A Correspondent Manikganj: Heat from brick kilns has destroyed paddy on about 166 acres of field in Sadar upazila's Gokulnagar and Sulandi villages, farmers and agriculture officials say. But there is nothing unique in this year's incident. Gour Chandra Sarkar, a deputy assistant agriculture officer, said paddy fields werew damaged every year this way. "We've warned the brick kiln operators several times but nothing's changed," he says. Agriculture officials say the IRRI rice production target for this season is unlikely to be met. Farmers say they had been preparing to harvest the paddy in two weeks' time but now they are staring at a bleak future with their only mean of livelihood gone. About 200 farmers have been affected. Shahab Uddin, manager of one of the brick kilns, said they were making a list of farmers for compensating them. Farmers have been asking for removal of brick kilns from near the fields for a long time, but their words have fallen on deaf ears. Although...

Court Correspondent: The High Court on Wednesday directed the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) to submit a list of the companies involved in adulteration of milk and curd within May 15. A bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order after a report in this regard was submitted before the court. The report said harmful chemical lead and antibiotics were found in 96 samples of unpacked milk collected from the market. Besides, adulteration was evident in 18 of the 31 samples of packaged milk but the names of the milk-producing companies responsible for the adulteration were absent in the report. Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik stood for the state. On February 11, the High Court directed the authorities concerned to conduct a survey to determine how much cow milk, dairy products and cow fodders containing bacteria, antibiotic, lead and pesticides are supplied across the country. The High Court bench of Justice Nazrul Islam...

Staff Reporter: The High Court on Wednesday ordered conducting a judicial investigation into the death of a lawyer after be-ing burnt in Panchagarh jail. The court also ordered conducting the investigation by a judicial magistrate under the supervision of Chief Judicial Magistrate and submitting the report within 30 days. Panchagarh Deputy Commissioner, superintendent of jail and police superintendent have been asked to assist the Judicial Magistrate in the investigation. The HC fixed June 23 for next hearing in the case. A bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by Barrister Sayedul Haque Sumon. The court also issued a rule seeking explanation from the authorities concerned as to why the failure of provid-ing security to a prisoner in jail should not be declared illegal. Barrister Sayedul Haque Sumon stood for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney Genral Mokhlesur Rahman represented the state. Barrister...

Staff Reporter: The government has taken initiatives to make state-run sugar mills profitable by keeping those operational throughout the year and diversifying their activities. Currently, there are 15 sugar mills under the Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation and those are dogged by losses, said officials. They said these sugar mills usually remain idle for 8-9 months a year when it is not crushing season but they have to provide the salaries of its officials and laborers, and continue other related activities round the year, increasing their losses. According to an official document, the government has taken a move to keep open these mills round the year and even during the off-season through producing white sugar from imported raw sugar. The government is now implementing a project in the North Bengal Sugar Mill to produce electricity and white sugar during the off-season through a co-generation system. The Planning Commission has given permission to include the...

Staff Reporter:People from all walks of life paid their last respect to renowned singer Subir Nandi at the central Shahid Minar and Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC) on Wednesday. Subir's body was kept at the Central Shaheed Minar from 11:00 am to 12 pm so that people can pay their tri-butes to the noted singer. It was taken to Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC) premises around 12:50 pm. Information Minister Hasan Mahmud, Public Works Minister Sham Rezaul Karim, Awami League acting gen-eral secretary Mahbub Ul Alam Hanif, national coordinator of National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute Sa-mant Lal Sen, cultural personalities Ramendu Majumdar and Nasir Uddin Yusuf came to Shaheed Minar to pay their tributes. General secretary of Sammilita Sangskritik Jote Golam Kiddush, singers Rathindranath Roy, Khurshid Alam, Timir Nandi, Fakir Alamgir, Kumar Biswajit, Andrew Kishore, Robi Chowdhury, Shuvra Dev, Nakib Khan, Fouad Naser Babu, Badshya Bulbul, SD Rubel...

Staff Reporter: Thirty six IT companies from Bangladesh are participating in the prestigious 'Japan IT Week' that began on Wednesday at the Tokyo Big Sight with a view to expand business relation between the IT sectors of the two countries. IT companies from around the world are showcasing their latest IT products and services at the exhibition that will continue until May 10. Ambassador of Bangladesh to Japan Rabab Fatima visited the stalls at the Bangladesh pavilion and exchanged views with the visiting Bangladeshi entrepreneurs. She assured them of the necessary support from the embassy. Later a seminar on the prospects of Bangladesh's IT sector in Japan was held at the same venue. Many business representatives of Japanese IT firms joined the seminar, according to Bangladesh Embassy in Japan. Ambassador Rabab Fatima said the event was an outcome of the growing interest of Japan in Bangladesh as the next IT destination. She pointed out that Bangladesh aims to achieve US$ 5...

Staff Reporter: The government of Bangladesh on Wednesday signed a $165 million grant financing agreement with the World Bank to provide basic services and build disaster and social resilience for Rohingyas taken shelter in Cox's Ba-zar fleeing violence in Myanmar. To help Bangladesh deal with the world's fastest growing exodus, the Emergency Multi-Sector Rohingya Crisis Response Project will build 53 multipurpose disaster shelters in and around the camps, pave more than 200 km of roads, provide water and sanitation services for around 200,000 people, and set up 1,500 solar street lights. The project will also help strengthen emergency response services, provide community works and services, and prevent gender-based violence. Monowar Ahmed, Secretary of Economic Relations Division (ERD) and Dandan Chen, World Bank Acting Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan inked the agreement on behalf of their respective sides at the ERD office in the city, said a WB release. Dandan Chen...