Jhargram, Kolkata, 26 July : In a setback to the Maoists, eight extremists, including a top leader and a woman, were gunned down on Monday by security forces in two operations in West Midnapore district.Sidhu Soren, chief of the Sidhu-Kanhu Gana Militia - the armed wing of the Maoists-backed People Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA), was among six Maoists killed during the raid by CRPF and Special Action Force on a Maoist hideout in dense forests in Golatore area in West Midnapore, which also left a commando of the specialised anti-Maoists force SAF dead.
"We have found six bodies, including of a woman cadre and Sidhu Soren, chief of the Sidhu-Kanhu Gana Militia, adding that the encounter stretched for four hours." West Midnapore Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma told Bengal Newz.
Special commando Ashish Tiwari, who was critically injured in the gunbattle, died while being taken to hospital. န Photo : AFP
"We have found six bodies, including of a woman cadre and Sidhu Soren, chief of the Sidhu-Kanhu Gana Militia, adding that the encounter stretched for four hours." West Midnapore Superintendent of Police Manoj Verma told Bengal Newz.
Special commando Ashish Tiwari, who was critically injured in the gunbattle, died while being taken to hospital. န Photo : AFP
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Four SSB personnel killed, three injured in lower Assam
PTI, Guwahati, 26 July : At least four Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel were today killed and three others seriously injured in an encounter with National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militants in lower Assam's Chirang district.
The personnel, who were on patrol, were attacked by the militants at around noon and an encounter followed at Amlaiguri under Bijni police station in which the casualties occurred, Additional Superintendent of Police P Langhang said. The injured were rushed to the Kokrajhar civil hospital.
PTI, Guwahati, 26 July : At least four Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel were today killed and three others seriously injured in an encounter with National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) militants in lower Assam's Chirang district.
The personnel, who were on patrol, were attacked by the militants at around noon and an encounter followed at Amlaiguri under Bijni police station in which the casualties occurred, Additional Superintendent of Police P Langhang said. The injured were rushed to the Kokrajhar civil hospital.
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Bangladesh indicts Jamaat Islami's 4leaders on war crimes
BBC News, Dhaka, 26 July : Bangladesh's war crimes tribunal, which is investigating the country's 1971 liberation struggle against Pakistan, has issued its first arrest warrants.
Court officials told the BBC the war crimes indictments targeted four leaders of Islamist political party Jamaat-e-Islami, already in custody. The tribunal was set up in March to try people accused of atrocities. Bangladesh was part of Pakistan until the nine-month war of secession, which left up to three million people dead. The four accused - Jamaat leader Motiur Rahman Nizami; his deputy Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid; and two other senior leaders, Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Mollah - were detained last month on unrelated charges.A senior court official, Mohammed Shahinur Islam, told the BBC on Monday the four would not be able to apply for bail under Monday's warrants. Jamaat-e-Islami accuses the government of using war crimes charges to try to curb the opposition party's activities. The next hearing in the case will be on 2 August. ။ File cartoon courtesy : Daily Star READ FULL STORY
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West Bengal govt to provide subsidy on diesel & kerosene
Kolkata, 26 July : West Bengal Finance Minister Dr Asim Dasgupta Monday announced that the state government would provide subsidy of Rs.110 crore on diesel and Rs.50 crore on kerosene.Dr Dasgupta said in the Assembly that the government would provide subsidy of Re.1 a litre on diesel used for public transport in the state. He said the government would deposit the subsidy amount in the bank accounts of the taxi, bus and minibus operators every month. Subsidy to the public transport operators would be provided from 1 August. However, there would be no reduction in the retail price of diesel. At present, a litre of diesel in the state costs Rs.39.94.
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Sangsad Bangladesh TVchannel goes on air by December
Dhaka, July : Much expected Sangsad Bangladesh, a new TV channel on parliamentary activities, is expected to go on air by December next.
This was informed by Information Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury while making a power point presentation on the project “Launching Developmental Channel in Bangladesh Television” to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office Monday afternoon.
Dhaka, July : Much expected Sangsad Bangladesh, a new TV channel on parliamentary activities, is expected to go on air by December next.
This was informed by Information Secretary Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury while making a power point presentation on the project “Launching Developmental Channel in Bangladesh Television” to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office Monday afternoon.
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New RMG wage structure on 29 JulyDhaka, 26 July : The new wage structure for Bangladesh's readymade garments workers will be announced on 29 July, the labour minister has said.
"The interests of the workers will be ensured in the new wage structure," Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain told the media on Monday, after an inter-ministerial coordination meeting at the Secretariat. "We have time to finalise the structure by 28 July, but the Minimum Wage Board will finalise it on Monday," he said.
"The interests of the workers will be ensured in the new wage structure," Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain told the media on Monday, after an inter-ministerial coordination meeting at the Secretariat. "We have time to finalise the structure by 28 July, but the Minimum Wage Board will finalise it on Monday," he said.
The meeting, held at the finance ministry, was headed by finance minister AMA Muhith with commerce minister Faruk Khan also present.
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Six, including three schoolgirls, drown in Assam's rivers
Guwahati, 26 July : Six people, including three schoolgirls and three of a family, drowned Monday in Assam's rain-swollen rivers, police said.
Three school girls drowned and two went missing while they were taking a dip at Mangaldoi river near Mangaldoi town (about 80 km from here), a police spokesperson said. "As part of the Hindu festival of Bol Bom, crowds converged at the river bank to perform certain rituals when three girls drowned," the police official said.
Guwahati, 26 July : Six people, including three schoolgirls and three of a family, drowned Monday in Assam's rain-swollen rivers, police said.
Three school girls drowned and two went missing while they were taking a dip at Mangaldoi river near Mangaldoi town (about 80 km from here), a police spokesperson said. "As part of the Hindu festival of Bol Bom, crowds converged at the river bank to perform certain rituals when three girls drowned," the police official said.
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Court ordered Fugitive BDRs' belongings to be "seized"
Dhaka, 26 July : A Dhaka court, on Monday, ordered the police to seize by 25 August the belongings of 21 fugitive BDR personnel, accused in the Peelkhana killing case.
SK Tofael Hasan, magistrate of the Dhaka's Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, gave the order after formally receiving the charge-sheet submitted on 12 July. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted the charge-sheet accusing 824 people, including 21 fugitive BDR personnel, in the Peelkhana killings case.
SK Tofael Hasan, magistrate of the Dhaka's Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, gave the order after formally receiving the charge-sheet submitted on 12 July. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) submitted the charge-sheet accusing 824 people, including 21 fugitive BDR personnel, in the Peelkhana killings case.
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Food poisoning affects 300 persons in East Midnapore Dist
Kanthi, 26 July : Over 300 persons fell victims to food poisoning at a religious function in East Midnapore District.
The victims consumed the religious offerings during a mass meal served at a gathering in Badalpur village on the Kanthi Block of the district on Saturday evening. “400 people were invited to a religious function and all of them were badly affected by food poisoning. We arranged some doctors and nurses for their treatment. 15 patients are already admitted at Kanthi Sub Divisional hospital, other patients will also be sent to hospital,” said Kanthi's Block Development Officer (BDO), Prasun Ghosh.
Kanthi, 26 July : Over 300 persons fell victims to food poisoning at a religious function in East Midnapore District.
The victims consumed the religious offerings during a mass meal served at a gathering in Badalpur village on the Kanthi Block of the district on Saturday evening. “400 people were invited to a religious function and all of them were badly affected by food poisoning. We arranged some doctors and nurses for their treatment. 15 patients are already admitted at Kanthi Sub Divisional hospital, other patients will also be sent to hospital,” said Kanthi's Block Development Officer (BDO), Prasun Ghosh.
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PCPA will protest against Mamata''s proposed Lalgarh rally
PTI, Kolkata, 26 July : Maoist-backed PCPA will protest against Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's proposed rally at Lalgarh next month to express sympathy for harassed villagers.
The organisation would mobilise people to protest against the proposed August nine rally and Mamata Banerjee's "double standard", People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) spokesman Monoj Mahato told PTI from an undisclosed location. "We vehemently protest against the proposed rally. She is trying to fish in troubled waters. We will never allow that to happen," Mahato said.
PTI, Kolkata, 26 July : Maoist-backed PCPA will protest against Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee's proposed rally at Lalgarh next month to express sympathy for harassed villagers.
The organisation would mobilise people to protest against the proposed August nine rally and Mamata Banerjee's "double standard", People's Committee against Police Atrocities (PCPA) spokesman Monoj Mahato told PTI from an undisclosed location. "We vehemently protest against the proposed rally. She is trying to fish in troubled waters. We will never allow that to happen," Mahato said.
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Rabindra Bharati Versity set to open campus in Fanshidewa
Kolkata, 26 July : Rabindra Bharati University is all set to throw it gates open to the students of North Bengal. The new campus of RBU is going to come up at Fanshidewa just 20 km from Siliguri. Classes for the first batch will start from the end of July.
"Initially, masters courses on visual arts and performing arts will be offered. Later, we plan to introduce Rabindrasangeet and other vocals. Gradually, we will start bachelor of fine arts courses in the undergraduate section on our north Bengal campus," said Rabindra Bharati vice-chancellor Karuna Sindhu Das. The reason why the authorities have planned a campus in the region is to cater to the demands of students spread across the northeast, North Bengal and the neighbouring countries. "There are a few good institutions in the region offering performing arts and visual arts courses. Very recently, Tripura University started some such courses. There is also another institute in Dibrugarh. Rabindra Bharati University has a tradition of teaching such courses for the past 50 years. As a result, we wanted our presence in the region," said the V-C.He further pointed out that as quite a few students of the university come from the northeast, North Bengal and countries such as Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh, RBU wanted to set up a campus close to their respective homes. "This is also being done to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore," said Das.
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