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A half-day strike, called by the businessmen of RDA market, was observed in Rajshahi city on Tuesday.
   The businessmen went on the strike to press for their 11-point demands, including withdrawal of the chairman of Rajshahi Development Authority for his ‘failure’ to meet the demands.
   Other demands include cancellation of tender for high rise building in the market, withdrawal of extra rent fees for shops, closure of students’ messes, political party offices and clinics inside the market, installation of fire fighting equipment and ensuring uninterrupted power supply, pure drinking water and security.
   RDA sources said several hundred businessmen started their strike at about 6:00am after shutting down their shops.
   The businessmen at a gathering said the authorities concerned had recently planned to demolish a portion of the market and invited tender for construction of a multi-storey building there.
   At least 250 shop owners would be affected, if a high-rise building is constructed after demolition of a part of the market, they said.
   The businessmen urged the RDA chairman to meet their demands and not to construct a multi-storey building but he took no heed of their demands, said Khandaker Shamsul Haque, president of the rehabilitated businessmen association.
   The businessmen also threatened to go for tougher movement if the authorities concerned fail to meet their demands.
   Chaired by Shamsul Haque Lion, president of the rehabilitated businessmen association, the programme was addressed, among others, by Rajshahi Byabosayee Oikya Parishad president Mosharraf Hossain Akhunji, vice-presidents Harunur Rashid, Reaz Ahmed, Abdur Razzak and Ziaul Islam, rehabilitated businessmen association general secretary Farid Mahmud Hasan, joint secretary Sekandar Ali and cloth traders’ association joint secretary Mohammad Porag.
   RDA chairman Tapan Chandra Majumder in a statement on Tuesday said the businessmen staged demonstration and observed the strike as leaders of the association failed to get tender for building the high rise market. ‘As the leaders did not get the tender, they opposed the plan,’ he added.
   The agitation as well as the strike by traders was causing sufferings to local people who usually purchase goods from the market, some residents said.

A book titled ‘Chimnir Mukhe Shono Siren Shakha’ was launched on Tuesday at the auditorium of Asiatic Society in Dhaka.
   Asiatic Society chairman Sirajul Islam and industries minister Dilip Barua took the wraps off the book authored by Mesbah Kamal and Zannat-E-Ferdousi.
   The book reveals the political involvement of the working class in the movements for the birth of Bangladesh and also the struggles, demands and challenges of the workers and sacrifices by them for the independence of Bangladesh as well as development of the industrial sector.
   It was written based on interviews of 10 workers’ leaders who along with workers were involved actively in trade union movements.
   ‘Workers have not only an economical history, but also have a resourceful political history as they were directly involved with national politics. And this book reveals that history,’ Mesbah Kamal, professor of Dhaka University, said at the publication ceremony.
   ‘Trade union is very important for the sake of industrial development,’ said Manjurul Ahsan Khan, president of Communist Party, who was also one of the interviewees.
   Industries minister Dilip Barua committed to developing a working class, engaged with information and technology, to help ensure the development of the industrial sector.
   Asiatic Society chairman Sirajul Islam, Research and Development Collective deputy director Mazharul Islam, and politburo member of the Workers party Hyder Akbar Khan Rono also addressed the publication ceremony.

Speakers at a discussion on Tuesday said the health-related education could help cut poverty and underlined the need for ensuring healthcare services for people, especially the poor and underprivileged ones.
   Terming the improved health as the driving force of economy, they said importance should be given to health education and promotion programmes in the greater interest of bringing economic emancipation.
   The speakers also stressed the need for creating awareness among all sections of people to protect society from health hazards, saying that there is no alternative but to improve public health for taking the nation towards prosperity.
   The civil surgeon office organised the meeting on the premises of Urban Primary Healthcare Project Training Centre marking World Health Day 2009.
   Chaired by civil surgeon Jahurul Islam, the meeting was addressed, among others, by panel mayor of Rajshahi City Corporation Shariful Islam Babu, chief health officer Rizvi Sultan, deputy civil surgeon Abul Fazal, senior health education officer Sharifa Begum and social worker Mojammel Haque.
   Earlier, the civil surgeon office in collaboration with different development and voluntary organisations brought out a procession from local Alupatty crossing. After parading city streets, the procession ended on the premises of Urban Primary Healthcare Project Training Centre.
   A large number of people representing health offices, government, non-governmental and voluntary organisations, schoolboys and girls attended the rally.
   The main theme of the year was ‘Save lives. Make hospitals safe in emergencies’.
   The speakers said emphasis should also be given on proper operation of the healthcare service side by side with development of physical, mental and social health services, safe drinking water management, safe motherhood, resisting of early and child marriage, and adulteration of food.
   They suggested creating an adolescent-friendly atmosphere in the greater interest of building a competent future leadership, as the juveniles constitute 25 per cent of the total population, amongst which 13.8 million are girls.
   In this context, they said 63 per cent girls in the age group of 15-19 suffer from early marriage compared to only 3.7 of boys in the same age group. Of them, 31 per cent girls become pregnant within a year of marriage.
   A documentary film was also screened at Panchabati playground in observance of the day.
   Rajshahi Medical College also organised a discussion in its auditorium in observance of the day. The day was also observed at all the upazila headquarters through elaborate programmmes.

Khulna Sachetan Nagarik Sangha at a press conference on Tuesday demanded immediate gas supply to the Khulna region through the pipeline.
   Leaders of the organisation made the demand at the press conference held at the Khulna Press Club.
   Leaders Sheikh Abdul Hakim, Lokman Hakim, Gazi Sirajul Haque, M Mahbub Alam, Habibur Rahman, Shamima Sultana Sima and Khulna City Corporation ward councillors Shah Alam and Firoza Khanom were present at the press conference.
   Sheikh Abdul Hakim, who read out a written statement at the press conference, demanded installation of a 210-megawatt power plant in Khalishpur and immediate overhaul for the closed 110-megawatt unit and 60-magawatt unit at Khulna Bidyut Kendra in Khalishpur industrial belt to meet the demand of the electricity in the region.
   He criticised the government for its recent decision of transfer the money of the Khulna gas supply projects to other projects in Sylhet region. He also claimed that Khulna was being deprived of development projects.
   The speakers called on the government to cancel the decision taken to suspend the gas supply projects, saying that the government should ensure balanced development of different parts across the country.
   The Khulna unit of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad in a press release, signed by its general secretary Rasu Akhter, said on Tuesday that they would observe a hunger strike at Shaheed Hadis Park in the city from 10:00am to 5:00pm on Thursday demanding gas supply to Khulna.

The East West University on Tuesday held its 8th convocation at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka.
   A total of 923 students from 15 programmes, including 671 undergraduates and 252 graduates, received certificates in the convocation. Seven of them were awarded gold medals for their outstanding academic achievements.
   The university vice-chancellor, Mohammad Sharif, delivered his address of welcome where he asked the students to contribute to the county’s overall development by applying all that they have learnt at the university.
   The education minister, Nurul Islam Nahid, who presided over the ceremony and handed over the certificates, emphasised the importance of quality education.
   He hoped that the authorities would contribute to the development of the tertiary education at East West University.
   Dhaka University Professor Emeritus Anisuzzaman in his convocation speech said, ‘Although the East West University has passed only 13 years, it has played a good role in imparting quality education by refusing to treat education as a commodity.’
   Member of the university board of governors Jalaluddin Ahmed addressed the ceremony attended by about three thousand people including teachers, students, guardians and guests.

Planning Week begins at the auditorium of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology today.
   This year’s theme of the week is ‘Planning for Inclusive Urban Development’.
   Prime minister’s adviser Mashiur Rahman will inaugurate the week as the chief guest.
   URP Students’ Association of BUET and Department of Urban and Regional Planning, BUET have drawn up a three-day programme in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme, Bangladesh Institute of Planners and Urban Partnership of Poverty Reduction.

The students of Home Economics College on Tuesday boycotted their classes and examinations protesting at increase in readmission fee and demanding a separate faculty under Dhaka University.
   Agitating students demonstrated on the campus in the morning and boycotted their classes and examinations.
   They also threatened to go for tougher movement if the college authorities failed to meet their demands immediately.
   Earlier on Sunday, the students staged demonstration in front of the college.

The written test of the qualifying examination for admission into master of development studies course at department of development studies for the academic session 2009-2010 of Dhaka University will be held at 10:00am in the examination hall No 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 and room No 5002 and 5014 of the Arts Building on April 10.

The police recovered the body of a young woman from Barutkhana area in the Sylhet city on Tuesday morning.
   The identity of the woman couldn’t be known immediately. The body was sent to the Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind is likely to occur at one or two places over all the six divisions during the next 24 hours till 6:00pm today.
   Day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, Met office said.
   Country’s highest temperature 38.4 degrees Celsius was recorded on Tuesday at Rajshahi and Jessore and lowest 21.0 degrees at Tangail, Dinajpur and Saidpur.
   The sun sets in the capital today at 6:17pm and rises tomorrow at 5:43am.