This is for the first time a network has brought together diverse organisations from neighbouring countries to work under a common theme of social accountability, said organisers at the launching ceremony of the network at the office of Journalism Training and Research Initiative (JATRI). Funded by World Bank Institute, ANSA is a group of three networks in the East Asia and the Pacific, Africa and South Asia and Globally.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Left) A Headed Oriole, known in Bangla as Holud Pakhi, a common bird of Bengal, alights on a tree branch. Photo was taken from Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka. န Photo : Mustafiz Mamun-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maoists will overthrow Indian state much before 2050 : Kishenji+speaks+to+the+media+before+the+release+of+Indian+police+officer+Atindranath+Dutta_22102009.jpg)
PTI, Kolkata, 7 March : A day after Indian Home Secretary GK Pillai said Maoists had plans to overthrow the Indian state by 2050, top Naxal leader Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji claimed late Saturday night that it would be achieved much before that date."We will overthrow the Indian government much before 2050," Kishenji told PTI from an undisclosed location. He claimed the Maoists had their own army with the help of which it would overthrow the Indian state much before 2050. He said the Maoists had offered a 72-day peace offer and "the question of regrouping does not arise. (Union Home minister P) Chidambaram is trying to divert the attention of the people from the real problem." He said it was for the Centre to act on the peace offer. "We are fully prepared for a long-term revolution against the government and so we don't need any specific time to restructure ourselves."
Reiterating that the repeated offer of talks by the Maoists had been turned down, Kishenji said "we have repeatedly offered talks to the government but it has been turned down." Claiming that innocent people were being killed in the name of tackling Maoists, he said "we are trying to save them from state-sponsored terrorism." န File Photo : AP
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hasina pays homage to Bangabandhu Sk Mujibur RahmanUNB, Dhaka, 7 March : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina placed a floral wreath Sunday morning at the portrait of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman marking the historic 7th March speech.
The prime minister along with her cabinet colleagues and party leaders laid the wreath at the portrait at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in Dhanmondi. Later, other leaders from Awami League and its front organisations also placed floral wreaths paying homage to the Bangabandhu.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exchange of fire goes on between Joint forces and MaoistsKolkata, 7 March : In a face off with Maoists, the joint security forces have engaged the Maoists in gun battle in Bhalukbasa forest area of West Midnapore. The sources said that it is to be believed that the kidnapped headmaster has been kept in the area.
The Joint forces has got tip off from a source that abducted Head master of a school from Bankura district, has been taken to the forest area. The firing sounds have resonated the jungle area. Recently the Maoists have kidnapped by the headmaster and demanded to release their six companions, who are behind the bars.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope for meaningful talks : ULFA's vice chairman P Gogoi 
IANS, Sivasagar, 7 March : A free man after 12 years, outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) founder member and vice chairman Pradip Gogoi is hoping for "meaningful talks" with New Delhi to resolve the conflict in Assam."I am happy to come out of jail after spending long years inside prison. Now I sincerely hope there would be an atmosphere for meaningful talks to resolve the long-drawn conflict in Assam," Gogoi told IANS in an interview at his home in Sivasagar. "If the people of Assam want us to go to Delhi for talks, we would surely go. If they want us to take to arms once again, we would do that as well," the ULFA vice chairman said.
Gogoi was released on bail on Thursday and came out of the Guwahati Central Jail where he had been lodged since his arrest in April 1998 from Kolkata by the West Bengal police. His release comes close on the heels of that of ULFA publicity secretary Mithinga Daimary, who was let off 25 February. He never visited his home after joining the ULFA in 1979. န File Photo : Chinmoy Roy
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BD Launch Labour Asso's strike on 20 Barisal river routesBarisal, 7 March : Water transport strike enforced by Bangladesh Launch Labour Association for an indefinite period began on 20 internal routes of Barisal Sunday morning in protest against the suspension of four staff of a launch.
The association’s joint secretary Ekin Ali Master told that the strike would continue until reinstatement of the staff into their positions, reports a correspondent from Barisal. Launch movement remained suspended on the 20 routes of the district since morning following the strike, a port officer in Barisal said.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indian Navy to build new 'floating dock' at Port BlairPTI, New Delhi, 7 March : The navy is all set to build a strategically important floating dock to enable repair and refit of warships at sea, instead of at shore-based dry docks.
It has issued a request for information (RFI) to global shipbuilders for construction of the dock with 8,000-tonne lift capability at Port Blair, where a major tri-service military command is headquartered.
India already has a floating dock in service at Port Blair and the new facility would augment the capability by 2012-13, officers in the navy said here today. A floating dock of the navy had sunk in November 2002 off Port Blair following flooding of ballast tanks that controlled docking and undocking of warships due to power failure. It was brought afloat and later repaired in Sri Lanka.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
