People of Panchagarh has lost a devoted BNP activist Khamiruddin who died at his Panchagarh residence.
DHAKA: Bangladesh may now ratify the 32-nation Asian Highway agreement without change in the original route plan following refusal by all other countries to toe its proposal for an alternative route avoiding India. The communications ministry this week opted for linking up the country with the 140,000 km road network, keeping the stretch from Tamabil to Benapole or Banglabandha as the Asian Highway route in Bangladesh, a senior official said.
The foreign ministry favoured the ratification of the agreement because of the importance of the road network in trade and commerce and relations with neighbouring countries. Under the original plan, Dhaka would join the highway through India. Earlier it tried to avoid India and wanted to join the highway with an alternative route through Myanmar for which Dhaka sought support from other countries.
Dhaka had proposed a change in the route through Yangon via Teknaf (AH-41 route) instead of the existing route from Tamabil to Benapole or Banglabandha (AH-1 route), which involves India. Bangladesh had reservations about the original plan and feared it would eventually turn out to be a transit route for India. In the Asian Highway map, Tamabil in Sylhet has been shown as the proposed entry point for the highway into Bangladesh and the exit point through Banglabandha in Panchagarh. The entry and exit points are linked with India and a length of 1,804 kilometres goes through Bangladesh. Earlier, in November, seven countries – China, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Sri Lanka – refused to back Bangladesh’s proposed amendment plan to recognise the proposed Dhaka-Yangon Road as the Asian Highway in Bangladesh instead of the AH-1 route from Tamabil to Benapole or Banglabandha on the ground of time constraints. The foreign ministry had sent letters to these countries asking them to support its changed plan at the joint working committee meeting on the highway, to be held in Bangkok on Dec 14 and 15. Twenty-seven countries, including Japan, China, Malaysia, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and all the South Asian nations except Bangladesh, signed the agreement in 2004.
Our Dinajpur correspondent adds: Instructions have been given to the law enforcers of Panchagarh to step up security at important establishments and cinemas following intelligence report that a wave of further bomb attacks might be carried out by Islamist militants. The officer-in-charge (OC) of Kotwali Police Station told The Daily Star over phone they have beefed up security since Thursday at important establishments including DC office, courts, local press club, post office, Panchagarh Sadar Hospital, bus terminal and Panchagarh Electrification Office. Police are also checking incoming and out going transport including buses and tracks, the OC added. Eleven check posts have also been set up at different points of the district.
Indian border guards pushed eight Bengali-speaking Indians, including three children, into Bangladesh early today, official sources said. On information by locals, police arrested Borhan Matbar, 30, his wife Parveen, 28, their three children – Salma, Setara, and Mariom–and Layek Sheikh, Babul, and Lokman.
BDNEWS reports from Panchagarh: Police arrested two more suspects – Md Badiuzzaman, 32, superintendent of Panchagarh Satmera Darulfalah Dakhil Madrasa, and Khalilur Rahman Pradhan alias Khalil Pradhan — on Sunday night.
Jessore DSA and Panchagarh DSA advanced to the final of The Bengal Plastic Under-19 Women’s Handball Tournament eliminating their rivals in the semi-fianls at the Outer Stadium handball ground here today (Friday).
At least 3,000 people will get jobs after the mill gets rolling into production. US$ 100 million is to be invested setting up a textile mill at Panchagarh district in Bangladesh. The move is carried out by a Chinese business group Jiangsu Redbud Dyeing Technology Co Ltd of China. Textiles and Jute Minister Shajahan Siraj at his secretariat office held talks with a 5-member Chinese delegation led by Frank Liu, Chairman of the company. During the meeting, Liu informed the Minister that they want to set a jute-based textile mill as a joint venture at Panchagarh district in the premises of Gem Jute Ltd. They will produce fabrics from jute and then use it for garments, he said adding, at least 3,000 people will get jobs after the mill gets rolling into production.
Renowned film actor, director and producer Abdur Rahman, better known as only Rahman, died at Central Hospital here early today due to old age complications. He was 68.
The body of Bangladeshi youth, who was shot dead by BSF at Darkhor frontier in Atoari upazila Friday morning, was handed over to Bangladesh Rifles on Sunday.
With a target to reduce import dependence on broiler-breeder parent stocks by 20 percent, Bangladesh’s first grandparent (GP) poultry farm in Tentulia, Panchagarh hopes to start operation from next week. Aqua Breeders Ltd., set up on 180 bighas of land, targets to produce and market 4,000 pieces of one-day-old broiler-breeder parents daily