BANGLADESH

Limon Hossain, who lost one of his legs in a RAB shooting immediately before taking the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination last year, has finally been able to sit for the first year test this year.

"My examination was supposed to end this year. But I could not take part in the first year final examination as I lost my leg last year. Therefore, I'm sitting for the test now," Limon told after reaching Government Boys School centre at Pirojpur's Kaukhali.

He came to the centre by a rickshaw wearing his artificial leg on Sunday.

"Though I lost my leg, I had to rush to the court for cases," a frustrated Limon said. "If Allah wishes, one day I will definitely stand on my one leg by becoming a true human being."

He urged everyone to pray for him before entering the centre.

Limon was a first year HSC examinee from the upazila's Kathalia PGS Multi-purpose Technical School and College under Business Management section.

The paramilitary force reportedly shot Limon after taking him to a place adjacent to his house at Jamaddarhat in Rajapur upazila of Jhalakati on Mar 23, 2011.

Limon's left leg had to be cut off. He claimed that RAB shot him without even alerting him when he went to get his cows from the field.

The elite force the same day filed two cases against the teenager under the arms act and another for obstructing government duty and attempting to injure and kill RAB personnel.

Limon's mother, Henuara Begum, also filed an attempt-to-murder case against six RAB-8 men and six unidentified people.

"Limon's HSC examinations were supposed to end this year. But RAB's cruelty has taken away one year from his life," she told last year.

"Moreover, he had to lose one of his legs forever," she had said.

Hawa Akter Jui could be spotted easily in the midst of those taking Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination at Narsighdi Government Women's College on Sunday.

For, she was dictating answers to her cousin Sania Akter.

After the first day's test of Bengali First Paper, she told reporters: "I could not study well for a long time due to illness. Even so, I have sat the examination with help of the local authorities and my teachers."

"Today's test went well. I expect to get an A plus," she added.

Jui's husband Rafikul Islam had allegedly cut fingers off her right hand on Dec 4 last year for refusing to give up on her studies. He has been detained in Dhaka Central Jail since.

Jui, however, has not lost her courage, her friends said.

Mother Parveen Akter said, "My daughter is continuing with the studies through her struggles." She urged everyone to pray for Jui.

Her father Yunus Mia said, "It would have felt better if Jui could write herself."

Narsinghdi Government Women's College principal A H M Abual Islam told reporters the authorities will continue to help Jui all the way.

"It is very unfortunate that she has to sit the test this way. I hope she will prove herself achieving a good result."

Narsinghdi Government College teacher Abu Bakr Siddiqui said Jui has already showed a 'lot of courage'.

After rising last week, the benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) rose on the first trading day of the week to cross the mark of 5000 points.

Gaining 48 points in first five minutes of the Sunday's trading and falling afterwards, the index closed to 5102 points with a gain of 132 points or 2.64 percent.

Of the traded shares and mutual funds, prices of 233 advanced, 30 declined and four remained unchanged. The turnover was Tk 8,130 million.

On Thursday, the DSE general index fell to 4990, plummeting 48 points. Of the traded issues, 107 gained 150 lost and eight remained unchanged. The turnover was Tk 9,340 million, which was the highest in four months. The last highest turnover was Tk 10,510 million on Nov 23 last year.

The DGEN rose 231 points or 4.87 percent last week with an average daily turnover of Tk 7,990 million. Last week's average daily turnover was 67.74 percent higher than that of the previous week.

The index increased 215 points or 4.75 percent in the previous week and 198 points or 4.57 percent in the week before.

Within hours of a parliamentary standing committee proposing formulation of a law to regulate multilevel marketing (MLM) business, the central bank on Sunday warned people against investing in unapproved banking institutions.

In a media statement signed by managing director AFM Asaduzzaman, the Bangladesh Bank cautioned investors not to be swayed by abnormally higher rates of interest offered by 'some institutions'.

"It is to notify all that some institutions under different names are operating like banks in various districts across the country. They are collecting money from people by promising an abnormally higher rate of interest and profit," read the statement.

"As making investments in those institutions not approved by appropriate authorities increases the possibility of being deceived, people are being requested to abstain from going for any financial transaction with those institutions," the statement added.

The central bank notice came amid reports of illegal banking by Destiny 2000 Ltd published in various newspapers over the last few days.

Earlier in the day, the parliamentary standing committee on commerce ministry decided to request the finance minister and the central bank governor for action against Destiny-2000 Ltd-like MLM companies.

"Such companies are swindling people out of millions of taka. We will write to the finance minister and Bangladesh Bank for stopping illegal banking and businesses. We will request for immediate action," said ABM Abul Kashem, chairman of the standing committee.

On Mar 6 last year, then commerce minister Muhammad Faruk Khan had said a law was underway to bring the MLM companies within the legal framework.

There are 62 registered MLM companies operating Bangladesh, Faruk Khan had said.

He had told journalists that only Destiny has 4.5 million clients. Another prominent MLM company is Unipay-2 U.

With regard to rising controversy against Destiny 2000, finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on Sunday said that action would be taken against the company if the ministry of commerce and Bangladesh Bank make such a recommendation.