The New Nation - Internet Edition

Adivasi Day observed

Tribal girls celebrating the Adivasi Day
(International Day of the Indigenous People) at the Central
Shaheed Minar in the city on Saturday. FocusBangla

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The government would implement the regulations on the employment of indigenous people, cultural affairs adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury said yesterday. "The regulations on the employment of indigenous people are at final stages," the adviser said while addressing a programme marking the International Day of the World's Indigenous People at the Central Shahid Minar.

"No government has implemented the regulations so far. The incumbent government will accomplish the task," she said.

Rasheda said that the government would establish a number of cultural institutes for the indigenous people so that they can uphold their culture and protect tradition. "The indigenous community has been enriching our culture through their heritage over the years," she said.

The government has moved to arrange education for the workers of the tea gardens, the adviser said. "We have talked to the owners," she said.

"Boarding schools will be established in the hill tracts where the indigenous community will have the scope to study in their vernaculars," Rasheda said.

CHT Regional Council chairman Jyotirindra Bodhiprira Larma, better known as Santu Larma, said the indigenous people would have to struggle to realise their social, political and economic rights.

The inaugural session demanded that the day be observed by the state.

The International Day of the World's Indigenous People is being observed countrywide with the theme, 'Indigenous people's economic and social rights'.

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly decided to celebrate the day on August 9 every year adopting a resolution on Dec 23, 1994.

A rally was brought out from the Central Shahid Minar around the midday that ended at National Museum.

Ctg Customs House automation: Online service snaps on first day: 3-hr disruption causes huge business loss

Members of the Joint Forces and Customs officials
inspecting the server room of the Customs House in
Chittagong as online service snapped a few hours after the
department was computerised yesterday. FocusBangla

Staff Reporter

Business at the Chittagong port experienced a three-hour snap yesterday, as the online service of Chittagong Customs House broke down within 24 hours of its introduction.

Officials are blaming a mismatch among the newly introduced devices for the disruption but did not rule out the possibility of sabotage behind it.

"Some instrument's are yet to be synchronised," an official of the Chittagong Customs told The New Nation.

The authorities, however, formed a two-member inquiry committee headed by Joint Commissioner Matiur Rahman, also the member secretary of the 5-member committee supervising the implementation of automation system.

When contacted Amirul Haque a Director of FBCCI told the New Nation that they are concerned at the disruption of Online Service for import and export.

"It was not desirable he said adding it is early to assess the impact of the disruption".

The automated taxation system, which was introduced at Chittagong Customs House Friday, went off at 9:00 am yesterday and remained disrupted until 12 noon causing a huge business loss.

"It seems mysterious," remarked Shah Alam, Customs Commissioner (Import), and said it might be an act of sabotage, agencies reported.

The automated taxation system allows online submission of export and import accounts by the business firms.

The entire taxation system at the customs house is expected to be fully automated from this month, if this first phase goes smoothly.

On the first day, a good number of shipping agents, including Marks Line, APL and Peninsula Shipping Lines, submitting EGMs (Export General Manifests) and IGMs (Import General Manifests) online direct from their offices.

The automated service by NBR would ensure transparency, as well as save time for users of the Customs House and Port, officials expect.

Operation of the IGM/EGM module would allow round-the-clock entry of documents at a cost of Tk 50 each for 16 different types of services while Tk 180 was charged for each data-entry under the previous system.

Apart from clearing and forwarding (C&F) agents, exporters and importers will also be able to handle documents directly after obtaining the self-clearing licence.

The automation system is expected to go into full operation with the introduction of Bill of Entry (B/E) module by this month.

The introduction of full automation and user-friendly procedures will help Chittagong Customs House check the evasion of revenue of at least Tk 350 crore and double the revenue earnings which now stands at Tk 11,000 crore a year, said a report of the taskforce.

The project is being jointly implemented under the supervision of the National Board of Revenue and Chittagong Customs House, and financed by the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

Khaleda’s release at final stage: Hossain Zillur

Khaleda Zia

UNB, Dhaka

Commerce and Education Advisor Dr Hossain Zillur Saturday disclosed that the release of former Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia is at the final stage. "I can tell you her release is at the final stage," he told reporters after a function in the city.

Zillur who is one of the government negotiators with political parties said, "We are very much concerned about this matter and we hope the events will proceed faster after her release."

Begum Zia was arrested on September 3 last year in connection with GATCO graft case. Later several other cases were filed against her.

Zillur and other Advisors have been telling for some time that Begum Zia will be released but no tangible movement was in sight.

Awami League president and ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was released on interim bail on June 11 to facilitate her treatment in USA.

In reply to a question, the Advisor said the caretaker government

will sit for the second round of dialogue with Awami League to discuss issues concerning the general elections slated for December.

"We will continue our endeavours through formal and informal dialogues to reach logical conclusions," Zillur said.

Russia invades Georgia

Georgian policemen evacuate a Georgian soldier,
wounded in battle with South Ossetian separatists, in the
town of Gori yesterday.

AP, Ossetia

Russia sent hundreds of tanks and troops into the separatist province of South Ossetia and bombed Georgian towns Saturday in a major escalation of the conflict that has left scores of civilians dead and wounded.

Georgia, a staunch U.S. ally, launched a major offensive Friday to retake control of breakaway South Ossetia. Russia, which has close ties to the province and posts peacekeepers there, responded by sending in armed convoys and military combat aircraft.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters in Moscow that some 1,500 people have been killed, with the death toll rising Saturday.

The figure could not be independently confirmed, but witnesses who fled the fighting said hundreds of civilians had probably died. They said most of the provincial capital, Tskhinvali, was in ruins, with bodies lying everywhere.

The air and artillery bombardment left the provincial capital without water, food, electricity and gas. Horrified civilians crawled out of the basements into the streets as fighting eased, looking for supplies.

Russian Gen. Vladimir Boldyrev claimed in televised comments Saturday that Russian troops had driven Georgian forces out of the provincial capital. Witnesses confirmed that there was no sign of Georgian soldiers in the streets.

Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili proposed a cease-fire Saturday. As part of his proposal, Georgian troops were pulled out of Tskhinvali and had been ordered to stop responding to Russian shelling, said Alexander Lomaia, secretary of his Security Council.

Russia did not immediately respond to Saakashvili's proposal. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had said earlier that Moscow sent troops into South Ossetia to force Georgia into a cease-fire.

Lomaia said there had been direct fighting between Russian and Georgian soldiers on the streets of Tskhinvali. He estimated that Russia sent 2,500 troops into Georgia. The Russian military has not said how many of its troops were deployed.

Russian military aircraft also bombed the Georgian town of Gori on Saturday. An Associated Press reporter who visited Gori shortly afterward saw several apartment buildings in ruins, some still on fire, and scores of dead bodies and bloodied civilians. The elderly, women and children were among the victims.

"Georgia is facing Russia's military aggression," Saakashvili said, noting that Russian forces were attacking areas outside South Ossetia. "Georgian authorities support a cease-fire and separation of the warring parties."

It is the worst outbreak of hostilities since the province won de facto independence in a war against Georgia that ended in 1992.

The fighting threatens to ignite a wider war between Russia and Georgia, which accused Russia of bombing its towns, ports and air bases. Georgia, a former Soviet republic with ambitions of joining NATO, has asked the international community to help end what it called Russian aggression.

It also likely will increase tensions between Moscow and Washington, which Lavrov said should bear part of the blame for arming and training Georgian soldiers.

Moscow has said it needs to protect its peacekeepers and civilians in South Ossetia, most of whom have been given Russian passports. Ethnic Ossetians live in the breakaway Georgian province and in the neighboring Russian province of North Ossetia.

Overnight, Russian warplanes bombed the Vaziani military base on the outskirts of the Georgian capital and near the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili said. He also said two other military bases were hit, and that warplanes bombed the Black Sea port city of Poti, which has a sizable oil shipment facility.

Georgia, meanwhile, said it has shot down 10 Russian planes, including four brought down Saturday, according to Kakha Lomaya, head of Georgia's Security Council.

The first Russian confirmation that its planes had been shot down came Saturday from Russian Col. Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy chief of the General Staff, who said two Russian planes were downed. He did not say where or when.

Russian military commanders said 15 peacekeepers have been killed and about 150 wounded. Russian troops went in as peacekeepers but Georgia alleges they now back the separatists.

Russian military spokesman Col. Igor Konashenkov accused Georgian troops of killing and wounded Russian peacekeepers when they seized Russian checkpoints. Konashenkov's allegations couldn't be independently confirmed Saturday.

Russia's foreign minister said that Georgia brought the airstrikes upon itself by bombing civilians and Russian peacekeepers, and warned that the small Caucasus country should expect more attacks.

"Whatever side is used to bomb civilians and the positions of peacekeepers, this side is not safe and they should know this," Lavrov said.

Asked whether Russia could bomb the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, Lavrov answered: "I don't think the bombing is coming from Tbilisi, but whatever part of Georgia is used for this aggression is not safe."

It was unclear what might persuade either side to stop shooting. Both claim the battle started after the other side violated a cease-fire that had been declared just hours earlier after a week of sporadic clashes.

Diplomats have issued a flurry of statements calling on both sides to halt the fighting and called for another emergency session of the U.N. Security Council, its second since early Friday morning seeking to prevent an all-out war.

President Bush said Saturday the outbreak of fighting is endangering peace throughout the volatile region, and he urged an end to the deadly outbreak of violence.

"I'm deeply concerned about the situation in Georgia," Bush said in a statement to reporters while attending the Olympics in Beijing. "The attacks are occurring in regions of Georgia far from the zone of conflict in South Ossetia. They mark a dangerous escalation in the crisis.

"The violence is endangering regional peace, civilian lives have been lost and others are endangered. We have urged an immediate halt to the violence and a stand-down by all troops. We call for an end to the Russian bombings, and a return by the parties to the status quo of Aug. 6."

Russia, which has granted citizenship to most of the region's residents, appeared to lay much of the responsibility for ending the fighting on Washington.

Georgia, which borders the Black Sea between Turkey and Russia, was ruled by Moscow for most of the two centuries preceding the breakup of the Soviet Union. Georgia has angered Russia by seeking NATO membership - a bid Moscow regards as part of a Western effort to weaken its influence in the region.

Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili, a U.S.-educated lawyer, long has pledged to restore Tbilisi's rule over South Ossetia and another breakaway province, Abkhazia. Both regions have run their own affairs without international recognition since splitting from Georgia in the early 1990s and have built up ties with Moscow.

Georgia has about 2,000 troops in Iraq, making it the third-largest contributor to coalition forces after the U.S. and Britain. But Saakashvili has called them home in the face of the South Ossetia fighting. The Georgian commander of the brigade in Iraq said Saturday they would leave as soon as transport can be arranged.

Chen lifts first gold for China

China's Chen Xiexia lifts 95kg in the women's
weightlifting competition at the Olympics in Beijing on
Saturday. AP Photo

Sports Desk

Chinese weightlifter Chen Xiexia set an Olympic record as she won the hosts their first gold medal of the 2008 Games on the opening day.

She took the 48kg class to huge cheers from the partisan crowd, clinching victory with a total of 212kg.

Turkey's Sibel Ozkan's total of 199kg earned silver, while Taiwanese lifter Chen Wei-Ling lifted 196kg for bronze.

Chen, 25, lifted 95kg in the snatch and set a new record for the class with 117kg in the clean and jerk.

The 2004 Olympic champion, Nurcan Taylan of Turkey, was eliminated after three failed attempts in the snatch.

Wrapped in a Chinese flag, Chen sang along with the crowd to the national anthem after receiving her medal.

Her victory tempered the earlier disappointment for China when defending champion Du Li failed to get amongst the medals in the women's 10m air rifle event.

And it capped a dramatic 24 hours for the hosts after a dazzling opening ceremony.

"I have been thinking of winning a medal but never thought it would turn out to be the first gold medal for China," said an ecstatic Chen.

"I had the special support of the audience, especially from the Chinese audience, and so I don't think I was under great pressure."

"I'm very happy and think I did a good job."

Zhong Chencan, Chen's coach at a training school in Guangzhou, said her performance on Saturday was perfect, and her success was a result of a stable mental state and good skills.

Li Bingming, Chen's first coach who began to train her since she was 8, said she had an outgoing personality since her childhood. "She never hesitated to ask questions, though she was the youngest among all the trainees, and she was quick in learning new skills."

"She always performed better in real competition than in training due to her calmness."

Chen's father, a plain farmer, said the family would buy some shrimps to celebrate the victory. Shrimp is also the favorite food of Chen, said the father.

Dhaka yet to tap full potentials of entering Taipei market

Pulack Ghatack

Bangladesh could not tap the full potentials of export growth by entering into the Taiwanese market availing of duty-free access opportunity provided by that country.

Bangladesh at the same time failed to achieve any extra facility from China, under whose pressure the country is de-linked to Taiwan in many ways.

According to sources, the country could not even open an office in Taipei to deal with the issues of Bangladesh's interests there.

But economists and businessmen say, when clinging to "One China policy," Bangladesh can also forge strong economic ties with Taiwan like many other countries.

China is earning huge profit by exporting its products, gaining large construction works in Bangladesh by utilising Bangladesh's intention to maintain a good relationship with the rising super economic power in Asia.

Trade deficit of Bangladesh with China, that crossed more than 2.50 billion dollars in the last financial year, has been widening alarmingly. But the country is yet to get any special business facility from China.

As an LDC, Bangladesh enjoys preferential and duty-free quota free market access to many countries including Taiwan, India, Pakistan, EU, Japan, Thailand and Korea.

But China is yet to offer any. Diplomatic initiative from Bangladesh side to gain duty free access to China market is not visible.

Taiwanese are liberal about Bangladesh and the Taipei government in 2006 opened its market for 125 Bangladeshi products scraping all sorts of duties.

But, according to sources, Bangladeshi businessmen could not avail of the facility since its inception, as the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) did not issue Certificate of Origin (CO) for export.

Meanwhile, the problem was solved recently as a Taiwanese delegation, headed by Frank W Y Chen, discussed the issue of duty-free access facility with the EPB officials in June, sources concerned said.

"EPB now issues CO and we are exporting leather goods to Taiwan," President of Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters Association Rezaul Karim Ansary said.

"Taiwanese investment in Bangladesh is increasing rapidly. Trade is also growing faster with them. But, still there are some bottlenecks to be removed," an official of the Commerce Ministry told this correspondent.

EPB statistics shows that in 2003-04 Bangladesh's export to Taiwan surpassed its import from the country.

In 2003-04 Bangladesh exported goods worth $15.85 million to Taiwan while its import from the country stood at $15.53 million during the period. In 2006-07 export was $21.06 million and import $472.91 million.

Bangladesh received over $200 million investment from Taiwan in the first six months of 2008, which is two-thirds of the investment the Export Processing Zones Authority (Bepza) received in 2007-08 fiscal.

In 2004, Taiwan also expressed interest to recruit 3,000 workers from Bangladesh, another opportunity that the government failed to utilise as well.

While talking to The New Nation President of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association Fazlul Huq said, "we want business both with Taiwan and China. I think diplomacy should not hinder business activities between the countries."

Dr Atiur Rahman said, "Bangladesh values its relationship with China very much. But, this relationship should not hamper the country's business with others."

"Bangladesh should show courage, skill and prudence in diplomatic and trade talks with its partners," the economist suggested.

Bangladesh should also consider sending manpower to Taiwan since even an unskilled worker could earn over Tk 30,000 a month in Taiwan, experts suggested.

According to the Representative Office of Taiwan in Dhaka, the country needs to set up an office in Taipei for overseeing the Bangladeshi expatriates, but Dhaka is yet to do so.

Many countries in the world including India, Malaysia and India follow the one China policy but established country office in Taiwan, said an official of Representative Office of Taiwan.

Assault on acting VC: RU to take action against culprits

RU Correspondent

The acting Vice Chancellor, Prof Mamnunul Keramat, of Rajshahi University (RU) yesterday said a probe committee would be constituted soon to investigate into the assault on him and some teachers by activists of Islamic Chhatra Shibir (ICS) on Friday and take action against the guilty.

Earlier on Friday, a number of Shibir cadres assaulted RU acting VC and other teachers as they tried to persuade the agitating Shibir cadres to lift the roadblocks they put up on Dhaka-Rajshahi Highway in front of the university campus.

On the day, several hundred stick-wielding Shibir men led by RU unit president Delwar Hossain Saidee and general secretary Abdullah al-Nomani, chased the teachers, threw stones and hurled abuses at the proctor alleging that the University administration failed to ensure their security on the campus.

Prof Keramat said on Friday that he along with several university teachers went to the troubled spot and requested the Shibir activists to lift the barricade from in front of the university main gate.

'I found hundreds of unruly students led by Shibir activists staging demonstration on the highway demanding their security', he noted.

The Shibir members turned violent as the university proctor, police administration, local businessmen and BRTC staff failed to resolve the incident in which two Shibir activists were beaten up at Binodpur Bazar on Thursday night.

He termed the incident regrettable and said that the allegation of the Shibir cadres on the alleged lack of security of the students on the campus was baseless as the university authorities took the highest security measure for the safety of the general students on the campus.

He further said, "Shibir RU unit president Delwar Hossain Saidee and organising secretary Abdur Razzak met me at my office on Friday and sought my opinion on the incident. I told them that I have no opinion about the incident."

Prof Keramat confirmed that the Shibir activists led the demonstration on Friday and manhandled some of the university teachers.

Meanwhile, the RU teachers, officials and student organisations strongly protested and condemned the assault on the acting RU VC and some teachers of the university by some members of ICS. They demanded immediate arrest of the cadres responsible for the assault and punishment to them.

Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) in a statement protested the incident and urged the general students to resist Shibir activists in all educational institutions.

Fake student held with arms from DU Hall

DU Correspondent

Shahbagh thana police recovered a lethal weapon from Kabi Jasim Uddin Hall of Dhaka University early yesterday night and arrested a student on charge of possessing the weapon.

Miraj Hossain Khan alias Raj, who allegedly the weapon possessed was a fake student. He often threatens the students of his room (214) showing weapon, said a student of the room. Raj carried the weapon at the room on Saturday night at 1:30am, His roommates informed the house tutors about this, the student said.

Later, Provost of the Hall Prof Aktharuzzaman handed over the student to the police and a case was filed by Mukter Hossain, house tutor of the hall with Shahbagh police station in this connection.

10 injured as Ansars open fire on garment workers

Staff Reporter

At least ten young men were wounded when Ansars opened fire at scores of unruly workers at Nabinagar yesterday.

Sources said Atique and Maroof, helpers of fishing section of Biswas Synthetic Limited, wounded by bullet were admitted to Gano Shasthya Kendra and others were admitted to another local hospital.

Witnesses and police said workers of Biswas Synthetic factory demonstrated at the factory demanding wages and arrears. Ansars posted at the factory resisted the demonstrators leading to a scuffle. Soon the Ansars retreated to their camp but the aggrieved workers followed them and attacked the Ansar camp.

Savar circle Assistant Police Super Jahangir Alam, claimed Ansars in self-defence opened 15 rounds of fire leaving Atique and Maroof injured.

Mohar Ali, a worker of the factory, alleged that over action by the Ansars to harass the innocent workers caused the incident.

The factory management has recently retrenched about 400 workers, mostly women, without any valid reason. Moreover, the retrenched workers were not paid their wages and overtime dues. The aggrieved workers demonstrated to realize their genuine demands, he added.