The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

Participants at a daylong meeting here on Tuesday underscored the need for joint efforts of all stakeholders for eradicating all sorts of domestic violence on women for a peaceful society and progress.

They also called for a social campaign, especially among the vulnerable hardcore poor groups, for the purpose as the efforts of the government or any other single organisation are not enough to stop such crimes.

Mithapukur Upazila Committee of Prevention of Domestic Violence Jyote (PDVJ) organised the monthly meeting at its office in Mithapukur Upazila town with its President Motaleb Hossain in the chair.

Representative of Oxfam-GB Mita Sen, Joya Prasad of Gaibandha Gano Unnayan Kendra, Member Secretary of PDVJ Pradip Kumar Goswami, aboriginal community leader Gandu Ram, UP Members Amullya Chandra Mohanta and Shafiar Rahman, Change Maker Beauty Begum, NGO executives Abdul Mokshed Bahalul and Subhash Chandra Sheel, addressed.

Some 100 people, including students, NGO and human rights activists, public representatives and community leaders, elite and professionals and women leaders of the society took part in it.

The speakers mentioned various reasons behind the social curses like violence against women and suggested different ways for resolving those and recommended a social campaign to create mass awareness against all sorts of violence against women.

Our Correspondent, Chittagong

Armed snatchers looted Taka more than half a million in cash from two employees of the local branch of Bangladesh Rural advancement Committee - BRAC - at city's Colonel Hat area under Pahartali police station on Thursday.

The incident is shrouded by mystery as the carriers did not raise any protest and the incident took place without any brawl.

Police neither could arrest the snatchers nor recovered the looted money till the time of filing this report.

Top officials of the NGO including regional manager and area manager rushed to the police station soon after the incident.

Police primarily suspected that the employees might have been involved in the incident and termed it somewhat preplanned.

Police quoting the officials said that two employees of the NGO - Accountant Jashim Uddin and Office Staff Monirul Islam went out from the branch at about 1:25 p.m.

They were assigned to deposit Taka 660 thousand at the Colonel Hat branch of the Agrani Bank. When they proceeded only ten yards from their office, two snatchers equipped with a pistol swooped on them.

One of the employees ran away from the spot and entered into the office fearing gun shot at that time. The snatchers snatched away the bag from another employee and ran away hurriedly from the spot by a CNG-run auto-rickshaw.

The employees claimed that the snatchers at gunpoint took away the bag from them.

Officer-in-Charge of the Pahartali police station Mujibur Rahman told that they were suspecting the involvement of two employees because of their inconsistent statements.

The accountant Jashim Uddin and Office Staff Monirul Islam have been arrested in connection with the incident following a case filed by area Manager Momtaj Begum. The arrestees are likely to be placed on remand, OC Pahartali said.

BSS, Barisal

Speakers at an orientation course emphasised the need for ensuring uninterrupted supply of power by establishing a strong management in the power sector.

They said formation of an independent and impartial regulatory body could served public interests.

Organised by the Barisal District Unit of Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB), the orientation on "Energy Consumers Rights and Responsibilities' was held at the office of an NGO, Bangladesh Development Society (BDS) on Thursday.

Presided over by president of Barisal unit of CAB Prof. Syed Aminul Huq, the function was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) KBM Omar Farook Chowdhury as chief guest here while superintending engineer of West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd. Asim Kumar Ghose was present as special guest.

Two keynote papers were presented by chief of Party US-AID-National Association of Regulatory Unity Commissins (NARUC) Abdullahhel Mostafa and Treasurer of CAB Khalilur Rahman Sajal.

Among others, Nasimul Alam, Ismail Hossain Nagaban, Dr. Sunil Baran Halder, Minto Bose, Swapon Khondoker, Shubhangker Chakrabarty, Taufic Maruf and Mokammel Huq Milon took part in the discussion.

A total of 42 journalists from Barisal, Bhola and Patuakhali districts participated in the orientation course.

BSS, Dhunot

Police seised 90 sacks of adulterated TSP fertiliser and arrested one fertiliser trader in this connection from Dhunot Bazar in the upazila of Bogra district on Tuesday.

Police said one fertiliser trader Farhad Hossain, owner of Rummy Traders sold 50-kg of adulterated TSP fertiliser to the farmers of the area recently.

Farmer Khoka Pramanik of village Beelchapri in the upazila purchased seven sacks of fertiliser recently and lodged a complaint in this connection against the fertiliser trader with Dhunot Thana and Upazila Agriculture Office yesterday.

Later, UNO of Dhunot Upazila Abdullah Harun, Officer-in- Charge of Dhunot Thana Abdul Karim, Agriculture extension Officer Sahiduzzaman and concerned officials raided his godown and seized the fertlisers.

Husband kills wife in Sylhet

Sylhet, Jan 9: A housewife was beaten to death allegedly by her husband at Bhitar Golla village in Gowainghat upazila early Tuesday. The dead was identified as Toyeba Khatun, 26, wife of Salimuddin of the village. Police said Salim locked into an altercation with Toyeba at dead of night as she refused to give him money for gambling. At one stage Salim beat her mercilessly leaving her critically injured. She was rushed to the local health complex where the doctors declared her dead, reports UNB.

3 killed in Bogra road mishap

Bogra, Jan 9: At least three people were killed and 10 others injured in a tragic road accident at Mirjapur in Sherpur upazila Wednesday morning. One of the deceased was identified as truck driver Abdur Rahman, 38, while the identities of the two others could to be known immediately. Police said the accident occurred at about 6 am when a Bogra bound truck carrying soyabeen oil from Chittagong plunged into a roadside ditch after hitting a tree, killing its driver and two passengers on the spot and injuring 10 others. The injured were rushed to the Bogra Shaheed Ziaur Rahman medical College Hospital, reports UNB.

Two bodies recovered

Narayanganj, Jan 9: Police recover the slaughtered body of an unidentified young man from Singalbo area in Sonargaon upazila on Monday afternoon. Local people found the body near Asian Highway and informed police. Later, police recovered the body and sent it hospital morgue for autopsy. Another report from Dinajpur adds: Body of an unidentified young girl was recovered from Talerdanga field in Parbatipur upazila on Monday, reports UNB.

Truck loaded with 180 sacks FWP rice seized

Netrakona, Jan 9: Highway police seized a truck loaded with 180 sacks of rice of Food for Works Programme from near Kumudganj Bazar on Netrakona-Dhaka crossing in Shyamganj Upazila early Monday. Acting on secret information, police challenged the Mymensingh bound truck from Purbadhala and seized the truck with the rice and arrested its driver Masud Miah. Police said the rice was sanctioned for Purbadhala Sadar Union under the FWP but the chairman of the union parishad sold the rice in the black market. Purbadhala UNO said a total of 77.5 mts rice was allocated under FWP for the union, which reached the union parishad office on December 31. A case was filed in this connections, reports UNB.

Fire at Bhola Govt College Hostel

Bhola, Jan 9: A devastating fire that broke out at a hostel of Bhola Government College Monday morning gutted 10 rooms of the hostel. fire brigade sources said the blaze originated from an electric short circuit at the room of the tin-shed hostel at about 11:15 am and soon engulfed its nine other adjacent rooms burning down all the belongings of 50 students. On information fire brigade and members of Navy rushed to the spot and put out the blaze after one hour of frantic efforts with the help of the students, reports UNB.

Valuables looted

Noakhali, Jan 9: Armed bandits looted cash and valuables worth Tk 5 lakh from two houses in Sadar upazila early Tuesday. Local people said the gang numbering 10/11 entered into the house of Siddique Mia breaking the door open at Matipur village at about 3 am. The bandits looted Tk 30,000 in cash, 18 tolas of gold ornaments and other valuables from the house keeping the house inmates' hostage at gunpoint.