The New Nation - Internet Edition

Cobra venom seized

PABNA, Feb 16: Rapid Action Battalion recovered illegal Cobra venom worth about Tk 30 crore from Bonwarinagar in Faridpur upazila on Thursday and arrested four people in this connection. Acting on a tip-off, a team of RAB 12, in the guise of buyer of venom, contacted the smugglers at a house in Tiapara village at noon. During the negotiation with the anti-crime force in disguise, the smugglers agreed to sale the venom of a French company at Tk 35 crore, the RAB sources said. The RAB troops then cordoned off the smugglers and recovered 12 pounds venom from their possessions. They also arrested Sakhwat Hossain of Sirajganj and Aziz Pramanik, Shafiqul Islam and Sirajul Islam of Pabna, reports UNB.

51 held in Bagerhat

BAGERHAT, Feb 16: Police arrested 51 more people in their ongoing special drives in nine upazilas of the district Thursday night. With the latest arrest, 452 people have been arrested so far since February 5 on various charges. Police started the special operation in the district to nab terrorists and to recover hidden arms and spurious drugs. Over 800 members of district police are taking part in the special raids, reports UNB.

24,757 chickens culled

COMILLA, Feb 16: Some 24,757 fowls were culled at bordering seven villages of Adarsha Sadar upazila from Wednesday to Thursday night after detection of avian influenza. District Livestock officials said some chickens of Miah Bhai poultry farm, owned by Tofazzal Hossain, died in last couple of days at Jhakunipara village of the upazila and the dead chickens were sent to Dhaka for laboratory test. After detection of H5N1 virus, a total of 23,296 domestic and poultry chickens, 1,231 ducks, 196 pigeons, 34 swans and 8,216 eggs were destroyed in seven villages, reports UNB.

Rajbari Bar Assoc election held

RAJBARI, Feb 16: The election of Rajbari District Bar Association was held at its Library Auditorium amid much enthusiasm on Wednesday. In the peaceful election Ganesh Narayan Chowdhury was elected as president and ATM Mosfata as general secretary. Of the total 11 posts, Sammilita Ainjibi Samannay Parishad bagged 10 posts, including that of president and general secretary, while Ganotantrik Ainjibi Samity bagged only the post of assistant general secretary, reports UNB.

Rice allocated under VGF programme

RANGPUR, Feb 16: The government has sanctioned 42,750 mts of rice under vulnerable group feeding (VGF) programme for distribution among destitute families in five districts of greater Rangpur region. Official sources said 570,000 destitute families were allocated VGF cards with a view to ensure food security and to arrest price hike of rice. Of the total, 140,000 cards were distributed each for Rangpur and Gaibandha districts while 100,000 each for Kurigram and Nilphamari and 90,000 for Lalmonirhat district under the supervision of joint forces, reports UNB.

2 killed in road mishap

CHUADANGA, Feb 16: Two people were killed in separate road accidents in the district Thursday. Police said Shariful Islam, 45, died on the spot when he fell down from the rooftop of a bus in Alamdanga Upazila bus terminal in the evening. He hailed from Gobindapur village in the Upazila. In another accident, a woman was killed in a road accident near rail crossing in the town. The dead was identified as Shamsunnahar, 25, wife of Harun-ur-Rashid of Monirampur village in Sadar Upazila, reports UNB.