The New Nation - Internet Edition

One held with 29 Home Ministry files: All are of detention cases: Probe committee formed

One Aziran Nesa was arrested with 29 Home Ministry
files from the Secretariat Gate yesterday.

Staff Reporter

Police yesterday recovered 29 important Home Ministry files from a staff of the ministry at the Secretariat gate and arrested her in connection with the heist.

The arrested was identified as Aziran Nesa, cleaner of the Home Ministry.

Police said Aziran was returning home from the office at 10:45am when the security police at Gate No 3 being suspicious of her movement wanted to search her handbag, but she refused. Then the security police apprehended her and recovered the important files from her. Police said that she stole the files from the store of the Ministry. The Assistant Commissioner Sultan Alam told the New Nation that she stole 29 files from Division 1 of the Home Ministry. The files of the Chittagong Division of the year 1998 to 1999 belonged to the convicts of detention cases.

Aziran Nesa told reporter she did not steal the files, "I thought these were rejected papers. I took it for selling these to paper collectors for money to treat my sick child."

Source said a one-member investigation team was formed to probe into the cause of the theft and submit its report within a short time.

The Security Inspector of Home Ministry Abdur Rahman filed a case with Shahbag Police Station.

Security police handed over Aziran to the Shahbag police.

Non-lethal weapon training programme by US Marines ends

Members of Bangladesh Armed Forces and other
security and law enforcing agencies take part at the joint
rehearsal on the concluding day of a training programme
under the supervision of the US Marine Corps on using of
modern non-lethal weapons to control

Staff Reporter

At least 100 security personnel of the country achieved a non-lethal weapons practical demonstration on how to control angry civilians without causing fatal injuries by the group of trainers of the US Marine Corps.

The local trainees demonstrated the acquired tactics in the BDR Golf Field yesterday.

The Director General of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed witnessed the demonstration as chief guest and distributed certificates among the participants.

Foreign guests from 12 countries, including Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia, East Timor, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Mongolia and USA watched the demonstration. The trainees were officers, JCO and non commissioned officers from Bangladesh Armed Forces, BDR, Coast Guard, Police, APBn, Ansar, VDP and Fire Service and Civil Defence personnel participated in the 10-day Non-Lethal Weapons Practical training that began on July 12.

Seventeen trainers of the US Marine Corps imparted the training. Col Budak, Assistant Chief of Staff (Plans and Policy) of the US Marine Forces Pacific led the team.

Talking to reporters after the demonstration, BDR Chief Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed said the training that was conducted here would be of use for BDR. "I think all will be benefited. This will enhance law enforcers' capacity to handle unruly mob as well as address the law and order situation," he said.

During the demonstration it was shown that a group of people gathered in a field that is designated as a future food distribution centre as part of an on going humanitarian aid mission. But some people of the local community are not happy with this plan.

In the face of the local's protest, members of the 'control force' were seen arriving there and formed a 'crowd control formation' to remove the agitators from the area.

The control force tried to stop the agitation but the agitators started throwing brickbats targeting the control force. Some of the agitators equipped with firearms were seen moving towards the control force.

The Control force tried to tackle the agitators by using non-lethal weapon X26 Taser that utilizes compressed nitrogen to shoot two small probes up to 7 meters.

As the agitators grew violent, the control force used sting ball grenade, NL grenade and 40mm foam baton and rubber ball rounds to control the situation. A number of agitators were 'injured' while rest fled from the scene.

Commentary: Gordon Brown should instead have called for nuke-free Middle East

British prime minister Gordon Brown during his two-day visit to Israel early this week asked Iran to suspend its nuclear weapons programme or face global isolation.

If Iran did not accept the incentives, the next step would be to ratchet up sanctions against Tehran, possibly including sanctions on Iran’s oil and gas industry, he was quoted as saying.

Gordon Brown urged the setting up of an international coalition against Iran to increase the pressure to stop enriching uranium, according to messages carried by wire services from Israel.

The first British prime minister ever to address the Israeli parliament, Brown reportedly vowed that Tehran’s bid to acquire nuclear weapons would not be allowed to pass.

Gordon Brown depicted Iran as a global threat for its enrichment of uranium ironically while visiting a country which for a long time is known for its possession of nuclear arms. He has not mentioned even for once the security threat that Israel’s nuclear armament pose to the Muslim countries of the Middle East and the Gulf. And that the arms buildup in the region arose essentially for shift of the balance of power against these countries.

One may note the threat sometimes uttered of a strike against Iran from Israel. The Israelis had in June 1981, in the world’s first air strike against a nuclear plant, bombed and destroyed a French-built nuclear plant near Iraq’s capital, Baghdad, saying they believed it was designed to make nuclear weapons to destroy Israel. The 70-megawatt uranium-powered reactor was near completion but had not been stocked with nuclear fuel.

In a striking similarity to the 27-year-old stand Israel’s prime minister Ehud Olmert told Gordon Brown that they could not reconcile with a nuclear Iran. He said that Iran was not just a menace for Israel, but a “global threat.”

Brown’s visit was reportedly centred around talks on the peace process with Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas. He was also in the region to take part in a British-Israeli business conference.

Brown’s spokesman has been quoted to have said the prime minister wanted to “discuss the way forward in the peace process” with Israeli and Palestinian leaders and to focus on economic reconstruction and development in the region.

Brown voiced his support for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, relaunched at a U.S.-hosted summit in Annapolis, Maryland, last year. He said he felt “a historic and lasting peace is within your grasp.” Brown said that he favored a two-state solution with a Palestinian state that “accepts Israel as a friend and a neighbour.”

It is now well known that all countries in the Middle East are for a peaceful settlement of the Palestine problem and have directly or indirectly supported the US-sponsored roadmap to peace. But nothing has so far been said or done to remove or allay threats from their minds of security that nuclear Israel repeatedly has proved to be posing.

Countries in the Middle East or elsewhere in the globe do not like to see nuclear arms proliferation in Iran. But they also are not for one country to be the sole possessor of nuclear weapons in the region to keep the Muslim countries of the region under constant fear. Gordon Brown should thus have asked Israel to dismantle its nuclear weapons and called for a nuclear weapon free Middle East.

Indian Govt survives confidence vote: Bribery scandal mars debate

BBC Online

India's Congress party-led government has survived a vote of confidence over a civilian nuclear deal with the US.

The government motion received 275 votes with 256 against, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said, hours after adjourning the debate amid claims of vote buying.

The vote came after the government's left-wing allies withdrew their support in protest at the controversial accord.

If the government had lost the vote, India would have faced early elections, casting the nuclear deal in doubt. There was brief confusion over the counting process. Most voting was electronic, but about 50 votes were cast on paper which delayed the count. At least four MPs were too ill to vote from the chamber of the 543-seat house itself, but it is still not clear why so many MPs cast paper ballots.

A number of MPs also abstained. There were celebrations in Delhi, with dancing Congress supporters cheering, clapping and letting off firecrackers in front of party leader Sonia Gandhi's house.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh thanked MPs for "such a convincing victory". "This will send a message to the world at larget India is prepared to take its rightful place in the comity of nations," he told reporters. The BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in Delhi says the vote had looked too close to call. But the government managed to scrape through with the support of smaller parties and independent members. India faces a general election next year and many political parties have used the debate over the nuclear deal to stake out their positions ahead of the polls, our correspondent says.

Two days of debate on the nuclear accord ended in uproar amid opposition allegations of vote buying.

Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members waved fistfuls of money in the air, alleging that they had been offered bribes to abstain.

Chatterjee adjourned proceedings for several hours. He called it a "very sad day" for the Indian parliament, adding: "Nobody will be spared if found guilty."

With the left withdrawing support, the government could rely on only 226 members in the 543-seat parliament, and needed 46 more to be absolutely sure of a majority.

The Congress party had courted the regional Samajwadi party and other smaller parties to help it win.

India's media was awash with reports of alleged defections and desertions among MPs ahead of the vote.

Under the accord, India, which has not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, would gain access to US civilian nuclear technology and fuel.

In return its civilian nuclear facilities would be opened to inspection. Nuclear weapons sites would remain off-limits.

The communists fear the accord could give the US too much influence over Indian foreign and nuclear policy.

The main opposition Hindu nationalist BJP fears that the deal could compromise India's ability to test nuclear weapons in the future.

LDCs for better market access in WTO meet : Zillur sees benefit from global trading system

Staff Reporter

Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman yesterday in WTO Ministerial meeting in Geneva said that the multilateral trading system would create a fair-play ground for all trading partners and bring benefit to the global trading system.

He said the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) want better market access for products and service providers.

"This is very much along with the spirit of the WTO principles. We expect positive initiatives from our trading partners, who are fortunate enough to be economically developed than us," the Adviser said.

"I strongly believe that much more flexibility needs to be shown by the members in the areas where the divergence remain," Zillur said.

On the issue of duty-free quota-free market access for LDCs, Zillur said ministers in Hong Kong made it clear that duty-free quota-free market access will be provided for all products from all LDCs.

"The issue of Rules of Origin is crucial for us. Duty-free quota-free market access without simplifying the preferential Rules of Origin will not bring any benefit to LDC exporters."

On capacity building, Zillur welcomed the reference of mechanism like enhanced integrated framework for LDC and Aid for Trade by the WTO chairman.

On non-reciprocal preference, the Adviser said, "We welcome the increase in the list of products in annex 2 and 3. The LDC Group has also noted that you have proposed one year of grace period before the tariff reduction starts."

Zillur said the LDC Group reiterates its commitment to multilateral trade.

Opening the meeting WTO Director-General Pascal Lamy said, "The central task before WTO members during the coming week is to try to agree on "modalities", which will include formulas for cutting agricultural and non-agricultural tariffs and farm subsidies."

"Establishing modalities in agriculture and non-agricultural market access does not mean that the negotiations on these two issues are over," Lamy reminded members when he opened the meeting.

"Let me again stress that the establishment of modalities is, instead, a necessary stage to allow us to proceed to the preparation of and to accelerate the negotiations in the other areas."

The "uphill journey" requires "patience and determination" but agreement on this major step in the negotiations is within reach, he said.

"I can think of no stronger spur for our action than the threats which are facing the world economy across several fronts, including rises in food prices and energy prices and financial market turbulences. There is widespread recognition that a balanced outcome of the Doha Round could in these circumstances provide a strong push to stimulate economic growth, providing better prospects for development and ensuring a stable and more predictable trading system."

Lamy also described the planned process: "no surprises, intensive informal consultations in a variety of configurations - bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral", with decisions only taken by the full membership in a process that is "transparent" and "inclusive".

He compared the task to climbing a mountain. "The only way to reach the top is understanding each others' interests and limitations."

Trade powers struggle to save WTO round

Reuters, Geneva

The United States, the European Union and emerging economic heavyweights tried again on Tuesday to bridge huge differences and unblock a trade deal aimed at delivering a boost to the world's flagging economy.

On the second day of crunch talks at the World Trade Organization, delegates were hoping for movement from richer countries to help break the deadlock.

"People are expecting a number today to get the process going," an EU diplomat said, referring to hopes the United States would announce a long-awaited figure for a new ceiling for its farm subsidies.

The week-long negotiations are seen as the last chance to save the seven-year-old Doha round of trade talks before November's U.S. presidential election which would put further talks on ice, possibly for a couple of years.

Billed as the 'development round', the new wave of trade liberalization is supposed to help poorer countries by opening markets to their exports and reducing rich countries' subsidies.

India said the latest proposals were still skewed in favor of rich countries, and developing countries needed to protect their subsistence farmers and their infant industries.

"We hope that these flaws would get addressed, balance will be restoredt during the course of the negotiations. Then and then alone can the final outcome fully reflect the development dimension of this round," Gopal Pillai, the top civil servant in India's commerce ministry, told delegates.

Pillai is heading the Indian delegation after Commerce Minister Kamal Nath returned to New Delhi for Tuesday's confidence vote over civilian nuclear cooperation with the United States that could trigger a snap election.

Many delegates in Geneva say defeat for the Congress-led government could spell an early end to the trade talks, given India's pivotal role in the negotiations.

Nath is due back in Geneva on Wednesday.

The United States and the European Union-both of which have strong farm and industrial lobbies-have called on emerging countries like Brazil, India and China to offer more.

"I have to say that after (Monday's) meeting I am less optimistic than before," Egyptian Trade Minister Rachid Mohamed Rachid told Reuters after no tangible progress was made.

Failure at Geneva would not only be a blow for trade liberalization but some analysts say it would also put greater doubt over multilateral talks such as the attempt to find a successor to the Kyoto Protocol on global climate change.

Negotiators are walking a line between trying to move the talks to a conclusion and ensuring they do not alienate powerful lobbies at home. A group of U.S. senators sent a letter to U.S. trade chief Susan Schwab warning her not to give too much.

"At a time when our economy is slowing, there couldn't be a worst time to entertain foreign countries' attacks on our domestic trade laws," said Republican Senator Olympia Snowe, one of the signatories of the letter.

"We are making it clear that the false appearance of progress and momentum is not an acceptable trade-off for weakening our trade laws and damaging our economy," Snowe said, noting Congress would oppose such a deal.

Latest WTO proposals would require the United States to cut trade-distorting farm subsidies to a range of $13 billion to $16.4 billion a year from a current ceiling of $48.2 billion.

The range is above current U.S. spending on subsidies of about $7 billion although the handout figure is low because global foods prices are so high.

The EU is under pressure to cut its farm tariffs and limit the number of "sensitive" products that would be shielded from the deepest tariff cuts.

Hasina for JS polls first as per Constitution: Anti-graft drive a lesson for corrupt politicians

UNB, London

Former premier and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, now abroad on interim release for treatment, renewed her demand for holding general election first ahead of Upazila elections as per Constitution.

Addressing a UK Juba League meeting at the Impression hall in East London on Monday evening, she said it is the constitutional responsibility of the caretaker government to hold the general election. "Upazila elections are to be held after the national polls."

Hasina remarked that it is a good sign that the caretaker government started realizing that there is no alternative to elections and transfer of power to an elected government.

The Awami League president appreciated the ongoing anti-graft drive against corrupt politicians, saying that corrupt politicians would learn a lesson from their follies. However, she said some good and honest politicians have become victim of the anti-corruption campaign.

Citing her own case, Hasina said she was kept in solitary confinement and, one after another, "false" cases were filed against her. But, she told her audience, the allegations could not be proved.

She said during her eleven-month confinement, she got time to think how to run the country in a better way.

On rising food prices, the former Prime Minister said not to speak of low-income group, even the mid-income people are perturbed at the spiraling prices of essentials. She said during her rule, inflation was pegged to 1.59 percent and now it shot up to 11-12 percent.

Awami League's acting general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, UK Awami League leaders Syed Farooq and Mustaque Qureshi and Juba League president Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury and general secretary Tarif Ahmed also spoke at the meeting.

Student movement in the offing on DU campus

Md. Jamal Uddin

The agencies of the government have become active on the Dhaka University campus while the students` organisations are trying to build a movement against the Caretaker Government ahead of the upcoming election.

Despite having many cases against some formidable leaders of the organisations, who absconded last year after coming of the present government apprehending arrest, are now being encouraged to take up different programmes on the campus even in emergency.

They are trying to make an alliance namely 'Sarbodolio Chhatra Oyika' to mount a movement against the present government within next month.

The leaders of the organisations sat several times to bring the organisations under a platform but they could not reach unanimity owing to opposition of a handful of student leaders belonging to the BCL, sources said.

Later, they, especially, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), student wing of BNP, and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of Awami League, took decision to separately mobilise their agitation on different issues.

Being informed of the initiative of the organisations, the agencies increased their activities on the campus following the government order to tackle any untoward situation. As strategy, the agencies would activate the cases of the student leaders` and shall set up check posts around the campus so that outsiders could not enter or stay on the campus, said a member of an agency seeking anonymity.

Meanwhile, the agency members are collecting information about those leaders against whom cases are pending.

The JCD senior leaders have temporarily became inactive after the killing of Mashiul Alam Sentu, a leader of the organisation, in crossfire.

But both organisations are holding different types of programmes demanding release of their leaders and holding of national election before all other elections.

Mahmud Hasan Ripon, central president of the BCL, said they would continue their agitation in the greater interest of the students and for the protection of democracy in the country.

Saiful Islam Firoz, general secretary of the JCD DU unit, said the government was trying to silence the movement of the student organisations lodging different false cases against the leaders.

Citing example, he said, two leaders of JCD and BCL are languishing in jail for over a year without any specific charges against them.

MK Anwar freed, Mamun gets bail

Bdnews 24.com, Dhaka

Former BNP Minister MK Anwar was freed from Dhaka Central Jail on Monday after he won bail from the High Court in the GATCO scam case, a Prisons official said.

Deputy Inspector General of Prisons Major Shamsul Haider Siddiqui told bdnews24.com that the BNP leader was freed "a few minutes ago."

MK Anwar won bail from the HC on Sunday.

The High Court yesterday granted bail to businessman Giasuddin Al Mamun in a case involving charges of not submitting a wealth information.

Justice Abdul Awal of the High Court Division passed the order on a bail appeal by Mamun, widely known as a friend of former prime minister Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman.

The Anti-corruption Commission on Feb 18 last year asked 50 people, including Mamun, to submit their wealth statements to the graft watchdog within 72 hours from notification.

ACC Deputy Director Akhter Hamid Bhuiyan on April 5 last year filed a corruption case against Mamun for failure to submit his wealth statement by the deadline.

In the case, the Dhaka Special Judge's Court on June 7 last year sentenced Mamun to three years in jail.

Mamun appealed to the High Court against the Trial Court verdict.

The bail to Mamun in the case will remain effective until disposal of his appeal.

Barrister Fakhrul Islam appeared in the hearing on behalf of Mamun.

"Though Mamun won bail in this case as there are other cases against him he will not be released from jail right now," Islam said.

The High Court on Monday adjourned hearings on bail pleas of 17 senior politicians to July 27.

A HC bench of Justices Sharif Uddin Chaklader and Md Imdadul Haque Azad passed the order after new Attorney General Salahuddin Ahmed requested further time.

Of the 17, eight are leaders of Awami League, including party president Sheikh Hasina, general secretary Abdul Jalil, and AL leaders Fazlul Karim Selim, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Salman F Rahman, AKM Rahmat Ullah, AHM Mostafa Kamal (Lotus Kamal), Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.

Aug 21 grenade attack Charge framing on Aug 3

Court Correspondent

A Court of Dhaka yesterday refixed August 3 for next charge-framing hearing of the August 21 grenade attack case.

On behalf of some accused petitions were submitted for allowing time to enable them collect necessary documents, while on behalf of others petitions were submitted for discharging them from the case.

KM Rasheduzzaman Raja, Additional Metropolitan Session Judge, Second Court of Dhaka heard both sides in his crowded court-room and fixed the next date for further hearing on charge-framing.

Of the 22 accused, 14 including former Deputy Minister Abdus Salam Pintu were brought to the Court, while 8 others are at large.

Besides Pintu, other accused who were produced before the crowded court Tuesday are: Mufti Hannan's brother Mohibullah alias Mofizur Rahman alias Ovi, Sharif Shahidul Islam Bipul, Maulana Abu Sayeed, Dr Abu Zafar, Abul Kalam Azad alias Bulbul, Jahangir Alam, Maulana Abu Taher, Shahadatullah Jewel, Hossain Ahmed Tamim, Mafti Mohiuddin Shaikh alias Abu Zandul alias Masum Billah, Arif Hasan Sumon, Rafiqul Islam Sabuj and Mohammad Ujjal Ratan.

The eight fugitives of the case are: Pintu's brothers Maulana Tajuddin, Maulana Liton, Anisul Mursalin, Mahibul Mottakin, Iqbal, Maulana Abu Bakar alias Selim Howladar, Jahangir Alam Badar and Khalilur Rahman.

Investigation Office (IO) Fazlur Kabir, an Assistant Superintendent of Police submitted charge sheet against the accused on June 11. Of the accused 8 made confessional statements about their involvement in the grenade attack under section 164 of the Code of criminal procedure (CrPC).

The case was filed for grenade attack on an Awami League rally held on August 21, 2004 which left 23 people dead and about 200 injured.

$170m ADB support for food security

Staff Reporter

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide US$170 million loan to Bangladesh to cope with the rising food price, a bank release said yesterday.

The loan is a part of a broader food security package being extended by international agencies and also initiated by the Government of Bangladesh totalling a monetary value of US$1.29 billion.

The emergency assistance for food security project, which is supported by ADB and other multilateral agencies, will ensure access to food supply for those hardest hit by recent natural disasters in Bangladesh and the rapid increase in food prices.

Bangladesh, a net importer of food grains, was severely affected by two floods and a devastating cyclone in the second half of 2007, causing a rice production shortfall of 1.2 million tons and adversely affecting the food security of an estimated 25 million people. Rapidly increasing food prices further worsened the situation, seriously affecting the poor and vulnerable and fixed income earners.

"The project will provide short-term transitional support to help the Government meet unexpected high expenditures for safety net programmes based on the needs assessment conducted jointly with other development partners" said Rezaul K. Khan, Economist for ADB's Bangladesh Resident Mission.

The Government's safety net programs target insurance of better access to food for 5 million poor and vulnerable people. The programmes include provision of food supplies for sale in the open market, vulnerable group feeding, food assistance and food for work.

ADB is also issuing a US$600,000 grant to help the Government improve its ability to plan and undertake medium- and long-term interventions to improve food security.

Bangladesh is the first developing member-country to receive ADB support after the announcement made during the institution's 41st Annual Meeting in May by ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda. The provision consists of up to US$500 million in immediate budgetary support to the hardest hit countries in Asia and the Pacific, and an increase in lending for agriculture and rural development to more than US$2 billion in 2009.

Food prices in the world market have reached record highs. The price of rice in the international market has nearly tripled to US$963 per ton in May from a year earlier, while wheat prices have almost doubled to US$349 a ton during the same period.

In Bangladesh, the retail price in April of coarse rice rose 61 per cent from last year, while wheat prices are up by 56 per cent.

Soaring food prices have led to serious hardship for the poor, who allocate about 70 per cent of their total spending on food. The trend in food prices has also intensified inflationary pressure and is expected to worsen income inequality.

In Bangladesh, food inflation now stands at 12 per cent. Out of the country's total population, 40 per cent are now living below the poverty line. The country's per capita gross domestic product currently stands at US$554.

Karadzic held from clinic

AFP, Belgrade

Top war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic worked in a medical clinic under a false name and had tried to conceal his identity with a white beard before his arrest, a Serbian minister said Tuesday.

"Karadzic used false documents with the name Dragan Dabic," Rasim Ljajic, the minister in charge of cooperation for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), told a Belgrade press conference. "Karadzic was not a Serbian citizen and he was very convincing in hiding his identity," said Ljajic, who held up a picture of Karadzic with almost hippy-like white hair and a long beard.

"He was working and performing alternative medicine, making money that way, he was working in a private medical practice, and his last residence was in New Belgrade."

Of all the many fugitives of the UN war crimes court, the least was known about the whereabouts of Karadzic, the former Bosnian Serb political leader who was arrested near Belgrade on Monday.

He was last seen in public in the eastern Bosnian town of Han Pijesak in July 1996, and previously thought to have hidden away in Serb-controlled parts of Bosnia, Montenegro and Serbia.

EPZ scene: Earnings incompatible with investment

Pulack Ghatack

Export earnings from the Export Processing Zones (EPZs) are not increasing enough to keep pace with robust investment growth in the specially facilitated investment areas for the foreigners.

Estimates of the 2006-07 and 2007-08 fiscal years show that investment doubled in eight EPZs of the country in a single financial year but export earnings grew less than a quarter by this time.

Experienced sources blamed poor local value addition in the EPZ's export items for the marginal income growth.

According to the statistics of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) eight EPZs received foreign investment in 2007-08 fiscal year amounting to US$302million, showing almost 100 per cent growth during the period.

In 2006-07, the volume of foreign investment in the country's EPZs was US$152 million.

Meanwhile, BEPZA attained only 17.73 per cent growth in export earnings and earned US $2.43 billion in 2007-08. The export earnings were US$2.06 billion in 2006-07, the BEPZA statistics said.

The EPZs employed some 1,700 new workers during the last fiscal year, raising the total number of workers to 2,18,000, the officials said.

BEPZA officials said that weaker dollar, low labour costs and easy access to Asian markets had contributed to the high growth of foreign investment in the country.

They said the foreign entrepreneurs were encouraged to invest in export processing zones of Bangladesh due to availability of labour, security of investments and utility services for a considerable period.

The investors are mostly from countries like Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and Korea, where they face high labour and other manufacturing costs.

The EPZs received investment in diversified sectors like furniture, agro-products and electrical and electronic goods during the 2007-08 fiscal year.