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Weekend crowds thronged the Ekushey book fair in Dhaka as the annual event drew 173 new titles to lead the list of day’s arrival on the eighth day of the month-long event on Friday.
   A drawing competition for children was also held on the day when the organisers announced two days — February 15 and 22 — as children’s day. Only one male will be allowed to accompany each of the Under-14 children at the fair from 11:00am to 3:00pm on the days. No restriction in terms of number will be imposed on the female guardians.
   Hundreds of visitors, many with children, had to stand in long queues that tailed back from the fair ground to the Central Shaheed Minar via Doyel Chattar and to the Dhaka University Central Library via the Teacher-Student Centre.
   The law enforcers allowed visitors to enter the fair ground through four archways.
   Bangla Academy director general Syed Mohammad Shahed said they could not set up any more archways due to space constraint. ‘We are thinking of finding out a solution of it soon.’
   The sale of Bangla Academy’s books in the first week of the fair was Tk 11,89,215.10 while the figure was 3,37,974.20 and 9,15,704.89 during this period of the fair respectively in 2006 and 2007.
   Of the 173 new titles on the day, 42 are collections of novels, 18 collections of stories, 32 collections of poems and five collections of essays.
   Twenty books were also launched at the Writers’ Corner on the day. Poet Mahadev Saha launched the covers of Tushar Kanti Basak’s collection of essays ‘Jongiutthan, Sonkhyaloghu Nirjaton O Somosamoik Prosango’ and Nahar Farid Khan’s collection of poems, Sontan.
   Mahadev Saha said, ‘I like to come to the fair as this is a place of gathering of Bangalis. I have never seen such a huge crowd here in the past.’
   Anyaprokash will bring his collection of poems ‘Kalo Megher Opare Purnima’ at the fair soon, he said. Four more books written by him will also hit the fair.
   Some young poets, including Zakir Talukder, Rowshon Jhunu, Mujib Mehedi and Mamun Mahbub, launched the cover of Masum Mokarram’s collection of poems, Shihorito Shosyadana, published by Pathsutra.
   The Bangla Academy, as part of its regular programmes, held a discussion on ‘The achievements in arts and literature in 36 years: Contribution of Foreigners (1972-2007)’.
   Saifullah Mahmud Dulal presented the keynote paper in the discussion presided over by Khondakar Ashraf Hossain. Azfar Hussain and Alam Khorshed took part in the discussion. A cultural function followed the discussion.
   A discussion on ‘The achievements in arts and literature in 36 years: Language (1972-2007)’ will be held at 4:00pm today with Professor Mansur Musa in the chair. Professor Jinat Imtiaj Ali will present the keynote paper at the programme to be attended by Mohammad Daniul Haq, Sourav Sikder and Syeda Airin Zaman.

The Banglalink Desh Music Fest 2008, Chittagong, a concert to raise funds for the victims of cyclone Sidr, was held at the MA Aziz Stadium in the port city Friday.
   Top artistes of the music industry in the country performed in the 3rd concert of Banglalink Desh Music Fest, organised with the aim to stand by the people who are in need. Carnival, Channel i, Radio Today and amadergaan.com also joined hands as partners with the main sponsor Banglalink.
   Nagar Baul, Miles, LRB, Warfaze, Haider Husyn, Aurthohin and Sustain performed at the concert anchored by Abdur Nur Tushar. Sustain first enthralled over 40,000 audiences in and several thousand others outside the stadium. Aurthohin, Hyder Husyn and other bands and musicians later performed in the show, said a press release.

A 22-day Ekushey book fair began on the Khulna divisional government public library premises in Bayra area of the Khulna city on Friday.
   The library along with Sahitya Sangsad organise the fair with the aim to create readers of good books and create habit of book reading among the people, particularly the young generation.
   The mayor in-charge of the Khulna City Corporation, Moniruzzaman Moni, opened as chief guest the fair sponsored by Grameen Phone.
   Fifty stalls have been set up on the fair ground where 10 Khulna-based publication houses and other bookshops are displaying books of different types.
   Discussion meetings and cultural functions will also be held every day from 4:00pm till February 29, the closing date of the fair, the organisers said.
   Language movement hero Samir Ahmed chaired the inaugural ceremony addressed, among others, by the librarian of Khulna divisional government public library, Ahsan Ullah, Professor Abdul Mannan, Professor Anwarul Quadir, Grameen Phone’s regional in-charge in Khulna Helal Uddin, Sahitya Sangsad president Harun-or-Rashid Bachchu and fair committee member secretary Shariful Islam Bachchu.
   Apart from reading the textbooks, according to the speakers, students should make a habit of reading other books to know the society, culture and history of different countries.
   Encouraging all to buy books, they also and called upon the guardians of students to encourage their children to read books.

Different public and private organisations and individuals owe more than Tk 15 crore as holding taxes to the Barisal City Corpora-tion and the Power Development Board tops the list with an unpaid amount of Tk 7 crore.
   There are 35,000 holding tax payers under the jurisdiction of BCC, of whom the defaulters are mainly public offices, said BCC sources, adding regular revenue expenditures of BCC are being hampered due to the arrear taxes.
   As per the list, payments of Tk 44.46 lakh as holding taxes by the Upazila Primary Education Office, Tk 36.2 lakh by Sadar Hospital, Tk 24.65 lakh by Teachers’ Training Institute, Tk 19.67 lakh by district judges court’s office, Tk 14.8 lakh by deputy director’s office of Secondary Teachers’ Training Institute, and Tk 9.1 lakh by the office of the assistant commissioner (land) are pending in public sector.
   In the private sector, Haider Ali Khan of Khan Tobaco owes Tk 1.27 lakh as holding taxes, Azizuddin of Girzamaholla Tk 49,000, Shasul Huq Tk 48,000, Babar Ali Matubbar of Hatkhola Tk 44,000, Mohiul Islam of Ayesha Weaving Factory and Lucky Weaving Factory Tk 43,000 each, and Huq Weaving owes Tk 32,000 as holding taxes. These are major defaulters in the private sector.
   Awlad Hossain Dilu, the Barisal mayor in–charge, said some of the taxpayers had not paid any holding taxes even in the last 22 years.
   Notices have been served to private taxpayers and letters have been sent to defaulters in the public sector to clear their dues as early as possible, said Awlad Hossain Dilu, adding regular payments in the revenue sector including payments of salaries of the employees of BCC are being hampered due to these arrear taxes.

Students of the London Grace School enjoyed a colourful day on Friday at the annual sports programme of the institution at Mohammadpur in Dhaka.
   Students of different classes of the school participated in the physical display programme in the first part of the event. They made the shapes of a snake, a butterfly, a pompom, a drum bell and the National Martyrs Memorial through physical display with music, rhymes and dances.
   Later, the students took part in the sports competitions that included events like flower race, toffee race, duck race, math race, balance race with marble and spoon, relay race, and discus and shot put throwing. The students also took up the get-ups of different individuals including that of an angel and a paan trader and impersonated their characters.
   There were events for parents, teachers and employees as well. The events include tug-of-war, pillow passing, pot breaking, musical chair and race. M Tanim, special assistant to the chief adviser, inaugurated the programme. Chairperson of the school Mafruda Khan Erin and managing director Nurul Akhter hoisted the national flag.

With a view to providing a wide range of services to infertile couples, Apollo Hospitals in Dhaka is going to launch the operation of its Apollo Fertility Centre on February 14.
   With the help of modern technology and counselling services the fertility centre will provide assistance to couples unable to have children, said Apollo Hospitals’ officials.
   Keeping this view in mind the Apollo Hospitals’ authorities organised a pre-launching ceremony and a scientific seminar at Winter Garden of the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel.
   Dr. Parveen Fatema, associate professor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, attended the ceremony as chief guest.
   Dr. Mrinal Kumar Sarkar, consultant and coordinator, obstetrics, gynaecology & ART, presented the keynote paper while Dr. L Hansen, chief executive officer of Apollo Hospitals, gave a welcome speech at the seminar.

The detective police seized a large quantity of cables produced in an unauthorised factory at Shyampur in Dhaka and arrested four people Thursday night.
   Tipped off, a DB police team, led by deputy commissioner Mainul Hasan, raided the tin-roofed house of one Hasmatullah Bepari at East Shyampur Bottola and arrested four people, Ainal Hossain, Mehedi Hasan, Shahidul Islam and Mohammad Sohel from there.
   They seized cables, produced using the brand names of BRB and Eastern cables, seal, dice and monogram for making the cables from the factory.
   In another drive, DB police arrested five members of a gang of frauds, including its ringleader, from in front of the Pir Yameni Market at Gulistan Friday morning.
   The arrested are gang leader Abdur Rob alias Aangul Kata Roba, 50, Abbas alias Firoz, 42, Rubel, 22, Rafiqul, 37, and Zakir, 32.
   Abdur Rob was earlier arrested at least 40 times but managed to get released from the court, the police said.

Light rain or drizzle is likely to occur at one or two places over Khulna, Rajshahi, Dhaka and Sylhet divisions and weather may remain mainly dry with partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country during the 24-hour period till 6:00pm today.
   Light to moderate fog may occur over the river basins of the country during early morning, Met Office predicted.
   The night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.
   The country’s highest temperature on Friday, 30.3 degrees Celsius, was recorded at Patuakhali and the lowest, 15.4 degrees Celsius, at Srimangal. The sun sets in the capital today at 5:49pm and rises tomorrow at 6:35am.
   The Met Office predicted a little change in the outlook for subsequent two days.

Three people, including two alleged pirates, were killed in a fierce clash with fishermen in the deep sea in Moheshkhali of Cox’s Bazar Thursday morning.
   Of the dead, police identified two — Apan Ali,30, of Andharghona in Moheshkhali and Mohammad Azad, 25 — as pirates, while the third Haider Ali,25, of Hoanok in Moheshkhali as fisherman.
   Police and locals said 25 to 30 armed pirates in two trawlers attacked another trawler at Dhalghata around 11:00am and started looting the belongings of the fishermen.
   As the fishermen started screaming and resisting the pirates with their local-made weapons, fishermen on nearby trawlers rushed in and joined the fellowmen in resisting the robbers.
   At one stage, some pirates fled the scene in a boat while the others continued the fight with the fishermen, leaving two people, including a pirate and fisherman, killed.
   In their brave resistance, the fishermen also caught 13 injured pirates and informed the police of the matter.
   The injured pirates were taken to Chittagong and being treated at Chittagong Medical College Hospital in police custody. Of them, Azad succumbed to his injuries on Friday.
   Meanwhile, the police recovered the bodies of Haider Ali and Apan Ali from the Bay Friday afternoon.

The registration of inmates as voters in the country’s 67 jails starts tomorrow with the collection of information in the Dhaka Central Jail.
   The Election Commission has put the number of inmates eligible to become voters at 69,500.
   The voters in jails would be able to cast their vote through postal ballots. Those who got released before elections could cast their ballots at the addresses in the voter list.
   The Election Commission Friday launched a two-day training programme for the enumerators to collect information of voters in the Dhaka Central Jail. Deputy inspector general (DIG), prisons Major Shamsul Haider Siddiqui is coordinating with the EC in the work.
   ‘Necessary measures have been taken to start work on voter listing in the jails. A training programme for the enumerators started Friday at the initiative of the Election Commission,’ he told the news agency.
   After the two-day training, work in Dhaka Central Jail will start Sunday. Photographing will start Thursday.
   The voter listing in other jails would start in phases.
   Asked about the enlistment of former prime ministers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, detained in special jails, as voters Siddiqui said, ‘No directive regarding special jails has yet been received from the Election Commission. We will take steps if and when we get the directive.’
   Assistant secretary to the Election Commission Secretariat Nawabul Islam said that inmates could become voters in their present or permanent addresses according to their choice.
   Asked how the voters in jail would cast their ballots, senior assistant secretary (election) of the EC Secretariat Farhad Ahmed Khan said, ‘The detained voters can cast their votes through postal ballots. However, those who are released before elections can cast their vote going to the polling station of the specified address.’
   According to the Election Commission Secretariat and Voter List Preparation Project Control Room, until January 31, the total number of jailed people in 12 central jails and 55 district jails was 69,507.
   Of them 8,723 in Dhaka Central Jail, 3,236 in Chittagong, 2,499 in Khulna, 2,325 in Comilla, 2,140 in Sylhet and 1,906 in Narayanganj were eligible to become voters.

The qul khwani of Gana Forum general secretary Saif Uddin Ahmed Manik was held at his Gopibagh residence in Dhaka on Friday.
   Politicians, relatives and friends of late Manik took part at the programme after asr prayers.
   A citizens’ condolence meeting will be held at 3:00pm today at the Central Shaheed Minar on Manik.
   Politicians, intellectuals, academics, cultural personalities, labour leaders, sportsmen as well as the people of all walks of life will attend the meeting, a press release said.
   Manik died in a city hospital on Sunday.

Experts estimate up to 75 percent of the global cases of blindness and visual impairment live in Southeast Asia while 90 per cent of the cases are found in the developing world.
   Members of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness gave the figure briefing journalists after a four-day conference at the Chittagong Eye Hospital and Training Centre on Friday.
   They also said if proper steps were taken visual impairment could be prevented at a relatively low cost.
   ‘An adult goes blind somewhere in the world every five seconds, and a child loses his eyesight every minute,’ said NGN Rao, IAPB trustee board chairman and Indian eye specialist.
   ‘At present there are 45 million blind people in the world and more than 300 million people with impaired vision. Seventy five percent of them live in Southeast Asia,’ he said.
   Rabiul Hossain, IAPB chairman for the South Asia region and founder of the Chittagong Eye Hospital, also spoke at the press conference.
   Rabiul said this was the first international conference on blindness and visual impairment in Bangladesh. About 50 experts and policymakers from various countries participated in the seminar.
   The IAPB has stated it wishes to see new cases of preventable visual impairment halted by 2020.
   ‘Different countries and international agencies expressed their solidarity with our Vision 2020 programme,’ said Rabiul. A meeting of the IAPB’s board of trustees is held in seven regions of the world in phases, he added.

The Bangladesh Rifles nabbed an Indian national at Kironganj under Shibganj in Chapainawabganj on Friday for illegally the border.
   BDR sources said Anisur Ali, of Maldah in India, illegally entered Bangladesh territory through Jaminpur border of the upazila at about 2:30pm.
   A BDR patrol team nabbed Anisur in the area and later handed him over to Shibganj thana police.

Speakers at a discussion in Dhaka on Friday urged all to follow the ideals of Thakur Anukul Chandra for making them perfect human being.
   They said Thakur Anukul Chandra had tried to make people perfect by serving the humanity as he believed that it was the way for salvation of human beings.
   They were addressing a meeting on the occasion of the 120th birth anniversary of Thakur Anukul Chandra on the premises of KL Jubilee School and College.
   Eminent litterateur Selina Hossain attended the meeting as the chief guest while former director general of Bangla Academy Ashraf Siddiqui was in the chair.
   Major General (Retd) CR Datta, Bir Uttam attended the meeting as special guest.
   Among others, secretary of Bangla department of Kolkata University Subhas Chandra Bandapadhya, assistant secretary of Sat Sangha Deoghar of India Radha Krishna Lal, general secretary of Sutrapur Thana Sarbojonin Puja Committee Bhaskar Chowdhury and former secretary of Hindu Dharmiya Kallyan Trust Mangal Chandra, addressed the meeting.
   Selina said, ‘We have to practice the ideals of Thakur Anukul Chandra to establish peace in the society’. She said main spirit of Thakur Anukul was love for human being and he realised the unity among people is needed to bring welfare in the society.
   Describing Thakur Anulkul as a messenger of peace for the whole mankind, Subhas Chandra called for incorporation of his message and works in the university education.

Listeners’ confce of RVA Bangla Service held in Rajshahi
The Bangla Service of Radio Veritas Asia, a Catholic shortwave broadcaster in the Philippines which transmits programmes in 17 languages, organised a listeners’ conference in Rajshahi on Friday. About 500 listeners from 32 districts and correspondents of RVA in Asia were present at the convention chaired by Bishop of Rajshahi Zeverse Rozario, also a co-chairman of the Bangla service of RVA, and moderated by Saifuddin Sabuj, Bangladesh correspondent of the Bangla service of RVA. Father Aylers, executive secretary of the Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences, Father Boby, general manager of Radio Veritas Asia, Father PJ Joseph, director of Kolkata Chitrabani, and Father Komol Koraya, director of Banidipty, addressed the convention. They said it was easy to reach information to the poor people in remote areas through radio. Radio Veritas Asia is working for human development alongside establishing right to information, they said. The RVA Bangla service handed over an honorary prize to Gabriel Costa for his contribution to different sectors, particularly education, at home and abroad.
— New Age