The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Chittagong

Authorities have completed all necessary preparations for proper and timely distribution of text books to students of primary schools in the district, officials said.

They said the books have already been sent to the Upazila administration so the students could receive those from the first day of their academic year.

District Primary Education Officer (DPEO), Chittagong Nurul Amin Chowdhury said necessary arrangement was made to hand over the books to the students on January 1.

Officials said there are 7,90,675 students, including 4,02,909 females, in 1,634 government primary schools and 2,533 different category primary schools in the district and city areas.

As per the government decision, students of government, privately registered, community-run, high school attached, NGO- run full-fledged (class one to five) primary and Primary Training Institute (PTI) attached schools will be eligible to get the textbooks for free from the government.

Over 22,62,086 new textbooks from class one to five will be distributed to the students. The DPEO said stern action would be taken against those responsible for any irregularities in the distribution of books.

BSS, Cox's Bazar

A group of wild elephants, came down from the hilly terrain, today killed four people including a mother and two children at Eidgaon area of Sadar Upazila under the district.

The angry elephants also damaged eight households in Satgharia Para of West Gazalia of Islamabad union in the same Upazila.

The elephants were hungry and became mad, according to the experts of the Department of Forest.

Police and the local residents said the elephants at first attacked the house of Mojaher Mia and his wife Sakera Begum, 32, and his three years old child Abdul Aziz were trampled to death under the feet of the elephants. The elephants also ransacked the home of neighbouring Syed Alam and killed his six month old daughter Sabekunnahar.

In the afternoon, the wild elephants killed Julia Begum, 60, wife of Kader Hossain at the village Villagea Para of the Islampur union under the same Upzila. Locals are now under panic due to rising fierceness of the wild elephants who are becoming more angry for absence of food in the jungle.

Experts say, the number of wild elephants are alarmingly falling in the region due to extreme inhabitable condition. They often come down to the plain lands for food.

Our Correspondent, Pabna

Four persons, three of them motorcycle riders, were killed in separate road accidents on Pabna-Ishwardi highway on Monday.

Police and the locals said, the accident took place when a minibus hit a Pabna-bound motorbike from Ishwardi at Atmail in Ishwardi Upazila at around 4:00 PM on Monday leaving three motorcycle riders dead on the spot.

The deceased were identified as Md Sohag, 22, son of Mizanur Rahman of village Dashuria, Rassel, 23, son of Atiar Rahman and Akhtaruzzaman, 22, son of Afil Uddin of village Arambaria in Ishwardi upazila of the district.

Meanwhile, an unidentified female aged about 35 was killed when a tempo dashed her from behind in front of the Tebunia Seeds warehouse on the same day at around 2:30 PM.

The police recovered the bodies and sent those to the Pabna General Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Two separate cases were filed with police stations in these connections.

Our Correspondent, Monirampur

Pheumonira disease has been brought in the upazila. A good number of patients have been getting admission in the hospital and private clinic everyday. One infant already died with the disease.

According to the hospital source in the mean time a 14 to 16 infants go admitted but 6 are taking medicare till December 24. The sources said Emon (40 days) s/o Abdul Haque of village Bakashpole Bakir (30) s/o Billal of Madhupur, Abdullah (1 year) s/o Azizur, Abeda (6 month) s/o Abdullah of Debidarpur, Tauzila s/o Rafiqul of Kamalpur, Riya (16 days) s/o Abdul Khair are now in the hospital bed. On the otherhand Shahariyar (6 days) with other 8 to 10 infants were discharged from the hospital bed.

Another source informed Urmila (45 days) s/o Abdul Jalil of village. Balidaha died with the disease. The body was under treatment in a private clinic at Panchakona village bazar. She died on the night of December 24.

BSS, Bagerhat

Three persons were killed in two separate road accidents on Khulna-Mongla Highway on Sunday evening.

The dead were identified as Delwar Hossain, 35, of Gilatala village under Rampal upazila, Sabuj Hossain, 25, of Mongla and Moyen Uddin, 40, of Jabuna village under Rupsha upazila in Khulna district.

The first accident took place near Katakhali bus stand in Fakirhat upazila in the district when a passenger bus crashed two motorcycle riders. One of the motor cycle riders Delwar Hossain died on the spot while his co-rider Sabuj Hossain injured critically.

Sabuj Hossain succumbed to his injuries on way to Khulna Medical College Hospital.

In a separate accident a passenger bus rammed a bicycle rider named Moyen Uddin at Khajura bus stand on the same highway under Fakirhat upazila leaving him dead on the spot.

The bodies were sent to Bagerhat sadar hospital for autopsy.

BSS Jessore adds: Two persons were killed when a passenger bus hit two bicycle riders at Bahadurpur on Jessore- Magura road under sadar upazila on Sunday night.

The dead were identified as Al Amin, 25, son of Ibrahim Hossain and Suman, 25, son of Majid Miah of Bahadurpur village. Both were tea vendors.

Police said a Dhaka bound passenger bus hit both the bicycle riders while they were returning to their home at around 11.30 PM on Sunday. They died on the spot.

A case was filed with sadar police station in this connection.

Meanwhile, A youth, allegedly a thief was killed in mass beating while another one injured critically in mass beating at Baldanga in the outskirts of the twon.

The dead was identified as Ahsan, 25, son of Babar Ali of Murbi Khan Para under sadar upazila while the injured Ibrahim, son of Sher Ali of the same area.

Ibrahim was admitted to Jessore general Hospital with severe injuries.

Locals said Ahsan and Ibrahim were caught red-handed while stealing at a house. They were given merciless beating by the local people. Ahsan died on the spot.

Police recovered the body and sent it to hospital for autopsy.

BSS, Rangpur

The second greatest religious festival of the Muslims, Eid-ul-Azha, is being celebrated here and other adjoining northern districts with due religious fervour, gaiety and solemnity and also in a befitting manner on Friday.

The biggest Eid congregation was held at Rangpur Collectorate Eidgah Maidan at 9 AM where former President and Jatiyo Party Chairman Alhaj Hussain Muhammad Ershad, senior leaders of all political parties, elite of the city, Deputy Commissioner, officials, professionals and journalists performed their Eid prayers.

The district, upazila and police Administrations took adequate steps and members of Police, Ansar-VDP, RAB, volunteers and other law enforcers were deployed everywhere to celebrate the festival in a peaceful way.

The other bigger Eid congregations were held at Rangpur Police Line ground, Keramotia Mosque ground, Mulatol Madrasha ground, Munshipara Eidgah Math, Rangpur Police Training Jam-e-Mosque, Dhap Mohammadpur Jame Mosque ground, Kamal Kachna Baro Jam-e-Masjid, Sadar Hospital Jame Mosque ground, Shalbon Mistripara Koilashranajan Math, Alamnagar Wakf Mosque, Kedarer Pull ground, Mirbag Ramchandrapur Jame Mosque, Damodarpur Baro Eidgah ground, Central Bus Terminal, Jame Mosque and Mahiganj College ground.

Besides, Eid Jamaats at all upazilas, pourasabhas and rural areas were held with religious fervour. Similar reports of Eid celebrations were received from Nilphamari, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Joypurhat and Naogaon districts.

Thousands of Muslims offered special munajats seeking divine blessings and eternal peace, continued development, progress, peace and prosperity of the country and Muslim Ummah in all Eid congregations.

UP member killed in C'nawabganj

CHAPAINAWABGANJ, Dec 27: A UP member was killed in an attack by his rivals over land dispute at Bireshwarpur village in Bholahat upazila Monday night. The victim was identified as Saiful Islam, 45, member of No. 1 ward of Gohalbari Union. Police said rivals attacked Saiful with sharp weapons while he was returning home from Bholahat thana at about 8 PM, killing him on the spot. Another man, Hasan Ali, was also injured in the attack. He was taken to local hospital for treatment, reports UNB.

2 killed in road mishap

SIRAJGANJ, Dec 27: Two people, including a schoolteacher, were killed and a minor girl was injured in separate road accidents on a connecting road on the western part of Jamuna Bridge onTuesday. Police said Amir Hossain, 45, headmaster of Zarila Porabari Government Primary School, was crushed under the wheels of a truck at Kodda crossing at about 10.30 AM. In another incident, a 30-year-old woman, Rahima, died instantly when a coach coming from Dhaka knocked her down at Saydabad while she was crossing the road with her daughter, Jasmine, around 12.45 PM. Injured Jasmine, 6, was admitted to Sadar Hospital, reports UNB.

Workshop on HR help

RAJSHAHI, Dec 27: A four-day workshop on implementation of Child Rights Charter begun at Teachers' Training College here Monday. Additional Divisional Commissioner Asit Kumar Mukutmoni inaugurated the workshop organised by National Institute of Mass Communication (NIMCO). The speakers of the workshop emphasised on full implementation of United Nations Child Rights Charter as the children will lead the nation in future. Officials of Radio, Mass Communication Department and journalists of electronic and print media, among others, participated in the workshop, reports UNB.

26 shops gutted

SYLHET, Dec 27: Fire gutted 26 shops in a market in Bianibazar poura area here Sunday night. Sources said the fire originated from electric short circuit at a shop at Janata market and engulfed adjoining grocery, furniture shop, saloon, fertiliser and seed shops. Fire fighters from Borolekha upazila of Moulvibazar district reached the spot after four hours and extinguished the fire with the help of local people. Shop owners said the extent of loss could go up to Taka two crore, reports UNB.

30 hurt in road mishap

NARSINDGI, Dec 27: At least 30 people were injured in a head-on collision between two buses at Marjal in Raipura upazila on Dhaka-Sylhet highway Monday morning. Witnesses said a Sylhet-bound bus collided with a Dhaka-bound bus soon after they reached the spot at about 9 AM, injuring 30 passengers of the both buses. Four of the injured were admitted to District Hospital, reports UNB.

Body recovered in Jessore

JESSORE, Dec 26: The slaughtered body of a middle aged man was recovered from a paddy field at Ektapur village in Manirampur Upazila on Saturday. Local people said Paritosh Das, 47, son of late Bolaichandra Das went out of his house on Friday and he didn't return home the whole night. Later, his body was found at a paddy field. On information, police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy. Reason behind the killing could not be known immediately. A UD case was filed, reports UNB.