The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our correspondent, Barisal

Road communications in most of the Sidr affected southern region of the country resumed and gradually becoming normal.

Out of twenty jetties of the ferry stations 18 have been activated. However 12 ferries are still stuck and stranded on river banks and shoals.

To overcome the shortages of ferries, some ferries have been brought from other places of the country and region, said Abul Kalam Khan, executive engineer of ferry division of road and highways department of Barisal region.

R and H sources said that total 72 ferries were deployed for service in 37 ferry stations of this region before Sidr-hit of November 15.

By the hit of Sidr ferry operations became disrupted in 20 stations after jetties were rendered damaged, smashed and ferries went out of service as most of the vessels were stranded or stuck on shoal or river bank.

To set these ferries afloat again cranes of R and H department, salvage ship Hamza, and other equipments were used.

The executive engineer of ferry division further said 18 ferry stations started functioning and ferries and jetties of 18 have been set at right up. Now work is in progress at Amuya ferry station of Jhalakati is expected to be active soon.

However it may take more two weeks time to make Galachipa ferry station workable again, he added.

He further said that the ferries still stranded on river banks and shoals are difficult to be floated on river again. Therefore ferries are being brought from less important places to those points.

More ferries are required and request had already seen sent to higher authority of R and H ferry division for arranging at least six more ferries on emergency basis to face the crisis and rush of next Eid-ul-Azha vacation, he told.

Our Correspondent, Jessore

Rural Reconstruction Foundations (RRF) a non-Government Voluntary Development Organisation Jessore drew attention to the people of Sidr-hit areas of South-Western regions of the country and expressed sympathy to them they have distributed relief goods among the affected 16,000 families on 25th November arranged by UNDP WFP and RRF from their own fund. RRF distributed relief from their own fund among the 4500 families of Bagerhat district including Saronkhola-1000 families, Morelganj-1000 families, Chitolmari 500 families, Mollahat-500 families Rampat 500 families, Fakirhat 500 families and 500 families of Bagerhat Sadar Upazila of Bagerhat districts.

From the financial support of WFP the RRF distributed relief goods among the 6500 families of Magura district including Salikha Upazila and they have also distributed relief goods among the four Upazilas of Satkhira district including Tala Upazila-100 families, Shamnagor Upazila-1000 famileis and in Ashasuni upazila-3000 families.

It may mentioned here that they have distributed 10 kgs of rice and 2 kgs of Dal per family of Bagerhat district and five kgs chira and one kg gur to each family Satkhria district and 15 kgs rice and four packet Biscuit in each family of Magura district.

BSS, Rangpur

A three-day training workshop for the journalists of Rangpur and Nilphamari districts on "Bird Flu and Pandemic Flu Awareness and Preparedness" began in the auditorium of Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry here today.

Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) is organised the training workshop with financial support from UNICEF with a view to create massive awareness and necessary preparedness for saving human lives and reduce loss in the poultry sector.

Chaired by Parveen Sultana Rabbi, the inaugural session was attended by renowned academic and former Principal of Rangpur Carmichael University College Professor Dr Muhammad Rezaul Haq as the chief guest.

Parveen Sultana Rabbi delivered the welcome speech while Rangpur district representative of UNICEF Rezina Sultana and Researcher of PIB Mohammad Amir Hossain also spoke on the occasion.

A total of 41 journalists from both print and electronic media of the two districts are participating in the workshop.

The speakers said Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries because of its geographic, demographic and topographic locations as millions of migratory birds from the Siberian regions visit Bangladesh every year and use routes on their way to other south Asian countries, they mentioned.

They also suggested various means to keep our human lives and poultry birds safe through adopting necessary means, precautionary measures and preparedness.

BSS, Chandpur

The Coast Guard seized a huge quantity of current nets worth about Taka 1.22 crore from the rivers Meghna and Padma on Tuesday.

The team led-by Commander M Mahbubur Rahman Sikder after three days drives into the rivers seized 2.45 lakh meters of current nets that were being used catching "Jhatka", below nine inches of silver Hilsha fish.

They raided at Haldia, Alur Bazar, Katakhali, Nilkamal, Char Bhairavi, Haimchar, Amirabad, Mohanpur and Shatnal areas.

Besides, coast guard also seized a huge number of Jhatka from two passenger launches. All the current nets were set on fire on the bank of the rivers in presence of Deputy Commissioner and high officials of fishery department.

Catching of Jatka in the rivers Meghna and Padma during this period is strictly prohibited.

BSS, Narsingdi

The three-day training course for Muslim women under the project aimed at involving religious leaders in the human resource development was concluded at the Islamic Foundation Bangladesh Narsingdi branch office on Monday.

Organised by the Islamic Foundation with financial assistance from UNFPA, a total of 30 women took part in the training course.

The objective of the course was to create awareness among the women about gender indiscrimination, adverse impact of early marriage and other social stigma like dowry, family planning, women and child trafficking, re-productive health, safe maternity, etc. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Gen) of Narsingdi Mostafa Kamal attended the concluding function as the chief guest and distributed certificates among the participants.

Shops gutted in Kishoreganj

Kishoreganj, Dec 7: A man died of cardiac arrest when a devastating fire broke out at Hilchia Bazar in Bajitpur upazila early Thursday burning down 17 shops. Local sources said the blaze originated from an electric short circuit at a rice-mill of Jalal Fakir Market at about 1:30 am and soon engulfed the 16 adjacent shops. Frightened by the sudden hue and cry by the shopkeepers tailor Alfajuddin, 45, of the market died of heart attack. Later, fire brigade on information rushed to the spot and put out the blaze after one-and-half-an hour of frantic efforts with the help of local people, reports UNB.

Female SSS examinee killed by terrorists

Madaripur, Dec 7: A female SSS examinee was killed by terrorists at Vaduri village in Kalkini upazila of the district Wednesday midnight. The deceased was identified as Mursheda Begum, 17, an SSC examinee from Nagerpara High School in Shariatpur district and daughter of Salahuddin Biswas of Vaduri village. Police and family sources said some terrorists following a previous enmity raided the house of Salahuddin at dead of night, reports UNB.

Minor girl killed in road mishap

Pabna, Dec 7: A minor was crushed under the wheels of a truck at Paksey on Pabna-Kushtia highway on Wednesday. Police said the speeding truck ran over the unidentified minor girl while she was crossing the road at noon, killing her on the spot. Police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy. Another report from Kishoreganj adds: A construction worker was electrocuted while working at Neyamatpur High School in Karimganj upazila Thursday morning, reports UNB.

Valuables looted in Madaripur

Madaripur Dec 7: Tk 3 lakh from a house at Ramzanpur village in Kalkini upazila Wednesday night. Local people said the gang numbering 10/12 stormed into the house of Kuwait-expatriate Sabuj Fakir at dead of night and tied up the family members with ropes. The gang later looted 10 tolas of gold ornaments, Tk 50,000 in cash and three mobile sets from the house, reports UNB.

Truck loaded with VGF rice recovered

Narsingdi, Dec 7: Police in a drive seized a truck loaded with 16 metric tons of rice sanctioned under VGF program at Munsefer Char area in Shibpur upazila Wednesday night. Acting on a tip-off, police intercepted the Comilla bound truck in the area on Dhaka-Sylhet highway at night and recovered the rice in 192 sacks. Police at one stage arrested rice smuggler Alamgir Hossain, 35, from the spot. He later confessed that the rice was being secretly taken to Comilla from Belabo upazila, reports UNB.

Ferry movement on Daulatdia-Paturia river route suspended for 4-hr

Goalunda, Dec 7: Ferry movement on Daulatdia-Paturia river route remained suspended for four hours from 5am Thursday due to deep fog and navigation problem. Ferries, however, started plying at about 9am when the fog receded to a great extent. About 1200 vehicles, waiting to cross the Padma river, remained stranded on both sides during the suspension period, said sources, reports UNB.

One held with phensidyl

Comilla, Dec 7: Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police in a joint raid arrested a man along with 300 bottles of phensidyl syrup from Daribot area in Sadar Dakkhin upazila Thursday. RAB sources said they along with police conducted the drive in the area and arrested Siddique Miah along with the bottles of contraband drug, reports UNB.