PM vows to protect environ in coal policy

She urges Khaleda to return to JS

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Parliament Tuesday reaffirmed her government''s commitment to finalize the long-awaited National Coal Policy, protecting people''s interest and the country''s environment, reports UNB.
Addressing the budget session of Parliament in the afternoon, she said Bangladesh has a vast coal resource and this resource will have to be utilized in a way that is best for the people and also environment-friendly.
On electricity crisis, the Prime Minister said her government is giving its maximum efforts to remove the crisis within the shortest possible time. "We''re working hard and our government is confident to end the power crisis in near future."
She requested the people to be more economic in using electricity to stop wastage for greater interest of the nation.
On coal policy, Hasina said that before going for mining or open pit method to extract coal, all issues relating to people''s interest and environmental aspects must be taken into account.
"We should not be impatient. We''ll have to scrutinize every consequence of any coal extraction method." Population density, agriculture lands, people''s housing, environmental matters - all these things would have to be considered before deciding the coal extraction method, she said.
The Prime Minister informed the House that the government has already taken steps to install coal-based power plants in Chittagong and Khulna.
As an alternative, Bangladesh can also import coal, she said.
On electricity, the Prime Minister informed that more 1,120 MW of electricity will be added to the national grid by next December while the present power generation has reached 5,520 MW.
"In total, in the first two years of our government, some 1,700 MW of electricity is going to be added to the national grid," she said.
Hasina was highly critical of those who say that the government is doing nothing to remove power crisis.
She said if the governments in the last seven years had implemented the power projects initiated by the last Awami League government, people now would not face the crisis.
Criticizing the last BNP-Jamaat government for not taking any step to explore gas, the Prime Minister said her government is going to buy three-dimensional rig to explore gas by Bangladesh itself.
Already two companies have been given charge of searching for gas in the sea while various measures are being taken to further strengthen Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration & Production Company Limited (BAPEX), she said.
Additional gas resource has been discovered in Bibiana while 356 kms of gas pipelines will be set up to supply gas to the country''s western areas, the Prime Minister informed the House.
On the proposed budget for fiscal 2010-11, she said the aim of the new budget is to make every people economically and socially self-reliant while special attention has been given in the budget for rural development.
About criticisms like ambitious budget, Hasina said that to ensure welfare and prosperity of the mass people, a nation has to have a particular vision.
The Prime Minister in her speech disclosed some big projects of the government aimed at turning Bangladesh into a modern country with wide social safety net.
The projects include bringing all union parishads under fiber optic cable, turning 8,500 post offices into e-post centres and setting up 1500 new primary schools
Besides, stipend programme for school students will be continued till 2013 at a cost of Tk 4,035 crore, Hasina said.
About the health sector, she said the government will appoint 14,000 new health assistants in a bid to ensure healthcare for the mass people.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Parliament Tuesday renewed her call to the opposition to return to parliament and speak whatever they want, shunning the path of hartal that causes public misery.
"What''s the reason of calling hartal? In the name of movement, people were attacked and burnt…If you''ve anything to say, tell it in parliament," she said participating in the general discussion on the national budget for fiscal 2010-11.
Hasina said the issues of electricity and water crisis, based on which the hartal was enforced on Sunday, were "created" by the past BNP-Jamaat government.
She said she had also called hartals and those hartals were aimed at restoring people''s right to vote, consolidating democracy, and curbing corruption and smuggling out money amassed through corruption.
Referring to the hartal-related incidents on Saturday and Sunday, The Prime Minister said two people were burnt, one engineer suffered serious head injury, and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and its operation theater came under attack.
In an oblique reference to the police action on the hartal activists on Sunday, she said: "We''ve done nothing compared to the way we were tortured."
Responding to opposition leader Khaleda Zia''s public threat to government officials and her order not to sign any file, Hasina questioned does it mean she (Khaleda) does not want solution to the problems of electricity, gas and water?
"Or does it mean that having failed to plunder more wealth, she (Khaleda) now feels pain (of deprivation) and is doing all these things?" she said.
Refuting her critics who say the administration has slowed down, the Prime Minister said that 74 cabinet meetings were held from January 6 to June 21, 2010 where 487 decisions were taken and 405 of them were implemented.
She said the rate of implementation of the cabinet decisions is 83 percent under the present government, whereas 66 cabinet meetings were held during the past BNP government with 237 decisions taken but only 122 were implemented.
Hasina said the sole aim of her government is to free the country from poverty and meet basic needs of the people.
The present government has twin tasks - clearing the garbage piled over the last seven years before she took the office and meeting new demands of the growing population, the Prime Minister said. "For that it takes time," she said, adding: "Insha-Allah, we will be able to reach our cherished destination."
She, however, admitted that initially the administration was a bit slow but said that situation has been overcome.
In her little more than one-hour statement, Hasina touched upon important aspects of the new budget and her government''s plans to resolve critical issues starting from power and energy crisis to traffic congestion.

3 top Jamaat leaders held

News Report

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and Nayebe Ameer (vice-president) Delwar Hossain Sayedee were arrested on Tuesday immediately after a court order.
The court ordered police to arrest them on charges of hurting religious sentiments of Muslims.
DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner Syed Nazrul Islam (Ramna Division) said, a team of the Detective Branch (DB) of police picked up Nizami from the Jatiya Press Club area in the city at about 5:15 pm.
The former industries minister was taken to the DB office at Minto road, a police official said.
Jamaat Secretary general Mojaheed was arrested from in front of the National Memorial at Savar at around 4:30 pm, Ashulia police chief confirmed. Ashulia police handed him over to the DB at around 6:00 pm.
Jamaat activists at Ashulia staged demonstration and protested the arrest, when he was taken into the police van. Police detained a Jamaat supporter from the spot.
The former social affairs minister was on his way to his village home at Shabashpur in Faridpur with his wife Tamanna Jahan and son Ahmed Takik.
Another police team arrested Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee from his Shahidbagh residence at around 5:30 pm.
Metropolitan Magistrate Mehedi Hasan Talukder ordered the arrest of Nizami, Mojaheed, Delwar Hossain Sayedee and Dhaka city unit chief Rafiqul Islam Khan, as the defendants failed to comply with the summon, the court had issued earlier, asking them to appear on Tuesday.
Secretary General of the Bangladesh Tarikat Federation Syed Rejaul Haque Chandpuri filed the case on March 21 with a metropolitan magistrate’s court against five Jamaat leaders for hurting sentiment of Muslims.
According to the case details, Dhaka city Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Rafiqul Islam Khan at a discussion in the city on March 17 compared Nizami with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Various newspapers on Mar 18 reported Khan as saying that the prophet in his lifetime was tortured and “the same is happening in the case of Nizami”.
Meanwhile, another accused of the case, city president of Islami Chhatra Shibir ASM Yahya, was granted bail by the same court on Tuesday.
Paltan police also raided the city Jamaat office to arrest Rafiqul Islam Khan, but could not arrest him. Khan is also facing arrest warrant.
Meanwhile, Ramna police took position in front of the Jamaat headquarters at Maghbazar from 5.00 pm.
The court set August 3 for next hearings, defence counsel Muhammad Abdur Razzak said.
bdnews24.com adds: Jamaat-e-Islami called countrywide protests for Wednesday , a senior leader of the opposition party said, after the arrest of the top brass on Tuesday. Assistant secretary general Mohammad Qamaruzzaman told the
news agency they condemned the arrests and demanded unconditional release of the leaders.
He said, “Our ameer (chief) Nizami, secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and Sayedee were arrested in a totally false and fabricated case.
“We denounce the incident and are announcing a programme across the country on Wednesday to protest the arrests.”
He said party supporters from across the country were protesting the arrest of the senior leaders.

Sahara promises action against ''unjust'' act of RAB

Home Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun said on Tuesday action would be taken if the elite force RAB got engaged in any “unjust and unlawful” act inside the house of BNP leader Mirza Abbas during hartal hours on Sunday, reports UNB.
“I didn’t see but RAB and police went to Mirza Abbas’s residence to detain him in a case filed against him the previous day,” she told reporters replying to a question at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital after visiting two burn patients who were injured during pre-hartal violence on Saturday night. RAB allegedly ransacked
valuables and tortured Abbas’s relatives, after entering his residence during the hartal hours on Sunday.
Referring to several vehicles in the capital being set on fire allegedly by pro-BNP activists on Saturday night, several hours before enforcing the main opposition BNP’s declared countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal, the Home Minister said an inquiry is being carried out in this regard.
“We can find out who was involved in setting those vehicles on fire.
Stern action will be taken against the perpetrators,” she said.
The Home Minister also said the government would provide assistance to the injured people.
Faruk Hossain 30, and his friend Sumon, 28, were admitted to the burn unit of DMCH after they received burn injuries when their private car was set on fire by pro-hartal activists near the Maghbazar level-crossing at about 8:45pm on Saturday.
When asked whether the BNP’s student affairs secretary and lawmaker Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie will be released for treatment, Sahara said if his physicians recommend treatment abroad, he might me permitted.
Annie is now undergoing treatment under police guard at United Hospital as he received injuries during a clash between pro-hartal and anti-hartal activists on Sunday.
Earlier the Home Minister visited the policemen, who were injured during the hartal hours, at Rajarbagh police line at noon.

Repression on activists during hartal hours

BNP demands judicial probe

Mainstream opposition BNP has demanded formation of judiciary inquiry committee to investigate the attacks and tortures on its leaders and workers during June 27 countrywide hartal, reports UNB.
BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain made the demand when addressing a rally at Muktangon Tuesday afternoon organized by Jatiya-tabadi Shecchasebok Dal, voluntary wing of BNP, demanding release of its general secretary Mir Sarafat Ali Safu, who was arrested on the hartal day.
Delwar said if DMP police commissioner carries out investigation it would be no investigation as the commissioner stated that it would be examined whether RAB did anything on hartal day (when it was reported that RAB and police stormed into Mirza Abbas residence).
He said the DMP commissioner did not yet take any action against the police excesses on the hartal day.
Responding to the ruling Awami League lawmaker and former Minister Abdul Matin Khasru''s remarks in Parliament on Monday against the attack on and arrest of Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie MP and attack on Mirza Abbas''s residence, Khandaker Delwar said the ruling party men has protested realizing the gravity of ''heinous'' incident took place during hartal hours.
Presided over by Shechhasebok Dal president Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel the rally was also addressed by BNP leaders Abdullah Al Noman, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Mahbubuddin Khokon MP, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Fazlul Huq Milon and Zainul Abdin Farooque MP.
Meanwhile, The Opposition BNP has demanded issuance of a government press note within 24 hours over the whereabouts of detained DCC ward councilor Chowdhury Alam.
BNP vice-chairman Abdullah Al Noman made the demand addressing a hurriedly called press briefing at the party''s Nayapaltan central office around 4:30 pm.
Earlier before holding the press briefing a delegation of BNP led by Noman had tried to meet the state minister for Home Affairs at the Secretariat as per their talks with the state minister over the whereabouts of Chowdhury Alam, DCC councilor of ward no 54.
They also wanted to submit a memorandum to the Home Minister.
But the BNP leaders failed to meet the state Minister Shamsul Huq Tuku as he told them over phone that he is not supposed to talk with the BNP leaders as long as the Home Minister was there.
The BNP delegation after repeated attempts also failed to contact the Home Minister.
Finally they sent the memorandum to the Home Minister through two carriers and Abdul Hannan, private secretary of the Home Minister, received the memorandum.
In the memorandum, BNP demanded the immediate release of Chowdhury Alam, also Ramna thana unit BNP president, as his family members, the party and the city dwellers are worried about his whereabouts following recent incidents of secret killings of political activists after being picked up under various pretexts.
Noman said such non-cooperation and behavior of the minister and the state minister proved that they know the whereabouts of Chowdhury Alam.
He said police and RAB are denying any knowledge about Alam''s whereabouts as well, and still he has not been produced before the court.
Under these circumstances Noman said they are apprehending that Alam would be killed. In this regard he mentioned the recent secret killings.
Chowdhury Alam was captured by white uniformed RAB members around 9pm on June 25 when he was going towards Dhanmondi from his relative''s residence at the city''s Indira Road, it was said at the briefing.

Political leadership must be corruption-free: Muhith

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith Tuesday categorically said that corruption at political leadership must be removed first for the sake of good governance and the government is conscious in this regard for ensuring effective development, reports BSS.
The government has given the highest emphasis on human resource development, infrastructure development and taming inflation, the minister said while taking part in the budget discussion in the House.
Muhith said the government has taken various measures for human resource development and much more has to be done in this field. Maximum allocation in the education sector is spent for primary education, and less attention is given on higher education and research, he said adding that more allocation should be made for this purpose.
Referring to discussions that took place in parliament on budget proposal, he said "Although there are doubts about implementation of the budget, the capacity of implementation has increased, and the Planning Minister has also given a hint in this regard."
He said extensive reforms in the VAT system has been proposed in the budget speech, and some innovative measures including background for energy and power sector have been discussed in the budget speech, he said.
Muhith said guidelines on local government was also made in the budget speech and there are some signs of good measures for taking development to the doorsteps of the people.
Mentioning that there is no alternative to Public Private Partnership (PPP) for attaining investment target, the finance minister said a policy on PPP has already been published and it is available on website for receiving opinion from all walks of people. The country now sees more foreign investment under PPP, he said.
Under the PPP, proposal has been made for introducing bonds namely "Infrastructure Investment Bond" in the international market for collecting funds to finance projects.
"We have huge resources, but the government is poor as it has only 16.6 percent of the budget for its expenditure," he added.
For strengthening local government''s relations among politicians and lawmakers, local leadership should be established which would need some time, the Finance Minister said.
Mentioning about measures on social safety net, he said the objective of the measures is to give a permanent shape to social safety and introduce pension at one stage.
Regarding unified budget and district budget, Muhith said a fundamental change is needed in this regard. Talking about mid term budget, he said a philosophy on mid term budget and its strategy has been discussed in the budget proposal.
Developing countries like Bangladesh would always run through deficit financing and a part of the deficit would be financed from the internal resources while the rest would be met from external support. "Foreign assistance is our dues to the developed countries as the country was under colonial repression for long," he justified.
Mentioning about global recession during the time of assuming power, he said it was a great challenge for the government to attain projected growth and considering the situation we projected the growth target. "We have overcome the situation with much efficiency, which was hailed globally" he said.
Through these measures, country''s export is on the rise at present, collection of international resources has also been increased, he said.
Referring to inflation as a challenge for the government, he said when an economy expands, inflation is also seen. Even then price of fuel oil is tamed, and that of edible oil, pulses, sugar have reduced although that of milk went up for some unknown reason, but we would be able to control it.
"Attention has been given on prices of rice and paddy, edible oil, pulse, sugar, salt and we are monitoring the market for these items," he said.
Justifying to rental power plants, Muhith said although the price of electricity from rental plant would be high, the government has to give subsidy for quickly increasing production of power.
He announced that the government would be able to set up power plants for generating 1000 MW electricity by 2010 and gas crisis would be resolved. Besides, overhauling of old plants with capacity of 1800 MW would be done after 2012 for increasing their capacity.
Referring to the high cost of solar power panels, the finance minister said adequate research was not carried out for improvement of solar energy system and our scientists should make the effort in this regard, he said.

Paraguay reach quarter finals

PRETORIA, South Africa, Jun 29: Paraguay advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time with a 5-3 victory over Japan in penalty kicks after a 0-0 draw Tuesday, report agencies.
Oscar Cardozo clinched the win with a low left-footed drive past goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima. The only miss in the shootout was by Japan defender Yuichi Komano on the third try when he hit the crossbar. That made the difference.
Paraguay beat Japan 5-3 on penalties on Tuesday to reach the World Cup quarter-finals and book a meeting with Spain or Portugal.
The last 16 tie had ended 0-0 after 90 minutes and extra-time.
Oscar Cardozo netted the winning kick after Yuichi Komano missed Japan''s third kick to send the Paraguayans through to the last eight for the first time in their history.
Japan missed their chance of going beyond the last 16 for the first time.

Please don''t doubt me, says Ershad

Former President Hussein Mohammad Ershad reaffirmed his commitment to the AL-led Grand Alliance government of which his Jatiya Party is a major component, saying that he will be hanged if the Grand Alliance government fails, reports UNB.
"Please don''t doubt me, I will be the first to be in jail and hanged. The Grand Alliance cannot fail, it cannot be defeated. If it fails the nation will plunge into darkness," he said in Parliament, while taking part in the general debate on the national budget 2010-11.
The 35-minute speech of General (retired) Ershad, who ruled the country for nearly nine years was frequently cheered by lawmakers for his free and candid expression on certain issues of national interest.
On the critical issue of extracting coal, the former president said: "We should not do politics with coal. Politicians cannot decide how to extract the coal."
Presenting statistics on reserves of coal in different coalmines of the country, he observed that the open-pit method may be suitable to extract coal from the Phulbari mine, considering its geological condition and nature.
On the vital issue of the environment in the light of changing climate, he said although the developed nations are responsible for global warming, Bangladesh is no less responsible for it. He pointed out the indiscriminate felling of trees that has contributed to the adverse impacts of climate change, and advised that cutting trees should be banned for the next five years.
On the alarming impact of mixing chemicals with food items, Ershad said stern action should be taken against the unscrupulous traders who are responsible for poisoning people to death. He said he was about to die due to eating Lal Shak which had been colored red by dangerous chemicals.
On the price spiral of essential items, the JP chairman praised the Commerce Minister for re-activating the TCB in a bid to control the market. He, however, said TCB itself will not do business, but intervene in the market. Calling Commerce Minister Col (Retired) Faruq Khan a soldier and not a politician like him, the retired general encourage his efforts to keep prices under control. "I firmly believe that the prices of essentials will remain under control," he said.
Stressing the importance of an effective communication system in the country, Ershad said it is visible that the communication infrastructure is being developed. Recounting his own efforts to establish an effective multi-modal communication network during his rule, he said he had developed many things but people today only remember the development of roads in Dhaka city.
Amidst laughter from the lawmakers, Ershad disclosed that incumbent Communication Minister Syed Abul Hossian was once a member of his Jatiya Party and that he had gathered experience from his JP days on how to improve communication.
The former president commended the Agriculture, Education and Food and Disaster Management Ministers for their excellent performances in running their respective ministries.
In a veiled criticism of former prime minister Khaleda Zia''s rule, Ershad lamented that people remember the death of Nur Hossain (the democracy activist during Ershad''s rule) in police firing and erected the Nur Hossain memorial in his name. But as many as 18 peasants were shot for demanding fertilizer, but no memorial was build to commemorate their deaths.
"We are called Mofiz (since we are from Rangpur), and no one remember us. If I return to power I will build a memorial for the 18 killed farmers," he said, as both Awami League and Jatiya Party members thumped their desks.

CNG owner allegedly killed by police

Police allegedly beat an owner of a CNG three wheeler to death in city''s Ramna area on Monday night, reports UNB.
The deceased was identified as Babul Miah, 35, a resident of Noatola area under Ramna police station. Police, however, denied the allegations saying that Babul Miah was involved in stealing CNG auto-rickshaws and he died from a head injury sustained while he was trying to avoid police arrest.
A 3-member inquiry committee was formed to investigate the matter.
Sovo Akhter, 29, wife of Babul, alleged that Ramna thana police arrested her husband from a garage of Modhubagh at about 11:00 pm Monday night.
Talking to reporters at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) morgue on Tuesday, Suvo said Sub-Inspector Altaf of Ramna police station phoned Babul''s nephew Sohel Monday night and informed that he arrested Babul in a Ramna thana case.
"If you wanted to release your uncle, come to me with Tk 2 lakh," Sohel quoted Suvo as saying.
When they went to Ramna police station with the money, they were informed that Babul was taken to DMCH as he felt sick, she said.
SI Altaf told reporters that Babul was wanted in a car stealing case.
When we went to arrest Babul at Madhubagh on Monday night, he tried to flee the scene but fell down and received head injuries, Altaf said adding that he was rushed to DMCH where the on-duty doctor pronounced Babul dead.
He denied the allegation against him made by the wife of Babul.
Talking to reporters at Ramna thana, Officer-in-Charge Sibley Noman said the 3-member inquiry committee headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner Nurul Islam is investigating the matter.
Two separate cases have been filed with the police station in this connection, the OC said.

Sunamganj BDR mutiny verdict Aug 2

SYLHET, June 29: A special BDR court has set Aug 2 to hand down verdict on 14 members of the 8 Rifles Battalion accused of mutiny in Sunamganj, reports bdnews24.com.
Bangladesh Rifles director general Maj Gen Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, who headed the judges'' panel, set the date on Tuesday after hearing testimony and arguments.
The special court-3 at Sylhet BDR headquarters conducted the hearing between 8:30am and 2:30pm.
The court on Monday indicted the 14 accused after hearing the charges against them. All of the accused have pleaded not guilty at the hearing.
Twenty prosecution witnesses gave their depositions on Monday after charges were framed against the accused. During the testimony, images and video clips of the Feb 26, 2009 mutiny were shown.
The judge was assisted by deputy attorney general Mohammad Selim, Lt Col Akhteruzzaman and Maj Mohammad Maksudul Alam.
Maj Mohammad Saiful Wadud was present in the court as a ''friend of the accused.''
The court began the trial of the 14 accused on Apr 2 and adjourned proceedings the following day until June 28.
Nearly 60 army officers, deputed to the border force, were brutally killed on February 25 and 26 at the Peelkhana, with the mutiny spreading to other BDR outposts around the country.
The government formed six special courts, including two in Dhaka, to prosecute some 3,500 border guards accused in some 40 cases around the country. According to the BDR law, the maximum penalty for rebellion is seven years imprisonment.
Trial of other crimes like murder, which are being investigated by the CID police, will be held in civil courts.
A special court in Rangamati kicked off the trial of accused soldiers in November last year.
A number of courts at Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Feni, Satkhira and Rangamati have already handed down their verdicts.

Russia furious over ‘spy’ arrest in US

MOSCOW, June 29: Russia angrily hit back on Tuesday at US claims that it had smashed a Moscow-organised spy ring, saying the accusations were reminiscent of the Cold War and could damage efforts to improve relations, reports AFP.
The US Justice Department said 10 "deep-cover" suspects, accused of infiltrating US policymaking for the Kremlin, had been detained on suspicion of seeking details of US nuclear weapons and foreign policy.
Five accused appeared in court in New York on Monday and some of the suspects are apparently Russian nationals. According to US documents, the spy ring had been under FBI surveillance for a decade.
A key eleventh suspect, named as Canadian Christopher Metsos, 54, was arrested by Cypriot police at Larnaca airport as he prepared to board an early-morning flight to Budapest, officials said. "In our opinion, such actions are groundless and pursue unseemly aims," a Russian foreign ministry spokesman said. It is highly deplorable that all of this is happening against the background of the reset in Russia-US ties."
The arrests Sunday in four northeastern US states came only three days after President Barack Obama described his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev as a "solid and reliable partner" at a White House summit.
"We do not understand the reasons that prompted the US Justice Department to come forward with a public announcement in the spirit of ''spy sensations'' of the Cold War era," the unidentified spokesman added in a statement.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov demanded an explanation of the charges. "They did not explain what the matter is about. I hope they will," Lavrov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying during a visit to Jerusalem.
"The moment when it was done has been chosen with a special finesse," he said, with apparent sarcasm.
Russia-US ties have over the last months been marked by a public warmth unprecedented over the last years with Medvedev and Obama even sharing an outing to a burger diner during their summit.
The White House has yet to comment on the case which harks back to Cold War hostilities with the use of false identities and tales of buried money and hidden video cameras. US authorities said an 11th suspect remains at large.
"You were sent to USA for long-term service trip," read a message decrypted by the FBI and said to be from the Moscow headquarters of the SVR intelligence service, a successor to the Communist-era KGB.
"Your education, bank accounts, car, house etc.-all these serve one goal: fulfill your main mission, i.e. to search and develop ties in policy-making circles in US and send intel to C (Moscow Centre)."
The 10 are charged with acting as an agent of a foreign government, which carries a maximum of five years'' jail. Nine were also charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, carries a maximum penalty of 20 years prison.
Britain and Ireland are also investigating reports that fake British and Irish passports were used by members of the alleged spy ring, officials in London and Dublin said.
The Justice Department told how one message from Moscow asked for "info on current international affairs".
"Try to single out tidbits unknown publicly but revealed in private by sources close to State Department, government, major think tanks," it said.
The suspects used false identities to manufacture the trappings of ordinary American lives and blend into society.
Two allegedly pretended to be a married couple called Richard and Cynthia Murphy from Philadelphia; another pair purported to be Peruvians living in Yonkers and were known as Juan Lazaro and Vicky Pelaez, while another purported to be Tracy Lee Ann Foley, a native of Canada but a naturalized US citizen.
Judge James Cott ordered five suspects that appeared Monday in New York to remain in custody until a July 27 preliminary hearing. A bail hearing was set for Thursday.
The other suspects were set to appear before courts in Virginia and Massachusetts.
Metsos, the suspected arrested in Cyprus, had been was under surveillance in Queens, New York in May 2004 when he received a bag of money from an official associated with Russia''s UN mission, the complaint alleges.
He was released on 20,000 euros (24,400 dollars) bail to await extradition, the Cypriot authorities said.
For more than 10 years the FBI gathered information by covertly placing microphones at the homes of the suspects, and in hotel rooms, and by monitoring their phone calls and emails.
The arrests were made in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and in northern Virginia, just outside the US capital Washington.

PM visits injured PWD engineer at hospital

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited PWD engineer Abul Kasem, injured by pickets during Sunday''s hartal, at city''s Square Hospital Tuesday morning, reports UNB.
Abul Kashem, superintending engineer of Public Works Department (PWD), was admitted to the intensive care unit of Square Hospital with severe head injury sustained as the picketers vandalised his car in front of Aziz Cooperative Supermarket at Shahbagh during Sunday''s dawn-to-dusk hartal.
Hasina inquired about the condition of Abul Kashem and conveyed her sympathy to his family members.

Hasina invites Danish investment

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday sought Danish investment in large volume in the gas exploration sector of Bangladesh, repors UNB.
She also urged the government of Denmark to help Bangladesh install windmills in the coastal areas, including Patharghata, Bhola and Kuakata.
The Prime Minister made the request when outgoing Ambassador of Denmark in Dhaka Einar H Jensen paid a farewell call on her at Ganobhaban in the morning.
As the Danish envoy lauded the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the nation''s endeavor for development, Hasina thanked the Danish government for its assistances to install the Pagla water treatment plant and in the ICT sector of Bangladesh.
About the power sector, she said her government is working relentlessly to remove the power crisis. In this regard, wind power can be one of the effective steps to increase power generation in Bangladesh, the Prime Minister said.
In response, the Danish Ambassador assured that his government would continue to assist Bangladesh in various development sectors.
He also expressed his government''s desire to standby Bangladesh in its fight against global warming and natural calamities due to the climate change.
He recalled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina''s strong role in the Copenhagen Climate meet held in December, 2009 and other climate conferences.
Ambassador Jensen expressed gratitude to the Bangladesh Prime Minister, saying that her government had extended full cooperation in the discharge of his duties here successfully.
Hasina also thanked the Danish envoy for his role in further strengthening the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Denmark during his tenure.
The Prime Minister through the envoy thanked the Danish government and other European Union nations for their role in holding the December 29, 2008 general elections in free, fair, neutral and acceptable manner.
She said people of Bangladesh will always remember the role of its development partners in restoring democracy in the country.
Ambassador at-large M Ziauddin, Prime Minister''s Office Secretary Mollah Waheeduzzaman and Prime Minister''s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad were present.

Reinstatement of election officers

SC stays High Court order

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed an administrative appellate tribunal verdict declaring illegal the termination orders of 85 upazila election officers, reports UNB.
Passing the interim order following petitions filed by the government, vacation chamber court of Justice SK Sinha posted the petitions for leave to appeal hearing in the regular bench of the Appellate Division.
On May 20, the High Court following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) writ petition stayed the Election Commission''s action reinstating 85 persons as upazila election officers.
The High Court had also issued a rule upon the government and the Election Commission (EC) to explain why their reinstatement without exhausting the legal process should not be declared illegal.
A total of 303 upazila election officers were recruited in 2005 during the BNP-Jamaat alliance government. The recruitments sparked controversy as they were considered partisan.
After the Election Commission was reconstituted in February 2007 by the military-backed caretaker government, the EC decided to take further test of all the 303 appointees to judge their efficiency for the post.
Of them, 218 people passed the test. As a result, the EC secretariat cancelled the appointments of the other 85 persons.
On May 17 this year, the EC reinstated the 85 persons following a verdict by the Administrative Appellate Tribunal on April 12 declaring illegal the termination orders, without moving any appeal before the Supreme Court against the verdict.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam appeared for the government.

Zia orphanage trust case deferred for 3rd time

A special judge''s court on Tuesday has for the third time postponed the date for the framing of charges in the Zia Orphanage Trust case, reports bdnews24.com.
Following an application by defence lawyers for additional time, special court-3 acting judge Nasiruddin Mahmud set Sept 15 as the new hearing date.
The defence lawyers also told the court that an application to stay proceedings is now pending in the High Court, following a petition filed last year by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman, the two main accused in the case.
None of the accused were present during the proceedings.
The High Court on Feb 3 had ordered the trial court to take into consideration the lawyers'' appeal for time until the High Court had dealt with the matter.
The case, filed on July 3 2008, accuses Khaleda,
Tarique and four others of embezzling more than Tk 2 crore from the Zia Orphanage Trust, which allegedly existed "only on paper." The charge sheet was submitted on Aug 5 that same year.
The others who were accused include late president Ziaur Rahman''s nephew Mominur Rahman, former bureaucrat Dr Kamaludddin Siddiqui, and former BNP MP Quazi Salimul Haq.
Kamal and Momin remain fugitives.
Khaleda, leader of the opposition, and a two-time former prime minister, and Tarique, senior vice-chairman of BNP, have both received bail in the case.
Tarique is currently residing in the UK.

Cop, Korean killed in road accidents

A police officer and a Korean national on Tuesday were killed in two road traffic accidents in Chittagong and Bogra, reports bdnews24.com.
Ferdous Alam, 28, assistant sub-inspector of Chandgaon Police Station, died and two constables were injured when a speeding truck hit a CNG-run taxicab carrying them at Dampara Police Line at around 5am.
The Chandgaon police chief said Ferdous was rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where he died.
The injured have been identified as police constables ''Shahidullah'' and Abul Kalam Azad of the same Police Station.
Shahidullah was admitted to Holy Crescent Hospital while Azad to Dampara Police Lines Hospital.
Korean Lee Tee Jong, 40, was killed and three others were injured in an accident on the Bogra-Rangpur Highway of Shibganj Upazila at around 10am.
Of the three injured, one was Li Chong-cho, 45, while other two were not identified immediately.
Shibganj police chief Mizanur Rahman said that the accident occurred at around 10am when a Rangpur-bound bus and a Pajero jeep, carrying the four Korean nationals, collided head-on at Dighalkandi.
The four were on their way to Dhaka from Modyapara Hard Rock project site at Dinajpur, he said.
The injured were admitted to Bogra Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital.
The police seized the bus but its driver escaped the scene.

Inefficiency impedes power sector uplift: Oli

Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Dr Oli Ahmed in Parliament Tuesday said lack of skill and time-wasting persists in the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry although the government identified the power sector as the thrust sector, reports UNB.
Paticipating in the general discussion on budget for fiscal 2010-11, he said that the implementation rate of the projects under the Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry is not at all satisfactory.
Dr Oli mentioned that in the revised budget the government reduced allocation for the power sector from Tk 2515 crore to Tk 1059 crore. "This proved that the desired development was not achieved," he said.
The LDP president said that the people are angry. "If the government does not take this seriously the image of the government will be tarnished further and its acceptability will reduce also."
He also mentioned that due to the power crisis the investment in small and medium enterprises was only 2 percent while the foreign investment marked a declining trend.
He criticized the budget for not giving any direction to reduce theft, corruption and irregularities in the name of system loss.
Dr Oli hailed the government for introducing "agriculture card" but cautioned that this should be implemented in a well-planned and efficient manner. "Otherwise, the good initiative will go in vain," he said.
He proposed to set up "research cell" in all the medical colleges and military hospitals.
He demanded a proper policy on emergency basis for the import of reconditioned vehicles.
The LDP president urged the Finance Minister to
reconsider the imposition of import duty on raw and refined sugar considering the interest of the consumers as the holy Ramadan is knocking at the doors.
He lauded the government''s decision to impose increased tax on tobacco in the proposed budget.

Chowdhury Alam picked up by RAB, claims Khoka

Dhaka City Mayor and BNP vice-chairman Sadeq Hossain Khoka has demanded that detained DCC councilor Chowdhury Alam be traced down immediately, reports UNB.
He also demanded release of Chowdury Alam, unless he is quickly produced before the courts.
Khoka made the demands addressing a press briefing at the Dhaka Reporters'' Unity (DRU) Tuesday afternoon.
He alleges white-uniformed RAB members detained Chowdhury Alam, also the president of the BNP''s Ramna thana unit, by halting his car in the city''s Farmgate area around 9pm on June 25, two day before the June 27 countywide hartal.
They then seriously beat the driver of Alam''s car Ashim and Alam''s car was found abandoned at the Kawran Bazaar area on June 26, said Khoka, adding that the car is now under the custody of Tejgaon thana.
He said family members of Chowdhury Alam remained extremely worried as they were still unable to trace him.
Mentioning various recent incidents of secret killings after capture of political activists on various pretext, the BNP vice-chairman said the secret killings have created panic. ''Under these circumstances we cannot but worry over the matter of Chowdhury Alam" he told the press briefing.
He urged the Prime Minister, Home Minister and all concerned to immediately trace down Chowdhury Alam or produce him before the court.
Family members of Chowdhury Alam and DCC councilors of different wards were present at the press briefing.

30th BCS test July 30

The 30th BCS preliminary test will be held at 10am on July 30, reports UNB.
About 1,48,000 candidates are expected to appear at the test at Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet centres.
Exam hall, seating arrangement and other related information will be notified later through newspapers.

JS passes finance bill

The parliament passed finance bill 2010 on Tuesday in the absence of the main opposition BNP, reports bdnews24.com.
Finance minister AMA Muhith tabled the bill that included the implementation of government''s financial proposals and amendments of some laws.
The bill was passed by voice vote.
The prime minister Sheikh Hasina, leader of the parliament, was present at the session.
The finance minister proposed the second budget of Tk 1320 billion of the Awami League-led grand alliance.
The budget session began on June 2. The opposition had been boycotting parliament after they attended the first day.

New wage structure for vessel workers sparks protest

The shipping minister has rejected claims by workers of sand-carrying bulkhead water vessels that the government-declared wage structure is not in line with an agreement they had earlier signed with ship owners, reports bdnews24.com.
The gazette declaration of the new wage structure for water vessel workers fixes the minimum basic pay for this group at Tk 2,190.
However, an agreement signed by the Bangladesh Engine and Bulkhead Boat Owners Association and the Bulkhead Water Vessel Owners Association with Shipping Workers Federation in April targeted the minimum wage at Tk 3,200. Shipping workers federation general secretary Jahangir Alam alleged that the minimum wage set by the labour directorate''s gazette notification on Sunday is therefore roughly Tk 1,000 lower that the sum in the April agreement.
However, shipping minister Shajahan Khan said that it is a ''false'' allegation.
Claiming that the wage structure declared in the gazette is in no way lower than the agreement, Khan said, "rather it is Tk 240 more than the agreement between owners and workers. People are spreading this rumour to create confusion."
However, the pro-government worker association''s leader Jahangir Alam said that they had signed agreements with eight worker-owner associations, including the Bulkhead Trawler and Dredger Owners Association, in April.
Bangladesh Engine and Bulkhead Boat Owners Association senior vice president Rabiul Islam, Bulkhead Water Vessel Owners Association chief Tofajjal Hossain, and Shipping Workers'' Federation chief Shukkur Mahmud and general secretary Jahangir Alam signed the agreement.
The agreement stated that among the workers in this category, lascars and chefs will get a minimum basic salary of Tk 3,200, third-grade masters and skippers will get a minimum Tk 5,000, Sukanis and Greasers will get at least Tk 4,500 and wheelmen will get at least Tk 4,000 in salary
In addition, workers will be eligible to seven increments, medical allowance, additional duty and risk allowances.
The proposed wage structure in the agreement set the consolidated pay range of third grade masters and skippers in between Tk 8,600 - 7,100, sukanis and greasers in between Tk 7,180 - 5,500, wheelmen between Tk 6,300 - 4,700 and lascars and chefs within Tk 4,850 - 3,800.

UCBL to open eight new branches

News Report

United Commercial Bank Limited (UCBL) will open eight new branches along with two SME centres across the country for its clients, said Managing Director M Shajahan Bhuiyan.
Addressing a press conference at a city hotel on Tuesday, he said the UCB has stepped into its 27th anniversary with various products to its countrywide customers.
The management of the bank has already held five pending Annual General Meeting (AGM) with its shareholders.
The bank declared dividend to shareholders, as they had been missed due to some unavoidable circumstances, the MD said.
"UCB is running with 100 branches along with 11 ATM booths, which will be increased soon. It gained Tk 500 crore profit this year through its 0.5 million clients," Shahjahan said.
He said: "We have decided to open rural banking branch for root level clients for providing modern facilities to villagers.
Due to legal barriers, the UCB failed to hold its eight AGMs in time. But we have completed five and the rest of three will be held in August this year, he added.
The bank has Tk 603.50 crore equity, while advance grew at 67 per cent to 8000 crore. Its loan and advance deposit ratio is 81.43 per cent.
Shahjahan Bhuiyan, however, said that the UCB has also taken a programme, as Social Corporate Responsibility (CSR), adding," It has 35-40 per cent promotional budget for CSR."
The bank has also introduced some products for its countrywide clients like consumer loan, car loan, etc.
Among others, deputy-managing director Shafiqul Alamn, Mamun-Ur-Rashid, M Shahidul Islam, Md Shahedul Jalal Chowdhury and Mirza Mahmud Rafiqur Rahman were present at the conference.

Tree fair opens in Rajbari

RAJBARI, June 29: A weeklong tree fair was inaugurated here with a call to plant more trees to maintain ecological balance of the country, reports BSS.
The fair was opened by local lawmaker Kazi Karamat Ali as the chief guest.
A total of 25 stalls have been set up on Rajbari Railway Azadi Maidan to display saplings of various fruit bearing, timber, medicinal and floral trees.
The fair was jointly organized by the district administration, Social Forest Department and Department of Agriculture Extension(DAE).
A large number of people, including the officials of Forest department, DAE, government and NGOs, different professional groups, school students, attended the inaugural function.
The function, presided over by DC Sayeeda Sahana Bari, was addressed, among others, by upazila chairman Advocate Emdadul Haque Biswas and poura mayor Mohammad Ali Chowdhury.
Later, saplings were distributed among the school students.