News from Bangladesh-Updates and Discussion

[Skies]

Nokia begins N8 pre-order in Bangladesh
Monday 8 November 2010 | 13:41 CET

Consumers can pre-order the Nokia N8 entertainment smartphone on the Nokia Bangladesh website nokia.com.bd/bookn8, reports the Daily Star citing Sajid RizwanMatin, acting head of marketing, Nokia Emerging Asia. The Nokia N8 comes with a 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, Xenon flash and a large sensor. Additionally, it offers the ability to make HD quality videos and edit them with an intuitive built-in editing suite. People can enjoy HD quality video with Dolby Digital Plus surround sound by plugging into their home theatre system. Powering the Nokia N8 is Symbian 3, which introduces several major advances, including support for gestures such as multi touch, flick scrolling and pinch-zoom. The Nokia N8 also offers multiple, customisable homescreens which can be loaded with apps and widgets. The new 2D and 3D graphics architecture in the platform takes full advantage of the Nokia N8's hardware acceleration to deliver a faster and more responsive user interface. The Nokia N8 will be available at a retail price of BDT 37,500.

 

[akash57]

Iran-Bangladesh ties to enter new phase: FM

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said here on Monday that Iran-Bangladesh ties should enter a new phase.

He made the remarks in a meeting with his visiting Bangladeshi counterpart Ms Dipu Moni on the sidelines of the meeting of Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in Tehran.

He reiterated that the two countries’ leaders are determined to further boost bilateral all-out ties.

Referring to great potentials in both countries, he called for further expansion of economic relations between the two nations.

Mottaki further called for active participation of all world countries in global management.

For her part, the Bangladeshi FM said the two nations share common culture and history.

She further called for activation of the two countries’ private sectors in various joint development projects.

She voiced her country’s readiness to further boost all-out ties with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Ms Moni also called for expansion of Tehran-Dhaka relations in the areas of trade, energy and joint investment.

She underlined the need for promotion of bilateral ties at various international bodies.

Iran-Bangladesh ties to enter new phase: FM

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Bangladesh amends 'cruel' plans to control stray dogs

(AFP) – 2 days ago

DHAKA — Bangladeshi health officials said Monday they would use "humane" methods to cull stray dogs following criticism of previous attempts to control the animals which included beating them to death.

According to government data, nearly 100,000 people reported being bitten by dogs in 2009 and at least 2,000 people died of rabies in the South Asian country, the highest per capita rate in the world.

In July, the government launched a major anti-rabies drive, which included killing stray dogs by beating them or by giving them lethal injections of magnesium sulphate without first administering anesthetic.

"We realise our existing ways to control rabid dogs are too cruel," said Moazzem Hossain, head of disease control at the government's health department.

Hossain said his department had launched a trial sterilisation programme for stray dogs which, if successful, will be rolled out nationwide.

Local authorities are also piloting a new method of putting dogs to sleep using anesthetic before administering a lethal injection.

"Normally, we catch dogs alive then inject them (with magnesium sulphate) but this has been criticised by the World Health Organisation and other groups," said Azmat Ali, veterinary officer with the Dhaka City Council.

The Bangladesh Anti-Rabies Alliance welcomed the announcement, an official saying that "sterilisation is the most humane way to control stray dog populations and prevent rabies".

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Will auto fare revision bear any meaning?

Will auto fare revision bear any meaning?


Shahiduzzaman Khan

The government raised the CNG-run auto-rickshaw fares that would come into effect from January next year. The revised fare for the first two kilometres, according to reports, has been increased from Tk 14 to Tk 25, while Tk 7.0 will be charged for each subsequent kilometre, which was previously Tk 6.0. Moreover, Tk 1.25 will be charged in lieu of Tk 1.0 for midway intermissions.

A meeting held in the communications Ministry last week and attended by the high government officials, auto-rickshaw owners and drivers took the fare-hike decision. Time limit for setting the fare indicator meters has been fixed -- not later than December 31, 2010.

The fact remains that most drivers and passengers have long forgotten the government-fixed rates as they have become used to paying and collecting higher farewithout reading meters. The passengers do not dare to ask for meter riding as the drivers never agree to such requests. Most of the metres are faulty and out-dated. They are never checked regularly by the relevant authorities. Passengers complain of harassment in fixing deals with the drivers as the latter demand prohibitive fares. For only a kilometre journey, they charge a minimum amount of Tk 100 or more.

According to the previous directive of the government issued in 2008, the minimum fare was fixed at Tk 18 for first two kilometres and the CNG auto-rickshaw drivers were ordered to take trips wherever the passengers want. But such a directive fell flat. The drivers seldom pay heed to the government order and the helpless passengers have to negotiate exorbitant fares for their trips. On most occasions, drivers do hardly agrees to journeys to and from, places that the passengers do want.

CNG drivers have some points to defend their position. They say the owners collect higher daily deposits from them. Although the present government fixed the daily deposit at Tk 450, drivers have to pay the owners Tk 600 and beyond. Even, reports say, day rent realised by the CNG-run auto-rickshaw owners run as high as Tk 1,000. There are other issues as well. Traffic congestion eats up their valuable time and the drivers lose much on their fuel. Long queues in front of the CNG filling stations are another issue that kills their trip-time. Six-hour daily shutdown at the CNG pumps has added to their woes. Over and above, the number of CNG auto-rickshaws in the city is too meagre as compared to the ever-increasing demand. The inclination of charging higher fares, it appears, will not change unless the number of auto-rickshaws is increased and traffic congestion problem is solved.

Reports say there are around 13,000 auto-rickshaws in the city and those are run by 30,000 drivers. Nearly 70,000 drivers were rendered jobless when the government prohibited petrol-run auto-rickshaws from plying city roads in 2002. As the number of drivers is on rise, they have to compete for getting hold of the vehicles, even if its means paying higher deposits. The 'greedy' owners ask for higher deposits which the drivers are compelled to give. There is a rule that if they owners charge higher deposit than the government-fixed one, disciplinary action will be taken against them. But the drivers do hardly ever lodge complaint for fear of losing their vehicles. Usually they lie about their actual deposit money when they are asked by the law enforcing agencies.

On their part, auto-rickshaw owners complain of exorbitant prices of vehicles and their spare parts, rising prices of essentials etc., for which they charge higher amount of deposits from the drivers. But most of them say they do not charge more money than the government-fixed one. However, the drivers often contest such claim.

In this backdrop, the wisdom of raising fare of CNG-driven auto-rickshaw bears no logic when all have forgotten journeys through meter-reading. No agencies are seen enforcing the rule excepting some sporadic drives by the mobile courts. When most of the countries around the globe boast of a harmonious growth of their transport system, Bangladesh lags far behind in bringing discipline in the sector. Even Kolkata, which was dogged by chaotic traffic management even some years ago, has effectively restored discipline in its transport system now. Taxis and auto-rickshaws there are bound to go by meters. Traffic police keeps a constant vigil on the movement of the vehicles.

There are a host of traffic management rules that the country had framed. But the problem lies in their implementation. Traffic violation is a continuous hazard. With the number of vehicles on the city streets swelling, the plights of the citizens continue to mount. Added to this, availability of CNG-run auto-rickshaw is scarce on the city roads. There is no immediate plan of the government to import such vehicles on a large scale. Private entrepreneurs should take the lead and import these vehicles in order to ease the city's chronic transport problem.

The government has again warned that harsh legal actions would be taken against drivers and CNG auto-rickshaw owners for violating the fare rates or harassing passengers. In such cases, the driver's licence and the vehicle owner's registration might be cancelled. Last time in 2002, it was the same warning the government had issued. Nothing really happened and, no warning worked. Will such warning be implemented into action this time?

It is to be seen how the fare indicator meters are reset and the tripartite agreement between the owner, drivers and the government is signed in just two months' time and the authorities take it as a challenge to implement in its totality. szkhan@dhaka.net

 

[SpArK]

India, Bangladesh to constructively resolve differences over land boundary demarcation​

India and Bangladesh have agreed to work constructively towards resolving all differences to demarcate the land boundary in all three undemarcated segments-Daikhata-56, Lathitilla-Dumabari and Muhuri River (Belonia).

This was disclosed at the conclusion of the fourth India-Bangladesh Joint Boundary Working Group (JBWG) meeting here on Thursday

At the meeting, Joint Secretary (BSM), Ministry of External Affairs, T.S. Tirumurti led the Indian delegation, and the Bangladesh delegation was led by Joint Secretary (Political), Ministry of Home Affairs Dr. Kamal Uddin Ahmed.

All outstanding issues pertaining to the land boundary were discussed during the meeting, with a view to arriving at a comprehensive solution.

Both the sides today expressed satisfaction at the recent electrification of Dahagram and Angarpota of Bangladesh.

It has been agreed to put in place all necessary arrangements, including infrastructure and security, expeditiously to implement the decision to allow 24-hour unfettered access through Teen Bigha Corridor to Bangladesh nationals

India and Bangladesh recalled the observations made during joint visits to enclaves and Adverse Possessions in May 2007 and agreed that the issues of Enclaves and APs should be addressed in a pragmatic manner.

Both sides expressed satisfaction that mutually reconciled list of enclaves have already been prepared and signed.

There are 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh and 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in India. Both sides agreed to jointly take steps necessary to facilitate the process of exchange of these enclaves to their respective countries.

The countries agreed that there is a need to find pragmatic solution to the issue keeping in mind the spirit of Land Boundary Agreement and also in the light of ground realities. With a view to facilitating a solution, they agreed to jointly assess the areas in the lines of the joint exercise undertaken in 1996-97.

As a part of this understanding, India and Bangladesh agreed to take up the APLs along Meghalaya - Bangladesh Border on a priority basis. They reaffirmed that pending resolution of outstanding boundary issues, there should be no disturbance of the status quo and peaceful conditions shall be maintained in the border regions as stipulated in Article 3 of LBA.

Both the countries, welcomed the understanding and cooperation between Border Security Force (BSF) and Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) on maintaining peace and tranquility in the border areas, especially in APLs, until the outstanding issues are resolved.

Both the countries expressed satisfaction at the progress made during the JBWG meeting and described it an important and positive step towards resolving all the outstanding boundary issues.

The countries agreed to meet in Dhaka at a mutually convenient time. The Bangladesh delegation thanked Government of India for the warm hospitality.

The JBWG was set up in December 2000 to resolve matters relating to the demarcation of the undemarcated boundary between India and Bangladesh and other outstanding issues pertaining to the territories in Adverse Possession (AP), Enclaves and also erection of permanent boundary pillars where necessary on the demarcated boundary.

The Group first met in July 2001 and has held three earlier meetings.

Earlier in 2010, during the visit of Prime Minister of Bangladesh to India, both the Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh agreed to comprehensively address all outstanding issues keeping in view the spirit of the 1974 Land Boundary Agreement (LBA). They had also agreed to convene the JBWG to take the process forward. (ANI)


India, Bangladesh to constructively resolve differences over land boundary demarcation

 

[akash57]

Bangladesh on right track: Helen Clark

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) administrator Helen Clark yesterday said Bangladesh is on the right track towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

She was referring to Bangladesh's winning the MDG-4 Award while paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Gono Bhaban.

UNDP is willing to assist Bangladesh in its National Population Registration (NPR) aiming to include the country's total population into a database system.

Currently, people aged 18 years and above are included in the electoral roll and as a result, a huge portion of the population remained out of the digitalised data based system in the country.

Briefing the reporters after the meeting, prime minister's Deputy Press Secretary M Nazrul Islam said Clark thanked Sheikh Hasina for her government's relentless efforts to push the country forward to achieve socio-economic progress and the MDGs.

UNDP's eagerness to assist Bangladesh to constitute the Innovation Programme Fund and different aspects of South-South cooperation featured prominently during the discussion.

Both Hasina and Clark agreed that foreign countries can follow Bangladesh's splendid achievements in preparing voters list, micro credit, climate change adaptation program, launching of digitalised information and service at union levels and strengthening local government bodies as well as sanitation proprammes.

Clark, former prime minister of New Zealand, lauded Hasina for her dynamic leadership in running the country and assured to continue UNDP assistance in different socio-economic sectors of Bangladesh.

Hasina thanked UNDP for its support to Bangladesh's socio-economic development and its valuable contribution in preparing voter identity cards.

She said as the coordinator of the donors of Bangladesh, UNDP is doing an excellent job for the country's socio-economic progress.

The PM said Bangladesh is advancing satisfactorily in several thrust areas like poverty alleviation, increasing the country' s connectivity, providing health services to the people by setting up community health clinics, attaining gender parity, and stopping drop outs from schools.

She said the aim of the present government is to ensure sound health for the people and has plans to impart training to the birth attendants from the community health clinics for their skill development.

Referring to Bangladesh's huge skilled labor force and scarcity of land, Hasina said the countries having vast land could allow Bangladeshi migrants to work on their arable lands.

“The food thus produced can be shared by the migrant workers and the host countries, which will eventually help reduce global food shortages,” she said.

Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Ambassador-at-Large M Ziauddin, Principal Secretary to the PM MA Karim and ERD Secretary Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan were present at the meeting.

Helen Clark also met with Foreign Minister Dipu Moni in the afternoon.

Dipu Moni said Bangladesh advocates for an effective UNDP, which would promote greater voices of both the developing countries and least developed ones.

Commending the longstanding partnership between Bangladesh and the UNDP, Clark recalled the UNDP's relief and rehabilitation assistance immediately after the country's War of Liberation.

Reaffirming Bangladesh's commitment to play a constructive role as a member of the UNDP Executive Board, Dipu Moni assured Clark that Bangladesh would promote the South-South cooperation for sharing of best practices for development and digitalisation, trade-related preferences for LDCs and also promote the global campaign for climate adaptation fund.

Bangladesh on right track: Helen Clark

 

[akash57]

BREAKING NEWS
3 killed in suicide blast

Dhaka, Nov 13 (bdnews24.com) — Three persons have been killed, including a suicide bomber, in an alleged attempt on Awami League Kushtia MP Afaz Uddin Ahmed at his home.

Daulatpur police chief Hasan Hafizur Rahman told bdnews24.com that the MP and four others were injured in the attack at his house at Taraghunia village under Daulatpur around 8pm on Saturday. His condition is not critical.

He said that besides the bomber, the two dead include local Juba League leader Siddiqur Rahman, 35, and Taragunia High School headmaster Asmat Ali, 45.

The name of another injured person, an assistant teacher of the school, is Obaidur Rahman. The police official failed to identify the other injured persons.

He said Afaz was speaking with the local leaders and activists, teachers and general people in his drawing room in the evening.

At one stage, the two attackers entered the room and the bombs exploded.

Asmat Ali and an attacker died on the spot, while the other died in the hospital.

BREAKING NEWS3 killed in suicide blast | Bangladesh | bdnews24.com

 

[akash57]

Opposition strike paralyses life in Bangladesh

Hundreds of riot police patrolled streets of the Bangladeshi capital on Sunday as main opposition BNP enforced a nationwide general strike protesting against the "eviction" of its leader and ex-premier Khaleda Zia from her cantonment residence, leading to arrest of nearly 24 party activists.

The dawn-to-dusk strike forced closure of shops, businesses and schools in all major cities while millions of people, who planned to visit their village homes ahead of Wednesday's Eid-ul Azha festival, were stranded as transport operators suspended inter-district services to evade wrath of the opposition activists.

Witnesses said baton-wielding policemen chased the protesters at several areas of the city as they pelted stones on vehicles for defying the strike call and set on fire a police van at the downtown Sadarghat river port terminal area.

Police said that they arrested nearly 24 opposition activists in sporadic incidents of clashes during which protesters also set on fire a police bike at central Bangla Motor area after damaging dozens of vehicles in the city in an apparent attempt to create grounds for forceful enforcement of the countrywide stoppage.

"The people have lost their confidence in the government and spontaneously observing the 'hartal' across the country," BNP secretary general Khandakar Delwar Hossain told newsmen in front of the party's central office at Naya Paltan, where BNP leaders staged street rallies.

Hours after her eviction on Saturday from the cantonment residence which was allotted to her under a controversial lease agreement 29 years ago following her husband and ex-president Ziaur Rahman's 1981 assassination, 66-year-old Zia told newsmen that she was "humiliatingly" dragged out of the house in single clothing.

"I was driven out of the house ... I feel harassed, humiliated and ashamed of the way I was thrown out of the house," she said with tears in her eyes at her Gulshan office on Saturday night.

She called an army statement claiming she voluntarily vacated the house as "totally false."

Opposition strike paralyses life in Bangladesh - Hindustan Times

 

[Skies]

6,000 Rare, Large River Dolphins Found in Bangladesh
Christine Dell'Amore
National Geographic News
March 31, 2009

A previously unknown population of Irrawaddy dolphins discovered in Bangladesh has given scientists "great hope" for the survival of the rare species, conservationists said Wednesday.

A research team estimated that 6,000 Irrawaddy dolphins thrive in the country's Sundarbans mangrove forests and nearby waters of the Bay of Bengal.

The group is the largest ever found—previously, scattered groups of only about a hundred Irrawaddy dolphins each had been found throughout the dolphin's Southeast Asian habitat, which stretches from the mouths of rivers feeding the Bay of Bengal across open waters to Indonesia (map of the region).

The species' total worldwide population is unknown.

(Related: "Irrawaddy River Dolphin Closer to Extinction Despite Reports, Experts Say.")

"Thats why this is so exciting … ," said Howard Rosenbaum, head of the ocean giants research program at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the conservation group that made the discovery.

"Here you have this area where we found nearly 6,000 animals—it gives us hope for protecting the entire species and this really important habitat."

Few marine-mammal biologists had previously explored the diverse water ecosystem where the new dolphin group was found, which ranges from freshwater mangroves to brackish water to deep ocean canyons in just a small area.

Because the 6.5- to 8-foot-long (2- to 2.5-meter-long) mammals surface only occasionally, researchers used a transect method to gather data about the population.

The team steered a boat along a straight line, noting any dolphin sightings along each run.

A wider population estimate was then made from that data, presented Wednesday at the First International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas in Maui, Hawaii.

"Not Out of the Woods"

Six thousand is a "tremendous amount" of individuals for the species—listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List. But "it doesn't mean we're out of the woods yet," Rosenbaum said.

For one thing, the dolphins, relatives of the killer whale, easily get entangled in fishing nets.

And declining flows of fresh water from dams upstream in India, along with sea-level rise from global warming, further threaten the sensitive mammals, Rosenbaum said.

Populations of the Irrawaddy's cousin, the endangered Ganges River dolphin, are also plummeting due to the same threats. Likewise, the Yangtze River dolphin, which is thought to be nearly extinct, is a "potent reminder" of how humans can impact dolphins.

Dekila Chungyalpa, director of the Mekong River program for WWF-US, said the decline of what she calls the "cutest" of the dolphins has been a huge concern for her conservation group.

"To know that there's a very large population elsewhere is quite a relief," Chungyalpa said.

But, she added, "just because we're finding these wonderful numbers doesn't mean the urgency is any less strong."

To that end, the discovery has motivated WCS and its partners to speed up the creation of a marine protected area in the Sundarbans mangroves, WCS's Rosenbaum said.

The group is working with the Bangladeshi Ministry of Environment and Forests to set aside a sanctuary for both the Irrawaddy and Ganges dolphins.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/03/090331-dolphins-found.html

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Over 50 injured in train derailment in Bangladesh

14:52, November 16, 2010


At least 50 passengers were injured when three cargo bogies of a train from Bangladesh's capital Dhaka were derailed at Sripur sub-district of Gazipur district, 37 km north of Dhaka, on Tuesday morning.

Rail officials was quoted by private news agency bdnews24 that communication is at a halt on the route after the accident occurred at around 5:15 a.m. local time on Tuesday.

A rescue train from Dhaka has reached the site around 9:30 a.m. local time and started work.

"Three cargo bogies, at the end of the train, were derailed," local rail station's assistant station master Abdullah Al Mamun was quoted as saying by bdnews24.

"More than a thousand passengers were onboard the train's five passenger bogies and roof tops when the accident occurred," he said.

However, railway police habildar Nurul Hossain, who was on duty in the train, said, "At least 50 passengers were injured when the train was derailed. A number of passengers were flung off the roofs while others inside the bogies sustained injuries due to the jolt."

The injured were admitted to local and nearby hospitals.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/7201110.html

---------- Post added at 01:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:17 AM ----------

Bangladesh to slaughter record animals for Eid

(AFP) – 20 hours ago

DHAKA — Bangladesh will slaughter a record 15 million animals Wednesday on Eid al-Adha, the second biggest Muslim festival, officials said.

There had been fears that an outbreak of anthrax among livestock, which spread to more than 600 people, would disrupt the festival, which sees Muslims commemorate Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son to God.

"I've visited dozens of cattle markets. The supply of animals is huge and sale is also going on briskly," livestock department spokesman Mosaddek Hossain told AFP, adding that the number of sacrifices would set a record.

Saiful Islam, head of the Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters Association of Bangladesh, which buys the hides after the slaughter, estimated 15 million animals would be killed this year.

"The supply this year is very good. We have estimated five million cows and nearly 10 million goats will be sacrificed this Eid," he said.

Islam said Bangladeshi Muslims would also slaughter more than half a million buffalo and sheep and thousands of camels imported from the Indian state of Rajasthan.

"Thanks to the Eid, Bangladeshi exporters don't have to worry for supply of raw hides," Islam added.

The authorities have deployed veterinary doctors in cattle markets across the country to ensure animals are free of anthrax, a lethal bacterium that exists naturally in soil and can be transferred to humans.

 

[mil-avia]

Bangladesh, Burma and N-E India during World War II

British air force activities against Japanese forces in Burma during World War II :

Later activities from Chittagong air field :

Japanese forces presence close to Naf river during that time :

Japanese and Western fighter aircrafts clash over Chittagong city and Karnaphuli river, this computer generated image based on Chittagong atlas :

 

[akash57]

Bangladesh okays strict law to protect endangered animals

(Reuters) - Bangladesh has approved a law that sets jail terms of up to 12 years for deliberately killing tigers and other wild animals endangered in the South Asian country, officials said on Saturday.

A recent cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also agreed to provide reparations to the families of victims killed or maimed by the animals that range between 100,000 taka ($1,415) and 50,000 taka.

Each family will also get 25,000 taka as compensation if wild animals destroy assets such as houses and crops.

"The cabinet approved jail terms from two years to 12 years for killing endangered snakes and animals including tigers," Hasina's press secretary Abul Kalam Azad told Reuters.

The minimum jail term will be two years for killing pythons and crocodiles and a maximum of 12 years for killing tigers and elephants, Azad said.

Hasina will attend a conference on tigers in St. Petersburg, Russia, from Monday to discuss ways and means to protect the animals, officials said.

Bangladesh's southwestern mangrove forests, called Sundarbans and which also stretch across the border with India, are currently home to just 400 tigers and its southeastern Chittagong Hill Tracts have 300 elephants. Many animals are killed in conflicts with humans, who are increasingly encroaching on their habitat, forest officials said.

At least 80 people, and some 15 tigers, have been killed in last five years across Bangladesh-controlled areas of the Sundarbans, which are dotted with hundreds of small islands and criss-crossed by rivers.

Some 60 percent of the 10,000 square km (3,900 square mile) Sundarbans lies in Bangladesh and the rest in India's eastern state of West Bengal.

On average, nearly 20 people are killed every year by wild elephants in Bangladesh's southeastern forests region bordering Myanmar and eastern India.

The elephants often stray in to villages in search of food and then go on a rampage when confronted by villagers, forest officials said.

At least a third of the 60,000 families who live in Bangladesh's Sundarbans live off the mangrove forest, putting them in direct conflict with its animals. The families collect honey, venture deep into the forest for fish and other aquatic life and also collect timber and straw, with our without permits from the forestry department.

One of the world's most densely populated nations, Bangladesh has forest cover of only 17.5 percent.

(Reporting by Nizam Ahmed, editing by Miral Fahmy)

Bangladesh okays strict law to protect endangered animals | Reuters

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Hundreds of Hakaluki birds poached: 6 sued

<i>Hundreds of Hakaluki birds poached: 6 sued</i>

A guard of the village conservation group under the environment department collects the dead or nearly dead migratory birds that fell victim to poison traps in Gourokuri Beel area of Hakaluki Haor in Juri upazila under Moulvibazar district on November 15.Photo: STAROur Correspondent, Moulvibazar

Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Department in Juri upazila of Moulvibazar district has filed a case against six people on charge of killing several hundred migratory winter birds.

Finding several hundred migratory birds lying dead in Gourokuri Beel area of Hakaluki Haor in Juri upazila on November 15, a guard of the village conservation group informed the local office of the environment department.

"On November 15, I saw a large number of migratory birds lying half dead in a dried land of Gourokuri Beel. I also saw that two miscreants of the area were catching the half dead birds, and putting them into big bags after slaughtering. As I tried to resist this heinous act, the two culprits left the place with three big bags containing slaughtered birds. Still there remained a large number of dead migratory birds at the spot," said Goyendra Biswas, a guard of the village conservation group under the environment department.

Later Juri Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Monish Chakma, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Juri Police Station Md Hasanuzzaman and Forest Officer Ratan Chandra Das visited the spot and recovered the dead birds.

"The birds were killed with poison traps. Samples of the dead birds have been sent to laboratory to detect what kind of poison was used in the traps," said Gazi Mustafa Kamal, Range Officer of Moulvibazar office of Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation department.

UNO Monish Chakma said he has advised the concerned authorities to take legal steps against the miscreants involved with this heinous act.

Juri Police Station OC Md Hasanuzzaman said the environment department filed a case against six suspected miscreants in this connection on November 16 and police is trying to arrest the miscreants.

During winter, several gangs engage in hunting migratory birds using traps including poison traps at different big water bodies.

Former deputy commissioner of Moulvibazar Mofizul Islam had declared monetary award for those who would capture bird hunters and hand them over to police. But due to lack of publicity, this unique step is yet to see adequate success.

 

[akash57]

PM renews pledge to build poverty-free Bangladesh

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday renewed her pledge to build a hunger, poverty and illiteracy-free Bangladesh imbibed with the spirit of the Liberation War.

The prime minister made the remark at a reception to the gallantry award wining freedom fighters and their successors hosted by her at the Armed Forces Division premises in Dhaka Cantonment in the morning marking the Armed Forces Day 2010.

Sheikh Hasina, who also holds the charge of the Defence Ministry, said her government is working relentlessly to turn the country into a peaceful nation in South Asia, free from all sorts of terrorism and militancy.

Paying glowing tributes to the memory of the martyred freedom fighters including Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and four national leaders, she said the present government is providing due honour to the heroic sons of the nations.

The prime minister said the retirement age of the freedom fighters in the government service has been extended by two years and quota in government jobs has been extended to family members of the freedom fighters.

The freedom fighters’ allowances and other benefits have also been increased, she said.

Besides, she said five percent admission quota has been reserved for the children of the freedom fighters in different educational institutes.

Hasina said the process is underway to prepare a list of freedom fighters of 65 years and above to provide some extra facilities including free journey in buses, trains and launches and getting of medical care.

Listing various other steps for the freedom fighters, she announced that Muktijoddha Complex would be built at all district and upazila headquarters while a modern hospital at Tejgaon for the freedom fighters.

Earlier, the prime minister presented gifts to 53 gallantry award winning freedom fighters and their successors.

State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Capt (retd) AB Tajul Islam and Military Adviser to the Prime Minister Maj Gen (retd) Tariq Ahmed Siddiqui were, among others, present on the occasion.

PM renews pledge to build poverty-free Bangladesh

 

[CaPtAiN_pLaNeT]

Bangladesh to enact new law to bring back siphoned money

Updated on Monday, November 22, 2010, 13:55

Bangladesh to enact new law to bring back siphoned money

Dhaka: Bangladesh is proposing a new law to bring back millions of dollars stashed away illegally by politicians and businessmen during the past one decade.

Under the new law, the authorities instead of seeking harsh punishment will resort to Mutual Assistance to bring back the black money, media reports said.

"The law will be called Mutual Assistance Act and its draft will be presented before Parliament for approval next June," newspapers quoted Finance Minister AMA Muhith as telling reporters at a briefing yesterday.

Muhith said the proposed law would provide Bangladesh the access to any information regarding siphoned-off money to various countries while the anti-graft inter-governmental Financial Action Task Force (FATF) would advise the government to prepare the law by December next year.

"We know those who smuggle money abroad, they cleverly accomplish the task...but we are taking all sorts of initiatives to bring back the siphoned-off money," Muhith said.

He said Bangladesh needs agreements with other countries to get any information about the money laundering but the proposed law would enable the country to have access to information on siphoned money abroad without having a bilateral deal.

The issue of repatriation of siphoned-off money surfaced during the past military-backed interim administration under emergency rule in 2007-2008 when officials said they estimated millions of dollars were smuggled out by corrupt politicians and businessmen.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had last year formally accused former prime minister and main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khaleda Zia's younger son Arafat Rahman Koko of siphoning 28.84 lakh Singaporean dollars and USD 9.32 lakh out of the country.

This charge came as the ACC carried out the investigation teaming up with the United States and British authorities to recover millions of dollars stashed by Koko and several other high-profile suspects in Singapore banks.

Essential documents from Singapore were obtained following a legal assistance request under the UN Convention against corruption during the past military-backed interim government in collaboration with the Attorney General's Office, ACC sources said.

Nearly a dozen government officials earlier took part in a specially designed training course titled "Stolen Assets Recovery" in Switzerland under the sponsorship of World Bank as part of the anti-graft campaign.

World Bank vice-president Praful C Patel had earlier said Bangladeshi assets had either been stolen or smuggled outside the country for the last several years while "corruption had eaten up nearly three percent of the country's growth rate&#8221;.