The New Nation - Internet Edition

15,658 poor get back eye sight free of cost in city

UNB, Dhaka

Some 15,658 poor people have undergone cataract operation free of cost and got back eye sight under an eye care project in the city in last three years.

Dhaka Urban Eye Care Project of Sightsavers International, Bangladesh, an NGO, has provided the treatment from July 2005 to till date to remove the cataract blindness from the country.

This was revealed at an inaugural function of an eye camp in the city on Sunday.

Dhaka Urban Eye Care Project in cooperation with Bangladesh Human Rights and Resources Development Society (BHRRDS) organized the eye camp, said a press release.

Executive Director of (BHRRDS) KN Sahana presided over the function.

Former Health Adviser Prof Dr. Sufia Rahman, Acting Director General of Islamia Eye Hospital Prof Dr ASM Kamal Uddin, Sightsavers International Project Manager Md Rafiqul Islam and Dhaka Urban Eye Care Project Manger M Nurun Nabi were present.

KMP ready for city corporation poll

UNB, Khulna

Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) has made all out preparations for city corporation election to be held on August 4.

Out of 239 polling centres in 31 wards in the city, KMP has identified 195 centres as vulnerable.

A team of 14 policemen and 16 Ansars, led by a sub inspector, will be deployed in each of the vulnerable centres on the polls day.

Some 48 mobile teams have already been formed for patrolling the polling centres. Each team led by a sub inspector will be in charge of five centres.

A total of 31 striking mobile teams consisting of 10 armed police members, led by a magistrate and a police inspector, will be on duty in all the 31 wards on the day.

Besides, five striking reserve forces will be ready in five thanas to take action if any untoward incident takes place. Each team will be formed with an ASP.

KMP Commissioner M Helaluddin told UNB that KMP has already completed all preparations to hold the election peacefully. A control room has been opened at the KMP headquarters to work round the clock, he informed.

The metropolitan police have taken special measures to maintain the law and order of the city from July 20, said KMP Deputy Police Commissioner (Sadar) Lutfar Rahman.

Under the measures, 10 mobile teams under five thana started patrolling the areas round the clock since July 20.

A number of check posts have been set up at various entrances of the city. Besides, two platoons of police are ready at present to take any action to keep the law and order situation under control.

Some 8,000 law enforcers, including about 4,500 police, will be deployed in the city on the day of polling.

Fire at National Bank

UNB, Dhaka

A fire that broke out Monday inside National Bank at Dainik Bangla crossing damaged some documents.

Fire brigade's assistant director ABM Nurul Haque told reporters that the fire damaged some documents of the bank but no one was hurt.

He said the blaze originated from generator room of the bank housed at the 1st floor of Haq Chamber near Dainik Bangla Crossing at about 6:45 pm.

The fire fighters rushed to the scene immediately after they came to know about the incident and took 45 minutes to douse the flames, he said.

HC quashes graft charges against Tariqul's wife, sons

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.

6-point demand to end energy crisis in Ctg region

UNB, Chittagong

A high-powered committee Monday renewed its position to resolve grinding crisis of gas and power in Chittagong region.

The National Committee, which draws representatives from the government and the private sector, placed a six-point charter of recommendations to free the economically important region of pervasive energy shortages.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed formed the 15-member committee on July 3 to specially focus on the energy sector, as the government is struggling to feed the energy-hungry factories amid growing demand.

At a meeting on Monday at Chittagong circuit house, the committee set a maximum timeframe of nine months to implement the recommendations.

The meeting, chaired by Commerce adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman, decided that the recommendations would be sent to the Council of Advisers for its approval within a week.

Another meeting will be held in Dhaka to finalise the recommendations before that, the meeting decided.

The committee in its recommendations said that authorities would conduct a study to see if setting up of rental power stations in the region is feasible.

The other major points that came in the meeting are establishing Karnahuli Gas Company Ltd through separation of chittagong region from Bakhrabd Gas Ltd, supplying gas to newly established 68 industries and factories within six to nine months and taking effective measures to set up private merchant power plants.

The committee will also see if the daily production of Kaptai power plant could be increased by 50mw.

Special assistant to the chief adviser on energy M Tamim, CA's special assailant on Gas MA Malek, Petrobangla Chairman Jalal Ahmed, FBCCI director Sayed Amirul Haq and Better Business Forum Member Mahmudul Haq also attended the meeting.

Scrapping Contempt Ordinance no to govt prayer for stay

UNB, Dhaka

The Supreme Court Monday refused to hear a government plea for stay on operation of the High Court judgment declaring void the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2008 framed by the caretaker regime.

Chamber Court of Justice M A Matin asked the government to file a regular leave-to-appeal plea against the High Court judgment, keeping it in operation.

The government moved the application for stay as it prefers leave to appeal against the July 24 HC ruling that also declared the Ordinance illegal and ultra vires to the Constitution.

The Chamber Court also turned a deaf ear to an application moved by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for staying interim bail granted by the High Court to former BNP lawmaker MA Hashem on July 16.

However, the court entertained an ACC petition staying operation of a High Court order that had granted interim bail to former BNP lawmaker Salahuddin Ahmed of Demra in a graft case.

Journalist Sirajul Kabir dies

UNB, Dhaka

Veteran journalist and Executive Editor of Daily Al Mujadded Sirajul Kabir died of cardiac arrest Sunday at a hospital in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur. He was 64.

A member of the National Press Club and former chief reporter of the now-defunct Eastern News Agency (ENA), Sirajul Kabir left behind his wife, a daughter and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death.

A press statement by Zaker Party said a flight of the Malaysian Airlines would carry his body to Zia International Airport at midnight Monday.

His first namaj-e-janaza would be held at Pak Darbar Sharif at Banani after Fazr prayer Tuesday. Later his body will be brought to his house at Uttara before it goes to the National Press Club. His second namaj-e-janaza will be held at 1:30 pm at the National Press Club.

The body then will be taken to Biswa Zaker Manzil in Faridpur where his third namaj-e-janza will be held before his burial there.

In a condolence message, press club president Shawkat Mahmud and general secretary Kamal Uddin Sabuj expressed their deep shock at the death of the senior colleague.

They also prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and conveyed sympathy to the bereaved family.

Foreign Ministry asks Bangladeshi workers in Kuwait to resume work

UNB, Dhaka

The Foreign Ministry Monday asked the agitating Bangladeshi workers in Kuwait to return to their respective workplaces as diplomatic efforts continued to settle their problems.

Acting Foreign Secretary M A K Mahmud in a statement said officials of the Bangladeshi mission in Kuwait had already "fruitful" discussions with the Kuwaiti authorities concerned who assured that matters relating to salary of the workers would be sorted out within two weeks.

"It is not expected to any of us that the image of Bangladesh is tarnished by creating law-and-order situation," he said, adding each expatriate Bangladeshi worker should be respectful of the laws of that country.

Mahmud noted that if the Kuwaiti government takes action against lawbreakers, individual persons would be responsible for that.

Foreign Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury today invited the Kuwaiti Ambassador to the Foreign Ministry and sought his government's cooperation in overcoming the evolving situation.

The envoy of the Gulf country assured that he would bring the matter to the notice of his government and take initiative to settle the problem.

Mahmud reiterated that "in no way will it be wise to violate the Kuwaiti laws" by Bangladeshi workers.

He said it would be difficult for the Bangladesh government to resolve the matter in case the Kuwaiti authorities took any action against the lawbreakers.

Indian Army Chief passes busy day

UNB, Dhaka

Visiting Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor passed a busy day on Monday by participating in different programmes.

The Indian Army Chief laid a floral wreath at "Shikha Anirban" to pay tributes to the memory of the members of the Armed Forces martyred during the War of Liberation in 1971.

Then he went to Senakunja where he was presented a guard of honour by a smartly turned-out Army Contingent. Genral Kapoor inspected the guard and took salute. He planted a sapling at the Senakunja premises.

Later, the Indian Army Chief paid a courtesy call on Chief of Army Staff General Moeen U Ahmed at Army Headquarters. He remained with the Army Chief for some time and discussed matters of professional interest.

Then he was briefed on different activities of Bangladesh Army at Army Headquarters conference room. Chief of Army Staff Moeen U Ahmed, Principal Staff Officers of Army Headquarters and entourage of Indian Army Chief were also present at the beefing.

General Deepak Kapoor also called on Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam at Naval Headquarters and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal SM Ziaur Rahman at Air Headquarters.

Principal Staff Officers of Air Headquarters and entourage of Indian Army Chief were present at that time.