The New Nation - Internet Edition

1,808 sacks of fertiliser recovered

BSS, Dinajpur

Police recovered 1,808 sacks of chemical fertiliser and 4,119 packets of pesticide that were stored illegally in two fertiliser shops in Birganj upazila and arrested one person in this connection, police said.

Acting on a tip-off, police sealed off the two shops on Wednesday and recovered the fertiliser and pesticide after a raid on Thursday in presence of the upazila nirbahi officer, the sources said.

Later, police picked up fertiliser dealer Moinul, 25, of Sujalpur village under Birganj upazila.

Overseas employment

BSS, Dhaka

A spokesman of the Ministry of Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment yesterday refuted the report published in a section of the press that the Bangladeshi manpower market abroad is shrinking and said the available statistics prove this to be incorrect.

The spokesman said on the contrary there has been a phenomenal expansion of the market.

In the last one year, the spokesman said, the number of workers who have been cleared to go abroad was 8,32,000 as against 3,81,000 of the previous year.

In January and February this year a total of 1,59,000 people have gone compared to 78,000 in the corresponding period of the last year, the spokesman said.

Despite some contradictory reports, workers continued to find jobs in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia in the recent weeks, he said.

To Saudi Arabia in February alone, 20,200 people have already gone, and the flow continues, he said. A total of 10,956 found jobs in Malaysia in February, he said and the flow is continuing.

As to reports of problems faced by Bangladeshis in Saudi Arabia, the spokesman said Saudi authorities have denied that any particular community has been targeted for legal action, or alleged harassment.

The Saudis have categorically stated that Saudi authorities have not been influenced by propaganda by any community against another.

The ministry in Dhaka has been making appeals to all members of the Bangladeshi community in Saudi Arabia to abide by Saudi laws so that the majority do not suffer for the mistakes of a few.

The Bangladesh ambassador in Riyadh has been making contacts with the Saudi government and high level visits to that country and discussions with their authorities are being planned.

"We must work together in a way that the host government is not unduly embarrassed," the spokesman stressed. In fact at this very moment a Saudi Company from Dallah Group is recruiting a large number of technical and professional workers in Dhaka, he said.

Regarding Malaysia, the spokesman said measures have already been taken to reduce difficulties faced by Bangladeshi labour. The Adviser in charge, Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, in a recent brief visit to that country had discussions with senior Malaysian officials. Formal bilateral consultations are on the cards soon between Bangladesh and Malaysia, he said.

New markets in other countries, including in Europe, are being identified. All Bangladeshi missions abroad have been instructed to accord the highest priority to the welfare of Bangladeshis, he said.

Efforts are also underway to upgrade skills and quality of Bangladeshi manpower for better jobs.

A multi-pronged programme in this regard has been undertaken by the ministry and its agencies.

The government acknowledges the huge contribution of the expatriate community to the nation's development, and will make every effort to advance the welfare of expatriate Bangladeshis, the spokesman said.

This sector requires careful planning, and the ministry is doing that, he said.

OC dies of heart attack during training

BSS, Noakhali

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Nandail thana of Mymensingh Jasim Uddin died of a heart attack yesterday during his training at police training centre in the district. He was 44.

Police sources said Jasim Uddin arrived at the training centre last night from Mymensingh to attend a two-month long basic training course. He fell sick while starting training activities in the early morning.

He was rushed immediately to Noakhali General Hospital. But doctors declared him dead at 7 in the morning saying the cardiac arrest was the cause of death.

Jasim Uddin's was from Ghatkchar village of sadar upazila in Madaripur district, sources said.

Poultry policy soon: Samaddar

BSS, Chittagong

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Fisheries and Livestock Manik Lal Samaddar on Saturday said the government is actively considering formulation of a comprehensive national poultry policy soon.

"The government wants to formulate a comprehensive national poultry policy to bring discipline and also further explore potentialities in the poultry sector by properly addressing its problems," he said.

Addressing as the chief guest a traditional Mejban function here, Samaddar said the government was also planning withdrawal of import duty on the poultry feeds to minimize the increasing production cost of fowls.

Broiler chicken curry with eggs was served, among other items, at the lunch in the Mejban function held at a community center in the port city, organized by Chittagong Poultry Industry Coordination Committee (CPICC).

Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Hussain Jamil, Deputy Commissioner Ashraf Shamim and CPICC President Iqbal Dada, among others, also addressed the function.

The function was held as part of the CPICC's programmes to motivate the people towards the poultry meat and eggs, the organizers said adding, these are not harmful for the human health.

Earlier, the Special Assistant, high government officials, owners and workers of the poultry farms joined a procession carrying placards, festoons and banners inscribed with various slogans urging the people not to be scared of eating the cooked chicken and boiled eggs of the broiler variety.