The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Kurigram

Cowdung become the source of livelihood to many poor and distressed families in the current season in Kurigram district.

Many poor people are engaged in different ways in making and selling cowdung sticks in the char areas.

Middle class families use cowdung sticks as fuel, while some of them use fire-wood jute sticks natural gas cylinder and leaves of trees as fuel for cooking sources said.

The demand for cowdung is increasing day by day following the shortage of natural gas.

At present there are not sufficient trees in this district to be used as fire-wood.

Nurbanu Begum of Khochabari village under Ulipur upazila of the district with her kids have been passing her life very miserably for want of food. Finding no other alternative she began to collect cow-dung from pastures and made sticks with them. She sold those in the market and earned some money to maintain her family.

Like Nurbanu about three hundred families in different parts of the district upazila Sadar, Rajathat, Nageswari, Burungamari, Chilmari, Fulbari and other upazilas are selling cow dung sticks to make a living.

It is said here that cow dung is a good quality fuel for cooking all things. But it is very hard to collect cow-dung.

JU Correspondent

Kashful, a socio-cultural voluntary organisation in Ashulia is playing a pioneering role in the society, raising awareness against environmen0 pollution, curbing social violence, fighting against drugs, nursing social betterment and all positive activities in the society.

Being founded in 2003, the organisation now penetrates into every cell of the society with a view to changing the society into an idealized human society free from terrorism, inequality, illiteracy, drugs and all ill deeds.

Asaduzzaman Akash, founder chairman of the organisation thinks that to make happy the people of the society must remove some barriers from the society, to be conscious about some matters and to obey some rules and regulations. With this ends in view, the organisation is playing an important role in creating awareness among the people, about birth controlling, resisting the destruction of resources and mineral wealth, preserving the healthy environment, inspiring of tree plantation.

To disseminate to the people the idea of achieving these aims, the organisation arranged several types of programmes like opinion sharing meeting, cultural programmes and societal intimacy in the area.

Answering a question about the aim of the formation of the organisation, Akash told this reporter "About 6 lakh people live in the Savar area. More than three hundred industries have been set up occupying the Khas lands. But there is no proper way to discharge the wastes of industries. As a result, the environment being poluted this process of pollution continues, the area will turn unliveable within a short time. To make awareness about this awful condition, the organisation has been formed".

Akash also hopes that if his littlie initiative becomes materialised in the society, it will be able to build a prosperous better society.

M Kamrul Islam, office in charge of Ashulia police station desiring the prospects of the organisation said that like Akash, if every person thinks and works for the interests of the society, then our society as well as the country would see a better sunshine in the near future.

BSS, Bandarban

The first round of 16th National Immunisation Day (NID) 2007 ended in the district through administering polio doses and vitamin A capsule to the children on Monday.

A total of 1,55,092 children aged up to five years were administered the polio doses and high potency vitamin A capsule to keep them free from polio and vitamin deficiency.

Sources said NID programmes were carried out in two pourasabhas and seven upazilas of the district in three days. The second round of NID programmes will be observed on December 8 next.

Civil surgeon of Bandarban said 61,214 children of age five, 52,265 children of one to five years of age and 41,614 children of two to five years of age were administered the polio doses and vitamin A capsule at 799 centers including 181 centers at almost unreachable areas.

He said during the next round of NID programme children of 16 out of the reach areas of the hill district will be administered with polio doses.

A total of 147 health assistants, 85 family welfare assistants and 3,763 volunteers were engaged in the three day NID programme.

Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat

Four persons including a village police were killed and another six persons injured in separate road accidents in Lalmonirhat on Sunday. Local people at Barobari under Lalmonirhat sadar upazila blockaded Rangpur- Kurigram highway for two hours protesting road accident.

According to witness and thana police sources, three persons include two by-cycle riders and a rickshaw peddler were killed on the spot and six other pedestrians were injured at Barobari Dakbanglo area on the Highway when a Rangpur bound passenger bus from Kurigram hit them at 12.30pm on Sunday.

The e victims were identified as Rezaul Karim,18, Mohammad Reza,28, and Unus Ali,35. All of them are residents at Barobari and Kheda Bag village under the sadar upazila.

The local agitated people at Barobari Dakbanglo area blockaded RK highway for two hours. After 2.30pm the road communication between Kurigram, Lalmonirhat and Rangpur districts was restored. the bus driver was managed to flee away.

In another accident, a village cop was killed on the spot at Saptibari area under Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat- Burimari highway at 10.30am on Sunday, when a microbus hit him. The victim was identified Hossain Ali, 35, son of Akbar Ali of village Kamlabari under Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat, was the village cop of Kamlabari uninon parishad. Hossain Ali was coming to Lalmonirhat town on a by-cycle. The killer microbus and its driver was managed to flee away with his microbus.

The dead bodies of road accident were taken Lalmonirhat sadar hospital morgue for autopsy.

Two separate cases were lodged in this connection under Lalmonirhat sadar and Aditmari police stations.

BSS, Netrakona

A colorful rally to create awareness about preparation of voters list with photographs and national identity (ID) cards was brought out in the district town on Tuesday.

Netrakona district administration organized the rally which paraded the main roads of the town.

Deputy Commissioner Ayatullah Mojumder and commanding officer of Netrakona Army camp Lt. Col. Nakibuddin Ahmed Chowdhury and local government officials, teachers, students and civil society members, among others, took part in the rally.

Later a discussion was held at Mohua auditorium with Deputy Commissioner Ayatullah Mojumder in the chair.

Commanding officer of Netrakona Army camp Lt. Col. Nakibuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Additional District Magistrate Dr Piar Mohammad, Acting Police Super Mohammad Mufazzal Hussain and district election officer Salamatullah Mia, among others, spoke on the occasion.

The works for preparation of voters list with photographs and national ID cards was scheduled to be started from November 4 in the popura here.

One killed in road mishap

Gopalganj, Oct 30: A middle aged man, injured critically in a road accident Sunday night, succumbed to his injuries on way to Dhaka Monday morning. Police said Nannu Molla, 40, sustained serious injuries when a motorcycle dashed him at Shahsunia village in Muksudpur upazila at about 9:30 pm Sunday. He was first admitted at Muksudpur Upazila health Complex. Later, he was referred to Dhaka for better treatment. Nannu died on way to Dhaka on Monday morning, reports UNB.

Hundi traders held

Brahmanbaria, Oct 30: Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members arrested three hundi traders along with cash Tk 60 lakh from Chhoturasharif village in Akhaura upazila Monday night. Action on a secret information, RAB-9 members raided the village and arrested Mintu, 58, Majnu, 23 and Al Amain, 28. They also recovered Tk 60 lakh from their possession. A case was filed in this connection, reports UNB.

Case filed against DC in Natore

Natore, Oct 30: A case was filed against the Deputy Commissioner and three others on Monday for illegally suspending an employee of local Diabetic Association. Abdur Rashid, physio assistant of district Diabetic Association, filed the case with the district court on Monday against DC and association convenor SM Ehsan Kabir, association member secretary Rezaul Karim Khan, and members of Natore TIB Dr Zakir Talukder and Nasrin Ara Khan In his complaint, Abdur Rashid alleged that he joined Natore Diabetic Hospital in 2001 on temporary basis. Later, Association member secretary Rezaul Karim demanded Tk 20,000 for making his job permanent, Rashid said. "I have him Tk 10,000, but it could not make Rezaul Karim happy. Neither I got a permanent job or my money was refunded," Rashid alleged, reports UNB.

Minor boy crushed under wheels

Brahmanbaria, Oct 30: A little by was crushed under the wheels of a bus at Shilpur on Brahmanbaria-Sylhet road Monday afternoon. The dead was identified as Sharif, 10, son of Jamir Ali of Suhilpur village. Sources said a bus ran over Sharif when he was crossing the road, killing him on the spot. Traffic on the road remained suspended for an hour following the accident. Later police brought the situation under control. Police seized the bus, reports UNB.

Three get life for murder

Barisal, Oct 30: A court here Monday convicted three people and awarded them life term imprisonment for slaughtering a youth. The court also fined the convicts Tk 10,000 each, in default, to suffer three months more RI. The convicts were-Hanif, Uttam Kumar and Profulla Kumar Ballav. According to prosecution, Suvash Chandra Vallav, a youth of Nagorgram in Agoiljhara upazila of Barisal district went missing after he went to nearby Alta Bazar on August 12, 2003 evening. Later his slaughtered body was recovered from a field at Alta Bazar area the following morning. A case was filed. First additional district and session judge Siddiqul Arefin Chowdhury handed down this verdict after examining records and witnesses, reports UNB.

Man sentenced to life for possessing heroin in Satkhira

Satkhira, Oct 30: A court here on Monday convicted a man and sentenced him to life term imprisonment for possessing heroin. The District and Sessions Judge Court also fined the lifer-Mijanur Rahman of Bhabanipur village in Kalaroa upazila-Tk 50,000, in default, to serve one year more in jail. The same court also awarded Mijanur Rahman's associate Asadul Huq, of Bashdaha village in Sadar upazila, seven years rigorous imprisonment. It fined him Tk 10,000, in default, to suffer one year more RI for possessing fake notes, reports UNB.