Kurigram to get university, special economic zone: PM

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said a university and a special economic zone will be set up in the district for the welfare of the people of frontier districts. ‘A university will be set up in Kurigram either in public or private initiative, and also there will be a special economic zone here to spur industrialisation. I’ve already directed the deputy commissioner to find suitable lands,’ she said. The prime minister was addressing a mammoth public rally at Kurigram Government College ground organised by the district unit of Awami League in the afternoon. She also promised to build second Dhorla bridge and another bridge over the Dudhkuna River to connect the district with Lalmonirhat, and carry out river dredging here to restore navigability, set up a children’s park beside the Dhorla bridge and develop the Kurigram-Teesta Road. Turning to enclave swap, Hasina said those enclaves are now part of Bangladesh with the swap and the people here now could move with Bangladesh’s identity. Urging the people of the bordering districts to accept the former enclave dwellers as their near and dear ones, Hasina said her government has launched various projects for their welfare. She said although Kurigram was once regarded as a Monga-prone area, now there is no Monga in the district due to her government’s farsighted steps. The prime minister said khas lands will be provided to landless people while houses will be made for the hapless people here under the Ashrayan project. Noting that Bangladesh is now a role model of development, Hasina said Awami League knows it very well what should be done for developing a country, as there is no need to place demand before it. ‘AL knows it very well what the problems of people are and how those should be resolved. Since we’ve liberated the country, we know it better and this is our duty,’ she reminded her audience. Renewing her allegation that BNP chief Khaleda Zia is conspiring from abroad to tarnish the country’s image through killing foreigners, the prime minister warned that her government will not allow the emergence of militancy in the country in any way. ‘We’ve taken strong steps to curb militancy, and we won’t allow its emergence in the country in any way,’ she said. Hasina, also the president of the ruling Awami League, alleged that the hooligans of BNP-Jamaat burned hundreds of people to death and torched 2000-2500 buses and private vehicles to foil the January-5 national election. ‘They’re not human beings, they’re animals. They can‘t do anything good for people …they can only harm people.’ The AL chief further alleged that the BNP-Jamaat had earlier unleashed militancy and terrorism in the country and they are now resorting to terrorism and militancy the same way. ‘No one can escape their evil clutch.’ She said Khaleda Zia early this year – from January to March – burned some 150 people to death and injured many more, including drivers, helpers and students. ‘Now she (Khaleda) has gone abroad and started conspiring against the country and the government, and trying to tarnish the image of the country through killing foreigners,’ the prime minister alleged. Chaired by Kurigram district AL president Alhaj Aminul Islam Monju Mondol, the rally was addressed, among others, by AL joint general secretary Dr Dipu Moni, state minister for power and energy Nasrul Hamid, noted writer and son of Kurigram Syed Shamsul Haque, and Kurigram district AL general secretary Md Zafar Ali. - See more at: http://newagebd.net/167009/kurigram-to-get-university-special-economic-zone-pm/#sthash.NR928wcI.dpuf

SAMIUL MURDER : Prime suspect Kamrul brought back from Saudi Arabia

Kamrul Islam, the prime suspect in the sensational killing of 13-year-old boy Samiul Alam Rajon, was brought back to Sylhet from Saudi Arabia on Thursday evening.

Dhk seeks duty-free market, more investment from KL

Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed on Thursday sought duty-free market access of all Bangladeshi products to the Malaysian market so that the trade ties between the two countries can reach a newer height in the coming days.

SAVING MANGROVE FOREST : DLA to start road march to Sunderbans today

The leaders and activists of the Democratic Left Alliance, a combine of eight left leaning political parties, are scheduled to start their 3-day Dhaka-Sunderbans road march today as a part of their campaign to save the world’s largest mangrove forest from ‘destruction.’

SCHOOLBOY SHOOTING : AL MP lands in jail

Ruling Awami League lawmaker Manjurul Islam Liton landed in jail on Thursday in two cases including one on charge of shooting a nine-year-old schoolboy in the legs in Gaibandha on October 2.

SCHOOLBOY SHOOTING : Gaibandha MP Liton arrested, finally

The Detective Branch of police on Wednesday night arrested ruling Awami League lawmaker Manjurul Islam Liton at a house in the capital’s Uttara on charge of attempted murder of a nine-year old boy in Gaibandha.

Power plants to affect flora and fauna of Sunderbans

Leaders of the Communist Party of Bangladesh and Socialist Party of Bangladesh on Wednesday said that the people of the country would not allow any power plant projects destroying the Sunderban, the biggest mangrove forest in the world.

Banks facing cash dollar shortage

Bangladesh Bank has requested National Board of Revenue to withdraw tax on import of US dollar notes by local banks from their foreign corresponding banks as they (local banks) are now facing cash dollar crisis.

Plot was there to create a situation in Bangladesh: PM

In an apparent reference to the recent murders of two foreign nationals, prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said there was a plot to tarnish Bangladesh’s image through creating a situation in the country with the killings.

Mojaheed, SQ Chy seek SC judgments’ review

Death-row war crimes convicts Jamaat leader Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed and BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury filed review petitions on Wednesday with the Supreme Court against its verdicts that upheld their death penalties for their crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.