The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Mathbaria

As army troops and volunteers are struggling to reach the survivors making ways through divested communication lines, millions eye the skyline for air force helicopters, still the only means to reach the succour to the remotest corners.

"The helicopters appeared as saviours to us," said Afzal Kazi, a local clothes shop owner as the Russian-made MI-17 landed in a field with date, flattened rice and molasses at this ravaged locality.

His remark came as hundreds others crowded the vicinity while local officials received the urgently needed food for the victims, who are also in dire need of drinking water and clothes.

Air Force officials at the Base Bashar in Dhaka said until yesterday 10 of their wide-bodied helicopters and two transport planes made 90 sorties while in another 17 sorties they are expected to reach the relief materials to remote areas where the rescuers could not reach yet.

"Several hundred airmen are working on a war footing from pre-dawn hours to late evening as the air force pilot began their sorties before 8 in the morning every day," an Air Force official overseeing the operations told this correspondent.

Officials earlier said the army troops almost covered all the devastated localities but aid workers and local officials said the airlifting of relief materials were still crucially needed for the ravaged coastlines though each of the aircraft could carry only 2.5 tonnes of goods at a time.

"It often appeared a very difficult task, we often needed to air drop the relief from a close altitude instead of landing on the ground fearing mob assaults particularly where the people are in dire need of food for their lives," said an air force pilot.

Officials in Dhaka, however, said the airlifting of lifesaving relief goods could be easier in next one week when two huge US navy ships each carrying 20 or more helicopters are expected to reach Bangladesh to join the succour campaign.

The century's worst cyclone, "SIDR", had dumped tonnes of rubbles and uprooted trees on the rural roads while the killer tidal surges literally defaced concrete roads making it difficult for the movement of lorries or trucks carrying relief goods.

Officials and aid workers said the traditional fishing trawlers could be appropriate means for reaching the succor to remote coastlines criss-crossed by numerous canals and rivers.

But, they said, the surges destroyed hundreds of such small vessels alongside the other infrastructures making it difficult for scanty navy boats to take the role of the fishing trawlers.

"Actually the fishing boats and trawlers were like lifeline for the coastal people, those are used also for transportation of goods alongside fishing in the sea . . . the destruction of the trawlers broke the supply lines in the coastline," said a local newsman in Barisal.

Our Correspondent, Rajshahi

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) here on Sunday sued Rajshahi City Corporation mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu and his wife Salma Shahadat for 'illegally' accumulating wealth worth over Tk. 3.07 crore.

The anti-graft watchdog also charged them of concealing information of their wealth worth Tk. 2.9 crore in their wealth statements. M Monirul Haque, deputy director of Rajshahi ACC lodged the case with Boalia Model police station last evening. The plaintiff alleged, Minu himself accumulated 'illegal wealth' of Tk 2,26,79,602 and concealed Tk 1,91,80,391 in his wealth statement.

Minu mentioned his earnings of Tk 62,95,368 from salaries and remunerations during his mayorship from May 1991 and May 2007, but showed wealth and properties worth Tk 99,66,849, including some Tk 34,99,211 earned by 'illegal means'.

On investigation, ACC found out Minu's secret investment of Tk 1.80 crore in the name of businessman Bairul Islam for Jamuna Seeds Storage Private Limited.

Lutfar Rahman, Minu's business partner and former president of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industries in a judicial confession in August stated that Minu used to run the businesses under fake names.

It was also alleged in the case that Minu concealed Tk 1,93,916 of repair charges for his inherited home in the city.

Minu on March 2007 paid off Tk 9,35,725 as income tax, but he did not furnish his income and spending in detail in his wealth statement.

Minu also did not mention his 17 decimal landed properties at Rajshahi BISCIC Estate and Tk 26,250 investment on the land's lease. He did not showed his policy premium of Tk 24,500 with Sunflower Life Insurance Co Ltd in Dhaka.

Minu in his wealth statement showed income of his wife Salma, a college lecturer, amounting to Tk 11,60,382, but mentioned her earned wealth as Tk 85,20,493 which meant that her 'illegally accumulated' money stood to be Tk 71,10,110.

Besides, she concealed Tk 3,40,611 of spending on their three-storied building at Padma Residential area, Tk 10,000 share of Al Arafa Islami Bank, and Tk 1,59,000 on furniture and electronic goods in their houses.

Our Correspondent, Netrakona

A day-long workshop on the Process of execution of the project of sustainable livelihood for poor producers of Netrakona district" was held at conference room of Netrakona district Agriculture Extension Department office here recently. TRAIDCRAFT and DEVELOPMENT WHEEL, the two NGOs, jointly organised the workshop for highlighting the programmes of the project, which was undertaken in the rural areas of ten upazilas of the district, to acquaint the marginal and poor farmers of the areas with the modern method of the district, to acquaint the marginal and poor farmers of the areas with the modern method of duck farming and vegetable cultivation, the workshop organisers said. Deputy Commissioner Netrakona Aiyatullah Mojumder formally inaugurated the workshop.

Presided over by Executive Director of DEVELOPMENT WHEEL Shah Abdus Salam, the inaugural function was addressed, among others, by Deputy Director of Netrakona Agriculture Extension Department Mahammad Idris Ali, District Livestock Officer Dr. Malay Sangkar Dey and Country Director of the TRAIDCRAFT Kazi Sahed Hasan Ferdous and Prof. Jatin Sarker.

A total of one hundred persons including officials of agriculture and livestock Departments, civil society members, NGO workers, duck-farm owners, farmers and journalists participated in the workshop.

BSS, Rangpur

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested three criminals, including a fake RAB man, and seized contraband goods from various places in Rangpur and Joypurhat districts in 24 hours ending on Thursday afternoon. Official sources said the RAB arrested notorious drug trafficker Tazul Islam, 36, son of Abdul Jabbar of village Sonakanda in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur, from his 'drug trading centre' at Zamtola Kolarhat in the same area and seized 30 bottles of Phensidyl from his possession on Wednesday night. The elite force arrested red-handed a fake RAB member Anisur Rahman, 27, son of late Nurul Islam of village Sundarpur Noyapara under Sadar upazila of Joypurhat while extorting Taka 2,500 from a local UP member Abdul Bari Dulal on Wednesday night. The RAB arrested professional drug trafficker Mofela Begum, 40, wife of Mofidul Islam, from her house in Biswaspara area of Joypurhat town at 10:30 AM on Thursday and seized seven bottles contraband phensidyl from her possession. Besides, the elite force seized 24 sacks of smuggled Indian rock salt in an abandoned condition from Joypurhat Bus Terminal at 11:30 AM on Thursday.

After filing separate cases in these connections, the RAB handed over the arrested to the concerned police stations this afternoon.

the sources said.

Our Correspondent, Jhenidah

Additional District and Session Judge (one) Md Kamirul Hossain Mollah on Thursday in a judgement sentenced. Assadul Haq alias Asad Ali and his co-wife Roksana Begum of village Syan Kureunder Mohespur upazila to life term imprisonment for the killing first wife Kohinoor Begum (27).

The court at the same time fined Tk 20,000 each in default to suffer one year more to jail to these convicts.

According to the prosecution Asadul Haq married Kohinoor of village Tahsar about 15 years ago. After their marriage Asadul tortuned his wife for dowry. During this time Kohinoor gave birth 3 children. In 2004

Asadul Haq married Rokshana Begum as 2nd wife. After 2nd marriage Asadul demanded Taka 50 thousandas dowry and intensified torture on Kohinoor. On 2nd February 2004 Asadul Haq and Roksana killed Kohinoor by suffocation. Later they hanged the dead boy in their room. After the resident when they trials to flce the away villagers caught them. Police recovered the dead body and sent to autopsy. After postmortem report Wahedul Islam, cousin of deceased Kohinoor lodged a murder case on 20th February, 2004 at Mohespur thana.

After investigation police Submitted charge sheets against Asadul and his 2nd wife Roksana in the court. After examining the records and witnesses judge found them guilty and delivered the judgement.

Our Correspondent, Jessore

On a secret information Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-6) recovered 84 bottles of Indian smuggled phensidyl from the house of Mintu Biswas (32), son of Abdul Majid Biswas of Noapara Textile area of Noapara town under Abhoynagore Upazila in the district on 13th November evening.

RAB sources said that Mintu was a drug smuggler and doing his business since long. Later he was handed over to Abhoynagore thana police.

In another incident, Detective Police (DB police) Jessore recovered four kgs of hemp (dry ganja) from Ghope area in Jessore town on 13th November and they arrested the owner of the Ganja named Shipu (27), son of Muslemuddin of Central road, Ghope in the town.

According to DB police sources, Shipu was returning from Kushtia with this dry Ganja on 13th November afternoon, on a secret information a contingent of DB police led by DI Dara and Kamal raided the house of Shipu and recovered the Ganja from his house.

The Ganja was packed in a polythene bag covered with jute-made bag. Later they handed over Shipu to Kotwali thana and lodged a case with the thana in this connection.

BSS, Rangpur

Five persons were killed and eight others injured in separate road accidents at various places in four northern districts on Tuesday.

Police sources said one Shahid, 40, of village Kolabari was killed on the spot after a truck rammed the rickshaw carrying him at Mahiganj Satmatha point in Rangpur Township on Tuesday evening.

College student Mohammad Litan, 18, of village Chakdatea, was killed on the spot when a Dhaka bound truck hit him at Hospital Mour point in Gobindaganj upazila town on the Rangpur- Dhaka Highway in Gaibandha.

Workers Mohammad Ali, 25, and Khalil, 20, of village Sarkerpara were killed and eight others injured when a Rangpur bound BRTC bus from Panchagarh hit them at Jem Jute Mills point on the Panchagarh-Rangpur Highway in Boda Upazila of Panchagarh.

The injured persons were admitted to Panchagarh Sadar Hospital and Boda Upazila Health Complex.

Tempo driver Dulal Hossain, 38, of village Durgapur in Kahalu Upazila of Bogra succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday at Bogra Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital. He was seriously injured on last on Saturday when his tempo skidded off the road at Durgapur point on the Kahalu road there.

Separate cases were filed in these connections with the concerned police stations, the sources said.

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Teachers, students, officials and staff members of Patuakhali Science and Technology University organised a condolence meeting in memory of the those who died during the cyclone SIDR on the campus on Monday.

Vice chancellor Dr. Abdul Latif Masum presided over the meeting while registrar Dr. Sultan Ahmed, dean of higher studies and research Dr. AKM Mustafa, dean of food and nutrition Dr Fazlur Rahman and assistant registrar Dr Rabiul Huq, among others, addressed the gathering.

The speakers, expressing their solidarity with the SIDR affected people, vowed to extend all possible help to them.

Besides, a joint meeting of the teachers and staffs of PSTU chaired by the VC decided to donate one day's salary to the relief fund and formed a 15-member relief collection committee headed by the registrar Dr. Sultan Ahmed with Nazrul Huq, chairman in charge of agri-botany as member secretary.

The committee will distribute relief materials among the distressed people as early as possible.

BSS, Rangpur

The police seized a huge quantity of urea fertiliser and arrested a person in two separate drives in the district today.

On a tip-off, the Mithapukur police raided shops of fertiliser traders Saheb Ali, of village Harurpara, and Majnu Mia, of village Milky Vendabari, at Moslem Bazar in Mithapukur Upazila.

They seized illegally hoarded 45 sacks of urea fertiliser from the shop of Saheb Ali and 32 sacks of that of Majnu Mia when both of the fertiliser traders managed to escape the scene sensing police presence.

In another raid, the Pirgacha police arrested Alam of village Purbo Mohendra in Pirgacha Upazila from Pirgacha road while he was illegally trafficking eight sacks of urea fertiliser on Thursday morning.

Separate cases under the Special Powers Act of 1974 were filed with the concerned police stations.

One killed by tiger in Satkhira

SATKHIRA, Nov 24: A fisherman of village Kalinti in Shyamnagar upazila, who was seriously injured in an attack by a tiger in Sundarbans on Monday, died at a hospital on Wednesday. The dead was identified as Momen Gazi, of Kalintri village. Sources said when Momen went to Kakrabunia area of Sundarbans for collecting crab a tiger attacked him early in the morning. Though he was saved after a fight with the tiger for more than half an hour he sustained serious injuries, reports UNB.

Bodyguard of JMB kingpin Shaikh Abdur Rahman jailed for 10 years

SYLHET, Nov 24: The bodyguard of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) kingpin Shaikh Abdur Rahman was sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment on Wednesday in August 17 serial bombing case. The Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Diproman Sarkar handed down the verdict after examining the witnesses and records. He also fined the convict Abdul Aziz alias Hanif Tk 5,000, in default, to suffer one year RI more. The court also acquitted another accused JMB cadre Salehin alias Sajib from the case as allegation brought against him could not be proved. But he was sent to jail again, as he is an accused in another case. According to the prosecution, a number of bombs were exploded simultaneously at different places in Sunamganj on August 17, 2005. A case was filed against some unknown people with the Sunamganj thana for exploding bombs near a bridge in Sunamganj town. The charge sheet was submitted against Hanif and Sajib on June 30, 2005, reports UNB.

Road mishap

DINAJPUR, Nov 24: At least 23 people were injured, four critically, in a head-on collision between a bus and a truck at Bejaimor in Fulbari upazila here Wednesday. Police said the Dinajpur bound bus from Bogra collided with a goods-laden truck, coming from opposite direction, and then fell into a roadside ditch, leaving 23 passengers injured. The critically injured were rushed to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital and six others to Fulbari upazila health complex. Police seized the bus but its driver and helpers managed to escape. The truck also fled away from the scene, reports UNB.

3 held with relief goods

BAGERHAT, Nov 23: Three people, including two UP members, were arrested when they were selling rice of government relief fund in Rampal upazila headquarters in the black market Wednesday night. The arrested were identified as UP members Sarwar Hossain and Maniruzzaman and rice trader Al-Amin Sheikh. Police said they arrested them along with 160 kgs of government rice when the two UP members were selling rice secretly to Al-Amin at Tk 30 per kg, reports UNB.

Farmer killed

SHERPUR, Nov 24: Wild elephants trampled to death a poor farmer and wounded two others at Batkuchi village in Nalitabari upazila at 10-15 PM Wednesday. Sohrab Ali, 40, died on the spot. Zohura Khatun, 50, and Kashem, 30, escaped death but badly wounded were admitted to Nalitabari Health Complex. Villagers said that a herd of about 40 wild elephants came down from the forest in the afternoon in search of food. They damaged standing Aman paddy crops and pulled down four dwelling houses. Sohrab and others came under attack while attempting to prevent the animals in destroying the crops, reports UNB.