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The government has decided to implement the Dhaka Integrated Flood Control Embankment-cum-Eastern Bypass Road Multipurpose Project with its own fund as it failed to manage any donor to finance the Tk 2,750 crore mega project.
   The government, however, will welcome donor agencies to fund the project even at a later stage, official sources said, adding that the Bangladesh Water Development Board has already sent the project proposal to the water resources ministry.
   The project proposal was finalised after Halcrow Group Limited, UK in association with the Housing of Constant Ltd Bangladesh and Centre for Environment and Geographical Information Services had conducted a feasibility study, sources in the WDB said.
   The main objective of the project is to protect the people in the 124 square kilometres eastern part of the Dhaka city from flooding, they said, adding that improving the road infrastructure is the second prominent goal of the project, expected to begin under the current fiscal and to be completed by 2016.
   The project area is surrounded by the Tongi Khal at the north, Dhaka-Demra Road at the south, the Balu River at the east and Pragati Sarani at the West, they said.
   Although the World Bank initially agreed to fund the project, it later retreated on ground of non-implementation of the project without a master plan, a precondition set by the bank for funding the project, sources said.
   The Eastern Bypass, as experts and the bank believe, will be another concrete jungle in the eastern side of the capital unless it is implemented without a well-designed master plan.
   ‘As lending agencies declined to fund, we have decided in principle to start the project with our own funding,’ Liaquat-al-Faruque, chief engineer of the Water Development Board, told New Age on Thursday.
   ‘We have already sent the project proposal to the ministry and the government is working on arranging the fund internally.’
   The Bangladesh Water Development Board, Roads and Highways Department, Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, Dhaka City Corporation, Local Government Engineering Department, forest department, Department of Environment and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha will be the implementing agencies of the project, he said.
   According to the project proposal, there will have seven regulators in 24 kilometres long flood control embankment-cum-eastern bypass of the city and three pumping stations to drain out waters from six retention points.
   Setting up of two water control structures has also been suggested in the proposal for the project, which will require acquisition of 1,556 hectares of land in the area.
   The Eastern Bypass Project was taken by water resources ministry in 1998, but it could not be implemented due to unavailability of funds. The project’s initial estimated cost was Tk 2,476 crore.
   The original project also included planned Dhaka City Circular railway and road. Some 70 hectares of land was also acquired for this project.
   Urban planners believe that traffic congestion in the city would be eased significantly with the implementation of the eastern bypass project. The transports from northern and southern parts of the country will be able to bypass Dhaka through the Tongi-Demra Road.

The Association of Bus Companies will enforce posting of fare charts in all the buses plying in the capital and its peripheral areas from Sunday, association sources said.
   The association, a forum of CNG-run bus operators, goes for the action as per a government directive to eliminate harassment of passengers by the transport workers, who are charging at will following the recent fuel price hike.
   ‘We will try to curb the evil practice within 10 days, and in case of failure, we will seek government’s intervention,’ said the association president, Khandaker Rafiqul Hossain Kajal, who claimed that not more than 15 to 20 per cent bus operators were charging extra.
   After Tuesday’s meeting with the communications ministry, the association members held a meeting on Wednesday and called another meeting for Saturday, he said.
   ‘Fare charts, signed by the association president will be distributed to all the 51 members of CNG-run bus operators at the meeting and they, as per the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority directive, will use the chart and adjust the fare accordingly.’
   The BRTA has already prepared and distributed the fare charts for the capital city while it has not yet distributed the fare charts made for the destinations around the capital or its periphery, he said.
   The communications ministry on Tuesday had a meeting with different associations of bus operations that include the Association of Bus Companies, Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners Association and Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Samity and it was decided that route permit would be cancelled if any bus operator charges extra.
   It also asked the association of CNG-run bus operators to stop charging extra and use the fare charts inside the buses.
   The government, for the first time on June 12 since introduction of CNG-run buses in 2003, set fares at Tk 1.20 a kilometer for large buses and Tk 1.10 a kilometer for small buses. The government on April 26 increased the fare of CNG-run auto-rickshaws and taxicabs after the CNG price hike. The government doubled the price of compressed natural gas to Tk 16.75 from Tk 8.50 with effect from April 25 this year.
   On June 30, the government also increased the prices of diesel, petrol and octane. Diesel price was increased to Tk 55 a litre, up from the previous price of Tk 40.

Electioneering gains momentum in the Rajshahi city with the candidates for mayoral, councillors and councillors of reserved seats holding rallies and going door-to-door to woo voters ahead of the upcoming city corporation polls.
   The mayoral candidates conducted their election campaigns at different parts of the city on Friday, and pledged to develop the city alongside ensuring smooth power and water supply.
   The Nagarik Committee nominated candidate AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, also an Awami League leader, conducted campaigns at Dashmari, Khojapur, Satbaria, Senanibash, BISIC, Jinnanagar, Mathurdanga and Maldaha Colony on the day.
   The committee at a press briefing at its office also announced the 23-point election manifesto of Khairuzzaman Liton.
   Sayed Shafiqul Alam, member secretary of the committee, read out the manifesto, including gas supply in the city through pipe line, setting up new industries, an Export Processing Zone, arrange free treatment facilities for the poor people, development of roads and improve the drainage system.
   Ganatantrik Oikya Parishad candidate Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul, also a BNP leader, is campaigning with 15-point promises, including ensuring gas supply through pipe line, set up agro-based small and cottage industries, development of roads, establishment of training institute for the women and build up a sports complex.
   Another BNP leader Advocate Enamul Haque made a 21-point pledge, including taking a 50-year master plan for the development of Rajshahi city, gas supply through pipe line in the city and setting up gas-based industries, create jobs for disable persons and solving drainage problems.
   Most of the candidates also said jum’a prayers at different mosques on the day.

A three-day training workshop for police officers began in Dhaka on Friday with a call for effective cooperation between police and media to combat crime.
   Twenty police officers, including six female officers, from different police units are attending the workshop, first of its kind, on effective media relations for police officials at the BRAC Inn Centre in Mahakhali.
   ‘Cooperation and partnership between the police and the media are very important for combating crime,’ said additional inspector general of police NBK Tripura while addressing the inaugural session as chief guest.
   The role of print and electronic media is significant in highlighting and reporting law and order issues, he added.
   ‘The media also play a key role in monitoring trends and articulating public opinion, maintaining accountability and transparency of public officials and agencies and in creating awareness and reflecting public opinions,’ said NBK Tripura.
   The training course will be a combination of theory and practical sessions with special emphasis on practical issues, Tripura, also the national project director of the Police Reforms Programme, said.
   AIG Mohammad Aminul Islam, DIG Mokhlesur Rahman, PRP programme manager Hubert Staberhofer and PRP public relations officer Farid Ahmed also spoke on the occasion.
   The Police Reforms Programme organised the training workshop aiming at providing the police personnel with a range of knowledge and skills necessary for media relations.
   The objective of the Police Reforms Programme is to develop a safer and more secure environment based on respect for human rights and equitable access to justice through police reform, transforming it from a colonial government order model to a public service, which is responsive to people of all classes, including the poor, vulnerable, women and children.

BRAC University on Thursday launched its language centre, Centre for Languages.
   The centre will offer a number of general and basic courses in Spanish, French, Chinese, Russian and other foreign languages alongside Bangla.
   The University Grants Commission chairman, Professor Nazrul islam, inaugurated the centre at a function at the BRAC Centre Inn, said a press release.
   Salehuddin Ahmed, Pro-VC of the university chaired the function, attended among others, by the registrar of the university Mahmood Hasan, dean of the BRAC Business School Professor Iftekhar Ghani Chowdhury, chairpersons of different departments, directors of BRAC and academics.
   In 2005, the Centre for Languages, previously known as English Language Programme, was inaugurated to improve the English Language skills of the BRAC University students.

Khairul Hasan Munna of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha and Rafiqul Islam Alok of Daily Sangbad have been elected president and general secretary of the Jahangirnagar University Journalists’ Association for 2008.
   The election to the seven-member executive committee of the association of the JU-based correspondents of different print and electronic media was held at the university on Friday.
   The other office bearers are: vice-president – Roknuzzaman Pias of daily Manabzamin, joint secretary – Shafiul Alam Saju of Daily Destiny, Treasurer – Rezaul Haque Kawshik of Banglarchokh.com, office and publicity secretary – Mukimul Ahsan Himel of Daily Ittefaq and executive member – Sazzad Biplob of the Editor and daily Banglabazar Patrika. Professor Muzammel Haque of archaeology department conducted the election as the chief election commissioner, said a press release.

Light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely at most places over all the six divisions in the next 24 hours till 6:00pm today.
   Moderately heavy to heavy falls are also likely at places during the period, Met Office said, predicting nearly unchanged day temperature over the country.
   The country’s highest tem-
   perature on Friday, 33.5 degrees Celsius, was recorded in Rajshahi and the lowest,
   23.6 degrees Celsius, at Sandwip.
   The sun sets in the capital today at 6:48pm and rises tomorrow at 5:22am.

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion have rearrested suspected Islamic militant Masud Ahmed Shakil soon after he was freed from jail, police said Friday.
   The arrest of Shakil, a close accomplice of Harkatul Jihad leader Mufti Abdul Hannan, was made Thursday evening from the city’s rail station area.
   Police said RAB netted Shakil when he went to the rail station to start for home village, Raipasha, under Jhalakati district.
   Shakail recently got bail from the High Court in a case involving grenade attack on former British envoy Anwar Choudhury.
   RAB officials later handed him over to local police who Friday shown him arrested under section 16 (2) of Emergency Power Rules.
   Shakil was ordered to jail after he was produced before Sylhet Metropolitan Magistrate Court.
   He was arrested about two years ago for his alleged involvement in the grenade attack on Anwar Choudhury in Sylhet in 2004.

Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center started its journey on Friday with the launching of month-long training programme in Chittagong.
   Thirty students of different schools and madrassahs took part in the programme, styled ‘Building Bridges through Leadership Training’ in the Zilla Parishad auditorium.
   The objective of the program is to bridge gaps in the society by raising awareness among the young people, equip them with leadership, problem solving and teamwork skills and engage them in community service and active citizenship, said Ejaj Ahmad, founder of the new platform.
   Anwara Begum, Principal of Agrabad Mahila College, and Safia Rahman, Principal of Sunshine Grammar School and College, were present in the inaugural session of the training programme.

Jasim Baidya’s day labourer parents could not afford sending their son to any school in the nearest town as the village Bhennabari in Satpar union of Gopalganj sadar always remains isolated by a stretch of water.
   Same is the case with the landless farmer Ganapati Bishwas’s son Chandan Bishwas. Ganapati cultivates the land of local landlords.
   Villagers at Bhennabari pass their days from hand to mouth enduring economic hardships.
   There was neither any school nor any arrangement for the children to play in the village in the past. But the situation changed when a social worker from the district headquarters, Benedict Sikder, also the founder of Gopalganj Development Society, visited the village in 1999 and initiated a school there with a few students. Jasim and Chandan also took admissions in the school showing brilliant academic performances.
   Jasim secured the second position in the final examination of class I and was promoted to class II. Chandan did the same and was promoted to class IV. Their success inspired other parents in the locality and they started sending their children to school.
   Things began to change in the negative with the death of Benedict, the founder of the school. But the Intercoop, a non-government organisation, weathered the situation by taking the responsibility of funding the school and expanding it, renaming it the Coop-Benedict Memorial School after its founder.
   Benedict dreamt of a permanent school building there and died when his proposal was under consideration. Now there are about 300 students getting primary education in the school.
   Organisers of the school said though they were providing primary education but dropout continued for various reasons.
   Intercoop Limited chairman Par Bank and managing director Christian Jacobson were amazed when they saw the performances of the little children. While talking about the Underprivileged Children Education Programme, the Intercoop country representative, Quamruzzaman Kafi said the major obstacle to children’s education was their poverty and for this it was difficult to organise employment-oriented vocational training programmes.

The Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal on Friday held a prayer session seeking salvation of the departed soul of its vice-president Moshiul Alam Sentu who was killed in an ‘encounter’ with the Rapid Action Battalion in Barisal.
   The programme was held at the Dhaka University central mosque after Jumma prayers.
   The leaders and activists also prayed for immediate release of the BNP chairperson, Khalda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman and the JCD central president Azizul Bari Helal. The acting Chhatra Dal president, Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, general secretary, Shafiul Bari Babu, and other leaders attended the session. Sentu, who was accused in 22 cases including murders, had been picked up by the elite force from Dhaka on Thursday.

The Jatiya Samajtantrik Sramik Jote on Friday urged the government to announce a jute policy and a national pay commission for jute workers immediately to address the problems of the jute industry.
   Leaders of jute workers at a meeting held at the party’s central office on Bangabandhu Avenue raised the demands and called on the authorities to pay all dues of the jute workers.
   With Mohammad Ullah in the chair, the meeting was addressed among others, by Abul Khayer Sajjad, Abdul Khalek, Shamsur Rahman, ABM Jamal Uddin, Amir Hossain, Ali Ahmad and Dulal Mridha.

At least 15 persons were injured in a road accident on the Dhaka–Mymensingh Highway at Roymoni under Trishal upazila in Mymensingh Friday afternoon.
   The police said the accident took place when a bus bound for Jamalpur from Dhaka skidded off the road and fell into a ditch filled with water, injuring 15 passengers at about 3:00pm.

Eight criminals arrested in Ctg
The Chittagong Metropolitan Police in separate drives arrested eight suspected criminals and seized a firearm and 70 bottles of Phensidyl from Khulshi and Chandgaon areas in the Chittagong city on Friday. The police arrested two snatchers — Mohammed Jafar, 22, and Ruhul Amin, 21 — from Kalurdokan area in Mohora under Chandgaon police area at dawn. They also seized a pipe gun from one of two, who were challenged by the law enforcers for their suspicious movement in the area. In another drive, the police arrested six drug peddlers in possession of the Phensidyl from the Khulshi railway area at about 1:00am. The arrested were identified as Rezia Begum, Jafar Ahmed, Shirin Akter, Abul Kashem, Abul Hashem and Belayet Hossain alias Shaheen.
— New Age