Archive for November 7th, 2009
Saturday, November 7th, 2009Bangladesh is set to officially release three flood-tolerant rice varieties that would help farmers prevent up to a million tonnes of annual crop loss caused by flash floods, researches said.Officials concerned told The Daily Star that these rice varieties with submergence-tolerant gene, known as Sub1, can withstand two weeks of complete submergence."In September, we applied to the Seed Certification Agency for release of the three submergence-tolerant varieties, Swarna-Sub1, BR-11-Sub1, and BR-11-Recombinant-Sub1. Once the Agency completes its field evaluations, these varieties will be officially released, hopefully this year," said Khandakar Iftekharuddaula, principal investigator of the project of Bangladesh Rice ...
(read more) Saturday, November 7th, 2009BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia smells provocation of competitor foreign countries behind the persistent unrest in the readymade garment sector (RMG)."Instigation by competitor foreign countries and external hands in the attempt to create anarchy in this sector would not be far-fetched," she said yesterday while addressing the closing ceremony of Bangladesh Apparel & Textile Exposition 2009 (Batexpo), organised by Bangladesh Garments Manufactures and Exporters Association (BGMEA) in Sonargaon hotel of the capital.She urged the government to ensure law and order in the sector. "It is the responsibility of the government to take necessary measures for improving law and order, ...
(read more) Saturday, November 7th, 2009The Criminal Investigation Department yesterday sent detained former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar to the Taskforce for Interrogation (TFI) cell for quizzing in the August 21 grenade attack case.The same day CID interrogated Shamsul Islam, former deputy inspector general of the Special Branch, and Superintendent of Police Mostofa Kamal of the Armed Police Battalion.Shamsul was acting SB chief in absence of the then chief additional inspector general of police Abdul Kaiyum and Mostofa Kamal was additional deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Motijheel zone when grenade blasts at an Awami League rally killed 24 people and injured scores on ...
(read more) Saturday, November 7th, 2009Three suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders, arrested with links to a plot to attack the US embassy in Dhaka, were placed on a two-day remand yesterday.The Detective Branch of police produced Mufti Harun Izahar, son of Islami Oikya Jote leader Mufti Izaharul Islam, Shahidul Islam and Al Amin alias Saiful before the metropolitan magistrate's court seeking their 10-day remand, said Sanwar Hossain, Assistant Commissioner of DB.He said the arrestees needed to be remanded for obtaining crucial information about the plot, their network and the people involved in it.Detectives arrested the three at Jameyatul Ulum Madrasa on a hill at Lalkhan Bazar ...
(read more) Saturday, November 7th, 2009The victims of cyclone Aila in the worst-affected Shyamnagar and Ashashuni upazilas see no immediate respite from their sufferings as it will take a few more months to start repairing the major breaches on the damaged embankments.The authorities concerned have made small repairs on the embankments with the help of army and locals, but the high pressure of water and strong current force them to stay away from the major breaches.The water level has continued to drop for the last few days but river water is still pouring in many villages in the worst-hit Gabura and Padmapukur unions in Shyamnagar ...
(read more) Saturday, November 7th, 2009Lawmakers from coastal constituencies formed "Bangladesh Climate Change Action Group" yesterday in a move to address the adverse impact of climate change."People in the coastal areas are bearing the brunt of natural disasters that prompted us to form the forum in the face of the inevitable consequences of climate change," said ASM Firoz, whip of parliament and an elected member from Patuakhali.Firoz has been selected as convener of the forum. The group is expected to have around 50 members, all elected from the southern region.The forum was formed at a discussion on Climate Change: Adverse Effect on Bangladesh and ...
(read more) Saturday, November 7th, 2009Lawmakers from coastal constituencies formed "Bangladesh Climate Change Action Group" yesterday in a move to address the adverse impact of climate change."People in the coastal areas are bearing the brunt of natural disasters that prompted us to form the forum in the face of the inevitable consequences of climate change," said ASM Firoz, whip of parliament and an elected member from Patuakhali.Firoz has been selected as convener of the forum. The group is expected to have around 50 members, all elected from the southern region.The forum was formed at a discussion on Climate Change: Adverse Effect on Bangladesh and ...
(read more) Saturday, November 7th, 2009Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was accorded a red carpet reception as she arrived in Bhutanese capital Thimpu yesterday on a four-day official visit.This is Hasina's first visit to Bhutan and also her first bilateral visit to any South Asian country since she was elected as prime minister last December.The Druk Air flight carrying the prime minister and her 28-member delegation touched the Paro international airport, some 54 km from the capital city, at 1:15pm (local time).On her arrival, Sheikh Hasina was received at the airport by Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigme Y Thinley and his spouse.Bangladesh Ambassador to ...
(read more) Saturday, November 7th, 2009After nearly nine years of refraining from drilling any exploratory well, US oil giant Chevron along with British company Cairn is set to drill an well in Patuakhali in search of oil or gas, preparation for which begins in February next.Petrobangla sources said drilling of the well in Block-7 would take place between September 2010 and July 2011 costing about $ 21million.The oil companies would drill two more wells around that area if this drilling operation produces positive results.Bangladeshi company Bapex holds 10 percent carried over interest in this block where Chevron-Cairn had conducted nearly 1,500 km of seismic ...
(read more) Saturday, November 7th, 2009The move to ban 13 splinter groups of underground communists taken by the caretaker government is shelved, although the police headquarters strongly recommended it last year.The police headquarters made the proposal in August last year to ban the left-leaning underground parties identifying those as outfits engaged in anti-state activities.The proposal came following recommendations from different intelligence agencies in a bid to ensure that outlaws cannot slip through legal loopholes and their patrons are brought to book.The home ministry held a number of meetings on the issue soon after receiving the proposal and the police high-ups welcomed the move taken for ...
(read more) 
