The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Unit-8 of Rapid Action Battalion deployed at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH) started implementing a system under a pilot project of the joint forces to restore discipline and improve standard of services.

This project includes ensuring control of visitors and attendants, healthy and hygienic atmosphere, sanitation, lighting, proper treatment, sufficient diet, attendance and service of the physicians, hospital staffs, and prevention of smoking, betel leaf and other harmful things.

Deputy Director of the hospital Dr. Suvash Chandra Das said, 4 vigilance teams of the hospital authority with the help of the law enforcers started continuous monitoring of the newly introduced systems in 40 wards of the hospital since November 1, 2007. Under this project, entrance of medical representatives has been prohibited; doctors and staffs are directed to give regular services wearing prescribed uniform with nameplates. Cleaners have been ordered to clean the hospital floors, toilets, passages and the rooms every alternative hour.

Four lifts of the hospital building have been made operative by Ansars. RAB, Police and Ansar camps at the hospital premises have been set up to ensure discipline, law and order and prevent unwanted trespassers and outsiders.

As a result of the strict implementation of the project, more than 800 visitors and attendants of the patients had to purchase passes and cards at the cost of Tk.60 per head on Thursday. However from that amount Tk. 50 would be returned back at the time of the surrender of the cards.

Four check points were also set up to check the passes at the entrance and exit points of the hospital building.

Mobile vigilance team led by Osman Ali Khan, deputy director of RAB-8, expelled unauthorized visitors and attendants with a note of caution in case of repetition of the same.

The vigilance teams also checked the standard of food and medicine supplied to the patients.

They also took note of the allegations from the patients and directed hospital authorities to take necessary steps.

Md. Harun Chowdhury, Divisional Commissioner, Aminul Islam, deputy inspector general of police of Barisal range visited SBMCH to inspect the procedure and result of the implementation of this project, sources said.

Our Correspondent, Lalmonirhat

After consecutive floods that damaged Aus paddy, pest attack and diseases are making Aman scenario bleak at five upazilas in Lalmonirhat district to the frustration of the farmers and worry of the agriculture officials.

Lalmonirhat Agriculture Extension Department (AED) officials have detected diseases along with pest attack in Aman fields that may affect the crop, now in flowering stage in most areas especially at Lalmonirhat sadar and Kaligonj upazilas.

Some farmers claimed that the diseases and pest attack might reduce the yield by 22 to 25 percent. Agriculture officials, however, fluctuate on the level of damage. AED Deputy Director (DD) in Lalmonirhat Aftab Uddin said, "Transplanted Aman on 730 hectares of land out of 95,000 hectares in the district is so far affected with 'sheet blight' and 'rot blight' diseases. Those may decrease the yield by 3 to 4 percent". The diseases attack only BR-11 and Swarna varieties of Aman, he said. "BR-11 is an old variety and so its capacity to resist diseases has decreased. Swarna is an Indian variety not suitable for the climate of the region", he explained. Farmer Salam Sheikh of Tajpur village under Lalmonirhat sadar upazila in the district said that he used pesticide but is still worried that he would not get even 35 to 40 percent yield.

Another farmer Rahim Uddin of Lalmonirhat sadar upazila said, farmers like him couldn't afford to buy potash at high prices now. He said most of the late-transplanted Aman plants are attacked with 'sheet blight'.

Weather in the region is dry after floods, which is suitable for the diseases to grow, said Jamilur Rahman, an agricultural expert. He added that the late planting might be another reason of such attacks.

BSS, Rangpur

Speakers at a roundtable conference have said tuberculosis could be eradicated by bringing all TB patients under the ongoing direct observation treatment short- course (DOTS) programme.

They stressed the need for creating mass awareness in this connection and urged the DOTS committees at upazila and UP levels to further extending the programme up to the grassroots level for eradicating the TB from society once for all.

The Health Directorate under its National Tuberculosis Control Programme, District Civil Surgeon Office, Health and Family Planning Department (HFPD), Nilphamari Press Club and BRAC jointly organised the roundtable at the conference hall of Nilphamari District Modernised Hospital recently.

Chaired by Civil Surgeon of Nilphamari Dr Tomshil Uddin Ahmed, Deputy Commissioner of Nilphamari Khondker Mokhlesur Rahman attended the roundtable as the chief guest.

Pourasabha chairman Dewan Kamal Ahmed, Deputy Director of district HFPD Dr Sikander Ali and ASP (Circle) Lutfar Rahman were present as the special guests.

Medical Officers, government and NGO officials and experts, public representatives, journalists, members of the civil society, professionals and elite took part in it. The meeting decided to create mass awareness through combined efforts of all stakeholders in popularising the DOTS method for TB treatment in all areas in the district with a view to eradicating the disease within the shortest possible period.

Our Correspondent, Netrakona

A total of twenty commercial houses including five medicine shops and fifteen cotton shops were burnt to ashes when a devastating fire was broke out at a busy shooping center at Mahanganj upazila town today. Police and fire service sources said, the fire originated from an electric short circuit in a cotton shop at the area and soon engulfed the adjoining areas. Being informed about the fire incident, two separate teams of police and fire service department rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control after making three hours efforts in which local people also joined their hands, the sources said. The actual loss of fire could not be assessed immediately, the sources added.

BSS, Feni

The prosecution activities of the two courts in the district headquarters held on the first day of separation of the judiciary from executive on Thursday. Assistant Sessions Judge Munshi Mohammad Mashiar Rahman and Assistant Judge Rezaul Karim have already joined as judicial magistrates of the district. Court sources said four more judicial magistrates have also been appointed.

A meeting of the Feni Bar Association was held to mark the historic separation of the judiciary on Thursday.

President of the Bar Kazi Ahmed Karim chaired the discussion.

BSS, Kishareganj adds: The district Bar Association held different programmes in the district town on Thursday, welcoming separation of the judiciary from the executive.

Describing the historic day as the 'Justice Day' the Bar has brought out a procession which paraded the main streets of the town carrying placards, festoon and banners. A discussion was also held at the Bar office on the occasion. District and Sessions Judge Golam Murtaza Majumdar, Deputy Commissioner of the district Sultan Ahmed and chief judicial magistrate Humayan Kabir spoke in the meeting.

Motorbike rider killed

BAGERHAT Nov 4: A motorbike rider was killed in an accident on Khulna-Mongla Highway at Lakpur area in the district on Thursday. The victim was identified as Jakab Sarkar Anand son of Saren Sarkar of Shashi Babu Road in Khulna town. Police and eyewitnesses said a speedy passenger bus run over the motorbike, he was ridding, and fled the scene killing him on the spot, reports BSS.

Clothes distributed

CHILMARI, Nov 4: A huge quantity of warm clothes were distributed among the flood-hit and distressed people in Chilmari upazila of Kurigram on Thursday, reports BSS.

Body recovered

COMILLA, Nov 4: Police recovered a body of unidentified youth from Baropara area beside Dhaka-Chittagong road in Daudkandi upazila on Thursday. Police said being informed by the local people, they recovered the body of the youth, 30, with injuries at different organs from the area and sent it to the hospital for autopsy. A case was also lodged with local thana in this connection, reports BSS.

OC closed

Narsingdi, Nov 4: Office-in-charge (OC) of Model Police Station S Alam was closed to the district Police Lines Thursday night following the death of a transport employee in police custoday. Police sources said Narsingdi Police Super (SP) Shahabuddin Khan received the order from the head office on Thursday. Earlier, a case was filed with the chief judicial magistrate court on Thursday night against five people, including the OC and sub inspectors Matiar Rahman and Ali Akber, on charge of killing transport employee Morshed Rana, 30, during interrogation in custody, reports UNB.

One held with fake notes

Laxmipur, Nov 2: A man was arrested along with 10 fake notes of Tk 500 denomination from Kapilatali Bazar upazila on Thursday. Acting on a tip-off, a police team went to the market and caught Noor Alam, 40, along with the 10 fake notes. Noor Alam, son of Amin Uddin hailed from Sundarpur village under Chatkhil upazila in Noakhali district. A case was filed against him, reports UNB.

One killed, 15 hurt in Natore road mishap

Natore, Nov 2: A man was killed and 15 others were injured, five seriously, in a tragic road accident at Hoybatpur in Sadar upazila on Thursday. Witnesses said a goods-laden Natore bound truck from Dhaka dashed a bus at the point at 5 pm from behind injuring the passengers. On information, local fire service personnel rushed to the spot and sent the injured to Sadar hospital where Golam Mostafa, 30, of Singra upazila died after sometime. The conditions of seriously injured Janab Ali, 28, Jamil, 20, Babul, 35, Asadul, 37, and Aktar, 27, were stated to be critical, reports UNB.

Robbers lynched

Chittagong, Nov 2: Two suspected robbers were killed in a lynch-mob attack at Dakhkhin Sarta village in Rauzan upazila early today (Friday) Police and local people said a gang of eight robbers stormed into the house of US-expatriate Golam Mawla at about 3am and confined his family members, including his father, mother and brother, into a room at gunpoint. Hearing the hue and cry, devotees from a nearby mosque encircled the house of Golam Mawla, caught three robbers and gave them a mass beating. Two robbers died on the spot while another was injured seriously during the mass beating, reports UNB.