The New Nation - Internet Edition

Another 27 return home from Kuwait: Top-level efforts needed to stop deportation

Another 27 workers were deported from Kuwait
yesterday after they were subjected to torture for demanding
pay rise. Photo-Agencies

Staff Reporter

With the return of another 27 Bangladeshi workers yesterday from Kuwait Probashi Manab Kalyan Foundation (PMKF) demanded immediate diplomatic efforts at the top level for halting deportation of Bangladeshi workers illegally.

The immigration officer of ZIA, Mahfuza Begum, said, "A Kuwait Airlines light brought 27 Bangladeshi workers back to Dhaka yesterday morning at 5:00am, "Of the deportees, 13 held Bangladesh passports and the rest were issued out-passes and put on a homebound plane."

The total number of Bangladeshis sent back home following the workers' strike in Kuwait now stands at 228, she said. The Kuwait government sent back 78 Bangladeshis on Wednesday night and 123 on Thursday morning, after it announced that it would deport Bangladeshis who were involved in violence during recent unrest over low pay.

The Kuwaiti authorities had announced Wednesday that they would examine video footage and photographs of protesting workers to find out those responsible for damaging vehicles and attacking police, and deport them.

Kuwait police arrested at least 800 Bangladeshi workers during the demonstrations, of them 300 were later released as no charges could be brought against them.

The Kuwaiti government has assured Bangladesh mission officials that all "innocent" workers will be spared after investigations.

South Asian workers in Kuwait, including hundreds of Bangladeshis, staged demonstrations and strikes in the Gulf kingdom on July 26, demanding better working standards and pay. Newspapers in the Gulf kingdom reported that some workers are paid as little as 8 Kuwaiti Dinars ($30 or Tk 2,000) a month. Since the incidents of unrest, the Kuwait government has said it will increase the minimum wage of foreign workers to 40 Dinars ($151 or Tk 10,300).

The PMKF an organisation for the welfare of expatriate Bangladeshis, demanded stern action against those responsible for the recent deportation of Bangladeshi workers from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

"We strongly urge the Chief Adviser to take stern action within three days against the responsible persons, agencies and Bangladesh missions in the concerned countries," Prof Ruhul Amin, executive director of PMKF, told reporters at a briefing at the Jatiya Press Club in the afternoon.

He said they also request the government to make necessary diplomatic efforts at the top level for halting deportation of Bangladeshi workers illegally from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

PMKF chairman Abdur Rahman made an appeal to the government to give lump sum grant to the deportees from the Expatriates Welfare Fund.

He also urged the International Organisation for Migrants (IOM) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) as well as the Kuwaiti and Saudi authorities to take immediate initiative for the return of the outstanding dues of the deportee Bangladeshi workers.

Amin said some 301 Bangladeshi workers have so far been sent back from Kuwait and 250 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, while some 1,500 others were forcibly assembled in a camp in Kuwait in a bid to send them back.

He alleged that the Kuwaiti authorities forcibly put the workers on board the plane - half-dressed, bare-footed and in bleeding condition -- for deportation though, he said, they had done nothing wrong. "This is really inhuman."

Criticizing the Bangladesh embassies in those countries, Amin said they are doing nothing, just keeping mum. So, they should be sacked from their jobs.

Last week, the Bangladeshi workers staged demonstration in Kuwait as their Kuwaiti employers denied them the agreed wages. The Bangladeshi workers said they were appointed on 50 Kuwaiti Dinar as monthly wages, but were not paid in full.

But the Kuwait authorities alleged that all the deported Bangladeshi workers were involved in violence. Denying the allegation, the deported workers said they did not take part in any sort of violence and merely demonstrated peacefully to realize their just demands.

Summit begins today amid tight security : Food security, trade imbalance, climate change main SAARC agenda in Colombo

UNB, Colombo

South Asian leaders from eight SAARC countries sit for a summit meeting here today to chart a roadmap to address the challenges of soaring food and fuel prices, trade imbalances and climate change, and improve the socioeconomic condition of 1.5 billion people in the region.

Amidst extraordinary security measures, Heads of State and Government arrived in the Sri Lankan capital to attend the 15th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, Bangladesh caretaker government's Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, Bhutanese Prime Minister Lyonchhen Jigmi Rhinley, Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and host Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa will join the two-day summit at Bandarnaike Memorial International Conference Hall.

The SAARC leaders will sign a SAARC Development Fund (SDF) charter with authorized capital of SDR one billion and launch the South Asian Regional Standards Organization (SARSO), headquarters of which will be established in Dhaka.

The summit leaders will sign the Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters to effectively deal with terrorists and criminals hiding in other SAARC countries.

At the inaugural session, the summit leaders will also focus on removal of non-tariff and para-tariff barriers to reduce trade imbalances in some member states and increase Intra-SAARC trade.

They will also instruct the SAARC Ministerial Council comprising the Commerce Ministers of the member nations to start negotiation on Trade in Services under the umbrella agreement of SAFTA.

The summit will emphasize on making SAARC Food Bank operational expeditiously, increase food production and on collective efforts to produce alternative sources of energy, so vital for overall development in the region.

"The recent price-hike of food globally has reminded us of urgent need to address the situation comprehensively. The food crisis has affected the poorest segment of the society. Food security would constitute an important area of our collective endeavours," Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhruy told UNB ahead of the summit.

He said that SAARC Food Bank need to be made operational immediately to give a human face to the organization's work. "We need another Green Revolution based on technology and innovative techniques."

Apart from food, fuel and trade issues, critical issue of climate change, water resources, transport, social issues, terrorism, women empowerment and cooperation in science and technology will dominate the summit talks.

At the inaugural session Saturday, SAARC chairmanship will be handed over to Sri Lanka from India. Eight SAARC leaders will then make their country statements.

On the sidelines of the summit, the SAARC leaders have started holding bilateral meetings with each other discussing issues of concerns.

On the second day (Sunday), SAARC leaders will go for retreat when they will seize the opportunity to discuss more on burning issues that hit the region hard.

The 15th Summit will conclude through the issuance of the Colombo Declaration and Statement on Food Security.

Meanwhile, capital Colombo has been tastefully decorated with portraits of eight SAARC leaders and flags of the member states.

Thousands of army, commandos and special police equipped with automatic weapons spread over the entire city. Sandbag bunkers have been set up in close proximity. General people's movement has been heavily restricted. Educational institutions were closed for three day from Friday.

All these security bulwarks are put in place in the wake of perceived threat from the LTTE guerillas fighting for their homeland in northeastern Jaffna province. Although the LTTE has declared unilateral truce, the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa does not want to take any risk and has taken all measures to hold the summit peacefully.

Rahul in city on a 5-day visit

Rahul Gandhi, son of former assassinated Prime
Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was received at the Zia International
Airport by Nobel laureate Dr. Mohammad Yunus yesterday.
Focus Bangla

Staff Reporter

Indian National Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived Dhaka yesterday on a five-day visit to Bangladesh.

Rahul Gandhi, the son of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and assassinated prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, reached the Zia International Airport at about 3.30 PM on a Jet Airways flight.

Grameen Bank Chief and Nobel Laureate Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus received the 38-year-old Indian Member of Parliament and General Secretary of the ruling Congress Party amid tight security.

The visit came amid media speculations about the timing of the tour as diplomatic sources earlier had hinted that Dhaka would have preferred that he delay the tour for few days until the return of Bangladesh interim government chief Fakhruddin Ahmed from the SAARC summit in Sri Lankan capital Colombo on August 4.

The Indian leader came to Bangladesh, for the first time, on a private visit to get first-hand knowledge of rural development particularly the micro-finance projects of Grameen Bank and the activities of BRAC in various sectors.

During his visit, he will also visit some projects of BRAC in Gazipur today and Grameen Bank projects Singair in Manikganj on Sunday, according to sources. He will visit Grameen Bank office in Mirpur on Monday.

It is learnt that Rahul Gandhi is interested to see if the Grameen Bank and BRAC projects could be replicated in India.

He had met Dr Yunus in Delhi in March last year and has already started some micro-finance and women-empowerment projects in his poverty-stricken Lok Sabha constituency of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

On the occasion of his arrival, the approach to the airport's VIP Lounge was closed to traffic and the whole area was surrounded by members of the Rapid Action Battalion, armed police and intelligence squads.

Earlier, a contingent of Indian Special Protection Group arrived in Dhaka on Thursday to ensure total security for the prominent member of India's Nehru-Gandhi dynasty ahead of his visit.

Meanwhile, A team of Special Security Force of Bangladesh has also been assigned to provide security during his stay in Bangladesh.

The Indian leader is scheduled to leave Dhaka on Tuesday.

Free, fair polls difficult under emergency: UK minister

British Minister Hazel Blears addressing a meeting
of cross-section of people at Sylhet Circuit House
yesterday. Focus Bangla

UNB, Dhaka

It is very difficult but not impossible to hold free and fair elections under the state of emergency, visiting UK Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Hazel Blears has said.

"It is very difficult to have elections with state of emergency…But I don't think it's impossible to have a free and fare election if there is a state of emergency," she said at a press conference yesterday afternoon at the residence of the British High Commissioner in Dhaka.

Responding to a volley of questions on the subject, Blears said there might be some compromise on the issue of emergency, as people feel strongly about it while there might be some constrains on the government in terms of safety and security.

"The caretaker government has said that they want to gradually lift the state of emergency. I would certainly support them in taking those steps," she said.

The British minister said there needs to be a balance between safety and security, and "It's important for elections to be free and fair."

She said the lifting of the state of emergency would depend on how safe it is and what the conditions are like at the time.

"It's a matter for the government to take those decisions and the government will do it in the best interests of those people who will be participating in the election."

She said it is important to press the government to lift the emergency, but "I would not say that a free and fair election is simply ruled out because you got a state of emergency."

Blears said the government is keen to gradually lift the emergency, but at the same time the issue of providing safety and security is also on their minds. "I think it's a very reasonable balance."

She said a safe and secure environment needs to be ensured during the elections; otherwise, elections would not be free and fair and there would be intimidation and violence that nobody wants.

"So in that spirit, I would like to see election take place. That may mean some compromise on that issue."

She added: "I know how strongly people feel here. They want it to be completely lifted so elections can take place without state of emergency in existence."

Replying to a query, Blears said she got assurances from the Chief Adviser and the Home Adviser that general elections would definitely be held before the end of this year. "I sensed a genuine commitment."

She reiterated UK's encouragement for all sides in Bangladesh to engage constructively in democratic processes for a smooth transition to an elected government in 2008 and to commit to furthering reforms for sustainable democracy.

About the climate change, she said that rising of sea level, melting of icecaps in the Himalayas and rising of rivers could threaten up to 15 percent of landscape of Bangladesh. "It's important to mobilize the whole of international community on this agenda."

On human rights, Blears said it is hugely important that people are treated in accordance with the rule of law and their human rights are respected.

About tackling extremism, she said that in order to tackle extremism and terrorism, it is important to tackle poverty, injustice and discrimination. She also emphasized on decent education for poor people with no good prospect.

World watches total sun eclipse

Agency

A total eclipse of the Sun has passed over Canada, Russia and China, casting dramatic shadows and allowing a glimpse of the Sun's rarely-seen corona.

The eclipse arced over the surface of the Earth as the Moon passed directly between planet and its star.

Beginning in Canada, the eclipse passed through Greenland to Russia and China. Russia saw the longest full eclipse, for two minutes, 27 seconds, from 1021 GMT - but the UK and most of Europe experienced just a partial eclipse.

Totality began at sunrise at 0921 GMT in Queen Maud Gulf off Victoria Island in the territory of Nunavut, Canada.

The instant of greatest eclipse occurred at 1021 GMT close to the Russian city of Nadym, before totality came to an end at 1121 GMT near the Chinese city of Xi'an, in Shaanxi province.

Tourists and amateur and professional astronomers flocked to towns in the best viewing locations along the path of totality.

In Novosibirsk, Siberia's cultural and scientific capital, more than 5,000 foreign tourists were expected to show up in the city.

China experienced the eclipse just a week before the opening ceremony of Beijing's Olympic Games.

Chinese TV was due to broadcast the eclipse live, with crowds of people gathered along the Silk Road, a fabled trading route through the country's western deserts.

Eclipses were once viewed as unlucky events in China, but the country's media has rebranded the event as "the Olympic eclipse", reports said, hoping for good fortune ahead of the sporting jamboree.

The eclipse allowed stargazers a glimpse of the Sun's corona - the atmosphere of super-heated gases around the Sun. The area is usually impossible to see because of the bright light of the Sun, but is visible during a total eclipse as the Sun's light is obscured.

Total solar eclipses usually take place about once every 18 months, and always at new Moon - when the lunar body sits directly between the Sun and the Earth.

However, they do not happen every new Moon. The lunar orbit is slightly tilted to that of our planet and therefore the Moon's shadow often misses the Earth.

The Moon's shadow has two parts: an umbra and a penumbra.

The umbra is the "inner" part of the Moon's shadow, and people inside this zone will witness the full glory of the eclipse.

The penumbra is the Moon's faint "outer" shadow. It will only give surface viewers a partial eclipse.

In London, where the Moon's disc took its biggest bite out of the Sun at 1016 BST (0916 GMT), a maximum of 12% of the star was blotted out.

Conditions were better further north. In Lerwick in the Shetland Isles, the Moon obscured as much as 36% of the Sun.

Astronomical groups have reminded the public that viewing the Sun without protective equipment - even in partial eclipse phases - can result in a retinal burn and permanent eye damage.

Viewing the Sun's harsh light should only be done through proper solar telescopes or glasses, or through a pinhole projection system.

In all, the Moon's umbra will have travelled along a path approximately 10,200km (6,338 miles) long.

Political parties lack acumen to overcome problems

DU Correspondent

Education Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman underscored cooperation and understanding among the political parties for overall development and to solve the problems of the country, he added that there is no political party, which can overcome the impasse alone.

He said this, as chief guest, while addressing a Biannual Conference of Bangladesh Sociological Association (BSA) at LGED Bhaban Auditorium yesterday. Our political parties are certainly competitive but they lack quality to overcome the crucial problems of the country, he said.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof SMA Faiz was special guest in the conference while Chairman of Sociology Department of the university gave the welcome address. Prof FR Khan, president of BSA, presided over the inaugural session of the conference.

Prof KAM Sa'aduddin, a renowned Sociologist, presented keynote paper on "Martial Law, Rule of Law and Legitimacy: A Sociological Analysis of Bangladesh Politics" in the conference.

Where, he noted about the military governments of the country even about the present government raising various aspects of those governments.

The Adviser said Sociology is an important subject that explains the existing problems of ours. The 'inside expression' of Sociology will be helpful for the progress of the country, he added. He underscored the need for both analytical and practical knowledge to find a way out of various problems.

Prof SMA Faiz said Sociology reminds the people of their liability to the society. Society is not only for gaining knowledge but also to create knowledge.

We have to work together identifying the problems of the country, he noted.

Emphasizing on developing sociology, Prof S Aminul Islam said development and sociology are co-related and the birth of Sociology is for change. The conference was divided into three sessions after the inaugural session, where 14 keynote papers were presented by noted sociologists including Prof Rangalal Sen.

Pre-Ramzan price rise at retail market

Staff Reporter

The prices of rice, fish, vegetables and other essential items remained high at the retail markets in the city yesterday.

A section of dishonest traders have started raising the price of pulses, onion, bashon (powdered pulses) and puffed rice even before the start of Ramzan, customers alleged.

We hoped that the price hike of essential items would come down but practically they are maintaining a high trend, they said.

They called upon the government to control the price hike during the holy month of Ramzan and ensure supply of those items.

Retailers said they were not selling essential items in high price rather they were making marginal profit.

They hoped the price of different items would remain at a tolerable level if the supply chain of those items were smoothly maintained during the month of Ramzan.

Wholesalers at Moulvi Bazar said import of necessary items through public and private initiatives could bring stability in the market during Ramzan.

We have started importing sufficient quantity of gram, lentils and other items with a view to easing the price burden on the customers, said an influential trader.

Chickpea, a vital component of Iftar item during Ramzan was selling at Tk 60 to Tk 65 per kg in the markets yesterday compared to Tk 55 to Tk 60 a couple of days back. Price of Khesari pulses was sold at Tk 60 to Tk 65 per kg yesterday, which was between Tk 55 and Tk 58.

Puffed rice (muri), another popular Iftar item during the month of Ramzan was selling at Tk 55 to Tk 60 per kg yesterday, which was at Tk 48 to Tk 52.

Coarse variety of rice was selling between Tk 34 and Tk 35 while different varieties of fine quality of rice ranged Tk 38 to Tk 44 per kg yesterday.

Prices of soybean oil remained unchanged with non-packed one was selling between Tk 120 and Tk 122 per kg and branded soybean packed in five litre cans were selling between Tk 610 yesterday. Per kg of medium sized 'ruhi' was selling between Tk 150 and Tk 180, shrimp Tk 450 to Tk 500 and small size of 'molla' fish was sold at Tk 140 to Tk 160 per kg yesterday.

Local variety of onion was sold at Tk 30 to Tk 32 while imported one was at Tk 20 per kg. Potato was sold at Tk 17 to Tk 18, Papiya at Tk 14 to Tk 16, Barbati at Tk 26 to Tk 28 and patal sold between Tk 24 and Tk 26 yesterday. Lentil (red musur) was sold at Tk 110 while imported one was at Tk 96 to Tk 98 per kg yesterday.

Prices of chicken and eggs remained high due to short supply, claimed by retailers. Per hali (four of each) was between Tk 24 and Tk 28 and broiler meat was at Tk 100 to Tk 110 per kg.

Eng Mosharraf, Sayeed Hossain rearrested, Alal released

Desk Report

Police yesterday rearrested two VIP prisoners including a former minister from jail gate for violating Emergency Power Rules

Former Awami League state minister engineer Mosharraf Hossain was arrested again from Kashimpur jail gate here on yesterday soon after his release on bail. Police arrested Mosharraf at about 2:45pm on charge of violating Emergency Power Rules when he came out of the jail. Later, he was taken to Joydevpur police station. The Awami League leader was again sent to the jail following a court order.

Earlier, Mosharraf was received by his two sons, relatives and supporters at the jail gate.

Police also rearrested HRC Group boss Sayeed Hossain Chowdhury at the gate of Dhaka Central Jail yesterday, shortly after he was released on bail, a prisons official said.

"Police arrested him in a separate case shortly after he was released around 2.30pm on bail by the High Court," jailer Faruque Ahmed told reporters.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate' Court for Dhaka had ordered him to jail after police arrested him on July 18 at his Gulshan home for 'violating emergency powers rules.'

He was charged under EPR with money laundering and a case was filed against him with Gulshan Police Station.

Sayeed Hossain is the founding chairman of HRC Group, and elder brother of Awami League leader Saber Hossain Chowdhury.

He is also the president of the board of editors of Bengali language daily Jay Jay Din.

Meanwhile, ex-BNP lawmaker and Jubo Dal general secretary Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal was released on bail from Dhaka Central Jail yesterday .

He walked to freedom shortly before 11:30 am Friday after the High Court last week awarded him bail for two months.

Alal was initially arrested on February 8 under Emergency Power Rules. He had previously been granted bail twice by the High Court but was rearrested from jail gates later.

Alal was happy with his release.

"Charges against me are politically-motivated, my previous arrests have proved that," Alal told reporters after his release.

He also demanded immediate release of Khaleda Zia and her ailing son Tarique Rahman.

Earlier, Alal was also released on parole for six hours after his mother died.

The BNP leader was elected lawmaker from Barisal-2 constituency in 2001 election.

Media watchdog slams IOC over broadcast restrictions

AFP, Brussels

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urged Europe's main broadcasting body Friday not to cave in to pressure from the Olympic Games governing body to restrict Internet radio broadcasts.

The media watchdog said the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had asked the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to use special technologies to limit Internet radio broadcasts from the Beijing Games to Europe alone.

"We would have hoped that the EBU would have taken a stronger line with the IOC," said spokesman Oliver Money- Kyrle, but he added: "The clear focus of our complaint is towards the IOC in demanding and imposing these restrictions."

"This is another example of further restrictions of the work of journalists and of the access of the public, to report on what's taking place in the Olympics, which is a major, global public event," he said.

In a letter sent to the EBU Thursday, the Brussels-based watchdog denounced the "extravagant requirements" imposed by the IOC to use geo-block technologies to deny radio access to users outside Europe.

In a statement, it urged the EBU to support its radio members, "which in the name of freedom of information would refuse to comply with dictates imposed by the IOC and Chinese authorities".

The run-up to the Olympics, which Beijing hopes will be a showcase for its rising global power, has been marred by a series of controversies-the latest when China back-tracked on Internet freedoms for the visiting foreign press.

Some banned websites were unblocked Friday after the uproar, but President Hu Jintao said it was against the Olympic spirit to bring politics into the Games, and that raising these issues served no purpose now.

Tk 5 lakh donation to be made tax-free

DU Correspondent

Finance Adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam yesterday said the government was mulling over allowing donation of minimum Tk 5 lakh tax free to encourage the corporate bodies to increase its social responsibilities.

He also urged all concerned in the private sector to come up with their financial assistance for any good work for society, as the government couldn't afford everything due to its shortage in resources and funds.

Islam made the observations while addressing a scholarship awarding ceremony as the chief guest at the city's national museum.

Mutual Trust Bank Ltd (MTB) and Dhaka University Alumni Association (DUAA) jointly organised the function to distribute financial grant among 67 students of DU and Dhaka Medical College for their excellent academic performance. Each student was awarded Tk 2,500 as scholarship.

DU Vice-Chancellor SMA Faiz attended the function as the guest of honour while Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Manik Lal Somaddar, DUAA President and former Adviser Syed Manzur Elahi and MTB Managing Director Md Shafiqur Rahman were present as special guests. DUAA Secretary General Raquibuddin Ahmed conducted the function.

Speaking on the occasion, SMA Faiz urged the government to permit tax-free grant by the corporate houses for the welfare of society, for the poor but meritorious students in particular to help them flourish their talents and creativity.

Manjur Elahi said everybody from his respective position should come forward to helping the poor students so that they could utilise their potentialities for the country.

Breastfeeding can save thousands of children

Staff Reporter

Deaths of 37,000 neonatal and 52,000 children under five years could be averted annually if country's all children are breastfed properly.

This was disclosed at the inaugural function of World Breastfeeding Week organized by Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation (BBF) at Child-Mother Institute at Matuail in the outskirts of the city yesterday.

Addressing the inaugural function as the chief guest eminent child specialist and pioneer of breastfeeding campaign Dr MQK Talukder said a child who is breastfed properly is protected from various disease.

On the other hand, he said, a child who is not breastfed properly is exposed to various diseases, when he/she got admission to a hospital for treatment.

Dr Talukder, the Chairman of the Women and Child Health Centre and Adviser of BBF, emphasised on the need for taking collective effort to create mother support group to provide support to mothers in breastfeeding.

'Breastfeeding protects health of both the child and the mother,' he said.

He said around 200 children are died in our country everyday due to malnutrition, of which one of the main reasons is not to breastfeed children properly.

Presided over by BBF Chairperson Dr SK Roy, the function was also addressed, among others, by UNFPA representative Pornchai Suchitta, UNICEF Bangladesh representative Carel de Rooy, Country Director of Save the Children Margarita Clark, ICDDR'B scientist Dr Iqbal Kabir, IPHN Director Dr Fatema Parveen Chowdhury, NNP Executive Director Biman Kumar Saha, BBF secretary Sufia Khatun and Dr Momtaz Huq. Margarita Clark said Bangladesh has made commendable progress in reducing the overall under-5 child mortality rate in the last one decade from 116 per thousand live births in 1996-97 to 65 in 2007.

She said the neonatal mortality rate is unacceptably high at 37 per thousand live births. It has to be halved, if the MDG-4 target is to be reached.

Carel de Rooy said early initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth followed by exclusive breastfeeding for six months is critical for a child's survival and growth.

He said the rate of exclusive breastfeeding in Bangladesh is still as low as 43 per cent while the early initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth is only 24 per cent.

Pornchai Suchitta said breastfeeding could help save the healthcare costs to a large extent.

Reduction in infant mortality can lead to acceptance of the small family norm, he observed.

Release of Khaleda to ensure BNP unity: Mannan

Staff Reporter

Former BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan yesterday said that the release of former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia would ensure unity within the party.

"There will be no more divisions within the party if Begum Khaleda Zia is released," he said while talking to reporters at his Gulshan residence in the city.

He hoped that the party would be able to contest the next election unitedly.

Mannan Bhuiyan, who was released from jail on bail in the GATCO case, said he believed unity in the party was urgent.

"Unity among the nationalist forces is very important," he observed.

Regarding the proposals for party reform the BNP leader said the party council would take a final decision on the matter after the release of the Chairperson.

"I have submitted a reform proposal to make the party stronger and more acceptable to the people. But the proposal is nothing final he said adding, "The party council will decide whether the reform proposal will be accepted or not."

Mannan Bhuiyan said there was misunderstanding among the reformists of the party resulting in a string of confusion.

He lauded the High Court ruling allowing political parties to participate directly in local government elections.

A High Court bench on Thursday ruled unconstitutional and illegal the restrictions on participation by political parties in local government polls.

It was a right ruling as representatives of political parties contested in local elections, so political involvement cannot be stopped through law," he observed.

He, however, said that after being elected, the person concerned would have to play a non-partisan role.

Driver killed, auto-rickshaw hijacked in city

Staff Reporter

An auto-rickshaw driver was slaughtered by unknown assailants at Basabo in the city yesterday.

The victim was identified as Jahirul Islam, 30, son of Azahar Ali of Kalihati upazila in Tangail district. Jahirul lived in Jatrabari. Family sources said Jahirul left the house with the auto-rickshaw on Thursday evening, but did not return. Failing to trace him, Jahirul's family members informed the police.

Later, police recovered the slaughtered body of Jahirul from in front of the gate of "Chhayabithi Housing" in Basabo at about 4:00am. The reasons behind the killing could not be known immediately. Police suspected that snatchers might have killed him and took away

his auto-rickshaw.

A case was filed with Sabujbagh police station in this connection.