Haque Specialized Group's News

Cristiano Ronaldo scored two late goals as Real Madrid - who had Gareth Bale sent off - came from 3-1 down to draw with Las Palmas at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, reports BBC. Isco gave Real an eighth-minute lead before Tana levelled with a firm shot. Wales forward Bale was shown red early in the second half for shoving Jonathan Viera, who scored a penalty after a Sergio Ramos handball. Kevin-Prince Boateng fired in moments later before Ronaldo's penalty and header earned Real a point. Real Madrid's comeback was not enough to send them back to the top of La Liga. They now trail Barcelona by one point, although they have a game in hand on the champions.....

Published at: 2017-03-02 00:00:04

Students of North South University have taken to the street against the assault on a fellow student by security guards at Bashundhara Residential Area in Dhaka. Bhatara Police Station Sub-Inspector Zulfikar Ali said the senior officers of the station went to the area after hearing about the 'row' between the guards and the students on Wednesday midnight. OC Nurul Muttakin said around 2am on Thursday that police were trying to calm the demonstrating students. The assaulted student, Shahriar Hasnat Tapu, is from BBA sixth semester, who was treated at Apollo Hospital. Electrical and computer engineering department student Labib Khan said Tapu received injuries in several parts of his body, reports bdnews24.com. Kamrul Islam Chowdhury, who recently graduated from the private university, said Tapu and another student got involved in an altercation with the Bashundhara security guards over parking a motorcycle at the Apollo Gate, an entrance to the residential area, around 10pm. At one stage of the arguments, the guards attacked the duo, Kamrul said. "Tapu was severely injured in the attack. When 10 to 15 other students went to the area to inquire about the incident, the guards beat them up too. Later, more students joined, and a scuffle took place. Tapu was rescued at the time and taken to the hospital," he added. Labib said he rushed to the area after hearing about the incident and saw Tapu lying unconscious. "The guards were still beating him up. Tapu vomited at the place three to four times," he said. He alleged the guards were trying to pull Tapu up to their vehicle even though police were there. "Then I took him to the hospital on a rickshaw," he added. After a CT scan, the doctors said Tapu was 'out of danger', according to Labib. He was taken home around 2:30am. When the news of the assault spread, the other students of the university came and launched protests. A resident of the area said they had been shouting slogans demanding action against the guards until the wee hours.  ....

Published at: 2017-03-02 00:00:04

Proposals to hike power tariffs submitted by the state-owned power distribution companies are now under scrutiny of the energy regulator, said State Minister for the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources (MPEMR) Nasrul Hamid Tuesday. He said the electricity tariff could come to a 'rational' level within the next four to five years when the mid-term and long-term planned base load low-cost power plants come online. Mr Hamid was speaking at a press conference arranged on the eve of inauguration of eight power plants having the total generation capacity of 1,325 megawatts (MW), two electricity sub-stations and transmission lines, new electrification of one upazila and 100 per cent electrification of 10 upazilas across the country. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would inaugurate the power projects through video conference from her official residence Ganabhaban today (Wednesday). The power plants include Shahzibazar 330 MW, Ashuganj 450 MW, Khulna 225 MW, Manikganj 55 MW, Nawabganj 55 MW, Narayanganj 55 MW, Jamalpur 95 MW and Barisal 110 MW. All the power plants started commercial electricity generation recently. Thanchi upazila of hilly Bandarban district has been added to the national power grid recently for the first time, while there will be 100 per cent electrification in Keraniganj and Savar of Dhaka, Tongibari of Munshiganj, Kotalipara of Gopalganj, Bhuapur of Tangail, Karnaphuli of Chittagong, Dagon Bhuiyan of Feni, Kuliarchor of Kishoreganj, Mujibnagar of Meherpur and Syedpur of Rangpur. The government has a target to increase the country's overall electricity generation to 40,000 MW by 2030, said the state minister. The government has so far inked deals to build a total of 93 power plants having the total generation capacity of 17,982 MW in its two terms, he said. Thirty-three power projects having the generation capacity of 11,302 MW are now under execution. Large coal-fired power plants of Matarbari, Payra and Rampal are currently under construction to generate around 4,000 MW of electricity. More large power plants including some liquefied natural gas (LNG) fired plants and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fired plants would also be built, he said. The government has completed work to ink a deal with Nepal to bring in hydropower from the Himalayan country, said Mr Hamid. Bangladesh is planning to import more electricity from India through cross-border electricity trade, he said, hoping that India would agree to export power to Bangladesh. Some 75 MW more electricity would be imported from Tripura, he hoped. Power Secretary Ahmad Kaikaus and Chairman of Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) Khaled Mahmood also spoke on the occasion. Mazizur.rahman@outlook.com....

Published at: 2017-03-01 00:00:06

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) pinpointed boosting both private and public investments and pursuance of capital-market development for facilitating long-term investment among the major challenges for Bangladesh's economic uplift. It also suggested structural reforms, strengthened institutions, and capacity development and maintaining a stable security situation to avoid adverse effects on market confidence so that Bangladesh is able to leap to the next stage of development. Visiting IMF Deputy Managing Director Misuhiro Furusawa figured out the challenges and made the suggestions while delivering his speech at a programme at Dhaka University Tuesday, according to an IMF statement issued from Washington. "Allow me to lay out some of these challenges in broad terms. One is the need to increase private investment. This investment is very important if your country is to sustain the recent high levels of growth," the IMF official said. He said there also is clear scope to pursue capital-market development to provide new vehicles to channel savings toward long-term investments. "Another way to achieve this needed increase in investment is to focus on raising revenues and lifting foreign direct investment. It is important that the VAT law be implemented. In addition, policies that remove red tape and simplify the trade regime should be put in place." He further said: "Structural reforms, strengthened institutions, and capacity development are all priorities if Bangladesh is going to unleash its full economic potential. The efficiency of the tax system is one priority, along with reforms to improve fiscal management and improve the business environment." "…Sustaining strong, medium-term growth will require a stable security situation. This is necessary to avoid adverse effects on market confidence." He mentioned that Bangladeshi economy has undergone a major transformation over the past two decades, which has helped reduce poverty and raise the employment of women. "The result has been a sustained increase in per capita income. It is important to recognize that Bangladesh is making important progress toward its goal of middle-income status," he said. In addition, there has been good progress on financial inclusion, he said, adding this includes efforts to enhance access and usage of financial services. Bangladesh compares very favorably with other developing countries across a broad range of FI indicators.  "Clearly, Bangladesh has done well. However, there is no reason for over-confidence. Major challenges remain that need to be addressed before your country leaps to the next stage of development," said the IMF official, who is now on a visit to Bangladesh. An IMF team is here in Dhaka at the moment for Bangladesh's annual consultation with the Fund, called Article IV consultation. At the end of their visit, the team will discuss in detail the specific challenges facing the Bangladeshi economy, according to the IMF statement. smjahangirfe@gmail.com....

Published at: 2017-03-01 00:00:06

At least four people, including three policemen, have been injured in clashes in Dhaka's Gabtoli between the law enforcers and transport workers who have enforced a crippling nationwide strike in protest against the sentencing of two drivers for road traffic accidents. The running battle on the street from Technical intersection to Gabtoli, one of the main accesses to the capital, has continued with pauses since 8pm on Tuesday. Police fired teargas in response to arson attacks by the workers, who have also been pelting brickbats at them. Three constables and a passerby were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 11:30pm after sustaining injuries during the clashes. Injured Constable Anik Chakrabarty, 22, told reporters that they were injured when a bomb went off in front of them. The other injured people were identified as constables Mizu Ahmed, 21, and Rabiul Islam, 21, and passerby 'Robiul', 40. The demonstrators later torched a truck near the entrance to Mazar Road, reports bdnews24.com. A microbus was also reportedly vandalised around 9:30pm. Earlier, around 8pm, a police wrecker and a temporary police box were torched during the clash in front of Inter-District Transport Workers' Union office, witnesses said. Many of those, who were walking into the capital, said hundreds of vehicles have been stranded at the entrance of the city due to the clashes. The workers have been demonstrating in front of the union office since morning. Their number grew in the evening. The angry workers blocked the street at one stage and police tried to stop them, which led to a pitched battle, witnesses said. Being outnumbered by the workers, the police personnel first backed off but began to fight after reinforcements arrived. Darussalam Police Station OC Selimuzzaman claimed to have the situation under control around an hour after the violence started. He said the workers set fire to 'only a wrecker'. A bus worker, 'Alam', said the workers burnt a police box down in front of Hanif Paribahan counter at Balur Mathh. Aslamul Haque, who represents the area in Parliament, went to calm the agitated transport workers but failed to get them off the street. He blamed the BNP for the clashes, which he said, are part of 'fire-terror', a term often used by ruling Awami League leaders to describe violent protests by the main opposition party outside Parliament. The workers took to the streets when a Manikganj court sentenced a bus driver to life in prison for a 2011 accident that left celebrated filmmaker Tareque Masud, ATN News CEO Mishuk Munier and three others dead. Transport workers in Chuadanga first began the strike action. Those in the 10 districts of Khulna division joined them on Sunday. The strike and demonstrations spread across the country on Tuesday morning following the sentencing of a truck driver on Monday for running over and killing a woman in Savar.   ....

Published at: 2017-03-01 00:00:06