PTI, Fulbari, 22 January : The Union Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, today said that geographical boundaries were receding with increasing globalisation.
“With more and more globalisation, geographical boundaries are not important,” he said while inaugurating the Fulbari Land Customs Station here in Jalpaiguri district. He said that the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and the Bangladesh premier, Sheikh Hasina, had made joint efforts for increasing bilateral trade between the two countries.At the 14th SAARC meet, he said the Prime Minister had stressed on two points - prosperity together and development together. It was found that Bangladesh exported less in comparison to India, he said, and therefore duty on many goods from the neighbouring country was withdrawn.
He said with the inauguration of the new Land Customs Station, trade which had been carried on between Nepal and Bhutan with Bangladesh, will now be extended to India. This would also lead to development of Siliguri, the largest business centre of the No rtheast. န Photos : Diptendu Dutta (More Photos)
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Cricket-Fans step up protests against M. Mortaza omission
Reuters, Dhaka, 22 January : Disgruntled fans in the home town of Bangladesh pace bowler Mashrafe Mortaza blockaded streets on Saturday in a fresh protest at the omission of the former captain from the country's 15-man World Cup squad.
The blockade followed a half-day general strike on Thursday and a two-kilometre-long human-chain protest at the district town of Narail, 300 kms (188 miles) southwest of Dhaka, on Friday. Fans have been protesting since Wednesday after the Bangladesh Cricket Board chose not to include the 27-year-old Mortaza because of a knee injury he sustained during a domestic match last month... READ FULL STORY
Reuters, Dhaka, 22 January : Disgruntled fans in the home town of Bangladesh pace bowler Mashrafe Mortaza blockaded streets on Saturday in a fresh protest at the omission of the former captain from the country's 15-man World Cup squad.
The blockade followed a half-day general strike on Thursday and a two-kilometre-long human-chain protest at the district town of Narail, 300 kms (188 miles) southwest of Dhaka, on Friday. Fans have been protesting since Wednesday after the Bangladesh Cricket Board chose not to include the 27-year-old Mortaza because of a knee injury he sustained during a domestic match last month... READ FULL STORY
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Mamata meets Sonia in New DelhiPTI, New Delhi, 22 January : With Assembly elections in West Bengal just a few months away, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee on Saturday had a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi.
What transpired between the two leaders was not immediately clear. Mamata declined to speak to the media on the meeting. Mamata, whose party projects her as the next Chief Minister of the State, described as “courtesy call” her meeting with Sonia who is also UPA chairperson.
Congress has already declared that it would contest the Assembly elections in West Bengal in alliance with Trinamool. Finance Minister and senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee told a rally in West Bengal on Saturday that the alliance with Trinamool would continue.
But relations between Mamata's party and PCC in West Bengal has been under strain over the alliance issue with a prominent section of the latter saying the tie-up with Trinamool should not be at the expense of the party.
Senior Congress leaders from West Bengal have been opposing Mamata and her party’s role in “hitting the roads on issues like price rise” even though they were part of the UPA and the government at the Centre.
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Sukna land scam : Court martialled Lt Gen Rath loses rank
UNI, Shillong, 22 January : Lt. Gen. P.K. Rath, who was found guilty in North Bengal's Sukna land scam by a court martial a day earlier, was Saturday handed down a sentence including stripping off of his rank and forfeiture of 15 years of service for pension purposes.
The court martial against Rath, the first serving lieutenant general (Lt. Gen.) to be found guilty, recommended taking "off the rank and the precedence of appointment" with substantive effect from 24 May, 2010. In effect, his promotion in 2008 may now be considered effective from 2010. The court martial also recommended forfeiture of 15 years of his service for the purpose of pension, besides a severe reprimand.
UNI, Shillong, 22 January : Lt. Gen. P.K. Rath, who was found guilty in North Bengal's Sukna land scam by a court martial a day earlier, was Saturday handed down a sentence including stripping off of his rank and forfeiture of 15 years of service for pension purposes.
The court martial against Rath, the first serving lieutenant general (Lt. Gen.) to be found guilty, recommended taking "off the rank and the precedence of appointment" with substantive effect from 24 May, 2010. In effect, his promotion in 2008 may now be considered effective from 2010. The court martial also recommended forfeiture of 15 years of his service for the purpose of pension, besides a severe reprimand.
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Body of DYFI leader recovered from Tentultala in Lalgarh
UNI, Lalgarh, 22 January : The bullet-ridden body of Rabi Mahato, a DYFI leader, was recovered from near Tentultala bridge under Lalgarh police station this morning, police said.
''A body was found to be lying in a pool of blood near Tentultala bridge here. The matter is being investigated,'' Superintendent of Police, West Midnapore, M K Varma said.
UNI, Lalgarh, 22 January : The bullet-ridden body of Rabi Mahato, a DYFI leader, was recovered from near Tentultala bridge under Lalgarh police station this morning, police said.
''A body was found to be lying in a pool of blood near Tentultala bridge here. The matter is being investigated,'' Superintendent of Police, West Midnapore, M K Varma said.
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Netai should not have happened : CPI's Gurudas Dasgupta
Kolkata, 22 January : Senior CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta Saturday said the killing of civilians in Netai village should not have happened and admitted that the growth of Trinamool Congress in West Bengal was due to the failure of the CPI(M) to learn from their mistakes.
‘The incident at Netai village should not have happened. But I don’t blame the state government for this incident,’ Dasgupta said on the sidelines of a party programme here. Dasgupta also dubbed as ‘not impartial’ the Election Commission team which recently visited various politically troubled areas of West Bengal.
Kolkata, 22 January : Senior CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta Saturday said the killing of civilians in Netai village should not have happened and admitted that the growth of Trinamool Congress in West Bengal was due to the failure of the CPI(M) to learn from their mistakes.
‘The incident at Netai village should not have happened. But I don’t blame the state government for this incident,’ Dasgupta said on the sidelines of a party programme here. Dasgupta also dubbed as ‘not impartial’ the Election Commission team which recently visited various politically troubled areas of West Bengal.
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My record speaks about my commitment, says hurt Bhutia
Kushan Sarkar, New Delhi, 22 January : Bhaichung Bhutia is hurt at the scornful comments made by former national team manager Pradip Chowdhury but the Indian football captain doesn't want to engage in a mud-slinging game.However, in a show of solidarity, his teammates rallied behind the Sikkimese striker scotching reports that has appeared in some quarters about senior players not liking his way of functioning during India's Asian Cup campaign.
"I don't want to dignify someone's (Chowdhury) unnecessary comments. If someone wants to question my commitment towards the national team and the game, I can only talk about my on-field achievements," the Indian captain told PTI today.
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