The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Chittagong

The holy Eid-ul Fitr was celebrated today in the port city and the district as elsewhere in the country with due religious fervour and gaiety.

A total of 222 Eid congregations including three big ones - one at M A Aziz Stadium and two at Jamiatul Fala Mosque - were held in the city under the auspices of Chittagong Central Eid Jamaat Committee and Chittagong City Corporation respectively.

A large number of Muslim devotees offered their Eid prayers in the congregations and prayed for divine blessing for peace, prosperity and stability of the country as well as the Muslim Ummah.

Chittagong Metropolitan and district police sources said the Eid jamaats in the city and the district were held in a peaceful atmosphere.

Authorities had taken adequate security measures by deploying RAB, BDR, Police, and Ansars at various points in the city to maintain law and order before, during and after the Eid.

Soon after the offering of prayers people were seen exchanging greetings and embracing each other with the spirit of brotherhood and equality.

The other major Eid congregations were held at Andarkilla Shahi Jame Mosque, Laldhighi Maidan, Parade Maidan, Masjid-e- Baitus Sharif at Kadamtali, Fologround Railway Public High School Maidan, Shah Amanat Shah (R) Dargah Maidan, Metropolitan Police Lines Maidan, Agrabad Jamburee ground and Bayzeed Bostami (R) Dargah Mosque.

On the occasion, authorities served improved diets in hospitals, jails, orphanages, and also in youth and juveniles centres run by the social welfare department.

According to reports reaching here from 14 upazilas of the district, the people in the rural areas also celebrated the Eid festival with zeal and enthusiasm.

Officials said hundreds of Eid congregations were held peacefully at mosques and selected open spaces in the rural areas with devout Muslims praying for peace and stability.

BSS, Rajshahi adds: The holy Eid-ul-Fitre, the largest religious festival for the Muslims, was celebrated in the city and its adjacent areas with due religious fervour and enthusiasm on Sunday.

Streams of people- young, old and children rushed to nearest Eidgahs, mosques and open places in the morning to offer their Eid prayers.

After the prayers special Munajat was offered seeking divine blessings for the peace, progress and prosperity of the country as well as greater welfare of the Muslim Ummah.

The main Eid jamaat was held at Hazrat Shah Mukhdum ® Central Eidgah Maidan at 9.00 am while the second largest at Shaheb Bazar Zero Point at the same time.

Senior divisional and district level officials and local elite offered their Eid prayers at the two Eid-jamaats especially the central Eidgah.

Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) decorated the city's important points and road islands with National and colorful flags inscribed with "Eid Mubarak" both in Bangla and Arabic and illuminated important buildings marking the celebration.

Besides, some other big Eid jamaats in the city were held at Hatemkha, Stadium ground, Police line parade ground, Tikapara Eidgah, Mohisbathan Eidgah math, Upashahar Eidgah Moidan, RUET campus and Rajshahi University campus.

BSS, Khulna

Remodeling work of the Khulna Railway Station is expected to begin in December this year as the Executive Committee on National Economic Council primarily released Taka 40 crore for the project.

The remodeling work of the 54-year old station was finalised three years back with an estimated cost of Taka 52 crore. But the project was not implemented due to complexities on land selection, officials said.

However, under the plan, eight stations - Nowapara, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Rajshahi, Bogra and Natore - of the Railway's Western Zone were renovated.

About 10 acres of land behind the House-Building Finance Bhaban at Jabbar Sarani has been selected to construct the new railway station.

In the first phase, two floors of the three-storied building will be constructed, the officials said.

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-5, in different anti-crimes drives, captured three alleged criminals including a drug-peddler and seized 51 bottles of phensidyl from different areas here on Tuesday, RAB sources said.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of the elite force arrested Ariful Islam Samrat, 27, son of Shah Muhammad of Haragram Notunpara area under Rajpara thana in the city, with 36 bottles of phensidyl during a raid at Noboganga area under the same thana.

In another operation conducted at Baliapukur area under the same police station, another RAB team seized another 15 bottles of the drug in an abandoned state.

The RAB forces arrested two absconding accused of criminal cases identified as Babu Hossain alias Babu, 40, son of Abul Hossain and Zahidul Islam alias Iqbal, 35, son of late Abdul Quddus from their SK Bazar area under Ghoraghat Upazila of Dinajpur district.

The arrested and the seized drugs items were handed over to concerned police station.

BSS, Rangpur

More than two lakh distressed and poor families celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr comparatively cheerfully this year as the government completed distribution of 2,075 tonnes of rice under the Vulnerable Group Feeding (VGF) programme.

Officials in the administration with the help of the armed forces distributed the huge quantity of VGF rice allocated for the distressed people to celebrate the Eid festivity during this peak time of the 'monga'.

So far, 6,225 tonnes of VGF rice were distributed during the three months of August, September and October with 2,075 tonnes every month among 2,07,500 distressed families in all eight upazilas in the district, officials said here today.

Earlier, 2,075 tonnes of VGF rice was distributed every month among 2,07,500 distressed families in last August and September in the district under the programme, officials said.

The Ministry of Food and Disaster Management allocated 10,375 tonnes of rice worth over Taka 20.75 crore for distribution among 2,07,500 distressed families under the ongoing VGF programme with 2,075 tonnes per month in Rangpur.

The government has extended the VGF programme by two more months this year for greater Rangpur district for five months from August to December in all 83 Union Parishads (UPs) and Haragach Pourasabha in eight upazilas to help the distressed people during the lean period.

Each of the distressed families will get 50 kgs of rice in five phases every month from August to December this year in the district.

Under the programme, 1,320 tonnes of rice will be distributed among 26,400 families in each of the 11 UPs under the Sadar Upazila.

A total of 40,800 families will get 2,040 tonnes of rice in Mithapukur upazila, 36,000 families 1,800 tonnes in Pirganj upazila, 24,000 families 1,200 tonnes in Badarganj upazila and 12,000 families 600 tonnes in Taraganj upazila.

A total of 23,000 families in each of the flood-hit Chaola and Tambulpur UPs, and 17,500 families in each of the other seven UPs in Pirgacha upazila will get 1,150 tonnes of rice under the programme.

A total of 16,000 families in each of the four flood-hit UPs and 5,000 more families in each of the other two UPs in Kawnia upazila will get 800 tonnes of rice and more 125 tonnes of VGF rice will be distributed among 2,500 distressed families in flood-hit Haragach Pourasabha in Kawnia upazila.

In Gangachara upazila, 1,200 tonnes of rice will be distributed among 24,000 families in each of the worst affected six UPs and 2,500 families each for the other three UPs in the upazila, the officials said.

While talking to BSS today, District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer of Rangpur Rafikul Islam said the monthly distribution process goes on smoothly without any problem under the assistance from the armed forces everywhere.

BSS, Jessore

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested an alleged terrorist with a pistol, three bullets and a magazine here on Friday, police said.

They said Farhad, 30, was arrested from his house at Palbari crossing at Gazirhat.

RAB handed over him to Kotwali thana and a case was filed.

BSS, Gaibandha

Police and Community Policing Committee jointly distributed new dresses among the orphans of two Shishu Paribars at the town on Thursday on the occasion of Eid- ul-Fitr.

Sources said a total of 200 orphans of the government Shishu Paribars were given new dresses for celebrating the Eid. The dresses were bought with the financial assistance from members of the Bangladesh Police working in the district and the community policing committee.

Deputy Commissioner Quazi Md Anwarul Hakim distributed the dresses among the orphans as the chief guest and Police Super Saleh Mohammad Tanvir was present as the special guest.

Abdus Salam, convenor of the community policing committee, and its member secretary Advocate Azam Anam were also present on the occasion.

After getting the new dresses, the orphans expressed their happiness and gratitude to the police super and the community policing committee.

BSS, Satkhira

Bangladesh Army on Friday distributed swing machines among river-erosion-affected families at Pratapnagar union in Ashashuni upazila of the district.

Official sources said the district Army Camp distributed Butterfly brand swing machines at a function here among ten destitute families who were affected by river erosion in the union.

Major Aalmgir, UP chairmen Maulana Abdul Mannan and SM Nurul Alam, among others, were present.

On September 29, six villages in the union were flooded as the BWDB embankment of the river Kholpetua at Hariskhali area was cracked due to high tide.

BSS, Chittagong

One person was killed and two others were injured in a road accident in the district on Monday, police and hospital sources said.

The dead was identified as Ismail Hossain, 40, son of late Ishaque Mia of Boalkhali upazila. The sources said the accident occurred when a passenger bus knocked a CNG-run autorickshaw in Fakirnir Hat area under Anwara upazila at about 2 PM, leaving autorickshaw passenger Ismail and two others injured.

Local people and family members rushed them to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) where doctors declared Ismail dead, the sources said.

BSS, Barisal

A valiant freedom fighter Sudhir Ranjan Halder died of old age complications here at his residence on Friday. He was 80. He left behind his wife, five sons, relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death. Sudhir Ranjan Halder was cremated with state honour.

BSS, Barisal

Barisal City is in grip of holiday mood although all government offices opened on Tuesday after four-day Eid holiday

The attendance in the government offices including private institutions, banks and other commercial establishments were found very poor. Virtually there were no official work in the offices.

The transaction in all commercial banks were also relatively thin on opening day. Downpour for the last two days was also recorded in the district.

BSS, Barguna

A massive preparation has been made to celebrate the Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, here in a befitting manner. The works on erection of Puja Mondops and images of the Goddess Durga are going on in full swing.

The five-day long festival will start on October 17 and conclude on October 21.

A total of 105 Mondops are being set up in the district, four more than the previous year. Last year, 101 mondops were erected here. The District Administration has taken necessary measures to hold the festival peacefully.

BSS, Faridpur

A grand Eid-ul-Fitr congregation was held at the Bishwa Zaker Monjil at Atroshi in the district on October 16.

Peerzada Alhaj Hazrat Mafuzul Haque Mozaddadi, eldest son of peer Hazrat Khazababa Faridpuri (QSA), attended the Eid jamaat. He exchanged Eid greetings with zakerans, ashekans and devotees.

A large number of zakerans and ashekans from across the country attended the Eid jamaat at the Zaker Manjil.

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Police of Hizla police station under Barisal district arrested Mawlana Salahuddin Khan, 35, and Mawlana Saiful Islam, 31, two teachers of a local madrasha from Moulovirhut area on Tuesday night in connection of murdering Sonabali Gharami, an ex-army man. The arrestees were produced before the court on Wednesday with seven days remand prayer and decision about remand not passed till this report.

Police and court sources said dead body of Sonabali Gharami with tied hands and legs was recovered from the pond of his home on August 11, 2007 and a murder case was lodged in this connection without mentioning name of any accused.

After investigation police found important facts, evidences and clues in connection of that murder and arrested those two madrasha teachers.

BSS, Moulvibazar

Relief materials were distributed among the flood-victims of different villages of Kamarchak union under Rajnagar upazila in the district on Wednesday.

The relief goods were distributed by the Bangladesh Development and Charity Foundation of UK in cooperation with Moulvibazar Press Club.

A function was organized on the occasion which was attended by deputy commissioner of Moulvibazar Mohammad Alkama Siddiqui as the chief guest.

With president of Moulvibazar Press Club Sadik Ahmed in the chair, the function was attended by Rajnagar UNO Ahmed Faisal, Nurul Islam Sheful, Dr AK Jilul Haque, Advocate a Hannan Chowdhury and others.

A total of 100 flood affected families were given rice, pulse, edible oil, moida and salt.