Posts by E-Bangladesh:
Voter registration in 62 areas
October 7th, 2007[Dhaka Correspondent] Election Commission is planning to start voter registration in 62 areas across the country in November as part of its full-scale preparation of the voters’ roll. “We are going to start working on preparation of voters’ registration and national identity cards in 62 areas from next month. CEC will announce the area-wise schedule and details later,” election commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain told newsmen at his office Sunday.
Action aganist video piracy
October 7th, 2007[Dhaka Correspondent] The task force against making and screening of vulgar films and video piracy has decided to take action against the accused immediately on receipt of complaints. The task force took the decision at its first meeting in Dhaka Sunday. The information ministry on October 2 formed the task force, headed by Rapid Action Battalion intelligence wing deputy director Major Hamid Abdul Wadud.
Briefing the media after the meeting, FDC (Bangladesh Film Development Corporation) managing director, ANM Badrul Amin, said the task force had decided to make public announcements seeking cooperation and complaints regarding the screening of vulgar films and video piracy. Task force members said no one would be harassed in the process. It will verify the complaints before initiating action.
Others on the task force are RAB assistant secretary, FDC assistant secretary, senior assistant secretary at the information ministry and a representative of Association of Film Producers and Distributors. Censor Board vice-chairman, Kamrun Nahar, additional DIG of RAB Gulzar Uddin Ahmed, task force member and filmmaker Kazi Hayat, task force member and BFCB secretary Tiger Jambil attended the briefing.
FUA, MUA attend khatib funeral
October 7th, 2007[Dhaka Correspondent] One of the most controversial Islamist figureheads in Bangladesh, khatib of Baitul Mukarram national mosque, Maulana Ubaidul Huq, enjoyed a gorgeous after-death farewell attended by the heads of the state and government and chief of the interim government’s power source, the army, Sunday. Ubaidul Huq died from old-age complications in Dhaka late Saturday night. He was 79.
Santa Cruz believes in Blackburn
October 7th, 2007[Shahnawaz Alam, Sports Desk.] Blackburn Rovers’ strike Roque Santa Cruz believes that a top four finish for his club is possible this season. Manager Mark Hughes’ side has been knocked out of the UEFA cup, but that has only encouraged them to make amends in the league. Blackburn is in a strong 8th position in the league with just one defeat this season and a game in hand ahead of today
Preview: Arsenal vs Sunderland
October 7th, 2007[Shahnawaz Alam, Sports Desk.] Heading into this game, Arsenal have no fresh injury concerns against Sunderland later today at the Emirates Stadium. The injury that does concern them is of Eduardo Da Silva (groin) who is side-lined possibly for a few weeks. Although Jens Lehmann (elbow), captain William Gallas (groin), Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) and Alex Song (calf) are all stepping up their rehabilitation and could soon return to contention.
Oil, gas commitee bashes ADB
October 6th, 2007[Dhaka Correspondent] National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Port Saturday protested ADB’s (Asian Development Bank) role as corporate lobbyist for Asia Energy and Tata Group. It also blasted energy and finance advisers to the government for their reported willingness to start stalled negotiations with Asia Energy on Phulbari coal field.
“We are concerned and annoyed at media reports that a visiting ADB mission is lobbying and pressurising the government in favor of Asia Energy and Tata group’s projects,” professor Anu Muhammad, member secretary of the committee, said at a press conference in Dhaka.
“The ADB board is yet to approve the Asia Energy project. ADB officials are lobbying for the Asia Energy venture even before the Manila-based lender’s board is yet to approve the project, which was being framed in violation of ADB guidelines for public consultation, dissemination of information, protection of environment and respect for peoples’ verdict,” he said.
Anu questioned why two advisers of the government were searching for opportunity to renegotiate with the UK-based mining company. He alleged that ADB was planning to invest the member-states’ money to benefit some companies, not the people. He warned if the government rejected the agreement the previous government signed to scrap the corruption-ridden deal with Asia Energy, the interim government would be betraying the people.
He requested an advisory committee, which was finalizing the draft coal policy, to reject the open pit mining method.
Committee convener Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah said people will not accept if the government accepts Tata’s proposals and requirements of huge quantity of gas when the country’s gas reserve was depleting fast and country’s power and fertilizer plants and industries were facing gas shortage.
National committee leaders Golam Rabbani, Akmal Hossain, Shamsul Alam, Tipu Biswas, Ruhin Hossain Prince and Zonayed Saki were present at the press conference.
Grameen Bank allowed expansion
October 6th, 2007[Dhaka Correspondent] Grameen Bank will be able to extend its programmes throughout the country, rather than being limited only to rural areas. The council of advisers Saturday approved a proposal for an amendment to the Grameen Bank Ordinance 1983. The decision was taken at a regular council meeting, chaired by chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed at the Chief Adviser’s Office.
The 25 percent government stake in the micro-credit bank was brought down to 15 percent in line with the amendment to the ordinance. The number of government-nominated board members has been reduced to two from three. The board of directors, rather than the government, is to appoint a chairman from among the directors, the government said in a statement.
The meeting also okayed the amendment proposal to the Income Tax Ordinance 1984. Returns of up to Taka 1.5 lakh on savings certificates are exempt from tax at source (at the rate of 10 percent), up from the previous exemption ceiling of Taka 25,000. Persons within the tax free income limit, or those who earn less than Taka 1.5 lakh a year, remain free from the responsibility of paying tax at source on returns on savings certificates. Persons earning more than Taka 1.5 lakh must submit a personal return and pay taxes at the scheduled rate.
The council of advisers also approved the Acid Control (Amendment) Ordinance 2007, which included the law secretary, social welfare secretary and IGP on the Acid Control Council. The amendment gives the council power to induct new members.
The meeting reviewed the progress of turning the BTTB into a public limited company. The related ministry was directed to complete the formalities quickly.
The cabinet secretary and the secretaries of the ministries concerned were also present at the meeting of the council of advisers.
Burmese demonstration in Dhaka
October 6th, 2007[Dhaka Correspondent] Around a hundred Burmese dissidents demonstrated Saturday near the Burma (Myanmar) embassy in Dhaka against the brutal killings and arrests of Buddhist monks, democratic activists, and students by the military junta in their country. The protest, organized by the Rakhain Sangha Union, coincided with international day of support for freedom in Burma. RSU president Uthiha submitted a memorandum to the Burmese embassy.
“We are friends of Bangladesh. Please, support us,” he called upon the people of Bangladesh.
Demonstrators, guarded under tight security, carried placards and banners and chanted slogans against the Burmese military rulers, demanding their immediate stepping down from power and restoration of democracy in the South East Asian country. “We Want Democracy,” “No to military constitution,” “Stop killings in Burma,” and “Release political prisoners” were some of the slogans the protesters chanted.
They condemned the killing of journalists while covering the recent street protests in Yangon and also urged Beijing to stand by the oppressed Burmese people, shifting from its policy of backing the ruling junta.
ACC unearths al-Mamun asset
October 6th, 2007[Dhaka Correspondent] ACC (Anti-Corruption Commission) has found businessman Giasuddin al-Mamun and his wife, Shahina Ysmeen, owning illegal assets of Taka 111 crore disproportionate to their known sources of income. They have earned the money during the 2002
AE: CPB denounces ADB lobbying
October 6th, 2007[Dhaka Correspondent] Communist Party of Bangladesh Friday termed “unwarranted” the lobbying by ADB (Asian Development Bank) pushing the interim government for awarding the Phulbari coal project to UK-based Asia Energy.
“The nation has rejected the proposal of Asia Energy [to develop Phulbari coal field]. The people of Phulbary won a six-point agreement, including expulsion of Asia Energy, at the cost of blood,” said CPB president Manjurul Ahsan Khan and general secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim in a joint statement. They said that only an elected parliament could make a decision on the proposal of Asia Energy after taking public opinion as the matter was related with the constitution and would be a major policy decision.
CPB leaders said that it was true that the delay in making a decision on the issue was sending a wrong signal, “It is easy to overcome the situation by taking steps in line with the Phulbari agreement and by handing over power to an elected government. The question of examining the Asia Energy’s deal with the government and starting negotiation afresh does not arise at all.”
They also called upon all to be “beware” of the “over-enthusiasm” on the part of some quarters over the investment proposal of Indian Tata group.
