Dhaka, 12 April : A special court of Bangladesh Rifles on Monday sentenced 50 BDR men to various jail terms and acquitted one of charges in Thakurgaon.BDR Director General Maj Gen Mohammad Mainul Islam delivered the verdict in the BDR mutiny case in Thakurgaon. Two jawans were sentenced to seven years, five to six years, two to five years and six months, five to five years, two to three years, four to two years, three to one year and one month, 14 to six months and 13 to four months. The three-member court also included Lt Colonel Mahfuzur Rahaman and Major Didar Al Latif.
The trial of the case began on 3 February. Charges were brought against the accused for their alleged involvement in the mutiny during the BDR carnage at Pilkhana headquarters on 25-26 February last year. န Photo : Gulf News
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Bangladesh gets sovereign second positive credit rating
BSS, Dhaka, 12 April : Like Standard and Poor’s, another global rating agency, Moody's Investors Service, has assigned sovereign rating of Ba3 to Bangladesh with a stable outlook for the financial sector.
"This is indeed a very positive news for the country as it would help increase both trade and investment," Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman said on Monday. The governor shared the information with the media after inaugurating a workshop on banking and monetary issues for the members of Economic Reporters' Forum at the central bank headquarters. He said Bangladesh's position is on the same row of the Philippines, but higher than Vietnam and Pakistan. India is one step ahead of Bangladesh with a rating of Ba2.
BSS, Dhaka, 12 April : Like Standard and Poor’s, another global rating agency, Moody's Investors Service, has assigned sovereign rating of Ba3 to Bangladesh with a stable outlook for the financial sector.
"This is indeed a very positive news for the country as it would help increase both trade and investment," Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman said on Monday. The governor shared the information with the media after inaugurating a workshop on banking and monetary issues for the members of Economic Reporters' Forum at the central bank headquarters. He said Bangladesh's position is on the same row of the Philippines, but higher than Vietnam and Pakistan. India is one step ahead of Bangladesh with a rating of Ba2.
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Agartala to be 'Solar City'Agartala, 12 April : Aiming at making the state capital a solar city, the Tripura government is preparing a report to make mandatory the use of this alternate form of energy.
"We have decided to make solar energy provision mandatory in buildings to make Agartala a solar city to keep it free from environmental pollution," Tripura Science, Technology and Environment Minister, Joy Gobinda Debroy said. The present building rules would be changed to make use of solar energy mandatory in buildings to reduce dependence on conventional energy and make it environment friendly, he said, adding the rule would be applicable to private, government and commercial buildings. With the Centre suggesting that North-Eastern state capitals would be among 60 cities countrywide to use solar energy, Debroy said, the state government has started preparing a detailed project report and a survey would be undertaken in Agartala in May.
The minister said, there would be relaxations in rules and tax collection to encourage the use of solar energy.
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Armed forces not required to fight Maoists : IAF chief Naik
PTI, Allahabad, 12 April : The Indian Air Force (IAF) chief on Monday said that any decision to use air power to tackle the Maoists must follow a clear strategy to minimise collateral damage and added that it was always ready to face any challenge to the country's internal security."We have the capability to conduct strikes with utmost precision. However, it must be understood that if a 250 kg bomb is dropped at a spot, its impact will be in a radius of at least 800 metres and that may affect many people who may not themselves be insurgents," Air Chief Marshal P V Naik told reporters in Allahabad.
At the same time, he said his personal view was that the armed forces were not required to fight the Maoists.
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B'desh stakes claim over submerged island in Bengal bay
Dhaka, 12 April : Bangladesh has re-asserted its claim over an island, that has submerged in the Bay of Bengal, to bolster its case in a maritime boundary dispute with India.Dhaka says South Talpatti, which India calls New Moore island, was awarded to the erstwhile East Pakistan by the British in 1947. Although the island went under water, Bangladesh, that has just completed a seismic survey, says it will form the basis of the maritime boundary with India. Bangladesh is in dispute with India and eastern neighbour Myanmar and the three have taken their cases to a UN body for arbitration. The boundary dispute has gained importance with prospects of hydro carbon exploration in the upper reaches of the bay.
“Bangladesh, according to the map prepared on the basis of the Radcliff Award, asserts its sovereignty over South Talpatti, a submerged island in the eastern side of the mid-channel of the bordering river of Hariabhanga,” Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes said.
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Murshidabad campus not ready, AMU to begin classes in a few monthsKolkata, 12 April : The Murshidabad campus of the Aligarh Muslim University is likely to begin its classes from July.
The university that has traditionally run the undergraduate and post-graduate courses in English medium, is not considering any change in the medium of instruction, the university authorities said on Monday. “We will symbolically start the campus from July-August and move to our own when it is ready,” said P K Abdul Azis, Vice-Chancellor of AMU, at Kolkata. “We will start with the School of Law and School of Management and also BEd courses from the present academic session. There will be no quota and admission will be based on a written entrance examination that will be held across the country,” Azis added.
He said the university is eager to open its own schools in Murshidabad. “We are not opposed to set up Bengali-medium schools but we have to take permission from the Union HRD ministry,” he added. န File Photo : Moinak Mukherjee
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2 Bangladeshi Navy ships deployed in UN mission 'UNIFIL'
UNB, Dhaka, 12 April : A frigate of Bangladesh Navy, BNS OSMAN, and a large patrol craft, BNS MADHUMATI, left Chittagong Naval Jetty Monday to join UN Mission ’UNIFIL’ (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) in Lebanon.Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan and Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral ZU Ahmed saw off the ships, said an ISPR release. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has personally requested the UN Secretary General during the 59th General Assembly of the United Nations to deploy Bangladesh Navy Ship in UN Peacekeeping Mission. As result of which, two Bangladesh Navy ships are going to participate in the mission.
Though Bangladesh Navy has been participating in UN Mission by her Boat Detachment Unit and Support Vessel from earlier, this is the first time that Bangladesh NavyWar Ships are going to directly participate in UN Peacekeeping Mission.
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Bangla New Year : PM Sheikh Hasina greets Khaleda Zia
UNB, Dhaka, 12 April : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has greeted Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia on the occasion of Bangla New Year 1417.
Prime Minister's greeting card carried by her protocol officer Proloy Zoarder was formally handed over to Khaleda's private secretary ASM Saleh Ahmed at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Khaleda will also send her greeting to Sheikh Hasina today, says the opposition leader's office.
UNB, Dhaka, 12 April : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has greeted Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia on the occasion of Bangla New Year 1417.
Prime Minister's greeting card carried by her protocol officer Proloy Zoarder was formally handed over to Khaleda's private secretary ASM Saleh Ahmed at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. Khaleda will also send her greeting to Sheikh Hasina today, says the opposition leader's office.
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Security beefed up in TripuraAgartala, 12 April : Security has been beefed up in Tripura following an alert issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in the wake of the Maoist attack at Dantewada in Chhattisgarh last week.
Official sources here today said all the security forces in Tripura had been put on high alert while being asked to conduct search and frisking in city areas and Tripura State Rifles (TSR) was instructed to take the lead role in the counter-insurgency campaign. ''We have already intensified counter-insurgency operation with the announcement of election to Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) to be held on May 3 and MHA directives after the Chhattisgarh incident have asked us to be on alert,'' police said.
They said Assam Rifles and CRPF personnel posted in Tripura were on an all-out offensive against militant groups which are a threat to the state's peace and harmony. န File Photo
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Rangpur road accident kills five and injured 25 others
Rangpur, 12 April : At least five people died and 25 others were injured after a bus skidded off the road at Damdama area in Rangpur Sadar Upazila Monday morning.
Police said the accident took place at about 5:30am(BDST) when the driver of a Bhrungamari-bound bus lost control. Four passengers died instantly and the other succumbed to his injuries on way to Rangpur Medical College Hospital.
Rangpur, 12 April : At least five people died and 25 others were injured after a bus skidded off the road at Damdama area in Rangpur Sadar Upazila Monday morning.
Police said the accident took place at about 5:30am(BDST) when the driver of a Bhrungamari-bound bus lost control. Four passengers died instantly and the other succumbed to his injuries on way to Rangpur Medical College Hospital.
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Six die as motorboat capsizes in river Kalabadar in Barisal
Barisal, 12 April : At least six people, including three children and two women, drowned and 15 went missing as a motorboat capsized in the river Kalabadar under Mehendiganj Upazila in Barisal Sunday night.
Mehendiganj police chief Sohrab Ali said five bodies were found trapped inside the trawler but 15 people remained missing since the boat sank around 7:00pm(BDST). Locals said there were about 50 passengers on board the boat going to Jangalia from from Patarhat Steamer Ghat. Most of the passengers were elderly who were returning home after taking old-age allowances from the upazila headquarters. Seventeen passengers managed to swim ashore.
Barisal, 12 April : At least six people, including three children and two women, drowned and 15 went missing as a motorboat capsized in the river Kalabadar under Mehendiganj Upazila in Barisal Sunday night.
Mehendiganj police chief Sohrab Ali said five bodies were found trapped inside the trawler but 15 people remained missing since the boat sank around 7:00pm(BDST). Locals said there were about 50 passengers on board the boat going to Jangalia from from Patarhat Steamer Ghat. Most of the passengers were elderly who were returning home after taking old-age allowances from the upazila headquarters. Seventeen passengers managed to swim ashore.
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