The New Nation - Internet Edition

Policy dialogue on aged people held in city

Staff Reporter

Population Sciences Department of Dhaka University (DU) organised a policy dialogue on "Population Ageing in Bangladesh" at Hotel Sheraton under the assistance of UNFPA yesterday.

Prof Dr SMA Faiz, Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University, attended as chief guest while Arthur Erken, UNFPA representative in Bangladesh, Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, Additional Aecretary of Social Welfare Ministry and Prof Dr Harun-Or-Rashid, Social Science Faculty Dean of Dhaka University as special guests with Department chairman Tahmina Gafur in the chair.

Prof Faiz said aged people faced many problems. So they should be given more facilities. He proposed to increase the age limit of public servants from 57 to 65.

Dr Faiz urged the teachers of DU to try to find ways for solving old-age people's problems.

The age of 4.9% of the total population in Bangladesh is over 60 years. The number is increasing day by day. Bangladesh is one of the 20 developing countries where old-age people are more. For this reason, poverty alleviation, family structure development, social-economic development and health services may face challenges in future, Prof AKM Nur-Un-Nabi, project director of Population Sciences Department, said in his keynote paper.

DU BBA admission test tomorrow

Staff Reporter

The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) written admission test of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Dhaka University will be held on Friday (October 31) at 10 AM.

The seat plan is- admit card no 4001-4600: Institute of Business Administration, 4601-6750: Faculty of Business Administration (FBS), 6751-7266: Institute of Education & Research (IER), 7267-7744: Lecture Theatre (in between Arts & FBS Building), 7745-8484: Arts Building top floor examination halls and 8485-8734: Arts Building classrooms.

Detailed seat plan will be displayed on the Bulletin Board of the respective examination centre. It can also be seen at the website : www.iba-du-edu ,says a press release

Shantu Larma calls on CEC

BSS, Dhaka

Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samity (PCJSS) Chairman Jyotirindra Bodhiprio Larma alias Shantu Larma yesterday called on Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda at his office here.

After the meeting, Shantu Larma told reporters that he had discussions with the CEC on election in the hill areas, electoral process and electoral laws.

Asked about the status of PCJSS's registration, he said the issue is still under scrutiny of the EC.

Replying to a question whether the PCJSS can get registration as a regional party, Larma said there is no classification of political parties as regional or national in the constitution.

Election Commissioners Muhammad Sohul Hossain and Brig Gen (Retd) M Shakhawat Hossain were present during the meeting.

Shantu Larma was accompanied by PCJSS political affairs secretary Ushatan Talukdar, information and publicity secretary Mongal Kumar Chakma and member Goutam Chakma.

Taskforce on saving Buriganga submits report

BSS, Dhaka

The taskforce on saving the Buriganga river, maintaining its normal flow and navigability submitted its report to the government on Wednesday.

Taskforce Chairman and former chairman of the Privatisation Commission Enam Ahmed Choudhury handed the report to Adviser for Agriculture and Water Resources Dr CS Karim at his secretariat office. Other members of the taskforce were present.

The government formed the taskforce on June 8.

Briefing reporters, Dr CS Karim said the taskforce recommendations would contribute a lot to saving the Buriganga to mark the occasion of 400 years of Dhaka as capital. Work will begin soon to implement the recommendations, he added.

The Buriganga must be saved for the sake of the next generation which would be possible through implementation of the taskforce report, the adviser noted.

Dr Karim said it poses a challenge to free the city's river from encroachers, end dumping of toxic effluents and increase its flow.

Thanking the taskforce chairman and members, the adviser said their recommendations suggest the Buriganga has not yet died. He said the plan of action has already been made and it only awaits implementation.

Chairman of the 11-member taskforce Enam Ahmed Choudhury, referring to the recommendations, said so much efforts have never been made to save the Buriganga.

"Dhaka is completing its four hundred years. We must save the Buriganga at this time by managing its banks, freeing them from encroachments and keeping it free from pollution, maintaining its normal flow and taking long-term measures to develop its navigation," Choudhury said highlighting the taskforce recommendations.

The recommendations include review of lease on the river banks and terminating new lease, preventing dumping of industrial and other wastes in the river to keep it pollution free and maintaining its flow normal by excavation of canals.

Choudhury said already 2500 illegal establishments have been removed, and the Sutikhola and Shuvaddya canals have been reopened. Opening more canals has been suggested.

The taskforce have had nine meetings and visited the river banks to prepare their report, he told a reporter answering a question.

Replying to another question, the taskforce chairman said a social movement should be built to create public awareness by taking help from the local people, and police help should be sought to manage the river banks.

He further said recommendations have been made to bring new water to the river. It was suggested that the WASA work with the RAJUK so that it does not dump its wastes in the river.

RMG fair in Denmark fetches spot order of $130m

BSS, Dhaka

The first-ever Bangladeshi garment fair in Denmark has fetched spot orders worth $ 130 million from the potential buyers of Scandinavian markets.

The five-day fair, organized by the Dhaka International Exhibition Company Limited (DIEC) in association with the Danish Chamber of Commerce, was held from October 20 to 24 at Copenhagen, Herning and Arhas of Denmark.

A total of six Bangladeshi garment manufacturers and exporters have displayed their knit, woven and sweater products, a press release said on Wednesday.

Buyers from different European markets including Denmark visited the fair and placed more than expected orders.

The participating Bangladeshi garment manufacturers have been awarded certificates from Danish Import Promotion Program (DIPP) for meeting compliance of European standard manufacturing specification and all sorts of labour issues.

Honorary Consul General of Bangladesh in Denmark Peter Bernsoft inaugurated the fair, while Marie Visti Hansen, Chief Consultant of DIPP and DIEC Managing Director Enayet Karim were special guests.

Four river ports to be set up

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) will set up four riverports at Noapara in Jessore, Bhairab in Kishoreganj, Ashuganj in Brahmanbaria and at Barguna in 2008-09 and 2009-10 fiscal years.

The estimated cost for implementing the new project has been earmarked at Taka 15.50 crore, an official press release said.

This was stated at a review meeting on the progress of execution of the projects under and outside the Annual Development Programme (ADP) taken by different organisations under the Shipping Ministry.

Shipping Adviser Maj Gen (retd) M A Matin presided over the meeting.

The meeting was informed that BIWTA would rehabilitate two K-type ferries, two roro (roll-on roll-off) ferries and two roro pontoons.

It was also informed that the estimated cost is Taka 24.50 crore for executing a new project on reconstruction and rehabilitation of different infrastructures and facilities damaged by the cyclone Sidr.

BIWTA, BIWTC and Mongla Port Authority will implement the project in 2008-09 and 2009-10 fiscal years, the release said, adding that Taka 15.14 crore was allocated for 2008-09 fiscal.

The meeting laid emphasis on launching the river route (second phase) around Dhaka city, construction of port and other facilities to protect the Buriganga river and its banks from encroachers, modernisation of Benapole Land Port (first phase), taking project for overall development of Mongla Port, including dredging at Pashur channel, Chittagong Port trade facilitation and port efficiency improvement plan, construction of 400-metre backup facilities behind the newly-built Newmooring Container Terminal of Chittagong Port and gearing up work to complete the project for construction of Pangaon Inland Container Terminal.

The adviser reminded the concerned authorities of completing tender process of different projects and the work by December 31.

The shipping ministry has been implementing 24 projects in the current fiscal at a cost of Taka 286.28 crore. Of which, 19 projects are under ADP and the rest are outside ADP.

Shipping Secretary Sheikh AK Motahar Hossain and high officials of different organisations under the ministry were present at the meeting.