The New Nation - Internet Edition

Zimbabwe upset Bangladesh

Elton Chigumbura of Zimbabwe receiving the Man of
the Match award from Rubaba Dowla Matin, Head of the
Marketing of GrameenPhone Limited at the Mirpur
Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Saturday. Banglar
Chokh

Sports Reporter

Zimbabwe upset Bangladesh in the Grameenphone Tri-Nation Cricket Tournament when the tourists defeated the hosts by 38 runs in their opening match at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Saturday.

Chasing Zimbabwe's moderate total of 205 for the loss of nine wickets off 50 overs, Bangladesh were bowled out for 167 in 46.2 overs.

Bangladesh faced debacle in the early stage as the hosts lost their early four wickets for just 33 runs.

Later, in-form Shakib Al Hasan and Raqibul Hasan tried to resist Zimbabwe's tight bowling attack contributing together 59 runs in the fifth-wicket stand before Raqibul Hasan was clean bowled by Keith Dabengwa making 23 when the team's total was 92 for the loss of five wickets.

Earlier, Mohammad Ashraful was dismissed for 18 runs. He tried to strike the delivery of Prosper Utseya but he was caught at the long-on by Vusimuzi Sibanda when the scoreboard was giving a reading of 33 for the loss of four wickets.

Prosper Utseya gave his team early breakthrough as he trapped the opener Zunaed Siddiq lbw for a duck.

One down batsman Mushfiqur Rahim was clean bowled by Edward Rainsford for nought.

Tamim Iqbal, the other opening batsman was unfortunately run out scoring 13.

Shakib Al Hasan shone with the willow scoring the team's highest of 52 off 66 balls. He hit three fours before he was caught behind by wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu off Elton Chigumbura. At that time Bangladesh's score was 126 for the loss of seven wickets.

After dismissal of Shakib, rest of the Bangladesh batsmen failed to face Zimbabwe bowling attack. Mahbubul Alam and Naeem Islam added 22 and 21 runs respectively to the Bangladesh total.

Prosper Utseya and Raymond Price chipped in with two wickets each for 22 and 35 runs respectively.

Earlier, Elton Chigumbura notched up a sparkling 64 playing 95 deliveries. He cracked five fours and a sixer before he was run out by Mushfiqur Rahim.

Elton Chigumbura was adjudged the Man of the Match for his outstanding performance.

Stuart Matsikenyeri was the other notable scorer for the visitors. He hit 39 off 51 balls amid six fours.

Spinners Shakib Al Hasan and Naeem Islam grabbed three wickets each giving away 23 and 32 runs respectively while Mashrafe Bin Mortaza got two wickets conceding 41 runs.

Int’l photography festival in city from Jan 30

Renowned photographer Shahidul Alam (left) speaking
at the press conference at Drik Gallery yesterday. Photo:
Sharif Khan

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

A month long international photography festival titled 'Chobi Mela V,' largest photography festival in Asia, will be held in Dhaka from January 30. Drik will organise the festival. The works of top class photographers of Bangladesh and all over the world will be exhibited at the festival.

During the festival photography exhibitions will be held at the National Museum, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, British Council, Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Drik Gallery, Alliance Francaise, Goethe Institute, Asiatic Gallery of Fine Arts and Russian Cultural Centre at a time.

This year's theme of the festival is 'Freedom.' Mahasweta Devi will inaugurate the festival as chief guest, while Noam Chomsky and Stuart Hall will be also present on the video conference.

A total of 62 exhibitions will be held where photographs from 33 countries will be on display in the shows. Photographs from South Africa, Argentina, Nepal, France, UK, Denmark, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Lebanon, China, Denmark, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Iraq, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, The Netherlands, USA, Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia and Sweden will be displayed in the exhibitions.

This was disclosed at a press briefing at Drik Gallery in the city yesterday. Director of the festival Shahidul Alam and curatorial director Rezaur Rahman, among others, were present at the briefing. Country's renowned photographer Shahidul Alam said, "This year the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' will be given to Ricardo Rangel of Mozambique for his contribution in photography. Rangel photographs street scenes, landscapes, everyday activities of individuals and night scenes in the cafes and restaurants in Mozambique."

"Rangel's work testifies to his great involvement with the people of Mozambique's multi-cultural society. The photographs are pervaded by compassion for those portrayed and fury at injustices," said Shahidul Alam. Many of his photographs were banned from publication by colonial censors and many of his negatives were destroyed by servants of the previous government, he added.

Two mobile photography exhibitions will be held on 10 rickshaw vans during the festival time. Therefore, seminars and workshops on photography will also be held. The exhibition will also take place some unconventional galleries like Karwan Bazar underpass, Kalpana Boarding, Shankhari Bazar and Chobir Hat in Dhaka University, said the organisers.

Noakhali-1 election tomorrow

Staff Reporter

Election to Noakhali-1 constituency, which was postponed following the death of candidate of Grand Alliance and Gonotantri party president Nurul Islam, will be held tomorrow.

The Election Commission (EC) has already taken necessary steps to make the poll fair and free.

The election is being considered important for both Grand Alliance and Four Party Alliance. Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokan from Four Party Alliance and HM Ibrahim from Grand Alliance will compete in the election. Earlier Advocate Mahbubur Rahman of Jatiya Party (JP) and Prof Harun-ur-Rashid from Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) withheld election campaign for themselves and expressed support for grand alliance's candidate.

The election is important for the both parties. BNP will try to increase its seat to save its image after a big defeat. After a big feat in the 9th parliamentary election the win over the four party alliances is become a prestige issue for AL.

There are 105 centres in the constituency. An amicable election atmosphere is found in the constituency. Enthusiasm among the people is also higher. This is the first election that will be held under the new government.

According to EC, the election campaign cannot be held from the last midnight. Motor vehicles are also banned in the election area. The ban will be effective from 12 pm of last night to the midnight January 12. The ban will not be effective for approved Journalists and visitors.

From the Foreign Press: No Time for Silence

Prospects for any kind of cease-fire aren't helped by the absence of U.S. leadership. With less than three weeks remaining in his term, President Bush can hardly influence events, and his successor seems unwilling to directly engage with the problem before the January 20 Inauguration. But Obama, having endorsed Israel's right to respond to Hamas' rockets during his election campaign, may find that his present silence will cost him friends across the Middle East. The Gaza attack has strengthened Arab radicals while silencing the voices of moderate states once willing to improve ties with Israel. Egypt is in an especially tight spot: having brokered the old cease-fire and sealed its border with Gaza to lock in Hamas, the Egyptian government of President Hosni Mubarak is now being accused - by his own people and the larger Arab world - of looking the other way while Gaza burns. (Mubarak has responded by allowing some of Gaza's wounded to be brought to Egypt for treatment.)

Also in a bind is Mahmoud Abbas, the moderate Palestinian President, viewed by Israel and the U.S. as a credible partner in peace. Many Palestinians now regard him as an irrelevancy - or worse, a collaborator. Abbas "has staked his political legacy and his vision of the Palestinians finally achieving their rights on negotiation with the Israelis," says Steven Cook, a Middle East expert at the Council on Foreign Relations. "And it's hard to negotiate with the Israelis as they are bombing the Gaza Strip."

The very basis of Abbas' negotiations with Israel may be moot. The Bush Administration's peace plan, based on a Palestinian state and Israel's living side by side, is moribund. For all practical purposes, there are two Palestinian states. Abbas, who rules the West Bank, has no leverage in Gaza, where Hamas reigns supreme. Neither Israel nor the U.S. has been prepared to deal directly with Hamas, which doesn't recognise Israel's right to exist. But without a seat at the negotiating table, the militants have little to lose by escalating violence. In Gaza, most Palestinians blame Israel and not Hamas - whom they view as legitimately elected representatives - for the current bloodshed. So even without the latest flare-up, Gaza was poised to be a confounding problem for Obama. But now, warns Aaron David Miller, a Middle East expert at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington, the new President is "going to inherit a crisis with horrible pictures, reduced and diminished American credibility, without the capacity and the means to actually influence the situation."

How will Obama respond? As a presidential candidate, he called for a new peace process but was short on the details. "A U.S. Administration has to put its weight behind a process, recognising that it's not going to happen immediately," he said during a visit to Israel last summer. "That's why I will not wait until a few years into my term or my second term t to get the process moving." That was meant to be a dig at the Bush Administration, which left it too late to pursue peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Now the Obama Administration risks being too late even before it has begun.

-Time

BNP forms upazila polls monitoring committee

Talha Bin Habib

After suffering a disastrous defeat in the just concluded parliamentary elections, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is making all out preparations for contesting the upcoming upazila elections to be held on January 22.

The BNP has formed ' upazila election monitoring committee' to supervise and monitor the overall preparations for the polls. The committee is holding meeting regularly for reviewing the preparations for the polls.

The committee is also providing guidelines to the contestants for the elections.

Party sources said the decision to participate in the fray is considered to be a move to activate the disheartened activists of the party following the poor show in the parliamentary elections.

Addressing an election rally in Noakhali-1 the party chairperson Begum Zia on Friday urged the party men to take all-out preparations for the upazila polls.

" We have decided to contest the upazila polls since BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia directed the leaders and activists of the party to get prepared for it ," said a member of upazila election monitoring committee.

He said the BNP had suffered a defeat in the controversial parliamentary polls and it will try its best to regain its image by bagging maximum posts in the upazila elections. " Many worthy and honest party men are in the upazila polls this time, so that BNP can achieve maximum seats in the local-body elections," said Ruhul Kabir Rizi Ahmed, office secretary of the party.

About media reports on withdrawal of candidatures by pro-BNP candidates on the party's central body directive, he said, 'It's totally baseless".

He alleged that party aspirants in some upzaila were forced to withdraw their candidature by their rival party.

He called upon the local administration to remain neutral and take action against the evil-doers.

Replying to a question on how many candidates from the party are contesting in the polls he said 481 candidates would contest for the polls.

The Election Commission (EC) has decided to deploy army during the upazila polls to avert any untoward situation and ensure elections free from 'rigging and violence'.

Stop repression on BNP followers: Delwar

Staff Reporter

BNP secretary general Khandker Delwar Hossain yesterday expressed his deep concern over the continued violence and attacks on his party workers and followers by their political opponents.

"The intensity of terrorism resorted by Awami League is yet to stop," he said while mentioning the attacks on BNP activist by Awami League followers at Chatkhil in Noakhali on Friday and also different places across the country in the last couple of days.

He castigated the Awami League activists for ransacking the residence of Golam Hossain, Ward Commissioner-27 in the capital and inflicted injuries on Afzaluddin, Islamuddin and Raihan at Kendua upazila in Netrokona and family members of a BNP leader at Kalibari under Araihazar upazila in Narayanganj recently despite the directions from the concerned authority not to harass their wrong doers.

" The Awami League is yet to stop attack on our leaders and workers which drew condemnation from different sections," he said in a statement.

The secretary general of BNP said on one hand the terrorists of Awami League were unleashing a rein of terror and on the other the ruling class is protecting the wrong doers.

" The country is becoming a 'citadel of terrorist," he said and called upon the government to shun the path of terrorism and be respectful to the norms of democracy.

Northern University workshop: Ensuring quality in higher education stressed

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a workshop on quality education yesterday emphasised the significance of applying innovative methods in teaching with a view to get the students ready for facing the challenges of 21st century.

The speakers made the call in a daylong workshop titled "Continuous improvement in quality education" held at Jamuna resort on January 08. Northern University Bangladesh (NUB) organized the workshop for the teachers of NUB, Northern College and for Northern International Medical College to upgrade their teaching skill.

Former Director of IBA, Dhaka University and Vice Chancellor of NUB, Professor Dr. M. Shamsul Haque and Pro-Vice Chancellor of PrimeAsia University, Dr. ANM Meshquat Uddin spoke as the resource persons in the workshop.

Terming the teaching profession a challenging one the NUB VC, Professor Haque said, the teachers have to apply innovative and critical thinking in teaching so that they can attract the students to get multimedia based quality education.

A 10-point guideline was supplied to the teachers on how to become a good teacher in the workshop.

Another workshop also arranged for the Administrative staffs of NUB in same day and place where NUB Director (HR), Md. Lutfor Rahman and Director (EDTP), M. Borhan Uddin were addressed on different issues.

DU students assaulted

DU Correspondent

The activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of Awami League, yesterday mercilessly beat up two students on the Dhaka University Campus suspecting that they were the activists of Chhatra Shibir.

BCL activists also set ablaze valuables of a student of Sir A F Rahman Hall.

Witnesses said a group of BCL activists led by Muktadir and Mosharraf swooped on Sohel Rana, a 2nd year students of Chemistry Department and also resident of Shahidullah Hall, around 12:00pm near Gymnasium playground of the university.

Similar incident of physical assault also took place in front of Arts Building where Ishaq, a student of the university, came under the attack of BCL activists around 1:00pm, eyewitness said.

Besides, BCL activist Sabuj, a 4th year student of English Department, gutted valuables of Abdul Halim, a master degree student of Sir A F Rahman Hall, Room No 321. But victim was not present in the dormitory during the situation.

Some students alleged that after the change of state power the BCL activists occupied university dormitories and brutalised JCD and Shibir leaders and activists. Almost everyday BCL activists are conducting drive inside the hall to find out their rivals.

Share market declines despite political positivism

Staff Reporter

Country's prime burse the Dhaka Stock Exchange is still facing complications despite a big change in the political arena.

The stock market experienced inconsistent position whole last week.

Before national elections, stock market authority and operators were of the opinion that the burse would get back to its previous position once a stable political situation persist. Nearly two weeks have already been passed after the election but no positive changes were seen in the market.

On an average the DSE general index fell by 1.67 per cent last week compared to it's previous week.

The DSE 20 price index also fell by 1.96 per cent within a week. The All share price index also fell by 1.78 per cent within a week.

During the week price of 155 issues out of 295 was advance against 196 of previous week. Issues of 102 declined against previous week's 39.

However, the market turnover rose by 41.48 per cent, daily average turnover by 6.11 per cent, total turnover by 63.90 per cent and total Howla by 39.78 per cent. The top 10 gainers of last week trading were Maksons Spinning, Fine Foods, Orion Infusions, BD Welding, Beximco Synthetics, 1st Lease International, Shyampur Sugar, Delta Spinners, Standard Ceramic and Legacy Footwear.

The top losers were Wata Chemicals, Meghna Life Insurance, Monno Stafllers, Prime Islami Life, National Housing Finance and Investment, Northern Jute, Pragati Life Insurance, MIDAS Financing Ltd, Reliance Insurance and Sandhani Life Insurance.

Bangladesh condemns Israel for violation of human rights in Gaza

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh condemned the ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza as flagrant violation of human rights and international humanitarian laws, as the ruthless cleansing action left over 800 people dead and human habitats in ruins.

"These atrocities are mediaeval carnage in modern times," said Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Offices in Geneva, in a Special Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) Friday.

The special HRC session was sponsored by Bangladesh along with NAM, OIC, African and Arab Groups to discuss the situation in the occupied territories of Palestine, according to a message received here Saturday from the Swiss city (Geneva).

Dr Debapriya informed the HR council that the newly-elected Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, in her initial statements have strongly condemned atrocities unleashed by Israel on Palestinian people and demanded immediate cessation of hostilities.

Bangladesh also called for unhindered supply of humanitarian necessities.

The Bangladesh Ambassador demanded immediate and effective implementation of the recently adopted resolution on the conflict at the UN Security Council.

He emphasized that international community needs to ensure adequate flow of humanitarian and developmental assistance as ceasefire comes into effect.

5 killed in B’baria road accident

Bdnews24.com, B’baria

Five people were killed and 50 others injured in a head-on collision of two buses at Sarail in Brahmanbaria yesterday, police said.

"The two bus drivers died on the spot," Khatihata police sub-inspector Mohammad Shahabuddin told bdnews24.com.

"The accident occurred at around 8am at Kuttipara crossing as a Sylhet-Dhaka Hanif Paribahan bus collided with a local bus travelling from Brahmanbaria to Madhabpur," said Shahabuddin.

Most of the injured were taken to Sarail Upazila Health Centre but some critically wounded were sent to Dhaka, he said.

Of the dead, three had been identified as Haris Miah from Brahmanbaria, Molai Miah and Hanif Paribahan bus driver Mohammad Jahangir.

The accident suspended transport on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway for one hour, the police official said.

Movement resumed after the two buses were removed from the highway, he added.

World social forum condemns

Israeli aggression

Staff Reporter

World Social Forum (WSF) organised a human chain in front of the National Museum in the capital yesterday to condemn to Israeli aggression on Gaza and killing of thousands of Palestinians.

Speaking on the occasion speakers said Israel has been killing women, children and even old people indiscriminately. Its design is to deny the Palestinians of their independent homeland, they noted.

They pointed out that around one thousand people were killed and about three thousand others wounded in the Israeli attacks during the last several days.

Terming the Israeli aggression, the history's worst incident in recent time they said plight of the Palestinians has overwhelmed the peace-loving people world over. They accused Israel of violating human rights by targeting attacks on the Religious and Educational Institutions, hospitals and the refugee camps.

They also came down heavily on the leaders of the developed countries for lending support to Israel despite the latter's dastardly attacks on the innocent people of Gaza.

Later they gathered at 'Raju Vaskarjya' premises and held a rally.

Zakir Hosen, Coordinator of the WSF led the programme. Abul Hossain and Subal Sarker Members of the Coordination Committee of WSF and Naima Sultana Mitu, representative of Power in Women Action attended the programme.

Enhancement of session fee: Guardians stage demo in front of Motijheel Ideal School

UNB, Dhaka

Guardians of the students of Ideal School and College yesterday staged demonstration in front of the school gate in Motijheel protesting the raise of session and tuition fees without prior notice.

Earlier at noon, Guardians' Welfare Association of the school and college held a rally where the guardians strongly condemned the school authority's decision of increasing session and tuition fee during the time of high price of essentials.

Terming the decision "totally illogical", they said it would become very difficult for many lower and middle income group families to spend extra fees for their children at that time.

As the guardians tried to submit a memorandum to the school authority, they closed the school gate.

After an hour, the assistant headmaster received the memorandum from the guardians on behalf of the authority and informed the guardians that a decision would be taken in this regard before January 12.

The school authority fixed this year's session fee at Tk 5,000 from last year's Tk 3,200 while monthly tuition fee at Tk 400 from Tk 300.

Raza calls for stern action against terrorists

Narsingdi Correspodent

Minister for Post and Telecommunication Razi Uddin Ahmed Razu yesterday said the new government would do everything possible to build digital Bangladesh for the next generation.

He was speaking at a view-exchanging meeting at the district Circuit House.

Deputy Commissioner of Narsingdi Amrita Baroi presided over the meeting which was attended by the newly elected MPs, government officials and local journalists.

The minister heard problems in different sectors of the district including Communication, Education, Health and Electricity.

He urged all to work neutrally and called for taking strict measures against those involved in terrorist activities.

Razu also sought of cooperation of all to make the country digital which is one of their pre-election pledges.