BSS, Dhaka, 13 September : Bangladesh cabinet today approved a draft law to abolish the position of the tax ombudsman.A cabinet meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also decided to decrease the tax on source to 0.4% from existing 0.5% for woven and knitwear exporters. "The Tax Ombudsman Law 2005 is being repealed as it contradicts the related rules and regulations for income tax, value added tax and tariff," Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told journalists after the meeting. He said all the officers and employees, working at the ombudsman office, will be reinstated at their previous workplaces.
The meeting was informed about the findings and recommendations of the delegation, which participated in the Jakarta meeting on millennium development goals for Asia and the Pacific region.
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Didi's Swiss plans : Railway links to N Bengal get a faceliftNew Jalpaiguri, 13 September : Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today appealed to the people of the hills to maintain peace and assured them that her party will take all-out measures to bring about rapid development in the region.
''North Bengal will no longer lag behind and I will ensure that the people of this region also taste the fruits of development. I will also visit Darjeeling in a few days and talk to the people of the hills about their expectations and aspirations,'' Mamata told a gathering here. She was here to flag off several new trains, inaugurate new amenities at many stations and lay the foundation stone of multi-functional complexes.
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Army official shifted out of Sukna land scam court martialPTI, Shillong, 13 September : A senior official of the Indian Army's legal branch is understood to have been moved out of the court martial in the Sukna case soon after he made observations against the charges on Lt Gen P K Rath, who has been arraigned in the case.
Sources said after Army's counsel in the court martial Brigadier, T Prasad, made certain written remarks against the charges or procedures in the case to Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Bikram Singh, he was posted out and replaced by another officer.
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NE states failed to provide safety to women : Smriti Irani
Agartala, 13 September : State governments in North-East have failed to provide safety to women in the region, a top BJP leader has said.BJP Mahila Morcha President Smriti Irani, also a TV star has alleged that the state governments of the region have failed to control the law and order situation and the leaders were indulging in corruptions and nepotism. "I have travelled in different states in last ten days and have seen that the law and order has collapsed there. Leaders are corrupt and women were not given proper safety and security to their lives and property," she told reporters here yesterday.
Informing that BJP had recently formed a North-East cell in New Delhi to hear the grievances of the people of the region, Irani said the party has also formed 'Nari Shakti Kendras' (women's authority centres) throughout the country to address the problems of women. န Photo : Parthajit Dutta
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Bangladesh's central bank takes reverse repos at 3.5 pctRuma Paul, Reuters, Dhaka, 13 September : Bangladesh's central bank said on Monday it accepted the two bids for a total 1.70 billion taka ($24.4 million) in one-day reverse repo auctions, in which it absorbs excess cash from the banking system, at 3.50 percent.
However, the central bank said it also provided 1.00 billion taka ($14.4 million) in a liquidity support facility for one day at 5.50 percent.
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Raima Sen not to play her grandmother Suchitra Sen's role
Kolkata, 13 September : Actress Raima Sen has dismissed rumours that she is slated to play her grandmother Suchitra Sen's role in an upcoming film by Rituparno Ghosh, insisting she is against stepping into the shoes of the legendary star."I do not want to play her role on screen. She is a legend and her memories are still alive in everybody's minds. It makes no sense to do that," Raima told reporters here.
Suchitra, who lives a secluded life and has not appeared in public for over 30 years now, was one of the biggest stars in Bengali cinema with numerous hits in her kitty.
She received a National Award for her performance in the 1955 Hindi film 'Devdas' and is the first Indian actress to be awarded at an international film festival - best actress award for the movie 'Saat Paake Bandha' in 1963 Moscow film festival.
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Jhargram, 13 September : A two-day bandh called by the Maoists in six states on Monday began on a bloody note with killing five CPI(M) supporters at Nachupatina village in West Midnapore district, police said today.
A large group of Maoists descended on Nachupatina village's Dompara area late last night and exploded bombs before firing in the air to terrorise the villagers, they said. One group went to the house of CPI(M) supporter Amrit Aagyuan and broke open the door and forcibly took him way. Amrit's mother was injured when she tried to stop the Maoists, they said.
Another group of Maoists went to the house of Rohin Aagyun, Samaresh Aagyuan, Swapan Aagyuan and Prasanta Aagyuan, all belonging to one family, and forcibly took them outside. The Maoists first beat the five persons and then shot dead and left behind some Maoist posters, they said. န File Photo : AP
Jute regains its past glories as price continues rise making farmers happier
Guwahati, 13 September : Assam's most popular folk dance form 'Bihu' will be one of the star attractions of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games on 3 October in New Delhi.
A 110-member troupe, comprising 48 dancers and 62 drummers, or dhuliyas in Assamese, led by acclaimed drummer Oja Somnath Bora, has already left for New Delhi to practise for the opening ceremony. "It is indeed a big honour to showcase our beautiful Bihu dance form before a global audience and we are practising hard to leave a lasting impression in the minds of millions of people who will watch the opening ceremony," Bora said.
The state cultural affairs department has asked Bora to bring together the dancers and drummers and prepare for the ceremony. Bora, a master dhuliya, who was the first Indian to win a gold medal in a percussion playing competition at Delphic in South Korea last year, is, however, keeping the details of the presentation close to his heart. "We are still evolving and improving on the steps and the final presentation is yet to take shape," he said.
The new assignment has kept on hold his long-cherished dream of making it to the Guinness Book of World Records. "I have a dream of bringing together 25,000 dancers, drummers and instrumentalists on a common platform and present a performance to enter the Guinness World Records," Bora said.
He had earlier planned for October 10, 2010 as the date when he wanted to break the earlier record created by 10,200 Cheraw dancers from Mizoram, but had to postpone it due to the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. န File Photos : Chinmoy Roy
Suchitra, who lives a secluded life and has not appeared in public for over 30 years now, was one of the biggest stars in Bengali cinema with numerous hits in her kitty.
She received a National Award for her performance in the 1955 Hindi film 'Devdas' and is the first Indian actress to be awarded at an international film festival - best actress award for the movie 'Saat Paake Bandha' in 1963 Moscow film festival.
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Five CPI(M) supporters killed by Maoists in Jhargram area
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Jhargram, 13 September : A two-day bandh called by the Maoists in six states on Monday began on a bloody note with killing five CPI(M) supporters at Nachupatina village in West Midnapore district, police said today.A large group of Maoists descended on Nachupatina village's Dompara area late last night and exploded bombs before firing in the air to terrorise the villagers, they said. One group went to the house of CPI(M) supporter Amrit Aagyuan and broke open the door and forcibly took him way. Amrit's mother was injured when she tried to stop the Maoists, they said.
Another group of Maoists went to the house of Rohin Aagyun, Samaresh Aagyuan, Swapan Aagyuan and Prasanta Aagyuan, all belonging to one family, and forcibly took them outside. The Maoists first beat the five persons and then shot dead and left behind some Maoist posters, they said. န File Photo : AP
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Airport operators ask govt for more foreign flight movement
Kolkata, 13 September : Airport operators, including state-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) which have invested thousands of crores to upgrade infrastructure, have started lobbying with the government to allow more foreign carriers to operate from their facilities. The move is expected to help the airport firms improve their revenue and recover investment.
While GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) is in favour of allowing Tiger Airways to operate flights to the IT city, the AAI wants the Malaysian no-frill carrier, Air Asia, to start services to Kolkata. The AAI is in the process of investing nearly Rs 2,500 crore to upgrade the Kolkata airport. The public sector agency has earmarked a budget of about Rs 12,700 crore during the current Five Year Plan to upgrade the airport facilities, which include non-metro airports such as Dehradun, Ahmedabad and Patna.
Kolkata, 13 September : Airport operators, including state-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) which have invested thousands of crores to upgrade infrastructure, have started lobbying with the government to allow more foreign carriers to operate from their facilities. The move is expected to help the airport firms improve their revenue and recover investment.
While GMR Hyderabad International Airport (GHIAL) is in favour of allowing Tiger Airways to operate flights to the IT city, the AAI wants the Malaysian no-frill carrier, Air Asia, to start services to Kolkata. The AAI is in the process of investing nearly Rs 2,500 crore to upgrade the Kolkata airport. The public sector agency has earmarked a budget of about Rs 12,700 crore during the current Five Year Plan to upgrade the airport facilities, which include non-metro airports such as Dehradun, Ahmedabad and Patna.
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Jute regains its past glories as price continues rise making farmers happier BSS, Rangpur, 13 September : The market prices of the 'Golden Fibre' of jute now rose to Taka 2,200 per maund (every 40kg) bringing smiles and more profits to the happier farmers of the country's northern region, officials and farmers said.
The market sources today predicted further rise in jute prices this season because of its huge demand as the 'Golden Fibre' has started regaining its past glories following various effective steps of the government. A week ago, jute was being sold at rates between Taka 1,600 and Taka 1,900 per maund depending on their varieties and qualities but the prices marked sharp prices after the Eid-ul-Fitr festivity in the region, they said.
Meanwhile, the farmers have completed separation of jute fibre with excellent yield rates in northern Bangladesh, the jute growers, farmers, scientists and officials concerned told BSS.
The market sources today predicted further rise in jute prices this season because of its huge demand as the 'Golden Fibre' has started regaining its past glories following various effective steps of the government. A week ago, jute was being sold at rates between Taka 1,600 and Taka 1,900 per maund depending on their varieties and qualities but the prices marked sharp prices after the Eid-ul-Fitr festivity in the region, they said.
Meanwhile, the farmers have completed separation of jute fibre with excellent yield rates in northern Bangladesh, the jute growers, farmers, scientists and officials concerned told BSS.
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Khasi militant threat on first-ever Meghalaya municipal poll
PTI, Shillong, 13 September : Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), the banned Khasi militant outfit, today warned the people of 'dire consequences' if they participated in the proposed municipal elections.
HNLC was against the holding of the municipal polls because of the "excessive interference by non-indigenous people" in the affairs of the indigenous people, An e-mail issued by HNLC publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw said. The Meghalaya government has already announced that it would conduct the first-ever municipal elections in the three districts of Garo hills on 30 September despite opposition from several quarters.
PTI, Shillong, 13 September : Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), the banned Khasi militant outfit, today warned the people of 'dire consequences' if they participated in the proposed municipal elections.
HNLC was against the holding of the municipal polls because of the "excessive interference by non-indigenous people" in the affairs of the indigenous people, An e-mail issued by HNLC publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw said. The Meghalaya government has already announced that it would conduct the first-ever municipal elections in the three districts of Garo hills on 30 September despite opposition from several quarters.
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Assam' Bihu troupe to perform at CWG opening ceremony
Guwahati, 13 September : Assam's most popular folk dance form 'Bihu' will be one of the star attractions of the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games on 3 October in New Delhi.
A 110-member troupe, comprising 48 dancers and 62 drummers, or dhuliyas in Assamese, led by acclaimed drummer Oja Somnath Bora, has already left for New Delhi to practise for the opening ceremony. "It is indeed a big honour to showcase our beautiful Bihu dance form before a global audience and we are practising hard to leave a lasting impression in the minds of millions of people who will watch the opening ceremony," Bora said.The state cultural affairs department has asked Bora to bring together the dancers and drummers and prepare for the ceremony. Bora, a master dhuliya, who was the first Indian to win a gold medal in a percussion playing competition at Delphic in South Korea last year, is, however, keeping the details of the presentation close to his heart. "We are still evolving and improving on the steps and the final presentation is yet to take shape," he said.
The new assignment has kept on hold his long-cherished dream of making it to the Guinness Book of World Records. "I have a dream of bringing together 25,000 dancers, drummers and instrumentalists on a common platform and present a performance to enter the Guinness World Records," Bora said.
He had earlier planned for October 10, 2010 as the date when he wanted to break the earlier record created by 10,200 Cheraw dancers from Mizoram, but had to postpone it due to the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. န File Photos : Chinmoy Roy
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