Bangladeshi peacekeepers are facing abroad...

Bangladeshi officer to lead
UN's Ivory Coast mission
Dhaka, 25 December : The United Nations is going to appoint a Bangladeshi major general as the force commander of its peacekeeping mission in Ivory Coast.
Chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on defence ministry M Idris Ali said this to newsmen at Zia International Airport on his arrival from an official visit to the peacekeeping missions in Ivory Coast and Congo. He also revealed some problems the Bangladeshi peacekeepers are facing abroad, saying the committee would submit recommendations to the government in this regard, reports ATN Bangla.
The recommendations would include taking initiatives to provide the Bangladeshi soldiers with cheap phone call rates for talking to the country and chartering airbus to fly them home during annual vacations.

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Forward trading main cause for high food inflation : Asim D
Kolkata, 25 December : West Bengal Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta Friday said forward trading and relaxation of Essential Commodities Act were the key causes of the current spell of price rise, that has seen India’s annual food inflation top 18 percent.
“During the regime of National Democratic Alliance, when Trinamool Congress was partner, there was a complete relaxation of the Essential Commodities Act. We are trying to bring that in order,” Dasgupta said, talking about the recent food price rise. “The Union finance minister (Pranab Mukherjee) is fully aware about what is happening. He is fully aware what is going on in forward trading,” he told reporters on the margins of a trade fair organised by the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. His comments came after Mukherjee said state governments should ensure subsidised food grain was given via effective public distribution system, while taking effective steps against hoarding of bring down food inflation.
Dasgupta said that there was a need for full co-ordinated action between all the states and the centre. “Our Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had said he has written to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.”

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Tripura governor Dnyandeo Y Patil to take Rs1 salary

Agartala, 25 December : Tripura Governor Dnyandeo Yashwantrao Patil has announced he will take Re.1 as his monthly salary instead of Rs 110,000, an official said in Agartala.
"According to the governors' emoluments, allowances and (privilege) act, 1982, the emolument to every governor is Rs 110,000 per month," a Raj Bhavan official told Bengal Newz, not wishing to be identified. He said, "On assumption of the charge of governor of Tripura, Patil has decided to accept payment of Re 1 per month as his emolument."
Patil (74), took his oath as Tripura's 12th governor on 27 November. The Maharashtra educationist, who has been awarded a Padma Shri and has founded several educational and health institutions in Maharashtra, replaced Dr Kamla Beniwal, the first woman governor of this northeastern state. န Photo : Parthajit Dutta

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India Trade Fair in Bangladesh in February next year
PTI, Dhaka, 25 December : Seeking to attract investment from India and Indian manufacturers eyeing the growing Bangladesh market, India Trade Fair 2010 will be held here between 25 and 27 February.
Abdul Matlub Ahmed, President of India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI), which is organising the event in cooperation with Indian High Commission here, said a large number of Indian and Bangladeshi companies will exhibit their products in 79 stalls and 16 pavilions in the Fair. "We are expecting a large participation from India as many of Indian companies have trade links with Bangladesh and many have already established joint venture companies here," he said.
Ahmed said the Fair will showcase Bangladesh's "success" stories and the potential areas where Indian investors might be interested in.

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B'desh President Zillur Rahman holds Christmas reception

UNB, Dhaka, 25 December : Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman on Friday hosted a reception for members of Christian community at Bangabhaban on the occasion of the holy Christmas.
Archbishop Paulinus Costa, diplomats of different countries, distinguished persons of Christian community, religious leaders and professionals joined the reception. The president welcomed the guests and exchanged greetings with them. A decorated Christmas tree was set up while a group of young singers of the community sang Christmas carol during the reception. Later, President Zillur Rahman cut a 40kg Christmas cake with the members of the Christian communities. A Santa Clause was roaming around and distributed chocolates among the children.
State Minister for Religious Affairs M Shahjahan Miah and State Minister for Cultural Affairs Promode Mankin were present on the occasion. န Photo: Firoz Ahmed

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CAB forms panel to investigate Eden's light fiasco
Kolkata, 25 December : Embarrased over the power failure in one of the floodlit towers at the Eden Gardens here during the fourth ODI between Indian and Sri Lanka, the Cricket Association of Bengal has consituted a seven-member panel to inquire into the incident.
The seven-member committee which includes Kolkata police commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakrabarti, deputy commisioner of Detective Department Javed Shamim, former CAB joint secretary Chitrak Mitra, Sadhan Mukherjee, Dilip Sen, S Biswas and P K Mullick will look into the black-out incident which plunged the stadium into near darkness after floodlits at the High Court end went off for nearly 26 minutes yesterday with just four balls remanining in the Sri Lankan innings.

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Bangladesh clock goes back 1-hr on '31 December' night

Dhaka, 25 December : The Bangladesh government yesterday decided to put the clock back by one hour on 31 December midnight and the new time will continue until 31 March, 2010 midnight.
The decision came at a cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's Office last night. The government will advance again the Bangladesh Standard Time by one hour on 31 March next year by enforcing the Daylight Saving Time (DST) for seven months. It will continue till 31 October until further notice. Earlier on 2 June, the cabinet approved DST proposal by pushing forward the clock an hour which came into effect from 19 June to better utilise daylight and save electricity.
PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said, with the introduction of DST since June 19, around 200-megawatt electricity was saved.

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