"Difficult to bring down inflation to an ideal level" : FM Pranab

PTI, New Delhi, 26 October : Amid expectations that RBI may raise short-term rates to contain inflation, the government today admitted that it is difficult to bring down the rate of price rise to an ideal level of 4-5%, while the central bank said it is a challenge to keep it under check.
"I will try to bring it (inflation) down through whatever mechanism we have...it would be ideal if we have 4-5%, but may be difficult. But I do feel that annualised inflation rate would be around six per cent," Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Economic Editors'Conference.
Mukherjee identified rising prices as a major concern, although inflation has declined to 8.6 percent from double digits in June. Inflation, which has emerged as a big political issue, was 8.6% in September. However, food inflation was 15. န Photo : PTI

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Swedish investors like to invest in Bangladeshi sectors
UNB, Dhaka, 26 October : New Swedish Ambassador to Bangladesh Ms. Ann Margareta (Anneli) Tuesday said Swedish investors would like to invest in Bangladesh with advanced technology in renewable energy, especially in solar power.
During a meeting with Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni at the Foreign Ministry, the Ambassador also observed that there is huge potential for increasing Swedish import from Bangladesh. Dr Dipu Moni sought Swedish cooperation and investment in the shipbuilding, ship recycling and agro-chemical industries sectors. Margaretta also hinted more Swedish assistance in the education sector in the form of scholarship and admission opportunities.

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Bangladesh Ecnec approves 8 projects costing Tk 999crore

UNB, Dhaka, 26 October : The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) Tuesday approved eight projects at a cost of Tk 999 crore including an irrigation project in the Barendra area to bring some 60,000 hectares of land under irrigation.
ECNEC chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting at the NEC conference room in city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area. The Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur and Joypurhat integrated area development project will be implemented at a cost of Tk 271 crore. Barendra Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) under the Agriculture Ministry will implement the project to be funded entirely from GoB funds.
Under the Project, some 1200 deep tube wells will be installed, apart from re-excavating 100 meter canal and 50 ponds. Besides, some 25 water merged ware will be constructed in addition to sowing some 2 lakh saplings in the project area including medicinal. The project will be implemented in 28 upazilas of four districts.
Sources said that the project area covers some 6.16 lakh irrigable land where some 4.86 lakh hectares of land is currently under irrigation facility. The project has been undertaken to bring the rest of the land under irrigation facility.

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Tripura Congs demands judicial inquiry into custodial death
Agartala, 26 October : The opposition Congress has demanded a judicial inquiry into the custodial death of a person accused of theft and snatching in Bishramganj police station in West Tripura.
Congress leaders alleged that Hanif Mia(25) died due to torture in police custody but police were trying to pass it off as suicide. The party had blockade the Agartala-Sabroom highway yesterday in protest against the death. Some minority organisations had also supported the demand and launched an agitation for suspension of the Officer-In-Charge of the police station and sentry. The police, however, claimed that after initial investigation the duty officer was suspended and an inquiry started.

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Trinamool Cong-CPI(M) violent clashes rock Burdwan town

Burdwan, 26 October : Burdwan town was today rocked by violent clashes between Trinamool Congress and CPI-M supporters over alleged illegal recruitment in the Burdwan University.
The clashes were triggered when alleged CPI(M) supporters from outside attacked university employees, with allegiance to the Trinamool Congress, holding a protest-demonstration at the gate of the university, witnesses said.
The attackers hurled brickbats on them, injuring at least seven people. This led to a series of violent clashes between supporters of the two parties all over the bustling town. A CPI(M) party office near the Burdwan Medical College was ransacked followed by ransacking of a Trinamool party office by CPI(M) supporters. န Photos : Dipankar Chattterjee

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Six girls from Dhubri, Assam rescued from Mumbai brothels
Dhubri, 26 October : Six girls from Dhubri who were sold off to brothels in Mumbai a few months ago were rescued and brought back to the district by police last night after they sniffed out the trafficking racket based on a father’s complaint about his missing daughter.
The hunt began after Hanif Ali lodged an FIR at Kharuabandha police outpost when his son-in-law returned from Mumbai without his daughter.

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