The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Bagerhat

A high powered two member EU team. (Food and Veterinary Mission) visited Bagerhat, on 19,20,21, Oct. to see for themselves the actual position of shrimp gher Management, depots, hatchery, processing plant, fishing system. etc. They also wanted to know how far HACCP (Hazard analysis critical control point) rules are observed at field level.

The visiting team includes, Macboy, head of the EU mission, quality control officer Raj Patel while Emran, Deputy Secretary, Principal Scientific officer of Fishery Directorate, Mohiuddin, quality control Rafique, Deputy Director. Khulna J.K. Biswas, D.F.O. Bagerhat, Dr. Nitya Nanda Das, Masumoor Rahman U.N.O Rampal, U.N.O. Bagerhat, and Leading shrimp culturists were present.

The team visited a shrimp gher at Ranasen, Rampal, a shrimp gher at Radha Bhallab, Bagerhat, a training session at Sundarban Girls College, Rampal, Rupsha Fish and allied company at Paik Para, Bagerhat.

During their field visit, the Mission circumspectionately examined, the quality of water and its purifying process, shrimp collection system, testing the collected fish, system, Registration of shrimp gher, rate of mortality, antidote to virus, destroy and dumping system of diseased shrimp, packaging and identification of tag and numbering system, sanitation of shrimp farms, date of production storage facility, feeding system, quality offish meal, quality control system etc. They also enquired about the quality of fish meal and other related issue to the local shrimp culturist.

Non compliance of HACCP conditionalities would create a very difficult problem in exporting shrimp to 25 European countries. EU is the major shrimp importing country, which imports 48% of total production of Bangladesh shrimp. they want socially responsive virus free healthy and good quality shrimp.

In the context of International trade exporting of quality shrimp is of para mount importance as it earned 500 U.S dollar in the last fiscal year,since, it has become an exportable traditional item and. as a primary commodity, if we lose the EU market it would rather be a suicidal step for Bangladesh. Our National economy would be in a critical and challenging position.

BSS, Thakurgaon

Increasing demand for power in Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts could be fulfilled by immediately implementing the proposed 20 MW power plant.

Power Development Board (PDB) sources said the demand for electricity in two districts is 40 MW which goes up to 50 megawatt during boro season.

The situation has slightly improved after the joint forces taken some initiatives in this regard. At present the two districts have been getting only 15 to 16 MW power which is very insufficient.

In 2001 a high-level government committee proposed to set up a 20 MW power plant at Thakurgaon to solve the power crisis and accordingly PDB has started site development after acquiring land. But after sometime the development work has been stopped.

Our Correspondent, Manikganj

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of Hindu community, ended in Manijganj on Sunday night peacefully through the immersion ceremony after five days of its festivities from on Wednesday. The five days Manikganj Hindu community was joyous. Different places of the district especially Zila town, Tara Banijury and Shib Bari were crowded, but no trouble observed anywhere.

Dist. Puja Udjapan committee source said, the Durga Puja was held in Manikganj at 357 Puja Mandap.

Udjapon Committee's President Rajato Shuvro Gose Bappy said, "I am highly pleased to the government, as the government made tight security. Although government allocation was not sufficient. "He also given thanks to others communities, who have assisted them.

BSS, Rajshahi

Police, in different anti-crime drives, arrested 24 alleged criminals including two drug-traffickers from different areas in city and nine upazilas of the district in last 24 hours ending on Monday evening, police sources said.

Of the arrested, seven persons were rounded up from different areas in the metropolis while 17 others including the drug-peddlers from nine Upazilas of the district.

Police captured the drug-traffickers identified as Shamsur Ali, 22, son of Dhani Israil and Shoibal, 20, son of Saifuddin with 100 grams of heroin during a raid at their Roynagar locality under Godagari upazila of the district.

Traffic police lodged 18 cases under motor vehicles ordinance and seized a tempo without registration and other evidence-related malpractices from different parts of the city during the same time.

Meanwhile, police, in different anti-crime drives, arrested 41 alleged criminals including two drug-traders from different areas in city and nine upazilas of the district in last 24 hours, police sources said.

Of the detained, 17 persons including the drug-peddlers were rounded up from different areas in the metropolis while 24 others from nine upazilas of the district. Police captured the drug-peddlers identified as Shajahan Ali, 48, and Sharif Uddin, 38, with eight liters of locally made liquor from their respective houses at Chhatabangram under Boalia thana and Harian under Motihar thana in the city.

Traffic police lodged 21 cases under motor vehicles ordinance and seized a motorbike without valid documents from different parts of the city during the same time.

Bangladesh Navy Ship 'Darshak' left for UN Peace Keeping Mission in Sudan by a UN chartered transport vessel M V SCAN OCEANIC from Chittagong Port on Tuesday (23-10-2007).

BNS DARSHAK is the first Bangladeshi Naval Ship as participating in UN Peace Keeping Mission in Sudan with riverine unit.

Earlir on 4th October 2007 Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam visited Sudan-bound Naval Contingent and BNS DARSHAK and inquired about the Officers and Sailors of the Ship, says a press release. As part of Peace Keeping Mission/force in 21 UN Missions of 20 countries so far 265 Officers and 678 Sailors of different ranks of Bangladesh Navy performed their duties with good name and fame.

It is expected that inclusion of BNS DARSHAK in Sudan Contingent will add a new dimension in UN Peace Keeping activities. Among others Chittagong area Commanders, Commanding officer of Ships and establishments and good number of civil and military high officials were also present on the occasion.

BSS, Chittagong

Police recovered bodies of two unidentified young men from separate areas at Patiya Upazila in the district on Tuesday, police sources said.

The sources said on an information, a team of the police recovered a dead body of a youth aged around 20 years from the bank of Kharana canal area at about 3.30 PM.

Another body aged about 30 years was recovered from a pond of Kelishahar High School. Police could not ascertain the identities of the victims. Police, however, suspects that assailants had thrown the bodies after murdering them in a planned manner to hide the evidence of the crime.

The bodies were sent to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Two separate unnatural death (UD) cases were lodged with Patiya thana in this connection.

Our Correspondent, Baguna

After primary investigation a case has been registered with Patharghata Police Station on Monday against Golam Sarwar Hiru, former lawmaker of Barguna-2 for alleged toll collection.

Police sources said Khairul Islam, member of Kalmegha Union Parishad of Patharghata Upazila under Barguna district filed an allegation with Upazila Magistrate court on October 9, 2007 against Hiru for demanding 2.2 lakh taka toll in exchange of sanctioning 67 metric tons of wheat granted to use in a canal excavation project of that Union.

The complaint as the project chairman forced to pay 1.2 lakhs taka toll in end of 1996 to the then Islami Oikko Jote lawmaker Hiru.

However Hiru demanding rest Tk.1 lakhs of the toll stopped the work of the project in default and failed to take protection of law due to hostile situation.

Syed Faruk, Upazila Magistrate, receiving the allegation forwarded it to in charge of Patharghata police for taking necessary action after primary investigation. Police registered the allegation as a regular criminal case after finding facts behind allegation, sources added.

BSS, Rangpur

Police in separate drives arrested 27 people from different places in all eight upazilas of the district last night, police sources said.

Of them, Kotwali Police picked up six persons, Gangachara two, Taraganj three, Badarganj one, Mithapukur four, Pirganj two,

Pirgacha three, Kawnia police five and DB police arrested one person in the drives.

The arrested persons include absconding warrantees, accused in different cases, drug-peddlers and traffickers, antisocial elements, thieves and suspected criminals.

The police also seized good quantities of smuggled ganja, fermented wine and phensidyl, stolen goods and other illegal things during the raids.

BSS, Chapainawabganj

The work of voter ID cards with photograph is progressing fast with much enthusiasm in Chapainawabganj Pourasabha.

Technical co-ordinator of the programme and Commanding Officer of the joint forces of the district Lieutenant Colonel Anwar Sohel Siddiqui inaugurated photograph-taking session at Green View School on Friday.

Chaired by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Gen) Shah Alam Mridha, the function was also addressed, among others, by Lieutenant Colonel Taher, Chairman of Chapainawabganj Pourashava Ataur Rahman, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Gen) Sultan Abdul Hamid and District Election Officer Sarkar Ashraful Alam.

BSS, Thakurgaon

Dhaka University Students Association of Thakurgaon has accorded reception to 174 meritorious students of district those obtained GPA-5 in this year's SSC and HSC examinations.

The reception was held at local Mirza Ruhul Amin auditorium recently.

Presided over by Rakibul Islam, convenor of the association the reception was addressed, among others, by Shafayet Hossain, Deputy Commissioner, artiste Litu Anam, Chowdhury Humayun Kabir, Halima Begum, Hamidur Rahman, Ferdous Alam, Advocate Mustaque Alam Tulu and Farhadul Islam.

BSS, Barisal

At least 50 families rendered homeless due to erosion of the Kirtonkhola river at Charmonai point on Sunday.

Sources said about five acres of land of Pashurikathi village under Charmonai under Sadar Upazila in the district suddenly devoured in the river on Sunday evening leaving at least 50 families homeless.

The erosion-hit people have been taken shelter on an embankment without anything on their head. They need immediate rehabilitation and other necessary help, sources said.