PTI, Kolkata, 9 April : IAF's Kalaikunda airbase, in West Midnapore district, has become very important due to regular joint exercises with foreign air forces, Officer Commanding in-Chief, Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal K K Nohwar has said."During his interaction with air warriors at Kalaikunda, he said the base had become very important due to regular joint exercises with foreign air forces," a defence release quoting him said here today.
Nohwar, who visited the airbase yesterday and the day before to inspect operational and support facilities there, praised its infrastructure matching international standards and its preparedness.
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This is no time for blame, says Chief Minister Buddhadeb
Maoist problem needs to be tackled collectively : Buddha
New Delhi, 9 April : Within hours of Home Minister P Chidambaram's remark that the "buck stops" at his desk over the Dantewada Maoist massacre, a mollified West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Friday extended his full support to the central government to deal with the Maoists, saying this was not the time for a blame game.
Bhattacharjee said he had discussed the issue of Maoist violence with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and would speak with him again after the prime minister returns from his visit to the US and Brazil. "Until and unless we work collectively, it will be very difficult to deal with Maoist violence," the chief minister told reporters here.
New Delhi, 9 April : Within hours of Home Minister P Chidambaram's remark that the "buck stops" at his desk over the Dantewada Maoist massacre, a mollified West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Friday extended his full support to the central government to deal with the Maoists, saying this was not the time for a blame game.
Bhattacharjee said he had discussed the issue of Maoist violence with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and would speak with him again after the prime minister returns from his visit to the US and Brazil. "Until and unless we work collectively, it will be very difficult to deal with Maoist violence," the chief minister told reporters here.
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Orchestrated campaign to destabilize situation ahead of war crimes trial; “Pahela Baishakh” may be target, say intelligence agentsUNB, Dhaka, 9 April : An orchestrated campaign has been launched to create fright among the public and destabilize the political situation ahead of the trial of the war criminals, foreign and local intelligence sources said.
A western intelligence agency was learnt to have informed the government of possible subversive acts in Bangladesh before the trial of the war criminals begins. Competent sources told UNB that the western agency advised the government to remain on highest alert against possible terrorist acts.A number of Ministers including the Law Minister have been advised to move with caution till the end of April. Local intelligence agencies apprehend terrorist activities at crowded public functions like political or religious gatherings. They feel that untoward incidents might be staged on or before “Pahela Baishakh”, the first day of the Bengali New year, which falls on 14 April.
A meeting of the senior police officers in Dhaka may be held tomorrow to review the situation and take necessary actions. န File Photos : Nashirul Islam
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Dantewada massacre : PC offers to resign, PM rejects
Agencies, New Delhi, 9 April : Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday offered to resign taking full responsibility of the Dantewada Maoist attack in which 76 CRPF jawans were killed. However, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has rejected his offer, says PMO.Earlier on Friday, Chidambaram accepted "full responsibility" for the Dantewada massacre of a CRPF contingent by Maoists and said the "buck stops at my desk"."I have been asked directly or indirectly where the buck stops after the attack. The buck stops at my desk," he said at a CRPF function in New Delhi.
Chidambaram said after his return here from Dantewada in Chattisgarh on Wednesday, a day after the massacre of 75 CRPF men and a state policeman in the Maoist strike, he had given it in writing to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that "I accept full responsibility". He did not go any further, saying, "Let me not elaborate." န Photo : PTI
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Buck stops at my desk for Dantewada massacre: Home Min
PTI, New Delhi, 9 April : Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday accepted "full responsibility" for the Dantewada massacre of a CRPF contingent by Maoists and said the "buck stops at my desk".
"I have been asked directly or indirectly where the buck stops after the attack. The buck stops at my desk," he said at a CRPF function in New Delhi. Chidambaram said after his return here from Dantewada in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday.
PTI, New Delhi, 9 April : Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram on Friday accepted "full responsibility" for the Dantewada massacre of a CRPF contingent by Maoists and said the "buck stops at my desk".
"I have been asked directly or indirectly where the buck stops after the attack. The buck stops at my desk," he said at a CRPF function in New Delhi. Chidambaram said after his return here from Dantewada in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday.
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PCPA's indefinite bandh affects normal life in three districts
Jhargram, 9 April : Normal life was affected in parts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts due to an indefinite bandh called by the Maoist-backed People's Committee against Police Atrocity (PCPA).
Passenger vehicles kept off the roads and shops were closed in Jhargram town, Lalgarh, Belpahari, Binpur, Jambani, Goaltore and Salbani areas of West Midnapore district. Normal life was also affected in Barikul, Raipur areas of Bankura and Bandwan area of Purulia district, police said. The PCPA called the bandh to protest against a police raid on their "health centre" at Mathurapur in Salbani near the district headquarters of Midnapore town.
Jhargram, 9 April : Normal life was affected in parts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts due to an indefinite bandh called by the Maoist-backed People's Committee against Police Atrocity (PCPA).
Passenger vehicles kept off the roads and shops were closed in Jhargram town, Lalgarh, Belpahari, Binpur, Jambani, Goaltore and Salbani areas of West Midnapore district. Normal life was also affected in Barikul, Raipur areas of Bankura and Bandwan area of Purulia district, police said. The PCPA called the bandh to protest against a police raid on their "health centre" at Mathurapur in Salbani near the district headquarters of Midnapore town.
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'Rabindra Bharati' to honour D-Lit to writer Selina Hossain
Kolkata, Dhaka, 9 April : Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata will confer honorary D Lit degree on eminent writer Selina Hossain at a convocation on 8 May in recognition of her contribution to Bangla literature.The convocation will be held on the university campus at Jorasanko in Kolkata. Selina Hossain's writings are included in the syllabus of a number of Indian universities, including Rabindra Bharati, Jadavpore, Burdwan and Guwahati universities.
The writer will also be present as the chief guest at the Ananda Puroskar presentation ceremony in Kolkata later this month.
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Burimari customs station turns into full-fledged land-port
UNB, Lalmonirhat, 9 April : Burimari customs station has been turned into a full-fledged land port with modernization, clearing the way for increased trade on land route with India, China, Nepal and Bhutan.
Under the modernization scheme, a warehouse for goods-laden vehicles has been erected and the customs station expanded fulfilling the longstanding demand of the business community. Bangladesh Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan formally inaugurated the land port today.
Under the modernization scheme, a warehouse for goods-laden vehicles has been erected and the customs station expanded fulfilling the longstanding demand of the business community. Bangladesh Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan formally inaugurated the land port today.
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Women must not be forced to wear veils, It's their personal choice, declares HCDhaka, 9 April : The Bangladesh High Court in a ruling said none can force women, working at public and private educational institutions, to wear veils or cover their heads against their wills.
The court directed the education ministry to ensure the execution of its order. It is their personal choice if they wear scarves or cover their heads, the court said. The HC asked the education secretary to make sure that women are not harassed by their superiors at educational institutions.
The verdict came after a writ petition was filed seeking HC directive following a newspaper report that an upazila education officer of Kurigram insulted a female teacher by making a disgraceful remark in June last year.
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Jet Airways to hike fares by 10-15% in April-June period
PTI, Mumbai, 9 April : India's Jet Airways said on Friday that it will raise fares by 10-15% as early as this month to offset rising jet fuel prices - a decision that possibly stems from confidence about returning passenger demand.
Fares are set to rise by 10-15% in April-June over January-March period, Jet Airways Vice-President (revenue management) Shiv Kumar said. Jet fuel (ATF) prices have been on the rise on the back of crude nearly doubling from last year's level to trade at $86 a barrell level now.
PTI, Mumbai, 9 April : India's Jet Airways said on Friday that it will raise fares by 10-15% as early as this month to offset rising jet fuel prices - a decision that possibly stems from confidence about returning passenger demand.
Fares are set to rise by 10-15% in April-June over January-March period, Jet Airways Vice-President (revenue management) Shiv Kumar said. Jet fuel (ATF) prices have been on the rise on the back of crude nearly doubling from last year's level to trade at $86 a barrell level now.
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US's Obama to show Bangladesh as model of food security
Dhaka, 9 April : The US President Barrack Obama has selected Bangladesh as a model for food security and will present it in the next G-8 summit.In that light, the US will provide Bangladesh with a good portion of the assistance of $100 million pledged for food security of the developing nations, said US Agriculture Attaché David Leishman to Food and Disaster Management Minister Abdur Razzaque at his office. A food ministry official said the decision was taken on the basis that the country showed efficiency in handling food crisis in the periods after the natural disasters. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and agriculture department of the US are working to provide the assistance, said a food ministry press release.
Leishman, the US attaché for Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka, said the food management system in Bangladesh is impressive, but the country takes a lot of time in floating tenders to import food, which discourages other countries to bid.
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3 -day India-Myanmar talks at Arunachal Pradesh ended
PTI, Itanagar, 9 April : The three-day official level talks between Indian and Myanmarese delegation at Tawang ended yesterday, official sources said in Itanagar.
The sources, however, declined to disclose the agenda or outcome of the meeting between the Indian and Myanmarese delegation which was held in Tawang from 5-8 April. The Myanmarese delegation was led by U Myat Ko, DG, General Administration Dept, Ministry of Home Affairs while Naveen Verma, Joint Secretary (North East) in the ministry of Home Affairs led the Indian delegation. Law and order, drug trafficking and other bilateral issued were discussed in the three-days talks, an official on condition of anonymity said.
PTI, Itanagar, 9 April : The three-day official level talks between Indian and Myanmarese delegation at Tawang ended yesterday, official sources said in Itanagar.
The sources, however, declined to disclose the agenda or outcome of the meeting between the Indian and Myanmarese delegation which was held in Tawang from 5-8 April. The Myanmarese delegation was led by U Myat Ko, DG, General Administration Dept, Ministry of Home Affairs while Naveen Verma, Joint Secretary (North East) in the ministry of Home Affairs led the Indian delegation. Law and order, drug trafficking and other bilateral issued were discussed in the three-days talks, an official on condition of anonymity said.
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High potential, low priority : Bane of tea sector in Tripura
Agartala, 9 April : Tripura is categorised as a traditional tea-growing state. Tripura is the fifth largest, among the 14 tea producing states, after Assam, West Bengal, Tamilnadu and Kerala. There is a considerable scope to increase the area under tea plantation. Reminiscence of the past Tea Sector in Tripura is very much important for economic development. Unfortunately, successive governments have neglected the potentiality of this sector. The quality of tea produced in Tripura is good. Green Tea, which is good for health, is a major export item for the state. Lack of professional approach and policies along with socio-political conditions have preventing tea sector to become a major economic activity of the state. Tripura has a history of tea plantations going back to 1916. Tea plantation in Tripura was started under Royal Administration by people of East Bengal unlike Assam where tea-plantation was started by British. Hiracherra Tea Estate at Kailashahar was set up in 1917.Tripura is categorised as a traditional tea-growing state. Tripura is the fifth largest, among the 14 tea producing states, after Assam, West Bengal, Tamilnadu and Kerala. There is a considerable scope to increase the area under tea plantation as well as productivity. န Photo : Reuters
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