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Many operators still continued charging extra and refrained from posting the fare charts in counters and buses frustrating an initiative of the Association of Bus Companies and in violation of the government rules.
   The association, a forum of CNG-run bus owners, in a July 19 meeting asked all its 51 members to display the government-fixed fare charts and cut extra fare, but many of the operators are yet to pay any heed to their association.
   The association took the initiative after its meeting with the government where they pledged that they would ensure display of fare charts and stop charging extra.
   Bus operators, including Bikalpa City Super, Bikalpa Paribahan, Silk City, Tasico Paribahan, Bikalpa Auto, Salsabil, Ababil, Anabil, Kolmilata and Shishir Paribahan, are still charging extra, between Tk 3 to Tk 7, and they are yet to display the government-fixed fare chart, passengers alleged.
   The association president, Khandaker Rafiqul Hossain Kajal, however, claimed that only 15 to 20 per cent bus operators were still charging extra and the remaining operators were by and large charging fare in accordance with the government-fixed rates.
   The association leaders at a meeting with the communications ministry on July 15 pledged to ensure display of fare charts in all CNG-run buses and their counters and cut the extra charged by the operators.
   The communications ministry at the meeting with different associations of bus operations warned that route permit of buses would be cancelled if they continued to charge extra.
   Humayun Rashid Khalifa, director (engineering) of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, said, ‘We are considering a proposal to request the Regional Transport Committee of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police for cancelling route permits of buses, which are charging higher than the government fixed rates.’
   Khandaker Rafiqul Hossain told New Age that if they failed to ensure the display of fare charts in buses and cutting extra by the operators, they would inform it to the government for taking action. ‘Still we are trying to ensure it’.
   More than 2000 CNG-run buses are plying in the capital and its periphery, the association head said.
   The government, for the first time on June 12 since introduction of CNG-run buses in 2003, set fares at Tk 1.20 a kilometre for large buses and Tk 1.10 a kilometre 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. The fare of diesel-run buses was increased accordingly.

Mayoral candidates of the Sylhet City Corporation on Friday pledged to work neutrally and honestly for the development of the city, if elected in the August 4 polls.
   They made the commitment in a dialogue between the mayoral aspirants and voters organised by non-governmental organisation Sushasaner Jonno Nagarik (SUJAN) at the Sarada Smriti Bhaban at Chadnighat in the city.
   Each of the 10 mayoral contestants out of 15, who attended the dialogue vowed to work unitedly for the development of the city.
   They also signed a 13-point charter of commitments that include ensuring transparency in the corporation’s activities, enhance civic facilities and accountability of the elected representatives as well as the corporation officials and employees.
   The mayoral candidates, who were on the podium, are former lawmaker Abdul Mukith Khan, Abdus Samad Nazrul, vice-president of the city unit of Jatiya Party (Ershad), Syed Muhibur Rahman, leader of Khelafat Majlish, Kutub Uddin Ahmed, president of the Democratic Party, Syed Ali Afsar of the Progressive Democratic Party, Md Salah Uddin Rimon, Bashir Ahmed, AFM Kamal, former Sylhet municipal chairman and former BNP leader, Syed Habirur Rahman Hiran and Kazi Kamal Ahmed.
   Abdul Haque, former district BNP president, Babrul Hossain Babul, former municipal chairman and Awami League leader, Kunu Miah, district JP president, and Syed Muhibur Rahman, leader of the Khelafat Majlish, did not take part in the dialogue.
   AL-led alliance candidate and incumbent mayor of the corporation, Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, is detained under the Emergency Powers Rules.
   Besides, the face-to-face programme was attended by a good number of contestants for the posts of councillors and those of the reserved seats for women.
   SUJAN organised the dialogue in association with Channel i, a satellite TV channel, daily Prothom Alo and the Daily Star with SUJAN district unit president Abdul Aziz in the chair.
   Badiul Alam Mazumdar, central general secretary of SUJAN, moderated the programme also attended by Prothom Alo deputy editor Anisul Haq.
   A large number of voters including professionals, businessmen, social and cultural activists, teachers and students participated in the programme.
   The voters also vowed to elect efficient and honest candidates and not to vote for any war criminals in the SCC polls.
   The mayoral candidates gave answers to different development related questions of the voters.
   They promised to work sincerely for resolving power and water crises, removing traffic congestion and water logging from the city and enhancing education and healthcare facilities for its dwellers within the shortest possible period.
   They pledged to turn the corporation into a corruption-free and pro-people institution and run its activities after taking joint decision along with the elected councillors.
   Besides, the mayoral candidates gave commitment to extend all out support to the elected mayor aiming to achieve overall progress in the SCC activities.

Electioneering by the candidates for the posts of mayor and councilors is gaining momentum with the date for polls to the Rajshahi City Corporation nearing.
   The mayoral and councilor candidates are paying door-to-door visits, making various pledges, including development of the city and improving facilities for its dwellers, if elected in the August 4 elections.
   The Nagarik Committee nominated mayoral candidate, AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, visited at Binodpur, Kazla, Rajshahi University, Talaimari, Budhpara and Shaheb Bazar.
   He pledged to work with utmost sincerity and dedication to ensure supply of pure drinking water, end water logging and improve sanitation and healthcare services, if he is elected mayor.
   He also promised to take initiative to ensure gas supply through pipelines in the region.
   At a meeting at the Nagarik Committee office in the afternoon, Liton said he wanted to create employment opportunities for 30,000 to 40,000 people.
   Another mayoral candidate Rezaun Nabi Dudu, also the acting Rajshahi mayor, conducted campaigns in different areas including Ward No 12, 13 and 14.
   He urged the people to elect him as the next mayor of the city so that he could first develop the roads and the drainage system to free the city from water logging.
   The Ganatantrik Oikya Parishad nominated mayor candidate Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul visited Saheb Bazaar, Talaimari, Badur Tala, Matiher thana area, Bou Bazar, Fultola, Jahaj Ghat, Mijaner More and Binodpur Bazar as part of his campaign. Bulbul pledged to the voters to work for making the corporation free from all sorts of corruption and irregularities.
   He also committed to make the city a beautiful abode for all dwellers, freeing it from pollution, alongside ensuring all other facilities, if elected.
   The 70-year old mayoral candidate, Abdul Matin Khan, while visiting Sagarpara and Upasahar said he wanted to make the city beautiful if elected mayor.
   Enamul Haque, another mayoral candidate, assured the voters of solving the problems of gas, water, electricity, roads and drainage, if elected.
   The candidates are making the commitments hugging the voters and shaking hands with them.
   The councilor candidates are seeking votes by visiting their respective areas from morning to midnight. The roads, lanes and by-lanes are as if bustling with the footsteps of the candidates and their supporters.
   Leaflets with symbols and photographs of the candidates are being distributed among the people. The main areas of the city, especially Saheb Bazaar, remain crowded for publicity of the candidates form 2:00pm to 8:00pm every day.

The man, attired in yellow jersey and shorts with number 13 inscribed on the back, emerged from the dressing room of the Dhaka University gymnasium with curious onlookers stepping aside amid claps to make way for him.
   Though he is not a celebrity footballer, applause from the audience gave that impression and he enjoyed it too drawing everyone’s attention in a friendly football match.
   The man, Raja Devashish Roy, Chakma circle chief and the chief adviser’s special assistant for CHT affairs ministry, led the team of the ethnic minority community people residing in the hills in the football match with the ethnic minorities residing in plain lands. Sanjeeb Drong, general secretary of the Bangladesh Adivasi Parishad, led the team representing people in the plain lands.
   The match was organised to strengthen tie among the ethnic minority community people and make way for inter-community interaction, the organisers said.
   Boys and girls from different communities of hills and plain lands in a large number went to the field to inspire the teams. Many of them were dressed in their traditional attires. A tug-of-war for the women was also held during the interval of the match, which resulted in a 3-3 draw.
   Before the match, Devashis said the event had been organised for the past few years to reduce the gap between the ethnic minority communities living in the hills and other places as the communities had diversities in both language and culture.
   ‘I had participated in most of the matches and expect the organisers would do something for the womenfolk of the indigenous communities,’ he said.
   Playwright Mamunur Rashid, who inaugurated the match releasing balloons, said the ethnic minority community people usually remained fit and did well in any kind of sports, and for that many players in the national teams of football and hockey had come from the communities.
   He appreciated the initiative to organise such events of sports, but opposed the idea of forming two teams based on localities. ‘The teams should comprise best players from all localities. It is not any competition or division rather a move for unification,’ he said. Mamun also demanded introduction of a provision for quota in the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Pratishthan for the ethnic minority communities.
   Dhaka University teachers Dalem Chandra Barman and Sourabh Sikder were also present on the occasion.

Bangladesh Travel and Tourism Mart at the Bashundhara City exposition centre in Dhaka drew a good crowd on Friday with the local tourists showing interest more on discount packages for both local and foreign tourism sites.
   The prospective tourists, mainly the young people, were also keen to know different tourism-related services offered by the participating companies at the three-day fair that began on Thursday.
   Mahbub Jamil, the chief adviser’s special assistant in charge of the civil aviation and tourism ministry, inaugurated the fair, organised jointly by Amazing Holidays, a travel agency, and BRAC Bank with the aim to enhance the country’s tourism industry.
   Fifty-five organisations, including tour operators, travel agents, hotels, motels, resorts, airlines, banks, tourism and hotel management training centres and transport companies, are exhibiting their products and services at the exhibition.
   Mamun Ashrafee, chief executive officer of Amazing Holidays, said they were organising the fair to provide the travellers with all kinds of tourism-related services and information. Almost all the tour operators are exhibiting their regular tour packages as well as discount offer at the fair.
   Farzana Rashid, a visitor at the fair, said she had come to the fair to find a tour package in Nepal at a reasonable rate with all facilities.
   ‘I want to make a tour of Nepal with all my family members and I came here to get a good package at reasonable price,’ she said.
   World Youth Tourism Network, a tour operator, was exhibiting tour packages in Nepal and Bhutan. The organisation is offering membership for their club to the young people.
   Syed Sohel Ahmad, director of the tourism club of the World Youth Tourism Network, said this club would give discount price to the club members with special offers for food, lodging and other services during the trip.
   ‘We started the club this year to arrange low-cost trips for the young generation and we have already organised some tours in and outside the country,’ said Sohel.
   Riverain Tours, another tour operator, is exhibiting special package for Sundarban in their own ship. The four nights and four days tour package will start during the Eid vacation on September 30 and will continue till February in different dates.
   Galaxy Holidays is offering two-night and three-day package for per person in Bangkok at Tk 23,300 and Tk 29,300 for three-night and four-day package at Bangkok and Pataya. For Sinagapore trip, they charge per person Tk 36,300 for two-night and three-day package.
   BRAC Bank is offering travel loan and other travel services like visa processing, air ticketing, foreign currency and TC endorsement, hotel booking, tourism package and airport meet and greet.
   Habibul Haque, a sales executive of BRAC Bank, said for the travel loan they encouraged business people or service holders having at least Tk 15,000 monthly salary. The loan amount ranges between Tk 50,000 and Tk 3 lakh, he said.
   Bangladesh Travel Writers Association invites travellers at the fair to submit their travel related stories for their travel book to be published at the next Amar Ekushey Book Fair.

National Anti-Tuberculosis Association of Bangladesh on Friday stressed the need for creating mass awareness and participation of civil society to prevent tuberculosis in the country.
   The leaders of the association said many of the patients do not complete the prescribed doses of medicine that can totally cure the once dreadful disease.
   ‘Lack of awareness annually adds three lakh new patients of whom about 70,000 die,’ said Pravat Chandra Barua, director (TB and leprosy) of the NATAB, at a news briefing at the Dhaka Reporters Unity.
   NATAB organised the conference ahead of its annual conference to be held in the city on Saturday. Former president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury will be present as chief guest, he said.
   Pravat said that Bangladesh stands 14th among the 22 most vulnerable countries to the TB which spreads through cough and sneeze of the infected. ‘Eighty-five per cent of the patients are infected in the lungs but the disease can develop anywhere in the body except hair and nails,’ he said.
   Anyone suffering from coughs for more than three weeks has to go for TB test.
   The conference was also attended, among others, by NATAB senior vice-president Mozaffar Hossain Paltu, secretary general Sakhawat Hossain, project coordinator Shagufta Sultana, Khairuddin Ahmed Mukul and Kamaruzzaman Kamal.

Light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely to occur at many places over Chittagong, Barisal and Dhaka divisions and at a few places over Khulna, Rajshahi and Sylhet divisions with moderately heavy falls at places during the 24-hour period till 6:00pm today, the Met Office said.
   The day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, it said.
   The country’s highest temperature on Friday, 35.0 degrees Celsius, was recorded in Ishwardi and the lowest, 24.5 degrees Celsius, at Sandwip.
   The sun sets in the capital today at 6:45pm and rises tomorrow at 5:26am.
   The Met office predicted increased rainfall activity in the outlook for subsequent two days and a little change in the extended outlook for another five days.

Speakers at a function in Dhaka on Friday stressed the need for practising objective journalism for ensuring peoples’ right to information.
   Describing right to information as a democratic one, they said journalists should be objective in writing reports as it is their professional responsibility.
   They were addressing a function marking the Golden Jubilee of the Voice of America Bangla Service, organised by VOA Fan Clubs-Bangladesh, Chittaging Division at the National Press Club.
   Editor of the daily Independent and former adviser to the caretaker government Mahbubul Alam addressed the function as the chief guest.
   International Radio Broadcaster Web Editor of VOA Bangla service Anis Ahmed, president of Bangladesh-America Chamber of Commerce Florida, USA Atiqur Rahman, chief news editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha SM Zahurul Alam, operation director of BON Consortium Power Company Ltd Engineer SM Nur Uddin, former of coordinator of VOA Fan Clubs- Bangladesh Abdul Hai Khan, lawyer Mohammad Sirajul Islam Sheikh addressed the function as special guests.
   President of Voice of America Fan Clubs Bangladesh, Chittagong Division Abu Sufian Chowdhury presided over the function.
   Mahbubul Alam urged the journalists to write their reports objectively to ensure rights to information of the people.
   He said both the print and electronic media should present objective news to perform their responsibilities properly.
   Referring to two private radio stations in the country, Mahbubul Alam said the popularity of radio was increasing day by day. Community radio can play an important role in the socio-economic development of the country.
   Anis Ahmed said at present radio was facing tremendous competition with television and others media for its survival.
   Terming radio as a popular medium in the developed countries, he said people of the developed countries listen to radio so often.

The Chittagong Divisional Physical Educationists Conference-2008 was held on the Chittagong University campus on Friday.
   About 250 physical instructors from different districts under the division took part in the conference, organised by the CU Physical Education Department, a press release said.
   With the director of Physical Education Department AMM Rakib Quoreshi in the chair, the CU vice-chancellor, M Badiul Alam, inaugurated the conference as the chief guest.
   Chittagong Press Club president Ali Abbas, former presidents of Bangladesh Physical Educationists Association Abdul Haq Bhuiyan and Alhaj Abu Mohammad, incumbent president Khairul Islam Khan, secretary general Abdul Haq and general secretary of Chittagong Divisional Sports Association Serajuddin M Alamgir, among others, spoke on the occasion.

A woman was killed and 10 people were injured in a clash between two groups of villagers at Peerpur under Sadar upazila in Pabna Friday morning.
   The victim was identified Saleha Begum, 45, wife of Abed Ali, of the village.
   The police and locals said the supporters of Abdul Ghoni and Abed Ali were locked in the clash at 6:30am following a previous enmity, leaving the housewife dead on the spot and at least 10 others injured.  Three of the injured were admitted to Pabna General Hospital in a critical condition. Two cases were filed with the police station in this regard.

A NGO worker was killed and four people were injured in a road accident on the Bandarban–Rawangchari Road at Khansamapara under Bandarban sadar upazila on Friday.
   NGO worker Ismail died instantly. The accident took part in the morning when a brick-laden truck, carrying the victims, fell into the roadside ditch as its driver lost control over the steering.
   Helper of the driver Harun was sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital in critical condition while others to Bandarban General Hospital.

Five suspected drug peddlers arrested
The Rapid Action Battalion rounded up five suspected drug peddlers and seized heroin, Phensidyl and smuggled goods in four northern districts during the last 24 hours till Friday afternoon. They seized 495 grams of heroin, 128 bottles of Phensidyl and 1.1 kilograms of cannabis during eight raids at different places in Rajshahi, Naogaon, Rangpur and Dinajpur. The arrested drug peddlers were Jamaul Islam, 40, Saidul Islam, 28, Jalal Uddin, 28, Jahurul Islam, 32, Shaheen, 37. In two other operations at Dangapara Bazar under Hakimpur upazila of Dinajpur and at Yousufpur village under Charghat upazila of Rajshahi, they seized 950 vials of Indian injection and some spare parts of dish antenna. The arrested persons and seized goods were handed over to the concerned police stations.
— BSS