Army seeks revision in rules of engagement in Maoist-hit areas

IANS, New Delhi, 14 January : The Indian Army, which is setting up a training centre in Maoist-hit Chhattisgarh, said Friday it has sought a revision in its rules of engagement to legally protect its troops in case they fire back at the rebels in self-defence.
Army Chief General V.K. Singh told reporters that since a large number of its personnel would be moving into the training area, they had asked the government for clarification on the rules of engagement so that they could defend themselves in case of a Maoist attack. However, he clarified that the army was not asking for the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, which gives legal protection to the forces, as the troops were not getting into the anti-Maoist offensive in progress in some states.
"Looking at a situation where some elements instigate a situation by trying to make a foray into the training area, to that extent we have asked for clarification on the rules of engagement to ensure this issue is taken care of," he said here.

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Lalgarh killings: Hearing on public suit adjourned to 18 Jan
Kolkata, 14 January : The Calcutta High Court Friday adjourned till 18 January the hearing on a public suit seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the 7 January killing of villagers near Lalgarh in West Midnapore district.
The West Bengal government Thursday had filed an affidavit, opposing the CBI probe and contending that law and order was a state subject and that the court had no power to order an investigation by the central agency.

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Pro-Trinamool Congress intellectual to meet President, PM
Kolkata, 14 January : Carrying their battle against West Bengal's ruling Left Front to Delhi, a group of painters, theatre activists and economists associated with the Trinamool Congress will meet President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh next week to demand the central government's intervention in the state.
The group, which will reach the national capital Sunday, will apprise top officials, including Home Minister P. Chidambaram, of the "lawlessness" and the "reign of terror" in the state. They meet the president Monday morning, the prime minister Monday evening and the home minister Tuesday afternoon.

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GJM bandh paralyses life for 3rd day
UNI, Siliguri, 14 January : The GJM-sponsored 96-hour bandh paralysed life for the third day today in the hills sub-divisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong.
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's agitation is for a separate Gorkhaland. Official sources said train services in Siliguri, Sevok and Assam were disrupted. Tea gardens, government offices and educational institutions also remained closed in support of the bandh, sources said.

Sikkim's lifeline NH 31A, however, remained outside the purview of the bandh in accordance with a Supreme Court order. Blockades are being staged at different places in Terai and Dooars. 'No untoward incident reported so far,'' Additional Superintendent of Police (Headquarters), Kunal Agarwal, said.
Inspector General, North Bengal, Ranvir Kumar said the police will take action if somebody tries to impose the bandh on the common man. Meanwhile, Bangla O' Banglabhasha Bachao Committee (BBBC) called a 48-hour counter bandh on January 16 and 17 today to protest GJM's agitation.
''We are protesting GJM's unreasonable demands which is causing a public harassment. Bengal should not be divided,'' BBBC president, Mukunda Majumdar said.
Another anti-GJM outfit 'Amra Bangali' have also called a 48-hour bandh on the same dates in protest against GJM's Gorkhaland demand.
Darjeeling District Left Front led by Rajya Sabha MP Saman Pathak, along with leaders of other organisations like CPI(M), RSP, Forward Bloc and CPI, submitted a petition to the administration protesting against GJM's Gorkhaland demand.
He also said the administration should adopt stringent measures against the 'violent measures' adopted by the outfit.
''The bandh culture initiated by the GJM is seriously affecting the life of the common man,'' Pathak added. ''Additional forces should be deployed by the administration to restore normalcy,'' he added.
The bandh call was aimed at putting pressure on the Centre to make its stand clear on the issue of a separate Gorkhaland state comprising the hills and certain areas contiguous to it in the north Bengal plains.
The shutdown announcement came on the heels of the Srikrishna Committee report on the Telengana issue being made public recently. န Photos : AFP

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Lalgarh killing : Governor Narayanan to visit Netai on 19Jan
Kolkata, 14 January : West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan is scheduled to visit Lalgarh's Netai village on January 19 to assess the impact on residents from the recent spate of violence in the area.
According to reports, Governor Narayanan may also visit Jhalda in Purulia district, where seven workers of the Forward Bloc, including a woman, were shot dead by Maoists on 16 December.

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Wild pachyderms kill a marginal farmer in Bankura district
Bankura, 14 January : A marginal farmer was trampled to death by a herd of elephants, who have been creating havoc on standing crops and rendering many families homeless here, official sources said today.
The jumbos, who strayed into the Simlipal forest area last week, trampled to death a middle-aged man at Dhemanmara village and badly injured another under Bishnupur police station. The pachyderms moved around like a charged brigade stamping whatever came in front of them and devoured fodders.

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Tripura's Somdev gets a tough 1st'round at Australian open
PTI, Melbourne, 14 January : India's wild card entrant Somdev Devvarman was on Friday handed a tough draw at the Australian Open as he is pitted against world number 51 Tommy Robredo in the first round of the men's singles event.
Tripura boy Somdev, ranked 110 in the world, was awarded one of the two wild cards for Asian players by the organisers of the first Grand Slam of the season.

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Fire breaks out at Crescent Jute Mill in Khulna city area
UNB, Khulna, 14 January : A devastating fire broke out at state-run Crescent Jute Mill at Khalishpur industrial area in the city on Friday.
Mill sources said the fire started at No. 12 godown near No. 3 unit at about 2pm. Receiving information, fire service personnel from Daulatpur, Khalishpur and Khulna rushed to the spot and were still making frantic efforts to extinguish the blaze. The fire could not be doused till filing of this report at 5:30pm Friday.

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5 persons die at Gangasagar on Makar Sankranti occasion

PTI, Gangasagar, 14 January : Four pilgrims and a tourist died after cardiac arrest after a holy dip in the icy waters of the Ganga at the Gangasagar fair today.
Over five lakh people from across the country gathered in the confluence of the Ganga and the Bay of Bengal on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
The fair is the second largest congregation of people after the holy Kumbha Mela held annually on the Sagar Island's southern tip. Kumbha Mela is held once in four years.
Police said the deceased have been identified as Vinay Singh (65) of Madhya Pradesh, Bhabdhara Devi (80) of Bihar, Ashok Tripathi (60) of Uttar Pradesh and Bholanda Giri (65). Saddat Ansari (52), a tourist from Jharkhand, also died after heart failure, police said.
Nearly 11,000 people are suffering from various diseases and 9 people had to be hospitalised. န Photo : AFP

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ISRO and NTRO-enabled control room for anti-Naxal operations

PTI, New Delhi, 13 January : A state-of-the-art control room with giant TV screens that will help track the offensive of security forces in Naxal strongholds with satellite imaging and GPS has been activated at the CRPF headquarters here.

Official sources said the control room will enable top officers to track the movement of personnel in thick jungles and hilly terrains across states where anti-Naxal operations are on.
A giant screen comprising 16 LCD screens has been put up, which at the push of a button will show the exact positioning of troops in the area. The preloaded satellite images will give a fair idea of the patrol party's location and nearby areas.
The project was kick-started few years back with the force approaching the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for satellite imaging of Naxal areas. The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) is also part of the project. န File Photos : AFP

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World Bank to provide $1.2bn for Padma M'purpose Bridge
Dhaka, 13 January : The World Bank, through its concessionary arm- the International Development Association (IDA)- will provide US$ 1.2 billion for the country’s largest ever infrastructure development project, the Padma Multipurpose Bridge (PMB).
The government of Bangladesh and the World Bank held successful negotiations of US$1.2 billion concessional credit for the project on January 9, which is expected to have a transformational effect on the nearly 30 million people living in the south west region, and accelerate growth in the country as a whole.

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'Take immediate steps to prevent violence'

Kolkata, 13 January : Adopting a pro-active approach, West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan today summoned Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh and asked the state government to take immediate steps on maintaining law and order and prevent violence.
Home secretary G D Gautama and DGP N Mukherjee were also present at the 30-minute meeting. Gautama later told reporters at Writers' Building that the Governor reviewed law and order and asked the government to immediately take steps to prevent recurrence of violence and concentrate more attention on maintaining law and order.
"No democracy can allow such violence: no civilised society can tolerate such wanton disregard for human lives and no state can accept such mindless discord," he had said in a statement.

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One person held in connection with 7th Jan's Netai killing
Kolkata, 13 January : An alleged CPI(M) supporter was arrested today in connection with the killing of seven unarmed persons on 7 January at Netai village in West Midnapore district.
A senior district police officer today said that Ajit Hembram was arrested from Belatikri village in the Lalgarh area this morning. Two persons had earlier been arrested in this connection.

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400Gorkha Janmukti Morcha workers detained in Jalpaiguri

Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, 13 January : Around 400 Gorkha Janmukti Morcha workers, who were holding a road blockade on the second day of their 96-hour bandh to press for Gorkhaland, were detained in Jalpaiguri district today.
The GJM workers, who blocked roads since 6 AM at Nagrakata, were taken to the Jalpaiguri Kotwali police station, police said. Among those detained were GJM central committee members Rajen Lohar and Santosh Rai.
The effect of the bandh was felt at Kalchini, Malbazar, Nagrakata, Banarhat and other areas where the Gorkhas are in a majority with shops, establishments, schools and colleges closed.
In Darjeeling town, GJM workers were picketing at the Chowk Bazar.The offices of the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, DGHC headquarters at Lalkothi, Food and Supply and Drug Control offices at Chowk Bazar were closed, SP D P Singh said.
Picketing by GJM activists was also reported from Sukhiapokhri and Sukna. န Photo : AFP

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North Bengal people have shown yellow card to govt : BNP
UNB, Dhaka, 13 January : BNP leaders on Thursday said people of North Bengal have shown the Awami League government the yellow card through Wednesday’s municipal elections, for its “misrule and failures. while red card is waiting”.
The BNP leader made the remarks addressing a rally at the city’s Muktangon this afternoon, organized by Dhaka city Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal south unit in protest of killing of Shahidullah Mollah, president Jubodal ward no 32 of the city.

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US sees room for improvement in rules for 'war crimes trial'

UNB, Dhaka, 13 January : US Ambassador-at-Large Stephen Rapp has stressed the importance of bringing potential changes to the rules under the International Crimes Tribunal Act of 1973, in order to hold an open and transparent trial of war crimes committed during Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971 that is recognized under international law.
Speaking at a pre-departure press conference at the American Club, he said Bangladesh has decided to prosecute not ordinary crimes, but international crimes of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in 1971.
Rapp said it is possible to try people who committed murder, rape, arson and robbery on a massive scale through an international system in compliance with international treaties like the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights and the International Criminal Court (ICC), both of which have been ratified by Bangladesh.
Recalling the passage of the International Crimes Tribunal Act by the Bangladesh parliament in 1973, later amended in 2009, the Ambassador said the rules need to be reformed by incorporating accepted definitions for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, like those set by the ICC and international tribunals in Yugoslavia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Cambodia on war crimes.

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Remarks against Buddhadeb expunged after Left protest
PTI, Chennai, 13 January : Tamil Nadu Assembly today witnessed heated exchanges between Congress and the Left parties over some remarks made by Congress whip S Peter Alphonse against West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, which were expunged later.
Trouble erupted when Alphonse, speaking on the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor for his address to the Assembly, made some remarks against Bhattacharjee while flaying the Left parties, drawing strong reactions from the Lefts.

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Assam under grip of "cold"
Guwahati, 13 January : Cold wave conditions prevailed in Assam today as the mercury plummeted to a record low of eight degrees Celsius affecting normal life.
A spokesman for the Regional Meteorology Centre here said the cold wave would persist for a couple of days more, which came as dampener for those preparing to celebrate the Magh Bihu harvest festival starting tomorrow. Cold north-westerly winds from north India have resulted in the dip in temperature. The cold wave was persisting in north India and Gangetic West Bengal due to Western Disturbance in the Himalayas, he explained.
Normal life was affected in many parts of the state which came under a thick blanket of fog as people were seen huddling around bonfires to keep themselves warm. Attendance in government offices was also low. န Photo : Chimoy Roy

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HC declares illegal corporal punishment to school students

UNB, Dhaka, 13 January : The High Court on Thursday declared illegal as well as unconstitutional all kinds of corporal punishment to the students in schools and madrasas enforced by teachers.
Delivering the judgment on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the High Court also asked the government to formulate an effective policy guideline to bring to an end of all kinds of corporal punishment in classrooms to ensure a more conducive atmosphere for the students, as the existing procedure against the perpetrators lacks propriety.
The Education Ministry admits that teachers of some educational institutions impose inhuman punishments on the students for various reasons including violation of discipline and negligence in studies, resulting in students’ progress being hampered, and impeding their physical and mental growth from flourishing.
Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) and Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) jointly filed the PIL writ petition that sought necessary directives on the government to stop corporal punishment for the school students at all levels.

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Kolkata to host Indian Senior National TT from 17 January
PTI, New Delhi, 13 January : Kolkata's Netaji Indoor stadium will host the 72nd Senior National and Inter-State Table Tennis Championships from 17 to 23 January.
A total of 31 states, including 2 institutions will participate in the men's team event, while in the women's section 27 states, including 2 institutions, will vie for top honours. According to a Table Tennis Federation of India release, for the first time Arunachal Pradesh will be participating both in the men's and women's team championship.

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Minor reshuffle in Okram Ibobi Singh's ministry in Manipur
PTI, Imphal, 13 January : In a minor reshuffle, Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh has reallocated some portfolios in his Secular Progressive Front (SPF) ministry.
Y Erabot, who was earlier the civil supply minister, will now hold charge of commerce and industry, an official notification said today.

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Documentary on Hiuen Tsang's 17 year' journey to be shot

PTI, Varanasi, 13 January : Famous Chinese Buddhist monk Hiuen Tsang's 17-year-long journey to India in 629 AD is the focus of a new documentary by NRI filmmaker Ravi Verma.

'Hridaysutram' is a part of 'Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra', which inspired the monk to travel to India. Hiuen Tsang later returned to China with three copies of the sacred text and translated it into Chinese.
Bihar-born filmmaker Verma, who shifted his base to the US, is a follower of Buddhist teachings and plans to complete the documentary in the next six months.
Verma says the documentary will detail different aspects of Buddha's life but the primary focus will be on Hiuen Tsang, who travelled to India to collect authentic Buddhist parchments and spent his entire life transcribing them.

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Corrective steps to push up industrial production : FM Pranab

PTI, New Delhi, 12 January : Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said deceleration in industrial growth to 2.7% in November and high inflation could have an adverse impact on the economy and promised to take corrective steps to push up factory output.
“If IIP goes down and inflation goes up, it will have an adverse impact, but I am not coming to any premature conclusion,” Mukherjee told reporters here. “We shall have to look into and take corrective measures so that IIP numbers revive in the remaining four months,” he said. Even though part of the deceleration in growth may be because of high base effect of 11.3% in November last year, the Finance Minister refused to take it as a consolation. “Last time, if you have noticed that in November last year it (IIP) was very high, so base effect is also there, but that is no consolation,” he said.
Inflation is expected to be higher in December than 7.48% in November, since food inflation has surged up to 18.32% during the week ended 25 December. In the previous two weeks also, food inflation was in double digits while standing at 9.46% for the week ended 4 December.

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W Bengal govt asked by HC to submit affidavit on Lalgarh firing

PTI, Kolkata, 11 January : The Calcutta High Court today directed the West Bengal government to explain its position on the Lalgarh firing of 7 January while hearing a PIL seeking a CBI probe into the incident that claimed seven lives.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice J N Patel and Justice A K Roy directed the West Bengal Principal Secretary (Home) to file the affidavit by 13 January.
The bench directed the state government to explain its position on the prayers for a CBI probe on the existence of armed camps and the plea for interim compensation to the kin of the dead and injured on the PIL by the Bar Association of the high court.
The state produced the case diary in the matter which was registered at Lalgarh police station, but it did not contain the seizure list. န File Photos : AFP

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Bangladesh, Bhutan ink deals
UNB, Dhaka, 11 January : Bangladesh and Bhutan Tuesday morning signed an agreement on cultural exchange and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on cooperation in health sector.
The deals were signed in presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Bhutanese Counterpart Jigmi Y Thinley at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), said PM’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad. Bhutanese Foreign Secretary Dasho Daw Penjo signed the two deals on behalf of his government while Health Secretary Hymayun Kabir and acting Cultural Affairs Secretary Suraiya Begum signed for Bangladesh government.
Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Health Minister AFM Ruhal Haque, Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad, Adviser to the PM Mashiur Rahman, Ambassador at-Large M Ziauddin, PM's Principal Secretary MA Karim and Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes were, among others, present. န Photo : PID

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Pro-Maoist shutdown hits life of three West Bengal districts
Kolkata, 11 January : The second day of the 72-hour shut down called by the pro-Maoist group - Peoples' Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) - evoked partial response in parts of three Maoist-affected West Bengal districts Tuesday.
The tribal group is observing the shutdown to protest against the 7 January killing of Eight people allegedly by assailants backed by the state's ruling CPI(M) in Netai village near Lalgarh. No buses moved on the roads in Junglemahal - the forest areas of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura districts. Shops and other business establishments remained closed, causing problems to the local population.

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Police arrest Maoist linkman,claim had links with Trinamool
PTI, Bhubaneswar, 11 January : An alleged Maoist linkman Karuna Mahto was arrested in Cuttack on Monday by West Bengal police which claimed that he had links with the Trinamool Congress. "West Bengal police informed the commissionarte of police here that Mahto was a local leader of Trinamool Congress. He has been taken by West Bengal police on remand," Commissioner of Police (CP) BK Sharma told PTI here.
Mahto (55) was among the three persons who accompanied two injured persons from West Bengal to SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack. "Mahto was arrested by Bengal police followinng on complaint against him in their state," Sharma said, adding that during interrogation Mahto had also admitted that he worked as a local leader of Trinamool Congress at Jharagram block.

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1971's Liberation War crimes probe agency reconstituted
Dhaka, 11 January : Bangladesh government on Tuesday co-opted two into the probe agency formed last year to investigate crimes against humanity during the 1971's Liberation War.
The government, however, excluded a member of the committee - Khasrur Haque, a home ministry circular said. The new members are: M Sanaul Haque, former inspector general of police, and Md Abdul Hannan Khan, former additional deputy inspector general of police. Inclusion of the two raises the number of probe agency members to 20.

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Section of Kolkata intellectuals visit Lalgarh,talk to villagers

IANS, Kolkata, 11 January : A section of intellectuals aligned to the Trinamool Congress Tuesday visited West Bengal’s Netai village near the Maoist stronghold of Lalgarh and described last week’s killing of seven villagers as “barbaric”.Trinamool bigwigs, including Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Partha Chattopadhyay, accompanied the group of intellectuals to the Nitai village in West Midnapore district.
Painters, sculptors, singers, actors and theatre personalities of Kolkata met relatives of the victims and listened to their harrowing tales. They also visited the exact spot where the incident occurred Friday. “This incident is barbaric and uncivilised. I am at a loss for words in condemning this incident,” said Bratya Basu, a theatre personality and actor.
These intellectuals had last week taken out a procession and blocked a main busy road in the city to protest the seven villagers’ killings. န File Photo

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Bangladesh, Bhutan ties need to be mutual benefits: Sk Hasina

UNB, Dhaka, 10 January : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the extraordinary relation between Bangladesh and Bhutan now needs to be turned into truly meaningful ties for mutual benefits.
Speaking at a banquet hosted by her in honor of Bhutan Prime Minister Jigme Y. Thinley at Sonargaon Hotel Monday evening, she mentioned the areas of cooperation in trade, tourism, hydro-power, climate change, health, bio-diversity, agro-processing, agriculture, forestry, IT, education and water resources management. “Both the countries should, of course, be working in close cooperation to harness our synergies on these and other areas for the good of our two nations,” Hasina said.
Hasina said Bangladesh has observed with great admiration the transformation Bhutan had undergone under the visionary guidance of the Fourth King, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck. “It is today a democratic, modern and a progressive country.” န File Photo

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Mamata Banerjee born on Indian Railway!
PTI, Karnal, 10 January : A baby girl was born in a moving train near here, prompting her elated parents to name her after Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Aarti, hailing from Bihar, gave a birth to a girl in Barauni Express bound for Delhi on Saturday between Kurukshetra and Karnal railway stations. She had boarded the train from Jalandhar in Punjab and her father-in-law was also travelling with her.
Aarti already has two girls who were travelling with her children in the train.

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Somnath Chatterjee bats for 'IPL discard' Sourav Ganguly
Kolkata, 10 January : Mass support poured in from all quarters for city's star son and former India captain Sourav Ganguly as more effigies of Shah Rukh Khan and Kolkata Knight Riders were burnt in the streets here today after all the 10 franchises had rejected the iconic cricketer for IPL IV.
Former Indian Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee said the ace left-hander was a victim of politics by the private teams who had opted not to bid for Ganguly during the two-day IPL players auctions that eneded in Bangalore yesterday.

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Dipu Moni calls for resolving sharing of common river water
UNB, Dhaka, 10 January : Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni called for resolving all outstanding water related issues, including sharing of the Teesta river.
She made the remarks when Indian Water Resources Secretary Dhruv Vijai Singh called on her at the Foreign Ministry today. Dipu said the people of Bangladesh had great expectations that the two countries would be able to reach an agreement on equitable sharing of the waters of the Teesta, which was essential for the wellbeing and economic development of the people of northern Bangladesh.
She also called for expeditiously beginning discussions on sharing of all other common rivers, particularly Dharala, Dudhkumar, Manu, Gumoti and Khoai.
The Foreign Minister observed that all the countries of the region, including Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and India should work together for a common approach to the management of water resources. She expressed her satisfaction that the Secretary level talks of the Water Resources Ministries were being held between Bangladesh and India. =

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"KKR" to find a role for Ganguly : Owner Shah Rukh Khan
PTI, Durban, 10 January : Kolkata Knight Riders' owner and Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan today said he would try and find a role for Sourav Ganguly in his IPL team after the former India skipper remained unsold.
Ganguly, who led KKR in the last edition, was left red-faced as none of the 10 franchisees showed interest in buying him at the two-day auction in Bangalore. "I would love it, I would love Sourav to be an integral part. You don't have a team in Kolkata without him. So, I will speak to Dada when I get back," Shah Rukh said.

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HC asks to remove structures from Cox’s Bazar sea beach
Dhaka, 10 January : The High Court on Monday ordered the government to remove all temporary and permanent structures from Cox's Bazar sea beach.
Passing the interim order upon a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) writ petition, a High Court division bench, headed by Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury asked the Deputy Commissioner (DC) and the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Cox’s Bazar to submit a follow-up report within seven days.

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Opposition shutdowns hit life in parts of WBengal' districts

IANS, Midnapore, 10 January : Normal life was disrupted following shutdowns called by several opposition parties and a Maoist backed tribal outfit in West Bengal’s West and East Midnapore districts Monday to protest the 7 January carnage near Lalgarh.
The Congress called a 12-hour shutdown in the two districts against the deaths of seven villagers of Netai village in West Midnapore in violence allegedly triggered by assailants supported by the ruling CPI(M). The Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) observed a 12-hour shutdown in Junglemahal – Maoist-affected forested areas of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia districts.
The state’s main opposition Trinamool Congress supported the shutdown calls. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called a separate 12-hour shutdown in West Midnapore on the same issue while the pro-Maoist People’s Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) began a 72-hour shutdown from Monday dawn. With so many political parties calling for shutdowns, life came to a halt in West Midnapore district and was partially hit in East Midnapore. န Photo : AFP

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CM Buddhadeb criticises FM Pranab on high food inflation
Kolkata, 10 January : West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today criticised the Centre for high food inflation asking it to take adequate measures to tackle price rise.
"The Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee says the problem will be resolved soon and later says it is a major problem," Bhattacharjee told a programme of bank employees association BEFI here.

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Resilient economy reflected India's economic management
Kolkata, 10 January : Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said the resilience shown by the Indian economy during the global crisis reflects a maturing of the economic management of the country and the growing competitiveness of enterprise.
Addressing at the inaugural session of Second International Finance Conference at IMA, Joka, Mukherjee said: "This resilience has happened even as the economy has become more integrated with global markets. It shows that globalization and economic resilience can go hand in hand."

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7100hectares brought under mustard cultivation in Satkhira

Satkhira, 10 January : Some 7,100 hectares of land have been brought under mustard cultivation in the district in the current ‘robi’ season exceeding the target of 6,408 hectares.

Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) sources said 3440 hectares were cultivated in Sadar, 1,700 hectares in Kolaroa, 1,290 hectares in Debhata, 475 hectares in Tala, 175 hectares in Kaliganj and 20 hectares in Shyemnagar upazila.
DAE officials are expecting a bumper yield of mustard in the current season. They said several demonstration plots have been set up in the district to acquaint the farmers with the modern methods of cultivation.
The agri officials said they have ensued supply of quality seeds, fertilizers and other necessary inputs among the farmers at fair prices to make the cultivation scheme a success.

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IPL auction : No takers for Sourav Ganguly, Won't play in IPL 4

PTI, Bangalore, 9 January : Turned out to be one of the major embarrassments in his chequered career, Sourav Ganguly was left red-faced as none of the 10 franchises put his name up in the wish list for the second time after the first round of auctions ended in Bangalore on Sunday.

Similarly Chris Gayle, Brian Lara, Sanath Jayasuriya were all rejected during the first round and never came up for a second discussion. Only Mohammed Kaif turned out to be real lucky as he was finally snapped up by Royal Challengers Bangalore for $130,000 after being ignored twice.

The real story of the day was Ganguly. Speculations were rife throughout the day that one of the franchises might just pick him once the unsold players are put up for the second time. To everyone's horror, among the 28 players who were re-auctioned at the request of the franchises, Ganguly's name didn't figure.
There is every reason that the most successful Indian captain will feel insulted as he had prolonged his cricketing career only to play in the IPL. With franchises turning their backs on him, it is certainly one of the most ignominous ends for the Prince of Kolkata. န File Photos : AP

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We will establish industry in Singur if people want it : CM

Singur, Kolkata, 9 January : West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today said industry could again be set up at the place from where the Tatas pulled out their small car project in Singur if the people so wished.

“If the people are willing, then we will establish industry on the same land from where the Tatas pulled out,” Bhattacharjee who visited Singur for the first time since the Tatas withdrew their Nano project in October 2008 told a Left Front rally. Referring to the Trinamool Congress agitation against land acquisition for the small car project which led the Tatas to leave, Mr. Bhattacharjee said, “When we decided to bring the Nano factory to Singur, we had thought it would help in the economic growth of the area which would be much more than from agriculture. “But we never thought that a political party will create a situation where Tatas will have to withdraw,” he said.
“The withdrawal of the Nano factory from Singur was not a loss to the Tatas because they are doing good business from Gujarat, but it was a great loss for the people of Singur and for the state,” Bhattacharjee said. Without naming the Trinamool Congress, Buddhadeb Babu said “Whenever we have worked for development they have only tried to obstruct us and with violence. န Photos : PTI, Sanjay Bhaduri

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DSE suffers steepest fall in history
UNB, Dhaka, 9 January : The shares in the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) on Sunday witnessed a sharp fall of 600 points, the highest ever in the history of the country’s premier bourse.
The DSE General Index opened at 7735.21 points as the trading began on the first trading day of the week, but fell to 7135.02 points at the closing, much to the despair of the investors. The DGEN shed 7.75 percent on the day. Of the total issues traded, prices of 241 declined and only four gained while no issue remained unchanged. A total of 210,905 shares were traded on the day.
The four lucky gainers of the day were Rahim Textile, Monno Jute Stafflers, GrameenPhone and Apex Spinning. The most popular adage ‘Morning shows the day’ does not always come true, especially at the volatile DSE.
Additional police and members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) were deployed in front of the DSE building to avert any trouble as the share prices started to fall rapidly.

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Ganguly fans burn Shah Rukh Khan's effigy in Kolkata
Kolkata, 9 January : Angry over Kolkata Knight Riders' decision to not bid for Sourav Ganguly at the IPL auction, the fans of the former India skipper burnt KKR's principal owner Shah Rukh Khan in effigy on Sunday.
Not only KKR but none of the nine other IPL franchisees showed interest in Ganguly. "No Sourav, no cricket," the fans said holding placards. They alleged that a "political conspiracy" was hatched against Ganguly. "We will boycott KKR matches here," they said.

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ULFA military chief in China, claims Manipuri militant leader

PTI, New Delhi, 9 January : Paresh Baruah, the military chief of the banned outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), seems to be enjoying hospitality in China. His presence in the neighbouring country has been confirmed by the arrested head of a Manipuri militant group.
United National Liberation Front ( UNLF) chief R K Sanayaima alias Meghen, arrested last month in Bihar by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), confessed during interrogation that he had met the elusive 'commander-in-chief' of ULFA during the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. The Shanghai World Expo was held between 1 May to 31 October, 2010.
Sources said 54-year-old Baruah has been mostly based in Yunnan province of China bordering Myanmar but he frequents northern Myanmar's Kachin areas.

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Bangladesh has many indigenous foods with power to prevent cancer, heart diseases, diabetes : Reports
Dhaka, 9 January : It is a good news that many indigenous foods of the country prevent cancer, heart diseases and diabetes.
Such indigenous foods also act as preventive against human chronic degenerative diseases like cataracts, and muscular and neurodegenerative diseases. Several researches carried out over the last few years on a number of selected indigenous foods of Bangladesh including vegetables, fruits, spices, legumes, cereal and tea showed these have anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic actions. Some of the analyzed foods were found highly active in three health beneficiary activities.
Such healthy characteristics are available in ripe wood apple (paka bel), bean (shim), green chilli, brown mustard seeds, black gram (mashkalai dal), locally grown green tea, Radhuni, Mouri, black sesame seed (kalo til), lentil (mushur dal), black cumin seed (kalojeera), brinjal (begun), potatoes, Kalmi shak, green coriander leaves (dhane pata), green mint (pudina), carambola (kamranga), rose apple (golap jam) and jamrul.
Dr Nazma Shaheen, Professor, Institute of Nutrition and Food Science (INFS) of Dhaka University, carried out a yearlong research on 41 indigenous foods of Bangladesh at the National Food Research Institute (NFRI) in Tsukuba, Japan from March 2008 to March 2009 and found out the health beneficial effects of these foods.

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$170m WB support to improve sanitation services in Ctg.

BSS, Dhaka, 9 January : The Chittagong Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (CWASA) has started implementation of a US$ 170 million project aimed at ensuring access of the city dwellers to safe drinking water and improved sanitation.
The World Bank (WB) is providing the financial support to the CWASA to implement the project titled Chittagong Water Supply Improvement and Sanitation Project (CWSISP), according to a statement issued by the WB today.

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Suspected Maoists kill one in West Midnapore district
Jhargram, 9 January : A group of suspected Maoists gunned down a villager in West Midnapore district, police said Sunday.
"Jamil Soren of Garra village near Lalgarh was dragged out of his house Saturday night and shot dead. Maoists are suspected to be behind the crime. But no Maoist posters were recovered from the spot," a senior police officer said. Locals said Jamil was a former member of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI).

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BGMEA starts environment survey at Dhaka' garment units

Dhaka, 9 January : Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has started a survey at the city's garment factories to see working environment.
The survey has been started under the initiative of the South Asia Enterprise Development Facility (SIDF) and Bangladesh Export Oriented Garments Washing Industries Owners Association (BEOGWIOA). As part of the survey, a BGMEA team made a visit to Interstof Apparels Ltd in Gazipur yesterday, said a BGMEA release.

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EU diplomats in Dhaka divided over war crimes trial: Report

Dhaka, 9 January : EU diplomats in Dhaka are apparently divided on their common position over trial of the people accused of war crimes during the 1971 independence war of Bangladesh, a media report said on Saturday.
The difference of opinion surfaced among the diplomats about what public position the European Union should take on the adequacy of the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act 1973, under which major Bengali-speaking suspects of the war crimes were being exposed to justice, The New Age newspaper said.
Quoting a British High Commission official, the report said the UK government acknowledged the criticisms of the 1973 act made by international lawyers.

"We concur with the opinion of the International Bar Association War Crimes Committee, ie, that whilst the 1973 act is broadly compliant with international standards, we would want to see the adoption of its 17 recommendations," the High Commission's political and global issues secretary Jon Ryan told the Age.
But the chair of the EU's Human Rights Task Force which comprises EU diplomats based in Dhaka Andrew Barnard told the newspaper earlier that "although there may be some 'technical' shortcomings in the legislation, they will not necessarily lead to a miscarriage of justice".
According to the report Barnard's comments sparked a controversy among EU diplomats that prompted him to issue a subsequent statement saying, "it is for Bangladesh to decide whether to bring perpetrators of crimes during the war of independence to trial".
"The EU would however urge Bangladesh to ensure that trials meet international standards for fair judicial processes," the statement said.
British High Commissioner in Dhaka Stephen Evans last week told PTI that his country appreciated the initiatives for exposure of the perpetrators of the 1971 crimes but it expected the process to comply with the international standards and ensure the suspects rights of defence.

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What happened at Lalgarh on Friday is "not good" : Buddhadeb

Kolkata, 8 January : West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Saturday condemned the killing of seven villagers in Lalgarh area and said that all political parties should restrain themselves from violence.

"We want peace in the state. What happened yesterday at West Midnapore is not good. Many people died. Each and every political parties should restrain themselves from violence," Bhattacharjee said while addressing a programme here. "If this violence spreads once then each and every work and development process will stop. We don't want innocent people to be killed. Violence should stop," said Bhattcharjee.
At least eight people were shot dead and 18 wounded allegedly by so-called CPI(M) 'Harmads' in Lalgarh Friday, prompting union Home Minister P.Chidambaram to summon the chief minister to New Delhi. န File Photos : AFP

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Bhutan to sign deal to access Bangladesh's Mongla port
Dhaka, 8 January : Bangladesh and Bhutan will sign a fresh agreement that allows South Asia's Himalayan landlocked neighbour to use this country's Mongla port.
A commerce ministry official said the deal may be inked during the visit of Bhutanese Prime Minister Lyonchen Jigmi Yoser Thinley next Monday, or anytime this year. Bangladesh is now finalising the guidelines for signing the agreement, he said. Thinley is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka Monday on a four-day visit. "The guidelines for the agreement are at the final stage," the unnamed official was quoted as saying by the Daily Star Friday.

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PM Sk Hasina asks Army for trust, promises modernization
UNB, Rangpur, 8 January : Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked the armed forces to gain the trust of the masses, and preserve it in view of its importance.
“Remember, the people are the strength of the country, and you are a part of these people. So it is very important to gain their trust and preserve it,” she said at the Darbar 66 Infantry Division of Bangladesh Army after witnessing their winter exercise. She said that the Bangladesh Army has always played a sparkling role for the country whenever it has been needed, apart from their professional activities and training.

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Kolkata doctors to campaign for Dr Binayak Sen's release
Kolkata, 8 January : Expressing shock and anguish over the life sentence given to rights activist Dr Binayak Sen, doctors here Saturday said they would carry out an intensified campaign demanding his immediate and unconditional release.
City-based medical practitioners, who have formed an organisation 'Free Dr. Binayak Sen campaign, Doctors in Solidarity' to protest the conviction, urged the people to come forward and demand his release. "Through our organisation, we have been and will be protesting against the conviction. We need to broaden this campaign and we urge all democracy loving people, cutting across political beliefs, to come forward and demand Sen's immediate release," organisation convener Sanjib Mukherjee told reporters.
"We are in talks with the medical fraternity in other states and plan to converge in Delhi to protest," Mukherjee said. The organisation has also set up a monetary fund to help Sen in his legal battle.

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Binayak sentence looks like miscarriage of justice: Amartya

PTI, New Delhi, 8 January : Coming out in support of Dr Binayak Sen, Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen said here on Saturday that the life sentence given to the doctor-activist looks like a “miscarriage of justice”.

Dr Sen also hoped that the judgement convicting Binayak, who has been awarded life term by a Chhattisgarh court for “sedition” and colluding with Maoists, will not “survive” the challenge made to the higher courts of the country. The nobel laureate was addressing a gathering after releasing a book ‘A Doctor to Defend - the Story of Binayak Sen’ written by journalist and documentary filmmaker Minnie Vaid.
He referred to the “exemplary” work Binayak did to reach healthcare to people in rural Chhattisgarh and said the judgement also raises some questions about India’s democracy, legal framework and Indian engagement with issue of equity. It appears that Binayak has been “unjustly convicted” though the matter is “sub-judice” and “we should not second-guess” the courts,” Dr Sen said, adding, he hopes that the ruling will be changed by the High Court or the Supreme Court.
“The charge of passing communication appeared to have been based on second-hand or third-hand material...even then how the offence of sedition could be made out? There was no indication that he supported or preached violence,” he said. Sen said he was somewhat “amazed” by the nature of the decision and added in a slightly lighter vein, “Tomorrow I may be sued for sedition depending on the content of a letter someone asked me to post in a letter box.”
“As Indian citizens, we have right to pose questions - like how some petty thinking became so dominant in the Indian legal system,” Sen said. He also referred to the sedition charge brought against writer Arundhati Roy and the point made that her comments allegedly offended “patriotic sentiments“. “In a democracy, we have no obligation to air only patriotic sentiments. If some people don’t understand it...this is about the foundation of democracy.”

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