The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Rashed Khan Menon, president of Workers Party, emphasising on proper coordination in relief works said distressed peoples of the Sidr affected areas would be rehabilitated immediately by giving economic helps for employment to return in economic activities.

In a press conference held at Barisal office of the party on Tuesday night Menon describing his experiences of recent visits and relief activities of the party in Sidr affected areas said avoiding and not involving the political party leaders and activists, who were well experienced about local peoples and region, caused gaps in coordination of relief works.

However after overcoming uneasiness and inanimateness of the state of emergency the total nation including the political activists and other classes and organisations now became active in coming forward to stand by the side of the Sidr distressed peoples. About the presence of the US forces Menon said peoples are anxious and suspicious about their presence and could not forget the signing of HANA and SAPTA treaty after 'operation angles' of US force in 1991.We could not understand which force is killing innocent peoples in Iraq, how they could help saving lives of peoples in Bangladesh.

About the profit-seeking activities of NGO's Menon said except Grameen Bank, the other national NGOs like Asa and local NGOs still active in collecting their installments of micro credit loans in Sidr affective areas.

NGOs not only stop this inhuman activities for at least next three months, but government also to extend their helps in giving subsidy to local small NGOs in this regard, Menon explained.

Rashed Khan Menon while describing his recent visits at Sidr affected different areas under Kalapara and Khepupara Upazilas of Patuakhali, Taltali, Patharghata of Barguna, Uzirpur,Babuganj, Gournadi upazilas of Barisal districts said even after passing about three weeks we still seeing lack of objective information and coordination in relief and rehabilitation works of government and non-government organisations.

This not only causing over lapping, but also creating agitations and frustrations among the distressed peoples in Sidr affected areas. Lists of relief and VGF card recipients are preparing by local government members often came under allegations of nepotisms and election politics, he told.

He condemning controlling these agitations by oppressions, attacking, arresting and lodging case said it only could be eliminated by the coordinated relief and rehabilitation works.

Quoting his experience about the works of local government and administration Menon said all of them including the officials of joint forces after repeated visiting listed many fully destroyed educational institutions as partly damaged and offering only Tk. 50 thousand as help by giving hard impractical terms and condition by rebuilding those in new ground with new materials.

He hailed the decision of government about exemption of tuition and examination fees of the students in Sidr affected area.

However Menon said without supplying books and other educational equipment free of cost and reconstruction and repairing of destroyed and damaged educational institution and deferring dates of examinations could not be affective to ensure continuation of future educational and professional lives of thousands of students in Sidr affected areas.

Even after passing more than two weeks of time still sign of devastation caused by hurricane Sidr are seen in the affected areas and relief and rehabilitation works yet not coordinated and reached to every affected person, he said. Menon also cautioned against any kinds of discrimination and spreading any kind of communalism in disguise of relief aid and works by different religion based non-government organisations.

Some Islamic NGO's distributing relief items with communal attitude avoiding distressed peoples of non-Muslim and indigenous communities, Menon alleged.

Menon called for sanction and distributions of different types of financial assistances for rehabilitations including interest free and easy termed loans, purifying waters of the ponds and tanks, sinking deep tube wells for drinking waters, supplying fishing boats, nets, seeds, sapling, poultry, and hatchery items and employments of the Sidr affected farmers, fishermen, poultry traders and small businessmen.

Although number of deaths and injuries are less in inner part of the Sidr affected areas than the coastal belt, but financial losses are more as these region are totally depended on agricultural sector, he added.

Menon said pisceculture, fishing, paddy and seasonal crops, betel leaf plantations, fishing boats and nets destroyed in these areas.

For Sidr affected peoples of this region starting movement of economic wheels are needed urgently by giving sustainable rehabilitation helps, he added.

Menon while exchanging views and answering questions of the journalists in press conference also said rich and developed countries of the world are liable for changing climates and pollution of the environments in the earth.

The poor under developed countries like Bangladesh became the helpless victims of natural calamities like hurricane Sidr, caused from global warming by them.

Different teams of Workers Party led by central and local leaders still active in relief and rehabilitation works in different Sidr affected areas of Pirojpur, Bhola, Jhalakati of Barisal division, Khulna, Bagerhut,Satkhira of Khulna division.

Nazrul Huq Nilu, central committee member of WP, presided over the press conference and Prof Isahaq Sharif,Bazlur Rahman, Shanti Das,Nripendranath Baroi,Jalilur Rahman, Advocate Tipu Sultan, and other leaders of Workers Party were present in the press conference.

Our Correspondent

The Indian Border Security Force (BSF) handed over two Bangladeshi teenaged girls from Benapole checkpost recently who were trafficked to India in the year 2003. The teenaged girls were identified as Seuly Begum (18) and Farjana Khatoon (17).

According to BDR and Police sources, the Bangladeshi nationals were trafficked to India in the year 2003 from Shadipur border point under Benapole port Thana by traffickers.

Indian police on a secret information rescued them from a house of Asansole and handed them over to jail hazat.

After a long time a non-government organisation of India "Durbar Mahila Samity" west Bengal rescued them from jail hazat and brought them to their shelter home.

Later they communicated with the higher levels of India and Bangladesh and, according to their decision, they handed them over to NGO Savior Jessore. Zahid Hassan Tokan received them from Benapole border in favour of Savior.

Sculy was the daughter of Abdur Razzak of Keranigonj thana under Kishorgonj district and Farjana Begum the daughter of Eusuf Khan of Patuakhali district.

Our Correspondent, Rajshahi

Authorities of Joint Forces in Rajshahi have taken up various development projects to be implemented in the upazila levels of the district.

The project entitled " In aid to civil power" consists of programmes on fertiliser management, four-cow project, farmers' bazar project and housing self reliant multipurpose project.

Major Kausar Ahmed, second in command of JF in Rajshahi this noon informed the journalists about the work plan of the proposed projects at the auditoriums of Mohanpur and Tanore upazila Parisahd Complex. The programme will be implented in all upazilas of the district, said JF sources.

BSS, Jessore

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested drug-trader from Vaina Dorasta Morh under Sadar upzila and seize 1 kg 130 grams of heroin worth over Taka one crore on Wednesday.

The arrested drug-trader was identified as Shahidul, son of late Hashem Ali, of Uttar Srirampur village under Bagharpara Upazila of the district.

RAB sources said, acting on a tip-off, a team of the elite force conducted a drive at Vaina Dorasta morh in guise of buyers of heroin and arrested Shahidul.

RU, Correspondent

Some departments and organisation of Rajshahi University (RU) is collecting money and warm clothes for Sidr affected people southern part of Bangladesh.

Public Administration Department of RU has been collecting money and warm clothes for Sidr affected people from Sunday after the decision of academic council of respective department.The department is arranging a photo gallery of Sidr affected people for collecting money and warm cloths at RU campus.

The department has already collected about about Tk. 40000 and about 3000 warm clothes .

After the routine classes 12 dedicative team of Public Administration Deptt. are working hard and soul increasing their collection at campus and city corporation area.

Chairman of Public Administration deptt. Tanzir Mosabbir hoped that ,They will able to collect about one lakh taka and five thousand warm clothes within a week. He also hoped that, Every institution will take this kind of work decreasing Sidr affected people sufferings.

Besides,Mass Communication Deptt., Marketing, English Deptt., Sociology Deptt. are collecting money for same purpose at their respective department.

Helper crushed under wheels

RAJBARI, Dec 8: A helper was crushed under the wheels of his truck at Nimtola in Sadar Upazila on Wednesday night. Police said helper Sirajul was repairing the truck lying under the vehicle as it went out of order on Daulatdia-Faridpur highway at about midnight. Suddenly, a covered van dashed the stationary truck with full speed from behind and Sirajul was crushed under the wheels of the moving truck, reports UNB.

3 robbers held in Narsingdi

NARSINGDI, Dec 8: Police in a drive arrested three notorious robbers from Khonmordi crossing in Sadar Upazila Wednesday. The arrested were identified as Farid, 20, Jahirul, 22, and Gani, 20. Acting on a secret information police raided the area when some robbers were taking preparation for committing robbery. Sensing their presence when the robbers tried to flee by exploding bombs police arrested three of them. Police said the arrested dacoits were wanted in several cases, reports UNB.

Indian cloths seized

DINAJPUR, Dec 8: Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members, in a joint drive, seized a truck loaded with huge Indian cloth from Fulbari Dhaka crossing area here on Tuesday. RAB sources said when they gave signal to the Dinajpur bound truck to halt early in the morning its driver ignored it and following a hot chase the driver stopped the truck in the area and fled away. Searching the truck RAB and BDR members seized huge sari, three-piece sets and other cloths smuggled into the country from Indian. No smuggler was arrested in this connection, reports UNB.

Husband kills wife in Sirajganj

SIRAJGANJ, Dec 8: A housewife was killed allegedly by her husband at Abudia village in Royganj upazila on Tuesday night. Police said Mokaddes Ali beat his wife Rita, 23, to dead following a family feud and went into hiding. On information, police recovered the body on Wednesday morning and sent it to Sadar hospital morgue for autopsy. A case was filed, reports UNB.

Two killed in road mishap

DINAJPUR, Dec 8: Two fish traders were killed and two others injured in a tragic road accident at Kaugaon on Dinajpur-Fulbari highway on Thursday morning. Local people said a fish laden pickup-van dashed a roadside tree when it was coming to Dinajpur from Joypurhat with the fish traders at about 6 AM. The deceased were identified as Shahidul, 25, Kalipada, 45. The injured-Anisur and Golam Rabbani-were admitted to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital in critical condition, reports UNB.

Fertilisers, seeds seised in Jamalpur

JAMALPUR, Dec 8: Bakshiganj thana police arrested two persons along with fertilisers and seeds at Sadagarpara in Bakshiganj upazila in the district on Wednesday night. Shaheen and Lutfar hoarded 15 sacks of DAP fertilisers, 29 sacks of TSP fertilisers, 7 sacks of MOP fertilisers, 28 sacks of wheat seeds and 17 sacks of potato seeds to sale in the black markets, police said, reports BSS.

AGM of BRCS held

CHANDPUR, Dec 8: The 35th annual general meeting (AGM) of the (BRCS) Bangladesh Red Crescent Society of Chandpur unit was held on Tuesday at Chandpur Rotary Club. Chairman of the organisation Flt Lt (retd) S A Sultan Titu presided over the meeting. M A Masud Bhuiyan, Adv Iqbal-bin-Bashar, Dr Ruhul Amin and Adv Salimullah Salim, among others, also spoke on the occasion, reports BSS.