The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Rangpur

Speakers at a daylong regional seminar titled 'Hurdles in Entering Khas Land and Prospects' here on Thursday asked for proper management and distribution of khas land for ensuring sustainable development of the poor and eradicating poverty.

CARE Bangladesh under its Souhardo programme organised the seminar as a part of its nationwide programme for chalking out a proper and excellent Khas land management process to ensuring entrance and rights of the landless people and sharecroppers to the khas land for attaining their self-reliance.

Chaired by Rangpur Regional Coordinator of Souhardo Programme Subrato Kumar, the seminar was attended by Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur Khondker Atiar Rahman as the chief guest.

Expert of Association for Land Reforms Rowshan Jahan Moni presented the keynote paper elaborating the present situation and management systems in the country's khas land, natural and human resources, khas water bodies and relevant matters with a number of suggestions for overcoming those.

Advocacy Unit Coordinator of Souhardo Programme Sheema Gaikoad, President of Gram Unnayan Committee Nur Banu (Kurigram), Ghoghadaho UP chairman Abdul Malek (Kurigram), Laksmitari UP chairman Waheduzzaman Mabu (Rangpur), Pourasabha Commissioner Edris Ali (Rangpur) and Agriculture coordinator of RDRS MG Neogi addressed the seminar.

Among senior government officials, AC (land) of Lalmonirhat Ruhul Amin Mia, Gangachara UNO Mukesh Chandra Biswas, Fulchhari UNO Habibur Rahman, ADC (Rev) of Rangpur Amir Hossain, ADC (Rev) of Nilphamari Malay Kumar Roy, ADC (Rev) of Lalmonirhat Sarwar Mahmud, ADC (Rev) of Gaibandha Abdur Rashid and ADM of Kurigram Khalilur Rahman took part in the discussion.

Several regional seminars were organised at different areas of the country and the recommendations and suggestions received for those will be placed in a national seminar to be arranged in Dhaka on November next for preparing a national proposal on the issue, the organisers said.

The speaker expressed their strong belief that such seminars will help in building mutual confidence and trusts, enhance cooperation among the stakeholder organisations to ensure proper managements in these sectors.

The ongoing Souhardo Programme in 492 UPs of the 18 districts in the country for attaining self-reliance by four lakh poor families by the year 2009 will also be helped by and large like the other poverty alleviation programmes of the GOs and NGOs if the khas land and water bodies were properly distributed among them, they added.

Our Correspondent, Barisal

For violating academic discipline authority of the Pataukhali Science and Technology University imposed temporary ban on entrance of 34 students of agricultural faculty in the.

Dr. Abdul Latif Masum, vice chancellor and Dr. Sultan Ahmed, registrar of PSTU, said some students of agricultural faculty boycotting examination and demanding shifting of the dates of practical examinations instigated violence and created indiscipline and disturbed academic atmosphere in the campus on October 01, 2007.

Then the authority shifting the dates of examinations formed a three member inquiry committee headed by Dr. AKM Mustafa Zaman, dean of education and higher studies.

The committee after primary investigation marked 18 students of first and 16 students of second semester of agriculture faculty liable for the chaos.

The university was opened on Tuesday after Eid vacation and those 34 students were noticed to appear before the investigation committee for giving defense witness within today Thursday and ordered not to attend in classes, stay in the campus or hostel till the investigation report submitted.

VC and registrar office of PSTU sources said students and guardians noticed about the decision of the investigation committee before opening the university and report of the inquiry committee would be submitted within end of next week.

Our Correspondent, Chittagong

An expatriate was chopped to death allegedly by his younger brother over family feud at village Kajipara under Hathajari police station on Thursday.

The deceased was identified as Mohammed Abdul Hamid (32). He was an expatriate of Dubai and scheduled to fly back on Thursday morning..

Police and local sources said that younger brother Mohammed Abdul Halim (28) attacked Abdul Hamid with sharp weapon from behind while he was going to say his morning prayer at about 5:00 a.m. Family members recovered him in a critical condition and rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) where he succumbed to his injuries.

Family members claimed that both brothers locked in a feud over sharing money from last couple of days. The body of the victim sent to the CMCH morgue for autopsy.

Police, however, could not manage to arrest the accused younger brother till the time of dispatching this report at 7:00 p.m.

Our Correspondent, Rajshahi

Durgpur thana police on Thursday morning arrested Ashraful Kabir Bulu, President of Durapur upazila unit of BNP from his house at Dharampur area under Durgapur municipality.

ASI Toufique Hasan of Durgapur thana informed there is a murder case and two extortion cases against Ashraful Kabir Bulu.

Bulu remained absconding for a long time. Recently he returned home and being tipped off, police arrested him from his house. He has been sent to jail hajat through the court.

One sentenced to 21-yr RI in dacoity, arms case

Our Correspondent, Jessore

A court here convicted and sentenced a man for 21 years rigorous imprisonment in two separate cases including dacoity and arms case.

Special Tribunal Judge Jessore Abdul Mannan after examining witnesses and relevant documents found Majharul Islam Mintu son of Robiul Islam of village Shamkur under Monirampur Upazila in the district guilty and announced this verdict on 24th October last.

The prosecution story is that on 6th January of 2004 at night Majharul Islam and some of his associate were returning after committing dacoity at local UP chairman Belayet Hossain's house and when they reached Gobindopur village suddenly the villagers caught him red-handed. They recovered one pipegun and one sharpknife from his possessions and later handed over him to Monirampur thana police.

A case was lodged with the thana. Investigation officer submitted charge sheet in due time.

The learned judge after examining witnesses and documents found him guilty and announced this verdict on 24th October.

Our Correspondent, Gopalganj

A daring bus dacoity was committed near Ramchandrapur bridge under Tungipara Upazila of Gopalganj district on Gopalganj-Tungipara road on October 25 at 2 AM and the dacoits looted cash Taka 50,000 including ornaments and valuable goods worth about Taka three lakh from Dhaka-Tungipara bound passenger night coaches.

It is learnt that a group of armed dacoits numbering about 20 persons barricaded road near Ramchandrapur bridge on Gopalganj-Tungipara road and by trees and stopped three passenger night coash of Razib, and Palash Paribahan and looted cash Taka 50,000 ornaments and valuable goods its worth Taka three lakh and stabbed drives/helpers and passengers. As a result 15 persons were injured and driver Nashiur (38) Habib (32) helper Emdad (26) and driver Zakir (33) admitted to Sadar Hospital in critical condition. A case has been registered with respective thana in this connection.

Two killed in road mishap

SYLHET, Oct 29: Two people were killed and two others injured when a truck rammed into a CNG-run auto-rickshaw at Majortila in Sadar upazila on Sylhet-Tamabil road Friday afternoon. Witnesses said the goods-laden truck rammed into the three-wheeler at about 5pm killing its two passengers on the spot and injuring two others. One of the dead was identified as Abdus Shahid, 30, son of Pillakandi village of Jakiganj upazila. The identity of another deceased could not be known immediately.

Ten suffer burn injuries in Munshiganj

MUNSHIGANJ, Oct 29: Eight shops and houses were gutted completely and five other establishments partially in a devastating fire that broke out in Thanarpul area of the town Friday night. Ten people suffered burn injuries when they tried to put out the blaze. Four of the injured were admitted to the Sadar Hospital burn unit. Fire brigade sources said the blaze originated from a burning cigarette butt at a fuel-oil shop at about 11:45pm and soon engulfed the adjacent areas burning six tin-shed shops and two houses into ashes and partially damaging three other shops and two residential buildings.

Aman paddy affected by leaf blight

JHALAKATI, Oct 29: Aman plants on 1,500 hectares of land in three upazilas of the district, out of four, have been affected by bacterial leaf blight. Sources said the farmers in the district have started the aman paddy cultivation on their lands after facing a number of natural calamities.

The affected upazilas are Sadar, Rajapur and Kathalia. Deputy Director of district Agriculture Extension Department Satya Ranjan Sircar visited the affected paddy fields. Local and hybrid varieties of paddy have been cultivated on 47,000 hectares of land in the district this season. But the farmers of the affected paddy field are apprehending shortfall in production target due to the outbreak of the disease. Agriculture department sources said the disease broke out following heavy rain and storms on October 15 and 16 in the district. To combat the menace Agriculture officials advised the farmers to use five kgs of potash fertilizer on per bigha land.

Model thana inaugurated

NARSINGDI, Oct 29: Narsingdi model thana and service delivery centre were formally inaugurated in the thana compound on Thursday noon as part of police reform programme in the country. Additional Inspector General of Police Naba Bikram Tripura inaugurated the thana and the service centre as chief guest with Police Super Shahabuddin Khan in the chair. UNDP, DFID and Election Commission are assisting the implementation of the police reform programme. The chief guest said 11 police stations of the country have been taken under the programme to provide better service to the people. He sought cooperation from all sections of people to make the police reform programme a success.

Body recovered

MYMENSINGH, Oct 29: A rice trader was found dead at Tatkura bazar in Gouripur upazila Thursday morning. Police said rice trader Abdul Khalek, 22, went to sleep inside his shop in the bazar on Wednesday night as usual. Local people found his body hanging from a tree behind his shop in the morning and informed the police. Later, police recovered the body that bore injury marks and sent it to the morgue for autopsy. The reason behind the murder could not be known. A case was filed.