The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Manpower crisis and rumor about imposing compulsion of passing secondary school certificate for issuing passport after first week of January 2008, instigated unusual rush of passport seekers waiting in a half kilometer and 16 hours long queue before opening the office and bank counter.

After visiting the Barisal regional passport office at Band Road and Sonali Bank Barisal corporate branch at Bogura Road areas of the city on Saturday night and Sunday morning it was found that hundreds of peoples waiting there in half kilometer long queues for more than sixteen hours for depositing passport forms and fees.

Official and witnesses sources said that rush of passport seekers became abnormal since last November after the aforesaid rumor spread and increscent of the crowd caused more than half kilometers long queues and waiting for hours on December 30, the day and previous night of last banking day of the year 2007.

It may be mentioned that four out of six our districts of Barisal division including Barisal, Bhola, Jhalakati and Pirojpur remained under jurisdiction of Barisal regional passport office after opening passport issuing counter at Patuakhali deputy commissioner office for applicants of Patuakhali and Barguna districts on last October.

Alam of Lalmohan under Bhola, Rafikul Islam of Bakerganj, Jewel Molla of Uzirpur, Wahidul of Mehendiganj under Barisal, Yusuf Ali on Nalchhity under Jhalakati, Srikanta of Swarupkati under Pirojpur districts from the queues in front of Barisal Sonali Bank corporate branch at about 11 PM Saturday night said that they were waiting since Saturday noon for depositing passport fees after opening the branch on Sunday morning, the last banking day of 2007.

After depositing money we will rush for the queue in front of passport office, about two kilometers far from the bank counter for depositing forms, they said.

This bank-queue reached up to nothern bank of Bibir Pukur pond, half kilometer far from the bank counter on Sunday morning.

On other hand Shamsuddin Gazi of Charfession under Bhola district waiting in queue in front of passport office on Sunday morning said that while he was standing in queue here, police disbursed them by baton charge at 2 AM early Sunday night. At morning when we stand in the queue saw that police in duty of that office were collecting Tk.200 per applicant for giving front line serial, he told. The queue in front of passport office for submitting applications reached up to BIWTA marine workshop on Sunday morning.

BSS, Rangpur

The government's steps to strengthen the local government bodies for ensuring smooth development, institutionalising democracy, protecting human rights and justice for the people at the grass roots, are yet to be effectively and fully implemented for achieving the long cherished goals. Dozens of female UP members, women and human rights activists at a workshop here on Saturday presented the grim picture while narrating their field level experiences about deprivation of the female UP members and stressed for ensuring their rights in making local government institutions more effective. They said, relaxation of administrative control in the activities of Union Parishads along with empowerment of female UP members in the local government bodies are must to give democracy a firm footing and ensure uniform development in the country.

They also underscored the need for local participatory work-plans, preparing policies and allocation of funds and just facilities to the female UP members and properly involving with the overall development activities of the local government institutions for sustainable developments in all rural sectors.

Nari Adhikar Unit (NAU) of Rangpur- Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS) organised the workshop at its Begum Rokeya auditorium for the female UP members and female federation leaders of RDRS of eight northern districts in greater Rangpur and Dinajpur. Chaired by Women Rights Coordinator of NAU Manjushree Saha, the workshop was attended by its Programme Coordinator Azizul Karim as the chief guest.

Deputy Director of 'Ain O Shalish Kendra' Mrs Saniya Fahim Ansari, Programme Manager of NAU Syeeda Nawrin and Senior Manager (Legal) Habibur Rahman were present as the special guests. A total of 128 participants including 102 elected female UP members and 26 elected female federation chairmen of RDRS from Rangpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh and Dinajpur districts took part in the workshop. Female UP members and federation chairmen Rokeya Begum, Kulsuma Begum, Delwara Begum, Rahela Begum, Julekha Begum, and many others, addressed the workshop.

Citing various practical field level examples in the workshop, the participants narrated as how they are being deprived of their rights as elected public representatives because of the attitudes of the male UP chairmen. Putting special emphasis on rural arbitration, they said the process could create friendly relations and congenial social environment among all rural people, especially the backward section, poorer and distressed and would help all in getting justice at their villages without knocking the doors of the courts.

Our Correspondent, Gopalganj

The government has taken a programme of distributing 3,60,728 Primary text Books among the primary students of the 808 Primary Schools including 518 Government Primary Schools, 245 registered primary schools and 45 community primary schools in Gopalganj district.

1,11,188 primary text books have been allotted for Gopalganj Sadar Upazila, 74,322, Primary text-books have been alloted for Muksudpur Upazila, 52,572 primary text-book for Kasiani Upazila 90505 primary text books for Katalipara Upazila and 28,141 primary text books alloted for Tungipara Upazila. The Primary textbook has been distributed for Gopalganj district from January 1. Abu Mohammad Abdur Rahman Deputy Commissioner Gopalganj inaugurated the primary text book distribution at Gopalganj Bina Pani Government Primary School premises by distributing text books among the primary schools on January 1 and Abdul Kader Gopalganj District Primary Education Officer (DPEO) presided over the text books distributing in Gopalganj.

Green Disable Foundation (GDF), a social organisation for the welfare of physically and mentally handicapped, has been working since 1997 for establishing the handicapped people in society.

A Sylhet- based organisation, Green Disable Foundation (GDF) has taken many steps so far to help the physically and mentally disabled establish in Sylhet.

The foundation has given technical education to the handicapped people in Sylhet. Besides, it has also provided computer education to them among to cope with the other physically bit people.

The handicapped people including Ruhul Meah, Suhela Aktar, Koech Miah have showed skill in computer training.

Md. Rajob Ali Khan Najib, Secretary General -Executive Director said the disabilities were very cordial and active to take training.

From the beginning the Green Disable Foundation (GDF) has provided various equipment to the disabled according to their demands free of cost. Besides, GDF has own Information Centre to collect data regarding disabled in Sylhet.

Body of Sidr

victim recovered

BAGERHAT, Jan 4: The body of another victim of Sidr was recovered from Tafalbari village in the worst-hit Southkhali Union of Sharankhola Upazila this (Wednesday) noon, after 48 days of the disaster. Local people found the body of a woman in a paddy field at about 2 PM and buried it. The death toll rose to 685 in the upazila after the body recovery today, according to official count, reports UNB.

One killed in road mishap

COMILLA, Jan 4: A young man was killed and four others were injured when a truck rammed into an auto-rickshaw at Nishchintapur village in Sadar Upazila on Wednesday morning. Police said the Dhaka-bound truck hit the CNG-run three-wheeler from behind at the spot at about 8:30 AM, killing its passenger Enamul Huq, 30, on the spot and injuring four other passengers. Police on information sent the body to Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy. The injured were admitted to Comilla Medical College Hospital. A case was filed, reports UNB.

Firearms, hemp recovered

JHENIDAH, Jan 4: RAB troops in their separate drives recovered a firearm and eight kgs of hemp in the district on Tuesday. Acting on secret information, a team of the elite force searched a football field at Shoilakupa Upazila Headquarters and recovered a homemade gun in an abandoned condition. In another incident the elite force raided a bus in front of Jhenidah RAB camp and arrested a drug peddler identified as Mosharraf Hawlader along with the hemp. Another report from Moulvibazar adds: Joint forces in separate raids seized smuggled timber worth about Tk 3 lakh from Srimangal and Bhairabganj in the district on Tuesday, reports UNB.

30 hurt in clash

MOULVIBAZAR, Jan 4: At least 30 people were injured in a fierce clash between two rival groups near Burburi bridge in Rajnagar Upazila on Tuesday morning. Witnesses said Maksud Ali, Kabir Mia and Dudu Mia of Medinimahal village, locked in altercations at 9 AM with Baharuddin Mia of Betahunja village as his cow ate their paddy seedlings kept in a cropland for transplantation, reports UNB.

Businessman found dead in Bhairab

Bhairab (Kishoreganj), Jan 4: A young leather businessman was found dead at godown area in the upazila on Tuesday morning. Family sources said Suman, 27, son of late Arab Ali of Ramnagar village in Raipura Upazila of Narsingdi, went missing on Monday night soon after he went out of his rented house at Bhairabpur Dakkhinpara area in the town, reports UNB.

One killed in Madaripur

MADARIPUR, Jan 4: A middle-aged man was killed and three others were injured in an attack by miscreants near Bandarbazar in Sibchar Upazila on Monday. The deceased was identified as Majnu Hawlader, 40, of the area. Witnesses said a gang of miscreants encircled the house of Majnu Hawlader and then launched an attack on him and his family members for informing police about their anti-social activities and gambling in the area, reports UNB.