The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

The Barisal district branch of Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad, decided to observe Durga Puja, the main religious festival of Hindu community, in less budget and curtailing expenditures of decorations, gates, pandels, electrifications, cultural functions and other costing.

Rakhal Chandra Dey and Manik Mukharjee Kudu, newly elected president and secretary of 7I-member district Puja Udjapon Parishad commitee, said the saved money would be donated to the relief funds for the flood affected peoples.

Preparations for Durga Puja and making of idols of the deities are going on full swing in the about 360 private and public Mandops of the district and all upazilas asked to form new commitees and send reports about the number of Puja Mandops, they said.

Concerned authorities are also asked to ensure undisrupted electricity supply and ensure peace and discipline and law and order in Puja Mandops during the festival days. Generators for emergency power supply and volunteers for maintaining discipline would also be arranged by the commitees, they further added.

BSS, Patuakhali

The Patuakhali University of Science and Technology (PUST) campus has been declared as a bird sanctuary for preserving the bio-diversity and maintaining ecological balance on the campus.

Vice-Chancellor of PUST Professor Dr Abdul Latif Masum declared this at a function on Sunday.

Dr Latif in his speech emphasised the need for preserving the country's wild-life for the greater interest of human resources development

He said through active participation of the people and the administration, a balanced environment could be ensured which would be beneficial for our future generation, he added.

With chairman of the department of environmental science of PUST Dr Jahirul Haq in the chair, the function was addressed by the deans of different faculties. Teachers and students were present on the occasion.

Bird and bio-diversity sanctuaries would be established at six public universities in six divisions of the country under a project, of which PUST is the pioneering one in this regard.

BSS, Rangpur

Different government departments, NGOs and voluntary organisations with the help of the Armed Forces are conducting the post-flood relief and rehabilitation activities in Chilmari Upazila of Kurigram.

Special emphasis has been given to the post-flood agri-rehab work and the concerned departments and organisations have further intensified their activities of distributing seedlings, seeds, fertilizers and other necessary agro-inputs among the flood-hit farmers in all six Unions of the Upazila.

The World Food Programme (WFP) and the UNICEF distributed huge quantities of highly nutritious biscuits, rice and other relief goods among affected families of the upazila, officials said.

Rangpur-Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS) and its Char Livelihood Project (CLP), Islami Bank Bangladesh, CARE- Bangladesh, Oxfam-GB, BRAC, Friends Cooperative Society Ltd, Grameen Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd, Grameen Bank, Uddipon, Aparajeyo Bangladesh, Terre Des Homes, Naifa Maruf Foundation and Grameen Phone are carrying out the relief activities.

ASA, BRAC, Grameen Bank, RAKUB and some other national NGOs and organisations also continued disbursing interest-free and easy-term loans among the affected people of Chilmari Upazila in helping them recouping the huge losses they incurred during the two- phases flash floods recently.

Due to huge relief and rehabilitation activities conducted by the Armed Forces, government departments and other organisations, the flood-affected people sustained the natural disasters successfully this time and nobody remained without food in Chilmari, officials said.

Presently, the situation is becoming easier following the VGF, ongoing VGD and other post-flood relief and rehabilitation activities in the upazila and the farmer are becoming busy in cultivating vegetables and other crops, they said.

BSS, Khulna

Bangladesh Coast Guard west zone rescued four baoalies from the river near Dhaleshwar Char, 150 km off industrial city of Khulna here on Tuesday morning.

Coast Guard west zone commander Captain Abidur Rahman told BSS that while on routine patrol Coast Guard ship Tamzid found four baoalies floating at Dhaleshwar Char near Shupaty Forest Station, 100 km south off Mongla Port at 8.30 AM.

Two days back, the boat of the baoalies caught in a storm and sank in the river. The rescued baoalies, all from the village Jamal Nagar under Ashashuni Thana of Satkhira district, were now receiving treatment at Kachikhali coast guard station.

The baolaies went to cut wood from Sundarban Forest

They are Abdul Khaleq Gazi, Mohammad Aminul Gazi, Hiron Kumar Mondal and Kabir Hussain. Coast Guard will give them food and money to return to their home tomorrow, Capt Abid informed BSS.

BSS, Meherpur

Members of Rapid Action Batalion (RAB) and police in two separate drives at Gangni upazila seized one revolver, a shuter-gun and four bombs on Saturday night

RAB and police sources said, a team of the elite force raided a brick field at Baliaghat village under Gangni upazila and seized an Indian revolver and four bombs from there.

Sensing the presence of RAB personnel the miscreants, who were planning to carry out subversive activities in the area, escaped the scene leaving behind the firearms and bombs.

Besides, Gangni thana police during a drive arrested alleged terrorist Amirul, 28, from his house at Bhatpara village under the upazila and recovered a shuter-gun along with three rounds of bullet

The arrested person was sent to jail hajat when police produced him before the court

BSS, Rangpur adds: Police arrested 29 persons including criminals from different places of the district in separate drives conducted on Sunday.

Police said the arrested person include absconding persons accused in different cases, warrantees, thieves, hoarders, terrorists, drug traders and other anti-social elements.

Police also recovered a pistol, bombs, phensidyl, wine, ganja, 2,318 kg banned polythene sheets worth Taka 3.5 lakh, stolen goods and other illegal and contraband substances.

Of the arrested, Kotwali police nabbed seven persons, Taraganj one, Badarganj two, Mithapukur four, Pirganj nine and Kawnia police arrested six persons.

After interrogation, police produced the arrested persons before different Rangpur courts from where they were sent to jail hajat, the sources said.

Meanwhile, members of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) seized Indian clothes worth Taka five lakh and arrested two persons at the toll plaza at Mohananda Bridge on Sunday morning.

Sources said, the on duty BDR personnel searched a Sirajganj-bound passenger bus from Kansat at the toll plaza on Sunday morning during their routine checking and seized the clothes.

They also detained two persons identified as Sarwar of Shibganj and Jahangir of Nayalabhanga under the same upazila.

They were handed over to police after filing a case against the arrested persons with sadar thana.

BSS, Rajshahi adds: Police arrested 27 alleged criminals including a drug-trader from different areas of the city and nine Upazilas of the district on Sunday, Police sources said.

Of the detained, five were rounded up from different areas in the metropolis while 22 others from nine Upazilas.

Police arrested the drug-trader identified as Shilpa, 25, son of Ismail Hossain along with 23 grams of heroin during a raid at Kasiadanga under Rajapara thana in the city.

Traffic police of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police lodged 12 cases under Motor Vehicles Ordinance and seized three motorbikes without registration during drives against the faulty motor vehicles in different parts of the city during the same time.

BSS, Barisal

River transports have resumed normal services in 108 southern river routes on Monday morning after four days of break due to stormy weather.

The authorities had restricted plying of vessels less than 65 feet in length on the coastal and river routes on Friday last

The Barisal Port Authorities have hoisted cautionary signal number one on Monday morning instead of cautionary signal number two as the depression over the Bay changed its direction. The Kuakata have become lively once again with the arrival of tourists and all shops and business establishments have been opened to meet the requirement of the tourists.

BSS, Chitagong

A Mobile Court realised about Taka 4.43 lakh from two owners of a residential building in the city as fine for pilfering water supplied by WASA on Monday.

Special Magistrate of Chitagong WASA (CWASA) Mohammad Munir Chowdhury conducted the drive in cooperation with Chitagong Metropolitan Police and WASA officials.

The multi-storied building located at Chandgaon residential area in the city housed 24 families. Acting on secret information, a WASA team detected that the building owners have been pilfering huge water supplied by Chitagong WASA for household use and carrying out construction work.

The Jahangirnagar University Journalists' Association (JUJA) organised an iftar party at the central cafeteria of the university on September 24..

JU Vice-Chancellor Professor Khandaker Mustahidur Rahman atended the function as chief guest Prior to ifter, he delivered a speech where he said, "The journalists must be honest ataining strong morality to face any troubles in performing their professional responsibilities." Urging the university reporters, the VC said that they must be more punctual and dutiful to their respective responsibility, as the image of the university in a greater extent relies on their news published in media. He also appreciates the activities of JUJA.

Moderated by JUJA general secretary Khairul, Hasan Munna, the function was also addressed, among others, by its adviser Professor ATM Atukur Rahaman. JUJA President Fuad Hossain presided over the ifter party. Teachers officials and reporters working in the university atended the function. Before ifter all offered munajat seeking divine blessings.

BSS, Narayanganj

Al-Haj Nazimuddin Mahmud, a former Chairman of Narayanganj Pourasabha and an organiser of the War of Liberation, died of a protracted illness at Ayesha Memorial Hospital in Dhaka in the early hours on Tuesday at the age of 60.

A former chairman of Poura Chairmen Association of Bangladesh Nazimuddin Mahmud had been suffering from diabetic and kidney ailments. He was also a prominent student and labour leader of the district

He left behind wife, a son, three daughters, four brothers and a host of admirers to mourn his death.

He was buried at Paikpara Pourasabha Graveyard in the afternoon after namaz-e-janaza at DIT Market on BB Road.

Among others, Deputy Commissioner Faizul Kabir and district Awami League chief SM Akram atended the janaza. Pourasabha Chairman Dr. Selina Hyat IVY was present on the occasion.