Archive for June 25th, 2008
Wednesday, June 25th, 2008Many grassroots level political leaders of major parties including incumbent ward commissioners, who were allegedly involved in criminal activities, are preparing to contest in the August 4 polls to four city corporations.Many of them already collected application forms for candidacy, although all major political parties have yet to announce their acquiescence to the local government polls before the parliamentary one.A total of 921 persons picked up application forms for candidacies in the polls to the city corporations of Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet till yesterday, for the posts of mayors and councillors including the reserved seats for women.Most ...
(read more) Wednesday, June 25th, 2008 The World Bank (WB) yesterday said Bangladesh's economy would be affected unless a smooth political transition takes place through election, but it would continue to support the country's development agendas."If the political transition does not happen as predicted, any uncertainty is going to affect the economy, private sector and investor confidence," said Praful Patel, WB vice-president for South Asia.Patel was speaking at a press conference yesterday at the end of his two-day visit to Dhaka.During his visit, Patel met with Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed and other advisers to discuss the government's wide-ranging governance and economic policy reform agendas ...
(read more) Wednesday, June 25th, 2008 Detained former home minister Mohammad Nasim was admitted to city's Labaid Specialised Hospital (LSH) yesterday, after suffering a stroke.He is not out of danger until 72 hours pass by, the hospital authorities said adding that the left side of Nasim's body has become 'weak' due to the stroke.A seven-member medical board headed by Dr MH Shahriar Sabet, a Neuro Surgery consultant, submitted a report to the jail authorities about Nasim's condition in the evening where it also placed their recommendations about his treatment.However, the medical board and the hospital authorities refused to disclose anything about the report.Mohammad ...
(read more) Wednesday, June 25th, 2008The monthly loss of Power Development Board (PDB) will shoot up to Tk 112 crore from the present Tk 70 crore when it starts purchasing 300MW power from eight rental power plants.In the light of this loss increase, the PDB submitted a proposal to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) last month to enhance the present power tariff by 41 percent, which, if done, will help it reach a break-even point."The ERC might adjust the tariff considering the economic realities of the country," said a top official of the PDB.Side by side, the board is seeking subsidy from the finance ministry ...
(read more) Wednesday, June 25th, 2008Detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday said she would go by whatever decision the four-party alliance should take regarding the local elections scheduled for August 4.Queried whether BNP would boycott the polls, she said, “Our secretary general has already talked about this and I would comply with decisions of the four-party alliance.”A day before the Election Commission (EC) announced schedules for polls to four city corporations and nine municipalities, BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain said the four-party alliance would resist the elections.Speaking to the newsmen after hearing on charge framing in Gatco graft case at a special court, ...
(read more) Wednesday, June 25th, 2008The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday pressed charges against former foreign minister M Morshed Khan and his wife Nasrin Khan in a case filed for amassing Tk 1.67 crore wealth illegally and giving false wealth information to the commission.Meantime, a Dhaka court directed the authorities concerned to publish an advertisement in two national Bangla dailies asking Morshed Khan's son Foysal Morshed Khan and his wife Shyama Shezan Khan to appear before it by June 29 in a graft case.Another Dhaka court yesterday allowed the ACC to interrogate detained former BNP lawmaker AKM Fazlul Haque Milon at the jail gate about his ...
(read more) Wednesday, June 25th, 2008Blending plastic waste with bitumen in laying tarmac could increase road durability, drastically reduce maintenance costs; help save the environment and save the country Tk 1507.60 crore in maintenance cost a year.Experts said this during a roundtable discussion held at the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel yesterday.Less cracks and potholes will develop on roads and recycling of plastic waste would reduce the amount of hazardous non-biodegradable materials in the environment, they said."The technology can save the country Tk 1507.60 crore a year in road maintenance," said SM Shafiqul Alam, executive engineer of Roads and Highways Department (RHD), presenting the keynote paper at ...
(read more) Wednesday, June 25th, 2008The BNP-led four-party alliance may allow its leaders to take part in local government elections under a different banner if Awami League (AL) decides to go for the polls, alliance sources indicated.The alliance leadership is now strongly opposing any polls before the parliamentary elections.Meanwhile, the AL Central Working Committee (ALCWC) will sit tomorrow to take a decision regarding participation in local body polls.But grassroots level AL leaders are already planning to take part in the elections under a different banner such as 'Nagorik Committee', party insiders said.BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday discussed with party Secretary General Khandaker ...
(read more) Wednesday, June 25th, 2008Summit Industrial and Mercantile Corporation Ltd Monday filed a fresh appeal with the government to get pre-qualified for participation in the tender for Bibiyana 450 megawatt (MW) private power project.This time Summit submitted a second opinion of a chartered accounting firm that reconfirmed the company's financial strength at $122 million.Previously qualified for the 450 MW Sirajganj power project, Summit was arbitrarily disqualified in the bid by the Power Cell's consultant International Finance Corporation (IFC) in January saying that the company's value was not more than $100 million as required by the pre-qualification criterion. The IFC calculated the net value of ...
(read more) Wednesday, June 25th, 2008River erosion has taken a turn for the worse in five upazilas of Sirajganj on the western bank of the Jamuna devouring large areas and making people homeless.The erosion devoured around 450 homesteads and 270 acres of cropland in the last seven days and rising water inundated many low-laying char areas.Many people of the area have moved to safer places like roads, higher lands, embankments and in different educational institutions.The affected areas are Jogtola, Kaizuri, Jamirta, Benotia, Porzona, Bagporzona, Gudhibari and Daya in Shahzadpur upazila, Maizbari, Shubhogachha, Natuarpara, Meghai, Bilchetol, Khudbandhi and Baoikhola in Kazipur upazila, Char Mesra, Kawakhola ...
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