PTI, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, 12 February : The GJM today withdrew its indefinite bandh in the plains after parleys with the Centre's interlocutor, but life in the hills was crippled for the fourth day of the agitation for separate Gorkhaland.Centre's interlocutor Vijay Madan held talks with GJM president Bimal Gurung and spoke to district magistrates and superintendents of police of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri for a brief on the law and order situation in both the Dooars region and the Darjeeling hills.
Without disclosing what transpired during the meeting held at Kumani, 85 km from Jaipaiguri, Madan told reporters that he would submit his report to the Centre before leaving Kumani.
GJM General Secretary Roshan Giri said after the meeting, that they had decided to withdraw the bandh in Dooars and the padayatra to the plains but the bandh would continue in Darjeeling till their demand for a statehood was met. န Photos : AFP
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Tamim, Shakib star in Bangladesh win in warm-up match
Chittagong, 12 February : Tamim Iqbal scored a blistering half-century as Bangladesh crushed Canada by nine wickets in their first warm-up match at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium here Saturday.
Bangladesh, electing to field, bowled Canada out for a paltry 112 in 37.3 overs and knocked off the runs in just 19.2 overs. Explosive opener Tamim smashed 69 off 50 balls, hitting seven fours and three sixes. Openers Tamim and Imrul Kayes (39) plundered 106 runs, ripping apart the Canadian bowling attack.... READ DETAILS REPORT @ Cricket World
Chittagong, 12 February : Tamim Iqbal scored a blistering half-century as Bangladesh crushed Canada by nine wickets in their first warm-up match at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium here Saturday.
Bangladesh, electing to field, bowled Canada out for a paltry 112 in 37.3 overs and knocked off the runs in just 19.2 overs. Explosive opener Tamim smashed 69 off 50 balls, hitting seven fours and three sixes. Openers Tamim and Imrul Kayes (39) plundered 106 runs, ripping apart the Canadian bowling attack.... READ DETAILS REPORT @ Cricket World
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Lalgarh carnage : Police announce reward for information
Kolkata, 12 February : The criminal investigation department (CID) of West Bengal police probing the Lalgarh's Netai carnage Saturday released photographs of the accused including five CPI(M) leaders, police said.‘The photographs of the six persons accused in the incident have been released and cash reward of Rs.50,000 for person proving information leading to arrest of each accused have been announced,’ said CID’s additional director general Raj Kanojia.
Nine people, including four women, were killed and 28 people were injured in clashes triggered by assailants in Netai near Maoist stronghold Lalgarh on 7 January.
Anyone with information on their whereabouts have been urged to contact the CID office at 033-24501100/6174 and 0322-22555. Information can also be given on mobile to the investigating officers Manik Karfa (+91 9874184351) and Ranjit Chakraborty (+91 9831139704), the official said.
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Day 4 of Darjeeling shutdown: Interlocutor meets officials
IANS, Kolkata, Darjeeling, 12 February : The India government-appointed interlocutor Vijay Madan visited West Bengal’s Darjeeling hills to assess the situation Saturday, day four of an indefinite shutdown the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) has called to protest its three supporters’ death in police firing.
‘Interlocutor Lieutenant General (retired) Vijay Madan held meeting with the senior police officers and administrative officials of Darjeeling and its adjoining Jalpaiguri district,’ said Darjeeling Police Superintendent D.P. Singh.
IANS, Kolkata, Darjeeling, 12 February : The India government-appointed interlocutor Vijay Madan visited West Bengal’s Darjeeling hills to assess the situation Saturday, day four of an indefinite shutdown the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) has called to protest its three supporters’ death in police firing.
‘Interlocutor Lieutenant General (retired) Vijay Madan held meeting with the senior police officers and administrative officials of Darjeeling and its adjoining Jalpaiguri district,’ said Darjeeling Police Superintendent D.P. Singh.
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PM Hasina tells engineers to shift to "green technologies"
Dhaka, 12 February : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wants the country to adopt environment-friendly “green” technologies, even if gradually, as this is the demand of the time and asked the engineers to spread the use of such technology.
The Prime Minister made the call while addressing the inaugural session of the 52nd Convention of the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh at its premises here. Sheikh Hasina has also assured all government support in this regard to combat the adverse impacts of climate change. PM said Bangladesh should adopt the technology as it is the worst affected country of global warming.
Dhaka, 12 February : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wants the country to adopt environment-friendly “green” technologies, even if gradually, as this is the demand of the time and asked the engineers to spread the use of such technology.
The Prime Minister made the call while addressing the inaugural session of the 52nd Convention of the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh at its premises here. Sheikh Hasina has also assured all government support in this regard to combat the adverse impacts of climate change. PM said Bangladesh should adopt the technology as it is the worst affected country of global warming.
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BJP alleges Rs.63,000 crore scams in northeastern states
IANS, New Delhi, 12 February : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday alleged corruption of Rs.63,000 crore in development projects in the northeastern states by the local Congress governments, and said it will approach Indian President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to seek a thorough inquiry into the issue.Releasing reports 'Congress governments' loot of North East' and 'Hydro Power Scam Arunachal - North East', brought out by a three-member party fact-finding committee, BJP president Nitin Gadkari said strict action should be taken against all those found guilty.
'I will meet the president with the records. The leaders of opposition in the two houses will meet the prime minister. We hope the government will order an inquiry in the interest of the country,' he said.
BJP leader Kirit Somaiya, who was a member of the committee which also included BJP vice-president Bijaya Chakravarty and general secretary Tapir Gao, said six northeastern states of Assam, Manipur, Arunchal Pradesh, Sikkim, Nagaland and Mizoram had been hit by scams.
'Hydro power projects (in the northeast) are of Rs.400,000 crore. Kickbacks have been given per mega watt of projected capacity. Highly technical projects of crores of rupees have been given to new start-ups,' he said.
The Congress government that came to power in Arunachal Pradesh in 2004 signed 137 MoUs in two years and projects were awarded to dubious companies, Somaiya said.
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Maoist squad member arrested near Binpur of Jhargram SD
Kolkata, 12 February : A Maoist squad member, wanted in several cases, was arrested in West Midnapore district Saturday, police said.
"Sagar Baskey, a member of Sashadhar Mahato's squad, was arrested this morning from Helakata area near Binpur of Jhargram sub-division. Later, he was presented before Jhargram court and remanded in police custody for five days," Jhargram Police Superintendent Praveen Tripathi told IANS.
Kolkata, 12 February : A Maoist squad member, wanted in several cases, was arrested in West Midnapore district Saturday, police said.
"Sagar Baskey, a member of Sashadhar Mahato's squad, was arrested this morning from Helakata area near Binpur of Jhargram sub-division. Later, he was presented before Jhargram court and remanded in police custody for five days," Jhargram Police Superintendent Praveen Tripathi told IANS.
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ElectionCommission observers not told to visit again: Biman
Kolkata, 12 February : West Bengal’s ruling Left Front chairman Biman Bose Saturday said the alliance has not asked the Election Commission observers to visit the state again a few days after their first visit.”We have not asked anybody to come. Last time when they had come we had said why they were coming so early before elections (scheduled later this year),” Bose told reporters here. “We had then said that the visit of Election Commission’s observers to the state was unprecedented. At that time we had given them a memorandum,” he added.
Currently, a six-member team of Election Commission observers is in the state and visiting different parts of West Bengal. They have also held video conferences with district magistrates and police superintendents of seven districts.
Kolkata, 12 February : West Bengal’s ruling Left Front chairman Biman Bose Saturday said the alliance has not asked the Election Commission observers to visit the state again a few days after their first visit.”We have not asked anybody to come. Last time when they had come we had said why they were coming so early before elections (scheduled later this year),” Bose told reporters here. “We had then said that the visit of Election Commission’s observers to the state was unprecedented. At that time we had given them a memorandum,” he added.
Currently, a six-member team of Election Commission observers is in the state and visiting different parts of West Bengal. They have also held video conferences with district magistrates and police superintendents of seven districts.
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