Archive for December 5th, 2007
Wednesday, December 5th, 2007A speedy trial court of Rajshahi yesterday sentenced four Rajshahi University (RU) teachers to two years' rigorous imprisonment for violating Emergency Power Rules (EPR) 2007 by bringing out a silent procession on the campus on August 21.The court also fined the teachers--Moloy Bhoumik of management department, Dulal Chandra Biswas, Sayed Selim Reza Newton and Abdullah Al Mamun of mass communication department--Tk 1,000 each, in default of which they will have to suffer one month more in jail.Two other accused in the case--former RU vice chancellor Prof M Saidur Rahman Khan and syndicate member and convener of RU Progressive Teachers' Society ...
(read more) Wednesday, December 5th, 2007The caretaker government yesterday cancelled the allotments of NAM apartments to 108 former members of the parliament (MP), who are either convicted or accused or under trial for corruption, or who have failed to submit their wealth statements.The authority of allotting the apartments was also transferred from the parliament to the government until further notice, while the government fixed new rents for the apartments, which will be retroactively effective from March 1 of this year.Upon payment of the new rents, eligible former MPs will need to re-apply to the housing department for allotments of the apartments, while the Parliament Secretariat ...
(read more) Wednesday, December 5th, 2007The United Nations (UN) yesterday said that the damage from Cyclone Sidr is worse than initial estimates.The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in a press release yesterday, said, "As more information becomes available, an even grimmer reality is being revealed."UN raised the number of people affected by Sidr to 15 lakh , added 5,000 more to the injury list, and raised the figure for houses destroyed, by two lakh.Latest UN assessments, in coordination with government agencies, suggest 2.2 million people are in need of immediate life-saving relief and 85 lakh homes have been destroyed - ...
(read more) Wednesday, December 5th, 2007The agriculture ministry has approved a fund of Tk 69 crore for immediate distribution in the first phase of its rehabilitation programmes to recover from agricultural damage caused by cyclone Sidr.The ministry has also prepared four alternative programmes for rehabilitation in the second and third phases with the highest fund of Tk 371 crore.Ministry sources said considering the cultivation season of Boro, vegetables and betel leaf, the Tk 69-crore fund will be distributed among farmers within 10 days.This rehabilitation programme includes 39,700 hectares of land and distribution of 1,300 tonnes of seed and 9,588 tonnes of fertiliser."The ministry will provide ...
(read more) Wednesday, December 5th, 2007While there is an acute lack of work in many places, there are allegations that labourers are foregoing the little work available, preferring to queue for hours to receive relief materials instead.Since the distribution of relief materials began in the Sidr-hit southern districts, many low-income people now spend time and effort to receive relief goods rather than look for work.This has resulted in a scarcity of day-labourers, rickshawpullers and domestic help in the region, especially in the less affected areas.Many farmers who need to harvest their IRRI fields now say that it's become a problem to find day labourers to ...
(read more) Wednesday, December 5th, 2007Most of the Sidr victims in the worst-hit Southkhali in Bagerhat's Sharonkhola upazila are apparently happy about relief distribution, but they all want to return to their previous jobs that include agriculture, fishing, and small businesses.As relief materials from both the government and non-government sources are pouring in, locals demand that they should also be given cash to resume their work and rebuild houses."We want to repair our houses, buy cattle for cultivation and boats for fishing. We need cash money. By the grace of almighty Allah, we don't have a lack of food right now," said Shahidul Islam of ...
(read more) Wednesday, December 5th, 2007Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Khaleda Zia-appointed secretary general of BNP, is allegedly under renewed pressure to accept the 'unity proposal' given by Saifur Rahman, the acting chairman appointed by the party's standing committee.Delwar's close aide Rizvi Ahmed, also the acting office secretary of the party's pro-Khaleda faction, yesterday told The Daily Star that certain quarters have been pressurising Delwar to accept the proposal.of the party's pro-Khaleda faction, yesterday told The Daily Star that certain quarters have been pressurising Delwar to accept the proposal.Most pro-Khaleda leaders and former lawmakers of BNP view Saifur's unity initiative as a new 'conspiracy' against Khaleda Zia ...
(read more) Wednesday, December 5th, 2007Maj Gen (retd) Syed Mohammad Ibrahim yesterday launched a political party named Bangladesh Welfare Party, declaring himself as its chairman for three years, and urged people to join the party to bring a 'change in politics'.The party's draft constitution vests in the chairman absolute power to control, supervise and coordinate all activities of the organisation and its national council, advisory council, central executive committee.The national council of the new party will be held within 18 months to 'elect' party chairman.But Ibrahim will continue in his post for three years, says the draft constitution prepared by the founder-chairman ...
(read more) Wednesday, December 5th, 2007The newly formed Regulatory Reforms Commission (RRC) yesterday submitted two proposals to the government for compiling all rules and regulations and sending any new regulation to elicit public opinion before gazette notification.A delegation of the RRC, headed by its Chairman Akbar Ali Khan apprised the chief adviser of the two proposals when they called on him at his office.Of the two proposals, the first one is to compile all government rules and regulations and publish those as gazette and release on website."At least the regulations, which do not need any change, should go on website by February or ...
(read more) Wednesday, December 5th, 2007The five JMB militants imprisoned in Comilla claim their attempt to break free was their own effort, but the probe committees suspect some jail officials and employees were involved.Five militants of the banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) made a bid to escape from Comilla Jail on November 25.Two committees were formed to probe the jail-breaking and five security men were suspended.Sources said a four-member committee formed by the home ministry and headed by a joint secretary submitted its report to the home secretary on Sunday mentioning negligence of some jail officials.The report also includes statements of the five militants -- ...
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