The New Nation - Internet Edition

Nine police officials, cops closed in Barisal within a month

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Higher police authority took disciplinary actions including suspension, show cause, close and arrest against nine police officials and cops of Barisal range for different charges within three weeks of current month.

Police Departmental sources said Assistant Sub-Inspector and camp in-charge Mokhtar Hossain, Nayek Bachchu Mia, Constables Rafikul Islam Raju of Torki Police Camp under Gournadi upazila of Barisal district have been closed to Barisal district police line on Friday night.

The action was taken after primary investigation following an allegation submitted Wednesday night by Mashiur Rahman, sales representative of Rangs Medicine Company to higher police authority.

In that allegation, Mashiur complained that the previously mentioned four police official and cops roaming with police-wanted local top terror Rezaul Sikdar boarding on Rezaul's jeep on Barisal-Dhaka highway.

They came to a pump for giving air to wheels of the jeep on Wednesday morning.

Mashiur was there for giving air to his motorcycle and at that time following an altercation Rezaul and accompanied police forces physically assaulted Mashiur.

In another incident, actions were taken against four police officials within first to third weeks of current month.

Allegations made against corruption, devaluation of answer papers and other irregularities by taking bribes in departmental examination of promotion from Nayek and Habildar to Assistant Sub Inspector and from Assistant Sub-Inspector to Sub-Inspector held at Barisal police line on October 2007.

Office of the Deputy Inspector General of Police of Barisal Range ordered by the police headquarters to investigate the allegations raised by the promotion deprived examinees.

After investigation, the report was submitted in the first week of this month and police headquarter then took action.

According to that Shakiluzaman, assistant police super of Jhalakati Sadar Circle, Safizul Islam, assistant police super of Kalapara circle of Patuakhali and Rezaul Huq, district inspector (DI-1) of Barisal and members of the examination committee, have been suspended from February 7-20 of 2008.

Shakil and Safizul were recruited in police force after passing 24th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination like their batch-mate Mofazzal Huq, assistant police commissioner of Chittagong metropolitan police, recently arrested for dacoity.

Towfiq Mahbub Chowdhury, district police super of Barisal, found not guilty in this matter, but ordered to show cause for his negligence as head of the examination committee.

On the other hand, K M Anwar Amir, sub-inspector and second officer of Patuakhali Sadar police station suspended and arrested on February 19 in a case alleging taking bribe, misuse of power, harassing innocent people and other types of corruption and immoral activities.

Asrafur Rahman, district police super of Patuakhali, confirming this report said that the action was taken after departmental investigation.

Aminul Islam, DIG of Barisal range denying giving any details and making any comment only confirmed the actions taken of police headquarter.

Govt to procure paddy directly from farmers: Anwarul Iqbal

BSS, Sherpur

LGRD and Cooperatives Adviser Anwarul Iqbal on Saturday said the government would procure paddy from the farmers directly at fixed price side by side with rice millers for the interest of marginal farmers and keeping the price of rice stable.

He said this while speaking as the chief guest at view- exchange meetings in Jamalpur and Sherpur with the district-level officials, businessmen and public representatives, an official Handout said.

Deputy Commissioner of Jamalpur Abdul Huq and Deputy Commissioner of Sherpur Mohammad Moqbul Hossain presided over the meetings in their respective districts.

The adviser underscored the need for the increased application of guti (granules) fertilisers to reduce the pressure on the use of urea fertiliser in agri-field. On demand of the farmers and fertilizer dealers for the readjustment of fertilizer prices, he said the government would examine the issue of readjustment of prices of urea and TSP fertilisers soon.

Anwarul said microcredit would be disbursed among the jute farmers and the workers of cottage industries through Bangladesh Rural Development Board (BRDB) as they could rehabilitate themselves and revive the past glory of their products.

The adviser said the employment opportunities would be created for the unemployed youths of the char areas in Jamalpur by providing them training on the readymade garment.

4 get life-term for kidnapping schoolgirl in Netrakona

Our Correspondent, Netrakona

Number of four persons were sentenced to suffer life term imprisonment by district child women repression prevention tribunal court here recently for kidnapping a schoolgirl from village Bathtala under Kalmakanda Upazila of Netrakona district during the year of 2005.

The court also fined them with Taka 5000 each, in default to suffer another six years of rigorous imprisonment. According to the court sources, the convicted persons are Younus Ali, Manir Mia, Hafijur and Shahid Mia.

The prosecution story brief, is that Younus Ali accompanied by other convicted persons kidnapped the school sludent Hena (14) of the village Bathtala from her house on the day of 2nd August, 2005. Later, Police rescued the abducted girl on the night following the day.

On the next day of the kidnapping incident, the victim Hena Akter filed a abduction-case with the Kalmakanda Police Station against the four persons. Police after investigation of the case submitted a charge-sheet to the court.

Tithi selected as year's best child singer

Staff Reporter

Anamika Ghatak Tithi of Nilphamari, a bright student of class eight of Syedpur Lions School, has been selected as the best child singer of the year in patriotic songs category.

She has been nominated from Rangpur region to participate in the nationwide competition organised by the Bangladesh Shishu Academy in 'Kha' group (for students of Class 8-10) and won the First Prize, a Gold Medal.

Anamika showed her excellence in music at her very young age, with patronisation of her parents, Doly Ghatak and Prokash Ghatak. Her outstanding and brilliant performances enabled her to win several awards in the past. Shpe secured First Position for 22 times in various fields of art and culture in her 12 year of age. Her academic results are always marked by Golden A-plus in every subject.

Anamika took her initial training from Ustad Kunjala, a local music teacher at Boda thana of Panchagar district. Later she took her music lessons from Ustad Khodad Khan Badshah, a noted music guru and playwright. Her music talents unfolded under the guidance of Khodad, family sources said. Now, she is practicing classical songs under Ustad Jannatul Islam Kabir, a disciple of Sudhin Das.

The teachers at Lions School, including music teacher Komor Mostary Parvez Papri are also nourishing her talents.

News briefs

Jute mill workers strike

KHULNA, Feb 25: Some 5,000 casual workers of the five state-run jute mills here started their indefinite strike from today (Saturday) to realise their five-point demand. Mill sources said the workers of Platinum Jute Mill, Star Jute Mill, Crescent Jute Mill and Eastern Jute Mill in Khulna and another Jessore Jute Industry called the strike from a meeting held at Platinum Jubilee Jute Mill in the city's Khalispur area on Friday. The demands included regularisation of their jobs, payment of arrears and overtime (OT) bills and giving the identity cards and gate-pass. The workers had been observing different protest programmes, including work abstention and demonstration for the last seven months for realising their demands, reports UNB.

Cattle traders shot dead by BSF

SATKHIRA, Feb 25: Two Bangladeshi cattle traders were gunned down by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on Rudrapur frontier of the district Saturday morning. The deceased were identified as Abdul Majed, 32, of Rudrapur village and Hasan Ali, 30, of Bhabanipur village in Sharsha upazila of Jessore. BDR sources said BSF troops of Tetulbunia camp fired on the two traders when they were returning with the cattle from India, killing them on the spot. BSF also took away the bodies of the ill-fated cattle traders to their camp, reports UNB.

Bank employee killed in road mishap

THAKURGAON, Feb 25: A bank employee was killed when a lorry hit him from behind in the town on Wednesday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Monjur Alam, a staff of Krishi Unnayan Bank, Thakurgaon Zonal Office, and son of Abdur Rahman of Basirpara area of the town. Witnesses said the accident took place when he was returning to his workplace after finishing official works at Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank. Shortly after the accident, local people seized the vehicle but the driver fled the scene, reports UNB.

Heroin recovered in Joypurhat

JOYPURHAT, Feb 25: RAB and BDR members, in separate drives in the district, arrested six people and recovered huge quantity of drugs including one kg heroin Friday night. Acting on a tip-off, BDR 29 Battalion jawans raided Parbatipur-1 bound Rocket mail train from Khulna at dead of night and recovered one kg of heroin from a compartment in an abandoned condition. Besides, members of RAB-5 held Champa Khatun with 22 bottles of Phensidyl syrup from Bonmukh area of Panchbibi upazila. They also arrested two drug peddlers - Momin and Sayem - along with 570 bottles of Phensidyl from Diora village in Hakimpur upazila. In another drive, the elite force seized 448 ampoules of contraband Indian Pathedin injection and arrested three smugglers - Shahin, Abul Bashar and Abdul Mannan-in this connection from Pachur crossing area of the town on the same night, reports UNB.

Trader killed in Laxmipur

LAXMIPUR, Feb 25: A trader was strangulated to death by unknown assailants at Zoksin Bazar in Sadar Upazila on Tuesday midnight. On information, police recovered the body of Maruf Hossain, 20, from his wholesale depot on the following morning and sent it to Sadar hospital morgue for autopsy. Reason behind the killing could not be known immediately. A case was filed.

Housewife killed in Bhola

BHOLA, Feb 25: A housewife was allegedly killed by her husband at Hajariganj village in Charfession upazila on Thursday night. Police quoting local people said Nurunnabi hit on the head of his wife Parvin Begum with a stick following a family feud, leaving her critically injured. Parvin was rushed to the Upazila Health Complex where she succumbed to her injury, reports UNB.