The New Nation - Internet Edition

Correspondent, Chittagong

Discussants at a cultural function in the port city Saturday said that Tagore's lyrics, apart from bringing cultural emancipation, had enriched the domain of Bengali songs more than ever.

The immortal message of Tagore's lyrics occupied a permanent place in the minds of music lovers of all ages, discussants said.

Luminaries in the cultural arena here hosted the function to mark the launching of a new platform for upholding and practicing Tagore's works, Robindra Sangit Charcha O Prokash, at the auditorium of Theatre Institute, Chittagong.

Deputy Editor of the Daily People's View and freedom fighter Nasiruddin Chowdhury presided over the function while Professor Dr. Gazi Saleh Uddin addressed it as the chief guest. They observed that the thematic expression and appealing messages had made Tagore's lyrics distinct from those of any contemporary poet of Bangla language. "He had been a great source of inspiration for the nation," they added.

Earlier, eminent artiste and guru Nirmulendu Chowdhury inaugurated the function by lighting Mongol Pradeep.

Professor Joti Prakas Barua of Premier University addressed the function as the main discussant while Samir Bhattacharya, News Editor of the Daily Azadi joined the function as special guest.

BSS, Netrakona

Adviser for Foreign Affairs Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury today said the government has already taken necessary steps for importing rice to ensure sufficient food stocks in the country.

Dr. Chowdhury said this while addressing a meeting of the district level officers in the conference room at Netrakona Circuit House here.

Despite the onslaughts of natural calamities like repeated floods and the devastating cyclone Sidr, the country will not face any food crisis, he said

The meeting, among others, discussed the post-flood rehabilitation programme of the district, food stock position, Boro cultivation and fertiliser distribution.

Commanding officer of Netrakona Army Camp Lt.Col. Nakib Ahmed Chowdhury, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Muhammad Mizanur Rahman, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Muhammad Mujaheed Hussain, among others, participated in the discussion.

The adviser stressed the need for the expansion of Boro cultivation programme especially planting the hybrid variety of paddy in all fallow lands. He said that food deficit could be reduced to a large extent with an increase in the Boro cultivation by three percent than the previous year.

Reviewing the post-flood agriculture rehabilitation programme and fertiliser distribution in the district, the foreign adviser directed the concerned officials to closely monitor the rehabilitation programme and fertiliser distribution process.

Earlier, it was informed that a massive Boro paddy cultivation programme has been undertaken in the district to bring 1,39,000 hectares of land under paddy cultivation with a target for producing 5.5 lakh metric tons of Boro paddy.

The meeting was also informed that the district has a stock of 10,700 tons of fertilizer, which is sufficient for Boro cultivation in the district.

BSS, Kurigram

Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RKUB) distributed loan amount Taka 13.68 crore for crops, fisheries development, poultry, agriculture, irrigation equipment and agro-based industry set-up due to poverty alleviation during the 2007-08 fiscal.

RAKUB sources said, the loan distributed from 21 branches of the bank in the district from 1st July to 31st December, 2007.

The loans distributed in sub-sectors are Tk 6,46,10,000 among 3,265 farmers, fisheries development Tk 1,20,000 for three persons, Tk 59,55,000 among 137 persons for poultry, Tk 1,56,000 among three persons for purchasing agri-equipment, current loan activities of the Bank Taka 1,95,87,000 among 100 persons, other loan activities Taka 3,84,29,000 among 1,482 persons, In different heads of the poverty alleviation Taka 79,61,000 was distributed among 1,365 persons.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the Cooperative Bank Abdul Latif Mandol inaugurated a bank loan distribution programme at Zilla Parishad auditorium here on Saturday.

Bank sources said, the loan distribution programme has been started here after 18 years. From now on the bank will give loans to business, entreprenuers including cooperative persons.

Isamoti Somaj Unnyan Uddog (ISUU), a rural based institution located at southern tip of the Country at Village- Kazimohalla, Thana- Debhata, District- Satkhira has been actively involved in various social activities for the development of rural poor including helping the construction of low cost housing for them.

ISUU has also been providing financial assistance to poor students who cannot pursue their studies for want of money. It has also been providing financial assistance to poor for urgent medical treatment which is almost nonexistent in the area. Recently ISUU has disbursed Micro-credit to women shopkeepers at Eidgah Bazar, Debhata Thana. These women were allotted shops by the Local Council but they lacked money to run the business. ISUU has given them Micro-credit to buy goods in wholesale from nearby Satkhira and other big Markets and retail at Eidgah Bazar and earn a profit in the process.

Photo shows that Sohailur Rahman, T.N.O. Dehata is handing over Loan money to the women borrowers on behalf of ISUU.

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Properties worth Tk. 2 crore have been gutted and damaged by a fire accident occurred at Sonargaon Textile Mills in Rupatali area of Barisal city on Monday morning. Khairul Alam, Manager of the mill, said that the fire originated from a short circuit in the blower room of the mill at about 4-40 AM Monday morning and rapidly spread to other sections of the mill.

Fire service units from Barisal and Jhalakati rushed to the spot at extinguished the flame at about 8-30 AM.

Work for estimating the damages still going on and losses would be more than 2 crore taka in cotton godown and machinery section, he added.

Our Correspondent, Bagerhat

Six decomposed bodies have been recovered from Sidr battered Soronkhola area on Wednesday last after 56 days have clasped since furious cyclone had swept over that area. Dead body are of Safia Khatoon (65) w/o Abdur Rahman of North Southkhali village has been recvered from a nearby pond owned by Kader Mridha.

On the other hand, five disfigured dead bodies have also been recovered from Southkhali charland, names of those bodies are Hareg Sarif (45) of Kademtala village, Abdul Sarif (50), sager (30), Jakir of Amragachia (40), Karim Sikdar of Char Rayenda (36).

They have already been buried.

BSS, Ghoraghat

Speakers at a meeting here underscored the need for controlling all sorts of social crimes including smuggling, drug trafficking, repression on women and children through accelerating activities of community policing in the frontier upazila.

Ghoraghat upazila unit of Community Policing in Dinajpur district organised the meeting on Ghoraghat Thana premises with Officer-in-Charge of the police station Sheikh Mohammad Hakim in the chair.

Ghoraghat UNO Faruk Ahmed attended the function as the chief guest while Alhaj Mozammel Haque, ASP Barjahan Mandal, convener of the upazila unit of Community Policing Shamsur Rahman Jinnah and former UP chairman Mahmudur Rahman Bhola addressed as the special guests.

BSS, Dinajpur

Panama Port Link Limited, the private operator of the Hilli Landport in the district, has realised an additional revenue of over Taka 34 lakh in its 51-day operation ending on December 31 last. Hilli Land Port has been given on lease for 25 years with effect from November 11, 2007. According to the agreement, Panama Ltd will get 51 percent of the revenue while 49 percent will be deposited to the Bangladesh Land Port Authorities.

It is expected that an additional Taka two crore revenue could be earned annually from the Hilli land port if ban on import on 21 items is withdrawn.

BSS, Lalmonirhat

Police rescued an abducted adolescent and arrested her abductor from Kulaghat Bridge area under Sadar upazila in the district on Friday night.

Police said one youth Rezaul Karim, 18, son of Rafikul Islam of Swashan Colony in the town in connivance with his associates abducted the girl of the same area some three months ago. Azimuddin, father of the victim, later filed a case in this connection with Sadar Thana and police rescued her and arrested Rezaul after three-month-long search, the sources said.

One arrested with phensidyl in Khulna

KHULNA, Jan 12: Police arrested one drug peddler with 10 bottles of Indian Phensidyl from Mosgunni area in the city on Sunday. The arrested were identified as Basir Dhali, 28, of the area. Police said, acting on a tip-off, a team of the police raided the area and arrested Basir with 10 bottles of Phensidyl, reports BSS.

School inaugurated

GAIBANDHA, Jan 12: Green Field International School and College (GFISC) was inaugurated at Nurpur under Palashbari Upazila in the district on Thursday. Noted dramatist M. Anisul Haque inaugurated the institution as the chief guest while UNO of Palashbari upazila Akhteruzzaman and former principal Hasan Azizur Rahman were present as special guests, reports BSS.

One killed in road mishap

DINAJPUR, Jan 12: A man was killed and 19 others were injured in separate road accidents in the district on Friday and Saturday, Police sources said. The dead was identified as Mahbubul Alam, 40, of Shostipara village under Hakimpur here. The sources said the accident took place when a passenger-loaded Bogra-bound bus from Dinajpur collided head on with another Rajshahi-bound BRTC bus coming from opposite direction near Fulbari Upazila. Some 19 passengers of the BRTC bus received injuries.

100 arrested in Chuadanga

CHUADANGA, Jan 12: Police arrested a total of 100 persons from different places of the district during Saturday and Sunday. Besides, 18 motorcycles without valid documents were also seized during the period. Police said the arrested persons were wanted in various cases including murder, dacoity, extortion and terrorism, reports BSS.

Discussion on voter list held

FARIDPUR, Jan 12: Upazila Administration and election working group organised a procession and discussion on the eve of starting voter list in Charbhadrasan upazila of the district on Monday. The procession was brought out from UP Chattar that ended on Charbhadrasan Govt College premises. Later, presided over by UNO Saidur Rahman, a discussion meeting was held where Lt Colonel Selim Ahmed was the chief guest, reports BSS.

Meeting held

RANGPUR, Jan 12: A views exchange meeting between army officials and journalists was held at local army camp on Wednesday aiming at ensuring the objectivity of reports. The meeting was attended by Army camp Commander Lt Colonel Kaiser as the chief guest. Major Suman, Capt. Zaman, journalists Rashid Babu, Golam Mostofa, Wadud Ali, Zainul Abedin, AKM Fazlul Huq, Mahbubur Rahman, Mohammad Nuruzzaman, Rafique Sarker, Merina Lovely and Nazrul Mridha were present on the occasion, reports BSS.