BSF to stand guard with 'non-lethal arms' in Indo-Bangla border

Siliguri, Balurghat, 31 March : BSF will prefer non-lethal arms over their lethal weapons while resisting trans-border movements along the Indo-Bangladesh border to curb casualties.
The Special Director General of BSF (East), Pranay Sahay said at the North Bengal frontier headquarters at Kadamtala. "Our target is to minimise killing and therefore, we have decided to use non-lethal arms to the extent possible to stop intruders. We have had a discussion on the issue with our Bangladeshi counterparts, who have also assured us of taking similar steps," Sahay said.
BSF is planning to equip their armed guards deployed at the border with Pump Action Bore Guns. "Shots fired from this gun do not cause death. The CRPF used it in Jammu and Kashmir to curb protests and the result has been extraordinary", the Special DG said.
"Casualties on the border while guarding it has decreased to a considerable level. We want to minimise it further," Sahay added. According to reports available with the BSF, only three deaths have resulted from BSF jawans' shots this year as against the 52 deaths reported in 2010. The figure was 75 in 2009 as against 80 in 2008. "As death toll has come down a lot, our relationship with the border people has improved remarkably. This can be substantiated with the fact that seizure of cattle heads in 2011 is far better than the previous years," he asserted.
"However, we are working to improve relation with locals further. Monthly meetings are being held regularly and our men have increasing interacting with those living in the border areas," he added. န Photos : Sankar Das

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina likely to attend WC final
Mumbai, Kolkata, 31 March : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to be in Mumbai to witness the World Cup final to be played between India and Sri Lanka on Saturday.
Besides Hasina, the other high-profile dignitaries who are making it to the Wankhede Stadium, the venue of the final on April 2, are President Pratibha Patil and her Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa. (With PTI inputs)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Census: India's population now estimated at 1,210.2 million
ANI, New Delhi, 31 March : India's population is now estimated at 1,210.2 million, an increase of over 181 million in the last 10 years, according to the provisional 2011 Census report released on Thursday.
Releasing the report, the Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner Dr C Chandramauli said the country's population growth in 2011 is 17.64 per cent in comparison to 21.15 per cent in 2001. Of the total population, 623.7 million are males and 586.5 million are females.
This is an increase of 181 million people since the last Census - nearly equivalent to the population of Brazil. India's population is now bigger than the combined population of USA, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Among the states and Union territories, Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state with 199 million people and Lakshadweep the least populated at 64,429. The combined population of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra is bigger than that of the US.
While Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Puducherry has the highest population growth rate of about 55 percent, Nagaland has the lowest. The density of population is highest in Delhi, followed by Chandigarh.
This is the 15th Census conducted since 1872. It was carried out in two phases, covering 640 districts and 5924 sub-districts. န File Photo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ULFA calls Assam "bandh" on 2 April to protest PM visit
PTI, Guwahati, 31 March : ULFA has called a 12-hour Assam bandh on 2 April to protest Prime Minister Manmohan Singh proposed visit to the state to campaign for party candidates for the first phase of Assembly elections, due on 4 April.
In a statement e-mailed to PTI, Arunodoy Dohotiya, publicity secretary of the Paresh Barua-led faction of the banned outfit said the shutdown has been called in line with the announcement made earlier that ULFA would call a bandh whenever a head of state or central leader visited the state.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

West Bengal not economically bankrupt : CM Buddhadeb
Kolkata, 31 March : West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today discounted Opposition claims that his government was economically bankrupt and said that the situation had never been so under the Left Front regime.
"It is true that the state has a debt burden of a little below Rs two lakh crore, but it is baseless to claim that the government has become bankrupt," he said during an interaction with students at Dinabandhu Andrews College in Garia, south Kolkata.
Noting that the financial situation in the country was very complicated which was also true for states, he said, "But, the situation has not come to such a pass that we can't pay salaries to teachers and doctors.
Never in the past has this happened and I can assure you that it will never happen.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

France expressed strong support for Grameen Bank,Yunus
Dhaka, 31 March : French Foreign Affairs Minister Alain Juppé has expressed strong support for the independence of the Grameen Bank and demanded fair trial of Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus.
“We made clear that France would like to ensure a fair trial for Muhammad Yunus,” he said in the French parliament today, according to a statement of Friends of Grameen.
He made the comments to make clear France’s position after the recent attempts by the Bangladesh government to oust the Grameen Bank founder and the subsequent court hearings.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sourav has no political association : Election Commission
Kolkata, 31 March : Election Commission today said it has not found any political association of Sourav Ganguly, selected by it as its brand ambassador for the West Bengal assembly elections, even as CPI(M) brushed aside Trinamool Congress' objection to the selection.
"We have examined the question of Ganguly as a brand ambassador and ascertained that there is no such evidence (of the former Team India's affiliation to CPI-M as claimed by Trinamool)," state deputy Chief Electoral Office Dibyendu Sarkar told reporters here..... READ FULL NEWS @ West Bengal Elections 2011

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Bangladesh lays great importance on relations with China"
Dhaka, 31 March : Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said that Bangladesh laid great importance on the relationship with China and other neighboring countries.
Bangladesh is learning from the experiences of China in different areas, she said when Vice Governor of Yunan province of China Li Jiang paid a courtesy call on the PM at her office. Briefing reporters after the meeting, PM’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad said that the Prime Minister mentioned that Bangladesh has a friendly relationship with China for a long time.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Union Home considering opening border markets in Tripura
Agartala, 31 March : With the increase in trade between Tripura and Bangladesh, the Centre is considering a state government proposal for opening border markets and introducing flights on the Agartala-Dhaka-Chittagong routes.
The Union Home Ministry has informed the state that it was considering to open two 'haats' or border markets in West and South Tripura districts, state Commerce and Industries Minister Jiten Chowdhury told reporters.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Japan hails Bangladesh's gesture during its Emergencies
Dhaka, 31 March : Japan today appreciated Bangladesh's gesture during its emergencies as the Bangladesh relief materials reached in Tokyo. "On behalf of the Government and the people of Japan, Embassy of Japan in Dhaka deeply appreciates the cooperation extended by Bangladesh government and its people," said a press release of the embassy here.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dissent in West Bengal Congress ahead of Assembly polls
Kolkata, 31 March : The dissent in Congress ranks ahead of the West Bengal Assembly polls has worsened in several districts over the alliance with Trinamool Congress and selection of party candidates with Congress rebels filing nominations as independents in some places.... READ FULL NEWS @ West Bengal Elections 2011

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bangladesh banking sector switches over to mobile-banking
It’s a milestone towards modern banking : BB governor Atiur
BSS, Dhaka, 31 March : Country’s banking sector has formally introduced ‘mobile-banking’ service, a major step towards modern banking, eyeing on a broader access for non-banking communities efficiently and at affordable cost.
Mobile banking is a banking process that provides for financial services like cash-in, cash-out, merchant payment, utility payment, salary disbursement, foreign remittance, government allowance disbursement through mobile technology devices and any mobile set can be used for mobile banking.
Dutch-Bangla Bank Ltd (DBBL) in collaboration with Banglalink and CityCell has introduced the services. So far, ten banks have been given approval to introduce mobile-banking, and DBBL is the first bank to come up with this service.
Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Atiur Rahman formally inaugurated the service Thursday through depositing and withdrawing money in two outlets in Nayapaltan and Puranapaltan area. Later, the governor addressed a ‘meet the press’ at Hotel Purbani in the afternoon.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Arunachal state launches IT project for dissemination of info
PTI, Itanagar, 31 March : With a mission to bring governance to the doorsteps of people, Arunachal Pradesh has launched an innovative IT project to disseminate information to the people in a faster way.
"Under the ambitious Arunachal Pradesh State Wide Area Network project, digitalisation of database and government records will be done which would enable a common man to obtain documents like ration card, inner-line permit, driving license and land records without any hassles and at considerably low cost," Parliamentary Secretary for Science, Technology and IT, Jomde Kena said.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chennai's M S Technogroups to start operations in Kolkata
Kolkata, 31 March : Chennai-based M S Technogroups will shortly start operations here through interactive-process outsourcing (IPO) in the verticals of manufacturing, healthcare, public utility and hospitality.
The company is working with telephone operators like Airtel and Vodafone to enable subscribers to get queries answered through a special interactive service available on their mobile devices, Director of MS Technogroups Yogesh Shankar today said.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mizoram has 6 lakh mobile phone users: Economic Survey
PTI, Aizawl, 31 March : Mizoram, which has a population of around 10 lakh, has more than six lakh mobile phone users as of February 2011 against over 5.5 lakh in February 2010.
With the communication revolution having reached the remotest corners of the state, mobile phone connections increased by 6.98 per cent from 6,01,189 to 5,61,917 during the past one year, the latest Economic Survey tabled in the Assembly by Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla on Tuesday said.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Farmers exposed to health risk for excess use of pesticides
UNB, Chuadanga, 31 March : Excess use of pesticides in agricultural land put the lives of huge number of farmers of four upazilas here at health risk.
Concerned sources said pesticides worth about Tk 20 crore are used annually in lands of Sadar, Alamdanga, Damurhuda and Jibonnagar upazilas.
Huge quantities of different types of vegetables are produced in the district. About 35 percent of country’s vegetables are produced in the district, sources said. Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said there are a total of 97,582 hectares of cultivable land in the district.
There are 75 dealers in the district to sell pesticides. Each dealer sells pesticides worth about Tk 25 lakh to 30 lakh on an average annually, said Abdul Kader, a dealer of Sadar upazila.
The farmers spray 200 gram liquid pesticide on per bigha of paddy field. Pesticides are used in vegetable field every two or three consecutive days. Hence, two to three kgs of liquid pesticide are required for per bigha of land in one season.
District health department sources said farmers here are eating foods along with poison. Use of pesticides resulted in various diseases as most of the vegetables are being cultivated using excess pesticides. Besides, the land is also losing its fertility.
Many useful insects along with different species of birds are on the verge of extinction for the rampant use of pesticides. As they have no knowledge about the use of pesticide, the farmers are gradually being inclined to excess use of pesticides.
Local sources attributed the lack of responsibility of agriculture department to the present sorry state.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------www.bengalnewz.com-----

Trinamool Congress files complaint against EC 's "icon" Sourav

Kolkata, March 30 : Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress Wednesday lodged a complaint against former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly for maintaining links with CPI(M) despite being an Election Commission (EC) "icon" in West Bengal.

The complaint has been lodged with the West Bengal Chief Electoral Office.
"Trinamool lodged a complaint that Sourav Ganguly has political affiliation with the CPI(M), and it is against election ethics as he has become the EC's icon. Trinamool leaders have also submitted a CD where comments of CPI(M) minister Ashok Bhattacharya and Gangully are recorded," Additional Chief Electoral Officer N.K. Sahana said.
"We have gone through the CD and apprised the Election Commission in New Delhi of the matter. The decision regarding the issue will be taken Thursday," he added.
To promote voting rights and create awareness among the people in the state, the EC selected percussionist Bikram Ghosh and Sourav Ganguly to become its "icons". An advertisement featuring them urging people to vote will be aired soon.
When asked whether Sourav, being an EC icon, could campaign for any party, Sahana said: "Before selecting him as the EC's icon, he verbally assured that he will not campaign for any political party.
But we cannot stop him form campaigning for any party if he wishes to do so. "If Sourav participates in election campaign, we can not stop him for expressing his political views publicly. In that case, we have to stop publishing the promo displaying Sourav as EC's icon," Sahana said.
The complaint was lodged after the CPI(M) leader and state Urban Development Minister recently claimed that Ganguly would be campaigning for him in his constituency Siliguri. န File Photos

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vested property to be returned to affected people : Minister

UNB, Dhaka, March 30 : The vested property will be returned to the affected people soon for the interest of nation, said Land Minister Rezaul Karim Hira on Wednesday.
“The government is going to pass an act aiming at returning the vested properties to the affected people,” he said at a discussion at the National Press Club in the capital.
MJF project of Caritas organized discussion with a view to motivating the government to amend the Vested Property Act for distributing the lands to the indigenous people.
Chaired by regional director of Caritas in Mymensigh Theofil Nakrek, the discussion was addressed, among others, by State Minister for Cultural Affairs Advocate Promod Mankin, Manusher Jonno Foundation executive director Shaheen Anam and Prof. Mizbah Kamal.
Land Minister Rezaul Karim Hira said as per the election manifesto, the government is working to address the problems of poor, deprived and indigenous people gradually. He urged all to work sincerely for implementing the policies and decisions taken by the government. န Photo : UNB

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Special security arrangement' for Maoist-hit districts in WB

Kolkata, 30 March : The Election Commission has made extensive arrangements for the 14 Assembly constituencies in three Maoists affected districts of West Bengal which will go to the polls on 10 May.
"Special security plan has been made for the 14 Maoist affected Assembly constituencies of West-Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura districts," Additional Chief Electoral Officer N K Sahana said.
"Enough Central Para Military force will be deployed in the area and they will start domination seven days before the polling," he said. "Along with route marches and flag marches, several confidence building measures will be taken up to ensure that people can vote freely and safely," Sahana added.
On the security of polling officials, he said they would be kept in the discharge centre on the night before the polling day and they would be sent in groups to the polling stations early morning under full security cover. န File Photos : Arpan Mukherjee

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bangladesh govt plans to made "rickshaw-free" Dhaka city

Dhaka, 30 March : Bangladesh home minister has said that all city roads will be made rickshaw-free gradually.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of parliamentarians of Dhaka at her ministry on Wednesday, Shahara Khatun said they decided to uphold the decision to withdraw all rickshaws from the city roads gradually.
She said they also decided to publicise the decision to ban rickshaw on the capital city road after informing the people's representatives of the areas concerned. Expressing her sorrow over Tuesday's violence by rickshaw-pullers, the home minister said, "Everyone (present in the meeting) was asked to be alert against such incidents in future."
Rickshaw-pullers and owners went on the rampage during their demonstrations against a government decision that made these three-wheelers out of bounds on many city streets. Traffic in Dhaka's Muktangan, Purana Paltan, Kakrail, Mouchak and Moghbazar came to a halt from around 10:00am to 1pm(BDST) during the demonstration staged by Bangladesh Rickshaw-Van Owners and Workers Protest Council. Seven people were also injured in the clashes. န File Photo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------www.bengalnewz.com-----

Let us not mix sports with politics: Indian FM Pranab Mukherjee

PTI, Guwahati, 29 March : Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee yesterday pleaded the people of the country not to mix sports with politics ahead of World Cup Cricket semi-final clash between India and Pakistan.
Asked to comment on the visit of Pakistan Prime Minister to watch the match in Mohali on 30 March along with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Mukherjee told reporters here that "let us not mix sports with politics".
"Let sports be sports and politics be politics and do not read much into the visit of Pakistan Prime Minster to watch the match," Mukherjee said in reply to a query as to the occasion will help improve Indo-Pak relationship.
"I always hope to improve relationship with Pakistan. My neighbour is going to stay where they are and I will have to decide whether I will live in tension or peace. န Photo : AP

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Polls to 188 Union Parishads's of coastal districts underway
UNB, Dhaka, 29 March : Polling to Bangladesh's 188 union parishads (UPs) in 24 upazilas of the coastal districts of Barisal, Khulna and Chittagong divisions is underway today(Tuesday).
The polling began at 8am (BDST) and will continue till 4pm (BDST) without break. In the first phase of countrywide union parishad elections, polls will be held in 574 UPs under 72 upazilas of 12 coastal districts between 29 March and 3 April.
On 24 February, the Election Commission announced the schedule for 696 union parishad elections but the EC has postponed polling in some 16 Unions due to the verdict of courts, in seven unions for incomplete voter list, and in three unions due to unsuitable atmosphere.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ICC suggests serious need to re-look bandh culture in WB
Kolkata, 29 March : With bandhs causing Rs 800 crore loss in net state domestic product(NSDP) of West Bengal in recent years, Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has appealed to all political parties in the state to introspect whether bandhs really serve any purpose.
'They (the political parties) must track whether the past bandhs have been able to suitably address the issues which prompted them to call those bandhs,' the Chamber said in it recent report.
It urged political parties in the state and stakeholders to refrain from calling bandhs and emphatically eradicate the 'bandh culture' which, the ICC said, had debilitated the state in recent decades 'both on growth and image dimensions'. န File Photo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Muhammad Yunus' stay petition hearing adjourned till 4 Apr
Dhaka, 29 March : The Appellate Division has adjourned until 4 April the hearing on the petition filed by Muhammad Yunus seeking a stay order on the High Court judgment upholding his dismissal as the Grameen Bank managing director.
A full bench, led by chief justice A B M Khirul Haque, on Tuesday passed the order after hearing on the stay appeal. The full text of the High Court verdict quashing the petition of Yunus has already been published. Yunus will be allowed to file a live-to-appeal when he gets a copy of the verdict.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rangpur' Boro cultivation facing setback due to diesel crisis UNB,
Rangpur, 29 March : Boro cultivation is facing setback as the growers can not operate their irrigation pumps due to scarcity of diesel in the peak boro season in the region.
Speakers expressed their concern over diesel crisis at a meeting held recently with the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation Chairman Major (Retd) Moktadir Alam at Rangpur circuit house while different stakeholders, growers and concerned officials attended the meeting chaired by Jasimuddin Ahmed, divisional commissioner, Rangpur.
The speakers are also apprehending serious production fall for want of irrigation in the current season if crisis of diesel would not be solved soon. The meeting said supply of diesel from three main depots in the region was stopped as the stock of these depots was completely exhausted. Baghabari depot in Sirajganj, railway overhead depot at Parbatipur in Dinajpur and floating depot at Chilmari in Kurigram are the main source of diesel supply in Rangpur Division. It was told the meeting that a large number of boro growers are gathering everyday at different oil pumps for diesel but none of those is providing diesel when 80 per cent of the total irrigation pumps run with diesel in the region.
Petroleum Corporation Chairman, however, assured to solve the diesel problem shortly in the meeting asking the growers not to be worried. He also said the Government has a plan to increase supply of diesel in the power plants by reducing supply in the fertilizer factories to generate more electricity for the sake of boro cultivation.
Deputy Commissioners, Additional deputy commissioners, Upazila Nirbahi officer, Agriculture Extension Department officials under the Rangpur division and different oil company depots officials, among others, spoke in the meeting.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------www.bengalnewz.com-----

Photo voters card should be produced for voting: CEO S. Gupta

Kolkata, 28 March : It is mandatory for people with Electors' Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) to produce these at the polling station while exercising their franchise in the coming assembly elections, an official said Monday.
"In our state, the EPIC has been issued to 97.4 percent of electors and they should produce their cards before the polling officials while casting their votes,"
West Bengal chief electoral officer (CEO) Sunil Gupta said, adding a recent Election Commission order has made this mandatory.
"However, the voters who don't have an EPIC can use the voter's slip with photograph issued by the EC, but these need to attested by the election officials," he told mediapersons.
"If the voters' slip doesn't have a photo then the voter can opt for 13 other identification documents prescribed by the election commission" Gupta said. The alternative identification documents include PAN (permanent account number) card, driving license card, passport, rural employment guarantee job card, property documents and so on.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ban Ki Moon joins ceremony marking 41Independence Day
UNB, Dhaka, 28 March : Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the UN, Dr Momen and his wife hosted a reception Monday evening at the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh on the occasion of the 41st Independence and National Day of the country.
UN Secretary General, Ban Ki moon accompanied by his wife joined the reception. During the reception, UN Secretary General Ban Ki moon, A H Mahmud Ali MP and Permanent Representative to the UN, Dr Momen cut a cake together marking the Day, according to a press release received here today(Tuesday).
Among others, Permanent Representatives of the UK, Japan, Turkey, Luxembourg, Egypt, Singapore, India, Pakistan along with NAM countries, G-77 and China, LDCs and African countries to the UN attended the reception to express their solidarity for Bangladesh and Bangladeshi people.
A large number of representatives from the International media also attended the reception. The reception was also attended by the Bangladeshi valiant freedom fighters, journalists and distinguished expatriates living in the US.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3 West Bengal officers shifted on Election panel's direction
IANS, Kolkata, 28 March : Ahead of the April-May West Bengal assembly elections, three state officers, including a deputy inspector general of police, have been transferred on the Election Commission's instructions, Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh said Monday.
Malda District Magistrate Promal Samanta, East Midnapore Superintendent of Police Ajit Sarkar and Deputy Inspector General of Police (Mindapore range) Anil Kumar were transferred. They would be replaced by Rajesh Singh, K. Jayraman and Vineet Goyel respectively. Both Vineet Goyel and Neeraj Singh were posted in Kolkata Police as Joint Commissioner (Traffic) and Joint Commissioner (Administration) respectively.
Ghosh said at the state secretariat - Writers' Buildings - in the evening that Neeraj Singh will take charge as Deputy Inspector general of Police (Murshidabad range).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope alliance with TMC will click, says Pranab Mukherjee
PTI, Guwahati, 28 March : Union Finance Minister and senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee today hoped for the success of his party's alliance with Trinamool Congress for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls.
"When we enter into alliance with any party at the state level, we ensure that it will be beneficial for both and on same grounds we agreed to have seat-adjustment with Trinamool Congress," Mukherjee who arrived in the state tonight, told reporters here.
"We believe that Trinamool is more powerful than us in West Bengal and there we entered into an agreement with them and it is only in the level of adjustment of seats," Mukherjee said.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Druk Airs flight of Bhutan prince diverted to Kolkata Airport
Kolkata, 28 March : A Druk airways flight carrying the prince of Bhutan was diverted to Kolkata airport this afternoon due to bad weather at Paro in Bhutan where it was scheduled to land.
The flight was going to Paro from Bangladesh, officials said. It was diverted when it was found that the weather at the destination airport was very bad, they said. The flight will leave for Paro tomorrow, airport sources said.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

North-East will have 5,000 MW of power available by 2014'
PTI, Shillong, 28 March : The North-East will have 5,000 MW of power available for consumption by 2014, Power Grid Corporation of India's CMD S K Chaturvedi said today.
Although known to be a potential powerhouse, the region's peak demand is now 2,100 MW, but its own generation is only about 900 MW. "About 1,200 MW is being transmitted to the region by Power Grid currently," Chaturvedi said, adding that four key projects coming up in the region would be onstream by 2013-14.
"The 740-MW Palatana thermal project executed by ONGC in Tripura and NTPC's Bongaigaon Thermal Power Station (750 MW) would be exclusively for the region.
The Palatana project should be commissioned by end of this year or early next year," he said on the sidelines of the IIM Shillong convocation here.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bangladesh sends medicines, other materials for Japanese
UNB, Dhaka, 28 March : Bangladesh is going to send various materials including medicines tomorrow for Japanese people who recently have been affected by serious earthquake and tsunami.
The materials are being sent as a sign of Bangladesh’s deep friendship with Japan following directive by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said her Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad. The Press Secretary said an Air Force aircraft carrying the materials will fly for Japan in the morning.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

High Court directs ASI to check if 'Tagore paintings' are real
Kolkata, 28 March : The Calcutta High Court on Monday directed the Archaeological Survey of India to form an expert committee to examine the authenticity of 20 paintings, purported to be works of Rabindranath Tagore, which ran into controversy after they were labelled "fake" by art experts.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice J N Patel and Justice Asim Kumar Roy directed the Director General of ASI to complete the tests to ascertain the authenticity of the paintings and submit a report to the court within three months.
Sculptor Tapas Sarkar had filed a petition before the High Court seeking formation of an expert committee by a competent authority to unravel the truth behind allegations of the "fake" Tagore paintings exhibited at the Government Art College gallery between 27 February and 8 March to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the Nobel laureate.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunderban was biggest challenge for tiger census: Ramesh
IANS, New Delhi, 28 March : It was a big challenge for forest officials to count tigers in the Sunderbans mangroves, which has reported 70 out of a total of 1,706 tigers in India in the latest census released Monday.
The West Bengal delta was included in the census for the first time this year. ‘Sunderbans was the biggest challenge for tiger census due to its vast area and difficult approach,’ Environment Minister Jairam said while releasing the tiger population figures here.
The tiger estimation in the world’s largest river delta, which is inside the tidal zone, was done using satellite telemetry and sign surveys.
‘Sunderbans has highest tiger density in the world of 19-20 tigers per sq km while the prey availability is poor,’ said Y.V. Jhala, scientist from the Wildlife Institute of India, which led the census.
The census was also conducted in four of the five tiger reserves in Maoist-affected states in the country. The census recorded an increase in tiger figures to 1,706 in 2010, compared to 1,411 in 2006 when the last counting was done.
The Sundarbans consists of around 10,200 sq km of mangrove forest spread over India and Bangladesh. It is the largest mangrove forest in the world. The total area of the Sundarbans region in India is around 9,600 sq km, which constitutes the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve. It is bordered on the west by the Muriganga river and on the east by the Harinbhahga and Raimangal rivers. The other major rivers flowing through this highly sensitive eco-system are Saptamukhi, Thakuran, Matla and Goasaba. န Photo : PTI

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Two clouded leopard cubs rescued in Arunachal Pradesh
PTI, Itanagar, 28 March : A villager of Lil Village in Kurung Kumey district has rescued two Clouded Leopard cubs from a nearby jungle and handed them over to the state zoo authority here.
Zoo sources said today that Y Taya, the villager found the cubs, about 15 days old, roaming in the jungle yesterday. Their mother is believed to have died or may have abandoned them.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Experts call for alternative sea-port at Sangu point in Bay
UNB, Chittagong, Dhaka, 28 March : Bangladesh government should build an alternative seaport at Sangu in the Bay to safeguard Chittagong Port from natural disasters like tsunami and spur industrial growth in Sitakundu and Mirersharai, experts said Sunday.
Former energy secretary Nasir Uddin said a massive disaster like tsunami that battered Japan early this month could render Chittagong port useless for months, crippling the country's economy.
"Chittagong Port handles some 90 per cent of the country's export and import. This over-dependence is a burden. If a big natural disaster hits the port, its ripple-effect can paralyse the country's entire economy," he said. "To minimise the risk, we need an alternative port so that even if Chittagong port is hit by a tsunami or a quake, we can keep the other port open for business," he said.
He suggested setting up the port at Sangu point, close to a Cairn-found offshore gas-field. Indian industrial conglomerate Tata Group wanted to build a port at this point to anchor big vessels, he said.
He said the alternative port would also boost industrial growth in Sitakundu and Mirersharai - the gateway to Chittagong city - which have recently emerged as the country's key heavy-industry zones. He was speaking at a seminar on safe port issues in the context of Chittagong port. Sangu is located some 20 kilometres of north of Chittagong port.
Nasir Uddin who was a member of the planning commission said: "We've to learn from the experiences of Japan and make the Chittagong port risk-free at any cost. It's the single most important infrastructure of our economy."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------www.bengalnewz.com-----

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought Intl help after BDR mutiny

Kolkata, Dhaka, 27 March : After the 2009 BDR mutiny, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina telephoned India’s the then external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee requesting assistance from the international community, south Indian newspaper The Hindu reported citing a leaked US embassy cable.
Though Hasina had not been specific about the kind of help she needed, Pranab Mukherjee had offered “to be responsive” if needed and the Indian government had also rallied London, Beijing and Tokyo, the article published on Sunday said. Nirupama Subramanian wrote that US Embassy Charge d'Affaires Steven White was surprised when he was called in for a meeting with Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon on the last weekend of February 2009. That “unusual Saturday meeting” was to discuss the mutiny by troopers of the Bangladesh Rifles a couple of days earlier, and the worry in the Indian government about its implications for the newly elected government of Sheikh Hasina, perceived as being a friend of India, the report said. The cable that was sent on 2 March, 2009 (194661: confidential), and accessed by The Hindu through WikiLeaks, details the conversation between the American stand-in envoy and Shivshankar Menon.... READ FULL LEAKED REPORT န File Photo: Anisur Rahman

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Our Left Front Govt. gave opportunities to Muslims: Buddha
Kolkata, 27 March : With an eye on the Muslim vote bank in poll-bound West Bengal, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said his government had given a lot of opportunities to the community in education and job sectors.
Admitting the Muslims did have some problems, the Chief Minister said, "We have ensured 10 percent jobs in the government for the Muslim community," "Our three-point programme for alleviating the problems of the Muslim community are higher education, work for Muslims in the government sector and opportunities for them in other sectors," Bhattacharjee said at a convention of Madrasa teachers and workers at Rabindra Sadan here today. န File Photo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Crimes against humanity: Ex-BNP MP Abdul Alim arrested
Dhaka, 27 March : Former BNP lawmaker Md Abdul Alim has been arrested on charges of crimes against humanity in 1971. Police picked him in front of his Joypurhat residence on Sunday evening, said the district’s superintendent of police.
Earlier, the International Crimes Tribunal issued the arrest warrant for Alim who was a member of Ziaur Rahman’s cabinet. A three-judge panel headed by Justice Nizamul Huq ordered police to produce Alim before the tribunal within 24 hours of his arrest, excluding the journey period. The court, however, directed law enforcers to consider health of Alim, aged over 80, while arresting him and producing him before it. The tribunal issued the warrant in response to a petition filed by the prosecutors on 23 March.
Alim was involved in the killing of more than 10,000 innocent people with the assistance of Razakars and Pakistani occupation forces during the Liberation War, reads the petition. The petition also stated that Alim, the then peace committee chairman in Joypurhat, killed local Awami League leader Dr Abul Kashem on 26 July, 1971. န Photo Courtesy : Prothom Alo

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tripura accuses Centre of refusing assistance for Refugees
Agartala, 27 March : The Centre has refused to provide assistance to Bru (Reang) refugees fire victims, sheltered in six camps of North Tripura for past 14 years from Western Mizoram, alleged Tripura Revenue Minister Badal Chowdhury today. He visited the camps yesterday along with top officials to review the relief operation in the camps where 18 people were charred to death and 30 others injured due to a devastating fire on 19 March last. Chowdhury said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Tripura government had separately declared rupees one lakh exgratia to the next of kin of the deceased and distributing relief and financial assistance for making makeshift huts. ''Unfortunately, the Mizoram government did not take any initiative to help the victims except sending some warm cloths in the summer days who had been suffering due to Lalthanhawala government,'' Chowdhury added. He said the state government had asked for rupees five crore special assistance following the fire incident and demanded the Centre’s intervention for their repatriation and adequate settlement in Mizoram but Central government had not yet responded. န File Photos : Demotix

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BNP' Khandker M Hossain warns of unrest like Arab World
Dhaka, 27 March : Renewing the party's demand for midterm polls, a senior BNP leader says there will be unrest in Bangladesh as in the Arab World if the demand is not met. Party standing committee member Khandker Mosharraf Hossain on Sunday issued the warning at a gathering ahead of a rally marking the Independence Day. The rally, brought out from the party headquarters at Naya Paltan, culminated at Moghbazar intersection after parading Kakrail, Shantinagar, Malibagh and Mouchak.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Congress election manifesto bundle of lies: Natl BJP leader PTI, Guwahati, 27 March : BJP today described as a "bundle of lies" the Congress manifesto for the upcoming Assembly polls in Assam. "The manifesto contains issues which the Congress had promised to fulfil in the last 10 years of its rule and is a bundle of lies," BJP national spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain told reporters here. "The promises made in the manifesto are nothing new. These are the promises which were mentioned in the last two manifestos and thus the party has lost moral right to publish the manifesto," he said.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Manik S calls commoners to resort agitation against Centre
UNI, Agartala, 27 March : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has called upon people to resort to agitation against policies of Manmohan Singh-led UPA government, for saving the country from US 'influence'.
Addressing a meeting of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd Employees Association northeast circle last evening here, Sarkar alleged that the Centre did not consider the minimum interest of the common people rather all its polices and actions were facilitating rich class. "Not only profit-earning state owned BSNL, as many as hundred public organisations have been opened for multi-nationals companies in last few years, which neither consider interest of India nor its people," Sarkar rued. He flayed the Central governments polices and asked the common people to start mass movement for restoring normalcy in the country.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has failed to arrest the soaring inflation and price hike of essential commodities, Sarkar alleged. ''More than 45 Lakh posts have been laying vacant in various Central government departments for past few years on the other, 10 Crore educated youths are left unemployed and the government is trying to abolish the sanctioned posts just to cripple the public service system and ensure privatisation,'' Sarkar further alleged.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------www.bengalnewz.com-----

Wikileaks Expose : Adviser finalised Sheikh Hasina's India visit

Dhaka, 18 March : Bangladesh prime minister had entrusted her advisers with the ground work ahead of her India visit in 2010.
A leaked cable from the US embassy in Bangladesh suggests that Sheikh Hasina's foreign affairs adviser was leading the process because of their lack of confidence in a lethargic bureaucracy.
"Recognizing the inertia within Bangladesh's bureaucracy, the Prime Minister entrusted her own office with preparations for the visit, and her advisors tell us they expect the results to 'transform' Indo-Bangladesh relations," states the cable from James F Moriarty, the US ambassador in Bangladesh.
The 'confidential' cable, leaked by Wikileaks, dated 10 January, 2010, reveals details of a briefing from prime minister Hasina's foreign affairs adviser Gowher Rizvi, only hours before the envoy set off. The cable read, "(Rizvi) reported that preparations had been completed for the PM's visit to New Delhi later in the day."
The cable also shed light on the rift within the bureaucratic mechanism of the incumbent government including the ministry and the prime minister's advisers. The cable also claims Hasina's foreign affairs adviser said the details of the tour and its preceding negotiations were kept under the wraps until the very end of the preparations. န File Photo : Reuters

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mamata announces candidates, leaves 64 seats for Congr's
Kolkata, 18 March : Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress on Friday unilaterally announced candidates for 230 (TMC- 228, ally SUCI- 2) constituencies for the Assembly elections in West Bengal, leaving only 64 seats to National Congress.
"We will be happy if Congress fields its candidates in 64 constituencies after seat adjustment. Else, we will put our candidates which will include members from minority community on Monday," Mamata said at a crowded press conference while releasing the candidate list. Mamata said she released the candidate list after her discussions with Congress central leadership till last night "and what was agreed upon there".
Criticising the Congress leaders buying time from TMC over the seat-sharing deal, Mamata said, "There is hardly any time left. We have to now go for affidavits and other poll formalities. We have to ensure that nomination forms reach our candidates in remote areas". န Photo : Avijit Mondal

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mahasweta Devi appointed National Professor for 2nd term
PTI, New Delhi, 18 March : Eminent writer and social Mahasweta Devi has been appointed as a National Research Professor for a second five-year term from this month.
She will be entitled to an honorarium of Rs. 75,000 per month. After being appointed National Professor for a first term of five years in February, 2006, Mahasweta Devi has contributed with her work related to study of rural tribal communities of West Bengal, women and dalits.
Considering her work, she has been appointed as National Research Professor for a second term of five years with effect from 1 February, 2011, said a HRD Ministry statement.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

US was concerned over Pranab's appointment : WikiLeaks
Agenvies, New Delhi, 18 March : A day after WikiLeaks disclosure indicated that the Congress had paid lawmakers to survive a vote of confidence in Indian Parliament in 2008, another Wikileaks exposure reveals Washington's interference in Indian political decisions.
US secretary of state Hillary Clinton is said to have questioned Pranab Mukherjee's appointment as finance minister and also asked its embassy in Delhi why Mukherjee was preferred to Montek Singh Ahluwalia.
In a cable to the US Embassy in Delhi in September 2009, Clinton asked, "To which business groups is Mukherjee beholden?'; Why was (he) chosen over Montek?" It further adds: "To which industrial or business groups is Pranab Mukherjee beholden? Whom will he seek to help through his policies? What are Mukherjee's priorities in the upcoming budget... ?"
These questions appear to indicate that the White House was expecting either P Chidambaram to return as finance minister or Montek Singh Ahluwalia to be elevated to that post.
The 14 September, 2009 cable asks: "What are Mukherjee's primary economic concerns and his views on Prime Minister Singh's economic reform agenda? How quickly does he plan to pursue these reforms? What is his ability to enact reforms?"
Clinton was interested in knowing about how much importance does Mukherjee attach to the US-India bilateral economic relationship and where he saw the relationship heading. န File Photos : PTI

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

K Delwar Hossain's burial schedule changes to Saturday
Dhaka, 18 March : BNP secretary general Khandker Delwar Hossain's burial will be held at the family graveyard in his village home at Khirai Pachuria in Manikganj on Saturday instead of Friday.
Delwar died at Mount Elizabeth Hospital at 3pm (BDST) on Wednesday. He was 78. He was taken to Singapore from Square Hospital, Dhaka, by an air ambulance on 4 March.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Netai Firing Case : Arrested Eight hired goons, says CBI
PTI, Kolkata, 18 March : CBI today informed the Calcutta High Court that eight persons, arrested by the agency in connection with the firing on villagers at Netai from a CPI(M) leader's house on 7 January, were goons hired from outside the area.
CBI counsel Himangshu Dey submitted before a division bench comprising Chief Justice J N Patel and Justice A K Roy that six of the eight arrested on 14 and 15 March were identified by villagers as those who fired on them from the house of the local CPI(M) leader Rathin Dandapat.
Dey submitted that all were hired goons and hailed from places like Goaltore and Jhargram in other parts of West Midnapore district.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BD' 30% deforestation occur due to tobacco manufacturing
UNB, Dhaka, 18 March : Although Bangladesh government has given special priority to protection of forests to face the climate change phenomena, about 30 percent of deforestation in the country has occurred due to tobacco manufacturing, according to an expert.
“Smoking also results in costs associated with fire damage and damage to the environment from the manufacturing and packaging of tobacco products,” said Taifur Rahman, Campaign for Tobacco Free-Kids (CTFK) media and advocacy coordinator, at a workshop on Friday. `PROGGA’ and `Campaign for Tobacco Free-Kids’ in collaboration with the Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) organized the workshop titled ‘Training Course on Media for Tobacco Control in Bangladesh’ at the PIB auditorium in the city.
Speaking at the workshop, Taifur Rahman said Bangladesh is one of the vulnerable countries across the world due to the rapid rise of its tobacco users. “About 10 percent of world’s tobacco users are in Bangladesh. Tobacco users have increased 7.5 percent in five years from 2004 to 2009,” he said.
Highlighting the global scenario of tobacco use, Taifur Rahman said five million people die of tobacco related diseases all over the world every year. “If the trend continues, tobacco will kill eight million people by 2030 and one billion by the end of the current century,” he added.
According to a fact sheet, tobacco exacts a high cost on society and indirect costs of tobacco are estimated at US$ 652.86 million (loss of income from death or disability due to tobacco-related illness).
It said lost economic opportunities in highly populated developing countries are severe because half of all tobacco-related deaths occur during prime productive years (age 30-69).
Over 57,000 people die in Bangladesh every year from tobacco-related diseases and some 16 percent of all deaths among people aged 30 years and above are attributable to tobacco use.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------www.bengalnewz.com-----

Bangladesh govt to fix minimum wages for workers of 17sectors

UNB, Khalishpur (Khulna), 5 March : Bangladesh government will fix the minimum wages for the workers of 17 sectors in the country apart from readymade garments (RMG).
This was disclosed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina while addressing a rally at Pravati School ground here on Saturday. The Prime Minister said that the present government has formed a national committee to fix the minimum wages for the 17 sectors apart from the RMG. Seeking some time to announce the wages, she said: “It is not possible to do all things at a time. Please give me sometime. I will enhance the wages of workers of all sectors.”
In this connection, Hasina mentioned that at her personal initiative the garment factory owners had earlier agreed to give Tk 3000 as the minimum wages for their workers.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dy EC arriving tomorrow on four-day visit to poll-bound WB
Kolkata, 5 March : Five days after the announcement of the Assembly poll schedule in West Bengal, Deputy Election Commissioner Vinod Zutshi arrives in the state tomorrow on a four-day visit.
Zutshi will hold meetings with the district and poll authorities, review poll preparedness and assess the law and order situation, election department sources said here today. The Deputy Election Commissioner would meet District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and North Dinajpur tomorrow.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Supreme Court to hear Binayak Sen’s bail plea on 11March
PTI, New Delhi, 5 March : Indian Supreme Court will hear on 11 March the bail plea of civil rights activist Dr Binayak Sen, sentenced to life imprisonment on charges of sedition and links with Maoists.
Dr. Sen (61) has challenged the order of the Chhattisgarh High Court which had rejected his bail plea on 10 February.
In the petition prepared by senior advocate Ram Jethmalani it has been submitted that Dr. Sen has already spent two years in jail after his arrest and he should be allowed to come out on bail during the pendency of appeal in the High Court.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bangladesh request IOM to increase charter flights to quicken repatriation of Bangladeshis
Dhaka, 5 March : Bangladesh has requested the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to charter more flights and increase their frequencies for speedy repatriation of the stranded Bangladeshi workers of from Tunisia, Egypt and Greece.
Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes stated this at a regular press briefing at the Foreign Ministry on Saturday afternoon.
He said some 26,341 Bangladeshis had either left the violence–torn Libya or relocated their positions within Libya.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2 arrested in connection with 14 March Nandigram carnage
UNI, Haldia, 5 March : Two people were arrested from Khejuri in the East Midnapore district under Haldia sub-division last night in connection with the 14 March, 2007, Nandigram carnage.
''The arrested CPI(M) worker Prajapati Das and Trinamool Congress activist Sheikh Ujir have been involved in the 14 March Nandigram killings,'' Superintendent of Police Ajit Sarkar said.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BJP Assam office ransacked over selection of "candidates"

PTI, Guwahati, 5 March : Disgruntled Morigaon district unit workers today ransacked the BJP Assam unit office in Guwahati in protest againstselection of candidates.
A large group of slogan shouting workers stormed into the office on RG Borooah Road with placards and started smashing the furtniture, computers and window panes.
Alleging the party leadership had put up an unknown candidate "after taking bribe from the Congress and AGP", the demonstrators, including women, threatened to sit on a dharna in the compound of the office till party state unit President Ranjit Dutta explained why the name of Prahlad Bhuyan was announced as the candidate from Morigaon.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mamata’s decision not to contest reflects her weakness: SY
PTI, New Delhi, 5 March : Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee’s decision not to contest the West Bengal Assembly polls reflects her “weakness”, a top CPI(M) leader said on Saturday.
“If the Trinamool leader says she cannot contest from a constituency, then she is reflecting her weakness,” Politburo member Sitaram Yechury said here. He was asked to comment on Ms. Banerjee declaring that she would not contest the upcoming Assembly polls because she cannot be identified with a single constituency in West Bengal and she has to keep the interest of the entire State in mind.
“The role of a leader should be to contest on his own, win his own seat and lead the party to victory in the entire state,” Yechury told reporters on the sidelines of the CPI(M) Central Committee meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Andaman Islands fishermen get distress alert transmitters

PTI, Port Blair, 5 March : Amid incidents of the country's fishermen being captured by the Sri Lankan navy, the coast guard today gave distress alert transmitters to fishermen in the Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Around 69 fishermen of Middle Andaman were given the distress alert transmitters by the Coast Guard at a function in North Andaman in the presence of Andaman and Nicobar chief secretary Shakti Sinha and IG (Coast Guard) K C Pande.
Speaking on the occasion, Sinha said the devices would definitely enable the fishermen to protect themselves in times of distress at sea and also help the Coast Guard to rescue them with minimum delay.
Pande said that earlier under phase I, 62 transmitters were distributed to the fishermen in 2008-09 and during the present phase II another 69 were being distributed to local fishermen free of cost.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------www.bengalnewz.com-----