Kolkata, 28 October : The West Bengal government has decided to spend over Rs 120 crore to uplift tourist destinations in the state and would invest another Rs 10 crore in publicity and promotion to create a brand identity."The government has started making the investment since last year to develop various destinations," Managing Director, WB Tourism Development Corporation, T V N Rao said during a seminar on tourism development here today. Apart from this, the government has decided to spend more in creating a unique brand identity for the state. As against the last year's Rs 6 crore, this year Rs 10 crore would be spent to make West Bengal the most preferred tourist destination, he said.
Rao underlined that tourism in West Bengal needed a boost in branding and marketing strategy to come to the fore. န File Photo
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Biman Bangladesh takes firm stand to maintain discipline
Dhaka, 28 October : Taking a rigid and firm stand Biman Bangladesh chief today warned the abstaining pilots of dealing with iron hand in maintaining discipline in the organization.The stern warning came on the heels of 48-hour ultimatum issued Wednesday to the pilots to join the work or face disciplinary action. The ultimatum ends at 11am(BDST) Saturday. Some 46 aggrieved pilots of the national flag carrier Bangladesh Biman Airlines applied for sick leave at a time landing the authority in a difficult situation in maintaining the flying schedule.
“The stance of Biman management is clear. Biman will run on its own rules. Any evil- attempt to destroy its rules and regulations will be dealt with iron hand,” Managing Director of Biman Bangladesh Mohammad Zakiul Islam told a press conference at iis office today.
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Abducted IB inspector's wife Barnali appeals to Maoists
PTI, Purulia, Kolkata, 28 October : Abducted intelligence officer Partha Biswas' wife today appealed to the Maoists to release her husband as he went to Purulia, from where he was allegedly taken away by the ultras, to work for an NGO.
"I appeal to Maoists through the media to verify the background of my husband and release him," Biswas's wife Barnali told reporters at the Purulia superintendent of police's office. She pleaded that though her husband was an intelligence branch inspector, he had not gone to Purulia to gather information about the Maoists, but to work for tribal villagers which he had been doing for a long time.
PTI, Purulia, Kolkata, 28 October : Abducted intelligence officer Partha Biswas' wife today appealed to the Maoists to release her husband as he went to Purulia, from where he was allegedly taken away by the ultras, to work for an NGO.
"I appeal to Maoists through the media to verify the background of my husband and release him," Biswas's wife Barnali told reporters at the Purulia superintendent of police's office. She pleaded that though her husband was an intelligence branch inspector, he had not gone to Purulia to gather information about the Maoists, but to work for tribal villagers which he had been doing for a long time.
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Bangladesh detains Islamists ahead of '71s war crimes trial
Dhaka, 28 October : Bangladesh Police, in a raid in an apartment Thursday, arrested 20 leaders and activists including a former lawmaker in city’s Mirpur area along with six hand-made bombs, one kg of explosive substance and huge number of Jihadi books.Police said acting on a tip off, they raided the house of Mohor Ali at Kalwalapara in Mirpur-1 at about 11:30am(BDST) and arrested the 20 Jamaat leaders and activists including assistant secretary general of Jamaat and also former Jamaat MP of Godagari in Rajshahi Professor Mujibur Rahman and Khulna city Nayeb-e-Ameer Shafiqul Alam.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Mirpur division) Moniruzzaman said the detainees were holding a secret meeting in the apartment. န Photos : UNB
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Air India's special schemes for North East and Port Blair
UNI, Mumbai, 28 October : The national carrier, Air India has come up with three super saver schemes for North East and Port Blair to fulfill its mission of promoting travel and tourism to far flung and lesser visited destinations. 'The schemes launched on 23 October, 2010 shall be valid for sale till 31 March, 2011 and the validity of the tickets for travel shall be 3 months from the date of issue, a release issued here today said.''First scheme is of North East super savers with four coupon tickets for sale and travel within the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland at a total cost of Rs 10716/- all-inclusive,''the release added. Another scheme is of Islanders' super savers for Port Blair. A special four coupon ticket is for sale in Andaman and Nicobar islands with travel originating from Port Blair on the first coupon.
Subsequent coupons can be used for travel between Port Blair and Chennai/Kolkata. The total cost of the ticket will be Rs 26000/-all inclusive, the release further added.
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WB govt to pay 'compensation' to Nandigram victims soon
Kolkata, 28 October : West Bengal government today assured that it will adhere to the Supreme Court directive and will soon compensate those who were injured in police firing during the Nandigram violence in March 2007.
"There are total 159 injured and a list has been prepared, and is lying with the finance department for approval. Once it is cleared the government will make the payment as soon as possible," state Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh told reporters here today.
Kolkata, 28 October : West Bengal government today assured that it will adhere to the Supreme Court directive and will soon compensate those who were injured in police firing during the Nandigram violence in March 2007.
"There are total 159 injured and a list has been prepared, and is lying with the finance department for approval. Once it is cleared the government will make the payment as soon as possible," state Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh told reporters here today.
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Bomb hurled at B'desh's 'Desh TV', 'Bhorer Kagoj' building
Dhaka, 28 October : A bomb was hurled Thursday night at the gate of private TV channel Desh TV and Bhorer Kagoj building near Mouchak market Thursday night.
Witnesses said the bomb was hurled at about 9-40pm(BDST) The glass-door on the ground floor of the building was broken under the impact of the bomb. None was reportedly injured.
Dhaka, 28 October : A bomb was hurled Thursday night at the gate of private TV channel Desh TV and Bhorer Kagoj building near Mouchak market Thursday night.
Witnesses said the bomb was hurled at about 9-40pm(BDST) The glass-door on the ground floor of the building was broken under the impact of the bomb. None was reportedly injured.
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Endangered one-horned rhino killed in Kaziranga Natl Park
IANS, Guwahati, 28 October : An endangered one-horned rhino was killed and its horn gouged out by poacher gangs at the famed Kaziranga National Park in Assam, officials said Thursday.A wildlife official said the latest killing was reported from inside the sanctuary, 220 km east of Assam's main city of Guwahati. "The rhino was killed using automatic weapons and the horn gouged out," Assam Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain said. The minister visited the park on receiving the report of the adult female rhino being slaughtered. "A massive anti-poaching operation was launched," the minister said.
As per the 2009 census report, some 2,048 of the world's estimated 3,000 one-horned rhinos lumber around the swamps and grasslands of Kaziranga, their concentration here making the giant mammals a favourite target of poachers. Eleven of the beasts were killed so far this year, while 18 rhinos were killed in 2008 and 14 in 2009. Between 1980 and 1997, some 550 rhinos were killed by poachers in the wilds of Kaziranga, the highest being 48 in 1992.
Poachers kill rhinos for their horns, which many believe contain aphrodisiac qualities, besides being used as medicines for curing fever, stomach ailments and other diseases in parts of Asia. Rhino horns are also much fancied by buyers from the Middle East who turn them into handles of ornamental daggers, while elephant ivory tusks are primarily used for making ornaments and decorative items.
As per the 2009 census report, some 2,048 of the world's estimated 3,000 one-horned rhinos lumber around the swamps and grasslands of Kaziranga, their concentration here making the giant mammals a favourite target of poachers. Eleven of the beasts were killed so far this year, while 18 rhinos were killed in 2008 and 14 in 2009. Between 1980 and 1997, some 550 rhinos were killed by poachers in the wilds of Kaziranga, the highest being 48 in 1992.
Poachers kill rhinos for their horns, which many believe contain aphrodisiac qualities, besides being used as medicines for curing fever, stomach ailments and other diseases in parts of Asia. Rhino horns are also much fancied by buyers from the Middle East who turn them into handles of ornamental daggers, while elephant ivory tusks are primarily used for making ornaments and decorative items.
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Prime Minister Hasina to launch Industrial Police Sunday
Dhaka, 28 October : The much talked about Industrial Police, a specialized unit of law enforcers, will formally begin its function from Sunday to maintain order in the country's four major industrial zones.
The Industrial police have been formed to make sure that outsiders can not provoke violence or create chaos in four industrial zones-Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Chittagong. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will formally inaugurate the force at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on Sunday.
Dhaka, 28 October : The much talked about Industrial Police, a specialized unit of law enforcers, will formally begin its function from Sunday to maintain order in the country's four major industrial zones.
The Industrial police have been formed to make sure that outsiders can not provoke violence or create chaos in four industrial zones-Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Chittagong. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will formally inaugurate the force at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on Sunday.
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Rail Minister Mamata Banerjee to announce railway project
Kolkata, 28 October : With the West Bengal assembly polls around six months away, Trinamool Congress chief and Indian Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee will tour three western districts to kickstart a railway project.
Banerjee will visit Burdwan, Purulia and Bankura Saturday and Sunday and hold public rallies, said party sources. Druing her trip, she will inaugurate a railway wagon factory at Andal in Burdwan, said a Trinamool Congress leader. He said Banerjee will also sign an MoU with the National Thermal Power Corp for a power plant at Adra in Purulia.
Banerjee will visit Burdwan, Purulia and Bankura Saturday and Sunday and hold public rallies, said party sources. Druing her trip, she will inaugurate a railway wagon factory at Andal in Burdwan, said a Trinamool Congress leader. He said Banerjee will also sign an MoU with the National Thermal Power Corp for a power plant at Adra in Purulia.
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Four days Tripura assembly session to begin tomorrow
Agartala, 28 October : The four-day winter session of Tripura Legislative Assembly will begin from tomorrow, officials said here today.
The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) has finalised the tabling of Tripura Sate Rifles Act,third amendment bill, and also State Medical Council bill to facilitate the practice of successful MBBS students- who would get states registration, officials stated.
Agartala, 28 October : The four-day winter session of Tripura Legislative Assembly will begin from tomorrow, officials said here today.
The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) has finalised the tabling of Tripura Sate Rifles Act,third amendment bill, and also State Medical Council bill to facilitate the practice of successful MBBS students- who would get states registration, officials stated.
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Bangladesh to be attractive destination of Social Business
UNB, Dhaka, 28 October : Bangladesh will become an attractive destination of ‘Social Business’ in near future setting an example for rest of the world, as it has totally different objectives with special focus on solving society’s most pressing problems, instead of making money.This was stated by Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank and innovator of social business, at the inaugural session of a conference titled ‘Global Social Responsibility’ held at Hotel Radisson in the city on Thursday. He said that social business is a new concept, completely different from conventional profit-making business. It has objectives to solve social problems in sectors like healthcare, education, affordable housing, clean technology and finance through ensuring access of rural people.
Dr Yunus, who is often called the `grandfather of microfinance’, has urged all to come up with unique ideas to open a door for social business in addressing social needs and resolving social problems saying that “if you have ideas, fund will follow you.”
“Social business needs creativity. Some 80 percent work is done if anybody has great idea…anybody can do it and each one has capacity,” he said adding that the social businesses will become a substantial part of the business world.
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