The New Nation - Internet Edition

UK Parliamentary team calls on Dr Iftekhar

BSS, Dhaka

The visiting eight-member UK Parliamentary delegation headed by Keith Vaz, MP, called on the adviser for foreign affairs Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury at his office here on Wednesday.

They discussed the current point- based immigration system being introduced in the UK that will determine entry of foreign workers into that country, a foreign ministry release said.

The exact time-table for the new system will be introduced over the course of 2008-2009. The Committee will make recommendations with regard to adjustments based on their public interviews, for which purpose they also visited Sylhet.

Dr Chowdhury made a plea to allow for the entry of cooks and chefs to save the 'curry industry' in Britain, which is very much a part of the common Bangladesh- Britain culture. Bangladeshi restaurants in the UK require 12000-18000 workers at present.

The foreign adviser also apprised them of the Catering Institute that the Bangladesh Government is planning in Sylhet to train such chefs.

"We think it's an excellent idea, and we are very excited about it", Keith Vaz told the newsmen after the meeting.

He also said, Britain was Bangladesh's "best friend", a sentiment echoed by the foreign adviser.

UK High Commissioner Stephen Evans and Bangladesh High Commissioner to UK Shafi U Ahmed were present on the occasion.

Journalist for maintaining exiting communal harmony

BSS, Dhaka

Leaders of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union Journalists (DUJ) yesterday afternoon felicitated members of the Hindu community on the occasion of Durga Puja and urged all to maintain the existing communal harmony in the country.

The leaders made this call while addressing the devotees after exchanging pleasantries with them at Dhakeshwari Temple in the city.

They said Bangladesh is a land of communal harmony and from the time immemorial the believers of various faiths have been celebrating their festivals with full of joys. This trend must be maintained for better future of the country, they observed.

President and Secretary General of the BFUJ Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul and Abdul Jalil Bhuiyan, and President and General Secretary of the DUJ Shah Alamgir and Omar Faruque, and former BFUJ President Abul Kalam Azad addressed the function while Senior Vice-President of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Committee and former General Secretary of Jatiya Press Club Swapan Kumer Saha, and committee leaders Advocate Subrata Chowdhury and Tapas Pal welcomed the journalist leaders.

$120,000 polish grant for SIDR victims

BSS, Dhaka

Poland has provided 120,000 dollars to Bangladesh Red Crescent Society in aid of the SIDR victims.

It was handed over to Red Crescent chairman Professor Dr Abdur Rab on Wednesday by Councillor at the Polish embassy in India Arthur P Lompart when called on him during a visit to the society's headquarters.

The money would be used for house building of the victims of hurricane SIDR.

Honorary consul of Poland M Zakiul Islam accompanied Lompart, a release of the Red Crescent Society said.

Saudi help for agri research assured

BSS, Dhaka

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has assured Bangladesh of support in agricultural research especially in farming of dates.

The assurance came when the Saudi ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Bin Naser Al Bushairi called on Agricultural adviser Dr C S Karim on Wednesday at his Secretariat office here yesterday, a PID release said.

The ambassador also expressed interest on investment in vegetable farming, aimed at exporting fresh vegetables to Saudi Arabia.

During the meeting the adviser said, a draft proposal would be sent to the ambassador on Saudi investment and cooperation in agricultural sector by his ministry.

He expressed the hope a memorandum of understanding would be signed on the basis of the draft proposal, the release added.

Teachers registration exam Nov 14-15

BSS, Dhaka.

The fourth teachers' registration examination for qualifying for appointment to private educational institutions under monthly payment order(MPO) will now be held on November 14-15 (Friday and Saturday) instead of October 17 and 18 at 20 district headquarters of the country.

The dates for the examinations have been re-fixed due to unavoidable circumstances, a press release of Non-Government Teachers Registration and Attestation Authority (NTRCA) said here on Wednesday.

The schedules and venues of the examination will be unchanged. The examination will be held at the district headquarters of Dinajpur, Rangpur, Bogra, Rajshahi, Pabna, Kushtia, Jessore, Khulna, Jamalpur, Mymensingh, Tangail, Dhaka, Faridpur, Comilla, Noakhali, Chittagong, Barisal, Patuakhali, Sylhet and Rangamati, an official handout said.

The lists of the examinees and the examination venues/sub centers will be available on the NTRCA's website (www.ntrca.gov.bd) one week before the examination.

The admit cards of the examinees will be sent to their respective examination venues/sub centers one week before the examination.

The test on school level compulsory subjects will be held on November 14(Friday) from 9 am to 12 pm and the optional subjects from 2 pm to 5 pm. The examination on college level compulsory subjects will held on November 15 (Saturday) from 9 am to 12 pm and optional subjects from 2 pm to 5 pm.

B.Bank Repo auction held

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh Bank on Wednesday conducted Repo auction for commercial banks and financial institutions, said a BB release here.

One bid of 4-day tenor amounting to Taka 300.00 crore was received and the bid was accepted.

The rate of interest of the accepted bid was 8.75 percent per annum, the release added.