Protest injustice: Opposition BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir urges youths,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

DHAKA: Opposition BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir urged the young generation of the country to move forward and protest injustice.

He said, “The country is looking to the young generation. But, we get hurt after observing that they are not protesting serious national issues like Tiaimukh Dam.”

He came up with the urge while addressing a reception programme for students who obtained GPA-5 at the auditorium of Jatiya Mohila Sangstha on Friday afternoon.

Congratulating the successful students, Fakhrul said, “You have to be prepared to make your own space in the modern world. Our women are now recognized for their outstanding contribution in world education.”

“Our youths have conquered the highest peak of Everest, which is a very big success for us”, he added.

 Meanwhile, he urged the youths to move forward to build a knowledge based society.

A total of 400 students were invited in the programme. Of them, 50 got crests and certificates.

tenders to launch Bangabandhu-1Satellite,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has decided to float separate international tenders to complete the four stages of launching Bangladesh's first-ever satellite, Bangabandhu-1.

BTRC Chairman Zia Ahmed said the tenders will be invited for manufacturing the main component of the satellite, launch, installing ground control station and insurance.

He said they were currently discussing ways to float the tender.

Regarding its insurance, Ahmed said stages leading to the launch would require a huge investment which called for insurance for the investment.

According to BTRC sources, launch of 'Bangabandhu-1' would cost Tk 30 billion.

On Mar 29, Post and Telecommunications Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju had first announced the decision of launching first-ever satellite into space in three years.

The announcement followed signing of a deal with US firm Space Partnership International (SPI) that will help design and launch the satellite.
It is expected to reduce reliance on foreign satellites for cable channels and improve telecom services to the remote areas, collect meteorological data for disaster warnings and map natural resources. Bangladesh spends $11 million a year renting foreign satellites.

"After the government assumed power, the first cabinet meeting approved launch of the country's first-ever satellite. The deal with SPI takes the dream of Digital Bangladesh a step further," Raju had said on the occasion.

SPI will act as a consultant firm in launching the satellite. It will help Bangladesh in market evaluation, marketing of the satellite, building expertise to operate the satellite and management of the ground station. The SPI will charge Tk 0.87 billion for the job.

In February, a project office was set up on the fourth floor of BTRC building at Ramna where consultants are working for implementing the project. BTRC's Deputy Director Golam Razzaq was made the project director.

Currently, all television channels, organisations providing internet services, V-SAT and radio channels are running their operations using foreign satellites.

According to BTRC, each television station pays about US $0.0002 billion annually for using the satellites, and all institutions, including the 19 television channels, taken together end up paying US $0.004 billion every year.

After the minister had made the first announcement, BTRC said, launching of a satellite would not only cut spending but also earn foreign currency.

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader starts supervising highways,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Communications Minister Obaidul Quader has started supervising repairs of the highways to spare people of miseries during the rainy season.

He visited the site of the project to upgrade the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway into four-lane one on Friday.

"I've started supervising various highways beforehand so that the people do not to suffer during the rainy season," Quader told reporters after visiting Mogorkhal adjacent to the Bhogra bypass of Gazipur Sadar upazila, and Nayanpur area in Sreepur upazila of the highway.

The minister directed two engineers of the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) to show cause for negligence in duties. They are RHD Superintendent Engineer (Dhaka zone) Shahabuddin Ahmed and RHD Executive Engineer (Gazipur district) Utpal Samanta.

Quader warned of stern action if the duo failed to give reasonable explanations.

The Minister asked all to be careful so that the repair work did not obstruct traffic and cause public sufferings during the rainy season.

Project Director Firoz Iqbal informed the minister that the upgrading of the highway to a dual carriageway will be completed by October 2013.

The tender invitation for the first instalment of the construction of the highway under Gazipur district has remained suspended following a court order.

About the issue, Quader said: "The tender invitation process will start after taking permission from the court if the arbitration is delayed."

Earlier in the morning, he visited the project work of its Mymensingh portion.

RHD Chief Engineer Aminur Rahman Laskar, Gazipur's Additional Deputy Commissioner (revenue) Habibur Rahman, Additional Director of the four-lane project Hafizur Rahman and Project Manager Sabbir Hossain accompanied the minister during the visit.

'No question of another resignation letter' Awami League MP Sohel Taj,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Awami League MP Tanjim Ahmed, also known as Sohel Taj, has said that he will not tender a new resignation letter.

The Speaker had not accepted his resignation saying that it did not adhere to the rules set out in the constitution and those followed in Parliament.

Son of Bangladesh's first Prime Minister, Tajuddin Ahmed, one of the stalwarts who helmed Bangladesh, Sohel Taj's saga of whether he is in office or not, has been continuing over the last three years since he stepped down from the office of State Minister for Home.

"I stepped down as State Minister three years ago and also resigned as an MP two months ago. There's no question of submitting another resignation," he on Thursday.

He, however, said he expected to visit Bangladesh in July to see his ailing mother.

"I may call on the honourable Speaker at that time," he added.

Tanjim Ahmad was elected MP from a Gazipur constituency in 2001 and 2008 elections.

He joined Hasina's cabinet as State Minister for Home on Jan 6, 2009 and resigned only five months into office on May 31.

After his resignation, the government said that the President had not accepted the resignation.

His personal aide had handed in the letter to the Speaker's office on Apr 23, nearly three years after he had resigned as a junior minister.

In an open letter to his constituents as well as the people, he said he had resigned from the posts of MP and state minister consciously and willingly on justified grounds.

Sohel Taj also declared that he would no longer be involved in active politics.

Speaker Abdul Hamid on May 9 told reporters: "[Sohel Taj's] resignation has not been accepted since it did not follow the constitution and Parliament's rules of procedure."

Hamid added he would consider the resignation if Sohel Taj re-submitted it adhering to the rules.

"Effective steps will be taken if he writes a letter expressing his will to resign..."

The Speaker pointed out that the letter was not accepted as it did not have the words 'willing to resign' in line with the Section 67 of the constitution.

"One has to write his resignation letter himself by hand. But Sohel Taj's one was typewritten."

"Moreover, the signature and the date were written by different pens with different ink and they seemed to have been done by different people," the speaker added.

Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni tells AL supporters Work for country,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

CHANDPUR: Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni urged leaders and activists of her constituency to work for the country forgetting the schism.

The minister came up with the urge in a view exchange meeting with Haimchar Upazila Awami League leaders and activists at upazila parishad auditorium on Friday.

“We all have to work jointly to lead the country forward,” she told the audience.

Dipu also urged her supporters to unite against conspirators and be aware of them.

The meeting was also addressed, among others, by upazila AL president Motaleb Jomarder, general secretary Nur Hossain Patwari and upazila chairman Shahjahan Mia.

Disaster in Cox’s Bazar 4 bodies recovered, death toll rises to 48,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

COX’S BAZAR: With four more bodies’ recovery on Friday, the death toll reached to 48 in the district following landslide, lightning, wall collapse and drowning.

On the other hand, 12 missing people in boat capsize in Ramu Upazila are yet to find out.

As per District Administration office’s Relief and Rehabilitation unit sources, floated bodies of two children were recovered from Khutakhali under Sadar upazila of the district on Thursday night while a women and a child in Chakaria and Ramu Upazilas were also recovered respectively on Friday morning.

Earlier, 44 people were killed and 12 others remained missing due to separate landslides, wall collapse, drowning and lightning incidents in different parts of the district.

Deputy Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar Zainul Bari confirmed the latest death toll.

Grameen bank issue 11 US female senators send letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

DHAKA: All 17 female members of the United States Senate released a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh expressing their strong support for preserving the autonomy of the Grameen Bank.

As per the joint statement released on June 27, the US lawmakers urged Sheikh Hasina to protect the independence of Grameen Bank from further government intervention.

In the letter, the senators urged the Bangladesh Prime Minister to allow the current Board of Directors to retain their authority, and independently manage the process for selecting a new managing director.

According to the statement, Grameen Bank has long been a leader not only in microfinance and poverty-reduction efforts, but also in its work empowering poor, rural women of Bangladesh. It has been a much-emulated model for the rest of the world.

Women make up the vast majority of Grameen Bank`s borrowers, own 97 percent of the equity in the bank, and are represented by nine of the 13 seats on the Board of Directors.

 Any additional interference by the government in the authority of Grameen`s Board of Directors would be an enormous setback to the human and legal rights of these women.

With less than two months until the Bangladesh government-appointed commission releases its recommendations for the future of the Grameen Bank, it is essential that the U.S., along with other governments that are major donors and allies to Bangladesh, use all available diplomatic tools to urge Prime Minister Hasina to protect the independence of the Bank and its borrowers.

 In the statement, Grameen Bank empowered millions of current and future women, their families and their communities in their move out of poverty to prosperity. They will continue their support in all steps taken for maintaining stability and institutional acceptability.

Signers of the letter include: Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).

Under pressure from the Prime Minister, Grameen Bank`s founder and former managing director, Nobel Prize winner Professor Muhammad Yunus, was forced out of his position in May 2011.

 The government has now appointed a commission to look into the operations of Grameen Bank and make recommendations as to its future leadership. This commission is widely seen as a way for the government to take control of the Grameen Bank from its women borrower-owners. 

Landslides, electrocution in Chittagong divn Death toll rises to 111,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

DHAKA: The death toll in landslides, electrocution and lightning incidents in three districts of rain-drenched Chittagong division rose to 111 Thursday.

Our Chittagong correspondent reports: At least 29 people were killed in separate landslides, electrocution, wall-collapse and drowning incidents that were triggered by incessant rainfall in different areas of the district.

Besides, the fire fighters declared the end of rescue operation after the recovery of the body of Banu Akter, 30, in Akbar Shah Mazar area on Thursday morning.

Confirming the matter, deputy assistant director of Chittagong Fire Service Jasim Uddin told , “We have declared the end of the rescue operation after the locals’ said that there was no more missing in the area.”

Meanwhile, at least 44 people were killed and 12 others remained missing due to separate landslides, wall collapse, drowning and lightning incidents in different parts of the district.

Confirming the matter, district deputy commissioner Zainul Bari said, “Seven people, including  four of a family were killed in Haldia Palang union early Wednesday while seven, including three of another family in Ramu upazila at about 3:00am.”

Besides, over 150 people had been marooned by the heavy rain water in the district.

Deptu Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar Zainul Bari told banglanews that they are distributing relief in all affected areas through the UNOs.

 Bandarban reports that at least 38 people, including 11 of a family were killed in separate landslides in district’s Lama and Naikhanchhari upazilas.

Confirming the matter, Fightong UP chairman Shamsul Islam and Baisari UP Chairman Manirul Islam said that communication of the district with all parts of the country has been halted.

Recruitment irregularity in Election Commission (EC),Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

DHAKA: It is alleged that the Election Commission (EC) is not following any rules and regulations in recruitment in different posts of the institution.

Sources said EC has already selected the candidates to be appointed for the posts under new project before the recruitment tests. The selected persons include the relatives of CEC Rokib Uddin Ahmed.

Some selected officers of the EC will discharge the duties of inspection in the examination halls and preparing the results.

It is a new strategy for appointing the nominated persons, said a competent source of the election commission. 

Miss-treatment Independent University MBA student dies at Square Hospital,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

DHAKA: A student of Masters of Business Administration (MBA) of Independent University, Bangladesh was allegedly killed by miss-treatment in City’s Square Hospital Thursday.

The deceased was identified as Ashique Ahmed, 28, son of Haji M. Soyeb used to live in Bongshal area of the capital.

Following the tragic incident, the relatives of the deceased demonstrated at the hospital in protest against the “killing”.

Sub-Inspector of Sher-E-Bangla Kamal Hossain confirmed the matter.

The police official said Ashique was rushed to the hospital he became falling in water before 15 days. “He was taken to operation theatre on Thursday evening without the permission of his guardian. He died around 5:30pm,” he said.

Additional police forces were deployed to control the situation.

Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus tells youths Human being not money making machine,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

DHAKA: Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus Friday said human beings are not the machine of making money.  They entitled creative entity. They have to take creative initiatives by using the power.

He came up with the evaluation while addressing a program titled ‘Social Business Forum-2012’ at North South University’s Bashudhara campus.

The day-long program was jointly organized by the university and Yunus Centre.

Addressing to youths, Dr. Yunus said, “You would not turn into a machine of earning money. You would go forward to solve social problem.” 

He said, “There are some problems in our business method. All do business for attaining profit.  But, profit is not main purpose of business. So, many problems remained in the society.”

Pointing to youths, Yunus said, “We have to go forward with new business concept to solve different social problems including health, education, nutrition, environment, energy and communications. The entrepreneurs would not get profit of his investment. Only he or she gets back his/her investment and profit will be invested in the business.

The promoter of the social business inspired young generations saying that we did not think before 20 years ago that most of the people hold mobile phone set. But it is the fact now. So, you have to initiate social fictions that visualize the destination of society after 20 or 30 years. Through it, you have to fix your plan.

With NSU vice-chancellor Hafiz GA Siddique in the chair, the program was also addressed by Commerce Minister GM Qauder, NSU Trusty Board Chairman MA Hashem and Business Studies Faculty Dean Dr. Abdul Hannan Chowdhury.

Among others, senior officials of different corporate houses and students of the university are attending the program.

Parts of Bahaddarhat flyover collapse Chittagong,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

A concrete girder of under-construction Bahaddarhat flyover in Chittagong collapsed on Friday afternoon.

A girder connecting pillars No. 22 and 23 of the flyover suddenly caved in around 1:30pm, reports our Chittagong correspondent quoting Nurul Alam Miah, sub-inspector of Chandgaon Police Station.

A concrete slab which is 42 metre in length and two-and-half metres in height collapsed, an engineer of Chittagong Development Authority said seeking anonymity.

The reasons of the accident was not clear but the engineer said it might have happened due to a mild tremor or jolts by heavy vehicles' movement on the roads under the flyover or any other instability developed in the area.

He said a two-member body – headed by Project Director Habibur Rahman – has been formed to investigate the incident. The committee has been asked to turn in a report by 24 hours.

A rickshaw-puller, who was standing below the flyover, sustained minor injury to his hand, the SI said.