The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bdnews24.com, Manikganj

A clash between truck drivers and unofficial ferry agents led to a one-hour suspension of ferry services and huge traffic tailbacks at Paturia ferry crossing Saturday.

At least 10 people were injured and 50 trucks vandalised in the incident amid heightened tensions since truck drivers barricaded the terminal Friday night.

The bdnews24.com Manikganj correspondent reports that truck drivers and unofficial ticket agents started fighting at around 11 in the morning following 10 days of delayed ferry services due to low water levels in the Padma River.

An army contingent rushed to the scene at about 1:15 pm, by which time the queue of vehicles reached beyond Aricha.

Local police and officials of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation decided to transport seven buses and five trucks on one ferry following the barricade.

However, truck drivers allege the authorities had only allowed buses on the limited services since dawn.

Truck driver Abdus Samad said: "The agents attacked us as we protested the situation. They vandalised 50 trucks while the police stood by."

Police officers from Paturia Police Post denied the allegation, when contacted by bdnews24.com.

Samad also said truck drivers sometimes have to wait up to two or three days to make the crossing unless they offered bribes to the agents.

Bidyut Kumar Saha, the assistant manager of BIWTC in Aricha, denied the charges.

"We are giving priority to the buses considering the passengers they carry," Bidyut said.

"As water levels are low in the river, only one facility out of three is operational at each ferry terminal, that creates the problem," Bidyut added.

UNB, Dhaka

An eight-day trade fair will begin at Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre on January 22, next year.

Dhaka International Exhibition Company (DIEC), in cooperation with Bangladesh Embassy, Bahrain, is going organise the fair targeting to tap huge market potentiality of Bangladeshi goods. Interested Bangladeshi banks, life insurance companies, garment manufactures, real estate companies, food and spices manufacturers and frozen food and industrial entrepreneurs are requested to contact for stall booking and information at DIEC's Purana Paltan office by November 30.

Telephone numbers of DIEC office are 9558318-9 and 7163850 and mobile no. is 01710852522.

UNB, Dinajpur

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Fulbari Police Station Md Giasuddin was closed to the district Police Lines Friday night for negligence of duty.

Police Super Mostafa Kamal said he received many complaints, including negligence of duty and failure in controlling crimes, against OC Giasuddin since he took over charge three months back. He said the OC was closed as the allegations brought against him were proved after preliminary investigations.

UNB, Rajshahi

Police seized 5,220 Sinadra tablets from a Dhaka-bound bus in Puthia upazila early Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, a team of traffic police raided the bus, coming from Chapainawabganj, near Belpukur check post at about 5am and recovered the sex stimulating drugs from the box of the bus. But they could not arrest anyone for possessing the drugs.

UNB, Dhaka

Armed robbers looted cash and gold ornaments worth about Tk 17 lakh from a house at Battola Abortek in the city's Khilkhet area early Saturday.

Police said the gang, numbering 7/8, stormed the house of Ahmed Abdul Motaleb by breaking open the door at about 3:30am and held the inmates hostage at gun point.

Later, they looted US$ 15,000, Tk 40,000 in cash and gold ornaments and left the house without any hindrance.

A case was filed with Khilkhet police station. None was arrested in this connection.

UNB, Savar

A young housewife died of burn injuries she sustained as acid thrown allegedly by her husband at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) early Saturday.

The victim, Mahmuda Akhter Topy, 29, was wife of Al Mamun, Scientific Officer of Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute at Savar. It is alleged that Mamun aided by his friend Munna beat up Topy and poured acid on her body in his officers quarters at Ashulia at midnight on November 4.

She was admitted to a local clinic with grave burn injuries and later shifted to DMCH.

Police arrested Mamun on November 5.

Informed sources said Mamun had divorced his wife Topy but later took her back after settling their dispute in an arbitration of elders.

UNB, Dhaka

Three people were killed and 25 others injured in three separate road accidents in Rajshahi and Bogra districts Saturday.

In Bogra, Rokeya Khatun,35,of Namapata village in Adamdighi upazila, was crushed under the wheels of a bus at Induil in the upazila on Bogra-Nogaon road this at 5pm today.

Meanwhile, a bus ran over an unidentified man, aged about 50, at Fultola in the town on Dhaka-Bogra highway at 3pm, killing him on the spot.

Police recovered the body and sent to hospital morgue. Separate cases were filed.

In Rajshahi, a man was killed and 25 other people were injured in a road accident at Katkhali in Motihar police station in the town. Sources said a Rajshahi bound bus from Dhaka fell into a roadside ditch after its driver lost control over steering at 1pm, killing Sumon,25, of Miligbagha village, on the spot.

Ten of the injured were rushed to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

A case was filed.

UNB, Dhaka

At least 50 people have been arrested in last three weeks for dealing with Yaaba, a dangerous sex-stimulating drug. Four teams of RAB were investigating sensational information about the drug underworld provided by those arrested, said the elite force.

Smuggled from Thailand five years ago the sex-stimulating Yaaba tablets, which have killing affects, were manufactured in the city as the demand rose from the high society, including youngsters, business tycoons, politicians and showbiz stars.

The dealers and peddlers made good fortunes until RAB arrested six youths of rich families in Gulshan on October 18 along with two luxurious BMW and Porsche cars used in transporting Yaba across the country.

Soon RAB unearthed a clandestine Yaaba factory at Gulshan and arrested Amin Huda, nephew of business tycoon Aziz Mohammad Bhai, and his accomplice Ahsanul Haque Hasan. Five kgs of Yaba tablets and variety of love drugs were seized from the factory.

Among others arrested are Deeba, girlfriend of Amin Huda, glamarous Jannatul Ferdous Akhi alias Nikita and her friend Mahbubur Rahman Joynal, managing director of Hotel Purbani.

UNB, Rajshahi

Police, in separate drives, arrested three members of outlawed Sarbahara Party from their houses in Bagmara upazila Friday afternoon.

The arrested were identified as Alamgir Hossain Alam of Goalkandi village, Akram of Nandapara and Sirajul Islam Sharif of Namkan village. They were accused of a number of cases, police said. A court here on Saturday sent the trio to jail after they were produced before the court.

UNB, Panchagarh

A Bangladeshi national was shot dead by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) troops on Tentulia border in the district Saturday.

Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and local sources said Mosharraf Hossain, 50, of Bokshipara village in the upazila was shot down while watching a Hindu festival.

They said Mosharraf and some other villagers were watching the Dewali festival near border pillar no 730 when BSF members fired about a dozen shots, killing him on the spot.

"The BSF members dragged the body across the border into Indian territory," the sources said, quoting witnesses.

Tensions were prevailing along the border

UNB, Bagerhat

Two Sub Inspectors of Sadar thana were closed to the district Police Lines for negligence of duty Friday night following missing of a licensed gun from its storeroom. The matter came to the notice when new acting officer-in-charge Humayun Kabir went to the storeroom while taking charge on November 6. The two closed Sub Inspectors were identified as Mofazzal Hossain and Shamsul Huda.

Thana sources said the gun was licensed in the name of district Jubo Dal President and Shat Gambuj UP Chairman Fakir Tariqul Islam. His wife deposited the licensed gun and nine rounds of bullet after joint force arrested Tariqul on charge of extortion, corruption and terrorist activities on February 9.

A three-member committee, headed by Additional Police Super Mirajuddin Ahmed, has been formed to investigate the matter. The committee has been asked to submit its report within next three days.

UNB, Rajshahi

Projection of violent and porno films in compact discs in different places and shops of Durgapur upazila has created concern among the guardians.

Local sources said some dishonest shopkeepers are showing these films in their grocery shops and tea stalls alongside their business to attract customers.

Besides, some unemployed and educated youths are also engaged in showing the vulgar CDs to earn money. Schoolchildren throng the places to watch the show leaving their classroom teaching. The sources said the many youths rush to these places after sundown to watch the films and spend most of the night to enjoy these obscene films. Locals said they engage themselves in various anti-social activities in the area.

The films are being shown at Durgapur poura bazar and Alipur, Sampur, Dharampur, Uzalkalsi, Kayamajampur, Puran Tahirpur, Kanpara, Badail and Negarkhali area of the uapzila.

Local elite urged the authority concerned to look into the matter and take necessary measures in this regard.

UNB, Jhenidah

Posts of Assistant Comm-issioners (Land) in Harinakundu and Shailakupa upazilas of the district are lying vacant since long causing immense suffering to the local people. According to official sources, ACs of both the upazilas were transferred in 2001 and since then the posts remained vacant. Moreover, the post of Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Harinakundu upazila also is lying vacant for more than a month, hampering the administrative work.

UNO of Sadar upzila in addition to his duty is discharging the duties of UNO and AC in Harinakundu.

Meanwhile, UNO of Shailakupa upazila is also discharging the duty of AC in addition to his duty.

The sources also said the post of Election Officer is also lying vacant in Harinakundu upazila for long.

UNB, Mymensingh

A housewife was killed and her husband wounded in an attack by their rivals at Sangra village in Haluaghat upazila on Friday.

The deceased was identified as Jarina Begum, 50, wife of Abdul Majid of the village. e said Majid took lease of 1.5 acres government land in 1991, which was subsequently grabbed by his neighbor Abul Hashem. Majid recently obtained court verdict on the land in his favour, constructed a house on the land and started cultivating crops. At this Hashem got angry and he along with his supporters swooped on the house, set it on fire and beat the inmates mercilessly on Friday morning leaving Jarina Begum dead on the spot and Majid seriously injured.

Later, Majid was rushed to the Haluaghat Health Complex. A case was filed.

UNB, Comilla

The four state-owned banks have filed 7,706 certificate cases against defaulters in different upazilas of the district to realise Tk 28.20 crore outstanding loans. Of the total, Sonali Bank filed 259 cases to realise Tk 56.30 lakh, Janata Bank filed 383 cases for Tk 44.73 lakh, Agrani Bank filed 722 cases for Tk 61.26 lakh and Bangladesh Krishi Bank filed 6,342 cases to realise Tk 26.57 crore.

Upazila wise break up of the cases: 1,113 cases filed in Adarsha Sadar, 312 in Brahmanpara, 449 in Burirchang, 312 in Barura, 1,016 in Laksam, 529 in Debidqar, 741 in Chandina, 1,245 in Nangolkot, 268 in Homna, 321 in Muradnagar, 624 in Chouddagram and 676 cases in Daudkandi.

Some arrest warrants have also been issued against the loan defaulters.

UNB, Laxmipur

Diarrhoea that broke out in an alarming proportion in two upazilas of the district last week claimed nine lives and affected over 200 others so far.

Hospital sources said the water-borne disease broke out in several villages of Komolnagar and Ramgati upazilas due to intake of contaminated pond water and adulterated foods.

Shahnoor, 5, baby girl of Monir Ahmed of Char Kaderia village in Komolnagar upazila and Shahnaj Akhter, 12, daughter of M Ismail of Char Jangalia village, died of diarrhoea on Thursday night. At least 81 patients were admitted to Komolnagar health complex where conditions of Surma, 2, Rupban, 10, Raqib, 7 and Arif, 8, were stated to be critical.

Sources said several medical teams have been working round to clock in 12 unions of the two upazilas to combat the spread of the disease. The worst affected areas are Char Kalkini, Char Falcon Char Jagbandhu, Char Lorenge, Char Bosu, Char Martin, Char Kaderia and Char Jangalia of Kamolganj upazila and Char Alexander, Char Afzal, Barakheri, Chargazi, Bayarchar, Char Badam and Char Gajaria of Ramgati upazila.

UNB, Gaibandha

A court here on Thursday sentenced four people to life term imprisonment in a murder case. The convicts are Golzar, Abdul Latif alias Natu Mandal, Jalil and Khalil of Khaikar upazila in Saghata upazila.

The court also fined the convicts Tk 10,000 each, in default, to suffer one year more rigorous imprisonment (RI). According to the prosecution, Saidur Rahman had a family feud with his neighbour Golzar. Following the feud, Goilzar's musclemen beat up Saidur's nephew Waliur Rahman on August 12, 1998. He was rushed to Rangpur Medical College Hospital where he died. Later, Saidur Rahman filed a murder case with Saghata thana against 15 people.

After examining the records and witnesses Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Sharif Uddin Azad handed down the verdict. The court also acquitted 11 others as allegations against them could not be proved.