The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Narsingdi

The progress achieved so far in the district during the National Sanitation Month, 2007 this year was reviewed at a meeting held at the Deputy Commissioner’s conference room here on Thursday.

Deputy Commissioner Zillur Rahman explaining the aims and objectives of the sanitation month, October, expressed the hope that the entire district would come under the sanitation coverage within June next year.

The District Administration and the Public Health Engineering Department (DPHE) organised the meeting with Deputy Commissioner in the chair.

Upazila Nirbahi officers, UP chairmen, members of the local sanitation task force committee, officials of the DPHE and NGO representatives attended the meeting.

DPHE Executive Engineer Afajuddin Khan in his opening speech reviewed the present sanitation coverage of the district and said 92.43 percent progress was achieved so far in all the six upazilas.

“Three upazilas-Shibpur, Polash and Monohardi-achieved cent percent sanitation coverage,” he said adding, rest of the upazilas-Narsingdi Sadar, Raipura and Belabo-achieved 85.62, 85 percent and 95.02 percent sanitation coverage so far.

Zillur Rahman urged all concerned to extend their whole-hearted cooperation towards achieving coveted goal in sanitation coverage allover the district as soon as possible.

BSS, Dhaka

Social Welfare Adviser Geeti Ara Safiya Chowdhury yesterday said the government has taken plan to extend the 40-bed central drug addiction centre in Dhaka for increasing medicare facilities to the drug addicted people.

“The number of addicted people have reduced following the initiatives undertaken by the government and the private sectors but further efforts in this regard is needed for permanent solution of the problem,” she said this while addressing a discussion here.

The discussion titled 'Drug Free Bangladesh’ jointly organised by Jhalak Foundation and UK-Bangladesh Development. Chairman of the UK-Bangladesh Development Abdur Rab Mallik presided over it.

Former Chairman of Privatisation Commission Enam Ahmed Chowdhury, Maj Gen (retd) Sayed Muhammad Ibrahim and Jahid Ahmed Chowdhury, among others, also spoke on the occasion.

A 2-day long International Eye Bank Symposium began yesterday at Hotel Sheraton. The Symposium is jointly organised by ORBIS International, Sandhani National Eye Donation Society, LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) and International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). Professor Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed, Honorable President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh will inaugurate the Symposium. Mr. A. K. M Zafar Ullah Khan, Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will also be present at the inauguration ceremony as special guest. Dr. G. N. Rao, Distinguished Chair, L V Prasad Eye Institute, India and President of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) will present the keynote paper on “Corneal Transplantation Services in Bangladesh”, says a press release.

Eye Bank experts from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, China, Iran and USA will participate in the symposium and will also deliver lectures and facilitate scientific discussion sessions in the symposium. Senior government officials from Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, representatives from ORBIS’s partner organisations, senior 'ophthalmologists from the country will also attend the symposium.

There are about 100,000 corneal blind people in Bangladesh. Many of their sight could be regained through corneal transplant. With this view ORBIS has supported Sandhani to strengthen the eye bank through a project titled as “strengthening eye banking capacity of Sandhani National Eye Donation Society”. This support has enabled Sandhani to establish an international standard eye bank with a highly competent managerial and technical team that could independently manage the eye bank. During last two years corneal tissue collection of Sandhani has increased into many folds.

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh has welcomed the introduction of the "New Partnership for Development Act of 2007" in the US Congress aiming at reducing global extreme poverty through eliminating tariff on all products that originated in the Least Developed Countries. "We thank Congressman Jim McDermott for his initiative in introducing this long awaited bill" said a press release of Embassy of Bangladesh, Washington, D.C.

Bangladesh believes that offering duty free entry of products from LDCs including apparel could create new opportunities for employment and thereby alleviating poverty and ensuring social progress in the LDCs.

Bangladesh really appreciate the innovative provision of capacity building in the bill and hope that these provisions will go long way to address the preparedness deficit of the LDC countries. For Bangladesh, this bill rekindled new ray of hope to millions of workers, mostly women, in the apparel industries to bring better livelihood in their personal life, as well as instilling greater stability and moderation in the society as a whole. The government of Bangladesh and the apparel industry in Bangladesh will remain actively engaged with US Congress and other stakeholders for early passage of this bill.

Bangladesh hope that the final version of the bill will be able to meet the aspiration of all stakeholders, the press release added.

BSS, Meherpur

Three leaders of the outlawed Purbabanglar Communist Party (ML-Lal Pataka) were arrested from different villages in Gangni Upazila of the district on Thursday night.

Police sources said, acting on a tip-off, a team of police raided the villages and arrested the outlaws-Kamrul alias Kamu, 34, Akhtar, 26 and Khalek, 35.

The sources said the arrested were involved in various criminal activities, including extortion, bomb attacks and terrorism in the district for a long time. They are also accused of looting the Gangibazar on October 5, the sources added.

The outlaws are now being interrogated under police custody.

BSS, Rajshahi

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested 12 alleged criminals, including six drug peddlers, and seized a firearm, nine cocktails and 211 bottles and 10 kilograms of loose Phensidyl from different areas in the region in last 24 hours ending yesterday noon, RAB sources here said yesterday afternoon.

Acting on tip-offs, two separate teams of the elite force arrested Dilip Kumar Das, 20, son of Uttam Kumar Das with nine cocktails from his residence at Chowkipara village under Natore district and recovered a country-made shutter-gun from Nawdapara area in Rajshahi city in an abandoned condition.

RAB also arrested six alleged drug peddlers including five women identified as Rohima Khatun, 40, Oshan Ara, 55, Anzoara, 40, Shahnaz, 35, Zoly, 45, and Abdul Kader, 45, with the drug items during separate drives in Ranigonj Bus terminal area under Ghoraghat Upazila of Dinajpur district and Dighirpar area under the same district.

In two other separate raids in Kekordandapani area in Joypurhat district and at Joypurhat Railway station, RAB members seized six smuggled cattle and 56 sarees valued at Taka 76,000 and arrested five persons in these connections.

They were identified as Siddique, 48, Anwar Hossain, 40, Abdul Mannan, 30, Ferdous, 29, and Rashidul Islam, 28.

The arrested persons and the seized goods and drugs were handed over to the concerned police stations.

BSS, Narayanganj

Adviser for Industries, Textiles and Jute Geeti Ara Shafiya Chowdhury yesterday visited Ramkrishna Mission Akhra at Chashara here yesterday, the third day of the ongoing Durga Puja Festival.

She along with leaders of the local unit of Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad went round the Akhra and expressed her satisfaction over the security measures taken by the District Administration.

Later, the Adviser, also in-charge of the Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Ministries, visited Netaiganj, Tanbazar, Ukilpara, Amlapara and Banku Bihari mandaps and exchanged greetings with the devotees.

Deputy Commissioner Faizul Kabir, Army Commander Lt. Colonel Elias, local chief of Ramkrishna Mission and president and general secretary of Narayanganj district puja udjapan parishad Gopinath Das and Giri Dhari Lal Saha were present.

BSS, Rajshahi

A big project involving Taka 52.99 crore is being implemented to reach the agro-engineering and technology to the farmers' level to help them enhance the agriculture production in the region.

Officials told BSS yesterday that the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has been implementing the project, begun in July in 2005, to make the modern technologies acceptable at the field level as demand for food is gradually increasing with the rise in population.

They said the five-year project on 'Production Enhancement and Creation of Rural Employment through Extension of Agriculture Engineering Technology' is being implemented in 112 upazilas of 56 districts in the country.

Main objectives of the project are to make the agriculture sector profitable by reducing expenditures at all spheres of production and also to upgrade it.

Besides extension of irrigation area through time-befitting Management, the project seeks to increase crop intensity along with quality development and resist misuse through proper application of agriculture machinery.

To attain the goal, the officials said, steps are being taken to appoint agriculture engineers at the upazila level aimed at motivating the farmers towards using modern agriculture engineering technologies and re-excavating the rural derelict canals, ponds and other waterbodies to preserve surface water during the dry seasons.

Under the project, need-based training will be provided to the users, drivers and mechanics of the agriculture machinery. Besides, a database related to agro-machinery and small irrigation management will be developed.

The officials said modern machinery like power tiller, seeder, weeder, sprayer, self-propelled reaper, power thresher and drier are being distributed among the farmers groups.

Side by side, demonstrations, training, field day, farmers rally, workshop and agriculture machinery fair are being arranged in connection with irrigation management, canal improving, surface-water conservation and removing stagnant water.

Deputy Director of DAE, Rajshahi, Rabindra Kumar Mazumder told BSS that the project after its successful implementation would help attain the targeted crop production in the country.

In this context, he said, expected farm production is very possible if the systems of balanced fertiliser, quality seed, improved irrigation management, suitable farm-machinery and cultivation method could be integrated effectively.

BSS, Pabna

Two persons, including a businessman, were killed in two separate incidents in the district on Thursday night.

Police sources said, the victims were identified as Rezaul Karim, 31, son of Maolana Abu Bakar Siddique of Haripur village under Ataikul Thana and Selim Reza, a businessman of Patkiabari village of Sadar Upazila.

The sources said a gang of terrorists belonging to an outlawed party called Rezaul out of his house and slaughtered him with sharp weapons on Braipara ground. Police suspected that Rezaul might have been murdered as a result of intra-party conflict.

The body of Rezaul was sent to Pabna General Hospital for autopsy.

Meanwhile, another gang of terrorists chopped Selim Reza to dead in front of his house. The gang attacked him as he refused to stop playing CD player as asked by the terrorists.

Two separate cases were lodged with Atikul and Sadar Thana in these connections.

BSS, Rangpur

The District Fisheries Department (DFD) released a huge quantity of fish fry under the post-flood pisciculture rehabilitation programme in two flood-hit water bodies here on Thursday, official sources said.

Acting District Fisheries Officer and Sadar Upazila Senior Fisheries Officer Shameem Ara Nazu released the fish fry in Chikli Beel and Kukrul Beel under Kotwali thana as the chief guest in two simple ceremonies organised on the occasion.

Assistant Fisheries Officer Abdus Salam, Youth Development Supervisor of Sadar upazila Abu Bakar Siddique, President of district Fish farmers; Multipurpose Samobay Samity Lokman Hossain, its Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, local elite Reazul Hassan, Ekramul Haque, Nurul Islam, public representatives and the elite were present.

A total of 155 kg fish fry of different species were released in the water bodies.

BSS, Dhaka

The UK Secretary of State for International Development, Douglas Alexander, has called upon the leaders of the world's poorest countries, particularly those in Africa, to give more importance to women's health in their decision-making.

He made the call on Thursday while addressing the inaugural session of a three-day event in London, billed as the biggest conference on women's health in 20 years, said a DFID press release here on Friday.

Announcing an additional 100 million pounds over five years to help prevent unwanted pregnancy and make childbirth safer, the British secretary of state said more than 500,000 women die every year from complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

"The death of a mother deprives a child, a family, a company and ultimately a country of its most valuable sources of health, happiness and prosperity," Alexander said.

According to the DFID release, in Bangladesh, 12,000 women die every year as a result of the complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Only 13 percent of the births is assisted by medically trained people in Bangladesh.

The release says Bangladesh government invests around three billion US dollars over seven years in the Health, Nutrition and Population Sector Programme to make safe motherhood a 'fact of life.'

The Department for International Development (DFID), UK, will provide Bangladesh with 100 million pounds through a World Bank-managed partnership programme, the press release said.

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) President Mozammel Haque and Secretary General Ruhul Amin Gazi and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) Acting President Azizul Haque Banna and General Secretary Sardar Farid Ahmed yesterday condoled the death of Begum Nur Jahan, mother of BSS News Editor Quamrul Islam Chowdhury.

The journalist leaders prayed for peace of the departed soul and expressed sympathy for the members of the bereaved family.

Begum Nur Jahan died in a city hospital in the early hours of yesterday.

UNB, Dhaka

Traffic police is going to launch a drive against wrong car parking from October 21 (Sunday) to ease traffic congestion in the city.

The operation would continue till November 14, as wrong parking is one of the main reasons for traffic jam, joint commissioner of DMP (traffic) Jashimuddin told UNB on Friday.

"Everyday, we file at least 700-800 cases under the Motor Vehicles Act against the vehicles which violate the traffic rules," Jashimuddin said.

He informed that the traffic police would take action against wrong parking of vehicles, those which are 20 years old, emit black smoke polluting environment and use hydraulic horn.

BSS, Jessore

Police in separate drives arrested two persons with 342 bottles of Phensidyl and seized a car used for carrying Phensidyl from Chowgachha Upazila in the district on Thursday.

Police said acting on a secret tip they arrested Hasanizzaman Dablu, 27, of Dia Singa village of the upazila from Chowgachha bus stand on Thursday morning while he was getting on a bus with 42 bottles of Phensidyl hidden in coconut's shell.

In separate drive, they recovered 300 bottles of Phensidyl after searching a private car at Fatehpur Bakultala in the upazila and arrested Nazmul Huda allias Lablu, 27, of Chanda Kaemkola village under Jhikargachha Upazila of the district and seized the car.

Two separate cases were lodged with Chowgachha Thana in these connections.

UNB, Gaibandha

Two shop employees burnt to death and four others injured in a devastating fire at Komorpur bazar in Gobindaganj upazila Friday.

The deceased were identified as Zahidul Huq and Ashraful Huq. Witnesses said the fire broke out at Shahed Khandaker's shop at the bazaar at 11am and soon engulfed the nine adjacent shops. Six shop employees who were inside during the fire could not come out and sustained severe burn injuries. Of them, Zahidul and Ashraful died on way to hospital.

On information, firefighters rushed in and brought the fire under control.

The shop-owners suffered an estimated loss of Tk 30 in the blaze.

UNB, Dhaka

Expelled BNP joint secretary general Ashraf Hossain again claimed them as mainstream BNP, saying that in accordance with BNP constitution, the Election Commission must sit with them for dialogue on electoral reforms.

He made the remark to reporters at his NAM apartment responding to some newspaper reports that the Election Commission has decided to invite BNP's new secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain for dialogue.

Ashraf said the government wants to hold corruption-free elections. The Election Commission cannot talk with those already accused of corruption.

He hoped the Election Commission would consider all aspects. "If they hold discussion without us, then the declared goal will not be achieved," he said.

"If the Commission wants to talk with BNP, they'll have to sit down with us. If they want to hold fair elections, the Commission will have to discuss with us."

Claiming him as joint secretary general of BNP elected by the party council, Ashraf said: "Suddenly we were expelled from inside the prison. We don't accept it."

He said they would participate in the election whether or not invited by the Election Commission. "Majority BNP MPs and ministers are with us."