Jute genome decoded Golden fibre to become healthy, high yielding, weather-tolerant;

Reaz Ahmed, senior writer of The Daily Star (June 17, 2010)

Bangladeshi researchers have successfully decoded the jute plant genome opening up a new vista in the development of variety of the world's most adorned biodegradable natural fibre.

Experts said this gene sequencing would help improve the fibre length and quality, including colours and strength; and develop high yielding, saline soil- and pest-tolerant jute varieties through genetic engineering.

With the successful sequencing of jute genome, Bangladesh becomes only the second country after Malaysia, among the developing nations, to achieve such a feat.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made the announcement of Bangladesh's scientific achievement in the parliament yesterday amid cheers and desk thumping by lawmakers.

Researchers from Dhaka University, Bangladesh Jute Research Institute and Software Company DataSoft in collaboration with Centre for Chemical Biology, University of Science, Malaysia and University of Hawaii, USA have decoded the genome.

Bangladeshi scientist Maqsudul Alam, a professor of the University of Hawaii, who earlier decoded the genome of papaya in the US and rubber plant in Malaysia, led from the forefront in sequencing the jute genome.

Maqsudul told The Daily Star over telephone yesterday evening, "This is a great accomplishment not only for Bangladesh but for the whole world." He refused to comment any further saying there would be a formal address to the press today (Thursday).

Dubbing it a historic scientific advancement, Sheikh Hasina told the parliament this would redeem the lost glory of the "golden fibre" as gene mapping of jute would now help breeders develop jute varieties resistant to pests and climatic adversities.

She said genome sequencing would help redeem the lost glory of our jute and jute products, immensely contribute to our economy and help transform jute fibre into the golden fibre and bring smiles to millions of jute farmers.

Jute genome sequencing initiative began in February, 2008 when Maqsudul started exploring the possibilities with several Bangladeshi scientists and academics. The whole process was kicked off with many long conference calls between Maqsudul and plant molecular biologists, Prof Haseena Khan and Prof Zeba Seraj of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Dhaka University. Then the lead researcher had several meetings with Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury.

Genome sequence represents a valuable shortcut, helping scientists find genes much more easily and quickly. A genome sequence allows scientists identify and understand how genes work together for the plant's different features like growth, development and maintenance as an entire organism. This allows them to manipulate the genes and enhance, reduce or add certain features of the plant.

Contacted, Zeba Seraj of DU told The Daily Star, "As against three billion genetic letters in human genome, jute has one billion. And sequencing of jute genome will open up a new vista of possibilities."

Jute is the second largest fibre crop in terms of cultivation next to cotton. Bangladesh is the world's second-largest producer of jute, after India, and the world's largest exporter of the fibre.

Sheikh Hasina when mother of ill-fated girls (June 09, 2010

Ratna, Runa and Asma, the three tragic characters of the cruel Nimtoli blaze, tied their nuptial knots Wednesday evening giving credence again to American poet Robert Frost’s famous quote about life, “It goes on.”

Famous musician Bismillah Khan’s music combined with the tunes of both melancholy and happiness was played on “Sanai” suiting the traditional wedding ceremony at the Banquet Hall of Ganobhaban.

A wedding podium was decorated with fresh roses, jasmine and `rajanigandha’ exuding sweet fragrance. The podium was wrapped up on the outside with colourful “silk’ cloths.

The background of the stage carried the three signs of love inscribing the names of three couples —Ratna and Suman, Runa and Jamil, and Asma and Alamgir.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who took upon her all responsibilities of their marriages as a ‘mother’ bought eight tolas of gold for each girl.

She also bought all necessary furniture and household items needed for a newly married couple starting from sofa set to refrigerator and television, dinner table and dinner sets to cooking utensils.

The Prime Minister also managed jobs for the three bridegrooms.

Since Runa’s husband Jamil belongs to the Shia community, marriage ceremony was conducted according to their culture.

Three brides wearing traditional red Benarasi katan saree entered Ganobhaban at 8:30pm while the three bridegrooms and their relatives came to Ganobhaban in 80 cars at 9:30pm.

The bridegrooms paid Tk 25,000 each as gate money.

The Prime Minister decorated the brides with gold ornament with motherly affection at 9:20pm. Raja Hossain Hosseni and Hujjatul Islam Maulan Naki Imam moderated the wedding of Runa and Ratna while Quazi Mohammad Yunus moderated the marriage ceremony of Asma.

Awami League leaders MA Aziz was the ‘Ukil bap” for Ratna, Haji Selim for Runa and Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin MP for Asma.

‘Den Mohar’ was fixed at Tk 1.13 lakh for each bridegroom. Ganobhaban officials said food was cooked for 2,500 to 3,000 guests, mostly relatives and friends of the bride and bridegrooms as well as local elite of Nimtoli.

All the three brides – two sisters Sakina Akhter Ratna and Umme Faria Akhter Runa, and Asma Akhtar - lost their mothers and other family members in the blaze on June 3.

Asma’s father is struggling for his life at Dhaka CMH. Close relatives of the brides’ and grooms’ families, elite from Nimtoli area, local MP, local political leaders and senor Awami League leaders attended the marriage ceremony.

A RARE GESTURE (June 03,2010-UNB)

"I have no more expectations in life." That was the only sentence uttered by Ramiza Khatun, an octogenarian beggar, after she met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday.
Ramiza Khatun, who scrapes a living by begging on the city streets, came to meet the prime minister at the prime minister's office (PMO) following a news story carried by Bangla daily Kaler Kantho.
The new Bangla daily on June 2 published a front-page story that Ramiza Khatun's late husband, Hasmat Ali, who used to be a van driver, bought a piece of land in 2003 and registered the land in the name of Sheikh Hasina.
Prime minister's press secretary Abul Kalam Azad disclosed the ownership of the land will now be transferred to Ramiza Khatun.
On Ramiza's arrival at the prime minister's room in the PMO, the Hasina hugged Ramiza with rare emotion.
"From now onwards, I myself will take care of you," Hasina told Ramiza. As per the prime minister's directive, the government will soon set up a home for Ramiza on the land her husband bought.
"A farm full of pet animals like cows, ducks and hens will also be set up for Ramiza Khatun," said Abul Kalam Azad.
Besides, the prime minister further said that from now on, the government will bear all the expenses for medical treatment of Ramiza Khatun.
The prime minister also donated an amount of cash to Ramiza on the occasion.
According to the Kaler Kantho report, Hasmat Ali through his hard-earned money bought 6.45 decimals land on February 22, 2003 at Kharua Barail village of Rawna Union under Gafurgaon Upazila in Mymensingh district.
Hasmat, who died at the age of 80 in 2004, bought the land for Sheikh Hasina as he used to think of Hasina as an "orphan" after the tragic killings of her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and mother Fazilatunnesa Mujib, along with most of her other family members, on August 15, 1975.
After Bangabandhu's death, Hasmat Ali and Ramiza Khatun came to the capital and started to live in Agargaon slum.
According to the report, Hasmat Ali used to say the Razakars had killed Bangabandhu, leaving Sheikh Hasina as an "orphan". "He (Hasmat Ali) would always say he must do something for Sheikh Hasina," Ramiza was quoted as saying by the daily.
After Hasmat Ali died in 2004, Ramiza was compelled to live through begging, as her only son did not take his struggling mother with his family.
Unfortunately, the person from whom Hasmat Ali bought the land for Sheikh Hasina later grabbed the land. Prime minister Hasina, during the meet with Ramiza, ordered the authorities concerned to rescue the land and register it in the name of Ramiza.
The news story of the Bangla daily also had written that Ramiza is now suffering from various complicated diseases and old age complications.

Soon after reading the news report, the prime minister directed her officials to ensure modern
treatment for Ramiza. From then onwards, Ramiza has been undergoing treatment at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital.

Writer of the news story Haider Ali and BSMMU vice-chancellor Prof Dr Pran Gopal Datta were also present.

Cabinet approves national education policy(UNB-31-05-10)

The National Education Policy-2010, approved by the Cabinet on Monday, extended the level of primary education from class V to class VIII and free education from class V-VIII. The new education policy also raised the level of secondary education from class IX up to class XII.

At the end of class X, a terminal examination will be held at upazila, municipality and thana level on a common question paper. According to the new education policy, a system will be in place so all students would be able to study their respective religions as well as moral education.

The education policy envisages the aim of madrasah education as building good faith on almighty Allah and his prophet (SM) and to enable the students to perceive the essence of Islam, the religion of peace.

Aligning with other modes of education, religion will be studied at the ebtedayee level in madrasah along with compulsory subjects like Bangla, English, moral education, Bangladesh studies, mathematics, social studies, environment and climate change, and science.

"Under the new policy, country''s education system will be inclusive," PM''s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said at press briefing at the PID conference room after the cabinet meeting.

He said all will be included in the education system "irrespective of religion, sex, socio-economic and geographical position, ethnic identities and disabilities."

About the primary education, Azad said the primary education will be gradually made full-free up to class VIII.

In this regard, he told the reporters that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stressed in the cabinet meeting the need for making the whole education system full free as she believes investment in education as most important.

"Education is the strongest tool for poverty eradication," Hasina was quoted as saying by her press secretary.
Replying to a question, Azad said the new education policy is expected to be implemented from the next academic year and a high level committee will be given the charge to guide the Education Ministry and concerned departments to implement the education policy properly.

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was congratulated by her cabinet colleagues for her visionary leadership in the formulation of the much-expected new education policy.

The Press Secretary said Prime Minister after getting the draft copy of the new education policy had directed the Education Ministry for posting the policy on its website so that people of all professions and classes could give their opinions and views about the policy.

"Educationalists, researchers, students, teachers, various professionals, religious leaders and mass people all have given their valuable opinions on the website.
Besides, the government also has collected suggestions from various seminars, meetings and symposiums before finalizing the education policy," he said.

Azad said Prime Minister Hasina at the cabinet meeting reiterated her strong commitment to build Bangladesh as a country of well-educated people.

"The new education policy will enlighten the people with the light of modern science and technology, moral and religious education, and with the spirit of the liberation war of 1971."

Describing the background of the new education policy, he said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman after the independence formed Kudrat-e-Khuda Commission, but after his tragic killing in 1975, the commission was not continued.

In 1997, the then Awam League government formed Shamsul Haque Education Commission, but it also could not be implemented later.

"After assuming the office this time, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ordered the (Education) Ministry to formulate a time-befitting, modern education policy in the light of the recommendations of the two previous commissions and the present necessities and situation," Azad said.

The government formed National Education Policy Formulation Committee on April 8, 2009 with National Professor Kabir Chowdhury as its head and the committee submitted the draft policy to Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on September 2 last year.

Then the Education Ministry posted the draft on its website for soliciting public opinion on the draft education policy.

The main characteristics of the new education policy are as follows:

Pre-Primary and Primary Education:
- One year-long pre-primary education will be introduced for 5+ children;
- Adivasi (indigenous) teachers and text books on Adivasi languages will be arranged so that Adivasi children can learn their respective mother tongues;
- Education up to class VIII will be primary and it will be free, universal and compulsory;
- Students will get stipends on the basis of class V exam results;
- All students will have scope to learn their respective religions.

Secondary Education:
- Level of secondary education will be from class IX up to XII;
- At secondary level of general, madrasah and vocational medium, common curriculam and texts will be followed for Bengali, English, Mathematics, Information Technology and Bangladesh Studies;
- At the end of class X a terminal examination will be held at upazila, municipality and thana level on a common question paper and students will be given stipends on the basis of their results.

Higher Study:
- Three-year degree course will gradually be turned into four-year Honors course at all educational institutions;
- Non-government Teachers Commission will be formed for teachers'' selection in non-government educational institutions and to provide them with trainings;
- To decentralize the National University, its centers will be set up at all divisional headquarters and later these centers will be turned into approving universities for respective areas.
Vocational and Technical Education:
- At the end of class VIII, students passing the primary certificate examination can opt for vocational education, if they so want;
- To expand vocational and technical education, technical education institutes will be set up in each upazila while numbers of polytechnic institutes, textile institutes and leather institutes will also be increased;

Facilities for teachers:
- To encourage meritorious students take up teaching profession, the issues of dignity and status of teachers will deeply be considered to restructure the system;
- Steps will be taken to enact an Integrated Education Act and form a Permanent Education Commission.

PM smells sabotage in city’s power supply; She warns of stern action against those guilty

Dhaka, Apr 20 (UNB) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said certain people responsible for the city’s power system deliberately stop electricity supply in many areas to tarnish the image of the government.

“Many times load shedding is done unnecessarily. For example, electricity supply is stopped just before prayer time when there is no need for load shedding,” she said.

The Prime Minister hinted at the sinister design while addressing the opening function of the extended Bijoy-Sarani-Tejgaon industrial area road and railway bypass this (Tuesday) morning.

State Minister for Housing and Public Works Abdul Mannan Khan, local lawmaker Asaduzzaman Khan and RAJUK chairman engineer Md. Nurul Huda also spoke at the function, chaired by Housing and Public Works Secretary MA Hannan.

Expressing her sympathy with the fellow-countrymen including the city dwellers for their sufferings from the power shortage, Sheikh Hasina said the government has already come to know about some incidents where power supply was stopped unnecessarily in the name of load shedding.

She directed the Power Division and other departments concerned to go for whirlwind visits to the power stations and sub-stations in the city to identify the saboteurs and take stern action.

“Anyone caught red handed will be arrested and sacked permanently from the job,” the Prime Minister said.

Some harmful activities are also going on in city water supply system, she said, and cautioned that the government will not tolerate any such activities.

She said the Awami League government has the misfortune that when coming to power it has to face severe electricity crisis mainly created by the previous governments.

“When we came to power in 1996 the total power generation was only 1600 MW, which in the next few years had been extended to 4300 MW. But then in the last seven years not a single MW of power was added to the national grid.”

The Prime Minister said now the present government has to meet the production gap of the last seven years and at the same time, has to meet the increasing daily demand of electricity.

“But through hectic efforts, Insha-Allah, we hope to remove the power crisis again like our previous term.”

She requested the people to be more economic in using electricity and water.

“I myself switch off the AC and electric bulbs whenever I come out of the room. But I know that many government officials hesitate to switch off the bulbs and ACs by themselves as they think it to be an act beneath their prestige. Such mentality has to be changed,” Hasina said.

Referring to the 1783-meter (including 669 meter railway overpass) extended Bijoy Sarani-Tejgaon industrial area link road, she said this new road will help significantly to reduce the huge traffic congestion in the capital city.

Specially, she said, movement of vehicular traffic from Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Kalabagan, Lalmatia, Dhanmondi and Shyamoli areas to Gulshan, Uttara, Baridhara and Tejgaon areas will be much more easier and comfortable through the Tejgaon-Bijoy Sarani link road.

The Prime Minister noted that the present traffic congestion in the capital is nothing but the result of lack of vision of the past governments.

“Since the liberation, in the last 39 years, Awami League was in power for only 9/10 years. If the other governments which were in power for long periods would take effective and planned initiatives, the present situation in the traffic management would not prevail,” she said.

Hasina in her speech reiterated the government’s plan to permanently remove traffic congestion from Dhaka city and turn the capital into a city of smooth, fast-moving traffic.

She said the government would introduce commuter train service between capital Dhaka and the adjoining districts.

“During our last tenure we introduced commuter train service between Dhaka and Brahmanbaria. This time also we have a plan to start the service from all other district cities adjacent to the capital.

“Once the commuter train service is introduced, people from the districts like Tangail, Mymensingh and Gazipur won’t have to live in the capital for their livelihoods. They will come in the morning and return to their village homes by evening.

The Prime Minister further said the government will also take measures to improve the waterways surrounding the capital city.

“If we can establish a water transport system using the four rivers surrounding the capital, it will create another way of easy and comfortable transport for the people from their respective towns to the capital.”

The other ambitious projects she spelt out included construction of elevated expressway, subway, flyovers and overpasses.

She said at least six overpasses need to be established on urgent basis over the city’s rail crossings for the sake of smooth traffic system.

The Prime Minister strongly directed the RAJUK not to permit any construction project in the city which will be submitted without keeping spaces for children’s park, playground and parking places.

She also ordered for taking immediate steps to preserve the ponds, canals and other water bodies in the city.

“Our Dhaka has almost turned into an inhabitable city. As if the capital has become a slum of concrete. If we all do not try with heart and soul, we cannot save our capital,” Hasina said.

She said the government is soon going to start construction of 50,000 flats in the capital city while construction works of flyovers in Kuril and Gulistan areas of the city will also start soon.

The Prime Minister also directed the WASA and RAJUK to work on how to introduce separate water supply lines - one for drinking and another for domestic uses including car wash.

PM unveils ambitious scheme to bring all UPs under fibre optic cable network

Dhaka, Mar 2 (UNB)-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Tuesday unveiled an ambitious digitization plan for building Bangladesh as a country fully furnished with modern telecommunications systems for faster delivery of services to the people ensuring good governance from grassroots to central levels.

Under the mega-scheme ‘Digital Bangladesh: Plan of Connecting People’, all Union Parishads will be linked with fibre-optic network, upazilas will get Community e-Centre, and hospitals and schools get computer, web-cam and internet.

Already, 100 Union Parishads have been selected for giving fibre-optic cable connections while another 1,000 unions will be bound with the cross-country cable network within the next one year.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Concept Paper on ‘Digital Bangladesh: Plan of Connecting People’ at a city hotel, the Prime Minister urged the country’s scientists, technological experts and engineers to turn Bangladesh self-sufficient in using technologies rather than depending on foreign countries and agencies.

Pushing a button of a computer, the Prime Minister opened the technical part of the agenda, aimed at breaking the digital divide between the advanced world and a developing country like Bangladesh.

To introduce modern and faster communications network in the sleepy rural Bangladesh, she said, the government will bring offices of all Union Parishads under fibre-optic network as part of the recipe for boarding the entire country on the information superhighway.

The Prime Minister further disclosed that Community e-Center will be set up in all upazilas of the country. Already, five upazilas have got Community e-Center and 128 upazilas computer labs.

She said in line with government’s commitment to provide quality health services to the mass people, the government will give computers, web-cam and internet facilities to all hospitals of the country.

Besides, e-center for Rural Community will be set up at 8,500 post offices of the country to ensure proper management of the postal services.

Moreover, the government is making arrangement to provide videoconferencing facility between Prime Minister’s office and the cabinet division, deputy commissioners of 64 districts and 7 divisional headquarters.

The government is also constructing necessary infrastructures to set up Hi-tech Park in Gazipur and install country’s own satellite to strengthen local telecommunications system, she informed her audience.

The Prime Minister said it is not possible to implement all the development programmes by the government alone and urged all concerned to help the government turn Bangladesh into a digital, modern country by 2021.

“I strongly hope joint ventures under public-private partnerships will fulfill our dream of building a digital Bangladesh,” she said.

Hasina mentioned that the ICT Policy 2009 has already been approved and the ICT ACT 2009 formulated, which will expedite the country’s ICT industry’s growth and joint efforts of public and private sectors.

The Prime Minister said some 1,500 laptops have been distributed to various educational institutions while computer labs equipped with internet facilities will be set up gradually at every educational institution.

“Our children are working successfully in various international institutions. If they are given necessary facilities, they will make tremendous contribution to the effort for turning Bangladesh into a technology-based modern country,” she told the function.

Hasina further said the government is going to implement national service programme in line with its election pledge to give job to one educated member of every family in the country.

She said digital Bangladesh means mobilizing everyone of the country in the national development process and for this local government has to be strengthened.

Hasina said upazila elections have already been held and elections in city corporations, pourasobhas and union parishads will be held soon.

Posts and Telecommunications Ministry arranged the function with its Minister Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju in the chair. International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Secretary-General Dr Hamadoun I. Toure addressed the function as special guest.

Prime Minister’s son, eminent computer scientist Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed, presented the theme paper of the function presenting and suggesting the priority tasks to turn Bangladesh into a true digital country.

Posts and Telecommunications Secretary Sunil Kanti Bose and BTRC Chairman Maj. Gen. (rtd) Zia Ahmed also addressed the function. A video documentary was also presented at the function sowing the dream Bangladesh of 2021-the year when the golden jubilee of national independence will be celebrated.

ITU SG requests PM Hasina to act as ambassador of global cyber peace

Dhaka, Mar 2 (UNB-2010)-International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Secretary-General
Dr Hamadoun I. Toure sought cooperation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as an ambassador for maintaining global cyber security and peace, as cyber-war emerges as a latest security concern for the world community.

Addressing the opening ceremony of concept paper titled ‘Digital Bangladesh: Plan of Connecting People’ at a city hotel, the ITU Secretary-General praised Sheikh Hasina as “Woman of Peace”.

“We all on the earth will have to work unitedly and in a coordinated manner to ensure peaceful use of the cyberspace. And, in this regard, I will call upon Sheikh Hasina to be an ambassador for maintaining peace in the cyber-world. Because she has such visionary and wise leadership,” he told the function.

Dr Hamadoun said Bangladesh is one of the largest markets for telecommunications in the present world.

“I believe through the path of Vision 2021 and with visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh will be turned into a modern technology-based country.”

Information technology can bring prosperity for a nation and, at the same time, criminals can use also the cyberspace for their anti-peace activities.

Prime Minister’s son, computer scientist Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed, presented the theme paper on the dreamland called digital Bangladesh.

While presenting his paper, Joy said ultimate goal of the plan of digital Bangladesh is turning it into an outsourcing hub of the globe.

Joy said modern telecommunications system will be the backbone of the dreamt digital Bangladesh while digital technologies are the main driving force to build a poverty-and hunger-free Bangladesh.

He said domestic IT industries would have to be created and flourished to give a good base to the planned digital Bangladesh.

“IT industry should be considered as thrust sector to expedite the national process to build the digital Bangladesh. The country must have its own expertise to maintain the system,” he said.

Technology-based digital Bangladesh will facilitate people with all government-sponsored services electronically, which will help the nation eliminate corruption from all sectors at all levels.

“When the total system will be computerized with modern telecommunications facilities, all official documents will be kept in the database. If any official does any corruption, it will remain recorded in the system,” he said.

To get such a modern country, each citizen, including the school students, will have to have access to information technology and fast telecom devices, he told the function.

Joy, who lives in America and just made his debut in politics, also stressed the need for setting up IT Park in the country as soon as possible for rapid flourishing of the IT sector.

He also emphasized best use of +fibre-optic-cable facilities of the country, saying that most such cables still remain unused.

Joy mentioned two probable projects of the present government -Videoconferencing Facilities up to Field Level Administration and Installation of Modern Digital Systems--to ensure good governance at all levels of government administration.