UNB, Dhaka, 17 September : Bangladesh is at the threshold of a big scale earthquake that might happen anytime, a seismic expert has apprehended.Dr Syed Humayun Akhter, Professor of Geology Department of Dhaka University, said the recent small scale tremors signal big earthquake ahead and it is imperative to take immediate preparedness to face such a calamity.
In an interview with UNB senior staff correspondent Rashed Ahmed Mitul at his office on Thursday, Prof Humayun said building up mass awareness about the earthquake hazard can help to keep the losses from the possible disaster to a minimum level. “It is absolutely true that big scale earthquake may occur in Bangladesh. It can happen any day - today, tomorrow or after 100 years,” he said.
Prof Humayun, also director of Seismology and Geodesy Division, Dhaka University Earth Observatory, said the government should give top most priority to creating awareness among the city dwellers to combat the earthquake disaster.
He said people are now in panic following the tremors that twice shook various districts in Bangladesh including Dhaka at night on 10 September one day ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. “Awareness about earthquake and mindset prepared to face the tremor might put an end to the earthquake panic.”
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Third "NICT conference" begins...Agartala, 17 September : The Third Northeast Information and Communication Technology (NICT) conference of The Telegraph, a leading English daily of eastern India, has begun here this morning.
A good number of private IT companies attended the day-long conference while six cabinet ministers, including Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, and top officials of the state administration would be addressing the conclave. NICT conferences had been initiated in Guwahati since 2005 for promoting IT in administration and business in the region.
''Tripura is the second state which has been associated with the event for the past two years,'' said Shyamal Bhattacharjee, one of the organisers. န Photo : Parthajit Dutta
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Ban on Satyajit Ray's docu film liftedSubir Bhaumik, BBC News, Kolkata, 17 September : India has finally lifted the ban on a documentary film made on the Himalayan state of Sikkim by the legendary director Satyajit Ray, his family said.
The film was banned after Sikkim merged with India under controversial circumstances in 1975. It was made 40 years ago when Sikkim was an independent kingdom - Sikkim's last ruler Palden Thondup Namgyal commissioned the film to woo tourists.
Ray died in April 1992 after receiving an Oscar for lifetime achievement. His son, Sandip Ray, also a film-maker, told the BBC that he was delighted that the ban on the documentary - called Sikkim - had been lifted. "I hope the documentary is screened soon," he said. READ FULL STORY
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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina goes to New York tomorrow
Dhaka, 17 September : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves here for New York tomorrow morning to attend the 65th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that begins on 23 September.
On her way to New York, Hasina will make a 20-hour stopover in Brussels. She will reach New York on 19 September. Prime Minister will also attend the high level plenary meeting on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on 20 September. There will be six roundtable meetings on MDGs from 20-22 September and the Prime Minister may preside over one session. The first roundtable on `Addressing challenge of poverty, hunger and gender equality’ will be held on 20 September.
Dhaka, 17 September : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves here for New York tomorrow morning to attend the 65th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that begins on 23 September.
On her way to New York, Hasina will make a 20-hour stopover in Brussels. She will reach New York on 19 September. Prime Minister will also attend the high level plenary meeting on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on 20 September. There will be six roundtable meetings on MDGs from 20-22 September and the Prime Minister may preside over one session. The first roundtable on `Addressing challenge of poverty, hunger and gender equality’ will be held on 20 September.
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CPI(M) leader shot at in Jhargram by suspected Maoists
PTI, Jhargram, 17 September : A CPI(M) local leader was on Friday shot at and seriously injured in Jhargram town in West Midnapore district by suspected Maoists, police said.
Gour Paichha, a CPI(M) local committee member of the town, was having tea at a stall near his house when six armed persons believed to be Maoists arrived on three motorcycles, they said. The CPI(M) leader tried to take shelter in a neighbour's house when he was shot in the arm, waist and below the ear by the armed men, they said. He was first taken to the district hospital and from there to the SKM hospital in Kolkata, where he was admitted in a critical condition, they added.
PTI, Jhargram, 17 September : A CPI(M) local leader was on Friday shot at and seriously injured in Jhargram town in West Midnapore district by suspected Maoists, police said.
Gour Paichha, a CPI(M) local committee member of the town, was having tea at a stall near his house when six armed persons believed to be Maoists arrived on three motorcycles, they said. The CPI(M) leader tried to take shelter in a neighbour's house when he was shot in the arm, waist and below the ear by the armed men, they said. He was first taken to the district hospital and from there to the SKM hospital in Kolkata, where he was admitted in a critical condition, they added.
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Slaughter of cattle come down as 'Anthrax' scare spreads
UNB, Dhaka, 17 September : Slaughter of cattle in the capital has come down sharply, in the wake of the anthrax scare that has seen a good number of people and cows across the country fall victim to the disease.Before anthrax cases started getting reported, each day between 6,000 to 7,000 cows were being slaughtered in the capital. Nowadays the number has dropped drastically to around 500. That represents a fall of almost 92 percent. Besides, nearly 8,000 goats were being slaughtered for the daily consumption of Dhakaites, but fear of contracting the sickness has brought down that figure to around 4,000.
Secretary General of the Bangladesh Meat Business Association, Rabiul Alam, provided UNB these statistics, while expressing his dismay over sluggish business ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr. Since demand for beef and mutton have plummeted, meat traders are selling buffalo meat by displaying signs to reassure customers that it is safe, and free from anthrax.
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5 dead,47injured in separate road accidents in Bangladesh
UNB, Dhaka, 17 September : Five people were killed and 47 injured in separate road accidents in Mymensingh, Kurigram and Thakurgaon on Friday.
In Mymensingh, three people were killed and 40 injured in a head on collision between two passengers buses at Nishinda area on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway at noon. In Kurigram, two police constables were killed as a Dhaka-bound speedy passenger bus from Kurigram hit their motorcycle from behind at Gate area in sadar upazila. In Thakurgaon, seven people were injured when a passenger speedy bus entered into a petrol pump as its driver lost control while giving side to a motorbike in the district headquarters in the morning.
UNB, Dhaka, 17 September : Five people were killed and 47 injured in separate road accidents in Mymensingh, Kurigram and Thakurgaon on Friday.
In Mymensingh, three people were killed and 40 injured in a head on collision between two passengers buses at Nishinda area on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway at noon. In Kurigram, two police constables were killed as a Dhaka-bound speedy passenger bus from Kurigram hit their motorcycle from behind at Gate area in sadar upazila. In Thakurgaon, seven people were injured when a passenger speedy bus entered into a petrol pump as its driver lost control while giving side to a motorbike in the district headquarters in the morning.
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Tripura trains police for "Commonwealth Games" security
ANI, Agartala, 17 September : Tripura is giving special training to its police personnel for Commonwealth Games security.Personnel of the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) have been going through rigorous drills in commando training, hurdle crossing, high wall crossing, climbing and jumping and slithering. Pranay Sahaya, the Director General of Tripura Police, said TSR troopers were apt for the job because of their training, skills and age profile.
"As far as duties in the Commonwealth (Games) are concerned, I think the level of training, skill, and I believe, general response of the people of this place in terms of my boys, and overall age profile, makes them a very good material for such sort of duties," Sahaya added. He also informed that following a request from the Home Ministry a battalion (around 1,000 troopers) would take up security-related responsibilities at Games venues. "It is one of the six states from where the forces have been drafted and amongst the northeast, for six companies, it is only Tripura state," he said.India is expecting about two million visitors in New Delhi for the Games, as well as about 10,000 athletes from 71 teams representing 54 Commonwealth member states, which will be held from 3 to 14 October. န Photos : Demotix
Also Read 'India makes pledge on Commonwealth Games security' on BBC
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