Vol. 5 Num 674 Sat. April 22, 2006       Home  News Today's Index Front Page Business Sports Point-counterpoint Metropolitan National International Culture Views Editorial Letters to Editor Write to Editor Sections StarTech Literature Others About Us Contact Advertisement Supplements Archives WWW thedailystar.net Today's Index Front Page Nepali king caves in to people power Nepal's King Gyanendra caved in yesterday after two weeks of bitter pro-democracy protests and asked the opposition to name a new prime minister.   Dhaka again declines Delhi's transit proposal Bangladesh yesterday reiterated its opposition to the Indian proposal for transit through it as the trade talks between the two countries in Dhaka ended on a gloomy note.   US citizen of Bangladesh origin handed over to FBI A US citizen of Bangladeshi origin was picked up from the capital by a joint team of government intelligence agents, handed over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and sent back to the US, according   BNP claims 14-party shirks reform talks The BNP secretary general yesterday accused the Awami League-led 14-party opposition combine of not being sincere about discussing its electoral reform agenda with the government.   Case against 2 food firms, ex-employee of BD Foods held Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday filed a case against two other food firms for involvement in heroin smuggling to UK although BD Foods Ltd figured in a National Board of Revenue (NBR)   WB links reforms to its 4-year loan plan The World Bank (WB) under its four-year term loan plan intends to lend Bangladesh $2.94 billion of which $1 billion for the construction of the Padma Bridge and in poverty reduction assistance.   Water crisis   Govt dilly-dally over reforms leading nation to conflicts The Awami League (AL)-led 14-party opposition combine yesterday reaffirmed its resolve to realise its demands for reforms in the caretaker government and electoral systems through movement.   Ctg port keeps off container ships In complete contrast to the global trend, the country's premier seaport would rather not have any rise in the number of container ships calling at it.   BSF kills two on Dinajpur border Border Security Force (BSF) of India gunned down two Bangladeshi farmers on Borogram border of Dinajpur yesterday morning.   Locals attack house, anwara remanded Hundreds of agitated people thronged the Pallabi house yesterday where the seven-year-old Sumon was slaughtered. Demonstrating in front of the house they shattered windowpanes.   Section 144 as AL, Jubo Dal call rallies at same venue Section 144 of Criminal Procedure court (CrPC) has been imposed at Dhanbari of Madhupur upazila in Tangail as Awami League (AL), Dhanbari unit, and Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, Musuddi union unit, called public   9 killed, 26 of bridal party still missing At least nine people were killed and 26 others missing yesterday after a bus packed with wedding guests plunged into the river Chitra at Shimakhali ferry point in Narail, police said.   Another cop closed for Ctg excesses Assistant Commissioner (Supply) Enamul Karim of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) has been closed for the police excesses on journalists on the first day of Australia-Bangladesh second test at Chittagong   3 killed as train hits 3-wheeler in Bogra Three people were killed and three others injured as an intercity train hit a three-wheeler tempo at Bhalurpara level crossing in Sonatola upazila of the district yesterday morning.   Bomb attack on Rab patrol in Khulna: 3 hurt Three people, including a Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) member, were injured in a bomb attack on a Rab patrol vehicle at Sonadanga Bus Terminal in Khulna city last night.   26 grenades, 1600 bullets seized in Comilla Police seized 26 hand grenades and 1600 bullets from a house at Jelepara in the town yesterday evening.   Shibir cadres at RU beat up 3 JCD activists Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS) cadres beat up three Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) activists of Rajshahi University (RU) Bangabandhu hall yesterday.   Accused in Ramna blast case now SI at Patuakhali An accused of the Ramna Batomul bomb blast case has been appointed sub-inspector (SI) at the Patuakhali Sadar Police station.   40 hurt as rival BNP men clash over control of gambling At least 40 people were injured when two rival groups of the ruling BNP clashed over control of a gambling event they arranged at Ghoreshah Baba's shrine in Brittipara of Bheramara upazila yesterday.   FM will try to remove West's 'misperception' about Dhaka Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan, prior to his departure for Europe yesterday, said he will request the European leaders to expand bilateral cooperation and try to remove misperception, if any, about Bangladesh.   Milad Mehfil for Shazneen today A Milad Mehfil, seeking salvation of the departed soul of Shazneen Tasnim Rahman, will be held at the residence of her father Latifur Rahman today. Tomorrow is the eighth death anniversary of Shazneen.   Firoza Begum honoured   Indigenous man injured in attack dies in Rajshahi An indigenous day labourer succumbed to his injuries at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital yesterday afternoon 18 days after a criminal attack him to evict him from his house at Senapara of Godagari upazila   Rival BNP men clash in Muladi, 20 injured At least 20 people were injured in clashes between two rival groups of the ruling BNP in Muladi upazila under the district yesterday morning.   Fire in garment unit burns down godown A fire broke out at a garment factory near Dhaka-Aricha highway in Manikganj Sadar upazila yesterday, burning down its cotton godown.   US starts crackdown on undocumented workers A nationwide crackdown has netted 1,187 undocumented workers, two weeks after Congress fumbled immigration reform and immigrants choked US streets demanding amnesty, officials said Thursday.   Russia rules out use of force against Iran Russia is categorically opposed to the use of force to resolve the standoff over Iran's nuclear ambitions, foreign ministry spokesman Sergei Kislyak was quoted as saying Friday by Interfax news agency.   Israel may reoccupy part of Gaza Israeli troops could reoccupy parts of the Palestinian-ruled Gaza Strip if cross border violence escalates, a senior army general told the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper yesterday.   Foreign doctors in Britain protest immigration rules change Hundreds of foreign doctors protested in London yesterday against new rules that limit job prospects for medical workers from outside Europe, where many staff in British healthcare hail from.   Thousands illegally detained in Iraq: UN Iraqi authorities are illegally detaining thousands of people, the United Nations' senior human rights official for the country said on Friday, and also urged the US-led coalition to charge or release   New outbreak of deadly bird flu in Pakistan Pakistani authorities yesterday confirmed a new outbreak of deadly H5N1 bird flu at a chicken farm, the country's fourth, and destroyed at least 10,000 birds at five more suspect sites. Business Women need to form groups to start large-scale business Women entrepreneurs need positive mindset to come up with large-scale investments to contribute to the country's economy in a big way, speakers told a roundtable in Dhaka yesterday.   Call for building ICT infrastructure in rural areas The three-day regional consultation meeting ended in Dhaka yesterday with the call for creating ICT infrastructure in rural areas so that people at the grassroots level can have access to education and   The world and Bangladesh economy (Continued from April 21) The hope for improvement in gas supply situation was dashed by two consecutive blowouts at Tengratila gas field operated by Niko - a Canadian oil company.   Brac Bank IT fair begins today A three-day IT fair titled 'Brac Bank IT Fair-2006' begins at University of Information Technology and Sciences (UITS) at Gulshan in Dhaka today.   IMF chief warns sky-high oil prices set to stay IMF chief Rodrigo Rato warned Thursday that record oil prices are here to stay and appealed for collective action to rectify widening imbalances in the world economy.   Hu pledges more trade, currency reforms Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao, aiming to defuse growing trade tensions with the United States, pledged Thursday to "advance the reform" of exchange rates and take steps to boost imports.   Malaysia won't sign US trade pact unless stands to gain Malaysia will not sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States if it does not stand to gain from the deal, Second Finance Minister Nor Mohamed Yakcop said Friday.   WTO nations to hold meeting as deadline edges out of reach Trading nations are to hold a crunch meeting on Monday to decide how to advance struggling talks on liberalising global commerce as the chances of meeting a looming deadline appear increasing out of reach,   Oil prices off record highs Oil prices were lower in Asian trade Friday on profit-taking after recent sustained gains to record highs amid concerns over tight US supplies and tensions over Iran's nuclear ambitions, dealers said.   Tata to set up steel plant in Iran Tata Steel has finalised plans to set up a manufacturing unit in Iran, which could start production by 2009 with an initial capacity of two million tonnes.   Bill Gates to visit Vietnam, push licensed software Bill Gates is set to meet communist Vietnam's leaders Saturday to promote licensed Microsoft products in the country where, an anti-piracy industry group has charged, 90 percent of software is counterfeit.   Al Arafah Bank, Millennium Information sign deal Al Arafah Islami Bank Ltd Wednesday signed a contract with Millennium Information Solution Ltd for installation of a Shariah-based online Islamic banking software-- Ababil.   World needs more petroleum refineries: Qatar Record-high oil prices are a result of a global shortage in refining capacity and, try as it may, OPEC is powerless to make any difference on prices, Qatar's energy minister said Thursday. Sports Cricket: Ponting blasts schedule Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has labelled the increasingly hectic international Test schedule "unacceptable" and has demanded more recovery time between matches.   Football: Bits and Bobs Germany Parreira's choice Reuters, Rio de Janeiro Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira believes hosts Germany rather than his own team are favourites to win the World Cup.   Cricket: SL ready for Eng pace Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody promised on Friday to fight fire with fire when his team takes on England's fast bowlers in their three-Test series starting next month.   Football: Nat'l school soccer on The banglalink Tiger Trophy school football tournament kicked off nationwide yesterday amidst a sea of goals. In Patuakhali, Gachanee High School XI beat Betagi High School by a 4-1 scoreline.   Cricket: StanChart nat'l school cricket Kurmitola High School crushed Bangladesh Bank Adarsha High School by 251 runs in the second round match of the Standard Chartered Young Tigers Under-15 School Cricket tournament at Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium   Tennis: BKSP rule the roost Bangladesh Krira Sikkha Protisthan (BKSP) established their supremacy in the MA Jabbar Memorial Tennis Tournament by lifting titles of different events in Dhaka Friday.   Cricket: PCB worried about India overkill Pakistan is concerned that the increasing number of matches against India could lead to player burnout and a general lack of audience interest.   Cricket: WC grounds will be ready on time Suggestions that some of the grounds scheduled to host matches during next year's World Cup will not be ready on time have been dismissed by Chris Dehring, the tournament's managing director and chief   Cricket: South Asia's 2011 WC bid faces competition The Pakistan Cricket Board said on Friday the joint South Asia bid to host the 2011 World Cup was facing stiff competition from Australia and New Zealand.   Football: Steaua, Sevilla gain edge A terrific strike from midfielder Nicolae Dica gave Steaua Bucharest a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough while Schalke 04 drew 0-0 at home to Sevilla in UEFA Cup semifinal first-leg ties on Thursday.   Tennis: Federer seals semi spot Roger Federer erased one of the few minor blemishes on his spotless career record Friday, reaching a semi-final at the Monte Carlo Open for the first time.   Football: L'pool aim to sink Chelsea Jose Mourinho's Chelsea, one point shy of their second successive title, need to overcome familiar foes Liverpool on Saturday to keep alive their bid for a coveted league and FA Cup double.   Football: Barca look for Valencia slip-up Barcelona will be presented with their first chance to claim the league title this weekend if rivals Valencia fail to beat relegation-threatened Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.   Football: Milan in hot pursuit Serie A leaders Juventus can ill-afford another slip-up when they face Lazio in Serie A on Saturday with rivals AC Milan playing lowly Messina.   Cricket: Jonty set for Pak role Pakistan are set to hire former South Africa international Jonty Rhodes on a short-term basis to help improve their fielding, the Pakistan Cricket Board said on Friday.   Cricket: Sachin on the recovery trail Sachin Tendulkar's recovery from a shoulder operation is on track, the Indian board has announced.   Handball: H'ball training ends A month-long handball training camp ended on Thursday at Matiranga in Khagrachhari.   Cricket: Malik to undergo corrective surgery Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik is to undergo a shoulder operation in South Africa next week to try to improve his suspect bowling action.   Volleyball: Premier v'ball Bangladesh Police beat Water Development Board by straight 3-0 sets in a match of the United Commercial Bank Premier Volleyball League at the Volleyball Stadium on Friday.   Cricket: Aussies value Ashes most A Cricket Australia opinion poll has confirmed what has been evident Down Under since last September -- the Ashes loss to England hurt Australians more than any other sporting defeat.   Football: Owen back in Magpies squad Michael Owen has been included in Newcastle's squad for Saturday's Premiership match against West Brom after being told by his surgeon that he can finally resume full training, four months after breaking   Football: Zidane on celluloid World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane is to star at Cannes, where he began his stellar career, but this time on celluloid, at the French town's famed film festival, the Spanish giants said Thursday.   Football: Mastercard sues FIFA Mastercard International filed a suit against FIFA in a New York court on Thursday, seeking to block a sponsorship deal between world soccer's governing body and credit card rival Visa.   Football: Gerrard rubbishes Real rumours Steven Gerrard has dismissed suggestions he could be tempted away from Liverpool by a big-money offer from Real Madrid this summer.   Cricket: Aus optimistic of Ashes win Australia captain Ricky Ponting is confident his team is heading in the right direction to win back the Ashes from England on home soil later this year. Metropolitan Fast food poses health risk Fast foods tend to increase obesity which is primarily responsible for high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and arthritis, said the speakers at a seminar yesterday.   HC experiences huge backlog of death reference cases The High Court division of the Supreme Court has been experiencing a huge backlog of 548 death reference cases.   Five killed in road crashes Five people were killed and 59 others injured in separate accidents in four districts in last two days.   Massive rigging alleged Citizen's Committee candidate Mushfiqur Rahman Khan Hannan has brought allegation of massive vote rigging in the Manikganj byelection against the ruling four-party alliance.   Petrobangla goes for gas reservoir study Petrobangla, the state-run oil, gas and mineral corporation, is going for reservoir study for gas fields of its three production companies.   Injured UP chairman dies Union Parishad (UP) chairman Nuruzzaman Munshi injured on Wednesday in gunshot by miscreants died on Thursday night at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).   One stabbed to death in Barguna, two arrested A gang of criminals stabbed a man to death and took away his motorcycle at Pochakoralia in Amtali upazila on Thursday night. The victim was identified as Panu, 32.   Five robbers held with arms in Ctg A team of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested five robbers with three light guns and ten rounds of cartridges from an abandoned poultry farm at Rangunia upazila in Chittagong on Thursday night.   'Many types of cancer curable if detected early' Experts at a discussion urged all to work together in order to ensure good service networking to fight cancer, says a press release.   Hasina, Ramesh discuss bilateral trade Visiting Indian State Minister for Commerce Jairam Ramesh yesterday met with the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina and discussed bilateral trade andeconomic   Final of English debate contest in Ctg today William Carey Academy and Summer Fields School yesterday emerged as finalists in the 'Mutual Trust Bank-The Daily Star 6th Inter-school English Debate Competition'.   Expert urges SE Asia to close terror camps The Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia must act jointly against the regional militant network Jemaah Islamiah (JI) to dismantle its camps and limit its movements, a security expert said on Friday.   Eight houses gutted in Kishoreganj A fire broke out at Nagerhati village in Nigri upazila yesterday, burning down eight dwelling houses.   Summit Centre wears new look with Hamid's touch A dazzling stone sculpture and metal mural constructed inside a city's business house Summit Centre by eminent sculptor Hamiduzzaman Khan was inaugurated yesterday.   Jalil returns home Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil MP returned home last night from Singapore after two weeks of treatment.   Kabita Utsab begins in Tangail A two-day Bangla Kabita Utsab (Bangla Poetry Festival) began in Tangail yesterday amid a festival mood.   Nat'l seminar at JU A two-day national seminar on 'State, violence and rights: Perspective from social science' begins at Jahangirnagar University (JU) today.   No fresh commitments from India on N-tests United States has paid some heed to India's strong rejection of a proposal capping future nuclear tests with Washington clarifying that it will not insist on any new commitments in this regard. National Police launch raids as BNP men shelter criminal gangs About 300 policemen from Rajshahi, Natore and Kustia, divided into several teams, have started raids in Padma shoals in Rajshahi, Natore and Kushtia to nab terrorists following killing of three of a family   Women take the lead in anti-drug movement Women have done what men and police could not do. They locked a big drug peddlers' shop in Satkhira town yesterday.   25 hurt in Rangamati clash At least 20 people were injured in clashes between police and traders after police seized three CFT timber from a carpenter at Manik Chhari Bazar Thursday night.   'Shun politics of confrontation' Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad yesterday said politics of confrontation pursued by the ruling and opposition alliances is ruining the country's economy and shattering the democratic process. Point-Counterpoint Demonising the police will be fatal Recent events involving the high-handed and apparently lawless police actions are inevitably further tarnishing an already battered police image.   If winter comes can spring be far behind "Honesty is the best policy." This age-old precept appears today to have been heavily rusted in the backyard of our social and economic life.   Nuclear Iran: Is possibility of another war looming large? Dramatic developments relating to Iran's enriched uranium programme and President Ahmadinijads defiance of international community's request to freeze it have caused much furore in the internationalpolitical Culture The Nomad One walks into this exhi-bition of 'paintings' and immediately realises that this is not what you are used to seeing in Dhaka.   Face paint: Adding colour to festivity What do famous people like David Bowie, Sting and the late Road Warrior Hawk have in common? A penchant for face paint. International Norway steps up move to save Lankan peace Suspected Tiger rebels exploded two more mines and fought gunbattles leaving four people dead yesterday, the military said as Norway launched a fresh bid to stop the island slipping back to full-scale   Critics decry Bush talks with China president While they didn't announce any major agreements, President Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao both agreed that they had a productive summit meeting.   Curfew and violence fail to keep Nepalese protesters down Despite the rubber bullet wounds on his face and arm from a violent protest last week, Shiva Hari returned to the streets, screaming anti-royal messages, getting tear-gassed and stoning the police.   Indian army against deal with Pakistan on Kashmir glacier India's army chief Thursday ruled out any immediate troop withdrawals from a disputed Himalayan glacier as part of ongoing talks with arch-rival Pakistan.   Iran still years away from having nukes US intelligence chief John Negroponte said Thursday Iran's resumption of uranium enrichment is "troublesome" but the country is still years away from having enough fissile material to make a nuclear weapon.   6 Afghan cops, US soldier killed in Taliban attack Fundamentalist Taliban militants killed six Afghan police and burned four of their bodies, while a US soldier was shot dead in a separate attack, officials said yesterday.   UK celebrates Queen's 80th birthday A beaming Queen Elizabeth II greeted flag-waving fans on her 80th birthday yesterday outside Windsor Castle, basking in a popularity that has staved off calls to scrap the monarchy.   Iraqi Shias scramble for new PM nominee Iraq's Shia Alliance hopes to offer Kurdish and Sunni blocs a new candidate for prime minister on Friday in a renewed bid to break a deadlock over the formation of a new government before parliament meets.   India seeks German support for its nuke deal with US India hopes it can persuade Berlin to back its civil nuclear energy deal with the United States, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was quoted as saying on Thursday ahead of his visit to Germany. Editorial Editorial: Commission on police brutality With the formation of a judicial enquiry commission by the government to get to the bottom of the deplorable incident of police brutality on the sports and photojournalists at Chittagong stadium on April   Editorial: Abuse of domestic help must stop The other day a boy and a girl aged 9 and 8, respectively, fled the house of their employer Moqbul Hossain in order to escape physical torture by the latter and his wife.   Reforms dialogue goes nowhere The latest episode in the exchange of letters saga was aired in the electronic media this week.   Enlightened choice will bring about the best in the polls The forthcoming parliamentary election in the country could well turn out to be a poll that marks a turning point in Bangladeshi politics. Letters to Editor Police attack on journalists A picture is worth more than thousand words. But I strongly feel that the two pictures you published (CMP DC punching and three other cops beating that veteran journalist) are stronger than a millionwords.   Projector in classroom We are the student of Social Welfare and Research, Dhaka University. Every year our institute arranges some classes by the experts of UNDP and the ministry of food and disaster management on Natural Disaster.   Bridge over the Karnaphuli Every morning I have to cross the road bridge over the Karnaphuli on way to my workplace.   Dialogues on election reform The dialogues between government and opposition about the proposed election reform in Bangladesh are again hanging in uncertainties.   Seeing off the PM The Daily Star recently reported that that VVIP flight of Biman carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage to Turkey was seen off by the Finance and Planning Minister, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister, StarTech Google aspires to organise your life Not content with hosting your email, your website, your videos, your searches, your blogs and more, Google has launched a free online calendar service that lets you store appointments, receive reminders   Raincoat for your cellphone During a trip to a reputed theme park my friends and I took turns on the 'Water ride'. Unfortunately, one of my friends dropped his precious cellphone into the water.   Robots in quest of bond with humans Playtime over, a toddler says nighty-night and spreads a blanket on the floor on top of his silver-colored friend.   Snaky bots to save lives For most people, snakes seem unpleasant or even threatening. But Howie Choset sees in their delicate movements a way to save lives.   Next gen hd-dvd rom   Hi-MD Walkman Literature City Shoes in The Village-Part III (Concluding) The sun was already up over the trees in the east when he heard footsteps. Looking in the direction of the family compound, he saw a lanky figure ambling down the footpath.   On snell-gabbit besom and snochter-dichter The wallagoo wis a wee bit bosky when he tried tae gie the catter-wurr a gaberosie.   Clinically Dead Supine on a trolley Rolling down fast, faster Save her please, hurry! Arteries clogged, bumper to bumper Thump and clear, thump and clear! Doctoring with warden batons Organs visibly   © thedailystar.net, 2006. All Rights Reserved.