By Unknown at 7/05/2013 02:44:00 am
The National Board of Revenue (NBR) has frozen the bank accounts of cricketer Mohammad Ashraful who is at the heart of a spot-fixing scandal in Bangladesh.
NBR’s Income Tax Policy Department member Syed Md Aminul Karim confirmed the revenue board’s action on Thursday.
The former Bangladesh captain is currently under suspension from all forms of the game for his involvement in spot-fixing in the second edition of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).
Aminul Karim said Bangladesh Bank has already asked all commercial banks to inform it about transactions taking place in the last two years in Ashraful’s accounts.
If the investigation finds any irregularities, Ashraful would be sued for evading tax and illegal transactions, he said.
Karim said accusations brought up against the cricketer might include tax dodge. “The probe is underway. The NBR has taken the step in line with the special provision of the Income Tax Ordinance.”
“The NBR has sought Ashraful’s revenue-related documents. He might face questioning if any irregularities are found.”
Ashraful’s legal income is Tk 15 million a year, but the revenue board suspects it is much higher.
The NBR also suspects he has bank accounts abroad and he bought lands using a different name.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) pays the cricketers through the Standard Chartered Bank.
However, Ashraful told reporters that the NBR did not inform him about anything before declining further comment.
By Unknown at 7/05/2013 02:42:00 am
Thai news agency The Phuket News has said quoting The Royal Thai Navy on Thursday that Bangladeshi cargo ship MV Hope did not sink but was lying on its side, with 11 crew members still missing.
The crewmen went missing after MV Hope ‘sank’ off the coast of Phuket early on Thursday amid hostile weather, Thai media had reported earlier.
MV Hope’s registering authority, Mercantile Marine Department’s Principal Officer Shafiqul Islam said the cargo vessel ran into massive waves and stiff crosswinds in the Andaman Sea.
He said the ship was returning with 6,545 metric tonnes of ball clay used in the ceramics industry after picking it up from Lumut port in Malaysia. “We were told that 11 of the 17-member crew of the ship are still missing. Six others were rescued.”
Thai news agency "Phuket News" said the Royal Thai Navy was conducting the rescue operations at the spot of capsize, about 29 nautical miles (54 kilometres) south of Racha Yai Island.
According to the vessel’s owners, the missing crew members were the ship’s Captain Rajib Chandra Karmakar, Chief Officer Md Mahbub Morshed, Second Officer Mobarak Hossain, Deck Cadet ‘Faizur’, Chief Engineer Kazi Saifuddin, Second Engineer Md Nejam Uddin, Engine Cadet Mushfiqur Rahman, Electricians Chhadim Ali, KB Nasir Uddin and Ali Hossain and Chief Cook Nasir Uddin.
MV Hope’s Fourth Engineer Md Abdul Hakim, Deck Cadets Mokhlesur Rahman, Abu Bakar Siddique, Md Rubel, Md Osman and Saiful Islam were rescued from the sea.
Five of them were spotted in a lifeboat and were later picked up by a German container ship Buxmoon, which will take them to Bangladesh. They are believed to be fine.
Abu Bakar, 40, was pulled out of the sea injured and was flown aboard a Thai Navy helicopter to Phuket, where he is now recovering in Vachira Phuket Hospital, the “Nation” online said.
"Phuket News" said search for the unaccounted-for crew was going on. Rescued crew members said they did get off the sinking ship in life boats but efforts to trace them drawn blank.
Islam said the 23-year old MV Hope was owned by Trade Bridge Shipping Ltd.
Sama Quader Chowdhury is the owner of Trade Bridge Shipping Ltd. She is also the wife of Jamal Uddin Quader Chowdhury, brother of BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury.
The ship’s certificate showed its load-carrying capacity was 5,550 metric tonnes. But according to the information provided to Chittagong Port Authority by the owners, it showed the ship was carrying nearly 1,000 metric tonnes more than its capacity.
Shafiqul Islam said the ship was supposed to return to Chittagong port on July 8.
In the early morning light, the MV Hope lists heavily in stormy seas. Photo: Royal Thai Navy
Abu Bakar Siddique receives a visit from Marine Police in Vachira Hospital. Photo: The Phuket News
However, the reason for the capsize is not yet clear, but the 97-metre, 5,550-ton MV Hope broadcast an SOS at 3:57am Thursday which was picked up by the Australian Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC), "Phuket News" said.
Australian RCC relayed details of the ship’s last known position to its counterpart in Bangkok.
Heading northwest, it had run into heavy crosswinds and waves coming beam-on, "Phuket News" added.
A Royal Thai Navy Third Fleet helicopter was scrambled soon after that and flew out to check the spot of capsize.
A navy helicopter and patrol plane were also circling the area, looking for the missing crew members.
By Unknown at 7/05/2013 02:38:00 am
Election Commission on Friday started the final preparations for the maiden Gazipur City Corporation elections by sending poll materials to voting stations.
Returning Official Matiar Rahman said the commission started distributing ballots, boxes and other materials from four centre
s of Nagar Bhaban, Returning Officer’s office and National University at 12 noon.
Presiding Officers were taking ballot boxes, ballot papers, pad, permanent ink and other relevant materials to their respective stations, bdnews24.com Correspondent reported from the scene.
A total of 1,026,938 voters – 527,777 males and 499,161 females – will exercise their franchise in 392 polling stations on Saturday to elect their first Mayor. Voting will take place from 8:00am to 4:00pm.
The eleventh City Corporation of the country was formed in January this year, comprising Tongi and Gazipur municipality, with an area of almost 330 square kilometres.
Over 11,000 law enforcers are expected to ensure peaceful voting.
There are 57 general wards and 19 reserved for women in this city.
A total of six candidates will be competing for the post of Mayor. The prime contest is expected between Awami League-backed Azmat Ullah Khan and opposition-supported MA Mannan.
By Unknown at 7/05/2013 02:37:00 am
The nationwide CNG-refuelling-station strike called off around midday on Friday after an Executive Magistrate of a mobile court Abdul Hai, against whom refuelling station owners called the strike, was suspended.
Petrol Pump and CNG Filling Station Owners’
Association Executive Committee member Abdullah Al Mamun told bdnews24.com that they called off the strike after a meeting with Prime Minister’s Energy Advisor, Energy Secretary and Petrobangla Chairman.
“They have assured to fulfil our demands. We have agreed to withdraw our strike.”
A nationwide strike was in effect from 6:00am alleging ‘harassment’ and ‘illegal fines’ of mobile courts.
The owners accused the magistrate of extorting and harassing one of their members in Sylhet. The Magistrate had allegedly demanded Tk 500,000 as bribe from a Sylhet CNG station.
Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Shahidul Islam confirmed the suspension to bdnews24.com on Friday morning.
The suspension order was issued after refueling stations across the country went on a strike from Friday morning in solidarity with its unit in Sylhet, where CNG filling stations had been closed since Thursday afternoon.
By Unknown at 7/05/2013 02:34:00 am
Three more Bangladeshi went missing along with eight others after a fishing trawler capsized in Phuket coast of Thailand.
Ship owners’ P&I Club representative Captain Mahiuddin Abdul Kader said the Thai flag MV Pilin was headed for Chittagong port.
Though he said that a Bangladeshi had recently bought the vessel, he could not mention the name.
The trawler departed from Thailand on Jul 3. On the way, it encountered bad weather. “Thai authorities said that the 11 sailors were missing since then.”
According to Abdul Kader, the Captain of the vessel was Kripayan Chakma from Khagrachhari. “There are two other Bangladeshis.”
However, he could not tell their names.
A Bangladeshi cargo ship MV Hope tilted to its side due to rough weather on Thursday with 17 sailors on board.
Though six sailors were rescued, 11 others remained missing until last updates on Friday afternoon.
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