UNB, Dhaka, 24 September : The first Bangladesh-Nepal joint expedition to the Himalayas is well set for its journey to discover a virgin peak in the Himalayas, which will be named ‘Bangladesh-Nepal Friendship Peak’ after a successful summit.
A six-member Bangladeshi mountaineering team will leave Dhaka for Nepal on 1 October and they will begin a 25-day joint expedition with another six-member Nepali team from Singgati on 3 October to discover a virgin peak of the Himalayas. The announcement came from a flag off ceremony and press conference at the National Press Club in the city on Friday morning.Bangladesh Mountaineering and Trekking Club (BMTC) organized the press conference. BMTC founder and explorer to Antarctica and North Pole Enam Ul Haque led the session.
All six members of the Bangladesh team earlier received training from mountaineering training institute in India and participated in various mountaineering expeditions. The members of the Nepali team, who will take part in the Bangladesh-Nepal joint expedition, have already won the highest peak of Himalayas, the Mount Everest. န Photos : UNB
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PM Sheikh Hasina to address UNGA tomorrow in 'Bangla'
BSS, New York, 24 September : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address the 65th session of the UN General Assembly tomorrow Saturday afternoon.
Like the previous year, she will deliver her speech in Bangla at 3am (BDST). In her speech, Hasina is likely to touch on international issues like impact of climate change, MDGs and UN peacekeeping, making Bangla an official language of UN as well as domestic issues including trial of 1971 war crimes, terrorist acts by BNP-Jamaat axis and her government efforts for socioeconomic development.
BSS, New York, 24 September : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address the 65th session of the UN General Assembly tomorrow Saturday afternoon.
Like the previous year, she will deliver her speech in Bangla at 3am (BDST). In her speech, Hasina is likely to touch on international issues like impact of climate change, MDGs and UN peacekeeping, making Bangla an official language of UN as well as domestic issues including trial of 1971 war crimes, terrorist acts by BNP-Jamaat axis and her government efforts for socioeconomic development.
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Air Force' MiG27 crashes in West Midnapore dist, pilot safe
Kolkata, 24 September : A MiG-27 aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed in West Midnapore district on Friday, a defence spokesman here said. The pilot ejected safely, and there were no casualties on the ground.
The aircraft, which took off from Kalaikunda airbase on a routine sortie, crashed at 8.30am in Duria village, about 40 km from the airbase, Wing Commander Mahesh Upasani, the defence ministry’s chief public relations officer told Bengal Newz here. “The pilot ejected safely. There were no civilian casualties also,” Upasani said.
Kolkata, 24 September : A MiG-27 aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed in West Midnapore district on Friday, a defence spokesman here said. The pilot ejected safely, and there were no casualties on the ground.
The aircraft, which took off from Kalaikunda airbase on a routine sortie, crashed at 8.30am in Duria village, about 40 km from the airbase, Wing Commander Mahesh Upasani, the defence ministry’s chief public relations officer told Bengal Newz here. “The pilot ejected safely. There were no civilian casualties also,” Upasani said.
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Jammu and Kashmir youths visit WB on Goodwill Mission
Kolkata, 24 September : Twenty-five youths from the insurgency-affected state of Jammu and Kashmir are on a goodwill visit to Kolkata under 'Project Sadbhavna' undertaken by the Indian Army to expose them to the rich traditions of the State of West Bengal and to the progress in various fields.
The tour is also intended to instill a sense of awareness and National Integration amongst the youths of these areas. The tour is being organized by No. 66 Rashtriya Rifles of the Counter Insurgency Force (uniform).These youths, who have arrived in the city on Wednesday belong to remote areas of Rajouri and Reasi districts of J and K. They have so far visited Vidya Sagar Setu, Victorial Memorial, St Pauls Cathedral, Dakshineshwar Temple, Science city, Nakhoda Masjid , Zoological Gardens and rode on the Kolkata Trams and Metro. Apart from this they have also visited various Army establishments in Kolkata. Today, this team met Maj Gen Ravi Dastane, GOC HQ Bengal Area.
The team would be proceeding to Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Gangtok for the remaining part of their tour on Saturday. န File Photos : EPA
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Elephant Task Force for checks on railways through forests
New Delhi, 24 September : The death of seven elephants on rail tracks in West Bengal has brought to fore the threat the jumbos are facing in the country with as many as 150 of them being mowed down by speeding trains since 1987.
According to the latest report of the Elephant Task Force (ETF) of the Environment Ministry, West Bengal, where the tragedy occurred on Thursday, stands next only to Assam in the number of elephant casualties due to train movements.
New Delhi, 24 September : The death of seven elephants on rail tracks in West Bengal has brought to fore the threat the jumbos are facing in the country with as many as 150 of them being mowed down by speeding trains since 1987.
According to the latest report of the Elephant Task Force (ETF) of the Environment Ministry, West Bengal, where the tragedy occurred on Thursday, stands next only to Assam in the number of elephant casualties due to train movements.
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Railways officials blames Bengal's elephants for straying
IANS, New Delhi, 24 September : Terming the mowing down of seven elephants by a freight train near Jalpaiguri in West Bengal as "unfortunate", senior Indian Railways officials Friday said the tragic incident occurred in a "denotified area", where elephants are not known to roam and the railways was trying to find a permanent solution to the problem !Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh Friday said he will take up the matter with the Indian Railways so that such incidents are avoided in future.
The railways said they had no prior information from forest officials about the movement of elephants in what they called 'denotified' area, between Binnaguri and Banarhat stations of Alipurduar division in Jalpaiguri, where the accident took place Wednesday night. In a notified forested area, known as an elephant corridor, railway drivers drive very slowly, at a maximum speed of 50 km an hour, with the whistle blowing constantly to warn the animals, said an official. န Photo : AFP (More photos at www.facebook.com/bengalnewz)
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26 Myanmares poachers apprehended in North Andamans
Port Blair, 24 September : Twenty-six Myanmarese poachers were apprehended and two motorised boats seized from near Paget island in North Andamans, police said on Friday.
SP (North and Middle Andamans) Karunakaran said that an anti-poaching party, headed by a sub-inspector and two civilians, last Wednesday gave a long chase to the poachers on two boats near the Paget island. The poachers were apprehended after warning shots were fired by the anti-poaching party. At least 37 poachers of Burmese origin were apprehended during three anti-poaching operations in the last 10 days, they said.
Port Blair, 24 September : Twenty-six Myanmarese poachers were apprehended and two motorised boats seized from near Paget island in North Andamans, police said on Friday.
SP (North and Middle Andamans) Karunakaran said that an anti-poaching party, headed by a sub-inspector and two civilians, last Wednesday gave a long chase to the poachers on two boats near the Paget island. The poachers were apprehended after warning shots were fired by the anti-poaching party. At least 37 poachers of Burmese origin were apprehended during three anti-poaching operations in the last 10 days, they said.
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Rashtrapati Bhavan inspires Agartala to be energy efficient
Agartala, 24 September : Inspired by the Rashtrapati Bhavan's 'Roshni' project in New Delhi, this Tripura capital also aims to turn eco-friendly with ambitious plans afoot to make it an energy-effiecient and pollution-free 'solar city', President Pratibha Patil was told here Friday."Drawing inspiration from your (president's) unique initiative in implementing the 'Roshni' project for the development of the President's Estate as a green and energy-efficient township, we shall endeavour to develop Agartala as a similar city," Agartala Municipal Council (AMC) chairperson Sankar Das said at a reception organised in the president's honour. The President's Estate has become the first urban habitat in India to be awarded a ISO 14001:2004 certificate for environmental management, including pollution control and energy conservation, under its in house Roshni project that was formally launched in July.
Patil, accompanied by her husband Devisingh Shekhawat, arrived here Friday afternoon from Mizoram capital Aizawl. She is scheduled to attend the eighth convocation of the Tripura University Saturday. န Photo : Parthajit Dutta
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Maoists blow up Krishak Sabha office, fired community hal
Jhargram, Kolkata, 24 September : Maoists blew up the office of a Krishak Sabha (farmers' association), affiliated to the CPI(M), and torched a community hall in West Midnapore district early Friday.
"A group of Maoists attacked and damaged the community hall in Jhargram town of the district and later set it on fire. The Maoists also triggered a landmine blast in the Bandhgora Krishak Sabha office," said superintendent of Jhargram Police district Praveen Tripathi. "No one was injured in the incidents, as no one was present in the building at that time," said the police chief.
Jhargram, Kolkata, 24 September : Maoists blew up the office of a Krishak Sabha (farmers' association), affiliated to the CPI(M), and torched a community hall in West Midnapore district early Friday.
"A group of Maoists attacked and damaged the community hall in Jhargram town of the district and later set it on fire. The Maoists also triggered a landmine blast in the Bandhgora Krishak Sabha office," said superintendent of Jhargram Police district Praveen Tripathi. "No one was injured in the incidents, as no one was present in the building at that time," said the police chief.
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Five killed in Manikganj accident on Dhaka-Aricha highway
Manikganj, 24 September : Five people including four members of a family were killed and another was injured as a truck rammed into a private car at Bathuli in Dhamrai upazila on Dhaka-Aricha highway Thursday night.
Sources said the accident occurred when they were going to Saturia upazila from the capital to attend a wedding ceremony. Police said a speeding truck coming from the opposite direction smashed the private car, leaving the driver dead on the spot.
Manikganj, 24 September : Five people including four members of a family were killed and another was injured as a truck rammed into a private car at Bathuli in Dhamrai upazila on Dhaka-Aricha highway Thursday night.
Sources said the accident occurred when they were going to Saturia upazila from the capital to attend a wedding ceremony. Police said a speeding truck coming from the opposite direction smashed the private car, leaving the driver dead on the spot.
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Gorkha torch rally to include more areas in "interim council"
Siliguri, 24 September : The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) staged a torch rally in Siliguri on Thursday demanding the inclusion of Terai and Doars regions in the Interim Council set up by the central government.
They wanted the government to fulfill their demands before the next round of tripartite talks scheduled to be held in New Delhi on 30 September. Shouting slogans, they hit the streets with lighted torches in their hands to press their claim. They threatened to continue the agitation till their objective is fulfilled.
Siliguri, 24 September : The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) staged a torch rally in Siliguri on Thursday demanding the inclusion of Terai and Doars regions in the Interim Council set up by the central government.
They wanted the government to fulfill their demands before the next round of tripartite talks scheduled to be held in New Delhi on 30 September. Shouting slogans, they hit the streets with lighted torches in their hands to press their claim. They threatened to continue the agitation till their objective is fulfilled.
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Export of Bangladeshi citrus fruits yet to get momentum...
UNB, Dhaka, 24 September : Export of citrus fruits from the Bangladesh is yet to find a momentum due to pest infestation, post harvest losses, peak season glut and lack of proper information about both domestic and export markets.“There is scope for increasing export earnings and more income for the growers by increasing the yield of quality citrus fruits in the country,” said Dr. Debashish Chanda, Assistant General Manager (Marketing) of Hortex Foundation which facilitates export of fresh fruits and vegetables. Talking to UNB correspondent Golam Moin Uddin, he said that the climate of Bangladesh is very favorable for growing different varieties of citrus fruits.
According to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, about 120,846 metric tons of citrus fruits were produced in the country in 2007-08 on some 6,615 hectares of land. The main exportable citrus fruits to the ethnic markets of Europe and Middle East include various types of lemon and lime like Ada Lebu, Elachi Lebu, Zara Lebu, Kagji Lebu, and `Satkara’ (quite popular among people of Sylhet origin).Dr. Chanda observed that the export of citrus fruits to the EU market is yet to become stable due to improper cultivation management as well as inability to control the diseases.
Sources at the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) said export of fruits and vegetables was more likely to witness a rise in 2009-10 fiscal than the previous fiscal (2008-09), with earning touching US$ 64.21 million from export of some 30,000 metric tons of vegetables and fruits. The volume of fruits and vegetable export in the 2008-09 fiscal was 24,670 metric tons to earn US$ 50.71 million while the highest export earnings in the sector was US$ 69.12 million in the 2007-08 fiscal with export of 33,626 metric tons.
The UK alone accounts for around 45 percent of Bangladesh’s total export of vegetables and fruits while the other major exporting destinations are France, Italy, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
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