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Monitors

NEED A MONITOR?

Smart Technologies, a computer selling company of Bangladesh is now giving you the opportunity to alter your monitor and have a new one.

Do you have a Samsung monitor? If it is you can just alter it and have a new flat or LCD monitor.

For more informations, just call

8112613 or 01730317750-62.

Car Business

Have cars. Going to buy a car. Good news for you.The telecom watchdog has moved to introduce the vehicle-tracking system, good news for car owners, bad for thieves.

The system can locate any car of its owner or a third party if it installs a GPS (global positioning system) transponder.

Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) yesterday posted a guideline on its website to award licences for the vehicle-tracking system to mobile and WiMax operators.

The vehicle tracking system is a value-added service provided through a GPS transponder, which helps track the vehicle's movement and other activities while both in stationary and running modes.

The system is a convergence of an onboard automotive device, wireless communication and GPS to track vehicles via digital mapping application and reporting information system by using a web-interface, mobile phone and/or computer network.

GPS consists of 32 satellites in different orbits around the world. At any given time, a number of satellites are in view in any place on the earth. A GPS receiver receives information from these satellites and uses it to locate itself.

This service can also be provided through location-based service (LBS) on the mobile network's ability to locate the geographical position of the SIM subscriber identification module (SIM) or mobile device without employing GPS.

The service allows authorities to set rules against "speed violations" and "harsh braking" and helps implement discipline against the drivers. It reduces the possibilities of rough and dangerous driving and unauthorised vehicle use.

A GPS transponder means a portable device mounted on a vehicle, which acquires vehicle data (position and condition), and transmits data via wireless networks to a designated vehicle-tracking server.

In line with the licensing guideline, vehicle tracking service information is restricted by the subscriber's privacy and confidentiality, which means information can only be disseminated according to a subscription agreement.

In case of requests from law-enforcement agencies, tracking process will be followed. All the licensees will have to follow this privacy and confidentially with utmost priority, the guideline emphasises.

"The system could be minimise carjacking and help build customer confidence to own a car as well," said Abdul Haque, former president of Bangladesh Association of Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers.

Cancer Disease

Need consciousness about Cancer.Today is World Cancer Day. Different organisations will observe the day in the country as elsewhere across the globe to raise awareness on cancer and its prevention.

Bangladesh Cancer Society will form a human chain and also launch a poster with theme of the day 'Avoid obesity in childhood which may increase the risk of cancer in later life'.

Diganta Memorial Cancer Foundation will take out a procession from in front of the National Press Club led by Chairman of the foundation Justice Mohammad Abdur Rouf.

A get-together of cancer survivors, a discussion and a cultural programme will also be held on the foundation premises at 4:00pm.

International Union Against Cancer (UICC) will launch 'I love my healthy active childhood", the second full-year theme in the 'Today's children, tomorrow's world' cancer prevention campaign.

UICC aims at raising awareness of the link between overweight, obesity and cancer.

Because healthy habits start early, the campaign calls on families, health professionals, educators and policymakers to help children eat a healthy diet and become physically active so that they can maintain a healthy body weight and set them on the right path to reduce their risk of cancer later in life.

Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world. WHO estimates that 84 million people will die of cancer between 2005 and 2015 without intervention. In 2007, there were 7.9 million deaths, around 13 percent of all deaths.

Movie

New movies released. he romantic film 'Monpura' will be released on February 13 at Balaka and Star Cineplex cinema halls in the city.

It was announced at a press conference at Hotel Sheraton yesterday.

Gias Uddin Selim directed the film. Chanchal Chowdhury, Farhana Mili, Fazlur Rahman Babu, and Manunur Rashid performed in it.

Poet Lutfor Rahman Riton, Maasranga Productions Ltd Director Ajoy Kumar Kundu and Sabbir Ahmed from Radio Foorti were present at the press conference.

Heart Disease

WANT TO PREVENT HEART DISEASE?

You need to abide by some rules and you can have a safe and sound life.Experts at a press conference in the city yesterday said excessive intake of salt increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, heart and kidney failure.

They underscored the need for reducing salt intake to possess a good health.

To create mass awareness, World Action on Salt and Health (WASH) observes World Salt Awareness Week this year with the theme 'Consume less salt and stay healthy'.

Hypertension Committee of National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh is observing the week from February 2 to 8 with various programmes, including a discussion on February 7 at the Heart Foundation auditorium and distribution of leaflets.

“It is proved that 80 percent of the population will not suffer from high blood pressure if the people consume less salt. On the other hand, high blood pressure breaks out like an epidemic in the countries like Japan for excessive salt consumption,” said National Prof Brig (retd) Abdul Malik, also founder secretary general of the foundation.

Half of the adult population in Japan are suffering from high blood pressure which is the risk factor for heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, paralysis, blindness, he said, adding that it also leads to stomach cancer, obesity and symptoms of Asthma.

Salt is used most in the processed food. The fast food and Chinese food also contain excessive salt, the experts said suggesting not to take extra salt in diet and to remove salt from the dining table.

The suggestions include using minimum salt while cooking as the vegetables the people eat are already enriched with different types of mineral salts, using lemon juice, vinegar and garlic as preservatives instead of salt and avoiding restaurant foods, fast food, tinned and frozen food.

Hotels and restaurants should write 'No Extra Salt' as the cautionary message 'No Smoking Please' is written, they said, adding that human body needs very little amount of salt - less than a teaspoon or 5 grams every day.

Anti-terorrism act

To prevent terrorism, India and Pakistan is now trying unitedly to prevent it. A good try indeed.India yesterday urged Pakistan to act with "sincerity and decisiveness" against the perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage and said it was in the interests of the region if they were brought to book.

"The onus now is on the government of Pakistan to act with sincerity and decisiveness against the perpetrators and controllers of such attacks," Defence Minister AK Antony said while inaugurating the 11th Asian Security Conference in New Delhi.

"It is in the interest of this region and the rest of the world that such perpetrators of wanton violence are brought to justice and the infrastructure of terror is eliminated," the minister added.

India has blamed the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba for the November 26-29, 2008 Mumbai mayhem that claimed the lives of more than 170 people, including 26 foreigners, and injured more than 300.

India January 5 submitted a detailed dossier to Pakistan pointing to the involvement of elements from its country in the Mumbai attacks.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Sunday its Federal Investigation Agency had examined the dossier and had submitted a report that would soon be shared with India through diplomatic channels.

Earlier contradicting National Security Adviser MK Narayanan's claim that Islamabad has reverted on Mumbai attacks dossier, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday asserted that India is yet to receive any official response from Pakistan.

"That he (Narayanan) has said in his own way. The fact of the matter is that after they (Pakistan) received material from us, we have not received any official communication about the progress of investigation conducted by them," Mukherjee told reporters here when referred to the NSA's comments.

Narayanan had in a TV interview two days back claimed that Pakistan had reverted on the Mumbai attacks dossier, asking questions to which answers were being given.Let them proceed.

Murali's Record

MURALI'S RECORD TAKES SOME TIMES.

Murali could only touch Wasin Akram's record.

Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralidaran on Tuesday equalled former Pakistani paceman Wasim Akram's world record of 502 wickets during the third one-day international against India here.

The off-spin genius achieved the feat in his eighth over when he had Yuvraj Singh (117) caught by Chamara Kapugedera at point.

Muralidaran, 36, holds the world record in Test cricket with 769 wickets in 125 matches.

The Sri Lankan was playing his 327th one-dayer, while Akram figured in 356 games before quitting in 2003.

Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar is the only player to hold two major world marks -- highest scorer in both Tests (12,429) and one-day internationals (16,440).

India takes Series

No, Srilanka could not survive. India won the series.

It was India's second successive one-day series triumph in Sri Lanka, having won 3-2 on their last tour in August 2008.

Sri Lanka never looked like achieving a stiff target under lights despite a fighting 83 from wicketkeeper-batsman Kumar Sangakkara and cameos from Tillakaratne Dilshan (31) and skipper Mahela Jayawardene (30).

The hosts suffered a setback in the second over when hard-hitting opener Sanath Jayasuriya was bowled for no score, chopping paceman Praveen Kumar's delivery on to his stumps.

Sangakkara hardly received support from the other end as Kumar (2-41) and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha struck just when the hosts looked like building a partnership. Ojha finished with 4-38, his best in eight one-dayers.

Sangakkara was the seventh batsman out after hitting nine fours in his 82-ball knock.

The afternoon session belonged to Yuvraj and Sehwag, who added 221 runs -- India's highest stand for the third wicket against Sri Lanka. The previous best was 175 between Navjot Sidhu and Mohammad Azharuddin in Sharjah in 1995.

Muralitharan equalled former Pakistani paceman Wasim Akram's one-day record of 502 wickets in his 327th match when he had Yuvraj caught by Chamara Kapugedera at point in his eighth over.

But the Sri Lankan, the world's leading bowler in Tests with 769 victims, failed to grab the record-breaking wicket in his last two overs and will look to reach the milestone in the fourth one-dayer on Thursday.

Yuvraj and Sehwag flayed the Sri Lankan attack with a magnificent display of hard and clean hitting after their team had lost Sachin Tendulkar (seven) and Gautam Gambhir (10) in the opening four overs for 24 runs.

Left-handed Yuvraj, who raced to his half-century off just 40 deliveries, took 42 more balls to complete his 11th hundred in one-dayers. He cracked one six and 17 fours in his 95-ball knock.

Opener Sehwag celebrated his century a few overs later, steering unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis to third-man for two runs. He smashed 17 fours in his 90-ball knock for his 10th hundred in one-dayers.

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene used six bowlers, but none could stop the flow of runs as Yuvraj and Sehwag were quick to punish errors in line and length on a slow pitch.

Yusuf Pathan also feasted on an inconsistent Sri Lankan attack, hitting three sixes and four boundaries in his 38-ball 59 not out for his second half-century.

He added 85 for the unfinished sixth wicket with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (35 not out). The duo helped their side plunder 83 in the last 10 overs.

Book Fair

Ekushe Book fair is being held in Bangladesh. Its the fair , that is for the memory of the "Vasha Shaheed", who gave their life just for their mother tongue.

** Numerous books are there.

** As this is the starting, the crowd is not so rich but soon it will fill with visitors and buyers.

** All are invited to attend the fair .

**Fair will continue till 21th February. the "INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY" OF THE WORLD.

Laptop Computer

Need a laptop computer? Join.

A three-day laptop fair will begin tomorrow at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital.

Maker Communication will organise the show styled 'Zoom Laptop Fair 2009' where top laptop brands like HP, Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu, Hasee, Gigabyte, Asus, Lenovo, Toshiba, Acer, Great Wall, BenQ and Apple will be available.

Special discounts will be on offer at the fair, which will remain open from 10am to 9pm.

A total of 10 pavilions and 6 stalls will be at the fair. The entry fee will be Tk 20 per person but students up to the regular post-graduate level will enjoy free entry by showing their ID cards.

A part of the money generated from ticket sales will be donated, while the remaining will be used to develop a welfare fund for the ICT journalists of the country, the organisers said.

Mobile phone operator Citycell is the title sponsor of the exposition, while Acer, Asus, Hasee and Toshiba are co-sponsors.

The organisers at a press conference yesterday said laptops are gradually taking over desktop computers in Bangladesh.

With around 5,000 laptop sales taking place every month, the current growth rate of laptop users in the country is around 8 to 10 percent, they said.

Muhammad Khan, strategic planner for Maker Communication, said more than 600 laptops were sold at the last year's fair, the first of its kind in the country.

“Last year's show received an overwhelming response. Hopefully sales will increase this year,” he added.

Khan also said students and young professionals are the main target groups of the fair.

Fashion show, puppet show, raffle draw and quiz competition will be held on the sidelines of the fair, Khan said.

Trade and export

To increase trade among each other they are doing it.

South Asian leaders should reach a consensus on downsizing tariffs to boost intra-regional trade, which will ultimately help cut poverty, now running deep in the region, says a trade analyst.

But it is not an easy task, Saman Kelegama, executive director of Colombo-based Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) in Sri Lanka, says in an exclusive interview with The Daily Star.

Consensus-building comes from hard work and continuous negotiations, but the task is not impossible, he says. Many loggerhead trade issues were resolved through negotiations among leaders worldwide, according to Kelegama.

Kelegama, a policy pundit, visited Dhaka to attend the two-day seminar on "Mainstreaming Inter-national Trade into National Development and A Southern Agenda on Global Trade Governance", organised by the South Asian Network on Economic Modelling (SANEM) and CUTS International at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel.

Kelegama refers to a consensus reached in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), which is not far away.

Kelegama says Asean took some important decisions to boost trade within member nations through negotiations, although four members are directly recognised as the least developed countries (LDCs).

He suggests the South Asian leaders come forward to remove all barriers to increase trade volume for poverty reduction, as a significant number of people in this region still live under the poverty line.

The South Asian region can hardly reap the benefits of global trade, as the countries have limited negotiating skills, he says.

Since the South Asian leaders could not reach a consensus on different issues, they have failed to demonstrate a unified strength in global trade negotiations such as at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Kelegama says.

The analyst is all for fair trade, not for free trade, to benefit from the global trade practices.

"We need fair trade, not free trade," Kelegama says. He backs restricted movement of capital, not free movement of capital.

Foreign entrepreneurs tend to invest in some rosy sectors such as power and telecoms if governments allow free movement of capital out of their countries. "The investors are interested to invest in those sectors as they get easy returns,” he says.

Asked to comment on a failed plan by Indian industrial conglomerate TATA to invest in power, fertiliser and steel sectors, Kelegama declines to comment.

Kelegama says some countries in South Asian face problems with an unfair tariff structure of the global trading system, as it has not been addressed efficiently until now.

"We need a regional consensus to address the unfair tariff structure in the WTO," Kelegama says.

Bangladesh paid the same amount of tariff as France, for exporting goods to the EU, even though Bangladesh is one of the LDCs.

"It's just unfair."

Bangladesh paid $510 million in tariff for exporting goods to the EU, while France also paid the same amount to the EU in fiscal 2007-08, but the volume of trade between Bangladesh and the EU, compared to France, is insignificant.

It is the time to rethink the export of human resources from South Asian nations, as remittance is one of the pillars of the economies in this region, he says.

"Capital can move freely worldwide, so can human resources," Kelegama says. The leaders of this region should address the issues in the WTO.

According to Kelegama, developed countries always prefer to recruit skilled workers from the LDCs and developing countries, which is not always right.

Urging leaders of this region to expedite the discussion of the WTO's MODE-4, Kelegama says the developed countries should also come forward to recruit unskilled workers.

He says although the movement of "natural persons" (MODE-4) under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) ensures the movement of human resources for trade in services worldwide, the South Asian leaders are not utilising such potentials.

Women's right

Wow! Thats amazing. Can you imagine that a girl of only 14 year can take protection against child marriage? This had happened in Bangladesh.

The girl, Nur Jahan Nahar Sathi, 14, is the daughter of Nur Islam of village Basudevpur in Chirirbandar upazila and a class nine student of Janani Adarsha Girls High School.

Sathi told The Daily Star that her parents and relatives arranged her marriage with Ronju Miah, a 25-year-old rickshaw puller, of the same village.

On January 22 midnight she was wakened by her mother to see a number of guests and decoration.

When Md Nazrul Islam, a Muslim cleric started administering the marriage ritual, Sathi rejected it outright.

Then her parents and relatives beat her up and confined her with Ronju inside a room where she resisted the man's attempt for physical relation.

On January 27 she fled from her home and went to Youth Forum in Chirirbandar, a project of CARE Bangladesh, and informed them of the matter.

Project director of Care Bangladesh, Saida Nourin, who took steps for her safe custody, said her organisation will provide for her smooth growing up including her study.

Chirirbandar UNO Anarkoli Mahbub, who officially handed over Sathi to the safe custody of Care Bangladesh, told The Daily Star that she instructed police to ensure her safety.

Sathi demanded punishment of the persons who arranged her premature marriage against her will.

Sathi's father Nur Islam, 40, said he had decided to marry her daughter off due to poverty.

Let's help the girl and her parents so that they can live and get what ever needed.

Vote for

Now cast your vote. Choice is yours.

Iraqis voted heavily for secular parties in last weekend's provincial polls, in a show of disaffection with the religious parties that lead the central government, early indications showed yesterday.

In a further sign of voter disillusionment, turnout in the country's first elections since 2005 was little more than 50 percent, and even lower among the Shia majority community.

The Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC), the Shia religious party that won control of seven out of the 11 mainly Shia provinces four years ago, looked set to lose at least five of them, according to early results from the electoral commission.

The outcome was a serious blow for the party's aspirations to establish a Shia autonomous region in the centre and south like the Kurdish one in the far north.

The big winners were secular parties, including not only the list of former prime minister Iyad Allawi but also several new formations, some with links to the ousted regime of Saddam Hussein.

"According to the preliminary estimates, new parties will advance, which will make significant changes in the political map and the nature of alliances in the future," the state-run Al-Sabah newspaper said in an editorial.

The rout of the religious parties looked set to extend even to the Shia clerical centre of Najaf, where SIIC was poised to lose control of the provincial council. Now decide.

African Union

Gaddafi the strong man was elected .

Libyan leader Muammer Gaddafi was yesterday elected chairman of the African Union at a summit of the 53-nation bloc in the Ethiopian capital.

Gaddafi was elected "by the heads of state in a closed-door session, for a one-year period," AU spokeswoman Habiba Mejri-Sheikh told AFP.

"He is currently addressing the assembly as president, to outline his programme and his intentions," she said.

Gaddafi has been a keen supporter of the notion of forming a continent wide government to create a "United States of Africa", but the idea failed to get backing in a closed door debate at the summit on Monday.

Leaders decided instead to consider ways of expanding the mandate of the existing AU Commission, which will be renamed the AU Authority. What will be the US reaction?

English Premiere League

Challenging referee?

Luiz Felipe Scolari insisted referee Mike Riley was to blame for Chelsea's 2-0 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday after Frank Lampard was sent off for a foul on Xabi Alonso.

A tight game swung Liverpool's way in the 60th minute when Riley ruled that Lampard's sliding tackle on Alonso, which won the ball but also caught the player, was worthy of a straight red card.

Chelsea almost held out for a draw despite their numerical disadvantage but Fernando Torres scored twice in the final moments to leave Chelsea five points behind leaders Manchester United.

Scolari was furious with Riley's decision and called on the official to rescind the card, which would stop Lampard being banned for three matches.

"After what happened with Lampard it is normal that we lose because they had more possession and chances but before this, no," Scolari told Sky Sports.

"If the referee looks at it on the television maybe he changes the red card for Lampard. As I looked at it, it was a foul by the other player, not Lampard.

"I don't understand (the decision) but maybe now after he looks at it again, if he understands what is wrong, he will change the red card and Lampard can play in the next game."

Scolari conceded that Chelsea had been poor for much of the match but he was adamant they would still have held out for a draw if Lampard had stayed on.

"We were not good. I think Liverpool were better than us for all of the game. But after the red card they are the only team and they scored the goals," he said.

"We are behind two clubs, Manchester and Liverpool so it is more difficult than before. We have many games and need to fight until the last game," he added.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez hopes his side's first win in four matches, which moved them within two points of United, will provide the morale boost that gets the Reds back on track after a stuttering spell.

Benitez said: "We were better than them through the game. The question was to create more clear chances to win the game.

"We had to wait until the end even though they were playing with 10 men but I thought we were better than them. What else to do then?

ICL vs Pakistan

Regarding the fate of the players of ICL, Pakistan court suspends the ban.So its a bit critical situation for the players.

A court in Pakistan on Monday suspended a ban imposed by the country's cricket board barring players from domestic matches after they agreed to join the unofficial Indian Cricket League (ICL).

Around 19 Pakistani players featured in the ICL, bankrolled by the country's largest media group, Zee Television, but not recognised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or the International Cricket Council (ICC).

In 2007, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) barred the players, who included former Pakistan captain Inzamamul Haq and star batsman Mohammad Yousuf, from playing at all levels in the country.

The ICL players challenged the ban in the provincial Sindh High Court last month. Their lawyer Zahid Fakhruddin Ibrahim said justice had been done.

"Judge Amir Hani Muslim has suspended the PCB ban imposed on the ICL players and they are now free to play," Ibrahim told AFP.

Asked if the players could now play for Pakistan, Ibrahim said: "The ban was only on domestic cricket, it's up to the PCB to select a player for an international match or not and that cannot be challenged."

The players lined up for the Lahore Badshahs in the ICL season and were a major attraction, winning the Twenty20 league last year.

Their coach Moin Khan, a former Pakistan captain, said the suspension of the ban was good for Pakistani cricket.

"Some of the ICL players can still play for Pakistan and when they play in domestic cricket, youngsters will learn from them," Moin told AFP.

"The ban had hurt the players financially as well as cricket-wise, so it's a great decision," he said.

The court has summoned PCB officials to its next hearing on February 10 to hear their explanation for the ban.

The PCB has a strict policy of banning all players who have joined the ICL.

PCB chairman Ijaz Butt said last week that the matter would be taken up at the ICC board meeting in Perth, Australia, after they received a legal notice from the ICL players.

Meeting at the weekend, the ICC delayed a decision on an ICL application for recognition, saying that further discussions would be held.

Butt, who took charge last October, hinted that the BCCI and ICC would be on weaker ground if the ICL or the ICL players legally contested the ban.

Former captain Inzamam and opener Imran Farhat welcomed the court's decision.

"The injustice done to the ICL players seems to be over," said Inzamam.

"Not allowing the players to play cricket in Pakistan was unjust and I hope these players will play for Pakistan very soon," he added.

Farhat, one of the 19 players reinstated by Monday's decision, said he still hopes to play for Pakistan.

India Srilanka Cricket

India is nearing the series win, where as Srilanka needs this match to win to avoid series loss.

It is a must-win tie after the home team lost the first two games of the five-match series but Jayawardene said his side were capable of raising their performance.

"We have been in this situation before. You don't have to tell the boys (to raise performance) because they understand the situation. They understand the mistakes they had made," Jayawardene told reporters on Monday.

"We have to be a bit more consistent with our all-round game. That's one area we have to focus on, especially when you are playing against a good team. You can't keep making mistakes."

The Sri Lankan captain said his team needed to put more pressure on in-form India who had won their last seven one-dayers, including five against England at home last year.

"Their confidence is pretty high because they have been consistent in the last six months. That's something probably where we lack. If we put more pressure on them, I think we can ask them a few questions," he said.

"We know that if we lose this match, we lose the series. The next three games are very crucial for us."

Jayawardene hoped his openers would give a solid start, especially Tillakaratne Dilshan who had managed just eight runs in two matches.

"Both the openers (Sanath Jayasuriya and Dilshan) are capable of batting according to the situation," he said.

"Dilshan went for a few shots which did not come off, but at the same time he can bat for a long period and can get a big hundred which he showed in Pakistan. We know the talent they have got."

Dilshan smashed a career-best 137 not out in Lahore last month to help his side win a three-match series.

India coach Gary Kirsten said his team were keen to clinch the series with a victory on Tuesday.

"Yes, it would be nice if we could finish off the series as quickly as possible," said Kirsten.

"We know we have a lot of work to do but the momentum is with us at the moment. We just have to focus on what we have been doing and give us the best chance of winning the next match."

India made one change to their 15-man squad, with paceman Lakshmipathy Balaji replacing injured Munaf Patel.

Balaji, who played his last one-dayer in August 2005, has taken 34 wickets in 29 matches.

So wait for the day.

Rehab Fair

Rehab fair held in Chittagong.

A three-day housing fair organised by REHAB concluded here in the port city on Saturday making a business of Tk 200 crore, with the organisers and participants expecting an additional Tk 100 crore from the intended customers.

“Amid the global financial crisis and immediate after assuming power by a political government, this amount of business is quite satisfactory and a good signal for this sector,” said Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB) President Tanveerul Haque Probal at the concluding ceremony yesterday.

“Although the fair was of a short span, around 13,000 visitors came to the exposition in three days,” he said.

A total of 69 firms, including three financial institutions, from the capital and Chittagong took part in the fair with their plots, ready and under construction projects of apartments.

Visitors said the prices of flats and plots are yet to come down since the prices of the construction materials are on the decline.

However REHAB president said among the construction materials only the prices of rods declined, but the prices of lands are on an upward trend that pushed the prices to that stage.

“The prices are now stable and almost near to the prices in the previous fair,” he said.

Sanmar Properties Ltd, a real estate firm in Chittagong, participated in the fair with 16 apartments and two commercial buildings in the port city.

Sizes of its apartments ranged from 940 square feet (sft) to 3,025 sft and cost Tk 3,200 to Tk 7,000 per sft depending on location.

Sales Executive of the company Mohammad Ayub said they sold six flats and two shops at the fair and the turnover was satisfactory.

“We offered LCD television, laptop, air-conditioner and refrigerator on booking of the flats, while those who paid the total amount against flats in cash also got Tk 1 lakh discount,” Ayub said.

Amin Mohammad Lands Development Company sold four flats of its two projects in the city's Nasirabad area.

“Demand for flats in Chittagong is very high and we have achieved 80 percent of our target at the fair,” said Mohammad Shamim Miah, assistant manager (Marketing) of the company.

Building Technology and Ideas Ltd Assistant Manager (Sales and Marketing) Naziul Islam Shamim said they were quite happy with the turnout.

“We came to the fair with 26 ready projects in the capital and four projects in Chittagong. Two flats in Dhaka and six flats in the port city were sold at the fair. Sizes of our flats in Chittagong range from 1,100 to 1,400 sft with the price tags of Tk 3,500 to Tk 5,500 per sft,” Shamim said.

“After comparing the prices of flats and other related facilities given by the companies I will select the company for buying a flat,” said an intended buyer, Mohammad Saiful Islam, a businessman of the city's Agrabad area.

He said: "This is a great opportunity for the buyers from Chittagong to select a suitable location and price from a wide range of offers under one roof at a very short time."

Heart Disease

Patients of heart disease suffers a lot.

Parkway Health, which owns and operates Mount Elizabeth, Gleneagles and East Shore Hospital in Singapore, organised a seminar on 'Heart disease and neck and back pain' at Hotel Lake Shore in the city on Saturday.

Singapore High Commissioner at Dhaka Varghese Mathews chaired the seminar as the chief guest while Consul Tan Kok Nam was present as special guest.

Two eminent doctors from Mount Elizabeth and Gleneagles Hospital spoke at the seminar.

Senior Consultant and cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Saw Huat Seong chiefly discussed on the angioplasty and coronary bypass surgery while Senior Consultant and neuro-spinal surgeon Dr Timothy Lee presented the causes and solutions of neck and back pain.

Chiranjit Kumar Shori, group vice president of Parkway Health, delivered the inaugural speech while Zahid Hassan Khan, director, Parkway Health Dhaka office, was also present.

The seminar was held with a view to keeping the audience updated with better treatment modality.

Jobs for you

Looking for a job? It is now an alarming need of the nation.

Leaders of the Youth Gono Forum yesterday urged the government to take immediate steps to ensure employment for youth as per electoral manifesto.

The leaders also urged to announce specific plan for building Digital Bangladesh for the sake of public welfare, says a press release.

Leaders came up with the demand at the extended central committee meeting of the forum.

Gonoforum presidium member ASM Altaf Hossain, acting general secretary Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, and law secretary Advocate Jaglul Haider spoke at the meeting.

Youth leaders Sagir Anwar, Shafiqul Islam Babul, Advocate Sheikh Aktarul Islam, Mostak Chowdhury and Shariful Islam Sajal also spoke at the meeting.

Housewife Killed

Again the same thing happening here.

A young housewife was killed for dowry allegedly by her husband at village Chaltartol in Lalmonirhat Sadar upazila yesterday, police said.

Misty Begum,24, was killed by her husband Babul Ahmed,30, after being hit by an iron rod at their village home at noon. Later, police arrested the killer and sent body of the deceased to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Most often Babul used to torture Misty since their marriage about a year ago, police and locals said. He demanded Tk 50,000 as dowry from her. But she could not meet up his unjust demand. On the fateful day, Babul developed a quarrel with his wife over some pretext and started beating her with an iron rod. At one stage of torture, she died. The killer tried to flee but local people caught him and handed over to police.

Potatoes

Last year there were a bumper grow of potatoes in Bangladesh. But ...

Spread of 'leaf blight' disease, locally known as patamora rog, has put potato farmers in five upazilas of Thakurgaon district in a difficult siatuation.

As the affected farmers are reaping potato before its attaining maturity, production target in the current season now seems unattainable.

Farmers are also fearing losses as spraying medicine to save potato from the disease is adding to the production cost.

“The leaf blight disease that attacked the potato crops is a kind of fungal disease, which is locally known as 'patamora rog' in the district. This has been caused by cold and foggy weather, fluctuation in temperature that helped the disease to spread on potato plants soon, said Abul Hayat, deputy director of Agriculture Extension Department (AED) in Thakurgaon.

Claiming that the situation is still under control, he said field workers and officials are advising farmers about what to do.

Upazila Agriculture Extension Officer Monsur Alam told The Daily Star, “We are advising farmers to spray 2gram of 'Mencozeb' or 'Metalexyl' groups medicine mixed with one litre water on their potato fields at regular intervals to combat the disease.

During a recent visit at Borunagaon, Salondar, Farabari, Bhully, Balia and Nargun villages under Sadar upazila, this correspondent saw attack of massive leaf blight attack on potato fields.

“I spent about Tk 37,000 to cultivate potato on 2.5 bigha of leased land but the disease damaged all the crops. I made futile attempts to save the crops by spraying medicine several times,” said Shasin Barman of Salondar village under Sadar upazila.

“I cultivated potato crops on 3-bigha [one acre] of land. The disease has attacked the crops. At first leaves fell and then the plants died soon. Nobody identified the disease and suggested any remedy,” Ahsanur Rahman, a farmer of Balia village, said.

Many other farmers in different areas said the disease damaged huge tract of potato crops. They worried about its drastic fall of production in the current season and would incur huge loss.

About 23,270 hectares of land have been brought under potato cultivation against the target 23,000 hectares with production target of 3-lakh 68-thousand tonnes in the current season.

International mother language day

21th February is the INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY OF THE WORLD.

In this day in 1952 numerous people of Bangladesh had to give their life for their own language. Former Pakistani government forcefully tried to abolish this language and pushed to learn Urdu, the another language. So people of Bangladesh came forward and began to protest it in a very peaceful manner but the nonsense Pakistani government killed a lot of people, specially the students of the University of Dhaka.

The friendly people of the neighbouring country India and Bangladeshis will observe the International Mother Language Day at zero point on Benapole border this year.

The enthusiastic people of both the countries also celebrated the day in a festive mood last year.

Several hundred Bangla-speaking people from both the countries embraced each other with deep emotion.

The day heralded with playing the national anthems of both the countries, singing Ekushey songs and releasing balloons in the sky.

Indian Lokshova member Amitav Nandi and Bangladesh lawmaker from Jessore-1 constituency Sheikh Afiluddin yesterday held a meeting in this regard.

They decided to observe the day at India-Bangladesh zero point at Benapole through a colourful programme.

Member of India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry Motiar Rahman set up a temporary Shaheed Minar at the point at his own cost.

This time the day will be observed with more grandeur at state level on the spot.

Sania Mirza won

It was the time for Indians to celebrate.

Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza say their historic Australian Open mixed doubles success on Sunday will give the sport a huge boost back home in cricket-obsessed India.

Bhupathi and Mirza became the first Indian pair to win a Grand Slam mixed doubles title when they crushed Andy Ram of Israel and Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy 6-3, 6-1.

It rounded off a successful tournament for India after 16-year-old Yuki Bhambri won the boys' junior championship on Saturday, while Bhupathi also made the final of the men's doubles alongside Mark Knowles of the Bahamas.

"You know, it's great, I don't remember the last time when we had so many -- I mean, he (Bhupathi) played the finals, we won today, Yuki won. It's been a great two weeks," Mirza said.

"Let's hope a lot more people play, and tennis grows. It's been growing -- it might take it to another level."

Bhupathi said the fact that Mirza, India's most popular sportswoman, had won added to the impact.

"I know for a fact the whole country's excited now," Bhupathi said.

"It's her first slam -- she's been in the news for the last four years."

While Mirza was celebrating her first success at this level, Bhupathi's victory was his 11th Grand Slam title.

"It's been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster for me this weekend," he said.

"I want to thank all the Indians -- we are very lucky that there are so many millions supporting us, not just here but back at home."

The unseeded Bhupathi and Mirza, who were granted a wildcard to the Open, were in great touch all tournament from the moment they beat sixth seeded Czech pair Pavel Vizner and Kveta Peschke in the first round.

They started well against Ram and Dechy, breaking Dechy early in the first set.

Ram and Dechy broke back but the Indians attacked Dechy's serve later in the set and broke again to take the first set in 28 minutes.

It took two minutes less to wrap up the second set and with it the match as they outplayed their opponents with some perfect doubles.

"We wanted to stay out there and make it longer but they were just too good for us," Ram admitted.

Bhupathi said there may be more Indian success to come later this year.

"Well, you know, for us, it's always four slams where we have the opportunity to play mixed," he said.

ICC Champions trophy

ICC is to change his venue for ICC champions trophy from Pakistan to anywhere else.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) Sunday decided to relocate the 2009 Champions Trophy from Pakistan due to lingering fears over the security situation in the troubled nation.

Following a meeting of the ICC board here, chief executive Haroon Lorgat said the "safety and security environment" in Pakistan had forced a relocation of the eight-nation event.

The second-biggest one-day tournament in world cricket behind the World Cup, the Champions Trophy had already been delayed 12 months to September this year because of concerns over player safety.

"The board was seeking some sort of certainty sooner rather than later, and as a result has decided it won't be staged in Pakistan," Lorgat said.

"We all know what is transpiring in Pakistan and India has now got a government directive not to tour, which adds some weight to the countries who had previously indicated they were not keen to tour Pakistan," he added.

"It is unfortunate the Champions Trophy will not take place in Pakistan due to circumstances completely beyond the control of the PCB [Pakistan Cricket Board]," Lorgat said.

Despite the change of venue, Pakistan will still earn a hosting fee, the ICC said.

Sri Lanka is the alternative venue and Lorgat said a final decision would be made on the tournament before the next ICC board meeting in April.

"The alternate nominee is Sri Lanka," Lorgat said. "There are just a few things we want to iron out before we confirm that particular as the alternate host."

Sri Lankan officials have repeatedly said they are ready to host the tournament.

The ICC's postponement of the Champions Trophy in September over security concerns was the same reason given by Australia for not playing a Test series there last March.

The Indian cricket board in December cancelled a tour of Pakistan scheduled for January and February on instructions from the government in the wake of November's Mumbai attacks.

Lorgat said the ICC was committed to helping the PCB organise future cricket tours, with the country struggling to attract foreign teams since the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.

"It (security) is completely outside the control of the PCB, and we have offered to work with them to try and get a task team to ascertain how best and when we can get international cricket back into Pakistan," Lorgat said.

Pakistan went through 2008 without playing a Test match as teams refused to tour the country, citing security fears.

Meanwhile, England have once again been awarded the controversial 2006 Oval Test against Pakistan, the ICC announced.

The match was originally awarded to England when the umpires ruled that Pakistan had forfeited the match by refusing to take the field after tea on the fourth day following accusations of ball tampering.

But pressure from the PCB saw the result of the match changed from an England win to a draw by "match abandoned" by the ICC in July.

Australian Open Tennis

At last he did it. Rafael Nadal bet Roger Federer and won the trophy.

Rafael Nadal held off Roger Federer in another momentum-swinging, five-set final to win the Australian Open on Sunday, keeping the Grand Slam singles record safe for now.

After coming through the longest match in the tournament's history to reach the championship match, Nadal needed 4 hours, 23 minutes Sunday to win 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 3-6, 6-2.

Federer, who was trying to equal Pete Sampras' 14 major titles, has lost to Nadal the last three times they've met in Grand Slam finals.

The 27-year-old Swiss star couldn't hold back tears at the presentation.

“Maybe I'll try later. God, it's killing me,” Federer said, sobbing. He returned to congratulate Nadal within minutes, saying: “You deserved it. You played a fantastic final.”

Nadal collected the trophy and put his arm around Federer.

“Roger, sorry for today. I really know how you feel right now,” Nadal said. “Remember, you're a great champion, you're one of the best in history.”

He accepted the cup from Rod Laver, who was in Australia to mark the start of the 40th anniversary of the last Grand Slam season.

“To receive this trophy from Rod Laver is a dream for me,” Nadal said.

Federer, so dominant when he won three of the four majors in 2006 and 2007, has now lost finals on three different surfaces to Nadal.

Now it's the 22-year-old Nadal who seems more likely to be the first since Laver to complete a Grand Slam with wins in one year in all four majors.

Nadal, who has four consecutive titles on clay at Roland Garros and beat Federer on grass in a five-set epic at Wimbledon last year, became the first Spaniard to win the Australian title.

He has now won five of the seven Grand Slam finals he's played against Federer and is 13-6 overall against him.

Nadal beat Federer in the last French Open and Wimbledon finals and replaced him at No. 1 last August after winning the gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.

Federer, who turned around that season with a U.S. Open title, saved two championship points from 15-40 in the eighth game of the fifth set but sent a forehand long on the third match point.

Nadal flopped onto his back, then got up and raced to shake hands.

The players put their arms around the other's shoulders at the net as they walked off the court.

Drenched in sweat, Nadal raised his fist, applauded the crowd's standing ovation, then went over to shake hands with his coach and other supporters.

Although Federer actually won one more point174-173his serve let him down all too frequently. He connected on only 51 percent of his first serves, and it seemed as if all of his six double-faults came at critical times.

And as the pressure ratcheted up in the fifth set, it was Federer who wilted, not Nadal. Federer had six winners and 14 unforced errors in the set, while Nadal had just two unforced errors and dropped only three points in four service games.

With more Swiss flags than Spanish national colors, the crowd was buzzing even during warmups.

Despite flashes of brilliance, what they got wasn't always great tennis early, but there was no shortage of drama.

Both players started tight, committing uncharacteristic errors. Knowing that weak shots would be punished, they were pushing the limits.

They exchanged service breaks in the first two games. Normally calm on court, Federer pumped his fist after breaking for a 4-2 lead only to double-fault when facing break point in the next game.

Nadal got the key break with Federer serving at 5-5. The crowd was stunned when he smacked a forehand wide on an easy short ball to make it 15-40, and Nadal followed with a forehand passing shot winner, then held for the set.

With Nadal seemingly getting to everything and ripping winners, Federer was looking tentative and hesitating to charge the net.

But he started putting winners together and cutting his mistakes in the second set. After Nadal broke for a 4-3 lead, Federer broke the Spaniard's next two service games, taking a 5-3 lead after converting his fifth break point of the game. He then held to take the set.

Then the match intensified. One fan shouted: “Make him work, Roger!” referring to Nadal's 5-hour, 14-minute semifinal win over Fernando Verdasco on Friday, which could have left him tired. But Nadal showed few signs of fatigue.

Amid a series of rallies lasting more than 20 shots, Nadal saved six break points in his last two service games in the third set, and Federer fended off a set point while serving at 5-6.

A lunging backhand volley winner gave Nadal a 6-3 lead in the tiebreaker, earning him chants of “Rafa!” and Federer double-faulted.

Federer saved five break points while serving at 2-2 in the fourth set, then broke Nadal in the next game for a 4-2 edge.

He closed with a service winner to even it at two sets apiece.

Nadal broke Federer for a 3-1 lead and the clock ticked past midnight in the next game, taking the tournament into a third week.

Digital Camera

Canon brought Eos 5D Mark 2 digital camera last December. Along with that, they brought a lot of other models too.

** Last Saturday, there was a seminar on Canon in Dhaka.

** Eos 5D Mark 2 digital camera has ---

@ Full Frame.

@ Simms censor.

@ 21-1 Mega pixel camera.

@ 1920*1080 rezulation video editing capacity. etc.

** More over they brought cord less printer and camera.

Anti Tobacco Activist

A good news for us. There was a anti tobacco proposal and it is new.

Anti-tobacco activists at a discussion yesterday called on the government to bring changes to Tobacco Control Act and make it mandatory to print pictorial warning on each cigarette stick to discourage smoking.

They said printed health warning on the cigarette packets is not useful for illiterate people.

Save the Environment Movement in cooperation with Pratyasha, an anti-drug club, WBB Trust and Manobik organised the discussion at the National Press Club.

Pointing out a number of loopholes in the Act, lawyer Kanij Kanta said many people consume Sadapata, Zarda and Gul, which causes cancer, but there is no mention of these items in the definition of tobacco products.

She also suggested increasing penalty fee for violation of the Act, repealing article 2 of the Act and raising tax on tobacco products.

Dr Mostafa Zaman of World Health Organisation said, "Tobacco is not an economic crop. Rather, it damages our economy." In 2004, Bangladesh earned Tk 400 crore from tobacco products but spent Tk 5000 crore on treatment for tobacco-related diseases and the gap is widening gradually, he substantiated.

Dr Rashid-e-Mahbub said the National Board of Revenue should take initiative to make the people aware about the effects of tobacco consumption.

Quoting from the latest study, Dr Arup Ratan Chowdhury said, "Smoking is the cause of all diseases and breast cancer is the result of indirect smoking."

Chairman of Save the Environment Movement Abu Naser Khan chaired the programme.

New Medicine

There was a seminar for that medicine.

Speakers at a seminar on management of hypertension said the newly developed 'Lacipidine' medicine provides better tolerability than conventionally used 'Amlopidine' in controlling hypertension.

Aristopharma Ltd, a pharmaceutical company in the country, organised the scientific seminar marking the launching of their new product Lacicard (Lacidipine) at Sonargaon Hotel yesterday, says a press release.

Prof (Emeritus) Dr Sufia Rahman, former adviser to a caretaker government and chief adviser and consultant of Euro-Bangla Heart Hospital Ltd, presented the keynote speech.

She showed that Lacicard provides better tolerability than conventionally used Amlodipine in management of hypertension.

Prof Dr AKM Rafique Uddin, former head of Department of Medicine, Dhaka Medical College and currently head of Department of Medicine, Enam Medical College and Hospital, presided over the seminar.

M A Hassan, chairman and managing director of Aristopharma Ltd, and other officials of the pharmaceutical company were also present.

Photo exhibition

hoto exhibition of Nepal titled 'A people war' began at Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts in the city yesterday.

The New Age Editor Nurul Kabir inaugurated the exhibition as special guest.

A total of 44 photographs will be displayed at the exhibition which will remain open till February 9.

Ladies right

Now a poor father had to die. A father can't protest to stop criminals from forceful marrying with his daughter.

Madhab Chandra Bagani has committed suicide in remote Badarkhali village. Neighb-ours say he failed to endure the indignation and harassment by a group of people for refusing to marry off his minor girl to a notorious man.

Anju Rani, his widow, complained in writing that her eldest daughter Shyamoli Rani is student of class VII in Phuljhuri High School. Matchmaker Tapan Kumar Roy of the same village pressed them to marry off her to Milon Gomasta of Kalomegha village in Patharghata upazila.

However, Madhab went to Kalomegha where residents informed him that Milon is a notorious man who recently divorced his first wife.

On return home, he informed the matchmaker of his decision to cancel the marriage proposal. But under influence of money, the matchmaker brought Milon and others as bridal party on December 15.

He mobilised the village elders and an arbitration meeting fined Madhab Tk 10,000, of which Tk 3,000 was extracted on the spot for breaking the match.

Matchmaker Tapan did not stop at that. He declared that he would spread rumours across villages and see the girl is never married.

The same night defamed and distressed Madhab swallowed poison. He was rushed to Barguna General Hospital where he died the following day.

The death of Madhab had unnerved the arbitrators. Apprehensive of murder charge, they went to UP chairman Ziaul Ahsan Hiru to settle the matter outside the court.

It was decided that the matchmaker and arbitrators will pay Tk 1 lakh as compensation to the widow of Madhav and an accord was signed on Tk 150 stamp. But the compensation has not been paid.

UP chairman acknowledged the compensation accord and UP woman member Parveen also admitted that she was present in the arbitration meeting that fined poor Madhab.

Barguna police said they would proceed with the case after receiving the autopsy report of Madhab from the hospital.

Anju Rani and her four minor children are now facing threats from matchmaker Tapan Roy and the village arbitrators.

USA war

Now they could realize that trusting them is a job for the fools.Should not Parvez Musharraf be punished?

Pakistan's prime minister warned President Barack Obama on Friday that US attacks on Islamic militants in Pakistani territory are inflaming tensions and undermining efforts to quell the insurgency in Afghanistan.

Under the Bush administration, US officials complained the Pakistani government wasn't doing enough to confront militants that are allied with the Taliban and al-Qaeda. US forces have staged a number of missile strikes, and at least one ground attack, aimed at extremists based in Pakistan.

"As far as Pakistan is concerned, we are successfully isolating the militants from the local tribes, and we are keeping the tribes on the right side," Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said during an event on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.

Obama has pledged to shift the US military's focus away from Iraq and on to Afghanistan and Pakistan, which he calls the central front in the struggle against terrorist groups.

Gilani said Richard Holbrooke, the new US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, will visit Pakistan on Feb. 9.

"The focus of President Obama and our forces and our resolve is the same to fight against extremism and terrorism," he said.

But Gilani said US attacks inside Pakistan are inflaming anti-American sentiment. "Therefore that would not be useful. It would be counterproductive," he said.

Meanwhile, a roadside bomb hit a Pakistani army convoy near a Taliban stronghold, killing three soldiers and wounding another six, the army said yesterday.

Assailants detonated the bomb Friday evening as the convoy rolled through a village near the Swat valley, an army spokesman said. He requested anonymity, citing policy.

Pakistan's military has vowed to reinvigorate the efforts of thousands of soldiers stationed in Swat, a formerly peaceful region where Taliban militants have gained ground during 18 months of fighting.

The valley is separate from the tribal regions along the Afghan border where Taliban and al-Qaeda sanctuaries are under attack from Pakistani troops and unmanned US aircraft.

Anti Malarial Kit

To protect people from mosquitoes and its harmful effect, recently used anti mosquito nets are widely used.

Hundreds of millions of mosquito nets and anti-malaria kits are to be distributed by 2010, officials behind a campaign to halt about one million malaria deaths a year said yesterday.

But they urged donors not to ditch the campaign because of the economic crisis, saying there was a real chance the malaria epidemic could be eliminated in coming years.

"The resources to attack this problem -- to eliminate malaria deaths -- is there. We can achieve universal distribution of bed nets, of malaria medicine, of indoor spraying within 2010," said Rajat Kumar Gupta, who chairs the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

In sub-Saharan Africa alone, some 600 million people are said to be at risk from the disease. Scott Case, a campaigner, said this means 300 million bed nets are required in the region.

Corporate leaders from Standard Chartered Bank, ExxonMobil and News Corporation have come together to launch a 100-million-dollar (78-million-euro) fund-raising campaign.

"We had a good start ... 40 million dollars of the 100 million dollars has been committed," said Rex Tillerson, ExxonMobil chairman and chief executive officer.

He said he thinks funding can be found despite the economic crisis, if the campaign can "demonstrate to donors that their investment for eradication has a return."

Anti Malarial Kit

To protect people from mosquitoes and its harmfull effect,

Revolusion

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said yesterday that Iran's Islamic revolution was not limited to its borders, as the country paid tribute to the man who led the overthrow of the shah 30 years ago.

"The revolution is lively and alive after 30 years," Ahmadinejad said at a ceremony marking the anniversary of the return from exile of the father of the revolution Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

"We are still at the beginning of the path and greater changes are ahead. This thunderous revolution will continue until justice is implemented," the firebrand president said.

"Although the Islamic revolution happened in Iran it is not limited to Iranian borders."

Ahmadinejad was joined at the ceremony at Khomeini's mausoleum in southern Tehran by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as well as members of the government and military commanders.

Low Salary

Is low salary ,the only cause for resign?

A Pakistan newspaper has reported that Javed Miandad resigned from his position as director-general of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) because of an insufficient salary. The News, a Karachi-based daily, has carried a handwritten letter from Wasim Bari, the director of HR and administration, to Saleem Altaf, the PCB's chief operating officer, after discussing the contract with Miandad.

The report said Miandad was offered Rs 500,000 (US$6,300) per month in the contract which the former Test captain and coach refused last Wednesday, resigning from the position he had held since November.

"He [Miandad] earns 75,000 rupees/50,000 rupees for a one hour program on TV," Bari's letter read. "As he is a renowned international cricketer therefore he should be paid accordingly as [former India coach] Greg Chappell and [former Pakistan coach] Geoff Lawson."

The letter also said that Miandad wanted to take full charge of all cricketing affairs so that he could bring the desired results.

Indian Premiere League

Pakistan gave permission to the players to participate in the IPL matches. If it is , why not in ICL?

Pakistan's cricketers have been given the green light to participate in this year's IPL by the country's sports ministry, but they were told that their security would be their own and their IPL franchise's responsibility.

"The players can individually decide what they want to do and we have no objections to them going to India for the IPL matches," sports minister Pir Aftab Shah Jillani said. "The [Pakistan Cricket] Board has asked for our comments for individual players and not a national team so we have given our NOC [no objection certificate] and sent it to the President's Secretariat for further action."

He explained that the ministry did not allow the national hockey and squash teams to travel to India for international tournaments earlier because they had to take into consideration the tense relations between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks.

The Pakistan players stood to lose all their money from their lucrative IPL contracts if their government had blocked them from participating in the tournament. Some IPL franchises had also expressed uncertainty over the future of Pakistan players on their books, mostly because the current political climate could lead to extended visa restrictions.

Australian Open Tennis

Ya , she got the honor back. Again it is the reign of Williams.

Serena Williams thrashed Russia's Dinara Safina 6-0, 6-3 to win her fourth Australian Open title Saturday, bringing up her 10th Grand Slam and reclaiming the world number one ranking on the way.

In one of the most lop-sided deciders ever, the American utterly dominated third seed Safina, allowing her opponent to win only eight points in the first set and claiming the championship in less than an hour.

"I'm so excited ... I clearly love playing here and I get great support here. I don't get that every place I go," Williams said, after winning the first women's night final played in the Rod Laver Arena.

Williams, the second seed, emphatically backed up her pre-tournament comments that she was the best women's tennis player in the world and will now officially reclaim the top ranking from Serbia's Jelena Jankovic.

She also became the highest ever prize money winner in women's sport during the tournament and took the women's doubles title with her sister Venus on Friday.

Williams said she was thrilled to join the likes of Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova in the elite group of women with 10 or more Grand Slams.

"I idolised Steffi Graf," she said. "When I played her I was like 'Oh My God, it's Steffi Graf' and Martina Navratilova was someone who was my role model, so when I think of these greats I don't really think of my name, I think of them.

"I think people are starting to think of me (in those terms), which is uber-cool, I can't even get my mind around that."

Safina, whose brother Marat Safin won the men's title in 2005, had aimed to enter the history books as the part of the only brother-sister combination to hold Grand Slam titles.

Instead, she narrowly avoided entering the record books as being on the wrong end of the worst drubbing in a final in the tournament's history, saying Williams left her feeling like "a ball boy on the court today."

"She played exactly the way she had to play and she was much more aggressive and she was just taking time away from me," the 22-year-old said. "She didn't let me come into the match."

Only Graf in 1994 and Margaret Smith in 1962 have posted more comprehensive victories in the decider, both winning 6-0, 6-2.

Safina put the loss down to stage fright, saying Williams' experience proved a crucial factor, but vowed to dust herself off and come back better than ever.

The Russian also lost her only previous Grand Slam final at the French Open last year, but Williams was full of praise after the match.

"Dinara has a good future," she said. "She's hitting the ball so hard I just had to go for broke.

"Thanks to her for putting on a great show for women's tennis," added the American, who continued a sequence of winning the Australian Open title in odd-numbered years, with her previous wins coming in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

Safina may take some comfort from compatriot Maria Sharapova, who also managed to take just three games off Williams when she was humbled 6-1, 6-2 in the 2007 final but came back to take the title the following year.

Williams showed no signs of the service problems that dogged her early in the tournament and aggressively took the match to Safina from the outset.

It was Safina's serve, with its trademark high ball toss, which fell apart as she coughed up three double faults in her opening service game to gift Williams an easy break.

She continued to break Safina at will, while the Russian could only manage two points off Williams' serve in a first set that was over in 22 minutes.

"I saw that it was so fast and I thought, 'OK, I've got to stay focused,'" Williams said.

"I thought 'Safina, she's a warrior, she never gives up, she's been down a couple of match points already in the tournament, so I've got to stay focused."

Safina desperately tried to regroup and broke Williams in the first game of the second set but could not stop the rout and conceded the match when she hit a drop shot wide after 59 minutes.

Cell Phones

Cell phones are now giving more options to please you.

According to a report by Priya Ganapati of Wired Dot Com, buttons on Cell Phones are pretty much on their way out. Five years from now, it is likely that the mobile phone you will be holding will be a smooth, sleek brick a piece of metal and plastic with a few grooves in it and little more.

Like Apple's iPhone, it will be mostly display; unlike the iPhone, it will be much more than just a touchscreen - it will respond to voice commands and gestures as well as touch.

Specialists predict that Mobile interface design has to mimic the touch, sight, gesture and auditory feeds that we use to interact with our environment. That means speaking to your phone rather than typing, pointing with your finger instead of clicking on buttons, and gesturing instead of touching. You could listen to music, access the internet, use the camera and shop for gadgets by just telling your phone what you want to do, by waving your fingers at it, or by aiming its camera at an object you're interested in buying.

Over the last few years, advances in display technology and processing power have turned smartphones into capable and smaller versions of computers. As a result, phones have gone beyond traditional audio communication and texting to support a wide range of multimedia and office applications.

The one thing that hasn't changed, until recently, is the tiny keypad. Sure, there have been some tweaks, such as T9 predictive text input that cuts down on the time it takes to type, a QWERTY keyboard instead of a 12-key one, or the touchscreen version of a keyboard found on the iPhone. But basically, the act of telling your phone what to do still involves the use of your fingers, specially your thumbs!

Experts say the industry needs a new wave of interface technologies to transform how we relate to our phones. The traditional keypads and scroll wheels will give way to advanced speech recognition and motion sensors.

In the future, instead of a single large screen that is fragile and smudged by fingerprints, phone designers could create products with multiple touch screens.

Users could also interact with their phone by simply speaking to it using technology from companies such as Massachusetts (USA) based Vlingo.

Vlingo's application allows users to command their phones by voice. That could enable you to speak the URLs for web pages or dictate e-mail messages!

Natural speech recognition has long been a challenging affair for human-computer interface researchers. Most devices with speech-recognition capabilities require users to speak commands in an artificially clear way. They also tend to have high error rates, leading to unpopularity.

Unlike conventional voice-recognition technologies, which require specific applications built to recognize selected language commands, Vlingo uses a more open-ended approach.

User voice commands are captured as audio files and transferred over the wireless connection to a server, where they're processed. The technology personalizes itself for each individual user, recognizing and training itself based on the individual user's speech patterns.

"If you say Boston and it shows up as Austin you can correct it on screen," says Vlingo CEO Dave Grannan. "And when you make the correction you are training the system."

Trade and export

Due to some nasty laws, India did not allow us to export goods there.Now...

India is ready to cut down more items from its negative list with regard to Bangladesh to expand trade with the neighbouring country,

said a senior commerce ministry official yesterday.

Last year, India shortened its sensitive list from 744 to 480.

"We are open, we are prepared to review our negative list and take it further down," Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Commerce Rajeev Kher said at a CII function.

He said Bangladesh, how ever, should ensure that Indian investments are facilitated in Bangladesh besides providing better transit facilities.

"...it cannot be a situation where India goes on doing things and does not see appropriate response from the other side," he added.

India became the biggest exporter to Bangladesh (3.27 billion US dollars), overtaking China in 2007-08. Trade between the two countries stood at 3.6 billion US dollars.

India has already scrapped import duty on all items other than those in the negative list for LDCs of South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) with effect from 1 January this year.

The LDCs in the region are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal.

An investment promotion agreement between India and Bangladesh is expected to be inked during External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's forthcoming visit to Bangladesh.

The sensitive list of goods refers to the list of products where no tariff benefits would be offered.

University of Dhaka

University of Dhaka, the best Bangladeshi University is now trying to reform again.

Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique yesterday said the authorities would ensure a congenial academic atmosphere on the campus for the sake of students.

He was talking to newsmen after attending the ‘Third Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Lecture 2009’ organised by Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at the RC Majumder auditorium on the campus as the chief guest.

“The ideals and values of Mahatma Gandhi are very relevant to today’s society and there is no alternative to his philosophy that can resolve the existing conflict and pandemonium in our society and attain ultimate development and peace,” Prof Arefin added.

In his keynote paper, Prof Syed Anwar Husain discussed on Gandhi’s life, values and practices.

Deputy High Commissioner of India in Dhaka Mukta D Tomar said Gandhi’s moral values continue to be relevant in the context of menace of terrorism facing the world today and no cause or religion either justifies or sanctifies resource to acts of terror.

“Mahatma Gandhi will always be an inspiration in the troubled world we live in,” she added.

Pro-VC Harun-or-Rashid, Prof Dalim Chandra Barman and Prof Rafiqul Islam also spoke at the programme.

The department has been organising the lectures to commemorate the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on January 30 for the last two years.