The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our correspondent, Barisal

Tensions have been created and mounting every in different places of Mehendiganj and Sadar upazilas of Barisal after Proshika, a major non-government organization, attempted to cut trees in the name of re-plantation under social forestation project.

Agitated local residents of different villages under Mehendiganj and different villages under Charmomani union of Sadar upazilas of Barisal districts alleged that official of Proshika marked and numbered hundreds of ten years old trees and attempting to sale those in auction.

These trees were private properties and not planted by Proshika under social forestation project, the residents claimed.

Enamul Huq, divisional forest officer of Barisal, Abdur Rashid, conservator of forest in coastal circle, said that after receiving the allegations from villagers they duly informed local upazila nirbahi officers and deputy commissioner requesting to take necessary action for prevention of plantations and trees under forest and environment acts.

UNOs of Mehendiganj and Sadar upazilas of Barisal said they heard about the allegations and investigating the matters.

Local officials of Proshika denying disclosing their names claimed that the marked trees were planted by Proshika and their associate non government organizations under a social forestation project of World Food Program in 1996-97.

It was the term of that project that planted trees would the cut down and re-plantation would be made to replace those after ten years, they claimed.

On other hand villagers denying the ownership claims of Proshika over the marked and numbered trees said that those trees were planted, nourished and maintained by them and not by Proshika and so those are private properties.

Proshika officials also denying these claims said that trees planted under social forestation program were done on government lands under project contact and there may be a few incidents of wrong numberings and markings of privately planted trees.

BSS, Bogra

Fifteen police officials received prizes for their outstanding performance in combating criminal activities in the district last month.

They received cash amounting to Taka 1,000 to 5,000 depending on their contribution at a meeting on Sunday at the conference room of the Police Super's office.

The meeting was presided over by the acting police superintendent Moinul Haque.

Police officials of the district were present on the occasion.

The police personnel who received prizes are; SI Mohammad Ibrahim Hossain Khan of Naruli Police Camp, SI Mohammad Abdul Mannan of District Detective Branch, SI Monirul Islam, SI Boduruzzaman, SI Ataur Rahman of Sibganj thana, ASI Rabiul Alam, SI Raihan Ali of Amdighi thana, SI Abdul Gafoor, SI Abdul Sabur Khan, SI Monzoor Rahman of Sherpur thana, SI Lutfur Rahman, SI Tapan Kumar of Kahalu thana, SI Nur Alam of Gobtali thana, Habildar Mohammad Zakir Hossain of Fulbari camp and Constable Mohammad Abdus Salam of Detective Branch.

BSS, Sirajganj

Two persons were killed and 25 others injured when a Dhaka bound passenger bus from Kurigram fell into a ditch at Royhati point of Dhaka-Bogra Highway under Salanga Upazila in the district on Monday.

One of the dead was identified as Sharifa Begum, 30, of Malipara village under Rajapur Upazila of Kurigram. Identity of body could not be known immediately.

Police said the driver of the Dhaka bound coach lost control over the steering and skidded off the road and fell into a roadside ditch at Royhati leaving two passengers dead on the spot and injuring 20.

Ten of the injured admitted to local hospital. Police seized the bus but the driver managed to escape from the scene soon after the accident.

A case was filed in this connection with Salanga Police Station.

BSS, Jessore adds: Unidentified miscreants killed a youth at Narayanpur village under Benapole port police station in the district on Monday evening.

The youth was identified as Abdur Rahman, 17, son of Abdul Jalil of Narayanpur village.

Police sources said Abdur Rahman was a electric mechanic who was returning home in the evening on Monday after day's work. A group of miscreants intercepted him on the way and hit him indiscriminately with a sharp weapon.

Abdur Rahman died on the spot. One of his leg was severed from his body. Reasons behind the killing could not be known immediately.

A case was filed with Benapole port police station in this connection.

BSS, Rajshahi

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-5, in separate drives, arrested three alleged criminals, including two drug traders, and seized smuggled goods from different areas in Rajshahi, Joypurhat and Rangpur districts during the last 24 hours till Thursday this noon, RAB sources here said.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of the elite force rounded up the drug-peddles identified as Aminul Haque alias Liton, 33, and Nabi Hossain, 35, with 100 grams of heroin during a raid on Bidirpur More under Godagari Upazila of the district.

In two other separate operations conducted at Tangan village under Motihar thana in Rajshahi and at Modern More area in Rangpur town, the RAB members seized 30 bottles of phensidyl and three kilograms of ganja. However, none could be arrested in these connections.

Two other RAB squads seized 80 kilograms of copper and brass scrap materials and smuggled goods valued at around Taka 1.06 lakh during separate raids on Charghat bus stand area in the district and Gandhaborgapur area under Bodolgachhi upazila in Naogaon in abandoned conditions.

They picked up a wanted criminal identified as Badal Ali, 45, son of late Zabed Ali, from his Berpara village under Paba Upazila in the district.

Our Correspondent, Gouripur

Rejbi Sarker Aibi (33), daughter of Fazlul Haq, Chairman of Bhangnamari union of Gouripur Upazila of Mymensingh district was burnt to death in mysterious circumstances in the bathroom of her husband's residence on November 10 at 11.30 AM.

She got married to Municipal Commissioner of Gouripur Municipality Syed Rafiqul Islam 15 years ago and since them they were leading happy life.

On the day of occurrence her husband and brothers-in-law were not at home but her son, Aubi (10) was sleeping after taking breakfast and a maid servant was preparing food for the lunch.

At first, a rumour was heard that Syed Rafiqul Islam's wife namedy Aibi was electrocuted. After some time a supicion was raised that she was killed.

Following the incident, the chairman Md Fazlul Haq, father of the victim, filed a case against Tofiqul Islam, the younger brother of the victim's husband. In this connection a few days later he also filed a case against the victim's husband.

This case filed against them made the people more curious. After the postmortem of the victim it was revealed that, according to the sub-inspector she was burnt to death or she committed suicide by setting fire on her own person.

UNO office gheraoed

Chuadanga, Dec 10: Farmers Sunday laid siege to Chuadanga Sadar UNO office, demanding adequate supply of fertilizer during the current peak rabi crops cultivation season. About 300 framers from several villages in Sadar pourashava gheraoed the UNO office and staged sit-in there for five hours from 11am. In a bid to pacify the agitated farmers, Sadar UNO Shahabuddin Khan addressed the farmers assuring that steps would be taken to supply adequate fertilizer within a week. Later, the farmers withdrew their programme. Farmers alleged that they failed to get adequate fertilizer in the peak season for cultivation of maize and other rabi crops, reports UNB.

Two killed in road mishap

Nilphamari, Dec 10: A woman was crushed under the wheels of a truck at Melabor in Kishoriganj upazila Sunday morning. The deceased was identified as Asmaton Bewa, 55, wife of late Abdul Gafur of Dakkhin Barabhita village in the upazila. Police seized the truck and arrested its driver. Another report from Rajbari adds: A three-wheeler tempo plunged into a roadside ditch after being hit by a trolley near Sadashibpur village in Baliakandi upazila Saturday night leaving businessman Majid Mollah dead on the spot. Police seized the trolley but its driver managed to flee, reports UNB.

Voter listing begins in Bandarban

Bandarban, Dec 10: Works on preparing voters' list with national ID card began in Thansi upazila here Sunday. Thirty-six supervisors, four assistant registration officers and 75 data collectors started visiting door to door for collecting data about the voters. Taking photographs of the voters will begin from December 26. Meanwhile, many government and non-government organizations have launched campaign in the town to create awareness among the people to enroll their names in the voters' list, reports UNB.

One killed in road mishap

Sirajganj, Dec 10: A woman was killed and 32 people were injured as a bus plunged into a roadside ditch at Royhati Ghoramara area in Royganj upazila Monday afternoon. Police said a Dhaka-bound bus from Kurigram fell 20 feet down the ditch by breaking the railing of a bridge at about 2:45pm as the drive lost his control over steering, killing a woman on the spot. The deceased was identified as Sharifa, 30, wife of Ashraf Ali of Malipara of Kurigram. On information, police rushed to the scene, recovered the dead body and rescued the injured from the partly sunken vehicle. The injured were admitted to Bogra Medical College Hospital, Sirajganj Sadar Hospital and Royganj Hospital. Condition of eight was stated to be critical, hospitals sources said., reports UNB

Father, son injured in gun attack

Comilla, Dec 10: A small trader and his school going son were injured in a gun-attack by terrorists at Loribag village in Burichang upazila early today (Monday). Family sources said a gang of terrorists stormed into the house of Azad Miah at about 3am and opened fire on the family members when they started shouting. Azad Miah received bullet on his chest while his son Selim, a student of class five, on throat, the sources said. The injured father and son were rushed to the Comilla Medical College Hospital from where they were shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. In another incident, dacoits looted valuables worth over Tk 2 lakh from the house of Ibrahim at Paruara village in the upazila early today, reports UNB.