Australian economy grows 0.6 pc

MELBOURNE, Sept 2: Australia posted economic growth of 0.6 per cent in the June quarter, official figures showed today, confirming its status as the best performer in the developed world during the global downturn, reports AFP.The better-than-expected figure means the economy expanded 1.0 per cent in the first six months of 2009, building on 0.4 per cent growth in the March quarter.Analysts had predicted growth of about 0.2 per cent after weak export figures were released earlier this week.Australian Chamber of Commerce and...

The unravelling of Germany’s Arcandor

BERLIN, Sep2: Thousands of workers at the insolvent German retail group Arcandor face an uncertain future amid growing signs that the company will be broken up, reports BBC.The company’s collapse has also all but wiped out the $5.5bn (£3.4bn) fortune of its reclusive shareholder Madeleine Schickedanz, introducing her to a life of cheap pizzas, discount supermarkets and home-grown vegetables.All eyes are now on Klaus Hubert Goerg, the court-appointed administrator who has the unenviable task of restructuring Arcandor.On Tuesday,...

Global economy flashes recovery

LONDON, Aug 2: The world economy lurched toward recovery on Wednesday even as fears lingered on financial markets, brightening the sky for talks between G20 finance ministers in London later this week,...

US sees WTO ministerial talks key to Doha success

WASHINGTON, Sept 2: The United States expects a world trade ministerial meeting in India this week to be an “important step” in efforts to conclude the Doha free trade accord, President Barack Obama’s top trade envoy said yesterday, reports AFP.The two-day informal talks beginning Thursday in New Delhi will be attended by World Trade Organization (WTO) Director General Pascal Lamy and ministers from rich and emerging nations with sharp differences on issues such as farm subsidies and tariffs on industrial products.“I think this...

World stocks slide despite upbeat data

LONDON, Sep 2: Global stock markets slid on Wednesday, with the heaviest losses seen in Asia, as investor confidence in economic recovery waned despite positive economic data from around the world, reports AFP.“Compared to last months’ optimism, investors seem afraid of fear itself, more than anything else,” said Daniel Roy, equities analyst at Newedge brokers.“Across market players, it is generally accepted that a correction is due on equity markets” after strong recent gains, he added.Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei-225 index slumped...

Square Hospital inks deal with BRAC Bank

SQUARE Hospitals Ltd. and BRAC Bank signed a corporate healthcare agreement in the city recently, said a press release.Under the deal, premium banking customer of BRAC Bank will get privileged coverage of health check-ups, medical consultations, diagnostic services, and outdoor and in-patient services at a special rate.Dr. Faisal Zaman, head of marketing and business development from square Hospitals Ltd., and Firoz Ahmed Khan, head of retail banking from BRAC Bank signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organisa...

Govt warns hatchery owners of permitting more egg imports

Commerce minister Farukh Khan on Wednesday warned entrepreneurs that permission would be given to import chicks if hatchery owners failed to reduce their prices in the local market. His warning came as imports of eggs, despite protest from businessmen, apeared to have lowered egg prices in the domestic market, reports bdnews24.com.The commerce minister said the government will continue to allow imports of eggs if the market remains unstable. He made the statement while a delegation of Bangladesh Poultry Industries Association...

New SME Foundation chief for rate cut

Newly appointed SME Foundation (SMEF) chairman Aftab ul Islam on Wednesday emphasized on lower interest for flourishing the small and medium enterprises in the country, reports UNB.“SMEs won’t flourish if the interest rate (on SME loans) is not half of the general rate,” he said at a press conference at the Foundation office.At present, banks charge up to 13 per cent interest on loans for agriculture, and medium and large enterprises while over 13 per cent for small enterprises.Aftab ul Islam, a professional accountant and businessman,...

0.3m sharecroppers to get Tk 500cr loan

The central bank on Wednesday signed an agreement with BRAC on a Tk 500 crore fund for collateral free loans to some 300,000 sharecroppers, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, reports bdnews24.com.The Bangladesh Bank’s agriculture loan and special programme director general SM Moniruzzaman and BRAC director (finance) S M Koiri signed the deal on the fund titled ‘refinancing scheme’ .After the deal, governor Atiur Rahman said: “The neglected sharecroppers do not get the farm loans given by the banks. But half of the farmers...

Zamdani sarees in high demand in Eid market

The prestigious Zamdani sarees are top in the bursting Eid and puja market this time drawing increasing attention of most buyers from cross section of people, reports BSS.And the very underlying factors behind this success lies in the initiatives of a section of producers who are adding new designs, styles and taste to classical zamdani fabrics to increase its use both as home-wear and party attire.The industry sources said, zamdani is not limited now to its use as sarees. It is a popular wear now as salwar and kamis for female,...

Masks sell at higher prices

Unscrupulous businessmen are making fortune out of swine flu panic in the country after disposable surgical masks are sold at three times higher than the price of such a preventive device, reports BSS.A number of pharmacies today said the mask importers and wholesalers in city’s Mitford area sold a mask of Tk 3 at Tk 10 yesterday, but the price has gone up further with its poor supply.“We have bought a dozen of China-made surgical mask at Tk 35 on Monday, Tk 70 on Tuesday and Tk 120 today. However, the masks are almost out of...

Stocks end up upbeat

Dhaka stocks finished upbeat Wednesday for the second straight day on an investor buying spree, which caused over 70 per cent of issues to gain, reports bdnews24.com.The day’s highs were largely driven by pharmaceutical and non-banking financial institutions (NBFIs), according to brokers.“NBFIs gained the most, on expectation of their capital base doubling,” an official of brokerage house Royal Securities told the news agency.The official, however, said the buying spree had followed depressed market prices.“Buying often occurs...

Bureaucrats shun 27-year dress code

Giving up 27 years'' official dress code, bureaucrats at the Bangladesh Secretariat have started attending their offices wearing trousers and shirts in a more business-like fashion, reports UNB.At the last cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed senior bureaucrats to shun suit and tie and instead wear trousers and shirts to cut electricity consumption caused by the use of air- conditioner. Following the PM''s order, the Cabinet Division issued a circular on Tuesday about the dress code for officials of the government,...

Moriarty hints at America''s ''tragic mistake''

US ambassador James F Moriarty Wednesday hinted that his country made a "tragic mistake" by opposing the birth of Bangladesh in 1971, reports bdnews24.com."Senator Kennedy helped my country to correct a tragic mistake back in 1970 and 1971."We expressed that by quickly recognising Bangladesh after the end of the war, you all recall that," Moriarty told reporters after a discussion in memory of the late Senator Edward Kennedy, who personally supported Bangladesh''s war of independence despite the then US administration''s opposition."We...

Khaleda visits injured Anu at city hospital

BNP chairperson and opposition leader Khaleda Zia visited Professor Anu Mohammad at the Square Hospital on Wednesday evening as the Jahangirnagar University teacher and others were injured in police action during a protest march in the city, reports UNB.Prof Anu and at least 32 others were injured when police swooped on the procession brought out by the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports in the city''s Bijoynagar area on Wednesday afternoon. The former PM condemned the "attack" on the...

Number of swine flu cases climbs to 261

With the detection of 14 new cases on Wednesday, the total number of Swine Flu inflicted persons in the country rose to 261, of them one has died, reports UNB."Fourteen more cases have been detected today as we have tested few samples of suspected swine flu cases collecting from different hospitals in the city", IEDCR Senior Scient-ific Officer Dr Mushtaque Hussein told a seminar on Swine flu. He said since the virus is spreading to community, there is no need to test to confirm the virus. Rather, if symptom is found, the patient...

Demo against leasing gas blocks in Bay

30 hurt in police protesters clashAt least 30 people were injured as police charged batons on anti-gas-block-lease demonstrators in the city on Wednesday.Some policemen were also injured in the incident when demonstrators hurled brickbats and stones on them.The trouble erupted at about 12:30 pm when the demonstrators, under the banner of the National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, tried to move ahead by breaking the police barricade near Bijoynagar area, witnesses and police said.The committee,...

Astronauts on first space-walk of Discovery mission

WASHINGTON, Sept 2: Two US astronauts gingerly stepped out of the shuttle Discovery on Tuesday and began the first space-walk of the mission’s nine-day stay at the International Space Station (ISS), reports AFP.Astronaut Nicole Stott emerged from the orbiter’s decompression chamber at 2149 GMT some 350 kilometers (255 miles) above the Pacific ocean and was joined in the blackness of space by Mission Specialist Danny Olivas for what is expected to be a walk of 6.5 hours, according to US space agency NASA.With the help of the...

EU to allow more refugees

BRUSSELS, Sep 2: The European Commission is set to unveil plans to allow more refugees from conflict zones and poor nations into European countries, reports BBC.The scheme is aimed at discouraging immigrants - mainly from Africa - from attempting to reach Europe illegally.Many risk their lives as they try to enter the EU, often relying on human traffickers.Of all the refugees resettled around the world last year, only 7% were accepted by EU countries.The Commission - the EU’s executive arm - wants to help people who have fled...

Barisal Vet Instt closed sine die

BARISAL, Sept 2: Barisal Veterinary Institute, the outer campus of Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU), were closed sine die Wednesday following student movement, reports UNB.The authorities asked the students to vacate their dormitories by 4pm today.The students of the institute have been observing various programmes since August 26 demanding reinstatement of their one-year internship and scrapping the changes in curriculum.They held rallies, brought out shoe processions, burnt effigies of the VC and faculty...

TSS to manufacture cell phone sets

Though late, Bangladesh will make mobile-phone sets of common and exclusive standards by next February to enter the market of this fastest-growing sector, reports UNB.Telephone Shilpa Sangstha (Teshis), a state-owned company under the Telecommunications Ministry, is going to manufacture and market the mobile-phone sets at prices ranging from Tk 1,500 to Tk 10,000 each.The Telephone Shilpa Sangstha will also market its another new product, digital land telephone set, within this month (September) at Tk 500 to Tk 600 per set.Chairman...

Joynal Hazari set free

FENI, Sept 2: Joynal Hazari, a former Awami League MP, was today set free from Feni jail following the High Court granted bail in an arms case in which was awarded life imprisonment six years ago, reports UNB.Once a dreaded godfather of terrorists'' and expelled from Awami League, Joynal Hazari was set free at about 11 am. Returning straight to his home Shaila Kutir at Masterpara in the town, Hazari held an impromptu press conference."My expulsion from the party has been withdrawn. I am still the general secretary of Feni District...

8 killed in road accidents

SYLHET Sept 2: Five people, including three college students, were killed in separate road crashes in the city and Balaganj upazila on Tuesday, reports UNB.The three students were killed as a bus rammed into their motorcycle in the city''s Tilagarh area at night.The deceased were identified as Alek Hossain Chowdhury, 25, son of Ali Hossain, of Habiganj district, Ali Reza, 25, resident of Narsingtila in the city and Soikat, hailed Chunarughat upazila of Habiganj district.They were the students of Sylhet Govt MC College.Police...

Thrust on science, tech-based curricula

BNP MP gives note of dissentThe Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications Ministry Wednesday stood divided over the burning issue of Asian Highway as a lone opposition BNP lawmaker on the panel...

Thrust on science, tech-based curricula

The final draft of a new education policy was published Wednesday with recommendations for extending primary education up to class VIII and secondary up to class XII, introducing upgraded curricula based on science, technological, environmental and moral education, reports UNB.Forming Non-government Teachers Commission and Permanent Education Commission and formulating a new integrated education law are recommended in the long-cherished National Education Policy 2009.The National Education Policy Formulation Committee handed...