KHULNA, Jan 10: Mongla Port Workers Union gave an ultimatum Thursday to Mongla Port Authority. The union also threatened to go for an indefinite strike from January 14 if their demands were not met by January 13. Recently the workers union organised a rally at Mongla Port where speakers strongly condemned the ruling party for ''intentionally keeping'' the port inactive in an attempt to shift it elsewhere. Leaders of Sramik Sangha demanded Tk 100 million from the port authority for implementation of golden handshake programme for survival of a large number dock workers who were reeling under abject poverty losing their jobs due to sharp decline in arrival of foreign vessels. "We want either ship or works or golden handshake," Sramik Shangha leaders said. —Our Correspondent

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A meeting of the cabinet committee was held Saturday to frame a coordinated law in place of the various existing laws for voluntary organisations. LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan chaired the meeting. Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Moudud Ahmed, Social Welfare Minister Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid and officials concerned attended the meeting. The meeting suggested keeping the two laws of 1860 and 1861 under joint stock company of the social welfare department and the commerce ministry separately. It, however, decided to persuade the authority concerned to make the two laws time-befitting. The meeting also decided to take steps to integrate the existing NGO laws of 1978 and 1982. Mannan Bhuiyan later said the existing laws for the voluntary bodies would be updated. "Necessary steps have been taken in this connection and the process will start very soon."—BSS

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The fifth meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on the ministry of agriculture was held Saturday at the Sangsad Bhaban with committee chairman Abdul Mannan in the chair. Committee members Agriculture Minister M.K. Anwar, Mohammad Mashiur Rahman, Golam Mohammad Kader, Shafi Ahmed Chowdhury and Maulana A Aziz attended the meeting. The meeting estimated the demand for urea fertiliser in the current fiscal year (2003-2004) at 27.21 tons as recommended by the agriculture extension department. The BCIC will produce 20.10 tons of urea during the current year while the present stock of fertiliser stands at 5,11,415 tons. The meeting was informed that production of vegetables for export during 2002-2003 was 1,840 tons against the production target of 3,000 tons. Sixty-two per cent export target has been achieved, the meeting was told.— BSS

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A delegation of Iranian entrepreneurs will visit Bangladesh soon to see the feasibility of setting up automobile and soft drink plants here. Iran''s Ambassador in Dhaka Mohammad Beheshti Monfared said this when he called on Industries Minister Matiur Rahman Nizami Saturday. Monfared said Bangladesh has a good prospect of exporting jute yarn for his country''s carpet industry. The minister welcomed the Iranian private sector''s interest in setting up automobile and soft drink plants in Bangladesh and also invited Iranian investment in carpet industry for export purpose. The Iranian envoy mentioned with gratitude Bangladesh government''s help following the recent devastating tremor in Iran. —UNB

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The Bangladesh Nowjan Sramik (river workers) Federation has postponed its indefinite work abstention programme, which was scheduled to begin today (Sunday). The programme was postponed after the Labour Director at a meeting with representatives of the federation assured to finalise a fresh wage structure for the river vessel workers and publish it by March 31 next. The Labour Director, however, asked the committee, formed at a meeting of the owners, workers and the Directorate of Labour on September 20, 2003, to hold talks with the owners and workers, and put forward specific recommendations to him in this connection, said a press release. —UNB

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