Friday, October 30th, 2009The Power Development Board (PDB) yesterday received a record number of 63 proposals for eight rental power projects totalling 530 megawatt in capacity, set to start being launched the next summer.PDB Chairman Alamgir Kabir told The Daily Star that his organisation aims to sign the agreements with successful bidders within the next month, so that four diesel fired plants could start launching operations from March next, and four heavy fuel oil (HFO) fired plants may start launching from next August.The expected tariff for power from diesel plants totalling 250MW in capacity is around Tk 14 per kilowatt hour while from ...
(read more) Wednesday, October 7th, 2009The government is facing difficulties in recovering the city's canals and water bodies encroached upon by real estate companies and individuals who, the LGRD and cooperatives minister yesterday said, are "highly influential and financially powerful".He said it is even difficult to fight these quarters legally.However, despite all these obstacles the government has taken up various measures to recover the canals and water bodies in and around Dhaka city, Syed Ashraful Islam said during the question-answer session in the House.The government has also planned to treat the water of the Meghna for supplying within the city, he added.Lawmakers had expressed serious ...
(read more) Wednesday, October 7th, 2009The High Court granted anticipatory bail to 14 sugar traders from Jessore and Khulna yesterday in two cases filed on charges of illegally stocking sugar last month.The HC bench of Justice AFM Abdur Rahman and Justice Md Emdadul Haque Azad also issued separate rules upon the government to explain why the accused should not be given regular bail.The people, who were granted bail, are--Abdul Wahab, Anisur Rahman alias Boro Anis, Anisur Rahman alias Chhoto Anis, Abdul Wadud, Modhusudan Saha, Raju Ahmed, Mohammad Amin, Chitta Ranjan Kundu, Hafizur Rahman Babu, Safier Rahman, Rafiqul Islam, Alok Kumar Kundu, Sirajul Islam and Sarwar ...
(read more) Tuesday, October 6th, 2009The government has taken an eight-year-long mega plan to bring back navigability in 53 important waterways by carrying out massive dredging with a cost of around Tk 11,474 crore, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan informed the House yesterday."The shipping ministry has sent a primary project proposal to the economic relations division on August 4. The planning commission has already approved the proposal in principle," the minister said.Replying to a query of Awami League lawmaker Israfil Alam, the shipping minister also said the government has planned to dredge 3276 lakh cubic meters in 53 waterways.In response to a query of AL lawmaker ...
(read more) Thursday, January 15th, 2009The government yesterday slashed the prices of non-urea fertilisers to almost half per kilogram to help farmers during the country's biggest crop season, Boro.From now, farmers will be able to buy 1kg TSP (triple super phosphate) at Tk 40, MoP (muriate of potash) at Tk 35 and DAP (di-ammonium phosphate) at Tk 45 from dealers and their agents at the union parishad level.Previously TSP cost Tk 75-80 a kg, MoP Tk 65-75 and DAP Tk 80-85.Farmers, however, will have to buy urea at the previous price of Tk 12 a kg.The move is meant to bring down the prices of ...
(read more) Wednesday, January 14th, 2009Greengrocers have to pay an illegal toll to Aratdars in two major kitchen markets in the city and, in turn, they force consumers to pay for that.The crooked practice was absent for over a year due to market monitoring by a Bangladesh Rifles (BDR)-led taskforce. It began again with the BDR personnel pulling out of the city markets last September.According to an estimate based on information gleaned from market sources, Aratdars (warehouse owners) in Karwan Bazar, Jatrabari and Shyambazar kitchen markets collect over Tk 40 lakh a day in toll from the retail buyers.Officials of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), the ...
(read more) Friday, April 4th, 2008Bangladesh and India yesterday finalised all technical issues including schedules and fare for the Dhaka-Kolkata passenger train service ahead of its scheduled launching on April 14.“The formal agreement in this regard will be signed anytime before Pahela Baishakh,” ATKM Ismail, additional secretary of the communications ministry, told newsmen.Ismail led the six-member Bangladesh delegation to the two-day long inter-governmental meeting between the rail officials of the two countries that concluded at the Rail Bhaban in the city yesterday.“We've tied up all loose ends, and are now completely ready for the start of the train service,” said RN Varma, additional member ...
(read more) Thursday, April 3rd, 2008Amir Khasru, building inspector and a class-three ranked employee, drew Tk 13.94 lakh salary during his 12-year service with Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) since 1995.Also president of Rajuk unit Sramik Dal, Amir, however, showed Tk 1.76 crore movable and immovable property in his income tax return last year.His name also appeared on the list of graft suspects prepared by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Investigators while dealing with his case found amazing fact of cheating and forgery.He showed on papers that he received Tk 54.33 lakh from his wife Parvin Akhter, who he claimed had earned the sum through her job ...
(read more) Thursday, April 3rd, 2008President of General Electric Power Company Stephen R Bolze has expressed surprise over Power Cell's rejection of their joint bids with Summit in two major power projects on grounds of the latter not having "enough" financial strength."We'll sit with the projects' consultant International Finance Company [IFC] to discuss this matter. Summit is surely a capable company," said Bolze in an interview with The Daily Star on Tuesday. He was in Dhaka for a one-day visit on business purpose.Power Cell in January rejected the bids in consultation with IFC, which may also finance the successful bidder of the Bibiyana and Sirajganj ...
(read more) Thursday, April 3rd, 2008The price of coarse rice rose further on both wholesale and retail markets in the capital yesterday while people continued to throng fair price outlets amid heavy downpour in desperate need of rice.The OMS (open market sale) outlets yesterday sold out of rice within a few hours of opening.The inclement weather in the afternoon could not prevent the rice-hungry people from gathering in large numbers at both the OMS and BDR-run outlets.Although a thunderstorm forced the BDR to suspend the sale of rice for the time being, the rain-drenched crowd was unwavering and still standing in lines.The wholesale price of ...
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