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The government is planning to implement the recommendations put forward for fixing minimum export price for hilsha, said sources in the commerce ministry on Wednesday.
   The government is going to fix the export prices of hilsha aiming to combat smuggling of the fish out of the country especially to neighbouring India.
   The recommendations were placed at an inter-ministerial meeting held at the commerce ministry recently with joint secretary (expo-rt) Mostafa Mohiuddin in the chair.
   As per the recommendations, the government is expected to fix minimum price for exporting the fishes weighing 600 grams to one kilogram at $6 while fishes weighing one kg to one and a half kg at $8 and from 1.5 kg or above at $12.
   The inter-ministerial meeting also recommended that in order to check the smuggling of hilsha, the government should export hilsha only through the seaport and airport during the period from October to December.
   Hilsha export during the remaining period of the year should be banned from anywhere of the country excepting to the seaport, airport and selected two land ports in the country, the meeting added.
   The meeting also said the government should approve the export of hilsha through only by two land ports Akhaura and Benapole to help check smuggling, money laundering and other criminal offences on the border areas.
   Taking into account the request of the fisheries and livestock ministry, the government in July 2007 imposed a ban on export of hilsha to India in a bid to ensure its supply at local markets and keep its prices within the reach of the common people.
   Despite the ban, a huge quantity of hilsha was reportedly exported to neighbouring country. Every year a huge quantity of hilsha is exported to India under invoice, the meeting pointed out.
   ‘Now all the recommendations are under process. Nothing has yet been finalised but a resolution has been drafted incorporating all the recommendations which are likely to be implemented as soon as possible if the higher authority approves,’ said the joint secretary on Wednesday.
   ‘Our mouthwatering hilsha fish is a rare species in tropical water and it migrates about 30-60 miles upstream in the Bay of Bengal in Bangladesh for spawning during the monsoon and a short period in winter.’
   Hilsha fish accounts for almost one-third of fish production of Bangladesh. About three million people depend on hilsha to earn their livelihood.
   According to statistics of fisheries department, annual demand of hilsha in the country is about 3,00,000 tonnes against the production of 2,50,000 tonnes a year.
   Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters’ Association leaders claimed that some 2,500 tonnes of hilsha are exported to Europe and America while 65,000-70,000 tonnes to India every year. A hilsha weighing about one kilogram is exported at Tk 350 but sold at Tk 800-1,000 in local markets.

Environmentalists and bird-watchers at a discussion on Wednesday said that the number of animals and birds in the Lawacherra reserved forest might be reduced next season as their breeding period has been drastically affected by the seismic survey conducted by Chevron, a major US company. This kind of three-dimensional survey can only be conducted by setting off hundreds of explosions under the ground.
   The explosions and sudden fires at various spots in the forest has panicked the wildlife and forced many animals and birds to abandon the forest for unknown destinations.
   ‘Lawacherra is the home of around 300 species of birds out of the total of nearly 600 species in the country. This season is the breeding time for birds and other wildlife, but mating and breeding has been adversely affected because of the survey,’ said Ronald Haldar, a doctor-turned-ornithologist, at the meeting.
   The number of wildlife in the forest is likely to decrease drastically next season. Their loss will not be made up by any monetary compensation, he said.
   The Save the Environment Movement organised the discussion meeting on ‘Bio-diversity in Lawacherra Forest and our Responsibility’ at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity’s auditorium.
   Iqbal Kabir of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association said that the Lawacherra was on the verge of destruction because of a company which cares nothing about the ecology and wildlife of our country.
   ‘It is better to protect our forest, which is an inexhaustible resource, rather than creating an opportunity for the rapacious foreign companies to extract and consume our finite amount of oil and gas,’ he said.
   Abu Naser Khan, chairman of the Movement, called upon Chev-ron to stop activities that are destr-oying the country’s environment.
   Speakers at the discussion blasted Petrobangla’s chairman for commenting that the fire at Lawacherra was not caused by Chevron’s three-dimensional survey which was conducted by sparking off hundreds of underground explosions.

The well-marked low formed over the east central Bay of Bengal and adjoining area is likely to intensify further as it persisted there at 6:00pm Wednesday.
   ‘It’s likely to intensify further,’ said a Met Office special bulletin on the low, 11 days after a terrible cyclone Nargis, blew over the Bay and made a landfall in neighbouring Myanmar.
   ‘Under the influence of the well-marked low, deep convection is taking place over the north Bay.
   Squally weather may affect the maritime ports,’ the Met Office warned.
   Maritime ports of Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar and Mongla have been advised to keep hoisted local cautionary signal number three.
   All fishing boats and trawlers over the north Bay and
   deep sea have been advised to come close to the coast and ‘proceed with caution till further notice’.
   The tropical storm Nargis that developed on April 27 over the central area of the Bay of Bengal hit Myanmar on May 3, leaving at least 28,458 people dead by the latest count.

The Social Marketing Company on Wednesday launched its micronutrient programme through the introduction of MoniMix - a micronutrient
   powder for simple and convenient in-home fortification of complementary food to address childhood Iron Deficiency Anemia.
   Sheri-Nouane Johnson, director of PHN Team, USAID, Dhaka and Jalaluddin Ahmed, chairperson of SMC board of directors, were present, among others, at the official launching at the SMC head office in the Dhaka city.
   The objective of the micronutrient programme is to help improve nutritional status of under-five children, particularly of those with childhood IDA to increase knowledge and awareness among parents and health service providers about the importance of micronutrients.

The Anti-Corruption Commi-ssion on Wednesday filed a case against Nazim Ullah Chowdhury, Bangladesh ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, for financial irregularities and causing loss to the national exchequer through misuse of power.
   The deputy director of the ACC, Abdullah Al Zahid, filed the first information report with Shahbagh police station, alleging that the envoy ‘caused a loss of about Tk 20 lakh to the state, committed corruption in appointing gardeners and misappropriating money’.
   This happens to the first graft case against any incumbent ambassador of the country under the ongoing drives in the interim period against corruption.
   The FIR states that the ambassador caused loss to the country’s exchequer by shifting the ambassador’s residence to a ‘farer place at more expensive price’.
   It was also alleged that the envoy showed appointments of gardeners for the embassy in Abu Dhabi but never appointed them. Instead, he allegedly misappropriated the salary the gardeners were supposed to get.
   The FIR also said Nazim allegedly showed purchase of furniture for the embassy but ‘misappropriated the money’.
   The case was filed under section 5(2) of the Corruption Prevention Act 1947 and 409 of the Penal Code.
   Earlier in February, Zahid made a trip to the UAE to inquire the corruption allegations about the ambassador and other officials of the embassy. The inquiry took place based on a complaint lodged with the commission.

The Workers Party of Bangladesh on Wednesday announced a 15-day-long signature campaign to press home its 16-point charter of demands, including introduction of a public distribution and rationing system to arrest the price spiral of essentials, said a press release.
   The signature campaign will begin on May 3 and continue till June 6.
   The party at its political committee’s meeting, decided to launch the campaign and demanded the inclusion of a proposal in the next budget to supply essential commodities at fair prices through a public distribution system in rural and urban areas.
   The meeting urged all the units of the party to take effective measures to mount pressure on the government to realise its demands by holding meetings of the party’s representatives, activists and supporters in every upazila and district. The demands included restoration of the right to reactivate or form trade unions, lifting of the state of emergency, banning the political use of religion, holding trial of war criminals and protecting the natural resources of the country.
   The meeting, with party president Rashed Khan Menon in the chair, was attended by the general secretary and members of the party’s Polit Bureau.
   The party also decided to hold meetings with like-minded political parties to discuss the proposed dialogue with the interim government.

The solo art exhibition of Artist Ranjit Das, styled ‘Symphony in Drawing’ began at Gallery Shilpan-gan in Dhaka on Wednesday.
   Fifty-two drawings by Ranjit have been put on display at the 15-day exhibition.
   Educationist Professor Anisuzzaman inaugurated the show as chief guest while New Age publisher Shahidullah Khan was present as special guest. Artist Qayyum Chowdhury chaired the inaugural session.
   Terming Ranjit’s use of colour in his drawings significant, Anisuzzaman said, ‘The artist has created powerful images using shades of colours in his drawings.’
   Ranjit has masterly used colours in his drawings, he added.
   Stressing the need for expanding market for Bangladeshi art, Shahidullah Khan said, ‘We need more patrons to promote artworks of Bangladesh across the world.’
   The people need to be encouraged to make a trend of giving artworks as gift on different social occasions, he said. He also appreciated Ranjit’s artworks.
   Qayyum Chowdhury said, ‘Ranjit loves changes in his works and the exhibition is a proof of changes in the style of his artworks.’
   Ranjit, born in 1956 in Tangail, has won a good number of awards.
   The exhibition will remain open to all from 10:00am to 8:00pm with a four-hour break from 1:00pm every day.

The Biman Flight Catering Centre and the Etihad Airways on Wednesday signed a catering contract in the office of the catering centre in Dhaka.
   The catering centre general manager and the Etihad country manager signed the agreement.
   The Etihad Airways, under the agreement, has started taking catering services from the centre for its flights on the Dhaka–Dubai route, according to a Biman release.
   The Biman Flight Catering Centre has a capacity to produce 8,500 meals a day. Apart from Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd, the centre provides catering services to British Airways, Dragon Air, GMG Airlines and Best Air.