Victory Day today
Staff Correspondent
The nation will celebrate 36th anniversary of the victory day today with a renewed pledge for trial of the war criminals in order to safeguard the country's independence and sovereignty.
On this day, Bangladesh emerged as an independent country in the world map when Pakistani army surrendered to the combined forces of India and Bangladesh at the then Race Course Maidan after nine months of bloody struggle.
Besides, the national programmes include different political parties and their front organizations, socio-cultural organisations educational institutions , professional bodies and trade organisations will celebrate the victory day through elaborate programmes.
The day's programme will herald with 31 canon fire from the court building and wailing of siren by the district administration. However district administration as per the ministry's directive curtailed the sports and cultural programme in the backdrop of the tropical cyclone Sidr that battered on November 15.
Chittagong plunges into darkness
Staff Correspondent
Port city and its surrounding areas plunged into complete darkness showing worst ever power crisis in Chittagong over the last decades which mounted sufferings of the city people to a great extent.
Technical glitch in the transmission of the national grid subsequently forced power generation plants to become inoperative here in Chittagong pushing the city into complete blackout.
Major power generating units could not operate due to fall of national transmission. Currently Kaptai Power unit is generating 200 megawatts power. It generates only 40 megawatts power till 5:00 p.m.
Khoshroz Sharif of Ziaul Hoque Maizbhandari
All creations run under
invisible, divine powers: Dr. N Islam
A Milad Mahfil and a discussion meeting were held at a city community centre yesterday in celebrating the 79th Khoshroz Sharif of great saint Hazrat Syed Ziaul Hoque Maizbhandari. National Professor and the founder Vice Chancellor of USTC Dr. Nurul Islam graced the occasion as Chief Guest. The Special Guest in the discussion was Prof. Md. Abul Mansur Chowdhury of CU, Researcher and Educationist Md. Golam Rasul, Central General Secretary of Gousia Hoque Committee Jamal Ahmed Sikder, Alhaj Sheikh Taiyubullah Siddiquee, Islami Researcher Allama Md. Younus Rezvi, Allama Md. Shaista Khan, and organizer SM Sirazdowlla. City Chapter General Secretary Mir Mohd. Shaiful Alam Nizam conducted the milad and religious discussion.
National News
Relief rehab in cyclone-hit areas going on in full swing: CA
P View desk
Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed Saturday said relief and rehabilitation activities in the country’s cyclone-affected south and southwestern areas are going on in full swing.
He said relief operation by government and non-government organizations is going on smoothly maintaining coordination although there were some difficulties at the initial stage, UNB reports from Dhaka.
The Chief Adviser said this while receiving donations for the Chief Adviser’s Relief and Welfare Fund from a number of individuals, organizations and institutions.
He said reconstruction of dwelling houses, schools as well as economic activities of small traders, fishermen, farmers, poultry and livestock farmers are gradually getting momentum.
The Chief Adviser said the relief and rehabilitation operations would have to be carried out for a few days more.
CA leaves for Makkah to perform hajj
P View desk
Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed leaves for Makkah via Jeddah today (Sunday) morning to perform hajj.
Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed’s wife Neena Ahmed is accompanying him, UNB reports from Dhaka.
Global News
‘Bali Roadmap’ for climate negotiations’
AP, Bali
The "Bali Roadmap" for new climatenegotiations leads to one address and one date: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and Jan. 20, 2009.
That's when a new occupant of the White House will be sworn into office, and when a fresh U.S. team, with what many expect to be a new attitude, will take up the negotiating mandate issued here Saturday at the end of the two-week U.N. climate conference. For seven years, these annual sessions have witnessed a long-running diplomatic feud between the U.S. administration of President George W. Bush, dead set against international obligations for industrial nations to cut greenhouse-gas emissions, and most of the rest of the world, which favors them.
US senate okayed $ 189b for Iraq, Afghanistan war
AP, Washington
President George W. Bush appealed to the U.S. Congress on Saturday to give him real cash for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, not just a pledge to fund the troops. "A congressional promise - even if enacted - does not pay the bills," Bush said in his weekly radio address. "It is time for Congress to provide our troops with actual funding."
The broadcast is the president's latest shot in a battle the White House is having with Congress over spending bills.
The Senate on Friday passed a defense policy bill for the 2008 budget year. It authorizes US$696 billion (euro480 billion) in military spending, including US$189 billion (euro130 billion) for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But it does not actually send any money to the Pentagon.