Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed is likely to propose a number of medium- and long-term relief and rehabilitation programmes for Sidr-affected areas when he meets donors tomorrow as part of a broad plan to rebuild a more durable region for future disasters.

After passing HSC, a little more than four percent students pursue higher education in the country as the public and private universities combined do not have adequate seats to accommodate them.

About eight lakh metric tons of Aman crops worth around Tk 2,000 crore have been damaged in Cyclone Sidr that ripped through the southwestern districts last month, shows the agriculture ministry's final damage assessment.

India yesterday lifted its ban on rice exports to the tune of five lakh tonnes to help Bangladesh deal with its food shortages and also proposed to pay for the full rebuilding of 10 villages badly affected by Sidr.

BNP Acting Chairman Saifur Rahman yesterday gave leader of another faction Khandaker Delwar Hossain a proposal for unity under the leadership of the party's detained chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The Election Commission (EC) will not appeal against the High Court order that stayed EC's November 22 move to invite one faction of BNP to talks.

Political as well as civil society leaders of indigenous communities in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) have demanded full implementation of the peace accord signed on this day 10 years ago.

Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday said a major part of donations given to the Chief Adviser's Relief and Welfare Fund is being spent on rebuilding houses in the cyclone-battered areas.

The Election Commission yesterday started taking photograph and fingerprint of voters to complete the process of voters' registration in Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) area.

A group of economists both from home and abroad will critically look at Bangladesh's development prospects when they meet at an international conference here today on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS).

General members of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) yesterday urged the government to appoint an 'administrator' to complete the biennial election of the apex trade body.

Freedom fighters and pro-liberation political and socio-cultural organisations yesterday said it is imperative to bring the war criminals and killers of 1971 to justice under the law of the land.

Six more decomposed bodies were recovered from different areas of cyclone-hit Sadar upazila yesterday.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (Haab) continue to point the finger at the other for the recurrent cancellation of hajj flights, putting the flights of a large number of hajj pilgrims in jeopardy.

Over 5,600 chickens were culled and at least 2,650 eggs were destroyed at a poultry farm in Dolong in Chatmohar upazila in the district Friday night as they were infected with bird flu.

BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday expressed concern over the government decision of cancelling public holiday on the National Revolution and Solidarity Day on November 7.

The government yesterday sent the first consignment of artefacts meant for an exhibition in Paris.

The joint forces yesterday arrested a co-accused of detained BNP Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman and his businessman friend Giasuddin Al Mamun in an extortion case filed by a construction firm owner.

Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto launched her election campaign in troubled northwestern Pakistan yesterday, a day after unveiling her party's platform despite calls from other opposition groups to boycott the January 8 vote.

An 18-month attempt to persuade Iran to mothball uranium enrichment collapsed Friday after a senior European Union envoy failed to dent Tehran's resolve to expand the technology, despite the threat of new UN sanctions.

President Pervez Musharraf has accused US and other Western powers of being partly responsible for the current political crisis in Pakistan.

Turkey made good on its threat to strike Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq yesterday, saying it inflicted "heavy losses" on the armed separatist movement PKK with cross-border airstrikes and artillery.

The conference on Climate Change beginning in Bali today is an opportunity for countries recently affected by natural disasters to take stock of their losses. More importantly, the conference offers a forum for such countries to draw attention to the causes behind the tragedies they have of late gone through. Obviously, there is much truth in the statement that the scale of suffering wrought by nature has been a direct consequence of the rather unprecedented changes that have come over climate patterns owing to global warming. For Bangladesh, the position is clear: it cannot but express its strong support for such initiatives as the one about to get underway in Bali.

That we do not yet have a back-up of the optical fibre line in place indicates that this has not been accorded the priority that it deserves. One would have expected that the relevant authorities might have addressed the matter, which has to do with the country's only internet and telephone connectivity with the outside world, with more urgency than we have noticed so far.

General Pervez Musharraf has finally shed his military uniform and has taken oath of office as a civilian president, though his election was contested in the Supreme Court. Although most of the political prisoners have been released, it is not yet clear if the political crisis prompted by the declaration of emergency has subsided.

Saying farewell to an institution that has served in for any length of time can be a wrenching experience, so it must have been for Pervez Musharraf. It has been 46 years since he first wore the uniform of a Gentleman Cadet (GC) of the Pakistan Military Academy (PMA). Handing over the baton to Ashfaq Kayani, he symbolically passed on part of the absolute power he has wielded absolutely for nine long years.

The Red Ribbon is the global symbol for solidarity with HIV-positive people and those living with AIDS. World AIDS Day, observed December 1 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness about the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection.

Khulna appeared poor without their national colours as they suffered an eight-wicket defeat at the hands of Dhaka in the sixth round one-day match of the 9th National Cricket League at the Shaheed Birshreshtha Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Khulna yesterday.

New national cricket coach Jamie Siddons gets into business with the Tigers formally today when the training camp for the demanding tour to New Zealand gets underway at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

Venkatsai Laxman and Sourav Ganguly hammered robust centuries to take India to a formidable total against Pakistan in the second Test here on Saturday.

Mohammedan Sporting Club drew blank on the field in their second charity game at the Tangail Stadium yesterday, but the match of the Black and Whites against the local selection generated quite a handsome amount for the Sidr victims of the country.

Teletalk, the state-run mobile phone company, has signed with Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) as the title sponsor of the three-match Abahani-Mohammedan football series organised to raise fund for the cyclone-affected people.

England's pace-spin duo of Matthew Hoggard and Monty Panesar combined to destroy Sri Lanka for 188 on the opening day of the first cricket Test here on Saturday.

Cristiano Ronaldo has already proved himself as one of the greatest players in the world, even if he fails to beat Kaka to the title of European Footballer of the Year, according to Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Joe Cole maintained Chelsea's drive towards the top of the Premier League as his goal secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over West Ham on Saturday.

Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to unleash Wayne Rooney on Fulham on Monday following the Manchester United striker's rapid recovery from an ankle injury.

The Japan Football Association said Friday it has picked Takeshi Okada, who coached Japan at their first World Cup in 1998, to return to the job to replace the ailing Ivica Osim.

AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has already congratulated his star Brazilian striker Kaka for what appears to be his anticipated collection of the European Footballer of the Year award.

Argentina's Juan Roman Riquelme cannot play for Boca Juniors in the Club World Cup next month, FIFA said on Friday.

A reform of the European Champions League for the period 2009/12 was agreed by the UEFA executive committee on Friday night.

A supporter of Scottish football club Aberdeen has told police she was raped ahead of a match against Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital that was marred by crowd violence, the British embassy said.

UEFA president Michel Platini said the final of the European Champions League would be played on a Saturday from 2010 onwards.

Argentine playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme had to leave Villarreal because he was not prepared to be treated the same way as the rest of his teammates, according to club president Fernando Roig.

Superstar David Beckham thrilled a record New Zealand football crowd by scoring as the Los Angeles Galaxy beat the Wellington Phoenix 4-1 in a friendly match here Saturday

Brendon McCullum and Jamie How pounded the South African bowlers as New Zealand ended a losing streak with an emphatic seven-wicket victory in the second one-day international at St George's Park Friday.

Sourav Ganguly and Geoff Lawson, the Pakistan coach, in different ways defended the decision to play Shoaib Akhtar during the press conferences at the end of the second day.

The Chennai duo of R Sathish and V Saravanan blasted 44 runs in 4.4 overs to boost the Superstars before Shabbir Ahmed and Ian Harvey, two international imports, sealed the six-run win against Kolkata Tigers. The second Twenty20 game of the ICL followed a similar pattern to the first and it came down to a tight final-over finish.

National Association of Sports for the Persons with Disability (NASPD) have organised a friendly cricket match at the Dhanmondi Club ground on December 4.

Five Bangladeshi players will take part in the Commonwealth Chess Championship that begins in New Delhi on Monday.

England batsman Kevin Pietersen has reported losing 1,000 dollars in cash while the team was based at a plush hotel in the Sri Lankan capital, police said on Saturday.

South African Gary Kirsten is almost certain to take over as India coach but a formal announcement could take another week, a senior board official said on Saturday.

Beximco Pharmaceuticals, the country's second largest drug maker, has been forced to cut production and exports due to restrictions on the import of key raw materials.

The Privatisation Commission has not received any positive response from the Saudi prince to finalise the Rupali Bank sell-off deal as the November deadline ended, said commission chairman yesterday.

Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation in Geneva Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya has sought free decision for LDCs' market access along with simple and transparent rules of origin.

UAE-based RAK Airways started operations in Bangladesh on Thursday hoping to cash in on the increased flow of Bangladeshi workers to the Middle East.

Solar panels, wind turbines and other "green" goods and services should face fewer tariffs and other trade barriers, the United States and European Union proposed at the World Trade Organisation on Friday.

An agreement among congressional Democrats including those from auto industry states to support a 40 percent increase in vehicle fuel efficiency is likely to be the tonic needed to push energy legislation through Congress before Christmas.

A three-day knitwear exhibition begins in Dhaka today in a bid to display strength and potential of the country's knit sector.

Experts suggested an improved communication between the government and the business community in order to help the economy recover from sluggishness.

A three-day textile and garment machinery show begins at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka tomorrow.

Pakistan's budget deficit has soared to nearly Rs 159 billion during the first quarter of this fiscal, as total expenditures stood at Rs 471.5 billion against the total revenue of Rs 312.6 billion.

Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday called for promoting book-reading habit every nook and corner of society as a movement to march on the path of progress.

Leaders of Sector Commanders' Forum and relatives of slain freedom fighters yesterday called for launching massive movement across the country to force the government to hold trial of the war criminals.

The caretaker government should dispel public confusion over the detail plan of a US Navy ship that is acting as the launch pad for US relief effort in the coastal districts, speakers at a BBC Bangladesh Sanglap yesterday said.

President Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday eulogised Allama Jalaluddin Rumi saying that the great poet has been unique in his presentation through the 'Masnavi' of the universal message of hope of Islam.

Parents of young housewife Mahmuda Khatun Topi, who died six days after her husband threw acid on her, yesterday said they are passing their days in a sense of insecurity as Topi's detained husband has been threatening to kill them.

The impact of American Muslim groups on US foreign policy has been very 'modest' and the success is 'negligible', said Dr Ahrar Ahmad, a Fulbright scholar from the USA.

Hardline Indian Muslim groups said they would meet today to decide whether to keep up demands for the expulsion of Bangladesh author Taslima Nasreen, hounded into hiding by protests against her.

Thirty more organisations and individuals yesterday donated about Tk 1.85 crore to the CA's Relief Fund for the country's cyclone victims.

The Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI) in partnership with Manusher Jonno Foundation launched the 'Public Relations Handbook' at a simple ceremony in the city yesterday, says a press release.

Six winners of the 12th Berger Young Painters' Art Competition received prizes at the prize giving ceremony held at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the city recently, says a press release.

An injured suspected drug peddler died in custody of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) at a city clinic yesterday.

Communications Adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin has appealed to the United Nations and other international agencies for immediate help in constructing adequate cyclone shelters and dams, which are essential to protect life and property during natural calamities.

Police yesterday arrested a sacked army officer with 44 bottles of phensidyl and a private car, says a police press release.

Nari Unnayan Shakti (NUS), a development organisation working for the welfare of women and children, observed the World AIDS Day yesterday with various programmes across the country, says a press release.

At least two people were killed and five others injured in separate road accidents in Gaibandha and Pabna yesterday.

Today is the 87th birth anniversary of famous artist Quamrul Hassan.

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) last night arrested a UP chairman of Pirojpur at Mirpur in the city on charge of misappropriating relief for cyclone victims.

Haji M Salahuddin Mian of Janakantha and M Abdul Gani of Inqilab have been elected president and general secretary of Keraniganj Press Club.

With start of potato sowing season, farmers are bewildered due to crisis of good seed and ferttiliser in eight northern districts, country's prime potato growing area.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr A T M Shamsul Huda will start a two- day visit to Bandarban and Rangamati hill districts tomorrow.

Freedom fighters of Godagari upazila of Rajshahi yesterday demanded trial of 1971 war criminals in a special tribunal.

At least 104 extremists belonging to outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) surrendered to the police at an ordinary function at remote Katagari Hat in Deshigram village in Tarash upazila under the district yesterday.

A complainant of a case filed against arrested mayor of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) and nine others has sought security of life.

Cane crashing started in Dinajpur Sugar Mill at Bochaganj upazila yesterday with a target to produce 9,000 tonnes of sugar by crushing 1.2 lakh tonnes of sugarcane.

The United States Friday withdrew a resolution it presented to the UN Security Council endorsing the relaunch of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks agreed in Annapolis, a diplomat here said.

Final preparations were underway in Russia on Saturday for parliamentary elections expected to hand a sweeping victory to President Vladimir Putin's party, just three months before presidential polls.

Iraq's faltering political process was thrown into fresh turmoil yesterday when the main Sunni bloc walked out of the parliament in protest at a crackdown on its leader Adnan al-Dulaimi.

At least 27 people were killed in fresh fighting in Sri Lanka's embattled northeast, the military said on Saturday, marking the latest violence in the long-running ethnic conflict.

The six Gulf Arab states whose leaders meet in Qatar on Monday for a two-day summit are increasingly suspicious about Iran's nuclear ambitions, which they fear could spark a new regional conflict.

Five militants from Hamas's military wing were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the Gaza Strip overnight, Palestinian medics said.

The candidacy of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's brother was rejected Saturday because of pending criminal charges against him, Pakistan election authorities said.

A man claiming to be armed with a bomb took over one of US presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton's campaign offices for more than five hours Friday before surrendering to police.

An Indian state has banned a film featuring Bollywood superstar Madhuri Dixit because it allegedly offends low-caste Hindus, an official said on Saturday.

Western interior ministers played down Saturday the latest statement attributed to Osama bin Laden, even though their countries were clearly targeted.

A three-year-old HIV-infected boy was left to die in a cloth bag hung from a tree in southern India, a report said yesterday.

Rabirasmi and Amra Surjomukhi celebrated their anniversary programmes on November 30 at the National Museum Auditorium and Sufia Kamal Auditorium respectively.

To promote the younger recitation artistes, Bangladesh Abritti Samonwoy Parishod (BASP), a common platform of the recitation troupes in the country, in association with Liberation War Museum arranged a recitation programme at the Liberation War Museum on November 30.

To observe the 20th death anniversary of eminent Gonosangeet exponent Hemanga Biswas (1912- 1987), cultural organisation Bibartan Shankskritik Kendra arranged a programme at the Natmandal, Dhaka University. Though Hemanga Biswas's death anniversary is on November 22, the death anniversary was observed on November 30.

When Cameron Diaz signed on to lend her voice to Princess Fiona in 2001's animated fairy tale "Shrek," she earned a modest six figures for the work.

Rafi Haque who has won repeated acclaims in Europe and Japan earlier, is currently having his exhibitions at France and Poland. Rafi has gone back to his subtle and sophisticated prints, in which he excelled since his student days -- going by his exhibition then at Gallery Jojon.

For a poor country like Bangladesh, a natural disaster always means a huge death toll, displacement and inconceivable destruction. Of the 20th century's ten deadliest storms, seven devoured their victims at the head of the Bay of Bengal. Sidr was one of the 10 fiercest cyclones that had hit the region of Bangladesh in the 131 years between 1876 and 2007.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director, Hua Du, said that the Bangladesh economy is currently going through the most critical and challenging period since independence because of the extensive damage caused by natural calamities and the increase of oil price in the international market (Daily Star, November 11). Here we outline how the government should revise its strategies for reform and prevent the downturn.

In the wake of criticism from environmentalists, the decision to hold the third national fair of the disabled at Dhanmondi playground has been cancelled.

The Khilgaon Flyover will soon be made off limits to pedestrians to avert accidents and antisocial activities, said sources.

“After I lost my limbs I was at a loss. Though I had to resort to begging for a period, I always thought of standing on my own feet again,” said Nur Ullah who pulls rickshaw with one hand and one leg after he lost the other two limbs in a train accident five years ago.

While global HIV prevalence--the percentage of people living with HIV--has levelled off, the number of new infections has risen in the country. Recently Bangladesh has been reported as one of the five countries in the Asia-Pacific region where HIV/AIDS infections are rising.

In today’s modern dentistry, dental implants are the most established popular and effective method for replacing missing teeth. With more then 96 percent success rates and very high patient satisfaction, its demand are getting higher than ever before.

Bangladesh is such a country where poverty prevails at its gravest rate, income inequality is enormous, governments have been really inefficient here historically and the effective literacy rate is low. Basic primary health-care services are not accessed equally; marginalised people of rural Bangladesh are treated in a highly discriminatory nature to access the health facilities.

With a view to improve cardiac care in the country and ensure proper treatment of the older population, a new society named “Bangladesh Society of Geriatric Cardiology” has been formed recently.

The theme for World AIDS Day 2007 celebrated yesterday was focused on leadership, under the slogan, "Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise," which is the worldwide campaign until 2010.

Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways characterised by recurrent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing. It is the most common chronic disease among children.

Physical barriers, such as regular handwashing and wearing masks, gloves and gowns, may be more effective than drugs to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses such as influenza and SARS, a study has found.

A Bangladeshi orthopaedic surgeon's paper on modern trauma management was highly acclaimed at the annual conference of the British Trauma Society that concluded in Nottingham, United Kingdom (UK) recently.