Kolkata, Shantiniketan, 9 May : Festive spirit filled every nook and corner of West Bengal as the 150th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore was celebrated and cultural programmes based on his works were performed.The day, which is known as 'Pochishe Baisakh' (25th of Baisakh), began at the Rabindra Sadan in Kolkata at 6.00am. Hundreds of cultural functions on dance, poetry, songs and dance-dramas from the poet-laureate's works were held at different parts of the state since morning.
An overnight concert, with renditions from well-known as well as upcoming Tagore exponents, was held at the 'Biswa Kabi's (World Poet) ancestral home Jorasanko Thakurbari in north Kolkata to mark the occasion as a practise every year.
At Shantiniketan where the Nobel laureate founded Visva-Bharati University, students and teachers did the rounds singing the poet's songs in a procession known as 'baitalik' in the morning. န Photos : AP, Indrajit Dutta
An overnight concert, with renditions from well-known as well as upcoming Tagore exponents, was held at the 'Biswa Kabi's (World Poet) ancestral home Jorasanko Thakurbari in north Kolkata to mark the occasion as a practise every year.
At Shantiniketan where the Nobel laureate founded Visva-Bharati University, students and teachers did the rounds singing the poet's songs in a procession known as 'baitalik' in the morning. န Photos : AP, Indrajit Dutta
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India destroys records of Bangladesh's 1971 liberation war
Kolkata, 9 May : India has destroyed most of the official records of the war with Pakistan in 1971 that led to the liberation of Bangladesh, leading Indian newspaper The Times of India reported on Sunday.
The destroyed files include those on the creation of the Mukti Bahini, all appreciation and assessments made by the Indian army during the war period, the orders issued to fighting formations, and other sensitive operational details, according to the report published on the front page today. Quoting ‘authoritative army sources’ the report said all records of the period, held at the Eastern Command of the Indian army headquarters in Kolkota were destroyed immediately after the 1971 war. “This had remained secret until now,” the daily claimed.
Kolkata, 9 May : India has destroyed most of the official records of the war with Pakistan in 1971 that led to the liberation of Bangladesh, leading Indian newspaper The Times of India reported on Sunday.
The destroyed files include those on the creation of the Mukti Bahini, all appreciation and assessments made by the Indian army during the war period, the orders issued to fighting formations, and other sensitive operational details, according to the report published on the front page today. Quoting ‘authoritative army sources’ the report said all records of the period, held at the Eastern Command of the Indian army headquarters in Kolkota were destroyed immediately after the 1971 war. “This had remained secret until now,” the daily claimed.
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Rajdhani Express, other trains stranded in West Midnapore
Midnapore, 9 May : Several trains, including the Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, were stranded for hours near here this evening after a tree fell on the tracks close to Godapialsal station in West Midnapore district.
The Rajdhani Express was stopped after it crossed the Midnapore station as the tree fell on the tracks due to a storm, cutting the overhead wire at Bhalukkhunia, sources said. Other stranded trains included Purulia Express, Chakdradharpur Local and a MEMU train, they said.
Midnapore, 9 May : Several trains, including the Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, were stranded for hours near here this evening after a tree fell on the tracks close to Godapialsal station in West Midnapore district.
The Rajdhani Express was stopped after it crossed the Midnapore station as the tree fell on the tracks due to a storm, cutting the overhead wire at Bhalukkhunia, sources said. Other stranded trains included Purulia Express, Chakdradharpur Local and a MEMU train, they said.
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5injured in GJM-GNLF clash at Kalimpong in Darjeeling hill
PTI, Siliguri, 9 May : Five persons were injured when rival supporters of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) clashed at Kalimpong near here, police said today.
IGP (North Bengal) K L Tamta said the clashes occurred at Dambar Chawk in Kalimpong yesterday. "Three persons sustained cuts with two of them belonging to the rival groups, while two others received minor injuries," he said. The trouble started when GJM activists protested after members of the GNLF student-wing pasted posters demanding special status for Darjeeling hills under Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, the officer said.
PTI, Siliguri, 9 May : Five persons were injured when rival supporters of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) and Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) clashed at Kalimpong near here, police said today.
IGP (North Bengal) K L Tamta said the clashes occurred at Dambar Chawk in Kalimpong yesterday. "Three persons sustained cuts with two of them belonging to the rival groups, while two others received minor injuries," he said. The trouble started when GJM activists protested after members of the GNLF student-wing pasted posters demanding special status for Darjeeling hills under Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, the officer said.
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Rumours fuelled mutiny: Outgoing BDR DG Maj Gen Islam
Dhaka, 9 May : Outgoing Director General of Bangladesh Rifles Maj Gen Md Mainul Islam on Sunday said some over-enthusiastic people spread malicious rumours triggering unrest during the 2009 BDR mutiny.
Mainul was addressing a press briefing before handing over the charge to new BDR DG Maj Gen Rafiqul Islam at Pilkhana headquarters auditorium in the morning. Replying to a query about the main reason behind the mutiny, he said the rumours had been made in such a manner that everybody liked to hear those. Maj Gen Md Mainul has been appointed as Chief of General Staff (CGS) of the army and will take over his new responsibilities on Monday.
Dhaka, 9 May : Outgoing Director General of Bangladesh Rifles Maj Gen Md Mainul Islam on Sunday said some over-enthusiastic people spread malicious rumours triggering unrest during the 2009 BDR mutiny.
Mainul was addressing a press briefing before handing over the charge to new BDR DG Maj Gen Rafiqul Islam at Pilkhana headquarters auditorium in the morning. Replying to a query about the main reason behind the mutiny, he said the rumours had been made in such a manner that everybody liked to hear those. Maj Gen Md Mainul has been appointed as Chief of General Staff (CGS) of the army and will take over his new responsibilities on Monday.
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B'desh documentary "Iron Eaters" wins German TV Oscar
PTI, Berlin, 9 May : A documentary on hardships faced by poverty-stricken workers of Bangladesh's ship breaking industry has won the Grimme Award 2010, popularly known as Germany's TV Oscars.
Shaheen Dill-Riaz's "Iron Eaters" ("Lohakhor" in Bengali) was adjudged the best in the information and culture category. According to the jury, Riaz was awarded the prize because of the close look he undertakes in his film. His film shows what happens when there is shifting of inconvenient problems by Western societies to the developing world. In the film, the workers dismantle old oil tankers and container ships ? the unwanted waste of the Western world ? manually under almost unbearable conditions.Riaz was born in Dhaka and grew up near Chittagong, virtually in the vicinity of the shipyards. He came to Germany in 1992 after having been granted a cultural scholarship by German cultural center Goethe Institute.
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2 Naga civil society leaders attacked inside a Kohima hotel
PTI, Kohima, 9 May : Three leaders of Naga civil society organisations, including Naha Hoho general secretary Chuba Ozukum, were injured when two unidentified persons beat them up inside a hotel here this evening.
The police said two youths wielding small arms, entered the room where they were staying and started to beat them up with fists and gun buts. Chuba Ozukum, Naga Hoho joint secretary G Vasum and Forum for Naga Re-conciliation (FNR) member Nepuni Piku were rushed to Naga Hospital here and they were stated to be out of danger, the police said, adding Nepuni was released after first aid.
PTI, Kohima, 9 May : Three leaders of Naga civil society organisations, including Naha Hoho general secretary Chuba Ozukum, were injured when two unidentified persons beat them up inside a hotel here this evening.
The police said two youths wielding small arms, entered the room where they were staying and started to beat them up with fists and gun buts. Chuba Ozukum, Naga Hoho joint secretary G Vasum and Forum for Naga Re-conciliation (FNR) member Nepuni Piku were rushed to Naga Hospital here and they were stated to be out of danger, the police said, adding Nepuni was released after first aid.
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