Dhaka, 21 August : There is no doubt that BNP was involved with the 21 August, 2004 grenade attack, Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has claimed on Saturday.
Her allegation came less than a day after she claimed on Friday that a deputy minister of the then BNP-led government was involved in the deadly explosions. Hasina made her blunt allegation against the BNP after placing a wreath, dedicated to those who died in the event on that day in 2004, at a temporary monument in front of the party headquarters on Bangabandhu Avenue on Saturday. She placed two wreathes, one in her capacity as prime minister and another as the Awami League president.As many as 24 people, including incumbent president Zillur Rahman's wife Ivy Rahman, died in the attack - widely believed to be an attempt on the life of Hasina who suffered serious hearing impairment. About 500 people suffered injuries. န Photos : Asian Tribune, UNB
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Homemade alcohol kills 15 people in northeast Bangladesh
AP, Dhaka, 21 August : At least 15 people have died after drinking toxic home-brewed liquor in northeastern Bangladesh.
The United News of Bangladesh agency said on Saturday they consumed alcohol mixed with toxic methanol in the Sylhet district late on Wednesday. The area is 190km northeast of the capital Dhaka. Local officials are quoted as saying two died on Friday and the others on Saturday in hospitals.
AP, Dhaka, 21 August : At least 15 people have died after drinking toxic home-brewed liquor in northeastern Bangladesh.
The United News of Bangladesh agency said on Saturday they consumed alcohol mixed with toxic methanol in the Sylhet district late on Wednesday. The area is 190km northeast of the capital Dhaka. Local officials are quoted as saying two died on Friday and the others on Saturday in hospitals.
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1st farmer suicide in WB, after dists declared drought-hit
Burdwan, 21 August : West Bengal, where 11 districts were declared drought-hit, today registered its first farmer death in the rice bowl of Burdwan district.45-year-old farmer Yunus Sheikh of Basantapur village of Ausgram I block drank pesticide last evening and died at the Burdwan Medical College Hospital today, SDO, Burdwan, (North) Arindam Neogi said. "We have sought a report from the local BDO and panchayat samiti sabhapati," he said.
Family member Ziaur Rahman said he had outstanding loans since last year for raising crops on his land but lack of rains this year had driven him to desperation. Yunus was entirely dependent on rain water to irrigate the paddy land as there was no irrigation facility in the area, he said. Moreover, he had a daughter whom he could not marry off, Rahman said.
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Top Maoist leader Musafir Sahni arrested in central Kolkata
Kolkata, 21 August : A top Maoist leader Musafir Sahni, wanted by Bihar police, was arrested from central Kolkata today.
Bihar police, in coordination with the special task force (STF) of the city police, arrested Sahni who is the area commander of Maoist's special regional committee in Bihar, Jharkhand and north Chhattisgarh. He was carrying a reward of Rs5 lakh on his head. Though police said he was arrested from a hotel, an STF source said Sahni was taken into custody from the crossing of Raja SC Mullick Square and Creek Row this afternoon.
Kolkata, 21 August : A top Maoist leader Musafir Sahni, wanted by Bihar police, was arrested from central Kolkata today.
Bihar police, in coordination with the special task force (STF) of the city police, arrested Sahni who is the area commander of Maoist's special regional committee in Bihar, Jharkhand and north Chhattisgarh. He was carrying a reward of Rs5 lakh on his head. Though police said he was arrested from a hotel, an STF source said Sahni was taken into custody from the crossing of Raja SC Mullick Square and Creek Row this afternoon.
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Heavy rains lash North East region, more rainfall expected
Guwahati, 21 August : Heavy rains poured all over the Indian North East region on Saturday. Some parts of the Assam were flooded and houses were displaced, said the source.
Most places over Assam-Meghalaya, Nagaland-Manipur-Mizoram and Tripura (NMMT) and many places over Arunachal Pradesh are expected to receive more rainfall during the next 48 hours, said Deputy Director General Meteorology (DDGM) of the RMC Haragovinda Pathaksaid Pathak. Reports further said year 2010 has received maximum amount of rainfall in all the states.
Guwahati, 21 August : Heavy rains poured all over the Indian North East region on Saturday. Some parts of the Assam were flooded and houses were displaced, said the source.
Most places over Assam-Meghalaya, Nagaland-Manipur-Mizoram and Tripura (NMMT) and many places over Arunachal Pradesh are expected to receive more rainfall during the next 48 hours, said Deputy Director General Meteorology (DDGM) of the RMC Haragovinda Pathaksaid Pathak. Reports further said year 2010 has received maximum amount of rainfall in all the states.
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Purulia dist worst-affected by WB droughtBurdwan, 21 August : West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said Purulia is the worst affected among the drought-hit districts of the state.
"With agricultural production falling down to 6.5%, Purulia is most affected by the drought. In Birbhum, Bankura, Hoogly and Burdwan, the production has fallen down to 30, 33, 74 and 77% respectively," he told reporters here after a meeting with district officials. The state government has also asked the Centre to send a review team to the drought-affected districts. To ensure that the rabi harvest is not affected, the state's agriculture department will distribute free seeds of maize, oil seeds and dal, he said.
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Economic blockade in Assam against Arunachal Pradesh
PTI, Sibsagar, 21 August : A large number of vehicles were stranded in this district today after an indefinite economic blockade was launched on the border with Arunachal Pradesh by influential AASU and other organisations protesting violence by miscreants backed by the NSCN-IM for the past one week.
Roads leading to Arunachal Pradesh at Charaipung and Bimolapur in Sibsagar district and Joypur in Dibrugarh district were blocked by thousands of people, official sources said. "We don't not accept the NSCN-IM's 'Greater Nagalim'. We will not give an inch of our land. We had met Isak Muivah (IM) at his camp in Nagaland and conveyed our stand to him," AASU General Secretary Tapan Gogoi told reporters.
PTI, Sibsagar, 21 August : A large number of vehicles were stranded in this district today after an indefinite economic blockade was launched on the border with Arunachal Pradesh by influential AASU and other organisations protesting violence by miscreants backed by the NSCN-IM for the past one week.
Roads leading to Arunachal Pradesh at Charaipung and Bimolapur in Sibsagar district and Joypur in Dibrugarh district were blocked by thousands of people, official sources said. "We don't not accept the NSCN-IM's 'Greater Nagalim'. We will not give an inch of our land. We had met Isak Muivah (IM) at his camp in Nagaland and conveyed our stand to him," AASU General Secretary Tapan Gogoi told reporters.
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Mizo student body doubts no of Bru refugees in Tripura
PTI, Aizawl, 21 August : A prominent Mizoram student body today expressed doubt over the number of Bru refugees in six relief camps in North Tripura who fled the state and said the figure has to be reassessed.
The figure given by the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF), which made a survey of Bru refugees, can not be accepted, a statement issued by the student federation, Mizo Zirlai Pawal (MZP) said.
PTI, Aizawl, 21 August : A prominent Mizoram student body today expressed doubt over the number of Bru refugees in six relief camps in North Tripura who fled the state and said the figure has to be reassessed.
The figure given by the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF), which made a survey of Bru refugees, can not be accepted, a statement issued by the student federation, Mizo Zirlai Pawal (MZP) said.
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Tripura thermal power project to be operational in Mar 2012
Agartala, 21 August : The much-awaited 726.6 MW gas- based thermal power project at Palatana in Tripura's South District would be operational by March 2012, ONGC Chairman R S Sharma said today."All efforts have been taken by ONGC for timely achievement of gas supply commitments, which would be operational by March 2012," Sharma told reporters here.
He said the power plant comprises of two blocks, each with a gross rating of 363.3 MW and the plant would be operational by March 2012.
Sharma said heavy equipment, including turbines, would be transported through Ashuganj river port in Bangladesh, 37 Km from here for which a portion of roads would be widened by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation in Bangladesh in the next three months. န Photo : Parthajit Dutta
Sharma said heavy equipment, including turbines, would be transported through Ashuganj river port in Bangladesh, 37 Km from here for which a portion of roads would be widened by Oil and Natural Gas Corporation in Bangladesh in the next three months. န Photo : Parthajit Dutta
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