The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Chittagong

Orange gardeners here in the uplands and prairies of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) have started seeing the ray of hope as experts joined them hands in orchard supervision and production management.

Orange cultivation in the hills had been unsupervised from the very beginning. Enthusiasm in developing orange orchard began dipping down over the last couple of years mainly on the grounds that the sour oranges would never make a good market.

Despite the bad experience of the local orange growers, experts believe that the existing orchards in the hills will start giving top quality oranges if necessary supervision and technical know-how are delivered to the orchard people. A recent report said that Director of Orange Development Project at Khamarbari in Dhaka MA Salam had come forward to guide the orange growers in the hills.

The orange orchard expert joined a colloquium of local orange cultivators, orchard owners and the local officials of agricultural department and shared the knowledge on growing top quality oranges.

Earlier, he went around a number of orange orchards in the area and examined the size and quality of the produce. Officials of the Orange Development Project - Pranab Chattachariya, Sawpan Kumar Barua and Agricultural Extension official at Dhighinala Mohammad Tajul Islam Patwari also accompanied the project director.

MA Salam observed that top quality oranges worth more than Taka two million would easily be grown alone from each acre of orange orchard a year especially in the hill weather, excellent for growing descent and tasty oranges.

"Untimely procuring of oranges, less or no nursing of plants and unplanned development of orchards are the main reasons of poor quality or sour orange production," MA Salam told the orange growers and advised them not to take the oranges down from the plants until they got the color in true sense.

More than 20 orange orchards had been developed in the hills of Bandarban, Khagrachari and Rangamati nearly a decade ago.

BSS, Rangpur

Speakers at a day-long workshop have stressed the need for joint efforts of all stakeholders, including government officials, for preventing HIV/AIDS.

They also called for social awareness-building campaign, particularly among the young generation and vulnerable groups, in the frontier areas to check spreading of the deadly disease and also trafficking of women and children.

Padokhkhep Manobik Unnayan Kendra (PMUK) organised the workshop titled 'HIV/AIDS Prevention Programme and the Youth Community' at Badarganj Upazila Parishad auditorium here on Tuesday for creating mass awareness among the youths and common people.

Chaired by Resident Medical Officer of Upazila Health Complex Dr Sunil Chandra Roy, Badarganj UNO Zakir Hossain attended the workshop as the chief guest. Acting Principal of Badarganj Degree College Prof Paritosh Chakroborty, UP Chairman Asaduzzaman Chowdhury, Imam Moulana Aminul Ehsan, Prof Bimolendu Sarker, Upazila Secondary Education Officer Abul Hossain, PMUK executives Asha Pradep Chakma and Mostafizur Rahman addressed the workshop.

Over 100 participants, including officials, youth community members, teachers, students, women community leaders, UP chairmen and members, NGO officials, socio-cultural workers, journalists, lawyers, community leaders and human rights activists took part. The speakers recommended bringing schools and colleges under the campaign to make students and younger generations aware about the adverse effects of HIV/AIDS for stopping spreading of the disease in the country.

BSS, Barisal

Practical classes of the first and second year MBBS students of Anatomy Department of Sher-e-Bangla Medical College (SBMC) has been hampering due to shortage of dead bodies for a long time.

Sources said the anatomy students of SBMC have been performing their practical works with three bodies during the last two years.

The anatomy department has been started with the inception of SBMC in 1968 and 328 bodies were dissected since 1972. But no bodies were received in the department in 1987, 90, 91, 92, 94, 97, 98, 99, 2000, 01, 04 and 2005 years, sources said.

Usually bodies received in the department were of unidentified persons killed in road accident or died in the hospital.

One renowned person Aroj Ali Matubbar donated his body which was received after his death in 1986.

Besides, cook of SBMC Abdus Sobahan, Abdus Sattar of Kawkhali of Pirojpur, Shyamol Kanti Das of Laukathi of Patuakhali and Kazi Borhanul Islam of Gournadi upazila donated their bodies.

The students of anatomy department have been studying only with three very old bodies and now these bodies are almost in usable condition.

There were four posts of sweepers who used to dissect bodies which were eliminated and yet to appoint new sweepers.

Head of the anatomy department Dr Abu Taher said teaching of students would be further hampered if the demand of bodies as well as appointments of sweepers were not fulfilled.

Our Correspondent, Madaripur

Rapists killed an SSC examinee, Morsheda (18) at Bheduri village under Kalkhini Upazila of the district on the night of Dec 9 after raping her.

Family and local sources said that following the previous enmity a group of miscreants forced the inmates of the house of Salauddin Biswas to open the door as they identified themselves as police personnel. Entering the house the miscreants beat up the inmates of the house indiscriminately and kidnapped Morsheda, and killed her after raping.

Her body was recovered from the bank of an abandoned pond of the village. Several injuries and signs of raping brutally were found on her body locals said. A case was lodged with Kalkini Police Station stadium in this connection. None was arrested till writing this reports.

BSS, Rajbari

A day-long workshop on communication for women and children-3rd phase was held at Goalondo Upazila Parishad auditorium in the district on Tuesday.

Organised by district information office, the workshop was chaired by district information officer Mir Hosein Ahasanul Kabir.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Goalondo Mohammad Afzal Hossain attended the inaugural function of the workshop as the chief guest while it was addressed, by Nasreen Akhter, Upazila Education Officer and Khandoker Shafiqul Islam, upazila family planning officer. A total of 40 School and College teachers, journalist, NGO activists, local elite took part in the workshop.

BSS, Brahmanbaria

Dhaka based Nasirnagar Upazila Samity distributed scholarships among 82 meritorious students at Nasirnagar Upazila Parisad auditorium on Wednesday.

Additional Deputy Commissioner(Rev)Mohammad Abdul Hai attended the function as the Chief Guest while President of the Nasirnagar Upazila Samity Alhaj Abdul Wahab was in the chair.

The function was addressed, among others by Upazila Education Officer Mohammad Zafor Ahmed, Principal Omar Ali, Professor Jamil Forkan, Advocate Abbas Uddin and Salah Uddin Mukul. Official sources said, a total of 75 talented students received scholarship from 13 High Schools of Nasirnagar Upazila.

Our Correspondent, Gazipur

An opinion sharing meeting with lawyers in Gazipur organised by Gazipur Zila Ayin Jibi Samiti was held at its auditorium on Sunday afternoon.

Chief Justice Md. Ruhul-Amin delivered his speech as the Chief Guest Chaired by Advocate Abdus Sattar. He described the different sectors of judges' department and told the attendant lawyers that people will have to wait for good result. Besides, different kinds of problems may be solved if we do work with sincerely. He called upon judges, Judicial Magistrates including closely connected employees of this department to be dedicated for the greater interest of the people and country.

The meeting was addressed among others, by the District Session Judge Hasan Fardous, Deputy Commissioner Sayed Mizanur Rahman, Police Super, Alamgir Alam, and Advocate Sultan Uddin.

It may be mentioned that before the meeting Chief Justice visited different activities and evidences of Judge and Magistrate Courts of the District.

BSS, Gaibandha

A day-long consultation meeting on 'We are for Elderly People - A Holistic Initiative for their Welfare and Development" organised by Holistic Help Society (HHS) was held at the auditorium of Zila Parishad on Sunday.

With executive director of HHS Masuma Akhter Mithila in the chair, the function was attended, by deputy director of social welfare department M. Nazim Uddin Ahmed as the chief guest while Prof. Firoza Begum was present as special guest.

It was also addressed, among others, by Soroz Dev, Monirul Islam and Rezaul Karim.

The speakers stressed the need for creating awareness among the people about the needs of the elderly people of the society.

Fugitive convict arrested in Thakurgaon

THAKURGAON, Jan 3: A fugitive convict, sentenced to jail 10 years ago, was arrested from his house at Akhanagar village in Sadar Upazila on Monday. The arrested convict was identified as Jafar Ali. Acting on a tip-off, a police team led by Sub-Inspector Abdul Latif arrested Jafar from his house at night. Police said Jafar was sentenced to two and a half years' rigorous imprisonment in absentia by a court under Narcotics Control Act, reports UNB.

Two held with phensidyl in C'nawabganj

CHAPAINAWABGANJ, Jan 5: Police arrested two people along with 220 bottles of Indian Phensidyl syrup from Hatbakal area in Nachole Upazila on Tuesday morning. Acting on a secret information, police raided a pickup van and arrested Nurul Islam and Dulu at north Uzirpur in Shibganj Upazila with the drug. Another report from Brahmanbaria adds: Police in a raid arrested four people along with 500 bottles of Phensidyl syrup from Kutubpur village in Sadar upazila Monday night. Being tipped off by local people, police conducted the drive in the area and arrested Tota Mia, Salim , Nazir and Bhuttu Mia with the contraband drug, reports UNB.

Minor boy crushed under wheels of coaster in Sunamganj

SUNAMGANJ, Jan 5: A minor boy was crushed under the wheels of a minibus at Iqbalnagar village in Sadar Upazila on Sylhet-Sunamganj highway on Tuesday noon. Police said the Sylhet-bound bus ran over Ali Hossain, 7, son of late Johur Ali of the village, when he was standing on the roadside at about 12:30 PM, killing him on the spot. Later, police recovered the body and sent it to Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy. A case was filed, reports UNB.

DIO launches programme in Bogra

BOGRA, Jan 5: Distirct Information Office (DIO) has launched a fortnight long programme on Tuesday to mark the completion of one year of current caretaker government. The programme includes meeting, discussion, musical function and street drama in various places of the district. Special musical soiree and screening of film would also be held in different places of pourashava and district sadar on the occasion, reports BSS.

Blankets distributed

MOULVIBAZAR, Jan 5: 'Greater Sylhet Development and Welfare Council (GSDWC), UK on Wednesday distributed 100 blankets among the cold-hit destitutes at Lalapur Shelter Centre of Akatuna union under Sadar Upazila. The distribution ceremony, presided over by Syed Moshin Ali, was attended, among others, by former chairman of the council Dr. Hasnat M. Hossain and Mohammad Faizur Rahman, reports BSS.

Election of Nabinagar Reporters Club held

BRAHMANBARIA, Jan 5: The election of the working committee of Nabinagar Reporters Club for 2008-2010 was held recently in a meeting presided over by Gourango Debanath Apu. The elected office-bearers are: President Kanti Kumar Bhattacharia, Vice Presidents-Tajul Islam Chowdhury and Gourango Debanth Apu, General Secretary-Shayma Prasad Chocrabarti Shaymal, Treasurer-Jalal Uddin Bhuiyan, reports BSS.