The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mystery over dacoity in Sundarban courier service revealed

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Barisal Kotwali police revealed the mystery of dacoity committed January 17 last at Barisal branch of Sundarban Courier Service.

Police arrested assistant general manager, deliveryman and the van driver of the courier service earlier. The night guard of that branch was arrested recently gave confessional statement.

Investigation officer of the case Sub Inspector Mir Kasem and his assistant ASI Delwar said, a case was lodged on January 17, 2007 stating that a gang of armed dacoits looted properties worth Tk.4 lakhs in cash and kinds from Barisal branch of Sundarban Courier Service situated at Club Road area of the city.

The place was at a stone's throw from Barisal police line and residences of high police and administrative officials.

Police arrested two night guards Faruk Matubbor and Abdus Sattar in this connection on that day.

Faruk Matubbor was taken on remand. He claimed himself innocent but revealed that Fazlul Huq, assistant general manager of that branch commited the dacoity.

Night guard Faruk said that branch manager Fazlul Huq, 37, resident of Jessore New Town, with the helps of Enamul Huq Ripon, 24, foreign parcel delivery man of Jessore Kazipara Road, and Jafar Khalifa, 35, delivery van driver of Taleswar village under Bukabunia union of Patharghata upazila of Barguna, committed the pre planned dacoity.

Police then arrested those three persons and sent to Barisal jail on Saturday after recording their confessional statement during face-to-face interrogation of all the arrestees.

On interrogation, AGM Fazlul, delivery man Enamul and van driver Jafar further confessed that Aziz, Mukul and Akkas, three listed dacoits of Jessore town helped them in committing dacoity and send the looted properties to Jessore.

The accused looted Tk.2.60 lakhs in cash and kind including 20 mobile sets booked for Mobile Complex of Bhola, 10 mobile sets booked for Jamaddar Telecom of Pirojpur and one mobile set of the office.

Not only that; this gang often stole valuable items from the packets sent by the customers from different parts of the country, police claimed further.

Police trying their best to recover the looted variables, the police official informed.

BSF-UK distributes relief among Sidr victims in Patuakhali

Bangladesh Support Foundation (BSF), UK recently distributed relief and rehabilitation materials among the Sidr victims at Muradia union of Dumki upzila under Patuakhali district.

They distributed 10 cows, 10 rickshaws, 360 pieces of tins, 200 pieces of blankets and books among 40 students, says a press release.

Upzila Nirbahi Officer of Dumki Sonjay Kumar Chakrabarti distributed the materials in presence of chairman of BSF-UK Syed Moazzem Hosen. Director of Palli Unnayan Sngstha Syed Mofazzal Hosen, Freedom Fighter Fazlul Haq Khokan, Prof Farhad Chowdhury and common service officer of Hotel Sonargaon Zainal Abedin were preset, among others, on the occasion.

Betel-leaf cultivation being hampered for fund shortage in Sirajganj

Our Correspondent, Sirajganj

The betel-leaf cultivation in the district is decreasing day by day due to price hike of raw materials, lack of capital, shortage of insecticides and absence of proper marketing facilities. The farmers are being discouraged to grow the betel-leaf which is causing suffering to innumerable growers who are living in miserable condition. On the other hand, the government incurs losses of huge amount of foreign currency.

Betel-leaf is in important cash crop in the district since long. It can fetch cash income to growers throughout the year. The betel is grown in all seasons under tropical climatic condition. Agriculture Extension Department sources told this Correspondent that, Raiganj and Tarash upazilas in Sirajganj district are famous for betel-leaf cultivation.

The main productive villages are Chandahikona, Rahimpur, Pabna bazar areas, Raguspour, Bhuerehas, Dhonkundi and Barobari. Due to high price of raw materials betel-leaf cultivation (Boroj) dwindled in this area during the last ten years. The prices of bamboo, jute sticks, ropes and oilcake which are most necessary elements to cultivate the betel-leaf have gone beyond the reach of the poor farmers.

The habit of taking betel-leaf commonly known as 'pan' is very popular in the district as elsewhere of the country that bears a long tradition. It has been chewed by all classes of people at all times. It is used on any social occasion which is considered to be very auspicious.

In the past the betel-leaf cultivation and business was confined to the Hindu community who were supposed to know the cultivation technique. But at present, its plantation has been familiarised among the Muslim farmers.

The Raiganj and its adjoining areas upazilas is the best production area in the district as well as other parts of the country.

Bamboo is the main construction material and the other materials are as bamboo sticks, straw, jute sticks, rope and wire, etc. are very costly to make on betel-leaf Garden by a poor betel-leaf farmer.

The betel-leaf cultivation is being hampered due to fungal diseases such as leaf spot, foot rot, mud insect-leaf hopper and other diseses.

Benlate and Malathin pesticides could control the diseases but are beyond purchasing capacity of the farmers.

When this Correspondent contacted a poor betel-leaf farmer Abdul Khaleq he told that he used to live happily with seven family members with the income of betel-leaf cultivation.

The raw materials were available and cheap earlier. But these are very costly at present, he added. For example, the price of one bamboo is Taka 150 to 180 while it was Taka 60 to 70 earlier, the straw is Taka 400 against Taka 100. Jute stick and oil cake price rose four times against its early prices.

About Taka 45,000 is required as capital to cultivate betel-leaf on one bigha of land. Additional expenses are also necessary to protect the plot from disease and pest attack. The bad transportation system of the remote area is also hampering the marketing facilities.

Quality research indispensable for cherished development

BSS, Rajshahi

Participants at a day-long workshop here today said quality research has become indispensable for cherished development of the country.

In this regard, they also observed that the nation has been facing problems relating to need-based policy formulation due to lack of policy research.

Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), Dhaka in collaboration with Sachetan, Rajshahi arranged the workshop titled "Policy Research and Policy Formulation: Bangladesh Context" at Mukta Hotel International in the city.

The main objective of the workshop was to devise ways how to make the qualitative research findings effective in the national level policy formulation.

In his address of welcome and keynote speech, BIDS Research Fellow Dr Zulfikar Ali elaborated the aspects of quality research for the nation-building process. He said scores of research programmes are being conducted in various public and private level universities and other research organisations in the country, but unfortunately, findings of most of those are not up to the mark.

On the other hand, he said valuable findings of some other researches are not being brought under the policy selection, which is also unfortunate for the nation.

Professor ANM Saleh of Psychology of Rajshahi University in the chair, Executive Director of Sachetan Hasinul Islam, Associate Professor Shah Azam Shantunu of Marketing of RU and BIDS Research Associates Harunur Rashid, Nazmul Haque and Golam Nabi Mazumder addressed the workshop as resource persons.

Speakers said importance should be given on undertaking research programmes on realistic issues that could be utilised for welfare of the society.

Schoolboy crushed under wheels of truck in Gafargaon

Our Correspondent, Gafargaon

A schoolboy was crushed under the wheels of a truck at North Pukhuria in Gafargaon Upazila Tuesday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Refat (7), student of class one and son of Md. Mourshed of Pukhuria village in the same upazila.

Local people said, Refat died on the spot when a speeding track ran over him while he was crossing the road. A case was filed in Gafargaon Police Station, in this connection.

Body recovered in Gaibandha

Our Correspondent, Gaibandha

A dead body of an unidentified woman was recovered from Kashdaha village under Ramjibon Union of Sundargonj Upazila in the district on January 28.

The police said, the locals found the dead body in an abandoned condition at the beel area of the village on Monday morning. On information the police of Sundargonj Thana rushed to the spot and recovered the body from there. Later it was sent to the hospital morgue for autopsy. They identification of the victim could not be known immediately, the police said.

A case was filed with Sundargonj Thana in this connection.

The police suspected that she might have been killed by the miscreants after violation. The body bore several marks of injury.

Pak HC presents computers to school in Kishoreganj

Our Correspondent, Kishoreganj

Pakistani High Commissioner in Dhaka Alamgir Bashaer Khan Babar yesterday inaugurated a Computer Lab at SV Govt Girls School in Kishoreganj town.

The High Commissioner assured the school authority of extending their further assistance in developing the quality of in the school education.

He said the women community in Bangladesh is a vital part in the country's development.

Referring to the various cooperation between the two countries, he observed that the trade relations are enlarging day by day.

The Pakistan High Commission donated twenty computers and other accessories to facilitate the school authority in providing quality education as part of their education project in Bangladesh.

Presided over by Shanaz Kabir, headmistress of the girls school, teachers and local administrative officers were also present at the handing over ceremony.

He visited the Kishoreganj press club and exchanged views with the local journalists on Monday evening.

News briefs

Contractor jailed

JHALAKATI, Feb 2: A contractor was jailed for one year and was also fined Tk 1 lakh by a court here on Wednesday in a cheating case. The convict was identified as Shahabuddin hailed from Muladi upazila of Barisal district. Akkas Hossain, General Secretary of Bakultala Employees and Public Welfare Association, filed a case against him with Rajapur thana on June 12, 2004. He alleged that Shahabuddin took Tk 40,000 loan from the association on January 21, 2001, which now stood at Tk 70,000 including interest. Shahabuddin gave a cheque of Tk 60,000 to Akkas Hossain but the bank dishonoured the cheque, reports UNB.

Eye camp ends

SHERPUR, Feb 2: The five-day eye camp concluded at a school auditorium in the district town on Wednesday. Bangladesh Nation Society for the Blind (BNSB), Mymensingh and local NGO 'Paribesh' conducted the free camp at Anandapath School Auditorium, organised by Rotary Club. The camp conducted cataract operation of 62 poor and distressed people. Rotarian Razia Samad Dalia presided over the concluding ceremony while ADC (Revenue) Enamul Quader Khan attended as chief guest, reports UNB.

Housewife burnt to death in Jhenidah

JHENIDAH, Feb 2: A housewife was burnt to death in a fire that broke out at her house at Char Dhalohara in Shailakupa Upazila Wednesday. Police said the fire broke out in the house of Salma Begum, 29, at dead of night when she and her family members were asleep. Salma along with her family members managed to come out of the blazing room. But she taking risk of her life at one stage entered into the room to bring Tk 14,000 kept in a box that she borrowed from NGO BRAC. But she was caught in the fire and died on the spot. Police suspected that the fire originated from a lamp in the room, reports UNB.

One stabbed to death

CHUADANGA, Feb 2: A man was stabbed to death allegedly by his neighbour at Enayetpur village in Alamdanga upazila on Wednesday. Local people said Abdul Hamid at one stage of altercation stabbed his neighbour Yakub Ali, 35, at a field at about 9am. Yakub died on way to local hospital. The altercation ensued between them following a quarrel between their sons. On information, police rushed to the spot and recovered the body. A case was filed, reports UNB.

One awarded nine years imprisonment

GOPALGANJ, Feb 2: A court here Monday convicted a man and awarded him nine years rigorous imprisonment for joining the government service showing fake certificates. The court also fined the convict M Haider Ali, driver of Tungipara Upazila Health Complex, Tk 25,000, in default, to suffer nine months more RI. According to prosecution Haider joined the Tungipara Uapzila Health Complex as a driver showing fake certificates on December 20, 1998. He worked there till February 4, 1999, reports UNB.

Reception accorded

JESSORE, Feb 2: A non-government agriculture farm has given a reception to Baukul Fruit inventor professor Dr MA Rahim on the Shiekh Hati Shafiur Rahman Model Academy premises hereon Wednesday. Presided over by former principal of the Government M M College Professor Afser Ali, the function was addressed, among others, by Agriculturist Mohammad Shahidullah, Divisional Livestock Department Deputy Director Abdul Hye, Dr Firoz Ahmed and union parishad Chirman Shahidul Islam Millon, reports BSS.