Kolkata, 15 August : West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee unfurled the tricolour and took the salute as West Bengal joined the nation in celebrating the 64th Independence Day Sunday amid tight security.
Bhattacharjee also offered floral tributes at the Martyrs’ Column as the police band played the national anthem in a brief but colourful programme near the state secretariat Writers’ Buildings. NCC volunteers and RAF personnel presented a guard of honour before the programme ended with a cultural show by a choral group. Senior bureaucrats and police officers were present.Governor M.K. Narayanan took part in a prayer meeting and offered flowers at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial column in Gandhighat of North 24 Pargana district’s Barrackpore.
As in earlier years, the main opposition Trinamool Congress raised the national flag at a midnight function near the busy Hazra crossing of south Kolkata. Hundreds of enthusiastic party activists sang patriotic songs. Banerjee, however, could not be present as she was indisposed.
The national flag was also unfurled at offices of major political parties, government departments, public sector undertakings across the state. The national flag was raised in all district headquarters. န Photos : PTI, AP
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Prime Minister Sk Hasina calls for poverty-free Bangladesh
UNB, Tungipara (Gopalganj), 15 August : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday urged the people to build a poverty-free Bangladesh as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujiibur Rahman.“Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman always dreamt of a poverty-free Bangladesh. Let us work hand to hand to fulfill the Bangabandhu’s dream and build a prosperous and modern Bangladesh,” she said. Hasina was addressing a function arranged at the Bangabandhu Mazar Complex here to distribute sewing machines among the economically vulnerable women.
Hasina said that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman throughout his whole life continued politics for socio-economic and political emancipation of the people. “Bangladesh has achieved independence under the leadership of the Father of the Nation. Now we have to achieve economic emancipation of the people,” she said. န Photo : Demotix
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MS advocates for econ development to tackle insurgency
PTI, Agartala, 15 August : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar today said since unemployment was one of the major causes of insurgency, creating job opportunities can ensure peace in the state.
Hoisting the tri-colour at the Assam Rifles ground here, Sarkar said his government was committed to economic development of the state which can in turn generate job opportunities for the youth.Sarkar, who also holds the Home portfolio, said that unemployment was one of the major causes for insurgency in the state and appealed to the central government for providing more funds to generate employment in the state.
PTI, Agartala, 15 August : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar today said since unemployment was one of the major causes of insurgency, creating job opportunities can ensure peace in the state.
Hoisting the tri-colour at the Assam Rifles ground here, Sarkar said his government was committed to economic development of the state which can in turn generate job opportunities for the youth.Sarkar, who also holds the Home portfolio, said that unemployment was one of the major causes for insurgency in the state and appealed to the central government for providing more funds to generate employment in the state.
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Assam calls ULFA, NDFB militant to accept offer for talks
Guwahati, 15 August : The Assam government today asked the banned ULFA and NDFB militant groups to accept the offer for talks to end the insurgency problem afflicting the state.
Addressing the Independence day function at the Latasil playground here, Assam's caretaker chief minister Dr Bhumidhar Barman said the government was sincere in its efforts to restore peace in the state and bring militant outfits to the negotiating table.
Guwahati, 15 August : The Assam government today asked the banned ULFA and NDFB militant groups to accept the offer for talks to end the insurgency problem afflicting the state.
Addressing the Independence day function at the Latasil playground here, Assam's caretaker chief minister Dr Bhumidhar Barman said the government was sincere in its efforts to restore peace in the state and bring militant outfits to the negotiating table.
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President, PM paid tributes to Sk Mujib Dhaka, 15 August : Bangladesh President Zillur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the occasion of National Mourning Day commemorating the 35th martyrdom anniversary of Bangabandhu.
The President and The Prime Minister showed their respect by placing wreaths at the portrait of Father of the Nation in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 No early dawn on the day. President Zillur Rahman placed wreathes at Bangabandhu’s portrait at 6:35am(BDST) and just followed by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. န Photo : UNB
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Suspected Maoists kill 2 CPI(M) supporters in Jhargram
Jhargram, 15 August : Suspected Maoists killed two CPI(M) supporters in Jhargram sub-division of West Midnapore district Sunday, police said.
The bodies of Nishikanto Nayek and Shankar Jana were recovered from Nayagram village. They were kidnapped Saturday from near a market place in the area. Maoist posters found from the spot claimed the two men were killed for being CPI(M) supporters, said a police officer. ‘We have recovered both the bodies. Maoist posters were found from the spot,’ Jhargram Superintendent of Police Praveen Tripathi said.
Jhargram, 15 August : Suspected Maoists killed two CPI(M) supporters in Jhargram sub-division of West Midnapore district Sunday, police said.
The bodies of Nishikanto Nayek and Shankar Jana were recovered from Nayagram village. They were kidnapped Saturday from near a market place in the area. Maoist posters found from the spot claimed the two men were killed for being CPI(M) supporters, said a police officer. ‘We have recovered both the bodies. Maoist posters were found from the spot,’ Jhargram Superintendent of Police Praveen Tripathi said.
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Another Chittagong ship-breaking yard explosion injures 7
UNB, Chittagong, 15 August : Seven workers at a ship-breaking yard have been seriously burnt when a cylinder exploded at Sitakunda in Chittagong.
The accident took place at Z N Enterprise, a ship-breaking yard, owned by Shawkat Ali Chowdhury, in Madam Bibirhat area of Sitakunda at 11am(BDST) on Sunday.
UNB, Chittagong, 15 August : Seven workers at a ship-breaking yard have been seriously burnt when a cylinder exploded at Sitakunda in Chittagong.
The accident took place at Z N Enterprise, a ship-breaking yard, owned by Shawkat Ali Chowdhury, in Madam Bibirhat area of Sitakunda at 11am(BDST) on Sunday.
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Indefinite transport strike begin at Shariatpur, Bangladesh
UNB, Shariatpur, 15 August : An indefinite transport strike, called by District Road Transport Workers Union, began on all local routes Sunday, protesting assault on transport workers.
Transport leaders, who enforced the strike today, said that strike will continue until those who are responsible for attack on transport workers are brought to justice. Meanwhile, students of Shariatpur Government College on Sunday staged demonstration protesting attack on them and ransacking of college valuables by transport workers.
UNB, Shariatpur, 15 August : An indefinite transport strike, called by District Road Transport Workers Union, began on all local routes Sunday, protesting assault on transport workers.
Transport leaders, who enforced the strike today, said that strike will continue until those who are responsible for attack on transport workers are brought to justice. Meanwhile, students of Shariatpur Government College on Sunday staged demonstration protesting attack on them and ransacking of college valuables by transport workers.
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World Bank backs Dhaka's power, transit deals with Delhi
IANS, Dhaka, 15 August : The World Bank (WB) has backed the series of bilateral deals Bangladesh has signed with India this year, saying this would promote regional cooperation.The bank has indicated its willingness to finance different projects on transit, transhipment, power and water to increase regional and bilateral cooperation, Daily Star newspaper on Sunday said quoting sources in the government's Economic Relations Division (ERD). The WB thinks such cooperation will not only help the country develop but also reduce poverty levels substantially, the ERD sources said. The report points out that South Asia remains the least integrated region in the world in terms of trade in goods and services and management of common resources. The report also said the World Bank Group will work across the South Asia, leveraging its financial and technical resources to advocate regional cooperation and initiatives.
The WB report said if the regional cooperation increases the GDP growth, Bangladesh will leap by two percentage points. န File Photo
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