The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Magura

Speakers at a round-table meeting here called for effective social movement to build up Bangladesh as a tuberculosis free country. The meeting was jointly organised at Press Club auditorium by BRAC, Health Department, NATAB and Press Club on Saturday September 22.

Press Club president Advocate Depok Roy Chowdhury presided over the meeting while Deputy Commissioner Md. Abdul Halim was present as Chief guest

In the meeting Priti Ranjon Data, Senior social communicator, BRAC Regional office Khulna said, in 2001 while the programme was started in Magura, the detection rate of Tuberculosis patient was only 13 percent But with the strong help of Govt Health Department and total social movement the rate has been updated to 84 percent on August this year. Of them, 90 percent patients have already been fully cured by their treatment He expected that if the social activities against tuberculosis disease remain so, the detection and controlling rate of tuberculosis disease would must be updated to 100 percent within short time. For this, he urged to the civil society for their effective involvement in the connection.

Madhu Sudan Dey, Regional Health Officer of BRAC Magura, informed that from the month of January to June this year, they have fully cured 346 persons from tuberculosis disease.

Of them, 124 persons were cured in Sadar Upazila, 77 were cured in Mohammadpur Upazila, 69 in Shalikha and 67 in Sripur Upazila. He also informed that during the last eight months they estimated 632 positive patients in the district Of the targeted people 528 persons were detected as smear positive tuberculosis patients. Of them, 181 smear patient were detected in Sadar, 114 were in Mohammadpur, 104 in shalikha, 106 in Shreepur, 23 in CDC area.

Deputy Commissioner Abdul Halim said, in order to get rid of tuberculosis fully at first we must try to change the negative atitude of mass people about tuberculosis disease. For this, mass awareness and social movement is very essential.

Police Super Mohammad Muslim, Poura Chairman M.A Gafur, Advocate Sharif Amirul Hassan, Advocate Amjad Hossain, NGO co-ordinator Abdul Halim also spoke among others at the meeting.

BSS, Rajshahi

Speakers at a workshop underlined the need for taking concerted effort to protect the youths from infecting HIV/AIDS and ensuring safe motherhood.

They also laid stress on the need of creating mass awareness among the target group on prevention of the disease and said authorities and individuals concerned should work together in this regard.

Organised by District Information Office, the day-long workshop on "HIV/AIDS, Safe Motherhood and Gender Issues" was held at Tanore Upazila Parishad auditorium on Monday.

With Tanore UNO Mazedur Rahman in the chair, Professor ANM Saleh of Psychology department of Rajshahi University, Deputy Director of Divisional Information Office Bidhan Chandra Karmaker, Divisional Health Education Officer Abdus Salam, Senior Health Education Officer Nazrul Islam, and Upazila Health Consultant Dr Nawshad Ali addressed the workshop. The speakers emphasised the need for following religious ways of living to save the country from the danger of AIDS and start a social movement by creating mass awareness about the deadly disease.

BSS, Barisal

One person was sentenced to 17 years rigorous imprisonment by a Court here on Monday for murdering his mother at Mehendiganj Upazila in the district about four years ago.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Siddiqul Arefin Chowdhury handed down the judgment in presence of the convict

The convict was identified as Abu Taleb Bepary, 33, son of Abdul Jalil Bepari of West Ratonpur village under Mehendiganj Upazila.

The Court also fined him Taka 4,000, in default to suffer two months more in prison.

The prosecution story, in brief is that, following an altercation over family maters Abu Taleb hit his mother Niruja Bagum on September 16 in 2003. She died on the spot Abu Taleb put his mother's body in gunny bag and dumped it in a nearby pond.

Husband of the victim Abdul Jalil Bepari filed a murder case with Mehendiganj thana on the same day.

Following investigation police pressed chargesheet against Abu Taleb.

After examining witnesses and evidences the judge pronounce the verdict in a crowded courtroom on Monday.

BSS, Shariatpur

Adviser for Social Welfare Geeti Ara Safiya Chowdhury said here on Sunday the government is commited to reaching all kinds of rehabilitation facilities to the flood-hit farmers as the recent flood made maximum damage to the standing crops.

The government is giving utmost importance on providing seeds, loans and fertilisers to the affected farmers for their rehabilitation, the Adviser added. She said this while exchanging views with district-level officials, representatives from NGOs and civil society members. Deputy Commissioner Hamidur Rahman chaired the function. The Adviser distributed relief materials, seeds and seedlings among 50 flood-affected families and 400 distressed small and marginal farmers.

8 shops guted

MYMENSINGH, Sept 26: A devastating fire that broke out at a market at Trishal Upazila bus stand area early Sunday guted eight shops. Local people said the fire originated in Hazi Waliullah market from an electric short circuit at about 1.45 AM and soon engulfed the adjacent shops. On information, fire fighters rushed in and put out the blaze after one hour of frantic efforts with the help of local people. The affected shop owners claimed that the extent of loss from the fire could go up to Tk 50 lakh, reports UNB.

Two killed in road mishap

MAGURA, Sept 26: Two people were killed and 28 others injured in a head-on collision between a bus and a truck at Kalinagar here on Dhaka-Khulna Highway on Saturday midnight Police said the truck collided with the Khulna-bound bus from Dhaka leaving its 30 passengers injured. The injured were admited to Sadar Hospital where Kuddus Mollah, 33, and Subodh Dey, 65, died later. Police seized both the vehicles and a case was filed, reports UNB.

Teenaged girl rescued; two traffickers held in Comilla

COMILLA, Sept 26: A teenaged girl was rescued from the house of human traffickers at Methua village in Langalcoat Upazila here on Friday. Police said Nargis Begum, 30, activist of an organised traffickers' gang with the help of her husband Harunur Rashid took Sharmin Akter, 16, daughter of Abdul Momin of Kuiagram village of the Upazila to their Methua village in the name of giving her good job in Comilla town. Later, they kept Sharmin confined in a room of their house for selling her to brokers. Sensing the ill motive Sharmin came out of the house breaking the door open in absence of Nargis and Harun and informed the mater to the local people. Later they caught Nargis and Harun and handed over them to the police. A case was filed, reports UNB.