BANGLADESH

The benchmark index of the Dhaka Stock Exchange rose again on Wednesday, coming a day after Tuesday's fall broke a four-day rising spell.

The DSE general index rose to 4289.7 points, gaining 112.48 points or 2.69 percent.

Shares and mutual funds worth Tk 2.53 billion changed hands, with prices of 234 issues gaining, 17 declining and five remaining unchanged.

The benchmark index was 4235.79 points, with a gain of 58.56 points or 1.4 percent, at 1:08pm; and 4323.78 points, advancing 146.55 points or 3.5 percent, at 2:08pm.

On Tuesday, the DSE general index slipped to 4177.22 points, losing 113.31 points or 2.64 percent.

The key index posted a gain of 64.37 points or 1.52 percent and rose to 4290.54 points on Monday. The premier bourse opened the week gaining 5.37 percent to 4226.18 points on Sunday.

Only last week, the bourse saw the index plummet to the lowest since December 2010. Despite undergoing topsy-turvy trading all through the week, DSE ended last week with a 201.03 points or 5.28 percent rise on Thursday.

The slide on Feb 6 set a new record with the DGEN plummeting to 3616.24 points—the lowest it has touched so far since December 2010. However, the rise on Thursday and an above 9-percent hike on Feb 7 saw the week closing at 4010.8 points, after gaining around 165 points.

Although the market stabilised a little in December 2011 after market regulator SEC declared a package of incentives, the stocks started taking a battering from the first week of the new year.

The foreign exchange reserve of Bangladesh Bank has increased on the back of falling import cost over the last three months.

The number of letter of credits (LCs) opened in January was 27 percent less than LCs opened last January, and 24 percent in December and 23 percent in November.

The foreign exchange reserve of the central bank was $9.8 billion on Tuesday, nearly $1 billion more than what it was a month ago.

BB governor Atiur Rahman expressed hope that the reserve will become satisfactory if import cost remains low.

"Banks have been directed to avoid giving loans for unnecessary and luxury products, which has impacted the entire economy positively," he told .

Zaid Bakht, researcher director at the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), said there will be no problem if import of luxury and less necessary products decreases. But it will be a cause of concern, he added, if import of capital machineries and raw materials for industries also shrinks.

"Growth in the industrial sector will also drop if import of capital machineries and industrial raw material declines. In that case, the expected economic growth (GDP growth) may not be achieved," Bakht warned.

He also expressed his satisfaction over low import of food.

According to data provided by Bangladesh Bank, goods worth $17.82 billion were imported in the first half of the current 2011-2 fiscal. The amount is 16.91 percent higher than that of the previous financial year.

In July-December period of 2010-11 fiscal, import costs rose 36.59 percent over the same period of the previous year. The rise in the whole fiscal was 42 percent.

Importers opened 35 percent less LCs to import capital machineries, and 62 percent less LCs to import food (rice and wheat) in July-December period of the current fiscal, BB data says.

LCs to import industrial raw material also decreased by 9 percent, though LCs for fuel oil import increased 103 percent.

LCs to import food shot up 88 percent, capital machineries 86 percent and industrial raw materials 69 percent in the first half of 2010-11 fiscal. The amount of LCs to import fuel oil, however, decreased 3 percent.

Both Rahman and Bakht said import of fuel oil rose due to extra fuel needed for power plants.


FOREX RESERVE, VALUE OF TAKA

The BB governor Rahman said taka is getting stronger against dollar and the supply of dollar to the local market increased in recent days as flow of remittance and export earnings increased and import cost decreased.

"The pressure on foreign exchange reserve (has) dropped… Taka is strengthening against dollar. I hope the trend will continue."

He said value of taka is rising in the kerb market as well.

Expatriates remitted $ 1.22 billion in January, the highest in a month in the country's history.

The lowest inter-bank exchange rate of dollar on Thursday was Tk 83.4. On Jan 29, dollar was exchanged at a record high of Tk 84.84.

Rahman said the demand of foreign exchange was high in the last few months as expenses to buy fuel oil, machineries, fertiliser and consumer products increased. "So taka devaluated against dollar," he said.

Export earnings increased 15 percent in first seven months (July-January) of current fiscal. The flow of remittance grew 12 percent.

Less foreign aid has been released than usual in the ongoing 2011-2 fiscal year and it put pressure on supply of foreign currency, the finance minister told parliament on Wednesday.

And the shortage of foreign currency in the market resulted in depreciation of taka, AMA Muhith said, responding to a question of AL MP Mohibur Rahman Manik.

"The net foreign aid in the first five months of 2011-12 fiscal was only $68.9 million which was $322.7 million in the same period of the last fiscal."

The letter of credit settlement amount during July-Jan period of the current fiscal stood at $20.6 billion while export receipts was $11.77 billion and remittance inflow $7.28 billion, Muhith added.


LIQUIDITY PRESSURE

Steps have been taken to reduce pressure on liquidity by using different instruments including repo, reserve repo and liquidity support, the finance minister told MPs.

In reply to a question of treasury bench colleague Jafrul Islam Chowdhury, he said call rate is now less than 20 per cent and in future, it is likely to come down to a reasonable level.


WIDER TAX NET

The minister said the government has taken steps to widen the scope for levying value added tax and supplementary duty.

In reply to a question of Jatiya Party legislator Salma Islam, he said digitalisation at the revenue department is going on and by 2016 customs, VAT and income tax departments would be modernised.

In reply to another question AL lawmaker Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, the minister said the Modernisation of VAT Environment project has been undertaken.

"Under the project VAT return can be submitted online," he said.

SOE DEBTS

The minister said until November last year, state-owned enterprises (SoEs) had a total of Tk 316 billion in dues.

In reply to a question of Jatiya Party lawmaker Nasrin Jahan Ratna, Muhith said Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation owed Tk 163 billion followed by Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation with Tk 53 billion.

CITY BANK ANOMALIES

Employees at the City Bank can lodge complaints with the central bank if there is any anomaly in promotion or discrimination in salary packages, the minister said.

Mostaque Ahmed Ruhi in a question asked the minister whether the allegation about promotion and salary discrimination in the bank is true. In reply, Muhith said City Bank is a private commercial bank and it has its own guidelines on appointment, salary package, promotion and transfer.

"If there is any anomaly in promotion, salary discrimination or yearly increment, the aggrieved employees can lodge complaints with the board of directors of the bank and if they don't get any solution, they can take turn to the central bank."

"If the allegation is proved, the central bank will take necessary action," Muhith said.

After losing a court battle against Grameenphone, the telecoms regulator is writing to the top mobile-phone operator asking for nearly Tk 4 billion, including late fees, to renew its 2G licence.

"The account of Grameenphone's dues in licence renewal and spectrum fees and dues [in late fees] since 2010 have been finalised," Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) chairman Zia Ahmed told on Tuesday.

"A letter asking them to pay the dues will be sent to Grameenphone [Wednesday]," he added.

The BTRC chairman said the work to finalise accounts of dues of other operators Banglalink, Robi and Citycell is underway. "Letters will be sent to them, as well."

Their licences will not be renewed until they pay up the dues, Ahmed, a retired brigadier general, said.

A senior BTRC officer, seeking anonymity, said the amount of Greenphone's dues totalled Tk 3.965 billion.

He said the amount includes Tk 2.492 billion, including late fees, in dues for first instalment for fees for licence renewal and spectrum allocation and Tk 1.47 billion in dues as late fees from 2010.

The late fee for the first instalment of Grameenphone's licence renewal and spectrum allocation is Tk 95.6 million and the late fee for the dues from 2010 is Tk 151.6 million, the officer said.

"Grameenphone gave the first instalment of fees for spectrum and licence renewal, excluding 15 percent tax at source, in November 2011. The dues totalled Tk 2.492 billion as late fee was charged from then," he said.

The operator has been paying annual licence renewal fees, revenue and spectrum fees, excluding 15 percent tax at source, since 2010, he said. "So it will have to pay dues of Tk 1.47 billion, including late fees."

The BTRC chairman said on Monday that Grameenphone's licence will be renewed once it pays Tk 2.4 billion.

Grameenphone moved the High Court when the BTRC in a letter on Oct 17 asked the leading telecom operator to pay dues in spectrum fees.

The operator said the regulator claimed Tk 2.36 billion 'extra' fees for 7.4 MHz spectrum for the year 2008. The High Court on Monday said Grameenphone's assertion was legal.

The court, however, declared valid the BTRC claim of dues in fees for 14.6 MHz spectrum.

Asking all not to drift in swirling 'rumours' about the journalist couple's murder, the home minister on Tuesday said the 48-hour deadline she had set was only a ploy to introduce a sense of urgency in the investigation into.

"Do not listen to the rumours. The RAB (Rapid Action Battalion), police and CID (Criminal Investigation Department) are working (on the case)," she told journalists at Bangladesh Coast Guard headquarters at Agargaon on Tuesday.

The home minister also said "good news" might come soon.

When attention was drawn to her earlier announced 48-hour deadline to nab the culprits in the twin murders of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi, Shahara said the time was fixed so that the incident is probed with more urgency.

Three days into the twin murder, police are yet to name or arrest any suspect. While visiting to offer condolences to the bereaving families, Shahara had said she ordered the police to search out and arrest the killers within 48-hour.

A few unconfirmed reports were published by some sections of the media, referring to police sources claiming that investigators suspect more than one journalist to be behind the twin murders.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) deputy commissioner (Tejgaon zone) Imam Hossain said police have not come across any evidence yet to indicate the involvement any media person in the murders.

An amendment to the anti-terrorism law was tabled in Jatiya Sangsad (parliament) on Tuesday with death sentence topping punitive measures.

Anyone funding terrorism or militant activities will get up to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment along with fines.

The bill placed by home minister Shahara Khatun was forwarded for scrutiny to the parliamentary standing committee on her ministry, which has been told submit a report within three days.

The cabinet gave the go-ahead to the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill-2011 on Dec 26 last year. However, without the parliament in session, the bill was passed as an ordinance. The ordinance was tabled on Tuesday to make it a law.

An ordinance has to be tabled for approval at the parliamentary session following its passing as it will automatically lose validity within 30 days of the next session.

The US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs Robert O Blake met with prime minister Sheikh Hasina at the parliament building on Tuesday.

"No terrorists or extremists would be allowed to use Bangladesh's land," her deputy press secretary M Nazrul Islam quoted her as telling the US diplomat in the meeting that focused on bilateral issues.

She pointed out that a number of laws to this end have been passed and added that her government was showing 'zero-tolerance' towards terrorism.

Hasina also said that the Bangladeshi government has decided in principle to open an embassy in Afghanistan.

"Nothing like the bombings that occurred when the BNP-Jamaat government was in power has happened in this government's tenure," she reportedly said.

The issue of killings at the Bangladesh-India border also came up in the meeting, the spokesperson added.

"We are continuing our efforts to stop border killings. Some incidents took place even after India's top leadership gave their assurance. We are trying to solve them," he quoted the prime minister as saying.

She asked Blake for his help to get quota-free entry for Bangladeshi apparel products to the US market without duty.

Prime minister Hasina declined a request from Blake to write to the US government to deploy US Peace Corps in Bangladesh. She reasoned that Washington withdrew them during the BNP-led regime on security reasons even though theywere here in 1998 during her previous tenure.

The US ambassador to Dhaka Dan W Mozena and ambassador-at-large M Ziauddin were present.

A final decision on financing the Padma bridge project is yet to be taken, the finance minister said Tuesday, even though the government is scheduled to sign a memorandum of understanding with Malaysia.

"If we decide to go for PPP (public-private partnership scheme) all previous agreements with others will have to be cancelled," A M A Muhith told journalists at the Secretariat, reiterating that the Malaysian government is keen on taking up Bangladesh's biggest-ever infrastructure project to date.

"Talks with the World Bank (WB) regarding the Padma bridge are not over yet. But they have extended the effectiveness of loan by six months. But it is unacceptable" he said.

"Now we have to do some job. If the funding is to be sourced from a new channel four agencies including World Bank will be asked, 'How can you do that'."

He noted that there are two ways – the first one is direct loans and the second is PPP.

"But PPP is quite expensive. Since it's a big project, we'll need to see if it can be done directly with more investors," the minister added.

He said Malaysia's interest in investing in the Padma bridge project is a "different issue". "It is a PPP offer. I know about it. They (communications ministry) know about it," he said.

There will be discussions with the World Bank and other donor agencies before taking a final decision about the new way of funding the bridge, Muhith said.

Apart from the $ 1.2 billion pledged by the global lender, the government signed deals with Asian Development Bank for a $ 610 million fund, Japan International Cooperation Agency $ 400 million and Islamic Development Bank $ 140 million.

After the World Bank suspended the fund following allegation of corruption in the project, Malaysia expressed its eagerness to build the 6.15 kilometre bridge.

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An alleged extremist has been shot dead in a so-called gunfight with Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).

RAB said they arrested two more of the terror group along with firearms, bullets and bombs during the shootout that took place at 8pm Monday at a field at Padmadi under the district's Islamic University Police Station.

RAB-12 Kushtia camp commander major 'Mahfuz' told : "The extremists started firing on the RAB-12 team which went to that village to arrest them on a tip-off."

He said that one .9 mm pistol, two shot-guns, one one-shooter gun, two bombs, 15 rounds of bullets and eight cartridges were seized from the scene.

Mahfuz, however, said the identity of the deceased was yet to be known.

Though the Appellate Division has ordered to hand over the entire 7.09-acre land, the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) wants to give the Supreme Court only 0.67-acre of it.

After receiving an RHD letter to this effect, undersigned by supervising engineer Mohammad Faridul Alam, Supreme Court registrar A K M Shamsul Islam on Monday termed the move as contempt of court.

Legal notices had been sent to Sharak Bhaban and Shishu Academy by advocate Manzill Murshid asking them to hand over the occupied estates and establishments to the registrar within 15 days in line with a Supreme Court decision.

The legal notices, quoting a decision of the High Court on March 10, stated the two properties in question, on which Governor House and East Pakistan Court had been established, belong to the Supreme Court.

After the High Court order, both Shishu Academy and RHD approached the Appellate Division, but the pleas were dismissed.

The notice also said proper action would be taken for contempt of court if the property was not handed over to the Supreme Court within 15 days.

Shishu Academy has 2.37 acres of land in its possession.

Within a week of appointment, communications minister Obaidul Quader met the chief justice and sought time.

Murshid on Monday said, "The entire land is of the Supreme Court. To hand over only a part is misinterpretation of the verdict.

"We'll file a contempt of court suit in this regard."

Shamsul said, "They sent me a letter to hand over 0.67 acre land, let alone executing the court order."

"There was a caretaker building, Ansar building, pump house and two store rooms on the land. They took away the doors and windows of the building today (Monday)."

"None has the right to damage the properties to be handed over to the Supreme Court," he added.

Bangladesh and India have agreed to form a joint committee to look into the possibility of transhipment of Indian goods from deeper draft vessels to shallow draft vessels at any point in Bangladesh.

"We have taken the decision today," said joint secretary of shipping ministry Mohammad Alauddin after a meeting of the standing committee of Protocol on Inland Water Trade and Transit (PIWTT) Monday.

He led the Bangladesh delegation at the meeting, held after 14 months, that continued for over 24 hours in two days and signed the agreed upon minutes.

Under the existing system, Sherpur and Ashuganj are the transhipment points where vessels or mode of transport can be changed for goods destined from one part of India to another.

"The committee will submit its report as soon as possible," Alauddin said.

BANK GUARANTEE

The bank guarantee clause in PIWTT has been retained and will be applicable to transhipment of goods, the joint secretary said.

"Indians opposed the provision but we will retain it," he said.

National Board of Revenue issued a circular in August last year under which bank guarantee is needed for all transhipment goods.

ASHUGANJ PORT

The joint secretary said the government is interested to operationalise Ashuganj river port for transhipment-related activities, but due to infrastructural problems, it is difficult to happen now.

"We don't have any infrastructure at Ashuganj port. For transhipment activities, we need to develop it," he said.

Bangladesh allowed three commercial cargo transhipments on trial basis last year and before that over dimensional cargoes for Palatana power plant went from Kolkata to Tripura through Ashuganj.

NEW TRANSHIPMENT POINT

In the meeting, Indian side proposed to declare Chattak as a new transhipment point but Bangladesh side asked for a formal proposal from the neighbouring country, Alauddin said.

"After receiving the formal proposal, we will look into the matter," he said.

Sherpur was the first transhipment point since 1972 and Ashuganj was declared second point in 2010.

MAINTENANCE CHARGE

India has agreed to increase the maintenance charge to Tk 100 million from existing Tk 55 million, Alauddin informed.

The Indian government every year provides Bangladesh Tk 55 million for maintaining transit routes in the country, he said.

Alauddin said the next meeting of the standing committee will be held in July this year.

The issue of transit and transhipment has become a thorny one between Bangladesh and India when Delhi failed to sign an interim Teesta agreement during the visit of Indian premier Manmohan Singh to Dhaka last year.

Bangladesh signed PIWTT under Bangla-Indo trade agreement in 1972 and it will expire on March 31 this year.

The next renewal meeting of PIWTT will be held in March.

Miscreants have beaten a person to death at Gobindaganj as he protested his minor daughter's rape.

They also vandalised the house of the 55-year-old deceased, Habibur Rahman, of Raghabpur village, on Monday.

Abul Bashar, 25, alias Chhoto Milon of Baluabazar village raped Habibur's daughter, a Grade-six student, when she was on her way back from her sister-in-law's house in an adjoining village on Monday, Gobindaganj police chief Abu Akkas said.

Milon tried to stop the victim's guardians, who on knowing of the incident, were on their way to the police station to file a complaint around 5pm, Akkas said.

Local people nabbed Milon at once but his associates snatched him away. Later, they rampaged Habibur's house and beaten him and his brother Shah Alam, he said.

Habibur died while being taken to Gobindaganj Upazila Health Complex around 7:30pm, the police official said.

"We've taken the body to the police station. A case will be filed," he added.

Actor Humayun Faridee's favourite quote was 'live and let others live.'

After keeping audiences entranced for 25 years with his acting prowess in television dramas, movies and theatres, the 60-year-old Faridee finally made his concluding bow to the world stage on Monday.

The popular actor who graced television dramas, movies and theatres with his varied performances died at her daughter's residence in Dhanmondi on Monday.

He had been ill for quite a few days.

A pall of gloom descended upon entertainment personalities who had celebrated his 60th birth anniversary on May 29 last year.

Winner of the National Film Award for his sterling performance in the film 'Matritwa' in 2004, Actor-director Faridee was born on May 29, 1952 in Dhaka's Narinda to ATM Nurul Islam and Begum Farida.

Passing his intermediate exams from Chandpur Government College, Faridee studied economics at Jahangirnagar University. He used to stay at the university's Al-Beruni Hall during his university days.

His acting career started on the stage, with Dhaka Theatre.

He acted in Bangladeshi cinema for over a decade. But it was on television that Faridee really left his indelible mark, appearing in countless dramas and series that became the staple diet of Bangladeshi audiences.

Patronised by filmmaker and director Nasiruddin Yousuf Bachchu, Faridee, a fifth batch student of economics department of Jahangirnagar University, started his career on the stage around the 1980s. Legendary playwright Selim Al-Din also ushered on his career on the stage.

He was one of the main organisers of the university's first ever drama festival in 1976.

Faridee brought to life a huge gallery of characters, and he went on to enjoy many successes on television and in the theatre. Being a member of Bangladesh's Village Theatre, his talents sparked throughout the whole country.Some of the most famous productions he took part in includes Selim Al-Din's Montasir Fantasy, Kirtonkhola, Keramot Mongol.

Making his debut with Atiqul Haque's "Nikhoj Shongbad", he went on to perform in TV plays like Nil Nakshar Shandhany (1982), Durbin die dekhun (1982), Bhangoner shabdha suni (1983), Bakulpur koto Dur (1985), Mohuar Mon (1986), Sat Ashmaner Shiri (1986), Akdin hohat (1986), Chanmiar negative positive (1986), Ojattra (1987), Songsaptak (1987-88), Pathar Shomoy (1989), Dui bhai (1990), Kothao Keu Nei (1990), Shiter Pakhi (1991), Shomudre Gangchil (1993), Tini Akjon (2005), Chandragrasto (2006), Kachher Manush (2006), Mohona (2006), Vober Hat (2007), and Srinkhal (2010).

His role as 'Kankata Ramzan' in a drama serial telecast on BTV, brought him enormous fame. He was equally versatile in roles of both protagonist and antagonist.

His last directed drama serial was 'Hemanta' and became ill while working in his last drama, 'Purna Chader Opurnatay.'

In the tele-play "Bhangoner Shobdo Shuni" his line "Ami toh jomi kini na, fani kini" ( I don't buy land, I buy water) became a favourite with the audience. His characterisation of Ramzan in "Shongshoptok" achieved legendary status.

Faridee also left his mark on the silver screen. Movies he acted in include: Hulia, Dohon, Shontrash, Bachelor, Joy Jatra, Shamolchaya, Bhohubrihi, Ekattorer Jishu, Mayer Morjada, and Aha!.

Anu Muhammad, a professor at economics department at Jahangirnagar University and a fellow classmate of Faridee, told on Monday that Faridee was a very talented and amiable person.

"His theatrical career basically started with the encouragement of Selim Al-Din," Anu said. During Faridee's student life, he and Selim Al-Din together organised drama festivals, published magazines, and arranged study-circles, he added.

Sad news all bangladeshi people.one of our Actor-director Humayun Faridee died. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina condoled on Monday the death of versatile actor Humayun Faridee.

Her press secretary Abul Kalam Azad quoted her as saying, "Bangladesh will always remember his contributions in drama and culture".

He added that the prime minister prayed for the departed soul and expressed condolences to Faridee's family members.

The popular actor who graced television dramas, movies and theatres with his varied performances died at his Dhanmondi residence on Monday, aged 60. Faridee was ill for quite a few days and was even admitted to a hospital around two weeks back.

Actor-director Faridee was born on May 29, 1952 and studied economics at Jahangirnagar University. His acting career started off on the stage, with Dhaka Theatre.

He acted in numerous television dramas and was in Bangladeshi cinema for over a decade.

VERRY VERRY SAD NEWS for bangladeshi people.After 25 years of keeping audiences entranced with his acting prowess in television dramas, movies and theatres, Humayun Faridee finally made his concluding bow to the world stage on Monday.

He was 60.

Actor-director Faridee was born on May 29, 1952 and studied economics at Jahangirnagar University. His acting career started on the stage, with Dhaka Theatre.

He acted in Bangladeshi cinema for over a decade. But it was on television that Faridee really left his indelible mark, appearing in countless dramas and series that became the staple diet of Bangladeshi audiences.

Faridee brought to life a huge gallery of characters, and he went on to enjoy many successes on television and in the theatre. Some of the most famous productions he took part in includes Montasir Fantasy, Kirtonkhola, Keramot Mongol, and Durto wee.

Among his TV plays were Nil Nakshar Shandhany (1982), Durbin die dekhun (1982), Bhangoner shabdha suni (1983), Bakulpur koto Dur (1985), Mohuar Mon (1986), Sat Ashmaner Shiri (1986), Akdin hohat (1986), Chanmiar negative positive (1986), Ojattra (1987), Songsaptak (1987-88), Pathar Shomoy (1989), Dui bhai (1990), Kothao Keu Nei (1990), Shiter Pakhi (1991), Shomudre Gangchil (1993), Tini Akjon (2005), Chandragrasto (2006), Kachher Manush (2006), Mohona (2006), Vober Hat (2007), and Srinkhal (2010).

In the tele-play "Bhangoner Shobdo Shuni" his line "Ami toh jomi kini na, fani kini" ( I don't buy land, I buy water) became a favourite with the audience. His characterisation of Ramzan in "Shongshoptok" achieved legendary status.

Faridee also left his mark on the silver screen. Movies he acted in include: Hulia, Dohon, Shontrash, Bachelor, Joy Jatra, Shamolchaya, Bhohubrihi, Ekattorer Jishu, Mayer Morjada, and Aha!.

Patronised by filmmaker and director Nasiruddin Yousuf Bachchu, Faridee, a fifth batch student of economics department of Jahangirnagar University, started his career on the stage around the 1980s. Legendary playwright Selim Al-Din also ushered on his career on the stage.

Anu Muhammad, a professor at economics department at Jahangirnagar University and a fellow classmate of Faridee, told on Monday that Faridee was a very talented and amiable person.

"His theatrical career basically started with the encouragement of Selim Al-Din," Anu said. During Faridee's student life, he and Selim Al-Din together organised drama festivals, published magazines, and arranged study-circles, he added.

breaking news Grameenphone has won a crucial legal battle with regulators BTRC as High Court has rejected claim for an extra Tk 236 crore in spectrum fees levied in 2008.

A two-judge bench also said the BTRC was however right in asking for the spectrum and licence renewal fees without deducting value added tax.

Justices Farid Ahmed and Sheikh Hasan Arif, at the same time, observed that the mobile operator would legally get waiver on such taxes.

Barrister Rafiq ul Haque led the GP legal team while attorney general Mahbube Alam, Ajmalul Huq QC and others defended the BTRC.

The existing undergraduate medical curricula in Bangladesh's medical institutions are going to be revised in line with modern practices and changing pattern of diseases.

Prof Fatima Parveen Chowdhury, director of the Centre for Medical Education (CME) that works on the updation, told bdews24.com that in the updated curricula, they would also design medical ethics in a way that students have to practise it throughout the five-year study.

According to Bangladesh Health Watch Report 2009, medical students do not pay much attention to ethics chapter as 'it is not likely to be asked in examinations'.

The report believed practising ethics could improve the quality of health services plagued by 'malpractices.'

"It has become imperative to update the curricula in line with the current needs of medical practice in Bangladesh and the shift of disease pattern and use of advanced technologies in the world," Prof Fatima said.

For instance, she said, once communicable diseases were widespread in Bangladesh, "but with the passage of time, non-communicable diseases like cancer, heart diseases, etc. outstripped the communicable ones".

"So we need to give these diseases priority in the study," she said and added that Bangladesh witnessed the use of advanced technologies in medicare in the last decade, but they did not find place in the curricula.

First formal medical curricula in independent Bangladesh were introduced in 1988, which were revised only once, in 2002.

The director said they would try to incorporate all, needed to make the curricula contemporary, and steps would be taken to lessen the 'content' burden of the students by introducing one more professional exam at the end of the fourth year.

Currently, students appear in three professional exams – first after second year, second after fourth year and final at the end of the fifth year.

The Centre for Medical Education will elicit ideas and suggestions from senior teachers of various departments – Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pathology, Microbiology, Pharmacology, Forensic Medicine, Community Medicine, Medicine, Surgery and Gaynaecology and Obstetrics – studied at medical colleges.

A committee will also work to integrate selected medical students' recommendations into the draft updated medical curricula, which in turn will be sent to the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) for approval.

"Once approved, medical colleges will have to follow it," Prof Fatima said and sounded hopeful that they would be able to complete the process by 2012.

She noted that the curricula will able to improve the skill of future medical graduates.

The curricula should be updated every 10 years, Prof Fatima felt.

The first-ever citizen journalism-based blog, blog., is celebrating its first year of practice of citizen journalism on its Bengali website.

Editor-in-chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi inaugurated the celebration at a function at the Public Library auditorium in the city on Sunday.

"While launching the blog a year ago, I had said that it won't be like other blogs," Khalidi, the chief guest of the function, said.

"Here, bloggers will not only comment on other incidents or issues, they will also give information. They will practise a type of journalism," he added.

Referring to a cliché the proverb 'comment is cheap, information expensive', he said it is easy to comment but hard to collect or give information.

The work to present information has become easy due to easy access to information technology, he said.

"To me, scrutinising the information is a tougher job."

"We need to be alert when the issue is responsibility," Khalidi added.

He unveiled a publication containing a compilation of selected writings of bloggers over the last year, called 'Nagar Kabya'.

Ten bloggers, who have enriched the blog and made it an alternative medium through their contributions and strong opinions since its inception last year were given away Nagarik Sommanona Award.

The award recipients are Abu Sufian, Mottalib Darbari, Basanta Bishu, M Sahid, Nijhum Majumder, 'Futurist', Ilias Chowdhury, Nahuan Myth, Mamun M Aziz and Probir Bidhan.

Three bloggers were also given special awards. They are M Hashem, who contributed highest number of posts, Nahuan Myth, the highest commenter, and Ilias Chowdhury, who contributed the highest number of photo posts.

The site was inaugurated at the Little Mag Corner of the Amar Ekushey Gronthomela on Feb 11 last year.

"Here," he continued, "the two sides will have to be responsible – you will give information as citizen journalists and the moderators will check it."

"We should keep in mind that everyone will have to suffer if fails to behave responsibly.

The issue of law or rules surfaces when freedom is misused, he felt.

"We may have to pay the price culturally, socially and politically for being irresponsible in [using] internet," he said.

Trains were able to leave Dhaka after a five-hour standstill due to derailment of two wagons of a goods train in the city, but those entering the capital still remain stranded on the outskirts.

The wagons carrying oil jumped the tracks near FDC level crossing at Karwanbazar around 5:15pm on Sunday, Kamlapur Railway Police sub-inspector Moktar Hossain told .

"Oil is leaking through one of the tankers that got ruptured," he said.

No causalities were reported, he added.

Local people gathered near the ruptured tanker to collect oil.

An official from railway's control room said it would take three-four hours for train communication to get normal.

Farhat Quader Chowdhury, wife of senior BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury arrested on charges of his alleged involvement in crimes against humanity during the Liberation War, has claimed that her husband is not being provided proper legal aid in line with the International Human Rights Act.

The lawyers of the BNP leader have also made similar complaints to the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) and appealed to halt proceedings of the war crimes case against him for eight years.

The appeal was made on Sunday, a day before the tribunal is scheduled to decide on Monday whether it will frame charges against the BNP lawmaker, tribunal's registrar Mohammad Shahinur Rahman told .

In the appeal, the defence lawyers sought the tribunal to provide them probe report of the investigation agency, other relevant information and documents against Chowdhury within the next 14 days.

The tribunal was requested in the appeal to review the laws of the tribunal, and visit the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Crimes (Tribunal) (Amended) Act-1973 as per the Rome statute.

After the submission of the appeal, Farhat Quader at a press conference at the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president's room told reporters that the ruling Awami League in its previous term had signed the ICCPR on Sept 6, 2000. Besides, Bangladesh also signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Rome Statute of the international crimes tribunal act.

"The appeal has been made so that the laws are followed properly," she said.

"You can't make the tribunal controversial. Either you run it under the native laws or under the practicable international laws. We would not get fair justice if it is made controversial. You can bring him (Chowdhury) to Hague, if necessary," she added.

Farhat Quader alleged that the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act-1973 was enacted for the trial of military personnel. "Why others should be tried under the law (formulated for the military personnel)?"

On March 25, 2010 the government constituted a three-member tribunal, investigation body and a lawyers' panel to try war criminals under the provisions of the 1973 International War Crimes (Tribunal) Act.

A bill on joining a global initiative to combat terrorism was tabled in parliament on Sunday.

The bill aims at exchanging assistance among countries to investigate, prosecute and conduct judicial acts in criminal matters, law minister Shafique Ahmed said after presenting the bill.

Deputy speaker Shawkat Ali sent the bill it to the parliamentary standing committee on law, judiciary and parliament affairs ministry for a three-day scrutiny.

The bill, Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act- 2012, said any country seeking assistance in criminal matters will get highest aid from Bangladesh if the matter is considered a crime in Bangladesh.

Claiming to have hit upon some vital clues in the journalist duo's killing case, police on Sunday said they will make some important revelations on Monday.

Speaking after a meeting of the committee to co-ordinate simultaneous investigations by several law enforcing agencies into the murder of Meherun Nahar Runi and Sagar Sarowar, DMP deputy commissioner (Tejgaon zone) Imam Hossain said they have made some progress.

"We are trying our best to keep the honourable minister's promise," said the top cop referring to the 48-hour deadline given by the home minister to wrap up the case.

Police chief Hassan Mahmud Khandaker has called a press conference at 1pm on Monday after the expiry of the home minister's time limit. The gruesome killings, progress in the investigations and the law and order situation of the country is likely to be talked about at the conference.

ATN Bangla senior reporter Runi and her husband Golam Mustofa Sarowar, alias Sagar Sarowar, a news editor with Maasranga Television, were murdered in the early hours of Saturday at their rented flat in west Rajabazar in the capital.

Home minister Shahara Khatun had ordered police and other law-enforcing agencies to arrest those responsible within 48 hours while on a visit to the scene of crime.

The minister on Sunday reiterated that the killers will be arrested within the specified time limit.

The house where the journalist duo was murdered comes under Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station. Detective police, Rapid Action Battalion and Criminal Investigation Department are probing the murders.

When asked about the investigation progress in the past 24-hours, DMP detective police joint comissioner Maruf Hasan told : "[The] investigation is going on and so are attempts to arrest those involved. We hope that we will be able to arrest them shortly and produce them in the court."

Imam Hasan said two teams of detective police, one of CID and two of police are probing the killings. Detective official Maruf is coordinating the investigations.

Stating that there have been a meeting of the coordination committee on Sunday, Imam Hasan said the teams are scheduled to sit at a meeting tonight (Sunday).

Though RAB is investigating the case separately, their activities are also being coordinated, Hasan said. "Everything is being given importance as this is a really sensitive case. Nothing is being left to chance."

Runi's younger brother Nowsher Alam Roman lodged a murder case with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station at 5pm on Sunday, after nearly 36 hours of the incident, against 'unnamed' assailants.

Station's officer in-charge (OC) Zakir Hossain Mollah told that no name or specific number of the assailants was mentioned in the case details.

He said investigation teams have talked to the journalists' families and will do so again, if needed.

A police officer related with the probe team, who cannot be named, told : "The investigation has made great progress. Important information has been found through mobile tracking. Police are investigating to be sure of certain other things."

Meanwhile, RAB and detective police have collected pictures from Dhaka Reporters' Unity and video of the picnic of journalist couple's son Mahin Sarowar Megh's school, and they are being examined, officials said.

The five-year-old son of the duo, who was at home at the time of killing, told police that two people killed his parents whom he had seen earlier at a picnic.

Authorities shut Sir Salimullah Medical College indefinitely following a violent factional clash of pro-government Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) at its main dormitory on Saturday.

After the clash, students have vacated the dormitories by 4pm following the academic council's decision.

"The decision to halt classes was taken in the academic council meeting following tense situations," college principal M A Azhar Uddin told .

"Students have been ordered to leave the halls. But those who are sitting for second year and final year Prof tests can stay in the hall showing their admit cards," he added.

The factional clash between two groups of BCL, which took place in the early hours of Saturday, had left seven students injured while one of them stated to be in critical condition.

Kotwali police station officer in-charge Mohammad Salauddin told reporters, "The violence is the result of an internal clash between two factions of Chhatra League. We have found out that one faction broke through the main gate and attacked the dormitory."

The OC added the pro-Awami League student wing's activists had vandalised 33 rooms of the dormitory during the clash.

A three-strong committee headed by Child Department professor A R M Lutful Kabir has been already formed to investigate into the clash. The other two members of the committee are professor Alamgir Kabir and associate professor A H M Mahbub-ul Maola.

Though, Kotwali police had detained 53 students from the dormitory right after the incident, but later they were freed.

The detainees were freed after signing a bond stating that steps would be taken against them if the investigation committee formed to look into the matter finds them guilty, the OC added.

Following the incident, general students vandalised the Leo Club room on the ground floor of the hospital and staged a human-chain protest locking the main door. The academic council took the decision to vacate the dormitory before the situation worsened.

Meanwhile, students of the college had locked the principal in his room and brought out a series of processions protesting the authority's decision to suspend classes.

"The injured 'Sharif', 'Parvez', 'Ankur', 'Assaduzzaman', 'Rocky' and 'Anupam' are undergoing treatment at the hospital's causality department," head of the hospital's causality department Mahbub Hossain Mehedi said.

"But Angel, one of the injured, was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital after his condition deteriorated," he added.

A group of hackers, claiming to be Indians, took down four government ministry's websites on Saturday after they hacked into the posts and telecommunications ministry website.

The ministries are communications, youth and sports, primary and mass education and education.

Apart from these, Trading Corporation of Bangladesh's website has also been hacked.

Around 9pm on Saturday, it was seen that the sites had gone black and the hackers wrote, "Hacked by Love the Risk, Amal Landhe, Lnx Root, Silent Killer."

In the hacked pages, between two eyes resembling Indian flags, the hackers wrote, "We have an EYE on you.

The name of another hacker group, Indian Cyber Army, was also displayed in the pages.

In the hacked page of TCB, the hackers wrote, "No one Can Stop Us, Hacked Saadi and Hax.r00t".

The website of the posts and telecommunications ministry came under attack in the afternoon. it was restored around 5:50pm.

Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid told : "I've been informed about the hacking. Measures are being taken to restore the website."

No other senior officials of other ministries were available for comments.

Police have recovered a blood-stained kitchen knife from the rented flat of the journalist couple who were murdered sometime in the early hours of Saturday.

Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police OC Zakir Hossain Mollah told late in the night that the knife was found at a corner of the bedroom floor.

It is there where their 5-year-old son 'Megh' found the butchered bodies lying after waking up around 7am. A knife was also found shoved 80 percent into the left side of the chest of Golam Mustofa Sarowar, alias Sagar Sarowar, the news editor of Maasranga Television.

His wife, ATN Bangla senior reporter Meherun Nahar Runi was also murdered in that flat in west Rajabazar in Dhaka. They were buried after post-mortem at Azimpur graveyard around 9pm.

They were hacked to death. Sagar's body had marks of random slashing with knives and other sharp weapons while Runi had just two deep wounds.

Forensic experts say that the wounds have led them to suspect that the murder was the work of non-professional killers. Rapid Action Battalion detectives suspect the assailants might have known the victims and the killing was pre-planned.

After the brutal murder of the couple was first reported by son 'Megh', police had locked the room because of the huge crowd who had gathered at the flat. They searched the room later in the night and recovered the kitchen knife.

Police on Saturday night also questioned the residents of the buildings beside the multistoried apartment complex on 58/A/2 holding of the area. They had earlier detained the building's security guard Polash Rudro Paul and caretaker Abu Taher for questioning.

Detective Branch (DB) police had also quizzed Runi's brothers Nowsher Alam and Nowshid Alam for at least an hour at DB headquarters.

Asked how the investigation was proceeding, Dhaka Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Mahbubur Rahman told : "There is nothing new to say."

Home minister Shahara Khatun had ordered the police to arrest the guilty and submit the investigation report within 48 hours.