Tokyo: Japan said on Wednesday it will run “stress tests” on all its nuclear reactors in the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi atomic accident sparked by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster. The ongoing crisis, the world’s worst atomic accident since Chernobyl 25 years ago, has ignited debate in Japan about the safety of nuclear power, which before the disaster accounted for a third of its electricity needs. The centre-left government ordered a round of initial tests on the quake-prone country’s other atomic plants after the disaster, and said the new stress tests aimed to reassure the public that the facilities are safe.
“The safety of nuclear power plants has been secured, but this is to gain a further sense of security among the people,” said Trade, Economy and Industry Minister. (PTI)
Bangladesh minister trips over traffic jam
Dhaka: Late by nearly half an hour in joining the House proceedings, Bangladesh Home Minister Sahara Khatun pleaded she was delayed by traffic congestion — but she then went on to assure members that “traffic jam in the city has been reduced to a large extent”.
Sahara Khatun was scheduled to reply to lawmakers’ queries during question hour after the national assembly Jatiyo Sangsad began its sitting around 5.35 p.m. Tuesday.
She arrived around 25 minutes late and, before starting to reply, she told the House that she was delayed due to traffic congestion, reported Daily Star. (IANS)
However, while replying to a lawmaker’s query on traffic jams in the city, Sahara Khatun, in a scripted answer, said: “Traffic jam in the city has been reduced to a large extent for ensuring movement of vehicles according to traffic rules.” (IANS)
B’desh opp says no to electronic voting
Dhaka: The country’s main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has said that it is opposed to the introduction of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the next general elections.
“Election results can be manipulated by tampering the machine, as security features of the machine are not satisfactory,” Daily Star quoted BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as saying.
Alamgir made the remark while speaking at a seminar “Viability of Electronic Voting Machines in Bangladesh”.
The Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina won the last general election and Hasina was sworn in as prime minister in January 2009. (IANS)