FM lends support to steer ahead IOR-ARC objectives

Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad yesterday expressed the hope that the member countries of IOR-ARC could immensely exploit their untapped potential to promote their speedy economic growth, reports BSS from Muskat.

Kuwait army chief visits Ansar, VDP Academy

SHAFIPUR, Tangail, Jan 22: Chief of Staff of the Kuwait Armed Forces Lieutenant General Ali Mohammad Al-Moumen visited the Ansar and VDP Academy at Shafipur in Tangail today, reports BSS.

On his arrival at Shafipur, General Moumen was received by the Director General of Ansar and VDP.

The guest and his entourage were taken around different sections of the Academy where they witnessed its ongoing training activities, an ISPR press release said.

Kuwaiti armed forces team visits Jessore Cantt

JESSORE, Jan 21: The Kuwait Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Ali Mohammad Al-Moumen, visited the Jessore Cantonment yesterday, reports BSS.

India to give Rs 200 crore fresh loan

Finance Minister Shah AMS Kibria yesterday requested India to arrange a fresh 200 crore-rupee state credit after utilisation of the present tranche, reports UNB.

PM hosts dinner for diplomats

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina hosted a dinner for the members of the diplomatic missions at the state guest house Jamuna here last night, reports BSS.

Cabinet members, advisers to the prime minister and political leaders were present on the occasion.

Holzman calls on Commerce Minister

US Ambassador to Bangladesh John C Holzman met Commerce Minister M Abdul Jalil at his parliament office yesterday and discussed matters of mutual interests, reports UNB.

They discussed ways to increase bilateral trade and investment.

Later on the day, Nepalese Ambassador in Dhaka Madhu Raman Acharya met the minister and discussed issues relating to bilateral trade and investment.

Commerce Secretary Golam Rahman was present during the meeting.

Sonia's Introspection

The first session of the Congress Working Committee proved that party leaders are still busy with Sonia, not the party, says M Abdul Hafiz

Hasina wants direct train service with India

Visiting Indian State Minister for External Affairs Ajit Kumar Panja yesterday said a joint expert group meeting between Bangladesh and India will be held in Dhaka next week to discuss existing problems between the two countries, reports UNB.

Grappling with Maoist Insurgency

A four-year-old Maoist insurgency in Nepal has left about 1,300 people dead, posing a challenge that threatens to undermine the country's constitutional monarchy.

Still Drifting

TO SAY that the India-Pakistan relationship is at its lowest ebb since 1971 is to stress the obvious. One wishes one could be optimistic about the prospects of a serious move to stop the drift, if not to repair the damage. In this situation, it is hard to be clear how the two sides would conduct themselves, except to discount the highly alarmist interpretations by a section of foreign diplomats - and, at their instance, by their respective governments. Such a reading emanates from the theory, often propounded in most industrial capitals, describing South Asia as a flash point. In practice, there are quite a few checks and balances, not excluding the nuclear status of the two sides.