Ranaghat, 27 May : On the last evening of campaigning for the municipal elections in West Bengal, Union Finance Minister and state Congress chief Pranab Mukherjee warned Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee against committing the mistake that CPM leader Prakash Karat had made when the Left withdrew support from the UPA government.“Please do not make the same mistake as Prakash Karat. We had run a government with 147 MPs and we will again run the government with 207 MPs,” Mukherjee said at an election rally in Ranaghat in Nadia district.
The verbal duel between Mukherjee and Mamata heightened on Thursday with the campaign nearing its end. Mamata had been criticising the Congress in the past few rallies where she had even said that she was not being given due respect in the Cabinet. န Photo : Prnab Debnath
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South Korea to give US$200 million soft loan to Bangladesh
UNB, Dhaka, 27 May : South Korea will provide US$ 200 million soft loan for Bangladesh over three years (2010-2012) under an agreement signed during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent visit to Seoul.South Korean Ambassador in Dhaka Taiyoung Cho in an interview with UNB chief correspondent Shamim Ahmad said the loan will be granted from the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) to finance various projects in health, transportation, construction, power transmission line and ICT sectors in Bangladesh. The interest rate of the soft loan is 0.01 percent while the period of repayment is 40 years with 10 years grace period. As of March this year, South Korea granted US$ 400 million to Bangladesh for 13 projects which are under implementation.
The Ambassador said the Korean government has also increased its grant assistance to Bangladesh from US$ 6.8 million to US$ 10 million annually for at least three years from 2011. From 1991-2009, Seoul provided grants totaling US$ 36 million. န File Photo : Reuters
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SitaR Yechury asks Maoists to join mainstream as in Nepal
Kolkata, 27 May : CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury today asked Maoists to enter the political mainstream like their counterparts in Nepal.
"If the Maoists give up guns, we are ready to talk to them," Yechury told a Bengali news channel. "Let them come to the democratic mainstream," he said, referring to the Maoists in Nepal who joined the electoral process in the Himalayan country. Yechury said his close ties with Nepalese Maoist leader Prachanda began only after his party gave up guns and joined the democratic mainstream. "Let the Maoists here enter the democratic mainstream and then the people will decide," he said.
Alleging that the Trinamool Congress has a nexus with Maoists in West Bengal, Yechury said, "They have on record claimed there is no Maoist in the state and have also opposed anti-Maoist operations.
Kolkata, 27 May : CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury today asked Maoists to enter the political mainstream like their counterparts in Nepal."If the Maoists give up guns, we are ready to talk to them," Yechury told a Bengali news channel. "Let them come to the democratic mainstream," he said, referring to the Maoists in Nepal who joined the electoral process in the Himalayan country. Yechury said his close ties with Nepalese Maoist leader Prachanda began only after his party gave up guns and joined the democratic mainstream. "Let the Maoists here enter the democratic mainstream and then the people will decide," he said.
Alleging that the Trinamool Congress has a nexus with Maoists in West Bengal, Yechury said, "They have on record claimed there is no Maoist in the state and have also opposed anti-Maoist operations.
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General council to decide on talks: ULFA c'man Rajkhowa
Guwahati, 27 May : With the Assam government deciding in principle to initiate talks with the ULFA, the banned group today responded by saying that any decision on its participation will be taken by its 'general council'.ULFA 'chairman' Arabinda Rajkhowa, who was brought to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital here for check-up, told reporters that he cannot comment till the 'general council' decides on the issue. Asked whether talks would be held without Paresh Baruah as Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced here yesterday, he said any decision regarding talks have to be taken by 'general council' members.
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1,200 tribal refugees return to Mizoram from Tripura camps
IANS, Agartala, Aizawl, 27 May : Around 1,200 Reang refugees have returned to their homes in Mizoram for the first time in 13 years after the union home ministry asked the state government to take back the displaced tribals, sheltered in six Tripura camps.
'About 235 families comprising 1,200 men, women and children have been repatriated in three batches (on Friday, Monday and Wednesday) to Mamit district of western Mizoram,' north Tripura's Kanchanpur divisional magistrate Dilip Chakma said Thursday. 'There is no information with the Tripura government on when the remaining refugees would be repatriated,' Chakma told IANS.
IANS, Agartala, Aizawl, 27 May : Around 1,200 Reang refugees have returned to their homes in Mizoram for the first time in 13 years after the union home ministry asked the state government to take back the displaced tribals, sheltered in six Tripura camps.
'About 235 families comprising 1,200 men, women and children have been repatriated in three batches (on Friday, Monday and Wednesday) to Mamit district of western Mizoram,' north Tripura's Kanchanpur divisional magistrate Dilip Chakma said Thursday. 'There is no information with the Tripura government on when the remaining refugees would be repatriated,' Chakma told IANS.
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Amnesty Int’l critical of extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh
UNB, Dhaka, 27 May : Amnesty International says despite Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s pledge to end extrajudicial executions up to 70 people reportedly died in “crossfire” in the first nine months of 2009.The AI in its country report-2010 says police authorities usually characterized suspected extrajudicial executions as deaths from “crossfire” or after a “shoot-out”. The report noted that family members of Mohsin Sheikh, aged 23, and Mohammad Ali Jinnah, aged 22, two Awami League student leaders, alleged that RAB personnel shot the two men dead in Dhaka in May last year. The RAB claimed that the men disregarded a warning to stop at a checkpoint. It said that in the “gunfight” that followed, the men were shot dead. But an autopsy of the bodies showed that none of the bullets fired by RAB officers had gone astray, which suggested that this was a planned killing and not a “gunfight”.
Police subsequently opened criminal investigations against 10 RAB personnel, but no one was brought to justice. န File Photo
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Militant leader brought to Imphal from Banglaore : Police
PTI, Imphal, 27 May : Self-styled chairman of a militant outfit People's United Liberation Front (PULF) of Manipur M I Khan, arrested in Banglaore, was brought here, officials said today.
Khan was nabbed by Manipur police with the help of their Karnataka counterpart at Banglaore on 23 May. He was brought here by air yesterday, they said. Immediately after his arrival, Khan was handed over to Imphal East district police station for interrogation in connection with several crime cases allegedly committed by PULF, including extortion, killings and kidnapings, they said.
PTI, Imphal, 27 May : Self-styled chairman of a militant outfit People's United Liberation Front (PULF) of Manipur M I Khan, arrested in Banglaore, was brought here, officials said today.
Khan was nabbed by Manipur police with the help of their Karnataka counterpart at Banglaore on 23 May. He was brought here by air yesterday, they said. Immediately after his arrival, Khan was handed over to Imphal East district police station for interrogation in connection with several crime cases allegedly committed by PULF, including extortion, killings and kidnapings, they said.
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B'desh President hosts reception for Buddhist Community
Dhaka, 27 May : Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman hosted a reception for the members of Buddhist Community at Bangabhaban Thursday afternoon on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, the biggest religious festival of the community.
Industries Minister Dilip Barua, State Minister for Religious Affairs Adv M Shahjahan Miah, Ambassadors of Thailand, Vietnam and Bhutan, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka and representatives of various international organizations and different professionals of Buddhist community took part in the reception. The President welcomed the guests and exchanged greetings with them.
Religious Affairs secretary and secretaries to the President’s office were present on the occasion. န Photos : UNB, AP
Dhaka, 27 May : Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman hosted a reception for the members of Buddhist Community at Bangabhaban Thursday afternoon on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, the biggest religious festival of the community.Industries Minister Dilip Barua, State Minister for Religious Affairs Adv M Shahjahan Miah, Ambassadors of Thailand, Vietnam and Bhutan, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka and representatives of various international organizations and different professionals of Buddhist community took part in the reception. The President welcomed the guests and exchanged greetings with them.
Religious Affairs secretary and secretaries to the President’s office were present on the occasion. န Photos : UNB, AP
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14 killed, over 40 injured in separate road accidents in BD
Dhaka, 27 May : At least 14 people were killed and over 40 others injured in separate road accidents in Tangail, Brahmanbaria, Faridpur and Jhenidah districts Thursday.
In Tangail, five people were killed and 20 others injured in a tragic road accident at Nagar Jalpai in Sadar upazila early Thursday. In Brahmanbaria, Four people were killed and 10 others wounded as a bus rammed into an autorickshaw at Ghariala in Ashuganj upazila on Dhaka-Sylhet highway Thursday noon. In Faridpur, three people, including a mother and her daughter, were killed and 12 others injured as a bus plunged into a ditch at Maligram in Bhanga upazila on Dhaka-Barisal highway early Thursday. In Jhenidah, two motorcyclists were killed and another was injured as a power tiller rammed into a motorbike at Noani bazar in Moheshpur upazila today.
In Tangail, five people were killed and 20 others injured in a tragic road accident at Nagar Jalpai in Sadar upazila early Thursday. In Brahmanbaria, Four people were killed and 10 others wounded as a bus rammed into an autorickshaw at Ghariala in Ashuganj upazila on Dhaka-Sylhet highway Thursday noon. In Faridpur, three people, including a mother and her daughter, were killed and 12 others injured as a bus plunged into a ditch at Maligram in Bhanga upazila on Dhaka-Barisal highway early Thursday. In Jhenidah, two motorcyclists were killed and another was injured as a power tiller rammed into a motorbike at Noani bazar in Moheshpur upazila today.
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Maoist poster found in Burdwan University,sparking tension
Burdwan, 27 May : Four posters from suspected Maoists threatening local SFI leader and a college professor were today found from the Burdwan University, sparking off tension in the campus, police said.
The posters were spotted on the walls of canteens of humanities and law department. The posters said SFI's district secretary Arindam Chakraborty and professor Jayanto Saha's fate will be decided in the people's court.
Burdwan, 27 May : Four posters from suspected Maoists threatening local SFI leader and a college professor were today found from the Burdwan University, sparking off tension in the campus, police said.
The posters were spotted on the walls of canteens of humanities and law department. The posters said SFI's district secretary Arindam Chakraborty and professor Jayanto Saha's fate will be decided in the people's court.
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Crocodile Skin recovered, two arrested in Andaman islands
Port Blair, 27 May : A team of P S Aberdeen yestrday arrested two persons with a crocodile skin at Port Blair.
According to sources both the persons were coming from Mayabunder with Crocodile Skins to sell the same in Mainland. A few days back P S Aberdeen Team had arrest eight persons with seven Elephant Tusks.
Port Blair, 27 May : A team of P S Aberdeen yestrday arrested two persons with a crocodile skin at Port Blair.
According to sources both the persons were coming from Mayabunder with Crocodile Skins to sell the same in Mainland. A few days back P S Aberdeen Team had arrest eight persons with seven Elephant Tusks.
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Malda mango heads for Football World Cup in South Africa
Kolkata, Malda, 27 May : When the Football World Cup kicks off this summer, there will be a Bengal ‘flavour’ in South Africa. Around 100 tonne of lakshmanbhog variety of mangoes from Malda will be sold at the food court counters in the village setup to house the football stars and other guests.
Kolkata, Malda, 27 May : When the Football World Cup kicks off this summer, there will be a Bengal ‘flavour’ in South Africa. Around 100 tonne of lakshmanbhog variety of mangoes from Malda will be sold at the food court counters in the village setup to house the football stars and other guests. 
Courtesy an association of Bengal’s mango exporters, this is the first time mangoes from West Bengal are going to be exported to a Football World Cup venue. “The idea of sending mangoes to the World Cup occurred to us a long time ago. Talks were on and we finally struck a deal with an agent involved in the World Cup organisation,” said general secretary of West Bengal Exporters’ Coordination Committee Ujjwal Saha. This committee will send the consignment to South Africa by the end of the month.On the selection of lakshmanbhog type, he said other varieties like Himsagar, Gopalbhog or Fajli, for which Malda is famous, were not selected as lakshmanbhog would suit the taste buds of Europeans and Americans better. န Photos : Misbaul Hoque, AP
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To host an Argentina flag, Football fan dies in C’nawabganj
UNB, Chapainawabganj, 27 May : An adolescent Football fan was electrocuted at Huzrapur in the town here on Thursday morning while hoisting flag of Argentina.
The deceased was identified as Shahrukh Hasan Khan, son of Shamim Khan of Huzrapur area. Witnesses said Shahrukh, a supporter of Argentinean football team, came in contact with a live electric wire while hoisting a flag of Argentina on the rooftop of his house and fell down from the rooftop that left him seriously injured at 10 am(BDST). Shahrukh died on the way to sadar hospital.
The deceased was identified as Shahrukh Hasan Khan, son of Shamim Khan of Huzrapur area. Witnesses said Shahrukh, a supporter of Argentinean football team, came in contact with a live electric wire while hoisting a flag of Argentina on the rooftop of his house and fell down from the rooftop that left him seriously injured at 10 am(BDST). Shahrukh died on the way to sadar hospital.
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Two more CPIM workers killed by Maoists in Jungalmahal
Jhargram, 27 May : The Maoists continued their mayhem against CPI(M) in Jungalmahal by killing two more CPI(M) workers today.
In Dudhpatri village of West Midnapore, Sujit Mallot was hacked to death by suspected Maoists. According to a senior police officer, Mallot was killed early today by a group of 20-25 Maoists who attacked the house where Sujit and other party colleagues had taken shelter. In another incident a body was found near the Bhalukbasa forest, which was later identified as that of Kamal Ahir.
In Dudhpatri village of West Midnapore, Sujit Mallot was hacked to death by suspected Maoists. According to a senior police officer, Mallot was killed early today by a group of 20-25 Maoists who attacked the house where Sujit and other party colleagues had taken shelter. In another incident a body was found near the Bhalukbasa forest, which was later identified as that of Kamal Ahir.
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