Australia avoided handing back the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in Sydney on Sunday, but a New Zealand win in Adelaide today would be enough for the prize to change hands, while Australia could level at 2-2. Ricky Ponting's impassioned plea to the selectors to allow him to return to the side instead of resting indicated how seriously he takes the series and after Australia lost the prize in 2006-07 when he also sat out, he was desperate for the situation not to repeat itself.
The batting began to click at the SCG, where Brad Haddin and Michael Clarke were thrust together as a makeshift opening pair and put on 135 for the first wicket. It was Australia's best opening partnership since the World Cup final in 2007, when Adam Gilchrist destroyed Sri Lanka's hopes of winning the title and took Matthew Hayden along for the ride.
New Zealand have relied on their spinners Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel to dry up the runs in the middle overs but the plan didn't work in Sydney and there will be no margin for error in Adelaide, where the short boundaries attract hungry batsmen. At that venue three months ago they were soundly beaten in a Test but the memories will be quickly forgotten if they wrap up a series win and take back the trophy.
After a few more misses than hits in his short international career, David Warner has been left out of the squad and will return to New South Wales, where he has still not made his first-class debut. The success of Haddin and Clarke as an opening pair has hardened the top order and the main batting question is how long David Hussey and Cameron White will be given to justify their positions while Adam Voges remains in the squad. Peter Siddle has joined the group and after taking a one-day career-best of 4 for 27 for Victoria on Saturday he is a strong chance to make his ODI debut.
Brendon McCullum was scheduled to have scans on Monday on his right shoulder after being struck by a rearing Kyle Mills delivery while standing up to the stumps. McCullum had pain-killing injections and dropped down to No. 9 but he was still able to strike a quick 36, giving the New Zealanders hope that he might be fit for Tuesday. The back-up wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins has been flown in as cover and McCullum said that while he was desperate to play, he would leave the decision until his injury had been assessed. "I always want to play and take the aggressive attitude and take the field," McCullum told NZPA on Monday. "But you've also got to do the sensible thing, and until such time as we get the actual information about what is going on, it's hard to make any sort of judgment."
TEAMS
AUSTRALIA (possible): Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Ricky Ponting (captain), David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Cameron White, Callum Ferguson, James Hopes, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Bracken, Ben Hilfenhaus or Peter Siddle.
NEW ZEALAND (possible): Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Peter Fulton, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Neil Broom, Kyle Mills, Daniel Vettori (captain), Tim Southee, Jeetan Patel, Iain O'Brien.
The batting began to click at the SCG, where Brad Haddin and Michael Clarke were thrust together as a makeshift opening pair and put on 135 for the first wicket. It was Australia's best opening partnership since the World Cup final in 2007, when Adam Gilchrist destroyed Sri Lanka's hopes of winning the title and took Matthew Hayden along for the ride.
New Zealand have relied on their spinners Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel to dry up the runs in the middle overs but the plan didn't work in Sydney and there will be no margin for error in Adelaide, where the short boundaries attract hungry batsmen. At that venue three months ago they were soundly beaten in a Test but the memories will be quickly forgotten if they wrap up a series win and take back the trophy.
After a few more misses than hits in his short international career, David Warner has been left out of the squad and will return to New South Wales, where he has still not made his first-class debut. The success of Haddin and Clarke as an opening pair has hardened the top order and the main batting question is how long David Hussey and Cameron White will be given to justify their positions while Adam Voges remains in the squad. Peter Siddle has joined the group and after taking a one-day career-best of 4 for 27 for Victoria on Saturday he is a strong chance to make his ODI debut.
Brendon McCullum was scheduled to have scans on Monday on his right shoulder after being struck by a rearing Kyle Mills delivery while standing up to the stumps. McCullum had pain-killing injections and dropped down to No. 9 but he was still able to strike a quick 36, giving the New Zealanders hope that he might be fit for Tuesday. The back-up wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins has been flown in as cover and McCullum said that while he was desperate to play, he would leave the decision until his injury had been assessed. "I always want to play and take the aggressive attitude and take the field," McCullum told NZPA on Monday. "But you've also got to do the sensible thing, and until such time as we get the actual information about what is going on, it's hard to make any sort of judgment."
TEAMS
AUSTRALIA (possible): Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin, Ricky Ponting (captain), David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Cameron White, Callum Ferguson, James Hopes, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Bracken, Ben Hilfenhaus or Peter Siddle.
NEW ZEALAND (possible): Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Peter Fulton, Ross Taylor, Grant Elliott, Neil Broom, Kyle Mills, Daniel Vettori (captain), Tim Southee, Jeetan Patel, Iain O'Brien.
His fingers lingered on the computer keyboard like an elementary student getting his first lessons on a computer. Too bad, he is no elementary student. And too bad for the sixteen odd people queued before him to deposit the charges for driving licences and other car related documents at the Sub Post Office in Mirpur 2.
With each tapping noise he made with his fingers amid the awkward pauses, the queue of people expectantly tilted their heads forward hoping that the line would move forward.
But it did not. And when the queue finally did move, it took an agonizingly long time.
"I have been standing in the queue since 10:00am. And now it is 12:30pm," said Mahbubul Alam, a resident of Mirpur who was waiting with his car licence.
"I have been on this spot for over half an hour now. Anyone barely moved in the meantime. I almost feel like my legs have grown roots," he said, "what on earth is he [the clerk] doing in there! Why is the queue not moving forward?"
It was not before 1:30pm when a sweaty, visibly tried Alam finally came out of the post office.
"There were only about 14 people in the queue when I came here in the morning. Who would have thought it would take over three hours to get the job done! At least I did not," he said. "It is not a very complicated process either that it would require so much time."
According to the postmaster, there is only one computer and one clerk to process the documents and receive money for licence and car tax related jobs.
"We lack manpower and logistics. If we had another computer in this booth, things would have been much more smoother. The customers would benefit greatly," he said.
Some of the payees waiting in the long queue alleged that a peon takes documents in exchange for bribe and hands it over to the counter for fast processing.
"The main reason we have to wait so long is because the clerk at the counter receives only one document from the people in the queue and probably two from people who are not even standing in the line," said Sazzad Hossain, who came to pay the licence charges.
However, the post office authorities denied the allegation.
Shahrier Hossain, another Mirpur resident told this correspondent that he has been waiting for around an hour to get his letter registered.
"I came here right after 1:00pm and found the counter empty. After waiting for some time, she finally came in and told me that I have to get a seal on my letter before coming back to her registration counter," he said.
"I had to linger around to get an envelope, get the letter signed and sealed in three separate counters. And I had to wait for over an hour to get the job done as the clerks were out for lunch," said a visibly annoyed Hossain.
Moshiur Hossain, another client who came to post a letter alleged that he had to wait well over 20 minutes to get an envelope.
"I asked the person at the counter for an envelope and then suddenly found she was not there. It was over twenty minutes later when she finally came back and handed me an envelope," he said.
"The post offices are possibly the best examples of procrastination in providing services at government offices," he said. "I myself am a government employee. And I would never make a client wait while I enjoy my lunch."
"If I see a colleague out somewhere and see people waiting for him, I would do my best to help the client in the absence of my colleague. This is common etiquette, and these people seem to lack that," he added.
According to the postmaster, all the post offices in the city would soon be digitalised and computers would take over manual methods. This would speed up the job at post offices.
"It is only a matter of a few months when computers will be brought in to smoothen all the processes," said the postmaster.
However, regular post office goers expressed doubts about the concept of computerising the post offices. "If they cannot computerise the GPO (General Post Office) in all these years, how can they bring technology in such a sub post office," said another client.
With each tapping noise he made with his fingers amid the awkward pauses, the queue of people expectantly tilted their heads forward hoping that the line would move forward.
But it did not. And when the queue finally did move, it took an agonizingly long time.
"I have been standing in the queue since 10:00am. And now it is 12:30pm," said Mahbubul Alam, a resident of Mirpur who was waiting with his car licence.
"I have been on this spot for over half an hour now. Anyone barely moved in the meantime. I almost feel like my legs have grown roots," he said, "what on earth is he [the clerk] doing in there! Why is the queue not moving forward?"
It was not before 1:30pm when a sweaty, visibly tried Alam finally came out of the post office.
"There were only about 14 people in the queue when I came here in the morning. Who would have thought it would take over three hours to get the job done! At least I did not," he said. "It is not a very complicated process either that it would require so much time."
According to the postmaster, there is only one computer and one clerk to process the documents and receive money for licence and car tax related jobs.
"We lack manpower and logistics. If we had another computer in this booth, things would have been much more smoother. The customers would benefit greatly," he said.
Some of the payees waiting in the long queue alleged that a peon takes documents in exchange for bribe and hands it over to the counter for fast processing.
"The main reason we have to wait so long is because the clerk at the counter receives only one document from the people in the queue and probably two from people who are not even standing in the line," said Sazzad Hossain, who came to pay the licence charges.
However, the post office authorities denied the allegation.
Shahrier Hossain, another Mirpur resident told this correspondent that he has been waiting for around an hour to get his letter registered.
"I came here right after 1:00pm and found the counter empty. After waiting for some time, she finally came in and told me that I have to get a seal on my letter before coming back to her registration counter," he said.
"I had to linger around to get an envelope, get the letter signed and sealed in three separate counters. And I had to wait for over an hour to get the job done as the clerks were out for lunch," said a visibly annoyed Hossain.
Moshiur Hossain, another client who came to post a letter alleged that he had to wait well over 20 minutes to get an envelope.
"I asked the person at the counter for an envelope and then suddenly found she was not there. It was over twenty minutes later when she finally came back and handed me an envelope," he said.
"The post offices are possibly the best examples of procrastination in providing services at government offices," he said. "I myself am a government employee. And I would never make a client wait while I enjoy my lunch."
"If I see a colleague out somewhere and see people waiting for him, I would do my best to help the client in the absence of my colleague. This is common etiquette, and these people seem to lack that," he added.
According to the postmaster, all the post offices in the city would soon be digitalised and computers would take over manual methods. This would speed up the job at post offices.
"It is only a matter of a few months when computers will be brought in to smoothen all the processes," said the postmaster.
However, regular post office goers expressed doubts about the concept of computerising the post offices. "If they cannot computerise the GPO (General Post Office) in all these years, how can they bring technology in such a sub post office," said another client.
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A minor boy was killed and three other children were wounded in gunshot as a bird hunter accidentally pulled the trigger in a beel in Parbatipur upazila yesterday.
The dead was identified as Tanizul Islam, 8, son of Lal Chand Mia of Kalikapur village of the upazila.
Police said Saidur Rahman, the hunter, accidentally pulled the trigger of his gun while the children were playing under a tree at about 5:30pm, leaving Tanizul dead on the spot.
Akhtarul Islam, 6, son of Alamgir Hossain, Aziur Rahman, 10, son of Felanur, and Rozina Khatun were admitted to the upazila health complex with bullet wounds.
Police arrested hunter Saidur, gun owner Shawkat Osman and co-hunter Abdur Rahman along with the .22 bore rifle.
While contacted, Police Super Abu Kalam Siddique confirmed the incident.
The dead was identified as Tanizul Islam, 8, son of Lal Chand Mia of Kalikapur village of the upazila.
Police said Saidur Rahman, the hunter, accidentally pulled the trigger of his gun while the children were playing under a tree at about 5:30pm, leaving Tanizul dead on the spot.
Akhtarul Islam, 6, son of Alamgir Hossain, Aziur Rahman, 10, son of Felanur, and Rozina Khatun were admitted to the upazila health complex with bullet wounds.
Police arrested hunter Saidur, gun owner Shawkat Osman and co-hunter Abdur Rahman along with the .22 bore rifle.
While contacted, Police Super Abu Kalam Siddique confirmed the incident.
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Nurul Alam was so happy when his only son Nazrul Islam made it to Dhaka University as Nazrul was on the path to becoming a magistrate, his father's dream.
The dream of this farmer of Cox's Bazar was shattered and he became almost speechless when Nazrul suddenly returned home. Nazrul told his father the whole tale of him being detained by his roommate for toll.
Nazrul, a third semester student of Islamic History, was blindfolded and tied to a chair an entire night in his room, room-232 of Kabi Jasim Uddin Hall of Dhaka University (DU).
His roommate Saiful Islam and a fake DU student Raj confined him to the room on January 18 demanding Tk 1.5 lakh toll from him.
The extortionists let Nazrul go home as he assured them of getting the money from his parents. Nazrul was too scared to inform the university authorities about the incident.
Nurul does not dare to send his precious son back to the university.
"I supported his studies amid hardship…just to see my son established. Now I would not let him study here. I have a piece of land and my son would work there," said Nurul Alam in his local dialect as tears rolled down his cheeks.
The Daily Star correspondent met Nurul in Madhur Canteen on campus. He came to Dhaka after one of Nazrul's friends requested him to make the journey and talk to journalists in Dhaka. Nurul left for Cox's Bazar last evening. He did not want to stay in Dhaka.
Talking over telephone, Nazrul told this correspondent the horrifying details.
He said he was sleeping that night but he woke up to his roommate Saiful's call. There was a group people in the room he did not know. He could only identify Raj, a "student" staying in the same hall.
One of them introduced himself as a "crime reporter" and told him that they had come to conduct a search of the room as they received a tip off.
Nazrul allowed them to search the room. They went straight to his bed and brought out a bag from under his bed. Then they brought out a gun from the bag.
Nazrul started panicking.
The whole thing was filmed by one of the unidentified people.
The "crime reporter" then made a cellphone call and he was heard saying, "Hello, OC [Officer-in-charge] speaking? We found an illegal firearm and I would tell you the details later."
They forced Nazrul to write on a piece of paper that the gun was found under his bed and he is involved in the matter.
Saiful then told Nazrul to get some money for the "crime reporter" and his gang to avert arrest. Nazrul was then tied to a chair and blindfolded. They told him that he has to provide Tk 1.5 lakh.
The gang then left the room with the gun.
Nazrul said he got scared and did not tell anyone about the incident and left the dormitory the very next day. He, however, informed the dormitory provost of the matter on February 2 over telephone.
Sources inside the dormitory said Saiful himself staged the whole thing with the help of Raj and non-student Sumon.
Saiful told The Daily Star correspondent that he along with some people talked to Nazrul that night. He claimed Nazrul owed him Tk 1.2 lakh.
He said he gave Nazrul the money during the tenure of the caretaker government. He claimed that the then agriculture adviser is a relative of Nazrul and he gave Nazrul the money to ensure a job for a relative of a friend.
Nazrul refuted this and said Saifur is lying and everything that had happened that night was planed ahead.
Raj, whose full identity could not be confirmed, was found guilty of document forgery during the DU admission test last year.
Kabi Jasim Uddin Hall Provost Prof Akhtaruzzaman said a notice has been issued to Saiful asking him why his studentship at the DU should not be revoked for terrorising a student.
Hearing about the incident from The Daily Star correspondent AAMS Arefin Siddique, vice-chancellor of DU, said he would take all necessary steps to bring Nazrul back to the university and the authorities will also ensure his security.
The dream of this farmer of Cox's Bazar was shattered and he became almost speechless when Nazrul suddenly returned home. Nazrul told his father the whole tale of him being detained by his roommate for toll.
Nazrul, a third semester student of Islamic History, was blindfolded and tied to a chair an entire night in his room, room-232 of Kabi Jasim Uddin Hall of Dhaka University (DU).
His roommate Saiful Islam and a fake DU student Raj confined him to the room on January 18 demanding Tk 1.5 lakh toll from him.
The extortionists let Nazrul go home as he assured them of getting the money from his parents. Nazrul was too scared to inform the university authorities about the incident.
Nurul does not dare to send his precious son back to the university.
"I supported his studies amid hardship…just to see my son established. Now I would not let him study here. I have a piece of land and my son would work there," said Nurul Alam in his local dialect as tears rolled down his cheeks.
The Daily Star correspondent met Nurul in Madhur Canteen on campus. He came to Dhaka after one of Nazrul's friends requested him to make the journey and talk to journalists in Dhaka. Nurul left for Cox's Bazar last evening. He did not want to stay in Dhaka.
Talking over telephone, Nazrul told this correspondent the horrifying details.
He said he was sleeping that night but he woke up to his roommate Saiful's call. There was a group people in the room he did not know. He could only identify Raj, a "student" staying in the same hall.
One of them introduced himself as a "crime reporter" and told him that they had come to conduct a search of the room as they received a tip off.
Nazrul allowed them to search the room. They went straight to his bed and brought out a bag from under his bed. Then they brought out a gun from the bag.
Nazrul started panicking.
The whole thing was filmed by one of the unidentified people.
The "crime reporter" then made a cellphone call and he was heard saying, "Hello, OC [Officer-in-charge] speaking? We found an illegal firearm and I would tell you the details later."
They forced Nazrul to write on a piece of paper that the gun was found under his bed and he is involved in the matter.
Saiful then told Nazrul to get some money for the "crime reporter" and his gang to avert arrest. Nazrul was then tied to a chair and blindfolded. They told him that he has to provide Tk 1.5 lakh.
The gang then left the room with the gun.
Nazrul said he got scared and did not tell anyone about the incident and left the dormitory the very next day. He, however, informed the dormitory provost of the matter on February 2 over telephone.
Sources inside the dormitory said Saiful himself staged the whole thing with the help of Raj and non-student Sumon.
Saiful told The Daily Star correspondent that he along with some people talked to Nazrul that night. He claimed Nazrul owed him Tk 1.2 lakh.
He said he gave Nazrul the money during the tenure of the caretaker government. He claimed that the then agriculture adviser is a relative of Nazrul and he gave Nazrul the money to ensure a job for a relative of a friend.
Nazrul refuted this and said Saifur is lying and everything that had happened that night was planed ahead.
Raj, whose full identity could not be confirmed, was found guilty of document forgery during the DU admission test last year.
Kabi Jasim Uddin Hall Provost Prof Akhtaruzzaman said a notice has been issued to Saiful asking him why his studentship at the DU should not be revoked for terrorising a student.
Hearing about the incident from The Daily Star correspondent AAMS Arefin Siddique, vice-chancellor of DU, said he would take all necessary steps to bring Nazrul back to the university and the authorities will also ensure his security.
The fate of three public limited companies (PLC) hangs in the balance, as the ordinances promulgated by the immediate past caretaker government that transformed those into companies from government agencies, might not be ratified by the new parliament.
The PLCs in jeopardy are Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Dhaka Electricity Supply Authority (Desa), and Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB).
Recently formed Local Government Commission (LGC) might also not be able to continue to exist to oversee the functions of local governments, as the ordinance establishing it failed to obtain recommendation of the special committee of parliament for ratification as well.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) might also lose some of their controversial powers, as the two ordinances that empowered those with the powers might also not be ratified.
The four ordinances on the PLCs and LGC are not among the 53 ordinances picked by the parliamentary special committee for ratification.
In consultation with eminent jurists, the special committee scrutinised the 53 ordinances, and recommended the law ministry to take necessary steps for turning them into bills to be placed in the parliament for making them into permanent laws.
Contacted by The Daily Star yesterday, Advocate Rahmat Ali, chief of the special committee, said the committee did not pick the ordinances that turned the government agencies into PLCs for ratification, because those were promulgated unconstitutionally.
"Now, if the government thinks, the organisations should be run as public limited companies, then it will have to enact new laws to that effect," Rahmat Ali added.
He said the government agencies that were transformed into PLCs will automatically return to their previous status, on expiry of the effectiveness of the ordinances, if they are not ratified.
The immediate past caretaker government led by Fakhruddin Ahmed claimed that it turned the three government agencies into PLCs and recast them organisationally in an effort to improve their efficiency.
In order to do that, the interim government had to amend Bangladesh Biman Corporation Ordinance 1977, Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board Ordinance 1979, and Dhaka Electricity Supply Authority Act 1990.
Absolute control of ministries concerned over the three former government agencies was largely reduced by the amendments, by empowering the PLCs' boards to run the companies independently.
The caretaker government also set up a three-member LGC last year through an ordinance, in an effort to strengthen the system of local governments.
It also amended the ACC Act in 2007, providing the anti-graft watchdog with the authority to arrest an accused, and making the offences under the act non-bailable.
At the very end of its regime, the caretaker government on December 22 last year amended the Telecom Act too, making BTRC extraordinarily powerful by curtailing telecommunication ministry's monitoring power over it. The finance ministry earlier however had rejected BTRC's proposal to amend the act for making it more powerful and financially independent.
The caretaker government's amendment gave BTRC the authority to call in law enforces at any time to arrest without a warrant any person violating the act. According to the amendment, BTRC may also recruit manpower and fix their salaries according to its own wish without notifying related government bodies.
Another ordinance titled 'Prohibition of Prejudicial Act, Etc' which amended the much talked about Special Powers Act 1947, might also not be ratified.
The new provision in the act says no person shall act prejudicially, and if any person does so, he or she shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or both.
Now the ordinances need to be ratified by the parliament to continue to exist as laws. According to the constitutional provisions, all 122 ordinances promulgated just before and during the regime of the immediate past military backed caretaker government, were introduced to the parliament on January 25 this year, for its consideration for ratification.
The ordinances that will fail to get ratification within 30 days of their introduction to the parliament will automatically become ineffective.
FIFTY THREE ORDINANCES RECOMMENDED FOR RATIFICATION
Sylhet Metropolitan Police Ordinance, 2006, Barisal Metropolitan Police Ordinance 2006, Code of Criminal Procedure (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Code of Criminal Procedure (second amendment) Ordinance 2007, Criminal Law (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Finance Ordinance 2007, Consolidated Fund Ordinance 2007, Consolidated Fund (advanced grants and specification) Ordinance 2007, Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project (land requisition) Ordinance 2007, Anti-Money Laundering (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Electoral Rolls Ordinance 2007, Bangladesh Flag Vessels (protection) (amendment) Ordinance 2007, President's (remuneration and privileges) (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Paurashava (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Chittagong City Corporation (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Dhaka City Corporation (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Khulna City Corporation (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Rajshahi City Corporation (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Sylhet City Corporation (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Barisal City Corporation (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Mobile Court Ordinance 2007, Income Tax (amendment) Ordinance 2007, EPZ Labour Organisation and Industrial Relation (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Money Loan Court (amendment) Ordinance 2007, National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2007, Acid Control (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Income Tax (second amendment) Ordinance 2007, Income Tax (amendment) Ordinance 2008, Trade Mark Ordinance 2008, Election Commission Secretariat Ordinance 2008, Anti-Money Laundering Ordinance 2008, Income Tax (second amendment) Ordinance 2008, Bangladesh University of Professionals Ordinance 2008, Anti-Terrorism Ordinance 2008, Local Government (upazila parishad) Ordinance 2008, Finance Ordinance 2008, Specification Ordinance 2008, Specification (supplementary) Ordinance 2008, Rangpur University Ordinance 2008, Representation of the People Order (amendment) Ordinance 2008, Representation of the People Order (second amendment) Ordinance 2008, Representation of the People Order (third amendment) Ordinance 2008, Consumers Right Protection Ordinance 2008, Right to Information Ordinance 2008, Bangladesh Laws (revision and declaration) (amendment) Ordinance 2008, Local Government (paurashava) (amendment) Ordinance 2008, Local Government (upazila parishad) (amendment) Ordinance 2008, Emergency Powers (repeal) Ordinance 2008, the Citizenship (amendment) Ordinance 2008, Public Money and Budget Management Ordinance 2008, Supreme Court Judges' (remuneration and privileges) (amendment) Ordinance 2008, Bangladesh Economic Region Ordinance 2008, and Trade Mark (amendment) Ordinance 2009.
The PLCs in jeopardy are Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Dhaka Electricity Supply Authority (Desa), and Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board (BTTB).
Recently formed Local Government Commission (LGC) might also not be able to continue to exist to oversee the functions of local governments, as the ordinance establishing it failed to obtain recommendation of the special committee of parliament for ratification as well.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) might also lose some of their controversial powers, as the two ordinances that empowered those with the powers might also not be ratified.
The four ordinances on the PLCs and LGC are not among the 53 ordinances picked by the parliamentary special committee for ratification.
In consultation with eminent jurists, the special committee scrutinised the 53 ordinances, and recommended the law ministry to take necessary steps for turning them into bills to be placed in the parliament for making them into permanent laws.
Contacted by The Daily Star yesterday, Advocate Rahmat Ali, chief of the special committee, said the committee did not pick the ordinances that turned the government agencies into PLCs for ratification, because those were promulgated unconstitutionally.
"Now, if the government thinks, the organisations should be run as public limited companies, then it will have to enact new laws to that effect," Rahmat Ali added.
He said the government agencies that were transformed into PLCs will automatically return to their previous status, on expiry of the effectiveness of the ordinances, if they are not ratified.
The immediate past caretaker government led by Fakhruddin Ahmed claimed that it turned the three government agencies into PLCs and recast them organisationally in an effort to improve their efficiency.
In order to do that, the interim government had to amend Bangladesh Biman Corporation Ordinance 1977, Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board Ordinance 1979, and Dhaka Electricity Supply Authority Act 1990.
Absolute control of ministries concerned over the three former government agencies was largely reduced by the amendments, by empowering the PLCs' boards to run the companies independently.
The caretaker government also set up a three-member LGC last year through an ordinance, in an effort to strengthen the system of local governments.
It also amended the ACC Act in 2007, providing the anti-graft watchdog with the authority to arrest an accused, and making the offences under the act non-bailable.
At the very end of its regime, the caretaker government on December 22 last year amended the Telecom Act too, making BTRC extraordinarily powerful by curtailing telecommunication ministry's monitoring power over it. The finance ministry earlier however had rejected BTRC's proposal to amend the act for making it more powerful and financially independent.
The caretaker government's amendment gave BTRC the authority to call in law enforces at any time to arrest without a warrant any person violating the act. According to the amendment, BTRC may also recruit manpower and fix their salaries according to its own wish without notifying related government bodies.
Another ordinance titled 'Prohibition of Prejudicial Act, Etc' which amended the much talked about Special Powers Act 1947, might also not be ratified.
The new provision in the act says no person shall act prejudicially, and if any person does so, he or she shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or both.
Now the ordinances need to be ratified by the parliament to continue to exist as laws. According to the constitutional provisions, all 122 ordinances promulgated just before and during the regime of the immediate past military backed caretaker government, were introduced to the parliament on January 25 this year, for its consideration for ratification.
The ordinances that will fail to get ratification within 30 days of their introduction to the parliament will automatically become ineffective.
FIFTY THREE ORDINANCES RECOMMENDED FOR RATIFICATION
Sylhet Metropolitan Police Ordinance, 2006, Barisal Metropolitan Police Ordinance 2006, Code of Criminal Procedure (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Code of Criminal Procedure (second amendment) Ordinance 2007, Criminal Law (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Finance Ordinance 2007, Consolidated Fund Ordinance 2007, Consolidated Fund (advanced grants and specification) Ordinance 2007, Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project (land requisition) Ordinance 2007, Anti-Money Laundering (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Electoral Rolls Ordinance 2007, Bangladesh Flag Vessels (protection) (amendment) Ordinance 2007, President's (remuneration and privileges) (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Paurashava (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Chittagong City Corporation (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Dhaka City Corporation (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Khulna City Corporation (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Rajshahi City Corporation (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Sylhet City Corporation (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Barisal City Corporation (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Mobile Court Ordinance 2007, Income Tax (amendment) Ordinance 2007, EPZ Labour Organisation and Industrial Relation (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Money Loan Court (amendment) Ordinance 2007, National Human Rights Commission Ordinance 2007, Acid Control (amendment) Ordinance 2007, Income Tax (second amendment) Ordinance 2007, Income Tax (amendment) Ordinance 2008, Trade Mark Ordinance 2008, Election Commission Secretariat Ordinance 2008, Anti-Money Laundering Ordinance 2008, Income Tax (second amendment) Ordinance 2008, Bangladesh University of Professionals Ordinance 2008, Anti-Terrorism Ordinance 2008, Local Government (upazila parishad) Ordinance 2008, Finance Ordinance 2008, Specification Ordinance 2008, Specification (supplementary) Ordinance 2008, Rangpur University Ordinance 2008, Representation of the People Order (amendment) Ordinance 2008, Representation of the People Order (second amendment) Ordinance 2008, Representation of the People Order (third amendment) Ordinance 2008, Consumers Right Protection Ordinance 2008, Right to Information Ordinance 2008, Bangladesh Laws (revision and declaration) (amendment) Ordinance 2008, Local Government (paurashava) (amendment) Ordinance 2008, Local Government (upazila parishad) (amendment) Ordinance 2008, Emergency Powers (repeal) Ordinance 2008, the Citizenship (amendment) Ordinance 2008, Public Money and Budget Management Ordinance 2008, Supreme Court Judges' (remuneration and privileges) (amendment) Ordinance 2008, Bangladesh Economic Region Ordinance 2008, and Trade Mark (amendment) Ordinance 2009.
European Standard School (ESS) emerged champions in the team event of the First BRAC Bank Inter School Junior Tennis Tournament played at the National Tennis Complex on Monday.
Scholastica and See Bridge International School became joint runners-up.
Faiaz Bin Alam of BIAM Model School lifted the boys' singles mini event title beating Raj Bahadur of Sea Bridge International School in the final.
The girls' singles mini title went to Fabiah of Scholastica when she defeated Archy of Viqarunnisa Noon School in the final.
Bangladesh Tennis Federation president AMM Nasir Uddin gave away prizes as chief guest. Bangladesh Tennis Federation general secretary Sanaul Haque Bakul and Bangladesh JTI programme coordinator AKMA Quddus Bulu were also present.
Scholastica and See Bridge International School became joint runners-up.
Faiaz Bin Alam of BIAM Model School lifted the boys' singles mini event title beating Raj Bahadur of Sea Bridge International School in the final.
The girls' singles mini title went to Fabiah of Scholastica when she defeated Archy of Viqarunnisa Noon School in the final.
Bangladesh Tennis Federation president AMM Nasir Uddin gave away prizes as chief guest. Bangladesh Tennis Federation general secretary Sanaul Haque Bakul and Bangladesh JTI programme coordinator AKMA Quddus Bulu were also present.
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A six member team from National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), USA met with Dr. Shafiqul Islam Bhuiyan, Chairman, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) at his office yesterday.
During the meeting, members of the commission Dr. Md. Mosharraf Hossain (Planning and Development), Dr. Farid Uddin Ahmed (Physical Science) and Dr. Abdus Sattar Mollah, Director, Nuclear Safeguards and Security Division of BAEC were present.
The visiting team sought Commission's technical co-operation in setting up radiation detection equipment in Chittagong Port.
During the meeting, members of the commission Dr. Md. Mosharraf Hossain (Planning and Development), Dr. Farid Uddin Ahmed (Physical Science) and Dr. Abdus Sattar Mollah, Director, Nuclear Safeguards and Security Division of BAEC were present.
The visiting team sought Commission's technical co-operation in setting up radiation detection equipment in Chittagong Port.
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Stocks headed for a lower open on Monday as a delay in the announcement of the Obama administration's bank rescue plan disappointed investors and another wave of poor earnings showed more economic upheaval.
Adding to the cautionary tone were indications that an $827 billion U.S. economic stimulus package could face another day of political wrangling before a Senate vote on the measure on Tuesday.
The stimulus and bank rescue plan are a make-or-break for stock investors searching for catalysts to sustain the market's attempt to recover since stocks hit a bear market low in November.
Adding to the cautionary tone were indications that an $827 billion U.S. economic stimulus package could face another day of political wrangling before a Senate vote on the measure on Tuesday.
The stimulus and bank rescue plan are a make-or-break for stock investors searching for catalysts to sustain the market's attempt to recover since stocks hit a bear market low in November.
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An agreement of remittance arrangement was signed recently between Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited and Transmit International, USA.
Md. Habibur Rahman, Deputy Managing Director and Head of International Banking Wing of IBBL and Mohammad M Islam, President and CEO of Transmit International, USA signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides. Md. Mahbub-ul Alam and Md. Abdul Jabbar, Executive Vice Presidents of the Bank and Md. Taibur Rahman, Country Director of Transmit International were present in the programme.
As a result of this agreement Bangladeshi expatriates from USA can remit their money at lower cost through Spot Cash. The receiver can draw the money without any account from any branch of IBBL. Through different modernised technologies along with larger banking channel and internet facilities IBBL now ensures the reception of money sent by the expatriates to the recipients in a shorter period than before.
Md. Habibur Rahman, Deputy Managing Director and Head of International Banking Wing of IBBL and Mohammad M Islam, President and CEO of Transmit International, USA signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides. Md. Mahbub-ul Alam and Md. Abdul Jabbar, Executive Vice Presidents of the Bank and Md. Taibur Rahman, Country Director of Transmit International were present in the programme.
As a result of this agreement Bangladeshi expatriates from USA can remit their money at lower cost through Spot Cash. The receiver can draw the money without any account from any branch of IBBL. Through different modernised technologies along with larger banking channel and internet facilities IBBL now ensures the reception of money sent by the expatriates to the recipients in a shorter period than before.
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The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) witnessed a sharp fall yesterday, adding fuel to the bearish market and prompting the general investors to take to the street.
The demonstrators, numbering over a hundred, brought out a procession from in front of the bourse at around 12 noon, protesting the continuous fall in the share prices.
The DSE General Index, the benchmark index, shed 78 points or about 3 per cent to close at 2,520 Monday from 2,598 Sunday, which is a biggest single-day fall in over last two months.
Stockbrokers and stakeholders concerned have long been remained in the dark about the sluggish trend of the market.
However, they said a declaration of 50 per cent stock dividend by Dutch-Bangla Bank Sunday stimulated the sale pressure of the stock yesterday, causing about 17 per cent fall in the prices to Tk 2,914.75 per share at the close of the day's trading. The share price fell as low as Tk 2,801 from Sunday's closing price of Tk 3.507.50 per share.
The All Shares Price Index (DSI) dropped 67 points or about 3 per cent to close at 2,096 Monday from 2,160 Sunday while the DSE-20 of selective shares fell 48 points or over 2 per cent to close at 2,083 Monday from 2,132 points Sunday.
The demonstrators, numbering over a hundred, brought out a procession from in front of the bourse at around 12 noon, protesting the continuous fall in the share prices.
The DSE General Index, the benchmark index, shed 78 points or about 3 per cent to close at 2,520 Monday from 2,598 Sunday, which is a biggest single-day fall in over last two months.
Stockbrokers and stakeholders concerned have long been remained in the dark about the sluggish trend of the market.
However, they said a declaration of 50 per cent stock dividend by Dutch-Bangla Bank Sunday stimulated the sale pressure of the stock yesterday, causing about 17 per cent fall in the prices to Tk 2,914.75 per share at the close of the day's trading. The share price fell as low as Tk 2,801 from Sunday's closing price of Tk 3.507.50 per share.
The All Shares Price Index (DSI) dropped 67 points or about 3 per cent to close at 2,096 Monday from 2,160 Sunday while the DSE-20 of selective shares fell 48 points or over 2 per cent to close at 2,083 Monday from 2,132 points Sunday.
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The French economy is set to shrink by 0.6 per cent in the first quarter of this year, the Bank of France forecast on Monday, signalling a formal recession.
If the economy does contract as the central bank expects, after widely expected shrinkage in the fourth quarter, the economy will have shown two quarters running of negative growth which marks recession.
The economy contracted in the second quarter of last year but achieved growth of 0.1 per cent in the third quarter, thereby narrowly averting recession.
But economists, including government economists, expect data for the fourth quarter to show a clear contraction.
The official statistics institute INSEE is to publish on Friday its first data for growth in the whole of 2008.
Most economists, and the government, expect that the figure for gross domestic product in the fourth quarter will be very weak, showing a contraction of about 1.0 per cent.
Economy Minister Christine Lagarde said last week that conditions in the fourth quarter were the worst "ever seen", referring to a "collapse of industrial production, particularly in November and December."
Forecasts so far put growth for the whole of 2008 at 0.7-0.8 per cent.
Lagarde said that the government was waiting for publication of these results to revise its forecasts for growth in 2009, which stand so far at 0.2-0.5 per cent.
The minister has also acknowledged that she would be "very surprised" if the French economy grew in 2009, thereby implying that she would be surprised if it were not in recession.
"All of the countries in the eurozone are at about minus 2.0 (per cent for forecast growth), and the European Commission gives us minus 1.8 per cent, the IMF (International Monetary Fund) minus 1.9 per cent, so no-one should have any illusions," she said.
If the economy does contract as the central bank expects, after widely expected shrinkage in the fourth quarter, the economy will have shown two quarters running of negative growth which marks recession.
The economy contracted in the second quarter of last year but achieved growth of 0.1 per cent in the third quarter, thereby narrowly averting recession.
But economists, including government economists, expect data for the fourth quarter to show a clear contraction.
The official statistics institute INSEE is to publish on Friday its first data for growth in the whole of 2008.
Most economists, and the government, expect that the figure for gross domestic product in the fourth quarter will be very weak, showing a contraction of about 1.0 per cent.
Economy Minister Christine Lagarde said last week that conditions in the fourth quarter were the worst "ever seen", referring to a "collapse of industrial production, particularly in November and December."
Forecasts so far put growth for the whole of 2008 at 0.7-0.8 per cent.
Lagarde said that the government was waiting for publication of these results to revise its forecasts for growth in 2009, which stand so far at 0.2-0.5 per cent.
The minister has also acknowledged that she would be "very surprised" if the French economy grew in 2009, thereby implying that she would be surprised if it were not in recession.
"All of the countries in the eurozone are at about minus 2.0 (per cent for forecast growth), and the European Commission gives us minus 1.8 per cent, the IMF (International Monetary Fund) minus 1.9 per cent, so no-one should have any illusions," she said.
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Asian stocks fell, led by banks and insurers, as share-sale plans fanned concern the credit crunch is causing funding difficulties at companies across the region.
Nomura Holdings Inc., Japan's largest securities firm, lost 14 per cent after saying it may sell shares to replenish capital. Suncorp-Metway Ltd., Australia's third-largest general insurer, plunged 21 per cent after it sold stock at a discount. BHP Billiton Ltd., the world's biggest mining company, climbed 3.4 per cent as it said it may acquire mines and plants from distressed sellers.
About five stocks declined for every four that advanced on the MSCI Asia Pacific Index, which dropped 0.3 per cent to 83.16 as of 6:24 p.m. in Tokyo. The gauge has fallen 7.2 per cent in 2009, extending last year's record 43 per cent tumble, as the world's biggest economies sank into recession.
Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 1.3 per cent to 7,969.03, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gained 0.8 per cent. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index advanced 1.1 per cent. All markets gained except South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Indonesia.
Haseko Corp., which builds condominiums and offices, sank 15 per cent in Tokyo after saying it may not recover money owed by a bankrupt developer. Toyota Motor Corp., which widened its annual loss forecast, jumped 3.2 per cent after Credit Suisse Group AG said its earnings will bottom out this quarter.
Futures on the Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell 1.1 per cent. The gauge climbed 2.7 per cent on Feb. 6 to the highest level since Jan. 28 after the U.S. jobless rate jumped to 7.6 per cent last month, the highest since 1992, sparking speculation Congress will move quickly to pass an economic stimulus plan.
Advanced economies are already in "depression", IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said in Kuala Lumpur at the weekend.
A key procedural vote in the U.S. Senate on a $780 billion proposal is scheduled for later today, with a final vote tomorrow. The Senate measure must then be reconciled with an $819 billion plan the House approved last month.
Stock declines in the past year have dragged the average valuation of companies on the MSCI Asia Pacific Index down by 15 per cent to 13 times reported profit, as more signs emerged the global financial crisis was hurting corporate earnings.
Nomura tumbled 14 per cent to 490 yen after saying it may sell stock valued at as much as 300 billion yen ($3.3 billion) from Feb. 19, the company said on Feb. 6 after markets shut. The brokerage posted a record loss of 343 billion yen in the three months to Dec. 31.
Haseko plunged 15 per cent to 66 yen. The company is assessing its earnings forecast in light of the possible failure to recover funds from Japan General Estate Co. and its real estate unit. Japan General filed for bankruptcy protection last week.
In Singapore, CapitaLand Ltd., Southeast Asia's largest property developer, reported an 88 per cent slump in fourth- quarter profit and said it will raise S$1.84 billion ($1.2 billion) by selling equity to existing investors. The stock, suspended today, is down 24 per cent this year.
Australia's BHP rose 3.4 per cent to A$33.34 in Sydney. The company will seek assets from any distressed sellers and said some of Rio Tinto Group's would fit well into its portfolio, Chief Executive Officer Marius Kloppers told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. yesterday.
Rio, which last week said it was in talks with Aluminum Corp. of China to raise cash by selling debt and stakes in some units, gained 5.7 per cent to A$49.40. The company said today that director Jim Leng quit and will no longer become chairman as announced less than a month ago.
Japan's Nikkei 225 gained as much as 2.2 per cent today as a government report showed orders for Japanese machinery fell 1.7 per cent in December from November. That's less than the 8.6 per cent tumble, economists in a Bloomberg survey had estimated.
Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, jumped 3.2 per cent to 3,190 yen, making it the most actively traded stock by value in Tokyo, followed by Nomura. Its earnings will bottom out in the fourth quarter and will gradually improve thereafter, Koji Endo, a Tokyo-based analyst for Credit Suisse, wrote in a report dated Feb. 6.
Nomura Holdings Inc., Japan's largest securities firm, lost 14 per cent after saying it may sell shares to replenish capital. Suncorp-Metway Ltd., Australia's third-largest general insurer, plunged 21 per cent after it sold stock at a discount. BHP Billiton Ltd., the world's biggest mining company, climbed 3.4 per cent as it said it may acquire mines and plants from distressed sellers.
About five stocks declined for every four that advanced on the MSCI Asia Pacific Index, which dropped 0.3 per cent to 83.16 as of 6:24 p.m. in Tokyo. The gauge has fallen 7.2 per cent in 2009, extending last year's record 43 per cent tumble, as the world's biggest economies sank into recession.
Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average lost 1.3 per cent to 7,969.03, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gained 0.8 per cent. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 Index advanced 1.1 per cent. All markets gained except South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Indonesia.
Haseko Corp., which builds condominiums and offices, sank 15 per cent in Tokyo after saying it may not recover money owed by a bankrupt developer. Toyota Motor Corp., which widened its annual loss forecast, jumped 3.2 per cent after Credit Suisse Group AG said its earnings will bottom out this quarter.
Futures on the Standard & Poor's 500 Index fell 1.1 per cent. The gauge climbed 2.7 per cent on Feb. 6 to the highest level since Jan. 28 after the U.S. jobless rate jumped to 7.6 per cent last month, the highest since 1992, sparking speculation Congress will move quickly to pass an economic stimulus plan.
Advanced economies are already in "depression", IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said in Kuala Lumpur at the weekend.
A key procedural vote in the U.S. Senate on a $780 billion proposal is scheduled for later today, with a final vote tomorrow. The Senate measure must then be reconciled with an $819 billion plan the House approved last month.
Stock declines in the past year have dragged the average valuation of companies on the MSCI Asia Pacific Index down by 15 per cent to 13 times reported profit, as more signs emerged the global financial crisis was hurting corporate earnings.
Nomura tumbled 14 per cent to 490 yen after saying it may sell stock valued at as much as 300 billion yen ($3.3 billion) from Feb. 19, the company said on Feb. 6 after markets shut. The brokerage posted a record loss of 343 billion yen in the three months to Dec. 31.
Haseko plunged 15 per cent to 66 yen. The company is assessing its earnings forecast in light of the possible failure to recover funds from Japan General Estate Co. and its real estate unit. Japan General filed for bankruptcy protection last week.
In Singapore, CapitaLand Ltd., Southeast Asia's largest property developer, reported an 88 per cent slump in fourth- quarter profit and said it will raise S$1.84 billion ($1.2 billion) by selling equity to existing investors. The stock, suspended today, is down 24 per cent this year.
Australia's BHP rose 3.4 per cent to A$33.34 in Sydney. The company will seek assets from any distressed sellers and said some of Rio Tinto Group's would fit well into its portfolio, Chief Executive Officer Marius Kloppers told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. yesterday.
Rio, which last week said it was in talks with Aluminum Corp. of China to raise cash by selling debt and stakes in some units, gained 5.7 per cent to A$49.40. The company said today that director Jim Leng quit and will no longer become chairman as announced less than a month ago.
Japan's Nikkei 225 gained as much as 2.2 per cent today as a government report showed orders for Japanese machinery fell 1.7 per cent in December from November. That's less than the 8.6 per cent tumble, economists in a Bloomberg survey had estimated.
Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, jumped 3.2 per cent to 3,190 yen, making it the most actively traded stock by value in Tokyo, followed by Nomura. Its earnings will bottom out in the fourth quarter and will gradually improve thereafter, Koji Endo, a Tokyo-based analyst for Credit Suisse, wrote in a report dated Feb. 6.
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The dollar fell against the yen in Asian trade today following grim US data that underscored the economic challenges for President Barack Obama's administration, dealers said.
The dollar slid to 91.01 yen in Tokyo afternoon trade from 91.85 late Friday in New York. The euro also fell to 1.2906 dollars from 1.2943 and to 117.46 yen from 118.87 on profit- taking following the European unit's recent gains.
The US Senate was close to voting on a revamped stimulus bill of more than 800 billion dollars as Obama presses for swift action to revive the world's largest economy.
But "basic qualms remain, such as whether it will be enough to boost the economy," said Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corp's chief forex strategist Hideaki Inoue.
"And if it emerges in the coming months that Obama's stimulus measures are having little effect, markets will be swamped again with renewed uncertainty," he said.
The US government reported Friday that unemployment spiked to a 16-year high of 7.6 per cent in January from 7.2 per cent in December as nearly 600,000 jobs were lost.
Non-farm payrolls plunged by a larger-than-expected 598,000 in January, the biggest drop since late 1974. That brought the total number of jobless people to 3.6 million since the recession began in December 2007.
There was also caution ahead of a speech on Tuesday-one day later than initially planned-by US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on fresh measures to clean up the financial system.
Markets are expecting him to unveil details of a government- sponsored "bad bank" that would unload toxic assets off banks' books in a bid to unlock a persistent lending freeze. Media reported it may work with the private sector to purchase the uncollectible loans.
Meanwhile, the euro was weighed down by concerns over Russia, whose economy has close links with some members of the eurozone.
Fitch Ratings last week downgraded Russia amid a slump in energy prices, whose high levels in recent years fuelled the country's boom.
Dealers largely ignored Japanese data showing the current account surplus shrank in 2008 for the first time in three years as it was only the latest in a slew of statistics showing weak exports.
The dollar was lower against some regional Asian currencies. It slipped to 11,750 Indonesian rupiah from 11,785 and to 1.4982 Singapore dollars from 1.5064. But the dollar rose to 1,382.70 South Korean won from 1,378.60.
The greenback fell to 47.06 Philippine pesos from 47.22 and to 34.99 Thai baht from 35.02. It was stable at 33.65 Taiwan dollars.
The dollar slid to 91.01 yen in Tokyo afternoon trade from 91.85 late Friday in New York. The euro also fell to 1.2906 dollars from 1.2943 and to 117.46 yen from 118.87 on profit- taking following the European unit's recent gains.
The US Senate was close to voting on a revamped stimulus bill of more than 800 billion dollars as Obama presses for swift action to revive the world's largest economy.
But "basic qualms remain, such as whether it will be enough to boost the economy," said Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corp's chief forex strategist Hideaki Inoue.
"And if it emerges in the coming months that Obama's stimulus measures are having little effect, markets will be swamped again with renewed uncertainty," he said.
The US government reported Friday that unemployment spiked to a 16-year high of 7.6 per cent in January from 7.2 per cent in December as nearly 600,000 jobs were lost.
Non-farm payrolls plunged by a larger-than-expected 598,000 in January, the biggest drop since late 1974. That brought the total number of jobless people to 3.6 million since the recession began in December 2007.
There was also caution ahead of a speech on Tuesday-one day later than initially planned-by US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner on fresh measures to clean up the financial system.
Markets are expecting him to unveil details of a government- sponsored "bad bank" that would unload toxic assets off banks' books in a bid to unlock a persistent lending freeze. Media reported it may work with the private sector to purchase the uncollectible loans.
Meanwhile, the euro was weighed down by concerns over Russia, whose economy has close links with some members of the eurozone.
Fitch Ratings last week downgraded Russia amid a slump in energy prices, whose high levels in recent years fuelled the country's boom.
Dealers largely ignored Japanese data showing the current account surplus shrank in 2008 for the first time in three years as it was only the latest in a slew of statistics showing weak exports.
The dollar was lower against some regional Asian currencies. It slipped to 11,750 Indonesian rupiah from 11,785 and to 1.4982 Singapore dollars from 1.5064. But the dollar rose to 1,382.70 South Korean won from 1,378.60.
The greenback fell to 47.06 Philippine pesos from 47.22 and to 34.99 Thai baht from 35.02. It was stable at 33.65 Taiwan dollars.
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World oil traded steady in Asia today after OPEC member Iraq predicted the cartel will announce further production cuts in a market struggling with weak demand.
New York's main oil futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in March, rose seven cents to 40.24 dollars a barrel in afternoon trade. Brent North Sea crude for March rose two cents to 46.23 dollars a barrel.
Iraq's oil minister at the weekend predicted that the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) plans more output reductions.
"In March, OPEC will convene and there will be an intention for more production cuts to shore up prices and encourage production from non-OPEC members," Hussein al-Shahristani said, according to his close adviser Falah al- Amiri.
OPEC recently signalled it would consider more output cuts in a bid to bolster prices.
Since last July, when oil prices hit records above 147 dollars a barrel, prices have tumbled because of weaker demand in a slowing global economy, analysts say.
OPEC announced production cuts totalling 4.2 million barrels per day late last year but David Johnson, an oil analyst with Macquarie Securities, said 2.75 million barrels have so far been cut in practice. He said he does not see daily cuts exceeding four million barrels.
Oil prices are stuck in the 40 to 45 dollar range, balanced between expectations of OPEC's next moves and poor demand reflected in economic data such as Friday's US unemployment figures, he said.
New York's main oil futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in March, rose seven cents to 40.24 dollars a barrel in afternoon trade. Brent North Sea crude for March rose two cents to 46.23 dollars a barrel.
Iraq's oil minister at the weekend predicted that the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) plans more output reductions.
"In March, OPEC will convene and there will be an intention for more production cuts to shore up prices and encourage production from non-OPEC members," Hussein al-Shahristani said, according to his close adviser Falah al- Amiri.
OPEC recently signalled it would consider more output cuts in a bid to bolster prices.
Since last July, when oil prices hit records above 147 dollars a barrel, prices have tumbled because of weaker demand in a slowing global economy, analysts say.
OPEC announced production cuts totalling 4.2 million barrels per day late last year but David Johnson, an oil analyst with Macquarie Securities, said 2.75 million barrels have so far been cut in practice. He said he does not see daily cuts exceeding four million barrels.
Oil prices are stuck in the 40 to 45 dollar range, balanced between expectations of OPEC's next moves and poor demand reflected in economic data such as Friday's US unemployment figures, he said.
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After years of worrying about inflation, some economists fear the opposite could soon happen: deflation, an extended period of falling prices that indicates the economy is in a backward spiral, it was reported yesterday.
As the recession deepens, more and more Americans have less to spend on food, clothes, gasoline, cars and shelter, the Los Angeles Times said.
Despite discounts at the store and the car dealership, a lowering of rents and a near-historic drop in the price of houses, people just aren't buying much, the paper said.
The net worth of millions of Americans has also shrunk, it noted.
"This is the kind of downward spiral that worries policymakers, " the paper said.
Economists and politicians alike are divided about what to do. Taken as a whole, prices in the U.S. economy increased last year, but only a tiny bit. Inflation registered only 0.1 per cent in 2008, the smallest increase in prices since 1954, according to the paper.
Consumer spending declined in December for a record sixth straight month and rose 3.6 per cent for the year, its lowest annual gain since 1961. The economy lost 3.6 million jobs since the recession started in December 2007, said the paper.
"Deflation will become more pervasive as we make our way through the year," Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy. com., was quoted as saying. "The downturn is intensifying, and businesses are under increasing pressure to cut prices to maintain some sales."
The fear about this recession rests on the severity of the real estate crash and credit crunch, which translates into pain for any homeowner who sank savings into a house only to see property values plummet, said the paper.
There may even be signs that-as they did during and after the Great Depression of the 1930s-consumers will change the way they manage money, saving more and spending considerably less, the paper said.
"Although few would argue that this is not a more conservative and ultimately safer way for American families to live, it could push deflationary trends in the economy even further," the paper concluded.
As the recession deepens, more and more Americans have less to spend on food, clothes, gasoline, cars and shelter, the Los Angeles Times said.
Despite discounts at the store and the car dealership, a lowering of rents and a near-historic drop in the price of houses, people just aren't buying much, the paper said.
The net worth of millions of Americans has also shrunk, it noted.
"This is the kind of downward spiral that worries policymakers, " the paper said.
Economists and politicians alike are divided about what to do. Taken as a whole, prices in the U.S. economy increased last year, but only a tiny bit. Inflation registered only 0.1 per cent in 2008, the smallest increase in prices since 1954, according to the paper.
Consumer spending declined in December for a record sixth straight month and rose 3.6 per cent for the year, its lowest annual gain since 1961. The economy lost 3.6 million jobs since the recession started in December 2007, said the paper.
"Deflation will become more pervasive as we make our way through the year," Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy. com., was quoted as saying. "The downturn is intensifying, and businesses are under increasing pressure to cut prices to maintain some sales."
The fear about this recession rests on the severity of the real estate crash and credit crunch, which translates into pain for any homeowner who sank savings into a house only to see property values plummet, said the paper.
There may even be signs that-as they did during and after the Great Depression of the 1930s-consumers will change the way they manage money, saving more and spending considerably less, the paper said.
"Although few would argue that this is not a more conservative and ultimately safer way for American families to live, it could push deflationary trends in the economy even further," the paper concluded.
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Air Asia, a low-cost carrier in Asia, is set to launch its flights between Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur on March 12 this year.
Officials of Dahmashi Tours and Travels Ltd, which has been appointed general sales agent (GSA) of Air Asia, told a meet-the-press programe that it would operate one flight a day between the two cities of Bangladesh and Malaysia.
"Though not fixed yet, we're hopeful of fixing the ticket fare at between Tk 15,000 and 23,000, depending on different categories for a return journey of a passenger," said Dahmashi's CEO Noman Chowdhury.
He said: "This is ever cheapest in any many ways for a return trip between Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur. The detailed fares would be announced Saturday next."
The normal price of a return ticket of high-profile airline is between Tk 28,000 and Tk 32,000.
He, however, said Air Asia launched an online ticket booking for the passengers, for which a one-way ticket cost was set at US$ 29. This ticket booking started Monday and remain valid until February 12.
Those who successfully booked their tickets would be able to enjoy their travel anytime between 12 March 2009 and 31 January 2010.
"But only those who have international credit cards can try to secure the opportunity for such a cheapest offer. Only a certain per cent of the total tickets will be sold at such a lowest rate," Noman said.
The officials said Air Asia is operating in different countries of the Asian region. It has been the leading and low-cost carrier in Asia having extensive network in South East Asia with 110 routes.
Officials of Dahmashi Tours and Travels Ltd, which has been appointed general sales agent (GSA) of Air Asia, told a meet-the-press programe that it would operate one flight a day between the two cities of Bangladesh and Malaysia.
"Though not fixed yet, we're hopeful of fixing the ticket fare at between Tk 15,000 and 23,000, depending on different categories for a return journey of a passenger," said Dahmashi's CEO Noman Chowdhury.
He said: "This is ever cheapest in any many ways for a return trip between Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur. The detailed fares would be announced Saturday next."
The normal price of a return ticket of high-profile airline is between Tk 28,000 and Tk 32,000.
He, however, said Air Asia launched an online ticket booking for the passengers, for which a one-way ticket cost was set at US$ 29. This ticket booking started Monday and remain valid until February 12.
Those who successfully booked their tickets would be able to enjoy their travel anytime between 12 March 2009 and 31 January 2010.
"But only those who have international credit cards can try to secure the opportunity for such a cheapest offer. Only a certain per cent of the total tickets will be sold at such a lowest rate," Noman said.
The officials said Air Asia is operating in different countries of the Asian region. It has been the leading and low-cost carrier in Asia having extensive network in South East Asia with 110 routes.
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Great thing, Facebook. Lets you connect with all your long lost friends, helps you keep easy tabs on people. But there're also some manners and safety involved. Make sure it's only your friends who may view your information. It is better if you get to know the person in real life before you allow him access to copiable pictures that may or may not be used in Photoshop. Don't post unflattering pictures of people without their consent. Don't bug people with friend requests just because they are hot or famous.
These are some of the basic netiquettes. Check out the following sites for more info. Manners reflect your character, both in the virtual and the real world. So try to make a good impression. It'll help you meet good friends.
References: http://www.wisekids.org.uk/ netetiquette.htm
Http://www.the-eggman.com/ writings/etiquitte_1.html
Http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html
These are some of the basic netiquettes. Check out the following sites for more info. Manners reflect your character, both in the virtual and the real world. So try to make a good impression. It'll help you meet good friends.
References: http://www.wisekids.org.uk/ netetiquette.htm
Http://www.the-eggman.com/ writings/etiquitte_1.html
Http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html
Long gone are the days when women in our country were thought to be destined for housework and babysitting only.
Today, over a million women are working in garment factories and our Prime Minister is one of the eleven female world leaders. However, despite their abilities and accomplishments, many women in our country are discriminated. We still see them being underestimated and treated unfairly; if not at office then at home. There are families where the consent of the wife is of no importance, where daughters are married off without a thought and where women on the whole are crudely dominated. All these occurrences imply that many people in our country, both men and women, are still oblivious to the term 'equal rights'. That is why the government should take steps to create awareness on the topic so that women can work and live at peace.
Even though the changes discussed above are the top 5, there were a lot more topics that came up: starting from pollution, traffic congestion to public toilets, banning aunties from gossiping, infrastructure facilities and birth control. The list of required changes is long and perhaps never-ending, but if the government achieves even a portion of what the list demands with our help then Bangladesh has a future,. A very good one.
Above everything else, we truly 'need to be heard', as Rehnuma Jahan Islam opines, echoing what, I'm sure, we all feel. Our voices need to reach the government and they need to listen to what we have to say.
We would like to thank everyone who took part in the survey and shared their valuable views with us.
Today, over a million women are working in garment factories and our Prime Minister is one of the eleven female world leaders. However, despite their abilities and accomplishments, many women in our country are discriminated. We still see them being underestimated and treated unfairly; if not at office then at home. There are families where the consent of the wife is of no importance, where daughters are married off without a thought and where women on the whole are crudely dominated. All these occurrences imply that many people in our country, both men and women, are still oblivious to the term 'equal rights'. That is why the government should take steps to create awareness on the topic so that women can work and live at peace.
Even though the changes discussed above are the top 5, there were a lot more topics that came up: starting from pollution, traffic congestion to public toilets, banning aunties from gossiping, infrastructure facilities and birth control. The list of required changes is long and perhaps never-ending, but if the government achieves even a portion of what the list demands with our help then Bangladesh has a future,. A very good one.
Above everything else, we truly 'need to be heard', as Rehnuma Jahan Islam opines, echoing what, I'm sure, we all feel. Our voices need to reach the government and they need to listen to what we have to say.
We would like to thank everyone who took part in the survey and shared their valuable views with us.
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Most of the youngsters we talked to felt strongly about the need to exterminate corruption from our system but some seemed to have concluded it as a hopeless case too. The way corruption has become the blood running through our country's veins is frustrating and outrageous. You cannot trust the police, the doctors or even a mere shopkeeper with their integrity. Perhaps things would have not gotten so out of hand had the people ruling our country had used their brains or at least borrowed ours. The least they can do now to stop it all would be increasing the wages of police officers (so that they stop taking bribes) and doctors (so they don't go about giving wrong treatments for money). As for those people who are working for our government and are more than dishonest themselves: its time to wake up and do something right for a change because it's only a matter of time before the common people turn to violence to get what they deserve. “Corruption is ingrained in each and every corner in Bangladesh. It needs to stop so that the rich stop getting richer and the poor poorer,” states Nisma (age 19) and we all second that.
During springtime you are probably the most adventurous with your ensembles. The mood is cheerful with a myriad of blooming flowers. There is music in the air with the birds chirping and singing, and you simply take it all in and begin anew, completely energised. The pleasure of spring gives you the option to layer your clothes up or down as you drape one or more pieces to give an elegant spin. It is clearly a moment to celebrate life and its festivity. Enjoy every moment and embrace natures' offerings with renewed zest.
Let me walk you through a few looks that could be trend setting this season.
The seventies look:
Kaftans:
Long flowing pieces of garments have graduated from lounge wear to evening wear. These are comfort clothes that are easy to wear. Looks great with churidars and leggings. The shapes are slimming with butterfly sleeves and waist ties. Try this look only if you have the height to carry it off.
Suits:
Flared jumpsuits are back in style. They look great on a very slim person. It is a good way to further elongate stature and height. Prints are big with an ethnic orientation. Accessories with belts simply hold the look together. Wide collared mannish suits with full-legged pants and narrow belts have also returned from the 70's.
Dresses:
Full or knee length dresses, tiered and layered in full hemmed styles are looking super. The prints are magnified and bold with mixed placements of colour and pattern. Layered with waistcoats and jackets they look very sharp indeed. The colours are warm but muted and the detailing is done with appliqué, quilting, embroideries and ribbon work.
Blouses:
You can stick to an elaborate top. It could be printed with quilted tufting and embellished with 3D floral focal elements that are defined. It looks very chic on you if it is engineered well. Don't hold back; go for a striking design. Front open blouses may have jewelled buttons.
Sleeves continue to play an important role with pleating or cut draped and belled. Flowing butterfly sleeves are also looking very cool. Blouses should be topped with little bolero or draped capes that can easily transform the ensemble to a formal look. Remember that these separates are getting longer, with flowing hemlines.
Bohemian
The trend this season is clearly moving towards a more mix and match of patterns. There is a riot of motifs in all scales and sizes. Warm hues complimenting dark colours may not be very conventional but surprisingly, they work. Playful patterns swinging in harmony are simply magnificent. Interestingly mixing elements can be challenging but if you can strike the right balance it could be electrifying.
The futuristic influence
The silhouettes probably will remind you of the sixties structure at first sight but with a closer inspection you will find them to be more easy, not so stiff and unyielding. Clearly the structured shapes in knee length, a-line shift dresses or tulip skirts are developed with a softer edge. Pleated neckline or balloon hemline, the patterns in geometric inspiration are very fresh. Colour blocking with strong contrasts and metallic hues like silver, gold, and bronze could be the new fashion colour.
Mix patterns in the unconventional way. Herring bone with floral or digital prints with aggressive new shapes of dresses loosely fitted and oversized. It is the style to use all kinds of pleating in a rather a-line structure. Metallic hues in silver, gold and bronze with solid single colours are again making an impression.
Everything is moving towards darker shades and black is an all time favourite. Black with peeping, electric colour is very punk. For example you can wear plaid churidar over chaotic print, topped with a short waistcoat in beadwork. Here you are achieving a change in texture as well as in the patterns making a serious aesthetical mismatch. Add to that metal cuffs, loads of chains, zippers metal buttons and dark purple lipstick and you are on way to a great rocking look.
The regal statement
Fashion inspired by the royalty of the bygone era has re-emerged with strength. In fact in our cultural context, it never seems to go out. Short coats over full hemmed skirts or skinny pants over tiered bejewelled dresses. Velvets, brocades, gold embellishment with semiprecious stone applications, opulent masterfully finished tailored garments and saris.
An abundance of layering with separates and trimmed linings has only added to its magnificence. Try to balance, sheer with opaque or light with heavier fabric to strike a good balance. The surprise factor is very important.
Accessories
Chunky, bold, and powerful bangles, cuffs, statement rings are starting to give new direction for trends this season. Smaller danglers, and earrings could be the way forward. Put away your chandelier earrings for a while. The styling is very strong. You can still wear a dominant neckpiece; it is very effective and transforms a simple outfit into a more striking piece.
Heels are elevated and the glamour quotient is on with sleek stilettos. The hair is tied back in either high ponytails or tied in an up do style, leaving frizzy bits out, giving it a techno impression. Hair-bands, wide or narrow, immediately conjure up notions of baby doll innocence, which is also being incorporated as an optional effect for a fashion-worthy image.
Spring Fling
Some things are very dear to me
Such things as flowers bathed by rain
Or patterns traced upon the sea
Or crocuses where snow has lain ...
The iridescence of a gem,
The moon's cool opalescent light,
Azaleas and the scent of them,
And honeysuckles in the night.
~ Gwendolyn Bennett
The season of colours, flowers and sweet beginnings is finally upon us, and we're having a love affair with flowers. The look this season is flirty, fun, and feminine, and floral prints and motifs are all the rage. Bold prints complement basic whites, while flower-power ornaments can vivify a plain outfit. Opt for bright highlights to your pastels and neutrals to add a little zing to your spring.
Let me walk you through a few looks that could be trend setting this season.
The seventies look:
Kaftans:
Long flowing pieces of garments have graduated from lounge wear to evening wear. These are comfort clothes that are easy to wear. Looks great with churidars and leggings. The shapes are slimming with butterfly sleeves and waist ties. Try this look only if you have the height to carry it off.
Suits:
Flared jumpsuits are back in style. They look great on a very slim person. It is a good way to further elongate stature and height. Prints are big with an ethnic orientation. Accessories with belts simply hold the look together. Wide collared mannish suits with full-legged pants and narrow belts have also returned from the 70's.
Dresses:
Full or knee length dresses, tiered and layered in full hemmed styles are looking super. The prints are magnified and bold with mixed placements of colour and pattern. Layered with waistcoats and jackets they look very sharp indeed. The colours are warm but muted and the detailing is done with appliqué, quilting, embroideries and ribbon work.
Blouses:
You can stick to an elaborate top. It could be printed with quilted tufting and embellished with 3D floral focal elements that are defined. It looks very chic on you if it is engineered well. Don't hold back; go for a striking design. Front open blouses may have jewelled buttons.
Sleeves continue to play an important role with pleating or cut draped and belled. Flowing butterfly sleeves are also looking very cool. Blouses should be topped with little bolero or draped capes that can easily transform the ensemble to a formal look. Remember that these separates are getting longer, with flowing hemlines.
Bohemian
The trend this season is clearly moving towards a more mix and match of patterns. There is a riot of motifs in all scales and sizes. Warm hues complimenting dark colours may not be very conventional but surprisingly, they work. Playful patterns swinging in harmony are simply magnificent. Interestingly mixing elements can be challenging but if you can strike the right balance it could be electrifying.
The futuristic influence
The silhouettes probably will remind you of the sixties structure at first sight but with a closer inspection you will find them to be more easy, not so stiff and unyielding. Clearly the structured shapes in knee length, a-line shift dresses or tulip skirts are developed with a softer edge. Pleated neckline or balloon hemline, the patterns in geometric inspiration are very fresh. Colour blocking with strong contrasts and metallic hues like silver, gold, and bronze could be the new fashion colour.
Mix patterns in the unconventional way. Herring bone with floral or digital prints with aggressive new shapes of dresses loosely fitted and oversized. It is the style to use all kinds of pleating in a rather a-line structure. Metallic hues in silver, gold and bronze with solid single colours are again making an impression.
Everything is moving towards darker shades and black is an all time favourite. Black with peeping, electric colour is very punk. For example you can wear plaid churidar over chaotic print, topped with a short waistcoat in beadwork. Here you are achieving a change in texture as well as in the patterns making a serious aesthetical mismatch. Add to that metal cuffs, loads of chains, zippers metal buttons and dark purple lipstick and you are on way to a great rocking look.
The regal statement
Fashion inspired by the royalty of the bygone era has re-emerged with strength. In fact in our cultural context, it never seems to go out. Short coats over full hemmed skirts or skinny pants over tiered bejewelled dresses. Velvets, brocades, gold embellishment with semiprecious stone applications, opulent masterfully finished tailored garments and saris.
An abundance of layering with separates and trimmed linings has only added to its magnificence. Try to balance, sheer with opaque or light with heavier fabric to strike a good balance. The surprise factor is very important.
Accessories
Chunky, bold, and powerful bangles, cuffs, statement rings are starting to give new direction for trends this season. Smaller danglers, and earrings could be the way forward. Put away your chandelier earrings for a while. The styling is very strong. You can still wear a dominant neckpiece; it is very effective and transforms a simple outfit into a more striking piece.
Heels are elevated and the glamour quotient is on with sleek stilettos. The hair is tied back in either high ponytails or tied in an up do style, leaving frizzy bits out, giving it a techno impression. Hair-bands, wide or narrow, immediately conjure up notions of baby doll innocence, which is also being incorporated as an optional effect for a fashion-worthy image.
Spring Fling
Some things are very dear to me
Such things as flowers bathed by rain
Or patterns traced upon the sea
Or crocuses where snow has lain ...
The iridescence of a gem,
The moon's cool opalescent light,
Azaleas and the scent of them,
And honeysuckles in the night.
~ Gwendolyn Bennett
The season of colours, flowers and sweet beginnings is finally upon us, and we're having a love affair with flowers. The look this season is flirty, fun, and feminine, and floral prints and motifs are all the rage. Bold prints complement basic whites, while flower-power ornaments can vivify a plain outfit. Opt for bright highlights to your pastels and neutrals to add a little zing to your spring.
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