Archive for September 1st, 2007
Saturday, September 1st, 2007The government's newly adopted international telecom service policy bars already-licensed local and foreign private telephone companies and internet service providers (ISPs) from getting licences to operate any kind of system through which all overseas calls will be channelised in the near future.This means the foreign investors, phone companies and ISPs will not be able to operate the three private International Gateway (IG), Interconnection Exchange (ICX) and Internet Exchanges (IX), implementation of which will stop illegal VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) activities. They will however be entitled to Internet Protocol (IP) telephony licences.Such a hard stance was taken because all ...
(read more) Saturday, September 1st, 2007Instead of lifting the ban on indoor politics, the caretaker government might relax restrictions on political activities for certain period for each of the 15 political parties chosen for the talks with the Election Commission (EC).According to the plan, a political party will be allowed to meet at its own forum to discuss the proposed electoral reforms in the lead-up to the scheduled date for talks with the commission, said sources in the EC and the administration.In defence of the arrangements, they said if the curb on indoor politics is withdrawn for the entire length of the dialogue, the ...
(read more) Saturday, September 1st, 2007A dispute seems brewing within the Awami League (AL) over participation in any dialogue with the Election Commission (EC) on electoral reforms as the party's acting president Zillur Rahman and influential presidium member Amir Hossain Amu have taken opposite stances on the issue.Party high-ups loyal to Sheikh Hasina are determined not to sit with the EC until the ban on indoor politics is lifted and the detained AL president is released.Amu, who returned home on Tuesday from Singapore after more than two months' stay, has already come out with a firm stand that the AL must take part ...
(read more) Saturday, September 1st, 2007A barge loaded with 340 tonnes of urea fertiliser capsized in the river Passur on Thursday night.A tugboat, ML Rina, which was towing the fertiliser-laden barge from Karomjol mooring Bouya no 8 also capsized.The fertiliser imported by Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC) from China was loaded in the barge, Rose-1, from ship MV Nirmal Bhusan bearing the flag of Panama.Member (Operation) Lutfar Rahman of Mongla Port Authority (MPA) said the accident occurred at around 10:30pm as rope of the tugboat tore off. He said the fertiliser-laden barge was bound for BCIC warehouse in Khulna.Eight crew of the barge and the ...
(read more) Saturday, September 1st, 2007A paltry sum of Tk 672 has been allocated for each hectare under the government's post-flood agriculture rehabilitation programme in ten northern districts while official statistics show that Aman cultivation costs Tk 5,600 on an average.The farmers, however, put the figure at Tk 13,000 to Tk 15,000 for a hectare of land as the cost has greatly increased, especially after the flood.The government has allocated Tk 7.75 crore for cultivating paddy and other seasonal crops on 1,15,238 hectares of flood-affected land in the northern districts whereas Tk 64.53 crore is required for the task, officials of Agriculture Extension Department (AED) ...
(read more) Saturday, September 1st, 2007New areas of Chandpur, Matlab South and Matlab North, Haimchar, Hajiganj, Kochua, Faridganj and Shahrasti upazilas were inundated yesterday with fresh rise of water in Meghna river and its tributaries Dakatia and Dhonagoda, reports a correspondent from Chandpur.The Meghna, which had been flowing below danger levels for ten days in Chandpur belt, started flowing above the danger level yesterday, said officials of Water Development Board in the district.Thousands of people in 25 char areas of Haimchar and Matlab North are still marooned and in serious need of food, water and medicines.Around 100 patients with eye infection got admitted to government ...
(read more) Saturday, September 1st, 2007The BNP observes its 29th founding anniversary today amid uncertainty whether its Chairperson Khaleda Zia will be allowed to visit the grave of late president Ziaur Rahman.The party has drawn up programmes to commemorate the event on a limited scale in line with the government directives.According to the conditions set by the interim administration, there should be no procession or chanting of slogans.No one is permitted to carry banner, placard and festoon during the programmes that include hoisting national and BNP flags at party offices, and placing wreaths at the grave of party founder Ziaur Rahman at 10:30am.No more ...
(read more) Saturday, September 1st, 2007Jute farmers in Rangpur and adjacent districts have been incurring heavy losses -- around Tk 100 to Tk 150 a maund, as demand for the fibre saw a sharp fall.After surveying different markets in the region, it was found that a maund of the finest quality tossa jute (golden) is now selling at only Tk 550 to Tk 600 while the local variety (white) is selling at Tk 400 to 440."I sold 33 maunds of jute for Tk 17,160, when my cost of production was Tk 19,730," lamented Momin Ali, a farmer from West Khashbagh in Rangpur sadar upazila.Another ...
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