THE DAILY NEWSPAPER Write to the editor Pages Front Page « National « Metro « Business « International « Sports « Editorial « Op-Ed « Home « Timeout « Letters « Features The Arts « The Arts Calendar « Naturalist « Portal « Pulse « Careers « Literati « Others Archive « Special Supplements « New Age The spirit of Ekushey New Age New Year Special Search this site   An opposition picket runs through a cloud of teargas on Bangabandhu Avenue, above; pickets take an injured fellow to a safe place, left; and pickets burn a portrait of Ziaur Rahman, right, on Thursday. — Abu Taher Khokon Opposition sit-in turns into pitched battle with police More than 100 people, including journalists and police personnel, were wounded, as fierce clashes between opposition activists and law enforcers marked a sit-in of the Awami League-led alliance of opposition political parties around the Bangladesh Secretariat on Thursday...[ + ] Bigger budget deficit, higher inflation likely this year: ESCAP Bangladesh is unlikely to achieve the projected 7 per cent GDP growth if the government does not take strong steps to curb corruption, develop infrastructure and ensure good governance, predicted UNESCAP...[ + ] New immigration scheme worries Bangladeshis in UK Thousands of Bangladeshis living in the United Kingdom are worried about a new five-tier immigration scheme, scheduled to take effect in phases from 2008, although the British government insists the system will not affect the potential skilled manpower...[ + ] 3 state-run cos in joint venture for gas exploration Three state-run gas companies will embark on a joint venture to develop the Begumganj field at an investment of about Tk 300 crore. The Energy and Mineral Resources Division finalised a decision on Thursday that three Petrobangla subsidiaries – the Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company, the Bangladesh Gas Fields Company Limited and the Sylhet Gas Fields Company Limited – would jointly develop the gas filed...[ + ] Other Headlines » Siege of PMO planned for April 19 » ‘We’ll force govt into accepting reform proposal’ » Sit-in won’t affect talks: Bhuiyan » More curious than concerned » Opposition being destructive in the name of movement: PM » Govt pushing country towards conflict: Hasina » City caught in traffic jam » Abdur Rahman talks of traitors in JMB » WB to lend $3b over four years » 116 red phones go out of order » JS committee finalises labour welfare bill for enactment » Telex era comes to an end » Severe load shedding hits city » Bangladeshi peacekeepers foil possible attack in Congo » Miladunnabi on April 11 Money market turns unstable Inter-bank call money rate jumped to all time high on Thursday with few banks quoting as high as 150 per cent for lending funds to cash-strapped banks, turning the whole money market volatile. But the banks were forced to tame the rates due to the central bank’s intervention in the later part of the day, said sources in the market...[ + ] Apex Weaving’s major share transfer bid stalled The planned sale of bulk shares of Apex Weaving and Finishing Mills Ltd has been stalled following a higher court order. The High Court Division of the Supreme Court stayed an order of the capital market regulatory body regarding the sale of bulk shares of the Apex Weaving last month...[ + ] Other Headlines » Move to float new trade body in Ctg » Companies with over Tk 50 crore paid-up capital to go public » Once despondent, now entrepreneurs in making » S Alam Steel’s IPO lottery held » Capital market shows upward trend » Nasir demands removal of trade barriers » Govt yet to determine Adamjee’s liability » RAKUB to observe deposit collection month in April » JICA imparts knowledge to women entrepreneurs » DHL gives air freight support to 'MI-Ill' » High oil price to slow East Asia’s growth:WB » Microsoft, EU spar over anti-trust fines » US, Japan pledge to defend IPR » China faces challenges: WB » Airbus A380 gets safety test clearance » Women hold only 14pc seats in top US company boards » Dubai Holding to invest $12b in Morocco » German jobless rate drops » Asian stocks rise to near 10-year high » Dollar dips on prospects of strong Japan business survey » Stock Watch Weekend Intense heat makes city life miserable That heat that has been intensifying for the last few days has made the lives of city-dwellers miserable, especially of day labourers, rickshaw pullers and floating people as well as children. Children and aged persons, whose bodies are not strong enough to regulate body temperature, often fall sick. Some city schools have remained closed for a week due to the sudden rise in heat as many of their students have become bedridden...[ + ] Power, water crises worsen further in Chittagong Power crisis in Chittagong worsened further in the past couple of days after a unit of the Rawjan power plant went out of order on Wednesday, only after 16 days of resuming power generation by another unit of the plant. The Power Development Board sources said they were rationing 250MW of power to meet the demand of 450MW, which had also reduced the water production of WASA, causing immense sufferings to the port city dwellers...[ + ] Football means much more to Palestinians Overcoming all the restrictions and the complicacies, the Palestine football team plays the game for the love of their country. Md Sabbah, the coach of Palestine, termed his team as the favourites along with Bangladesh, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Palestine does not have any international standard football ground and they played their Asian Cup qualifier against Singapore in Jordan winning 1-0. Earlier they played against China in Beijing losing 0-2. That proves their class...[ + ] Cruciani hopeful of winning title National coach Diego Andres Cruciani hopes his team will be able to play according to his strategy and if it is implemented then it would certainly present Bangladesh the coveted title. Bangladesh team had a practice session on Thursday and Cruciani revealed all the aspirations ahead of the inaugural game on Saturday. He was shocked to rule out Shujon from his squad as the defender felt terrible pain in his leg muscles on Wednesday. He will need another fifteen days to recover. Midfielder Rintu was inserted in the squad...[ + ] Editorial » Bihari issue needs serious handling » Listening to both sides Op-Ed » ‘Good corporate governance through awareness, education and training’ » Changing geostrategic landscape National » Security threats now come from non-military factors: Morshed » Teletalk steps into second year in operation Home » Rangpur municipality ignores HC order regarding tax rate » Two killed as robbers loot rice laden truck International » Hamas to continue armed struggle in power: Meshaal » Muslim leaders to urge Blair to split from Bush Timeout » Solo exhibition and album of Rashed Khan launched » Rare Shakespeare folio to be sold   FOUNDER EDITOR: ENAYETULLAH KHAN; ACTING EDITOR: NURUL KABIR Copyright © New Age 2005 Mailing address Holiday Building, 30, Tejgaon Industrial Area, Dhaka-1208, Bangladesh. Phone 880-2-8114145, 8118567, 8113297 Fax 880-2-8112247 Email newage@bangla.net Web Designer Zahirul Islam Mamoon