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 Industry president Peter Anderson said the strong growth was welcome but the real test for the economy would come in the next nine months, when government stimulus spending dries up.
“What we are seeing is growth on the back of the contribution from the publicly-funded stimulus,” he told Sky Business.
“That will start to be eased out over the next quarter, which means that the economy will still be under pressure... the real test is yet to come.”
The Australian government has announced stimulus measures totalling more than 70 million dollars (60 million US) since the end of last year designed to cushion the economy from the global financial crisis.

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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, the insolvency proceedings were officially opened and Goerg presented the bankruptcy court in the German city of Essen with a plan mapping out the road ahead.
The plan coincided with news that there are 18 potential investors for Arcandor’s mail-order unit Quelle, with eight or nine of them interested in Arcandor’s entire mail order operation.
Yet many unresolved questions remain, not least with regards to how many jobs will be cut.
The saga surrounding the collapse of Arcandor has gripped Germany throughout this summer, ever since the retail giant filed for insolvency on 9 June.
With 40,000 jobs in Germany under threat, it was one of the biggest insolvencies Europe had seen since the financial crisis started last year.
German newspaper commentators referred to the “nightmare at Arcandor” and the company’s share price continued its downward slide.
Even its main investors, the Schickedanz family and the private bank Sal. Oppenheim, said they could not stump up any more cash.
Despite a heated public debate, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government refused to help Arcandor, claiming the group ran into trouble before the current downturn.
It was a controversial decision. At the time, there was much focus on how ministers had given the green light for a bail-out of the troubled carmaker Opel, whilst at the same time ruling out state aid for Arcandor.
The company’s Karstadt chain of department stores, the German mail-order unit, Quelle, and the Primondo service group were all affected by the insolvency, among other entities.
“Chancellor Merkel’s government was right not to bail out Arcandor because it’s better to let the market decide whether a company has a viable business model,” says Stefan Kooths, an economist at the German Institute for Economic Research in Berlin.
“But the government sent a contradictory message when it [vowed to] bail out Opel.
“That was clearly a protectionist measure designed to help the German car industry.”
Back in June, Arcandor hoped a single investor could be found, but the company’s optimism proved to be ill-founded and separate investors are now being sought.
Arcandor is searching for buyers for its different divisions and the group’s creditor banks are looking to sell most of its 53% stake in Thomas Cook, the UK tour operator.
“Our priority is to save as many jobs as possible,” says Gerd Koslowski, a spokesman for Arcandor.
“We tried to find an investor for the whole Arcandor group, but that wasn’t possible in these difficult market conditions.
“We’re still looking for two investors for the Primondo mail order unit and the Karstadt stores and we’re hopeful.”
Arcandor’s decision to file for insolvency was seen by many as inevitable, given the group’s long-standing difficulties.
Once called KarstadtQuelle, Arcandor almost went bankrupt in 2004 and the company later struggled to stay afloat.
Karstadt’s department stores, which employ 30,000 people in Germany, were regarded by analysts as retail sector dinosaurs.
In recent years, large shopping malls were built outside city centres and the catalogue business of Quelle faced a massive threat from internet companies.
After the German Woolworth chain filed for insolvency in April, Karstadt’s days were numbered.
“We’ve seen a gradual demise of traditional department stores in Germany over the past couple of decades,” says Professor Thomas Roeb from the Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences.

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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, reports AFP.
Australia surprised with a jump in growth in the second quarter, US manufacturing expanded, European economies continued their gradual emergence from the worst crisis in decades and company results showed an upturn.
The worst of the financial crisis is “over for the time being,” Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the Eurogroup of finance ministers, told reporters as he arrived for a meeting in Brussels.
Finance ministers from the Group of 20, which comprises leading developed and developing nations, will be meeting in London at the weekend to lay the groundwork for a G20 economic summit in the US city of Pittsburgh on September 24-25.
World leaders have been upbeat but equally cautious about declaring victory in the epic battle against recession and have warned that recovery will be slow as they focus on the looming dilemma of how to exit stimulus programmes.
“The global economy is not out of the woods yet by a long stretch,” Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said even as data showed Australia’s economy growing 0.6 per cent in the second quarter — the best result among developed countries.
His Treasurer Wayne Swan sounded a more upbeat note, calling the result “remarkable” given the fragility of the world economy and saying: “Today’s result means we are the fastest growing advanced economy over the past year.”
Resource-rich Australia’s shipments to China and its government stimulus programme have helped shield it from the worst of the global downturn, with the only blip so far an 0.5 per cent contraction in the final quarter of 2008.
In the United States, US President Barack Obama on Tuesday said the growth in US manufacturing in August for the first time in 19 months was “a sign that we are on the path to economic recovery.”
But he also warned: “There is no doubt we have a long way to go.”
Analysts at Dutch bank ING said in a research note to clients: “A stronger US manufacturing sector could help underpin the global recovery, and provide support for commodity prices.”
They added however that US “economic activity remains exceedingly weak.”
Paul Dales from Capital Economics in London was also optimistic but cautious.
“The good news is that the recovery in the US manufacturing and housing sectors appears to be gathering pace. The bad news is that it is still not creating any extra jobs,” Dales said.
“It is worth remembering that the recovery has not even begun in the all-important consumer sector,” he said, adding: “Overall, it’s shaping up to be another jobless recovery.”
Experts warn major headaches for the world economy still lie ahead as some government stimulus programmes begin to wind down, unemployment rises and concerns linger over the banking sector.
In Germany for instance, fears rose on Wednesday of massive job cuts in the giant auto industry as a five-billion-euro (7.1-billion-dollar) government “cash-for-clunkers” programme wound down.
Stock markets have also shrugged off the upbeat economic data, tumbling around the world this week as traders rush to cash in quick profits.
London’s benchmark FTSE 100 index was 0.36 per cent down in mid-day trading.
“Compared to last month’s 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.
Stock market drops in turn prompted traders on Wednesday to buy up the Japanese yen — seen as a safe-haven investment — against the dollar and euro.
The trend “reflects the nervousness of investors about the sustainability of global economic recovery,” Barclays Capital analysts wrote to clients.
Oil prices, which tend to reflect economic recovery hopes, also remained below 70 dollars a barrel on Wednesday amid worries about energy demand.

German recovery faces setbacks

FRANKFURT, Sept 2: Germany got an economic boost yesterday ahead of a key election as consumption picked up, but unemployment is also rising and tight credit conditions could still choke off a recovery, analysts warn.
German retail sales posted their first increase since April but were overshadowed by higher unemployment that could confound the turnaround.
Sales gained 0.7 per cent in July from the previous month according to provisional data released by the national statistics office.
Auto sales boosted by a government subsidy set to expire on Wednesday were not included in the figures.
Meanwhile, in its last report before the September 27 general election, the Federal Labour Agency said the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate stood at 8.3 per cent of the workforce in August, up from 8.2 per cent in July. The unadjusted number of unemployed rose by 9,000 to a total of 3.47 million, with a government plan to subsidise shorter working hours “stabilising the labour market,” agency president Frank Weise said. The data showed that between December and June, the number of short- shift workers had increased by around 1.3 million.

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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 ministerial... can be a very important step for our goal for the successful completion of the Doha round of negotiations,” US Trade Representative Ron Kirk told reporters before leaving Tuesday for the meeting. “We all jointly share a common objective and belief that completion of the Doha round can be a key element to helping the world recover from this current economic crisis,” Kirk said.
He added that the talks provided a critical “window” between now and the WTO ministerial meeting later this year in Geneva, giving countries “the clarity needed to understand the opportunities for meaningful market access (and) allow Doha to come to successful conclusion.” The talks are also seen as critical as they come ahead of a meeting of leaders of the Group of 20 developed and emerging nations in the US city of Pittsburgh on September 24-25.
India’s new trade negotiator, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, has said he wants a deal, but his ministry sought to manage expectations about the meeting’s outcome.
“This is not going to be a negotiating forum,” Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar, the top civil servant in India’s commerce ministry, told reporters last week. “We are looking for a commitment to re-engage on Doha.”
The Doha round of talks began in 2001 with the aim of boosting global commerce to help developing countries, but deadlock between the major trading blocs has dashed repeated attempts to forge a new pact.
The last push in July last year in Geneva ended in failure, but with new governments installed in Washington and the host nation India, there is renewed hope for another drive for success sometime next year. “I think what may make this different is that with the change in the administration—in the United States and in India certainly, in South Africa, in other countries—you have a new cast of countries with new leadership that have... desire to try to make this happen,” Kirk said.

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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 2.37 per cent to close at 10,280.46 points on Wednesday, hit by the double whammy of falling US stocks and a stronger yen, which is bad for exporters, dealers said.
Europe’s main stock markets also dropped but losses were less severe. The FTSE 100 fell 0.22 per cent to 4,809.30 points approaching midday in London, Frankfurt’s DAX 30 lost 0.53 per cent to 5,299.24 points and in Paris the CAC 40 shed 0.67 per cent to 3,559.37.
The falls came despite signs that economies are on the long and bumpy path to recovery from the global downturn, as the United States, the eurozone and China posted manufacturing growth while Australia said GDP grew in the June quarter.
Investors instead took their cue from an overnight slump on Wall Street, where the Dow Jones Industrial Average dived 1.96 per cent to finish at 9,310.60 points.
Figures released on Tuesday showing the US manufacturing sector grew in August after 18 monthly declines in a row was hailed by President Barack Obama as “a sign that we are on the path to economic recovery.”
The Institute of Supply Management said its index of the factory sector, also known as the purchasing managers index, beat analyst expectations to jump to 52.9 per cent from 48.9 per cent in July. Any number above 50 indicates growth.
“The year-and-a-half decline in manufacturing output has come to an end, as 11 of 18 manufacturing industries are reporting growth when comparing August to July,” said ISM survey chief Norbert Ore.
However it failed to sway sceptical investors waiting to see if such upbeat data would help buoy corporate earnings, dealers said.
The US results chimed with other manufacturing reports around the world.
A widely-watched index of manufacturing activity in the 16-nation eurozone hit a 14-month high in August, still indicating contraction but continuing a gradual rise from historic lows.
Meanwhile China’s manufacturing activity expanded in August at its fastest pace in 16 months. In response, Shanghai shares rose 1.16 per cent on Wednesday.
The data pointed to stabilisation in the Asian giant and a boost for the many countries that rely on Beijing for their exports.
However, China shares have been volatile in recent sessions amid fears that the government may curb lending, which in turn would crimp liquidity and stymie a regional recovery.
Australia posted economic growth of 0.6 per cent in the June quarter, official figures showed, confirming its status as the best performer in the developed world as massive stimulus plans boosted domestic spending.
“When every other major advanced economy has fallen into technical recession, we have not,” Treasurer Wayne Swan said.
However, Sydney’s benchmark S&P/ASX200 index closed down 1.69 per cent on Wednesday as worries about Wall Street’s losses and the so-called “September effect” instead coloured sentiment.
“Welcome to September, historically the toughest month of the year for investors,” said Fred Dickson, chief market strategist at DA Davidson & Co.
“We are seeing some pullback in the market as we begin September over the concern that the market has overextended itself,” said Andy Douglass of PNC Bank.

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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 organisations.

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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 met him at his office.
The government recently permitted GM Enterprise to import 20 crore eggs from India, where the first delivery of 3 lakh eggs reached Monday.
Retail price of eggs as stated in the website of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh was Tk 24-25 per hali (four eggs) for red eggs while Tk 23-24 for white ones. It was Tk 29-30 and Tk 28-29 respectively in August.
Masum Khan, a wholesaler at Tejgaon, on Wednesday told bdnews24.com: “We’re selling red eggs at Tk 500 for 100 pieces and white ones at Tk 450, while the price was Tk 580 and Tk 550 respectively two days ago.”
Retail price should be Tk 24 for red eggs and Tk 22 for whites per hali, he added.
Anwar, a retailer at Segunbagicha market, said he was selling red eggs at Tk 26, white at Tk 25 and local eggs at Tk 30 per hali.
He said price of farm eggs was two to three Tk higher per hali three days ago, but the wholesalers have now reduced the price.
Meanwhile, the poultry association members on Wednesday again argued that imports of eggs were harming the local industry. During their meeting with the commerce minister they demanded an immediate halt to imports of eggs.
Syed Abu Siddique, president of the association, after the meeting told reporters: “We, the farmers, sell eggs at Tk 5 per piece, but the middlemen push the rate.”

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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, said: “Banks have a negative attitude towards the SMEs. This must change.”
He said the SME Foundation should have a bank of its own to provide much better financial support to the SMEs.
Replying to a question, Aftab, who has been appointed for two years, said: “I’ve a dream to see the foundation’s own bank during my tenure. But I’ll be happy if I can see the bank during my lifetime.”

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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 of the country are sharecroppers. “The central bank has taken the project keeping the sharecroppers in view,” he said.
Under the initiative, BRAC, the largest NGO, will borrow from the refinancing scheme at 5 per cent interest and distribute collateral free loans to sharecroppers at 10 per cent.
Deputy governor Nazrul Huda said the loan will be disbursed among some 300,000 sharecroppers of 150 upazilas of 35 districts.
Of Tk 500 crore fund, Tk 450 crore would be given in crop loan and Tk 50 crore in agriculture equipment loan.
BRAC executive director Mahbub Hossain said a farmer would get not more than Tk 20,000.
Farmers who did not pass the SSC exams would be come under the scheme, he said. The BB governor said BRAC would not realise the loan repayment installments as it does in case of regular credit. The installments would be payable based on harvest seasons.
The central bank will also see if the real sharecroppers are getting loans, Rahman said. It will take up similar projects with other NGOs if the scheme proves successful, he said. BRAC chairman Fazle Hasan Abed said though it was risky to distribute loans to farmers they had decided to give loans to sharecroppers.
The loans would be given though forming organisations with the sharecroppers, he said. “We have given 100 per cent guarantee to Bangladesh Bank much earlier. BRAC will face the risk of the project if any,” Abed said.
Rahman, the central bank chief, told bdnews24.com on Tuesday: “For the first time in the history of Bangladesh a fund has been created for sharecroppers which will play an immense role in development of agriculture.”
He said sharecroppers historically had little access to loan facilities as they usually had little or no collateral to guarantee their debt.
A number of NGOs applied to take part in the scheme, but BRAC was selected on the workability of their application, a BB official told the news agency.
The central bank earlier asked all government, private, specialised and overseas banks to assist in distributing Tk 11,500 crore in agricultural loans during FY 2008-09, of which over TK 9,000 crore has been disbursed to date.
Banks have disbursed farm loans of Tk 9, 284 crore in 2008-09.

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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, panjabi for male, besides kuti, kurta, orna, ghagra, chuli, curtain and walmats.
More interestingly, local producers this time have put zamdani lehanga in the market as an alternative to popular Indian lehanga cloths largely sought after by young girls. It sells from Tk 5,000 per piece to Tk 15,000 depending on fashion, design and other quality.
Leader of the zamdani manufacturers and exporters association and proprietor of Moslin zamdani weaving factory M R Mostaque told the news agency zamdani as a prestigious cloths is having an unique feature and special urge to users.
It’s shinning design and linen have given it the recognition of the cloths for festivities. However its making needs special skill and learning of the intricate weaving which comes down only from generation of practice on family line.
And as the knitting of these sarees and other clothes take longer time and entails huge cost, its use still largely remained limited to wealthy people keeping most of the middle class and the poor out of the reach.
Producers have opened the zamdani export fair-2009 this time on August 18 at Uttara Friends Club ahead of the eid festival. A total of 108 stalls taking part in it, most of them selling zamdani outfits costing a saree for instance from Tk 5000 at the lowest to over Tk 50,000 on the top.
Most of the produce has come from Sonargaon and Rupganj in the outskirts of the city.
President of the zamdani manufacturers and exporters association Wahidul Azad said ,the fair this time has been arranged in a wider scale and the number of visitors are increasing every day.
Some stalls have also put in display the making of the zamdani saree to give buyers an idea what skill one needs to produce it and why it is so costly. One artisan in work on a saree in the stall said it would take at least 10 days to complete and he would get Tk 2,000 as workman charge.
A visitor to the fair Dr Tasnuba said, she takes interest in the fair although the products here sell at high cost. Sarees and other outfits can be used at home and in the social events as appreciable cloths, she said.
It is an indigenous industry having reputation beyond the border. We must preserve the trade and expand it, said another buyer.

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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 market since this evening,” said a pharmacist of the city.
He also said the demand for masks has gone up sharply after the death of the country’s first swine flu case on Sunday night. The demand for drug has also risen, although the government repeatedly said it has more than enough stock of antiviral.
“We have ordered for the antiviral capsule of Square Pharma, which costs Tk 1,850 for 10 capsules,” Shafiul Haque Nipu, owner of Abhijit Pharmacy in city’s Shahbagh area, said.
“Masks are being sold in bookstalls at Nilket, replacing books by masks because of high profit margin,” added Dr Pinaki Bhattacharya, a pharmacist, at a roundtable on swine flu in the city today. The Daily Bhorer Kagoj organised the function at the Jatiya Press Club.
Pinaki said the country might experience a highest number of 100,000 flu cases in next four months, but the government has a stock of 900,000 capsules to treat infected people with mild attacks. He said the people should not pay heed to rumours and be panicked. Country Director of WaterAid Bangladesh Dr Khairul Islam said overemphasis were placed on symptomatic treatment and drug procurement, but little attention has been given to strategic communication and campaigning.
Steps should be taken to change behaviour of the people, 80 per cent of whom do sneeze, cough and spit at open places without protection.
Official sources today confirmed 12 new cases of swine flu, totaling the number at 259 since the first case was detected on June 18. Initially most of the cases prevailed among people coming from abroad, but later the epidemiology has shifted to community level infections.

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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 after a few days of losses to gain benefit from the low prices,” said Salahuddin Ahmed Khan, a former CEO of Dhaka Stock Exchange.
Salahuddin expressed doubt on the sustainability of the trend: “Market participation is dropping day-by-day, which is apparent from the declining turnover.”
He said a further fall in turnover is expected ahead of Eid: “Funds will probably be pulled for festival expenses.”
Meanwhile, pharmaceutical shares gained significantly, followed by mutual funds, although the bellwether, banks, ended mixed. Most insurers eroded Tuesday’s gains, although some ended upbeat while fuel and power shares edged up and cement shares continued their rise.
Dhaka Stock Exchange’s benchmark index gained around 24 points to end on 2974.49, while turnover slipped to Tk 4.46 billion from Tuesday’s Tk 4.99 billion.
The all share index or DSI ended on 2500.53 points, up 20.27 points or 0.81 per cent, while the blue chip DSE-20 closed 14.97 points up, or 0.71 per cent, to close on 2120.28.
Gainers outnumbered losers 172 to 58, with four issues holding steady.
Latest entrant to the market, Navana CNG continued to top the turnover board, with shares of Tk 245.807 million traded, although it fell 4.71 per cent to Tk 210.20 on profit taking.
Off-dock service entity, Summit Alliance Port Ltd followed with a turnover of Tk 198.109 million, climbing 3.44 per cent to Tk 2254.50.
Beximco edged up 0.55 per cent to Tk 287.40, with shares worth Tk 170.524 million changing hands.
ICB 2nd NRB Mutual Fund had a turnover of Tk 163.483 million, rising 1.86 per cent to finish at Tk 163.483.
State-owned entity Jamuna Oil ended on Tk 274.60, up 3.07 per cent. Its turnover reached Tk 143.653 million.
Among the other scrips on the board—Lanka Bangla Finance, AIMS 1st Mutual Fund, Bex Tex and Summit Power gained.
Profit taking, however, caused IFIC Bank to slip.
Indices on the Chittagong Stock Exchange also ended upbeat driven by real-estate, services and cement shares.
The benchmark selective categories index closed 33.89 points, or 0.51 per cent higher, at 6668.84 while the all share price index or CASPI ended on 10436.49, up by 57.26 points or 0.55 per cent.
Turnover on the port city bourse amounted to Tk 436.798 million.
Beximco ended turnover leader with shares of Tk 37.26 million traded.
Bex Tex, AIMS 1st Mutual Fund, ICB 2nd NRB Mutual Fund and EBL 1st Mutual Fund followed.

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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, semi-government and autonomous bodies amending its previous circular of May 17, 1982.
According to the new circular, male officials were asked to wear trousers and shirts (half or full sleeve) during the summer time of March-November. The new dress code will be applicable at all time barring formal occasions where formal dress is compulsory.
Officials above the rank of deputy secretary are entitled to use air- conditioner in their offices. But the rule was not respected in many cases.
Although the new dress code is not applicable for government ministers, many ministers left aside their suit and tie, and wore trousers and shirts.
Saving electricity in government offices through limited use of air- condition is nothing new in many countries of the region. Even in Japan, China and India top officials were seen using limited air- condition to cut electricity consumption.

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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 were one of the first countries to recognise (Bangladesh)," Moriarty said at the Liberation War Museum.
But the envoy avoided saying directly that US policy on Bangladesh was wrong.
"Ambassadors never say that their countries made a tragic mistake. They just imply it," he said.
Bangladesh came into being as an independent country on December 16, 1971 through a nine-month bloody war against the occupying Pakistan army. India and the former Soviet Union directly supported Bangladesh''s freedom struggle.
The US administration then headed by President Richard Nixon opposed the war against Pakistan, an ally of the US, and provided military support to Islamabad to crush Bangladesh''s fight for independence.
Senator Edward Kennedy extended total support to Bangladesh''s war of independence from the start. He visited refugee camps in West Bengal as millions of Bangladeshis took refuge in India to escape massacres by Pakistan forces and their local collaborators. Moriarty said Senator Kennedy''s pro-Bangladesh stance moulded the US public opinion in favour of Bangladesh.
The US recognised Bangladesh on April 4, 1972.
The passing of Edward Kennedy, who died at 77 at his home in Massachusetts, Boston on Aug 26, was mourned in Bangladesh as around the world.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina, leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia and foreign minister Dipu Moni all paid tribute to Kennedy as "a global champion of liberty and human values", remembering his support during the birth of Bangladesh.
"The country lost a true friend with his demise," former foreign secretary Faruk Chowdhury told bdnews24.com on the day.
"Edward Kennedy brought the woes of the Bangladeshi refugees during the liberation war in 1971 before the eyes of the world," said Chowdhury.
The senator also submitted a report to the US senate on the plight of Bengali refugees in India, added the former bureaucrat, who was chief of protocol during Kennedy''s visit to Bangladesh in 1972.

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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 committee''s member-secretary, Prof Anu Mohammad.
She spent some time beside the injured Professor of Economics and wished him early recovery.
Later, the BNP chairperson went to see injured BNP Chuadanga district convener Wahidul Islam Biswas and Chuadanga Jubodal activist Mohammad Lalon at the city''s Ibn Sina Hospital. They both were injured in an attack on their rally in Chuadanga Tuesday to mark BNP''s 31st founding anniversary.
BNP leaders Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah, Shirin Sultana and BNP chairperson''s press wing member Shamsuddin Didar, among others, accompanied Khaleda Zia.
Meanwhile, the BNP chief in a statement strongly condemned the police attack on the procession of the National Committee to protect oil, gas, mineral resources, power and ports during their march towards the Petrobangla headquarters to protest offshore gas-block leasing to foreign firms.
She termed "barbaric" the police action on the procession of the protesters who were vocal in safeguarding national interest.
"The incident proved that the present government was not aware of the need for protecting the national interests. It also indulged in subduing the conscious protesters with muscle power," she said.
Khaleda said the national interests and independence of the country earned with sacrifice of thousands of martyrs are above all else.
"The people of the country would never compromise with anybody on the matter," she said.
The ex-PM called upon the people of the country to stand united in protecting the national interests.
She also conveyed deep sympathies to the leaders injured in the attack and prayed for their early recovery.

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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 should immediately be treated without wasting time.
Last Sunday Mita Chakrvarty died of the swine flu at Lab Aid Hospital.
Dr Mushtaque said the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) is testing few suspected samples to ascertain whether any unknown virus being formed combining swine flu, bird flu and seasonal flu sneaks into human body.
Daily Bhorer Kagoz and Desh TV jointly organized the seminar at National Press Club. PM''s Health Adviser Prof Syed Modassir Ali, health expert Abu Mohammad Zakir Hossain, communication officer of UNICEF Shamsuddin Ahmed, Dr. Pinaki Bhattacharya and NGO activist Dr Khairul Hossain spoke at the seminar.
Dr. Modassir Ali said individual health awareness is the only way to prevent the swine flu.
"There is no alternative of personal hygienic at this stage to contain the virus", he added.
Modassir Ali said such kind of virus is a part of life. So, we need to build social unity to face it.
He suggested withdrawal of VAT on raw material of Oseltamivir medicine so it could be produced with cheap rate for treating swine flu patients.
The government should provide the medicine only to the authorized centers by trained physicians so none can illegally stock the medicine, he said.
The Adviser stressed on forming a national focal point to take effective measure to tackle the epidemic situation, if any.
He said the government should also take effective measures in rural areas to create awareness about the flu.
Demanding lifting of VAT on raw material of Oseltamivir, Pinaki Bhattacharya said the selling price of each oseltamivir capsule is now Tk 180. It is possible to produce the capsule at cheaper rate, if the government withdraws vat on raw material, he said.

Demo against leasing gas blocks in Bay

30 hurt in police protesters clash

At 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, comprising mostly leftwing organisations and individuals, called the protest programme against the government''s recent decision to award gas-exploration rights in the Bay of Bengal to US and Irish oil companies.
The witnesses said several hundred activists took out a procession from Paltan area. As the processionists started moving towards and reached Bijoynagar area to lay a siege to Petrobangla head office, police intercepted them.
"As the protesters tried to break the police barricades, the law-enforcers started charging baton on them, leaving many of them injured," said a witness.
The angry protestors retaliated by hurling brickbats and stones on them. They also damaged few motor vehicles during the melee, witnesses said.
Police said their 12 members were injured as the protestors hurled brickbats on them when they were "trying to maintain order".
The injured include Prof Anu Mohammad, member-secretary of the committee, BSD leader Bazlur Rashid Firoz, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front
leaders Rahat Ahmed, Biplob Mandal, Mintu Biswas, Keshab Lal Samaddar
Srikanta, Iva Biswas and Rokhsana Afroz Asha and its members Anita Baroi, Sangita Baroi, Tania Alam, Taposhi Rabeya Akhi and Fahmina Mouri.
They are now undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
Talking to reporters at DMCH, Anu Mohammad said: "The people have given the government mandate to protect the national resources, but they are trying to hand over the resources to imperialist multinational companies."
Meanwhile, Progotishil Chhatra Jote held a rally at TSC on the Dhaka University campus in protest against the incident. It demanded legal action against those responsible for the incident.

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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 station’s robotic arm and guided by shuttle Commander Rick Sturckow and space-walk choreographer Pat Forrester, the duo will be removing an old liquid ammonia coolant tank from the ISS truss.

A new, 800-kilogram (1,760-pound) replacement will be installed during the second space- walk.
They will also be retrieving experiment equipment from the outside of the ISS, from the European Columbus module, and returning it to Earth for processing.
Astronauts are scheduled to conduct two more space-walks during the mission, the fourth of five planned for the shuttle program this year. The last is scheduled for November.
Earlier Tuesday the Discovery’s seven-member crew—including Swede Christer Fuglesang—and the six ISS residents began unloading tons of equipment to the orbiting station after opening the hatch to the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module built by the Italian space agency, NASA said.

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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 humanitarian crises like the one in Iraq. Two million Iraqis are now leading a precarious life in Syria, Jordan and elsewhere in the Middle East.
Under the new scheme EU nations would decide together every year which refugee groups should be given priority for resettlement, and receive more money from a joint fund to give them a new home.
The EU is also trying to improve its image on the world stage. Last year, the 27-nation bloc accepted fewer than 6,000 people, compared to more than 60,000 resettled in the US.
A spokesman for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), Gilles van Moortel, said: “It is true that at the moment 10 out of 27 member states have resettlement programmes, so we hope that with the EU joint resettlement scheme and with the resettlement of the Iraqi refugees things will change”.
Belgium is one of the EU countries opening its doors to vulnerable Iraqi refugees for the first time. Thirty-six are arriving on Wednesday from Syria and Jordan, with 11 more to come later this month, including a 16-year-old girl who worked as an interpreter for the American troops.

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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 dean of PSTU and locked academic and administrative buildings.
The striking students also threatened to wage tougher movement, including blocking Barisal-Dhaka highway, to press home their demands.
In the wake of such circumstances, the authorities in an emergency academic council meeting decided to close the institute for an indefinite period.
Today''s scheduled examinations of the 5th and 8th semesters were also suspended.
Additional police have been deployed on the campus.
The students alleged that the reduction of the internship tenure to six months from one year and change in the curriculum would seriously hamper the education of the old-batch students.

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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 of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Post and Telecommunications Ministry Hasanul Huq Inu disclosed the latest developments in the domestic phone industry Wednesday while briefing newsmen at the Jatiya Sangsad Media Centre over the outcome of today'' s committee meeting.
He said master plans have been taken up to manufacture mobile phone and laptop computer sets by the Telephone Shilpa Sangstha to reach the high-tech ICT products at cheap costs to the people, particularly to students and rural people.
"As a result, it would make the company profitable, save foreign currencies and materialize the grand-alliance government''s vision of digital Bangladesh," the leader of JSD, a partner of the Awami League-led grand coalition, told the reporters.
He said the standing committee discussed affairs of the Telephone Shilpa Sangstha, now a losing concern in the state sector, to make it profitable through introducing production of multifarious products in line with demand of the time.
Under the bailout plan for the moribund but vital industrial unit, the Telephone Shilpa Sangstha will also manufacture electric wire and appliances.
The lawmakers from the meeting also advised the Sangstha to make a plan for generating renewable energy from solar power.
Inu said the Cable Shilpa Sangstha in Khulna will set up a new factory to manufacture optical fibre which will meet about 75 percent of the domestic demand.
He said the new optical-fibre project will involve a cost of around Tk 10 crore and the product will come into market by December 2010. "It would also save foreign currencies and make the company more profitable."
The Cable Shilpa Sangstha, which presently runs with marginal profits, is now producing copper wire.
It was also decided that the Cable Shilpa Sangstha will manufacture household electric wires and household telephone wires which would also save foreign exchanges and make the company more profitable.
The meeting recommended that the equipment needed by various offices and departments of the government should be purchased from the government-run industries or companies, if those are manufactured.
Committee members Abdul Quddus, ASM Firoz, Solaiman Huq, Mozammel Huq and Golam Mostafa, and chief executives of BTCL and Cable Shilpa Sangshta were present at the press briefing.

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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 Awami League," Hazari told the newsmen.
Terming his expulsion couple of years ago as illegal, he said the announcement of his expulsion was made without decision taken in the central working committee. "I had not been served with show notice before the announcement of expulsion. The expulsion was illegal," he asserted.
Hazari announced liquidation of his ''class committee'' through which he used to reign supreme in the district and had earned him ill reputation.
He pledged for doing clear and healthy politics in future.
Hazari said some of his party men are engaged in extortion and drug trade. He named Phulgazi upazila chairman Ekramul Haq Ekram and Parshuram upazila chairman Kamal Uddin.
He urged the people to set ablaze the vehicle carrying drug. "I will bear the responsibility for such action," he assured.
Hazari expressed annoyance against a section of the media, which, he said, have been dishing out fabricated reports against him.
Later he walked to a warm reception arranged by the District Awami League, which was presided over by acting president Aziz Ahmed Chowdhury. He was profusely garlanded by his supporters who chanted slogans in his favour.
Hazari fled the country on August 17, 2001 when joint forces recovered huge firearms and ammunition from his home.
With Awami League returned to power he returned home April 15 after eight years from self-exile in India. He was awarded in absentia jail for life in arms case on August 19, 2003.
In his absence, Hazari was accused in 23 criminal cases. On surrender to the court he was relived of 12 cases, dropped from charge sheet in three cases, secured bail in four cases he was convicted and under trial in four cases.

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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 said the accident took place when the city-bound speedy truck hit the motorcycle from behind at about 11:30 pm, leaving them dead on the spot.
On information, police rushed in and sent the bodies to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital for autopsy this (Wednesday) morning.
In another accident, two people were killed as a truck plunged into a roadside ditch at Kurua in Balaganj upazila on Tuesday morning.
The victims were identified as the truck driver M Taher, 25, son of Mukta Miah, of Taraganj village in Akhaura upazila of Brahmanbaria district and its helper Kalam Uddin, 24, son of Abdul Munaf, hailed from Khoygarh village in Jointapur upazila of Sylhet district.
Witnesses said the accident took place on Sylhet-Dhaka highway when the speedy truck fell into the pond as its driver lost control over the steering at about 6am, leaving them dead on the spot.
On information, highway police rushed to the spot and sent the bodies to the same hospital morgue for autopsy.
Two separate cases were filed.
In Rajshahi: Two people were killed and 15 others injured when a BRTC bus hit a truck at Muraripur in Paba upazila on Wednesday.
The dead were identified as Matiur Rahman, 35, of Tanor and Jahangir Hossain of Godagari.
Police said the driver of the Rajshahi-bound bus from Naogaon tried to save a tempo and hit the truck parked on the roadside at about 12:15pm, killing bus passenger Matiur on the spot and injuring 16 other.
The injured were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital where Jahangir succumbed to his wounds.
A case has been filed with respective police station.
In Thakurgaon: A rice trader was run over by the private car of former Awami League lawmaker Imdadul Haq at Mitrobati crossing in Pirganj upazila Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as Wazed Ali, 30, of Mitrobati village.
Police and witnesses said the car knocked down Wazed and then ran over on Pirganj-Bochaganj road at about 5am.
Outraged by the accident, local people barricaded the road for five hours, disrupting traffic for four hours.

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Thrust on science, tech-based curricula

BNP MP gives note of dissent

The 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 gave note of dissent on the committee''s recommendation for the government to implement the proposed trans-border road, reports UNB.
Briefing newsmen at the Jatiya Sangsad Media Centre in the afternoon, chairman of the standing committee Sheikh Mojibur Rahman said the parliamentary standing committee recommended the government for implementing the project on the Asian Highway along Benapole-Dhaka-Tamabil (AH1) or Banglabandh-Dhaka-Tamabil (AH2) route.
"The meeting recommended making effective the government decision on Asian Highway1 (H1) and Asian Highway2 (H2)," the journalists were told at the briefing.
After the briefing, the lone member of BNP on the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications Ministry Nazrul Islam Manju, who was not present at the briefing, told reporters that he gave note of dissent at today''s committee meeting over recommendation on the Asian Highway. His party goes on harping on apprehension that the government is going to give "transit to India through the Asian Highway route".
The MP from the former ruling party, BNP, said he gave objection to the proposed Asian Highway''s Benapole-Dhaka-Tamabil route but they support the Asian Highway through Banglabandh-Dhaka-Chittagong-Teknaf-Myanmar direction.
"The ESACP-recommended criteria are not followed in the proposed Asian Highway routing, like communications from capital to capital, port to port (sea, land and railway), communications for agricultural, industrial and trade and tourism purposes," he said.
Nazrul Islam Manju said he urged the committee meeting to raise the Asian Highway matter on the floor of parliament for discussion.
"Any unilateral decision of the government over this important matter will be suicidal. It will also create political debate," he told the reporters.
The BNP lawmaker said the government would have to take the decision considering national interest, people''s interest and national security.
The parliamentary standing committee meeting today also recommended deploying BDR and RAB for controlling traffic jams in Dhaka city and other relevant areas, as transport tailback became intolerable, especially in this holy month of fasting and festivals.
The Head of the committee, Mojibur Rahman, said the committee formed a parliamentary subcommittee headed by BNP lawmaker Manju to prepare report and recommendation for reclaining gabbed lands of Railways from Khulna to Noapara.
They also discussed giving 7.5 percent price incentive to local contractors for encouraging the local entrepreneurs as one member said a move was made to abolish the provision for engaging foreign contractors.
Alleged irregularities and corruption in awarding contract for collecting toll of Meghna-Gomoti Bridge by the Communications Ministry under the last BNP government were also discussed. "Even the firm is still collecting toll after the expiry of its five-year term," the briefing session was told.
The meeting recommended stopping payment to the toll collector until the investigation is complete.
It also asked for removing unnecessary speed-breakers on the roads and streets and setting up foot-over bridges at the places.

Demo against leasing gas blocks in Bay

News Report

30 hurt in police protesters clash

At 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, comprising mostly leftwing organisations and individuals, called the protest programme against the government''s recent decision to award gas-exploration rights in the Bay of Bengal to US and Irish oil companies.
The witnesses said several hundred activists took out a procession from Paltan area. As the processionists started moving towards and reached Bijoynagar area to lay a siege to Petrobangla head office, police intercepted them.
"As the protesters tried to break the police barricades, the law-enforcers started charging baton on them, leaving many of them injured," said a witness.
The angry protestors retaliated by hurling brickbats and stones on them. They also damaged few motor vehicles during the melee, witnesses said.
Police said their 12 members were injured as the protestors hurled brickbats on them when they were "trying to maintain order".
The injured include Prof Anu Mohammad, member-secretary of the committee, BSD leader Bazlur Rashid Firoz, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front
leaders Rahat Ahmed, Biplob Mandal, Mintu Biswas, Keshab Lal Samaddar
Srikanta, Iva Biswas and Rokhsana Afroz Asha and its members Anita Baroi, Sangita Baroi, Tania Alam, Taposhi Rabeya Akhi and Fahmina Mouri.
They are now undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
Talking to reporters at DMCH, Anu Mohammad said: "The people have given the government mandate to protect the national resources, but they are trying to hand over the resources to imperialist multinational companies."
Meanwhile, Progotishil Chhatra Jote held a rally at TSC on the Dhaka University campus in protest against the incident. It demanded legal action against those responsible for the incident.

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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 the final draft of the National Education Policy 2009 to Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid at the ministry.
Headed by National Professor Kabir Chowdhury, the 18-member panel also prescribed introducing one-year pre-primary education for children of five or above five years of age, among other basic changes in the country''s outmoded education system.
While accepting the policy, the minister said the new government decided to formulate a new education policy after assuming of office for updating the education system and its curricula.
He mentioned that eight education policies had been formulated to date now since independence, but none was implemented due to change of governments and shift in their policies.
"We will come out of this culture and expect to implement our education policy within our tenure," he told reporters present at the presentation function.
The minister hoped that objectives of the committee would see success in the overhaul education from primary to higher levels.
The minister said the process of implementation of the Education Policy would start within this year and implementation activities start from next year.
National Professor Kabir Chowdhury said all committee members expressed their opinion freely and "we also received lots of opinion from outside". All of the opinions were examined for formulating a policy in democratic manner.
"We tried our best so that the policy is formulated in a democratic manner. It was formulated on consensus and democratic basis--no forced opinion was incorporated in it," said Kabir Chowdhury, a retired teacher of English of Dhaka University.
About the policy, he said four basic issues were taken into consideration in framing the recommendations:
1. Education Policy should be inclusive. All must be brought under education system.
2. Education system should be based on country''s existing environment and elements and in consistence with the spirit of Liberation War.
3. Strengthening Moral Education.
4. This Policy would work as a basis and war strategy which is capable of giving people-oriented, balanced, universal and quality education.
Dr Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Co-chairman of the committee, said: "We all have been able to reach consensus because of our same aims and objectives. We will try to give our opinion if amendment proposals come from any quarter."
The government on April 6 this year decided to form an 18-member committee aimed at formulation of National Education Policy. National Professor Kabir Chowdhury was made Chairman and Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad as Co-chairman of the committee.
The committee was asked to submit its report within three months of its first meeting. Later, one more month was extended for submitting the report.
The committee exchanged opinions with 56 organizations and held view-exchange meetings in every divisional city in order to formulate the policy.
Since the independence of Bangladesh, successive governments have formed the following panels: Qudrat-e-Khuda Education Commission 1972, Mofiz Uddin Education Commission 1988, Shamsul Haque Education Committee 1997, Dr MA Bari Commission 2002, Mohammad Moniruzzaman Mia Commission 2003, and the National Education Policy Formulation Committee 2009.
Educationists said different governments, after assuming power, had formed education commissions but their recommendations were not incorporated into the education system--or were shelved in the ministry.
According to sources at the Education Ministry, the Qudrat-e-Khuda Education Commission was formed in 1972 with leading educationist and scientist Dr Qudrat-e-Khuda at its head. The commission submitted its report to the government in May 1974.
They said the Qudrat-e-Khuda Commission report reflected the fundamentals of the newly framed constitution of Bangladesh. But, due to some unavoidable circumstances, the implementation of the recommendations of the report was delayed.
The policy recommends giving proper dignity and the status of the teachers in the national ''Warrant of Precedence''.
Their salary scales will be upgraded properly.
Initiatives will be taken for eligible teachers and education officers in proving promotion at different levels of education administration and management.
The policy prescribes granting promotion to non-government teachers based on seniority and proficiency by canceling the existing proportional system.
For secondary education, the committee suggested the secondary level will be from class IX to XII while the secondary examination will be held on completion of class XII.
Bengali, English, Mathematics, ICT and Bangladesh Studies subjects will be uniformly followed in the curricula and syllabi of the secondary-level education-- general, madrassa and technical.
Final examinations will be held after completing the class x at upazial, municipal and thana levels with uniform questions while the scholarship will be distributed based on the results.
In higher education, the 3-year degree course will ultimately be upgraded to 4-year honours course at the respective educational institutions.
The 4-year hononurs courses will be treated as the terminal degree, and after completing the higher studies a student can enter any professions, excepting teaching.
Master''s degree will be required for the teaching profession.
Non-government Teachers Commission will be formed for selecting teachers and providing training to the non-government teachers.
In order to decentralize the National University, six divisional centres will be set up at the divisional level and the centres will be gradually upgraded to affiliating universities in the respective areas.
Madrasa education goes through changes in its curriculum.
In consistency with other systems of education,
Bengali, English, Mathematics, moral studies, social environment and climate change subjects, ICT and sciences, and Bangladesh Studies will be compulsory in the existing Ibtedai-level curriculum.
Initiatives for formulating an inclusive education law and a permanent education commission will be taken.

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