Govt to ensure housing for all by 2015: PM
BSS, Sangsad Bhaban

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday told the Jatiya Sangsad that the government would ensure housing for all by the year 2015 according to the election pledge.
Mentioning the election pledge of the government, she said the Housing and Public Works Ministry has undertaken various steps to ensure housing facilities for all citizens.
The Prime Minister said this while replying to a question raised by treasury bench lawmaker Golam Dastagir Gazi in the Jatiya Sangsad.
"The National Housing Authority has taken programmes for developing residential plots and flats through the Site and Services Project at district and upazila levels including Dhaka city," she said. She also said that a piece of land of 4.55 acres has been reserved for building flats for low-income people and another 15.53 acres for constructing 10,000 flats from 600 sft to 800 sft in the Jhilmil residential project of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakhaya (RAJUK).
In Uttara 3rd phase residential project, 40.51 acres land has been reserved for low-income people, 10.917 acres for low and middle income people and also 67.011 acres land for constructing 22,512 flats of 850 sft, 1050 sft and 1250 sft, the Prime Minister said. In Purbachal New Town Project, 96.27 acres land has been allocated for low and middle income people and another 291.33 acres land for constructing 20,000 flats from 800 sft to 1200 sft each, she added.
To resolve the housing problem of increasing population in the city, Sheikh Hasina said the government has a plan for developing four satellite towns with modern facilities around the Dhaka city through RAJUK. Flats for low and middle income people would be constructed and places for those have been selected at the RAJUK's detailed area plan, she said.
The Prime Minister said acquisition of land for Kalpalok residential development project (2nd phase) under Chittagong Unnayan Kartipakhaya is under process. "About 300 plots would be allocated under this project," she said adding that the process of developing land for building 800 plots under Nilachal project is under process.

   US playing ‘game’ in Afghanistan: Ahmadinejad
AP, Kabul

Taking aim at the US, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednes-day that it's the United States that is playing a "double game" in Afgh-anistan, fighting terrorists it once supported.
At a news conference in the Afghan capital, Ahmad-inejad was asked to respond to U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who earlier in the week accused Tehran of "playing a double game" by trying to have a good relationship with the Afghan government while undermining U.S. and NATO efforts by providing some support to the Taliban.
Tehran has said it supports the Afghan government and denies allegations that it helps the Taliban. Iran calls the accusation part of a broad anti-Iranian campaign and says it makes no sense that its Shiite-led government would help the fundamentalist Sunni movement of the Taliban.
"I believe that they themselves," who are now fighting militants in Afghanistan, "are playing a double game," he said.
"They themselves created terrorists and now they're saying that they are fighting terrorists." During the 10 years the that the Soviet Union fought in Afghanistan, the U.S. supplied rebels with supplies ranging from mules to advanced wea-ponry, inc-luding Stinger anti-aircraft missiles that played a crucial role in neutralizing Soviet air power. The U.S. money spigot, however, was later turned off and the world watched Afghanistan plunge into chaos and eventually harbor al-Qaida terrorists. Gates, who left Afghanistan shortly before Ahmadinejad spoke, called Ahmadinejad's visit to Kabul "certainly bothersome."
"We think Afghanistan should have good relations with all its neighbors, but we want all of Afgha-nistan's neighbors" to deal fairly with President Hamid Karzai's government," Gates said.
Karzai said Iran was assisting Afghanistan with reconstruction projects, improving education and helping provide electricity. "We are very hopeful that our brother nation of Iran will work with us in bringing peace and security to Afghanistan so that both our countries will be secure," Karzai said, adding that Afghanistan has a very good relationship with Tehran.
"We have mentioned several times to our brother nation, Iran, that we don't want any one to use our soil against any of our neighbors," he said.
Ahmadinejad and Karzai both spoke at the presidential palace, but it was the Iranian leader who did nearly all of the talking.
He said the best way to fight terrorists was not on the battlefield, but through the use of intelligence, which does not result in the death of troops or civilians. He repeatedly raised the Iranian capture of Abdu-lmalik Rigi, former leader of an insurgent group known as Jundallah.
Iran has accused the U.S. and Britain of supporting Jundallah in an effort to weaken the Iranian government - a charge that both nations deny.
He said the U.S. and other nations would be better off using intelligence, not military force, to fight militants in Afghanistan.
"Iran didn't kill any innocent civilians," in the arrest of Rigi, he said, adding later that the U.S. was trying to bring civilization to Afghanistan "by gun and bomb."

   Mobile-phone operators asked to book unregistered SIM cards

UNB, Dhaka

Amid a reported tele-crime galore, the government Wednesday instructed mob-ile-phone operators to immediately book the unregistered SIM cards to check different types of crimes being committed by phoning.
Besides, they were asked to take photocopy of the National Identity (NID) card of the customer in time of purchasing a SIM card. It is also mandatory to produce a guarantor's address and contact number.
The government instructions came from a meeting held at the Home Ministry with Home Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun in the chair.
The meeting elaborately discussed various recommendations submitted by the committee on Prevention of Telephonic Extortion, which was formed earlier with BTRC Chairman Brig Gen(Retd) ZIA Islam as the chief.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, the Home Minister said two lakh SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) cards have already been blocked following allegation of threatening or demanding toll or committing other crimes through the freewheeling use of mobile phones.
"I request mobile operators not to sell SIM card without NID from tomorrow. I hope this process will reduce mobile crimes," Sahara said.
The Home Minister said two separate committees will be formed to implement the recommendations given by the committee for preventing telephonic extortion.
State Minister for Home Affairs Advocate Shamsul Haq Tuku, Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder, IGP Nur Mohammad, DG of RAB Hasan Mahmud Khandaker, DMP Commissioner AKM Shahidul Haq, high officials concerned and representatives of mobile operators attended the meeting.

   Jamaat demands release of its activists before the Independence Day

UNB, Dhaka

Jamaat Wednesday said scores of its activists and leaders arrested on fictitious charge and demanded their unconditional release before the Independence Day on March 26.
Party's secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid told a press conference that those arrested were subjected to physical and mental torture in police custody.
He said more than 700 Jamaat and Shibir men have been arrested on false pretext since the incident on Rajshahi University campus on February 8.
He termed 'injustice and undemocratic' the actions against the leaders of Jamaat and its student wing Chhatra Shibir. They are creating obstacles in holding public meetings and rallies. It is a planned action to annihilate the Islamic forces of the country, he said.
Mujahid announced a countrywide programme from March 14 to 31 when they will hold meetings and rallies to expose the 'misdeeds' of the government and injustice and undemocratic actions against the party activists and leaders.
He alleged that the government is violating the human rights by extracting confessional statement under duress from the arrested the Jamaat-Shibir activists. "The government is using the law enforcing agencies to harass the political opponents".
Referring to the CHT incidents, Mujahid said it was the result of withdrawal of Army camps. But the government is falsely blaming the political adversaries.

    Barapukuria land subsidence victims begin fast-unto-death
UNB, Dinajpur

Hundreds of people affected due to land subsidence in Barapukuria Coal Mine Company Ltd (BCMCL) area began fast-unto-death on Wednesday demanding compensation and permanent rehabilitation.
Local sources said the residents of several affected villages under the banner of Committee to Save Life and Property began their strike in front of the BCMCL main gate at 12 noon. Earlier, they started to gather there from the morning.
Affected landowners said about 2,600 families of the area have been living under the risk of the land subsidence since production started at the coalmine in 2004.
"About three-fourth of 11 villages in the area developed cracks and several 100 acres of land have been sunk since then," said the affected people.
Committee to Save Life and Property gave an ultimatum to the state-owned Petrobangla to meet their demands within February 20.
Petrobangla Chairman Dr Hossain Mansur had also two meetings with the affected villagers on February 19. However, the meetings ended fruitless as the Petrobangla Chairman sought three and a half months to solve their problems. Ibrahim Khalil, convener of the Committee to Save Life and Property, said they would continue their fast-unto-death until their demands are met.
He alleged that the government bureaucrats created hindrance in reaching an understanding with the Petrobangla. Additional police have been deployed in and around the BCMCL to fend off any untoward incident.

    Strike on 18 southern river routes continues
BSS, Barisal

Strike continued on 18 river routes in the southern region for the fourth day on Wednesday.
The workers of launches have enforced the strike to realize a 22-point demand, including reinstatement of sacked workers.
Launch Owners Association leaders at a press conference here Wednesday morning alleged that the launch owners and passengers have become hostage in the hands of workers.
On the other hand, the launch workers held a protest rally and submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner to realize their demands.
Held at the office of Launch Labour Asso-ciation, the rally was addressed by Sikder Abul Hashem Master, Master Nazrul, Ekin Ali Master, Abdul Aziz Master, Master Nazrul and Ticket Master M Helal, among others.