BANGLADESH

The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) has suspended its planned press meet where they were scheduled to announce hiked power tariff.

The Commission member Selim Mahmud told journalists about the suspension. "We had convened the press conference at 5pm at the BERC office. But we have suspended it as the technical evaluation needed to hike the power price was not completed yet."

Selim said the Commission has received new proposal about the power tariff. "We will make an announcement later after considering all the aspects."

Earlier, the Commission Chairman Yousuf Hossain told bdnews24.com "You've (journalists) been invited in the afternoon. You'll know the detail then."

The last time power price was hiked on Mar 29. Bulk and retail power prices were increased by 28 paisa and 30 paisa per unit on an average. The prices were retroactively made effective from Mar 1.

The Health Ministry on Thursday formed a three-strong probe body to investigate Wednesday's assault on journalists by Dhaka Medical College Hospital internees.

A ministry order said the committee has been asked to submit a report within seven days.

The committee is headed by Joint Secretary of the ministry (administration), Mahmuda Akter. Other members are Health Ministry Director (education) Shah Alam Latif and Prof Billal Alam of medicine department of DMCH.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has praised the former Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain as he resigned from the cabinet in the wake of raging tension between the government and the World Bank over alleged corruption in the Padma bridge project.

She also mentioned that the World Bank could not provide any evidence regarding the corruption allegation they raised against Abul Hossain.

"They (WB) pointed finger at a minister," Hasina said while replying questions from local Bangladeshi community media in London. "He put up advertisements in the media making his points and then submitted resignation letter to me."

"He had not resigned (earlier) because he had the guts (to face it), because he is a patriot."

"He [Abul Hossain] also wants Padma bridge. You should appreciate, only (an) Awami League (minister) could do this," she said.

Hasina said that the World Bank had stopped financing in communications and power sector in 2005 when BNP was in power. "Did the ministers resign at that time?"

The World Bank on Jun 29 cancelled its pledged $ 1.2 billion credit for the Padma bridge project claiming that the Bangladesh government had failed to meet its four conditions, one of which was sending those linked to the alleged corruption on leave pending the investigation.

The government has all along refuted the Washington-based lender's allegations. On Monday, however, Syed Abul Hossain, who was the Communications Minister when the graft charges were made, resigned as Minister of Information and Communications Technology, clearing the way for possible negotiations with the World Bank again. Former Bridges Division Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiya had also been sent on leave.

However, the Prime Minister in London said that the government had not moved away from its decision to build the Padma bridge with own fund.

She said if the World Bank decides to finances the Padma bridge project, that they would do on their own judgment.

"Let them decide. We have not moved away [from the initiative to build the bridge with own fund]. We will not back off."

"Padma bridge will be built with our own funds. Our initiative is on," Sheikh Hasina said on Wednesday in London.

The Prime Minister was talking to the local journalists of Bangladeshi origin at the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel in London.

She reiterated her government's 'firm stand' to build Padma bridge. "We are not going backwards. We don't beg. We take loans."

"Whether World Bank comes or not we will build Padma bridge. We have the preparation," Hasina added.

On a question of submitting wealth statement of her cabinet members, the Prime Minister said the ministers submit wealth statement to the Cabinet Division every year. She also said that the account of wealth of the ministers can be found in the website of the Election Commission.