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Petrobangla stops supplying gas to old electricity plants: Country heads for massive power outage
Staff Reporter
Major parts of the country will plunge into darkness as the Petrobangla has begun cutting gas supplies to old and worn-out electricity generation plants to ensure more efficient use of gas, officials said yesterday. They said the decision to put fast depleting gas to better use was taken by the government two days ago, with implementation starting on Sunday.
"Gas supply to a state-run power plant near Dhaka with more than 100 megawatts capacity has already been stopped and the process will continue," said Jalal Ahmed, chairman of the state-run Petrobangla.  |
Flood unlikely this year
Staff Reporter
Despite higher than average rainfall since the beginning of the current monsoon season, the country is likely to escape major flooding this year, meteorologists said yesterday.
Weather experts at the meteorological department said they did not foresee heavy rainfalls posing a problem in the coming months.
"Analysing the meteorological data, we can say that there is very little possibility for a major flooding this summer," Arjumand Habib said.
The flood-prone country was severely affected by major flooding last year, which left 1. |
Cherrapunjee getting drier
Agency
The town of Cherrapunjee, in the Indian state of Meghalaya, is reputed to be the wettest place in the world.
But there are signs that its weather patterns may be being hit by global climate change.
"Not without reason has Cherrapunjee achieved fame as being the place with the heaviest rainfall on earth," wrote German missionary Christopher Becker more than 100 years ago.
"One must experience it to have an idea of the immense quantity of rain which comes down from the skies, at times day and night without a stop. It is enough to go a few steps from the house to be drenched from head to foot. |
Doha round trade talk begins in Geneva: Trade in agriculture, industrial market access top agenda Staff Reporter
The much-talked-about Doha round talks of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) began Geneva yesterday with an aim to make a breakthrough in the stalled Doha Round trade negotiations.
The focus of the talks will be on trade in agriculture and industrial market access, the two key issues that have eluded consensus since negotiations started in the Qatar capital of Doha in 2001.
In the week-long meeting, the ministers will try to reach agreement on the modalities of agriculture and NAMA (non-agricultural market access), which include the methods and formulas of subsidy and tariff cuts. |
Time not ripe yet for lifting emergency: Khaleda’s release process is still on, says CA
UNB, Sylhet
Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday said the time is not yet ripe for fully lifting the state of emergency, as some reasons still stand that "justify its enforcement".
"We want to proceed towards complete withdrawal of the state of emergency by relaxing it in phases. Our experience will tell what needs to be done," he told reporters at the circuit house in response to queries about outcome of the national dialogue and current political issues.
His latest statement apparently rules out demands from political parties for immediate lifting of the emergency so they could politically prepare for the coming elections. |
2 Katras on verge of ruin
Sheikh Arif Bulbon
Bara Katra and Choto Katra, two important historical monuments of the Mughal era situated at the north end on the bank of River Buriganga and to the south of Chawk Bazar, are now in dilapidated state.
The Katras, inns, enclosed a quadrangular courtyard with 22 rooms on all of its four sides. Bara Katra was built by Abul Qasim al Husaini in 1644 and Choto Katra by Nawab Shaista Khan in 1663, according to the design of the caravanserai found in the Central Asia, which facilitated over-night traders on the major route along the River Buriganga. |
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Internet Edition. July 22, 2008, Updated: Bangladesh Time 12:00 AM 
