Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Highlights of Wednesday’s newspapers:

The Financial Express:

— The Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) board suspended Tuesday’s trading, fearing negative impact of a decision of the cabinet to enforce the rule that prohibits the government employees from taking part in business activities, including investment in stock market.

— Main Line Operators (MLOs) Tuesday announced year-long business plan hiking freight cost for westbound exports by more than 200 per cent.

— The government Tuesday sought support from the four lenders including the World Bank for extending their committed financial backing to the multi-billion-dollar Padma Bridge project, which has been caught in a stalemate over the last four months.

The Daily Star:

— Despite all his efforts, Arif Hossain, a graduate in Bangla from Dhaka University, has failed to land a job. He has faced many job interviews in the last three years, but all his efforts have gone in vain.

— The suspension of trade in the country’s two bourses yesterday drew criticism from experts who consider the move as a means of forcing the government to allow civil servants in stock business.

— The fall of the local currency, which was devalued by more than 15 percent against the dollar last year, is continuing this year despite measures from the central bank and dealers to prevent the downtrend.

The New Age:

— The assurance of the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, of a suspension of coal extraction for an unlimited period has not allayed fears of the the quarters, including the local people of Phulbari in Dinajpur, who are against open-pit mining.

— Farm loan disbursement by the banks in the first half of the current fiscal year declined by 7.94 per cent from that of the same period of FY2010-11 because of the liquidity crisis and heavy bank borrowings by the government.

— The country’s foreign missions and commercial wings in countries that are major export destinations failed to achieve their export targets in the first six months of the current financial year.

BBN/SSR/AD-18Jan12-11:13 am (BST)