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2008-05-25

Speakers in a pre-budget discussion yesterday stressed the need for giving importance to agriculture sector in the upcoming budget.
Common people do not get the benefit of budget in absence of mass people's involvement, speakers said at the discussion organised by Campaign for Good Governance (Sushashoner Junno Procharavijan), SUPRO, at Pabna Annoda Gobinda Public Library auditorium.
“Bangladesh is rich in agricultural resources. But agricultural lands are decreasing day by day. Poor facility for storing agro-products is also responsible for backwardness in the sector,” speakers said at the meeting.
“The government should pay attention for developing the agriculture sector in the upcoming budget. This sector needs priority in the budget for sustainable development,” they said.
Speakers also urged the government to take steps for local development that ultimately contributes to national development.
President of SUPRO, Pabna Barkat Ali Bakul chaired the seminar. Pabna Superintendent of Police AFM Masum Rabbani, Pabna Bar Association President advocate Johir Ali Kaderi, former president of the association advocate Abdul Motin, veteran politician Amzad Hossain, Pabna Press Club Secretary Utpol Mirza, NGO personality Monjurul Haque Runi and the secretary of SUPRO, Pabna, MA Salam addressed the meeting among others.

2008-05-26

Give priority to agri sector in budget

2008-05-24

Oil tops 135 dollars as records smashed

Agence France-Presse . London

Oil prices stormed to record highs this week, spiking above 135 dollars as investors showed no let-up in their thirst for black gold amid tight supplies, high demand and a weak dollar.
Oil: Brent North Sea oil struck an all-time high of 135.14 dollars and New York light sweet crude reached a record 135.09 dollars on Thursday, driven by growing concerns that energy supplies will fail to keep up with demand.
They later slumped as investors banked profits but resumed their upwards march on Friday. ‘It seems there is no stopping soaring oil prices,’ said Andrey Kryuchenkov at the Sucden brokerage in London.
‘Investors doubt that the market will be able to meet ever growing demand in the long run, with booming emerging market economies underpinning robust demand for energy.’
Crude futures have risen by more than a third since the beginning of 2008 when they struck 100 dollars for the first time, lifted by unrest in oil-producing countries, falling energy inventories, OPEC’s unwillingness to hike output, high Asian demand for fuel and a weak dollar. A struggling US currency makes dollar-commodities cheaper for foreign buyers. Oil prices breached 130 dollars for the first time on Wednesday and continued higher on news that US energy inventories had unexpectedly fallen last week.
Abdalla Salem El-Badri, the secretary general of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, said this week that the cartel’s members were unhappy with surging prices which he blamed on speculators and a weak dollar.
OPEC, which produces 40 per cent of the world’s oil, is reluctant to bend to US-led demands for it to pump more crude to help cool rocketing prices. The 13-nation cartel insists that the market is well supplied and that record prices reflect speculative investment activity rather than actual supply and demand conditions. By Friday, New York’s main oil f

2008-03-18

গণতান্ত্রিক সমাজ নির্মাণে তথ্যের ভূমিকা অনেক বেশিঃ সেমিনারে বক্তারা

রাজশাহীতে আন্তর্জাতিক অর্থ প্রতিষ্ঠানের স্বচ্ছতা, জবাবদিহিতা ও তথ্যপ্রাপ্তি শীর্ষক এক আলোচনা সভায় বক্তারা বলেছেন গণতান্ত্রিক সমাজ নির্মাণে তথ্যের ভূমিকা অনেক বেশি। কিন্তু এখনো তথ্য পাওয়ার অধিকার আইনগত স্বীকৃতি পায়নি। রাষ্ট্র নিরাপত্তার দোহাই দিয়ে এবং বিভিন্ন ব্যাক্তি ও প্রতিষ্ঠান নিজেদের স্বার্থ রক্ষার জন্য তথ্যের মালিকানা জনগণকে না দিয়ে তথ্য আদান-প্রদানে বিভিন্ন আইন-কানুন তৈরী করে তথ্য প্রবাহকে বাধাগ্রস্থ করছে এবং তথ্যের অধিকার থেকে জনগণকে বঞ্চিত করছে। সোমবার সকালে জিডিআরসি মিলনায়তনে বরেন্দ্র উন্নয়ন প্রচেষ্টা ও ভয়েসের উদ্দোগে এক আলোচনা সভা অনুষ্ঠিত হয়। সভায় বক্তব্য রাখেন ভয়েসের নির্বাহী পরিচালক আহম্মেদ স্বপন মাহমুদ, বরেন্দ্র উন্নয়ন প্রচেষ্টার নির্বাহী পরিচালক ফয়েজ্জুল্লাহ চৌধুরী, দৈনিক সোনালী সংবাদের বার্তা সম্পাদক হাসান মিল্�

2008-03-18

UN assures Bangladesh to increase food aid

A visiting senior official from the United Nations Sunday assured Bangladesh of its best efforts to increase food aid, as the prices of food grains continued to go up in the country hitting the poor people hard. ''We'll do our best to increase assistance to Bangladesh at this point,'' United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Administrator Kemal Dervis told newsmen. Dervis said that the UN would try to coordinate the countries and agencies that provide food aid to increase their support to Bangladesh. He said the food prices were growing quite a lot worldwide benefiting the producers and the farmers, but the purchasers were suffering from it. Dervis arrived here Saturday for a three-day visit to the South Asian country.

2008-03-18

Low Aspirin dose could help women fight asthma

Taking a small dose of aspirin on alternate days can bring down risks of developing asthma among women, according to a new study. The study involved 40,000 female healthcare professionals, aged 45 and above, who had no serious illness, allergy or asthma. Participants were either randomly assigned to take 100 mg of aspirin every other day, or a placebo (dummy tablet). And their health was then monitored for around 10 years. In the group taking aspirin 872 new cases were diagnosed compared with 963 among those taking a placebo. The effect was evident, irrespective of age, menopausal status, exercise levels, and smoking, all factors that might be expected to influence the findings. And Vitamin E supplementation, which was also being tested among the women, to see if it prevented cardiovascular disease and cancer, did not affect the results either. But aspirin did not lessen the risk of asthma in women who were classified as obese and the study also said that existing asthma patients would not benefit. Among people who have already been diagnosed with asthma, aspirin can worsen symptoms in around one in 10, say the authors. But exactly how low dose aspirin might reduce susceptibility to asthma in adults is not clear. Study leader Dr Tobias Kurth, from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Massachusetts, said the biological mechanism involved was unknown and further trials were necessary. For all its benefits, aspirin can have side effects ranging from dizziness to stomach pain and bleeding.

2008-03-18

Abortion may cause mental illness

Women may be at risk of developing mental health problems as a result of having an abortion, a leading group of doctors has warned. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has changed its position on how terminating a pregnancy affects women in the face of new evidence. Until now the college said the risk of psychological problems that come from following through with the pregnancy outweighed those of having an abortion. But a major review of its position has resulted in a shift that acknowledges for the first time there may be mental health consequences of terminations. Its position, last reviewed in 1994, stated that the risks of developing mental health for women who have abortions were much less than those who proceed with a pregnancy. In new documents published by times online it now states: ''The specific issue of whether or not induced abortion has harmful effects on women's mental health remains to be fully resolved. ''The current research evidence base is inconclusive - some studies indicate no evidence of harm, whilst other studies identify a range of mental disorders following abortion''. The college suggests information leaflets for women considering having abortions may need to include this new advice. A YouGov poll by The Sunday Times found 59% of women would support a reduction in the upper time limit for 'social' abortions from 24 to 20 weeks. Just under half of women and men approved a reduction, while 35% said they wanted to keep the status quo. MPs are expected to vote in coming months on a such change in the law. These news feeds are provided by an independent third party and editor.net is not responsible.

2008-02-18

IFC and Citi to support BRAC

International Financial Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and Citi, the leading global financial services institution will support BRAC`s micro-lending in Bangladesh with a local currency facility to benefit BRAC`s micro-credit and small and medium enterprise customers. The $22 million term facility will be made available in local currency (Bangladeshi taka), with a five-year tenor and an amortizing structure. BRAC, one of the largest microfinance institutions in the world, continues to invest in portfolio expansion. The loan is part of a wider Citi-led financing for BRAC that was mandated last year. Of the $55 million equivalent in term financing, Citi is providing $42 million. Fazle Hasan Abed, Chairperson of BRAC, present at the signing with IFC and Citi, said, `To finance the growth of our microfinance operations, we need local currency financing. Support from IFC and Citibank, as well as our partnership over the years, has been invaluable`. Citi and BRAC have a long relationship that included issuing the world?s first triple A-rated local currency securitization of micro-credit receivables in 2006. This was followed by innovative remittance distribution arrangement and the first-ever backstopped facility for a microfinance institution in 2007. This is IFC`s first investment in BRAC, but the two institutions have a long-standing relationship, having jointly pioneered projects in housing finance and SME lending in Bangladesh. BRAC`s microfinance and development programs cover all 64 districts in Bangladesh.

2008-02-21

Music can serve stroke recovery

Listening to music in the early stages after a stroke can improve a patient's recovery, Finnish research suggests. The researchers compared patients who listened to music for a couple of hours a day, with those who listened only to audio books, or nothing at all. The music group showed better recovery of memory and attention skills, and a more positive general frame of mind. Writing in journal Brain, the Finnish team who studied 60 patients said music could be a useful addition to therapy. Lead researcher Teppo Sarkamo, from the University of Helsinki, said music could be particularly valuable for patients not yet ready for other forms of rehabilitation. Music listening should be considered as an addition to other active forms of therapy, said Teppo Sarkamo ofUniversity of Helsinki. Patients in the music group were able to choose the type of music they listened to. All patients received standard stroke rehabilitation. After three months, verbal memory improved by 60% in the music group, compared with18% in the audio book group, and 29% in the non-listeners. In addition, patients in the music group were less likely to be depressed, or confused.

2008-02-21

1st Intl conference on lung disease commences

The first two-day long international conference on lung diseases begins at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka on Wednesday. The conference has been arranged by the Bangladesh Lung Foundation with the aim to introduce latest treatment facilities to the physicians and initiate an interaction between renowned pulmologists with young ones. Pulmologists from USA, Europe, Australia and Asia will present their research papers in the conference, said the organizers at a news conference at hotel Sheraton on Tuesday. There has been an alarming increase in the rate of respiratory diseases in Bangladesh, which is already being menaced by various health problems. A recent survey reveals that in our country about one-third of the patients, being attended by the primary care physicians, are suffering from respiratory ailment. These patients constitute 22 per cent of all patients seeking treatment in the outpatient departments of the medical college hospitals, they said. Among others, the briefing was addressed by the foundation president, Rashidul Hassan, secretary general, Md Ali Hossain, treasurer, Asif Mujtaba Mahmud, and international affairs secretary, Kazi Saifuddin Bennor.

2008-02-21

Early nutrition may have a profound impact on brain

Nutrition in the first weeks of life could have a profound impact on the way the brain develops, research suggests. London researchers found preterm babies fed enriched formula milk in their first weeks consistently outperformed other premature babies in IQ tests. Their latest study, published in Pediatric Research, shows the benefits continue into the teenage years. It also found a particular part of the brain is better developed in those given the enriched milk. At the age of seven or eight, the difference was particularly notable in boys: those fed the normal diet had a verbal IQ 12.2 points lower on average than those fed the enriched formula. In the latest analysis, carried out when the babies were aged about 16, there was a wider gap between the girls fed the standard version and their enriched counterparts, of nine points, than there was between the boys, which had narrowed to seven. But this time in addition to IQ tests, researchers also took scans of the children's brains in an attempt to explain these variations. They found substantial differences between the two groups in the size of the caudate nucleus - a part of the brain associated with memory and learning. However it is still unclear whether it is one or the combination of the many extra nutrients in this formula which accounts for the differences in development among premature babies.

2008-02-21

Anger control' key to recovery in surgery

Learning to control your anger may also speed up the healing process after surgery, US research suggests. Hotheads were more than four times likely to take more than four days to heal than mild-mannered counterparts. The Brain Behavior and Immunity study indicates stress has a major impact on the body's ability to repair itself. The team at Ohio State University gave participants blisters on one of their arms and then monitored how the wound healed over the course of eight days. They were asked about 100 participants to fill in a questionnaire which looked at how anger was expressed - whether externally, by shouting at others, for instance, or internally, when one rages insides but keeps a cool exterior. They were also asked to judge their general ability to manage their anger. The study found those with low anger control produced higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which was in turn, associated with delayed healing. The team sought to ensure the association between anger control and healing was not explained by other health factors by taking into account sleep, amount of physical activity and alcohol consumption. Four participants ended up being excluded because these details were missing, but for the rest of them, anger control still proved to be the most significant factor affecting recovery.

2008-02-21

4 die of diarrhoea in Bandarban

Diarrhoea claimed at least four lives and inflicted about 60 people during the last four days in Lama upazila of Bandarban hill district, health officials said. Debati Tipra, 60, Ganga Tipra, 50, Anarung Tipra, 27 and Sibarung Tipra 7 of Faitong mauza under Aziz Nagar union of Lama upazila died of diarrhoea, Dr Sultan Ahmed Sirajee, residential medical officer of Chakoria upazila health complex said. The water-borne disease attacked about 60 others and seven of them were admitted to the health complex Monday, the doctor said. A two-member medical team including Dr. Sultan and Dr. Abdus Suttar, visited the diarrhoea-affected hilly villages of Lama Monday morning with the help of joint forces. The medical team gave treatment and medicines to a number of people in the remote villages.

2008-02-21

Spinal injury regeneration hope

Scientists believe they are close to a significant breakthrough in the treatment of spinal injuries as they are developing a treatment which could potentially allow damaged nerve fibres to regenerate within the spinal cord. It may also encourage the remaining undamaged nerve fibres to work more effectively. Spinal injuries are difficult to treat because the body cannot repair damage to the brain or spinal cord. The Cambridge team has identified a bacteria enzyme called chondroitinase which is capable of digesting molecules within scar tissue to allow some nerve fibres to regrow. The enzyme also promotes nerve plasticity, which potentially means that remaining undamaged nerve fibres have an increased likelihood of making new connections that could bypass the area of damage. We are very hopeful that at last we may be able to offer paralysed patients a treatment to improve their condition said, Professor James Fawcett of University of Cambridge

2008-04-06

A New Bangladeshi Military Strongman

Free Lance Writer from Canberra Mr. J. Shibli J.P.
After the end of the incumbent Bangladeshi Coalition Government of Khaleda-Nizami, a Care taker Government led by Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed took over to run the country. Facing widespread anarchy, unrest, violence and total dysfunctional state services, the Care taker government had no alternative but to call in the help of the Glorious Bangladesh Armed Forces to restore Order in Bangladesh And yes they did, in due time they [ Armed Forces ] stepped in and cracked on corrupt elements of the Country.

Since independence the corrupt interested quarters created one after another havoc in the Bangladeshi National life, brought anarchy into public life and almost destroyed the Sovereignty of the nation of Bangladesh. Naturally the Last bastion of Power [ Military Forces ] had to come in to rescue the people from further anarchy. Civilian governments repeatedly failed in Bangladesh due to nepotism, favouritism, extortions and so on. The Military Forces' Personnel are the compositions of the best trained dedicated people from the mass, they are being trained in Land warfare, Naval warfare, Aerial Combat and operational logistics during any emergencies with in the country. They also took part in various United Nations Peace keeping missions around the Globe and distinguished as good Servicemen. They ( the Bangladeshi Armed Forces ) are the Symbol of Bangladeshi Peoples' Sovereignty, the Military might of the Bangladeshi Nation of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh.
I came to know in some details of the Military Forces. First from my relatives such as the Great War Hero Bongobir Late General Osmani [ 1918--1984 ], then from new generation military personnel Brigadier Ishfaq Hossain BSS 1560, Lt. Col. Nahar, Air Commodore C.A. Mannan, Lt Cdr. M. Uddin and others.
In 1978 after my HSC Exam, I also voluntarily enlisted myself for regular training as a GD Pilot ( AFO Cadet # C3095 ) with Bangladesh Air For

2008-05-03	Namaz-e-janaza for Rashida held at Baitul Mukarram
The namaz-e-janaza for late Awami League leader and Bangladesh Television broadcaster Rashida Mahiuddin was held at Baitul Mukarram Mosque after the Jumma prayer. She will be buried at Mirpur Martyred Intellectuals' Graveyard. Bangabandhu Shangskritik Jote Joint-Secretary Rashida died of heart failure at LabAid Cardiac Hospital Thursday morning. She was 48.

2008-05-03

USDA provides $2m for Sidr hit primary children

The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) on Tuesday welcomed US$2 million contributions from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to assist over 100,000 primary school children in Sidr affected areas. The USDA support to WFP's food for education is aimed at creating incentives for Children to attend classes regularly and increase their attention span by reliving short term hunger,' said Mr. Oliver Flake, Agricultural Attach?, FAS/USDA, US Embassy New Delhi, who recently visited school feeding program in Kishorgang districts. He expressed his sincere hope that poor school children in food insecure areas in Bangladesh would continue to benefit from USDA assistance through WFP. Mr. Flake while observing the school feeding program appreciated the role of WFP and the Government of Bangladesh in addressing the nutritional needs of the school children. ''Consistent generosity from the USDA enables WFP to reach the most vulnerable school children and encourage them to attend classes regularly,'' said Edward Kallon, WFP Representative (acting) in Bangladesh. ''With the help of USDA, we are keeping several thousands of poor school children in the world's most difficult circumstances in schools and helping them to learn,'' he said. This latest donation brought a total USDA contribution to over US$ 20 million for primary school feeding program in Bangladesh. The USDA is WFP's largest donor for its food for education program. WFP has been supporting 700,000 primary school children under its emergency/regular operation in poverty prone areas with funding available from USDA since 2001. The fortified biscuits also contribute in reducing micro-nutrient deficiencies among the children. School feeding program is an integral part of WFP's work in Bangladesh. The provision of food in schools has been shown to be a highly effective way of increasing enrolment and attendance, enhancing the learning experience of children, and improving their intake of mi

2008-05-25

Bangladesh is most peaceful country in South Asia

Bangladesh ranks first as the most peaceful nation in South Asia in 2008, according to the Global Peace Index survey conducted by an independent think tank, the Institute for Economic and Peace.
Bangladesh ranked 86th among 140 countries in 2008, but is ahead of India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, said a foreign ministry release Saturday.
Iceland tops the survey with the United States at 97th while Russia took the ninth spot in reverse at 131st place. It tests each nation against 24 ‘peacefulness’ criteria, including a nation’s relations with its neighbours, arms sales and foreign troop developments. It also takes into account crime rate, proportion of prison population and the potential for terrorism within its borders.
Foreign adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury expressed satisfaction over the study. In a statement he said, ‘This only proves what we have been saying for sometime. Today, Bangladesh is a oasis of calm in an otherwise turbulent region. We are at peace with all our neighbours.’
‘Internationally, we are playing a constructive role as a top UN peacekeeper. At home, political and social violence has declined. We have had a bumper harvest. Growth, though not phenomenal, is steady. All these have the signs of a new emerging Asian Tiger, this time a Royal Bengal,’ he said.
Iftekhar said, ‘I’m glad the world is beginning to notice this. This is about time. Bangladesh is no longer a basket case.’
The adviser said, ‘If we can also achieve political reconciliation that we are seeking now, our future prospects are bright. But we cannot afford complacency. The national efforts to achieve our goals must be coordinated.’

2008-04-19

Donors for comprehensive housing plan for Sidr victims

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Wednesday warned of housing crisis as the cyclone victims enter monsoon season. The scale of the destruction wrought by cyclone Sidr is too massive for the aid agencies to provide meaningful assistance to all of those in dire need, says a press release. ''With only weeks to go before start of the monsoon rains, hundreds of thousands of families are still living under plastic sheeting, tarpaulins and other basic shelters which leave them at the mercy of the elements,'' said the release. ''The combined efforts of all aid agencies as well as bilateral government pledges for core housing are likely to reach around 60,000-affected families. But this is only a fraction of those who need help,'' said Head of Shelter for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Graham Saunders on behalf of the global Emergency Shelter Cluster and the operational shelter agencies in Bangladesh. Aid agencies, therefore, urged the Bangladesh government and the international community to implement a comprehensive plan for ensuring safe and adequate shelter to the affected families. The release also said millions of Bangladeshis still remain in dire need of housing assistance even five months after the cyclone that killed around 4,000 people and destroyed nearly 1.5 million homes. ''More than 260,000 extremely vulnerable families are currently not getting any assistance to rebuild their homes. Assessments indicate that these families have very limited means for their survival and there are simply not sufficient programmes in the pipeline to help them,'' Graham Saunders said. Care Country Director Nick Southern said, ''The monsoon season is approaching and a broad range of activities needs to be undertaken now by the government and the international community.'' ''And we're not just talking about shelter without a roof over their heads, people are also exposed to serious health and hyg

2008-04-19

Diarrhea breaks out in country with rising temperature

The diarrhea situation in the country has worsened day by day with the rising temperature. The International Center for Diarrhea Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), a special research center and hospital for diarrhea patients in Dhaka, has received hundreds of diarrhea patients over the last week. An official of ICDDR,B, said on Friday they received 418 diarrhea patients on Thursday. ''221 diarrhea patients have been admitted to our hospital till 3 pm. today,'' she said. She said that usually more children are affected by diarrhea, but this year more adult diarrhea patients were admitted to the hospital. The official said the high temperature is the reason behind the breakout of the diarrhea, as the weather has become hotter since the beginning of April. Most of the diarrhea patients are from the lower-income group. They have to work hard in the high temperature and can not maintain quality food, and also have no access for safe water causing dehydration, which is leading to diarrhea.

2010-06-27

Jai Jai Din journos sue owners

Former journalists of the daily Jai Jai Din filed a fraud case against the HRC Group and ten employees of the paper with the Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station for not clearing their arrears in time, reports bdnews24.com.
Shahabuddin Azad, sub-inspector of the police station, recorded the case but told the journalists that it not properly done.
Sub-inspector Azad told the bdnews24.com that they were informed of the defects in their complaint. But they left the station saying that the complaint was brought to its notice. They would subsequently file the case with the court, the complainants told the sub-inspector.
Former Jai Jai Din journalist Altab Hossain (now in Samakal) told bdnews24.com that, despite the announcement of the management that they would pay their dues on Saturday, they did not do so. As a result, they lodged the case with the station.
Those who were accused in the case are Sayeed Hossain Chowdhury, owner of the paper, acting editor Kazi Rokanuddin, publisher Abul Hossain Al-Faruque, Kabiruddin, DGM, administration, senior GM Syed Abu Taleb, HRC group administration incharge Golam Faruque Alam, acting chief reporter Shakhawat Hossain, news editor Arun Dey, administration department executive Delwar Hossain and senior accounts assistant Nurul Huq.
Altab Hossain said publisher Abul Hasan Al-Faruque announced that cheques would be delivered at 3pm on Saturday. When the journalists went to the paper office to collect their cheques, the management, with the help of the police, obstructed their entry into the office.
Later, the journalists met DGM Kabiruddin and GM Abu Taleb. They told them that they did not get any instruction from the head office about their dues.
The aggrieved journalists also wanted intervention of the prime minister and the information minister to resolve the issue.
Besides, the former employees announced a sit-in programme in front of the National Pres