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The Dhaka City Corporation mayor, Sadeque Hossain Khoka, on Wednesday reopened the Osmani Udyan to people as part of the DCC move to protect a portion of the park from being encroached on.
   The DCC along with BAPA and BELA decided to take legal steps and launch a social movement in the wake of a High Court verdict, asking the inspector general of police to help one Monwara Begum, who filed a writ petition claiming ownership of 2.81 acres of land in the park, to take its possession.
   The decision to reopen the park, which was closed for modernisation, was taken at a January 3 meeting of the DCC with the Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan and Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association, the corporation sources said.
   A petition was also filed with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court seeking its permission to appeal against the High Court verdict and the petition is now pending, they said.
   ‘Osmani Udyan is a public property, and any attempt to grab the park land will be resisted with the cooperation of all,’ Khoka told the function organised to open the park to public.
   Environmentalists Professor Serajul Islam Choudhury, Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed and leaders of BAPA and BELA were present at the function.
   The 21.199-acre park has been opened to public at a time when the DCC is modernising it under the second phase of the Osmani Udyan Development and Modernisation Project.
   The DCC started the first phase of development works on August 22, 2005 and completed it on June 30, 2006 at a cost of Tk 3.74 crore. The first phase works included digging an artificial lake, constructing boundary wall, tree plantation and making flower beds.
   The second phase development work involving Tk 3.30 crore began on March 6, 2007 and it is expected to be concluded on April 3 this year.
   The second phase of the modernisation works include construction of internal walkway, land development, tree and grass plantation, modernisation of existing public toilets and drainage system, making separate corner for women, installation of 40 benches and extension of the boundary wall, the corporation officials said.

Students and teachers of the Meherunnesa Girls School and College on Wednesday formed a human chain and brought out a rally on the campus and streets in protest against the brutal murder of Mahbuba Begum, a teacher of the college.
   Unidentified assailant(s) strangled Mahbuba Begum, 55, in her residence located at 698/6/A, Sepaibagh in Khilgaon, on January 14, and looted $4,000, 2,000 Euros, 40 tolas of gold ornaments and other valuables.
   Hundreds of students from school and college sections, teachers, employees and the family members of the victim participated in the human chain, organised by the college authority, which began at around 10:00am.
   The demonstrators carried banners and placards and demanded exemplary punishment of the killers.
   The human chain turned into a condemnation rally at around 11:30am, which paraded different streets in various parts of the city, including Dhanmondi, Hatirpool and Eastern Plaza.
   Misha, a student of the school, told New Age, ‘We are demanding exemplary punishment of the killers who murdered our beloved teacher.’
   A teacher of the school told New Age, ‘If we fail to get proper justice we will announce our next course of action.’
   Meanwhile the prime suspect, Aslam Pathan, who was the car driver of the slain teacher, was being extensively interrogated at Khilgaon police station in his first day of police remand on Wednesday.
   Sub-inspector Sheikh Matiur Rahman of Khilgaon police station, who is the investigation officer of the case, told New Age, ‘We are trying to find out whether Aslam carried out the killing alone or took the help of any other person(s).’
   ‘We hope to soon raid his village home in Munshiganj to recover some of the looted cash and valuables,’ he added.

The Rapid Action Battalion members in separate drives arrested three suspected members of an inter-district banking fraud gang on Monday and Tuesday.
   During the drives, the RAB members also seized Tk 3 lakh, forged cheque and deposit books of different banks,
   RAB officials at a press briefing in the Barisal city on Wednesday said they had arrested the three identified as Maznu Khan, Saiful Islam Sumon Matubbar and Bachchu Matubbar of Madaripur from different areas in Barisal, Madaripur and Dhaka.
   Of the arrested, Bachchu Matubbar was nabbed on Monday while he was trying to collect Tk 3 lakh through a forged check from Uttara Bank’s Barisal branch.
   Bachchu admitted that they had already withdrawn Tk 3 lakh from the same branch, RAB said.
   Based on his statement, the RAB in a drive on Tuesday arrested Sumon Matubbor from his house at Kukrail village of Madaripur along with Tk 3 lakh.
   Maznu Khan, the gang leader, was arrested Tuesday evening from a restaurant in Sayedabad area of Dhaka.
   The RAB also seized forged cheque and deposit books of Uttara Bank, Sonali Bank, Pubali Bank, Islami Bank, National Credit and Commerce Bank and Rupali Bank. The arrested admitted that the gang has long been engaged in collecting money from banks through forged cheques.
   RAB officials quoting the arrested persons said the gang collected over Tk 10 crore through forged cheques from different banks during the last eight years.

A group of writers at a reception party and literary evening in Dhaka on Wednesday stressed the need for making literary prizes free of any controversy.
   Sampratik Sahityachinta accorded the reception to writer Afroza Parveen at the Sanskritik Bikash Kendra in Paribagh for winning the M Nurul Kader Literary Award 2007. Poet Nahid Roksana chaired the function.
   Writers Rashid Haider, Saleha Chowdhury, AUM Fakhruddin, also Holiday associate editor, and Zakeria Shirazi, also New Age associate editor, spoke on the function.
   Writers Aminul Islam Bedu, Shamsul Alam Sayeed, Sinha MA Sayeed, poets Tareq Mahmud and Masud Rana also attended the function.
   Rashid Haider said, ‘Afroza Parveen is an excellent storyteller. Her style of language is different from the traditional approach, and she focuses on the destitute and the deprived sections of the society.’
   Saleha said Afroza had depicted philosophical and psychological aspects in her writings. ‘Also, feminist themes dominate her writings.’
   Fakhruddin said, ‘Grouping and lobbying among the writers harm the image and creativity of writers. In this regard, the awards must be free from the influence of partisan belief.’
   Zakeria said, ‘winning of the Nurul Kader Literary Award by Afroza is an honour for the Sampratik Sahityachinta as she is one of the conveners of the organisation.’
   Afroza Parveen, a BCS officer and reputed writer has authored a good number of books. She mainly writes short stories and novels.

A mobile court of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority on Wednesday realised Tk 33,200 in fines filing 25 cases against a number of vehicles at Chankharpool in Dhaka.
   The court during a drive realised the fine and filed the cases against the trucks, minibuses, CNG-run auto-rickshaws and taxicabs for plying without documents like route permit, fitness certificate and tax token, BRTA executive magistrate (deputy secretary) Abdur Rashid said.
   The BRTA usually runs its court on the Manik Mia Avenue, Dar-us-Salam Road of Mirpur, Rampura, Khilgaon and some other busy roads in the capital, said the magistrate, who led the drive.
   The BRTA started its mobile court drive in April 2007 in the wake of widespread allegations of harassment of passengers by the CNG auto-rickshaw and cab drivers in the city.
   The past BNP-led alliance government in 2002 introduced meter fare system for four-stroke CNG auto-rickshaws and taxicabs in the capital after phasing out two-stroke auto-rickshaws.

The anti-mosquito drive by the Rajshahi City Corporation began on Wednesday after about a year.
   Rezaun Nabi Dudu, acting RCC Mayor, inaugurated the drive. The anti-mosquito drive had remained suspended for a year due to shortage of funds, the RCC officials said.
   According to the mosquito department sources, the RCC authorities had decided to launch the drive in the city to protect the city dwellers from mosquito menace, in the last meeting.
   After the decision, Moneruzzaman Shahrif, chief of the mosquito management sub-committee of the RCC, chalked up a plan for the drive.
   According to the plan, the drive will cover the areas of 30 wards under RCC, while it will undertake to work at five wards a day. The drive will be over by January 29, said Moneruzzaman Shahrif.
   ‘After completion of this drive, we will pay our attention to the complaints of the city dwellers and think of more drives of this sort if there are complaints, ‘ said Shahrif.

Joblessness of the workers of laid off People’s Jute Mills in Khulna forced many of their school-going children to be involved in different types of jobs to augment their family income.
   A good number of students of Class VIII, IX and X of the PJM School have taken up petty jobs at mechanical workshops, hotels, medicine shops and tailoring shops in Khalishpur industrial belt and adjacent places as their families have fallen in acute financial crisis with the closure of the mill, some teachers of the school said.
   People’s Jute Mills School has 1,133 students, of whom 118 are in Class VIII, 111 in Class IX and 123 are in Class X, they said, adding that about half of the students of these three classes are now engaged in different jobs.
   A few brilliant students, however, are engaged in tutoring and they are earning Tk 1,000 or more a month, the teachers said, adding that many girl students do the sewing at home taking contracts from tailoring shops.
   Students of other classes are also doing jobs to help their families, but their number is very few, the teachers said.
   A class ten student, Sabuj, son of mill labourer Abdul Kalam, said he had to work at an engineering workshop to earn for his family after the closure of the mill.
   ‘I received around Tk 50,000 after closure of the mill, but I had to pay a loan of about Tk 25,000 and dues of about Tk 20,000 at the shops,’ said Sabuj’s father Abdul Kalam, adding he now has Tk 5,000 only.
   ‘I work as a porter to load and unload trucks but do not get the work every day’, he said, adding his impecunious condition has forced him to send his son to work.
   PJM had 3,011 permanent and 1,800 temporary labourers, and was declared closed on August 1, 2007 and the authorities had paid the dues of the mill workers in three phases.
   Labourers whose jobs were not regularised and about 200 labourers whose jobs were permanent just within a year before closure did not get any money, barring wages that were due after the closure, labourers said, adding that about 5,000 employees who became permanent within less than 10 years before closure were paid off scantily.
   They spent the money of their salaries in arrears on paying their loans and dues in different shops as they did not get any money for about six months before closure of the mills, the officials said.

Light rain or drizzle is likely to occur at one or two places over Rajshahi, Sylhet and Dhaka divisions and the regions of Jessore, Kushtia and Comilla during the 24-hour period till 6:00pm today.
   Weather may remain mainly dry with partly cloudy sky elsewhere over the country during the period, Met Office said.
   Light to moderate fog may occur over the river basins of the country during early morning, it said.
   The night temperature may fall slightly over the country, the Met office predicted.
   The country’s highest temperature on Wednesday, 30.0 degrees Celsius, was recorded at Cox’s Bazar and the lowest, 10.2 degrees Celsius, at Srimangal.
   The sun sets in the capital today at 5:39pm and rises tomorrow at 6:42am.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association has urged the government to provide garment workers with food grains under the rationing system for at lease one year because of its high price.
   A BGMEA delegation led by its president Anwarul Alam Chowdhury Parvez met with the finance adviser, Mirza Azizul Islam, on Wednesday with a three-point demand that also includes reduction of bank interest and waiving of interest of sick factories. Anwar later told newsmen that the finance adviser assured them of looking into the demands.
   He said the finance adviser was apprised of the difficulties of garment workers because of spiralling price of essentials. The factories are also not in a position to raise their wages. The owners cannot expand the export market in the face of tough competition.
   ‘We have pleaded for introducing rationing system to supply rice, lentil and oil for at least one year. The apparel sector can’t face further anarchy. Instability is apprehended in the garments sector because of spiralling price of essentials,’ Anwar said.
   Asked whether providing ration to over 20 lakh workers is practical he cited example of India where low-income group is given ration to obviate the outcome of price hike.
   ‘Anarchy can easily be made in our garment factories since they are located in particular areas. The recent incident at Mirpur was not merely for wage or allowance. It was the outburst of sufferings from high price of essentials,’ said the BGMEA president.
   He said garments sector of India and China enjoying easy bank facilities at low rate had posed tough competition to Bangladeshi exporters.
   The competition is going to be tougher with the United States and European countries lift ban on China.
   Anwar said they had also urged the finance adviser to re-evaluate the 270 sick garment factories identified by the previous government.
   ‘We have appealed to waive the sick factories’ interest and allow it to pay the principal amount in easy instalments. None of the factories are defaulter. They fell sick due to various reasons,’ he added.

Former MP and freedom fighter Nurul Huq Mia died of old age ailments at his Choumuhoni residence in Noakhali on Wednesday. He was 94.
   Noakhali district Awami League president and founder president of Sramik League, Huq is survived by his wife, three sons and five daughters. He was laid to rest near Choumuhoni Poura Complex with state honousrs.
   A close aide of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Huq had actively taken part in the 1952 Language Movement and 1969 mass uprising.
   Awami League acting president Zillur Rahman and acting general secretary Sayed Ashraful Islam expressed deep shock at the death of Nurul Huq.
   In a condolence message, they prayed for the salvation of the departed soul and conveyed sympathy to the members of the bereaved family.

Language movement hero Muhammad Abdul Halim died of old age complications at a city hospital on Wednesday. He was 80.
   Halim, also former leader of the National Awami Party leader and historian, is survived by his wife, two sons and four daughters.
   He will be buried at Tootpara Graveyard after janaza at Shaheed Hadis Park in the city after zuhr prayers today. The Khulna city and district units of the Awami League, BNP, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Greater Khulna Freedom Fighters’ Forum, Khulna District Bar Association in separate statements expressed deep shock at his death.

The government has taken steps to strengthen the capacity of the Comptroller and Auditor General’s office by improving the information technology network and providing the necessary training to the officials.
   The Canadian government, through a memorandum of understanding signed on Wednesday, will provide funds for a project titled ‘Strengthening Comptrollership and Oversight of Public Expenditure in Bangladesh’.
   The signing ceremony was held at the Economic Relations Division where Md Aminul Islam Bhuiyan, secretary of the ERD, and Barbara C Richardson, high commissioner of Canada, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective governments.
   Under the MoU, the Canadian International Development Agency will provide a grant of 11 million Canadian dollars (approximately Tk 78 crore) as technical assistance. The government of Bangladesh will contribute about Tk 4.7 crore, including contributions in kind, to the project, said Fahmida Khanam, assistant secretary of the ERD.
   The 5-year project will be implemented by the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of Bangladesh, she said.
   The goal of the SCOPE project is to contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable development by improving governance, especially in the area of comptrollership and oversight of public finances.
   The project will improve the organisational and functional capacity of the supreme audit institution of Bangladesh to help it to effectively fulfil its constitutional obligations and mandate, she explained.
   The project will contribute significantly to strengthen and enhance the C&AG’s capacity to play an increasingly important role in promoting and improving accountability, transparency and oversight of government operations, she added.

The energy division has sent to the council of advisers the draft production sharing contract and tender documents, seeking approval for third round of bidding for offshore blocks in the deep sea.
   ‘Our aim is to get the government’s approval on the draft PSC and tender documents by the first week of February and conduct exploration works in the deep sea by next winter after completing bidding process and awarding the blocks to international oil companies,’ Professor M Tamim, special adviser to the chief adviser, told reporters on Wednesday.
   The division sent the draft to the cabinet division on Tuesday for placing before the council of advisers, headed by the chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed.
   Petrobangla will invite tender for 28 offshore blocks after the council of advisers approves the PSC and tender documents.
   When asked whether it would be possible to complete all tender procedures in time for conducting exploration works in next winter Tamim said, ‘I will personally take every possible steps so that exploration works in the deep sea can be started in next winter’.
   Energy officials earlier said it might not be possible to hold the exploration works in next winter after the government failed to approve the draft by December, 2007.

Muggers snatch phone
cards, cash from dealer
at Keraniganj
Muggers snatched away mobile phone cards and cash worth Tk 2 lakh from a dealer at Khejurbagh Shaheb Lane of South Keraniganj on the outskirts of Dhaka on Wednesday. The local people said a group of 5/6 snatchers attacked SR Nazrul Islam of Hasna Corporation, a dealer of GrameenPhone, at about 3:30pm. They beat him up and took away Tk 20,000 and GP cards worth about Tk 1.8 lakh from him, Hasna corporation sources said. A case was filed with the local police station, but no one was arrested in this connection till evening.
— UNB