The New Nation - Internet Edition

Radharaman’s songs still enthral audience

Noted artiste Ajit Roy unveils CD of artiste
Bishwajit Roy on songs of Radharaman at the National Museum
yesterday. NN photo

Staff Reporter

Noted Tagore artiste Ajit Roy yesterday at a function unveiled the cover of a CD on songs of Radharaman by artiste Bishwajit Roy.

The function was held at the Shaheed Zia Auditorium of the National Museum in the city organised by Nibedan, a musical troupe.

The programme was divided into two parts. On the first part, the CD was launched and on the second part, artiste Bishwajit rendered songs of Radharaman.

Prof Anisuzzaman, Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Ramendu Majumder, Prof Jatin Sarkar, Dr Syed Manjurul Islam, Nasiruddin Yusuf, Mohammad Rafiquzzaman, Tagore artiste Tapan Mahmud, Sadhan Das, Sutopa Roy, among others, spoke at the inaugural session.

Noted artiste and President of Nibedan Anup Bhattacharya chaired the session, while Mahmud Selim moderated the function.

Anup in his speech said, "Nibedan has been working with the creative songs. Earlier, it has organised 'songs of post-Rabindranath,' 'Bangla songs of twenty first century' and reception to Amar Shil and his songs. Bishwajit Roy has been working with the songs of Radharaman for many days. This is the first time in Dhaka that a CD of Radharaman" was released.

Later at the solo musical soiree artiste Bishwajit Roy rendered songs of Radharaman. Artiste Bishwajit rendered songs where Debabrata Chowdhury assisted him on tabla, Almas Ali on behala,

Md Tanvir Daud Rony on keyboard, Rezaur Rahman on guitar, Hossain Ali on flute and Jharu Mia on percussion.

Production house Commitment Products and music distribution house Laser Vision took the initiative to launch the CD of Radharaman.

Both Radharaman (1833-1915) and Hasan Raza (1854-1922) were the contemporary artistes. Both hailed from Sunamganj. Forefathers of Radharaman were residents of Birbhum district in India. But he was born at Keshabpur village in Jagannathpur upazila in Sunamganj. The number of songs, which were written by Radharaman, was uncountable. From his songs it is said that he composed about 2,000 songs. Besides Sunamganj, his songs are popular in Mymensingh, urban areas of Assam and Tripura and some parts in Comilla. Basically 'Kirtan' and 'Dhamail' songs are known as Radharaman's songs in those areas.

Barack Obama launches historic campaign

Barack Obama

BBC Online

Barack Obama has accepted the Democratic Party's historic nomination to run for president of the US in front of a crowd of some 75,000 people.

In an address at the party's national convention in Denver, he promised he would do his best to keep alive the American dream of opportunity for all.

"America, we are better than these last eight years," he told cheering crowds. "We are a better country than this."

Obama is the first African-American to be nominated by a major US party.

In his speech at Denver's Invesco stadium, Obama promised to reverse the economic downturn afflicting the US and restore the nation's standing in the world.

I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom

"We are here because we love this country too much to let the next four years look just like the last eight years," he said.

He also attacked the record of the Bush administration and his Republican rival for the presidency, John McCain.

"This moment - this election - is our chance to keep, in the 21st Century, the American promise alive."

Obama criticised McCain as out of touch with the concerns of ordinary Americans and said he had failed to help them on issues such as the economy, health care and education.

He also stressed that he would call for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, whereas McCain stood "alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war", he said.

"I will restore our moral standing, so that America is once again that last best hope for all who are called to the cause of freedom, who long for lives of peace, who yearn for a better future," he said.

He rejected criticism by the McCain campaign that he is a "celebrity", pointing to his family's past financial hardships, and said his rival should stop questioning his patriotism.

In a final rallying call, Obama recalled the message of Martin Luther King, who - 45 years ago to the day - gave his "I have a dream" speech in his historic march on Washington.

"America, we cannot turn back," he said. "We cannot walk alone. At this moment, in this election, we must pledge once more to walk into the future."

Joined on stage by his family and running-mate, Joe Biden, Obama was given a standing ovation by the crowds.

Earlier in the day, McCain ran a TV advert in which he congratulated Obama on the historic nature - and date - of his nomination, saying it was "truly a good day for America".

Action plan to combat climate change challenges stressed

BSS, Cox's Bazar

Experts at a media workshop on Friday stressed the need for formulating a long-term action plan for Bangladesh to face the challenges of the climate change.

Participating in the inaugural session of the two-day 'Media Workshop on MDGs and Climate Change' at a local hotel here, they said the country's food security will be the most affected area by climate change.

"The country should explore new fund, its own resources and foreign aid to formulate the action plan which will have to be friendly both to environment and the industrialization for sustainable development," IUCN Country Representative Dr Ainun Nishat told the workshop.

Organized by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the workshop was addressed, among others, by noted economist Dr Atiur Rahman, assistant country director of UNDP KAM Morshed, publicity adviser of UNDP Anir Chowdhury and its programme manager Kalyan Pandey as resource persons.

Ainun Nishat said there will be unusual increase in rainfall, drought, flood, cyclones, river and coastal erosion by the next 15 years.

"The situation is so critical that if all of the world stop breathing to reduce Carbondioxide, even then it will take 40 years to make a pollution-free world. The climate has changed clearly occurring heavy rainfall in unusual times" he said.

Ainun Nishat laid emphasis on using eco-friendly modern technology for development so that the country's industrialization is not hampered.

"There are some difficulties to ensure emission of green house gas and at the same time smooth industrialization. But it is not impossible. Bangladesh will have to import latest technology spending much more money," he said.

Dr Nishat said the government will have to take right and bold decision to face the challenges of the global climate change.

He said the huge fund that will be needed to implement the action plan will be materialized from the developed world, responsible for the present state of the underdeveloped and developing countries.

Quoting statistics, Morshed said 28,000 people die every day due to poverty-related causes and 11 million children die each year, mostly from preventable diseases.

To achieve the MDGs, he said, hunger and poverty should be eradicated.

Plan to raise tea output, boost export

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh Tea Board (BTB) is implementing four projects to ensure supply of high yield variety (HYV) tea plants, fertilisers and sprayers and provide training for small tea growers in improved tea cultivation.

The projects are aimed to raise production and quality, and boost export earnings, said BTB sources.

One of the BTB projects, Small Holding Tea Cultivation in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), was started in August, 2003 at an estimated cost of Taka 10.29 crore.

The project, due to be completed by July 2010, was designed to motivate the small farmers to cultivate tea in small holdings, create self- employment, alleviate poverty and improve the socio- economic condition of the poor farmers.

Under this project, farmers will be organized in small holdings to grow tea plants in an area of 100 hectares of land at Rangamati, 100 hectares at Khagrachari and 300 hectares at Bandarban.

The project would help utilize the privately owned and uneconomic lands of the CHT in a more productive and economic way.

The sources said 10.2 percent work of the project, sponsored by the commerce ministry, was completed spending Taka 1.08 crore till May this year.

The Board is implementing the "Expansion of Tea Export by Raising and Distributing HYV Clonal Tea Plants to the Poor Ethnic Small Growers of Bandarban Hill District" at a cost of Taka 9.36 crore under the sponsorship of the European Commission.

The project was taken to alleviate poverty of the ethnic small growers of Bandarban hill district and improve their living standard and impart knowledge, skill and training to small growers and project related officers of BTB in small tea holding concept and tea culture.

The project is aimed to facilitate tea production by raising 1,500,000 HYV clonal tea plants for distribution to the poor ethnic small growers at Bandarban for planting in the field and also to facilitate more production of tea to meet growing internal demand and for export.

Till May this year, the sources said, 70.3 percent of the project work was completed. The project would be completed by September this year.

The Tea Board's "Development of Small Holding Tea Cultivation in Northern Bangladesh" project began on January 2002 to be completed by December 2009.

The Board in collaboration with Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) is implementing the project under the sponsorship of the commerce ministry.

The aim of the project is to alleviate poverty through job creation and other income generating activities, train the farmers and acquaint them with the different released verities.

One of the objectives of the project is to organize the farmers of northern districts of the country to grow tea in an area of 600 hectares and also to establish one demonstration plot and two nucleus plots, each of 1.00 acre, to disseminate the technical know-how for tea plantation and supply planting materials.

The Taka 10.97 crore project is being funded by the Tea Board and RAKUB and so far 66 percent work has been done at a cost of Taka 1.74 crore.

The project titled "Rehabilitation and Development of 44 Least Developed Tea Estates (LDTEs) in Greater Sylhet and Chittagong Districts" was started in July 2004 to organize and motivate the owners and management of LDTEs for bringing their land utilization ratio close to National Tea Land usage target by planting tea.

$1,404m deal to set up industries at EPZs

BSS, Dhaka

A total of 78 companies signed investment agreements worth US dollar 1,404 million during the last fiscal year to set up various industrial units in the country's eight Export Processing Zones (EPZs).

Besides, US dollar 302.19 million actual investments were made in 283 running industrial units in these EPZs, officials of Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) said here on Friday.

They also said that the trend of investment in 2007-08 was 148 percent higher than the previous year's level when the actual investment increased by 98 percent.

During the last fiscal year, the actual investment was US dollar 126.46 million at Chittagong EPZ, US dollar 110.34 million at Dhaka EPZ, US dollar 9.72 million at Comilla EPZ, US dollar 33.71 million at Adamjee EPZ, US dollar 0.15 million at Uttara EPZ, US dollar 18.34 million at Karnaphuli EPZ, US dollar 1.43 million at Ishurdi EPZ, and US dollar 2.03 million at Mongla EPZ.

The total actual investment in the EPZs till June this year amounted to US dollar 1,434.45 million, the officials said adding that the industries in the EPZs exported products worth US dollar 2,429.58 million in 2007-08. It was US dollar 2,063.67 million during the 2006-07 financial year.

During the last fiscal year, a total of 140 industrial units at Chittagong EPZ exported products worth US dollar 1,117.17 million, while 96 units at Dhaka EPZ exported goods worth US dollar 1,146.50 million, 18 units at Comilla EPZ US dollar 131.38 million, 12 units at Mongla EPZ US dollar 8.26 million, 5 units at Uttara EPZ US dollar 0.95 million, 3 units at Ishurdi EPZ US dollar 1.21 million, 5 units at Adamjee EPZ US dollar 15.10 million and 4 units at Karnaphuli US dollar 9.86 million.

The total number of workers in these EPZs is 2,18,299 and another 400,000 are indirectly doing various jobs there, the officials said.

As many as 17,130 Bangladeshi workers got employment in different units of these EPZs during the last fiscal year. Of them, 6,805 workers were employed at Chittagong EPZ, 1,029 at Dhaka EPZ, 218 at Mongla EPZ, 1,672 at Comilla EPZ, 388 at Uttara EPZ, 4,173 at Adamjee EPZ, 29 at Ishurdi EPZ, and 2,816 at Karnaphuli EPZ.

Six private companies signed agreements as Service Oriented Industry to operate and maintain six power plants with 50 MW capacity each at six EPZs to generate a total 300 MW electricity. Some foreign firms have also applied for setting up power plants in other EPZs, they said.

After these power plants are established, the officials said uninterrupted power supply will be ensured in these industrial unites of the EPZs. Besides, they added, excess power could be added to the national grid after meeting demands in the EPZs.

The officials said that the private companies would be offered for establishing water treatment plants and effluent treatment plants in the EPZs.

CUTA polls today

Chittagong Correspondent

The long-awaited election of Chittagong University Teachers Association (CUTA) will be held today to elect 11 members of its executive body.

The district administration has given permission for holding the CUTA election that will take place at the auditorium of the Commerce Faculty.

Voting begins at 9:00 am and will continue until 1:30 p.m. without break.

Some 22 candidates from Awami League and left leaning parties backed Yellow Panel and BNP and Jamat-e-Islami supported White Panel will vie for 11 posts of the executive body of the association.

The voter list comprises 610 faculty members. Meanwhile, 61 voters have already cast their votes in advance at the office of CUTA on Wednesday and Thursday.

Dr. Mohammad Kamal Hossain, Professor of Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, from Yellow Panel and Dr. Ershad Kamal Khan, Professor of Economics department, from White Panel will vie for the post of president .

Associate Professor of Botany department Dr. Mohammad Kamrul Huda from the Yellow panel and Professor of Statistics department Mohammad Abdul Karim from White panel will are in the race for the post of general secretary.

Professor of Philosophy department Mohammad Absar Ali has been made chief election commissioner while Associate Professor of Statistics Department Chandan Kumar Poddar and Associate Professor of Marketing department Hossain Shaheed Sorwardi will act as assistant election commissioners to conduct the election.

Badruddoza seeks more time for registration

Bdnews24.com, Brahmanbaria

Bikalpadhara Bangladesh president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury has said political parties needed more time beyond the Oct 15 deadline to register with the Election Commission.

He also said he believed Upazila elections had better be held before the parliamentary polls.

"Registration is necessary. But it is not possible within the deadline fixed by the Election Commission. More time has to be set aside," Badruddoza said at an organisational training programme of his party's Nabinagar Upazila unit in Brahmanbaria yesterday.

"No political party held Upazila or Zila Parishad elections in the last 16 years. So, the people now don't trust the political parties. Holding Upazila elections before the Jatiya Sangsad elections under the present caretaker government is necessary."

The former president asked the government to start trying war criminals, saying Jamaat-e-Islami opposed independence, and aided and abetted the Pakistani aggressors.

DSE attained soft stability last week

UNB, Dhaka

The country's prime bourse maintained a soft stability last week after bouncing back in the previous week following a slump for nine consecutive weeks.

The DSE General Index (DGEN) increased 59 points or 2 percent to close at 2,765 at the end of the 4-day trading week on Thursday. The All Share Price Index (DSI) also rose 2 percent to close at 2,369 points.

"We can say the market attained a soft stability last week as we're not sure that the rising trend would continue to recover the market losses since June 1," said a senior executive from an institutional investor.

The market shed 637 points during a period between June 1 to August 19. The market bounced back from the bearish trend on the following two days of August 20 and 21, recovering about 134 points.

"If the market trend continues for another 1-2 weeks, the index would be stabilized further and new investors would be interested in the market," said the executive.

During the last week, total turnover increased by 29 percent to Tk 10.67 billion while shares of A category contributed 84 percent. Daily average turnover was Tk 2.67 billion.

The price earning of the stocks increased by about 2 percent over the previous week to 20 percent. Market capitalization increased by about 2 percent to Tk 963 billion.

Top gainers of the week by closing price were ICB, Peoples Insurance, Ist BSRS, Popular Life, Lexco, Agrani Insurance, National Polymer, Prime Islami Life Insurance, Reliance Insurance and Eastern Cables.

Top losers were Pubali Bank, Maq Enterprise, Kohinoor Chemicals, Bangladesh Thai Aluminium, Renwick Jajneswar, Wonderland Toys, Jamuna Bank, Rahim Textile, National Bank and Shahjalal Islami Bank.

Turnover leaders of the week were Titas Gas, Beximco Pharma, BEXIMCO, Islami Bank, AB Bank, Lankabangla Finance Company, Uttara Bank, Keya Cosmetics, ACI Limited and Square Pharma.

Draft coal policy to be placed before cabinet divn again

UNB, Dhaka

The Ministry of Energy plans to place again the draft coal policy before the Cabinet Division by end of September, clarifying all the queries that have cropped up over the mining modalities concerning the country's important natural wealth.

According to official sources, the Energy Division is now preparing responses to the queries asked by the Advisors in the recent meeting of the Council of Advisors in the port city of Chittagong.

The Council of Advisors of the caretaker government sent back the draft national coal policy to the Energy Division for more review and vetting when the members of the Council of Advisors raised different queries about the proposed policy.

Sources said most of the advisors put up questions about the rehabilitation and land reclamation provisions laid down in the draft policy, which proposed not to give back the acquired land to its original owners after completion of coal mining.

They also registered difference of opinion on royalty-fixation provision, which the draft policy made flexible for a government's high-powered committee.

Another provision of the draft policy regarding the share offloading of the coalmine-developing companies drew questions from the Advisors.

They felt that the Securities and Exchange Commission should be the appropriate authority in dealing with the matter while draft policy provides a specific procedure.

The Energy Division is preparing the answers and suggestions accommodating the views of the Advisors.

"We're trying to respond to all the queries asked by the meeting of the Council of Advisors," Energy Secretary Mohammad Mohsin told UNB.

He mentioned that the Energy Division plans to complete the job shortly and place the draft policy before the Cabinet Division by end of September.

The immediate-past BNP-led alliance government had started the process of preparing coal policy, in view substantial deposits of the mineral fuel in the country's northern region-the discoveries that unfolded a second boon after natural gas.

A high-powered technical committee headed by a former BUET Vice-chancellor prepared the latest draft policy and submitted to the Energy Division in January this year.

Later, the Energy Division made some changes to the draft and placed it for approval by the Council of Advisors.

There is a huge potential to develop the country's coal sector with a reserve of about 2.5 billion tons. But the Energy Ministry is not moving to tap the potential because of lack of a national coal policy, which is also a cause of the recent chaos over the methodology of planned Phulbari coal mining.

Country's energy experts believe that the coal could be the alternative fuel to generate electricity while the natural gas is depleting.

Iceland President arrives

UNB, Dhaka

Iceland President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson arrived in Dhaka last night on a three-day official visit.

He landed at Zia International Airport by an aircraft of Arab Emirates Airlines at about 8:15pm.

He is scheduled to meet President Iajuddin Ahmed, Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and other government high officials during his visit.

He is also schedule to attend the concluding symposium on climate change at Hotel Sonargaon on Saturday. He is scheduled to leave Dhaka tomorrow.

Hasina to return home Sept 22/23

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Awami League president Sheikh Hasina is likely to fly back home on Sept 22 or 23, her personal physician said yesterday.

Prof Syed Modasser Ali told bdnews24.com the former prime minister would have a check-up at Johns Hopkins Hospital on Sept 3.

Ali also said Hasina, who has been temporarily released from detention pending trial, would go to the special jail set up in the parliament complex from the airport.

"Sheikh Hasina will return on September 22 or23. And she will go directly to the special jail from the airport," he said by telephone.

Acting Awami League president Zillur Rahman said, "Apparently Prof Modasser Ali said this on the basis of his round-the-clock contact with Sheikh Hasina."

On Hasina's going directly to the prisons on return home, Zillur said, "This is a legal matter. At this moment I cannot say anything on this."

Ali also told bdnews24.com, "If necessary, an appeal would be made to the government to extend her release."

FAO help for food security assured

UNB, Dhaka

A visiting high official of United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) here on Friday assured Bangladesh of providing necessary support in its efforts to ensure food security.

Making a courtesy call on Finance and Planning Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam at Planning Ministry, FAO Asia Pacific Region head Hey Cheng Chyue also assured to provide assistance in the country's fight against bird flu, ongoing agriculture census and agriculture research activities.

"Bangladesh has got what is necessary for food security. If the country can utilise the potential, food security will be ensured," he told reporters after the meeting.

Dr Aziz said that the FAO official emphasised on developing hybrid as well as deep and saline water-resistant seeds to increase food production in the country while assuring technical assistance in this regard, if necessary.

He said Cheng appreciated Bangladesh for taking food security measures like increasing endowment fund for agriculture research and climate change fund.

The Adviser said that they have undertaken initiatives on the issues of food security while the country has already made some progress in developing saline water-resistant seeds.

FAO country representative Ad. Spijkers was present at the meeting.