Jhargram, Kolkata, 3 August : Normal life was paralysed in Maoist-affected areas of three West Bengal districts Tuesday following a 48-hour shut down call by the pro-Maoist Peoples’ Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) and its militant wing to mourn the recent killing of their supreme commander Sidhu Soren.Soren was among six Maoists gunned down by security forces during a fierce clash in the Metla forest under Goaltore police station 26 July.
Jhargram district Police Superintendent Praveen Tripathi said normal life in the entire tribal areas of Lalgarh and Jhargram of West Midnapore district “has come to a grinding halt” following the shut down call of the PCAPA and its militant wing, Sidhu Kanu Gana Militia.
The shut down call was by and large successful in many areas in Bankura, said Bankura Police Superintendent Pranav Kumar.
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After 62 years, Dhaka varsity to revoke Sk Mujib's expulsion
Dhaka, 3 August : The Dhaka University is initiating steps to revoke an expulsion order issued 62 years ago against Bangabondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the man who later led the country's freedom movement.Then a student of the law faculty, Mujib led the strike by Class IV employees of the university for better pay and service conditions. He was expelled 19 May, 1948, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the official news agency reported.
“We welcome the demand for withdrawal of the expulsion order to respect the due rights of Bangabandhu, as we all want to respectfully restore his rights,” Dhaka University Vice Chancellor A.A.M.S. Arefin Siddique said. န Photo : Reuters
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Where do 'Chinese' guns arming rebels really come from ?
Subir Bhaumik, BBC News, Kolkata, 3 August : South Asia's illegal arms market is full of "Chinese-made weapons" - but many of them may not actually be made in China.
Subir Bhaumik, BBC News, Kolkata, 3 August : South Asia's illegal arms market is full of "Chinese-made weapons" - but many of them may not actually be made in China.
Anti-arms campaigners say that the rifles and machine guns which South Asia's rebel armies buy are manufactured under "an informal franchise" that Burma's rebel United Wa State Army (UWSA) has managed to secure from Chinese ordnance factories.
The UWSA is an ethnic left-wing rebel militia, with an estimated 30,000 fighters. It is accused of being involved in arms dealing and drug trafficking. READ FULL STORY
The UWSA is an ethnic left-wing rebel militia, with an estimated 30,000 fighters. It is accused of being involved in arms dealing and drug trafficking. READ FULL STORY
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Agnivesh, Patkar to attend Mamata’s 9 Aug's Lalgarh rally
IANS, Kolkata, 3 August : Social activists Swami Agnivesh and Medha Patkar will attend the 9 August meeting at Maoist-affected Lalgarh to be addressed by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee under the banner of an apolitical forum ‘Santrash Birodhi Mancha’.Sujato Bhadra, human right activist and general secretary of Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), Tuesday said Swami Agnivesh and Medha Patkar would attend the rally under the banner of the Forum for Peace, Justice and Democracy. The forum decided to attend the meeting supporting the issues raised by Banerjee, under the Santrash Birodhi Mancha, said Bhadra, who is also a forum member.
Forum convenor Choton Das said: “On Monday we received the invitation from the TMC, requesting us to join the meeting. We have accepted it and will be there to attend the meeting.” Earlier, West Bengal Congress chief Manas Bhuniya welcomed Mamata’s decision to hold the meeting under the banner of an apolitical forum and said if the party was extended a formal invitation, it would consider participation.
Banerjee had earlier announced that the meeting would be organised by her party, but changed her decision to rope in intellectuals, social activists and tribals. န File Photo : AFP
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3rd Asian 'International Trade Expo' held in Bangladesh
Xinhua, Dhaka, 3 August : The 3rd Asian International Trade Expo is being held in Bangabandhu International Conference Center in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka to increase trade and bilateral relations within the Asian nations.
Organized by the Bangladeshi wing of Conference and Exhibition Management Services Limited (CEMS), a global event management company, the trade exhibition started on 2 August and will close on 8 August. READ FULL STORY
Organized by the Bangladeshi wing of Conference and Exhibition Management Services Limited (CEMS), a global event management company, the trade exhibition started on 2 August and will close on 8 August. READ FULL STORY
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Swine flu claims one more life in West Bengal: Health Dept
PTI, Kolkata, 3 August : Swine flu claimed one more life in West Bengal today, taking the number of deaths to four since the outbreak of the viral disease in June that has so far affected 104 people in the state.
A 13-year-old boy, admitted to a clinic at Dhakuria with multi-organ complications and later testing positive for H1N1 infection, died during the day, Health Department Nodal Officer (swine flu) A Biswas told PTI.
A 13-year-old boy, admitted to a clinic at Dhakuria with multi-organ complications and later testing positive for H1N1 infection, died during the day, Health Department Nodal Officer (swine flu) A Biswas told PTI.
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B'desh govt to set up separate Ministry for Railway and ICT
UNB, Dhaka, 3 August : Bangladesh government is actively considering setting up two separate Ministries for Railway and Information Communication Technology (ICT) in a bid to ensure better services to the people.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina revealed this while presiding over the first meeting of Digital Bangladesh Taskforce at the Prime Minister’s Office on Tuesday morning. Prime Minister expressed her and her government’s strong commitment to build the railway as the modern service sector by incorporating latest technologies and ensuring proper management.
She observed that despite huge potentials, railway sector in Bangladesh has long been neglected. “Railway’s role in country’s socio-economic development is enormous. We must ensure best use of railway communication facilities,” the Prime Minister was quoted to have told the meeting.
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West Bengal govt holds meeting with non-GJM hills parties
Kolkata, 3 August : With the Centre keen on an interim arrangement to replace the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council which runs the administration in the district, non-GJM Hills parties today held parleys with the West Bengal government on the tripartite talks.
The talks with political parties from Darjeeling were held here prior to the political-level tripartite talks among the Centre, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), and West Bengal government on 17 August. Health Minister Surjya Kanta Mishra and Municipal Affairs Minister Asok Bhattacharya, who convened the meeting, told reporters that the opinion of non-GJM Hills parties was essential before the next round of talks, since the Centre has so far been talking only to the GJM.
Kolkata, 3 August : With the Centre keen on an interim arrangement to replace the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council which runs the administration in the district, non-GJM Hills parties today held parleys with the West Bengal government on the tripartite talks.
The talks with political parties from Darjeeling were held here prior to the political-level tripartite talks among the Centre, the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), and West Bengal government on 17 August. Health Minister Surjya Kanta Mishra and Municipal Affairs Minister Asok Bhattacharya, who convened the meeting, told reporters that the opinion of non-GJM Hills parties was essential before the next round of talks, since the Centre has so far been talking only to the GJM.
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Earthquake with Magnitude of 5.2 Rocks Andaman islands
PTI, Pune, 3 August : An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.2 on the Richter scale hit Andaman islands today, the met office said here.
An earthquake was recorded at Andaman Islands by the Seismographs in the Meteorological office at 7.22 this morning having a magnitude 5.2 on the Richter scale, according to met office.
PTI, Pune, 3 August : An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.2 on the Richter scale hit Andaman islands today, the met office said here.
An earthquake was recorded at Andaman Islands by the Seismographs in the Meteorological office at 7.22 this morning having a magnitude 5.2 on the Richter scale, according to met office.
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Bangladesh urges developed countries to fulfill their commitment to providing 0.7% GNP to developing nations BSS, Dhaka, 3 August : Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni today called upon the developed countries to fulfill their commitment to providing 0.7 percent gross national product (GNP) as official development assistance (ODA) to the developing nations.
"It is regrettable that most of the developed countries have miserably failed to meet their obligation, as agreed in the Monterrey Consensus, to provide 0.7% of their GNP as ODA to developing countries and it is high time that they fulfill their commitment," she said.
Addressing the opening session for Special Ministerial Meeting for MDGs Review in Asia and the Pacific Run Up to 2015 being held in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, the foreign minister called for intensifying collective efforts to implement the MDGs by 2015 timeline.
"It is regrettable that most of the developed countries have miserably failed to meet their obligation, as agreed in the Monterrey Consensus, to provide 0.7% of their GNP as ODA to developing countries and it is high time that they fulfill their commitment," she said.
Addressing the opening session for Special Ministerial Meeting for MDGs Review in Asia and the Pacific Run Up to 2015 being held in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, the foreign minister called for intensifying collective efforts to implement the MDGs by 2015 timeline.
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CPI(M) party alleges foul play in voters list in West Bengal
PTI, New Delhi, 3 August : CPI(M) today approached the Election Commission seeking its intervention to stop alleged illegal inclusion of fictitious names in voters list in West Bengal.
The delegation, led by CPI(M) PolitBuro member Sitaram Yechury, met the Election Commissioners and drew their attention to the alleged violations in the state where elections are scheduled early next year. After the meeting, Yechury told reporters that they apprised the Commissioners about the alleged large-scale inclusion of names in voters list.
PTI, New Delhi, 3 August : CPI(M) today approached the Election Commission seeking its intervention to stop alleged illegal inclusion of fictitious names in voters list in West Bengal.
The delegation, led by CPI(M) PolitBuro member Sitaram Yechury, met the Election Commissioners and drew their attention to the alleged violations in the state where elections are scheduled early next year. After the meeting, Yechury told reporters that they apprised the Commissioners about the alleged large-scale inclusion of names in voters list.
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Bangladesh's PRAN Group to set up food processing units
Agartala, 3 August : Bangladesh's food processing and manufacturing firm, PRAN Group will set up agro and food processing plants in Tripura, Orissa and Tamil Nadu, a company official said here Tuesday."Setting up of an agro and food processing joint venture plant with Indian entrepreneurs in Agartala is now in an advanced stage," said Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, deputy managing director of the PRAN Group of companies. "PRAN (Programme for Rural Advancement Nationally), which is the first Bangladesh company to invest in India, has also sought approval from Bangladesh Bank to invest in India," he told reporters here.
The Tripura government has allotted an acre of land to the group at Bodhjung Nagar industrial zone in western Tripura to set up the proposed unit for which a new company, PRAN Beverage India Private limited, was floated recently with Indian entrepreneurs.
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Kolkata's SSKM hospital to open EI's first 'breast milk bank'
IANS, Kolkata, 3 August : Kolkata's state-run SSKM hospital, one of the elite healthcare centres in West Bengal, is all set to have a breast milk bank - the first of its kind in eastern India and only the second in the country.
The breast milk bank will not only be used to feed babies whose mothers fall ill during the six-month lactating period after delivery but also come as a big relief to mothers who do not lactate. It will also be a boon to the premature newborns, said Arun Singh, head of the neo-natology department. Neo-natology is a branch of paediatrics dealing with the medical care of the newborns, particularly those who are ill and require special care."Human milk is meant for humans and it is unparalleled. This breast milk bank will help several sick newborns, premature infants and those infants whose mothers cannot produce milk," Arun Singh, the man behind this innovative initiative, told IANS. The bank will take milk from mothers who have more milk left even after feeding their babies.
The first and only other breast milk bank in India was set up in Maharashtra. In contrast, the idea of a milk bank is quite popular in countries such as Britain, the US and Sweden.
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