The New Nation - Internet Edition

Funds yet not reached for reconstruction of Sidr-hit embankments, establishments

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Two thousand cores taka funds needed for repair, reconstruction and renovation of embankments and its related establishments damaged by devastating cyclone Sidr in southern and coastal regions yet not placed even after two months.

In a primary assessments it was estimated that Tk. 750 crores would be needed for repair and more Tk.1250 crore would be needed for reconstruction, renovation, and development of height and wide of embankments and related establishments.

The assessment report sent by local officials of Water Development Board to water resources ministry said that 367 kilometers long embankment destroyed and about 2500 kilometers long embankment have been damaged by hurricane Sidr in coastal belt.

Besides 425 kilometers irrigation canals destroyed and 587 kilometers irrigation canals also damaged by Sidr in this region. Forty kilometers protective measurements of water management destroyed and more 25 kilometers damaged by the disaster.

This assessment also included reformation of 10 buildings of water development board to cyclone center and repairing and infrastructural development of 144 cyclone centers in Barisal, Patuakhali, Barguna, Bhola, Jhalakati and Pirojpur districts. Taka.750 core would be needed for execution of these repairing works.

The rest 1300 crore would be needed for implementation of sustainable long term projects like development of height and wideness of 1200 kilometers embankments at the cost of Tk.280 crores, proportionate development of 560 establishments related with these embankments at the cost of Tk.155 crores, construction of 300 kilometers bituminoid road on these embankment at the cost of Tk.175 crore, construction of 31 kilometers long coastal flood protective dam at the cost of Tk.450 crores.

For repairing and reconstructing different destroyed and damaged drainage sluice, flashing sluice, river closers more about Tk.190 crores would be needed.

Water Development Board sources said the then Pakistan government took a project with financial assistances from United States of America government to construct embankment locally known as Bhery Bandh in coastal region at the cost of 38.60 crore taka in 1960-61 for flood and tidal bore control.

The project was named as ' coastal flood control dam' and ended in 1979-80 fiscal after constructing about one thousand kilometers long embankments, 177 drainage sluice,320 flopping sluice, and 272 river closer establishments in coastal region.

By implementing this project 6 lakhs acres of land in coastal areas were saved from tidal bore, flood and salinity and came under irrigation schemes in coastal belts.

After success of that project Water Development Board constructed more hundreds of kilometers of embankments in different regions of coastal districts.

Extraction of mineral resources in northern districts stressed

BSS, Rangpur

Experts at two seminars in Kurigram and Lalmonirhat underscored the need for adopting appropriate steps to exploit the bright prospects for industrialisation and uniform economic development in the northern region of the country.

They spelled out a number of suggestions for extracting coal and other mineral resources from different areas of greater Rangpur and Dinajpur and setting up coal-fired power plants to overcome the power crisis and accelerate the pace of industrialisation of the region.

On Sunday, Kurigram Press Club and Greater Rangpur Welfare Samity, Dhaka jointly organised the seminar at the conference hall of Kurigram Collectorate with Press Club President Mominul Islam Manju in the chair.

Kurigram Deputy Commissioner AR Mollah and Acting Police Super Soheli Ferdous were present as the chief and special guests respectively in the seminar that was moderated by President of Greater Rangpur Welfare Samity, Dhaka and former Executive Chairman of The Board of Investment Nazrul Islam.

Press Club Secretary Shyamol Bhowmik, Nazrul Islam and former member of Power Development Board Fazlul Haque presented three keynote papers on Power Management System in Bangladesh and Greater Rangpur-Dinajpur, Development of Northern Region and Fuel Resources of Bangladesh: Prospects Northern Region.

Former chairman of the BCIC and former Chief Engineer of LGED Monwar Hossain, former Income Tax Commissioner Siddique Hossain, former Joint Chief of Agriculture Ministry Enayet Hossain, addressed.

The speakers presented a 19-point demand including declaring Rangpur as a Division and setting up Education Board in Rangpur, establishing full-fledged land ports at Bango Sonahat and Roumari in Kurigram, construction of a Bridge- cum-Barrage on the Brahmaputra at Chilmari and Bogra-Sirajganj Railway.

Earlier on Saturday, a similar type of seminar titled

"Comprehensive Strategies for Development of Northern Region" jointly organised by Lalmonirhat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and the Lalmonirhat Welfare Samity, Dhaka was held in the conference room of Lalmonirhat Collectorate.

LCCI president Sirajul Haque presided over the seminar that was attended by Deputy Commissioner Rafiqul Islam and Police Super Jomsher Ali as the chief and special guests respectively.

The experts and speakers in both seminars elaborately discussed various prospects and problems regarding huge natural resources in northern region and its uniform development and recommended for a balanced national coal policy giving priority to uniform development in all regions.

They urged the government to formulate necessary policies in this connection giving priority to national interest and take legal actions against those who are spreading propaganda against coal lifting and obstructing to extract underground coals in the northern region.

They said the government should set up at least two urea fertiliser plants in the region and supply natural gas supply through pipelines up to the Uttara EPZ at Syedpur in Nilphamari to enhance industrialisation of the region.

UNO visits markets to see fertiliser stock in Nasirnagar

BSS, Brahmanbaria

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Nasirnagar visited different fertiliser godowns and sale centers in the Upazila on Tuesday.

During the visit, Mohammad Shawkat Ali requested the farmers to lodge complaints with the administration if any irregularity takes place in the selling of fertilisers.

Naogaon Newsletter

Our Correspondent, Naogaon

Obituary

Abdul Khaleque Khan, (55), son of late Altaf Ali Khan of Khanpara of Khawattasher-Raninagar village in Raninagar Upazila under Naogaon district died due to heart attack on December 29. He left behind wife, two sons and one daughter and a host of relatives to mourn his tragic death. He was buried at his family graveyard.

Goat, tubewells distributed

Palli Sangstha, NGO of Paytha village branch in Mohadevpur Upazila in the district, distributed freely one goat, one tubewell and one set of sanitary latrine ring-slab each among 36 distressed women villagers of Enayetpur union in a simple ceremony, held at its office premises on December 31.

The President of the said Sangstha Md. Shakawat Hossain was in the chair while Executive Director Mustafizur Rahman Bakul attended as chief guest and local social worker Yasin Ali as special guest.

Housewife commits suicide

One housewife committed suicide by taking pesticide on family fued at Sarigachi-Kalinagar village of Porsha Upazila in the district on December 28.

She was identified as Anjuawar (42), mother of three children who was the first wife of Omar Ali. Her husband married again without her permission. One UD case was registered with Porsha Thana.

Garment worker killed

One garment worker was murdered in Mohadevpur Upazila in the district at dead of night on December 26.

The dead was identified as Emran Ali (20), son of Shamser Ali of Shibgonj village.

On getting information, the police recovered the dead body lying in a mango garden at Jaipur-Baluka Para. He came here to observe the Eid-ul-Azha with relatives.

Shop gutted

The shop of Khawajamuddin at Dhamoirhat Upazila market in the district was burnt by fire at dead of night on January 29.

The loss was estimated about two lakh Taka. Three houses close to the said shop were also burnt by fire completely. The fire spread out by electric circuit, short it is suspected.

Office-bearers elected

Sawpan Kumar Dutta and Ranajeet Kumar Dutta were elected as president and general secretary respectively of Patnitola Upazila Jewellers' Asociation in the district recently.

Others elected were vice-president Nittagya Gopal Das, assistant general secretary-Ratan Kumar Gosh, treasurer-Utpal Kumar Saha, organising secretary-Kartik Chandra Mahanta, members-Sujan and Ashraful Islam.

Housewife commits suicide in Madaripur

MADARIPUR, Jan 18: A housewife allegedly committed suicide by taking poison at Bhabanipur village in Kalkini Upazila on Tuesday night. The deceased was identified as Sufia Begum, 35, wife of Hasibul Sardar of the village. Police quoting family members said Sufia took her own life at the dead of night following a conjugal bickering. On information, Police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy. A UD case was filed, reports UNB.

Three killed in road mishaps

BOGRA, Jan 18: Two people were killed and eight others injured in a collision between two trucks at Chandarpara in Dhunat Upazila here on Wednesday. The deceased were identified as Abdul Hamid, 60, and Kalpana Khatun, 43, of Chutbari village in the same Upazila. Witnesses said the accident occurred at about 7 AM when a sand-laden truck hit another truck carrying passengers, killing two passengers on the spot and injuring eight others. Five of the injured were admitted to Bogra Shahid Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital. Police visited the spot shortly after the accident, reports UNB.

Schoolgirl violated in Madaripur

MADARIPUR, Jan 18: A schoolgirl was allegedly violated by miscreants at Guatala village in Shibchar Upazila on Monday evening. Police said Mintu, 25, son of Taiyab Ali, and Lalan Mia, 30, of the village swooped on their co-villager's teenage daughter and raped her by turns when she was alone in the house. The lechers fled away as local people rushed to the spot hearing the shrill cry of the victim. Later, the ill-fated girl, also class nine student of Fajilatunnesa Girls High School, was admitted to Sadar Hospital. A case was filed with the local police station, reports UNB.

Drug peddler held with heroin

CHAPAINAWABGANJ, Jan 18: Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) jawans arrested a drug peddler along with 750 grams of heroin from frontier Charbagdangi village in Sadar Upazila early on Tuesday. Acting on secret information, BDR jawans of Charbagdangi outpost arrested the drug peddler Alam, of Hakimpur village in Sadar Upazila at about 6 AM and recovered the contraband drug from his possession. Later, he was handed over to the police. A case was filed against him under Narcotics Control Act, reports UNB.

Motorcyclist killed

SYLHET, Jan 18: A motorcyclist was killed and his co-rider injured in a tragic road accident at Khadimpara in Jakiganj Upazila on Sylhet-Tamabil highway on Monday noon. Police said a Jaflong-bound bus rammed into the motorcycle of Shamim Ahmed, 22, son of Azizur Rahman of Kashkanankpur village of the Upazila, near the spot at about 12:30 PM, killing him on the spot and injuring co-rider Abu Taher critically. Abu Taher was admitted to Osmani Medical College Hospital. Later, police recovered the body and sent it to the hospital morgue for autopsy, reports UNB.

Minor girl found slaughtered in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI, Jan 18: A minor girl was found slaughtered at a sugarcane field at Sonaikandi village in Paba upazila Tuesday morning. Family sources said Aruna Khatun, 7, daughter of Based Ali of the village and also a class one student of Sonaikandi Primary School went missing on her way home from school on Monday noon. Family members failed to trace Aruna till Monday night despite a hectic search, reports UNB.