The New Nation - Internet Edition

Internet Edition. December 26, 2007, Updated: Bangladesh Time 12:00 AM

Eid-ul-Azha observed in befitting manner in Barisal

Our Correspondent, Barisal

The main Eid Jamat in Barisal held on Hemayet Uddin Eidgah Maidan at 8-30 AM on Friday with participation of the BCC Mayor in charge Awlad Hossain Dilu and other socio-political personalities, high-ranking government officials as well as general mass and female worshippers.

Double Eid Jamats arranged in the city centers at Baitul Mokarram Mosque, Zame Kashai Mosque, Police Line and Eabaidullah Mosque on Friday morning.

Except these main Eid Jamats of the city other large Eid prayers of the region held at Guthia Baitul Aman and Charmonai under Barisal, Sharshina under Pirojpur, Mirzaganj under Patuakhali and Mokamia Madrasha ground under Barguna districts and many small Eid Jamat also arranged at almost all local mosques on Friday morning.

Special prayer for the Sidr distressed peoples and saving from the curse of natural calamities also offered during these Eid congregation.

On other hand more than thirty five thousand people of twelve thousand families observed Eid ul Azha and offered Eid congregational prayer and sacrificed animals at more than 80 places on Wednesday December 19 in 8 upazilas including under Sadar, Babuganj, Bakerganj and Mehendiganj upazilas of Barisal district, Kalapara, Galachipa, Baufal upazilas of Patuakhali district, Borhanuddin upazila of Bhola district and Sadar upazila of Barguna district.

Participants of these Eid festival observed on Wednesday claimed that they are the followers of Kaderia, Jahangiria and Chistia Tarika and follow the Hijri calendar of Saudi Arabia. They observe all religious festivals in accordance with the calendar of Saudi Arabia and according to the directions of their Pir Sahibs (religious leaders).

Alleged kidnaper held in Patiya

Our Correspondent, Chittagong

Police on Wednesday arrested an alleged kidnapper from Patiya upazila and handed him over Kotwali police station.

The arrestee was identified as Mohammad Shahjahan. Police said that the arrestee kidnapped Mosarraf Hossain, a timber businessman on Thursday last from city Chaktai area.

The kidnapper demanded TK 2 lakh from his sister over cell-phone as ransom. Sister of Mosarraf recorded the conversation for three times and informed it to local police stations.

Bangladeshi housewife brutally killed by her husband in New York

Our Correspondent, Rajshahi

A Bangladeshi housewife was brutally killed by her husband at Jamaica, in New York over a family feud on Thursday night. Police have arrested the killer husband from the spot. The victim has been identified as Shahida Sultana Lovely(30), a US non-resident and daughter of late Shamsuddin of Jote Goshaidas village under Godagari thana of Rajshahi district. She was working as a nurse at a clinic in New York. After passing her nursing diploma from Rajshahi Medical College and Master of Arts from a private university she was married to Solaiman of Anowara upazila of Chittagong in 1998. Solaiman was a US immigrant. She flew to America with her husband after her marriage.

Sources sad Shahida Sultana Lovely remained a non-resident in USA for a long time that is why she often insisted her husband Soleman to prepare require documents for her 'green card' but Soleman did not pay heed to her insistence. On Thursday night, Soleman and Lovely locked in an altercation over the issue of furnishing application for immigration of Lovely who was eager to bring her mother Hajera and other relatives to USA but due to not having a green card she failed to apply for an immigration visa for them. At one a stage of altercation, Solaiman stabbed Lovely repeatedly, even gauging out her eye and removing her liver and killing her on the spot.

The same night, police and relatives of Lovely rushed to the spot hearing the news of murder of Lovely. Solaiman surrendered to the police and confessed his guilt.

BRRI holds seminar on cyclone SIDR

Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) has organised a seminar on Tuesday in Gazipur on effects of devastating cyclone Sidr and other unfavourable conditions in rice cultivation.

Dr Asdelbagi M Ismail and David E Jonshon, two scientists from International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Philippines, presented the seminar paper entitled 'Enhancing tolerance to abiotic stresses in rice: coping with the warming globe' focusing on ways and means of dealing with such natural/hazards, says a press release.

The scientists said breeding of rice varieties tolerant to salinity, submergence and other stresses can be remedy for continuing rice cultivation in coastal regions of Bangladesh.

BRRI Director General Dr Md Nur-E- Elahi, BRRI Directors Dr BAA Mustafi and Dr MA Salam, IRRI Liaison Scientist Dr M A Hamid Mia were present on the occasion.

'To maintain food security on short- and long-term basis, the need of the hour of Bangladesh is to preserve the local rice germplasms as well as developing location specific high yielding varieties that can grow defying high stresses of salinity, submergence, drought and other unfavourable situations,' the speakers emphasised.

More than two hundred scientists and officials attended the seminar that also called for a national workshop to accumulate and disseminate all the available knowledge on the issue.

Jubo Dal leader arrested in Naraiil

BSS, Narail

Police arrested president of Lohagara upazila Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal Zahidur Rahman Rikat from his Charkarfa residence on Monday.

He was arrested for his alleged involvement in looting and creating disturbance in the area. He was accused in three cases with Lohagara police station.

Cultivation of Kalijira decreasing in Narsingdi

BSS, Narsingdi

The cultivation of traditional rice 'Kalijira', a fine aromatic variety of rice, of the district, has been decreasing day-by-day. Farmers have no interest to cultivate Kalijira rice due to law production, sources said.

Kalijira is famous for special flavour and fineness. It is mostly used in preparing palao, biryani, payesh, khichuri, jardaur etc., which has a great demand both at home and abroad.

However, the cultivation of Kalijira started here over 100 years ago when the 'Zamindar' families used to prepare payesh with this rice.

The places like Shibpur, Belabo and Monhardi upazilas were famous for kalijira cultivation. Now-a-days the farmers have lost their interest to cultivate this rice. A small number of farmers of the upazilas cultivate kalijira with special interest only for their families use.

The farmers urged the local Agricultural Department to look up the matter seriously to save the indigenous variety of rice from its verge of extinction.

BSS Kushtia adds: One of the top terrorists in the district Selim alias Saltu, 28, was killed in a gun battle between Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the terrorists in a field adjacent to Lahinipara graveyard in Sadar Upazila in the early hours of on Mondays.

RAB sources said, the gun battle took place when a RAB team raided the area on the basis of secret information that a group of miscreants had assembled there to commit a serious crime.

Listed terror Selim died on the spot during the encounter and the RAB recovered a firearm and four cartridges from the spot.

Police sources said five murder cases were pending with the police against Selim.

BSS Joypurhat adds: Victory Day was celebrated in the district headquarters in a befitting manner on Sunday.

The national flag was hoisted atop all public and private buildings after sunrise.

In observance of the day, different socio-political organisations, students of different educational institutions arranged various programmes including marchpast by the children and juvenile organisations, scouts and rover scouts at the local stadium in the morning.

Deputy Commissioner of Joypurhat Nitai Pada Das took salute in the march past.

Improved diets were served in hospitals, jails, orphanages and children's centres.

Special prayers were offered at mosques and temples seeking peace and prosperity of the nation. District administration organised a discussion at Shaheed Dr Abul Kashem Moidan in the evening with ADC (General ) Zulfiqar Ali Haidari in the chair. Among others, deputy commissioner Nitai Pada Das, police super Shafiqul Islam and vice-chairman of Joypurhat pourasabha Nanda Lal Pasha. Keynote paper was presented by Prof. Aminur Rahman Bakul.

Truck loaded with rice disappeared in Benapole

Our Correspondent, Jessore

The rice loaded truck has not yet been recovered by police. A case was lodged with the Benapole Port Thana police on 29th November by the owner of the rice, the rice traders of Benapole passing their days with great anxiety.

According to transport sources from Benapole, that a rice trader and Importer Bogra R. International Imported 200 Metric tons of rice from India and was coming through Benapole land port which bill of entry was 38868.

After the clearance of rice from Benapole port on 29-11-07 and loaded with several trucks for reaching it to Bogra but all the trucks reached in time at Bogra R. International's godown Except the truck bearing Dhaka Metro TA-141992 loaded with 380 sacks of rice and it was going to Feni-Islampur road at Sathi Trading. SM Transport owner Md. Tajul Islam Bakul told this correspondent that the rice was looted by miscreants with the help of Dalal and driver of the truck. The rice price is about Taka four lakh.

Martyred intellectuals day observed in Gouripur

Our Correspondent, Gouripur

The Martyred Intellectuals Day commemorating the killing of eminent intellectuals of the country by the local collaborators of the Pakistani occupation forces at the fag end of the Liberation War, was observed on December 14 in Gouripur upazila in Mymensingh district with due solemnity.

The grateful nation as well as the people of Gouripur will always acknowledge its debt to the illustrious sons of the soil who were killed in cold blood by the notorious quislings called Razakar, Al-Badr and Al Shams in Mid-December in 1971, just before the nations great victory after the Liberation War.

After the Jumma prayed the Muslims of this upazila offered munajat for the martyred intellectuals in every mosque and other religious people also prayed for theme.

Two killed in separate incidents in Chittagong

BSS, Chittagong

Two persons, including a child, died in separate incidents in the city last night, Police and Hospital sources said.

The victims were identified as Babu Mia,23, son of Mohammad Faruk, of Chandgaon thana and Jahanara Begum,6, daughter of Babul Chand, of Biyazeed Bostami thana.

Jahanara received serious injuries when a Chittagong-bound Rider (a four-wheeler) ran over the child at 9 PM last night in Oxygen area. She died after her parents brought her to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH).

Babu took poison following a quarrel with his parents at 11 PM last night. His father rushed him to the CMCH where attending doctors declared him dead after admission.

Contractor killed in Habiganj

HABIGANJ, Dec 25: A contractor was killed by miscreants at Bhoirabtali village under Sadar upazila here last night. Police said the miscreants attacked Debabrata Das Chowdhury, 55, son of Jeetendra Lal Chowdhury of village Chanao under Chunarughat upazila, when he was returning home at about 9 PM. The miscreants beat and chopped Debabrata indiscriminately, killing him on the spot. Police suspect that he might have been killed due to previous enmity, reports BSS.

Farmer slaughtered in Monirampur

BENAPOLE, Jessore, Dec 25: A farmer was killed by miscreants at Itta village under Monirampur upazila in the district on Friday. Police said the miscreants slaughtered Paritosh Kumar Das, 48, son of late Balai Kumar Das, when he was putting up fence on his land adjacent to his house. Getting information, police recovered the body and sent it to Jessore General Hospital for autopsy, reports BSS.

Old man killed

SATKHIRA, Dec 25: An old man was killed at Dohar village under Tala upazila in the district on Thursday night, police said. The victim was identified as Tarak Rishi, 85, son of Banikant Rishi of the same village. Police said unknown miscreants slaughtered him with a machete while he was asleep at the verandah of his house at 11-30 PM. Police suspect that he might have been killed following a land dispute with his neighbours.

10 houses burnt to ashes

JHALAKATI, Dec 25: A total of 10 houses were burnt to ashes in a devastating fire that broke out on Saturday at Kalyankati Residential Area under Sadar thana of the district. Fire Brigade and eyewitness sources said the fire originated from a kitchen at 3 PM and quickly engulfed the houses. The members of the Fire Brigade brought the fire under control after struggling two hours with the help of the locals, reports BSS.

Phensidyl seized : 2 held

BRAHMANBARIA, Dec 25: Police arrested two Phensidyl peddlers along with 60 bottles of phensidyl from Singarbil at Sadar upazila in the district on Sunday. The arrested were identified as Salina, 24, and Jesmin, 20, of the same area. Police said, acting on a tip-off, a team of the police raided one Akhter Hossain's house and recovered the phensidyl, reports BSS.

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.

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