Bangladesh adopts smokeless brick making technology

Aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a considerable amount, Bangladesh has adopted smokeless brick making technology which will replace over 150-year old traditional system.

The new technology has been introduced by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Bangladesh through a development project titled 'Improving Kiln Efficiency in the Brick Making Industry', which will contribute US$ 25 million (approximately Tk 175 crore) for the next five years.

UNDP in a media release Sunday claimed that with the newly introduced smokeless technologies, the industry will operate under higher energy efficiencies, better energy control capabilities, higher rates of production and processing, all of which could bring about reduced production costs, improved product quality, lower local pollution and, most importantly, reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

"The innovative technology that is being used to replace the existing old system will simply make the brick making industry so efficient that when this is replicated across Bangladesh we will have huge benefits for both the people and the global environment," said Stefan Priesner, UNDP Bangladesh Country Director.

Brick making is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Bangladesh estimated to be 6.0 million tonnes of CO2 annually. Such high levels of emissions are a result of the use of outmoded technologies and substandard fuels such as high sulphur coal, tyres and wood energy in kilns. Estimates indicate that in Bangladesh it takes about 23 tons of coal to produce 100,000 bricks whereas in China it takes only 7.8 to 8 tons.

Equally alarming is the use of wood energy in the kilns. Studies carried out in the 1980s identified brickfields as a major cause of deforestation in Bangladesh. The Bangladesh Brick Makers Association estimates that even today 25 per cent of the fuel used in kilns is still from wood. Growth of the brick industry has been estimated at 5.3 per cent over the last decade; this growth trend is likely to continue over the next decade.

Land officers caught off guard by minister in city

Land Minister Md Rezaul Karim Hira Sunday came down heavily on land registration officers for dereliction of duties after seeing the plight of the service seekers at two land offices in the city, officials said.

The minister paid surprise visits to land offices at Dhanmondi and Mirpur at noon and expressed his dissatisfaction with the state of affairs in both the key government offices.

Mr Hira spoke to the supplicants, who gave him a litany of complaints on the hassles they go through at these offices, a ministry official quoted the minister as saying.

The unannounced visits came after the minister received complaints about the harassment people endure when they go to land offices across the country to register land or for settlement of purchase or sale of real estate.

"The minister has found the veracity of many of the complaints. So, he has urged the on-duty assistant commissioners (Land) to dispense responsibilities properly in order to ameliorate the sufferings of the people," the official said.

The minister also enquired of the problems the land offices face in providing hassle-free service to the people. He assured them of all cooperation on part of his ministry including increasing manpower and simplifying legal procedures to make their work easier.

The minister will make similar surprise visits to land offices across the country to see for himself the working environment, the official added.

Deputy Secretary Zahirul Islam accompanied the minister during his visits.

Size of next budget Tk 1.30t

The size of the budget for fiscal year (FY) 2010-11 will be about Tk 1.30 trillion with the development of power and energy sector remaining high on the agenda, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said Sunday.

"The next budget will be Tk 1,300 billion in size and boosting up of energy and power sector will get the highest priority," Mr Muhith said at a pre-budget meeting with members of the Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF), led by its president Monowar Hossain, at the secretariat.

And the size of the government's annual development programme (ADP) will be as high as Tk 380 billion in the FY 2010-11 budget, he told the meeting.

He said the upcoming budget would target a 6.7 per cent growth of the country's GDP (gross domestic product) while keeping the rate of inflation at around 6.5 per cent.

The finance minister also reiterated that the country's GDP was expected to grow at the rate of 6.0 per cent for the current fiscal (2009-10).

Mr Muhith informed the economic reporters that the government would issue a statement next month, in which details of generation capacity, schedules on floatation of tenders, signing of agreements and production time of new power units would be made public.

"The statement will provide details of new power projects, especially, its tender schedules and timeframes on signing of deals and start of generation," he said.

Like the power projects, a similar statement will also be circulated on detail schedules of invitation of bids for exploration of natural gas from new fields and expected deadline for production, he observed.

The finance minister told the ERF members that solar panel will be installed on rooftop(s) of the secretariat building(s) by next year.

Mr Muhith also mentioned that the government has already decided to provide for solar panels and water harvesting systems in all the state-own offices.

On the shortage of natural gas, the finance minister said, "We will have to go for import of LNG (liquefied natural gas) in order to meet our short-term demand."

The finance minister's observations came after most of the ERF members pointed at the prevailing power crisis as a major barrier to the country's trade, industrial and economic development.

They said very little progress on power and gas sectors has been perceptible even after the lapse of more than a year of the government taking office.

The ERF members suggested, among others, the government give special thrust on proper implementation of development projects, address the prevailing water, gas, power problems, device long-term solutions to the city's traffic congestion, widen social safety-net schemes and save river Buriganga from pollution in its upcoming budget.

When the finance minister's attention was drawn to the introduction of 'district budget,' he said: "We could not do it…The ministries concerned are yet to adapt necessary mechanism for implementing the proposed district budgets."

Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahaman, Finance Secretary Muhammad Tareq, ERD Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, and senior officials of finance ministry and National Board of Revenue (NBR) were present at the meeting.

Promises Pending

Promises Pending

Over 12 years into the signing of the CHT Accord, peace remains elusive in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.

"Why is there so much fear in a free country?" asks Lalita Chakma, whose home was burnt down in the violence in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in late February. Lalita, a widow, tailors for a living. On the night of the violence, she had to flee her home with her three-year-old granddaughter, not knowing where to go, not knowing if she would face even more violence across the river. Her son, who she hoped would get an education, a job and look after her in her old age, could not sit for his SSC exams due to the violence. "Who will look after me now?" she asks.

Lalita's story is only one of many written during the recent violence in the CHT, which left three people dead and 70 injured. Five hundred and sixty-three homes were set on fire, of which 434 homes in Baghaichhari and 63 homes in Khagrachhari belonged to adibashis. Similar violence occurred in the same area in Sajek, Rangamati less than two years ago. To many, the violence comes as no surprise. For many, fears of more violence in the future remain.

The Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord of 1997 was expected to bring peace to the region, which had suffered from insurgency and armed violence since the independence of Bangladesh. Yet stories of violence continue, with a sense of insecurity on the part of the indigenous communities, and hostility between them and the Bangalis, growing.

"The Peace Accord may have been signed almost 13 years ago, but measures have not been taken to make it a reality," says Imtiaz Ahmed, Professor of International Relations, University of Dhaka. "In this situation, I'm surprised that the conflict did not occur earlier."

"If a conflict remains unresolved, it will keep erupting," says Sultana Kamal, advocate of the Supreme Court, former advisor to the caretaker government and co-chairperson of the International CHT Commission.

The conflict in the CHT centres around land, its ownership and occupation, says Kamal. There are competitive claims on the land with two parties claiming the same piece of land as their own.

"Bangali settlers have been encouraged to think that it is government land, without actually determining whether the land was khas land. Land in the CHT was given away without consulting those who lived there -- this is against any law, convention, etc." says Kamal.

According to Kamal, the conflict over land has not been seriously addressed. "The conflict has increased in recent times as both parties are going through a nervous state thinking about who the land will go to."

"We also cannot dismiss doubts about the work of vested interest groups in the CHT and that they may have played a role in the conflict," says Kamal. "This includes businesses, civil society, NGOs and the army."

The Chairman of CHT Regional Council and former Commander of the insurgent group Shanti Bahini, Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma, better known as Shantu Larma, in an interview with Pinaki Roy, senior reporter of The Daily Star, claimed that the recent violence was not an isolated event. "It has been State policy since the Pakistan era to turn non-Muslim majority populated areas into Muslim-majority populated areas. The recent violence was a part of this continuous process, as was the army-backed settlement of four lakh Bangalis in the CHT during the reign of President Ziaur Rahman," says Larma. "Neither the Paharis nor Bangalis are to blame, it is the State which has brought them to a level of confrontation. If the government was truly sincere, these incidents would not have occurred. There is no security for the Jumma people in the CHT, no one knows when the next attack will occur."

The latest violence is not only an outburst of intolerance and impatience on the part of both communities but is also an expression of appeal to the government to address the problem, says Major General (Retd.) Ibrahim, who served in the CHT and has authored a book on the issue. "The Peace Accord has not been implemented and I do not see sufficient momentum in implementation."

Over 12 years into its signing, why has the CHT Accord not been implemented? Experts believe that there are problems within the Accord itself, which first need to be resolved.

Amena Mohsin, Professor, Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka, believes that there are "seeds of discord" in the Accord.

"Many critical issues have not been addressed, such as the settler issue," says Mohsin. "To begin with, the settlement programme was a mistake. But at the time it was taken as a counter-insurgency measure. Now, between 48 and 50 percent of the population in the CHT is Bangali. You cannot just withdraw them. You have to resettle them, whether in a different part of the CHT or elsewhere. This is a politically sensitive issue but dialogue must be opened because without addressing this issue the Accord cannot be fully implemented. It is a national issue and must be dealt with as such, with both the government and opposition engaging in dialogue."

According to Major General Ibrahim, the Peace Accord has a number of shortcomings. "Firstly, it does not represent national political consensus. Secondly, it does not boldly clarify the position of settled Bangali population. Thirdly, it does not answer the question of distribution of land. About land, the crucial point is, there has never been a survey and no government has been able to establish the principle of ownership of land in the CHT because not only in the CHT but in ethnic populated areas elsewhere in the world too the principles are a little different."

"Neither the minority groups, nor the Bangali population are convinced that the government is interested in lasting peace," says Ibrahim. "An appraisal must be made of the Accord. If necessary, it should be improved and then implemented. The CHT is lacking direction and this must come from the political forces."

According to Sultana Kamal, the indecisive position of the government is problematic. "There are provisions in the Accord which will not be appreciated by Bangalis, there are also provisions that have not been whole-heartedly accepted by the indigenous people. But a compromise was being reached. Due to the delays, the unification between the indigenous groups too is fizzling out. The government has to be firm in starting the process of implementation of the Peace Accord," says Kamal. "It must be transparent and visibly taking steps for implementation so that people can take it into confidence. The atmosphere of insecurity in the CHT demands particular and urgent attention. We urge the government to solve the problem in the CHT by deciding on ways that are generally acceptable to all."

Ironically, much of the sense of insecurity in the CHT has been attributed to the role of the security forces, which has been widely debated for failing to protect the indigenous communities in the region.

"The military is the last resort you take when conflict occurs," says Professor Imtiaz Ahmed. "To send it first thing to counter a conflict is an overkill. The current government is a political one, it has supporters from both Bangali and Pahari communities, it could have sent a voluntary force comprising members from both communities to help the security forces handle the conflict."

Prior to 2007, there were no Bangalis within the Sajek union except in the Bazar areas. Since then, there have been consistent allegations that the settling of Bangalis on roadside areas near Baghaihat has been backed by the army.

"The government should clarify this matter," says Raja Devaisish Roy, Chief of the Chakma Circle. "If the allegation is not true, it should be made clear once and for all and have the name of the army cleared. If it is true, then it must be dealt with. The army cannot have its own policy separately from the government, and as far as the government is concerned, the CHT Accord is part of government policy, which must be abided by. The Accord does not allow such settlements."

"An army cannot run a society on a day-to-day basis," says Sultana Kamal. "It has a role along the borders, not inside the territory."

According to Major General (Retd.) Ibrahim, however, the army makes the presence of the government of Bangladesh felt in the CHT, which has a history of insurgency.

The CHT is a strategic area for Bangladesh and the permanent cantonments will remain, but the temporary camps should be withdrawn as per the Accord, says Professor Amena Mohsin. "The Paharis do not look upon the army as their protectors, whereas the Bangalis do. The role of the army should not be made controversial; this is not good for the country, the military is an institution, or the common people. Rather, we can have peacekeeping forces which include indigenous people, which work for community building and maintaining peace in the CHT."

In the opinion of Raja Devasish Roy, the army is not trained, oriented or sensitised to deal with land disputes. "Also, we cannot forget the ethnic and religious affiliations behind the uniforms," says Roy. "Since all members of the army and police in the region are Bangalis, and there is Pahari-Bangali tension, there is a big risk of bias. What is needed is an ethnically mixed police force with special training, if necessary, to handle law and order problems. In areas with racial or communal tension, mixed police have been the best way to handle law and order, such as in neighbouring Tripura state, India, New York and Eastern Europe. It is not the job of the army to handle law and order, except, of course where organised and large-scale violence is targeted against the state and its citizens, which is not the case in the CHT, at least from the early 1990s to today."

The Land Commission's recent announcement about conducting a land survey in the CHT, too, has given rise to misgivings, especially among the adibashis. The land survey is supposed to be carried out by the Land Survey Office under the Land Ministry; the job of the Commission is to resolve disputes, they claim. Also, a cadastral survey as declared by the Land Commission would record a piece of land as belonging to the person who holds a title deed. Adibashis, many of whom do not possess such documents, are afraid of losing their land. Shantu Larma, expressing his suspicion about such measures, claims the survey is simply a means of handing over the land to outsiders.

“According to the Accord, the ownership of land in the CHT must first be determined before a land survey is carried out. This is not being done," says Ranglai Mro, organising secretary of the Movement for the Protection of Forest and Land Rights in the CHT. "Even if it is, the adibashis fear that they may lose ownership of land as they do not all have documents to prove it. Those who fled from Khagrachhari and Rangamati to India during the insurgency have also not got back their land which was taken by Bangali settlers in their absence. Many adibashis are illiterate, others simply did not understand the significance of documents to prove ownership. We have traditional ownership of land based on trust. This must be recognised by the Land Commission."

"We are not clear about what the Land Commission is doing," says Sudotto Bikash Tchanchangya, general secretary of the Movement for the Protection of Forest and Land Rights in the CHT. "The Commission is a part of the Accord, not independent of it. It must function according to the provisions in the Accord. Nineteen recommendations were made suggesting amendments to the CHT Land Dispute Settlement Commission Act 2001 in accordance with the Accord. These have not been implemented. "

According to Justice Khademul Islam Chowdhury, Chairman, CHT Land Dispute Settlement Commission, however, it is not within the jurisdiction of the Commission to make the amendments. "It is a legal process and we are following it in accordance with the law."

The tribal leaders who are members of the Commission, however, will not attend the meetings unless the 19 amendments are made, claiming that the Act is not in line with the Accord without those amendments.

As far as the land survey is concerned, there are certain misconceptions which may be giving rise to apprehension among different groups, says Chowdhury. "The survey will be conducted to get an idea of the situation as it currently stands. The survey records will not be conclusive or binding. The Commission will decide ownership based on evidence, and of course the traditional and customary rights of the indigenous people will be taken into consideration."

The important thing is to move the process forward, believes Chowdhury. "The other members of the Commission must attend the meetings. If they have concerns, that is the place to raise them. The tribal leaders comprise the majority of the Commission, without them, it will not work. Only if they attend and participate can a consensus be reached. Criticism of the Commission and its actions are only delaying the process to the point of making it unworkable, we are moving away from the solution."

The objective of the Commission is the quick resolution of land disputes, says Chowdhury. "Delays will not serve anyone's purpose, rather, the main stakeholders will lose out. Everyone says the CHT is a complex issue, but I don't find it to be as complex. I am hopeful that we can resolve the land issue in one or one and a half years."

In terms of the distribution of land, Professor Imtiaz Ahmed suggests vertical expansion, which would house more of the population on less land, as opposed to horizontal expansion, which is difficult in the CHT due to the limited land. "An eight-storey building can house several families," says Ahmed.

"The government may not have enough funds for this sort of planning but private-public partnership is possible. The international community has often shown interest. Vertical development is a possible solution to the land problem."

Land, though crucial, is not the only problem in the CHT. Not only in Bangladesh but the world over, indigenous people face serious threats to their basic existence due to systematic government policies by the government which are being addressed by international conventions. In an effort to counter threats to the indigenous communities in Bangladesh, the CHT Accord of 1997 recognises the CHT as a 'tribal inhabited region', the overall development of which must be attained and its characteristics protected. Development of the region has been slow, however, and the attitude of the majority population towards protecting, preserving and promoting the rights of minority groups leaves much to be desired. A case, claiming that the CHT Accord itself is unconstitutional, is currently pending in the courts.

With regards to the special status given to the CHT, as a Tribal Area, by the first Constitution of Pakistan in 1956 which was revoked in 1964, Raja Devasish Roy says that special status does not mean special rights. "It is only to ensure equality through some procedural differences. The Accord should not be seen as contradictory to the Constitution. The historical injustice suffered by the indigenous people must be undone."

"Due to the lack of basic healthcare and schools in the remoter parts of the CHT, the indigenous communities are deprived, resulting in de facto discrimination by the State," continues Roy. "The modern state must take measures to protect the indigenous people, who have been suffering from colonisation, exclusion and discrimination, sometimes by design and sometimes by default."

Secularism was one of the fundamental principles of the 1972 Constitution. But secularism is not only about religion, it can be extended to language, culture, Roy points out. "We must take a deeper look at the Constitution and make it more multicultural."

In order to prevent conflict in any society, the civil society has a crucial role to play, says Professor Imtiaz Ahmed. "In the CHT, the whole social structure is based on a political society, based on rules, regulations, the security forces; there is no civil society. There is no university, which is essential for the preservation and development of language and culture, rights which the Paharis are deprived of. There are no recreational facilities which would bring the two communities together to build consent, to make them feel like they need each other. Social development is essential for lasting peace."

Reducing dependence on land and focusing on income-generating activities in the CHT may solve many of the problems there, notes Professor Amena Mohsin. "The culture of the indigenous people must be preserved and protected. Their traditional industries should be promoted. This is not to say that they will not be involved in modern industry, but they must be given the confidence that they will not lose their identity if they do. Development will take place but it must be participatory. Also, we lack understanding about the situation of the indigenous communities. I think it should be included in our academic curriculum, in the form of cultural studies at the school level, in order to help us understand each other's cultures. It must be constitutionally recognised."

Self-determination of peoples, including indigenous peoples, is a basic tenet of international human rights law, as recognised, among others, in the Human Rights Covenants of 1966, to which Bangladesh is a party, says Raja Devasish Roy. "Self-determination does not necessarily mean independence. Of course it has to be exercised by respecting the territorial integrity of states."

"We want to be united with the rest of the country, not isolated, but the unity must not threaten our cultural identity and integrity," says Roy.

If anyone has anything to lose in the CHT, it is the indigenous people, who make up less than one percent of the population of Bangladesh. While the destruction of their homes and occupation of their land are the visible manifestations of the conflict, the greater, unseen danger lies in the loss of their cultural identity, and, in the case of the mainstream population, of the only cultural diversity that Bangladesh has.

Water pipeline a blessing for Satkhira villagers

1,500 getting arsenic-free water under public-pvt initiative

Water pipelines under a public-private partnership (PPP) scheme have saved over 1,500 people of Nalta village in Satkhira from saline and arsenic contaminated water.

Since water drawn by shallow tubewells became undrinkable due to salinity and arsenic, a deep tubewell has been set up, a reservoir was built and over 13 kilometres of pipeline network was created here last December.

The deep tubewell at Hadipur, some 4 km from Nalta, is 280 feet deep and the water is salt and arsenic-free.

"We had to fetch water from places four to five kilometres away from our village. It is wonderful to have supply water at an affordable cost," Jaheda Begum, a homemaker in her 50's, said last Wednesday.

She said they now pay Tk 100 a month for the supply water. The supply runs twice a day--from 8:00 to 9:00 am and 5:00 to 6:00pm, added Jaheda.

This pipeline network in Nalta is the first of 21 PPP schemes under Bangladesh Water Supply Programme Project (BWSPP). Funded by the World Bank the project has been implemented by the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) under LGRD ministry.

The BWSPP is innovating measures like small-scale piped water in villages to keep people from using arsenic contaminated water.

In the early 90's, shallow tubewells became popular in rural areas for its low cost and convenience. But that success countered a setback as arsenic started to creep in. The water of 200 to 250 feet underground got contaminated in many parts of Bangladesh. By late 90's water from 20 percent tubewells became harmful for domestic work, said a World Bank report.

The World Bank and DPHE officials involved in the project said the 21 water pipeline schemes involving 18 private sponsors under implementation represent a promising service industry.

For each schemes, the WB bears 70 percent of the cost while private firms and NGOs the remaining 30 percent, which would be recovered through billing consumers for an operational period of 18 years.

As per the agreement between the sponsors and local community, a sponsor (private or NGO operator) would operate the system for an initial period of 18 years and collect a tariff between Tk 50 and Tk 150 per month from each customer based on the type of connection, said DPHE Executive Engineer Moniruzzaman.

For Nalta project Dhaka Ahsania Mission provided the fund and in return it is charging Tk 1,000 as one-time connection fee and Tk 100 as monthly charge.

One of the beneficiaries Abdul Baki told The Daily Star that the local community would takeover the scheme's operation after 18 years. So far 367 houses have been connected with the network since last December. He hopes that the number would soon cross 800.

Following the success of Nalta, four pipeline schemes are scheduled to start by the end of April, four other by June, seven more by August and the rest by September.

A total of 21 villages from different districts have been chosen under the initiative. Considering Satkhira's vulnerability to arsenic and salinity, three villages have been chosen from here. Eighteen other villages are in Dhaka, Narayanganj, Manikganj, Gazipur, Narsingdi, Mymensingh, Patuakhali, Barisal, Barguna, Dinajpur, Chapainawabganj, Pabna, Meherpur, Bogra and Sirajganj.

Suicide of Elora

PMO asks arrest of all teasers

The Prime Minister's Office yesterday directed law enforcers to immediately arrest the friends of Rezaul Karim whose teasing forced schoolgirl Umme Kulsum Elora to kill herself at her Madhya Nandipara residence in the city on Saturday.

On behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a team of representatives led by PMO Director General Dina Huq visited the residence of Elora yesterday afternoon and consoled her family members giving assurance of exemplary punishment to the criminals involved.

The PMO DG said, "I have come here on behalf of the prime minister who has directed authorities to arrest all those involved in teasing the girl and responsible for pushing her towards suicide.

"None will be spared and reluctance of law enforcers in arresting the wicked friends of Rezaul will not be tolerated," she said.

She directed police to deploy a team in front of the house of deceased Elora for ensuring security to her family members.

She was accompanied by two directors of the PMO during the visit.

A class VIII student of Dakkhin Banasri Model High School, Elora, 14, had been bearing the torment of harassment by Rezaul Karim, 19, and his friends for over a year. She committed suicide on April 3.

Meanwhile, police arrested Rezaul early yesterday and later took him on a two-day remand for quizzing.

Talking to reporters at the police station, Rezaul denied the allegation of teasing Elora and claimed to have had an affair with her for the last two years.

A neighbour of Elora, however, said she saw Rezaul stopping Elora on her way and trying to talk to her.

Elora's father Nizamuddin Mollah said when his daughter told them about Rezaul, the youth threatened Elora and her mother several times.

Elora's mother Halima Begum said, "I went from door to door pleading for help to save my daughter from Rezaul, but no one did anything."

The girl's parents had taken the matter up with the local leaders and Rezaul's parents, but to no avail.

Rezaul sat for SSC examinations this year for the third time under Vocational Programme from Kadamtola High School.

All the family members of Rezaul have been absconding.

Before going into hiding, Rezaul's aunt also claimed that he and Elora had a relationship.

Power, Gas Production

Time-bound plan by month-end.

The government by the end of this month will announce a time-bound detailed action plan for increasing power and gas production in the country.

"The statement will mention how many megawatt of power will be generated, when the tender will be invited, by when the agreements will be signed, and when the plants will go into production," Finance Minister AMA Muhith said yesterday at a pre-budget views exchange meeting with Economic Reporter' Forum (ERF) in his office.

He also said the size of the next fiscal year's budget will be between Tk 1,30,000 crore to Tk 1,32,000 crore, with an Annual Development Programme (ADP) of Tk 38,000 crore.

In the next budget the GDP growth target will be 6.7 percent, while a target will be set to keep inflation within 6.5 percent, Muhith added.

When ERF members focused on the ongoing severe power and energy crises, the finance minister said an action plan for increasing power and gas production is almost ready, which might be announced by the end of this month.

The minister told the journalists, "You will then know what the government has done in that regard. However, in the case of gas, it will not be possible to say specifically how much will be available. We will announce five development plans."

He said boosting power and energy production, and containment of commodity prices will get the highest priority in the next budget.

The government already took a good number of initiatives for successful implementation of budgets, Muhith said. The planning minister has been reviewing the progress of budget implementation every month. The Economic Relations Division (ERD) secretary has been monitoring the projects funded by foreign aid. As a result a good progress has already been achieved in budget implementation, while more progress are expected, the minister added.

He said solar panels will be installed in Bangladesh Secretariat for power generation next year, so others are also encouraged to use solar power. The Prime Minister's Office, and Bangladesh Bank already installed solar panels, he pointed out.

Muhith said solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems will be installed at all government high-rises in the future, a project for which was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council.

ERF President Monwar Hossain, Vice-president Shahnewaz, General Secretary Abu Kawsar, and other members of the forum participated in meeting where Finance Secretary Dr Mohammad Tareq, ERD Secretary Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, and Banking Division Secretary Shafiqur Rahman Patwari were also present.

BNP opposes bill for VIP salary hike

Khaleda leads walkout in protest; PM terms it stunt.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia yesterday traded broadsides in parliament over passage of a bill seeking to increase salaries and allowances of lawmakers, leading to a stormy walkout of the opposition.

In the face of strong opposition by BNP lawmakers, Hasina, also leader of the House, said their act is nothing but a stunt.

"There is a limit to stunt. They don't need salaries and allowances. They looted thousand crores of taka when they were in power," she said.

After the premier, Khaleda took floor and launched a blistering attack on the government for what she said was its failure to run the country. After that she led the opposition deputies in a stormy walkout.

"The country has come to a standstill. It seems there is no government here. The country cannot be run under the failed and incompetent government," said Khaleda, who appeared in the House after remaining absent for 19 consecutive days.

She asked the government to address first the present power, water and gas crises and check law and order slide.

"The golden sons of ruling party are engaged in grabbing markets, bus stands, rivers, canals and even graveyards. They established a reign of looting. Stop looting and repression," Khaleda said.

Citing the finance minister's remark terming the power outages a famine, Khaleda said Awami League means famine. "The country saw a famine in 1974."

She claimed the country was run properly during the past BNP government. "There was no crisis of power, water and gas. Huge development took place during 2001 to 2006. The ruling party fears we may come again to power. So, they are engaged in conspiracy with Fakhruddin and Moeen Uddin."

She also demanded trial of former chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed and former army chief Moeen U Ahmed.

The opposition lawmakers staged the walkout around 9:20pm demanding withdrawal of the bill and did not return last night.

After their walkout, parliament passed the bill titled "The Members of Parliament (Remuneration and Allowances) (Amendment) Bill, 2010.

The premier again took the floor and blasted the opposition for the walkout and their stance against the bill. She said the opposition chief did not protest when the bill to increase salaries of the ministers was passed.

"It's because she enjoys the status of a minister. Now she is talking against the bill. It is a stunt," Hasina said.

She also blasted the past BNP government for the present crisis of power, water and gas saying her government is cleaning the seven years garbage of the past BNP and caretaker government regime.

On filing cases against Fakhruddin and Moeen, Hasina said the court is functioning independently and asked why Khaleda is not doing it.

500 graft cases to be freed of legal shackle

SC verdict clears ACC to proceed with corruption case against AL lawmaker Mollah.


The Supreme Court yesterday cleared the way for trial of a graft case against ruling Awami League lawmaker Habibur Rahman Mollah.

It did so by upholding the High Court verdict that declared legal the way the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case.

Trial proceedings in the case had been stayed for last 14 months after Mollah filed a writ petition against the HC verdict.

ACC officials believe similar fate awaits over 500 more petitions against corruption cases filed by the anti-graft body.

ACC counsel Khurshid Alam Khan said the apex court ruling means the graft-busters would now have no bar to proceeding with cases against 500 plus people including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia.

In his reaction, commission's Chairman Ghulam Rahman told The Daily Star, “Now we can activate all the cases that have been stayed on similar grounds, and that will give an impetus to the anti-corruption drive.”

About wider implications of the SC ruling, Khurshid Alam said they can now file an appeal against last month's HC verdict quashing the proceedings of Niko graft case against Sheikh Hasina.

Over 500 identical petitions challenge filing of cases against, among others, political bigwigs like Moudud Ahmed, Tarique Rahman, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Obaidul Quader and Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

The cases include much-discussed Gatco, Niko, Barapukuria and Zia Orphanage Trust corruption cases against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her son Tarique Rahman and other BNP-Jamaat leaders.

ACC Assistant Director Syed Ahmed filed the case against Habib Mollah with Ramna Police Station on October 3, 2007. The charges include concealing information about wealth worth over Tk 2 crore.

In 2008, Mollah filed a petition challenging the ACC's permitting its officials to lodge the case against him.

In his petition, he also alleged the anti-graft watchdog did not follow the time frame prescribed by its law for inquiry and investigation before filing the case.

On November 20, 2008, the HC ruled that the ACC's receiving investigation report from its officials and approving the charge sheet in the case were done with lawful authority.

It also said the provisions for all three ACC commissioners to sanction filing of a case, inquiry report to be submitted within 30 days and investigation report within 60 days since opening of an inquiry and filing of a case were directory, not mandatory.

The top court took one year and two months to hear the petition against the HC verdict, leading to an impasse in the anti-corruption measures.

After three days of hearing that began on March 23, a four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Fazlul Karim finally dismissed Mollah's appeal yesterday.

Barrister Rafique-ul Huq appeared for Mollah.

Aktel now Robi

Song reshapes bird brain

In an experiment that unlocked insights into the learning process, scientists said Wednesday (17.02.10)they had seen brain cells in a adolescent finch change as it listened for the first time to the warble of an adult bird.

Just a single experience can rapidly shape a juvenile brain and alter the way it functions, the research suggests.

Whether in birds or humans, acquiring the ability to perform certain acts is critically important for survival.

"Many skills, including communication skills, require great precision if you want to stay in the gene pool," said Richard Mooney, a professor at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

"A male songbird has to learn to sing precisely or he won't attract a mate."

Previous studies have pointed to a link between structural changes in the brain and sensory input.

But whether these changes lead to learning remained uncertain.

To find out, Mooney and other researchers peered directly into the brain of an anaesthetised immature bird with a laser-powered microscope.

As it heard the song of a mature male from the same species, they witnessed a dramatic transformation in connective tissue, called dendritic spines, that link nerve cells in the brain.

Yet the change was not the one they had anticipated.

"We expected to see the building of new spines and the loss of old spines accelerate," Mooney said.

This is because it can take weeks or months for a juvenile to master the adult song. As a result, the scientists assumed that the brain would remain highly malleable, or "plastic," during that period.

Instead they saw exactly the opposite: hearing a tutor song rapidly stabilised previously dynamic synapses, according to the study, published in the journal Nature.

The findings also suggest that the window of opportunity for picking up the all-important mating song slammed shut after a certain age.

"Juveniles in which spines were already highly stable weren't able to learn from their tutors," said lead author Todd Roberts, a neurobiologist at Duke.

The work could help efforts to restore plasticity to cerebral nerves, called synapses, after a stroke or other brain damage, he said

A glimpse into digital life

It was only the second day and importantly a weekday, when the four-day BCS Digital Expo 2010 that started at Dhaka Sheraton on Wednesday, was already busy with a colossal curious crowd.

The venue was buzzing with a huge turnout even on a hot, humid day. It was the craze for the IT gadgets that are increasingly getting low-priced and becoming a must for many.

Most of the visitors, regardless of age and profession, were enquiring about the essentials of laptops and netbook that are increasingly gaining popularity mainly among the youth, corporate professionals and businessmen.

Rubaba Naoshin, an MBA student at North South University, came to the fair to get an idea about the configurations and price of a netbook.

“I need a laptop for my class presentation and assignments. So I prefer a netbook, as it's portable and the price is also within my reach,” she said.

Azibur Rahman, who works for International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, was also enquiring about a netbook.

“In fact, I am looking for something that I can carry always with me in my bag and get connected with the internet whenever I need to do,” he said.

“And that's why I want to buy a netbook,” he said.

Visitors were also concerned about the power backup of netbooks or laptops, as frequent outages are looming large in the city.

According to industry people, netbook was introduced to the local consumers in 2007 and gained popularity among businessmen and students shortly, mainly for its portability and prices.

And the sales are going up fast, as around 2,500 netbooks of different brands were sold in 2007, which increased to around 5,000 in 2008, and 7,000 in 2009, said Giasuddin Ahmed, a member of Bangladesh Computer Samity (BCS).

All top brands such as HP, Compaq, Asus, Dell, Acer, Fujitsu, Hasee, Gigabyte, Lenovo, Toshiba, Great Wall, BenQ and Apple were displaying netbooks along with laptops at the show.

The size of the netbooks that were brought to the fair ranges from 10.1 inches to 12 inches and those weigh between two and three pounds, while the average price is Tk 23,000 to Tk 40,000 each.

Besides netbooks, laptops are still on the top of visitors' list of choice -- many of them were planning to get one.

Apart from that, they were also looking for locally made voltage stabilisers, as these devices attracted many visitors mainly for its low price.

“We have received more than 10 spot orders for voltage stabilisers for using with refrigerators,” said Tapan Pal, marketing officer of Grameen Bitek Ltd.

Colors of Bangladesh, a local distributor of information technology (IT) 'kiosk'-- used as a complete information centre -- was displaying colourful booths designed mainly for government and corporate offices.

“We have started selling these from 2007, and already we have sold 25 units to different ministries, private universities, Dhaka Sheraton Hotel, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation and airports,” said Bappy Rahman, assistant product development officer of Colors of Bangladesh.

The average cost for installing such kiosks starts from Tk 2 lakh, he said.

Generally, kiosk is a small shop or store, open at the front, where newspapers, drinks, etc. are sold.

The visitors at the show were also enthused about digital cameras, where low-priced ones were topping the sales.

Besides all these, Southeast Bank Ltd, a private commercial bank, came to the fair to create awareness about their 'consumer credit scheme', which provides loans for a wide range of consumer products including car, television, computer, kitchen utensils and camera.

However, many a participant in the fair expressed frustration over low sales, as a number of visitors came to the show only to get idea about prices of different products and discount that were on the offer. They were not buying then.

Khondoker Khaled Bin Ahmed, product management executive of Global Brand Ltd, a distributor of Asus brand, said they sold only 10 laptops on the opening day.

“This is frustrating. We sold almost double the number on the opening day at the laptop fair in January this year,” he said.

However, he was hopeful about getting expected sales on the two public holidays -- today and tomorrow.

Giasuddin Ahmed of Bangladesh Computer Samity said around 3,000 laptops were sold at the last year's fair, and they hope to sell more than 5,000 units this time.

Mobile phone operator Robi is the title sponsor of the exposition, while Acer, Asus, HP and Lenovo are the co-sponsors.

Around 45 tech-based service providers are showcasing their products, including computer accessories, cameras, USB (universal serial bus) devices, printers, laptops, netbooks, software, CDs and magazines, at the fair.

Bangladesh Computer Samity in association with the ICT Business Council of the commerce ministry has organised the show.

The fair will remain open for all from 10am to 8pm with an entry fee of Tk 20 per person.

iPad set for launch tomorrow

The Apple iPad launches in the US on Saturday (03-04-10) with an apparent deluge of early online orders indicating that the tablet computers will be another big hit for the company.

The iPad "connects users with their apps and content in a far more intimate and fun way than ever before," Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said Monday in a statement.

"We can't wait for users to get their hands and fingers on it this weekend."

Apple promised that its latest creation will be available in the company's retail shops and at Best Buy consumer electronics chain stores beginning at 9:00 in the morning in respective US time zones.

People who ordered iPad devices early should receive them on Saturday as well.

Demand for iPads has evidently blasted past Apple expectations and as of Monday notations at the online Apple Store alerted buyers that new orders would not be shipped until April 12 or "late April" depending on models.

"It does have the appearance that Apple has another pretty big hit on its hands," Altimeter Group partner Michael Gartenberg told AFP on Monday.

"It never hurts initially to have demand outstrip supply by a little bit. As a general rule, people want what they can't have."

Apple likely wants to make certain that there are iPads on store shelves for people that show up on Saturday wanting to get their hands on a device that Jobs said must be held to be truly appreciated.

Apple has not released details of how many iPads will be available for the Saturday launch but some estimates put the figure as high as a several hundred thousand.

"My guess is that the numbers are going to be pretty impressive," Gartenberg said of the iPad sales debut.

"This is significant considering these are people who haven't seen or touched an iPad and are simply going on Apple's word."

Jobs unveiled the iPad in San Francisco on January 27, billing it as a "revolutionary" device that will carve out a home between smartphones and laptop computers.

Facts: The new Apple iPad

The iPad allows users to watch video, listen to music, play games, surf the Web or read electronic books.

The iPad also runs most of the 150,000 applications made for the iPod music player and the iPhone. Apple has promised that the device would come with "12 new innovative apps designed especially for iPad."

While Apple is making a powerful debut in the tablet computer market "everyone and their brother" will be fielding competing devices by the end of this year, according to analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group in Silicon Valley.

A major Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas early this year was rife with companies showing off new tablet computers. The iPad poses an immediate threat to Amazon.com's popular Kindle electronic readers.

"It isn't certain Apple will dominate the tablet market," Enderle said. "The key part will be content. If Apple doesn't get the content deals, the iPad stays with Apple fans."

Cops issue notice : Ask Bashundhara chief to show up April 11

Detectives yesterday (03-04-10)summoned Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan alias Shah Alam to appear before investigators on April 11 in connection with the Dhaka City Corporation ward councillor Ahmed Hossain killing case.

Shah Alam was asked to appear at the Minto Road office of the Detective Branch after Nazimuddin, chairman of Keraniganj Shuvaddah Union Parishad, mentioned the Bashundhara Group chairman's name to investigators.

Nazimuddin, who was arrested and placed on remand Monday, told investigators that he hired Dakat Shahid for Tk 50 lakh to have Ahmed Hossain eliminated for obstructing Shah Alam from buying an LPG cylinder factory in Hasnabad in Keraniganj.

Ahmed Hossain and Nazimuddin were both major shareholders of the factory, Pak-Bangla Household Manufacturing Ltd.

Ahmed was gunned down on February 9 at Alubazar in Old Dhaka as he was about to leave a mosque after saying prayers.

DB Assistant Commissioner Sanwar Hossain said Nazimuddin was a close aide of Shah Alam and was given a well-furnished office on the 12th floor of Bashundhara City in the capital. He was also provided with a Nissan Patrol private car, which is now being used by his third wife.

Meanwhile, the victim's family members said anonymous people are threatening them over cell phone after DB arrested Nazimuddin.

Nazimuddin, who was put on a fresh four-day remand on Friday on completion of a three-day remand, was treated as a director of Basundhara Group, the AC said.

He, however, said Nazimuddin could not produce any document in favour of his statement.

DB sources said Shah Alam and Nazimuddin signed a memorandum of understanding that the latter would be paid commission after purchase of the desired land for Shah Alam.

Nazimuddin grabbed some khas land in Keraniganj and coerced most landowners into selling their land for the Riverview Project of Bashundhara. He also bought over 662 bighas of land in Cox's Bazar and around 7,000 bighas in Keraniganj for Bashundhara, said the AC quoting Nazimuddin.

When contacted, Mohammad Hossain, brother of Ahmed Hossain, refused to talk to reporters, saying they are panicked as a good number of anonymous callers are constantly issuing threats.

Police have arrested seven persons including Nazimuddin so far in connection with the case.

Mentioning power as the driving force for the development, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised yesterday (03-04-10) to ensure electricity for all within 2020 while unveiling the plaque of newly-built 51 megawatt rental power plant at Fenchuganj of Sylhet.

Schoolgirl takes her life for teasing

Unremitting teasing by local youths led yet another schoolgirl to kill herself at Madhya Nandipara in the city yesterday.

Umme Kulsum Elora, 14, ended her life by swallowing pesticides at around 3:00pm. She was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where she died a little after 4:00pm.

A class eight student of Dakkhin Banasri Model High School, Elora had been bearing the torment of street harassment by Rezaul Karim, 19, and his friends for over a year.

The girl's parents had taken the matter up with the local leaders and Rezaul's parents, but to no avail.

Halima, the mother who was fainting over Elora's body on and off, said, "I went from door to door pleading for help to save my daughter from Rezaul, but no-one did anything."

Elora was the youngest of three daughters and a son of Halima and Amin Uddin Mollah, an employee at the Accountant General's Shegunbagicha office.

She used to go to school in a van. But as teasing by Rezaul and his associates got intolerable, Halima had been taking her to school for last one and half months.

"On Thursday, Rezaul and five other local youths stopped us on our way back from the school and asked why I complained to his parents," Halima said.

The mother and daughter returned home at around 12:45pm and had lunch together.

"Around three, Elora came to my room and lay down on the floor. She requested me to lie beside her."

As Halima got near her, she knew her little girl had taken pesticides.

Elora's sister Oni told The Daily Star that Elora could not go out of their house for about a month. She started going to school again only 15 days ago after some influential locals assured the family that she would not be teased again.

Meanwhile, Rezaul's aunt claimed that Rejaul and Elora had a relationship.

Talking to The Daily Star in return for anonymity, she said her nephew did never tease the girl. Rather, it was the girl's family who would torture her for relations with Rejaul.

A study by Bangladesh National Women Lawyers Association (BNWLA) in 2008 found teasing to be a contributing factor in suicides of at least a dozen girls between January 2006 and June 2008. The number has only increased in the last two years.

On March 7, a teenage girl in Sherpur upazila committed suicide by taking pesticides as she could not withstand harassment every day on her way to school.

The girl, Reshma Khatun, 18, of Shanti Nagar village, was a class seven student of Salpa Technical School.

Reshma's neighbour Munaf, 24, and his friend Robin had allegedly been teasing her for the last few months.

Earlier in January, Nashfia Akand Pinky, a class nine student, committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan in the city's West Agargaon. The apparent reason was harassment by 35-year-old Murad, a driver by profession.

Song : Aka Aka Keno Bhalo Lage na Staring : Hasina, Khaleda & Others

Song : Aka Aka Keno Bhalo Lage na Staring : Hasina, Khaleda & Others

Exclusive Story on Sheikh Hasina

Apart from Sheikh Hasina's comments, it also includes the interview of Jeremy Corbyn (MP), Abbas Faiz, representative of AMENESTY INTERNATIONAL and Professor Menski, director of Centre for Ethnic Minority Studies (SOAS).

Tareq Rahman UNLEASHED on parole -- Ekushey TV NEWS

Tareq Tarique Arafat Rahman Koko Khaleda Zia mother death died Bangladesh 19 January 2008

Be alert, says Hasina after tip-off on threat to her life

Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ordered security agencies to be on high alert after a tip-off by Indian and other foreign intelligence agencies on a possible threat to her life and... Read full article

General V K Singh takes over as new Indian Army chief

NEW DELHI: Gen V K Singh, the senior most infantry officer, was on Wednesday handed over charge of the Indian Army, the world's second largest, by outgoing chief Gen Deepak Kapoor and he will formally...

Hotel Price

If you’re planning a trip to Bangladesh soon, you will likely already know just how many great hotels there are in the country. In Dhaka, for instance, you will find a number of hotels which offer five-star accommodation and are part of a global hotel chain. Smaller cities may not offer quite such luxuriant accommodation, but they certainly have more heart! Whoever you are, you should be able to find a variety of Bangladesh hotel accommodation across the country that will suit your needs and your purse quite comfortably.

For those on a budget, there are a number of cheap Bangladesh hotels available. These offer one to four-star ratings and, while their service may be somewhat different from what you are used to, they definitely provide the goods. Staff are friendly and are usually able to speak limited English and Bengali. Facilities may include air conditioning, laundry services, room service, barbers, beauty salons, underground parking, in room safes, mini bars, non-smoking rooms, satellite and cable TV. Hotels may also offer a snooker parlour, baby-sitting services, a movie theatre, a discotheque, gambling facilities, a gym, a conference hall and much, much more.

Often you will find that the more expensive five-star accommodation will allow you to enjoy lavish surroundings with great service. You can usually organise for transport to and from the airport and may even be able to get accommodation within walking distance of a number of tourist attractions. Book a Bangladesh hotel now and make sure that you don’t miss out!

Bangladesh Map

Click for more detail.

Adobe Photoshop: Photography : Sparkling Eyes

Sparkling Eyes

No Water, Gas & Power in Protest by CPB

পানি-গ্যাস-বিদ্যু সংকট সমাধানে রাজধানীর শান্তিনগরে বিক্ষোভ মিছিল করে বাংলাদেশের কমিউনিস্ট পার্টি (সিপিবি)

Seat Belt

Just Do It

Indian Rail Way

Colgate

Drink Coca Cola

Grameen Phone Job

Buses could not care less

Buses could not care less

Drivers break traffic laws at will, pick and drop passengers anywhere they want
Two minibuses give an auto-rickshaw the squeeze, not caring for the damage to the vehicles, the CNG-run three-wheeler or possible injury to the people inside it. Photo: Anisur Rahman
Probably nowhere else in the world bus drivers enjoy such unbridled freedom to pick up and drop off passengers, as they do in Bangladesh -- especially in Dhaka city.
Amid total apathy of the police, the buses do not just pick up passengers while still moving -- they even cause their passengers to literally drop dead on the streets on occasions that are becoming more frequent by the day.
For example, on January 24 while getting off a bus at the GPO crossing in the city, a banker of Pubali Bank named Syed Shafiqul Ahmed fell from the running board and died on the spot as the vehicle suddenly started moving without giving him a chance to get off safely.
In December last year, in a similar incident on Airport Road near Nikunja, an African national wanting to get off a bus was pushed out through the door by the bus helper while it was still moving. That person also died on the spot.
These are no rare incidents. Everyday quite a few people are being injured -- some seriously and some not so seriously -- while getting off buses. Bus drivers do not bring their vehicles to a complete stop at designated bus stops, and when they get back into traffic, they usually swerve in suddenly, risking the lives of passengers as well as pushing passing vehicles into risks of accidents.
The most common scenario in the city is that a bus would invariably slow down and pick up or drop off passengers at busy intersections right in front of traffic police. The bus drivers do so even while crossing intersections, not only worsening nagging traffic jams, but also causing buses to hit each other, occasionally leaving people injured.
Another common scenario is that a bus would stop right in the middle of a road blocking the way for the rest of vehicles around it, till it has finished picking up and dropping off passengers.
Any passer-by may stop a bus having a space even for half a person, anywhere in the city. For such illegal stops, the bus drivers usually swerve suddenly to the left towards the curb, triggering equally sudden surge of blood pressure in drivers behind them.
The city buses accept passengers' requests to drop them off anywhere. For instance, buses regularly stop opposite the BGMEA building on Tongi Diversion Road where traffic jam is a regular feature.
The bus drivers have also created an "evening stop" near some garment factories on Airport Road just past Mohakhali flyover towards Uttara. They also make casual stops on the ramps of the flyover.
There are a dozen such examples of bus drivers regularly doing whatever they feel like to maximise earnings.
The free reigning bus drivers also invent their own shortcuts by going out of their permitted routes. They invade narrower roads of residential areas and blow their cacophonous horns whenever they feel like. The menace already has affected residential areas like Gulshan, Dhanmondi, Uttara, Khilgaon and many others.
Last week, when demonstrating garment factory workers in Tongi put up a road block stopping traffic flow on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, all public transports poured onto the alleys of Uttara residential area for shortcuts. The whole area remained clogged till 4:00pm since morning.
As the police are quite blasé about the invasion of buses, residents of Gulshan and Khilgaon installed height restrictive gates at some entry points of the areas.
That has reduced the flow of buses taking shortcuts through those neighbourhoods, but the problem has not yet been addressed properly by the authorities concerned.

Vehicles of death

Vehicles of death

Run-down, menacingly-poised, unfit vehicles unleash a reign of terror on Dhaka roads right under law enforcers' nose

AT least one person gets killed and many more are maimed every day in the capital city in traffic accidents.

According to police, 98 percent of the accidents happen due to reckless or careless driving. The main culprits are usually the minibuses, buses and other vehicles of public transport.

According to Accident Monitoring Cell of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority and Dhaka Metropolitan Police, 377 people died in 620 accidents in Dhaka metropolitan area in 2008. Of them, 283 were pedestrians. Another 79 walkers were seriously injured.

In 2007, the total number of accidents in the city was 696 that caused deaths to 451 people. Among them, 336 were pedestrians. At least 108 people were also seriously injured.

About 60 percent of all road users in the city are pedestrians.

According to World Bank research, road accidents in Bangladesh cost the country about Tk 5,000 crore annually, nearly one percent of the GDP.

In 2009, the BRTA Accident Monitoring Cell recorded 3,381 road accidents across the country that caused 2,958 deaths and 2,223 serious injuries. In 2008, the number of accidents was 4,427 with 3,765 deaths and 2,720 grievous injuries.

According to National Institute of Traumatology, Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation (NITOR), about one fifth of the injury-related admissions in Bangladesh hospitals are due to traffic accidents. About 15 percent disabilities are caused by these accidents.

According to a 2008 Accident Research Centre survey of Buet, there are 54 accident-prone spots in Dhaka city. It identified Jatrabari intersection as the most dangerous intersection in the capital.

Farmgate, Kakoli, Bijoy Sarani, Shanir Akhra intersection, Shapla Chattar in Motijheel and Purana Paltan intersection are also dangerous places.

The number of fatalities is just the tip of the iceberg. In the name of rendering transport services, all modes of public transport of the city are enjoying a free rein where they generally do not abide by the traffic laws and where they just get away with murders, as the law enforcers remain mysteriously silent about them.

Instead of the traffic police, public transport vehicles, often not road-worthy, control the traffic movement pattern in the capital.

The Daily Star brought out this special jacket to pinpoint various dimensions of traffic traumas caused by unfit vehicles and reckless driving.

AL leader comes under attack in Chandpur

A local Awami League leader was hacked by unknown assailants in Faridganj upazila of Chandpur Friday night. The victim was identified as Abul Kashem, AL forest and environment secretary of Chandpur district unit. Local sources said Kashem came under the attack in front of his residence at about 11:30pm, reports our Chandpur correspondent. He was admitted to Chandpur Sadar Hospital. The reason behind the attack could not be known immediately.

24 schools shut in flooded area

Twenty-four educational institutions under four unions of Koira upazila in Khulna were declared closed for an indefinite period as the flood situation has taken an alarming turn in the area due to collapse of more embankments.

Secondary and primary schools under Koira Sadar, Uttar Bedkashi, Bagali and Maharajpur unions were affected badly by tidal surges after the collapse of a newly constructed embankment at Koira launch ghat Thursday afternoon, according to Koira Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Abul Bashar and Upazila Chairman GM Mohsin Reza.

The upazila chairman told The Daily Star that 14 more villages of the four unions were inundated Thursday night as a number of ring embankments collapsed due to strong current and high tide in the river Kobadak.

Over 10,000 people have been marooned in these 14 flood affected villages of four unions, the UNO said.

Local sources said the affected people are facing crises of food and safe drinking water and many of them took shelter on high land and other places.

Upazila Chairman GM Mohsin and the chairmen of Maharajpur and Bagali union parishad (UP) accused the officials of Water Development Board (WDB) of negligence in monitoring the construction work of ring embankments.

Contractor Humayun Kabir who owns Messrs Mizan Enterprise denied the allegation and said high tide and pressure of strong current caused the collapse of ring embankments.

Anwar Hossain, a WDB engineer, also had the same reason to offer.

Earlier, at least 50 villages under Koira and Dakop upazilas were inundated as the ring embankments developed breaches at several points Wednesday afternoon. Over two lakh people of Aila affected areas were in misery without food and drinking water.

Cell Phone Battery

Cell Phone Battery FAQs

All cell phones come equipped with either a nickel cadmium (NiCad), a nickel metal hydride (NiMH), or a lithium ion (LiIon) battery. But most people don't think much about them until their cell phones die. The following frequently asked questions and answers will help you quickly understand the types of batteries available and how to get the most life out of them.

What kinds of batteries are available?
There are three main types of batteries:
NiCad batteries have the shortest usage times and are prone to memory effect, which occurs when batteries are recharged before they have been fully discharged.
NiMH batteries are typically less bulky than NiCad batteries and hold a charge 50 percent to 100 percent longer than NiCads. While they do not have the recharging problems that plague NiCad batteries, they can fade in extreme temperatures.
LiIon batteries offer the longest battery life in the smallest package. They can provide up to five hours of talk time. LiIon batteries are much smaller than NiCad batteries and don't experience the same recharging problems. However, this power comes at a cost -- LiIon batteries are more expensive than other types.

How can I prevent memory effect?
To prevent memory effect, recharge your batteries only after you have completely drained them. That means leaving your phone turned on until the batteries are dead. It's also important not to overcharge the battery, so follow the manufacturer's instructions. A conditioning recharger can sometimes bring life back to older NiCads.

Should I upgrade my battery?
Depending on your phone usage and personal preferences, you might want to consider upgrading to a different type of battery if one is available.
How long does it take to charge a cell phone battery?
It depends on the battery and charger. Some batteries take 10 to 24 hours to charge, but most will recharge in 1 to 2 hours. For more information on your battery-charging requirements, refer to your cell phone or battery-charger manual, or contact the manufacturer.

Why won't my battery hold a charge?
Overcharging a battery or storing it at extremely high or low temperatures can wear it out. Even properly maintained and charged batteries eventually lose the ability to hold a charge.

How many times can I charge the batteries?
The average battery can be recharged 200 to 400 times.

Cemex Cement

7,000MW electricity by 2013: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said the government is working to generate 7,000 megawatts of electricity by 2013 and 20,000 by 2021 in line with their electoral manifesto.
“An agreement has also been signed between the government and the authorities of a rental project for the installment of a 1000MW power plant and the work order will be announced within two months,’’ she said while inaugurating a 51MW private power plant, Barakatullah Electro Dynamics (BEDL), in Fenchuganj of Sylhet. Sheikh Hasina said the government has taken initiatives to import Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to ease the persisting gas crisis in the country.Finance Minister AMA Muhith was, among others, present at the function, reports our staff correspondent in Sylhet. It is the first visit to Sylhet by the prime minister after assuming office. According to PDB officials, BEDL has been supplying 50MW electricity to PDB's national grid since last October without any major hiccup. The plant was supposed to generate power from January 1, 2009 but complexities related to the import of plant machinery led to the delay, company officials said. They signed a 15-year contract on April 28, 2008 to set up a power generation plant on a six-acre area in Kachubahar in Fenchuganj, very close to the 90MW combined cycle power plant of PDB. BEDL was launched by a group of some non-resident Bangladeshis and local entrepreneurs in 2007. The company has a plan to set up another plant nearby.