee.

The association is a group of the launch owners.

Two killed in separate shootouts

UNB, Dhaka

A suspected robber and an arms and drug peddler were killed in separate shootouts with RAB and police in Comilla and Jhenidah districts on Friday night and early Saturday.

In Comilla, Ali Ahmed, wanted in at least 20 cases, including robberies and killings, was killed in a shootout with Rapid Action Battalion members at Madhaiya in Chandina upazila early Saturday.

RAB and police sources said a team of RAB-11, acting on a tip-off, raided Madhaiya Primary School where Ali Ahmed and his accomplices were holding a clandestine meeting to commit a robbery in the area at about 3 am.

But sensing the presence of the elite force, the robbers opened fire on them forcing the law enforcers to fire back triggering a gun battle.

"Ali Ahmed was caught in the line of fire and died on the spot," said a RAB account of the incident.

RAB Havildar Wahid, constable Nayan and Sainik Mobarak were also injured in the encounter.

The elite force members recovered a revolver, two LGs, six rounds of bullet and cartridges from the scene.

UNB Jhenidah correspondent said drug and arms peddler Bidhan Chandra Pramanik of Purandapur village in Moheshpur upazila was killed in an encounter between his cohorts and police at the village Friday night.

Police said some of their informers, in guise of arms and drug buyers, built up an intimate relation with Bidhan and his accomplices. And as per their understanding, Bidhan and his cohorts went to the spot to sell 200 bottles of phensidyl syrup, two light guns and four bullets to the informers at about 8.45pm.

When they were selling drugs and arms to the informers, police cordoned off the spot. But sensing their presence, the gang started firing on them forcing the law enforcers to fire back.

"Bidhan was caught in the crossfire and died on the spot," said an eyewitness account of the incident.

However, law enforcers could not arrest the other cohorts of Bidhan as they managed to flee the scene.

Lighterage vessels’ workers continue strike

Staff Reporter

The lighterage vessel workers strike continues to paralyze Chittagong Port, as about 5,000 cargo vessel employees stopped work since Friday noon, demanding cent percent pay hike.

The lighterage vessel and river transport workers went on a countrywide wildcat strike demanding higher wages from Friday.

River transport workers called off their strike following the success of a tripartite meeting in which it was decided that the workers and employees would be paid interim allowances.

The cargo vessel owners agreed to increase 25 per cent wage of the workers and asked them to join their jobs by yesterday evening, but the striking workers rejected the offer and were continuing their work suspension.

Unloading of goods, including rice and fuel, from 16 mother ships at the outer anchorage remained suspended due to the strike.

Chittagong Port, the country main seaport, recorded nearly 15 per cent rise in goods handling in the first five months of 2008 compared with the same period last year. The increased unloading was possible due to introduction of more efficient equipment.

The on going strike effecting unloading of goods at the outer anchorage would impact on the soaring price of essentials, including rice and fuel, which has made life miserable in recent days.

Some 700-cargo vessels used to transport goods to the Chittagong Port and other river ports of the country from the mother vessels.

AL yet to resolve Liton-Badsha dilemma

Pankaj Karmakar

The Awami League (AL) is yet to resolve the disputes regarding selection of candidates for the Mayoral posts of the four city corporations especially the Rajshahi City Corporation.

The presidium members of the party will sit today at the Gulshan residence of the party's acting president Zillur Rahman at 11 am to find out the solution of this issue.

The central leader of AL Khairuzzaman Liton is determined not to withdraw his nomination paper where the policymakers of the party awarded the nomination to Fazle Hossain Badsha, a politburo member of the Bangladesh Workers Party.

The leaders of the party have become worried about the complexity regarding this issue.

Talking to The New Nation AL Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said, " We have just announced the name of the candidates. Initially some problems may crop up. We will be able to overcome the problems in due course."

"The party is going through a critical situation, we had to announce the name of Badsha for the sake of unity of the alliance", he added.

Ashraf further said that he himself as well as the party's Acting President Zillur Rahman would request Liton to withdraw the nomination paper. The party chief Sheikh Hasina would also request him if necessary.

From the very beginning the leaders of the14 party alliance were demanding to select Badsha to contest in the mayoral post. But the grassroots leaders of AL of Rajshahi region submitted an application to Ashraful with their signature demanding the nomination for Liton. Subsequently, the party senior leaders at AL central working committee meeting on July 1 supported Liton.

Despite the party's presidium members decision to nominate Badsha through holding two days hectic meeting with its allies.

Source said, the majority of the AL central committee is still in favour of Liton as mayoral candidate.

A central leader said, " the policy makers of the party first declared that the grassroots leaders will choose the candidates of their respective region. But they nominated Badsha ignoring the opinion of the grassroots leaders of Rajshahi."

Talking to The New Nation Liton said, "I will not withdraw the nomination paper. There is no way to escape the election, as the people of Rajshahi like me very much."

While asked wheatear he would withdraw the nomination paper if party chief Sheikh Hasina asked him to withdraw he said, " I will rather request her to reconsider the party's decision."

In Khulna Advocate Enayet Ali is determined to contest in the election although the policymakers of the party selected Talukdar Abdul Khalek. The leaders of the Khulna City Awami League went to Enayet ali to request him to withdraw nomination but they had to come back without any result.

Enayet Ali said, "The party repeatedly asked me to refrain from the election. It is the violation of the electoral rules. Local Government election is a non-party election. Supported by the people not by the political party I will contest in the election."

In Syhlet the majority of AL leaders are annoyed on the party's decision to nominate Badruddin Kamran. They fear that it is impossible for Kamran to make the AL Syhlet unit corrupt free, as he has been charged with graft case.

AL leader Aminul Haque Chowdhury Bir Protik, another contender said, " as a liberation fighter earlier I announced that I would fight, if the party nominate any corrupt person. So I will contest in the election with the support of liberation fighters."

Beside this other two AL leaders were supposed to withdraw nomination with the request of Abul Mal Abdul Muhit, member of AL central advisory council.

In Barishal Shakhawat Hossain Hiron, Convener of the Barishal City Awami League received the nomination of the 14 party alliances. But Enayet Pir Khan, President of the Barishal Nagarik Parishad is determined not to withdraw his nomination.

He said, "I am not a candidate of any political party but a candidate of Barishal Nagarik Parishad. I will have to contest for the sake of this organisation."

Schoolboy beaten to death in city

Staff Reporter

A schoolboy was beaten and stabbed to death by some assailants in a deadly attack at Daserkandi in Khilgaon area of the city yestereday.

The victim was identified as Saifuddin, 16, a student of class-VII of Trimohoni High School. Police and witnesses said 7 to 8 assailants intercepted Saifuddin at Daserkandi on his way home from school at about 2:00 PM. "They beat him black and blue and then stabbed him, leaving him critically injured," says a spot account of the killing scene.

He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead.

Rafiqul Alam, elder brother of the victim, alleged that Noruzzaman,

Kamruzzaman and Mosharraf were among eight attackers who killed his

younger brother as Noruzzaman had an altercation with the victim's

cousin, Alamgir, over earth filling in the morning.

However, none was arrested in connection with the killing so far.

A case was filed with Khilgaon police station.

No need for special drive: Law and order under control, says Matin

UNB, Chittagong

Home Affairs Adviser MA Matin yesterday said the law and order situation is under control even though it has deteriorated a little bit.

"I think that there is no need of conducting special drive ahead of the national election. Regular drives to arrest the listed terrorists would continue as a routine work. Each terrorist, no matter who is, wouldn't be spared," he said.

His remarks came while talking to the media after a closed door meeting on law and order situation with high officials of police and district administration at the Circuit House here Saturday.

About the strike by river transport workers, he said the government is trying to solve the problem.

Replying to a question about the release of Khaleda Zia and her two sons, Matin said the government is considering the issue and the Home Ministry has nothing to do with it right now.

MA Matin said deputy commissioners (DCs) and police supers (SPs) were given directives to maintain law and order so that the ensuing local elections could be held peacefully.

DIG (Ctg Division) AKM Shahidul Haq, metropolitan police commissioner M Akbar Ali and DCs and SPs of 11 districts of the division attended the meeting.