The New Nation - Internet Edition

FOWA donates Tk 20 lakh to Ahsania Cancer Mission

UNB, Dhaka

The Foreign Office Wives Association (FOWA) Saturday donated Tk 20 lakh to Ahsania Mission Cancer Hospital. Of the amount, Tk 10 lakh will be spent on setting a 2-bed cabin and Tk 10 lakh for treatment.

FOWA chief patron and Foreign Advisor's wife Nicole Chowdhury handed over a Tk 20- lakh cheque to Ahsania Mission president Kazi Rafiqul Alam at State Guest house Padma.

Nicole Chowdhury said FOWA is not lagging behind in extending humanitarian assistance during disasters like flood and cyclone and social welfare activities.

Foreign Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said social organizations are contributing their best to the service of humanity and social welfare activities.

FOWA president and Foreign Secretary's wife Jahan Ara Siddique and general secretary Nuzhat Amin Mannan also spoke on the occasion. Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain and senior officials of the Foreign Ministry were present.

Obituary

Staff Reporter

Eminent Islamic scholar and former Vice-Principal of Comilla Dhamti Alia Madrasah Saikhul Hadith Moulana Shafiullah died at his Rangmala residence in Companyganj upazila on Saturday morning. He was 109.

He had been suffering from old age complications.

He left behind wife, one son, six daughters and a host of relatives and well-wishers to mourn his death. He was buried at his family graveyard after Asar prayers.

Amendment of law to reduce smoking stressed

BSS, Dhaka

Health journalists at a seminar on Saturday said that small amount of fine for smoking at public places has failed to discourage people to smoke openly across the country.

"Just a fine of Taka 50 is not enough to reduce the number of smokers in the country," said a journalist at the function held at the Work for Better Bangladesh (WBB) Trust office in Dhanmondi here.

WBB organised the seminar to review the role of media in implementation of the Tobacco Control Act, a landmark law that has legally prohibited smoking at public places and advertisements of cigarettes and tobacco products in any form in media.

"Despite the law, local companies have been showing no respect to it," alleged Rafiqul Islam Milon of Manobik.

He said the government should amend the law with strict measures to control tobacco uses and the audacity of tobacco companies.

Prosoon Ashish of the Jai Jai Din said the people of all walks of life were not clear about the definition of 'public places' and this confusion often lead them to disobey the law.

He suggested developing a communication strategy, which would convey messages easily and effectively.

The journalists came up with a number of suggestions that include sensitization of senior media managers, filing stories from field level, developing a catchy advertisement to discourage smoking, involving of local government body leaders and targeted approach to deter new smokers.

Ayub Bhuiyan of Bhorer Kagoj, Mahmuda Akhter of Dinkal, Saiful Islam Shameem of BSS and Syed Mahabubul Alam of WBB Trust, spoke on the occasion, among others.

Govt urged to save Kutubdia from river erosion

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a seminar on Saturday urged the government to come forward in protecting Kutubdia island, ringing it with green belt and permanent spurs with stones, from erosion for the sake of country's economic development.

The seminar held at the Jatiya Press Club was arranged by Kutubdia Samity, Chittagong. It was attended as special guest by country representative of IUCN Dr Ainun Nishat and member of Planning Commission AMM Nasiruddin.

Chaired by Alhajj Shafiul Alam, the seminar was addressed among others by Lt. General (retd) Harun-ar- Rashid, former adviser of the caretaker government Major General (retd) Ruhul Alam Choudhury, Bangladesh Observer editor Iqbal Sobhan Choudhury, Dr Ansarul Alam, director of Grameen Phone engr AMM Yahya and Hamidur Rahman Azad.

The key note paper was delivered by Professor Dr Mohammad Kamal Hossain of the department of forest and environment and member of syndicate of Chittagong University, Professor Dr Mohammad Zafar of the university's Institute of Marine, Science and Fisheries.

Dr Ainun Nishat observed that the Kutubdia island is full of economic potentials. To harness it, he said, a master plan should be prepared.

Nasiruddin said, the potentials of the Kutubdia island must be harnessed. For which a proper plan of action must be prepared.

Iqbal Sobhan Choudhury said, the economic contribution of the island could change the country.

Others observed that the Kutubdia island is rich in minerals, salt, fisheries and tourism. A permanent embankment should be laid around the island, a press release of the samity said.

Dr. Akram Sayeed passes away

BSS, Dhaka

Dr. A. Akram Sayeed, a Bangladeshi physician residing in Leicester, England, died of a heart attack in the early hours of Friday at his father-in-law's residence at Shantinagar here. He was 72.

He left behind, his wife, two sons, a daughter and a host of wellwishers to mourn his death.

Dr. Sayeed was the first Bangladeshi who was awarded the Order of British Empire in 1976 for his dedicated service to community relations.

He was an adviser of BBC Asia Radio and TV Programmes and a fellow of Overseas Doctors Association and British Medical Association.

Dr. Sayeed widely contributed to the field of literature. Letters from Leicester vol-1, 2 & 3, Memoir-in the shadow if my Taqdir, Shesher Adhaya (a Bangla novel) and Rahu Grash are few of the well-appreciated writings by Dr. Sayeed.

His role abroad during the Liberation War in 1971 is well- appreciated too.

Quick dissemination of rice technology stressed

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a weeklong training course at Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) on Saturday emphasized on quick dissemination of modern rice production technology to the farmers' level.

They said, it is necessary to increase per unit productivity of rice, which is a prerequisite for the food security of the country.

BRRI Director (Admin) Dr B A A Mustafi inaugurated the course held at BRRI auditorium at Gazipur as the chief guest while BRRI Director (Research) Dr M A Salam was the special guest.

Head of the training division of BRRI Dr M Zahirul Islam presided over the inaugural session.

Twenty-eight Sub-Assistant Agricultural Officers from different parts of the country took part in the course, which was designed on the basis of seed to seed approach of over all rice production techniques.

IIUC introduces HR professional award

BSS, Dhaka

International Islamic University Chittagong (IIUC), Dhaka Campus has given Best Human Resources Professional Award-2008 to five top HR professionals of the country.

The award was handed over to the recipients by chief of IIUC Professor Dr Mohammad Lokman at a restaurant here on Friday, said a press release on Saturday.

The award recipients are; AK Raihan, General Manager of Marie Stopes, Ms Tahniyat Ahmed Karim, Head of Human Resources of BRAC Bank, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmed, Director of Human Resources, Pan Pacific Sonargaon, Abdus Salam Bhuiyan, Gweneral Manager, Human Resources, Grameen Phone and N Mamun Chowdhury, General Manager, Human Resources, Apollo Hospital.

The IIUC, Dhaka campus has introduced best HR Professional Award for outstanding contribution of HR persons in order to popularize human resources management in Bangladesh.

Dhanmondi boy's school gives fresh admission test schedule

BSS, Dhaka

The admission test of Dhanmondi Government Boy's High School will be held on January 23 instead of January 22 due to unavoidable circumstance, a press release said here on Saturday.

According to the fresh schedule, the admission test of class one will be held from 10 am to 11:30 am, class two and three from 2 pm to 3:30 pm and class five from 2 pm to 4 pm on January 23, it said.

Selim Al-Deen's contributions recalled

BSS, Savar

Speakers at a memorial meeting on Saturday said gifted playwright and teacher of Drama and Dramatics, Jahangirnagar University, Prof Selim Al Deen enriched Bangla literature with his plays and other writings.

Recalling the contributions of Dr Selim Al-Deen, they paid tributes to the late playwright.

The condolence on him organised by Jahangirnagar University at its central auditorium chaired by Vice-Chancellor Prof Khandaker Mustahidur Rahman was addressed by, among others, Pro- VC Prof Moniruzzaman, Treasurer Prof Abdul Hie besides teachers, Prof Nasir Uddin, Prof Ajit Kumar Mojumder and Atikul Haque Chowdhory. Teachers, officers and students of the university attended in large numbers.

The speakers spoke on the literary works and chequered life of Selim Al-Deen and said his plays are taught by a number of universities in Europe and countries in South Asia, besides of course in Bangladesh.

Al Deen would live forever in the hearts of the people for his writings, which would, for us, remain a source of inspiration, said Prof Khandker Mustahidur Rahman.

Selim Al-Deen achieved a definite place for himself among the post-Tagore writers, who enriched Bangla literature, and his is already a name in it, he said.

The university's Department of Drama and Dramatics, founded by Dr Selim Al Deen, organised an open discussion on late him at the Old Arts Faculty Building.