Kuwait assures Bangladesh of all-out support for dev
PM meets Emir and Prime Minister of Kuwait

BSS, Kuwait City

Kuwait on Monday showed keen interest in providing all-out support to different development projects in Bangladesh and also expansion of bilateral trade and business between the two brotherly Muslim countries.
The assurance came when visiting Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had separate meetings with Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah and her Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Nasser Al- Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah here. The Bangladesh premier spent a very busy day in the Kuwait city on Monday, the second day of her three-day state visit in the oil rich Arab country.
During the meetings, they discussed matters related to different bilateral interests and expansion of trade and business between Bangladesh and Kuwait for the mutual benefits of two peoples. Other important issues like Bangladeshi manpower export, river dredging and Kuwaiti investment in Bangladesh's development sector also came up prominently for discussion during these meetings.
Referring to the Kuwaiti investment in Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina urged the Kuwaiti entrepreneurs to invest more in Bangladesh taking advantage of her government's "lucrative" investment policy. In this context, she said her government would provide possible assistance for foreign investment in Bangladesh and laid emphasis on exchange of visits programmes of the businessmen of two countries to widen the way for further enhancing the trade relations between the two countries.
About the manpower export, she said her government is providing training to the Bangladeshi workers on the language, customs, laws and technical know-how to enable them to work efficiently in different host countries.
Sheikh Hasina said Kuwait can import more Bangladeshi semi- skilled, skilled and technical people experienced in construction, power, water, civil aviation, petro-chemical, gas and hospital works as they are gentle and law abiding.
During the meetings, the Emir and the Prime Minister of Kuwait expressed the hope that the parliamentary democracy would be further consolidated on a firm footing in Bangladesh under the able and prudent leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Referring to her role on the climate change issue, the Emir and the Prime Minister of Kuwait said Bangladesh has come in the forefront of world leadership to stand beside the Most Vulnerable Countries through the bold leadership of Sheikh Hasina.
In these meetings, the Kuwaiti leaders recalled with great respect the role of Father of the Nation and the greatest Bengali of all time Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and also his daughter Sheikh Hasina's vision towards building a poverty and hunger free prosperous Bangladesh.
Earlier, on her arrival at the Bayan Palace, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah received Sheikh Hasina as a smartly turned out contingent gave her the state guard of honour.
The Prime Minister also introduced members of her entourage to her Kuwaiti counterpart. Later, they held a meeting. Afterwards, Sheikh Hasina went to Seif Palace where she held a meeting with Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah. As the programme is over, the Prime Minister paid a call on Speaker of Kuwait Parliament (Maslis-e-Ummah) Jassem Al Khorafi at the parliament building here Monday afternoon.
During the meeting, they discussed matters of different bilateral issues including strengthening the parliamentary democracy.

 BNP to protest price hike, repression, anti-nation pacts
Khaleda reveals party strategy to journalists

UNB, Dhaka

BNP chairperson and Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia Monday clearly said her party will raise voice simultaneously inside parliament and out on the street to protest "repression" on journalists, price hike of essentials and pacts signed "against country's interests".
She will return to parliament and wants to give some more time to the present government. However, Khaldea would not precisely say when she would be back to the House to end a long standoff.
The former prime minister revealed her party's strategy while answering various queries and observations made by editors and senior journalists of different national dailies, news agencies and TV channels at a high tea hosted by her at the Lakeshore Hotel in the afternoon. It was her fist formal meeting with the media since the promulgation of state of emergency on January 11, 2007 amid a political topsy-turvy over election issues and one-year rule of the Awami League-led Grand Alliance Government following a democratic transition through the December 29, 2008 polls she lost.
Khaleda said it is not that democracy would remain alive only for joining parliament, at the same time press freedom would have to be protected as it is one of the pillars of the state-known as the fourth estate. Referring to BNP's and her personal initiative to cooperate with the government and proposal for discussion on national issues to reach national consensus, the BNP chief noted that friendship does not take place unilaterally, it presupposes initiatives from both sides.
"The government has to be cooperative and show tolerance instead of hostile steps and attitude," she observed.
Former Prime Minister said journalists and newspapers would have to play courageous role against government's 'misdeeds'.
Khaleda deplored that now personal character assassination is going on in parliament where parliamentary parlances are not being practiced. Parliament is being dubbed 'fish market' and 'zoo' by ruling-party members while one Treasury Bench member termed the Speaker servant of parliament, she said, striking a note of pessimism.
"There is no control over parliament of the Speaker or of the Leader of the House," she said and questioned whether there is any healthy environment in parliament.
Even then, Khaleda said, they have decided to go to parliament. "When we have decided to join parliament, they (ruling party) are letting out more indecorous statements. The ruling party doesn't want opposition BNP to sit in parliament as they are afraid of the opposition's discussion on the government's misdeeds. But we said we will go to parliament to speak," she said.
During the questions and observations, most editors and senior journalists advised BNP to return to parliament to play its constructive role in strengthening democracy. Some suggested them not to go for hartal and destructive programs and to open talks between the two top leaders-Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina. Some wanted to know if BNP will give any movement progarmme and its position on India especially against the backdrop of the PM's visit. Those who took part in the interactions include Mahfuz Anam, Editor of The Daily Star, Motiur Rahman, Editor of Prothom Alo, Reazuddin Ahmed, Editor of the News Today, Nurul Kabir, Editor of New Age, AMM Bahauddin, Editor of Daily Inqilab, Mahbubul Alam, Editor of The Independent, seniormost journalist and columnist ABM Musa, columnist, Abed Khan, Editor of Kalerkhantha, Ataus Samad, Editor of the weekly Thikana, Farid Hossain, AP Bureau chief, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Editor of Bangladesh Observer, and Shykh Siraj, chief news editor of Channel i, Ruhul Amin Gazi, journalist leader, and Badiul Alam, City Editor of the News Today.
The tea party started at 4:15 pm and continued till 5:55pm amid a political storm in a teacup that signifies a lot in the country's present context. BNP chairperson Khaleda, during her about 30-minute concluding speech in reply to the editors and journalists, touched on various points and issues like the past military-backed caretaker government, repression on journalists, price hike of essentials, agreements with India during the PM's recent visit to New Delhi, terrorism, killings, tender-manipulation and extortion by ruling-party men and so on.

 Warrant of precedence
SC stays HC verdict for six weeks

BSS, Dhaka

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Monday stayed for six weeks the operation of verdict of the High Court Division that declared illegal the existing warrant of precedence.
Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division Justice Md. Mozammel Hossain issued the order of stay on a provisional leave petition brought by the government seeking stay of the operation of the High Court verdict.
The court also asked the petitioner to file leave to appeal soon after getting the certified copy of the High Court verdict.
A two-member High Court bench on February 4 in the verdict also asked the government to elevate the status of district judges above the chiefs of three services.
The verdict ordered the government to amend the present warrant of precedence within next 60 days keeping all constitutional posts atop the warrant of precedence on a writ petition filed by former secretary general of Bangladesh Judicial Service Association M Ataur Rahman in 2006.
The judgment issued eight directives including placement of district judges just after the positions of the "constitutional posts" while the army, navy and air force chiefs would follow in terms of official status.

  PDB signs deals to set up two power plants
UNB, Dhaka

The state-owned Power Development Board (PDB) on Monday signed separate contracts with two Chinese contractors to set up two power plants having total capacity of 250 MW.
The projects are Chandpur 150 MW combined cycle plant and Sylhet 100 MW simple cycle plant. However, the Sylhet 100 MW simple cycle plant will be set up as part of a 150 MW combined cycle plant. Officials hoped both the projects will come into operation by 2011.
As per the contracts, China Chengda Engineering Co. Ltd (CCECL) will set up the Chandpur combined cycle plant at a cost of Tk 1005.77 crore (about US$ 145.76 million) while Shanghai Electric Group Co. Ltd, China will install the Sylhet simple cycle plant at a cost of Tk 704.51 crore (about US$ 105.15 million). Both the contractors will have to supply the equipments and install their respective plant under turnkey contract.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith, who was preset at the signing ceremony at Bidyut Bhaban in the city, urged the Chinese contractors to complete their jobs as fast as possible.
"We hope the contractors will do their job ahead of the schedule.
Because, power and energy is the bases of all developments," he said.
Muhith alleged that the power and energy sector had gone backwards because of the previous government's corruption and misrule. He termed the Chinese contractors as development partners of the country and offered all out support to set up the power plants.
Prime Minister's Advisor Dr. Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chodhury, State Minister for Power Brig Gen (retd) Mohammad Enamul Haque, Power Secretary Abul Kalam Azad and PDB chairman ASM Alamgir Kabir also spoke at the function. As per the contract, CCECL will complete the supply and installation job of gas turbine unit of the Chandpur plant by 15 months (450 days) and its steam turbine unit by 21.66 months (650 days) from the date of contract signing. The Chandpur plant's gas turbine will come from GE Energy of France while its gas turbine generator from Brush company of Czech Republic.
On the other hand, the Shanghai Electric will supply and install the Sylhet simple cycle plant within 18 months (540 days) from the date of signing the contract.
The Sylhet project's gas turbine and generator will come from Italy's Ansaldo Energia and gas booster from Atlas Copco of USA.
PDB Secretary Eskendar Ali, CCECI chairman Cao Guang and Shanghai Electric Group chairman Zhu Denian signed the contracts on behalf of their respective sides.
PDB chairman ASM Alamgir Kabir said the initiative for both the Chandpur and Sylhet plant was taken five years back and tenders were floated five times.

   BD raises gold tally to 18
UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh celebrated another great day in the South Asian Games on Monday as its sportsmen stole the show again on the 11th day by clinching four more gold medals, including most coveted one in football. The host beat Afghanistan 4-0 in the football final to clinch SA Games gold after 11 years.
Apart from this, Bangladesh earned three more gold medals -- two in boxing and one in Wushu. With the day's feat, Bangladesh gold medal tally rose to 18.
Mesbahuddin clinched gold medal in the men's Wushu of Nanquan and Nandaou (Taolu) event, Jewel Ahmed in the lightweight (up to 60 kg) boxing and Abdur Rahim in the light welter weight (up to 64 kgs) boxing.
Mesbah scored 18.22 to win the gold medal in Wushu, while S. Samarjit of India scored 18.20 to bag silver. R Ravindra Silva of Sri Lanka took the bronze.
Jewel Ahmed won the first boxing gold for Bangladesh beating Nepalese opponent Ajit Gurung in the final. Jayasundara of Sri Lanka and Mohammad Aziz of Afghanistan bagged the event's bronze.
Mohamamd Abdur Rahim got the 2nd boxing gold for Bangladesh in the defeating Sisira Kumara-singhe of Sri Lanka in the final. Aamir Khan of Pakistan and Khwaja Fayaz of Afghanistan took the events' bronze.