Archive for November 11th, 2009
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009* Over 2,000 children killed by toxic paracetamol between 1980-92 * Corruption sabotaged the criminal cases * Never-ending High Court stay orders prevent cases coming to trial * Families kept in heart-breaking wait for justice in one of the worst ever crimes * One case reopens today upon STAR inquiry; one company was not even prosecuted, two other cases stuck in stays, another acquittedManufacturers of adulterated paracetamol syrups, which caused the deaths of as many as two thousand children sixteen years ago from fatal kidney disease, have escaped punishment due to an extraordinary combination of corruption and mismanagement in the Directorate of Drug Administration ...
(read more) Wednesday, November 11th, 2009The World Bank has asked Bangladesh to put on hold all local procurement activities under WB-financed projects since the amendments made to the Public Procurement Act (PPA) 2006 are not consistent with its procurement guidelines.In a WB letter to Finance Minister AMA Muhith, the WB has suggested that Bangladesh government "temporarily" suspend all local procurement activities under projects financed by WB until the financing agreements concerned are "amended with agreed new parameters" in order to minimise any possible disruption in project implementation."Once agreed, the new parameters will be reflected in necessary amendments to existing agreements between the Government of Bangladesh ...
(read more) Wednesday, November 11th, 2009Finance Minister AMA Muhith said the government was trying to give salaries to the public servants before the Eid-ul-Azha as per the new pay scale."We are trying to materialise this," he said yesterday replying to a question from journalists whether the government would be able to give salaries to the public servants as per the new pay scale before the Eid.The final recommendations of the seventh pay scale for the civil servants will be placed in today's cabinet meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.The new pay scale will be declared today if it is approved in the ...
(read more) Wednesday, November 11th, 2009Bangladesh Army is investigating the allegations of a few of its officers' involvement with the bomb attack on Awami League lawmaker Fazle Noor Taposh."Any kind of indiscipline in the army is controlled as per army rules. The issue of army officers' involvement with the incident of bomb attack on barrister Taposh is being investigated properly," a press release of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said yesterday.The army headquarters assured that if found guilty, stern legal actions would be taken against the army officers concerned.The ISPR issued the statement following media reports on some army officers' alleged involvement with the bomb ...
(read more) Wednesday, November 11th, 2009Eminent lawyers and human rights activists responded with shock to a revelation that proceedings of two criminal cases in connection with paracetamol adulteration have been stayed in the High Court for 15 years, and sought an investigation of the circumstances of the procrastination.Law Commission Chairman Justice Abdur Rashid said, "It is not normal for cases to be delayed for such a long time." He added, "It is unfortunate both for the judiciary and for the nation that those responsible for dealing with those cases, and those who were in power did not take any initiative in the last 15 years." ...
(read more) Wednesday, November 11th, 2009Bangladesh is full of unsung heroes -- but few remain as unrecognised as Dhaka Shishu Hospital's kidney specialist, Prof Mohammed Hanif. No doubt, in his daily practice as a doctor he saved the lives of many patients, but it was in fact his role as a whistle-blower exposing the dangerous practices within the country's pharmaceutical sector that saved more lives, and particularly deserves the country's praise.His exceptional work however remains largely unacknowledged and -- sadly -- he continues to be resented by those within the health and pharmaceutical establishment who care little about safe drugs but a lot about ...
(read more) Wednesday, November 11th, 2009The education ministry and school and college authorities in the capital yesterday agreed in principle to introduce bus service for students of certain schools in a bid to ease traffic jam on the city streets.After a meeting with principals and head teachers of colleges and schools at his ministry, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid told reporters that all in the meeting agreed that private cars carrying students are contributing to traffic congestions around certain good schools and colleges in the city.The meeting suggested that the school authorities could make arrangement with the BRTC to introduce bus service for certain schools. ...
(read more) Wednesday, November 11th, 2009Staff Correspondent Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday showed arrested an alleged member of Harkatul Jihad al Islami (Huji) in connection with the August 21 grenade attack case.CID officials said they came to know about Abdul Majid's connection with Huji and his involvement with the grenade attacks from the confession of detained Huji founder and Islamic Democratic Party (IDP) chief Maulana Sheikh Abdus Salam who is now on a fresh four-day remand.A CID source said Majid was arrested on January 6 at the city's Uttara area in connection with an arms case. He might have link with the criminals of grenade ...
(read more) Wednesday, November 11th, 2009With India importing rice for the first time in over two decades this year, Thailand and other rice producing and exporting countries in Asia are rethinking food security, as experts say further output growth has to come from technology rather than lands that have already become sparse.Given the scenario where the world's third largest rice exporting country India has gone to the international market for importing the staple to offset an expected production shortfall owing to the driest monsoon in four decades, Thailand last month announced an ambitious 50 billion US dollars stimulus package 'Strong Thailand', setting aside almost ...
(read more) Wednesday, November 11th, 2009Four special state counsels of Bangabandhu murder case yesterday urged the Supreme Court to deliver a verdict giving exemplary punishment to the killers of president Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members.The nation has been waiting for trial of the killers of Bangabandhu for 34 years and now wants to become free from a black spot through the trial and punishment of the killers, they told the court.Barrister Ajmalul Hossain, Dr Tawfique Nawaz, former law minister Abdul Matin Khasru and Supreme Court Bar Association President AFM Mesbahuddin yesterday placed submission as special counsels before the apex court during the ...
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