Kolkata, 2 June : Riding the winds of political change, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress today won the 141-ward city municipal corporation polls, inflicting a crushing blow to the ruling Left Front in the civic elections, dubbed as a semi-final before next year’s Assembly polls.
In Sunday’s election to a total of 81 civic bodies across 16 districts in West Bengal, TMC also tasted success in the districts where it alone bagged 20 of 43 municipalities, the results for which were available till noon. The party bagged another eight civic bodies where it had local-level seat adjustment with the Congress. The Left Front registered wins in 12 municipalities while Congress lagged behind winning only in three.
The Trinamool Congress, which had already won two-thirds majority in the 141-member KMC, will not need the support of the Congress to rule Kolkata where her party has already captured 94 of the 135 wards the results of which were available. The Left Front which was in power in KMC with 75 wards has managed to win in only 29 wards. The Congress has so far got nine and the BJP three seats.In the 2005 KMC polls, Left parties had won 75 seats, TMC 42, Congress 21 and BJP three.
Congratulating Ms. Banerjee on her party’s performance, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is also the West Bengal Congress chief, said he accepted the people’s verdict.
Elated over Trinamool’s success, Mamata Banerjee demanded immediate Assembly elections, saying Left Front major CPI(M) has lost all rights to continue in power. န Photos : Avijit Mondal, Indrajit Dutta
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CBI to probe Gyaneshwari Express derailment : Sources
PTI, New Delhi, 2 June : The government has decided that CBI will probe the Gyaneshwari Express derailment in West Bengal in which 148 persons were killed, according to sources.
On Monday, West Bengal home secretary Samar Ghosh had ruled out CBI inquiry into the Gyaneshwari express derailment. However, Railway minister Mamata Banerjee was adamant for probe into the accident. Alleging that there was a 'political conspiracy' behind the derailment, Banerjee had on 29 May demanded a CBI investigation.
PTI, New Delhi, 2 June : The government has decided that CBI will probe the Gyaneshwari Express derailment in West Bengal in which 148 persons were killed, according to sources.
On Monday, West Bengal home secretary Samar Ghosh had ruled out CBI inquiry into the Gyaneshwari express derailment. However, Railway minister Mamata Banerjee was adamant for probe into the accident. Alleging that there was a 'political conspiracy' behind the derailment, Banerjee had on 29 May demanded a CBI investigation.
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Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina launches MRP and MRV
UNB, Dhaka, 2 June : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday launched the long-awaited Machine Readable Passport (MRP) and Machine Readable Visa (MRV) elevating the country’s passport and visa system to international standard.
“Introduction of MRP and MRV would put an end to tampering of passport and visa and harassment particularly faced by the innocent expatriate Bangladeshi workers,” she said while launching the MRP and MRV at a function at the Osmani Memorial Hall in the capital. The prime minister said the MRP and MRV would also play a role in checking drugs and arms smugglers as well as militant and terrorist activities.
UNB, Dhaka, 2 June : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday launched the long-awaited Machine Readable Passport (MRP) and Machine Readable Visa (MRV) elevating the country’s passport and visa system to international standard.
“Introduction of MRP and MRV would put an end to tampering of passport and visa and harassment particularly faced by the innocent expatriate Bangladeshi workers,” she said while launching the MRP and MRV at a function at the Osmani Memorial Hall in the capital. The prime minister said the MRP and MRV would also play a role in checking drugs and arms smugglers as well as militant and terrorist activities.
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Mamata demands immediate Assembly poll in West Bengal
Kolkata, 2 June : Buoyed by the remarkable showing of her party in the civic elections in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today demanded immediate Assembly elections, saying that Left Front major CPI(M) has lost all right to continue in power.Terming her party's success as "historic", she told reporters after arriving from Delhi that "the CPI(M) has lost all right to continue in power in the state. Assembly elections should be held immediately. "It is a victory of the ma-mati-manush (mother, land and the people). They have given a verdict in favour of political change in the state. I salute the people."
In an obvious reference to her party's failed alliance with ally Congress for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation elections, Banerjee said, "In this election we had to fight against the ruling party and three to four other forces. န Photo : Indrajit Dutta
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West Bengal CM Buddhadeb silent on civic poll results
Kolkata, 2 June : West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today refused to take questions on the civic poll results that delivered a blow to the ruling Left Front. Asked if the results of the civic poll, widely seen as a trend-setter for next year's Assembly election, were on expected lines, Bhattacharjee evaded any reply and left the state secretariat in a huff.
CPI(M) headquarters on Alimuddin street wore a deserted look after the results that gave Trinamool Congress a thumping majority in the KMC. In contrast, there was an air of jubilation in front of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence with party workers celebrating the massive victory.
Kolkata, 2 June : West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today refused to take questions on the civic poll results that delivered a blow to the ruling Left Front. Asked if the results of the civic poll, widely seen as a trend-setter for next year's Assembly election, were on expected lines, Bhattacharjee evaded any reply and left the state secretariat in a huff.
CPI(M) headquarters on Alimuddin street wore a deserted look after the results that gave Trinamool Congress a thumping majority in the KMC. In contrast, there was an air of jubilation in front of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's Kalighat residence with party workers celebrating the massive victory.
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Air Marshal Dipankar Ganguly new 'IAF's medical DG
PTI, New Delhi, 2 June : Air Marshal Dipankar Ganguly, the senior-most Air Force medical officer, has taken over as the Director General Medical Services (Air).
He took over his new assignment yesterday, an IAF press release said here today. Air Marshal Ganguly was commissioned in the IAF on 22 May, 1973. He did his MBBS from Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) at Pune and specialized in Cardiothoracic Surgery.
PTI, New Delhi, 2 June : Air Marshal Dipankar Ganguly, the senior-most Air Force medical officer, has taken over as the Director General Medical Services (Air).
He took over his new assignment yesterday, an IAF press release said here today. Air Marshal Ganguly was commissioned in the IAF on 22 May, 1973. He did his MBBS from Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) at Pune and specialized in Cardiothoracic Surgery.
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50+ decomposed bodies shifted to Kolkata hospitals : DM
Midnapore, Kolkata, 2 June : Nearly 50 of the decomposed bodies were shifted to three hospitals in Kolkata, including SSKM Hospital, from the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital.The morgue at the Midnapore Hospital has 12 freezers with a maximum capacity for 36 bodies. But the hospital found it difficult to handle over hundred bodies it recovered in the aftermath of Gyaneshwari accident on 28 May. The bodies, many of which were unidentified, were taken to the Midnapore hospital with some kept on ice slabs. “The ice has been melting and there is a terrible stench from the bodies,” an official said.
“We have problem in the storing the bodies at Midnapore Hospital. So we have decided to shift the bodies at Katapukur police morgue in Kolkata,” said Narayan Swaroop Nigam, the district magistrate of West Midnapore. A total of 102 bodies have been handed over to the families of the deceased, Nigam said. န Photo : AP
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NDFB Chief Daimary remanded to 14 days' police custody
Guwahati, 2 June : NDFB Chief Ranjan Daimary, prime accused in the October 2008 serial blasts in Assam, was today remanded to 14 days police custody in Udalguri.
The National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) leader was remanded by Udalguri Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate Hanif Ali in connection with a bomb attack in 1995, killing several patrolling police personnel. He was handed over to Udalguri police by Sonitpur Sub-divisional court yesterday and was brought to court amid tight security as NDFB supporters, carrying banners and placards, demonstrated outside the court premises.
The police fired in the air to disperse the supporters when they refused to move away. The situation is now under control, the police said.
Guwahati, 2 June : NDFB Chief Ranjan Daimary, prime accused in the October 2008 serial blasts in Assam, was today remanded to 14 days police custody in Udalguri.
The National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) leader was remanded by Udalguri Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate Hanif Ali in connection with a bomb attack in 1995, killing several patrolling police personnel. He was handed over to Udalguri police by Sonitpur Sub-divisional court yesterday and was brought to court amid tight security as NDFB supporters, carrying banners and placards, demonstrated outside the court premises.
The police fired in the air to disperse the supporters when they refused to move away. The situation is now under control, the police said.
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Dhaka building collapse kills at least 20 
BBC News, Dhaka, 2 June : A four-storey building has collapsed in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, killing at least 20 people and injuring others.The apartment building in Tejgaon fell on some neighbouring tin-roof shanties late on Tuesday, killing several people living in them. Rescue operations are in progress and at least six people have been taken out of the debris by army and fire workers. Officials say the death toll is likely to rise as an unknown number of people are still buried in the debris. Fire official Abdus Salam said the building had been constructed on land which was once a canal and the owner had been adding another floor to it when the collapse occurred. Officials said it was unclear how many people were inside the building when it collapsed. READ FULL STORY န Photos : AP
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4 suspected Maoists arrested for Gyaneshwari Exp disaster
Jhargram, 2 June : Four suspected Maoists were arrested early today in connection with the Gyaneshwari train derailment in the first breakthrough in investigations into the disaster that has been blamed on Maoists.
Official sources said the 202 Battalion of Special Action Force (SAF, earlier known as CoBRA), along with the state police apprehended Lalto Mahto, Dilip Mahto, Ashit Mahto and Kamlesh Mahto from Guimera village under Jhargram police station early this morning. 148 persons were killed and 200 injured in the derailment of the Howrah-Kurla Gyaneshwari express train on 28 May.
Jhargram, 2 June : Four suspected Maoists were arrested early today in connection with the Gyaneshwari train derailment in the first breakthrough in investigations into the disaster that has been blamed on Maoists.
Official sources said the 202 Battalion of Special Action Force (SAF, earlier known as CoBRA), along with the state police apprehended Lalto Mahto, Dilip Mahto, Ashit Mahto and Kamlesh Mahto from Guimera village under Jhargram police station early this morning. 148 persons were killed and 200 injured in the derailment of the Howrah-Kurla Gyaneshwari express train on 28 May.
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Andaman admin allots 6000 cbm of sea sand for extraction
Port Blair, 2 June : Considering the heavy sea sand demand, the Sand Allotment Committee of Andaman and Nicobar Administration has allotted a total quantity of 6000 cubic metre (cbm) of sea sand for the extraction this year.There is a curb of sea sand extraction in remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands after a Supreme Court judgment in 2002. Since then, A and N Administration allows certain quantity of sea sand extraction every year. ''Out of 6000 cbm, 2000 cbm has been allotted to be extracted from South Andaman Division for 204 people. Considering the limited quantity of sea sand available in South Andaman, 2000 cbm have been allotted from Havelock Division for 208 people, including 2000 cbm from Mayabunder Division for 220 people,'' an official release of Andaman's forest department said here.
The South Andaman Forest Division had received more than 940 applications for extraction of sand.
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23 killed in 3 road crashes in Bagerhat, Comilla & Sirajganj
Dhaka, 2 June : Twenty-three people were killed and 37 others injured in three separate road accidents in Bagerhat, Comilla and Sirajganj on Wednesday. Of the deceased, 16 died in Bagerhat, five in Comilla and two in Sirajganj.
In Bagerhat, at least 16 people were killed and 30 sustained injuries as a Mongla-bound bus collided head-on with a mini truck on Khulna-Mawa highway at Madrashaghat in Mollahat upazila at about 4:30am(BDST).
A bus hit a CNG-run auto-rickshaw in Chandsri area of Comilla Chauddagram upazila, killing five people and injuring four others.
In Sirajganj, a head-on collision between two trucks at Banpara highway at Sattikri area killed two people and injured three others.
Dhaka, 2 June : Twenty-three people were killed and 37 others injured in three separate road accidents in Bagerhat, Comilla and Sirajganj on Wednesday. Of the deceased, 16 died in Bagerhat, five in Comilla and two in Sirajganj.
In Bagerhat, at least 16 people were killed and 30 sustained injuries as a Mongla-bound bus collided head-on with a mini truck on Khulna-Mawa highway at Madrashaghat in Mollahat upazila at about 4:30am(BDST).
A bus hit a CNG-run auto-rickshaw in Chandsri area of Comilla Chauddagram upazila, killing five people and injuring four others.
In Sirajganj, a head-on collision between two trucks at Banpara highway at Sattikri area killed two people and injured three others.
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Khulna's small industries face closure for load shedding
UNB, Khulna, 2 June : Over 700 small industries are on the verge of closure due to acute load shedding in Khulna industrial belt. Production in these industrial units has decreased to one-fourth during the last month due to erratic supply of electricity.Small factories dependent on power are the worst sufferers of load shedding. Most of these factories are being forced to cancel orders due to their failure in completing work on time. Bangladesh Engineering Shilpa Malik Samity sources said production in 700 hundreds small and big industries in the city's Fulbari Gate to Rupsha area was being hampered seriously, causing huge loss to the owners.
Proprietor of SS Engineering Robin Kumar Chakravorty said they do not get power supply properly even for four hours a day. He said they could not take new work orders as they failed to complete the work orders which they accepted earlier. Sheikh Hafizur Rahman, General Secretary of Bangladesh Engineering Shilpa Malik Samity, demanded at least 4-6 hours of uninterrupted power supply for running the small industries.
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