The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bangladesh, Indian armies can share experiences: President

Indian army chief General Deepak Kapoor called on
President Prof Iajuddin Ahmed at Bangabhaban yesterday. PID
photo

UNB, Dhaka

President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed Monday said the Bangladesh and Indian armies can share their experiences in various fields and take part in joint training to help further develop and strengthen the existing friendly relations.

The President made the remark when visiting Chief of Indian Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor called on him at Bangabhaban.

Welcoming the Indian Army Chief, President Iajuddin expressed his satisfaction at the current relations between Bangladesh and India. He hoped that General Kapoor's visit would help further strengthen the relations between the two close neighbours.

The President apprised the Indian Army Chief of Bangladesh's success in curbing militancy and said the people of the country would never support terrorism.

He also informed General Kapoor about the Bangladesh efforts to strengthen democracy in the country and its preparation for holding a credible general election by December this year.

The President also underscored the need for Bangladesh and India to work together to face the challenges of global warming and arsenic problem, as both the countries are highly vulnerable to the issues.

General Kapoor showed keen interest to avail different training facilities in Bangladesh for the Indian army officers.

He said both armies could exchange training facilities and share their experiences in different fields particularly in international peacekeeping.

General Kapoors praised the Bangladesh Army for its excellence in disaster management and its role in facing natural calamities.

He said Bangladesh and India have been facing similar challenges in the field of development and survival, particularly in poverty alleviation, curbing terrorism and facing natural calamities.

Death toll rises in India blasts

Agency, Ahmedabad

The death toll in the serial bomb blasts that rocked the western Indian city of Ahmedabad on Saturday has risen to 49, police say.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has visited the city to assess the situation and talk to the injured.

Indian cities are on high alert as police hunt for those responsible for the blasts which wounded over 100.

Ahmedabad was the scene of violence between Hindus and Muslims in early 2002 which left hundreds dead.

Accompanied by Congress Party leader Sonia Gandhi and the federal interior minister Shivraj Patil, Singh visited some of the blast sites and also went to the hospital to see the injured.

The leaders were surrounded by layers of security, including army commandos.

At the Civil Hospital, they were joined by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

Later, talking to reporters, the prime minister said he had come to express "solidarity with the people of Gujarat in their hour of crisis".

"I commend the people of Gujarat for the resilience they have shown. These terrorist acts are aimed at destroying our social fabric, undermining communal harmony and demoralising our people," Singh said.

"We will rise to the challenge and these forces will not succeed," he said.

Meanwhile, police say they have arrested one man and detained several people for questioning. On Saturday, 17 blasts struck residential areas, market places, public transport and hospitals within an hour. A number of unexploded bombs have since been found.

It is thought the explosions were caused by crudely-made devices containing ball-bearings and other shrapnel, hidden in boxes and on bicycles.

Local media reports say a little-known Islamist group, the Indian Mujahideen, has claimed responsibility in an e-mail to a television channel.

Police have carried out a raid on a house near India's financial capital Mumbai (Bombay), where they believe the e-mail originated from.

A similar e-mail was sent to news channels by the Indian Mujahideen group after blasts in the western city of Jaipur in May which killed more than 60 people.

The attack in Ahmedabad - Gujarat state's commercial capital - came a day after several devices went off in the southern city of Bangalore.

The government has deployed an extra 3,000 security personnel in Delhi, and other cities, including Mumbai and Jaipur, are on alert.

The bombs in Ahmedabad were detonated with timers in two phases, the first at about 1830 (1300 GMT), officials said.

The second series of explosions caught some victims and their helpers arriving at hospitals.

At least two unexploded bombs were later defused in Ahmedabad and sent for forensic examination.

Another two unexploded bombs were also found in the nearby city of Surat.

India's leaders have appealed for calm. President Pratibha Patil urged people to remain "steadfast in this testing time and maintain peace and harmony".

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also condemned the attacks, and urged people to remain calm and maintain communal harmony.

Narendra Modi, the controversial chief minister of Gujarat, said the "land of Mahatma Gandhi has been bloodied by terrorists whom we shall not spare".

"Terrorists are waging a war against India. We should be prepared for a long battle against terrorism," he warned.

Modi has been accused of failing to protect Muslims in the riots in Gujarat during 2002 in which at least 1,000 people - most of them Muslims - died, including many in Ahmedabad.

The violence erupted when a fire broke out on a train carrying Hindu pilgrims, killing at least 59 people.

Kuwait to help resolve : Bangladeshi labour issues : Iftekhar

BSS, Dhaka

Foreign Adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury appreciated Kuwait for its cooperation in resolving the Bangladeshi workers' problems in the oil rich country as Kuwaiti envoy in Dhaka Abdullatif Ali Al-Mawash called on him.

"Kuwait is a friendly and brotherly country and Bangladesh and Kuwait have always stood by each other. We have no doubt we will be able to successfully address all issues of mutual interest," the adviser told newsmen after the meeting with the ambassador.

The foreign adviser thanked the Kuwaiti authorities for their support for resolving this issue, as a number of Bangladeshi workers there were demanding for higher wages.

The Kuwaiti ambassador said that they also discussed the possibility of a visit by the foreign adviser to Kuwait at an "early date".

The envoy called on the adviser as acting foreign secretary MAK Mahmud in a statement urged the Bangladeshi workers on movement to return immediately to their jobs saying "diplomatic efforts are underway at the highest level to solve their problems".

"Bangladesh embassy in Kuwait already held a successful negotiation with the concerned authorities there who assured us of resolving the salary related problems in next two weeks," Mahmud said.

The acting foreign secretary asked the Bangladeshi workers to remain respectful to the law of Kuwait refraining from creating law and order situation there as "none of us expect Bangladesh's image is destroyed abroad".

"If Kuwait takes any Bangladeshi workers for defying laws in their country, the lawbreakers will remain responsible in person for their acts," he warned.

"I again strongly want to say Bangladeshi workers should in no way break the law there and it will be difficult on the part of Bangladesh government if any action was taken against them by the Kuwaiti authorities."

Regular dialogue between G8 and LDCs stressed

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a roundtable here on Monday underlined the need for holding regular dialogues between leaders of G-8 countries and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) for cutting poverty and achieving sustainable growth of the global economy.

The large and small economies need to interact regularly to find out ways for facing the current challenges of food and energy security, climate change and price hike of oil and other commodities, they said.

The roundtable styled 'Outcome of the G8 Summit in Japan' was organised by Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI) at its conference room at Gulshan here.

BEI president Farooq Sobhan moderated the roundtable while Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Masayuki Inoue presented the keynote paper.

German Ambassador to Bangladesh Frank Meyke, former Ambassador Harun-ur-Rashid and KZ Islam took part as the designated speakers. Counselor of Japan Embassy in Dhaka Masami Tamura gave a presentation on G8 summit, held in Japan from July 7 to 9 last.

In the G8 summit, Masayuki said, the G8 leaders adopted a declaration and also adopted three independent statements on global food security, counter-terrorism and Zimbabwe.

He said, Japan gave commitment to provide the developing countries with support for both adaptation with climate change and reduction of Green House Gases (GHG). Presently, the Japan government is talking with the Bangladesh government about providing assistance for facing the adverse effects of climate change, as the country is one of the most vulnerable countries in this regard.

Farooq Sobhan said, the implementation of G8 summit declaration is important for the global politics and economy.

The issues of economic growth of developing and under developing countries need to be addressed more in the G8 summit, he said.

Hrun-ur-Rashid said, for G8 summit, core issue should be poverty reduction. Unless poverty not reduces, fundamentalism and terrorism would increase, he added.

KZ Islam said, G8 summit needs to act more effectively to address the global problem rather being a forum of exchanging gratitude.

In his presentation, Masami Tamura said, in the statement of food security, adopted in the summit, the G8 leaders said food security requires a robust world market and trade system for food and agriculture and it is imperative to remove export restriction.

During the summit, the leaders also call for ensuring the sustainable production and use of bio- fuels and accelerate development of second generation bio-fuels from non-food plant materials, he said.

The G8 leaders seeking to share with all parties to the UNFCCC the vision of the goal of achieving at least 50 percent reduction of global emissions by 2050, Tamura said.

Ambassadors of Denmark, the Netherlands and Spain to Bangladesh and high officials of other embassies and former diplomats of the country were also present on the occasion.

Japan, the USA, France, Russia, Germany, Canada, the UK, Italy and European Commission are in the G8 group.

Khaleda’s nephew Sajeda’s son to be charge-sheeted

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Commission is going to charge-sheet detained former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's nephew, former BNP lawmaker Shahrin Islam Tuhin, in the case filed against him for amassing illegal wealth and hiding information about it.

The Commission has also decided to submit charge sheets in three cases including one against Awami League presidium member and former minister Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury's son, Shahadab Akbar.

The anti-graft watchdog is also set to file two graft cases -one against Rajshahi BNP general secretary and Tanor pourasava chairman Shish Mohammad, and another against Chowdhury Abul Kalam Azad, assistant director of Bangladesh Television (BTV), and two others.

Speaking at a regular briefing Wednesday afternoon, ACC director general Col Hanif Iqbal said the Commission has approved the submission of the four charge sheets and filing of the three cases.

Khaleda's nephew, Tuhin, will be charge-sheeted in the case filed for acquiring wealth worth Tk 2.08 crore beyond known sources of income and concealment of information of assets worth Tk 1.43 crore.

The charge sheet will be submitted under sections 26(2) and 27(1) of the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004 and section 15 of the Emergency Power Rules, 2007.

The ACC filed the case on December 19, 2007 with Gulshan police station against Tuhin, former MP representing Nilphamari-1 constituency.

The Commission will submit charge sheet in the case filed against Sajeda's son, Shahadab, for amassing illegal wealth worth Tk 1.25 crore and hiding information of wealth worth about Tk 97 lakh.

Abdus Sabur Khan, assistant vice president of Islami Bank, and six others will be charge-sheeted in the case filed against them for misappropriating Tk 65 lakh through falsehood and fraudulent acts, while M Nuruzzaman, an upazila primary education officer, will be charge-sheeted in the case filed for taking bribe of Tk 8,000.

Of the two cases to be filed against Rajshahi BNP general secretary and Tanor pourasava chairman Shish Mohammad, the first one will be filed for earning illegal wealth worth about Tk 90 lakh and second one for misappropriating Tk 5 lakh of the lease money of the pourasava.

BTV assistant director (Finance) Chowdhury Abul Kalam Azad and two others will be charged with misappropriating Tk 1.46 crore of advertisement money realized from the advertisers.

Col Hanif Iqbal also informed that the Commission has approved the submission of final report as mistake of fact of the case filed against former BNP minister Tariqul Islam for misappropriating two bundles of CI sheets, as his involvement was not proved during the investigation.

The case was filed with Jessore Kotwali police station on March 3 this year.

Ershad says JP is very much in grand alliance

UNB, Gazipur

Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad yesterday observed that treachery had given the birth of caretaker government which the nation do no longer wants.

JP is very much in the Awami League led grand alliance, he told a party conference, and expressed confidence that the alliance will win the upcoming election.

Addressing the Dhaka divisional conference of Jatiya Party at Tajuddin Auditorium here Ershad said nobody wants caretaker government. The present caretaker government should be the last one.

Brushing aside criticism of some components of the 14-party combine for inclusion of JP in the grand alliance Ershad said, "We are very much in the grand alliance. The alliance will return victorious in the upcoming election and go to power … We shall resist any election through evil designed blue print."

Ershad reiterated his proposal for dividing the country into eight provinces for decentralization of power. He took proud of introducing the Upazila system during his rule and said no government can sustain concentrating all the powers at the centre.

Rawshan Ershad urged the rank and file to forge greater unity and work at the grassroots to strengthen the party. They should prepare well for the upcoming election.

Party leaders ABM Ruhul Amin, Karimuddin Bharasha, Brig Gen (retd) Kazi Mahmud Hasan, Abu Hossain Babla, Saidur Rahman, Fakir Ashraf and Anwara Begum were among those spoke at the conference.

Capacity building of partner institutions stressed to achieve MDGs

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a meeting on Monday said capacity building of institutions and professionals has been considered instrumental for sharing and exchanging information, knowledge, experience, expertise and best practices for attaining the ICPD goals and MDGs.

They emphasised the need for strengthening the partnership through capacity building of partner institutions for achieving International Conference for the Population and Development (ICPD) goals and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The speakers were speaking at the inaugural function of three-day international consultative meeting on 'Networking among partners institutions' in a city hotel here.

Partners in Population and Development (PPD) in association with UNFPA organised the meeting.

Health and Family Welfare Secretary AKM Zafar Ullah Khan spoke on the occasion as the chief guest while Executive Director of the PPD Harry Jooseery presided over it.

Deputy Representative of UNFPA Bangladesh Pornchai Suchitta, Rabbi Royan of UNFPA and Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Family Welfare Quamrun Nahar Khanam spoke in the meeting.

Zafar Ullah Khan said the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) fell from 6.4 in mid 1970s to three in 2004 and population growth rate declined from three per cent to less than 1.5 per cent in same period.

He said Contraceptive Prevalence Rate (CPR) has increased to 58 percent in 2004 from 48 per cent in 1994 with increasing use of modern methods.

The health secretary said "We sincerely look forward to strengthen our partnership and expand our united efforts to achieve tangible and sustainable development in the field of reproductive health services and rights, family planning and population in developing countries".

Harry Jooseery said "Global warming, environmental degradation, rising food crisis, increasing displaced population, and an ever increasing erosion of the purchasing power worldwide, with prices of fuel escalating day by day are all interconnected and likely to affect the very existence of human species on earth, if we do not act responsibly now".

He said no regional, continental or global problem could be solved, unless there is a concerted effort and partnership building among nations.

Pornchai Suchitta said well functioning national and local institutions are key to ongoing societal, economic and human development.

He said by developing capacities on this scale, countries could create a strong foundation for achieving International Conference for the Population and Development (ICPD) goals and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

First Postage Stamp Day today

BSS, Dhaka

The Postal Department has decided to observe the 'First Postage Stamp Day' today marking the release of the first postage stamp 37 years ago.

The Mujibnagar Government released a set of eight postage stamps on July 29 in 1971 which had played an important role in creating opinion in favour of the Liberation War.

According to the Postal Department, from now on the department will observe the Postage Stamp Day on July 29 each year.

The releasing of the postage stamps of Bangladesh was a rare incident at that time as there was no currency of the country struggling for the independence.

To mark the day, Bangladesh Post Office will release a special folder of Taka 10 and a souvenir sheet comprising eight postage stamps of Taka 50 tomorrow.

3 to go to gallows in murder case in Dinajpur

UNB, Dinajpur

A court on Monday sentenced three people to death for killing a young girl after rape.

The condemned convicts are Bidhan Chandra Roy, 25, Tushar Babu, 28, and Moni Chandra Roy, 28, of Durgapur village in Chirirbandar upazila.

According to the prosecution, the convicted persons violated

Mahjabeen Chowdhury Geeti and strangled her at her Munshipara house in the district town on September 8, 2007.

The victim's mother, later, filed a case with Kotwali thana. After investigation, the IO of the case gave charge sheet against the three people.

After examining the records and witnesses, Judge Badsha Alamgir of Women and Children Repression Prevention Court found them guilty and handed down the judgment.

Stocks finish lower on sell-offs

bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Stocks closed down Monday as investors were engaged in sell-offs for profit-taking.

A selling spree led indices on the Dhaka Stock Exchange to finish lower after gaining for the last three trading days.

The benchmark DGEN or general index opened the day with a fall. It however recovered losses and maintained a stable curve in the midday sessions before diving again afterwards. It lost 31.26 points or 1.08 percent to end on 2853.83.

The DSI or all-share price index finished 25.17 points or 1 percent lower at 2473.51. The blue-chip DSE-20 closed at 2653.08, falling 13.67 points or 0.51 percent.

Indices on Chittagong Stock Exchange closed down for a second day due to losses in shares of banks, non-bank financial institutions and leather industries.

The CSCX or selective categories index fell 55.31 points or 0.97 percent to close on 5613.42. The CASPI or all-share price index closed at 8683.68, slumping 113.26 points or 1.28 percent.

The bourse's blue-chip CSE-30 lost 60.42 points, or 0.76 percent, to end on 7788.05. An official with brokerage house Lanka Bangla Securities told bdnews24.com investors went for selling Monday to reap the benefits out of the last couple of the day's gains.

"As the market came out from the bearish trend over the last three days investors started to sell today to gain profit."

Buying was low with some blue chips witnessing increase in share prices, added the official.

Turnover on the DSE reached Tk 3.34 billion, with 21,631,929 shares changing hands, down from Tk 3.70 billion the previous day. Decliners outshined advancers 149 to 77, with fourteen issues holding steady.

Turnover from 4,692,754 traded shares on the port city bourse slumped to Tk 434.38 million from Sunday's Tk 547.02 million.

Of the traded 145 issues, 96 lost, 41 gained and eight remained unchanged. Market watchers said the fall was pretty much anticipated.

"The sell-off was imminent as prices rose for the last three days in the wake of a bearish trend," a top official of a brokerage firm told bdnews24.com.

Investors made the move to reap some quick benefits, said the official asking not to be named.

Beximco Pharma topped the turnover board, closing 3.29 percent higher at Tk 116.10 following Sunday's losses. Second in line, UCBL continued to gain, ending on Tk 6799.50, up 1.28 percent. Beximco shook off the previous day's losses to surge 12.24 percent to Tk 144.80.

Square Pharmaceuticals edged down 0.72 percent to Tk 4138. Keya Cosmetics eroded Sunday's gains to lose 2.18 percent to Tk 94.10. Among the other scrips on the turnover board-BATBC, ACI, BOC Bangladesh and ICB AMCL 2nd NRB Mutual Fund -also declined after investors locked in profits.

Low over Bay in intensify

UNB, Dhaka

The low pressure area over northwest Bay and adjoining area intensified into a well marked low over northwest Bay off Orissa coast.

It is likely to intensify further and move in a west-northwesterly direction. Under its influence, steep pressure gradient lies over north Bay. Squally weather is likely over north Bay and adjoining coastal areas of Bangladesh and may affect the maritime ports.

Maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Mongla have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal number three, said a Met Office special bulletin on Monday. All fishing boats and trawlers over the north Bay deep sea have been advised to come close to the coast and proceed with caution till further notice.