Amid fanfare, a month-long Amar Ekushey Boi Mela (book fair)-2012 began yesterday on the Bangla Academy premises with a massive crowd thronging the 630 stalls adorned with around 4,000 new books. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Mela on the theme "60 years of Language Movement". The fair will remain open from 3:00pm to 9:00pm everyday and on holidays from 11:00am to 8:00pm until February 29. The PM also inaugurated the newly constructed building of Bangla Academy. The Prime Minister paid rich tributes to the 1952 Language Movement martyrs, including Salam, Barkat, Rafiq, Jabbar, and Shafiqur. She also recalled the contribution of language veteran Dhirendranath Dutta, who first placed the demand in the then Pakistan National Assembly in 1948 for making Bangla one of the state languages. Inaugurating the fair, the Prime Minister said her government had taken measures to step up research activities of Bangla Academy. A museum on the Language Movement and another on eminent writers had been established, she mentioned. She urged the writers and publishers to ensure quality of books to inspire the readers. She also attached importance to protecting the rights of the writers to encourage their creativity and called upon all concerned to take adequate measures to protect the copyrights of the writers and the publishers. She also urged parents and guardians to familiarise the new generation with treasures of books to instill into them the reading habit to build an enlightened society and keep up the spirit of Amar Ekushey. Among others, the Prime Minister was accompanied by William Radice, a British poet, researcher on Bangla language and literature and former professor of London School of Oriental and African Studies. Addressing the function, Radice said, "one of the main reasons of my learning Bangla was your struggle for freedom”. Speaking in Bangla, he said “… Bangladesh in the last 40 years developed a lot; its image has improved in the world significantly; its economy is becoming vibrant and the political situation has been improving.” The British poet said many countries in the world could now learn from Bangladesh about how it handles global warming, and the country could be the role model in the globe in this respect.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday again issued a note of warning in parliament, saying her government would take “legal action” against those who were trying to impede the trial of crimes against humanity which took place during the 1971 Liberation War. “As the holding of the trial of war criminals is one of the political commitments of the government, we are firmly committed to completing it,” she said, asserting that her government would not backtrack from the task despite the obstacles in the way. She said a certain quarter had been trying its best, directly and indirectly, to hinder the trial soon after its commencement. They were carrying out propaganda at home and abroad and making all out efforts to create anarchy in the country. In response to a query, the Prime Minister said an investigation into the alleged laundering of $25 million by Jamaat leader and owner of private television channel Diganta, Mir Kashem Ali, to appoint a US-based lobbyist firm to campaign against the trial of war criminals, was underway. The Prime Minister said her government had already amended the money laundering act and anti-terrorism law to take measures against such offences. During the question-answer session, the she also recounted the initiatives her government had taken to eradicate poverty, improve the railways sector, empower women, ensure quality education, boost agriculture and strengthen diplomatic relations with foreign countries.

Finance Minister A M A Muhith observed that the economy of the country is on right track. He said inflation is the biggest challenge for the country and added "we want to bring down the inflation to single digit". The government wants to issue sovereign bond to ensure healthy balance of payment, he said. The Minister said this at a meeting titled "Overall Economic Situation of Bangladesh" held at the FBCCI (Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry) yesterday.

Standard & Poor's, a leading rating agency in the world, has affirmed Bangladesh's sovereign credit rating with a stable outlook, which would give a much-needed boost to the country's economy. The US-based financial services company gave Bangladesh a “BB-”, due to its strong growth prospects, adequate external liquidity and substantial donor commitment to improve its debt ratios, according to its latest update as of January 13. Bangladesh received the same rating and outlook from the firm in 2011 and 2010. The rating came a few days after another international rating agency, Moody's Investors Service, reassessed Bangladesh and left its rating unchanged at “Ba3”, which the central bank believes would help the country float its first ever sovereign bonds.

Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad said in parliament yesterday that the government is considering forming a “welfare trust” for journalists. The government took the initiative to form a 'journalist assistance allowance/ grant' fund worth Tk one crore to assist insolvent journalists, he added. Replying to lawmakers' queries, he said preparations of a guideline to provide grants and allowances to journalists are at the final stage. Replying to another question, the Minister said the government will prepare a guideline to control “indecent and offensive” advertisements on private satellite television channels. Of 15 private television channels approved by the government, seven are transmitting in full swing, four are on test transmission and the rest are progressing towards test transmission, he said.

The government will reintroduce ferry services on the Meghna River on February 9 for carrying of heavy vehicles, said Communications Minister Obaidul Quader to a four-member BGMEA delegation. The delegation, led by BGMEA President Safiul Islam Mohiuddin, met the Minister at the latter's secretariat office yesterday and placed their demands. “The construction work for turning Dhaka-Chittagong highway into four lanes is going on in full swing. The construction and development of 42km of the highway at different busy points, including Daudkandi, Mirsarai and Shitakunda, will be completed by March 2013”, the Minister informed.

In a bid to attract more passengers, railway officials of Bangladesh and India have agreed in principle to operate a passenger train between Khulna and Kolkata. This would be the second train link between the two neighbours after the Maitree Express on Dhaka-Kolkata route. The decision was made at an inter-governmental railway meeting held in Dhaka on January 10-12. With the launch of this new service, passengers would reach Kolkata from Khulna in about four hours, said Bangladesh Railway (BR) sources to the reporters yesterday.

A group of foreign journalists are scheduled to visit Bangladesh next week as part of the government’s initiatives to project Bangladesh achievements before foreign audiences, Foreign Ministry sources said yesterday. More than 15 journalists of the first batch will arrive in the city for a week-long visit to different parts of the country on February 11, while similar number of journalists in two other groups are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka early March and April. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs took the initiative in 2011 to bring foreign journalists in order to showcase changes in Bangladesh to world audiences and the programme has yielded positive results last year.

The World Wetlands Day is being celebrated in the country as elsewhere in the world today with this year's theme of “Wetlands and Tourism”. Every year, the day is observed with a call to conserve water bodies and related natural resources from the onslaught of degradation and depletion.

The preliminary test of the 32nd Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examinations (special) will be held on March 9, stated an official release. It said a total of 1,489 BCS jobs are available in 14 categories.

Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected to pay an official visit to Bangladesh sometime this month to review the current state of bilateral relations especially the US$1 billion line of credit, said official sources.

In response to an offer made by the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), India's border force members will send their school-going children on an excursion to Bangladesh on February 5 as a token of goodwill and good-neighbourly attitude. The Border Security Force (BSF) of India during a sector-level meeting held yesterday in Benapole accepted the offer.

Eid-e-Miladunnabi, marking the birth and death anniversaries of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), will be celebrated on Sunday across the country as elsewhere in the Muslim world with due religious fervour. The President and the Prime Minister gave separate messages on the occasion.

Dhaka stocks witnessed yet another massive fall yesterday. The benchmark General Index of the DSE (DGEN), the yardstick of the market, plummeted 266.78 points or 6.42 per cent to close at 3,887.18.