The New Nation - Internet Edition

Quake damage in city: Evacuation from vulnerable DU halls, DMCH buildings underway

The roof of a residential quarter of the Dhaka
Medical College employees caved in yesterday under the
impact of quake which struck the country early hours of
Sunday. FocusBangla

Staff Reporter

The midnight earthquake on Saturday caused cracks in walls and led to the collapse of roofs of many buildings in the capital.

The ceilings of two buildings of fourth-class employees of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) at Elephant Road collapsed and walls developed cracks at many residential halls of Dhaka University after being jolted by the moderate earthquake.

Meanwhile, authorities have identified some vulnerable city buildings and asked the dwellers of those to vacate the dilapidated structures immediately.

A moderate tremor shook the capital and a large part of the country Saturday midnight. In the city following the tremor, the top floor of a four-storied building of fourth-class employees of DMCH at Elephant road collapsed at about 9:00pm on Sunday night. Earlier, during the tremor, the top floor of several other buildings in the area also collapsed.

Around three to four thousand people of the staff quarters came hurriedly out of their residences under the open sky. The earthquake struck at a time when most of the city dwellers were asleep.

The Director of DMCH Brig Gen Abdus Shahid Khan, rushed to the spot yesterday and asked residents to vacant the buildings immediately. But the authority did not take any steps to shift around 150 to 200 people of the buildings till filing of this report last night.

Besides, the officials of Public Works Development (PWD) led by its Executive Engineer Arifur Rahman went to the place at 9:30am. After observation, he asked the residents of the quarters to leave the building within a short time.

"The three buildings of the area are so vulnerable that another earthquake would spell disaster to the inhabitants," the executive engineer said.

Meanwhile, our Dhaka University correspondent reports,

the DU authorities have started to shift students of two vulnerable dormitories to safer places from yesterday.

Under the process, more than one hundred resident students of Muhsin Hall will be shifted to the hall auditorium, university gymnasium and provost quarters of Shahidullah Hall and around fifty students of Rokeya Hall Honours Building will be shifted to the Fayzunnessa Chhatri Building of the Hall.

The authorities also decided to shift as many as 400 students of Jagannath Hall East Building, to other four buildings of the Hall. Sources said the process would begin in a day or two.

However, a report of the Bureau of Research Testing and Consultation (BRTC) of the Bangladesh Engineering and Technology (BUET) suggested the DU authorities to shift students from the vulnerable rooms immediately as Saturday's moderate earthquake developed cracks in many dormitories.

Rahul Gandhi arrives Aug 1

Rahul Gandhi

PTI, New Delhi

Reflecting his keen interest in rural development models, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi would pay a five-day visit to Bangladesh from August one to get a first-hand knowledge of the pioneering work done by Bangladesh Rural Advancement Centre (BRAC) in a range of fields including education and health.

The 38-year-old scion of the Nehru-Gandhi family, who has evinced interest in BRAC's. work, would begin his visit to Bangladesh by seeing several projects run by BRAC which works in micro-finance, women's empowerment, community health, education, legal and human rights protection and rural programmes, BRAC.'s Public Affairs Director Mohd Anwarul Huq

told PTI over phone from Dhaka.

Rahul, who reaches Dhaka on August 1, is also expected to visit some projects of Grameen Bank whose founder and Nobel Laureate Mohammed Yunus had met him in Delhi last year.

The two had discussed replicating the Bank's micro- finance model in the Congress leader's Lok Sabha constituency Amethi, said Huq who till a few years ago was a senior diplomat in Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi. Other details of Rahul's visit were still being worked out, he said, adding that a ten- member Special Protection Group is reaching Dhaka Monday to discuss with concerned agencies of Bangladesh the security arrangement for him.

By visiting BRAC projects, Rahul would be the latest in a long list of high-profile personalities including former American President Bill Clinton, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates.

The leaders have acclaimed the activities of the largest development organisation in the world, founded by Fazle Hasan Abed, which began its journey as a relief and rehabilitation body when thousands of refugees streamed back to Bangladesh from India after it was liberated in December, 1971.

This will be Rahul's first visit to Bangladesh which his grandmother Indira Gandhi had visited once immediately after the liberation of Bangladesh and his father Rajiv Gandhi twice as Prime Minister for the SAARC Summit in 1985 and then soon after a devastating cyclone in 1988.

Huq expressed the hope Rahul would find his visit to BRAC projects a rewarding experience as BRAC, employing more than 1,00,000 people in 3000 offices through an integrated development approach, and other NGOs. are engaged in uplifting the social indicators in several sectors like health and education.

Hundreds of graduating students from several famous universities like Harvard, Oxford and Yale do internships with BRAC programmes every year to know about its rural empowerment programs.

BRAC works in a number of countries across the world including four in Asia and three in Africa.

Rahul has interacted with Grameen Bank officials at least half a dozen times and has started some micro-finance and women's self-help group projects in Amethi like Mahila Yojana under which resources are generated from the people themselves.

The idea behind Congress General Secretary's visit to BRAC and Grameen Bank projects in Bangladesh is to see if some of them can be replicated in villages across India.

6 killed, 50 injured in bus collision

Six passengers were killed in the head-on collision
between two buses on Dhaka-Mawa Highway at Maligram area
under Bhanga upazila of Faridpur district yesterday.
FocusBangla

Staff Reporter

At least six people were killed and 50 others injured in a head-on collision between two buses on Dhaka- Khulna highway near Maligram bus stand under Bhanga upazila in Faridpur district yesterday morning.

Police and local people said, a Khulna-bound bus of 'Banaful Paribahan' coming from Dhaka collided with a Dhaka-bound bus from Gopalganj at about 11.30 am killing four women on the spot and injuring 52 others.

Two of the critically injured died when they were rushed to the Bhanga Health Complex. Of the deceased, one was identified as Maria, 40, of Bikrampur in Munshiganj while the others could not be identified immediately.

The injured were admitted to Bhanga health complex and Faridpur Medical College Hospital where condition of 19 injured were stated to be critical.

Police recovered the bodies and sent those to district medical college hospital morgue for autopsy. A case been filed in the respective police station.

HC halts Gatco case proceedings: Bail to Mannan Bhuiyan, Shamsul, Engr Musharraf

Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Engr Mosharraf Hossain and M
Shamsul Islam

Staff Reporter

A High Court bench yesterday granted interim bail to former BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, BNP standing committee member M Shamsul Islam, Awami League leader Engr Mosharraf Hossain, former BNP lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu and late BNP veteran leader Akbar Hossain's son Ismail Hossain Simon for two months in graft cases.

A two-member High Court Bench comprising Justice Sharifuddin Chakladar and Justice Md Imdadul Haque gave the bail order for Mannan Bhuiyan, Shamsul Islam and Simon considering their separate petitions in GATCO graft case.

Two other accused in the GATCO case, Jamaat Ameer Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami, and BNP leader MK Anwar have already got bail in the case.

The court also ordered that the case proceedings against them be halted for the same period. The court at the same time ruled the government to explain why the case should not be scrapped and permanent bail would not be granted.

The same High Court bench granted two months' bail to Awami League leader and former minister engineer Mosharraf Hossain in two other graft cases filed on charges of acquiring illegal assets and plot allotment anomalies. A total 24 people were made accused in the case.

After the High Court ruling, Barrister Rafiqul Haque, the counsel of Mannan Bhuiyan and Shamsul Islam told reporters that the GATCO case was filed entirely with political motive.

He pointed out that though it was alleged that government incurred more than Tk 1,000 crore in losses because of the GATCO deal, but in the charge sheet the amount was shown only 14 crore.

Barrister Fahimul Haque, another counsel, said their clients might as well be freed, as there were no other cases against them.

Anisul Huq, a special counsel

for the ACC, said that he would appeal against the High Court orders.On May 18, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court for Dhaka ordered the two former ministers,

Mannan Bhuiyan and MK Anwar, to jail after they had surrendered before the court.

Joint forces arrested former prime minister Khaleda Zia and her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, who is currently on bail for treatment abroad, in relation with the GATCO case.

The ACC filed the case on September 2 last year with Tejgaon Police Station against 13 people alleging that GATCO contract to run the container depot at Chittagong Port was illegal.

The case was brought under the emergency powers rules on September 17.

The case record shows that a tender was floated in 2003 to appoint a contractor for the container depots at Chittagong Port and Kamalapur railway station. The accused allegedly awarded the tender to GATCO although the company failed to meet all the tender conditions.

UZ polls before JS election to push country to anarchy: AL

Awami League acting President Zillur Rahman
addressing a discussion meeting organised by Bangabandhu
Textile Engineers Association marking the 7th founding
anniversary of the organisation at the Institute of Diploma
Engineers in the city on Monday. Focus

Staff Reporter

Awami League Presidium members yesterday urged the Government and the Election Commission (EC) not to push the country towards uncertainty and anarchic situation by holding the upazila polls ahead of the parliamentary election.

They also asked the Government to make preparations for holding the national election by December as per the polls roadmap.

The AL leaders made this comment while addressing a meeting organised by Bangabandhu Textiles Engineers Association in observance of its 7th founding anniversary at the Diploma Engineers Institutions auditorium yesterday.

AL acting president Zillur Rahman said, "The country is now under threat. All the democratic forces will have to forge unity to overcome this problem.

He assured that if AL returns to power, the Textile Engineering College would be converted into a university.

He also expressed his satisfaction with the High Court ruling, which restored August 15 as the National Mourning Day and a public holiday.

AL presidium member Amir Hossain Amu urged the Government not to try to create disorder in the country so that the people are compelled to launch a mass movement and added, "People shed enough blood in political movements in the past for restoring democracy in the country."

He also suggested dropping the idea of holding the upazila election before the national election for the sake of stability in the country.

AL presidium member Abdur Razzak warned that no ill-motivated quarters would be able to resist AL by political harassment.

He vowed to secure unconditional release of party chief Sheikh Hasina before the national polls.

Another AL presidium member Tofail Ahmed said that the people of the country would never accept the upazila election before the national election.

He also demanded complete withdrawal of emergency, as no poll is possible under the state of emergency.

He also urged the leaders and activists to take oath to boycott polls without Sheikh Hasina and under emergency rule.

Shafiqur Rahman, president of Bangabandhu Textile Engineers Association, presided over the meeting, which was attended by a number of textile engineers.

Donors threaten to withdraw fund: 8 REB projects hit snags

Shamim Jahangir

The completion of on-going eight projects of Rural Electrification Board (REB) has become uncertain within a scheduled timeframe due to lack of government initiative, sources of REB said.

"If the authority fails to complete six projects out of eight within this fiscal year, the World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Department For International Development (DFID) will withdraw their aid from the projects, according to sources.

The total expenditure of the eight projects is Tk 670 crore. Of the amount, WB, ADB and DFID contributed Tk 390 crore for seven projects while rest Tk 280 crore was financed by the government.

Of the eight projects--WB financed Tk 208.25 for Intensification and Expansion of 15 PBS's (Palli Biddut Samati-2nd Phase), System Loss Reduction for Taken-over Lines, The Institution Development Plan for REB and Rural Electrification Programme and Socio-economic Monitoring and Impact Evaluation of Rural Electrification Programme in Bangladesh, ADB financed Tk 8 crore for Construction of REB

Training Academy Complex, DFID financed 10 Lakh new Consumers Connection under Existing Distribution System and Intensification and Expansion of Nine PBS and the Bangladesh government financed Tk 280 crore for Construction for 33 KV line for PBS Sub-station.

"The Power Ministry has not yet taken any decision for purchasing equipment and completed formalities for starting activities to complete the eight projects," sources said.

"We need to expand and construct 8,787 kilometres of new lines at 24 PBS. Besides, we will also have to rehabilitate the existing lines under the projects," a high official of REB said.

"We have completed 10,284 kilometres lines out of 12,400 kilometres on Intensification and Expansion of 15 PBS's (Palli Biddut Samati-2nd Phase) project, 12,83 kilometres of construction lines out of 1,700 kilometres on Construction for 33 KV line for PBS Sub-station, 6,765 kilometres out of 10,000 kilometres lines on Intensification and Expansion of Nine PBS and 8,973 kilometres system loss reduction lines on System Loss Reduction for Taken-over Lines projects," he informed.

"The purchase department of the REB is not contemplating to buy the required machineries and other construction elements to implement the project as it has, not got final approval of the Power Ministry to do that," sources added.

"The REB has 73,00000 consumers now. It will add more than 12 lakh subscribers if it completes the projects in the next three years," he said.

ISI under civilian control: Pak govt retreats as army shows teeth

Agency

Pakistan's government says it will clarify why it reversed a move to put the most powerful intelligence agency, the ISI, under civilian control.

On Saturday night it said the ISI would be brought under the control of the Interior Ministry. But the decision was revoked within hours, apparently following intervention from the Army.

Western powers believe the ISI has rogue elements helping al-Qaeda and Taleban militants in Afghanistan. It is also criticised by Pakistani politicians for seeking to monopolise the country's national security policy.

The government issued a formal notification late on Saturday which said: "The Prime Minister has approved the placement of Intelligence Bureau and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) under the administrative, finance and operational control of the [Interior Ministry] with immediate effectt"

But at 0300 on Sunday morning, barely six hours later, the government's Press Information Department issued a statement saying the

government had only meant to re-emphasise "coordination between the Ministry of Interior and the ISI in relation to the war on terror and internal security".

Army spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas told the media the army was "not consulted on the notification particularly" about the changes to the ISI, but that "matters for ensuring better coordination between institutions responsible for national security were discussed".

He said it was "illogical" to place the ISI, which provides "strategic intelligence on external security threats", under the Interior Ministry which is responsible for internal security.

The Government's backtracking has prompted plenty of comment among politicians and in the Pakistan media.

An ex-army officer and defence analyst, Ikram Sehgal, told the Dawn News TV channel that the government retracted its decision when the army "showed its teeth".

Formally, the ISI currently reports to the prime minister. But many observers believe it is answerable to no one.

"Given the powers that Pakistan's army has enjoyed over successive civilian governments, there is no way the ISI can be made answerable to the prime minister," says Afrasiab Khatak, a top leader of the Awami National Party (ANP), the governing party in the troubled North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in December, complained that the ISI kept her out of the loop on several key national security issues and worked at cross purposes with the country's civilian governments.

Observers in Pakistan believe the government could have had two motives for trying to bring the ISI under civilian control.

It either wanted to appease the US at a time when the Pakistani prime minister is in Washington for talks with President Bush. Or it genuinely wanted to rein in the agency which is widely accused of helping al-Qaeda and Taleban militants.

Analyst Ikram Sehgal believes the spur for the government's move possibly may have come from an ISI report that opposed recent negotiations in Mumbai with some Indian firms concerning the funding and exploitation of Pakistan's Thar coal reserves - one of the largest in the world.

"Energy is a sensitive issue, and a precious national asset like Thar coal reserves cannot be opened to Indian businessmen," he said.

But the government's retreat on the matter is likely to embarrass Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani ahead of his meeting with Mr Bush.

EC names 333 upazilas for October 23 polls

BSS, Dhaka

The Election Commission (EC) has prepared the list of 333 upazilas for holding election to Upazila Parishads.

The EC told BSS that the list of 333 upazilas out of the total 482 in the country was prepared on the basis of finalisation of voter lists till August 20.

Chief Election Commissioner Dr. ATM Shamsul Huda said the EC is advancing with its preparations to hold the election tentatively on October 23.

"The schedules of the election will be announced 40 days before in mid September," EC Commissioner Sohul Hossain said.

The upazilas are: Panchagarh Sadar, Boda, Atuori, and Deviganj of Panchagarh district,Baliadangi ,Haripur, Ranisangkail and Sadar upazilas of Thakurgaon district, Biral, Fulbari, Hakimpur, Khansama ,Sadar, Nawabganj, Birampur and Parbotipur upazilas of Dinajpur district, Sadar, Dimla, Domar and Jaldaka upazilas of Nilpahamari district, Aaditmari, Patgram, Hatibandha, Sadar and Kaliganj upazilas of Lalmonirhat district, Sadar, Gangachara, Taraganj, Badarganj, Mithapukur and Kawnia upazilas of Rangpur district, Roumari, Rajivpur, Chilmari, Fulbari, Ulipur and Sadar upazilas of Kurigram district, Sadar, Fulchori, Sadullahpur, Sagata and Gobindaganj upazilas of Gaibandha district, Kalai, Sadar, Panchbibi and Akkelpur upazilas of Joypurhat district, Sadar, Shahjahanpur, Dupchapia, Adamdhigi, Sariakandi, Kahalu, Dunat, Nandigram, Sherpur and Sonatala upazilas of Bogra district, Sadar, Shibganj and Gomastapur upazilas of Chapinawabganj district, Raninagar, Atrai, Dhamuirhat, Manda, Niamatpur, Porsa, Shapahar and Sadar upazilas of Noagaon district, Paba, Putia, Charghat, Tanore, Bagha, Mohanpur and Bagmara upazilas of Rajshahi district, Bagatipara, Sadar, Singra and Lalpur upazilas of Natore district, Chowhali, Kamarkhand, Kazipur, Sadar and Belkuchi upazilas of Sirajganj district, Bera, Chatmohor, Ishwardi, Sadar, Sujanagar and Atgoria upazilas of Pabna district, Sadar, Gangni and Mujibnagar upazilas of Meherpur district. Sadar, Beramara, Doulatpur and Kumarkhali upazilas of Kushtia district, Alamdanga, Dhamurhuda, Jibannagar and Sadar upazilas of Chuadanga district, Sadar, Kaliganj, Kotchandpur and Harinakunda upazilas of Jhenidah district, Sadar, Sharsha, Avoynagar, Keshavpur and Monirampur upazilas of Jessore district, Sripur and Sadar upazilas of Magura district, Sadar, Lohagarah and Kalia upazilas of Narail District, Sadar, Mongla, Kauchua, Sarankhola and Rampal upazilas of Bagherhat district, Fultala, Paikgacha, Botiaghata, Dhakup, Dhigolia, Koira, Terakhada, Rupsa and Domuria upazilas of Khulna district, Sadar, Shyamnagar and Asassuni upazilas of Satkhira district, Bamna, Sadar, Betagi and Amtoli upazilas of Barguna district, Galachipa, Kalapara and Sadar upazilas of Pautakhali district, Sadar, Borhanuddin, Charfashion, Lalmohan, Monpura, Tajumuddin and Daulatkhan upazilas of Bhola district, Gournadi, Muladi Hijla, Mehendiganj and Agailjhara upazilas of Barisal district, Sadar, Kathalia, Rajapur and Nalchiti upazilas of Jhalakathi district.

Motbaria, Nazirpur and Sadar upazilas of Pirojpur district, Sadar, Bashail, Bhuapur, Kalihati, Nagarpur, Ghatail Deldowar and Mirzapur upazilas of Tangail district, Sadar, Islampur, Madarganj, Sarisabari, Bakshiganj and Dewanganj upazilas of Jamalpur district, Nalitabari, Sadar and Nakla upazilas of Sherpur district, Sadar, Muktagacha, Fulbaria, Bhaluka, Trishal, Ishwarganj, Nandail, Dobhaura and Gafargaon upazilas of Mymensingh district, Atpara, Barhatra, Durgapur, Kamlakanda, Modan, Sadar and Mohanganj upazilas of Netrokona district. Hossainpur, Sadar, Karimganj, Pakundia, Bajitpur, Kotiadi, Nikli and Tarail upazilas of Kishoreganj district, Sadar, Daulatpur, Harirampur, and Singair upazilas of Manikganj district, Sadar, Lauhgong, Sreenagar and Tongibari upazilas of Munshiganj disrict, Dhamari, Keraniganj and Savar upazilas of Dhaka district, Kaliakoir, Kaliganj, and Kapasia upazilas of Gazipur district, Palash, Sadar, Shibpur and Monohardi upazilas of Narsingdi district, Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj district, Goalanda, Pangsa, and Sadar upazilas of Rajbari district, Sadar, Charbadrasan, Banga, Nagarkanda and Sadarpur upazilas of Faridpur district, Kashiani, Kotalipara and Sadar upazilas of Gopalganj district, Kalkini,Rajoir and Sadar upazilas of Madaripur district, Baderganj, Sadar, Jazira, Goshirhat and Noria upazilas of Sariatpur district, Sadar, Tahirpur, Dakkhin Sunamganj, Bishwambapur, Dhirai, Jaganathpur, Jamalganj and Chhatak upazilas of Sunamganj district, Golapganj, Sadar, Zakiganj, Companyganj, Fenchuganj, Joyantapur, Dakhin Surma and Bianibazar upazilas of Sylhet district, Sadar, Kulaura, Juri, Borolekha and Rajnagar upazilas of Moulvibazar district, Sadar, Bhaubal, Chunarhat, Nabiganj and Lakhi upazilas of Habiganj district, Ashuganj, Kasba, Sadar, Srail and Bancharampur upazilas of Brahmanbaria district, Sadar Dakhin, Monoharganj, Homna, Choddhagram,Meghna, Laksam, Brahmanpara, Burichong, Adharsha Sadar Titas and Daudkandi upazilas of Comilla district, Sadar, Faridganj, Haimchar, Matlab (North) and Hajiganj upazilas of Chandpur district, Dhagonbhuiyan, Parshuram, Fulgazi and Sadar upazilas of Feni district, Begumganj,Companyganj, Hatia,Sadar and Surbanachar upazilas of Noakhali district, Raipur, Sadar, Ramganj, Komalnagar and Ramgati upazilas of Lakhipur district, Sitakunda, Rowzan, Swandip, Fatikchari, Hathazari, Mirsari, Bowalkhali, Patia and Anwara upazilas of Chittagong district, Ramu, Teknaf, Ukhia, Kutubdia, Sadar and Mohshkhali upazilas of Cox's Bazar district, Sadar, Matiranga, Mohalchari, Diginala, Panchari, Ramgarh and Manikchhari upazilas of Khagrachari district, Longgadu, Barkal, Baghichhari, Jurichhari, Kaptai, Blaichhari , Rajshthali and Sadar upazilas of Rangamati district, and Sadar, Rowangchhari, Thanci, Lama, Alikadam and Ruma upazilas of Bandarban district.

Economy incurs $4.4b losses for cyclone Sidr: Steps needed to supply seeds, fertilisers to affected areas: ICMAB

Staff Reporter

The devastations caused by super cyclone Sidr to the economy of Bangladesh on November 15 last year amounted to US$ 4.4 billion, reveals by a major survey.

The survey carried out by the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB), reveals that some 12 lakh tones of Aman crop, which accounts for 40 per cent of the country's total rice output, were totally damaged or destroyed by the cyclone Sidr.

The situation became more disappointing when Boro crop did not come up with the desired yield in March this year due to a variety of reasons like shortage of seeds, diesel, fertilizer, and power-cuts, the report said.

However, while carrying out the survey, the ICMAB did not take into account the losses to those of human casualties, the Sundarbans mangrove forest and untold sufferings and miseries of the people.

The ICMAB organised a discussion Session on "Survey Report on Devastations Caused to the Bangladesh Economy by Cyclone SIDR-2007" recently at ICMA Bhaban.

Md Nurul Hassan FCMA, former president of ICMAB, presented the findings of the survey report.In the presentation, Nurul Hassan mentioned that in the Sidr affected districts crops of some 4,10,000 hectares of land were totally destroyed.

The districts where crops were totally damaged are: Borguna-19, 000 hacters, Patuakahli 21,000ha, Bhola 20,000 ha, Jhalakathi 30,000ha, Pirojpur 20,000 ha, Barisal 31,000 ha, Bagerhat 35,000 ha, Khulna 25,000 ha, Satkhira 29,000 ha, Narail 35,000 ha, Jhenaidah 25,000 ha, Gopalgunj 15,000 ha, Madaripur 13,000 ha, Shariatpur 10,000 ha, Chandpur 11,000 ha, Faridpur 11,000 ha, Cox's Bazar 9,000 ha, Feni 8,000 ha, Narayanganj 9,000 ha, Manikganj 11,000 ha, Comilla 7,000 ha, Laksmipur 4,000 ha, Gazipur 5,000 ha, Jessore 4,000 ha and Netrokona 3,000 ha.

He said Aman crops which makes up around 40 per cent of the country's total rice production lost about 12 lakh tons. The situation became more disappointing when Boro crop did not come up with the desired yield in March of this year because of a variety of reasons like shortage of seeds, diesel, fertilizer, power-cuts etc he said and added this was one of the ways in which Cyclone Sidr proved that it was more fierce than that of 1970.

Nurul Hassan mentioned that 9.2 lakhs of homes were destroyed in the cyclone where 40,000 shelters washed away and another 6,000 educational institutions damaged in the SIDR.

About 2,800 fisheries and poultry farm in total were washed away where 50,000 shrimp enclosures were damaged, he further said.

Making a 13-point recommendations, the ICMAB said in its report that in order to recoup the losses incurred in the food gains, the relevant government agencies should provide seeds, fertilizers and irrigation facilities and appropriate quantity of diesel must be supplied along with improving the power supply situation.

Negotiations should begin immediately with China, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Morocco, Jordan, Tunisia, Bulgaria, Australia and Russia to import sufficient quantity of urea, TSP, and DAP fertilizers for use in agricultural lands and also for building stock for the future use.

Reconstruction of embankments should be taken up immediately.

Some 70 per cent of the sanitary facilities have been destroyed. Sanitary facilities need to be rebuilt to prevent spread of diseases. Islamic Development Bank had earlier assured of extending their support for the rebuilding of physical infrastructure in the cyclone-hit areas. IDB need to be approached for releasing the fund, which will serve two purposes simultaneously. It will restore the infrastructure facilities as well as provide jobs for the jobless.

Out of the 32 lakhs affected by Sidr, some 15 lakhs could be accommodated in comparatively safer places not necessarily government-built shelters, or schools and colleges of pucca structures. There is need to reconstruct the kutcha construction as pucca constructions. It may be difficult for the government alone to take up such projects but international aid giving agencies may be approached for support.

Global warming is cited as a principal cause of the Sidr. Since global warming will affect poor people and will be responsible for spread of diseases, polluted water, water shortage and so on a poor country like Bangladesh need to keep alert.

Referring to the pelting rains, howling winds, violent storms, furious hurricanes, turbulent tornadoes and devastating cyclones as periodical companion Nurul Hassan said the losses due to these calamities could be reduced, both in terms of properties and lives, by building embankments, sapling anti-soil erosion trees, by building more high-rise shelters and keeping the disaster management system up to date.

High Court verdict Making wife, children co-accused in graft case declared illegal

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court Monday quashed a graft case against former minister Tariqul Islam's wife Nargis Islam, his two sons Shantanu Islam and Aninda Islam and Shantanu's wife Lamia Sharmin.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against ex-minister Tariqul Islam, accusing him of amassing wealth illegally and concealing information about it. Tariqul is now behind bars, pending trial.

The ACC made the petitioners co-accused on charges of aiding and abetting Tariqul in protecting his ill-gotten property.

Passing the judgment upon petition, a division bench of Justice MA Rashid and Justice M Ashfaqul Islam declared illegal the graft case against the co-accused.

Resolving separate quashing petitions of Momtaz Ahmed, wife of former state minister and LDP leader Redwan Ahmed, and former BNP MP MAH Salim's wife Amena Begum and his son Mehdi Hassan, the HC passed identical orders, relieving the co-accused from the graft cases.

News item on lease of land to President's wife contradicted

Staff Reporter

The British Columbia school of Adabor , Shayamoly in Dhaka city yesterday termed baseless and untrue a news item published in a vernacular daily that a canal was leased out in favour of the wife of President Prof Iajuddin Ahmed 48 hours after he took oath as Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government in 2006.

A statement signed by the vice chairman of the school Habibur Rahman Mollah said a 33 decimal plot of land had actually been transferred in favour of the school of which Prof Dr Anwara Begum, wife of President is the chairperson, by the then prime minister in keeping with the rules in force, on 22 October 2006. The school termed the news item motivated and strongly condemned its publication.

To remove the misunderstanding created in the public mind the vice chairman of the school said in the statement that the British Columbia school was eastablished in a rented house in 2001 to help study of students in Adabor area and subsequently earned appreciation of the local people.

As the school had no land, the authority applied to the Dhaka WASA in 2003 for allotment of a low lying land in Ramchandrapur mouja in Adabor for the development of the institution. At the same time the local people also applied to the WASA authority to clean and develop the area to make it liveable. The WASA authority gave no objection to the Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka considering that straightening of the U-turn lake will not hamper water flow.

As the Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka did not take steps despite no objection from the Dhaka WASA, the school authority applied to the President for the same low lying land. Later the application was forwarded to the Ministry of Land.

After a joint investigation by the Dhaka WASA and the Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka, the WASA authority on 09 July 2005 again submitted a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka stating that it had no objection to allocate the land in favour of the school.

Later the assistant commissioner (land) of Dhanmondi circle recommended allotment of the land in favour of the British Colombia school in pursuance of the lease case no 2/2005. Following the recommendation, the than Prime Minster Begum Khaleda Zia allotted the land in favour of the school on 22 October 2006.

Therefore, it is not true that the land was allotted in favour of the school within 48 hour of taking oath by the President as Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government, the statement said.

4-party asks EC bosses to resign: Bias activities alleged

Staff Reporter

Leaders of the four-party alliance yesterday urged the Chief Election Commissioner and two election commissioners to quit their posts.

They were addressing a meeting organised at the Diploma Engineers' Institute in the city demanding an end to the biased activities of the Election Commission (EC), as no fair election would be possible under these Commissioners.

BNP Secretary General Khandoker Delwar Hossain in his presidential address said the caretaker government (CG) was using the EC against the Constitution, democracy, public interest and the country's sovereignty with a view to serve its agenda.

Terming the caretaker government biased, he said the CG failed to maintain its neutrality and added that its activities were not clear to the people.

The Government came into power with the help of the local and foreign conspirators through a blue print to serve some agenda, including making Bangladesh a dependent country.

He alleged that the government did not send Tarique Rahman abroad for better medical treatment despite repeated recommendations of the medical boards.

He warned that the government would have to bear the responsibility for any unforeseen consequence of Tarique Rahman's health condition.

"No condition attached to the release of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia will be acceptable," Delwar said.

"A conspiracy is being hatched to form a rubber-stamp parliament through a farcical election, but the nation would never accept such a misdeed," he added.

He alleged that the EC had been performing activities beyond its jurisdiction with the sole intention of keeping BNP out of the election race and added, "The EC's constituency re-demarcation was done to make the contest difficult for the BNP candidates."

Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mojaheed brought some 12 specific allegations against the EC.

He alleged that the EC was directly opposed to the BNP, played a vital role to break up BNP, violated the Constitution, biased toward the Awami League, did not complete the voter list by June 2007 according to its commitment during the dialogue with Jamaat-e-Islami, delimitated the constituency and hatched a scheme to arrange a farcical election, among others.

BNP leader MK Anwar termed the campaign of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) political repression and added, "Thanks to the government and the ACC for sending me to jail, as their real nature has been exposed by this. "

BNP leader Chowdhury Tanvir Ahmed Siddiki, Prof Abdul Mannan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Jamaat leaders Kamaruzzaman, Abdul Kader Molla, ATM Azharul Islam, Chief of Bangladesh Jatiya Party Barrister Andalib Rahman Partha and its secretary general Shamim Al Mamun, secretary general of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Ahmed Abdul Kader and secretary general of Bangladesh Islami Okyajote Abdul Latif Nizami, among others, addressed the meeting.

BNP Office Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi conducted the function.

Prices of some essentials still high

Talha Bin Habib

The prices of some essential items are still high in the local markets despite significant fall of those in the international markets.

Prices of soybean, onion and lentil (red musur) have come down appreciably in the international markets during the last few weeks, yet there is no any positive impact of it in the local markets so far.

We do not understand why the prices of soybean oil are still high in the local markets even when their cost has plummeted in the international markets, customers said.

When the price of a commodity increases in the international markets then it simultaneously increases in the local markets. But in the case of price fall it does not decline in the local markets, they added.

They called upon the government to adjust the prices of all varieties of soybean oil with the international rate so that none could make windfall profits.

Retailers in the city markets said the prices of soybean, super soybean and palm oil are yet to come down in the wholesale markets.

We have no way but to sell them at high prices since we brought them at high rates, they said.

Wholesalers at Moulvi Bazar said they are not getting timely delivery of soybean oil from the mills. And the rates of soybean oil in the mills also remained high as in the last couple of months.

Admitting the fall in the soybean price in the international markets some businessmen alleged that most of the mills are still selling it at a high rate to As a result the prices of soybean are not coming down to a desired level, they informed.

When asked on the high prices of soybean a business leader said the consignment of crude soybean oil is yet to reach to the Chittgong port.

He hoped that the prices of all varieties of soybean would fall to a tolerable level before the start of the holy month of Ramzan.

To contain the prices of soybean and other essential items within the purchasing power of the commoners, the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) is going to float tender today for importing 2,500 tonnes of soybean oil.

TCB is also taking necessary steps for importing onion, lentils and other essential items before the start of the holy month of Ramzan, said a high level official of the organisation.

Per kg of soybean oil was sold between Tk 122 and Tk 125, super at Tk 110 to Tk 112 and palm oil was sold at Tk 104 to Tk 106 in the city market yesterday.