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
News
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
Indoor air pollution 50,000 die every year
Experts at a workshop here on Monday urged the government to formulate a national action plan to reduce indoor air pollution as it kills nearly 50,000 people every year in the country. They said about 50,000 people, two-thirds of them under-5 children, die each year for using indoor solid fuel since 92 percent households in ... Read more
JS body decides to summon Matin
Allegation of corruption A sub-committee formed by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Shipping Ministry at its meeting yesterday decided to summon former shipping adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin to hear his version about allegations of corruption against him in awarding a container handling contract at Chittagong Port. The sub-committee however did not fix any ... Read more
High-rises raise flying risk
318 buildings defied height limit; Rajuk asked owners in vain to knock down over 100 structures in 2007 Over 300 buildings including high-rises have been constructed in violation of the country’s aviation rules around the Zia International Airport (ZIA) and Tejgaon Airport making take-off and landing of planes risky. Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) in 2007 ... Read more
US official links up trial of war crimes with democracy in BD
Tipaimukh issue should be resolved through discussion: Robert Blake Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O Blake has said that that the trial of war criminals should not be politicised hindering democratic progress. He was speaking at a press conference at the ARA (American Club) in Gulshan on ... Read more
SAARC states must step up cooperation, says Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday stressed on enhancing mutual cooperation and assistance among the SAARC member states in Science and Technology to improve the people’s living standard in the region. “The first and main objective of SAARC Charter is to ensure people’s welfare and improve their living standards. Attaining the goal is possible through increasing ... Read more
Laws lack teeth
Enforcement also missing to make matters worse With various flaws and loopholes environmental laws in our country have failed to take any measures against influential quarters responsible for environmental degradation, experts said. The foremost obstacle to implementation of the Environment Conservation Act of 1995 is that an aggrieved person has to take permission from the ... Read more
Opposition boycott continues: JS discusses supplementary budget, lauds proposed new budget
General discussions on supplementary budget 2008-2009 started at Jatiya Sangsad yesterday in the absence of the opposition lawmakers who are abstaining from the House demanding more seats in the front row. In the one-sided discussion, the treasury bench members expressed mixed reactions on the rationale and purposeful utilisation of allocated money and overall performances of ... Read more
Foreign office awaits major shake-up
A major shake-up is underway in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a new foreign secretary taking over soon and a number of new ambassadors and high commissioners being appointed, highly placed sources said. Some of the new envoys are getting contractual appointments. Several diplomats seeking anonymity however said this might demoralise the serving career ... Read more
Gen Moeen goes
Mubeen takes over as army chief today General Moeen U Ahmed is set to retire as the army chief as Lieutenant General Md Abdul Mubeen takes over as the army chief today. Moeen had his last day in office on Sunday, ending his job at the helm of the Armed Forces. He called on the ... Read more
Top leaderships of DGFI, army linked
10-truck Arms Haul in Ctg Top leaderships of DGFI, army linked Claims Sahab in his judicial confession Former NSI director Wing Commander (retd) Sahab Uddin yesterday hinted at links of a former top army official and an ex-DGFI high-up to the 10 truckloads of weapons seized here five years back. The two attended the last ... Read more