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The price of sugar, increasing abnormally over a couple of weeks, reached Tk 46 a kilogram on Friday in city kitchen markets where milk, meat and garlic were also on the upward trend.
   Traders said short supply by importers had pushed up the prices of sugar and garlic. They said an increased import cost has long been pushing up milk prices.
   Sugar price increased to sell between Tk 44 and Tk 46 a kilogram in the kitchen markets on Friday. The price ranged between Tk 40 and Tk 42 a couple of days ago and between Tk 39 and Tk 40 a week ago.
   ‘Sugar price is increasing as it remains in short supply by the importers,’ said Delwar Hossain, a wholesaler at Maulvibazar, one of largest wholesale markets, where the commodity sold for Tk 1,550 a maund (37.3 kilograms), increasing from Tk 1500 a week before and Tk 1,390 two weeks ago.
   Garlic imported from China sold between Tk 60 and Tk 70 a kilogram on Friday, up from Tk 52-70 a week ago.
   A 400gm pack of Anchor brand instant milk was retailed at Retail between Tk 128 and Tk 130 from Tk 120-112 a week ago.
   Beef was sold between Tk 120 and Tk 130 a kilogram in the kitchen markets at Kanthal Bagan and the markets at Mohammadpur. The price ranged between Tk 110 and Tk 120 the week before. Mutton price increased to Tk 180–190 a kilogram from Tk 160–170.
   ‘Increased prices of sacrificial animals, before Eid-ul-Azha, have pushed up the prices of meat,’ said a butcher at Mohammadpur.
   Rice prices remained somewhat stable at the high level they reached few weeks ago. The fine variety of Najirshail sold between Tk 26 and Tk 28 a kilogram at Mohammadpur; the medium grade Paijam sold between Tk 19 and Tk 20.
   Vegetable prices began coming down as winter produce have become available. Tomato sold between Tk 30 and Tk 34 a kilogram at Mohammapdur on Friday; long aubergine between Tk 22 and Tk 24, cucumber Tk 28 and Tk 30 and a medium-sized gourd between Tk 20 and Tk 25.
   Imported onions sold between Tk 32 and Tk 34 a kilogram, less by Tk 4 to Tk 6 from the price the week before as its supply increased, traders said.
   Fish prices remained steady.

A three-day bridal festival began at the Bangladesh–China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka on Friday showcasing bridal outfits, ornaments and wedding services available on a commercial basis.
   Inaugurating the fair, the minister for law, Moudud Ahmed, said festivals of this kind should be organised as marriage is the most auspicious moment in human life which lays the foundation of society.
   ‘Marriage is the most respected institution in society. Without marriage, which creates permanent relationship, society’s foundation will break down,’ he said.
   The commerce minister adviser, Barkat Ullah Bulu, hoped that the festival would contribute to the national economy and the strengthening of culture and tradition.
   The festival, Bridal and Jewellery Expo 2005, features 43 participants. Monthly fashion magazine Mirror has organised the event.
   Sweetmeat shop Premium Sweets, clothing shops Dressy Dale, Brand and Fashions, Shoppers World, Destiny, flower designer Ikebana, Apan Jewellers, and Royal Diamond are among the participants.
   Most participants have offered discounts on their products and services in the festival.
   ‘We offer up to 2 per cent discount on expensive watches and up to 10 per cent on less expensive watches,’ said Farooq Hossain of the Saco Watch Company, which has put Omega wristwatches, selling between Tk 65,000 and Tk 2,40,000 — on display.
   F Trends has put on display various environmentally-friendly fashion accessories including nail polish, lip-gel, tattoos and household kits such as air cleaner, mosquito preventive wrist belt, with the slogan ‘environmental innovation for better living.’
   ‘None of our products have any chemicals,’ said the managing director of the company.
   Similar discounts have been offered by Arabian’s Jewellery which has displayed a variety of gold-plated ornaments with prices ranging between Tk 120 and Tk 48,500.
   Car rental Hertz is offering 15 per cent discount on Mercedes rental for a wedding on its regular charge of Tk 18,000.
   A number of beauty parlours have also been offering discounts. Juthi Haq of La Femme Beauty Salon said visitors can have free make-up on Friday and Saturday.

A suspected criminal arrested on Wednesday on charge of robbery was killed allegedly in the custody of the Mohammadpur police during his three-day remand Friday morning.
   The suspect was Shafiuddin Shafi, 30, of Sultanganj Rayerbazar in the Mohammadpur police area.
   The police denied the
   allegation, saying that a Mohammadpur police team led by subinspector Ismail Hossain arrested security guard Shafi on charge of robbery at Prince Plaza at Sobhanbagh Wednes-day night as a portion of his nameplate was found on the spot.
   The police produced him in court, seeking a seven-day remand on Thursday; the court granted a remand for three days.
   Investigation officer Ismail Hossain in the case filed with the Mohammadpur police in connection with the robbery told New Age that Shafi had admitted being involved in the robbery and he had named some of his associates during interrogation Thursday night.
   ‘Based on his statement, we conducted a drive along with Shafi to detain his associate, Jalil, and recover the looted goods at Agargaon at around 9:15pm Thursday,’ he said.
   ‘At one stage, when Shafi said that he had been feeling pain in the chest, our force immediately took him to Suhrawardi Hospital where he was declared dead at about 10:30pm.’
   But his family alleged that the police had demanded a huge amount of bribe from them. On their refusal to pay the money, the police tortured Shafi to death, they said.
   Shafiuddin’s wife Shahara Khatun told newsmen that the police had arrested her husband and implicated him in a robbery case for money.
   The investigation officer filed an unnatural death case with the Mohammadpur police early Friday.
   The body was later sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for a post-mortem examination.

The ‘people’s effort to prevent illegal global trade’ Friday morning started their caravan from Satkhira to Dhaka, demanding legal trade rights of the poor.
   The organisation’s member secretary Ashraf-ul-Alam Tutu inaugurated the caravan at Shaheed Razzaq Park in the town.
   The organisation brought out a procession that paraded the town roads.
   Speakers at the programme in the park put out a call for consideration of the interest of common people in the World Trade Organisation’s ministerial conference in Hong Kong, slated during December 13–18.
   The caravan reached the Syed Isa College premises at Tala in Satkhira at noon where a rally was held. The caravan left for Khulna from the place.
   The caravan reached Khulna Jatisangha Park in the afternoon and participants of the caravan brought out a procession in the city and met in a rally in Shaheed Hadis Park at 3:30pm.
   A bicycle procession was brought out in the Khulna city Friday morning, demanding legal global trade and supporting the caravan to Dhaka.
   A release of the organisation said the caravan would reach Dhaka on December 5, crossing Bagerhat, Gopalganj, Madaripur and Mawa.

The Consumers’ Association of Bangladesh demanded continuation of drives against food adulteration and immediate enactment of the Consumers Rights Protection Act.
   The association on Friday held its annual meeting where the leaders put forth the demands.
   The association also named an executive committee for the next term of two years.
   Borhan Ahmed was named president and Kazi Faruk has remained general secretary.

STV likely to air programme in Jan
The London-based private television channel, STV, has planned to begin airing its programme viewers in Bangladesh and other countries of South Asia, Middle East and South East Asia from January 15. The Bangla-language television channel was established by an expatriate Bengali businessman in London, Mahee Ferdous Jalil, one year ago. The channel is now airing its programme for mainly Bangladeshi viewers in west Europe, west Asia and North Africa mainly for Bangladeshis.
— UNB

Rally against
Islamist militancy
Youth leaders on Friday put out a call for the government to expel two ministers of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh from the cabinet in December, the month of victory. The Bangladesh Juba Union and Bangladesh Juba Moitri organised two separate rallies in the capital city, protesting against bomb attacks by Islamist militants. The BNP-Jamaat alliance government has been patronising the militant groups, they said and demanded a ban on communal politics. Chaired by Zahid Hossain, the Juba Union rally at the Paltan crossing was addressed, among others, by its general secretary Mahbub Islam, Prakash Ghosh and Asaduzzaman Tito. Chaired by Noor Ahmed Bakul, the Juba Moitri rally in front of its central office was addressed, among others, by its general secretary Sadakat Hossain Khan Babul and Mostafa Alamgir Ratan. The rallies were followed by processions.
— New Age

Call for saving
Atir Khal
Environment activists held a rally at the Rayer Bazar BIWTA station in Dhaka on Friday, urging the government to save Atir Khal and other cannels along with the River Buriganga from being polluted and encroached. The speakers at the rally also criticised a government initiative that is helping filling up of the second flow of the Buriganga. Save the Environment Movement organised the rally. The speakers said the government had set up Baily bridges on the second flow of the river. The organisation coordinator, Abu Naser Khan, was in the chair at the rally. Abdul Matin, Ecma Hossain, Abul Kalam Azad, Amir Hossain of the organisation spoke on the occasion.
— New Age