Thursday, August 26, 2010
Duke remanded for 4 days
A Dhaka court has granted four days' remand for Saiful Islam Duke in the August 21 grenade attack case. 26/8/10
BSTI Disposes of Adulterated Puffed Rice
A mobile court disposes of adulterated puffed rice into the river at Keraniganj ferry port on Thursday. 26/8/10
Ifter Party Organised Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and Dhaka Journalists Union
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia says prayers before Iftar on Thursday, organised by pro-BNP factions of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists and Dhaka Journalists Union. 26/8/10
Azam Khan on his way home
Ailing Bangla pop guru and freedom fighter Azam Khan will return on Monday after a month-long treatment in Singapore, his family has said.
The pop-song pioneer has been suffering from mouth cancer and flew to Singapore on Aug 14 for better treatment.
The operation on him was done successfully at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore on Aug 21.
Azam's elder daughter Ima Khan told bdnews24.com: "He is almost healed but will be given Tomotherapy to cure the affected place."
For this, the pop guru will fly to Singapore on Sept 10, the Tomotherapy will start from Sept 13.
"My father's verbal condition is not quite stable yet," Ima added.
Azam Khan will reach Dhaka on 9pm.
Before going to Singapore on Aug 13, Azam, in an exclusive interview, told bdnews24.com that he felt a piece of flesh under his tongue but didn't take it seriously. The doctors later examined his mouth cancer.
He was born in the capital's Azimpur on Feb 28, 1950. He has released 17 solo albums to date. A large number of his songs were also released in mixed albums.
'Ore Saleka, Ore Maleka' is one of his songs that became very popular in the eighties.
-bdnews
The pop-song pioneer has been suffering from mouth cancer and flew to Singapore on Aug 14 for better treatment.
The operation on him was done successfully at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore on Aug 21.
Azam's elder daughter Ima Khan told bdnews24.com: "He is almost healed but will be given Tomotherapy to cure the affected place."
For this, the pop guru will fly to Singapore on Sept 10, the Tomotherapy will start from Sept 13.
"My father's verbal condition is not quite stable yet," Ima added.
Azam Khan will reach Dhaka on 9pm.
Before going to Singapore on Aug 13, Azam, in an exclusive interview, told bdnews24.com that he felt a piece of flesh under his tongue but didn't take it seriously. The doctors later examined his mouth cancer.
He was born in the capital's Azimpur on Feb 28, 1950. He has released 17 solo albums to date. A large number of his songs were also released in mixed albums.
'Ore Saleka, Ore Maleka' is one of his songs that became very popular in the eighties.
-bdnews
Tropa working on Lalon play
Actress Tropa Majumdar is now busy with her new directorial venture on stage with a play based on the life and philosophy of the great baul maestro Lalon Shah.
Titled ‘Baramkhana’, the play is written by Pantha Shahrier, and will be staged by Theatre.
Being inspired after reading the novel ‘Moner Manush’ by Sunil Gangopadhaya, Tropa planned for a theatre production on baul philosophy. Later, she gave the novel to Pantha for reading. ‘Our play is mainly inspired by that novel. However, we have included some other things related to our present socio-political context,’ Tropa told about her new ventures.
According to her, the ‘canvas’ of the play will be wider. It will cover Lalon’s life, works and the situation after the Partition of India in 1947. Tropa, who earlier directed the play ‘Chhay Beharar Palki’ with Jaglul Alam and later, had her solo directorial debut by the play ‘Mukti’, says that the latest play will include more than twenty persons as cast and most of them are new. She hopes to bring the play on stage within two months.
Tropa expects to bring some variations in the play which will uphold Lalon’s philosophy and the culture based on the mazar (shrine) in the country as well. In the play, Lolon’s songs will be incorporated with dialogues. ‘No doubt, music will play an important role in the play, but variation in style will also be there,’ she added.
Tropa believes, some people tried to Islamise Lalon’s secular philosophy after the Partition. ‘Many people have also been doing politics with his ideals to meet their own vested interest. I want to show these odds by presenting Lalon as a symbol,’ she said.
Tropa is also performing in the popular drama serial ‘Poush Faguner Pala’, directed by Afsana Mimi and telecast on ATN Bangla. Adapted from Gajendra Mitra’s novel ‘Trayee’ and jointly scripted by Iraj Ahmed and Mansur Rahman Chanchal, the play is set against the backdrop of the capital and its outskirt areas at the sixties and seventies, ‘For the first time in my performing career I am playing the role as a daughter of my mother Ferdousi Majumdar in the serial,’ says Tropa.
For the approaching Eid, Tropa has completed shooting for a one-hour play written and directed Subarna Mustafa. In the play, Tropa played a kleptomaniac woman.
She is also regularly performing on stage in the plays ‘Meraj Fakirer Ma’, ‘Madhabi’ and ‘Mukti’ by Theatre Expressing her optimism about theatre she said that the theatregoers are getting better productions in recent time. Many of the contemporary plays have interesting aspects to move the audience, she said. While appreciating the tendency to experiment on the form and style of theatre, she mentioned that the experiments should be done carefully.
Titled ‘Baramkhana’, the play is written by Pantha Shahrier, and will be staged by Theatre.
Being inspired after reading the novel ‘Moner Manush’ by Sunil Gangopadhaya, Tropa planned for a theatre production on baul philosophy. Later, she gave the novel to Pantha for reading. ‘Our play is mainly inspired by that novel. However, we have included some other things related to our present socio-political context,’ Tropa told about her new ventures.
According to her, the ‘canvas’ of the play will be wider. It will cover Lalon’s life, works and the situation after the Partition of India in 1947. Tropa, who earlier directed the play ‘Chhay Beharar Palki’ with Jaglul Alam and later, had her solo directorial debut by the play ‘Mukti’, says that the latest play will include more than twenty persons as cast and most of them are new. She hopes to bring the play on stage within two months.
Tropa expects to bring some variations in the play which will uphold Lalon’s philosophy and the culture based on the mazar (shrine) in the country as well. In the play, Lolon’s songs will be incorporated with dialogues. ‘No doubt, music will play an important role in the play, but variation in style will also be there,’ she added.
Tropa believes, some people tried to Islamise Lalon’s secular philosophy after the Partition. ‘Many people have also been doing politics with his ideals to meet their own vested interest. I want to show these odds by presenting Lalon as a symbol,’ she said.
Tropa is also performing in the popular drama serial ‘Poush Faguner Pala’, directed by Afsana Mimi and telecast on ATN Bangla. Adapted from Gajendra Mitra’s novel ‘Trayee’ and jointly scripted by Iraj Ahmed and Mansur Rahman Chanchal, the play is set against the backdrop of the capital and its outskirt areas at the sixties and seventies, ‘For the first time in my performing career I am playing the role as a daughter of my mother Ferdousi Majumdar in the serial,’ says Tropa.
For the approaching Eid, Tropa has completed shooting for a one-hour play written and directed Subarna Mustafa. In the play, Tropa played a kleptomaniac woman.
She is also regularly performing on stage in the plays ‘Meraj Fakirer Ma’, ‘Madhabi’ and ‘Mukti’ by Theatre Expressing her optimism about theatre she said that the theatregoers are getting better productions in recent time. Many of the contemporary plays have interesting aspects to move the audience, she said. While appreciating the tendency to experiment on the form and style of theatre, she mentioned that the experiments should be done carefully.
Manmohan orders to change Kashmir strategy
Security forces in Kashmir need to find non-lethal means of controlling violent mobs to prevent more deaths in the unrest roiling the Indian-ruled region, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said yesterday in rare remarks directly questioning government tactics.
Violence related to near-daily protests against Indian control of Kashmir has led to the deaths of at least 64 people over the last two months, mostly civilians. The protesters have set official buildings and vehicles ablaze, and government forces have fired guns and tear gas to contain the unrest.
Speaking to police chiefs from around India, Singh noted that militant activities have declined in Kashmir, but maintaining public order there has become a serious concern and a challenge for the government.
"We cannot have an approach of one size fits all," Singh said. Public agitation has to be dealt with "with non-lethal, yet effective and more focused, measures," he said.
Civil rights activists have accused Indian paramilitary soldiers and police of using a heavy-handed approach, and each death caused by security forces sparks further clashes with rock-throwing demonstrators.
Singh has made at least two recent appeals for calm, telling the people of Kashmir his government is ready to hold talks to resolve their problems.
Rule by Hindu-majority India is widely opposed in the majority Muslim region, which separatists want to become independent or merge with Pakistan.
In his speech to police chiefs, Singh dwelt on a slew of problems faced by police and security forces in the country, including threats by separatists and Maoist rebels, commonly known as Naxalites.
Singh, who has often called the rebels India's biggest internal security threat, again Thursday voiced the government's willingness to talk to the guerrillas if they give up violence.
"We recognize that the Naxalites are our people and are ready to talk to them provided they abjure the path of violence," he said.
The rebels, who have tapped into the rural poors' anger at being left out of the country's economic gains, are present in 20 of the country's 28 states and have an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 fighters, according to India's home ministry. About 2,000 people have been killed in rebel-related violence over the past few years.
Tropa working on Lalon play
Actress Tropa Majumdar is now busy with her new directorial venture on stage with a play based on the life and philosophy of the great baul maestro Lalon Shah.
Titled ‘Baramkhana’, the play is written by Pantha Shahrier, and will be staged by Theatre.
Being inspired after reading the novel ‘Moner Manush’ by Sunil Gangopadhaya, Tropa planned for a theatre production on baul philosophy. Later, she gave the novel to Pantha for reading. ‘Our play is mainly inspired by that novel. However, we have included some other things related to our present socio-political context,’ Tropa told about her new ventures.
According to her, the ‘canvas’ of the play will be wider. It will cover Lalon’s life, works and the situation after the Partition of India in 1947. Tropa, who earlier directed the play ‘Chhay Beharar Palki’ with Jaglul Alam and later, had her solo directorial debut by the play ‘Mukti’, says that the latest play will include more than twenty persons as cast and most of them are new. She hopes to bring the play on stage within two months.
Tropa expects to bring some variations in the play which will uphold Lalon’s philosophy and the culture based on the mazar (shrine) in the country as well. In the play, Lolon’s songs will be incorporated with dialogues. ‘No doubt, music will play an important role in the play, but variation in style will also be there,’ she added.
Tropa believes, some people tried to Islamise Lalon’s secular philosophy after the Partition. ‘Many people have also been doing politics with his ideals to meet their own vested interest. I want to show these odds by presenting Lalon as a symbol,’ she said.
Tropa is also performing in the popular drama serial ‘Poush Faguner Pala’, directed by Afsana Mimi and telecast on ATN Bangla. Adapted from Gajendra Mitra’s novel ‘Trayee’ and jointly scripted by Iraj Ahmed and Mansur Rahman Chanchal, the play is set against the backdrop of the capital and its outskirt areas at the sixties and seventies, ‘For the first time in my performing career I am playing the role as a daughter of my mother Ferdousi Majumdar in the serial,’ says Tropa.
For the approaching Eid, Tropa has completed shooting for a one-hour play written and directed Subarna Mustafa. In the play, Tropa played a kleptomaniac woman.
She is also regularly performing on stage in the plays ‘Meraj Fakirer Ma’, ‘Madhabi’ and ‘Mukti’ by Theatre Expressing her optimism about theatre she said that the theatregoers are getting better productions in recent time. Many of the contemporary plays have interesting aspects to move the audience, she said. While appreciating the tendency to experiment on the form and style of theatre, she mentioned that the experiments should be done carefully.
Titled ‘Baramkhana’, the play is written by Pantha Shahrier, and will be staged by Theatre.
Being inspired after reading the novel ‘Moner Manush’ by Sunil Gangopadhaya, Tropa planned for a theatre production on baul philosophy. Later, she gave the novel to Pantha for reading. ‘Our play is mainly inspired by that novel. However, we have included some other things related to our present socio-political context,’ Tropa told about her new ventures.
According to her, the ‘canvas’ of the play will be wider. It will cover Lalon’s life, works and the situation after the Partition of India in 1947. Tropa, who earlier directed the play ‘Chhay Beharar Palki’ with Jaglul Alam and later, had her solo directorial debut by the play ‘Mukti’, says that the latest play will include more than twenty persons as cast and most of them are new. She hopes to bring the play on stage within two months.
Tropa expects to bring some variations in the play which will uphold Lalon’s philosophy and the culture based on the mazar (shrine) in the country as well. In the play, Lolon’s songs will be incorporated with dialogues. ‘No doubt, music will play an important role in the play, but variation in style will also be there,’ she added.
Tropa believes, some people tried to Islamise Lalon’s secular philosophy after the Partition. ‘Many people have also been doing politics with his ideals to meet their own vested interest. I want to show these odds by presenting Lalon as a symbol,’ she said.
Tropa is also performing in the popular drama serial ‘Poush Faguner Pala’, directed by Afsana Mimi and telecast on ATN Bangla. Adapted from Gajendra Mitra’s novel ‘Trayee’ and jointly scripted by Iraj Ahmed and Mansur Rahman Chanchal, the play is set against the backdrop of the capital and its outskirt areas at the sixties and seventies, ‘For the first time in my performing career I am playing the role as a daughter of my mother Ferdousi Majumdar in the serial,’ says Tropa.
For the approaching Eid, Tropa has completed shooting for a one-hour play written and directed Subarna Mustafa. In the play, Tropa played a kleptomaniac woman.
She is also regularly performing on stage in the plays ‘Meraj Fakirer Ma’, ‘Madhabi’ and ‘Mukti’ by Theatre Expressing her optimism about theatre she said that the theatregoers are getting better productions in recent time. Many of the contemporary plays have interesting aspects to move the audience, she said. While appreciating the tendency to experiment on the form and style of theatre, she mentioned that the experiments should be done carefully.
Ensure safe travel during Eid rush: HC
A High Court bench on Thursday directed the government to ensure that no water vessel can ply without safety requirements during the upcoming Eid rush.
It also directed the authorities to ensure that no launches or water vessels ply without having adequate number of buoys and beacon lights.
The division bench comprising Justice MA Wahhab Miah and Justice Kazi Rezaul Haque also directed law enforcers to prevent overloading of passengers in launches and vessels and also to prevent their plying without safety measures.
The judges passed the directives following a writ petition the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association.
-Daily Star
It also directed the authorities to ensure that no launches or water vessels ply without having adequate number of buoys and beacon lights.
The division bench comprising Justice MA Wahhab Miah and Justice Kazi Rezaul Haque also directed law enforcers to prevent overloading of passengers in launches and vessels and also to prevent their plying without safety measures.
The judges passed the directives following a writ petition the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association.
-Daily Star
Govt to challenge HC ruling on money return
The government is considering to appeal against the High Court rule which had ordered returning money confiscated by the military-installed interim government between 2007 and 2008.
The High Court on Tuesday asked the government to return around Tk 3 billion to two companies in the next three months which it held was obtained illegally.
The last caretaker government had realised Tk 2.37 billion from Kafeli Dated Tea & Land Limited and Tk 0.60 billion from S Alam Steel Limited through issuing a total of 54 pay-orders in 2007 and 2008.
"If there's any opportunity, we will appeal against the decision," finance minister AMA Muhith said Thursday. The minister has long been maintaining his stance of not returning the confiscated funds.
"These [money] are the outcome of corruption and laundering, so I think there's no need to return these funds," he said while speaking to the press after a meeting at the Secretariat.
According to the documents, there were no options to return this money, added Muhith.
He said that the confiscated money has been debited to the government's consolidated funds and budgetary allocations require that these funds are made available.
"And I have not kept any contingency plans for anything otherwise."
Muhith reiterated that he does not see any point of returning these funds.
Replying to a query, the minister said that the government would examine the ruling and decide upon their next step.
"If we find any weak point [in the ruling], then we would go for appeal."
In its judgment, the bench of justices Mamnoon Rahman and Syed Afsar Jahan said the government had no power to do anything beyond the constitution and that it has to apply its power constitutionally."
It pointed to article 81, 82 and 83 of the constitution which set out clear ground as to when money can be exacted by the government.
So, the court said, the realisation of the money from the two institutions was illegal and beyond the government's jurisdiction."
-bdnews
The High Court on Tuesday asked the government to return around Tk 3 billion to two companies in the next three months which it held was obtained illegally.
The last caretaker government had realised Tk 2.37 billion from Kafeli Dated Tea & Land Limited and Tk 0.60 billion from S Alam Steel Limited through issuing a total of 54 pay-orders in 2007 and 2008.
"If there's any opportunity, we will appeal against the decision," finance minister AMA Muhith said Thursday. The minister has long been maintaining his stance of not returning the confiscated funds.
"These [money] are the outcome of corruption and laundering, so I think there's no need to return these funds," he said while speaking to the press after a meeting at the Secretariat.
According to the documents, there were no options to return this money, added Muhith.
He said that the confiscated money has been debited to the government's consolidated funds and budgetary allocations require that these funds are made available.
"And I have not kept any contingency plans for anything otherwise."
Muhith reiterated that he does not see any point of returning these funds.
Replying to a query, the minister said that the government would examine the ruling and decide upon their next step.
"If we find any weak point [in the ruling], then we would go for appeal."
In its judgment, the bench of justices Mamnoon Rahman and Syed Afsar Jahan said the government had no power to do anything beyond the constitution and that it has to apply its power constitutionally."
It pointed to article 81, 82 and 83 of the constitution which set out clear ground as to when money can be exacted by the government.
So, the court said, the realisation of the money from the two institutions was illegal and beyond the government's jurisdiction."
-bdnews
Vigilance team to monitor bus train ticket fare
The Ministry of Communication today has formed a vigilance team headed by a deputy secretary to monitor the bus and train fare and smuggling of the Eid-tickets.
The team within a day or two would start its work in the city as the allegation of taking excess fare from the passengers were reported in the press.
The team was formed in a meeting of the senior officials and heads of various departments under the ministry with Communication Minister Syed Abul Hossain in the chair.
Secretary of the ministry M Mozammel Huq Khan, heads of BRTA, BRTC, Road and Highways and senior officials of the ministry were present
The communication minister asked railway officials concerned to report to the ministry within one- week on how the railway Eid tickets are being sold out in the black-market.
At the beginning of the meeting, the minister drew attention of the officials on a report published in today's newspapers regarding smuggling of railway's Eid tickets.
A senior official expressed his reluctance to discuss the issue in presence of media people. But, welcoming the media people, the minister said, "I think it would be better if more media personnel were present in the meeting to know about our actions to curb smuggling of Eid tickets and make people aware on this particular issue".
The minister asked the officials to take necessary measures for maximum utilization of railway carriers and BRTC buses to allow the commuters to travel to home on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Fitr.
The meeting discussed four proposals for waiving and re-fixation of the fees charged for crossing some bridges and decided to waive the toll from Natun Bazar-Puran Bazar access road in Chandpur.
The meeting also decided to take toll from second Karnaphuli Setu at current rate and formed a committee headed by the Chief Engineer of the Road and Highways to scrutinize the proposals for waiving tolls from the two bridges.
The bridges are Shaheed Rafiq Setu on Hemayetpur-Singair-Manikganj road and Shaheed Captain Mohiuddin Jahangir Setu on Chapainawabganj-Kansat-Sonamasjid road.
The meeting was informed that drive of the mobile courts under the Ministry of Communication will resume again in the city as financial constraint has gone after the Ministry of Finance allocated required fund to bear operating expenses of the drive.
-BSS
The team within a day or two would start its work in the city as the allegation of taking excess fare from the passengers were reported in the press.
The team was formed in a meeting of the senior officials and heads of various departments under the ministry with Communication Minister Syed Abul Hossain in the chair.
Secretary of the ministry M Mozammel Huq Khan, heads of BRTA, BRTC, Road and Highways and senior officials of the ministry were present
The communication minister asked railway officials concerned to report to the ministry within one- week on how the railway Eid tickets are being sold out in the black-market.
At the beginning of the meeting, the minister drew attention of the officials on a report published in today's newspapers regarding smuggling of railway's Eid tickets.
A senior official expressed his reluctance to discuss the issue in presence of media people. But, welcoming the media people, the minister said, "I think it would be better if more media personnel were present in the meeting to know about our actions to curb smuggling of Eid tickets and make people aware on this particular issue".
The minister asked the officials to take necessary measures for maximum utilization of railway carriers and BRTC buses to allow the commuters to travel to home on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Fitr.
The meeting discussed four proposals for waiving and re-fixation of the fees charged for crossing some bridges and decided to waive the toll from Natun Bazar-Puran Bazar access road in Chandpur.
The meeting also decided to take toll from second Karnaphuli Setu at current rate and formed a committee headed by the Chief Engineer of the Road and Highways to scrutinize the proposals for waiving tolls from the two bridges.
The bridges are Shaheed Rafiq Setu on Hemayetpur-Singair-Manikganj road and Shaheed Captain Mohiuddin Jahangir Setu on Chapainawabganj-Kansat-Sonamasjid road.
The meeting was informed that drive of the mobile courts under the Ministry of Communication will resume again in the city as financial constraint has gone after the Ministry of Finance allocated required fund to bear operating expenses of the drive.
-BSS
HC upholds visa discrimination challenge
The High Court on Thursday issued a rule on the government for gender discrimination in visa regulations.
The court ordered the government to explain why its directives stipulating more stringent regulations for foreign nationals married to Bangladeshi women should not be declared discriminatory and unconstitutional.
The ruling came regarding a home ministry circular which does not allow a 'No Visa Required' stamp on the passports of foreign men married to Bangladeshi woman.
However, the same notice allows passports of foreign woman married to Bangladeshi men to obtain the same ('No visa required') stamp.
The petitioner, a Bangladeshi/Australian dual national woman married to a US national, had challenged the circular of Aug 19, 2007 for violating her fundamental rights to gender equality and to life, including family life, referring to the constitution and to the state's obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence against Women.
"We are delighted that the court has responded so promptly, and we hope that the government will now deliver on its pledges and take early action to deal with a glaring example of gender discrimination written into the law," said Sara Hossain, who represented the petitioner.
A division bench comprising justices Syed Mahmud Hossain and Gobinda Chandra Thakur issued the rule and passed the interim order.
-bdnews
The court ordered the government to explain why its directives stipulating more stringent regulations for foreign nationals married to Bangladeshi women should not be declared discriminatory and unconstitutional.
The ruling came regarding a home ministry circular which does not allow a 'No Visa Required' stamp on the passports of foreign men married to Bangladeshi woman.
However, the same notice allows passports of foreign woman married to Bangladeshi men to obtain the same ('No visa required') stamp.
The petitioner, a Bangladeshi/Australian dual national woman married to a US national, had challenged the circular of Aug 19, 2007 for violating her fundamental rights to gender equality and to life, including family life, referring to the constitution and to the state's obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence against Women.
"We are delighted that the court has responded so promptly, and we hope that the government will now deliver on its pledges and take early action to deal with a glaring example of gender discrimination written into the law," said Sara Hossain, who represented the petitioner.
A division bench comprising justices Syed Mahmud Hossain and Gobinda Chandra Thakur issued the rule and passed the interim order.
-bdnews
Japan gives US$ 9.7 million for vulnerable people
The World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomed a cash donation of US$ 9.7 million contribution from the government of Japan for vulnerable people.
The contribution will provide urgently needed food and nutrition assistance to the most vulnerable people including children, pregnant and lactating women in high food insecure and disaster prone areas.
WFP will use this Japanese fund to distribute some 14,000 metric tons of wheat, 3500 metric tons wheat soya bean and 200 metric tons of tuna cans to 500,000 extreme poor people in 12 districts including Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogra, Serajganj, Pabna, Jamalpur, Lalmonirhat, Bagerhat, Khulna, Shatkhira, Barguna, Bhola and Patuakhali.
Tamotsu Shintosuka, Ambassador to Bangladesh observed, "Food is the basic needs of the people. We can understand this needs and that's why we gave the food aid on a priority basis for the ultra poor of the country. We hoped that this assistance will help the poor people to have food and fulfil the basic needs even in the remote area of the country."
This Japanese assistance will help WFP to implement its Enhance Resilience (ER) programme which aims at enabling ultra poor households to enhance their life skill, income earning, capacity and resilience to natural disaster by creating human and physical assets.
"WFP is very grateful to Japan for its generous donation at this critical moment. This donation provides WFP with the opportunity to support the most vulnerable people in Bangladesh particularly those suffer the combined challenges of food insecurity, under nutrition and the impact of climate change," said John Aylieff, WFP Representative in Bangladesh.
The government of Japan will complete an exchange of letters with the United Nations World Food Programme for a donation of some US$ 54 million (approximately JPY 4.6 billion) on 25th August 2010, in Italy. Other countries which will benefit are Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Chad, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Lesotho, occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Uganda, and Yemen.
The government of Japan has been one of the key donors to food aid programme in Bangladesh since its independence in 1971.
Japan has given approximately US$30 million to WFP Bangladesh since 2007. So far this year, Japan's contribution to WFP has reached US$209 million (approximately JPY 18.1 billion), making it the third largest donor to WFP.
-BSS
The contribution will provide urgently needed food and nutrition assistance to the most vulnerable people including children, pregnant and lactating women in high food insecure and disaster prone areas.
WFP will use this Japanese fund to distribute some 14,000 metric tons of wheat, 3500 metric tons wheat soya bean and 200 metric tons of tuna cans to 500,000 extreme poor people in 12 districts including Kurigram, Gaibandha, Bogra, Serajganj, Pabna, Jamalpur, Lalmonirhat, Bagerhat, Khulna, Shatkhira, Barguna, Bhola and Patuakhali.
Tamotsu Shintosuka, Ambassador to Bangladesh observed, "Food is the basic needs of the people. We can understand this needs and that's why we gave the food aid on a priority basis for the ultra poor of the country. We hoped that this assistance will help the poor people to have food and fulfil the basic needs even in the remote area of the country."
This Japanese assistance will help WFP to implement its Enhance Resilience (ER) programme which aims at enabling ultra poor households to enhance their life skill, income earning, capacity and resilience to natural disaster by creating human and physical assets.
"WFP is very grateful to Japan for its generous donation at this critical moment. This donation provides WFP with the opportunity to support the most vulnerable people in Bangladesh particularly those suffer the combined challenges of food insecurity, under nutrition and the impact of climate change," said John Aylieff, WFP Representative in Bangladesh.
The government of Japan will complete an exchange of letters with the United Nations World Food Programme for a donation of some US$ 54 million (approximately JPY 4.6 billion) on 25th August 2010, in Italy. Other countries which will benefit are Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Chad, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Lesotho, occupied Palestinian Territory, Sudan, Uganda, and Yemen.
The government of Japan has been one of the key donors to food aid programme in Bangladesh since its independence in 1971.
Japan has given approximately US$30 million to WFP Bangladesh since 2007. So far this year, Japan's contribution to WFP has reached US$209 million (approximately JPY 18.1 billion), making it the third largest donor to WFP.
-BSS
PM requests Iran to legalize undocumented Bangladeshi workers
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today requested the Iranian government to legalize the undocumented Bangladeshi workers there.
She made the request when the newly appointed Iranian Ambassador to Bangladesh Hossein Aminian Tousi paid a courtesy call on her at the Prime Minister's Office here.
They discussed matters relating to bilateral interest, expansion of trade and business between the two countries as well as climate change issues, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told newsmen after the meeting.
The Prime Minister told the Iranian Ambassador that her government pursues foreign policy `friendship to all, malice to none.' She said her government values its relation with Iran.
The Ambassador conveyed Iranian President's invitation to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to visit the country at a convenient time.
Ambassador At Large M Ziauddin, Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office Molla Waheeduzzaman and Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, among others, were present.
-BSS
She made the request when the newly appointed Iranian Ambassador to Bangladesh Hossein Aminian Tousi paid a courtesy call on her at the Prime Minister's Office here.
They discussed matters relating to bilateral interest, expansion of trade and business between the two countries as well as climate change issues, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told newsmen after the meeting.
The Prime Minister told the Iranian Ambassador that her government pursues foreign policy `friendship to all, malice to none.' She said her government values its relation with Iran.
The Ambassador conveyed Iranian President's invitation to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to visit the country at a convenient time.
Ambassador At Large M Ziauddin, Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office Molla Waheeduzzaman and Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, among others, were present.
-BSS
Jamdani fair begins in city
A 16-day International Jamdani Taant Bastra Fair began on the premises of Siddeshwari Girls School at Baily Road in the city.
The Bangladesh Weavers Product and Manufacturing Business Association (BWPMBA) organized the fair with the aim to regain its lost glory by promoting the traditional products at home and abroad.
Nilufar Faruk Khan, wife of commerce minister Lt Col (retd) Faruk Khan, inaugurated the fair as the chief guest.
BWPMBA senior vice-president M Salauddin, member of the school managing committee Kutubuddin Ahmed, among others, were present on the occasion.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Nilufar Faruk underscored the need for providing the sector with special incentives for expanding its export market.
She said the sector has huge potential to grow and has already created employment opportunities for poor especially the tribal people.
M Salauddin said exporters are suffering due to the recent hike of yarn prices and the government should look into it to help maximize profit of exporters in the sector.
The main objective of the fair is to know about customers' choice and attitude so that the quality of the jamdani clothing can be improved.
A good number of traditional clothing including jamdani saree, lungee, handloom products, 3-piece, 2-pieces are being displayed in 60 stalls.
The fair will remain open for all from 10am to 8pm and continue till before the Eid day.
-BSS
The Bangladesh Weavers Product and Manufacturing Business Association (BWPMBA) organized the fair with the aim to regain its lost glory by promoting the traditional products at home and abroad.
Nilufar Faruk Khan, wife of commerce minister Lt Col (retd) Faruk Khan, inaugurated the fair as the chief guest.
BWPMBA senior vice-president M Salauddin, member of the school managing committee Kutubuddin Ahmed, among others, were present on the occasion.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Nilufar Faruk underscored the need for providing the sector with special incentives for expanding its export market.
She said the sector has huge potential to grow and has already created employment opportunities for poor especially the tribal people.
M Salauddin said exporters are suffering due to the recent hike of yarn prices and the government should look into it to help maximize profit of exporters in the sector.
The main objective of the fair is to know about customers' choice and attitude so that the quality of the jamdani clothing can be improved.
A good number of traditional clothing including jamdani saree, lungee, handloom products, 3-piece, 2-pieces are being displayed in 60 stalls.
The fair will remain open for all from 10am to 8pm and continue till before the Eid day.
-BSS
US$7 million Australian grants for water and sanitation
Australia will provide about seven million US dollar to Bangladesh as a grant for ensuring access to clean water and sanitation to four lakh marginal people of country's three southwestern coastal districts.
The grant will channel through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) as an additional aid to the existing Hygiene, Sanitation and Water Supply (HYSAWA) Fund of the governments of Bangladesh and Denmark.
The Australian support will enable the HYSAWA fund to extend its coverage from 513 to 553 Union Parishads, benefiting an additional 400,000 people in the Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira districts, Australian High Commission source said here today.
Australia's new involvement in water and sanitation development of Bangladesh reflects an overall increase in the bilateral development cooperation program, it said.
Australia's assistance in Bangladesh has reached 70 million Australian dollars in 2010-11 fiscal year, which is double comparing with the 2006-07 fiscal.
Bangladesh is currently the eighth largest bilateral recipient of Australian government development assistance globally, the source added.
An arrangement detailing Australia's support for HYSAWA was exchanged between Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dr Justin Lee, Denmark's Charge d' Affaires Jan Moller Hansen and the Chair of HYSAWA's Governing Board Manzur Hossain, at a ceremony at the High Commissioner's residence on Wednesday night.
Secretary of the Economic Relations Division M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, the Managing Director of HYSAWA Dr Enamul Kabir, Denmark's Ambassador-designate Svend Olling and AusAID's Dhaka head Rachel Payne were present on the occasion.
-BSS
The grant will channel through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) as an additional aid to the existing Hygiene, Sanitation and Water Supply (HYSAWA) Fund of the governments of Bangladesh and Denmark.
The Australian support will enable the HYSAWA fund to extend its coverage from 513 to 553 Union Parishads, benefiting an additional 400,000 people in the Khulna, Bagerhat and Satkhira districts, Australian High Commission source said here today.
Australia's new involvement in water and sanitation development of Bangladesh reflects an overall increase in the bilateral development cooperation program, it said.
Australia's assistance in Bangladesh has reached 70 million Australian dollars in 2010-11 fiscal year, which is double comparing with the 2006-07 fiscal.
Bangladesh is currently the eighth largest bilateral recipient of Australian government development assistance globally, the source added.
An arrangement detailing Australia's support for HYSAWA was exchanged between Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dr Justin Lee, Denmark's Charge d' Affaires Jan Moller Hansen and the Chair of HYSAWA's Governing Board Manzur Hossain, at a ceremony at the High Commissioner's residence on Wednesday night.
Secretary of the Economic Relations Division M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, the Managing Director of HYSAWA Dr Enamul Kabir, Denmark's Ambassador-designate Svend Olling and AusAID's Dhaka head Rachel Payne were present on the occasion.
-BSS
EC rejects 'prostitution' as vocation
The Election Commission has rejected the proposal to include prostitution in the central database of voters' roll.
Election commissioner Sohul Hossain said the vocation 'sex worker' was omitted from voter registration forms to discourage it.
He said during the formulation of the voter list in 2007, 14 vocations were included in the registration form — government employee, private sector employee, physician, engineer, teacher, lawyer, banker, trade, labour, farmer, student, housewife, daily wage workers and unemployed.
People not falling under these categories would have to resort to 'others' for indicating profession.
The Photograph with Electoral Roll Project had proposed that the Election Commission (EC) to include 30 vocations in the registration form including prostitution. EC approved 29 of them, omitting prostitution.
Sohul Hossain told bdnews24.com that it might have seemed that prostitution was encouraged if it were included in the registration form.
"The proposal was rejected to discourage the vocation," he added.
He also said that people of this occupation will have to use 'other'.
The commission's position was that it did not have the authority to recognise or acknowledge vocations. But the inclusion of 'sex worker' in the voter form could hint at the commission's acknowledgement of the vocation.
The occupation is also discouraged by the society and religions, he said.
Sohul Hossain said that district administration does not give licenses to prostitutes; many of them carry on their activity under notary.
The registration form also includes occupations like blacksmith, fisherman, carpenter, cobbler, boatman, porter, butcher, cook, vendor, rickshaw puller, barber, tailor, judge, contractor, driver, nurse, journalist, retired government employee, and gardener.
In a query on the reason behind keeping 'student', 'house wife' and 'unemployed' in the form, the election commissioner said, "These pieces of information indicate a state of voters."
He also said that the registration form can provide 28 types of information about the voters and the national ID cards do not indicate the holder's vocation.
Prof SM Lutful Kabir, director of Information and Communication Institute (IICT) in Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), said the more information stored in the central database, the more useful it will be.
"Use of the database will be multidimensional then," he added.
Lutful Kabir worked as a counsellor in with the project in electoral roll preparation with photographs.
He said information collected by the election commission does not mean acknowledgement of certain vocations.
"However, the database may be helpful for statistics about voters in different professions," he said.
-bdnews
Election commissioner Sohul Hossain said the vocation 'sex worker' was omitted from voter registration forms to discourage it.
He said during the formulation of the voter list in 2007, 14 vocations were included in the registration form — government employee, private sector employee, physician, engineer, teacher, lawyer, banker, trade, labour, farmer, student, housewife, daily wage workers and unemployed.
People not falling under these categories would have to resort to 'others' for indicating profession.
The Photograph with Electoral Roll Project had proposed that the Election Commission (EC) to include 30 vocations in the registration form including prostitution. EC approved 29 of them, omitting prostitution.
Sohul Hossain told bdnews24.com that it might have seemed that prostitution was encouraged if it were included in the registration form.
"The proposal was rejected to discourage the vocation," he added.
He also said that people of this occupation will have to use 'other'.
The commission's position was that it did not have the authority to recognise or acknowledge vocations. But the inclusion of 'sex worker' in the voter form could hint at the commission's acknowledgement of the vocation.
The occupation is also discouraged by the society and religions, he said.
Sohul Hossain said that district administration does not give licenses to prostitutes; many of them carry on their activity under notary.
The registration form also includes occupations like blacksmith, fisherman, carpenter, cobbler, boatman, porter, butcher, cook, vendor, rickshaw puller, barber, tailor, judge, contractor, driver, nurse, journalist, retired government employee, and gardener.
In a query on the reason behind keeping 'student', 'house wife' and 'unemployed' in the form, the election commissioner said, "These pieces of information indicate a state of voters."
He also said that the registration form can provide 28 types of information about the voters and the national ID cards do not indicate the holder's vocation.
Prof SM Lutful Kabir, director of Information and Communication Institute (IICT) in Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), said the more information stored in the central database, the more useful it will be.
"Use of the database will be multidimensional then," he added.
Lutful Kabir worked as a counsellor in with the project in electoral roll preparation with photographs.
He said information collected by the election commission does not mean acknowledgement of certain vocations.
"However, the database may be helpful for statistics about voters in different professions," he said.
-bdnews
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