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Thursday, September 25, 2008
Help save life of Saiful
Students and teachers of mass communication and journalism department of Dhaka Uni-versity have urged all to extend financial assistance for the treatment of Saiful Samin, a fourth year student who lost both of his legs in a tragic train accident in June.
The accident took place in Tejgaon area in the city on June 20 when Saiful, who also works with the Prothom Alo, went there to collect information for his report.
He is now undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation. A huge amount of money is needed for the treatment of the meritorious students.
Chairman of the journalism department Prof Sheikh Abdus Salam has appealed to all to extend a helping hand.
The academic committee of the department has opened a bank account for the purpose. Contributions can be sent to Account No. 12100404968, Sonali Bank, Dhaka University Branch.
The accident took place in Tejgaon area in the city on June 20 when Saiful, who also works with the Prothom Alo, went there to collect information for his report.
He is now undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation. A huge amount of money is needed for the treatment of the meritorious students.
Chairman of the journalism department Prof Sheikh Abdus Salam has appealed to all to extend a helping hand.
The academic committee of the department has opened a bank account for the purpose. Contributions can be sent to Account No. 12100404968, Sonali Bank, Dhaka University Branch.
Gas price hike move opposed strongly
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) yesterday held its first public hearing on the proposed gas price hike up to 65 percent amid strong opposition from businesspeople and consumers.
Stakeholders and representatives of different trade bodies, chambers and Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), who attended the hearing, said the hike would further increase prices of food items. Business people also pointed out that hiking gas prices would double the cost of business.
BERC Chairman Ghulam Rahman and four BERC members were in the judges' panel of the daylong hearing held at the commission's office.
After the hearing former Bangladesh Textile Mills Association president MA Matin, who represented the organisation at the hearing, said the proposed increase in gas prices would definitely hamper investment growth in the industrial and manufacturing sectors.
"The cost of doing business will double if the proposed gas price hike is implemented. The government cannot increase gas prices abnormally since distributing companies can hardly maintain the required supply of gas for smooth running of industrial units," he said.
He, however, said since Petrobangla, the state-owned oil, gas and mineral exploration corporation, has been languishing for making profit over the years, the BERC can propose raise in gas prices to a reasonable level.
Terming the proposed gas price hike abnormal, MA Matin, also managing director of Malek Spinning Mill, said the proposal for increasing gas prices more than 72 percent for captive power plants is discriminatory.
Petrobangla proposed increasing gas prices for commercial users by 26.08 percent, meaning that per-unit (1,000 cubic feet or 1 mcf) price of gas will go up to Tk 291.59 from the existing Tk 233.12.
Earlier, Petrobangla Chairman Jalal Ahmed said in the proposal that his organisation's cumulative deficit on account of undercut gas supply to international oil companies is about Tk 2,000 crore.
"If we do not raise gas prices, Petrobangla will have to go bankrupt soon, which will ultimately make it unable to go for further exploration," he had said to justify the merit of the government move.
During his expression of opinions as an independent expertise at the hearing, Prof Nurul Islam of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) strongly supported the proposed hike.
"There is no way but to increase gas prices for minimising the losses of Petrobangla," he said.
He hinted at the lack of transparency in gas distribution by some companies to make a windfall profit. "I firmly believe that smooth supply of gas can be ensured by increasing the price of this natural resource," he said.
Opposing the hike proposal, representatives of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, CAB, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation said the prices of foodstuffs would go up again in local markets as the prices of agri-inputs would also go up following the gas price hike.
"As a result, the country's food security will be at a crossroads. So, the price hike should be at a rational level," the representative of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said at the hearing. He expressed concern that stagflation and increase of urban poverty would stem from hiked gas prices.
The representative from the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) also said a fresh price hike of gas would seriously hamper power development.
Earlier, in its proposal submitted to the BERC on June 23, Petrobangla suggested a variable price hike for its different categories of consumers, the average hike being 65 percent.
Petrobangla suggested raising the price to Tk 600 for domestic consumers from the existing Tk 400 for a double-burner oven and Tk 550 for a single-burner oven against the present rate of Tk 350. The rise in this case is 50 percent.
Domestic consumers using meters will have to pay Tk 208 instead of Tk 130 with an increase of 26.81 percent.
For industrial consumers, the proposed per-unit price of gas is Tk 182.25, a 23.03 percent raise over the present rate of Tk 148.13. The same rate will apply to tea-estates.
For captive power plants, the proposed rate is Tk 182.25 per unit, a 72.60 percent increase from the present Tk 105.59.
Petrobangla proposed Tk 93.73 per unit for the PDB, independent power producers, and small power plants instead of Tk 73.91, raising the gas price by 26.81 percent.
For fertiliser industries, Tk 93.73 has been proposed with an increase of 47.81 percent from the present Tk 63.41 per unit gas.
Concluding the hearing, the BERC will announce its final decision by October 30 through an official order to Petrobangla.
BERC Chairman Ghulam Rahman said the BERC would keep records of all pre- and post-hearing public opinions until October 6 and that public opinions would be received during this stipulated timeframe.
Stakeholders and representatives of different trade bodies, chambers and Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), who attended the hearing, said the hike would further increase prices of food items. Business people also pointed out that hiking gas prices would double the cost of business.
BERC Chairman Ghulam Rahman and four BERC members were in the judges' panel of the daylong hearing held at the commission's office.
After the hearing former Bangladesh Textile Mills Association president MA Matin, who represented the organisation at the hearing, said the proposed increase in gas prices would definitely hamper investment growth in the industrial and manufacturing sectors.
"The cost of doing business will double if the proposed gas price hike is implemented. The government cannot increase gas prices abnormally since distributing companies can hardly maintain the required supply of gas for smooth running of industrial units," he said.
He, however, said since Petrobangla, the state-owned oil, gas and mineral exploration corporation, has been languishing for making profit over the years, the BERC can propose raise in gas prices to a reasonable level.
Terming the proposed gas price hike abnormal, MA Matin, also managing director of Malek Spinning Mill, said the proposal for increasing gas prices more than 72 percent for captive power plants is discriminatory.
Petrobangla proposed increasing gas prices for commercial users by 26.08 percent, meaning that per-unit (1,000 cubic feet or 1 mcf) price of gas will go up to Tk 291.59 from the existing Tk 233.12.
Earlier, Petrobangla Chairman Jalal Ahmed said in the proposal that his organisation's cumulative deficit on account of undercut gas supply to international oil companies is about Tk 2,000 crore.
"If we do not raise gas prices, Petrobangla will have to go bankrupt soon, which will ultimately make it unable to go for further exploration," he had said to justify the merit of the government move.
During his expression of opinions as an independent expertise at the hearing, Prof Nurul Islam of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) strongly supported the proposed hike.
"There is no way but to increase gas prices for minimising the losses of Petrobangla," he said.
He hinted at the lack of transparency in gas distribution by some companies to make a windfall profit. "I firmly believe that smooth supply of gas can be ensured by increasing the price of this natural resource," he said.
Opposing the hike proposal, representatives of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, CAB, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation said the prices of foodstuffs would go up again in local markets as the prices of agri-inputs would also go up following the gas price hike.
"As a result, the country's food security will be at a crossroads. So, the price hike should be at a rational level," the representative of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said at the hearing. He expressed concern that stagflation and increase of urban poverty would stem from hiked gas prices.
The representative from the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) also said a fresh price hike of gas would seriously hamper power development.
Earlier, in its proposal submitted to the BERC on June 23, Petrobangla suggested a variable price hike for its different categories of consumers, the average hike being 65 percent.
Petrobangla suggested raising the price to Tk 600 for domestic consumers from the existing Tk 400 for a double-burner oven and Tk 550 for a single-burner oven against the present rate of Tk 350. The rise in this case is 50 percent.
Domestic consumers using meters will have to pay Tk 208 instead of Tk 130 with an increase of 26.81 percent.
For industrial consumers, the proposed per-unit price of gas is Tk 182.25, a 23.03 percent raise over the present rate of Tk 148.13. The same rate will apply to tea-estates.
For captive power plants, the proposed rate is Tk 182.25 per unit, a 72.60 percent increase from the present Tk 105.59.
Petrobangla proposed Tk 93.73 per unit for the PDB, independent power producers, and small power plants instead of Tk 73.91, raising the gas price by 26.81 percent.
For fertiliser industries, Tk 93.73 has been proposed with an increase of 47.81 percent from the present Tk 63.41 per unit gas.
Concluding the hearing, the BERC will announce its final decision by October 30 through an official order to Petrobangla.
BERC Chairman Ghulam Rahman said the BERC would keep records of all pre- and post-hearing public opinions until October 6 and that public opinions would be received during this stipulated timeframe.
DU Eid, Puja vacation from today
The vacation at Dhaka University (DU) on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja will start today.
All the departments and administrative offices of the university will also remain closed between September 27 and October 5.
The university will open on October 18.
All the departments and administrative offices of the university will also remain closed between September 27 and October 5.
The university will open on October 18.
Broadband debate heats up
Should Bangladesh adopt WiMax technology to spread broadband data transmission facility now, or should it be 3GSM technology? Or maybe Bangladesh should wait a few more months to see if Long Term Evolution (LTE) is making a significant jump in broadband worldwide.
These are some debating points for information technology (IT) experts now. The debate is being fuelled by the Bangladesh Telecommunic-ation Regulatory Commission (BTRC), which floated an auction yesterday to award licences for WiMax technology operation in the country.
The BTRC's tilt to WiMax is in line with 19 other countries that introduced the technology in the recent years. WiMax is still undergoing major evolution. South Korea and Pakistan aside, it is yet to become a dominant technology in any nation. Pakistan is the only country that provides fully functional WiMax coverage. It has also been introduced in India.
Supporters of WiMax say it is now the heavyweight wireless data transmission technology in the market and much superior to 3GSM and more 'evolved' than the newly introduced GSM line of technology named LTE.
Rivals supporting GSM technology say WiMax is not a standardised technology like the GSM; it is very 'single vendor' focussed (all parts of a network set may be manufactured by a single vendor whereas, GSM allows multiple vendors) and it is costly and may take many years to implement.
They argue, the 3G technology that proudly runs 200 networks worldwide can be implemented in six to eight months because all it needs are changes in some hardware of the country's GSM-based mobile telecom network. The cost of upgrading to 3G in Bangladesh will be minimal and for a poor country like Bangladesh, it would mean, customers will not be burdened by high costs.
"WiMax licensing can turn fruitless because of the cost factors. The licences will block precious spectrum and thus hinder implementation of other technologies like LTE for broadband," says an IT expert working for a leading cellular technology company.
A third view about this subject comes from another IT consultant who provides infrastructure support to telecom companies. "WiMax and LTE are in the same footing -- not WiMax and 3G. That’s why, after obtaining multibillion-dollar licensing for 3G many operators in Europe did not go for complete 3G implementation," he said.
"In that light, the BTRC should have really waited until January-February before floating the auction. By that time, the industry expects some major developments worth waiting for," he pointed.
LTE is expected to be a fully ratified standard by the end of this year, with trials occurring in 2009 and deployments in late 2009 or 2010 offering mobile data rates of up to 170Mbps, says a telecom report by Frost and Sullivan Market Insight.
Experts say it is not yet clear whether it is LTE or WiMax that will be the dominant technology like GSM versus CDMA. "Which technology will flourish more will depend on the handset manufacturers," said the IT consultant. "I believe in WiMax because it's being applied in 19 countries while LTE has not been implemented yet."
But the LTE, which is much newer than WiMax, is getting a lot of market incentives. Telecom companies like AT&T and Verizon earlier this year announced LTE deployment. Major market players such as Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, NEC, NextWave Wireless, Nokia, Nokia Siemens Networks and Sony Ericsson have joined hands to deal with various aspects of LTE. WiMax is also facing challenges from the popular Wi-Fi technology, which now has a 100-kilometre range.
WiMax handles a huge data transfer that the 3G technology cannot. This means, for an example, WiMax can deliver smooth digital television broadcast in mobile phone, which the 3G cannot.
IT and cellphone players worldwide believe that the future mobile phone market will be demanding a huge data transfer. Mobile phones will act as the communicator, video broadcaster, entertainer and provider of any other everyday services. Hence the debate: Should we choose WiMax or should we follow the GSM path?
GSM technology has made mobile phone cheap and popular and its domination in mobile market is clear. The popularity of GSM was caused by freedom of phone users to use any handset they like (or phone companies using a host of devices not necessarily manufactured by a single company), prompting competition and quality.
Developed internationally by the WiMax Forum, WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) provides broadband speed without the requirement of cables in 50-km area. WiMax technology in cellphones was standardised two years ago.
The top mobile WiMax players include SK Telecom and KT of Korea, BT and France Telecom of Europe, Sprint Nextel of US and KDDI of Japan.
These are some debating points for information technology (IT) experts now. The debate is being fuelled by the Bangladesh Telecommunic-ation Regulatory Commission (BTRC), which floated an auction yesterday to award licences for WiMax technology operation in the country.
The BTRC's tilt to WiMax is in line with 19 other countries that introduced the technology in the recent years. WiMax is still undergoing major evolution. South Korea and Pakistan aside, it is yet to become a dominant technology in any nation. Pakistan is the only country that provides fully functional WiMax coverage. It has also been introduced in India.
Supporters of WiMax say it is now the heavyweight wireless data transmission technology in the market and much superior to 3GSM and more 'evolved' than the newly introduced GSM line of technology named LTE.
Rivals supporting GSM technology say WiMax is not a standardised technology like the GSM; it is very 'single vendor' focussed (all parts of a network set may be manufactured by a single vendor whereas, GSM allows multiple vendors) and it is costly and may take many years to implement.
They argue, the 3G technology that proudly runs 200 networks worldwide can be implemented in six to eight months because all it needs are changes in some hardware of the country's GSM-based mobile telecom network. The cost of upgrading to 3G in Bangladesh will be minimal and for a poor country like Bangladesh, it would mean, customers will not be burdened by high costs.
"WiMax licensing can turn fruitless because of the cost factors. The licences will block precious spectrum and thus hinder implementation of other technologies like LTE for broadband," says an IT expert working for a leading cellular technology company.
A third view about this subject comes from another IT consultant who provides infrastructure support to telecom companies. "WiMax and LTE are in the same footing -- not WiMax and 3G. That’s why, after obtaining multibillion-dollar licensing for 3G many operators in Europe did not go for complete 3G implementation," he said.
"In that light, the BTRC should have really waited until January-February before floating the auction. By that time, the industry expects some major developments worth waiting for," he pointed.
LTE is expected to be a fully ratified standard by the end of this year, with trials occurring in 2009 and deployments in late 2009 or 2010 offering mobile data rates of up to 170Mbps, says a telecom report by Frost and Sullivan Market Insight.
Experts say it is not yet clear whether it is LTE or WiMax that will be the dominant technology like GSM versus CDMA. "Which technology will flourish more will depend on the handset manufacturers," said the IT consultant. "I believe in WiMax because it's being applied in 19 countries while LTE has not been implemented yet."
But the LTE, which is much newer than WiMax, is getting a lot of market incentives. Telecom companies like AT&T and Verizon earlier this year announced LTE deployment. Major market players such as Alcatel-Lucent, Ericsson, NEC, NextWave Wireless, Nokia, Nokia Siemens Networks and Sony Ericsson have joined hands to deal with various aspects of LTE. WiMax is also facing challenges from the popular Wi-Fi technology, which now has a 100-kilometre range.
WiMax handles a huge data transfer that the 3G technology cannot. This means, for an example, WiMax can deliver smooth digital television broadcast in mobile phone, which the 3G cannot.
IT and cellphone players worldwide believe that the future mobile phone market will be demanding a huge data transfer. Mobile phones will act as the communicator, video broadcaster, entertainer and provider of any other everyday services. Hence the debate: Should we choose WiMax or should we follow the GSM path?
GSM technology has made mobile phone cheap and popular and its domination in mobile market is clear. The popularity of GSM was caused by freedom of phone users to use any handset they like (or phone companies using a host of devices not necessarily manufactured by a single company), prompting competition and quality.
Developed internationally by the WiMax Forum, WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) provides broadband speed without the requirement of cables in 50-km area. WiMax technology in cellphones was standardised two years ago.
The top mobile WiMax players include SK Telecom and KT of Korea, BT and France Telecom of Europe, Sprint Nextel of US and KDDI of Japan.
Hasina to sit with Khaleda anytime, anywhere
Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina agreed to sit with her political archrival BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia "anytime, anywhere" for the greater interest of the country if BNP admits to its wrongdoings during its last tenure in power.
In an email addressed to the nation and sent to the email account of a senior AL leader, she said her stance on the proposed talks between herself and Khaleda needed to be clarified. She said, "As discussions have been going on about a meeting between Khaleda Zia and me, I think my stance in this regard should be revealed to the people."
"Under the circumstances, I want to firmly say that I have no objection to any dialogue held in the greater interest of the country. I am ready to sit with anyone anywhere. But a dialogue without a specific issue or objective has the potential to create fresh problems or crises in the country," sources said quoting her as saying in the email.
AL, however, did not make public the email received a few days ago. Only a few senior AL leaders knew about the email. Surprisingly, a number of senior AL leaders including Presidium member Amir Hossain Amu termed the letter a rumour.
A senior AL Presidium member, having close ties to the party chief, read the email to The Daily Star.
AL Presidium member Suranjit Sengupta confirmed reporters about the email and said the AL chief does not think that bringing the two leaders to a single table would be easy.
Hasina said she does not want to be involved in a process that misleads people. She neither wants to be in a dialogue which is not meant for the country's welfare.
"My apprehension is that the dialogue has been proposed so that the blame for one's [Khaleda's] failures could be equally shared by two leaders. The dialogue may attempt to weigh a successful, competent and pro-people government with a dishonest, corrupt and incompetent one [BNP-Jamaat alliance government] on the same scale," she said.
She said she believes that a cordial relationship could be achieved if Khaleda retreats from the path of mistakes and ousts from her party the people who were involved in killing AL men.
Hasina claimed that BNP, assuming power in 2001, tortured and repressed hundreds of AL leaders. She claimed BNP men killed many including Shah AMS Kibria and Ahsanullah Master. She blamed BNP for the August 21, 2004 grenade attack on an AL rally on Bangabandhu Avenue, which was also an attempt on her life.
"If BNP does not rectify itself, I will have to exchange courtesy at the dialogue with those who killed Kibria, Ahsanullah Master and Ivy Rahman and tried to kill me," the AL president said expressing doubt about how cordial the dialogue would be.
"It has been indicated in the proposal for the dialogue that there is something that can be solved through talks between the two leaders, but I could not find any such thing," she said.
She said high price of essentials and stagnation in foreign investment are the main problems of the country and the government would have to act accordingly to solve the crises. She said a free, fair and credible election is necessary in the country as soon as possible.
It would not be right to shift the blame on two leaders or two parties, she said, adding, "The disorder created by the Anti-Corruption Commission has to be considered."
About her personal relationship with the Zia family, she said she served Tarique Rahman fried fish with her own hands when he came to her home to invite her to his wedding.
The AL chief said she did not get involved in politics for power. "When I assumed power in 1996, I urged BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to work together. Had she [Khaleda] responded to that call, we could have had an episode where the country is run based on consensus between the ruling and opposition parties."
In an email addressed to the nation and sent to the email account of a senior AL leader, she said her stance on the proposed talks between herself and Khaleda needed to be clarified. She said, "As discussions have been going on about a meeting between Khaleda Zia and me, I think my stance in this regard should be revealed to the people."
"Under the circumstances, I want to firmly say that I have no objection to any dialogue held in the greater interest of the country. I am ready to sit with anyone anywhere. But a dialogue without a specific issue or objective has the potential to create fresh problems or crises in the country," sources said quoting her as saying in the email.
AL, however, did not make public the email received a few days ago. Only a few senior AL leaders knew about the email. Surprisingly, a number of senior AL leaders including Presidium member Amir Hossain Amu termed the letter a rumour.
A senior AL Presidium member, having close ties to the party chief, read the email to The Daily Star.
AL Presidium member Suranjit Sengupta confirmed reporters about the email and said the AL chief does not think that bringing the two leaders to a single table would be easy.
Hasina said she does not want to be involved in a process that misleads people. She neither wants to be in a dialogue which is not meant for the country's welfare.
"My apprehension is that the dialogue has been proposed so that the blame for one's [Khaleda's] failures could be equally shared by two leaders. The dialogue may attempt to weigh a successful, competent and pro-people government with a dishonest, corrupt and incompetent one [BNP-Jamaat alliance government] on the same scale," she said.
She said she believes that a cordial relationship could be achieved if Khaleda retreats from the path of mistakes and ousts from her party the people who were involved in killing AL men.
Hasina claimed that BNP, assuming power in 2001, tortured and repressed hundreds of AL leaders. She claimed BNP men killed many including Shah AMS Kibria and Ahsanullah Master. She blamed BNP for the August 21, 2004 grenade attack on an AL rally on Bangabandhu Avenue, which was also an attempt on her life.
"If BNP does not rectify itself, I will have to exchange courtesy at the dialogue with those who killed Kibria, Ahsanullah Master and Ivy Rahman and tried to kill me," the AL president said expressing doubt about how cordial the dialogue would be.
"It has been indicated in the proposal for the dialogue that there is something that can be solved through talks between the two leaders, but I could not find any such thing," she said.
She said high price of essentials and stagnation in foreign investment are the main problems of the country and the government would have to act accordingly to solve the crises. She said a free, fair and credible election is necessary in the country as soon as possible.
It would not be right to shift the blame on two leaders or two parties, she said, adding, "The disorder created by the Anti-Corruption Commission has to be considered."
About her personal relationship with the Zia family, she said she served Tarique Rahman fried fish with her own hands when he came to her home to invite her to his wedding.
The AL chief said she did not get involved in politics for power. "When I assumed power in 1996, I urged BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to work together. Had she [Khaleda] responded to that call, we could have had an episode where the country is run based on consensus between the ruling and opposition parties."
GP teams up with post office
Grameenphone yesterday sealed a deal with the postal department to boost its revenue by going deeper in rural areas through the postmen working in about 8,300 postal branches.
Under the agreement, the largest cell phone operator will provide 24,000 SIM cards, having the benefit of Flexiload and public phone, for the postmen enabling them offer recharge, local and overseas calling services to the people in remote areas.
The new service will come into effect from November.
GP and Bangladesh Post Office (BPO) said the deal would supplement the income of low-paid runners, as they will enjoy the difference after paying about Tk 1 as charge for every minute of call if the rate is Tk 2.
The commission for recharge will be determined time to time on the basis of market rate. At present, GP offers about 2.75 percent commission to the Flexiload service providers.
While the BPO will get 5 percent of the revenue generated through the process, according to officials.
“We believe this public and private partnership will usher in another dimension to the services in rural areas,” GP Chief Executive Officer Anders Jensen said after signing the agreement with the BPO at The Westin, Dhaka.
The other signatory was BPO Director General Mobasherur Rahman. The BPO had earlier also inked a number of deals with some local and foreign banks to deliver remittances.
Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Brig Gen MA Malek (retd), Posts and Telecommunications Secretary Iqbal Mahmud and GP Director for Public Relations Syed Yamin Bakht were present among others at the programme.
The cell phone operator, which enjoys the highest number of subscribers at about 21 million till August, has over 70 percent users in cities and district towns.
“The BPO would consider transferring money by mobile phone in future,”said Brig Gen MA Malek at the signing ceremony.
At present, the BPO has about 40,000 employees, majority of which are postmen. Of them, runners providing services in the rural areas receive an honorarium of about Tk 750 a month.
Under the agreement, the largest cell phone operator will provide 24,000 SIM cards, having the benefit of Flexiload and public phone, for the postmen enabling them offer recharge, local and overseas calling services to the people in remote areas.
The new service will come into effect from November.
GP and Bangladesh Post Office (BPO) said the deal would supplement the income of low-paid runners, as they will enjoy the difference after paying about Tk 1 as charge for every minute of call if the rate is Tk 2.
The commission for recharge will be determined time to time on the basis of market rate. At present, GP offers about 2.75 percent commission to the Flexiload service providers.
While the BPO will get 5 percent of the revenue generated through the process, according to officials.
“We believe this public and private partnership will usher in another dimension to the services in rural areas,” GP Chief Executive Officer Anders Jensen said after signing the agreement with the BPO at The Westin, Dhaka.
The other signatory was BPO Director General Mobasherur Rahman. The BPO had earlier also inked a number of deals with some local and foreign banks to deliver remittances.
Chief Adviser's Special Assistant Brig Gen MA Malek (retd), Posts and Telecommunications Secretary Iqbal Mahmud and GP Director for Public Relations Syed Yamin Bakht were present among others at the programme.
The cell phone operator, which enjoys the highest number of subscribers at about 21 million till August, has over 70 percent users in cities and district towns.
“The BPO would consider transferring money by mobile phone in future,”said Brig Gen MA Malek at the signing ceremony.
At present, the BPO has about 40,000 employees, majority of which are postmen. Of them, runners providing services in the rural areas receive an honorarium of about Tk 750 a month.
GP extends time for private placement
Grameenphone, the country's largest mobile phone operator, has extended the deadline for local institutional investors to participate in its private placement offering (PPO).
“Local institutional investors need to be given adequate time to do due diligence and allocate funds for the bidding,” Grameenphone quoted its CEO Anders Jensen as saying in a statement.
“We are working with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to expedite the matter,” Jensen said.
Grameenphone however did not specify any new deadline for the PPO.
"Under the current challenging global capital market conditions in which international investors are hesitant to commit to new investments, it is important to ensure that potential investors in Grameenphone are given adequate time to make investment decisions," the statement said.
Capital market insiders said Grameenphone extended the time for participating in PPO as the offer received poor response from the local institutional investors.
People close to the matter said only a handful local institutions -- including Trust Bank, Prime Bank, ICB, AIMS of Bangladesh, IDLC and Lanka Bangla -- participated in Grameenphone's PPO before its deadline ended last week.
The highest offer for each Grameenphone share during the PPO was Tk 12, while the lowest was Tk 3.
The Grameenphone PPO is scheduled to take place ahead of its planned initial public offering (IPO).
“The shareholders of Grameenphone remain committed to the IPO, development of the Bangladesh capital market and share Grameenphone's success with its future shareholders,” the press release said, quoting the Grameenphone CEO.
“Local institutional investors need to be given adequate time to do due diligence and allocate funds for the bidding,” Grameenphone quoted its CEO Anders Jensen as saying in a statement.
“We are working with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to expedite the matter,” Jensen said.
Grameenphone however did not specify any new deadline for the PPO.
"Under the current challenging global capital market conditions in which international investors are hesitant to commit to new investments, it is important to ensure that potential investors in Grameenphone are given adequate time to make investment decisions," the statement said.
Capital market insiders said Grameenphone extended the time for participating in PPO as the offer received poor response from the local institutional investors.
People close to the matter said only a handful local institutions -- including Trust Bank, Prime Bank, ICB, AIMS of Bangladesh, IDLC and Lanka Bangla -- participated in Grameenphone's PPO before its deadline ended last week.
The highest offer for each Grameenphone share during the PPO was Tk 12, while the lowest was Tk 3.
The Grameenphone PPO is scheduled to take place ahead of its planned initial public offering (IPO).
“The shareholders of Grameenphone remain committed to the IPO, development of the Bangladesh capital market and share Grameenphone's success with its future shareholders,” the press release said, quoting the Grameenphone CEO.
3 injured in Barapukuria mine fire
A fire inside Barapukuria coal mine Tuesday night left two miners including a Chinese national seriously injured.
The fire originated from an electrical short circuit, Barapukuria Coal Mine Company Ltd (BCMCL) sources said.
The injured were identified as Sultan Mahmud, 28, and Hu Chong Ziang of XMC. Sultan's state is critical as almost 70 percent of his body was burnt, family sources and fellow miners said. The right part of Hu Chong's body was burnt in the fire, according to BCMCL sources.
Sources said both the injured were sent to Dhaka early Wednesday as their conditions were critical. BCMCL official said all necessary actions have been taken for their treatment.
Miners were mining in Phase-1104 around 11:45pm Tuesday and at the same time a number of Bangladeshi and Chinese workers were repairing an electric wire on the wall of Phase-1104. Suddenly the wire caught fire and burnt the two workers.
BCMCL officials told The Daily Star that a few thousand metres of electric cables are down there and the short-circuit incident was a major one.
Sources said the authorities are likely to start the fire investigation today as Bangladeshi and Chinese workforces in the mine are blaming each other for the incident.
The fire originated from an electrical short circuit, Barapukuria Coal Mine Company Ltd (BCMCL) sources said.
The injured were identified as Sultan Mahmud, 28, and Hu Chong Ziang of XMC. Sultan's state is critical as almost 70 percent of his body was burnt, family sources and fellow miners said. The right part of Hu Chong's body was burnt in the fire, according to BCMCL sources.
Sources said both the injured were sent to Dhaka early Wednesday as their conditions were critical. BCMCL official said all necessary actions have been taken for their treatment.
Miners were mining in Phase-1104 around 11:45pm Tuesday and at the same time a number of Bangladeshi and Chinese workers were repairing an electric wire on the wall of Phase-1104. Suddenly the wire caught fire and burnt the two workers.
BCMCL officials told The Daily Star that a few thousand metres of electric cables are down there and the short-circuit incident was a major one.
Sources said the authorities are likely to start the fire investigation today as Bangladeshi and Chinese workforces in the mine are blaming each other for the incident.
Cut in land registration fee suggested
Regulatory Reform Commission (RRC) yesterday approved its taskforce's recommendations regarding digitisation of land records and land registration system and suggested that the land registration fees be reduced.
The high-powered government committee on "Modernised Land Management and Registration", formed on February 12 and headed by former adviser to the caretaker government Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, submitted its recommendations to the RRC meeting yesterday.
The RRC meeting approved the recommendations with some additional suggestions. Now the recommendations will be placed before the cabinet committee following the approval of the Chief Adviser's Office.
As the present tax rate is high and it promotes corruption, the RRC members suggested that the taskforce to revise and reduce the land registration tariffs.
The taskforce recommended digitisation of the country's entire land records and turning district administration offices into monitoring bodies from its present role of service provider to ensure transparency and reduce corruption.
The five-member taskforce said a commission should be formed comprising government and non-government experts to spearhead modernisation of records and land registration system.
But the RRC differed from the view put forward by the taskforce about forming a commission. It suggested that a committee be formed comprised of government, non-government and representatives from business communities in digitisation of land records and registration system.
The high-powered government committee on "Modernised Land Management and Registration", formed on February 12 and headed by former adviser to the caretaker government Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, submitted its recommendations to the RRC meeting yesterday.
The RRC meeting approved the recommendations with some additional suggestions. Now the recommendations will be placed before the cabinet committee following the approval of the Chief Adviser's Office.
As the present tax rate is high and it promotes corruption, the RRC members suggested that the taskforce to revise and reduce the land registration tariffs.
The taskforce recommended digitisation of the country's entire land records and turning district administration offices into monitoring bodies from its present role of service provider to ensure transparency and reduce corruption.
The five-member taskforce said a commission should be formed comprising government and non-government experts to spearhead modernisation of records and land registration system.
But the RRC differed from the view put forward by the taskforce about forming a commission. It suggested that a committee be formed comprised of government, non-government and representatives from business communities in digitisation of land records and registration system.
Transparent ballot boxes start to arrive
The Election Commission (EC) yesterday received the first consignment of transparent ballot boxes and soon started sending those to some district election offices in Dhaka division.
Around 36,000 ballot boxes of the latest brand, out of some 2.40 lakh sought for a massive voting fray in a new context, reached the Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Kamalapur in the capital yesterday.
These imports are going to be used--for the first time in Bangladesh--for polling in the parliamentary elections scheduled for December 18, closely followed by upazila polls on December 24 and 28.
EC Joint Secretary Md Rafiqul Islam and Deputy Election Commissioner for Dhaka Division Biswas Lutfar Rahman received the consignment on behalf of the commission in the morning. And, in no time, the EC officials began sending 17,000 boxes to the election offices.
EC sources said these transparent ballot boxes are being brought from abroad by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), financed by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), under a recipe meant for the country's democratic development.
The UN agency was also involved in the preparation of the new digitised photo voter list under a reform scheme undertaken following the past crisis over the issues of general election that was eventually cancelled in January last year.
Rafiqul Islam said the remaining ballot boxes will arrive by October 30.
Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhwat Hossain yesterday told reporters that one trainer from Canada would conduct a training programme for one hour with 30 people to teach them how to use the transparent ballot boxes.
Around 36,000 ballot boxes of the latest brand, out of some 2.40 lakh sought for a massive voting fray in a new context, reached the Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Kamalapur in the capital yesterday.
These imports are going to be used--for the first time in Bangladesh--for polling in the parliamentary elections scheduled for December 18, closely followed by upazila polls on December 24 and 28.
EC Joint Secretary Md Rafiqul Islam and Deputy Election Commissioner for Dhaka Division Biswas Lutfar Rahman received the consignment on behalf of the commission in the morning. And, in no time, the EC officials began sending 17,000 boxes to the election offices.
EC sources said these transparent ballot boxes are being brought from abroad by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), financed by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), under a recipe meant for the country's democratic development.
The UN agency was also involved in the preparation of the new digitised photo voter list under a reform scheme undertaken following the past crisis over the issues of general election that was eventually cancelled in January last year.
Rafiqul Islam said the remaining ballot boxes will arrive by October 30.
Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhwat Hossain yesterday told reporters that one trainer from Canada would conduct a training programme for one hour with 30 people to teach them how to use the transparent ballot boxes.
6 advisers abroad
Administrative activities at the Bangladesh Secretariat have slowed down as half a dozen advisers in charge of 12 ministries are now outside the country on official tours.
The ongoing administrative shake-up from late last month also added to the laid-back atmosphere, officials said.
"The absence of so many advisers all at a time has nearly stalled the administrative functioning of the ministries they head," a senior official at the education ministry told The Daily Star yesterday.
Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed's Council of Advisers consists of 11 advisers. As the chief executive of their ministries, the advisers preside over policymaking meetings.
Barring routine work, the official cial said no policy or important decisions are taken in their absence.
Fakhruddin, who is in charge of the establishment and information ministries, is attending the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City.
He also heads the Election Commission (EC) Secretariat and the Cabinet Division.
He ended a five-day official visit to China on Friday and left the country the following day on a 10-day tour hours after announcing dates for the parliamentary and upazila polls.
He is expected to return home on September 30.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, who also heads the crucial expatriates' welfare and overseas employment ministry, is accompanying the chief adviser.
Adviser Rasheda K Choudhury, holding three ministries: primary and mass education, women and children affairs and the cultural affairs, has been abroad since September 17.
She left the country on a personal visit on September 17 and was supposed to join the CA-led delegation at the annual UNGA session. Officials at the primary and mass education ministry said she is unlikely to come back before Eid-ul-Fitr.
Commerce and Education Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman flew over to the United States on September 17 to attend an international seminar on education. He is expected to return home on September 30.
Finance and Planning Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam went to Saudi Arabia on Sunday. During his visit he will meet Islamic Development Bank President Dr Ahmed Mohammed Ali in Jeddah and discuss matters of mutual interest.
He is scheduled to fly back on September 29, said an official release.
Communications Adviser Ghulam Quader, also in charge of the public works and housing ministry, left Dhaka on September 15 for a seminar in Geneva. He was scheduled to come back Monday, but later changed it to today.
The ongoing administrative shake-up from late last month also added to the laid-back atmosphere, officials said.
"The absence of so many advisers all at a time has nearly stalled the administrative functioning of the ministries they head," a senior official at the education ministry told The Daily Star yesterday.
Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed's Council of Advisers consists of 11 advisers. As the chief executive of their ministries, the advisers preside over policymaking meetings.
Barring routine work, the official cial said no policy or important decisions are taken in their absence.
Fakhruddin, who is in charge of the establishment and information ministries, is attending the 63rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City.
He also heads the Election Commission (EC) Secretariat and the Cabinet Division.
He ended a five-day official visit to China on Friday and left the country the following day on a 10-day tour hours after announcing dates for the parliamentary and upazila polls.
He is expected to return home on September 30.
Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, who also heads the crucial expatriates' welfare and overseas employment ministry, is accompanying the chief adviser.
Adviser Rasheda K Choudhury, holding three ministries: primary and mass education, women and children affairs and the cultural affairs, has been abroad since September 17.
She left the country on a personal visit on September 17 and was supposed to join the CA-led delegation at the annual UNGA session. Officials at the primary and mass education ministry said she is unlikely to come back before Eid-ul-Fitr.
Commerce and Education Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman flew over to the United States on September 17 to attend an international seminar on education. He is expected to return home on September 30.
Finance and Planning Adviser Mirza Azizul Islam went to Saudi Arabia on Sunday. During his visit he will meet Islamic Development Bank President Dr Ahmed Mohammed Ali in Jeddah and discuss matters of mutual interest.
He is scheduled to fly back on September 29, said an official release.
Communications Adviser Ghulam Quader, also in charge of the public works and housing ministry, left Dhaka on September 15 for a seminar in Geneva. He was scheduled to come back Monday, but later changed it to today.
Govt keenly fights Hasina's bail bid
In a move contrary to an apparent understanding with the Awami League (AL), the government yesterday strongly opposed a bail prayer of Sheikh Hasina at the High Court (HC) in an extortion case filed by businessman Noor Ali.
The opposition surprised AL President Hasina's counsel barrister Rafique-ul-Huq who was asked by the caretaker government's law adviser earlier yesterday to obtain Hasina's bail from the HC so that she can sit in a meeting with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
But within hours, the government attorneys opposed the bail petition which, according to barrister Rafique, jeopardised the possible dialogue between the two former premiers to "remove political crisis ahead of the next parliamentary elections".
Rafique, who also represents Khaleda, had taken an initiative to bring the two leaders to a dialogue.
Additional Attorney General (AAG) Mansur Habib, who represented the government in the HC, told newsmen that he opposed Hasina's bail prayer at the instructions of the "authorities concerned".
Talking to journalists, barrister Rafique said Hasina--now abroad on parole for treatment--should come back home as a free person having secured bail in all cases she is standing trial.
In a situation where Khaleda got released on bail and Hasina is on parole, no dialogue can be held between them, he said.
"Now Sheikh Hasina can say--and she has every right to say it--that she will not have any meeting with Khaleda Zia. I will not have anything to do if Sheikh Hasina said she would not sit in any meeting with Khaleda Zia without getting released on bail," said barrister Rafique.
Based on an apparent understanding with the government earlier this month, Khaleda got bail in four cases and the government attorneys did not oppose filing of the bail petitions in favour of Khaleda at that time.
Earlier on September 23, a vacation bench of the HC sent back two bail petitions filed on behalf of Hasina in the Niko and barge-mounted power plant corruption cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission since the HC bench did not have the jurisdiction to hear the petitions.
Following submissions from both sides, an HC vacation bench comprised of Justice Sheikh Rezowan Ali and Justice Md Rais Uddin fixed September 29 for passing order on Hasina's bail petition in the Tk 5 crore extortion case filed by Noor Ali.
The HC bench also asked the AAG to submit within this period a Supreme Court order that granted bail to Khaleda's son Tarique Rahman on health grounds for considering Hasina's bail petition on similar grounds.
AAG Mansur opposed the bail prayer, saying Hasina, who is now on parole, sought bail for taking part in the next general elections.
"Sheikh Hasina has been travelling to different European countries and even recently attended a marriage ceremony in the Netherlands. She was released on parole on health grounds on the basis of a medical report prepared in June this year. The medical reports of her recent health condition needed to be scrutinised for considering her bail prayers," he said.
The AL chief's lawyers said they would submit the petitions to another HC bench on September 29 for hearing.
Rafique-ul-Huq said both he and the government had been trying to seat the two leaders together, but now the government's policy about Hasina's release seemed unclear to them.
"I am confused if the attorney general's office is complying with the instructions of the law ministry and if it has any communication with the ministry. How will the meeting between Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina be held if Hasina does not get released on bail?" he said.
He, however, expressed hope about holding of the meeting between the two former premiers.
Earlier yesterday, he prayed to the HC to grant Hasina bail on health grounds saying both the Appellate and HC divisions had granted bail to several accused including Tarique Rahman, Sigma Huda, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir in similar cases.
Replying to a question, AAG Mansur told reporters that he had not opposed Hasina's bail petition in the Tk 3 crore extortion case filed by Azam J Chowdhury since his client, the government, did not supply him with sufficient materials for contesting the prayer.
Noor Ali, managing director of Unique Group of Companies, filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on June 13 last year, accusing Hasina and her two relatives of extorting Tk 5 crore for mediating between the Power Development Board and his firm for a power plant deal back in 1997.
The government on July 16 last year brought the case under the Emergency Power Rules (EPR) and a magistrate's court ordered on July 29 that Hasina be shown arrested in the case.
The opposition surprised AL President Hasina's counsel barrister Rafique-ul-Huq who was asked by the caretaker government's law adviser earlier yesterday to obtain Hasina's bail from the HC so that she can sit in a meeting with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
But within hours, the government attorneys opposed the bail petition which, according to barrister Rafique, jeopardised the possible dialogue between the two former premiers to "remove political crisis ahead of the next parliamentary elections".
Rafique, who also represents Khaleda, had taken an initiative to bring the two leaders to a dialogue.
Additional Attorney General (AAG) Mansur Habib, who represented the government in the HC, told newsmen that he opposed Hasina's bail prayer at the instructions of the "authorities concerned".
Talking to journalists, barrister Rafique said Hasina--now abroad on parole for treatment--should come back home as a free person having secured bail in all cases she is standing trial.
In a situation where Khaleda got released on bail and Hasina is on parole, no dialogue can be held between them, he said.
"Now Sheikh Hasina can say--and she has every right to say it--that she will not have any meeting with Khaleda Zia. I will not have anything to do if Sheikh Hasina said she would not sit in any meeting with Khaleda Zia without getting released on bail," said barrister Rafique.
Based on an apparent understanding with the government earlier this month, Khaleda got bail in four cases and the government attorneys did not oppose filing of the bail petitions in favour of Khaleda at that time.
Earlier on September 23, a vacation bench of the HC sent back two bail petitions filed on behalf of Hasina in the Niko and barge-mounted power plant corruption cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission since the HC bench did not have the jurisdiction to hear the petitions.
Following submissions from both sides, an HC vacation bench comprised of Justice Sheikh Rezowan Ali and Justice Md Rais Uddin fixed September 29 for passing order on Hasina's bail petition in the Tk 5 crore extortion case filed by Noor Ali.
The HC bench also asked the AAG to submit within this period a Supreme Court order that granted bail to Khaleda's son Tarique Rahman on health grounds for considering Hasina's bail petition on similar grounds.
AAG Mansur opposed the bail prayer, saying Hasina, who is now on parole, sought bail for taking part in the next general elections.
"Sheikh Hasina has been travelling to different European countries and even recently attended a marriage ceremony in the Netherlands. She was released on parole on health grounds on the basis of a medical report prepared in June this year. The medical reports of her recent health condition needed to be scrutinised for considering her bail prayers," he said.
The AL chief's lawyers said they would submit the petitions to another HC bench on September 29 for hearing.
Rafique-ul-Huq said both he and the government had been trying to seat the two leaders together, but now the government's policy about Hasina's release seemed unclear to them.
"I am confused if the attorney general's office is complying with the instructions of the law ministry and if it has any communication with the ministry. How will the meeting between Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina be held if Hasina does not get released on bail?" he said.
He, however, expressed hope about holding of the meeting between the two former premiers.
Earlier yesterday, he prayed to the HC to grant Hasina bail on health grounds saying both the Appellate and HC divisions had granted bail to several accused including Tarique Rahman, Sigma Huda, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir in similar cases.
Replying to a question, AAG Mansur told reporters that he had not opposed Hasina's bail petition in the Tk 3 crore extortion case filed by Azam J Chowdhury since his client, the government, did not supply him with sufficient materials for contesting the prayer.
Noor Ali, managing director of Unique Group of Companies, filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on June 13 last year, accusing Hasina and her two relatives of extorting Tk 5 crore for mediating between the Power Development Board and his firm for a power plant deal back in 1997.
The government on July 16 last year brought the case under the Emergency Power Rules (EPR) and a magistrate's court ordered on July 29 that Hasina be shown arrested in the case.
2pc of hijras infected with HIV/AIDS
Speakers at a seminar said about two percent of the estimated 10-15 thousand hermaphrodite (Hijra) populace in the country are infected with HIV/AIDS.
Bandhu Social Welfare Society organised the seminar titled 'Hijra: HIV/AIDS and human rights, role of civil society and other stakeholders' at Biam auditorium in the city on Tuesday.
The speakers also said that HIV intervention programmes for this community are negligible.
The objectives of the seminar were to help raising their voice and establish their dignity in the society, to identify the role of the civil society and other stakeholders to reduce the discrimination and violation of human rights.
More than 35 delegates from UN agencies, NGOs and donor agencies including representatives of hermaphrodite community attended the seminar.
Bandhu Social Welfare Society organised the seminar titled 'Hijra: HIV/AIDS and human rights, role of civil society and other stakeholders' at Biam auditorium in the city on Tuesday.
The speakers also said that HIV intervention programmes for this community are negligible.
The objectives of the seminar were to help raising their voice and establish their dignity in the society, to identify the role of the civil society and other stakeholders to reduce the discrimination and violation of human rights.
More than 35 delegates from UN agencies, NGOs and donor agencies including representatives of hermaphrodite community attended the seminar.
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