Like all rural Bangladeshis, Saidul Islam knows the hardships of summer, when his tin-roofed house turns into a furnace with not enough electricity to power even a fan. For the 100 million Bangladeshis — most of them farmers — who live in the countryside, the notion of electricity supply is little more than an empty ... Read more
Dhaka Mirror
Disasters killed 2.5 lakh people last year
Natural and man-made disasters killed nearly a quarter of a million people in 2008 and warnings about looming disasters, particularly climate change, are not being heeded, the Red Cross said yesterday. In 2008, disasters ranging from the Chinese earthquake to a devastating cyclone in Myanmar wrought the second most devastating annual toll of the past ... Read more
High inflation still offsets general wages
Higher costs of consumption, especially spiralling of food inflation in recent years, have offset the real wages of the industrial and informal sector workers in urban areas, indicate the latest official statistics. Even though the national consumption index rose almost 40 per cent over the past five years, labour leaders said there was no substantial ... Read more
Oli blamed for route chaos
He calls accusers liars A whimsical decision by former communications minister Col (retd) Oli Ahmed in choosing the entry\exit points for the proposed Asian Highway (AH) that would go through Bangladesh, has been delaying the country’s inclusion in the network, said experts. The former minister chose a mountainous route, instead of a short and more ... Read more
Govt footing eviction bill?
The government is spending huge amount from the public exchequer for its ongoing drive against river grabbers, although there is a legal option for realising the cost from the demolished property of the encroachers. Director (Port Division) of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Mahabubul Alam said they have never received any
JS looks into ways to have ACC trio present before panel
The parliament secretariat is looking into ways to have the former chief of the Anti-Corruption Commission and two commissioners of the anti-graft body present before a parliamentary panel. Charged with contempt of parliament for non-compliance with a legislative summon, issued in April, the committee on public undertakings requested the speaker of Jatiya Sangsad to ensure ... Read more
The last of ‘three Ahmeds’ makes exit
Almost all key players, excepting one, behind the takeover of power on January 11, 2007 by a military-backed administration have left or been compelled to leave office with the retirement of Moeen U Ahmed as the army chief. Thus what was dubbed the ‘era of three Ahmeds’, inclusive of president Iajuddin Ahmed and chief adviser ... Read more
Moudud for trial of 1/11 masterminds
Push for arrest of Gen Moeen BNP standing committee member and former law minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed, MP, has demanded trial of the people behind the 1/11. “The masterminds behind the 1/11 should bring under trial. People of Bangladesh will not forgive them and they must be punished,” he said at a discussion at the ... Read more
Submission of constitutions: EC to issue show-cause notice to political parties
The Election Commission has decided to issue show-cause notices to the registered political parties if they fail to submit their permanent constitutions by the July 25 deadline. “We want the political parties to submit their permanent constitutions to the Commission in compliance with the July 25 deadline,” Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda told ... Read more
DCC polls in Dec: CEC
Parties to explain if they fail to submit their constitutions by July 25 The Dhaka City Corporation election will be held by the end of December this year, said the chief election commissioner, ATM Shamsul Huda, on Monday. He said this in a press briefing at the Election Commission secretariat where election commissioners Sohul Hossain ... Read more
Israel’s peace term angers Arab world
But US, EU hail Netanyahu’s conditional acceptance of Palestinian state Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s conditional acceptance of a Palestinian state came under fire yesterday, with the Arab world and Palestinians saying it killed chances of a peace deal. The United States, Israel’s main ally, saw the address as an important step forward and the ... Read more
No swine flu detected in Bangladesh
Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhul Huq called upon the people not to be panicky about the swine flu since no case of it has been detected as yet in the country till yesterday. “Experts have already examined 41,348 incoming people at the Zia International Airport after swine flu broke out in different countries, but no ... Read more
Cabinet okays Bangladesh’s accession to Asian Highway
Three routes on wish list The cabinet on Monday approved Bangladesh’s accession to the Asian Highway network though the route through the country will be decided later on from among three options. A regular meeting of the cabinet held at the Prime Minister’s Office with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair took the long-overdue ... Read more
Govt’s rules change to rock WB aid flow
Public Procurement Govt’s rules change to rock WB aid flow As the government has finalised some major amendments to the public procurement rules, the World Bank last week said adoption of these changes would jeopardise its project aid including budget support for Bangladesh. To amend the Public Procurement Act/Rules (PPA)/(PPR), the government has finalised about ... Read more
Vow to resist construction of Tipaimukh Dam
MPs, ministers should step down if they fail to stop Tipaimukh Dam: Prof Mozaffer The construction of Tipaimuk Dam on Barak River will be resisted at any cost and the government will be forced by countrywide movement to raise its voice against this evil plan of India. The sentiment was expressed by the members of ... Read more
Steps to bring back siphoned off money in months
The government is planning for reaching an understanding with the countries concerned to bring back siphoned off money within three to four months, according to highly placed sources. “The money siphoned off particularly by political leaders, businessmen and individuals will be brought back as soon as the government reaches understanding with countries concerned,” hinted a ... Read more
Protesters burn Moeen’s effigies, demand his trial
Students and political activists across the country on Monday went out on demonstrations against the just retired chief of army staff, Moeen U Ahmed, burning his effigies and asking the government to put him on trial for violating the constitution by going beyond his professional jurisdiction. Effigies of the former military chief were burnt on ... Read more
DMCH finds huge food supply graft
Patients’ Sufferings Know no Bound DMCH finds huge food supply graft Indoor patients at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) are getting apparently improved diet after being provided with rotten food for years thanks to rampant irregularities by the authorities and food suppliers. DMCH Director Brig Gen Bazle Quader admitted the ill-practices that existed at the ... Read more
Gen Mubeen takes over as army chief Moeen bids bye
Principal Staff Officer (PSO) of the Armed Forces Division M Abdul Mubeen yesterday took over as the Chief of Army Staff upon becoming a four-star General succeeding General Moeen U Ahmed who proceeded on retirement after completing his extended tenure. Chief of Naval Staff Rear Admiral Z U Ahmed and Chief of Air Staff Air ... Read more
Lawmakers come down heavily on caretaker govt
No need of caretaker system, says Suranjit Lawmakers came down very heavily on the immediate past caretaker government for making a Taka 94,140 crore additional budgetary allocations for the fiscal 2008- 2009 as the general discussions on supplementary budget continued in the Jatiya Sangsad [JS] for the second day yesterday. They said, despite enough allocations ... Read more