Staff Correspondent The government will confiscate dealership licences and forfeit security money if any dealer is found selling fertiliser at a higher price than the government-fixed rate. “Nobody can charge extra money for fertiliser. If anybody is found doing it, then the government will take stern punitive measure against the person concerned,” said Agriculture Secretary ... Read more
News
Cheaper, low-quality Indian yarns flood market
Syful Islam Yarns worth Tk 25,000 crore were lying in the country’s textile factories, as local products can’t compete with Indian ones due to price difference, posing threat to the growing industry, stakeholders say. They said neighbouring India is dumping its low quality yarn, facilitated by recent depreciation of rupee against US dollar and government ... Read more
New VC Arefin pledges to hold Ducsu polls
Staff Correspondent The newly appointed Dhaka University (DU) Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof AAMS Arefin Siddque yesterday formally took charge of the office from former DU VC Prof SMA Faiz at around 10:30am. He said he would take necessary steps for holding the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) elections after talking with the students’ organisations. “Personally ... Read more
Guards revolt in Rajshahi prison
Assault by senior official alleged Staff Correspondent, Rajshahi Several hundred prison guards staged angry protests both in and outside Rajshahi Central Jail last evening after a prison guard was allegedly assaulted by a senior prison official. The demonstrators were demanding immediate removal of senior jail superintendent Harun-ur Rashid till filing of this report around 9:30pm. ... Read more
More teenagers now in crimes: DMP chief
Staff Correspondent The Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, Naim Ahmed, on Saturday said more teenagers were involved in criminal activities in Dhaka these days and urged the guardians to keep their children from being derailed. The city police chief said the police had so far listed more than 500 teenagers involved in crimes in various parts ... Read more
Army troops move out today ahead of upazila polls
United News of Bangladesh . Dhaka Army troops will move out for some areas from today for upazila election duties across the country and start their operation from January 20, two days ahead of the polls. The troops will remain at the field level until January 24, two days after the voting, and work as ... Read more
Law enforcers killed 149 people in 2008: Odhikar
Parliament should not grant blanket indemnity to acts and ordinance of CG Staff Correspondent A total of 149 people were killed by law enforcement personnel across the country in the year of 2008, according to annual report of Odhikar, a coalition for human rights. “Of them, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) killed 68 people, police killed ... Read more
CNG-run vehicles’ drivers refuse to carry passengers on metered fare
Traffic police continue taking bribes Staff Correspondent Sufferings of the city dwellers have intensified as most of the CNG-run auto-rickshaws and taxicabs do not carry passengers for a short distance on metered fare. ‘Drivers of CNG-run three wheelers and taxicabs always charge a contractual fare for a destination instead of going on the meter,’ alleged ... Read more
Chaotic traffic making a comeback in Dhanmondi
One-way system not working well for lax monitoring City Correspondet Dhanmondi residents enjoyed a month-long run of virtually empty, traffic-free streets thanks to the back-to-back holidays of Eid-ul-Azha, national elections and year-end as most of the educational institutions were
8 injured as launches collide on Kirtankhola river in thick mist
Agonising wait at ferry terminals as fog triggers traffic snarl-ups Staff Correspondent Thick fog continued to affect life across the country disrupting traffic, particularly on highways and river routes, on Friday. It affected people in many parts of the country. Commuters suffered due to interruption of vehicular movement on long routes as dense fog blanketed ... Read more
Little impact in north dists as most dealers not selling at new rates
Fertilizer at Lower Prices Little impact in north dists as most dealers not selling at new rates Star National Desk The government’s decision to sell non-urea fertiliser at subsidised rates is yet to leave any noticeable impact on the Boro farmers in the northern region as they failed to procure chemical fertiliser during the last ... Read more
‘Punish attackers on RU newsmen’
RU Correspondent Rajshahi University (RU) journalists have demanded an exemplary punishment to the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) cadres who severely beat up two journalists on the campus on Thursday. They met Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton at the city office of Awami League and placed the demand before him yesterday. At least ... Read more
BB mulls farm credit target for banks
Sajjadur Rahman Bangladesh Bank (BB) mulls fixing a farm credit target to boost agriculture production, officials said. “BB is considering a target for private local and foreign commercial banks, as those are reluctant to give farm loans,” a senior central bank official told The Daily Star yesterday. In fiscal year 2007-08, 30 private commercial banks ... Read more
Tk 50cr subsidy ended up in wrong hands
Fears BIDS study on direct cash subsidy for diesel Star Business Report The direct cash subsidy programme for diesel in the last Boro season suffered various setbacks with around Tk 50 crore feared to have gone to ineligible farmers due to irregularities in the listing and disbursement process, a study said yesterday. The money that ... Read more
Experts recommend RIA for better regulation
15,000 SROs, many rules, regulations plague business climate Khawaza Main Uddin Bangladesh’s business environment is plagued by serious regulatory uncertainty and non-compliance with rules and regulations despite having 15,000 statutory regulatory orders issued in various times, believe experts on trade and investment. Because, they say, new rules and regulations are often introduced without necessary consultation ... Read more
BGMEA holds first-ever workers’ fair in Chittagong
Staff Correspondent The Chittagong MA Aziz Stadium wore a festive look on Friday afternoon, as more than 20 thousand garment workers thronged there with colourful dresses to attend the first-ever Workers’ Fair. Chittagong city mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury inaugurated the fair organised by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association to give some recreation for ... Read more
Project to boost crop yields in four S Asian states taken up
NATION BUSINESS REPORT A new project aiming to help six million farmers in four South Asian countries, including Bangladesh, has been taken up to boost crop yields and their income over a period of 10 years, said the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). To be led by the Manila-based IRRI, a good number of international ... Read more
Bangladeshi Company to invest US$ 6.01m for CETP in Chittagong EPZ
NATION BUSINESS REPORT Bangladeshi Company M/s. Chittaong Waste Treatment Plants limited is going to established Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) in Chittagong Export Processing Zone. This 100% local owned company will invest US$ 6.01 million aims to treat everyday 15 thousand cubic meters liquid effluent of the zone. They will establish Central Effluent Treatment Plant ... Read more
BCA to set up chef-training school for UK restaurants
NATION BUSINESS REPORT The Bangladesh Caterers’ Association, UK announced Wednesday that it would set up a chef-training institution in London, with a campus in Dhaka, to fill the shortage of skilled chefs in UK curry industry. Bazlur Rashid, president of the BCA, UK and a director of the British Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce, made the ... Read more
Textbooks for free supply find ways to market
Siddiqur Rahman Khan The sales of primary textbooks meant for free distribution are rampant across the country, guardians and market sources said. The students from Classes I to V of government, non-government and community primary schools and ibtedayi madrassahs are scheduled to get the books in the first week of January. Market sources said guardians ... Read more