Himu's Window

DHAKA, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) rejected on Sunday a proposal by the state-run Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Corporation or Petrobangla to raise natural gas prices to offset losses. "We decided not to raise natural gas prices proposed by the Petrobangla as the state firm is making profit by selling gas to the consumers," said Ghulam Rahman, chairman of the BERC. Bangladesh in 2003 formed BERC following suggestions by the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to closely monitor, review and adjust country's administered oil, gas and electricity prices in accordance with the global prices. "Petrobangla proposed to raise gas prices by nearly 66 percent on average at consumer level to pay its bills to the international oil companies (IOCs), which we do not consider just and reasonable," Rahman told reporters. The outstanding bills of the IOCs until June 2008 is about $359 million, officials said. Foreign

Samrat T he lone Royal Bengal Tiger of Rajshahi Central Zoo Samrat died in his cage yesterday.Refuting allegations of poor care, zoo officials said the 17-year-old tiger died of old age related diseases.Samrat was weak during last three days and the tiger reduced its daily meal of 12kg meat, said zoo veterinary surgeon M Forhad Uddin. "Captive tigers usually live less than 20 years, the average lifespan of tigers in the wild," he said.Samrat was living without a companion since June, 1997, when he was brought to the zoo. http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=65553

Liton warns others for taking the same road he rode before ! Rajshahi city Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, centre, introduces six Awami League nominees for constituencies in the district at a meeting of grassroots AL leaders yesterday as nomination deprived party leaders continue agitation. Photo: STAR R ajshahi City Corporation (RCC) Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, who himself opposed party decision during the last RCC polls, yesterday said the protesters against the Awami League nominations for six seats in Rajshahi district will lose their right to do AL politics.“Sheikh Hasina's [AL chief] decision for nomination is the final. Those who are protesting should stop it immediately or they will have no right to do Awami League politics in future,” he said at the party's special workers' meeting at Rajshahi Zila Parishad auditorium.Rajshahi AL General Secretary Omar Faruk Chowdhury, also AL nominee for Rajshahi-1 constituency, chaired the meeting.A large AL faction led by dis

Awami League on Friday night changed its nominee for Rajshahi-2 constituency where Workers Party Politburo member Fazle Hossain Badsha is seeking grand alliance ticket.Prof Abdul Khaleque, central AL adviser and former vice chancellor of Rajshahi University was given the party ticket replacing Mohila AL's central vice- president Akhtar Jahan.Party sources here said Prof Khaleque was selected by grassroots leaders for party ticket but the nomination went to Akhtar Jahan. Later, Khaleque was chosen again when Akhtar Jahan refused the party ticket as she would not be eligible to vie because of her government job at Rajshahi University.However, the change indicates denial of alliance ticket to Badsha, party sources said.But some senior leaders said still there is chances for Badsha to get ticket for Rajshahi-3. http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=65578

Published on November 29 at page 14 The Jamaat-e Islami demand for three seats in Rajshahi district is not gaining ground in seat-sharing negotiations with BNP making them dissatisfied. However, the BNP is fielding heavyweight candidates envisaging their win over discords in local Awami League. “If our man is not chosen at even a single seat, our workers would lack devotion during election campaign”, said Ataur Rahman, the city unit Jamaat Amir. “Rajshahi is our stronghold… The intra party rivalry in Awami League over nominations will help us winning”, said Rajshahi BNP organizing secretary Alauddin Ahmed. Jammat demanded the four-party alliance nominations for its assistant secretary general Mujibur Rahman, Rajshahi city Amir Ataur Rahman at and Bagmara upazila Amir Abdul Ahad Ali Kabiraj at Rajshahi-1, 2 and 4 constituencies. But BNP’s former lawmakers Mizanur Rahman Minu and Abu Hena are back and their nominations are almost confirmed at Rajshahi-2 (City) and Rajshahi-4 (Bagmara) co

The 62-hour siege of old Taj hotel ends with the NSG killing three terrorists who were holed up inside in one part of the hotel. NSG said they are now sanitising each and every floor. TV grab ..... Picture of an unidentified terrorist released on news channels involved in the terror attack in Mumbai on Saturday. Indian Officials say number of people killed in Terror Attacks rises to 195 and "still counting" Terrorists had plan to blow up Taj Times of India NEW DELHI: In a sensational revelation by Times Now, terrorist who was caught alive had confessed to investigating agencies that they had a plan to blow up the Taj Mahalhotel in Mumbai. The terrorists had enough explosives to blow up the Taj hotel. Sources have told the TV channel that they wanted to reduce the life-size building of Taj hotel to rouble. They also believed to have told about their plan to replicate a ‘JW Marriot’, happened at Islamabad, to the Mumbai hotel. In a sense to destroy the symbol of financial st

guardian.co.uk Harishchandra Shiverhankar scribbled furiously on a notepad, gesturing with his fingers to explain his last bloody memories of Wednesday night before waking up in an unfamiliar hospital bed. The 56-year-old was walking towards the Metro cinema when he felt his legs collapse - a bullet had been shot through his lower back. A hand then grasped his hair, pulled back his head and a blade slit his neck. He had been caught in the vortex of violence unleashed by people who wanted to murder, not just maim. Setting down his pad he manages to croak: "This should have never happened to me." The office worker's story, told from his bed in Mumbai's JJ hospital, is part of a largely hidden tragedy - that behind the headlines of wealthy westerners fleeing Mumbai's terror frontline it was ordinary Indians who bore the brunt of the bloody attack on this city of 19 million people. Next door to Shiverhankar lies Jayaram Chavan, his leg shattered by bullets. He had bee

BBC Internet By Sumantra Bose London School of Economics The audacity of the Mumbai attacks on shocked IndiaIndia's cities are no strangers to indiscriminate terror attacks. Such attacks have occurred regularly, and with steadily increasing frequency, in recent years. Mumbai, India's financial capital, has been targeted before. In March 1993, a series of car bombs were detonated at public landmarks across the city, including the stock exchange, killing 257 people. Those attacks, in which the city's underworld played a key role, followed Hindu-Muslim violence in the city during December 1992 and January 1993. Working-class Muslims were the principal victims, often shot at point-blank range by members of the city's police force. In July 2006, a series of bombs planted on Mumbai's commuter train network killed 183 people. Other Indian cities have been regularly targeted as well, particularly Delhi, the capital. In October 2005 bombs exploded in crowded Delhi markets on

Police declare Mumbai siege over BBCNews Inside the Mumbai police control room, assistant commissioner Ramesh Chango Tayde remembers the first telephone call they got from a panicky man who said he had heard the sound of gunfire at the city's Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station. It was exactly 2121 on Wednesday when the call arrived. The dour chief of the control room flashed the information to the 500-odd police vans patrolling the city. For the next few hours, Mr Tayde and the 40 other men in khaki uniforms who staff the police nerve centre in India's financial capital took calls about the attacks taking place all over the city. "It was the toughest night I faced since the day of serial train blasts in the city in 2006. That was my first day as the chief of the control room," says Mr Tayde. "We have been very, very busy ever since," he says. He has not returned home since the attacks began. Growing fear On average, the 20 toll-free lines in the

Taj operation over, 2 terrorists gunned down: Mumbai police chief At Taj: Operation over, says NSG At Taj: Two terrorists gunned down today At Nariman: Cleared, no one found alive At Oberoi: Terrorists killed, crisis has ended At Taj: Bodies brought out of back entrance

Awami League (AL) nominees have started electioneering in all six constituencies in Rajshahi district braving division among party men over ticket to three industrialist newcomers. BNP leaders are still waiting for party nominations while its electoral alliance partner Jamaat-e Islami has demanded tickets for party men in three seats. The BNP leaders and activists, affected much in the anti-graft and anti-crime drives during the last two years, now seem to get encouraged again following the two BNP bigwigs' return to election field. The two bigwigs are former Rajshahi mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu and former lawmaker Abu Hena. AL district President Tajul Islam M Faruk is leading a party faction that is representing the nomination-deprived leaders while General Secretary Omar Faruk Chowdhury in leading the other faction in favour of AL nominees. Still AL is hopeful for winning all the Rajshahi seats cashing on BNP-Jamaat's 'image crisis'. Rajshahi-1 (Tanore-Godagari) Former

Grassroots leaders and activists of both BNP and Awami League have vowed to resist former BNP state minister Alamgir Kabir in Naogaon-6 (Atrai-Raninagar) constituency. Hundreds of BNP leaders staged agitation in Atrai and Raninagar upazilas yesterday and threatened to resign en masse following a rumour that Kabir, now a leader of Liberal Democratic Party, was returning to BNP. Local Awami League leaders also told the media that they would reject Kabir if he gets nomination from the AL-led grand alliance. Alamgir Kabir won Naogaon-6 seat three times since 1991.

The caretaker government has undertaken a programme to revive the Rooppur Atomic Energy Power Project to generate 600 MW electricity, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for energy Prof Dr M Tamim said yesterday. If the next government continues with the programme, the ambitious project involving around 2000 billion US dollars can be implemented, he said at a seminar as the chief guest. He also said all preparations to start supplying gas to Rajshahi by the next year are almost complete. Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) organised the seminar on 'Development of western region from the perspective of fuel and industrialisation' at Rajshahi Medical College auditorium, with Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton in the chair. Khulna City Corporation Mayor Talukhdar Abdul Khaleque and Barishal City Corporation Mayor Shawkat Hossain Hiron also attended the seminar. The three mayors together decided to launch a coordinated programme for the development of the western region of the country. Th

A s some BNP bigwigs may not be able to run the polls race, the party is in great problem in selecting candidates in five constituencies in Rajshahi, Noagaon and Natore. Taking this opportunity, Jamaat-e Islami is lobbing hard to field candidates in at least three of the seats. As a possible way out, Rajshahi BNP has invited party chief Khaleda Zia to contest from one of the six seats in Rajshahi. "We have candidates from within the party, yet we invited Khaleda Zia run in any Rajshahi seat. We want to retain the seats we held for three terms", said district BNP president Azizur Rahman. According to disclosure made by JMB chief Siddikul Islam Bangla Bhai and police investigation, the then telecommunication minister Barrister Aminul Haque patronised Islamist militants by using police and administration during BNP-Jamaat government and barred authorities in Rajshahi to take action against militants in 2004-05. Aminul was elected from Rajshahi-1 in 2001 polls. Ruhul Kuddus Taluk

T he 37th death anniversary of martyred Rajshahi University teacher Mir Abdul Quayyum passed off yesterday without any programme by the university authorities. Several senior teachers said the authorities did not do anything in the recent past in memory of university teachers Prof Habibir Rahman, Prof Sukharanjan Samaddar and Mir Abdul Quayyum who borrowed martyrdom during the 1971 Liberation War. Even the Department of Psychology, where Quayyum worked, took no initiatives to observe the day and let students know of his supreme sacrifice. Despite the tradition of remembering martyred Quayyum at all events, the department observed its two-day Golden Jubilee in October without remembering him. When Quayyum's daughter Dr Mahbuba Kaniz Keya, a teacher of the department, complained about it to the departmental academic committee (DAC), it was revealed that department Chairman Prof Nurullah had ordered scraping the event of remembering Quayyum from programme schedule. Nurullah, also gen

A ll the six Awami League (AL) nominees from Rajshahi constituencies yesterday showed up together to counter Friday's meeting of nomination-deprived party men, making the intra-party feud over nomination public. The candidates at a press conference at Rajshahi city AL office under the banner of Rajshahi district Awami Leageue claimed that they are stronger than their rival faction. Rajshahi district AL secretary Omar Faruk Chowdhury conducted the conference. They promised that they would not spend money beyond the limit fixed by the Election Commission. They claimed that they would be able to recover all the Jatiya Sangsad seats in Rajshahi retained by BNP-Jamaat in last three elections. On Friday, the banner of district AL was also used at the press conference of the deprived candidates. Led by district AL president Tajul Islam M Faruk, the deprived candidates demanded that the party high command should evaluate party men and place politicians over businessmen in deciding nominat

Workers' Party (WP) politburo member Fazle Hossain Badsha yesterday submitted his nomination papers and said he is the candidate of Awami League-led electoral alliance at Rajshahi-2 (Rajshahi City Corporation areas).If nominated from the AL-led combine, Badsha is likely to face BNP's Mizanur Rahman Minu as his nearest rival in the election.“I am not only the candidate of Awami League-led combine, but also the torch-bearer of mass people and all pro-liberation organisations in the area,” he told newsmen after the submission of nomination paper yesterday noon.“If elected, I will take steps for reopening the closed down industries and factories. I will recommend for a budget giving priority to poor people,” he said.Meanwhile, local AL is keeping a noticeable distance with Badsha.They have alleged that he did not take part in the campaign in favour of AHM Khairuzzaman Liton during August 4 RCC polls.In 2002 RCC polls, Badsha was lost to Minu and Badsha's suit for vote rigging a

He is now eligible to run in Rajshahi city, Minu's lawyer says Mizanur Rahman Minu W ith the news of Mizanur Rahman Minu's acquittal in extortion case allowing him to contest the parliamentary polls, BNP leaders and activists in all six constituencies in Rajshahi are now enlivened and have started calculating party nominations afresh.As the High Court on Tuesday acquitted him in the case in which he was convicted for 13 years' jail, he has become eligible for taking part in election, said his lawyer Ankur Sen.Minu will have to obtain bail in two other cases (among five others Minu is still facing) to come out of jail, Sen said. BNP leaders said, Minu will fight from Rajshahi-2 (Rajshahi City Corporation) and his leadership would help unite party units on other constituencies. They are also hopeful for winning the seat as his probable opponent Workers Party Politburo member Fazle Hossain Badsha is facing denial of local Awami League support.BNP leaders were in despair in abs

A High Court bench yesterday acquitted Mizanur Rahman Minu, the former Rajshahi City Corporation mayor, in an extortion case as the charges brought against him were not proved. Earlier, a Rajshahi tribunal sentenced Minu to 13 years imprisonment on August 28, 2008 after a case was filed by Shamsul Alam Khan-- a governing body member of the local Evergreen Model College, with Rajpara Police Station. Later, Minu filed an appeal to the High Court against the conviction handed down by the Rajshahi tribunal. Advocate Hasan Foez Siddique appeared for Minu in the High Court. http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=64012

Rallies, token hunger strike: Nominees declared unwanted Awami League leaders and activists burst into angry protests in three constituencies in Rajshahi yesterday against party nominations to businessmen newcomers, instead of senior party leaders suggested from the grassroots.On the other hand supporters of the businessmen candidates also held meetings hailing the nominations, unleashing a flurry of protest programmes and tension between AL factions.Hundreds of AL leaders and activists held protest meetings, formed human chain and observed token hunger strike. They declared the businessmen candidates unwanted in the areas and threatened to quit the party.They demanded immediate cancellation of nomination of industrialist Enamul Haque in Rajshahi-4 (Bagmara), businessman Kazi Abdul Wadud Dara in Rajshahi-5 (Puthia-Durgapur) and industrialist Shahriar Alam in Rajshahi-6 (Bagha-Charghat) constituencies.They demanded nomination of minister Sardar Amjad Hossain, Rajshahi district AL presid

Published On: 2008-11-16 Hizbut Tahrir leader Muniruzzaman Masud addressing a discussion at Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industries auditorium yesterday. Photo: STAR H izbut Tahrir leaders who were released after arrest earlier as militant-suspects held a discussion amid police protection in the city yesterday.They threatened to launch a movement against the government branding them as brokers of capitalist powers.Hijbut joint coordinator Kazi Morshedul Haque, senior member Ahmed Zamal Iqbal, members Moniruzzaman Masud and Masud Kausar addressed the meeting, among others.Some 10 Hijbut men including Iqbal, Moniruzzaman and Kausar were arrested on September 18 but released two weeks later as police said they did not find anything to sue them.Police were deployed at Rajshahi Chambers of Commerce and Industries auditorium where the discussion was held.Around 50 Hijbut members and their supporters took part in the discussion.The speakers said launching movement against the 'presen

Published On: 2008-11-16 The six-city interactive bus tour of BBC Bangla Service reached Rajshahi yesterday to promote its FM radio service.The programme will roll on the special interactive campaign involving its audience to speak up and share their views for two days in the city from today.Quadir Kollol, a correspondent of BBC Bangla Service, in a press conference yesterday said BBC will engage people at bus stands and tea stalls in conversations and mini-interviews that will be integrated in programming to be aired on BBC Bangla.Views of the voters on the upcoming national polls, campaign situation and plan and pledges of probable candidates would be depicted in the BBC programmes, he said.BBC Bangla Service can be tuned on FM 105 in Rajshahi and its half-hour editions of Provati are aired at 6:30am, Pratyusha at 7:30am, Prabaho at 7:30pm and Parikrama at 10:30pm every day.Beginning the travel from Khulna on November 11, the bus will also be visiting Sylhet, Rangpur, Comilla and Chi

Published On: 2008-11-15 Fazle Hossain Badsha W orkers' Party Politburo member Fazle Hossain Badsha yesterday hoped he would get nomination from Awami League-led alliance from Rajshahi-2 (Rajshahi City Corporation) constituency in the upcoming parliamentary election.“Politics should be the job of politicians, not of other professionals. My nomination is almost confirmed”, he said at a press conference held in the city.Talking on recent opposition by local Awami League to his nomination, Badsha said, “Anything unfair does not sustain. People will reject unethical politics”, he said. “Fundamentalists and communal forcers do not want me to win as they fear me”, he said. Badsha sacrificed his candidacy in August 4 Rajshahi City Corporation election to make way for Awami League leader AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, who was elected mayor. Local Awami League and Rajshahi Nagorik Committee promised Badsha that Rajshahi-2 would be left for him in the national election. http://www.thedailystar.net

Published On: 2008-10-26 Prof Abdul Khaleque(left) and Fazle Hossain Badsha (right) AL men demand party candidate in Rajshahi-2 Workers' Party Politburo member Fazle Hossain Badsha is facing strong opposition again from local Awami League leaders in getting 14-party alliance nomination for Rajshahi-2 constituency though he quit the mayoral race in AL's favour on promise of alliance ticket in Jatiya Sangsad election.AL leaders and activists close to Rajshahi mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton are now speaking out against Badsha's nomination from Rajshahi-2 comprising Rajshahi Sadar and Paba upazilas. They argue that Badsha did not work for Liton in the mayoral polls. They said Badsha will not get support of AL leaders and activists even if he is chosen ignoring their demand for an AL candidate.The Rajshahi Citizens' Committee, floated ahead of August 4 mayoral election to campaign for Liton, has also backed out from its promise that it would support Badsha in JS election on t

Delimitation of constituencies has raised the number of Jatiya Sangsad seats in Rajshahi to six from five and changed areas of three of them, making local Awami League leaders hopeful of making a dent in BNP-Jamaat strongholds in the upcoming election. BNP and BNP-Jamaat coalition candidates had bagged all the five JS seats in last three Jatiya Sangsad polls. The new delimitation has divided vote banks of the alliance partners, political circles said. However, increase in the number of constituencies has made grassroots activists of all parties happy. They think this would help create new leaders as there would be one more candidate from each party. Following the delimitation, Paba upazila has been sliced off from Rajshahi-2, the area of former Rajshahi mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu. Rajshahi-2 now comprises only Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) areas. Paba has been added to Rajshahi-3, which now comprises Paba and Mohonpur. BNP leader Abu Hena was elected from the seat in last electio

Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) activists of Rajshahi University yesterday staged an angry demonstration on the campus and threatened to burn to death cultural activists of RU on the campus. After the Jum'a prayers, Shibir staged a big showdown and their rally paraded different streets on the campus. Earlier on Thursday night, Shibir activists under the banner of 'Sacheton Chhatra Samaj' went to rooms of boys' dormitories and created pressure on the general students to join a 'protest rally' with them saying that some cultural activists staged a 'drama against Prophet (SM)'. Shibir also staged separate demonstration inside boys' residential halls and searched for progressive cultural activists and members of left political parties, creating panic among the general students. Later, Shibir activists held a meeting at university Station Bazar where they called upon the university authorities to take stern action against the Udichi activists and

  Police Thursday night arrested Zafar Babu, a notorious cadre of Islami Chhatra Shibir from Milik Bagha village in Bagha upazila. Local people caught him when he went there allegedly to kidnap a bride before her marriage ceremony. He was handed over to Bagha police. Zafar is a resident under Motihar thana in Rajshahi city. Police were on hunt for Zafar Babu, one of the accused in the murder of Rajshahi University teacher Prof Muhammad Yunus in 2005. Police said, Babu is also accused in a dozen cases relating to arms, explosives, murder, extortion and terrorism with different police stations in Rajshahi. The bride he attempted to kidnap was the sister of his divorced wife. Zafar wanted to marry her and threatening her family for a long. Islami Chhatra Shibir, however, claimed that Babu left the party long ago.   http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=62418    

The authorities yesterday decided to release about 100 Indian snakes, seized by the BDR members recently, in Sundarbans as two snakes died on Tuesday. The officials of customs and forest departments started for the Sundarbans with the snakes in eight boxes. The snakes were lying uncared for since the BDR men seized them at Char Majhardiar border point on November 2 when a snake charmer was smuggling them into the country from India. Land Customs Officer of Rajshahi Customs Godown Hasanuzzaman said the forest department at first denied to accept them but agreed to release them in Sundarbans after two snakes had died, he added. BDR men said Mohammad Hossain, a snake charmer of Savar in Dhaka, collected the snakes from Bardwan district of West Bengal. The report originated at The Daily Star