JANAKANTHA
•    Dhaka-Delhi consents regarding coop in power sector. (Page-1)
•    Price of rice in B’desh more than India, Myanmar. (Page-1)

NAYA DIGANTA
•    BNP working overtime to make hartal successful.(Page-1)
•    Mizanur Rahman to head Human Rights Commission. (Page-2)
•    Manmohan’s green signal on talks with ULFA. (Page-16)

JUGANTOR
•    BSF hands over top terrorist Fulu to the Benapole Police. (Page-3)
•    New Kolkata train service ‘Sonartari’ to be introduced. (Page-16)

Fresh Security Steps in Secretariat; Agencies sound alert
INDEPENDENT-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent: The government yesterday decided to form a three-member security committee headed by a deputy secretary (DS) in all ministries and divisions to ensure security of the Bangladesh secretariat, the main administrative centre of the country.
This decision was taken at an exclusive meeting held at the home ministry yesterday, sources in the ministry said yesterday. This follows reports from the intelligence agencies who alerted the authorities concerned for taking highest security measures in and around the Bangladesh secretariat, especially at the Eden Building (Bhaban-1), where the prime minister’s office is located.
The home ministry will send letters to the ministries and divisions soon for forming the security committees in their respective offices within a short time, the sources added. After the meting, a high official of the home ministry told The Independent on condition of anonymity that the security committees would take necessary security measures coordinating with the law enforcement agencies in their respective ministries and departments. "The committees will submit reports in this regard to the secretary of the respective ministry or division," he said. "The meeting also decided to introduce within three months online pass system like in the prime minister’s office (PMO) for visitors in the Bangladesh Secretariat to avoid any untoward incident by terrorist groups or militant organisations," the official added. "Necessary digital equipment, including computers, will be set up at the concerned desks. A group of women Ansar VDP members will be appointed for introducing the new system," he said.
"As an immediate measure, the meeting also decided to note down the mobile phone numbers of the visitors at the visitor’s gate pass from this week," the official informed. Sources in the home ministry said that a fire unit would be set up this week at the secretariat as a precautionary measure. It would work round the clock. State minister for home affairs Advocate Shamsul Haque Tuku told The Independent that the government would take necessary security measures in all places. "Our law enforcement agencies are always ready to tackle any possible attacks," he said. According to the sources, the committee on secretariat security had urged the authorities to take eight categories of security measures in and around the Eden Building, where regular cabinet meetings are held.
Earlier, the committee had decided to construct a new building on the western side of the Eden Building and declare visitors’ day on Monday instead of Thursday. But the authorities concerned are yet to take any initiative in this regard. The sources said that the home ministry ordered the law enforcement and the intelligence agencies to take necessary action to bar the entry of vehicles with tinted glass in the Bangladesh secretariat during office hours as a precautionary measure to foil any possible subversive activities. According to the sources, the home ministry has issued 4,800 temporary gate passes to freedom fighters, Upazila chairmen, mayors, retired government officials and businessmen to enter the secretariat.

National Human Rights Commission set up
FINANCIAL EXPRESS-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent: The National Human Rights Commission has been formed. A Law Ministry circular announced that President M Zillur Rahman appointed Tuesday a chairman, one permanent member and five temporary members to the Commission, reports bdnews24.com. The President appointed Dhaka University Law Professor Dr Mizanur Rahman as chairman. Qazi Riazul Haque, former secretary and Executive Director of the Legal Education and Training Institute, has been appointed the permanent member to the Commission. The five temporary members are lawyer Fouzia Karim Feroz, Dhaka University Political Science Department Professor Giasuddin Molla, PRIP Trust Executive Director Aroma Datta, Faria Lara Foundation Executive Director and writer Selina Hossain, and a former member of the Human Rights Commission Professor Niru Kumar ChakmaThe National Human Rights Commission has been formed. A Law Ministry circular announced that President M Zillur Rahman appointed Tuesday a chairman, one permanent member and five temporary members to the Commission, reports bdnews24.com. The President appointed Dhaka University Law Professor Dr Mizanur Rahman as chairman. Qazi Riazul Haque, former secretary and Executive Director of the Legal Education and Training Institute, has been appointed the permanent member to the Commission. The five temporary members are lawyer Fouzia Karim Feroz, Dhaka University Political Science Department Professor Giasuddin Molla, PRIP Trust Executive Director Aroma Datta, Faria Lara Foundation Executive Director and writer Selina Hossain, and a former member of the Human Rights Commission Professor Niru Kumar Chakma.

BDR Mutiny case: Court ends hearing charges against 667 soldiers
Dhaka, June-23-Star Online Report: A special court, trying the mutineers under the 24 Rifles Battalion of Dhaka Sector in the BDR mutiny case, completed reading out charges against all the 667 jawans at Pilkhana headquarters in the capital on Wednesday. After hearing the charges, the Special Court-5, led by BDR Director General Md Rafiqul Islam, adjourned the trial proceedings till 9:00am on Saturday. The court began today’s hearing at about 9:00am in presence of all the accused and continued till 2:00pm. The court on Wednesday read out charges against 292 out of total 667 accused while the charges against 375 accused were placed before the court in last three days till Tuesday. Of the 668 accused, the court exempted Naik Jainal Abedin from the charges as he died in the meantime.During the February 25-26 bloodbath at Pilkhana in 2009, some 74 people including 57 army officers were brutally killed

Pilkhana Mutiny: Young rebels most ruthless
DAILY STAR-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent: Young members of Bangladesh Rifles were most ruthless during last year’s BDR mutiny at its Pilkhana headquarters, said a top BDR official yesterday. Col Aziz Ahmed, BDR sector commander of Dhaka, said this at a news briefing after the special court-5 read out individual charges against the 192 more accused. Young soldiers mainly played key-role during mutiny, while some senior members who were involved in the attempted revolt of 1991, led it, the official said. They also instigated the mutineers saying that such a rebellion took place in 1991, but none faced any trouble, Aziz added. Referring to a young soldier Moniruzzaman, Aziz said he was among the group who went to meet the prime minister for negotiation during the mutiny. The court headed by BDR Director General Md Rafiqul Islam has so far read out charges against 375 accused of the total 667 from 24 Rifle Battalions. The three-member court began hearing shortly after 10:00am and continued up to 2:30pm when all the accused were produced before the court.
Other judges of the court are Lt Col AKM Golam Rabbani and Maj Syed Hasan Taposh. Of the 668 accused, the court exempted Naik Jainal Abedin from the charges as he died in the meantime. Two BDR majors and seven lawyers were present at the court to assist the defendants as "friends of the accused".
During the February 25-26 bloodbath at Pilkhana in 2009, some 74 people including 57 army officers were brutally killed

15 B’deshis in suspected list of Yemen-based militant organisation
[AMADER SHOMOY-TRANSLATION-23-06-10-(Front Page)]-Shahjahan Akand Shuvo: It is known that 15 Bangladeshi citizens got enlisted as suspected militants in Yemen-based militant organization of Al-Quida. They had been involved with militant activities soon after going to Yemen. Most of the 15 Bangladeshis are female, said intelligence officials. This year the intelligence agency arrested two of the female activists from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Lately, in last Sunday Police arrested a young lady Rifat Hossain at Shahjala Airport after her arrival from Yemen. Two laptops, 35 CDs and some Islamic books were seized from her possession. Rifat left Bangladesh for Canada one year back for doing her study. But she left Canada for Yemen and got admitted in a University of Yemen. While studying in Yemen this Bangladeshi lady got involved with international militant organization and had served jail-term for one month after being arrested. A couple of months back, another Bangladeshi young-lady Samia Ali had been arrested from Shahjalal Airport as an activist of Yemen-based militant organization. Later, that lady had gone missing.

Money laundering case: SQ Chowdhury gets no relief, bar on arrest lifted
DAILY STAR-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent: The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday stayed for six weeks a High Court (HC) order that directed the law enforcers not to harass or arrest BNP leader Salauddin Qader Chowdhury in a money laundering case. Chamber judge of the Appellate Division Justice SK Sinha passed the order upon a petition filed by the government against the HC order. The HC on May 16 directed Salauddin Qader to surrender before the Metropolitan Special Tribunal in Dhaka within eight weeks in the money laundering case and also asked the law enforcers not to harass or arrest him in this case during this eight-week period. The government recently filed a leave-to-appeal petition with the SC, seeking a stay on the HC order. Additional Attorney General MK Rahman told The Daily Star that there is no bar to arrest Salauddin Qader in the money laundering case following the chamber judge’s order. On May 6, Toufiqul Islam, assistant director of Anti-Corruption Commission, filed the case against him with Dhanmondi Police Station.
The case statement says Salauddin Qader laundered $250,000 and HK$100,000 ($12,864) to buy Beximco Pharmaceuticals’ global depository receipts (GDRs).

Sircar, Delwar seek time in graft cases
DAILY STAR-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent: Former speaker Jamiruddin Sircar and former chief whip Khandaker Delwar Hossain sought time for replying to the Anti-corruption Commission notice issued against them regarding the alleged misappropriation of Tk 2.5 crore from Jatiya Sangsad funds.
The notice, issued against them on June 8, asked for their statements in five days. Jamiruddin Sircar asked for six weeks’ time while Khandaker Delwar Hossain a month’s time. They asked for time extension and the commission will give its decision, said a member of the four-member ACC enquiry team headed by its Deputy Director Moniruzzaman Khan. The anti-graft body could not avail of the current address of former deputy speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui, thus could not issue the notice upon him in connection with the same graft. Hamid was not found at the address the ACC has of him. A parliamentary probe last year found that the three BNP leaders were involved in misappropriation of the Jatiya Sangsad funds. The Awami League-led grand alliance government formed the probe committee headed by ruling party lawmaker Fazle Rabbi Mia on March 19 last year to investigate the alleged corruption between November 2001 and January 25, 2009 at the Parliament Secretariat. On February 7, ACC began enquiry into the alleged misappropriation of Tk 2.5 crore after receiving the investigation report from the parliamentary probe committee. The ACC enquiry team completed examination of the 784-page parliamentary report forwarded to the body and awaits statements of the accused. The ACC notice upon the three has questions regarding medical bills, unauthorised use of public vehicles, taking additional fuel allowances, corruption in procurement, beautification and arboriculture, recruitment, entertainment bills, allocation of residence for officials and receiving money from the Parliament Members’ Club. According to the law, ACC files cases if its enquiry finds enough evidence and once a case is filed, the ACC goes for fully-fledged investigations

Supreme Court to hear Amar Desh petition on July 15
NEW AGE-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent: The Appellate Division has decided to hear a petition regarding lifting of ban on Amar Desh on July 15, reports bdnews24.com. The Division”s vacation bench had stopped publication of the pro-BNP newspaper when it stayed a High Court order allowing resumption of the Bengali daily”s operations. The High Court, based on a petition, had stayed the government decision to suspend publication of the newspaper.
The Appellate Division hearing has been set in one of the division”s regular benches by its vacation chamber justice S K Sinha. Former attorney general AJ Mohammad Ali stood for the daily Amar Desh on Tuesday. Earlier on June 10, the High Court stayed the cancellation of the daily”s declaration after a writ petition by the daily. However, the government appealed the appellate division on June 15 against the High Court order, which stayed the High Court order for four weeks. The daily lodged an appeal on Sunday asking the Division to repeal its stay order. On June 15, attorney general Mahbubey Alam and additional attorney general M K Rahman represented the government in the hearing of its appeal. They said that the declaration of Amar Desh was cancelled as its publisher Hashmat Ali resigned from his post. However, barristers Rafique-ul Huq and Abdur Razzak, who represented the daily, alleged that the government had cancelled the declaration of the Bengali daily illegally to fulfil its evil intention. The High Court took this into consideration and stayed the cancellation. They also said that the newspaper resumed publication following the High Court order, leaving no scope to stay its order. Police stormed the daily”s office in the early hours of June 2 and arrested its acting editor Mahmudur Rahman on charges of fraud, only hours after the government closed the BNP-leaning daily. The government cancelled the daily”s declaration on June 1, immediately after the daily”s publisher Hashmat Ali sued the acting editor Mahmudur Rahman for fraud

2 JMB men jailed for blast at court
DAILY STAR-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent: A Dhaka court yesterday sentenced two leaders of Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh to 32 years’ of rigorous imprisonment for the serial bomb blasts on the Mymensingh court premises in August 2005. Judge Mohammad Rezaul Islam of the Speedy Trail Tribunal-4 handed down the verdict in presence of convicts Kawsar Alam alias Sumon and Amanullah Akhond alias Sanaullah. The court also acquitted Salauddin alias Salehin and nine others as the charges pressed against them were not proved. Earlier, the prosecution and the defence completed their closing arguments and the court recorded statements of 23 prosecution witnesses.  According to the prosecution, around 11:10am on August 17, 2005, several bombs were blasted on the Mymensingh court premises that injured four people.
Later, a case under the Explosive Substances Act was filed against the banned Islamist militant outfit JMB leaders and activists with Mymensingh Police Station. After an investigation, police pressed charges against 12 alleged JMB leaders and activists

BSF hands over wanted B’deshi criminal
Benapole, June 23-bdnews24.com-The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has handed over a man wanted by the Bangladeshi police at Jessore border on Tuesday. The BSF authorities handed over Harun-ar-Rashid Fulu, a person wanted by the Jessore police, to the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) at around 10pm. The Bangladeshi border guards then handed him over to the Benapole port police. Fulu is the son of A Majid Sheikh of Barandi Para of Jessore town. Benapole port police chief Abu Bakar Siddique told bdnews24.com that BSF apprehended Fulu in March during his attempt to escape across the border into India. Fulu has been sent to the Bonga sub-prison. The Benapole port police chief said that Fulu had a number of criminal charges against him, including extortion, and is currently under interrogation at the police station.

Army Spending: Transparency sought
DAILY STAR-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent: Politicians, academicians, civil society members and military officials have underscored the need for more transparency in military affairs, particularly in expenditures, to promote civil-military relations. People know nothing about the military budget and how the money is spent, they said, adding, even lawmakers don’t know about the allocation for the Armed Force Division (AFD) in the new budget. Speaking at the inaugural session of a two-day workshop on "Civil-Military Relations: Trust Building" at Sheraton Hotel in the city yesterday, the speakers suggested revitalising and redefining the role of ISPR (Inter Services Public Relations).
The ISPR can take proactive steps for more interactions with civilians and improve relations with them, they added. The Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) organised the workshop with the support of the Defence Institute Reform Initiative (DIRI), the USA.
Speaking as the chief guest, lawmaker and chairman of parliamentary standing committee on defence ministry M Idris Ali termed the military spending a "black hole". "The defence allocation is more than $1 billion, but people don’t know what happens with the money. There should be transparency about whatever takes place in the area of military," Idris, also a former defence secretary, said.
He added the draft defence policy has been sent to the AFD to incorporate opinions. "There are many ideas that may be included in the policy, one of which is creating a national service body under which youths aged between 18 and 35 will be given military and other training to serve the country," he said.
"Much of the routine activities of Bangladesh military are shrouded in secrecy away from the public. There is no discussion about how the money will be spent," Registrar of BRAC University Air Commodore Ishtiaq Ilahi Choudhury said in his presentation on "Improving Military’s Ability to Relate with Civil Society in Bangladesh". He said healthy civil-military relations based on mutual respect and understanding is important for building a democratic society. "A strictly apolitical military institution acts as a pillar of democracy rather than a threat to it," he observed. In his presentation styled "Identifying and Promoting Common Goals to Build Confidence and Trust in Civil-Military Relations in Bangladesh", Prof Syed Anwar Husain of Dhaka University highlighted different phases and topsy-turvy in civil-military relations since independence. He explained the issue of politicisation of military from 1972 to 1990 and militarisation of politics between 1975 and 1990 and the civil-military relations in post-Ershad era. "Over the four decades Bangladesh has had both the worst and hopeful times in the relationship and the responsibility, for which devolves on both the civil and military segments of the society," he said. "Burying the past civil-military relations needs to be forward-looking and the necessary changes of mindset involving both sides are in order to keep pace with the fast changing times," said Prof Anwar. Ambassador Harun-or Rashid also raised the issue of military spending. He said people want to know what the military do in peace time. Prof Shahiduzzaman, Prof Amena Mohsin, former army chief Lt Gen Mabbubur Rahman, Chief Information Commissioner Mohammad Zamir, Chief General of Staff Lt Gen Md Mainul Islam and Editor of New Nation Mostafa Kamal Majumder also addressed the workshop presided over by Chairman of BIISS Board of Directors Maj Gen Muhammed Firdous Mian.

Vested quarters out to create instability in country: Hasina
DAILY STAR-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday alleged that some vested quarters are plotting to create instability in the country to foil the government’s programmes for development. Addressing the inauguration ceremony of construction work on Jatrabari-Gulistan flyover at Golapbag play ground at Syedabad, the Prime Minister said the evil quarters do not want people of Bangladesh get rid of poverty, hunger and illiteracy.
She was highly critical of the past BNP-Jamaat alliance government for not taking steps to implement the Jatrabari flyover project during its regime though the survey work of the project was completed in 2000. Hasina said if the BNP-Jamaat government would continue development works initiated by the past Awami League government, the country’s people would not be facing the present crises in various sectors including power and energy. Instead of working for people’s development, the four-party alliance government remained busy with amassing huge amounts of money through corruption and looting public money and property. She termed the past BNP-Jamaat government as “ineligible” and said due to its corruption and irregularities, Bangladesh’s development had come to a standstill. Now when a government has been voted to power, some vested quarters have become active to foil the government’s initiatives for improving the living standards of the people, Hasina said. “We want people to become free from illiteracy, malnutrition and poverty. But the anti-people quarters do not want to let us to implement the projects,” she said. But, Hasina said, the government is not afraid of any conspiracy, it is firmly committed to continuing its development works. “People have voted us to power and we will continue to give our best efforts to bring peace and prosperity in people’s lives,” she said

Chittagong: New city Mayor wants predecessor as advisor
DAILY STAR-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent: Mayor-elect of Chittagong City Corporation Manjur Alam visited his predecessor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury yesterday morning and expressed his wish to make him his adviser. Mohiuddin received him when Manjur arrived at his Chasma Hill home around 10:20am. During the 50-minute meeting, Manjur sought cooperation of the former CCC mayor in development work of the port city. Manjur told reporters after the meeting that Mohiuddin assured his all out support. Manjur said he has intention to make Mohiuddin his adviser for CCC activities. "He is like my elder brother and my respect for him is eternal. I worked with him closely for a long time. He was CCC mayor for 17 years and has huge experience which I need most," said Manjur. "Earlier, I sought his [Mohiuddin’s] support through the media and I came here myself today to seek his cooperation," said Manjur. "We discussed a lot about the future plans and development work of the corporation," he added.
Mohiuddin, however, did not appear before journalists. His son Chowdhury Mohibul Hasan Nouphel said the two leaders shared experience and exchanged views on development projects of the CCC

BNP readies for June 27 Hartal
DAILY STAR-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent: BNP and its front and associate organisations have been preparing to make the June-27 dawn-to-dusk hartal successful. The party’s alliance partners have expressed their solidarity with the programme and said that they would also be active on the streets on that day.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia called the hartal on a number of issues like ensuring supply of gas, electricity and water, and stopping extortion, tender manipulation and land grabbing by ruling party activists, and scrapping the "anti-national" deals signed with India. There will be mass contact, small processions and distribution of leaflets and pasting of posters at different places of the capital in support of the hartal, the first since the current government assumed power.
Senior leaders of BNP yesterday held a preparatory meeting with BNP leaders of Dhaka district unit and adjacent areas. All presidents and general secretaries of all units and former MP candidates under Dhaka district sat with the party’s standing committee members yesterday at the chairperson’s Gulshan office.
Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain chaired the meeting and presidents and general secretaries of Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Gazipur, Manikganj and Munshiganj districts were present. Abdul Moyeen Khan, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Prof MA Mannan, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amanullah Aman, Khairul Kabir Kokhon and Abdus Salam were also present. Earlier, Khaleda Zia herself sat with leaders of like-minded parties including Jamaat-e-Islami. Following the meeting Jamaat expressed their support for the hartal

New faces for CTG AL in a week likely
DAILY STAR-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent: The ruling Awami League may soon announce a new committee for its Chittagong city unit, bringing in a fresh leadership to replace ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury at the helm. AL Organising Secretary Ahmed Hossain, who looks after the party’s Chittagong division affairs, yesterday said, "We are on the final stage of reconstituting the committee." Aminul Islam Amin, another central leader, said, "The committee may be formed within a week." Meanwhile, party insiders said president and general secretary might be chosen from Dr Afsarul Amin, Nurul Islam Bsc, MA Salam, Ibrahim Hossain Babul and AJM Nasir. Some sources close to the reconstruction move said it is quite certain that Nasir would be made general secretary. Though Afsarul Amin’s name is coming up more than others, the central is still not sure who should be the president. Currently, Mohiuddin is president and Enamul Haque Danu general secretary of the port city AL.
Mohiuddin, who had been the city mayor for 17 years, suffered a heavy defeat in the June 17 polls, prompting the ruling party high command to consider reconstituting the committee. The ex-mayor might be placed at the central advisory council. AL high-ups believe apart from other reasons, internal feud in the Chittagong city unit has contributed to the polls debacle. Over the years, Mohiuddin had created a distance with most of the leaders there and paid dearly for that in the election. Talking to The Daily Star, Nurul Islam said the committee must be reconstituted with leaders having clean image and those who can resolve the internal feud. Replying to a query, he said, "I’m not interested to be a candidate. If the party gives me any responsibilities, I’ll carry those out."
AJM Nasir said, “Only a new committee can turn around the anti-Awami League sentiment that pervades the port city in the wake of the election.” The present committee was formed on June 26, 2006. Mohiuddin and Danu were supposed to declare names of the remaining committee members within a month. Though four years have gone since then, the city AL has yet to have a full 71-member committee.

CITY AL MEETS
In a late development, Chittagong city AL last night said four lawmakers and some leaders had worked against Mohiuddin so they can press for changes in the port city AL leadership. Briefing reporters after an extended meeting at the ex-mayor’s residence, city AL General Secretary Enamul Haque Danu said they would recommend the high command expel the leaders who had campaigned against the party candidate. The two-and-half-hour meeting started at 7:00pm with Mohiuddin in the chair. At least 13 leaders of the city unit were present as the ward-level leaders submitted reports identifying causes behind Mohiuddin’s defeat in the polls.

BNP leader calls for unity of Nationalist, Islamic forces
NEW NATION-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent: Staff Reporter: BNP standing committee member and former minister MK Anowar MP yesterday said the now country is divided in two platforms and the ruling alliance is in the platform of imperialism and communalism. Addressing as chief at a roundtable discussion in the National Press Club in the city, the veteran leader stressed on the need for unity among the nationalist and Islamic forces of the country to form a strong movement against the government. He said that the conspiracy of home and aboard is going on to damage the country’s sovereignty to identify the country as failed state. Bangladesh National Awami Party (Bangladesh NAP) organised the roundtable on ‘Background of Palashi: Freedom of Newspapers and Media and Situation of Present Bangladesh’ marking the 253rd anniversary of historical Palashi Day. Presided over by NAP chairman Jebel Rahman Gani, the programme was addressed, among others, by assistant secretary of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Abdul Kader Mollah, president of Jatiya Gonotantrik Party (Jagpa) Shafiul Alam Prodhan, chairman of National People’s Party Sheikh Shawkat Hossain Nilu, general secretary of Bangladesh Jatiya Party Abu Naser Md Rahmatullah, NAB general secretary M Gulam Mostafa Bhuiyan and BNP central leader Khaleda Yeasmin. Kader Mollah said that the present government is the agent of imperialism and communalism and it busy to implement of their agenda. The sovereignty of the country is not safe in the hands of the government, he added. Shafiul Alam Prodhan said that government wants to give corridor to India in the name of Asian Highway. Terming that it would be a negative for the country, he called upon all to form strong movement against the government’s move of such country’s anti-interest

Transit through Ashugonj likely in Sept
[KALER KONTHO-TRANSLATION-23-06-10-(Back Page)]-Faruk Mehedi: It is known that initiative is being taken to provide transit for transporting heavy consignments of power generation equipment to the power plant in India. It has been decided that in the first phase of this project, India will carry heavy equipment to the power plant through Ashuganj as port of call. Later this route would be used as normal transit. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry has asked other concerned Ministries to take necessary steps including land requisition for 31-km stretch Ashugonj-Sultanpur road and bypass, building Bailey bridge and Railway Signal Points. The NBR and the Foreign Ministry sources said the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has set rules for transshipment and transit of goods from neighboring countries. The President of the Bangladesh-India Chambers of Commerce and Industries (BICCI) Abdul Matlub Ahmad has welcomed this decision of starting transit activities. In this regard he said we would be able to earn huge revenue if India carries goods through Bangladesh. In addition, we may earn US$1.2bn in year by expanding our service sector. As we have opportunity we should work on it, he added. The BD government has declared Ashugonj Port as port of call in the Joint Communiqué signed with India. On May 31, the two countries amended the ‘Protocol on Inland Water Transit and Trade (PIWTT)’ and added Ashuganj as the fifth port of call in Bangladesh, while in a reciprocal gesture, India declared Shilghat as a port of call for Bangladesh goods on the Indian side. So, an opportunity has been created to transit goods at commercial basis. In that case, there will be no bar to formally open commercial transit of goods in September.

Phensidyl, Marijuana smuggled coming through Cosba border
[PROHTOM ALO-TRANSLATION-23-06-10-(5th Page)]-Sohrab Hossain, from B’baria: Bangladesh has a 26 km border stretch with B’Baria’s Cosba upazilla. It is known that the Indian nationals at the other side of the Cosba border are cultivating marijuana. This marijuana is later on being smuggled into Bangladesh through various points of the Cosba border. Moreover, phensidyl is being smuggled in to Bangladesh through the same border point. These drug items are later on distributed through out the country including Dhaka. It is known that these items are smuggled through the borders on trucks, motorcycles, trains and passenger buses. The upazilla Chairman Mohammad Monirul informed that the inhabitants of the Indian villages Madhupur & Konaban adjacent to the Cosba border cultivate marijuana. According to him, stopping this cultivation through high level BDR-BSF flag meetings will reduce the smuggling of drug items to a great extent. The Acting OC of the local police has said that the police is active in resisting the smuggling of drugs, but cannot do anything about the cultivation of marijuana at the Indian side.

Trade with India being hindered
[JAI JAI DIN-TRANSLATION-23-06-10-(5th Page)]-Shahab Uddin Sagar: The bilateral trade with India is being hindered despite the positive initiatives of the Bangladesh government and businessmen. Incomplete land ports and undeveloped communication system is the main reason behind this hindrance. As a result the Bangladeshi traders are not being able to do business with the seven northeast states of India. The initiative of the Bangladeshi traders on investing money in order to establishing small hydro-electric power plants by utilizing the water flow in Meghalaya is also being hindered by this lack of infrastructural development. The leaders of the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industries (IBCCI) hope that Bangladesh will be able to double its US $ 500 million export trade with India, if it makes necessary infrastructural development. They expect both countries to be cordial in this regard.  According to the IBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmed, in order to enhance investment by transporting products to Guwahati, Kolkata, Tripura & Meghalaya the land ports must be activated. ‘The visa management system should also be eased’ he added. He also suggested establishing a direct bus service with Meghalaya.    

Strike hits Benapole Port for over 2 hours
DAILY STAR-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent: Export-import trade between Bangladesh and India through Benapole land port came to a halt yesterday for two and a half hours due to a strike protesting arrest of a truck driver. District Truck Workers’ Co-ordination Council enforced the strike demanding release of Bangladeshi truck driver Rubel Hossain. Benapole Customs Cargo Superintendent Tauhid Haldar said on June 14, Rubel entered Indian Petrapole port with a goods laden truck. But the truck remained stranded at the port till June 19 as the Indian C&F agent did not submit the essential papers to customs office timely. At this a team of Kolkata customs arrested Rubel from the Petrapole border and handed him to police. Several meetings were held between Bangladeshi Truck Workers’ Co-ordination Council and Indian Customs authorities to solve the matter but to no effect.  Yesterday, the council halted its activities from 12:00pm to 2:30pm as the discussion failed between the two sides. Benapole truck workers’ union general secretary Shahin Hossain said they will call for an indefinite strike at the port if the Indian authorities do not free Rubel by 11:00 am today

Non –Basmati rice soon from India
DAILY STAR-(23-06-10)-Staff Correspondent, Delhi: India will supply 50,000 tonnes of non-basmati parboiled rice to Bangladesh. The government-owned State Trading Corporation (STC) has invited expression of interest (EoI) from the suppliers. As per the STC conditions, the suppliers will have to procure levy-free rice from all markets across the country at a rate close to the Minimum Support Price (MSP) paid to farmers.

Top priority to signing Teesta water accord: Minister
[JAI JAI DIN-TRANSLATION-23-06-10-(15th Page)]-Parliamentary reporter: The Bangladesh Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen said during the parliamentary session yesterday that the government is giving significance on signing an agreement with India on the water sharing of the common river Teesta. He said while answering a question of an MP. He said that the government is giving top priority in this regard. He said that the meetings between the two countries on the water sharing of Teesta have so far been fruitful.

Mamata honours Hasina’s request on naming new train service
[JAI JAI DIN-TRANSLATION-23-06-10-(Front Page)]-Partha Mukherjee, Kolkata: The Indian Rail Minister Mamata Bannerjee has kept the Bangladesh Prime Minster Sk. Hasina’s request in naming the new Dhaka-Kolkata train service ‘Sonatari’ instead of ‘Epar-Bangla-Opar Bangla’. It is known that Mamata has instructed the officials of the Rail Department to change the name. An intimate source of the Indian Rail Minister told Jai Jai Din yesterday that Mamata Bannerjee has taken the quick decision on changing the name of the train service in order to show respect towards the Bangladesh Prime Minister. According to party sources, Mamata has liked the name given by Sk. Hasina. According to her, the word Sonartari is easy to pronounce and remember. Moreover, it has a message of friendship. According to Anandabazar Sk. Hasina’s letter to Mamata was written both in English and Bangla. It is known that Sk. Hasina had developed close relation with Mamata since her first visit to India as Prime Minister 14 years back. The relation has deepened with time.