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DELHI TARGETS TALPATTI, OFFSHORE OIL
India wants Dhaka's nod on maritime issue
Moinuddin Naser in New York
Though the sudden visit of Indian foreign secretary Shiv Sankar Menon to Bangladesh just at the advent of elections of the Indian Lok Sabha raised a lot of speculations in the media, the diplomatic circles in the United Nations confided to the Holiday that the visit was mainly related to submission of the Indian claim on the South Talpatty to the United Nations. ..[ FULL STORY ]
PRIME MINISTER'S SAUDI VISIT
Hidden agenda got priority
Amanullah Kabir
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina embarked upon a visit to Saudi Arabia, which was purported to be something more than what the PMO and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in their traditional practice disclosed to the media people hanging around as agenda for her much trumpeted talks with King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. It is surprising but not unexpected that her visit was conspicuously preceded by suspension of the process of trial of war criminals...[ FULL STORY ]
BNP announces street programme
Khaleda sends legal notice on Govt.
Special Correspondent
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia Thursday sent the government a legal notice to withdraw within five days the notice it had served her to vacate her Dhaka Cantonment. house.
Khaleda's lawyer Mahbubuddin Khokan sent the notice to the government through courier service and registered post.
The Directorate of Military Land and Cantonment last week served a notice to Begum Zia to vacate her house at 6 Shaheed Mainul Road in the Dhaka cantonment in 15 days...[ FULL STORY ]
MISPLACED PRIORITIES MUST CHANGE
Economic woes aggravate public anger
M. Shahidul Islam
Anger is half emotional and half necessity-driven. The BNP's genuine anger over the present Government's decision to evict Khaleda Zia from her lawfully-owned house comes amidst bubbling mass anger and increasing social unrest all around the country.
The Government can blame anything for the sliding situation, but ardent observers blame the Government's misplaced priorities for the mess in which the nation now finds itself.
They say the mob unrest in the Araihajar area of Narayangonj on April 21 to protest against chronic power outage is the beginning of a new kind of social unrest for which the Government's obsessive preoccupation with partisan politics at a time of festering global recession is responsible.
The outburst of public anger that day was too conspicuous by its prolongation for over seven hours and the reckless attacks on power house, vehicles, police, (injuring at least 25 people, including a police constable) and blocking of roads...[ FULL STORY ]
Jalil's exposé about 'DGFI agents' in AL cabinet raises eyebrows
Faisal Rahim
The nonfunctional Awami League (AL) general secretary Abdul Jalil last week made a sensational disclosure saying the present cabinet has many ministers who were 'paid agents' of the DGFI (Directorate General of Defence Forces Intelligence).
The disclosure came as a bolt from the blue prompting question on the moral standing of the cabinet and level of the credibility of those cabinet ministers now entrusted to deal with sensitive national issues. Jalil made the comment to reporters and all national dailies carried it as the news indicates the growing resentment, squabble and power struggle within the party. ..[ FULL STORY ]
GOVT. GIVES WRONG SIGNAL
25,000 to lose jobs as investors at KEPZ face uncertainty
Special Correspondent
The Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) ordered 14 foreign investors to postpone construction works of their factories at the extended part of the Karnaphuli Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) making $181.2 million investment plans doubtful. As per directive of the BEPZA, the KEPZ has sent a letter to the foreign investors asking them to stop all construction works until further notice.
The Government's order has generated annoyance and mistrust among the investors giving a wrong signal about foreign investments in Bangladesh.
Responding to BEPZA invitation, 14 companies, all labour-intensive and export oriented, specialised in manufacturing footwear and accessories, came up with an investment proposal worth US $181.2 million. The also assured employment opportunities for 25,000 persons and bring a yearly export earning to the tune of $150 million. More investment projects were also envisaged in the successive years...[ FULL STORY ]
MAOIST FEAR IN INDIAN POLLS
Orissa: No voter turned up in eight centres
Shamsuddin Ahmed
It may sound unbelievable. Not a single voter turned up in eight polling stations under the Maoist threat in Malkangiri district alone in Orissa state on the first day of Indian parliamentary elections on April 16.
Elections in phases will continue for one month. Troubles by the ultras are apprehended in areas of Maoist stronghold throughout the election.
Defying all security arrangements Maoists went on the rampage in areas under their control in eastern States of India...[ FULL STORY ]
GLIMPSES OF THE GREAT
Chand Mian
K. Z. Islam
Had Daud Khan Karrani not fallen off his horse while fighting the Mughals in 1573 the history of Bengal may have been different. Daud was actually defeated by the Mughal Emperor Akbar's army led by Munim Khan and while Daud was fleeing the mishap took place not giving Daud a chance to regroup. Taking Daud as a prisoner the Mughal's General Khan Jahan did not show the slightest chivalry and beheaded Daud. Thus ended the life struggle of the illustrious Daud Khan Karrani, the last Afghan King of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. A small consideration was shown to the Karrani family when Sayeed Khan, Daud's nephew was after being married to an Afghan girl from the 'Panni' tribe and granted a Jagir in Atia in Bengal...[ FULL STORY ]
Story of a bOLD girl
Seema is different and determined to rise above others
Abdur Rahman Khan
Seema can not see with her eyes, but feels the world around with better sense and sensibility. She always feels that she is different and can do much better than a normal girl. She is now appearing O-level examination under the British Council. She has already completed her Bengali paper obtaining A-grade marks and taking preparation for the English examination in 2010. She wants to study law and become a lawyer in future...[ FULL STORY ]
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