Patuakhali Correspondent

The family members of acid-burnt Sharmin has received death threat from the miscreants. In a press conference held at Bangladesh Legal Services Trust (BLAST) Office at Patuakhali on Sunday, Sarupjan, mother of Sharmin, also plaintiff of her daughter burned case, demanded exemplary punishment to the culprits.

The 13-year old girl Sharmin, a class nine student of Shoula Girl's Dakhil Madrasha under Patuakhali sadar upazila, was burned with acid on July 5, 2005.

Rajshahi Correspondent

Sharmin Akhter Mitu, (13), house maid of Kanthalbaria under Puthia upazila was allegedly killed by her employer at Pabna sadar thana on Friday last.

The dead body of the victim has been buried reportedly without autopsy through a negotiation that cost a very good amount. Sources said, Sharmin Akhter Mitu, daughter of Nazer Ali, of village Kanthalbaria was taken to the house of Rekha, one of her distant relatives, to work as house maid in Pabna town three months ago.

Staff Correspondent

Bangladesh Jatiya Party chairman Naziur Rahman Manzur died of acute renal failure at BIRDEM hospital Sunday, a doctor said. He was 59.

BIRDEM doctor Dr Fahmima Haque told bdnews24.com that Manzur died at 4:45 am at BIRDEM hospital.

He was suffering from a number of critical diseases including liver cirrhosis, diabetes and kidney problems, Haque said.

Agency

The term of Moeen U Ahmed as army chief has been extended by one year to June 15, 2009, an official said Sunday.

Sirajul Islam, secretary to the president, told bdnews24.com: "The tenure of the service of the army chief has been extended on a proposal by the Ministry of Defence."

Staff Correspondent

A peaceful transfer of power to a ninth parliament is most necessary as a military-backed administration will not benefit the country in the long-run, said former chief adviser Habibur Rahman Sunday Addressing a citizens' dialogue at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre, Rahman, also former chief justice, said: "It is a well-founded and almost universal truth that the military supervising the government and politics of a country cannot be beneficial for the nation or the military itself."

Our Correspondent

The army chief, General Moeen U Ahmed, said Sunday the ongoing food crisis would end with the boro harvest as cultivation was high this season.

Addressing a rally of farmers at Bhuapur Upazila in the district of Tangail, the army chief said there was no alternative to boosting agricultural output.

Agency

The cabinet is set to approve a police reform proposal for the modernisation of the department in its next meeting, the home adviser said Sunday.

"The government is going to approve the police reform proposal as a part of reform activities done in different sectors to make the police department more transparent, multidimensional and modern," adviser MA Matin said, while inaugurating the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence Week 2008 in Mirpur.

Staff Correspondent

Detained Awami League president Sheikh Hasina was taken back to special jail Sunday morning after she underwent eye examination at Square Hospital.

A number of eye tests were carried out while Hasina stayed at the hospital from 8:30 am to 10:45 am.

Agency

Agriculture adviser CS Karim asked deputy commissioners on Sunday to make a list of "real farmers" immediately to distribute subsidies among them.

The adviser spelled out the directive on the second day of a three-day deputy commissioners' conference at the Chief Adviser's Office, as the government is set to start the distribution of Tk 750 crore in subsidies among farmers on April 20.

Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain Saturday said Upazila Parishad elections would not be held after national polls anyway, reports UNB.

He says they want to remain as hero, not zero, in the history of Bangladesh completing their electoral task through holding the elections timely. "The upazila elections won''t be held after national elections.

Modalities of the government-sponsored dialogue with political parties, expected sometime this month, are now being set for a focused discussion on the issues, the press secretary to the Chief Advisor said Saturday, reports UNB.

"Modalities are being worked out," Syed Fahim Munaim told UNB. Although a firm date of the dialogue has not yet been finalized, he said, hopefully it will start this month.

The global rise in the installation cost of power plants has been a major concern for the Power Development Board (PDB) as it is struggling to meet the country''s growing electricity demand, reports UNB.

In 1998-2000, installation of a one-megawatt plant cost US$ 0.6 million and it shot up to 0.8 million internationally within a decade, according to official sources. For instance, they said, 450MW Meghnaghat Power plant was installed at a cost of US$ 290 million.

Flash flood in river Jamuna has submerged standing boro paddy fields of several hundred acres in char and low lying areas along the river, reports UNB.

Farmers were seen on Saturday cutting the half ripen boro paddy in the affected areas of Islampur, Dewanganj and Sarishabari upazila.

A six-day-long border conference between Bangladesh and India begins Monday in New Delhi with a long list of issues between the two neighbors, reports UNB.

Killing or injuring by BSF and Indian nationals, “provocative” firing, trespass and push-in of women and children by the Indian border guards and citizens, trafficking in illegal arms and ammunition, and smuggling of explosive and narcotic substances, including phensidyl, heroin and hemp from India, will be placed by the Bangladesh side in the meeting, said a BDR release here Saturday.

Our Correspondent

Three people died and 10 others were injured after a train rammed into a truck at a level crossing in Gafargaon upazila of Mymensingh Sunday, police said.

Gafargaon police chief Amzad Hossain told bdnews24.com the accident occurred in an area called Maijhati around 9:00am when the Dhaka-bound train coming from Jamalpur collided with the truck.

Staff Correspondent

Students of the Northern University in Jigatola took to the streets Sunday and briefly blockaded Satmasjid Road to press home their demands for better facilities.

The students of the private university protested that classes and exams were not taking place according to schedule.

Iftekhar-Solana hold talks

The cooperation between Bangladesh and European Union is growing at a welcome rate, and in many ways is a model for others of its kind, reports agency.

This observation came Friday at a meeting between Foreign Adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and Secretary General of European Union Dr. Javier Solana at the EU Headquarter, according to a message received in Dhaka Saturday.

President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed Saturday said the role of the Fire Service and Civil Defence is significant in ensuring security to people during incidents of fire and natural disasters and saving lives of civilians during war.

Their role is also vital for providing treatment to injured and transportation for serious patients, the President added.

Crime Reporters Association of Bangladesh (CRAB) Saturday demanded punishment and withdrawal of two RAB officials who allegedly misbehaved with its members at RAB-1 office Friday, reports UNB.

CRAB also decided to boycott the news of the elite force until actions are taken against the officials. The decision was taken at a protest rally held on the premises of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) Saturday.

Some take air journey for comfort while some for speed. But one will hardly enjoy the journey when he or she takes flight in local airlines like GMG for its frequent flight cancellations, reports UNB.

"These days we cannot depend on GMG Airlines for its frequent flight cancellations, no matter whether it is domestic or international ones, let alone the theft of luggage," an aggrieved passenger told UNB.