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
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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