The New Nation - Internet Edition

Special measures to be taken to remove 'monga' : Iftekhar

BSS, Gaibandha

Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury on Friday night said the supply of fertilizer, electricity and fuel has been ensured for the farmers to grow more boro paddy in the district.

"Special measues will be taken to remove monga and solve the unemployment problem of the youth in the northern region", he said.

Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed said this while addressing a discussion on the implementation of Agri-rehabilitation programme and its progress organised by district administration at the Circuit House here as the chief guest.

The foreign Adviser said the government is considering seriously to set up requiting agency offices in the monga affected northern districts to send skilled manpower to abroad from this region through the direct supervision of district administration aimed at changing their socio-economic condition.

Training centres would be established in the northern districts for the creation of skilled manpower, he said.

Describing the importance of growing more food production, he instructed the bank officials to distribute agri-loan within three days to the farmers during the current boro season so that the farmers were not suffered to get it.

Presided over by Deputy Commissioner Quazi Md. Anwarul Hakim, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Commander of Gaibandha Army Camp Major Mizan, Police Super Mollah Nazrul Islam, Deputy Director of DAE ANM Mizanur Rahman Amin, Executive Engineer of Water Development Board M. Shafiul Alam, Presiden to Gaibandha Chamber of Commerce and Industry Shahzada Anowarul Quadir,m and president of District, Fertiliser Association Abdul Latif Hakkani.

Later, the foreign adviser distributed some 209 blankets among the cold hit people at Tengorzani and Komorpur areas under Ballam Jhar Union of Sadar Upazila in the district on Friday night.

Call to increase demand of jute products in int'l markets

BSS, Rangpur

The 10-day training course for the distressed and unemployed women on jute-based handloom and collage industries organised by Jute Diversification Promotion Centre (JDPC), Rangpur ended here on Thursday.

The training course was organised under the Small Scale Entreprenership Development Project in Promoting Textile-oriented Jute Products that was formally inaugurated by chairman of Kholeya UP Faruk Hossain.

Held at the office of Hockoli, a local development organisation at Paglapeer town under Sadar Upazila Executive Director of the Multipurpose Jute Industries Entrepreneurs' Service Centre, Rangpur Dr Nikhil Roy attended the inaugural and concluding certificate giving ceremony as the chief guest.

Manager of the Service Centre Majidur Rahman Bhuiyan, Assistant Director Dhon Gopal Sarker and Directors Poshupoti Barman, Amullya Kumar Goswami, Pradeep Chakraborty, Dhirendra Nath Roy and Profulla Kumar Goswami were present.

A total of 30 trainees took part in the course and expert trainers of JDPC conducting it.

The speakers in the concluding ceremony said that JDPC has been working hard for reviving the glory of jute through increasing its diversified use and demand of jute products in the international markets.

It has been providing all necessary assistance to the local entrepreneurs, especially the unemployed young women and women entrepreneurs, especially the unempoyed young women and women entrepreeurs in setting up of jute-based industries including cottage and handloom industries for expansion of jute industries, they said.

Since 2002, under financial assistance of the European Commission, JDPC has been providing all possible assistance including capital, the latest technologies for producing high valuaed diversified jute products, marketing facilities and a package of services to the entrepreneurs.

Burglars loot valuables worth Tk 5 lakh in Chittagong

Our Correspondent, Chittagong

Burglars took away gold ornaments worth taka more than half a million from the residence of a college teacher at city's Baghghona area near Lalkhanbazar on January 28 last.

Police quoting the house owners told the reporters that the burglars broke down the security-device attached to the entrance and took away the gold ornaments unlocking the steel safe.

The burglary is shrouded into mystery as the burglars did not touch any valuables other than the gold ornaments.

Sources said that AKM Shamsuddin Azad, a Chemistry teacher at Government City College, and his spouse went out from their residence at about 4:50 p.m. on the day..

People from the adjacent apartment informed the couple about the burglary first and they returned to their residence in the evening.

Mohammad Azad Hossain Roni, son of Shamsuddin's sister-in-law told the reporters that the burglars took away the gold ornaments from the locker and other valuables remained untouched.

He informed that the family moved to this apartment last month. He claimed that gold ornaments of his mother and two other aunts had been packed together at the locker.

Dipankar Talukdar, a Sub-Inspector attached to the Khulshi police station told the correspondent that they had visited the spot and got the first hand information.

Valunables looted in Gafargaon

Our Correspondent, Gafargaon

Armed robbers looted cash and valuables worth taka two lakh from a house at decrivumi village union of Usthi under Gafargaon Upazila of the district on Thursday night leaving two people injuuried.

Warm clothes distributed in Baraigram

Our Correspondent, Baraigram

Baraigram Upazila Administration and an organization "Red Crescent" distributed huge warm cltohes including 790 blankets and a good amount of relief materials among the cold hit poor people of Baraigram Upazila under Natore district on January 29 in presence of concerned TG officers and Army men.

Among them, upazila Administration gave 690 blankets Red crescent offered 10 blankets, 100 lungies, 100 sarees, 200 packets salt each containing 500 gm, 100 packets of rice each containing 500 gm, 100 packets of rice each containing 20 kg, 100 packets of pulse each containing 5 kg and 100 container of oil each containing 2 litre.

Huge phensidyl recovered in Comilla

BSS, Comilla

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) recovered a huge quantity of Phensidyl, ganja and two weapons during the past one and half month period in the district.

RAB sources said, they recovered 6000 bottles of phensidyl, two maunds of ganja and two weapons.

Members of elite force filed 23 cases in this connection and arrested 44 persons on various charges.

3 illegal brick kilns sealed at Rangamati

BSS, Rangamati

The Army and the Forest Department are now strongly monitoring the three illegal brick kilns that were sealed yesterday, so that owners could not resume the activities of the kilns, forest officials said here today.

'We sealed three brick kilns at Rajosthali upazila, as the owners could not produce any valid documents on behalf of running the kilns,' Zahidur Kabir, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Pulp Wood Forest Division, Kaptai told BSS today over phone.

"We also seized about 1000 cubic feet of firewood from the kilns during the drive," the DFO said adding that the kilns owners were burning firewood to make bricks infringing forest rule.

Besides, different brick making apparatus including six power tillers, 15 trolleys, 25 spades 5 chimneys were also seized, sources said.

Rajosthali Upazila Administration and Pulp Wood Forest Division jointly conducted the drive yesterday noon against the kilns under the leadership of Nur Alam Siddiqui, UNO of the upazila.

The forest authority concerned is taking preparation for filing cases against the three kilns owners-Jahangir Alam, Sawkat Hossain and Jahangir Alam Takukdar, sources added.

146th birth anniversary of Vivekananda observed

BSS, Barisal

The 146th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda was celebrated on the premises of Ramkrishna Mission in the city today with due religious fervour.

An elaborate programme was chalked out to celebrate the occasion. The programme included special puja, recitation from religious books and discussion on the life and work of Swami Vivekananda.

An Arati puja was also offered at the same venue and sweets were distributed among the devotees on the occasion.

5 alleged criminals with drugs held in Rajshahi

BSS, Rajshahi

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested five drug-peddlers and seized phensidyl, heroin and ganja from different areas in five northern districts on Sunday.

RAB sources said, acting on tip-off, the elite forces picked up the drug-peddlers including a female identified as Sabina Begum, 26, Sazzad Hossain, 22, Hassan Ali, 40, Daneshwar Chandra, 41, and Haran Sheikh, 40, with 103 bottles of Phensidyl, 175 grams of heroin and two kilograms of ganja from their possession during six separate raids at different places in Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Naogaon, Natore and Rangpur districts.

In another drive conducted at Hajirhat area in Rangpur town, another RAB team seized a smuggled motorbike in an abandoned condition.

The arrested persons and the seized goods were handed over to the concerned police stations after recording separate cases in these connections.

News briefs

B'baria BCL president held

Brahmanbaria, Feb 1: The joint forces on Thursday night arrested Chhatra League district president Mahmudul Huq Bhuiyan from his Kazipara house in the district town. Joint forces and police sources said Mahmud is a listed terrorist and an accused of a number of cases, reports UNB.

Satkhira AL leader held

Satkhira, Feb 1: District Awami League leader ABM Mostakim was arrested by joint forces from his Chapra residence in Ashashuni upazila early today (Friday) on charge of terrorist activities. Police said Mostakim, district AL Industry and Commerce Secretary went into hiding soon after the declaration of State of emergency in the country and recently he returned to his locality. Police also said he was wanted in connection with capturing shrimp enclosures, patronizing extremists and pirates in Sundarban areas, reports UNB.

2 killed in Comilla road mishap

Comilla, Feb 1: Two people were killed and five injured in a head-on collision between a bus and a microbus at Fakirbazar in Chouddagram upazila on Dhaka-Chittagong highway Friday morning. Sources said the Dhaka bound bus from Feni collided with the Feni bound microbus at about 8am, killing the unidentified driver of the microbus and a passenger of the vehicle on the spot. The dead passenger was identified as Saiful Islam, hailed from Feni. The injured were admitted to Sadar hospital, reports UNB.

One killed in Mymensingh clash

Mymensingh, Feb 1: A man was killed and 10 others were injured in a series of clashes between two groups of villagers at Boror char Digripara village in Sadar upazila. Police said there was a longstanding dispute between Alaluddin Khan and Amjat Khan of the village over land. The clash ensued in the morning when Alaluddin Khan and his supporters attacked Amjat Khan's house that left six people injured. They locked into a fierce clash again at 30pm leaving Alaluddin dead on the spot and injuring four others, reports UNB.

Brother kills brother

Naogaon, Feb 1: A young man, who was hacked indiscriminately by his elder brother following a land dispute Tuesday night at village Balubhara in Badalgachi upazila died on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Shafiqul Islam, 32, son of Didar Ali of the village. Four people, including two women, were also injured in the incident. They were admitted to the local health complex. Local people said there was a longstanding dispute between Shafiqul and his elder brother Majed Ali over the ownership of a plot of land. On the fateful night an altercation ensued between them over the issue and at one stage Majed hacked him mercilessly leaving him critically injured, reports UNB.

One get life for murder

Jamalpur, Feb 1: A court here Thursday convicted a man and awarded him life term rigorous imprisonment for killing his wife in 2002. The court also fined the convict Abdul Qader, of Digpait village of sadar upazila, Tk 5000, in default, to suffer five months more RI. According to the prosecution, Qader beat his wife Shefali Begum to death at one stage of altercation on August 30, 2002. A case was filed, reports UNB.

Bodies recovered

Noakhali, Feb 1: Bodies of three people, who went missing after a trawler capsized in the Meghna River in Hatiya upazila were recovered Wednesday-Thursday. Local people recovered the floating bodies of fisherman Bechua Miah, 26, and boatmen - Salim, 32, and Siddique, 42, from Mohammad Ali canal in two days. All of them hailed from Burir Char village, reports UNB.