Long awaited hopes of Chittagonians near to fulfill
Roudro Moin
Construction works of the much awaited third Karnaphuli Bridge on the river Karnaphuli, that links vast areas of southern Chittagong including tourist towns Cox's Bazar and hill district Bandarban with rest of the country, is on in full pace with a hope of completion before the pre-set timeframe. Communication Adviser to the caretaker government visited the construction side of the project just weeks back and voiced together with the engineers hoping the completion of the project six months ahead of pre-set timeframe.
Automated documentation system of customs in CEPZ collapsed
Staff Correspondent
Total documentation system at Chittagong Export Possessing Zone (CEPZ) wing of Chittagong Custom House on Sunday collapsed due to technical faults halting exports activities to a large extent.
This was the second incident within last two months, according to customs officials. At that time the total automated system went inoperative for more than two days.
Documentation, printing, data entry along with other related works were immediately stopped when the system collapsed.
Graft case against Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury stayed
Dhaka, Nov 25 (UNB)
The High Court Sunday stayed midway the trial proceedings of the graft case facing detained former BNP lawmaker Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury.
The case is now pending with the special court set up on the Jatiya Sangsad premises that tries high-profile corruption suspects, booked under the ongoing purge in the interim period.
Passing the order of stay, after a brief hearing of a petition, a division bench comprising Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury issued a rule upon the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), returnable in two weeks, to explain why the case "should not be quashed".
Enactment of laws against domestic violence sought
Shantimoy Chakma, Rangamati
Participants at a workshop here on Sunday strongly pleaded for immediate enactment of laws against domestic violence to save the womenfolk from all forms of violence. "Dimension of violence against women is rising day by day as no stern actions are being taken against the perpetrators" they asserted.
They said huge violence against women is being occurred in our society but many horrific and macabre incidents remained undisclosed. Only reports of little violence we can see on newspapers everyday. The workshop on "International Day for the Elimination Violence against Women was held at the auditorium of hill district council.
Reproductive health dev deeply related to economic growth
Staff Correspondent
Speakers at training workshop here on Sunday said that the development of reproductive health of women workers is profoundly related to the economic growth of Bangladesh.
"Ninety percent of nearly 25 lakhs garments workers across the country are women and they are the main driving force of our economy this is why the women issue must get priority as part the social responsibility" , they said.
National News
Boat capsize in Bay : 200 missing
Samir kanti Barua & Jashim Uddin Sayed
One person drowned and nearly 100 others went missing as three mechanized boats with outbound people in a bid to reported trafficking to Malaysia capsized in the Bay off Teknaf coast, early Sunday. Nearly 50 people swam ashore while the remaining passengers were still missing after the ferry accident.
When the country is still reeling under cyclone Sidr-hit such a worst ferry accident in the recent time cast another pall of gloom in the maritime port Cox'sbazar. "Locals saw the survivors in wet clothes on the shore and, on suspicion, informed police," said one villager.
None could say the exact figure of the passengers on board as controversial figures of the missing persons are still pouring .
HC stays notice to Khaleda on wealth statement
UNB, Dhaka
The High Court Sunday stayed the operation of the Anti-Corruption Commission notice asking detained former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to submit statement of her wealth under the current drive against corruption in high places.
Passing the order, a division bench comprising Justice Shah Abu Nayeem Mominur Rahman and Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury issued a
rule upon the anti-corruption watchdog to explain why its notice "should not be declared to have been issued without lawful authority". "The rule is returnable in eight weeks", says
the court order.
This almost identical order came on a writ petition of Khaleda Zia who followed the legal course of action taken by her arch political rival and another detained ex-PM, Sheikh Hasina.
Hasina had also challenged the legality of the ACC notice contending that it did not follow the set rules in asking for her wealth statement.
Both the ex-premiers are detained in separate sub-jails on the premises of the parliament complex and they challenged the ACC action from behind bars.
On July 17, the ACC served notices to former prime ministers Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina to submit their wealth statements as part of its initiative to find out whether there is any ground for filing graft cases against the two.
In the notices the anti-graft watchdog asked the chiefs of BNP and Awami League to submit statements of their movable and immovable property to the commission.
Khaleda Zia, the BNP chairperson, submitted her statement of wealth to the ACC on August 6, mentioning that she has property worth Tk 3.54 crore accumulated through seven sources of income, including government donation, life insurance, house rent, pension and other benefits of her husband, the slain president Ziaur Rahman.
Her wealth also includes a 1300 CC Toyota car, two Toyota jeeps and one Nissan jeep.
Barrister Rafiqe-ul Huq appeared for Khaleda Zia, who was arrested on September 3 in connection with the GATCO scam case.
Climate change : 15 PC land to go under water by 40-50 years
UNB, Dhaka
As many tidal surges are likely in Bangladesh in the future, some 15 percent of lands of the country will go under water by 40-50 years because of climate change, an expert said Sunday. "An acute food deficiency will be seen in the country with reduced agricultural productivity due to calamities," said Prof. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, member of Nobel Prize winning International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club.
Global News
Sharif returns to Pakistan
Reuters, Lahore, Pakistan
Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif returned from exile on Sunday to confront his arch-rival President Pervez Musharraf who has imposed emergency rule on the country. Sharif, who was overthrown by General Musharraf in a bloodless coup eight years ago, said
he was determined to rid the country of dictatorship.
"We want democracy and nothing else," Sharif told the BBC by telephone on arriving back in his hometown Lahore from exile in Saudi Arabia. "I am here to play my role and also make my own efforts to rid the country of dictatorship."
Gorbachev coup conspirator dies
BBC
Former KGB chief Vladimir Kryuchkov, one of the orchestrators of the failed coup against Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1991, has died aged 83. The Federal Security Service, the FSB, said Mr Kryuchkov had died in a Moscow hospital of an unspecified illness.
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