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Hasina meets Boucher, Moriarty in Washington: Any detraction from Dec general elections unacceptable to US

Sheikh Hasina and Richard Boucher

UNB, Dhaka

US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher reiterated that any detraction from general election slated for December in Bangladesh would not be acceptable to Washington, as ex-premier Sheikh Hasina had a discussion with him in Washington.

"The US wants to see establishment of an elected government in Bangladesh as there is no alternative to democratic rule," he said during the meeting with the former PM and Awami League chief at the State Department Friday.

Boucher viewed that the transition to democracy-now underway in the interim period-would help ensure development in Bangladesh.

During the hour-long meeting from 11 am (Washington time), US Ambassador to Bangladesh James Moriarty, State Department officials, Hasina's son Sajib Wajed Joy and Hasina's special aide Dr Hassan Mahmud were present.

Later in the evening (Friday), Sheikh Hasina and Moriarty had another meeting at a local hotel over a high tea, exchanging views over bilateral matters.

The US ambassador had parleys with politicians in Dhaka over the crucial issues on hand before leaving for Washington for consultation with his government policymakers.

Dr Mamud told UNB from the American capital that Hasina apprised Boucher of the current political situation in Bangladesh.

The Awami League president said that people have already doubts about the December general election. "If the Upazila Parishad elections are held first, people's doubt will further deepen about the parliamentary elections," she observed during the talks.

Hasina said the prime responsibility of the caretaker government is to hold free, fair and transparent parliamentary elections and transfer power to an elected government.

"Upazila elections before parliamentary polls will not be acceptable," she was quoted by Dr Mahmud as having told Boucher. She said the government should concentrate more on holding the national election instead of upazila elections.

On the current anti-graft purge, Hasina said her party supports anti-corruption campaign and would carry on this drive if returned to power.

"But we cannot support political arrest and harassment in the name of anti-corruption drive," she said.

About institutional reforms being carried pout by the caretaker government, Hasina said the Awami League-led 14-party alliance's 33-point demand placed before the nation and in the last parliament was aimed at all these reforms.

She assured that if returned to power, Awami League would continue with these reform programs. "Awami League is also pledge-bound to ensure human rights, curbing terrorism, establishment of equal rights and the rule of law," she said.

Hasina told Boucher that she herself and her Awami League party are the main victims of terrorism. Awami League had always been vocal against terrorism and will continue to do that in the future.

The former Prime Minister said Bangladesh and the USA can work together to carry on the fight against terrorism.

Hasina thanked the US government for its continued assistance for development in Bangladesh. She hoped that Washington would increase its development aid and make investment in the country.

Dr Mahmud said Boucher inquired about the health conditions of Sheikh Hasina and praised her relentless leadership for restoration of democracy.

The AL chief returned to Washington from London on July 24. She is planning to go to Connecticut in a couple of days for her medical checkup. Later, she will fly to Orlando, Florida, for follow-up treatment of her ears.

Hasina, who was granted interim release from prison for eight weeks on June 11, left for the United States the following day for treatment of her ears and eyes.

The city we live in

Several slabs covering roadside drain on the city’s Abdul Ghani Road have caved in narrowing the width of the road in front of the Bangladesh Secretariat, the prime seat of the administration, which is frequented by diplomats and foreign VIPs. In the event of a downpour and consequent water-logging accidents involving dignitaries can be embarrassing.

News analysis: Politics of shifting stands

Mostafa Kamal Majumder

Former President Hussain Muhammad Ershad has been living upto his reputation that the people have of him since the start of his sojourn to the corridors of power from early 1982 as the chief martial law administrator (CMLA) that his critics used to fondly refer to as - cancel my last announcement.

During the last 20 months Gen. Ershad shifted his position five times. His last statement of readjustment of position was published in the media on Saturday as he said he would be with the Bangladesh Awami League-led mahajote for the next general elections. His first reaction to the change of power on 11 January 2007 was retirement from politics; a position at that time had already been legally enforced for all through the prohibition of political activities under the state of emergency.

When indoor politics was introduced with conditions, in Dhaka city on 10 September 2007 and in the rest of the country on 12 September this year, the former president distanced himself and his party from the AL-led combine of which he now reaffirms to be a partner once again. The gain he made was reunification of the two factions of his Jatiya Party which earlier used to be led by himself and his wife Begum Raushan Ershad. Resumption of political activities by him was, however, not marked by any formal announcement about a comeback from retirement.

Before the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led four-party alliance relinquished power on completion of a five-year tenure, Ershad had made a firm announcement to be with the alliance in the subsequent national election. After the resignation of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and her council of ministers on 27 October 2006, Hussain Muhammad Ershad was quick to announce, 'there is no last word in politics'.

He soon after aligned himself and his party with the 14-party alliance which was renamed mahajote with Dr. Kamal Hossain's Gano Forum and former president Prof AQM Badruddoza Chwdhury's party Bikalpa Dhara throwing their weights in its favour.

There will always be scope to refer to the dictum 'there is no last word in politics' of which the retired General has proved to be a master manipulator. It was on the cancellation of General Ershad's nomination papers, on the basis of a court order, for the January 22 election that the mahajote had announced on January 10, 2007, its boycott of the polls that its leaders also vowed to resist. Emergency was clamped on the following day and with that there was also change of caretaker administration.

A dynamic approach to politics is welcomed by all, but the same approach to changing political stand may not always be good for the one who practices it, or the country for which politics is meant. One may for instance change a principled stand and allow disproportionate increase of salary and benefits of industrial workers just to ward off the threat of a general strike. But such kind of crisis management burdens the industry which in time turns into a losing sector. One may give a blank cheque to primary school teachers for political convenience and ruin not only them but also the system of state-run free primary education.

It will, however, be unfair to make shifting of political stand look like only a monopoly of HM Ershad, because most of our politicians have the reputation of so doing. Former President AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, chief of Bikalpa Dhara and former presidential candidate Dr Kamal Hossain, chief of Gono Forum, who at one point of time looked like destined to chart a common path and steer the country back to democracy fell apart, reportedly because of personality clash.

Former member of BNP standing committee Col (retd) Oli Ahmed who joined Prof Chowdhury, after a number of BNP ministers and lawmakers deserted the party and sided with Chowdhury, and formed the Liberal Democratic Party however could not remain together when their common foe Begum Khaleda Zia fell into rough weather.

The former President has been left with his Bikalpa Dhara while Col (retd) Oli Ahmad is operating with his Liberal Democratic Party a faction of which is again being led by Nazimuddin Al-Azad. After his parting with Prof. B. Chowdhury, Col Oli Ahmed even expressed his desire to be back to the BNP provided he was taken back with full dignity and honour.

Prof B. Chowdhury has of late demanded referendum on whether or not to hold upazila elections before parliamentary elections.

From the AL-led camp the initial stand against local government elections before parliamentary polls has been undergoing a gradual change. First the alliance expressed its support to the municipal and city corporation elections. Now the alliance is reportedly planning to support upazila elections before the Jatiya Sangsad polls.

The BNP-led four-party alliance remains firm in its stand against local government elections before national elections. These are no exceptions because parties and their leaders take and change stands to suit their political convenience to achieve the ultimate goal of having share of political loaves and fishes.

(The author is the editor of this paper)

Obama in London

Barack Obama

AFP, London

US presidential hopeful Barack Obama arrived in London Friday, the last scheduled stop on a world tour aimed at boosting his foreign policy credentials before elections later this year.

The Democratic Party senator touched down from Paris, where he held talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, praising him for his more pro-American stance and France's military efforts in Afghanistan.

In the British capital, he will meet Prime Minister Gordon Brown, his predecessor Tony Blair-now the international community's Middle East envoy-and the leader of the main opposition Conservative Party, David Cameron.

Obama, his then-rival for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton, and the Republican Party candidate, John McCain, met Brown in Washington when he visited in April. Brown previously met McCain in London in March.

Unlike Obama's visit to Berlin, where he addressed a 200,000-strong crowd, the British leg of his tour will be mostly behind closed doors.

Protocol dictates that Brown will not appear with Obama on the steps of 10 Downing Street, as he did not do the same for McCain. Photographs will be taken inside the building before Obama addresses the media outside.

He will meet Cameron-tipped to be Britain's next prime minister, as Brown's government falters in the opinion polls and at the ballot box, sparking calls for a leadership contest-at his office in parliament.

Obama's popularity with European voters has also been seen in Britain, where a recent newspaper poll suggested Britons favour him to McCain for the presidency by five to one.

Friday's Daily Mirror headlined a front-page story on his Berlin speech "Obamamania!" He also made the front pages of six other national newspapers.

Likely topics for discussion include Iraq and Afghanistan, where British troops are fighting alongside their US counterparts, and the Middle East. Like Obama, Brown has recently visited Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Brown will doubtless be encouraged by Obama's call for a more multilateral approach to US foreign policy, as he has pushed a similar line. He also wants troop reductions in Iraq and reinforcements from NATO countries in Afghanistan.

Earlier Friday, Obama signalled his appreciation for a warming of US-French relations that were hit by former president Jacques Chirac's opposition to the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

"He has been a great leader on this, and the American people greatly appreciate President Sarkozy's approach to the relationship," Obama said at a joint news conference at the Elysee Palace.

"I think the average American has enormous fondness for the French people," he added, despite perceptions among the US electorate that an affinity for France harms a candidate's chances.

Obama also said he was grateful for the French troop presence in Afghanistan and Sarkozy's willingness to send more, describing his decision as "courageous". France recently committed 700 extra troops to the NATO force.

In Berlin Thursday, he urged other NATO members to do the same, although Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom he met earlier in the day, has expressed her opposition to sending more German troops to Afghanistan.

Britain-the United States' closest ally in its "war on terror"-has also called for its NATO allies to shoulder more of the burden, amid rising numbers of fatalities against the extremist Taliban in Afghanistan.

Repairing US-European relations was a theme of Obama's Berlin speech, where he said "the walls between old allies on either side of the Atlantic cannot stand."

"The walls between races and tribes; natives and immigrants; Christian and Muslim and Jew cannot stand.

"These now are the walls we must tear down," he said, echoing ex-US president Ronald Reagan's 1987 for Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall.

Obama, 46, is the favourite to win the election. A Fox News poll on Thursday suggested that 51 percent of Americans believe he will triumph, with only 27 percent betting on 71-year-old McCain.

McCain, a Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war who has long been an influential voice on foreign policy and defence, took a swipe at his rival on Thursday, visiting a German sausage restaurant in Ohio.

He said he would love to give a speech in Berlin, but only as president.

Indian Army Chief arrives today

Indian Army Chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor

UNB, Dhaka

Indian Army Chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor arrives here this afternoon for a 6-day tour aimed at improving bilateral ties and greater military-military interactions between the armed forces of the two countries.

General Kapoor is scheduled to be accorded reception at BAF Tarmac at Kurmitola on Sunday afternoon.

He will place wreath at Shikha Anirban of Dhaka Cantonment on Monday morning. Thereafter, he will be given guard of honour at Sena Kunja.

The Indian army chief is scheduled to pay call on Chief

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of Staff of Bangladesh Army General Moeen U Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff Vice-Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal SM Ziaur Rahman the same tommorw.

SAARC efforts to ensure food security urged

Staff Reporter

Political leaders, academic and civil society representatives yesterday emphasised on bringing dynamism in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to address poverty reduction and to uplift life standard in the region.

So far, SAARC has failed to play an effective role in alleviating poverty, attaining food autarky and addressing the climate change even after two decades of its inception, they said at a discussion on " SAARC 2008: Joint Initiatives for Food Security and Climate Change" at VIP lounge of Jatiya Press Club.

Sushasoner Jonno Procharavijan (SUPRO), an NGO campaigning for good governance organised the programme.

Pradip Kumar Roy, Chief Executive and Abdul Awal, Chairperson of SUPRO gave the welcome speech and moderated the programme respectively. Laurence Besra, project coordinator of the organisation presented keynote paper.

Begum Matia Chowdhury, former food minister and Awami League leader, Abdul Mannan, former state minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism and BNP leader, GM Kader, former Member of Parliament (MP) of Jatiya Party, Lt Gen (Retd) Mahbubur Rahman, former army chief, Jaglul Ahmed Chowdhury, Managing Director and Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) among others, spoke on the occasion. Joint initiatives and concerted efforts among the South Asian countries are needed with a view to put pressure on developed countries to do more on climate change issue since they are mainly responsible for emitting carbon, they added.

They also said proper management and equal share of common rivers of the region could significantly help achieve food autarky in the region.

They called upon the leaders of the SAARC countries to change their mindset and take joint efforts for addressing the climate change and food security issues.

Matia Chowdhury said there is no alternate of regional cooperation for attaining food security in the country.

"We need to maintain regular dredging of our rivers for optimum use of its water," she said.

Jaglul said SAARC has moved forward positively despite some constraints. He said the SAARC countries should focus more on food security.

"I believe one day there will be formed 'South Asian Parliament'," he said.

Abdul Mannan said India should sacrifice a lot for ensuring common benefits of the SAARC countries.

Kader said the achievement of SAARC is not beyond question as train communications between the countries of the region are the outcome of bilateral accord.

Mahbubur Rahman said Bangladesh is being deprived of its river water and a permanent possession of 'Tin Bigha' corridor.

Nurul Islam Nahid former Member of Parliament (MP) of Awami League, Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, Dr Dalem Chandra Barman, Syeda Rezwana Hasan, Executive Director of BELA, Rokeya Kabir, Executive Director of BNPS and Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, Executive Board Member of SUPRO, among others, were also present on the occasion.

Indian police say few clues of Bangalore blasts

Reuters, Bangalore

Indian police have few leads into the eight bombings in quick succession across the south Indian IT city of Bangalore that killed a woman and wounded at least six people on Friday, officials said.

An unexploded bomb was found near a shopping mall in Bangalore on Saturday, but it was unclear whether the bomb was newly planted or meant to have exploded during Friday's attacks, police said.

"Special squads have been formed to find out who is behind the blasts. We have not got any conclusive leads yet," Bangalore's Additional Commissioner of Police M.R. Pujar told Reuters on Saturday.

India has suffered a wave of bombings in recent years, with targets ranging from mosques and Hindu temples to trains. It is unusual for any group to claim responsibility for attacks.

India's home ministry said on Friday it suspected "a small militant group" was behind the attacks, but gave no details.

Some major IT companies in Bangalore, known as India's Silicon Valley, said they were increasing security at their offices after the eight low intensity bombs went off. Each bomb had a similar explosive force to one or two grenades.

The city is one of the world's most prominent centers for software development and is also home to a major outsourcing industry.

"We have increased security in our campus," said a spokeswoman for Infosys, one of India's leading software companies.

Also nicknamed the "world's back office," Bangalore has more than 1,500 top firms, including Infosys, Wipro and the offices of global firms such as Microsoft Corp and Intel Corp.

"If such incidents continue, investors will fly away from the city," said state opposition politician Mallikharjuna Kharge, who called for improved security in the city.

Some police officials said they suspected the blasts could be the work of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India.

"It is a prime suspect, but it is too early to come to any conclusion. All angles are being looked into," said a police official who did not want to be named.

Police said Friday's explosions were similar to a blast at a courthouse in Hubli, a city near Bangalore. Suspected Muslim militants there are being tried on charges of planning attacks in Karnataka, the state where Bangalore is located. No one was wounded in that blast.

Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa said the blasts were a conspiracy to defame his Hindu nationalist government.

"We will not tolerate any attempt to spoil the reputation of the city" he said.

Islamist militant groups in Pakistan and Bangladesh have been often blamed for previous attacks in India with the aim of fanning hatred between Muslims and Hindus and damaging a fragile peace process between New Delhi and Islamabad.

In May, eight bombs, many strapped to bicycles, ripped through a crowded shopping area in the western city of Jaipur, killing at least 63 people and injuring hundreds more.

Police said that attack bore some hallmarks of the Bangladeshi militant group Harkat-ul-Jihad al Islami.

Zillur demands withdrawal of emergency

Staff reporter

Awami League (AL) acting president Zillur Rahman yesterday demanded immediate withdrawal of the state of emergency terming it unnecessary.

He reiterated the demand while addressing an extended meeting of Awami Ainjibi Parishad at the Supreme Court Bar auditorium. He warned that AL would not only boycott the polls but also resist the participation of other political parties if any poll is held under the state of emergency.

Zillur also called for holding the national elections ahead of the Upazila polls.

The veteran AL leader expressed his deep concern over soaring prices of daily essentials.

He blamed the government for the sufferings of the people saying that a silent famine is prevailing over the country.

He accused the government of harassing the politicians by the law enforcement agencies as said, "The law enforcers are doing nothing except arresting political leaders and filing cases against them.

Zillur renewed his demand for unconditional release of Sheikh Hasina and lifting of all cases against her.

Some 500 representatives from different district bars participated in the extended meeting and they urged Zillur to nominate the lawyers for the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

Syed Rezaur Rahman, M Enayetur Rahim, Nurul Islam Sujon, Abdullah Abu, Momtaz Uddin Mehadi, among other senior lawyers, were present. AL central Law Secretary Shahara Khatun presided over the meeting.

Over 6000 observers to monitor Aug 4 poura polls

Rafiqul Islam Azad

Over six thousand watchers including more than one hundred foreigners would monitor the ensuing local government elections to four city corporations and nine pourasabhas.

Sources in the Election Commission (EC) said on an average eight observers would monitor the elections to be held on August 4. Most of the watchers are expected to observe elections in Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet city corporation elections.

The rest will observe the elections to nine pourasabhas-Shariatpur, Chuadanga, Manikganj, Nauhata, Dupchachiya, Sreepur, Fulbaria, Golapganj and Sitakunda.

An EC official termed the number of observers highest ever in the history of the local government polls. Less than two thousand observers monitored Dhaka, Khulna and Rajshahi city corporation polls in 2002, he referred.

According to sources, a total of 119 observers from European Union, German Embassy in

Dhaka, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, Britain, France, Netherlands, Turkey, Italy, Japan and Norway Embassy, NDI, IRI and USAID of USA, DFID of Britain sought permission from the EC to monitor the elections to four city corporations and nine pourasabhas.

Besides, the Election Working Group (EWG) comprising 33 organisations, funded by Asia Foundation, would monitor the polls in four city corporations and Manikganj pourasabha. The FEMA would monitor elections in all the four city corporations and nine pourasabhas alone.

EC sources said, the Commission is likely to allow maximum number of observers to watch the election process for the sake of making the ensuing polls free, fair and neutral one.

However, the Commission has adopted strict policy for the observers so that the elections are not disrupted due to huge crowd of observers.

According to the policy, the observers should be non-partisan and neutral. They will be allowed to enter inside the booth but cannot stay for long.

The observers can observe the voting and counting process but they will not be allowed to interference in election activities and apprise someone about election result before the announcement, sources said.

Sources said the observers must submit their observation report to the Commission and refrain from making any statement about the result before the announcement.

15 killed in fresh India blasts

AFP, Ahmedabad

At least 15 people were killed and scores wounded Saturday in a string of coordinated bomb attacks in the tinderbox western Indian city of Ahmedabad on Saturday, officials said.

The series of more than a dozen blasts came just a day after a similar wave of bombings in the southern technology city of Bangalore.

The latest target, Ahmedabad, is a communally-sensitive city which saw thousands killed in Hindu attacks against Muslims in 2002.

Television channels said they had received a claim of responsibility from a little-known Islamist group calling itself the "Indian Mujahedeen," although

The Ahmedabad blasts came a day after the multiple explosions in Bangalore in which two persons were killed.

Police said at least two had died and 25 injured, some of them seriously,in the blasts. The injured have been rushed to civil hospital and LG hospital.

Union Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal said in New Delhi there were eight blasts. Unconfirmed reports said there were 13 blasts.

The explosion in the sensitive Sarkej area occured in a CNG bus.

Some of the bombs were believed to have been placed in cycles eerily similar to the Jaipur blasts on May 13 in which 65 persons died. A couple of bombs were reported to have been placed in tiffin boxes in a modus operandi similar to the explosions outside a Lucknow court last year.

President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned the blasts and appealed for calm.

Coaching centres mushroom in city

Mamunur Rashid

At least 1,000 coaching centres are being run illegally in the capital, which collectively earns huge amount of money but the Government is yet to take any initiative to stop this burgeoning business.

The coaching centres are of different types, foreign language training, university admission and BCS admission coaching, even centres offering good results to students of schools and colleges in their examinations. More recently centres have sprout up especially catering to the needs of smart young men and women interested to work in highly lucrative call centres.

Teachers from kindergarten to university level open "coaching centres" to teach students privately for a considerable of money as fee. Consequently, school classrooms have turned into gossiping dens.

Some students of the English Medium schools and first or second-year students of public and private universities are also teaching in these coaching centres. As a result the students come out of these institutions practically knowing nothing.

Most of the coaching centres publish colourful advertisement and distribute leaflets in different parts of the city to attract parents of students mainly coming from villages.

Some of the coaching centres specialise on teaching IELTS or TOEFL or GMAT or SAT, GRE, ACCA and CAT students.

Teachers of the so-called best and famous educational institutions, which produce tomorrow's leaders, have ignored such values as respect, love and dedication. None of them have taken the responsibility to nurture the next generation and develop the nation; teaching is merely a job like any other to them.

The job of a teacher in public schools is so undesirable that the authorities receive fewer applications than the vacant posts advertised in a country in which at least 1 crore educated youths are still unemployed. A person who has no hope of getting employed grease the palm of the influential persons to get a teaching job in a private school.

Students who can afford the high expense of these "education stores" are able to buy degrees and those unable to pay for private tutors get a certificate and both wobble around looking for a job.

Education in Bangladesh has always been an undeveloped sector and little had been done to find out what happens beneath the surface of the education system. To avert a serious predicament in the near future, the nation's leaders must undertake drastic changes before Bangladesh becomes even more impoverished and backward.

The Ministry of Education, including the education boards, have failed to adopt any standard education policy or infrastructure for the nation in the last four decades.

Major rivers on rise: Erosion takes serious turn

Staff Reporter

The rivers Brahmaputra, Jamuna and Padma are on rise following the upstream pressure and causing inundation of low-lying areas in Pabna, Munshiganj, Manikganj, Faridpur, Shariatpur and Dohar and Nawabganj upzilas of Dhaka district.

The people of these districts are now busy shifting their dwelling houses and other valuables to safer places following massive erosion in the major rivers.

According to Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC), the water level of major rivers will continue to rise for the next couple of days.

In Pabna, the erosion of river Padma and Jamuna have taken a serious turn in the last one-week due to sudden rise of water level caused by onrush of hilly water and torrential rain.

The rivers devoured hundreds of bighas of cultivable land and made about 100 families homeless.

The worst affected areas are Protappur, Old Bharenga and Nagarbari in Bera upazila, Naowagram, Malfia, Indrajitpur, Mohonpur, Mohabbatpur, Barakapur, Satbaria, Shyamnagar, Pakkirmore, Sarutia, Kalikapur, Gopalpur, Baliadangi, Kamarhat, Gulchandrapur in Sujanagar upazila of the district.

The erosions in Padma and Jamuna rivers usually take serious turn every year with the recession of floodwater. But this year the situation turned worse before the advent of flood, said the local residents.

"I had 27 bighas of land but during the last year's erosion the rivers devoured 20 to 21 bighas and the rests went into the river this year," Kashem Mandal, a villager of the district, expressed his grievances.

The River Padma is flowing 36cm and 40cm above its red mark at Goalundo and Bhagyakul upazilas in Faridpur district.

In Bogra, the River Korotoa at Chawk Rahimpur is flowing up 11cm of its danger level and river Kobadak, a tributary of Padma, are 5cm above the danger level.

In Sunamganj, the River Surma is flowing 45cm above the danger level and the river Kangshar at Jariajanjail up to 87cm of its danger level.

Many villages and char areas of Goalundo and Pangsha upazilas of Rajbari district have been inundated with flood water due to onrush of water from upstream and heavy rain for last three consecutive days.

Water Development Board (WDB) officials said the water level of the Padma river has increased significantly and was flowing 8.86 cm in Goalundo-.36 cm above the danger level yesterday at 6.00 a.m.

The flood water is inundating more new areas including farmland, where are paddy jute, sugarcane and vegetables have been newly planted.

Meanwhile, the graveyard of Daulatdia launch ghat area has already gone under water following rising water level in the Padma.

Bank accounts of 22 Benapole traders frozen

UNB, Benapole

Bank accounts of 22 businessmen engaged in trading with India have been seized for their suspicious transactions.

Informed sources said that NBR intelligence has found disparity in known sources of income and transactions of money of those account holders.

NBR in a letter has directed all banks and financial institutions to seize the accounts and submit statement of transactions since July 2003 to its central intelligence office.

The action taken against the bank account holders include owner of Abdul Haq & Sons C&F agent Abdul Haque and his family members, Sajib Enterprise owner Moniruzzaman and his family members, Sonali Agency owner Akbar Ali and his family members and Real Enterprise owner Nazmul Islam and his family members.

Gas cylinder blast kills 2 in Ctg

UNB, Chittagong

Two people were killed and eight others injured in a gas cylinder explosion at a factory at Kadamrasul in Sitakundu upazila yesterday.

The dead were identified as factory workers Mamun,28 and Sumon,30. Police said the gas cylinder exploded with a big bang at the factory where cylinders are filled up with oxygen gas at about 11am, killing Mamun, on the spot while Sumon died on way to hospital.

The injured people were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

The tin-shed roof of the factory was blown away in the explosion.

Police recovered the body of the victims.

A case was filed.

Fertiliser crisis likely to hit Aman cultivation

Staff Reporter

Farmers have failed to prepare their Aman seedbeds due to the ongoing crisis of two types of fertiliser across the country.

"Farmers have failed to collect MOP and TSP as per the requirement for preparing Aman seedbeds till yesterday," an official of Agriculture Ministry told the New Nation.

He added that the Ministry has been receiving three to four requests per day through letters and phone calls from farmers since July 15.

He further said that the production of Aman would be hampered if the government failed to supply these two types of fertilisers. The government has a stock of 94,651 tonnes of urea, 10,344 tonnes of MOP and 15,926 tonnes of TSP against the demand of 9,82,653 tonnes of urea, 56,129.5 tonnes of MOP and 52,217 tonnes of TSP in Aman season between July and mid November.