BNP acting secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the dawn-to-dusk shutdown at a press conference at party's Naya Paltan-based headquarters on Wednesday.
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Govt signs accord with UN country team for US $ 1.8 billion
UNB, Dhaka, 1 June : Bangladesh government on Wednesday signed an agreement with the United Nations country team under which Bangladesh will receive US$ 1.8 billion grant assistance (around Tk 13,500 crore) over a period of five years under the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2012-2016.The assistance will help Bangladesh in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by focusing on seven priority areas. Economic Relations Division (ERD) Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan and UN resident coordinator Neal Walker signed the agreement in presence of Finance Minister AMA Muhith at the Finance Division conference room. Senior officials from the government and the UN agencies were present.
The seven areas, each led by one UN agency, as outlined in the UNDAF are: Democratic Governance and Human Rights (UNDP); Pro-poor Growth with Equity (UNDP); Social Services for Human Development (UNICEF); Food Security and Nutrition (WFP); Climate Change, Environment, Disaster Risk Reduction and Response (UNDP); Pro-poor Urban Development (UNDP); Gender Equality and Women's Advancement (UNFPA).
All UN system agencies will work together to achieve the goals and results set forth in the UNDAF 2012-2016.
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Panel formed to probe yesterday's Kamrup bus accident
Guwahati, 1 June : Assam government today constituted a one-man committee to probe into the causes and circumstances leading to the bus accident in Kamrup (Rural) district yesterday.
A notification issued by the Political (A) Department said the probe would be conducted by Lower Assam Division Commissioner Hemanga Kumar Sharma. The terms of reference shall be the circumstances leading to the deaths and injury of passengers in the accident and to find out lapses, if any, on the part of any authority, person causing the accident on Monday night.
The measures to be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future and any other matter which in the opinion of the enquiry authority is required to be looked into will be other area of reference, the notification added.
A notification issued by the Political (A) Department said the probe would be conducted by Lower Assam Division Commissioner Hemanga Kumar Sharma. The terms of reference shall be the circumstances leading to the deaths and injury of passengers in the accident and to find out lapses, if any, on the part of any authority, person causing the accident on Monday night.
The measures to be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future and any other matter which in the opinion of the enquiry authority is required to be looked into will be other area of reference, the notification added.
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Success brings melancholy for a meritorious Malda student
Malda, 1 June : The proverb ‘nothing succeeds like success’ is not applicable for him as success has brought a huge melancholy for Soubhagya Karmakar of Malda town. After cracking the IIT entrance examination perhaps as the only candidate from the district this year, Soubhagya has lost his slumber as he does not know if he would be able to pursue higher studies from any premier IITs of the country. His family is now entirely dependent of humanitarian approach of the society which can alone substantiate the name of this youngster.
Soubhagya Karmakar, a higher secondary examinee, has been indulged in an uneven battle against formidable poverty since his nursery days. With no private tuition ever, he kept on earning academic successes which drew the public attention when he stood second in the Madhyamik examination in 2009 in Malda securing 92% marks. A student of Malda Zilla School, Soubhagya secured 93% marks in class XI and 90% in the test examinations.Soubhagya, understanding his financial cripples, did not dare to fill in the form of the IIT entrance examinations but, the alumni association of Malda Zilla School extended its cooperation including the requisite fees for the all India examinations. The 17 year old substantiated the faith of his sponsors by securing 1867th rank in all India IIT entrance examinations. With the dream of becoming a civil or a mechanical engineer Soubhagya is now cherishing the aspiration to get admitted to the IIT, Bhubaneswar or the IIT, Chennai. But it is a fierce battle again against the poverty that is grinning to crush his dreams.
Sitting in a dilapidated one-roomed house his parents Sukumar and Subhra said in chocked voices: “It is perhaps our offence to give birth to Soubhagya to our poverty stricken family. Being parents we could neither provide him neither a filling meal nor books.” “It was the god’s grace and our son’s determination that worked together to pave ways for his success,” the Karmakar couple said while trying to veil their tears. Their younger son Shubham is a student of class V and imitating the academic performance of this elder.
The local MLA said that he would look into the matter later, the minister has advised him to apply for education loan but all these are mere dry promises. What Soubhagya depends upon is the aid of the civil society. Already some former students of Malda Zilla School and few benefactors extended financial aid within their reach and what Soubhagya does not know if there would be a sustainable source to support him in his uneven battle between merit and poverty. “I can study only. I want your support,” urged Soubhagya yet unsure if the society would bring about true ‘Soubhagya’ (Good Luck) for him. န Photos : Suryya Dwipta Acharjee
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