The New Nation - Internet Edition

Liquid milk buying frenzy: 3 foreign companies question DU lab findings

People queuing for liquid cow milk in a shop in the
city following contamination of powder milk. NN
photo

Staff Reporter

In the wake of media reports on melamine content of eight foreign milk products, people who have earlier bought powder milk are now buying liquid milk across the country.

Consequently, the sale of powder milk has dropped drastically in the market, sources said.

The government, in an official notice on Thursday last advised people against consuming eight foreign made powder milk until further notice, after the products tested positive for melamine content at the Dhaka University Chemistry Laboratory.

Three of the brands were imported from China, while the rest came from Denmark, Australia and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, representatives of the three multinational companies out of eight, whose products tested positive for melamine content, will meet with the Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman on Sunday to explain their product standard.

The three foreign companies are Nestle Bangladesh Limited, Arlafood Bangladesh Limited and New Zealand Dairy Milk Product Limited.

The industrial chemical, melamine, normally used in making plastic and fertiliser, is blamed for causing severe renal problems and kidney stones. Countries around the world have also withdrawn products containing Chinese milk following the scandal in China.

The eight are: Australian brands Diploma and Red Cow, Danish brand Dano Full Cream, Chinese brands Yashili-1, Yashili-2, Sweet Baby-2 and New Zealand brands Nido Fortified Instant and Anlene.

The eight brands had been tested in two other Bangladeshi laboratories but researchers found melamine in only one of the Chinese brand, a high official of Commerce Ministry said.

Milk powder of 36 brands has been collected so far from the markets for testing. Tests of 15 brands, including these eight, have already been completed, according to sources.

"There are no Nestle products made from milk adulterated with melamine," a senior official of the company said.

He said that Nestle was seeking clarification on the methodology of testing from Dhaka University.

He also pointed out that two laboratories outside Bangladesh had tested the same Nestle product and found it contained no melamine.

"We have always tested our products to keep its standard before releasing it in the market," he said.

The official said that the government had assured them of re-testing the products in a foreign laboratory.

The melamine milk powder scare, originating in China, has spread panic worldwide over the past month as more than 60,000 babies fell ill in China after drinking milk of two local brands. Four infants died.

Strong surge in Bangladesh cricket keeps Kiwis at bay

Mehrab Hossain (Junior) hits a delivery of Jacob
Oram (not in the picture) on the first day of the first Test
between Bangladesh and New Zealand at the Bir Sreshtha
Shaheed Ruhul Amin Stadium in Chittagong on Friday.
Internet

BSS, Chittagong

A defiant fifth wicket unbroken stand of 139 between Mehrab Hossain(jr) and Mushfiqur Rahim enabled Bangladesh to frustrate the Kiwi bowlers as they scored 183 for four wickets on the first day of the Brac Bank first Test against New Zealand at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Ruhul Amin Stadium here on Friday.

Southpaw Mehrab and wicketkeeper Mushfiqur came to the wicket with Bangladesh in dire straits at 44 for four in the 43rd over.

They stopped the rot with a brave unbroken fifth wicket partnership as Bangladesh total showed some respectability at 183 for four when the stumps were drawn on the first day of the first Test.

Mehrab was in his sublime best batting with aggression and caution to remain unbeaten on 79 runs studded with ten glittering boundaries.

The diminutive wicketkeeper Mushfiqur justified his skipper's faith in sending him to bat ahead of Shakib Al Hasan and Naeem Islam to support Mehrab and finished the day on an unbeaten 59 runs laced with nine boundaries and one effortless sixer.

Iain O'Brien and captain Daniel Vettori were the two successful New Zealand bowlers who took the early initiatives by capturing two wickets each. If the first two and a half sessions of the day belonged to the Kiwis, the last two and a half sessions saw two Bangladeshi youngsters Mehrab and Mushfiq defied the Kiwi bowlers to finish the day without any further blemish.

Early in the day, Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful won the important toss and elected to bat first without any hesitation.

Bangladesh's Australian Coach Jamie Siddons handed the test cap to debutant Naeem Islam who became the 51st cricketer to play Test matches for Bangladesh.

But Ashraful's move seemed backfired as the New Zealanders struck in the seventh ball of the match when Iain O'Brien trapped left-handed opener Zunaed Siddiqui in front of the wicket for a nought.

After Zunaed's dismissal Bangladesh batters went into the shell with the Kiwi bowlers dominating the hosts batsmen as Bangladesh crawled to 34 for one in the first session facing 32 overs.

But the standard of tight bowling by Kyle Mills and Iain O'Brien was hardly supported by New Zealand fielders who normally are credited as being one of the best fielding sides.

Wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum and Aaron Redmond at second slip and Jeetan Patel at short leg-off floored down regulation catches allowing Bangladesh to crawl to lunch without any further loss.

Bangladesh's other southpaw opener Tamim Iqbal (18 off 88) and Rajin Saleh (16 off 103) took full use of the Kiwi fielders' generous mood giving some respite to the vociferous holiday crowd.

But after lunch, captain and left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori and fast bowler O'Brien were not in that benevolent mood like their fielders as they reduced Bangladesh to 101 for 4 at tea.

O'Brien and Vettori captured took two wickets apiece to put New Zealand on a commanding position.

Tamim Iqbal, normally a very aggressive batsman, batted with utmost care but just second ball after the lunch, he lunged forward for an attempted drive off Vettori only to edge behind wicketkeeper McCullum, who made no mistake to grab it. He scored 18 taking 90 deliveries and struck two boundaries.

Rajin Saleh was the next to go, played on O'Brien deliveries on to his stumps after consuming 129 balls for his 20.

Skipper Ashraful to the dismay of the partisan crowd, missed Vettori full toss and was trapped lbw in the next over. Suddenly, Bangladesh from 34 for one were tottering at 44 for 4 after 43 overs.

Mehrab and Mushfiqur then led the fightback with a Bangladesh Test record unbroken fifth wicket partnership of 139 with the home fans cheering every single run. The previous record fifth wicket stand was between Aminul Islam Bulbul and Mohammad Ashraful of 126, achieved in 2001 against Sri Lanka.

Mehrab showed his top-order colleagues the way to play, slamming ten boundaries in his unbeaten 79 0ff 164 deliveries.

Mushfiqur was more subdued, plodding along to 59 off 145 balls.

It will be a vital first session tomorrow whether these two batsmen would score more runs to add some respectability to Bangladesh total or the Kiwi bowlers would like to polish off Bangladesh tail to allow their batsmen to take full control of the proceedings.

Sachin breaks Test batting record

Sachin

AP, Mohali

Sachin Tendulkar became the leading run-scorer in Test cricket Friday after passing Brian Lara's mark of 11,953.

Tendulkar achieved his latest batting record when he reached 16 with a glide through gully for three off Peter Siddle's first ball after tea on the first day of the second Test against Australia and pumped his fists as he took the runs.

Captain Ricky Ponting was the first of the Australians to shake Tendulkar's hand before play was held up for a couple of minutes while celebratory fireworks were let off.

Despite the significance of the achievement, there was only a small crowd on hand to see Tendulkar at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.

The 35-year-old batsman, playing his 152nd test, already owns the most hundreds in Tests with 39, three more than Ponting, and has 49 half centuries.

He also has the record for the most limited-overs runs with 16,361 from 417 one-day internationals.

Tendulkar started the second match of the four-Test series against Australia with 11,939 test runs at an average of 54.02 and had crept up on Lara's record.

In the three-match series against Sri Lanka earlier in the year he managed just 95 runs and added 13 and 49 in the first Test against the Australians in Bangalore.

Australia's Don Bradman, whose record consisted of 6,996 runs at an average of 99.96 in the 1930s and 40s, is considered the greatest test batsman of all time. Lara and Tendulkar are regularly placed on the next rung of stars.

When Bradman watched Tendulkar on television at the 1996 World Cup he said the Indians batting style reminder him of his own.

Lara, who played 131 Tests, overtook former Australia captain Allan Border's mark of 11,174 runs in Adelaide in November 2005.

Border saw Tendulkar's achievement in his role as a television commentator in India.

Lara's most significant innings were a world-record 400 against England in 2004, which overtook Matthew Haydens 380 as the highest score in Tests, and followed his 375 against the same team 10 years earlier.

Lara, who retired after the 2007 World Cup, made his 11,953 runs at an average of 52.88 with 34 centuries and 48 half centuries.

Tendulkar's highest score of 248 came in 2004 against Bangladesh and he has four double centuries, including 241 against Australia in 2004.

He made his Test debut as a 16-year-old in 1989 and has dominated bowling attacks all over the world over the past 17 years.

Affectionately known as 'The Little Master,' he is worshipped in India and receives a huge roar each time he plays the ball, makes a run or fields near the boundary.

AL vows to resist conspiracy to foil Dec 18 elections

Staff Reporter

Awami League acting president Zillur Rahman yesterday warned that any conspiracy to foil the parliamentary election on December 18 would be resisted by all means even by applying forcing.

Zillur was addressing the party leaders and workers when a team of Jubo League activists led by its General Secretary Mirza Azam, who was recently released after 22 months imprisonment, came to meet him at his Gulshan residence.

He apprehended that the achievements of the 1/11 political changeover would go in vain if the elections were not held in time.

"Holding elections in December 18 is a must to sustain the achievements of the government and the political parties in the last two years after 1/11 political changeover," Zillur asserted.

Asked to explain the resons for being sceptical about the parliamentary polls when the government has repeatedly assured that the election would be held in time, Zillur referred to the meeting of Jamaat's general secretary Ali Ahsan Md. Mujahid's meeting with the advisers at the Chief Adviser's office evading arrest The government has lost its credibility as the Chief Adviser did not hesitate to hold a meeting with such a person who is skipping arrest in a graft case, he added.

Zillur said the December 18 elections should not be deferred under any circumstances and the release of Sheikh Hasina is a must to hold the elections in a free and fair manner.

About the much-talked-about grand alliance, he said the arrangement of the grand alliance would be finalised after party chief Sheikh Hasina's return from the United States.

Advisor, sculptor at statue row

Hasanuzzaman Khan

The destruction of the statue built in memory of Lalan Shah, the 17th century mystic poet and the great Baul, has generated fresh row following conflicting statements of Mahbub Jamil, special Assistant in charge of Civil Aviation and the sculptor Mrinal Haque, the architect of the statue. They both opposed each other's statement.

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser in charge of Civil Aviation who is an ex-officio adviser, has said the statue built in front of Zia International Aiport (ZIA) symbolising mystic poet Fakir Lalan Shah was demolished, as it was not built as per specimen approved by the authority.

Mahbub Jamil said, an Islamic organisation demanded the removal of the statue built near Ashkona haj camp on the plea that erection of statue is against the spirit of Islam. The Islamic organisation bases argument on the tenet of the religion that Idolising any spirit of person is opposed to the intrinsic values of Islam. The special assistant, of course, said the authority has removed the statue on entirely a different consideration. And that consideration is that the sculpture has not been built as per specimen approved by the authority.

Mahbub Jamil said, they contemplated to build a fountain in front of the ZIA instead of the statue of Lalon Shah, the 17th century great saint. The special assistant, however, said that they wanted to project the Baul Culture and folk mystic literary heritage, which has been recognised as the world heritage by the UN like that of the Sundarbans as mangrove forest.

Sculptor Mrinal Haq who was the architect of the Lalan statue in front of ZIA said, he had submitted 30 specimens to the Civil Aviation Ministry and they selected the statue in question out of the submitted specimens. So the version given by the civil Aviation Ministry was not compatible with facts. It was another 'Bamyan' type destruction, he said.

Earlier Mufti Noor Hossain Noorani, the Ameer of a religious movement, in a statement has demanded construction of a haj minar in the place where a statue incompatible with the Islamic values was built. The Mufti was stern in his assertion and gave October 24 deadline to accomplish the task, that is, his proposed haj minar.

He demanded the resignation of Mahbub Jamil from the ministry of the Civil Aviation. He said, they had sent a representation to the Army Chief protesting the construction of anti-Islamic statue in the Airport where people coming from outside will develop a bad notion about Bangladesh.

Islamic movement announced a series of programmes protesting the construction of the statue. Maulana Hemayetuddin of Islami Shashantantra Andolan, Maulana Abdur Rab Yousubi of Islamic Oikkya Jote and Maulana Abdul Jabbar of Khelafat Majlish were present at the press conference. Maulana Noorani said, extra-constitutional intervention was needed to destroy the statue.

Islami Ain Bastabayan Committee yesterday threatened to demolish all statues, works of sculpture - irrespective of whether these depict an eminent personality or any aspect of liberation war, saying that these are against Islamic values.

Mufti Fazlul Haque Amini, convener of the committee, demanded of the government to remove all such statues and said-otherwise, they would take the matter in their own hands.

He made the demand apparently inspired by the recent removal of five statues depicting five bauls (folk singers) by two government agencies giving in to protests by another Islami group.

"It's seriously hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims," Amini said at a news conference at Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) in the city.

He accused the caretaker government of trying to turn the Muslim-majority Bangladesh into a nation of idol worshippers.

On September 15, the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) removed the statues of five Bauls, including Lalon Shah, from the roundabout in front of Zia International Airport.

The action has earned strong criticism from various cultural organisations and personalities.

At the press conference on Friday, Amini also accused the Awami League of trying to make the city of mosques, Dhaka, into a city of statues by setting up many sculptures at different city points during its previous rule.

"The caretaker government is also engaged to make Bangladesh into a 'Pouttolik desh' (country of idol worshippers) like the Awami League. People didn't accept it then and won't accept it now," he said.

Replying to a query, Amini said they would also pull down all the statues that were set up during the BNP's tenure.

He threatened to build a tough movement if the government failed to accede to their demands. "Even the state of emergency will not be able to stop us," he said.

No immediate adjustment of Tk against $

Staff Reporeter

Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed yesterday said the central bank was not thinking of readjusting the taka against the US dollar despite a grim US economic outlook and the dollar's instability.

He was talking to journalists at Zia International Airport after returning from the annual general meeting of World Bank (WB) and IMF in Washington DC.

He said the government does not want to affect export earnings by readjustment of the taka against the dollar.

He, however, said, "Uless there is urgent necessity, we want to keep it that way."

Mentioning the assistance from the international lending agencies Dr Salehuddin said Bangladesh will receive a total $1 billion from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund this year.

Finance and Planning Adviser Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam earlier had said after holding talks with WB officials in Washington DC that the bank was committed to a total assistance package of $1 billion by December 2008.

The pledged assistance from the WB and IMF is seen as a record level of financial support for Bangladesh.

BB Governor said that the multi-lateral agencies' impression of Bangladesh among the developing nations is quite positive.

He also said that donors have lauded the stability of Bangladesh's macro-economic stability and low inflation rate and the constant 6 per cent growth rate.

When asked whether the country would be affected by the impact of global financial turmoil he said that the Bangladeshi economy is not likely to suffer any immediate effect.

He cautioned the export sector and inflow of ODA (overseas development assistance) may witness some downturn due to the financial crisis.

Bangladesh's export to US and European markets will not be affected by the global downturn for now but a prolonged crisis will dampen exports and flow of ODA funds, he added.

DU taboos admission of madrasha students in 5 more depts

DU Correspondent

Dhaka University has decided not to enroll madrasah students in more five departments from this year.

The five departments include Women and Gender Studies, Economics, Public Administration, International Relations and Linguistics. The University earlier stopped admission of madrasah students to three departments- English, Bangla and Journalism.

Sources said that prohibitions would be imposed on madrasah students to get admitted in another six departments of the university from the next year.

DU Arts Faculty Dean and Admission Committee Convener Prof Sadrul Amin said the admission affair has not been done according to the university rule. He expressed resentment over the issue.

When asked, DU Vice-Chancellor Prof SMA Faiz said the departments concerned have to face the rising situation including the legal hassle to be created in the wake of ban on madrasah students.

Sources said the departments have retarded madrasah students to get admitted in the aforesaid eight departments setting a condition of having 200 marks of English and Bangla each in Dakhil and Alim levels.

But in reality, madrasah students participate in the examinations of 100 marks of English and Bangla each in Dakhil and Alim levels, as the Government itself has prescribed the rule.

4-party awaits follow-up meeting with Govt

Rafiqul Islam Azad

The component parties of the 4-party alliance await the promised follow up meeting with the Government before deciding to start the process of their registration with the Election Commission.

During the last round of dialogue, the four-party partners were assured another round of talks to resolve the differences of the opinion that surfaced during the October 15 dialogue.

Neither BNP nor Jamaat or any other party of the alliance collected the registration form from the EC leaving three days in hand for registration.

Comment from Government side on follow up meeting with the BNP was not available

However Election Commissioner Muhammad Sohul Hussain on Thursday told reporters that the BNP must apply for registration by October 20 if it wants to be registered with the EC.

When contacted BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan told The New Nation that they are yet to get response from government side.

"We had put forward our statements before the government. But we are yet to get any response," he said.

The BNP leader, however, hoped that the follow up meeting might be held within the timeframe for registration of political parties ending October 20.

A senior Jamaat leader said they have preparation for registration but waiting for four-party decision.

"We have no problem as we have fulfilled all necessary requirements for registration," he said.

He said the Jamaat would collect registration form after four-party decision in this regard.

Secretary General of Islami Oikya Jote Maulana Abdul Latif Nezami told The New Nation that they are preparing their constitution.

"We are getting ready for registration. We will collect form after the four-party decision in this regard," he said adding, "We will abide by the four-party decision in this regard."

Bangladesh Jatiya Party Chairman Barrister Andalib Rahman said they are also ready for registration, as all the necessary documents have already been updated.

"We are yet to collect registration form and waiting for decision of the four-party alliance," he said.

During the post-dialogue joint briefing both the government and BNP sides told reporters that they would meet again before October 20, the deadline for registration, as they could not reach to an agreement, particularly on withdrawal of the state of emergency and deferment of upazila elections.

BNP Secretary General Khondoker Delwar Hossain had told a questioner that they would take decision on registration after seeing the outcome of the follow up meeting with the government.

DU reopens, admission forms available from tomorrow

DU Correspondent

Classes and other academic activities of Dhaka University (DU) resume today after a 23-day vacation of Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja.

The university will start issuing application forms for the first-year honours admission under the academic year 2008-09 from tomorrow.

Students can receive their admission forms from the three banks on the campus (Sonali Bank for 'Ga' unit, Janata Bank for 'Kha and Gha' units and Agrani Bnak for 'Ka' unit) and submit as well from October 19 to November 3. Each form will cost Tk 300.

The admission tests of Ga, Ka, Gha and Kha units will respectively be held on November 14, 21, 28 and December 1.

Excluding the grade point of the optional subject, students obtaining GPA-8 aggregate in SSC and HSC exams from science group, GPA-6.5 from humanities group and GPA- 7.5 from business studies group will be eligible to sit for the admission tests.

Fake currency galore

Mamunur Rashid

Due to the failure of the intelligence agencies fake currency notes are flowing into the country with impunity.

High government officials showed concern over the rise in counterfeit currency notes smuggled from across the borders.

The smuggled amount is generally small and the chances of counterfeits being detected in remote villages are always less. The quantity of fake notes pouring in from India is larger and the quality much finer than those coming from other countries. The fake notes are mostly of Tk 500 and Tk 100 denominations.

Many of the defence personnel along the international boarders reportedly received fake currency notes as part of their salaries-money withdrawn from the banks.

As a result, panic has spread along the boarder areas and the rest of the country and customers at the bank counters are spending much time trying to find out fake currency notes after withdrawal.

The Detective Branch (DB) of police detained many persons carrying counterfeit notes amounting to Tk 10 lakh this month. The police suspect they are part of a bigger gang, including women engaged in the circulation of mostly fake currency notes of Tk 500 and Tk 100 denominations.

The gang uses minor boys and girls in buying food and other stuff with the counterfeit currency at railway stations, launch and bus terminals with the promise of payment of commission on the currency they circulate in the market.

Not long ago, the RAB arrested two young women red-handed from the Khilgaon area in the city, while circulating fake currency. They were arrested after a shop owner, from whom they tried to purchase the goods using fake notes, complained to the police.

During investigation, the police discovered that those notes were smuggled from India for circulation.

A senior police official unwilling to disclose his name told the New Nation that lack of cooperation among the intelligence agencies had led to the spread of fake currency notes in the country.

12.70 lakh tonnes record foodgrains stock

Shamim Jahangir

The Government has so far built a record foodgrains stock of 12.70 lakh tonnes, according to Directorate of Food sources.

The government's strict stand in the procurement of the Boro rice from the rice millers and favourable international food markets during last couple of months have made it possible to build the present stock of rice and wheat, the highest foodgrain stock since 2000.

"We have stocked 11 lakh tonnes of rice and 1.70 lakh tonnes of wheat so far. The stock was 5.80 lakh tonnes of rice and 1.40 lakh tonnes of wheat last year," sources told the New Nation.

"The directorate of food has already procured 9.85 lakh tonnes of rice against the target of 14 lakh tonnes under the government ongoing Boro procurement drive," sources added.

Besides, the government has purchased 1.25 lakh tonnes of rice from India under a bilateral agreement after the devastating cyclone Sidr hit some southern parts of the country in 2007.

The government is also negotiating with the Myanmar government to buy one-lakh tonnes of rice under bilateral agreement, sources in the Commerce Ministry said.

The government has also signed two separate Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) to procure two lakh tonnes of wheat from Russia and Ukraine.

We have already procured 75,000 tonnes of wheat from Russia early this month. The rest of the quantity is expected in a month, sources informed.

"Our foodgrain stock target is likely to cross 13 lakh tonnes after getting rest of consignment of rice and wheat in next month," a high official of the Ministry of Food said.

The authorities have so far cancelled licences of 1,969 rice mills mostly in the country's northern areas for not selling rice and paddy to the government at the officially fixed rate.

Caretakers will quit Dec 31: Ariff

Bdnews24.com, Bagerhat

The current caretaker government will call it a day on Dec 31 when "it will end its tenure", Law Adviser AF Hassan Ariff said yesterday.

"The tenure of this government will come to an end on Dec 31. We will then handover power to an elected government and go back to our respective professions," the Adviser told a relief distribution ceremony for Sidr survivors at Sharankhola upazila in Bagherhat. He said the Jatiya Sangsad and the upazila elections would be held on the dates announced by the Election Commission.

Sidr-affected people in eight districts will have their homes built under the project, funded by Islamic Development Bank.

The Adviser handed over the possession of homes for 120 families at the ceremony.

Besides, cheques for buying seeds, fertiliser, pesticides, agricultural inputs, cattle, fishing boat and fish feed were also distributed among farmers from 12 districts.

Cheques were also handed to 10 women from Khontakata and Rayenda unions in Sharankhola under a non-profit investment programme for small traders. They received Tk 10,000 each in loans.

"The development of the country depended on the development of agriculture. The country has to be made self reliant in food by cultivating every inch of land," the law adviser said.

The ceremony was presided over by Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd Audit Committee chairman Qazi Harunur Rashid.

Those present included Bagerhat deputy commissioner Arup Chowdhury, police super Awlad Ali Faquir, IDB official in charge of special assistance Dr Mohammad Hasan Salem, IDB Bangladesh representative Md Saifuddin, Bangladesh Islami Solidarity Educational Waqf director general Niaz Khan.