The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Kurigram

Speakers at a workshop here recently underscored the need for taking collective efforts of all to stop all sorts of violence against women for building a peaceful, stable and better society.

Nari Adhikar Unit (NAU) of Rangpur-Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS), with the assistance from the Netherlands Embassy, organised the workshop at RDRS training centre in Kurigram. Women rights coordinator of NAU Manju Shri Saha presided over the workshop that was attended by its programme coordinator Zoynul Abedin as the chief guest.

Women rights activists, socio-cultural workers and NGO activists, government officials, physicians, journalists, lawyers, teachers and civil society members addressed the seminar.

A total of 60 participants including NGO workers, women leaders and activists, officials, public representatives, professionals took part.

The speakers stressed the need for proper enforcement of laws side by side with social campaign to stop such crimes that create family and social unrests and destroy peace in the families.

They suggested for a sustained social campaign to create mass awareness against all sorts of violence against women including domestic violence.

They said domestic violence could be brought to the zero level through raising awareness against the crime by joint efforts of all stakeholders.

BSS, Bogra

Speakers at a meeting urged the public representatives, professionals, social workers, government, non-government organisations to accelerate their activities to check the spread of HIV/AIDS.

They said this at social mobilisation campaign organised by Dupchanchia branch of Light House on Sunday at its office with support from UNICEF with a view to create awareness among the people about the deadly disease.

Chaired by Upazila Family Planning Officer Mamunur Rashid, the meeting was attended by Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer of Dupchanchia Dr Bodiuzzaman as the chief guest. Manager of Light House, Dupchanchia branch Anjuman Ara and Executive Feroz Ahmed addressed the meeting. Journalists, experts and executives of different NGOs, government officials, public representatives, social workers, religious leaders, teachers and elite spoke on the occasion. They said the killer disease has been posing a formidable threat to human life and environment with possibilities of further spreading it as the situation in the neighbouring countries is already vulnerable.

Our Correspondent, Barisal

A devastating fire gutted more than 100 shops causing damages of Tk. 20 cores in Barnaripara upazila town market on Sunday afternoon.

Md. Shah Riaz, upazila Nirbahi Officer of Banaripara, said that the fire originated from a closed electronics shop named Bakpur Electronics, behind local branch of Agrani Bank at Bank Road, the highly populated commercial area of the upazila town at about 3-15 PM Sunday afternoon.

The flame rapidly spread in the market and engulled vast areas. Fire services from Banaripara, Barisal, Gournadi, Uzirpur, Jhalakati and Kawkhali stations rushed to the spot and brouch the flame under control after two hours hectic efforts.

The fire was fully extinguished after 7-30 night and electricity supply and tele communication remained disrupted till this report.

Five people including Mintu and Anukul, fire service men, Bibek, Rafik and Ramesh, firefighter volunteers, injured during fire extinguishing efforts and admitted to upazila health complex.

Manjure Elahi, deputy commissioner and officials of joint forces rushed to the spot and supervised the fire extinguishing operation.

Law enforcers cordoning the total market and surrounding areas prevented all unwanted entrances of the people except the affected shopkeepers, owners and residents to check looting and stealing.

Primarily electricity short circuit assumed as fire instigator and the damaged properties included medicine,c loth, garments, hotel, restaurants, fastfood, backery, grocery, electronics, hardware and book shops.

BSS, Gaibandha

A rally of Sadar upazila Ansar and VDP was held at the Ansar and VDP training center in the town on Sunday.

ASM Habibur Rahman, District Adjutant of Ansar and VDP addressed the rally as the chief guest.

Presided over by Aynal Haque Talukdar, Chairman of Lakkhipur Union Parishad, it was also addressed, among others, by Izajul Karim, Circle Adjutant, ASM Saifullah Qureshi, Circle Adjutant (Retd), Jahangir Hossain, Sadar Upazila Ansar and VDP officer, Abul Kalam, Fulchhari Upazila Ansar and VDP officer, Rubina Begum, Union leader and Azijul Haque, Ansar Commander.

A total of 200 members of Ansar and VDP took part in the rally.

The speakers briefed the members of Ansar and VDP about poultry farming, cow fattening, goat rearing, fish culture, family planning, sanitation, primary health care including law and order situation.

Three held with drugs in Jessore

JESSORE, Jan 2: RAB members held three people and seized 95 bottles of phensidyl syrup, some Yaba tablets, three mobile sets and some Indian currency from Shaikhati area of Kotwali thana here Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, a team of the elite force raided the residence of Masudur Rahman Sohag in the area and arrested him along with Iqbal Hossain Boby and Asaduzzaman Lalon while they were packing the drugs. A case was filed, reports UNB.

UP member arrested

BAGERHAT, Jan 2: Army personnel arrested a UP member from Tafalbaria bazar in Sharankhola upazila on Saturday night on charge of misappropriating rice under VGF programme and Tk 10,000 of housing project taken for the Sidr-hit people of the district. Army members arrested Jahangir Hawlader, 40, member of Ward no-4 of Sharakhola union, after local project officer Sanaullah filed a case against him with Sharankhola thana on Saturday night. In his complaint, the plaintiff alleged that the UP member misappropriated rice enrolling fake names in the VGF list and also embezzled Tk 10,000, sanctioned against two people for house building on December 24, reports UNB.

Huge medicine seized, in Jhenidah

JHENIDAH, Jan 2: The law enforcers in a drive arrested two drug salesmen and recovered huge government medicine worth Tk 10 lakh, sex stimulating tablets from three medicine shops at Chuadanga bus stand in the district town on Sunday. Acting on secret information, a team of RAB-6 led by Magistrate Abdul Awal raided the Biswas Pharmacy, Dev Pharmacy and Jim Pharmachy in the town and recovered the government medicine including saline, contraceptive tablets and syringe and Indian viagra tablets. They also arrested two salesmen - Dev Kumar and Aktar Hossain - in this connection, reports UNB.

Outlaw killed

KUSHTIA, Jan 2: regional leader of an outlawed party was killed and two cops were injured in a fierce gunfight at Kursha union in Mirpur Upazila early Monday. The dead was identified as Amirul Islam Rulu, regional leader of Purba Banglar Communist Party (ML-Lal Pataka). Acting on a tip-off that that some cadres of the outlawed party were holding a secret meeting a police team raided the Khudirpool area at about 2am. Sensing danger the cadres opened fire on the law enforcers forcing them to fire back that left Amirul killed on the spot and two police constables - Salam and Humayun - injured. Police recovered one shutter gun and four rounds of bullet from the spot, reports UNB.

Spray machines distributed

GAZIPUR, Jan 2: Department of Agriculture and Extension (DAE) distributed spray machines among 24 farmers in nine unions under Kaliakor upazila in the district on Monday. Deputy Commissioner Syed Mizanur Rahman attended the function as the Chief guest while Upazila Nirbahi Officer Motahar Hossain was in the chair. Gazipur Army Camp Commander Lieutenant Colonel Zakir Hossain and DAE Officer Bipad Vhanzan Das were present as special guests on the occasion, reports BSS.

21 arrested in Rangpur

RANGPUR, Jan 2: Police in separate drives arrested 21 persons including absconding accused, listed terrorists, drug traffickers and extortionists from different places of the district on Monday. Police sources said good quantity of phensidyl, locally produced wine, ganja, narcotics substances other illegal goods were also recovered during the drives, reports BSS.