The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Sirajganj

Unprecedented cold wave during the last few days has almost halted normal life in this district town. Severe cold wave coming from the Himalayas has made lives of the dwellers, specially the homeless people of this small town, miserable. At least 12 people have been attacked with various cold related diseases, lutensity of cold worsens after mid-day and turns extremely unbearable in the evening. Every day, fog covers the town until 8 to 9 AM and vehicles ply in the streets with their headlights on. Although the sun appears for a while around 10 AM, but if soon disappears.

Last Monday morning drizzles made things even worse. Destitutes are trying to combat this bitter wave through heat generated from burning heaps of straws and old rubber tyres. On the other hand, second hand warm clothes sellers are making best use of this situation and earning handsomely by raising the prices two and even three times. Disease like fever cough, cold and dysentery have also alarmingly increased.

The only government hospital is crowded with bronchitis and a asthma patients. But the hospital is short of oxygen and do not have the "loboliser machine." As a result distress and sufferings of the patients know no bounds. The owners making good use of this abnormal situation have doubled prices of life saving 'Salbutamol inhalers."

Severeness of cold in this small district town situated near the Jamuna river is usually bitter than other areas of the country, which usually deteriorates in December and January. Observers feel that this cold will worsen further during next few weeks. Cultivation of winter crops, particularly potato is facing damage from this unnatural cold.

Although some voluntary organisations have come forward with warm clothing for the destitute, but this is extremely meagre compared to requirements.

Authoritative sources believe unless the government and the well-to-do section of the country come forward with necessary arrangements for distribution of sufficient warm clothes for the homeless people in this area, possibility of loss of life from this bitter and severe cold may not be ignored.

People here are crowding winter garment shops, sellers display varieties of warm clothes in shops. Many vendors are also selling garments including old ones, on footpaths and in public places. A large number of make shift shops have also sprung up in SS Road, Jam-e- Mosque area. Station road area, court premises are Bahirgola area But prices are comparatively high this year, local residents said.

BSS, Rajshahi

Speakers at a project launching meeting here on Tuesday underscored the need for proper coordination among all the authorities concerned for making the dairy farm project viable.

In this context, they also said the four-cow project must be made successful for socio-economic development of the marginal people along with poverty alleviation through collective effort.

Six Cavalry Battalion of Bangladesh Army and other field- level government offices concerned have jointly been implementing the four-cow project in nine upazilas of the district. The project has provision for rearing four milk cows in each of the farms.

Main objectives of the project are to enhance milk production and organic fertiliser, establishment of biogas plant and creation of self-employment.

The meeting was arranged on the occasion of inaugurating the "Takipur Multipurpose Dairy Project" under Paba upazila of the district.

Commander of 93 Armoured Brigade Brigadier General Mahfizul Haque addressed the meeting as the chief guest with Paba UNO Humayun Kabir in the chair.

The chief guest said the people of the low-income group should be taken forward through providing them with necessary support thereafter they would contribute to the nation.

Commanding Officer of six cavalry Battalion Lt Col Sharif Ahsan, Second-in-Command Major Kaosar Hossain, Zonal Manager of Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) Mahbub Elahi, Deputy Director of DAE Rabindra Kumar Majumder, District Livestock Officer Ataur Rahman and owner of the farm Hazera Begum also spoke on the occasion.

Speakers said economic foundation of the society could be strengthened through establishing small level dairy and poultry farms in rural areas.

Meeting sources said RAKUB and Livestock department has been extending financial support to implement the project.

Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam visited Begumganj Noakhali the birth place of Bir Shreshtho Shaheed Ruhul Amin as to pay homage to Bir Shreshtho on behalf of Bangladesh Navy, says an ISPR press release.

Chief of Naval Staff physically inspected the ongoing construction works of Bir Shreshtho Ruhul Amin Academy, Library, and Museum and gave assurance of all sorts of help and support for its every development. Navy Chief donated a computer to Bir Shreshtho Ruhul Amin Academy from his own fund.

Later in a occasion Navy Chief exchanged views with the local elite and local governments where he remembered the great deeds of sacrificing souls of liberation war-1971. He called upon all to show appropriate respect to Bir Sreshthos as well as freedom fighters as to make the spirit of Liberation War meaningful to the future generation. He also requested all to come forward to help the recent SIDR victims irrespective of party affiliation and believes.

Among others, Commodore Commanding Chittagong, senior officers from Naval Headquarters, high civil and military officials and local elite were present on the occasion.

BSS, Rajshahi

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested three alleged drug peddlers and seized phensidyl, ganja and smuggled goods from different areas in Lalmonirhat, Dinajpur and Rajshahi districts during the last 24 hours on Tuesday, RAB sources here said.

Acting on tips-off, the RAB picked up the drug traders identified as Rabiul Islam, 26, Rawshan Alam alias Milon, 27, and Nurunnabi alias Binu, 25, with 54 bottles of phensidyl and 10 kilograms of ganja during separate raids at different places in Dinajpur and Lalmonirhat districts.

The RAB also seized a huge quantity of Indian smuggled goods in a sudden raid in Mohdipur area under Bagha upazila of the district. However, none could be arrested in these connections.

3 killed in Bogra road mishap

BOGRA, Dec 23: Three people were killed and 50 others injured as a bus fell into a roadside ditch at Dighalkandi in Sadar Upazila on Bogra-Rangpur highway Tuesday morning. The deceased could not be identified immediately. Sources said when a tyre of a Kurigram bound bus punctured it plunged into a ditch at about 9:30 AM, killing three passengers on the spot. Forty of the injured passengers were admitted to Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital.

Valuables looted

Manikganj, Dec 23: Dacoits looted valuables worth about Tk 5.5 lakh from a house at Nobogram village in sadar upazila on Sunday. Police said a gang of 10/12 bandits entered the house of Asian Development Bank (ADB) official Abdul Aziz by breaking the collapsible gate at dead of night and took away 25 tolas of gold jewelry, cash Tk 10,000 and other valuables at gun point. The bandits managed to escape. A case was filed with sadar police station, reports UNB.

Alleged thief lynched in Jessore

JESSORE, Dec 23: An alleged thief was killed in a mob-lynch attack at Boladanga village in Sadar upazila Monday night. The deceased was identified as Ahsar Ali, 42, of Mobarak village. Police said local people caught Ahsar while he was trying to steel goods from the house of Abdur Rahim. Later,they gave him a good beating, leaving him dead on the spot. Police recovered the body and sent it to the General Hospital morgue for autopsy. Two separate cases were filed with Kotwali thana, reports UNB.

Garment factory ransacked

GAZIPUR, Dec 23: Garment Workers ransacked a factory and set fire to it at Shafipur in Kaliakoir upazila Monday evening demanding their Eid bonus and arrears. Sources said as the workers of Karnic Knit Composite Factory didn't get their Eid bonus and arrears they ransacked the factory and set fire to it. The firefighters from Savar and Gazipur fire service put out the blaze after hour-long frantic efforts. Sources said huge yarn and machinery were burned in the fire, reports UNB.

Woman arrested with heroin

COMILLA, Dec 23: A woman was arrested along with 80 grams of heroin from Sujanagar area in the town Monday. Acting on a secret informatio, a team of Narcotics Control Department raided the area and arrested drug peddler Monwara Begum,50. They recovered 80 grams of heroin after searching her. Her associate Sobiruddin managed to escape, reports UNB.

Voters' registration

RANGAMATI, Dec 23: Work for preparing voters' list with photographs and National ID card in four more upazilas of the district will start from January next. Election Commission sources said the enumerators would visit door to door for collecting data about the voters in Baghaichhari and Kaptai upazilas on January 16, in Langdu upazila on February 26 and in Bilaichhari upazila on March 4. After collecting data about the voters, taking of photograph will begin at the respective registration centers, the sources said, reports UNB.

Freedom fighters accorded reception

Satkhira, Dec 23: Freedom fighters of the district were accorded reception at Shaheed Abdur Razzak Park Sunday on the occasion of Victory Day. Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Kefayetullah attended as chief in the ceremony presided over by Additional Deputy Commissioner Sirajuddin Ahmed. Cash and blankets were distributed among 85 freedom fighters at the reception organized by the local administration. Meanwhile, another reception was given to four freedom fighter journalists at local press club on the day on behalf of the press club, reports UNB.