Bangladesh News

Flood Impact: Donors fear food price hike, GDP fall

Thursday, August 9th, 2007International donors yesterday expressed concern over the likely rise of already high food prices caused by the ongoing flood in the country, which might bring down current fiscal year's estimated GDP growth by 0.2 percentage point.These concerns were aired at the Economic Relations Division (ERD) in a special meeting of the local consultative group (LCG) comprising development partners and the government.The donors, however, did not make any concrete pledge for flood relief but all indicated that they will contribute, the amount of which is likely to depend on the magnitude of the ongoing flood the development partners are still monitoring."The ... (read more)

Rampant graft eats away golden fibre

Thursday, August 9th, 2007Years of financial malpractices by a band of corrupt BJMC officials and CBA leaders paved the way for the shutdown of state-owned Peoples Jute Mills Ltd and brought three others on the verge of closure.Against this backdrop, different government policies taken or implemented to revitalise the jute sector have yielded little success; the policies have rather left some negative impacts on the sector.If the present trend continues, workers and experts fear the three other state-owned jute mills, which are on partial operation now, will be closed in near future. They said the government must take effective measures to address the ... (read more)

Flood victims cry for food, medicine

Thursday, August 9th, 2007An elderly woman approached this correspondent from behind and grabbed him by his wrist as he was finishing off talking with a family in a flood shelter at Razarbagh Adarsha Binodini High School."Put down my name [on the list] -- its Shamsunnahar," she insisted, thinking that she would be able to receive relief materials if her name is printed in newspapers."We have been staying here for the last one week and we are about to die, but no one came here to give away anything to us," said Shamsunnahar, who, along with her two daughters and grand children, took shelter ... (read more)

ACC files graft cases against 10 high govt officials

Thursday, August 9th, 2007The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday sued ten bureaucrats, including former Power Division secretary ANH Akhter Hossain, on graft charges.ACC Deputy Director Mahbubul Alam filed the case against the bureaucrats with Shahbagh Police Station at 6:05pm under sections 409 and 109 of Bangladesh Penal Code and the Corruption Resistance Act 1974.The nine other accused in the case are joint secretary of the Power Division Mezbaul Islam, deputy secretary of the Employment Bureau Nazma Begum, deputy secretary of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division Abdullah Masud, deputy secretaries of the Power Division Laila Jesmin and Ismat Ara Jahan, assistant secretary of the ... (read more)

Hasina’s Appeals: HC adjourns hearings in all 3 graft cases till Aug 21

Thursday, August 9th, 2007The High Court (HC) yesterday adjourned till August 21 hearing of three appeals by detained former prime minister and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina for quashing three graft cases against her in connection with the purchase of a frigate and eight MiG-29 fighter aircraft, and setting up Meghnaghat power plant. All the three appeals were on the case list for hearing by an HC bench yesterday.The court first took up for hearing Hasina's appeal for quashing the case concerning MiG-29 purchase.In a packed courtroom, hearing started in the morning and continued till lunch break.At this stage, Hasina's counsels sought ... (read more)

Khaleda wants to visit flood-hit areas, but govt won’t allow

Thursday, August 9th, 2007BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has decided to visit the flood-affected areas in Tangail and Sirajganj on Saturday but Food and Disaster Management Adviser Tapan Chowdhury yesterday said she will not be allowed to visit there due to "lack of security." Adviser to the BNP Chairperson Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shan yesterday sent a letter to the home secretary asking for necessary measures to ensure security of the former primer minister during her scheduled visit, a party press release said yesterday.Khaleda will distribute relief materials among the flood victims at six places in Sirajgang and two places in Tangail, said ... (read more)

NBR rejects Tarique, Koko’s bid to legalise money

Thursday, August 9th, 2007The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has rejected the appeal of former prime minister Khaleda Zia's sons Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman Koko to legalise their undeclared incomes. The NBR has also started a process to file a tax evasion case against Tarique and Koko under sections 165, 166 and 128 of the Tax Ordinance 1984, NBR sources said.If found guilty, the two could be sentenced to five years in jail and fined.According to NBR sources, Tarique and Koko paid Tk 44 lakh in taxes and fines to legalise undeclared income on July 28.Their family lawyer paid the money to ... (read more)