Archive for November 27th, 2007
Tuesday, November 27th, 2007The Asian Development Bank (ADB) country director Hua Du said yesterday Bangladesh's economy is going through the most critical and challenging period since independence because of the extensive damage cause by natural calamities and the increase of oil price in the international market.Releasing the quarterly economic update on Bangladesh at a press conference in the city yesterday, the ADB country director said the natural calamities are likely to take their toll on the country's growth bringing it below 6 per cent in the current fiscal compared to 6.5 per cent last year."I'm have been here for about five and half ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 27th, 2007The government has officially announced formation of the first-ever public-private business forum styled 'Bangladesh Better Business Forum' (BBBF), basically designed to improve interaction between the business community and government high-ups.Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed is chairperson of the 38-member BBBF, which will have a secretariat attached with the Board of Investment (BoI) under the supervision of the CA's office.The CA's office in a notification on Sunday announced formation of the BBBF. It said against the backdrop of the present international and domestic economic and trade situations, it is essential to maintain 'favourable' and 'suitable relations' between the government and private ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 27th, 2007The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday stayed a High Court (HC) order granting bail to former premier Sheikh Hasina in a Tk 3 crore graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).Full bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Ruhul Amin also stayed the HC ruling that halted the case proceedings. It directed the parties involved to have the HC rule in this regard disposed of.The SC orders came in response to an appeal by the anti-graft body.Earlier on November 4, an HC bench granted bail to Hasina and stayed proceedings of the case. It also issued a ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 27th, 2007Microcredit providers of the country are considering writing off over Tk 600 crore outstanding loans of some 7.5 lakh borrowers, severely affected by Cyclone Sidr which already took the lives of 1,227 of them.Although the microcredit providers are not going to make an announcement of the write-off right now, they might finally write the loans off since the small borrowers lost most of their houses, businesses, and other assets.In 12 south and south-western districts, some Tk 1,159 crore in loan remains outstanding with 15 lakh people, with 42 microcredit organisations operating in the region.According to the rules of NGO Bureau, ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 27th, 2007The country's food security is at stake following the recent floods and Cyclone Sidr coupled with some countries' ban on food grain exports, Finance and Commerce Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam said yesterday."It is very crucial for Bangladesh to ensure food security by importing food grains mainly due to inadequate supply and soaring prices of food," Mirza Aziz said at an inaugural ceremony of a workshop held in the capital.Aziz was addressing the workshop on 'changes and innovations in food and agriculture system in Bangladesh - implications for pro-poor growth', jointly organised by Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, Bangladesh Rice Foundation, ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 Unable to find clean water, a Sidr victim washes utensils with filthy water of a pond in Sharonkhola of Bagerhat yesterday Photo: Anisur Rahman Outbreak of different diseases like diarrhoea, pneumonia, fever and typhoid is spreading in Patuakhali in the aftermath of devastating cyclone Sidr.A US army medical team, meanwhile, started its operation at Patuakhali General Hospital yesterday. Bangladeshi Army medical team and Japan-Bangladesh Friendship Hospital have also started their operations.Locals and district administration sources said diarrhoea and cold related diseases are spreading in the affected areas, especially in shoal areas in seven upazilas.Three people in Kalapara upazila died ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 27th, 2007Rural Electrification Board (REB) has not yet been able to restore electricity supply in most of the costal areas worst hit by cyclone Sidr.About 20 thousand kilometers of power supply lines out of 25 thousand kilometers under different Palli Biddut Samity (PBS) supplies have been damaged. Power supply here is yet to be restored eleven days after the cyclone ravaged the area.The area includes nine districts of Barisal, Patuakhali, Barguna, Pirojpur, Bhola, Jhalakati, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Gopalganj.The total damage to the REB power lines has exceeded Tk 100 crore and has affected 50 thousand customers.Superintending engineer of REB ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 27th, 2007The government yesterday made Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) a self-governed institution in a bid to make it more effective and enable it to work faster being free from unwanted government interventions.Meanwhile, in the wake of ACC cases being stayed by the High Court (HC), the commission is scrutinising if there is any legal fault in the process of preparing the cases.Eminent lawyer Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday met ACC Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury and gave legal suggestion in this regard.In an official notification issued by the government yesterday, it was mentioned that from now on the status of the ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 27th, 2007Pakistan's ex-premier Nawaz Sharif plotted tactics with key aides Monday as he sought to capitalise on his hero's welcome home from exile to spur opposition to President Pervez Musharraf.Sharif, who was ousted by Musharraf in a coup in 1999, was due to file his nomination papers for general elections, despite warning his party may end up boycotting the January 8 vote.After a procession from the airport to his city residence that turned into an all-night party, Sharif spent time recovering and consulting relatives and senior party officials in his home in the eastern city of Lahore.After consultation ...
(read more) Tuesday, November 27th, 2007Detained BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman was placed on five-day remand yesterday in two extortion cases filed with Gulshan and Kafrul police stations on separate dates.Earlier on November 19, Tarique was placed on another five-day remand in two extortion cases filed with Gulshan and Shahbagh police stations.He was also remanded for three days in connection with a Tk 4.89 crore extortion case filed with Gulshan Police Station and for two days in a Tk 16 lakh extortion case filed with Kafrul Police Station.GULSHAN CASE Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ehshanul Haque granted three-day remand for Tarique when he was ...
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