Manchester, 3 February : Acclaimed photographer Don McCullin poses next to 'A woman and child waiting for medical attention' taken by him in Bangladesh in 1971, at the Imperial War Museum North, Manchester, England.
Imperial War Museum North is staging the largest ever Uk exhibition of work by the Don McCullin and includes his most iconic war images, contemporary landscapes and his personal perspective on more recent events.'Shaped by War: Photographs by Don McCullin' starts on 6 February and runs until 13 June. န Photo : Getty Images

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No 'secret deal' : Sheikh Hasina
BSS, Dhaka, 3 Feb : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday categorically told the Jatiya Sangsad that she did not sign any 'secret deal' with India during her recent visit to the neighbouring country.
While replying to a supplementary from independent lawmaker Fazlul Azim during the prime minister's question-answer session, she refuted the allegation of BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in this regard and asked her (Khaleda) to refrain from giving such 'misleading and false' information in the greater national interest. "If you have any document regarding the so-called secret deal, please make it public. Don't mislead the people by giving such untrue information," she told the BNP leaders including its chairperson.
The PM told the House that the agreements signed with India during her visit to New Delhi was meant for upholding the national interest and spirit of the country's independence and sovereignty as well as the nation's dignity.

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Mixed response on day two of pro-Maoists’ shutdown call
Kolkata, 3 February : The indefinite shutdown called by the Maoist-backed People’s Committee against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) in three West Bengal districts against alleged atrocities by the joint security forces evoked partial response on the second day Wednesday.
The police said the shutdown had an impact in Jhargram and its peripheral areas of West Midnapore district, Barikul and Ranibandh in Bankura district, but Purulia district remained unaffected.

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Wanted ULFA leader could be handed over, hints B'desh
Guwahati, 3 February : Bangladesh on Wednesday hinted at handing over a top jailed Indian separatist leader, but wanted New Delhi to reciprocate by deporting some of its wanted terrorists allegedly hiding in India.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Tariq Ahmed Karim said this in response to questions at a press conference here on whether Dhaka would hand over jailed ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia, arrested in Bangladesh in 1997.

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B'desh replacing China as major exporter of cheap RMG

Chittagong, 3 February : The RMG exporters said that Bangladesh is gradually replacing China as a major exporter of cheap readymade garment as the developed countries are yet to recover from the global recession.
"The country's RMG sector was mostly dependent on the buyers from America and the European countries. But our market is now expanding to Japan and other countries. They are showing more interest on our cheap garments," BGMEA first vice president Nasir Uddin told the media. He said, the economic recession could not harm our RMG export so much as was feared because the recession compelled the buyers to opt for cheaper garments from countries like Bangladesh instead of China.
The BGMEA leaders were addressing a press conference at a hotel in the city on the occasion of Chittagong Apparel, Fabrics & Accessories Exposition (CAPAXPO) 2010.

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Hasina inaugurates Biman Bangladesh Airlines's new logo
UNB, Dhaka, 3 February : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday ordered stern actions to stop all corruption and irregularities in Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited.
“You have to curb all sorts of corruption and irregularities with an iron hand,” she said in her clear direction for the authorities concerned, as the national flag carrier is now poised for a fresh takeoff with a new look. The prime minister issued the directive while inaugurating a new logo and livery of the recently-converted aviation company, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited, at the VVIP Terminal of Zia International Airport.

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West Bengal's Power minister

Mrinal Banerjee passed away
Kolkata, 3 February : West Bengal's Power and Non-Conventional Energy Minister and senior CPI(M) leader Mrinal Banerjee died of colon cancer at a private hospital here Wednesday. He was 72.
Banerjee, who was an electrical engineer and a former employee of Durgapur Steel Plant, had been ailing for the past few years. He was admitted to the AMRI Hospital in southern Kolkata last Thursday and put on ventilator. He died at 12.55 pm Wednesday. He is survived by his wife.
Banerjee, state vice-president of the CPI(M)'s labour wing CITU, earlier also held the labour portfolio in the cabinet. But he was relieved of the charge due to his ailment. He was a state legislator from Durgapur-1 constituency in Burdwan district.

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NABARD meeting on Sundarban rainwater harvesting held

Kolkata, 3 February : National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) organized a colloquium on Monday to discuss a unique experiment on rainwater harvesting in Sunderban.
The colloquium were attended by P V S Surya Kumar, General Manager, NABARD; S P Sinha Ray, Ex-Member Secretary, Central Ground Water Board; A N Chakraborty, Technical Advisor, Finance Department, Govt of West Bengal; A Chattaraj, Sunderban Development Board;.N J Moitra, Programme Coordinator, KVK, Nimpith and Shubhra Sen, World Wide Fund for Nature.
Speaking on the occasion, general manager Kumar said NABARD had organized this colloquium to help, co-evolve and refine this technique and disseminate the same, so as to bring it to the doorsteps of those who need it. He also said that Sunderban Development Board, Central Groundwater Board, Nimpith KVK and WWF are also working to manage and rejuvenate water resources in the Sunderban area.
The technique was accepted and it was understood that while testing and experimentation will continue, government as well as other organizations would work towards up scaling the project coverage in Sunderban.

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CPIM Politbureau meeting begins, followed by CC meeting

Kolkata, 3 February : The Politbureau meeting of the CPI(M) has begun in Kolkata on Wednesday morning. The meeting will be followed by three days Central Committee meeting from Thursday.
The highest policy making body of the CPI(M) is discussed on the current political situation in the country. The Politbureau will also chalk out strategies to strengthen Left movements particularly in West Bengal in view of erosion of their base in the state in last Lok Sabha and Municipal election. The party's General Secretary, Mr. Prakash Karat, Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Tripura and Kerala and other top brass were attending the meeting.

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Fire in operation theatre of Kolkata's SSKM hospital
Kolkata, 3 February : A fire broke out in an operation theatre of West Bengal's largest state-run super-speciality SSKM hospital here Wednesday morning. There were, however, no casualties.
Panic gripped patients and their families in the gynaecology ward after smoke billowed out of the operation theatre on the second floor of the department at about 9.20am. Two fire tenders rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control after 15 minutes, police said. An electrical short circuit is suspected to be the cause of the fire. SSKM hospital is the state's only referral hospital.

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Tenders for nine Bangladesh power plants likely this month

Dhaka, 3 February : Under a mega plan to bring Bangladesh to a zero load-shedding level from present nagging crisis, the government is likely to invite tenders within the current month to set up more than nine power plants having a total capacity of about 4,000 mw, reports UNB.
The proposed plants include Meghnaghat 300-450 mw phase-2 (dual fuel), Meghnaghat 300-450 mw phase-3 (dual fuel), Meghnaghat 500-650 mw phase-4 (coal-fired), Bhola 150-225 mw (gas-fired), Savar 100-150 mw (dual-fuel), Kaliakoir 100-150 mw (dual-fuel), Chittagong 1000-1300 mw (coal-fired), Mongla 1000-1300 mw (coal-fired) and Jajira 500-650 mw (coal-fired).
As Bangladesh has been experiencing severe gas crisis, only one of these plants will be gas-fired, four will be dual-fuel and the other four will be coal-fired plants. According to official sources, all these power plants will be set up in private sector or under the public private partnership (PPP) as independent power producer (IPP) plants.

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BSNL announces rent free landline on Broadband Service
Kolkata, 3 February : India’s National Telecom Backbone and largest Broadband and telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) today announced exciting “Broadband Benefit Bonanza for new and existing subscribers in Kolkata Telecom circle.
BSNL offers Free Installation and Activation of new landline with Rent free modem for 24 month for its Postpaid Broadband connection. While the operator also offers Rent Free Landline connection on subscription of its Prepaid Broadband service.

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West Bengal tops vasectomy chart in India : NRHM's report

Luxmikantapur, Kolkata, 3 February : West Bengal has this year acquired the top position in implementation of vasectomy by providing regular incentive to BPL enlisted males for undergoing the preventive surgery, said a report of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
"Last year, the state was second in the all India chart of success ratio of vasectomy performance," said Dr. Ashok Kandari, BMOH, Mandirbazar in South 24-Parganas district,on Tuesday. He was addressing an interactive seminar of rural couples, health workers and NGOs on NRHM and Janani Suraksha Yojana at Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign.
Since its introduction in West Bengal in April 2005, NRHM has proved quite successful in staming reproduction mortality of women and newly borns. Mothers belonging to the BPL category are provided special grants of Rs.500 each till reproduction of two children for their nutritional intake while carrying the baby provided they visit the nearest government facility thrice in the expecting stage, Kandari said.

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4 health dept vehicles torched during PCPR shutdown
Jhargram, 3 February : Four vehicles belonging to the West Bengal health department were set ablaze in the Jhargram sub-division of West Midnapore lastnight as the indefinite shutdown by the Maoist-backed organisation began in the Maoist pockets of the district.
Police said four sport utility vehicles (SUV), which ferried women from nearby villages to Manikpara rural health centre for a family planning programme were torched while returning after dropping the women home. The drivers and helpers were forced to stop by ten armed motorcyclists, believed to be members of the People's Committee Against Police Atrocities, asked to get down and the empty vehicles then set ablaze, police said.

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