The government has initiated ensuring internet services for the students of every school and college of the country. Tele Communication minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju, Tuesday at a national seminar on information sharing said, that the same service will be made available for union level people also.

While inaugurating the seminar the minister declared that the people all over the world will be able to browse internet in Bangla on 21st Fevruary next year.

The government is taking all necessary steps to fullfill its commitments before last general election to build up a Digital Bangladesh, he informed. About 200 MSMEs and 100 telecentre managers from all over the country participated in the workshop.

Top level ICT experts shared their views in the sessions. State Minister for Science and Information and Communication Technology was present and distributed certificates among the participatants in the closing session.

Related .
Govt giving maximum emphasis on education sector
Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Golam Mohammad Quader has said the present government was giving maximum emphasis on the education sector for over all development of the nation. He also said that special importance had been given to educate women to make the country’s womenfolk totally educated everywhere with a view to ensuring their equal.

The minister called all the teachers, students, guardians, elite, professionals and concerned citizens for building a congenial academic atmosphere at all educational institutions for producing worthy citizens with quality education.

He said this while addressing a discussion meeting on education organised by authorities of Lalkuthi Girls’ School and College as the chief guest with president of the managing commitee of the institution in the chair on Monday. Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur BM Enamul Haque and UNO of Sadar upazila Mostain Billah, Principal of Teachers’ Training College Mohammad Rozaine, convener of Bangladesh Teachers’ Association Masum Hassan addressed as special guests.

Besides, Councillors of Rangpur pour-asabha Azmal Hossain Lebu and Jahurul Haque, Acting Principal of Lalkuthi School and College Saiful Islam, teachers Mahmudul Haque, Begum Shase Ara and Ziaur Rahman Zia, addressed.

Teachers, students, elite of the city, educationists, professionals and guardians of the students of the institution were present Intermediate first year student of the institution Keya read out a leter in honour of the minister and also narrated various problems that gripped the reputed educational institution for a long time.

In his speech, the minister asked the teachers, members of the managing commitee, students and guardians of the institution for further improving standard of education in the reputed institution and assured of all-out supports for resolving the problems there.

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Source :The government is going to create first ever fund for energy sector to encourage public-private partnership (PPP) projects with an option to raise money from the capital market amid growing power outage and demand.

It will be a general pool of fund operated under a company and it will be used in PPP projects on equity or debt basis.

The projects can also have the option to raise fund from the stock market to gather necessary funding.

The government would create the fund to encourage the private sector to come forward with new energy-related projects.

A committee, which was assigned to find out a way to raise funds for the power sector, submitted its report to the government recently. Deputy Governor of Bangladesh Bank Ziaul Hasan Siddiqui headed the committee.

Initially, the government would provide Tk 15 billion (1,500 crore) as seed money for the fund and Tk 10 billion will be raised from non-resident Bangladeshis and other investors, said Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) member Mohammed Yeasin Ali, also a member of the committee.

The fund will be a ‘patient capital’ which means the return from the investment will be long-term in nature but with commercially viable profit, he said.

“A potential entrepreneur can seek investment and if the project is viable the fund will provide a portion of the cost,” he added.

The entrepreneur will have to invest from his own pocket and he can also raise funds from the stock market, Mr Yeasin said.

It will be a mixture of investments from individuals and the fund; and the investor can also raise an amount from the stock market, he explained.

An experienced manager will be appointed to manage the fund and he will ensure the profitability from the projects financed, he added.

Chairman of Bangladesh Power Development Board (PDB) ASM Alamgir Kabir said foreign direct investments or the government can finance the big projects, but this fund will be used to finance small-scale projects.

“Mega power plants or gas exploration projects need huge investments and the fund cannot cater to the need of such projects,” he said.

The fund can finance joint ventures or other small-scale projects of may be 100 megawatt (mw) capacity, he added.

The government has plans to generate 8,000 mw power in the next five years and it needs about $7 billion for that, Mr Alamgir said.

The committee proposed that the fund will be a limited company for long-term capital appreciation and it will only consider those projects which have over 15 per cent internal rate of return (IRR), the report said.

The government’s seed money of Tk 15 billion can be channelised from the Tk 25 billion PPP fund earmarked in the current budget, it added.

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To tap growing demand for high-heeled accommodation.Bangladesh’s Unique Group, which owns Westin Dhaka, has signed a deal with Starwood Hotels and Resorts to set up two more five-star hotels in Dhaka and a third in Chittagong.
?Simultaneously, I have Starwood, one of the best hotel management companies in the world, with me, which gives me added confidence,? said Ali, also the managing director of Westin Dhaka

Two hotels to come up in downtown Dhaka are Le Meridien and The Westin Dhaka 2. The one in Chittagong will be the first five-star hotel in the port town. Construction will be completed by 2012.

Initially, the company plans to invest around Tk 2,000 crore for expansion, while Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide will be the managing company for all three hotels.At present, the local market for five-star hotels is increasing at a rate of 15 percent a year, and it will double in the next three years,? said Mohammad Noor Ali, managing director of Unique Group.

?So as an investor, I have to look to the future and plan on capturing the country’s hospitality business in the long run. And that is the main reason behind this expansion plan.”

Industry experts said Dhaka now has around 1,250 five-star rooms. The hotels reach full occupancy only in winter, and an average occupancy rate of around 75 percent can easily make the business profitable.
?Simultaneously, I have Starwood, one of the best hotel management companies in the world, with me, which gives me added confidence,? said Ali, also the managing director of Westin Dhaka.

In recent years, the hospitality sector in Bangladesh has boomed in the five-star hotel segment. Three new five-star hotels opened in Dhaka in the past four years, taking the number to five.

Industry experts said the capital city now has around 1,250 five-star rooms. The hotels reach full occupancy only in winter and an average occupancy rate of around 75 percent can easily make the business profitable, they added.

?One of the drivers of growth has been the increase in foreign business people visiting the country, as both the garments and telecom industries have taken off,? said Ali.

?Apart from that, the geographical location of these hotels will also exploit the proximity to airport and the garment belt in Ashulia-Savar, as well as the headquarters of the major mobile telecom operators,? he said. ?The country’s diplomatic zone is also near our hotels.?

Ali is optimistic about profiting from the hotel in Chittagong, as the number of affluent visitors, including investors, top officials from banks and port, and shipping businessmen, are increasing fast in the region.

The company is conducting studies to assess demand for accommodation and the regular flow of guests to the port city. The room rent for the Westin in Chittagong will be slightly lower than in Dhaka, said the Unique Group chief.

The annual turnover of Westin Dhaka was Tk 106 crore, and the operating profit was around Tk 47 crore in 2008, which grew by 20 percent in 2009, Ali said.

The 235-room Westin has an average occupancy of 80 percent, while the hotel has gained a 25 percent share of the total market.

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(Source )Syed Ashraful Islam, also the general-secretary of the ruling Awami League of Prime Minister Shaikh Hasina, said it would be of no use to create “unrest everywhere in the country”.
Dhaka: A senior minister has said the government plans to stage a “symbolic” trial exposing only the leaders of the 1971 war criminals to justice. Earlier reports said the trial was expected to be launched by later this month.

“The trial of war criminals doesn’t mean the trials of thousands of people. It will be symbolic and those who led the massacre in 1971 will be tried,” a newspaper quoted him as saying clarifying the government’s stance on the much hyped issue.

Unrest

Syed Ashraful Islam, also the general-secretary of the ruling Awami League of Prime Minister Shaikh Hasina, said it would be of no use to create “unrest everywhere in the country”.

The minister’s comments came as deputy leader of parliament and senior Awami League leader Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury recently told a party rally that the trial was expected to be launched later this month while she urged party units at grassroots level to send the names and addresses of the alleged 1971 war criminals to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Islam’s comments sparked sharp protests among the groups waging a campaign for the exposure of the 1971 Bengali speaking collaborators of the atrocities as they said it was contrary to earlier government policy.

Coordinator of the Sector Commanders Forum, the grouping of 1971 Liberation War veterans, and former army chief retired general Harun-ar-Rashid in a statement said Islam’s comments did not reflect the government’s final policy on the issue.

?No right’

“It is the War Criminal Tribunal which will decide on how many people will be tried for war crimes,” he said.

Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee, another group to wage the protracted campaign, said Islam did not have the “right to comment like this”.

“Such comments will make the trial of war criminals a farce,” acting president of the Committee Shahriar Kabir said.

But Islam referred to the examples of war criminals trials held abroad

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To ensure Food Security ,Bangladesh’s state grains buyer will tender this week to buy 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice to replenish food reserves, a food official said on Tuesday.

Bangladesh, the world’s fourth biggest rice producer, plans to import 300,000 tonnes of rice in the current fiscal year to the end of June.

“We are going to issue an international tender soon to buy 50,000 tonnes of rice to shore up our stocks,” said an official of the Directorate General of Food who declined to be quoted because he is not authorised to speak to the media.

Market sources said it could be part of a government move to build food reserves after failing to procure enough rice locally. Rice prices have risen over the past few months despite good crops and healthy levels of stocks.

Bangladesh is buying 25,000 tonnes of white rice at $395 per tonne from the Singapore-based Indo-Sino Trade Pte Ltd in an international tender.

Indo-Sino also made the lowest offer at $388.92 a tonne in another Bangladesh tender to buy white rice that closed on Sunday. [ID:nSGE62707X]

In January, the government extended a ban on rice exports until June to curb price increases and ensure availability of the staple in the domestic market.

At that time, the government also started open market sales of rice in the capital and adjoining districts to hold down prices.

The south Asian country produces around 30 million tonnes of rice, normally enough to feed its 150 million people, but often requires imports to cope with shortages due to natural calamities such as floods and droughts.

Bangladesh had to import rice worth $800 million in 2008. (Reporting by Ruma Paul)

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Sources Speakers at a seminar yesterday , said appropriate strategy for economic growth, political process and human resources development is needed for sustainable development of national consciousness, absorption of modern technology, educational reforms and political stability.

Referring to the rise of Japan as an economic superpower, they said Bangladesh needs to evolve a consensus of purpose for clearly defined objective of national development under a democratic order, they said. They were addressing at a seminar on ‘Japan’s Contribution for the Development of Bangladesh’ organised by Bangladesh-Japan Friendship Association (BDJPFA) at the Jatiya Press Club here.

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Tamutsu Shinotsuka atended the seminar as the chief guest while Chief Representative of JICA Bangladesh Takao Toda and Representative of JETRO Takashi Suzuki as the special guests.

Former Vice Chancellor of DUET Prof Anwarul Azim presented the keynote paper on the seminar while Chairman of BDJPFA Aminul Islam Khan Bulbul chaired it

The Japanese ambassador said Japan is keen to increase its investment in different sectors of Bangladesh, including communication, health and education, side by side with helping construction of the Padma Bridge.

He said the Japanese investors are interested to invest in these sectors in Bangladesh. Besides, they have shown keen interest to invest in textile sector, he added.

He said Bangladesh can import solar panels from Japan or it can produce the same in joint ventures with Japan for utilizing the panels in irrigation projects.

At present, Bangladesh exports shrimps, leather and leather products, jute, woven and knitwear products to Japan, he said.

He said the Japanese entrepreneurs are interested to invest in various sectors, including textile, pharmaceuticals and mobile sectors, in Bangladesh.

Referring to the recent visit of the leaders of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) to Japan, he said Japanese entrepreneurs signed an agreement with Bangladeshi entrepreneurs, creating a room for expansion of trade, commerce and investment between the two countries.

The ambassador said at present over 1,700 Bangladeshi students are studying in Japan. This number would increase to 3,000 by 2020, he added.

He said the economic cooperation between Japan and Bangladesh is gaining momentum. The Japanese government gave Bangladesh financial assistance amounting to about US$ 10 billion so far.

Expressing satisfaction over the existing relations between the two countries, he called for further strengthening the relationship.

Praising Bangladesh for maintaining a sustainable growth he said, it has atained six percent GDP and its export has also showed an improvement even amidst global recession.

The Japanese envoy informed that his government has been providing support to the seting up of different power plants in order to increase electricity production in Bangladesh.

“Japan and Bangladesh are enjoying traditional and time- tested friendship. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, both the countries have been cooperating each other for their mutual benefits,” he added.

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President Zillur Rahman said that country?s all university of Engineering and technology would be turned as laboratories of creating technically skilled human resources.

?Research activities would have to be strengthened at the universities along with regular core education to achieve this goal,? he said while presiding over at the 1st convocation of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) here its campus at Gazipur.

The President emphasized on making the country?s engineering education curricula time-befitting with a view to keeping pace with the global education standard.

?Education system and curricula in the present world are always being changed as per the demands of the time, so our engineering education needs to be made time befitting,? Zillur Rahman observed.

The President laid emphasis on providing applied education side by side traditional bookish knowledge to the students in this regard. ?We have to achieve the pragmatic and applied education,? he added.

The president said it?s a matter of happiness that the present government is relentlessly working of making the country?s education system time befitting and people-oriented.

Terming Bangladesh as a country of huge potentiality, the President said the country can advance quickly in the path of development through transforming its huge population into human resources.

Mentioning that present century as an era of information technology, the President said the desired development and progress of the country depends on proper development of science and technology and their successful application.

Referring to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina declared vision-2021 to build a IT based prosperous Bangladesh at its golden jubilee of independence in 2021, the President said ?I believe county?s engineering and technology universities would lay vital role to realizing the vision.

Congratulating the graduates, the president urged them to contribute in the welfare of the humanity as well as in the nation building activities with their acquired knowledge.

?Don?t compromise with untruth and injustice and never forget your motherland during your professional life home and abroad,? he said.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid attended the function as special guest while Professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury delivered the convocation speech.

DUET vice chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Sabdar Ali also spoke on the occasion.

A total of 2021 students of 2000-01 to 2007-08 academic session were conferred BSc Engineering digress while 31 students of 2001-01 to 2007-08 academic session MSc engineering digress.

A total of 24 students from different academic sessions were awarded gold medals for their outstanding results.

Nurul Islam Nahid said the present government is relentlessly working for providing quality education as well as creating education opportunity for all.

He said the engineering universities would have to act as the centers for technology expansion so that the engineers could make significant contribution in building digital Bangladesh.

Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury said the present government has approved the draft policy of ICT policy -2008 just after assuming the state power.

?I believe the target of digital Bangladesh would be achieved if the recommendations of the policy to be implemented properly.

Prof Dr Mohammad Sabdar Ali said the present government has taken four development projects worth Taka 92.2 crore in the university in line with its endeavor to build digital Bangladesh. (One CroreL: ten million)

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