European scientists sounded the alarms on Monday about the dangers of using digital music players, warning that listening to them too long and too loud can cause permanent hearing loss.
Five to 10 per cent of the people who listen to a so-called MP3 player for more than one hour per day each week at a high volume risk permanent hearing loss, they found.
That means that between 2.5 million and 10 million people are at risk, according to the panel of scientists who conducted the study at the request of the European Commission.
EU rules already restrict noise levels from such MP3s to 100 decibels, but the European Commission said that there was growing concern about excessive exposure to such devices, especially among youths.
The scientific panel found that people who listen for only five hours per week with a volume above 89 decibels would exceed the current limits in place for noise allowed in the workplace.
Users listening for longer periods risk permanent hearing loss after five years, according to their findings.
The European Union’s executive arm estimated that there are roughly 50 to 100 million people who may be listening to portable MP3 music players on a daily basis.
It said that a 184-246 million portable audio devices had been sold over the last four years, including 124-165 million MP3 players.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Violence threatens India’s social stability, says Manmohan
Agence France-Presse . New Delhi
The Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, warned Monday that a dangerous rise in ethnic and communal tensions was posing a serious threat to the country’s social stability.
His comments came against a backdrop of unrest across India, particularly attacks by Hindus on Christians in eastern Orissa and southern Karnataka states, and clashes between Muslims and tribal groups in the northeast.
‘Perhaps the most disturbing and dangerous aspect today is the assault on our composite culture... we see fault-lines developing between, and among, communities,’ Singh told a conference of chief state ministers in New Delhi.
Singh said the violence threatened what he described as India’s proud ‘inheritance’ of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-caste society.
‘There are clashes between Hindus, Christians, Muslims and tribal groups. An atmosphere of hatred and violence is being artificially generated. There are forces deliberately encouraging such tendencies,’ he said.
India is officially secular but clashes between the majority Hindu community and minority Christians and Muslims erupt periodically.
At least 35 people died in Hindu-Christian violence in Orissa following the killing of a hardline Hindu priest and four of his followers in August.
Earlier this month, some 50 people were killed in clashes between Muslim migrants and tribal groups in India’s northeastern Assam state.
India has also been rocked by a series of bomb blasts targeting major cities this year that have taken a combined toll of more than 100 lives.
A home-grown Islamic group, the Indian Mujahideen, claimed responsibility for the blasts in the cities of Jaipur, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and New Delhi, saying they were revenge for attacks on Muslims across India.
‘There can be no compromise with terrorism and terrorists have to be dealt with firmly,’ Singh said in his speech.
‘We need to meet today’s mindless violence with the requisite amount of force but must also ensure that this is tempered by reason and justice which is the normal order of governance,’ he added.
India is battling a Muslim insurgency in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir and a myriad of rebel groups with demands ranging from secession to autonomy in the country’s remote northeast.
It has also had to confront an upsurge in violence by Indian Maoists who hold sway in half of India’s 29 states.
Singh has previously described the leftwing rebels, known here as Naxalites, as the biggest threat to internal security.
Obama leads McCain by 10 points: Washington Post/ABC poll Reuters/Bdnews24.com . Washington
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is leading his Republican rival John McCain 53 per cent to 43 per cent among likely voters, according to a Washington Post-ABC News opinion poll released on Monday.
Sixty-four per cent of voters now view Obama favourably, up six percentage points from early September, according to the poll taken after Tuesday night’s presidential debate.
Nearly a third of voters have a better opinion of the Illinois senator because of his debate performance while eight per cent have a lower opinion of him, the poll found.
Twelve per cent of voters have a higher opinion of Arizona senator McCain after the debate, while 26 per cent said they had a worse opinion of him.
According to the poll, 52 per cent of voters now strongly favour McCain, down seven percentage points from early September.
More than half of respondents, 59 per cent said the Arizona senator has been mainly attacking his opponent rather than addressing the issues, up from 48 per cent who said the same thing in August, the Post reported.
Sixty-eight per cent of respondents said Obama has been mainly addressing the issues.
On taxes, an issue McCain has been aggressively highlighting, Obama has gained a significant lead over his opponent.
According to the poll, Obama now leads McCain 52 per cent to 41 per cent on the question of who is trusted to handle taxes. In late September, the candidates were near even on that question with Obama ahead of McCain by two percentage points, 48 per cent to 46 per cent.
The poll of 1,101 adults, including 945 registered votes, was taking Wednesday though Saturday. The margin of error is plus or minus three percentage points for the full sample and three-point-five percentage points for the sample of 766 likely voters.
Meanwhile, McCain vowed to ‘whip’ Barack Obama’s ‘you know what’ in Wednesday’s final presidential debate, defying doom-laden assessments of his campaign.
McCain on Sunday gave a pep talk to campaign workers in Washington’s Virginia suburbs, as he plotted a comeback in the presidential race against Democrat Obama, just over three weeks from the election on November 4.
The Arizona senator said he and vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin were criss-crossing battleground states and would intensify their effort after the debate in New York state on Wednesday.
‘So we’re spending a lot of time and after I whip his you know what in this debate we’re going to be going out,’ McCain said.
‘We’re a couple points down, okay, nationally, but we’re right in this game. ‘I know that we’re going to win this race.’
McCain spoke after several conservative pundits on Sunday television talk shows gave unflattering assessments of his campaign.
Some key Republicans in battleground states were also quoted in a New York Times article as lambasting his performance, as Obama enjoys leads in national and battleground polls.
McCain also told his supporters that he wanted a ‘respectful’ campaign after he had to intervene at a rally last week to tone down abusive rhetoric against Obama.
Sixty-four per cent of voters now view Obama favourably, up six percentage points from early September, according to the poll taken after Tuesday night’s presidential debate.
Nearly a third of voters have a better opinion of the Illinois senator because of his debate performance while eight per cent have a lower opinion of him, the poll found.
Twelve per cent of voters have a higher opinion of Arizona senator McCain after the debate, while 26 per cent said they had a worse opinion of him.
According to the poll, 52 per cent of voters now strongly favour McCain, down seven percentage points from early September.
More than half of respondents, 59 per cent said the Arizona senator has been mainly attacking his opponent rather than addressing the issues, up from 48 per cent who said the same thing in August, the Post reported.
Sixty-eight per cent of respondents said Obama has been mainly addressing the issues.
On taxes, an issue McCain has been aggressively highlighting, Obama has gained a significant lead over his opponent.
According to the poll, Obama now leads McCain 52 per cent to 41 per cent on the question of who is trusted to handle taxes. In late September, the candidates were near even on that question with Obama ahead of McCain by two percentage points, 48 per cent to 46 per cent.
The poll of 1,101 adults, including 945 registered votes, was taking Wednesday though Saturday. The margin of error is plus or minus three percentage points for the full sample and three-point-five percentage points for the sample of 766 likely voters.
Meanwhile, McCain vowed to ‘whip’ Barack Obama’s ‘you know what’ in Wednesday’s final presidential debate, defying doom-laden assessments of his campaign.
McCain on Sunday gave a pep talk to campaign workers in Washington’s Virginia suburbs, as he plotted a comeback in the presidential race against Democrat Obama, just over three weeks from the election on November 4.
The Arizona senator said he and vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin were criss-crossing battleground states and would intensify their effort after the debate in New York state on Wednesday.
‘So we’re spending a lot of time and after I whip his you know what in this debate we’re going to be going out,’ McCain said.
‘We’re a couple points down, okay, nationally, but we’re right in this game. ‘I know that we’re going to win this race.’
McCain spoke after several conservative pundits on Sunday television talk shows gave unflattering assessments of his campaign.
Some key Republicans in battleground states were also quoted in a New York Times article as lambasting his performance, as Obama enjoys leads in national and battleground polls.
McCain also told his supporters that he wanted a ‘respectful’ campaign after he had to intervene at a rally last week to tone down abusive rhetoric against Obama.
40 Taliban killed in fresh Pakistan battles
Troops and helicopter gunships killed about 40 Taliban militants while four people, including a politician, were injured in a roadside bomb in northwest Pakistan, officials said Monday.
More than 24 extremists with links to al-Qaeda were killed on Sunday near the Afghan border in the Bajaur tribal region, where Pakistani security forces launched a major offensive against Islamic militants in August.
‘Helicopter gunships and artillery pounded hideouts of militants, killing at least 24 rebels and wounding 10 others,’ a security official said.
Shelling began in the afternoon and continued into the early hours of Monday, he said, adding four militants and two locals were also killed in an exchange of fire between a tribal lashkar (force) and rebels in Bajaur.
The tribal force was formed last week to act against militants hiding in the area, who local tribesmen say are undermining their power structure.
The Pakistani military says more than 1,000 rebel fighters have been killed since it launched its offensive in Bajaur, including al-Qaeda’s operational commander in the region, Egyptian Abu Saeed Al-Masri.
On Monday ten Islamic extremists died in a gunbattle with soldiers in the Khawazakhela district of the Swat valley during an ongoing military operation against fighters loyal to local cleric Maulana Fazlullah.
‘Ten militants were killed in an operation by our security forces,’ a military official said, adding there were no casualties among troops.
Separately four people, including a local leader of the ruling Awami National Party, were injured when a roadside bomb struck their vehicle in the neighbouring tribal district of Dir.
Sameen Khan and three others were injured when a remote control bomb planted on a roadside exploded.
Militants have recently targeted several ANP politicians and their relatives, and the party chief Asfandyar Khan Wali narrowly escaped a suicide attack at his home in the town of Charsadda earlier this month.
The mountainous Swat valley was until last year a popular tourist destination where many Pakistani city dwellers went for their annual holidays and it featured Pakistan’s only ski resort.
But it has been turned into a battleground since Maulana Fazlullah launched a violent campaign to enforce harsh Islamic Sharia law in the region.
More than 24 extremists with links to al-Qaeda were killed on Sunday near the Afghan border in the Bajaur tribal region, where Pakistani security forces launched a major offensive against Islamic militants in August.
‘Helicopter gunships and artillery pounded hideouts of militants, killing at least 24 rebels and wounding 10 others,’ a security official said.
Shelling began in the afternoon and continued into the early hours of Monday, he said, adding four militants and two locals were also killed in an exchange of fire between a tribal lashkar (force) and rebels in Bajaur.
The tribal force was formed last week to act against militants hiding in the area, who local tribesmen say are undermining their power structure.
The Pakistani military says more than 1,000 rebel fighters have been killed since it launched its offensive in Bajaur, including al-Qaeda’s operational commander in the region, Egyptian Abu Saeed Al-Masri.
On Monday ten Islamic extremists died in a gunbattle with soldiers in the Khawazakhela district of the Swat valley during an ongoing military operation against fighters loyal to local cleric Maulana Fazlullah.
‘Ten militants were killed in an operation by our security forces,’ a military official said, adding there were no casualties among troops.
Separately four people, including a local leader of the ruling Awami National Party, were injured when a roadside bomb struck their vehicle in the neighbouring tribal district of Dir.
Sameen Khan and three others were injured when a remote control bomb planted on a roadside exploded.
Militants have recently targeted several ANP politicians and their relatives, and the party chief Asfandyar Khan Wali narrowly escaped a suicide attack at his home in the town of Charsadda earlier this month.
The mountainous Swat valley was until last year a popular tourist destination where many Pakistani city dwellers went for their annual holidays and it featured Pakistan’s only ski resort.
But it has been turned into a battleground since Maulana Fazlullah launched a violent campaign to enforce harsh Islamic Sharia law in the region.
Decision on gas price hike likely in November
The Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission is likely to defer the gas price hike decision to November as it has received some important post-hearing opinions after the October 6 deadline.
The commission at a public hearing on September 24 announced it would give its decision on 66 per cent gas price hike proposal of Petrobangla by October as the last date of submission of post-hearing opinions was October 6.
‘We may announce the decision on gas price hike in early November as the Consumers Association of Bangladesh submitted its opinions on Sunday, after the deadline. We have to take its opinions into consideration as it is one of the important stakeholders,’ a member of the commission told New Age on Monday.
He said the CAB, which was against the Petrobangla proposal to hike gas price, had pointed a number of issues in the post-hearing submission.
‘Fixing the price of gas is a complicated issue. We have to take into account opinions of all. It may take more than 20 days before coming to a conclusion as we will ask Petrobangla for further clarifications,’ he said.
Commission sources said they were trying to give a decision on the matter as soon as possible as the general election was nearing.
Sources in the commission said complexities had also surfaced as the commission did not receive all documents from Petrobangla in time.
Petrobangla officials, on the other hand, said there was a misunderstanding as some of the documents like the authentication letter did not reach the commission although Petrobangla had sent that.
Petrobangla submitted the application to hike the gas price on June 23 and the commission accepted the application after a meeting on July 17.
Different stakeholders including energy experts, representatives of CAB, Transparency International Bangladesh, business associations, Power Development Board, and Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation gave their opinions in favour of or against the Petrobangla proposal.
When the commission chairman, Ghulam Rahman, was asked whether the gas price hike decision would be taken in the next month, he told New Age on Monday, ‘We are trying our best to give a decision by this month. If we can not do that, we will give the decision early next month as, according to the BERC act, we have time till November 30 to give a decision.’
He said as per the Act the commission was supposed to give a decision on the price hike within 90 working days from the date of acceptance of the application.
When asked whether the commission would consider the global economic crisis and its effect on Bangladesh industries in fixing the gas tariff, Ghulam said, ‘We will definitely consider the interest of the consumers including the industries and see if Petrobangla can continue gas supply to the industries in the long run.
Govt seeks list of people convicted in graft cases so far
The High Court on Monday fixed October 19 for the final hearing on the rule it issued earlier, asking the government to explain the legality of the state of emergency that was declared on January 11, 2007.
The High Court bench of Justice Mir Hasmat Ali and Justice Shamim Hasnain fixed the date, as the writ petitioners’ counsel, MI Farooqui, appealed for expeditious hearing of the case.
‘The issue is urgent as the government wants to hold the national elections under the state of emergency, the legality of which is to be decided by the High Court in the writ petition,’ Farooqui told the court. ‘The writ petition should be heard expeditiously.’
The High Court bench of Justice Khademul Islam Chowdhury and Justice Mashuque Hossain Ahmed on July 27 issued the rule after hearing a public interest litigation writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyers M Saleem Ullah, Mohsen Rashid, Nahid Sultana Juthi and Abdul Mannan Khan on July 14.
In its ruling, the High Court had ordered the government to explain why the proclamation of the state of emergency, two emergency powers orders suspending fundamental rights, the Emergency Powers Ordinance and the Emergency Powers Rules would not be declared ultra vires of the Constitution.
The president proclaimed the state of emergency on January 11, 2007, stalling the elections to the ninth Jatiya Sangsad that were scheduled for January 22, 2007, and the present interim government came to power with military backing on January 12, 2007.
During the preliminary hearing before issuing the rule, the court had asked the petitioners’ chief counsel, MI Farooqui, to explain the constitutional provisions on the declaration of emergency.
The Constitution empowers the president to issue a proclamation of emergency. The power, however, is not absolute but conditional, Farooqui replied. ‘In order to declare emergency, the president must be objectively satisfied that “a grave emergency exists in which the security or economic life of Bangladesh is threatened by war or external aggression or internal disturbance”.’
‘But in the proclamation issued on January 11, 2007 declaring the emergency, no reasons were cited to establish the “objective satisfaction” of the president for the declaration of the emergency,’ the counsel had said.
Opposing the petition, deputy attorney-general Naima Haider had argued that the president had declared the emergency in accordance with the Constitution.
Referring to the arguments of the petitioners’ counsel, the court had asked the state attorney whether the emergency powers orders issued on January 11, 2007 had specified any specific fundamental rights to be suspended.
As Naima answered in the negative, the court said, ‘You cannot, according to the Constitution, suspend all the fundamental rights…There are some rights which cannot be suspended under any circumstances.’
The court had further said, ‘The suspension of fundamental rights without specifying them has made it difficult to examine whether you [government] have the power to make the ordinances you are making…The Supreme Court has the power to examine that.’
Naima also argued that the emergency was declared in the wake of political turmoil and there was a situation in those days which warranted a state of emergency.
Opposing her contention, Farooqui had argued there were democratic, political movements to uphold the people’s right to vote at that time. ‘A democratic, political movement cannot be considered an internal disturbance and a reason to invoke an emergency.’
The court had also said, ‘But the emergency continues for an indefinite period. There must be an end to it.’
‘But the spirit of the Constitution does not allow a state of emergency for an indefinite period,’ the court had observed.
The government’s plan to hold the national elections, the deadline for the elections and the process and timeframe for handing over power to the elected government must be transparent to the people, the court had said. ‘We want rule of law to be established and the Constitution and democracy to be sustained.’
Govt seeks list of people convicted
in graft cases so far
Staff Correspondent
The government has sought a list of persons who have so far been convicted by special courts in the cases lodged by the Anti-Corruption Commission, said its director-general (admin), Hanif Iqbal, on Monday.
He said the list has been sought by the home affairs ministry and the National Coordination Committee against Serious Crime and Corruption. The list is ready and will be sent to the government, he added.
Hanif later said that verdicts have been pronounced in 90 graft cases, involving more than 100 individuals.
Referring to the participation in elections by those convicted in trial courts, Hanif said the issue of candidacy of the convicts would be settled by someone outside the ACC. ‘Either the government or the Election Commission or the court will decide that.’
As per Section 11(5) of the Emergency Power Rules 2007, he said a person convicted by a trial court cannot participate in elections if the state of emergency exists.
He also cited Article 66(2) of the Constitution that says a person imprisoned for two years or more will be ineligible to participate in elections for five years after his/her punishment.
About the cases stayed by the High Court, Hanif said some cases have already been placed in the cause list for hearing, and measures are being taken to hold their hearings on a priority basis.
Referring to the three division benches stipulated by the Chief Justice to hear the ACC’s cases, he said the cases that have been stayed would be disposed of soon.
Hanif, in reply to a question, said no army officer working for the ACC has been deployed in any court.
Replying to a questioner, he said measures would be taken against the lawyers who would not protect the ACC’s interest.
He said the ACC today sent the applications of 38 individuals to the Truth and Accountability Commission for considering their clemency pleas, raising the total number of such petitioners to 128. Nine more applications are being processed, he added.
Hanif informed reporters that the ACC has approved the filing of a case against former MP Dhirendra Nath Saha for owning ill-gotten money and withholding information about it. He also said the ACC has approved the submission of charge-sheets in five graft cases filed by it.
WB body calls for aid as per pledges
In the wake of the global financial meltdown, a joint ministerial committee of the World Bank has called upon multilateral lending agencies to deliver aid in consistent with their pledges to help poor nations overcome the current crisis.
The development committee of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund also urged the International Finance Corporation to explore options for supporting banks in developing countries adversely affected by the global liquidity crisis.
Finance ministers at a meeting in Washington on Sunday observed that developing and transitional countries risked very serious setbacks in their efforts to improve the lives of their populations from any prolonged tightening of credit or sustained global slowdown. Many of these countries have already been hit hard by current high prices for energy and essential foodstuffs, the ministers mentioned.
‘We stressed that aid volumes need to be consistent with existing commitments and we called for full compliance with these commitments,’ read a development committee communiqué received in Dhaka on Monday.
Finance and planning adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam has now been in Washington to attend the global lenders’ meetings being held in the backdrop of worldwide concerns about the financial market turmoil, worst since the Great Depression of 1930.
In support of concerted actions, including the most recent commitment, the ministers called on the World Bank to join with the IMF in drawing on the full range of its resources - finance, analysis and advice - to help poorer nations strengthen their economies, maintain growth, and protect the most vulnerable groups against the impact of the current crises. ‘The poorest and most vulnerable groups risk the most serious – and in some cases permanent – damage,’ the ministers noted in the communiqué and urged member countries of the Bank to consider making contributions to a $1.2-billion rapid financing facility fund to help countries to cope with the impact of high food prices on the poor.
They encouraged the Bank and its partners to move forward with a planned new programme — energy for the Poor — that would provide rapid support for countries’ efforts to strengthen social safety nets to protect the poor against the impact of high fuel
The development committee of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund also urged the International Finance Corporation to explore options for supporting banks in developing countries adversely affected by the global liquidity crisis.
Finance ministers at a meeting in Washington on Sunday observed that developing and transitional countries risked very serious setbacks in their efforts to improve the lives of their populations from any prolonged tightening of credit or sustained global slowdown. Many of these countries have already been hit hard by current high prices for energy and essential foodstuffs, the ministers mentioned.
‘We stressed that aid volumes need to be consistent with existing commitments and we called for full compliance with these commitments,’ read a development committee communiqué received in Dhaka on Monday.
Finance and planning adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam has now been in Washington to attend the global lenders’ meetings being held in the backdrop of worldwide concerns about the financial market turmoil, worst since the Great Depression of 1930.
In support of concerted actions, including the most recent commitment, the ministers called on the World Bank to join with the IMF in drawing on the full range of its resources - finance, analysis and advice - to help poorer nations strengthen their economies, maintain growth, and protect the most vulnerable groups against the impact of the current crises. ‘The poorest and most vulnerable groups risk the most serious – and in some cases permanent – damage,’ the ministers noted in the communiqué and urged member countries of the Bank to consider making contributions to a $1.2-billion rapid financing facility fund to help countries to cope with the impact of high food prices on the poor.
They encouraged the Bank and its partners to move forward with a planned new programme — energy for the Poor — that would provide rapid support for countries’ efforts to strengthen social safety nets to protect the poor against the impact of high fuel
Bush critic Krugman wins Nobel Economics Prize
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Krugman, 55, a Princeton University professor, has formulated a new trade analysis theory which determines the effects of free trade and globalisation, as well as the driving forces behind worldwide urbanisation, the citation said.
Speaking to Swedish public television immediately after the prize announcement, Krugman said the award ‘obviously will seriously warp my next few days.’
‘I hope that two weeks from now, I’m back to being pretty much the same person I was before,’ he said, adding: ‘I’m a great believer in continuing to do work. I hope it doesn’t change things too much.’
The Nobel Economics Prize has been especially closely watched this year owing to the ongoing global financial crisis.
A number of experts had predicted that the worldwide crisis would, in the future at least, prompt the Nobel committee to shift its focus further away from the heavily prized liberal market theories widely blamed for the mess.
And by awarding Krugman, a critic of unfettered free-market policies who has focused heavily on globalisation and the developing world, the jury has indeed decided to confront major, civilisation-changing issues.
In his New York Times columns, Krugman has stood out as a harsh critic of the Bush administration’s free-market policies.
He was also adamantly opposed to the initial wording of US treasury secretary Henry Paulson’s 700-billion-dollar financial sector bailout plan — which he described as ‘financial Russian roulette’, although he conceded that a rescue was needed.
On Sunday, he wrote admiringly of the British economic rescue scheme.
‘The Brown government has shown itself willing to think clearly about the financial crisis, and act quickly on its conclusions. And this combination of clarity and decisiveness hasn’t been matched by any other Western government, least of all our own,’ he wrote.
After winning the prize, he told the Swedish TT news agency the global financial crisis ‘has me extremely terrified.’
He said: ‘I’m happier about it now than I was five days ago. I was extremely happy with the European Summit yesterday, so I’m feeling better today, but it’s still terrifying.
‘I never thought I would see anything that looked like 1931 in my lifetime, but in many ways this crisis does,’ he added.
While he has had few kind words for George W Bush’s administration, which he has charged with engaging ‘in a game of deception’ on Iraq and the economy, Krugman is even more sceptical of his possible successor John McCain and his pick for vice president.
In a recent column he stated flatly that ‘the Obama campaign is wrong to suggest that a McCain-Palin administration would just be a continuation of Bush-Cheney. If the way John McCain and Sarah Palin are campaigning is any indication, it would be much, much worse.’
The Nobel committee hailed Krugman for his approach ‘based on the premise that many goods and services can be produced more cheaply in a long series, a concept generally known as economies of scale.’
His theory shows that globalisation tends to increase the pressures on urban living because specialisation sucks people into these centres of concentration through processes that can result in ‘regions becoming divided into a high-technology urbanised core and a less developed periphery,’ the Nobel jury said.
Traditional trade theory assumes that differences between countries explains why some nations export agricultural products while others export industrial goods. Such a process holds out the prospect that some countries can improve their situations via a process of complementarily.
But Krugman’s ‘theory clarifies why worldwide trade is in fact dominated by countries which not only have similar conditions, but also trade in similar products,’ the Nobel jury wrote.
His theory helps to explain that globalisation tends towards concentration, both in terms of what a manufacturing base makes, and where it is located.
Krugman is the author of dozens of books and several hundred articles, primarily about international trade and global finance and was known as creating so-called ‘new economic geography.’
In 1991, he received the American Economic Association’s John Bates Clark medal.
He will receive his Nobel gold medal and diploma along with 10 million Swedish kronor (1.42 million dollars, 1.02 million euros) at a formal prize ceremony in Stockholm on December 10.
Subrata Bain arrested in Kolkata
Subrata Bain, one of the 23 most wanted criminals in Dhaka, was arrested in Kolkata of India on October 10, the Criminal Investigation Department confirmed New Age on Sunday.
He is the first arrest after the Bangladesh government had recently handed over a list of 1,462 criminals to the Border Security Force of India.
The CID said a Special Force team of Kolkata had arrested Timothi Subrata Bain alias Fateh Ali, who was in No 6 of the list handed over to BSF, from his rented flat at Razarhat of Chabbish Pargana in West Bengal, and he had been produced in an Indian court on Monday. The court also granted his 14-day police remand.
The police brought charge of intrusion against him, according to information available in Dhaka.
Different sources in the police and different areas in Dhaka said Subrata was the chief of the dreaded Seven Star Gang, which would control the underworld activities in a major part of the capital.
Subrata Bain alias Suvra, who comes from a village under Gournadi upazila of Barisal used to live at Moghbazar in Dhaka along with his family. He had married a Muslim girl and was converted to a Muslim after his first wife had gone to London with one of his associates.
He was then introduced with Tikka, another listed criminal, of Moghbazar and entered the underworld. Subrata had come to limelight after he had allegedly killed one Alam of Siddeshwari in 1986.
He was introduced with several infamous gangsters, including Bikash, Tiger Babul, Liakat and Sweden Aslam, when he serving jail.
After being released from jail in June 1990, he had allegedly killed Kabir Hossain on November 19, 1990 and picked a conflict with another notorious criminal Rafique, who would then control Moghbazar area.
Subrata and his gang members had taken shelter to Surya Sen Hall at Dhaka University under the shelter of some influential leaders of BNP’s student front Chhatra Dal in 1992.
His gang had allegedly shot dead Abu Hasan Murad, a leader of JSD’s student front, in front of his Moghbazar residence over a conflict regarding Bishal Centre (a shopping complex) in the area.
It is also alleged that his gang members had shot dead two students of Dhaka University and activists of JCD — Mahbub and Mahmud — at the end of the 1992 when Subrata was under the shelter of some JCD leaders.
He is also accused in the killing of one Rafiq on February 14, 1993 and started living at Moghbazar. As many as 17 cases had been filed against Subrata with the Ramna police that include Moghbazar.
He formed the Seven Star Gang in 1995 along with Aminur Rasul Sagar alias Tokai Sagar, Bhuiyan Ripon, Mollah Masud, Tikka, Tanvirul Islam Joy (now under custody of Kolkata police) and John. The gang used to control all tender activities in the government offices and the underworld activities in the major part of the capital.
Assuming power for the second time in 2001, the BNP-led alliance government listed 23 criminals as most wanted and announced cash reward for them. Subrata was the No 15 criminal in the list.
After the announcement of the list, Subrata had remained in the capital and left the country when another listed criminal, Pichchi Hannan, was killed in ‘crossfire’ with the Rapid Action Battalion in 2004.
Subrata first stayed at a rented flat at Tegharia in Chabbish Pargana and started fish farming in Murshidabad, different sources said, adding that many of his associates had also left for Kolkata and remained in touch with him.
Staying in Kolkata, Subrata used to continue criminal activities in Dhaka through his gang members.
He is the first arrest after the Bangladesh government had recently handed over a list of 1,462 criminals to the Border Security Force of India.
The CID said a Special Force team of Kolkata had arrested Timothi Subrata Bain alias Fateh Ali, who was in No 6 of the list handed over to BSF, from his rented flat at Razarhat of Chabbish Pargana in West Bengal, and he had been produced in an Indian court on Monday. The court also granted his 14-day police remand.
The police brought charge of intrusion against him, according to information available in Dhaka.
Different sources in the police and different areas in Dhaka said Subrata was the chief of the dreaded Seven Star Gang, which would control the underworld activities in a major part of the capital.
Subrata Bain alias Suvra, who comes from a village under Gournadi upazila of Barisal used to live at Moghbazar in Dhaka along with his family. He had married a Muslim girl and was converted to a Muslim after his first wife had gone to London with one of his associates.
He was then introduced with Tikka, another listed criminal, of Moghbazar and entered the underworld. Subrata had come to limelight after he had allegedly killed one Alam of Siddeshwari in 1986.
He was introduced with several infamous gangsters, including Bikash, Tiger Babul, Liakat and Sweden Aslam, when he serving jail.
After being released from jail in June 1990, he had allegedly killed Kabir Hossain on November 19, 1990 and picked a conflict with another notorious criminal Rafique, who would then control Moghbazar area.
Subrata and his gang members had taken shelter to Surya Sen Hall at Dhaka University under the shelter of some influential leaders of BNP’s student front Chhatra Dal in 1992.
His gang had allegedly shot dead Abu Hasan Murad, a leader of JSD’s student front, in front of his Moghbazar residence over a conflict regarding Bishal Centre (a shopping complex) in the area.
It is also alleged that his gang members had shot dead two students of Dhaka University and activists of JCD — Mahbub and Mahmud — at the end of the 1992 when Subrata was under the shelter of some JCD leaders.
He is also accused in the killing of one Rafiq on February 14, 1993 and started living at Moghbazar. As many as 17 cases had been filed against Subrata with the Ramna police that include Moghbazar.
He formed the Seven Star Gang in 1995 along with Aminur Rasul Sagar alias Tokai Sagar, Bhuiyan Ripon, Mollah Masud, Tikka, Tanvirul Islam Joy (now under custody of Kolkata police) and John. The gang used to control all tender activities in the government offices and the underworld activities in the major part of the capital.
Assuming power for the second time in 2001, the BNP-led alliance government listed 23 criminals as most wanted and announced cash reward for them. Subrata was the No 15 criminal in the list.
After the announcement of the list, Subrata had remained in the capital and left the country when another listed criminal, Pichchi Hannan, was killed in ‘crossfire’ with the Rapid Action Battalion in 2004.
Subrata first stayed at a rented flat at Tegharia in Chabbish Pargana and started fish farming in Murshidabad, different sources said, adding that many of his associates had also left for Kolkata and remained in touch with him.
Staying in Kolkata, Subrata used to continue criminal activities in Dhaka through his gang members.
None should play with people’s fate: Hasina
Demanding immediate withdrawal of the state of emergency, Awami League president Sheikh Hasina, now in Belgium, urged the people to remain united and alert so that no one could play with their fate.
‘The political ambition of certain people can destroy the country and its people. If anyone has political ambition then he will have to come to power with the people’s mandate as there are no alternative options to achieve state power in a democratic system,’ Hasina’s special assistant, Dr Hasan Mahmud, told New Age over the telephone, quoting Hasina.
Hasina was addressing a meeting at Luman Hall in Brussels, jointly organised by the party’s Belgium and European chapters. The AL Belgium unit’s president, Razaul Karim Panna, presided over the meeting.
Hasina said that her party is making all-out preparations to contest the upcoming parliamentary polls, scheduled for December 18, and the elections should not be deferred under any circumstances.
She said the AL’s demand is not only for free, fair and acceptable elections but also for announcement of the true results of the polls. ‘We do not want any further drama over announcement of the polls result like that of the Barisal City Corporation elections,’ said Hasina. She also urged the AL members to be alert against any kind of conspiracy to manipulate the result of the polls.
Demanding immediate withdrawal of the state of emergency, Hasina said the emergency should be lifted so that people can vote freely and their fundamental rights can be restored.
‘I at first placed the reform proposals with the people and the Parliament and also demanded a voters’ roll with photographs, and the caretaker administration has met the demands,’ said the AL chief and asked the interim government to fulfil the people’s desire.
She said it is unfortunate that the expatriate Bangladeshis are yet to be enlisted in the voters’ roll through Bangladesh receives a huge sum of money remitted by them, and vowed to enlist them if the Awami League is voted to power.
Hasina urged expatriate Bangladeshis to make more investments in the productive sectors of the country.
She said that she was ready to sacrifice her life for restoring democracy in the country and pledged to continue her battle. ‘I have faced threats to my life several times but I shall not deviate from my goal of establishing democracy in Bangladesh,’ said Hasina as quoted by Dr Hasan.
She castigated the incumbent government for keeping her behind bars by filing false cases against her.
The meeting was also addressed by the party’s all-European unit’s chairman Anil Dasgupta, Italian unit’s president Mahtab Hossain, the Netherlands unit’s president Mostafa Zaman, French unit’s president Nagim Uddin, Austrian unit’s leader Nazrul Islam and Hasan Mahmud.
Sheikh Hasina’s younger sister, Sheikh Rehana, also addressed the meeting.
Govt holds crucial talks with BNP, Jamaat today
The military-controlled interim government will hold crucial electoral dialogues with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party
and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami separately today.
The much awaited dialogue with the BNP is scheduled to start at 11:00am at the Chief Adviser’s Office and with the Jamaat-e-Islami at 3:00pm at the same venue.
The BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, is unlikely to lead the party delegation to the talks although the government has invited her personally to the dialogue.
Asked whether Khaleda Zia would lead the party team to the talks, BNP spokesperson Nazrul Islam Khan told New Age Monday afternoon, ‘I don’t think so.’
‘Secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain will lead the BNP delegation’, he added.
Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary general Muhammad Kamaruzzaman said the party would set up the delegation this [Tuesday] morning.
Chief adviser’s press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim told New Age Saturday that the chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, would lead the government team to the talks with the two parties.
Five government advisers Ghulam Quader, AFM Hassan Ariff, Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Anwarul Iqbal and Hossain Zillur Rahman are expected to assist the chief adviser at the dialogues.
Khandaker Delwar and his counterpart in Jamaat Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid discussed the dialogue agenda at the former’s home Sunday night.
Both BNP and Jamaat are expected to place almost ‘identical agendas’, according to sources in the parties.
According to the draft BNP agenda, the party delegation will ask the government to ensure an atmosphere conducive to holding free and fair parliamentary elections with participation of all political parties, scrap the amendments to the Representation of People Order 1972, lift the state of emergency immediately, defer the dates of upazila elections by a rational length of time after the Jatiya Sangsad elections, withdraw all ‘false’ cases filed against the party leaders, including chairperson Khaleda Zia, and release of party leaders from jail.
The government hopes that the outcome of the crucial dialogues will be positive, according to advisers Hossain Zillur Rahman and Anwarul Iqbal.
‘The government is confident that the dialogues will be fruitful, positive and constructive’, said Hossain Zillur. Anwarul Iqbal echoed him.
The government started the formal dialogues with political parties on May 22 after a panel of advisers held ‘informal’ negotiations with them apparently in a bid to bridge the gap created by the anti-corruption drive targeting mainly the political leaders.
The government held hectic negotiations to bring the tow major parties –Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party – to the table for dialogues after they initially refused to sit with the interim administration with their leaders – Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia – behind bars.
Eventually, the two leaders were released from jail – Hasina by an executive order and Khaleda on bail.
The chief adviser-led panel so far held meeting with 28 groups, including political parties, business and civic groups, and grassroots level representatives.
Its latest meeting was with grassroots people in Sirajganj and Rajshahi on July 30.
The government wanted a consensus on certain national issues, including political and economic ones, for smooth transition to democracy and post-election stability. Most of the parties have asked the government to lift the state of emergency to create an atmosphere conducive to participatory polls.
The government’s dialogue with the Awami League ended inconclusively with both sides agreeing on another round of talks to narrow the differences over political and constitutional issues.
The pending meeting with the AL is expected to be held shortly, said an official at the Chief Adviser’s Office.
and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami separately today.
The much awaited dialogue with the BNP is scheduled to start at 11:00am at the Chief Adviser’s Office and with the Jamaat-e-Islami at 3:00pm at the same venue.
The BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, is unlikely to lead the party delegation to the talks although the government has invited her personally to the dialogue.
Asked whether Khaleda Zia would lead the party team to the talks, BNP spokesperson Nazrul Islam Khan told New Age Monday afternoon, ‘I don’t think so.’
‘Secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain will lead the BNP delegation’, he added.
Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary general Muhammad Kamaruzzaman said the party would set up the delegation this [Tuesday] morning.
Chief adviser’s press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim told New Age Saturday that the chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, would lead the government team to the talks with the two parties.
Five government advisers Ghulam Quader, AFM Hassan Ariff, Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Anwarul Iqbal and Hossain Zillur Rahman are expected to assist the chief adviser at the dialogues.
Khandaker Delwar and his counterpart in Jamaat Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid discussed the dialogue agenda at the former’s home Sunday night.
Both BNP and Jamaat are expected to place almost ‘identical agendas’, according to sources in the parties.
According to the draft BNP agenda, the party delegation will ask the government to ensure an atmosphere conducive to holding free and fair parliamentary elections with participation of all political parties, scrap the amendments to the Representation of People Order 1972, lift the state of emergency immediately, defer the dates of upazila elections by a rational length of time after the Jatiya Sangsad elections, withdraw all ‘false’ cases filed against the party leaders, including chairperson Khaleda Zia, and release of party leaders from jail.
The government hopes that the outcome of the crucial dialogues will be positive, according to advisers Hossain Zillur Rahman and Anwarul Iqbal.
‘The government is confident that the dialogues will be fruitful, positive and constructive’, said Hossain Zillur. Anwarul Iqbal echoed him.
The government started the formal dialogues with political parties on May 22 after a panel of advisers held ‘informal’ negotiations with them apparently in a bid to bridge the gap created by the anti-corruption drive targeting mainly the political leaders.
The government held hectic negotiations to bring the tow major parties –Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party – to the table for dialogues after they initially refused to sit with the interim administration with their leaders – Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia – behind bars.
Eventually, the two leaders were released from jail – Hasina by an executive order and Khaleda on bail.
The chief adviser-led panel so far held meeting with 28 groups, including political parties, business and civic groups, and grassroots level representatives.
Its latest meeting was with grassroots people in Sirajganj and Rajshahi on July 30.
The government wanted a consensus on certain national issues, including political and economic ones, for smooth transition to democracy and post-election stability. Most of the parties have asked the government to lift the state of emergency to create an atmosphere conducive to participatory polls.
The government’s dialogue with the Awami League ended inconclusively with both sides agreeing on another round of talks to narrow the differences over political and constitutional issues.
The pending meeting with the AL is expected to be held shortly, said an official at the Chief Adviser’s Office.
Moitree Express yet to attract enough passengers
Six months after introduction of the first Bangladesh-India train service in April, the Moitree Express is yet to attract the expected number of passengers because of the various hassles and delays involved in the cross-border journey, said railway officials.
The authorities of the two next-door neighbours have failed to come to terms in addressing certain problems such as schedule, travel time and visa procedures that cause more trouble than comfort in travelling by train, the officials admitted.
Compartments of the train were seen to be almost empty during the recent Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja — the two largest religious festivals of Muslims and Hindus respectively when nationals of both the countries, in large numbers, visit their relatives, friends and important places for various purposes. Passengers usually use buses for the cross-border journey.
‘We expected more passengers during the festivals. But unfortunately very few passengers availed themselves of our services due to certain hassles, which, we must admit, bother the passengers greatly,’ observed the director-general of Bangladesh Railway, Belayet Hossain.
He told New Age on Monday that if the passengers go to Kolkata by train according to the current schedule, they have to wait seven days in Kolkata for the next return train. Because of this and many other inconveniences, the passengers travel by bus.
Currently, the Bangladeshi train starts from Dhaka to Kolkata on Saturday and returns from Kolkata on Sunday, while the Indian train plies on the same days.
The top railway official said that because of such a sorry scenario, Dhaka will make several proposals including that of changing the present schedule as well as cutting travel time when the senior railway officials of both the countries meet in the Indian capital.
The Bangladesh-India inter-governmental railway officials’ meeting is scheduled to be held in New Delhi from November 6 to 8 or November 16 to 20.
‘We will propose that the train from Bangladesh should maintain the current schedule while the Indian train should reach Dhaka every Tuesday and go back to Kolkata the next day,’ said Belayet.
Referring to the recently concluded railway officials’ meeting, Belayet said that the Indian delegation mentioned that they had no problem with the schedule of the train operated from Dhaka.
Also, he said, Bangladesh would propose reduction of immigration time from five to three hours, one hour from each side, when they meet in New Delhi next month.
Currently, the 538km journey — 418km in Bangladesh and 120km in India — takes 13 hours, including five hours for customs formalities on both sides of the border.
According to the statistics of the Bangladesh Railway, the Moitree Express has made 54 trips since its commissioning on April 14.
The Moitree Express, with the capacity to carry 418 passengers, only got 5,779 passengers in the last six months, which was only 25 per cent of its capacity.
Some railway officials said that in the New Delhi meeting Dhaka would also propose the opening of a new ticket counter at Kolkata (Chitpur) station, and the opening of a separate booth for VIPs/CIPs/govt officials for completion of customs and immigrations formalities at Gede.
Another railway official observed that both the sides might consider other measures for attracting more passengers, such as having at least two points — Ishwardi and Ranaghat — for picking up passengers, and opening a ticket counter in Chittagong.
At present the train from Bangladesh will have an accommodation capacity of 418 and the Indian train 366. The fare has been fixed at $20 for a berth, $12 for a seat in the air-conditioned compartment and $8 for a seat in the non-air-conditioned chair coach.
The commissioning of the Moitree Express coincided with the Bangla New Year’s Day — Pahela Baishakh —which was April 14 on both the sides of the border this year in spite of certain differences of West Bengal’s and Bangladesh’s calendars.
The authorities of the two next-door neighbours have failed to come to terms in addressing certain problems such as schedule, travel time and visa procedures that cause more trouble than comfort in travelling by train, the officials admitted.
Compartments of the train were seen to be almost empty during the recent Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja — the two largest religious festivals of Muslims and Hindus respectively when nationals of both the countries, in large numbers, visit their relatives, friends and important places for various purposes. Passengers usually use buses for the cross-border journey.
‘We expected more passengers during the festivals. But unfortunately very few passengers availed themselves of our services due to certain hassles, which, we must admit, bother the passengers greatly,’ observed the director-general of Bangladesh Railway, Belayet Hossain.
He told New Age on Monday that if the passengers go to Kolkata by train according to the current schedule, they have to wait seven days in Kolkata for the next return train. Because of this and many other inconveniences, the passengers travel by bus.
Currently, the Bangladeshi train starts from Dhaka to Kolkata on Saturday and returns from Kolkata on Sunday, while the Indian train plies on the same days.
The top railway official said that because of such a sorry scenario, Dhaka will make several proposals including that of changing the present schedule as well as cutting travel time when the senior railway officials of both the countries meet in the Indian capital.
The Bangladesh-India inter-governmental railway officials’ meeting is scheduled to be held in New Delhi from November 6 to 8 or November 16 to 20.
‘We will propose that the train from Bangladesh should maintain the current schedule while the Indian train should reach Dhaka every Tuesday and go back to Kolkata the next day,’ said Belayet.
Referring to the recently concluded railway officials’ meeting, Belayet said that the Indian delegation mentioned that they had no problem with the schedule of the train operated from Dhaka.
Also, he said, Bangladesh would propose reduction of immigration time from five to three hours, one hour from each side, when they meet in New Delhi next month.
Currently, the 538km journey — 418km in Bangladesh and 120km in India — takes 13 hours, including five hours for customs formalities on both sides of the border.
According to the statistics of the Bangladesh Railway, the Moitree Express has made 54 trips since its commissioning on April 14.
The Moitree Express, with the capacity to carry 418 passengers, only got 5,779 passengers in the last six months, which was only 25 per cent of its capacity.
Some railway officials said that in the New Delhi meeting Dhaka would also propose the opening of a new ticket counter at Kolkata (Chitpur) station, and the opening of a separate booth for VIPs/CIPs/govt officials for completion of customs and immigrations formalities at Gede.
Another railway official observed that both the sides might consider other measures for attracting more passengers, such as having at least two points — Ishwardi and Ranaghat — for picking up passengers, and opening a ticket counter in Chittagong.
At present the train from Bangladesh will have an accommodation capacity of 418 and the Indian train 366. The fare has been fixed at $20 for a berth, $12 for a seat in the air-conditioned compartment and $8 for a seat in the non-air-conditioned chair coach.
The commissioning of the Moitree Express coincided with the Bangla New Year’s Day — Pahela Baishakh —which was April 14 on both the sides of the border this year in spite of certain differences of West Bengal’s and Bangladesh’s calendars.
Moitree Express yet to attract enough passengers
Six months after introduction of the first Bangladesh-India train service in April, the Moitree Express is yet to attract the expected number of passengers because of the various hassles and delays involved in the cross-border journey, said railway officials.
The authorities of the two next-door neighbours have failed to come to terms in addressing certain problems such as schedule, travel time and visa procedures that cause more trouble than comfort in travelling by train, the officials admitted.
Compartments of the train were seen to be almost empty during the recent Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja — the two largest religious festivals of Muslims and Hindus respectively when nationals of both the countries, in large numbers, visit their relatives, friends and important places for various purposes. Passengers usually use buses for the cross-border journey.
‘We expected more passengers during the festivals. But unfortunately very few passengers availed themselves of our services due to certain hassles, which, we must admit, bother the passengers greatly,’ observed the director-general of Bangladesh Railway, Belayet Hossain.
He told New Age on Monday that if the passengers go to Kolkata by train according to the current schedule, they have to wait seven days in Kolkata for the next return train. Because of this and many other inconveniences, the passengers travel by bus.
Currently, the Bangladeshi train starts from Dhaka to Kolkata on Saturday and returns from Kolkata on Sunday, while the Indian train plies on the same days.
The top railway official said that because of such a sorry scenario, Dhaka will make several proposals including that of changing the present schedule as well as cutting travel time when the senior railway officials of both the countries meet in the Indian capital.
The Bangladesh-India inter-governmental railway officials’ meeting is scheduled to be held in New Delhi from November 6 to 8 or November 16 to 20.
‘We will propose that the train from Bangladesh should maintain the current schedule while the Indian train should reach Dhaka every Tuesday and go back to Kolkata the next day,’ said Belayet.
Referring to the recently concluded railway officials’ meeting, Belayet said that the Indian delegation mentioned that they had no problem with the schedule of the train operated from Dhaka.
Also, he said, Bangladesh would propose reduction of immigration time from five to three hours, one hour from each side, when they meet in New Delhi next month.
Currently, the 538km journey — 418km in Bangladesh and 120km in India — takes 13 hours, including five hours for customs formalities on both sides of the border.
According to the statistics of the Bangladesh Railway, the Moitree Express has made 54 trips since its commissioning on April 14.
The Moitree Express, with the capacity to carry 418 passengers, only got 5,779 passengers in the last six months, which was only 25 per cent of its capacity.
Some railway officials said that in the New Delhi meeting Dhaka would also propose the opening of a new ticket counter at Kolkata (Chitpur) station, and the opening of a separate booth for VIPs/CIPs/govt officials for completion of customs and immigrations formalities at Gede.
Another railway official observed that both the sides might consider other measures for attracting more passengers, such as having at least two points — Ishwardi and Ranaghat — for picking up passengers, and opening a ticket counter in Chittagong.
At present the train from Bangladesh will have an accommodation capacity of 418 and the Indian train 366. The fare has been fixed at $20 for a berth, $12 for a seat in the air-conditioned compartment and $8 for a seat in the non-air-conditioned chair coach.
The commissioning of the Moitree Express coincided with the Bangla New Year’s Day — Pahela Baishakh —which was April 14 on both the sides of the border this year in spite of certain differences of West Bengal’s and Bangladesh’s calendars.
The authorities of the two next-door neighbours have failed to come to terms in addressing certain problems such as schedule, travel time and visa procedures that cause more trouble than comfort in travelling by train, the officials admitted.
Compartments of the train were seen to be almost empty during the recent Eid-ul-Fitr and Durga Puja — the two largest religious festivals of Muslims and Hindus respectively when nationals of both the countries, in large numbers, visit their relatives, friends and important places for various purposes. Passengers usually use buses for the cross-border journey.
‘We expected more passengers during the festivals. But unfortunately very few passengers availed themselves of our services due to certain hassles, which, we must admit, bother the passengers greatly,’ observed the director-general of Bangladesh Railway, Belayet Hossain.
He told New Age on Monday that if the passengers go to Kolkata by train according to the current schedule, they have to wait seven days in Kolkata for the next return train. Because of this and many other inconveniences, the passengers travel by bus.
Currently, the Bangladeshi train starts from Dhaka to Kolkata on Saturday and returns from Kolkata on Sunday, while the Indian train plies on the same days.
The top railway official said that because of such a sorry scenario, Dhaka will make several proposals including that of changing the present schedule as well as cutting travel time when the senior railway officials of both the countries meet in the Indian capital.
The Bangladesh-India inter-governmental railway officials’ meeting is scheduled to be held in New Delhi from November 6 to 8 or November 16 to 20.
‘We will propose that the train from Bangladesh should maintain the current schedule while the Indian train should reach Dhaka every Tuesday and go back to Kolkata the next day,’ said Belayet.
Referring to the recently concluded railway officials’ meeting, Belayet said that the Indian delegation mentioned that they had no problem with the schedule of the train operated from Dhaka.
Also, he said, Bangladesh would propose reduction of immigration time from five to three hours, one hour from each side, when they meet in New Delhi next month.
Currently, the 538km journey — 418km in Bangladesh and 120km in India — takes 13 hours, including five hours for customs formalities on both sides of the border.
According to the statistics of the Bangladesh Railway, the Moitree Express has made 54 trips since its commissioning on April 14.
The Moitree Express, with the capacity to carry 418 passengers, only got 5,779 passengers in the last six months, which was only 25 per cent of its capacity.
Some railway officials said that in the New Delhi meeting Dhaka would also propose the opening of a new ticket counter at Kolkata (Chitpur) station, and the opening of a separate booth for VIPs/CIPs/govt officials for completion of customs and immigrations formalities at Gede.
Another railway official observed that both the sides might consider other measures for attracting more passengers, such as having at least two points — Ishwardi and Ranaghat — for picking up passengers, and opening a ticket counter in Chittagong.
At present the train from Bangladesh will have an accommodation capacity of 418 and the Indian train 366. The fare has been fixed at $20 for a berth, $12 for a seat in the air-conditioned compartment and $8 for a seat in the non-air-conditioned chair coach.
The commissioning of the Moitree Express coincided with the Bangla New Year’s Day — Pahela Baishakh —which was April 14 on both the sides of the border this year in spite of certain differences of West Bengal’s and Bangladesh’s calendars.
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