The New Nation - Internet Edition

Book publication ceremony in Ctg: Mere emotion, occasional support won’t enrich Bangla

Advisory Editor of the New Nation Hasnat Abdul Hye
seen among guests, including Editor of Daily Azadi MA Malek,
at the publication ceremony of an anthology of articles on
Bangla language at the Theatre Institute in Chittagong
yesterday. NN photo

Chittagong Correspondent

Eminent writer and Advisory Editor of The New Nation Hasnat Abdul Hye said mere emotion and occasional support to Bangla would not help establish the language in all spheres of national life.

He was addressing the publication ceremony of a giant compilation of write ups on Bangla, a language of 220 million people, published to mark the golden jubilee of the historic language movement as chief guest.

Publisher of the compilation Adorn Publication hosted the function at the Theatre Institute in the port city Saturday evening.

The book is an anthology of articles written over the last 400 years by researchers and writers in both West Bengal and Bangladesh.

The book, divided in 28 chapters, covers the history of Bangla language from the ancient to the middle and to the modern periods.

Among the many subjects covered in the articles, the anthology deals with the history of the Bangla language, the language movement in Bangladesh, the use of Bangla language in different spheres of life and the future of the language.

Editor of The Daily Azadi MA Maleq presided over the ceremony while editor of the publication Prof Mahbubullah, Prof Imran Hossain, Principal Mahmud Hossain Khan, Prof Golam Mostafa, Sayed Mohammad Shafi and Sayed Zakir Hossain addressed the function.

Speaking as chief guest Hasnat Abdul Hye said that the status of Bangla language could not be promoted through emotion now, it has to be sustained through proper usage and application in all spheres of life.

Referring to the use of Bangla as the medium of instruction in higher education Hye said that the dearth of books written in Bangla on different subjects was the main obstacle.

In this connection he regretted that though this was the major responsibility of the Bangla Academy, very little has been done so far.

He emphasised that the Bangla Academy was not established to hold annual Boi Mela (Book Fairs) but to undertake research on the Bangla language and to translate books from foreign languages into Bangla to promote its use in higher education.

He hoped that this aspect would be looked into by the Academy in future.

In his concluding remarks Editor of The Daily Azadi MA Maleq pointed out that the articles in the anthology have been collected from the national dailies where these were published.

He regretted that though a good many articles were written and published in regional dailies like in Chittagong, none of these has been included in the anthology, which he thought, was its short coming.

REHAB Fair from tomorrow

REHAB President Tanvirul Haq Probal speaking at a
press conference at the National Press Club on Sunday on the
occasion of 5-day long REHAB Fair which will open tomorrow.
NN photo

Staff Reporter

A Five-day long fair of Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) begins at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre tomorrow.

A total of 187 real estate companies and five financial organisations will participate in the fair.

Housing and Public Works Adviser Maj Gen Ghulam Qadir will be present in the inaugural function as chief guest while Housing and Public Works Ministry Secretary ASM Rasidul Hye will be present as special guest.

Law and Religious Affairs Adviser AF Hasan Arif will attend the concluding ceremony of the fair as chief guest.

The fair will remain open from 10:00am to 8:00pm.

The REHAB leaders at a press conference yesterday at National Press Club said that the REHAB will also celebrate the REHAB week from today.

As part of the programme, the organisation will bring out a rally from Central Shaheed Minar today. It will end at Shishu Academy.

REHAB will also hold a seminar at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre at 7 pm today.

The programmes of REHAB will also be highlighted by extempore speech of the college students on November 12, gold medal distribution programme on November 13, Children's' art competition on November 14, blood donation and posthumous eye donation on November 15 and concluding ceremony of REHAB on November 16.

Replying to a question, REHAB President Eng Tanveerul Haque Probal said that they are not thinking about reduction in the flat price.

Though the prices of MS rod declined in the international market, the prices of cement and other construction materials are yet to come down, he noted.

"High price of land, lack of coordination among the service providing agencies in real estate sector, high prices of raw materials in construction sector, high bank lending rate and bureaucratic complexities to approve the building design are the main hindrance in the real estate sector," Shahidul Islam, Convenor of the REHAB Fair Committee said.

He further said that the REHAB members will be able to reduce the flat price if the government reduces registration rate for the flats.

Khaled Mohammed Jewel, General Secretary of REHAB, Akter Biswas, Organising Secretary of REHAB, Morad Iqbal Chowdhury, Chairman of REHAB Fair Standing Committee and Robiul Hoq were present at the press conference.

Palin hits back at critics

Palin

Agency, Washington

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has hit back at critics who said she thought Africa was a country not a continent, calling them "jerks".

Anonymous Republican Party aides cited in a Fox News report also said she did not know the three members of the North America Free Trade Agreement (Nafta).

Mrs Palin said her comments on Africa and Nafta were taken out of context.

She also said she had not asked for the expensive clothes bought for her failed White House bid with John McCain.

Mrs Palin said the leaks about Africa and Nafta must have come from Republican campaign aides who helped her prepare for her debate against Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden.

"I think if there are allegations based on questions or comments that I made in debate prep about Nafta or about the continent versus the country when we talk about Africa there, then those were taken out of context and that is cruel," she told reporters in her home state of Alaska.

Cannot play media.You do not have the correct version of the flash player. Download the correct version Palin also spoke about her campaign wardrobe and women in politics.

"It's mean-spirited, it's immature, it's unprofessional, and those guys are jerks."

She said it was "cowardly" of the sources not to reveal themselves.

She also faced down accusations that she spent huge sums of money on clothes for the campaign.

"I never asked for anything more than a Diet Dr Pepper once in a while."

The Republican National Committee (RNC) spent more than $150,000 (£96,000) on a designer wardrobe and beauty treatments for Mrs Palin after she was chosen as John McCain's running mate.

"Those are the RNC's clothes. They're not my clothes," she said. "I never forced anybody to buy anything."

Newsman dead

Staff Reporter

Former Assistant Editor of the daily Ittefaq Yasin Ahmed died on Saturday at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

He was 64.

Yasin Ahmed, who was a leader of Bangladesh Federal Union of journalists, has been suffering from gangrine.

He left behind his wife, two sons and daughter and a host of well-wishers to mourn his death.

The first namaj-e-janaja of Yasin Ahmed was held at Journalists' residential area at Mirpur, the second, at the National Press Club premises and the third at the same journalists' residential area at Mirpur on Saturday.

He was buried at Khalshi Graveyard at Mirpur.

Journalist Yasin had worked at different newspapers in the capital with distinction during the last 40 years. He was district page editor of the daily Ittefaq for a long period.

Dhaka Journalists Housing Cooperative Association Limited President Mostafa Kamal Majumder and Secretary M Hamiduzzaman expressed their deep shock and sorrow over his sudden death.

They conveyed their heartfelt sympathy and condolence to the members of the bereaved family.

Qulkhwani of the late journalist will be held at the community centre in the journalists' residential area of Mirpur after Asr prayer on Thursday next.

Tributes paid to Allama Iqbal

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a seminar said yesterday poet-philosopher Allama Iqbal's poems could be a source of inspiration to Muslim nations for overcoming their present miseries.

"Allama Iqbal was the vanguard of the Muslims of the sub-continent in protecting them from the evils and ignorance," they said at the seminar marking the 131 st birth anniversary of Allama Iqbal at the auditorium of the Jatiya Press Club.

Advocate Mujibur Rahman, president of the Iqbal Sangshad presided over the seminar.

Allama Iqbal Sangsad organised the seminar on "Iqbal's Philosophy and Contemporary Issues",

Hassan Farazandeh, Iranian Ambassador and Charge de' Afaires of Pakistan Iyaz Muhammad Khan were present as chief guest and special guest respectively.

Paying glowing tributes to poet Iqbal, speakers laid emphasis on greater unity of the Muslims across the world for overcoming their socio-political problems.

They underscored the need for including Allama's poems and literary works in the syllabus at all educational levels.

Iranian Ambassador said Iqbal's poems are marked with aesthetic beauty and philosophical depth. His message was salvation and victory.

Charge de' affaires of Pakistan said writings of the great poet helped break all western influence - economic, political, social, cultural - for relieving the Muslim community. His contributions are the source of emancipation of human beings.

Mir Quasem Ali said Allama Iqbal was a humanitarian who fought for the cause of the Muslim Ummah.

Dr Mahfuz Parvez in his keynote paper pointed to the untold miseries of the Palestinians perpetrated by the Jews and viewed the situation as the outcome of the lack of solidarity among Muslims across the world.

Prof Askar Ibne Shaikh, Dr Hasan Muhammad, Prof Sukomal Borua, Prof Zubaida Gulshan Ara, among others, took part in the discussion.

Enayetullah Khan’s 3rd anniversary of death today

Staff Reporter

Today is the third anniversary of the death of Enayetullah Khan, founding editor of the daily New Age and editor-in-chief of the weekly Holiday.

A titan of Bangladeshi journalism of regional and international repute for his fearlessness for more than four decades, Enayetullah Khan passed away in Toronto, Canada on November 10, 2005 at the age of 66. He had been suffering from cancer of the pancreas.

He begun his career as a journalist as a cub reporter for the then Pakistan Observer in 1959, Enayetullah Khan went on to found the weekly Holiday in August 1965, before taking over as editor of the paper in 1966.

Enayetullah founded the daily New Age as its editor and publisher in June 2003. He was also the editor of the Bangladesh Times between 1975 and 1977. He was awarded the Ekushey Padak for excellence in journalism.

He served as minister of the government of Bangladesh (1977-1978) and as an ambassador to China, North Korea, Cambodia and Myanmar (1984-1989).

He completed his Master's in philosophy from Dhaka University, in his student days he held leadership positions as general secretary of Ananda Mohan College Students' Union in Mymensingh, member of the Dhaka University Students' Union (1958-59), and vice-president of Dhaka Hall (now Shahidullah Hall) Students' Union (1959-60).

He was president of the National Press Club (1973-76) and the Dhaka Club (1984-85).

S Africa clinch the ODI series

Sports Reporter

South Africa clinched the ODI series 2-0 when the Proteas defeated the Tigers by 128 runs in the second ODI at the Willowmoore Park in Benoni of South Africa on Sunday.

Earlier, South Africa outplayed Bangladesh by 61 runs in the first ODI on November 7.

Electing to bat first, South Africa piled up a mammoth 358 for the loss of four wickets in the stipulated 50 overs and then they bowled out Bangladesh for 230 off 49.2 overs.

Hashim Amla of South Africa cracked a superb 140 off 135 balls amid four sixes and eight fours.

Graeme Smith, the skipper of South Africa and Jaques Kallis, Villiers contributed 65, 54 (not out) and 49 to their team's total.

Mashrafe, Naeem, Rasil, Razzak took one wicket each.

Later, Zunaed Siddiqui and Tamim Iqbal scored 47 and 41 runs respectively.

Wall writing, poster pasting control ordinance approved

UNB, Dhaka

The Council of Advisers of the caretaker government Sunday approved the Writing on Wall and Poster Pasting Control Ordinance 2008 for effectively checking election campaign by such means by candidates.

Commercial advertisement through wall writing and poster attaching by private institutions and commercial organizations will now come under legal framework through this new law, approved by the council in principle.

"The ordinance has been framed to help enforce the restrictions imposed on the writing on wall and pasting poster by election contestants under the electoral code of conduct recently promulgated," it is stated in the objective of the Ordinance.

Dr. Mosharraf sent to jail

UNB, Dhaka

Former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain was Sunday sent to jail as the special trial court denied him bail on surrender in connection with the Barapukuria coalmine graft case.

Judge AK Roy of the special court, set up at the high-security parliament complex to deal with high-profile corruption cases under the purge in the interim period, passed the orders for putting him behind bars.

Earlier on November 3, the High Court, brushing aside his anticipatory bail prayer, had asked Mosharraf, a chargesheeted accused in the coalmine graft case, to surrender to the trial court by today (Nov 9).

As per the HC edicts, three other chargesheeted co-accused in the case-former ministers M Saifur Rahman of BNP and Motiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujaheed of Jamaat-e-Islami-are scheduled to surrender to the trial court today.

20 killed in Russian submarine accident

AP, Moscow

A new Russian submarine's fire safety system malfunctioned as the nuclear-powered vessel took a test run in the Sea of Japan, suffocating 20 people and sending 21 others to the hospital, officials said Sunday.

It was Russia's worst naval accident since torpedo explosions sank another nuclear-powered submarine, the Kursk, in the Barents Sea in 2000, killing all 118 seamen aboard.

The victims suffocated Saturday after the submarine's fire-extinguishing system accidentally turned on and released Freon gas, said Sergei Markin, an official with Russia's top investigative agency. He said forensic tests found Freon in the victims' lungs.

The submarine itself was not damaged and traveled back to its base on Russia's Pacific coast under its own power Sunday, Russian navy spokesman Capt. Igor Dygalo said.

The nuclear reactor that powers the sub was operating normally and radiation levels in the sub were also normal, Dygalo said. He said the accident affected two sections of the submarine closest to the bow.

Seventeen civilians and three seamen died in the accident and 21 others were hospitalized after being evacuated to a destroyer that brought them to shore, Markin said in a statement, revising earlier casualty figures.

Lev Fyodorov, a top Russian chemical expert, said Freon pushed oxygen out, causing those inside to die of suffocation. He also said the scarce official information was making it difficult to understand exactly what happened on the submarine.

It wasn't immediately clear why personnel affected failed to activate the individual breathing kits they were supposed to have, he said.

Markin's agency has launched a probe into the accident, which he said will focus on what activated the firefighting system and possible violations of operating rules.

The submarine returned to Bolshoi Kamen, a military shipyard and a navy base near Vladivostok. Russian television stations broadcast the footage of the submarine sailing toward the harbor.

Dygalo said the submarine had 208 people aboard, including 81 servicemen, and was to be commissioned by the navy later this year.

3 killed in road accident in Tangail

Staff Reporter

Three people were killed in a road crash at Pakulla under Mirzapur upazila in Tangail yesterday morning.

Police and local people said a Dhaka-bound truck from North Bengal tried to overtake another lorry and hit it from behind leaving three people killed on the spot.

The dead were identified as driver and helper of truck Nadim, 40, and Ramzan, 22, and a potato trader, Mohammad Mostafa.

A case was filed with police.

Developed countries urged not to restrict access of products

UNB, Dhaka

Finance and Planning Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam Sunday urged the developed countries not to protect their markets from exports of Bangladesh in the backdrop of the global financial crisis that took a turn to recession.

"Make sure that access of our products is not restricted," he told Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert McDougall at a meeting at the Planning Ministry.

The Adviser informed the reporters about his call to the developed countries like Canada as the Canadian HC wanted to know what he should convey to the Canadian Ministry of Finance about the need of Bangladesh in the backdrop of the recession.

Dr Aziz also called upon the developed countries to continue with the present level of bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) and to accelerate it further to 0.7 percent of their respective GDP. At present, the developed countries provide 0.35 percent of their GDP as development assistance.

The Finance Adviser's call to the developed countries came on apprehension that the bilateral ODA might be affected, if not multilateral ones, as the developed countries are already experiencing recession.

He said that the commitment from the multilateral development partners, mainly from ADB and the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA), for this fiscal year have been better while they have increased their programmes recently. "I don't see any problem of foreign aid (from multilateral agencies) during the fiscal 2008-09."

Local experts apprehend that the country's exports, foreign aid, remittance and the economy as a whole would be affected if the global financial crisis is prolonged.

"Our economy won't be affected much if the crisis does not linger beyond 2009," Dr Aziz told the Canadian envoy. He, however, said the real impact would depend on how much the crisis deepens and how long it continues.

He said Bangladesh has so far remained out of the affect of the global crisis due to its strong macroeconomic fundamental, moderate growth, comfortable foreign exchange reserve and inflation at a level less than the neighbouring countries.

The Finance Adviser said exports of readymade garments are unlikely to be affected much as he was given to understand by the officials as well as the RMG entrepreneurs while remittance inflow could become a little slow, but would not be affected much.

"The Middle East is unlikely to recruit new workers in this situation, but they're not terminating the workers," he said.