The New Nation - Internet Edition

Raihan Uddin Sarker, Gouripur

Irregularities and corruption have been alleged in the sub-registry office in Gouripur upazila of Mymensingh district inspite of being state of emergency in our country.

Md Matiur Rahman Khan, ex BNCC cadet sergeant of Gouripur Govt college and owner of computer composing center, son of Deowan Ali Khan as well as some conscious citizens made a statement to the press against Alhaj Makbul Hossain, Subregistrar and FM Mahfuz-ur Rahman head clerk of the office in this upazila.

FM Mahfuz-ur Rahman clerk in the said office has allegedly been realizing illegal gratification from the recipients of the deed and land sellers via deed writers at the time of submitting deeds.

The deed writers are Panic stricken to tell anything to the reporters as the sub-registrar has power to cancel their appointments.

It is alleged that Mahfuz maltreated with the deed winters who do not agree to give illegal gratification 'Saresta bill'. "It is very difficult to find out promissory note of extra money which are not given to the deed writers land sellers and buyers but every deed writer knows a secret chart of extra money which has been given from the office" said Mati-ur-Rhaman Khan.

He added that he could show documentary evidence about these allegations. Referring to the statement, there are many allegations of irregularities, bribery and corruption against Alhaj Makbul Hossein, sub-registrar of Grouripur upazila and FM Mahfuzur Rahman, employee of the same office.

Some documentary evidence about seresta, under value money and ROR as speedy document registration has been mentioned here to show. In a chart, piece of land worth taka from 1,000 to 3,000 demands its seresta bill (illegal gratification) taka 480. Thus land worth taka 3001 taka 5,000 demands its Seresta bill taka 625; land worth taka 5,001-10,000 demands its seresta bill taka 725; land worth taka 10,001 taka 15,001taka 20,000 demands its seresta bill taka 1,025; land worth taka 20,001 taka 30,000 demands its seresta bill taka 1,045; land worth taka 30,001 taka 50,000 demands its seresta bill taka 1, 180; land worth taka 50,001 taka 80,000 demands its seresta bill taka 1, 375 and land wroth taka 80,000 taka 100,000 demands its Seresta bill (extra evil money) taka 1, 385. Besides, land worth taka over 100,000 has special Seresta bill. The sub-regisrar makes the head clerk, FM Mahfuzur Rahman who receives one hundred taka for each katha of land (ten hundred parts of land), which is called under value money (evil money) and also five hundred taka for ROR as speed money without submitting "Kharij paper" during registration of documents at the office.

Some negative aspects came to light during a visit to sub-registry office about the system of registration of documents. When asked about bill system such as Seresta bill, under value bill, ROR bill, FM Mahfizur Rahman, employee of the office, told the correspondent they never accepted Seresta; under value; ROR etc as illegal gratification and never distributed paper bills in these purposes.

Sany Chowdhury Bablu, son of Abdul Latif, MH Shahid Munshi, son of Abdul Khalek Munshi, ex-chairman of Gouripur, Pourashava and some local people always noticed and expressed their opinion that the sub-registrar usually comes to office after 12 from and FM Mahfuzur Rahman, head clerk of the office usually comes after 11 AM. After Johr prayer, the registration begins in three days of a week.

When asked about the time frame of the office, the head clerk replied that buyers and sellers usually do not come before 12 noon. Besides, as their residences are in Mymensingh town, the reach the office evisiting District Registration office of Mymensingh, and so, they are late in the office.

When asked an outside deed writer named Md Nurul Islam of Batandar village he hardly expressed about the Seresta bill but at last he admitted they accept only taka 300 to 500 as Seresta for making the payment of Mahara employees, who are non-government ones. But one of the Mahara employment told the correspondent their payment comes from the government fund according to their work and not from the Sererta fund.

Another deed writer name Md Majibur Rahman (Santu Mia) told the correspondent, "Some beneficiaries as well as some influential deed writers get some money from the Seresta fund so that none can stand against the irregularities and corruption of the office. He also said that most of the deed writers can register five or six documents in a Smonth. Unless they get at least 2,000 taka from each registration of documents they will face difficult to maintain their families. Due to fixed Seresta money they can not earn as their target. He further added "A sub-registrar has enough power to find out faults of any document while adducing proofs. So deed writers do not want to protest against his wish as well as his power.

Pointing to the irregularities and corruption in sub-registrar-offices in Bangladesh, which are claimed, a talk show on "Reforms of bill system and registration of documents" was jointly arranged by ACECC Association and ACECC English Language club. Our country can achieve a remarkable progress in checking the office frequently by multi-groups. The government can reduce irregularities, bribery and corruption by reforming the office system. The sub-registrars must stay in their respective work areas and their evil income must stopped. Locals demand effective measures must be taken against those who are involved in deed irregularities, bribery, corruption etc in registration in any office.

BSS, Nilphamari

Speakers at a daylong seminar here on Saturday underscored the need for taking appropriate steps for industrialisation in the northern region and balanced economic growth of the country.

They also made some suggestions, including supply of gas to the Uttara EPZ, modernisation of Syedpur Railway Workshop, setting up of the Chilahati Land Port, formation of a division comprising the greater Rangpur and Dinajpur districts.

They also stressed the need for accelerating industrialisation by extracting coals and other mineral resources and setting up of coal-based power plants in the northern region.

President of Nilphamari Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) Sohel Parvez presided over the seminar while Deputy Commissioner Mokhlesur Rahman attended as the chief guest.

President of the Greater Rangpur Welfare Samity and former NBR executive chairman Nazrul Islam moderated the seminar.

Leaders of the businessmen community, members of the civil society, educationists, NGO representatives, bankers, journalists and socio-cultural activists took part in the seminar.

President of Nilphamari Unit of Bangladesh Fertiliser

Association Abdul Wahed Sarker presented the keynote paper on 'Development of Greater Rangpur and Northern Region: Problems and Potentiality'.

BSS, Pabna

Members of the joint forces in a drive at Ataikula Bazar on Saturday and unearthed a factory of manufacturing spurious fertilisers and pesticides and also seized 1,270 sacks of spurious as well as illegally hoarded fertilisers.

Officer-in-Charge of Ataikula police station has been closed for his attempt to overlook the incident of fertiliser hoarding.

Sources said, acting on a tip-off, a team of the joint forces led by Major Rafique conducted a drive at Ataikula Bazar and seized 471 sacks of fertiliser loaded in a truck which was about to smuggled out to other area. They seized another 51 sacks of fertiliser from a godown owned by fertiliser dealer Siraj.

The joint forces arrested the dealer.

In a separate drive on Sunday the joint forces recovered 769 sacks of spurious fertilisers and pesticides, and also Taka 1.65 lakh. OC of Ataikula police station Anisur Rahman has been closed for his involvement in helping the driver and the helper of the truck to escape.

Our Correspondent, Narsingdi

Yakub Ali, 22, was killed by his younger brother on Saturday morning at the Chouala area under Narsingdi Pourasabha.

Police sources said Fazlul Haq, his 2nd wife Sufia Begum and younger son Siddique resisted when, Haq's first wife Monora Begum and son Yakub tried to build a house by force. At one stage of attraction Siddique, 15, hit Yakub on the head with a brick. He succumbed to his injury while he was being taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

A case has been registered in this connection with the Narsingdi sadar Police station.

Our Correspondent, Madaripur

The Haji Shariatullah Bridge locally known as the Arial Khan bridge connecting 21 districts of southern and western regions of the country with Dhaka, is now in deplorable condition with erosion of the Arial Khan river at Dattapara village under Shibchar upazila of Madaripur district.

This important bridge was opened on May 15 in 2005 by former prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia this bridge was contracted at a cost of Tk 87 crore of which Tk 50 crore for bridge and Tk 37 crore for river management, sources said. Hanil construction constructed this bridge.

Bangladesh Water Development Board BWDB also dumped blocks casting Tk 3 lakh 80 thousands in order to prevent erosion.

But within the span of 2 years of opening this bridge in on the verge of ruin due to lack of proper measure to prevent erosion.

The Arial Khan river has taken L shape. The bridge has been constructed over the lower arm of "L". The strong flow of flood water hits at the 90 degree angle of the "L" washing away sand from the riverbed causes erosion.

If the present situation of erosion goes on this bridge in feared to be destroyed during the rainy reason by one year or two, locals opined.

If the "L" shaped area of the river in converted to a straight one by dredging and excavation or groyne is set to prevent hit at 90 degree angle then the rate of erosion may be brought under control. The Zigzag course of the river should be turned into a straight one to protect the bridge, most of the educated people opined.

Our Correspondent, Baraigram

Bonpara Poura Chairman under Baraigram Upazila Md Sana Ullah Nur Babu was suspended temporarily by a notification on November 13 of a Senior Assistant Secretary of LGRD due to a extortion case against him. Md Moznu Akanda of the village Kusmoil under Baraigram Upazila filed a case with Baraigram thana on September 19, 2002 under section1 43, 117, 149, 385, 427, 114 against Md Sana Ullah Nur Babu. After investigation, Baraigram thana police submitted a charge sheet before Magistrate court. The charge-hearing was held and finally it was taken by court on March 13, 2006.

CHUADANGA, Nov 27: District Sadar Hospital opened a Friday Clinic at free of cost for the poor people in the district on Saturday. District Civil Surgeon, Dr. ANM Bazlur Rahman, formally inaugurated the clinic with Dr Shahdat Hossain in the chair. A total of 38 poor patients received the treatment on the opening day of the clinic. The free treatment will be given on every third Friday of a month, reports BSS.

RANGPUR, Nov 27: Police on Friday recovered 53 bags of fertilisers from a house at Pirgacha Upzila in the district. Acting on a tip-off, the police raided the house of Nazimuddin, of Nabiganj area and recovered the fertilisers, which were illegally hoarded there. The owner managed to escape, reports BSS.

CHUADANGA, Nov 27: Police recovered four live bombs from a local government goat development farm here on Saturday night. Acting on a tip-off, a police team led by Sadar Thana Officer Incharge(OC) rushed to the spot and recovered the bombs. The bombs were found in a bag in an abandoned condition. No body was arrested in this connection, reports BSS.

CHITTAGONG, Nov 27: A woman prisoner of Chittagong Jail died of a cardiac arrest at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) in the early hours of on Sunday. The dead prisoner was identified as Saju Begum, wife of Joynal Uddin of Panchlish thana in the city. Jail sources said, Saju Begum was arrested in connection with a drug related case from her Panchlish residence five months ago. She was rushed to CMCH by the jail authorities last night as she felt pain in her chest but died soon after her admission, reports BSS.

BOGRA, Nov 27: President of Bogra District Chamber of Commerce and Industries Alhaj Fazlur Rahman Paikar handed over a cheque of Taka 10 lakh to the GOC of 11th Infantry Division for 'Sidr' cyclone survivors on Sunday. Major General Mohammad Shamim Chowdhury received the cheque from the chamber president. Brigadier General Amadul Haque and other military officers and chamber leaders were present on the occasion, reports BSS.

PABNA, Nov 27: The joint forces recovered 501 bags of fertilisers while those were being smuggled out at Ataikula Bazar in the district on Saturday. Commander of the joint forces Major Mostafizur Rahman said that the joint forces raided the market when they came to know that a large amount of Urea, TSP and other fertilisers were being smuggled out. They arrested a dealer named Siraj, reports BSS.

MANIKGANJ, Nov 24: A sexagenarian woman was crushed under the wheels of a bus at bus stand area in the town Wednesday. Police said the Paturia-bound bus from Dhaka ran over Sonabaru, 65, of Bathimuri village in Ghior Upazila, killing her on the spot. The body was sent to hospital morgue for autopsy. Police seized the bus but its driver managed to escape. A case was filed, reports UNB.