The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Trees saved lives, houses, purified pollutions. Trees destroyed lives, houses, disrupted communications, power and essential supplies. Both facts are proved after the severe destruction of social forestry in south west regions of Bangladesh on November 15 caused by the hits of hurricane Sidr.

The green belts of Sundarban mangrove forest and social forestry have save the lives of hundreds of people as the severity of Sidr weakened as it made landfall in areas, local people said.

The and Officials of forest department of Sidr affected areas said most of the thousands of uprooted trees were varieties of Raj Karoi locally known as Chambol, Raintree, Ipil-Ipil, Babla, Burmeses Tula, Sada Karoi, Acacia or Akasmoni and Shishu.

These trees were planted by the sides of the roads and highways, houses, river banks of coastal belts either by individual or by social at forestation efforts as they become profitable in sale market and usable for different types of works including manufacturing furniture or use as fuel.

Roots of these uprooted trees were not gone too deep in comparison to their length to face the high velocity of wind. Not only was that, most of these trees usually planted from saplings, not from seeds.

In the nursery sapling are developed on mud pots or polythene packs and their main roots are several preserve till sale in market. So roots of these threes could not go to deep under earth after plantation. However these trees can go up and spread branches rapidly.

The owners of the nurseries of Swarupkati Upazila under Pirojpur district, famous as 'Nursery Nagor' for nursery business, also acknowledged the facts. In theses nurseries clay-pots usually used for developing saplings.

Askok Mandol, a nursery owner of Aramkati village of Swarupkati said they develop and supply saplings on clay-pots after dressing the roots.

Asikur Rahman and Sattyaranjan Dakua, nursery owners of Swaupkati and adjacent Jhalakati Sadar upazila also acknowledging the facts said like the private nurseries, the same process also followed by government nurseries.

The saplings developed within a limited boundaries of small pots, could not spread to lower side. So then the roots becoming twist and curling to go ups and at the time of marketing these roots dress by cutting, they acknowledged.

Md. Nurul Huq, forest officer of Jhalakati range said since 1985 they engaged in producing and developing saplings in four nurseries of this range and 420 kilometers of social at forestation in this region were completed since then.

However 70% of theses social forestry of this region was damaged by recent hurricane Sidr causing losses of more than six core taka. Damages of forestations in private sectors were out of that estimates, he added.

Prof. Jadulal Karmakar, teacher of Botani Department of Dhaka University in a recent interview with press said, the main or principal root of the tree works as an anchor to stable the tree binding with earth ground. If main or principal route was dressed up and cut then other branch roots of the trees could spread on ground, but could not go deeper of the earth and reduces stamina and stability of the tree. So main or principal root of the tree would never been cut or dressed, he expressed.

Kashayapi Bikas Chandra, assistant conservator of forest under social forestation department of Barisal partially agreed with the facts said all of the uprooted trees were not planted from pot-saplings and it was very difficult for every tree to stand against the high velocity of winds like hurricane Sidr. Saplings at government nurseries were developed in 10 inch long and 6 inch wide polythene pots and after banning the use of polythene, we use clay-pots for that.

However present Care Taker Government revised the decision and permitted to use seven by seven inches sized poly-propylene bags compoundable with earth for developing saplings and already tenders for supplying poly-propylene bags has been called, he informed.

We prefer plantation of trees on main grounds by using saplings of one year or more older than it for sustainable results with long life, not only emphasising on length of principal roots, he opined.

Ziaul Islam, forester of Jhalakati forest department, said roots of saplings could not the developed properly in a three inch deep clay-pot.

So roots of those trees produced after plantation from those saplings could go high to sky, but could not go deep inside earth.

JU Correspondent

The Jahangirnagar University (JU) has plunged into multifarious problems hampering the quality of education of the university.

The university was established in 1970 with a view to providing the students with quality education. But the quality of education of the university could not be achieved due to the shortage of teachers, lack of modern equipment and mismanagement of the university.

Sources said that some departments introduced masters courses recently but only a few classes are held under them. It is alleged that the teachers take classes as though they are part time lecturers. Even they complete the courses hurriedly under short syllabuses. It also learnt that those who are the students of PhD are themselves the committee members of the Higher Education Committee of the university.

While visiting different departments of the university this correspondent found that some 98 teachers out of 370 are staying abroad with scholarship violating the rules and regulations of the university. It has also been found that very few of them came back to the university in due time. But the government spends more than TK. 1.58 crore for them every year.

On the other hand, every department takes addition money from the fresher each year in the name of development of the department but very little amount is spent for this purpose. Even, for lack of modern equipments, the quality of education is seriously hampered. Computer labs with Internet connection are very essential and demanded by time but a few departments have established them.

Another great problem of the university is acute seat crisis in the dormitories. It is learnt that 70 percent new comers are not getting seats in their allotted halls, though the university is known as a residential one. It is thought that this problem might be solved if another two dormitories were built immediately.

Besides, it is learnt from transport office that the university has only 10 buses including a minibus which are insufficient for 15 thousands inhabitants of the university. So, the authorities have to hire buses from outside to meet up the demand. It is also learnt that the university incurs a loss of about Tk. 2 crore and 40 lakh per year for the same. Expenditure in the transport sector is increasing day by day due to mismanagement also.

The university authorities have earned 2 crore and 10 lakh taka from sale of admission forms this year. This huge money will be divided among the teachers. The students of the university think that the authorities should increase the number of buses by sanctioning a part of this money for the greater interest of the university.

Another problem is that the central library cannot provide space for eight thousand students of the university. Only one hundred students can sit to study in the library at a time. Moreover, the library has only one lakh books and ten thousand research journals which are insufficient to meet the demand of 8,000 residential students and 370 teachers. This shortage of books and journals seriously hampers higher education of the university.

In answer to a question about the educational system of the university, Prof. Abu Saeed Khan, former dean of the science faculty, told this correspondent every department should introduce fundamental English language course with their respective courses to fulfill the demand of the time. He also told, "We should modernize our syllabus because without the knowledge of modern technology the students will cut sorry figures in the competitive exams".

BSS, Mymensingh

The voters registration with photographs and preparation of national identity (ID) cards is going on in full swing in Phulbaria Upazila of the district with great enthusiasm.

Sources said, the work has started on November 26 and will continue until December 14 in 13 Unions and one Pourashava of the Upazila.

In the fist phase, the registration of voters completed in Phulbaria Pourashava, Phulbaria union and Radakanik Union on November 29.

The sources said, in the second phase, the works of voters registration with photographs has completed on December 3 in another three unions-Bakta, Putejana and Nowgion.

A total of 1.16 lakh voters registered their names in the voters list in six Unions and one Pourashava till December 4. While the registration of voters in another three unions-

Dewkhola, Balean and Kushmail-began on December 4. The work will be finished by December 7. District election officer Rashedul Hasan told BSS that necessary information has been collected by the officials through door to door visit. A total of 969 enumerators, 196 supervisors and 16 assistant registration officers have been engaged with the task in the upazila.

Our Correspondent, Baraigram

Baraigram Upazila Administration has sent about 2 lakh taka and huge relief materials for the cyclone-affected people to the relief fund of Natore Deputy Commissioner on December 2. and 3 after collecting those from the local businessmen, institutions, offices, organizations and individuals.

The donated goods were 2550kg rice, a good number of saree, lungi, wrapper, shirt and warm clothes packed in 200 sacks, a large packet of medicine, other essential items and cash taka one 1 lakh 57 thousand 644. These donated goods were sent by two trucks.

Among donors, Bonpara pouradhava donated 15,000 taka, Junail Union Parishad 18,400 taka, Secondary Education Department 18,454 taka, Gopalpur Union Parishad 8,000/- taka, SFM Womens Degree College Bonpara 8,000 taka, Amina Hospital 11,900/- Taka, Nagar Union Parishad 10,000 taka, Juria Union Parishad 6,000 taka Primary Education Department 6,500/- taka are remarkable.

Addressing the donors Upazila Nirbahi Offcer Muhammad Salah Uddin thanked them and said it would continue till the next order of the higher authorities. He also called upon all sectors of kind-hearted people to come forward to stand by the affected people of southern region of Bangladesh.

UP chairman held

Pirojpur, Dec 3: Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested a union parisad chairman of Pirojpur district from capital Dhaka Sunday night on charge of embezzling rice of government relief fund. Acting on a tip-off, a team of RAB-4 raided the house of businessman Tibul in Mirpur in Dhaka and arrested Ruhul Amin Babla, chairman of Malikhali UP in Nazirpur upazila. RAB later handed Ruhul Amin over to Mirpur thana on the same night., reports UNB.

Bangladeshi farmer hurt

Thakurgaon, Dec 3: A Bangladeshi farmer received bullet wound in firing by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on Danajpur frontier in Pirganj upazila Monday. BDR sources said when some 10/12 farmers went near border pillar no 339 for harvesting BSF troops of Malon camp fired bullets, leaving Syed Ali,45,of Rosnia village, injured. The injured farmer was rushed to Pirganj upazila health complex. Commander of 14 Riffles Battalion Lt. Col. Abdul Hamid said BDR has strongly protested the incident to BSF, reports UNB.

Three killed in road mishap

Comilla, Dec 3: Three people were killed and 28 others injured in a head-on collision between two buses at Haripur in Daudkandi upazila on Dhaka-Chittagong highway Monday. The deceased could not be identified immediately. Police said a Chittagong bound bus from Dhaka collided with a Dhaka bound bus from Laxmipur at about 12:30 pm, killing two passengers and driver of a bus on the spot. Four of the injured were rushed to Pongu Hospital in Dhaka in critical condition and 12 admitted to Gouripur hospital. Traffic on the road remained suspended for about an hour following the accident, reports UNB.

Businessman slaughtered

Comilla, Dec 3: A businessman was slaughtered for Tk 58 only at Sonaimuri Bazar in Barura upazila Sunday night. Police said co-villager Harun slaughtered Moqbul Hossain, owner of a phone-fax shop, when he was returning home at night. Local people said Harun borrowed Tk 58 from Moqbul but was not paying the money back. At one stage, Moqbul complained it to Harun's uncle Rafiq Miah on November 30. At this, Harun became furious and slaughtered him with a sharp weapon. Police arrested Harun the same night. Victim's wife filed a case, reports UNB.

Licences of 62 C & F Agents suspended

Lalmonirhat, Dec 3: Licences of 62 C & F Agents, working at Burimari customs station, have been suspended for various irregularities. Licences of 17 agents were suspended in a letter issued by Joint Commissioner of Rajshahi Customs Excise and Vat Matiur Rahman Thursday. Earlier, actions against 45 Agents were taken, reports UNB.

Diarrhoea breaks out in Laxmipur

Laxmipur, Dec 3: Diarrhoea that broke out in an alarming proportion in Sadar upazila of the district claimed one life and affected around 150 people on Saturday and Sunday. Hospital sources said six-month-old Sajib, son of Babul of Lamchari in Laxmipur pourasava, affected by diarrhoea died in Sadar Hospital Sunday afternoon. Resident Medical Officer of Sadar Hospital Dr Salauddin Sharif said over 150 diarrhoea affected people, mostly children have taken admission to the hospital. Condition of two or three of them is critical, he added. Local sources said diarrhoea has affected around 500 people in Ramgati, Kamalnagar, Raipur and Ramganj upazila in last two days, reports UNB.