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Prices of coarse rice, cooking oil and baby milk increased in the city market during the past week for what the traders said tight supply at wholesale level and squeezed import stocks.
   Increased by Tk 1 per kilogram, parija, a widely consumed coarse variety of rice, was selling at Karwanbazar and Kathal Bagan Bazar in the city on Friday between Tk 20 and Tk 22 a kilogram.
   With its finishing local stocks and declined supply from importers, coarse variety rice become costlier further, said Bilu Mia, a trader at Karwanbazar, predicting that the price would remain high till the new stocks came to the market with the next harvest in mid April.
   Prices of fine variety of rice, however, remain somewhat stable over the week with the ordinary grade najirshail was selling between Tk 23 and Tk 25, superior quality old stock of najirshail at up to Tk 28 while miniket was selling between Tk 27 and Tk 29.
   Certain brands of baby milk became costlier in the week with a one-kg tin of Enfamil, a major selling brand, selling at Tk 750 on Friday against Tk 740 a week ago.
   Abu Taher, a grocer at New Market, said they were told by the distributors that rising cost of milk products at import sources compelled the importers to raise their retail prices.
   Increased by at least Tk 4 over the week, loose soybean oil was retailing between Tk 68 and Tk 70.
   Traders said price of loose soybean oil increased earlier in the week at wholesale markets by Tk 100 per maund (37.3 kilogram) to sale at Tk 2,420.
   Price of vegetables, however, remained somewhat stable in the week.
   At Nakhal Para kitchen market, per kilogram of local verity onion was selling between Tk 18 and Tk 20, bean and tomato between Tk 18 and Tk 20, potato at Tk 12, green peas at Tk 28 while per piece of medium sized cabbage and cauliflower was selling between Tk 15 and Tk 18.
   Prices of fishes remained high in the week and on Friday with one kilogram of large-sized tilapia selling between Tk 130 and Tk 140, shol between Tk 180 and Tk 200, Burmese pond-grown ruhita between Tk 120 and Tk 140 while small
   fishes like katchki and mola were selling between Tk 120 and Tk 140.
   Prices of beef remained stable between Tk 150 and Tk 160.
   Price of broiler remained high in the week to sale between Tk 95 and Tk 100 per kilogram while farm-grown eggs per dozen was being retailed between Tk 54 and Tk 57.
   Among other major essentials, per kilogram of red lentil was selling between Tk 54 and Tk 70, packed atta between Tk 26 and Tk 27 and sugar was selling between Tk 35 and Tk 37.

About one-third of the books that hit the Ekushey book fair this year are by the young and fresh writers, many of whom published the books on their own expenses from enthusiasm.
   About 1,600 titles arrived at the fair till February 22nd and around 500 of them are authored by the young writers. Most of the young writers’ titles were volumes of poems and mostly published on their own funding.
   Some of the young writers, however, could draw the attention of the main stream publishers, but the books are less available at the publishers’ stall compared with the Baheratala of the fairground.
   The young literary circles in Dhaka and elsewhere the country have displayed their publications around the Baheratala.
   The stalls, set up on raised platforms around the tree, Belleric Myrobalan, are now full with little magazines and volumes of poems by young writers. Some titles are yet to arrive although the fair will run for five more days.
   There are some collections of short stories and novels, but the compilations of poems dominate the space.
   Amateur publishers display their few productions, which are different in look and content. Many of the prints, layouts, and illustrations are experiments by the young writers.
   Volumes of poems like Mujib Mehdi’s Maidaner Hawa, Jake Khun Karar Katha Take Dekhe Hese Pheli by Sarkar Amin, Alfred Khokan’s Madhu Briksha Pratarana Bish, Ahmed Swapan Mahmud’s Adi Prithibir Gan, Sanjeeb Purohit’s Amar Boi Pratham Bhag, Bhidhan Ribero’s Jalkamal Sangjoge, Atanu Tias’s Rangsar Kalarole, Mithun Raksam’s Mantradhwani, Rubaiyyat Hossain’s Chander Sathe Basabas, Zuena Ferdaus’s Chhayashikari and Farhan Ishraq’s Tirjak Megher Upar Ratri Shuye Achhe have attracted the fellow writers.
   There are also some collection of stories and novels by the young writers.
   Saad Kamali’s Lalbati Nilmanush, Manira Kais’s Kathamanushyapuran, Kajal Shahnewaz’s Gatakal Lal, Rakhal Raha’s Amabati, Ahmad Mostafa Kamal’s Gharbharti Manush Athaba Naishabda, Prashanta Mridha’s Curzon Samparke Prasangik and Rahad Abir’s Amar Dui Premika Ebong Tiktiki are among the prominent fictions by the young writers.
   Charbak, Kabita Sankranti, Shaluk, Kanta Chamach, Ullekh are worth reading among the publications.
   ‘Mainstream publishers are not interested in investing their money in the volumes of poems by young writers as they do not ensure returns,’ said a poet, who printed only 500 copies of his titles for Tk 10,000.
   The young writers blamed the Bangla Academy for pushing them to a corner. ‘The authorities narrowed the space for us and not allowing setting up portable stalls,’ said Naeem.
   Another said publication of little magazines was becoming tough with the increase in paper price.
   The fair information centre reported arrival of 80 titles on Friday. Twenty five of them were volumes of poems.
   A collection of plays, Shilari, by Golam Shafique was released at the book fair. Sahitya Bilash brought out book comprising three popular plays of Dhaka stages — Shilari, Baichal and Mangula.

Hundreds of Rajshahi city dwellers suffered a lot as most of the markets remained closed between Thursday noon and Saturday morning, following a directive of the local office of the labour directorate.
   The directorate asked the shop owners to keep their outlets closed down from 7:00pm every day as per the interim government’s decision to save electricity.
   Shop owners said they received a letter from the labour directorate office signed by its instructor Jalilur Rahman on February 20 to keep the shopping malls closed from Thursday noon but alleged that there were no public announcements either from the labour office or from the Rajshahi Development Market authorities.
   Meanwhile, the police forces were deployed in the markets to implement the government decision, traders said.
   Shamshul Haque, president of the Rajshahi Development Market,  told New Age Thursday that more than 2,500 shops at different markets, including New Market, Ganakpara market, Malopara market, Sonadighi market, RDA market, had to follow the government guidelines and keep their shops shut from Thursday noon and also on Friday.
   Meanwhile, the customers, who rushed to the city markets, returned without purchasing essentials as the shops were closed down on Thursday and Friday.
   Jahangir Alam, a teacher of Rajshahi University folklore department, said he went to Shaheb Bazar market to buy essentials but failed.
   Suman Hasan, a student of Rajshahi College, said he failed to recharge his mobile phone balance as the small shops also remained closed in the afternoon.
   The labour directorate instructor acknowledged that it was their responsibility to announce the new timetable for markets and shops, but it was not possible due to manpower crisis as he was the only instructor in charge of three districts.

Popular singers enchanted the audience with old songs at a cultural programme organised by the HSBC at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre on Friday.
   The songs of the past hundred years – 1905 to 2005 – presented at the programme were clustered according to the decades, when they were composed and released.
   The organiser grouped the songs into eight categories and renowned singers, including Shahnaz Rahmatullah, Rezwana Chowdhury Banya, Abdul Jabbar, Abdul Hadi, Sabina Yasmin, Samina Nabi, Bashir Ahmed, Mohiuzzaman Chowdhury, Mita Haque, Mitali Mukherjee, Kumar Biswajit and others rendered songs.
   The selection and clustering were done by Dr Karunamaya Goswami and Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed.
   The event began with the national anthem while the artistes one by one sang evergreen numbers like dhane dhanye pushpe bhara, aji Bangladesher rhyday hatey, ami saat sagar paridiye and purbadigante surja uthechhe.
   Eminent socio-cultural personalities were present at the function.
   Corporate head of marketing of the bank Mahbubur Rahman welcomed the distinguished guests while the chief executive officer of the HSBC Bangladesh Steve Banner, Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed and Dr Karunamaya Goswami spoke on the occasion.
   Abu Sayeed said, ‘We should come forward to patronising the classical songs and appreciate the HSBC for taking the initiative’.
   ‘Through organising the programme, the world’s local bank restated its commitment towards upholding Bangladesh’s cultural and heritage’, he added.

The Chittagong Development Authority has started taking actions against individuals and organisations involved in hill cutting in violation of the Building Construction Act 1952 (Amended 1990), CDA officials said.
   Massive hill cutting by influential individuals or organisations, both from public and private sectors for commercial and non-commercial purposes, took a serious turn for the worse in recent years in the city and district, threatening environment, natural beauty and bio-diversity of this region having wonderful geographical uniqueness.
   As part of the action, the CDA suspended three Building Inspectors on February 18 for neglecting their duties in checking the hill labelling and for other irregularities. The suspended CDA employees are Kamrul Haque Chowdgury, Priyatosh Dash and Biman Barua.
   According to the sources, the CDA, through field level investigation in last two months, identified 27 persons and organisations, including the Chittagong City Corporation, constructing buildings or manufacturing bricks in the city and district areas by cutting hills in violation of the Act.
   The authority has filed cases against 20 offenders and organisations with relevant courts and served notices against seven persons on charges of violating the Building Construction Act.
   Cases have also been lodged against those are: Lake View Housing Society, Purubi Housing Society, Satabdi Housing Society, Mohanagar Housing Society, Nandan Housing Society, Sagorika Housing Society, Chowdhury Estates, Chattagram Cooperative Housing Society, Hoque Bricks, Meher Bricks, Bengal Bricks, ASB Brick Works, Khulshi Brick Field, MB Brick Works & Begum Brick Works, Chittagong Brick Field Works Ltd, Setera Begum and other, Mohammad Abul Kalam and others, Syed Mohammad Azam Uddin, Mohammad Yusuf, Engineer Abdur Rashid and Khokon.
   The CDA earlier served notices to the Chittagong City Corporation, Amir Humayun Mahmud Chowdhury, Baro Awolia Housing Society, Golden City and Sonali Sandwip Housing Society, Sanmer Properties and Modern Bricks.
   It also decided to file cases against the notice receivers who will fail to make satisfactory reply.
   The government has imposed restriction on hill cutting without permission from ministry of environment and forest and directed the authorities concerned to strictly execute the Building Construction Act, 1952 (Amended 1990).
   As per rule, after getting application for permission to cut hill, an 11-member committee headed by teh CPA chairman,will make recommendation to the ministry.
   The CDA chairman, Engineer Shah Mohamma Akhter Uddin, told the news agency that the CDA was determined to develop the port city in a planned manner alongside preserving its natural beauty, particularly the hills.
   He sought cooperation from all in this regard and warned that even the CDA employees would not be spared if they were found responsible for the hill cutting or for violation of the Building Construction Act.

The Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board, Barisal along with the joint forces starts a drive against bill defaulters tomorrow.
   The board has prepared a list of 68 defaulters and sent it to the joint forces and newspaper offices. The 68 have a defaulted bill of Tk 1.6 crore.
   However, it was also alleged that BTTB omitted names of 21 defaulters who owe the board Tk 67 lakh.
   Juba League leader Fazlul Karim Shahin tops the defaulters list with an overdue bill of Tk 21 lakh.
   Among the other 10 top defaulters, Suman Howladar has an outstanding bill of Tk 20.5 lakh, Zahirul Islam Tk 13.44 lakh, Mrs Sanjida Tk 12.5 lakh, Shajahan Chowdhury Tk 10.5 lakh, Md Sharif Tk 3.7 lakh, Kabir Hossein Khan Tk 2.97 lakh, Delwar Hussein Tk 2.89 lakh, Barnali Photostat Tk 2.57 lakh, and Abul Fazal and Abul Kalam each has overdue bills of Tk 2.42 lakh.
   Asked about the omission of some defaulters’ names from the list, the BTTB divisional engineer Harun-or-Rashid said names of all bill defaulters would be revealed.

The Rajshahi University syndicate on Thursday rejected the appeal of Mia Muhammad Mahiuddin, a teacher of geology and mining department, to join his job after getting bail from the court.
   A meeting rejected the appeal, saying the University Act 1973 does now allow any accused to wrok till disposal of the case. Mahiuddin is the prime accused of Professor Taher Ahmed killing case.

Weather is likely to remain mainly dry with partly cloudy sky all over Bangladesh in the next 24 hours till 6:00pm today, said the Met Office in a forecast on Friday.
   Night temperature may rise slightly over. The highest temperature on Friday m 30.7 degrees Celsius, was recorded in Sylhet and the lowest, 11.8 degrees Celsius, at Srimongal.
   The sun sets in the capital city today at 5:58pm and rises on Sunday at 6:25am.

Prisoner dies
at KMCH
A prisoner died at Khulna Medical College Hospital Thursday night. He was identified as Zakir Hossain, 45, son of the late Momtaz Hossain of Bheramara in Kustia. KMCH sources said Zakir was admitted to the hospital Thursday evening as he was suffering from heart disease and died at in the KMCH prison cell at around 9:30pm.

KU official held for admission form forgery
The Batiyaghata police arrested a Khulna University official on Thursday for his alleged involvement in admission form forgery. The Batiyaghata police said after the detection of the admission form forgery, the university registrar in-charge, Md Oliar Rahman, lodged a case in December, 2006 in this connection and the police arrested section officer of finance and accounts department of the university Mahabubul Hasan from the Gallamari Bazar in Batiyaghata on Thursday.

Rehabilitation of traders demanded
Rajshahi footpath traders’ leaders demanded rehabilitation of thousands of petty traders in Rajshahi as the joint forces demolished their business centres on the footpath. Demanding rehabilitation of the footpath trader, the leaders Thursday submitted a memorandum to Rajshahi mayor, deputy commissioner and metropolitan police commissioner.
— New Age