Nearly 12 lakh extremely poor people in 15 coastal districts of the country remain exposed to the fury of cyclone every year due to inadequate cyclone centre.

Majority of the people who lost their lives in the in the cyclone Aila that battered 11 coastal districts a few days ago belonged to the extreme poor bracket. They could not take shelter for their safety because of inadequate shelter.

Bangladesh Rural & Human Rights Journalist Forum (BRHRJF) yesterday formed a human chain in front of the National Press Club against Tipaimukh dam construction and the decision of the government to permit corridor to India in the name of Asian Highway.

The country has suffered a financial loss of several hundred crores of taka in agriculture and its sub-sectors, including fisheries, poultry and livestock, due to the cyclone Aila, said sources at the ministry concerned on Sunday.

The Asian Development Bank today called on its Asian government borrowers to design mass transport systems in a way that would slow the rapid growth of their greenhouse gas emissions.

While developed countries still account for the largest share, transport sector emissions from developing countries, particularly in Asia, were growing rapidly, the Manila-based lender said in a statement.

The government yesterday introduced the country's first comprehensive National Food Policy Plan of Action targeting to ensure food security for all by 2015.

Under the plan of action the Government will have to increase food supply by 2015 to ensure food security for some 40 per cent of the population, who suffer for nutrition at present.

The Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Department of Environment (DOE) on Monday have launched a joint initiative to phase out the use of carbon tetrachloride (CTC) from the sector by the end of this year.

The Government will appoint a surveyor firm within a month to assess the compensation of the victims of the Barapukuria Coalmine areas to establish the proposed coalmine city in Dinajpur, Energy Ministry sources said.

The Government has taken decision following recommendation of the eight-member committee, formed for assessing compensation of affected people of Barapukuria coal mining.

In view of the economic recession, particularly in the USA and European countries, the prices of frozen food in the international markets has fallen up to 40 to 45 percent posing a threat to the industry in Bangladesh.

"A red alert hovers over the frozen foods industry," said Sheikh Abdul Baki, Vice President of Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters' Association (BFFEA).

Growth of Slums in Dhaka Metropolitan Area (DMA) in the last ten years has been nothing less than immense and spectacular. Using 1996 as the base year, the slum population in DMA was 1.5 million in 3007 clusters out of a total DMA population of 5.5 million. In 2005 the slum population has grown to 3.4 million in 4966 clusters out of a total DMA population of 9.13 million.

In view of the economic recession, particularly in the USA and European countries, the prices of frozen food in the international markets has fallen up to 40 to 45 percent posing a threat to the industry in Bangladesh.

"A red alert hovers over the frozen foods industry," said Sheikh Abdul Baki, Vice President of Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters' Association (BFFEA).