The New Nation - Internet Edition

Saudi donation for beautification of baitul mukarram mosque

DU Correspondent

Saudi Ambassador to Dhaka Dr Abdullah Bin Naser Al-Busairi yesterday handed over two cheques for the beautification of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.

The cheques of Tk one crore and 37 lakh each were issued in favour of construction company M/s GBB and M/s Siddique & co.

Hasan Jahangir Alam, secretary of Islamic Foundation Bangladesh received the cheques while representatives of the construction company were present on the occasion, said a press release.

Iftekhar asks CW chief to send poll observers to Bangladesh

UNB, New York

Foreign Adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury yesterday held a meeting with the Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly Session in New York.

The Foreign Adviser briefed him about the latest situation at home on implementation of the Road Map leading to general elections on December 18, according to a Foreign Ministry press release.

Iftekhar invited the CW chief to send an Observer team during the elections. He also extended him an invitation to visit Bangladesh.

The Secretary General agreed to visit Bangladesh in the last week of October, the press release said.

Speaking to media later, the Foreign Adviser termed Kamalesh as "old friends" and said "we agreed that the Commonwealth and Bangladesh would also work together on disaster management."

Police officer held for extortion in Ctg

UNB, Chittagong

A junior police officer and his source were arrested yesterday for extortion of Tk 2.80 lakh from a businessman at Hathazari.

Assistant sub-inspector Habibur Rahman of Halishahar thana was arrested from his Sabujbagh residence in the morning. On interrogation he admitted his guilt and returned Tk 2.77 lakh of the extortion money saying the rest Tk 3,000 were given to two police sources Zahid and Javed.

Zahid was later arrested but Javed went into hiding.

Prosecuted to the court, ASI Rahman and source Zahid were sent to prison in the afternoon.

Police said Rahman along with two police sources went to the residence of Saiful Islam, a businessman of Najumiarhat in Hatazari thana Tuesday night. They threatened him of arrest for alleged involvement in hundi trade and possession of huge hundi money. Under coercion Saiful paid the police officer Tk 2.80 lakh.

Soon Saiful filed a case with Hathazari thana that in turn communicated to Halishahar thana.

Palin meets Kissinger, other leaders

Agency, New York

US Republican vice-president candidate Sarah Palin has met world leaders for the first time in what is widely seen as a crash course on foreign policy.

She met the leaders of Afghanistan and Colombia as well as former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger on the fringes of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The Alaska governor has faced strong criticism that she lacks experience in foreign policy.

She only got a passport last year and had not met a foreign head of state.

Analysts say Republicans want to bolster Sarah Palin's foreign policy credentials ahead of a debate with her Democratic counterpart Joe Biden.

Mrs Palin, the running-mate to presidential candidate John McCain, held brief meetings with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

Karzai and Mrs Palin discussed security problems in Afghanistan, including cross-border insurgencies.

Karzai later said she had "asked the right questions on Afghanistan".

Mrs Palin then met Uribe at the residence of Colombia's UN ambassador, discussing the fight against drugs and trade issues.

In her meeting with Henry Kissinger, Mrs Palin asked for insights on Georgia, Russia, China and Iran.

Correspondents say Mrs Palin is being prepared for a debate on 2 October with Biden, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and has broad knowledge of US foreign policy challenges.

On Wednesday, McCain and Mrs Palin are expected to meet jointly with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko.

Mrs Palin is then due to meet separately Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

An opinion poll released on Tuesday showed Democratic candidate Barack Obama holding slight leads in swing states like Michigan, Wisconsin, Colorado and Minnesota.

Auto-rickshaw drivers union demands CNG-run vehicles

UNB, Dhaka

Auto-rickshaw labour union leaders yesterday.

demanded that the government's promised 5,000 CNG-run auto-rickshaws be distributed among the genuine drivers.

Addressing a press conference at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), secretary of Dhaka District Auto-rickshaw, Auto-tempo, Mishuk Motor Vehicle Labour Union Md. Golam Faruque alleged that the distribution process of the government-announced 5,000 CNG-run auto-rickshaws was halted following a "false" case filed by the CNG-run Auto-rickshaw Owners' Association.

He said the Auto-rickshaw Owners' Association in a letter to the Communication Ministry had informed earlier that they do not need any auto-rickshaw. "But now they are opposing the government move without any valid reason," Faruque said.

He further said that the government had already signed agreement with their union to distribute the auto-rickshaws among the genuine drivers. Accordingly, about 3,500 drivers have submitted required papers along with their applications to the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).

No concession to defaulters during elections: EC

UNB, Dhaka

Loan and bill defaulters won't be given concession allowing them to contest the upcoming elections, the Election Commission made it clear following allegations that such persons are again in the queue.

"It's not the right information that the loan and bill defaulters are being given concession during the elections," Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain told reporters at his office on yesterday afternoon, referring to some newspaper reports.

Replying to a question, Sakhawat said the political parties should apply to the government for permission to arrange their party councils, meant for updating their manifestoes to adapt to the changed political milieu.

He also said the ballot papers for the general and upazila elections would be printed after completing the scrutiny of the candidatures.

"Some 10 to 15 symbols will remain on the ballots for upazila chairman elections," he said.

In reply, the Election Commissioner said the nomination submission for both the parliamentary and upazila elections might be completed in a single day, but the scrutiny could be completed within a day or two thereafter.

Sakhawat Hossain informed that the first consignment of the transparent ballot boxes arrived from Canada and a Canadian trainer would conduct one-hour-long training with some 30 people to introduce them to the use of the new type of voting boxes.

Replying to another question, he said the Additional Deputy Commissioners (ADCs) would act as returning officers during the upazila elections.

Asked whether one candidate could contest upazila and parliamentary polls both at a time, he said one candidate could apply for nomination in two places but he/she could not contest in two places.

"The candidature will be dropped out at one place during the scrutiny," he said.