Feni, Dhaka, 18 April : The BDR Special Court-3 in Feni today sentenced 57 out of 62 mutiny accused jawans of 19 Rifles Battalion to different terms in prison. The rest five were acquitted of the allegation.
It was the third judgment given in connection with the last year's BDR mutiny. The chairman of the court, BDR Director General Maj Gen Moinul Islam delivered the verdict. In addition to jail terms, the court also fined each convict Tk 100. They will serve the sentences in civil jails. The judgment has been delivered following the BDR law. The court started its proceedings around 1:45pm(BDST). BDR DG Moinul Islam read out the orders of punishment to each of the convicts separately. He noted the accused were provided with all types of legal aid.Before announcing the verdict the court chairman said all witnesses and evidence confirmed that BDR mutiny took place in 19 Rifles Battalion.The chairman said this is a remarkable day in the history of 19 Rifles Battalion in Feni. READ BBC STORY
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Pro-Maoist outfit protest anti-Maoist 'Operation Green Hunt'
Salboni, 18 April : The Maoist-backed People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) observed a 'Black Day' in West Midnapore District's Salboni village to protest the anti-Maoist 'Operation Green Hunt' launched against them by the Central Government.
A large number of activists shouting slogans, waving black flags and wearing black rosettes participated in the protest march on Sunday. "Today, our protest is against non-development in these areas. Is it correct to stop our agitation by pressurizing us by using force," said PCAPA leader Dilbodh Mahato.
Salboni, 18 April : The Maoist-backed People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) observed a 'Black Day' in West Midnapore District's Salboni village to protest the anti-Maoist 'Operation Green Hunt' launched against them by the Central Government.
A large number of activists shouting slogans, waving black flags and wearing black rosettes participated in the protest march on Sunday. "Today, our protest is against non-development in these areas. Is it correct to stop our agitation by pressurizing us by using force," said PCAPA leader Dilbodh Mahato.
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Ten Maoist cadre arrested, arms and ammunition seized
Midnapore, 18 April : Ten Maoist cadre were arrested and a large cache of arms and ammunition were seized from Maoist-hit Lalgarh and adjoining areas of West Midnapore district, the police said today.
"The Maoist cadre were arrested from Brindabanpur, Sirshi in Jhargram and Bhalukbasa in Goaltore during raids in the past three days in the forests," Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma said at press conference here. Fourteen single-barrel guns, four double-barrel guns, eight pistols, gelatine sticks, detonators, explosives and Maoist literature were seized from several places, he said.
Midnapore, 18 April : Ten Maoist cadre were arrested and a large cache of arms and ammunition were seized from Maoist-hit Lalgarh and adjoining areas of West Midnapore district, the police said today.
"The Maoist cadre were arrested from Brindabanpur, Sirshi in Jhargram and Bhalukbasa in Goaltore during raids in the past three days in the forests," Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma said at press conference here. Fourteen single-barrel guns, four double-barrel guns, eight pistols, gelatine sticks, detonators, explosives and Maoist literature were seized from several places, he said.
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Bangladesh moves up economic liberty index : Wall Street
Kolkata, Dhaka,18 April : Bangladesh has made significant strides in the Index of Economic Freedom world rankings, making its economy the 137th freest in the world.In the ranking, the country's overall score was 51.1, which is 3.6 points higher than that of the last year, according to the report jointly prepared by USA-based think tank Heritage Foundation and the Wall Street Journal. In the Asia-Pacific region Bangladesh has been ranked 29th out of 41 countries. “The gains reflect Bangladesh's improvements in trade freedom and investment freedom,” according to the report.
In the index, the country for the first time graduated itself from the 'Repressed' category to the category of 'Mostly Unfree' countries. Praising the country's performance in last five years, the report said, “Bangladesh has enjoyed impressive economic growth of around 6% per year over the past five years driven mainly by its limited but growing services and industrial sectors.”
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At least 11 died in road crash on way to Khulna BNP rally
Khulna, 18 April : At least 11 people were killed and 35 others injured as a bus bound for a BNP rally in Khulna collided head-on with a truck on Lata Bridge bypass road in Dumuria upazila around 12:10pm(BDST) on Sunday.
The truck collided with the bus carrying the party leaders and workers from Lohagara upazila in Narail. Nine people died on the spot and two others succumbed to their injuries at Khulna Medical College Hospital.
Khulna, 18 April : At least 11 people were killed and 35 others injured as a bus bound for a BNP rally in Khulna collided head-on with a truck on Lata Bridge bypass road in Dumuria upazila around 12:10pm(BDST) on Sunday.
The truck collided with the bus carrying the party leaders and workers from Lohagara upazila in Narail. Nine people died on the spot and two others succumbed to their injuries at Khulna Medical College Hospital.
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Bumper wheat production in FaridpurUNB, Faridpur, 18 April : Farmers have achieved bumper production of wheat in the current season in the district due to favourable weather.
Department of Agricultural Extension sources said this year per hectare wheat production was 2.76 mts against 2.55 mts in the previous season.
Various high yielding varieties of wheat - Pratibha, Shourav, Shatabdi, Kanchan, Pradip, Bioyl - have been cultivated this season. Of those, Shatabdi variety was cultivated on about 70 per cent land. DAE sources said some 73,393 mts wheat have been produced this season cultivating 26,628 hectares of land. Siraj Miah, a farmer of Boalmari uapzila, said he cultivated wheat on five bighas of land and got good production.
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Uranium hunt bid in Meghalaya national park raises storm
Guwahati, 18 April : A bid to de-notify a part of a sacred national park with a perceived Ramayana connection to facilitate uranium exploration has incensed tribal groups in Meghalaya.
The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has asked the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to de-notify 8 sq km inside the 400 sq km Balpakram National Park (BNP) in Meghalaya’s South Garo Hills. The area falls on the ecologically fragile Rongcheng Plateau. The Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) under MoEF had in a meeting on 12 December 2008 discussed DAE’s proposal for exploratory uranium mining in BNP.
Guwahati, 18 April : A bid to de-notify a part of a sacred national park with a perceived Ramayana connection to facilitate uranium exploration has incensed tribal groups in Meghalaya.
The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has asked the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to de-notify 8 sq km inside the 400 sq km Balpakram National Park (BNP) in Meghalaya’s South Garo Hills. The area falls on the ecologically fragile Rongcheng Plateau. The Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) under MoEF had in a meeting on 12 December 2008 discussed DAE’s proposal for exploratory uranium mining in BNP.
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Herd of Elephants stray in Durgapur Chemicals Township
Durgapur, 18 April : A herd of seven elephants strayed into the Durgapur Chemicals township from the Bankura forests on Saturday morning after crossing the Damodar river.
Although no casualties were reported, the elephants destroyed farmland and mud houses. Forest officials and villagers burst crackers and chased away the herd, which entered a jungle near the bungalow of the Durgapur Chemicals managing director.
Durgapur, 18 April : A herd of seven elephants strayed into the Durgapur Chemicals township from the Bankura forests on Saturday morning after crossing the Damodar river.
Although no casualties were reported, the elephants destroyed farmland and mud houses. Forest officials and villagers burst crackers and chased away the herd, which entered a jungle near the bungalow of the Durgapur Chemicals managing director.
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Siliguri women learn embroidery skills for self-employment
ANI, Siliguri, 18 April : The Ministry of Textiles, Government of West Bengal, has started the programme to impart training to 30 skilled women of Putimari village of Siliguri.The Ministry of Textiles came up with such a program where the women of the village got a chance to make them self-employed. The products they are making are mostly pillow cover, dress materials, kurtas (traditional Indian attire) and bed sheets. After getting trained these women will form a cooperative in the village where they will make the same things in large scale to sell in the market.
“We train women from the villages who are above 18 years of age because women in India have always been pushed back. Women can’t go out of their homes and work, as they are not strong enough. So, the Ministry of Textiles decided to train them so that their creativity comes out. The ministry also helps them to sell their products in the crafts fair all over India,” said Sahana Dey Chatterjee, designer of eastern region, Ministry Of Textile And Handicrafts, Government Of India.These women used to stay back at their home doing up the homely work that most of the ladies are imparted with. “We live in a village and don’t get anything, we live too far from the city. We did not know about these things. We got training and we are really happy. In our future we can do really good work like we can start our own business,” said Bina Das, trainee of the programme.
The women who are taking up the training are very happy to take up such challenge and feel that they are no longer behind the male counterpart of the family.
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