Vol. 5 Num 1137 Fri. August 10, 2007       Home  News Today's Index Front Page Business Sports Metropolitan Culture General Views Point-counterpoint Editorial Letters to Editor Write to Editor Sections Environment World Others About Us Contact Advertisement Supplements Archives WWW thedailystar.net Today's Index Front Page Workers clash with cops for wage: 1 killed, 80 hurt Clashes between police and workers agitating for outstanding wages left one labourer killed and at least 80 including 30 cops injured at Amin Jute Mills here yesterday.   Poor work condition make cops wobble The draft Police Reform Programme (PRP) holds political influence as a major factor that prevents policemen from performing their duties, but field level policemen who constitute about 99 percent of the   Diseases spread as floodwaters recede As floodwaters continue to recede, the number of patients infected with water-borne diseases is growing and the experts say that the situation might take a turn for worse in the coming days.   EC to go for reform talks with parties despite politics ban The Election Commission (EC) will start communicating with political parties next month for dialogue on its draft electoral reform proposals regardless of the ban on indoor politics, an election commissioner   Govt appeals against HC orders on Hasina's bail, ACC notice The government yesterday filed separate appeals against recent High Court (HC) orders that granted bail to Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina and stayed Anti-Corruption Commission's notice seeking her wealth   Case against ex-secy Nurul Islam illegal The High Court (HC) yesterday declared illegal the initiation of a case filed by now-defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption (Bac) in 2004 against AHM Nurul Islam, a former secretary to prime minister, forleaking   Donations to CA's relief fund tax-free Money being donated to Chief Adviser's Relief Fund has been declared tax-free as per a pervious government order, an official announcement said yesterday.   NBR asks for account info of 26 graft suspects The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has asked all commercial banks to provide account statements of 26 graft suspects including six BNP and Jamaat leaders and their spouses and children.   CA for proper coordination among govt, non-govt bodies Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday called for proper coordination in relief operation among the government and non-government organisations so that no one is deprived.   Water sharing of Teesta, 7 other rivers held up for JRC meet India and Bangladesh have exchanged the principles of sharing waters of Teesta and seven other common rivers, which would be put up before the next meeting of the Joint River Commission (JRC).   Make young generation aware of graft effects Anti-corruption officials and propagators yesterday stressed the need for the young generation to be made aware of the effects of corruption in society in order to make the ongoing fight against corruption   Mill closure bankrupts over 2,000 traders A broad metalled street goes straight in front of the four state-owned jute mills in Khalishpur with rickshaws and motorised vehicles stranded at distance.   ACC sues Khandaker Mosharraf, Obaidul Karim, Janakantha Editor Atiqullah The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday filed four cases against eight persons, including former health minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, his wife, Oriental Group Chairman Obaidul Karim and   International Day of the World's Indigenous...   Saudi airlines may carry 50pc hajj pilgrims this year Saudi Arabian Airlines may carry 50 per cent of the Bangladeshi hajj pilgrims this year as the government is going to make an agreement with the Saudi government.   More job cut in Biman Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd, the newly formed public limited company (PLC), has taken an initiative to downsize its manpower further by 500 employees.   Reading out of judgment continues A counsel for condemned prisoner Bazlul Huda completed reading out part the High Court (HC) judgment in the Bangabandhu murder case that concerned Huda and another condemned prisoner --Sultan Shahriar   AL allowed to observe Aug 15 on conditions The caretaker government has set 11 conditions for Awami League (AL) to observe August 15 as the 32nd death anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.   Non-govt primary teachers face competency test The government has decided to take competency test of the teachers, recruited for the registered non-government primary schools before July 1, 1992 and have been receiving government part of their salary   Bangladesh name team for T20 WC Like the other Test nations, Bangladesh also decided to send a young but competitive team to the ICC Twenty20 World Championship, which will be held in South Africa next month.   3 held with 29 'rocket projectiles' Police recovered 29 "rocket projectiles" from Arambagh in the capital on Wednesday night and arrested three persons.   Child marriage stopped thru' street protests An 11-year-old girl was rescued yesterday from an attempted under-age marriage at Gopalpur village in Tala upazila as her fellow students took to the streets in protest.   ACC seeks help of senior lawyers to fight graft A group of senior lawyers, including Dr Kamal Hossain, Dr M Zahir and Justice TH Khan, yesterday had a meeting with Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury where   Customs official held for bribery The joint forces yesterday arrested a customs official while he was taking bribe from a clearing and forwarding agent in Khulna.   Musharraf against imposing emergency Embattled President Pervez Musharraf yesterday decided against imposing a state of emergency in Pakistan to cope with growing security and stability concerns, a senior government official told AFP.   Iran backs Iraqi PM for restoring security Iran yesterday gave visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki its full support for restoring security in Iraq but told him a pullout of US forces was the only way to end the violence.   Troops on red alert in India's northeast after rebels kill 15 Federal soldiers in India's restive northeast went on maximum alert Thursday after separatists killed 15 people in a string of attacks ahead of Independence Day, officials said. Business NBR makes good start to new fiscal year Riding on a 58 percent growth in income tax collection, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has made a good start to the new financial year as it achieved a 13.   Mirza Aziz sees no quick respite from essentials' price hike Finance Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam does not see a quick respite from the soaring prices of essentials, but said the government is investing all its efforts to keep the market stable.   Poverty fight gets harder as Asia modernises The struggle to lift 600 million Asians out of poverty is becoming harder despite the region's hectic pace of modernisation, experts told a regional conference here Thursday.   World stocks slide on fresh US credit concerns Global equities turned sharply lower on Thursday, led by heavy falls to leading European stock markets, as worries resurfaced about a weak US subprime mortgage sector, dealers said.   Ratan Tata still hopeful of Bangladesh plans Their three billion dollar proposal for Bangladesh hanging fire notwithstanding, the Tata Group has said it is still keen on the projects. "We have decided to go to Bangladesh.   Dhaka int'l trade fair in January The 13th version of Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) will begin in January next year at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital.   StanChart offers depositary participant services Standard Chartered Bank has recently launched depositary participant services for its retail customers, says a press release.   Fair of women entrepreneurs' products begins A two-day fair to exhibit and sell the products made by women entrepreneurs began in the capital yesterday.   Trust Bank official to get int'l brand leadership award Aftab Mahmud Khurshid, head of Corporate Brand & Market Communications Department of Trust Bank Ltd, will receive brand leadership award at Asia Brand Congress 2007 to be held in Mumbai, India in September.   Bush says China's dollar attack would be 'foolhardy' President George W. Bush on Wednesday said China would be "foolhardy" to attempt to push down the dollar in retaliation for US pressure over Beijing's alleged currency manipulation.   Novartis urged not to appeal against Indian patent ruling The humanitarian group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF, Doctors Without Borders) on Wednesday urged Swiss pharmaceutical group Novartis not to challenge an Indian patent law on vital medicines.   Currency   Correction In a news item headlined 'Prescheduled berthing introduced at Ctg port' published on Business Page on Tuesday, the agent's name of Markur Bridge ship was inadvertently mentioned as PIL instead of APL. Sports Cricket: Zia only surprise While the rest of the top cricket teams opted for a mix of experience and youth for the coming Twenty20 World Championship, Bangladesh were no exception.   Cricket: India make solid start James Anderson led England's fightback on the opening day of the third and final Test against India at The Oval here Thursday with two important wickets.   Cricket: Sarwan recalls shock drop Ramnaresh Sarwan has called the experience of being dropped from Test squad in Pakistan last November one of the most shocking incidents of his life and hit out against the team management of the day,   Hockey: Hockey team for Asia Cup named Bangladesh Hockey Federation (BHF) yesterday announced an 18-member squad for the 7th Asia Cup to be held in India.   Cricket: BCB to give Dipu legal support Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) yesterday confirmed that it would help the arrested Dipu Roy Chowdhury with legal aid.   Cricket: Giles calls it a day Ashley Giles became Thursday the first member of England's victorious 2005 Ashes side to announce his retirement from cricket.   Football: Meril Media Cup football from today The Meril Media Cup football tournament organised by Bangladesh Sports Journalists Association (BSJA) kicks off today with 24 teams taking part in the seven-a-side competition for journalists.   Football: Team spirit pleases Jose Jose Mourinho believes the team spirit he has forged at Chelsea is strong enough to see his side through the injury crisis that threatens to damage their title challenge.   Football: Pizarro to fight for place Claudio Pizarro on Thursday warned Didier Drogba to expect a fight for his place in the Chelsea attack.   Football: Will Bayern strike back? Whatever else may transpire in the 2007/08 Bundesliga season which kicks-off tonight it will forever be remembered as the swansong of one Oliver Kahn.   MU confidence sky high As Manchester United's players strolled onto their Carrington training pitch this week, the confidence currently surging through the club was instantly discernable.   Tennis: Federer wins on birthday Roger Federer had little to sing about as he struggled against the treetop serve of Ivo Karlovic before carving out a place in the third round of the ATP Montreal Masters.   Football: Alves interested in Chelsea UEFA Cup titleholders Sevilla's left-sided Brazilian defender Daniel Alves on Wednesday demanded the Spanish club consider an offer from English Premiership side Chelsea.   Football: Ballack doubtful for England German coach Joachim Loew admitted on Thursday that his captain Michael Ballack is a doubt for Germany's friendly against England at the new Wembley on August 22.   Football: Real set for Drenthe Dutch midfielder Royston Drenthe is to join Real Madrid after they came to agreement with Feyenoord, according to reports in the Spanish press on Thursday.   Football: Domenech's warning France coach Raymond Domenech has warned his team against focusing too much on their European qualifier against Italy next month.   Tennis: Sharapova moves into third round Top-seeded Russian Maria Sharapova reached the third round of the 600,000-dollar hard court tournament here Wednesday when ailing Eleni Daniilidou retired in the second set.   Catch of the year Before he celebrates his windfall, the New York Mets fan who emerged from a violent scrum clutching Barry Bonds' record-setting home run ball should probably call his accountant.   Cricket: Vettori named Kiwi captain New Zealand selectors on Thursday said they would not send Test skipper Stephen Fleming to the ICC Twenty20 World Championships in order to blood Daniel Vettori as captain.   Cricket: Manavjit pips Dravid World champion shooter Manavjit Sandhu on Thursday pipped popular cricket captain Rahul Dravid to win India's highest sporting honour for 2006.   Cricket: Mahela leads strong side Mahela Jayawardene will lead a strong Sri Lankan team to the inaugural Twenty20 World Championships to be held in South Africa in September, officials said on Thursday.   Cricket: Stadium boost for ICL Even as the BCCI's flip-flop over the Indian Cricket League continues, Railway Minister and Bihar Cricket Association President Laloo Prasad today openly backed the ICL, saying the million-dollar tournament   Cricket: SLC faces trouble A depleted selection panel picked Sri Lanka's Twenty-20 World Cham-pionships team Thursday following a spate of no-shows and resignations from the committee, sports minister Gamini Lokuge told AFP. Metropolitan Country needs 13m tons of coal a yr to generate additional power Bangladesh would require 13 million tons of coal every year for the next 10 years to generate additional power to meet the growing demand for electricity, as the natural gas supplies would not be able   Constitutional recognition of indigenous people demanded Speakers at a discussion at Chapainawabganj yesterday demanded constitutional recognition of the indigenous people, formation of a separate land commission and ministry for them and introduction of primary   Safeguard indigenous people's right to mother tongue, culture With a call to safeguarding indigenous people's right to their mother tongue, culture and land and ensuring constitutional recognition, different indigenous people's forum and other social and cultural   Gender sensitive budget a must for women's empowerment A gender sensitive budget is a must for women's empowerment, said the speakers at the concluding session of a workshop yesterday.   Enhance visit programme for mutual benefit President Iajuddin Ahmed stressed the need for enhancing the visit, training and technical cooperation programmes concerning the armed forces of Bangladesh and China to the mutual benefit.   More donations for flood victims Different government, non-government and international organisations continue to donate to the Chief Adviser's Relief and Welfare Fund and distribute relief among the flood victims.   'Step up health and safety measures in factories' Speakers at a dialogue yesterday stressed the need to strengthen health and safety measures in the garment factories to protect the reproductive health rights of workers.   Road accidents kill 7 At least seven people were killed and over 15 others injured in separate road accidents in Gazipur, Munshiganj and Pabna yesterday.   Attack on CBA leader, 548 more workers get arrear wages The general secretary of People's Jute Mills workers' union was injured in an attack by angry workers in front of the main gate of the mill at midday yesterday.   Ex-Shibir cadre arrested at RU An employee of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall of Rajshahi University (RU), who was also a former cadre of Islamic Chhatra Shibir (ICS), was arrested by Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Wednesday   Announce 6th wage board immediately The Sangbadik Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SSKOP) yesterday called on the government to announce the Sixth Wage Board Award immediately taking its recommendations into account, a SSKOP press release   Schoolboy murdered over cricket match A schoolboy was stabbed to death and three others were injured in a dispute over a cricket match at Shewrapara in the city yesterday.   Baby food for jute workers' families Jano Uddog, a civil rights organisation, yesterday distributed baby food among the 300 families of retrenched workers of closed People's Jute Mills.   Victims' Support Centres to be set up at police stations The police department will set up Victims' Support Centres (VSC) to enhance the capacity of the law enforcement agency men to better respond to the needs of the victims of crimes and provide securityto   IBA English debate contest begins today A three-day national English debate competition organised by the Institute of Business Administration Communication Club (IBACC) of Dhaka University (DU) will begin at the IBA auditorium today.   UP chairman, his aide get 22 yrs each A court in Chittagong yesterday sentenced a union parishad chairman and his accomplice to 22 years of imprisonment each in an arms case.   20 fall sick from food poisoning in Rajshahi At least 20 apprentices of Rajshahi Female Cottage Industry and Agriculture Centre fell sick from food poisoning after they had their dinner at its dining hall on Wednesday night.   New DFID Country Representative due Aug 12 Chris Austin, UK's new Country Representative of the Department for International Development (DFID), will arrive in Dhaka on August 12, says a press release.   20 to receive Japanese scholarship Like previous years, 20 more Bangladeshi citizens will go to Japan for study this year under the Japanese Grant Aid for Human Resource Development Scholarship project.   Students join street clean-up campaign A three-day street cleaning campaign titled 'Stand up. Clean up' began at Dhanmondi in the city yesterday, says a press release.   BC English teaching programmes start Aug 28 The British Council Teaching Centre will organise English language programmes beginning from August 28, says a press release.   Hand grenade recovered Police recovered a hand grenade from a mango orchard in Teligati area at Khanjahan Ali upazila in Khulna on Wednesday night. The mango orchard belongs to one Sheikh Omar Ali, a spice trader. Point-Counterpoint Elephant in the room Admittedly, the task that lay ahead for the CTG in the post 1/11 was not an easy one.   We have a job in hand I do not know who coined the phrase --"minus two" -- implying the ouster of Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina from politics, but this is a much talked about issue these days.   An appeal to all NRBs As per the request of the prime minister of India, Dr.   Shaken caretaker government At last the CTG has realised that though its capability to govern may be better than any government's elected during the last 15 years (1991-2006) its capacity is not extraordinary. Culture In conversation with Ajit Roy For singer-composer Ajit Roy, Rabindra Sangeet is a devotion, which he claims has established him as a reputable artiste. His mother introduced him to Tagore songs in his childhood.   Bandarban birds through Australian eyes An exhibition of drawings and sketches of birds of Bandarban Hills by the Australian naturalist artist Malcolm Arnold is on at Drik Gallery till 15 August.   Lending a hand In aid of Hajong families, affected by the recent flood, theatre troupe Palakar has arranged a fortnightly programme starting from yesterday. The programme will continue till August 24.   "Bonno": Fuad's latest album lives up to its name Following smash hits re/Evolution and Variation No. 25, Fuad is back with his latest album Bonno, a G-Series exclusive.   "Kaalpurush" wins Indian National Award for best film Internationally acclaimed Bengali filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta's Kaalpurush, set against the backdrop of the Naxalite movement, has been adjudged the best feature film at the Indian National Film General Star Jute Mills workers resume work Workers of the state-owned Star Jute Mills (SJM) resumed their work from the morning shift yesterday as the authorities agreed to pay their arrear wages of two out of three weeks.   Dr Shafique files case for seizure of Rentu's property Prof Dr Shafique Ahmed Siddique of Dhaka University yesterday filed an execution case seeking seizure of all movable and immovable property of Motiur Rahman Rentu, author of 'Amar Fashi Chai'.   ‘Declare Aug 15 as mourning day’ Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) formed a human chain on the Dhaka University (DU) campus yesterday demanding declaration of August 15 as national mourning day and immediate execution of the verdict of Editorial Editorial: Warding off epidemic Appalling statistics are pouring in from different hospitals about the incidence of diarrhoea and cholera.   Editorial: Ban on unauthorised campuses A number of unauthorised branches or outer campuses of some private universities will soon be closed down.   Ten thousand whispering and nobody listening The flooding that we periodically suffer and are in the midst of right now are a poignant illustration of both the best and the worst in us as a people and as a nation.   Open guilt and secret shame I had mixed feelings when I heard the news. My chest swelled after a former prime minister declared her undisclosed income and came forward to pay taxes.   The complex world of mortgage market A few years ago, the mortgage market was not at all complicated, at least in principle. Letters to Editor Relief operations Sometimes good intentions are not enough, you need people with real leadership quality and guts to take care of things even at the risk of getting blamed because everyone cannot be helped simultaneously   Prices of essentials Recently (from 24.07.07 to 04.08.07) I visited Kolkata. To meet my curiosity I visited several kitchen markets of the mega-city and found that prices of some of the items are almost identical with Dhaka.   Plant more trees While we need to plant more and more trees in our city, Dhaka University is cutting down the big trees which have been giving us shades for years and making the environment worth living.   Harassment of commuters We are literally prisoners in the hands of the CNG auto-rickshaws and cabs.   Asian Cup I would like to congratulate the Iraq national football team for winning their first Asian Cup.   Political vacuum and beneficiaries History tells us colonial masters used to malign local politicians on a regular basis.   Trial of collaborators On the evening of July 30, the ETV interviewed Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Mujahid, a Pakistani collaborator and commander of the dreaded Al-Badr in 1971.   DU teachers Those who are living abroad and criticising the DU teachers' act of wearing black badges have already forgotten that these teachers came on the streets to protest the autocratic rule of General Ershad   Reform Political party reform is very important for transparency and accountability. But we watch that the caretaker government wants to break the two big political parties in the name of reform.   National security council I live far away from home but I never miss the interesting articles in DS. Honestly speaking, democracy needs time to grow.   In response... Ref: "Oops! I forgot the tax" I am happy that you are writing such news analysis regarding the two 'preferential citizens', still so called 'VVIP', who along with their families not only did notpay   Accelerate pace of development It is quite disheartening to learn of the closure of the deep seaport project. As Dr.   Two women Some culprits who were benefited by the 'black' democracy in the last fifteen years are now crying for Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia.   Hasina's comments It was reported in your newspaper that Sheikh Hasina's estimated wealth might be around Tk 2 crore, including Tk1.19 crore interest from savings.   Costly medicare! What on earth was more baffling to reconcile with than Speaker Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar's drawing of Tk 28 lakh as medical bill in the last five years of BNP rule! Bangladesh, to the bewilderment   The only way out Reform -- the oft-repeated word these days-- is the need of the time. But general people feel that it should have been done in each and every political party many years ago.   Pain and pleasure Whoever he or she may be, a bus driver, a nurse of a hospital, an industrialist or a barrister, a film hero or a heroine, a first class gazetted officer or a millionaire or a beggar, a president or aprime Environment Flood havoc and post-flood priorities About four-fifth of Bangladesh is flood plain. As a result about one fifth to one third of the country is annually flooded by the overflowing rivers during the monsoon when the rainfall is very high.   New diseases threaten rice yield It has been reported that there had occurred appearance of mildew on Boro rice perhaps due to severe storm and high temperature in Shibalay (Manikganj).   Contemplating flood control So the flood again hits Bangladesh hard like many other previous years and most probably our leadership is getting ready to seek help to overcome it.   Flood control or controlled flood? Loss of water holding and carrying capacity of the main rivers filled with silt was the main cause of devastating flood of 1998 in Bangladesh. World Afghanistan, Pakistan can defeat militancy Afghan President Hamid Karzai told hundreds of Afghan and Pakistan tribal leaders yesterday that both nations could defeat a resurgent al-Qaeda and Taliban if they worked together.   Pak SC admits Nawaz Sharif's petition An angry Pakistan Supreme Court yesterday asked the government why its earlier order to permit former premier Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz to come back home was not implemented as their petition   No breakthrough likely in summit of Koreas North Korean leader Kim Jong Il will likely put on his best show for South Korea's visiting president, with thousands of enthusiastic supporters called out to line the streets of the capital to herald   Shias flood Baghdad for pilgrimage Hundreds of thousands of Shia pilgrims braved fears of attack yesterday to march into Baghdad to commemorate an eighth century imam, amid a massive security effort aimed at preventing bloodshed.   US allays fears of divisions in anti-terror drive The United States moved to allay fears that Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's absence from a Washington-brokered anti-terrorism meeting in Afghanistan reflected divisions in the "war on terror.   Manmohan stands firm against left veto of US nuclear deal Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is standing firm in the face of opposition from his government's communist partners, insisting that a key civilian nuclear deal with Washington will not be renegotiated.   UN urges Lanka to disarm pro-govt paramilitary group The United Nations on Thursday urged Sri Lanka to disarm a pro-government paramilitary group operating in the east of the island to ensure safety and security for aid workers and residents.   Attack on Taslima Nasreen's book Launching function in India Activists of an Islamic party yesterday attacked a book launching ceremony of exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad.   Endeavour carries teacher into space After Endeavour launched into the clear blue sky and reached orbit with teacher-astronaut Barbara Morgan aboard, Mission Control announced that class was in session.   Pakistanis want Musharraf to quit army A poll released yesterday by an US think-tank showed most Pakistanis want military ruler President Pervez Musharraf to step down as head of the country's army.   Moscow's richest 41 times richer than poorest The richest 10 percent of Muscovites are 41 times richer than the poorest 10 percent, a gap that dwarfs the national divide, Russia's state statistics service said yesterday.   © thedailystar.net, 2007. 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