The New Nation - Internet Edition

Young housewife strangulated after rape in city

UNB, Dhaka

A young housewife was strangulated to death after rape at a residential hotel in city's Motijheel area yesterday afternoon.

The victim was identified as Ritna Akhter, 25, wife of Rahat Jahan of Chougachha in Jessore district.

Being informed, police recovered the body of Ritna at room-401 of Rakib Residential Hotel at 167/5 DIT road of Fakirerpool at about 3:30pm and sent it to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

However, the motive behind the killing could not be known immediately.

Hotel sources said Ritna and Jahid rented the room Thursday morning identifying themselves as husband and wife. This morning (Friday), Jahid went out of the hotel saying that his wife was taking rest in the room.

Receiving no response from inside the room, hotel staff broke open its door and found Ritna's naked body lying on the bed.

A case was filed with Motijheel police.

B. Chowdhury wants 'No' vote provision

UNB, Dhaka

Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury yesterday demanded reforms to electoral laws to scrap provisions of 'No' vote.

He made the statement to reporters after attending a milad mahfil to commemorate the death anniversary of a party colleague in the city's Kafrul area.

Badruddoza, a former president, welcomed the verdict by the High Court that has allowed political parties to take part in local body polls like national elections.

"Most of the candidates contesting local body polls belong to political parties," he said.

He asked the government not to compromise with corrupts.

PDP names 251-member executive committee

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The Progressive Democratic Party yesterday announced a 251-member national executive committee, according to a published list.

The committee is headed by party chairman Ferdous Ahmed Quarishi, and includes a 17-member central council of advisers.

The committee also comprises 25 vice-chairmen, 11 joint secretaries general, 11 organising secretaries, 10 assistant organising secretaries, 26 divisional secretaries, 17 assistant divisional secretaries and 76 members.

There are also 12 members including the chairman in the party's highest policy making forum, the National Standing Committee.

The 11 other members, according to the list published Friday, are: Lt Col HMA Gaffar, Kamrunnahar Zafar, Abul Hasan Chowdhury, retired major general NA Rafiqul Hossain, Advocate Abdul Hye, Prof Shayesta Khan, Sharfuddin Ahmed Santu, Fakhrul Imam, Maulana Sakhawat Hossain, Muhammad Korban Ali and Sanjib Chowdhury.

SAARC Journalists Summit-IV concludes

UNB, Colombo

A 3-day SAARC Journalists Summit-IV ended here yesterday amid assurance by the SAARC Foreign Ministers that their respective governments would look into a critical demand for free movement of journalists and media products and easing visa regimes.

South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) organized the conference coinciding with the 15th SAARC summit that begins in the Sri Lankan capital yesterday.

Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Bhutanese Foreign Minister Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering, Indian External Affairs Minister Parnab Mukherjee, Maldives Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid, Nepalese Foreign minister Gyan Chandra Acharya, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollgama attended the concluding session on 'Freedom of Media in Conflicting Situation'.

SAFMA secretary general Imtiaz Alam said the 14th SAARC summit in New Delhi decided to issue 50 SAARC visa stickers for journalists in each member country, but excepting Bangladesh no other member country has implemented it in last one year.

Referring to the Delhi summit's theme "connectivity" and Colombo summit's theme "partnership for the people", Alam said it needs free movement of the people among the SAARC countries to implement those themes.

He said the region would suffer from information deficit if free flow of information and journalists are not allowed.

Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said: "We must aim at relentlessly translate the idea of common South Asian identity. Unless we can connect the minds and hearts of one and a half billion South Asian men, women, youth and children, it'll be difficult to realize the true gains of cooperation."

He emphasized on facilitating movement of people in the region, businessmen and women, students, faculty, scientists and researchers, media personnel, artists and cultural troupes.

The Adviser said time is ripe for further liberalization of visa regimes gradually to enhance people to people contact.

Bhuiyan attaches BNP unity to Khaleda's release

UNB, Dhaka

Former BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan said yesterday that there would be no more division in the party if Khaleda Zia was released.

Talking to reporters about proposed reforms to the troubled party at his Gulshan home, the leader said changes could be made through discussions in the party council after release of the party chairperson.

Bhuiyan, who was released on bail Wednesday, said there was misunderstanding among the reformists of the party resulting in a string of confusion.

The leader said he believed unity in the party was urgent.

"Unity among the nationalist forces is very important, and the BNP will contest the next election unitedly," he said.

He, a former LGRD minister, welcomed a recent verdict by the High Court that local government elections could go political.

The High Court on Thursday ruled unconstitutional and illegal the restrictions on participation by political parties in local government elections.

WB provides $ 130.7 m for Secondary Education

UNB, Dhaka

World Bank Friday approved a US$ 130.7 million IDA credit to Bangladesh with a view to improve the quality of secondary education.

The credit from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's concessionary arm, has 40 years to maturity with a 10-year grace period and it carries a service charge of 0.75 percent, said a World Bank press release.

The 'Secondary Education Quality and Access Enhancement Project' will finance activities in 121 Upazilas aimed at improving education quality and poverty-targeted stipends and tuition to girls and boys to increase access and retention.

Although Bangladesh has recorded impressive achievements in the education sector significant challenges remain. Completion rate at the secondary level is as low as 20 percent and many poor children, especially boys, are still left out of the secondary school system, the press release added.

Female enrollment in the secondary schools increased from 1.1 million in 1991 to 4.4 million in 2006 after an innovative World Bank financed initiative 'Female Secondary School Assistance Project' was launched in 1993, it said.

Schools and families received cash incentives under this project to keep girls in secondary school through completion.

"Achievement of high quality secondary education is a critical foundation for higher levels of education and skills which are likely to have a significant impact on economic development", said World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh, Xian Zhu.

"This project will ensure that poor children are not left out of the secondary school system. Importantly, it will also enhance secondary teacher and student performance, as well as in making schools more accountable to the community."

The project aims to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Education both at central and local levels and establish an effective monitoring and evaluation system.

CA accorded red-carpet reception in Colombo

UNB, Colombo

Chief Advisor Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed was accorded a red-carpet reception when he arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) at Katunayake in Sri Lanka on Friday morning to attend the 15th SAARC Summit.

Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ratnasiri Wickremanayake and his wife received Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed and his wife Neena Ahmed.

Flight of Singapore Airlines that carried the Chief Adviser and his entourage landed at the airport at 8:10 am (local time).

Two tiny tots presented bouquets to the Chief Adviser and his spouse at the airport.

A smartly turned-out contingent of Sri Lankan army gave honour guard to the Chief Advisor.

The airport ceremonies over, he flew into the Sri Lankan capital by a helicopter.

Thereafter, he drove in a ceremonial motorcade to his place of residence, Cinnamon Grand Hotel, where he will stay during the summit meet of the heads of government or state of the South Asian countries that begins here tomorrow.

Indian Army Chief leaves Dhaka

UNB, Dhaka

Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor left here on Friday after completing a six-day visit to Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Army Quarter Master General Lt Gen M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury saw him off at BAF Tarmac, Kurmitola in the morning on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, an ISPR release said.

He was accompanied by his wife Kirti Kapoor and a four-member Indian Army delegation.

During his visit in Bangladesh, Gen Kapoor paid a courtesy call on President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed at Bangabhaban. He also called on Three Services Chiefs at their respective offices.

Besides, he inspected Bijoy Ketan Dhaka Cantonment, National Museum, Defence Services Command and Staff College, National Defence College, Liberation War Memorial sites of Comilla, Liberation War fields, 2nd World War cemetery and Bangladesh Military Academy at Bhatiary in Chittagong.