The New Nation - Internet Edition

CA tells Ctg newsmen: Graft suspects freed on bail, Govt has little to do

Chittagong Correspondent

Chief Adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday reaffirmed his government's commitment for holding free and fair general elections within the stipulated time.

"We hope to do everything possible for the credible general elections on the basis of the experiences gathered from the recent city corporation and municipal elections," he said while explaining the issue of lifting emergency before elections.

The Chief Advisor reiterated his government's stand against corruption and firmly said that the move would go on in the days to come. Corrupt-suspects are coming out of the jail mostly upon bail granted by the High Court where government has little to do, he noted.

He was briefing the newsmen after first ever meeting of council of advisors at Chittagong circuit house yesterday afternoon. Adviser on Education and Commerce Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman was present on the occasion. Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser Sayed Fahim Monayem was also present at the briefing session.

Speaking on the government's initiatives aimed at addressing the burning problems of the port city, the CA said that the meeting discussed wide range of issues and gave decisions on a number of subjects as short-term intervention while mid-term and long term schemes were very much under active consideration.

The meeting approved 20 million cubic feet gas supply for the port city .Of this, 10 million cubic feet would go for power generation while the rest for industries awaiting production.

A new company - Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company -has also been approved for dealing with gas supply to the port city alone.

50-megawatt furnace oil run rental power plant will be put into operation for addressing the power crisis of the port city. The government has approved required subsidy for the power plant project. Demand management has also been made a component of the generation shortfall makeup project, according to sources.

The meeting approved a project of setting up of two sluice gates at suitable points of the river Karnaphuli for solving city's water logging problem. Different public and local agencies have been advised to work together in this regard.

Six different projects of road constructions, improvement and maintenance in Chittagong region have been approved at the meeting apart from revival of a Taka 13000 million railroad project for the proposed Dohazari - Cox's Bazar - Ghumdhum route.

The modernisation proposal of the CPA's plant quarantine laboratory, Madunaghat water treatment plant, CDA's IT tower and seven more warehouse construction were also reviewed at the meeting.

Phelps breaks record

BBC Online

US swimmer Michael Phelps broke the record for Olympic gold medals won by taking his 10th and 11th in a double victory on Wednesday.

Phelps, 23, won his fourth gold of the Beijing Olympics and 10th of all time with victory in the 200m butterfly.

And he claimed yet another gold as part of the US 4x200m freestyle team.

Phelps has now surpassed the nine golds won by Paavo Nurmi, Carl Lewis, Mark Spitz and Larysa Latynina to cement his place in Olympic history.

He is also bidding to beat Spitz's record of seven gold medals in a single Olympic games and has moved to within three of that achievement.

The US star came a step closer to gold number six when he eased through to the semi-finals of the 200m individual medley, winning his heat in a time of one minute 58.65secs

He has the 100m butterfly and the 4x100m medley relay later in the week.

"There is still something left in the tank," he said. "I've got three races left, so there had better be something left in the tank."

Phelps began proceedings in the Water Cube on Wednesday in typical fashion, beating Hungary's Laszlo Cseh and Japan's Takeshi Matsuda in a world record time of 1:52.03 to claim 200m butterfly gold.

He looked slightly underwhelmed following the victory, despite the magnitude of his achievement, and revealed that a pair of leaky goggles almost scuppered his chances of glory.

But he battled on despite the fault to shave 0.06secs of his own 200m butterfly world record.

"My goggles kept filling up with water during the race," he said.

"I wanted a world record, I wanted 1:51 or better, but in the circumstances it's not too bad I guess."

And along with US team-mates Ryan Lochte, Ricky Berens and Peter Vanderkaay, Phelps later claimed relay gold in the 4x200m freestyle in another world record time of 6:58.56secs.

Russia took the silver and Australia the bronze, while Great Britain's four came in sixth.

"I'm pumped about our relay," said Phelps. "It's the most fun thing to be in a team environment and be part of a relay.

"It's cool when you get four Americans who all swim well together. Everyone has to play their part or it's just not going to happen.

"We've been lucky that we've been able to do that."

Indian vigil along Bangladesh border: Barbed wire fence now to have floodlight

Desk Report

The Indian Government is going to floodhit a part of border with Bangladesh along a length of 2,840 km to check trans-border movement of militants, illegal immigrants and border crimes. The land border is already fenced with barbed wire.

India shares a 4,096-km border with Bangladesh, of which 2,979 km is the land border and 1,116 km over rivers.

'The BSF has also installed sophisticated gadgets including thermal night vision device (TNVD) and telescopic guns (TG) besides trained dogs to further tighten their vigil along the country's longest international border,' said Border Security Force (BSF) spokesman A.K. Singh.

The central home ministry report said that the government has decided to undertake floodlighting along that stretch of the India-Bangladesh border where barbed wire fencing has already been erected.

'The Rs.13.27 billion floodlighting project would commence soon and be completed by 2011-12,' the report added.

As a pilot project, 277 km of the India-Bangladesh border with West Bengal was floodlit two years ago.

India created a full-fledged border management department in 2004 under the central home ministry for the proper management of the country's 15,107-km land border and coastline (including island territories) of 7,517 km.

The Indian government has stepped up vigil along its border with Bangladesh by increasing troop strength and setting up more border out posts (BOPs). Now it has decided to floodlight almost the entire land stretch of the border, except in a few hilly patches where it would not be feasible or effective.

'As per the recommendations of the Subrahmanyam committee report on the Kargil conflict, New Delhi has been working in strengthening security along the 4,096-km India-Bangladesh border,' said J.A. Khan, a BSF inspector general.

The committee, which was headed by security expert K. Subrahmanyam, was formed after the Kargil conflict in 1999.

'The distance between the two BOPs has been reduced from 15 km to about 4-5 km now and the strength of BSF battalions doubled,' Khan told IANS.

'Curbing activities and interests hostile to the country, facilitation of legitimate trade and commerce are among the principal objectives of border management,' the home ministry report added.

The border management department has also undertaken a Rs.3.82-billion scheme to set up seven Integrated Check Posts (ICPs) between India and Bangladesh at Petrapole, Hili and Chandrabangha in West Bengal, Sutarkhandi in Assam, Dawki in Meghalaya, Akhaurah in Tripura and Kawarpuchiah in Mizoram.

'These ICPs would house all regulatory agencies like immigration, customs, border security together with support facilities like parking, warehousing, banking, hotels, telecommunications, drinking water and sanitation in a single complex equipped with all modern amenities,' the report added.

According to the report, the government has already approved a proposal for setting up of a Land Ports Authority of India (LPAI) for supervision, management and maintenance of ICPs, which are also being set up along India's border with Pakistan, Myanmar and Nepal.

The bill on LPAI is being finalised and is expected to be introduced in parliament soon.

Quit Georgia, Bush asks Russia : US forces ready to deliver aid

BBC, Online

President George W Bush has said the US will use military aircraft and naval forces to deliver aid to Georgia following its conflict with Russia.

He also urged Russia to respect a ceasefire agreement with Georgia. President Bush said the US was concerned about reports of continuing Russian military action in Georgia.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to fly to France for talks with Nicolas Sarkozy before travelling to Tbilisi to express US support, he said.

He said he would direct US Defence Secretary Robert Gates to begin a "vigorous and ongoing" humanitarian mission to Georgia, headed by the US military.

"We expect Russia to honour its commitment to allow in all forms of humanitarian assistance," Bush added. Bush's address in Washington came amid reports that violence has flared in Georgia, where Russian tanks have been seen patrolling the town of Gori, near the breakaway region of South Ossetia. The US president said Russia's ongoing actions had "raised serious questions about its intentions in Georgia and the region".

"Russia must keep its word and act to end this crisis," Bush said.

Russia said its forces had dismantled and destroyed military hardware and ammunition at an undefended Georgian military base near Gori on Wednesday.

A Russian military statement said the action was taken in the interest of demilitarising the conflict zone.

Russian troops and paramilitaries rolled into the strategic Georgian city of Gori on Wednesday, apparently violating a truce designed to end the six-day conflict that has uprooted tens of thousands and scarred the Georgian landscape.

Georgian officials said Gori, a central hub on Georgia's main east-west highway, was being looted and bombed by the Russians.

Moscow denied the claim, but it appeared to be on a technicality: a BBC reporter in Gori reported that Russians tanks were in the streets as their South Ossetian separatist allies seized Georgian cars, looted Georgian homes and then set some homes ablaze."Russia has treacherously broken its word," Georgia's Security Council chief Alexander Lomaia said Wednesday in Tbilisi, the capital.

To the west, Russian-backed Abkhazian separatists pushed Georgian troops out of Abkhazia and even moved into Georgian territory itself, defiantly planting a flag over the Inguri River and laughing that retreating Georgians had received "American training in running away."

The twin developments came less than 12 hours after Georgia's president said he accepted a cease-fire plan brokered by France. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Tuesday that Russia was halting military action because Georgia had paid enough for its attack last Thursday on South Ossetia.

Sweets off 'Barat’ menu

Talha Bin Habib

The price of sugar, ata, maida, suji has increased by at least Tk 2 to Tk 3 per kg in the different city markets just days before Shab-e-Barat, the night of fortune.

Traditionally the Muslims used these commodities for preparing sweet food items on the holy occasion, which will be observed tomorrow night.

Retailers blamed the wholesalers for deliberately increasing the price by capitalising on the holy occasion.

But the wholesalers blamed some distributors for creating artificial shortfall that resulted in the sudden price hike of these essential items.

Excessive greed of some businessmen was draining people's meagre resources, said customers in the city. They called upon the businessmen not to make excessive profit during the holy month of Ramzan.

When asked to comment on the excessive price hike by some businessmen, an influential leader of FBCCI said they have no authority to compel them to make less and rational profit but could be motivated to do so.

Per kg of sugar was sold at Tk 35 to Tk 36, which was Tk 34 and Suji of different brands was sold at Tk 60 to Tk 64, which was Tk 56 to Tk 60 in the city market yesterday.

Different brands of two kg packet of ata was sold at Tk 78 to Tk 80 which was Tk 75 and maida between Tk 88 to Tk 90 which was Tk 80 to Tk 85 previously.

Soybean oil was sold at Tk 112 to Tk 114 per kg while super palm oil was at Tk 98 to Tk 100 yesterday in the city market.

Draft coal policy returned to the ministry

Staff Reporter

The Council of Advisers yesterday asked the Energy Ministry to place the draft National Coal Policy again after further scrutiny for final approval.

"We have discussed in detail the draft National Coal Policy, but we could not arrive at a final decision on it," Commerce Adviseer Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman said while briefing reporters on the outcome of the maiden meeting of the Council of Advisers in the port city held at the Chittagong Circuit House.

The advisers expressed themselves in favour of further examination of the draft national coal policy before final approval by the council, he added.

Meanwhile, highly placed sources in the Energy Ministry said that the council of advisers at the meeting held detailed discussions on the royalty issues, licenses for exploration or extraction from coal-fields, land, water and environmental issues before and after extraction.

The draft national coal policy failed to get final nod at the meeting, as the advisers were not unanimous in their views on different vital issues, sources added.

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed presided over the council of advisers meeting.

The draft national coal policy has discouraged export of coal considering the demand for energy in the country. It has also suggested awarding exploration and development license of any coalfield to only state run organisation, which will be able to embark on joint venture through competitive bidding.

The draft policy also recommended formation of a separate state-run organisation to be styled 'Khani Bangla' to oversee the coal and mine related activities. It also suggested constitution of a coal sector development committee to fix the royalty rate.

As per the draft coal policy, licenses for exploration or extraction from any coal-field will be awarded through open tenders, whereas the existing rules say that the licenses would be awarded on first-come-first-served basis, said sources.

On royalty rate issue, the mining rules said that the royalty on coal extraction would be 6 per cent for open-pit mines and 5 per cent for underground mines, whereas the policy says that a proposed coal sector development committee will fix the royalty.

The energy division of Bangladesh sent a draft coal policy to the council of advisers for approval two weeks back, sources said.

Khulna city BNP demands repoll in cities, pourashavas

Khulna Correspondent

Member secretary of city BNP Shaharuzzaman Murtaza demanded re-election in all the four city corporations and nine pourashavas and resignation of Chief Election Commissioner and Deputy Election Commissioner in a press conference held at Khulna Press Club yesterday.

Referring to the incident of the recovering counterfoil of ballot paper in the street recently in the city Shaharuzzaman Murtaza said that when a good number of voters of Khulna City Corporation could not go to polling cantre due to continuous heavy rain from 2:00pm to 4:10pm how could the casting of vote be 81 per cent ?.

Secretary general of BNP Khondaker Delwer Hossain in his press conference on August 3 last correctly commented that the election conducted by the Election Commission was nothing but a ploy to dispute their pet men in the post of the local body organisations, he said.

He further said that the Election Commission which could not conduct the election in four city corporations and nine pourashavas neutrally cannot conduct the parliamentary and upazila elections fairly, so they must quit their posts."

He also demanded immediate unconditional release of party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, sending Tarique Zia abroad for medical treatment and release of local BNP leader former MP Ali Asgar Lobi immediately.

He also said that he came to know from the police that huge number of counter foils had been burnt to destroy the alamat.

Election agents of mayoral candidate of BNP Moniruzzaman Mony, Abu Zafar, Sirajul Islam and Adv Taslima Khatun Chanda were present among the local leaders in the press conference.

TCB to import essentials ahead of Ramzan

BSS, Dhaka

Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB), a state run enterprise, have decided to import essentials like pulses, editable oil, onion and gram to keep the market price of the commodities at a tolerable level during the holy month of Ramzan.

The TCB will import 3,000 tonnes of pulses, 3,000 tonnes of soybean oil, 500 tonnes of gram and 200 tonnes of onion. These essentials will be available in the market ahead of Ramzan, TCB sources said on Wednesday.

It said tenders were invited on August 11 for importing the essentials. TCB also decided to purchase sugar from the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) for open market sale to the market stable.

SC backs HC freeze on Hasina’s cases

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The Supreme Court yesterday upheld High Court orders that froze proceedings of two cases against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, charging her with corruption in the setting up of power plants and a gas exploration deal with Niko.

A five-strong Appellate Division bench led by chief justice MM Ruhul Amin also instructed both the parties to take initiatives for the quick disposal of two petitions filed by Hasina with the High Court challenging the two cases against her.

The order confirms a halt on the proceedings of the two cases in the trial court, lawyers said.

Sheikh Hasina's lawyer, Barrister Shafique Ahmed told reporters after the order that the Appellate Division denied the government's leave to appeal against the High Court stay orders.

"To resolve the government appeal, the Supreme Court instructed both parties to take steps for the speedy hearing of the writs under trial in the High Court. Once we get the copy of the Appellate Division order, we will take initiative for hearing of the writs," Barrister Ahmed said.

On July 7, the High Court stayed for two months the court proceedings of the two cases involving barge-mounted power plant and Niko graft charges against Sheikh Hasina.

During the hearing at the Appellate Division, Sheikh Hasina's counsel Barrister Rafique-ul-Haque said due process was followed in these two cases.

"For any cases filed by Anticorruption Commission it is mandatory to take approval in three phases. This approval should be taken while filing the case, during charge-framing and when the trail court takes the case into cognizance. But in these two cases, the relevant clause of the law had not been followed," he said.

Attorney General Salah Uddin Ahmed told the court that the two cases were duly approved. "The Anticorruption Commission approved the cases before filing the case and also while framing charges. No law has been violated in this respect."

The ACC on Sept 2, 2007, filed a case against Sheikh Hasina and six others with Tejgaon Police Station on charges of taking Tk 3 crore in bribes for awarding the work of installing three barge-mounted power plants.

On Sept 20, the government transferred the case under emergency powers rules. Charges were pressed on Jan 11.

The Anticorruption Commission filed the Niko graft case accusing seven, including Sheikh Hasina, on Dec 9 last year.

It has been alleged in the case that the accused caused losses of Tk 13630.50 crore to the state by offering three gas fields-Chhatak, Kamta and Feni - to Niko, a Canadian company, through unsolicited bid. The ACC later pressed charges against nine people, including Sheikh Hasina, in this case.

9 killed, 30 injured in road accidents

Four persons were killed as a passenger bus plunged
into a roadside ditch on Mawa-Bhanga Road in Faridpur
yesterday. Focus Bangla

Staff Reporter

At least nine people were killed and 36 others seriously injured in separate road accidents in different districts on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Four people were killed and 32 others injured in a road crash at Atadia under Bhanga poura area in Faridpur district yesterday morning. The deceased were identified as Jesmin, 22, of Bagerhat district and Abdul Gafur, 34, of Patia upazila of Chittagong district while the identity of the two others could not be known immediately.

Police and local people said a Bagerhat-bound bus of Ekota Paribahan from Chittagong skidded off the road and plunged into a nearby water-filled ditch at about 7:15am leaving two passengers dead on the spot and injuring 34 others.

Local people rescued the passengers of the bus that went under 10-ft water in the ditch.

Later, two bodies were recovered from inside the bus after it was salvaged.

The injured were admitted to Bhanga Upazila Health Complex where condition of eight was stated to be critical.

In another incident, an unidentified young man died instantly when a bus ran over him at Shahjanpur area in Dhaka city yesterday.

Two pedestrians were killed in separate road accidents in Bogra district town on Tuesday.

Police and local people said a microbus knocked down Nazrul, 39, son of Shahidul Islam of Naruri area of the district town, in Godarpara Charmatha area on Tuesday morning and killed him on the spot.

A schoolgirl was killed on the spot when a truck ran over her at a bus terminal in Satkhira district on Tuesday morning.

The deceased was identified as Mamtaj Parvin, 14, daughter of Mujibar Rahman of Patarakhola village in Shyamnagar upazila and a student of class IX of Patarakhola Girls' High School.

A three-wheeler 'Nasimon' turned turtle at Rupdia on Kotchandpur-Jamalpur road in Kotchandpur upazila in Jhenidah district on Tuesday at about 10am and killing its driver Salauddin, 40, on the spot and injuring four passengers. The injured were admitted to local hospital.