The New Nation - Internet Edition

Call to reduce harassment of taxpayers

BSS, Rajshahi

Tax Ombudsman Khairuzzaman Chowdhury on Thursday said his office has been working for reducing unnecessary harassment of taxpayers.

"We are working in a quite comfortable and neutral atmosphere at present and we are not experiencing pressure from any influential quarter," Chowdhury said.

In this context, he said any aggrieved taxpayer could submit his complaint against the officials concerned without any hesitation.

"But the accusation must be genuine and based on facts," former NBR Chairman Khairuzzaman said adding that "We want transparency and accountability in every tier of the tax sector".

Ombudsman Chowdhury was addressing as the chief guest a discussion meeting styled "Ombudsman Law-2005" in the conference hall of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI).

A number of businessmen, representatives of different public and private sector commercial banks and other financial institutions and customs and tax official attended the meeting.

He referred to the widespread allegations used to made against the tax officials by different quarters before his taking over the office and said at present complaints are not being submitted to his office on the same scale. But I don't think that all the tax collection offices have become corruption-free at this moment, he added.

About piling up of tax related cases with the Supreme Court and Appellate Tribunal, he said the Tax Ombudsman office has now become effective to reduce the pressure and laid stress on all-out cooperation of the taxpayers to make the institution functioning properly.

Ombudsman Adviser (Indirect Tax) Dr. Rashidul Ahsan illustrated an overview of the law in his keynote presentation.

With RCCI President Hassen Ali in the chair, Ombudsman Adviser (Direct Tax) SM Zahir, Customs Commissioner Shah Alam Khan and Income Tax Commissioner Golam Nabi addressed the meeting as the special guests.

Bumper mango production likely in Panchagarh

A Correspondent

Production of mango in the Panchagarh district is expected to be better this year due to favourable climatic condition.

All mango trees in the rural areas of the districts are in full bloom now, District Agriculture Officer of Panchagarh AKM Jahangir said, Mango production was affected in the district in past few years due to cloudy sky and mist. But this year weather is favourable for mango production. About 95% mango trees in the district were naturally grown or planted without any planning. The local variety of mango trees is seen at the house-premises in villages. But all the trees are now in full bloom.

6,625 held, 60 arms seized in last 12 months in Bagerhat

Our Correspondent, Bagerhat

Bagerhat police has so far arrested 6,625 criminals, recovered 60 fire- arms and 306 cartridges during their thorough raids in the last twelve months. This figure is updated till February this year. Police also recovered, after massive operation-sixty local and foreign- made fire arms, 306 cartridges, 14 bombs and a huge quantity of intoxicants. This success has been made possible due to the continued and special operations conducted to curb anti-social elements for the betterment of overall law and order situation in the district.

Accuseds appreshend Hill now have been absconding themselves viz, wanted in G.R. case, numbering 2284, in C.R. case 1419, sentenced for imprisonment in various cases 158, ultra leftist (terrorist)-38, in other cases- 834 persons, Sahidur Rahman, Bagerhat S.P. deserves commendable application for this tremendous achievement.

Housewife commits suicide in Madaripur

BSS, Madaripur

A housewife committed suicide following an altercation with her husband at Lokhondo village under Rajoir Upazila in the district on Monday.

The dead was identified as Golapi, 40, wife of Bipul Ballor of Lokhonda village. Locals and police sources said Golapi committed suicide by taking poison after closing the door of her room. An unnatural death case was filed with Rajoir police station.

An appeal of a family

Our Correspondent, Rajshahi

A family from a Sirajganj village fled to Rajshahi and appealed to the DIG, Rajshahi range for saving their lives from the hands of extortionists.

It is learnt, Rasheda Khatun(13) daughter of Shafiqul(48) of Aminpur village under Sirajganj eloped and married with Ali Ahmed(23) of village Keraniganj of Dhaka on February-2. Shafiqul who is also a member of Community police filed a case and with the help of police rescued Rashida and arrested Ali Ahmed and his two friends on 7 February.

But Shafiqul intentionally filed a complaint with Sirajganj sadar thana accusing his neighbours, day labourers Abdul Hye, his wife Hasna, son Jahangir and daughters Arjina and Jahura and demaded taka 10,000 toll from them. When they refused to pay the toll, Shafiqul and his followers including Dulal, Baten, Taleb, Jaynal and Samad Fakir forced them to pay taka 3,000 toll and demanded taka 10,000 more toll from them. When they expressed their inability to pay further toll, Shafiqul and his followers beat them and threat them to kill. As a result, Abdul Hye, Jahangir and Hasna fled home and took shelter in Rajshahi.

On March-2, they met with DIG, Rajshahi range demanding security of their life. DIG, Rajshahi range issued a written order to the SP, Sirajganj to take immediate measure in this connection.

Training on preservation of jute seeds held in Nilphamari

BSS, Rangpur

A daylong training course on production and preservation of high quality seeds of jute and 'kenaf' for field level officials and farmers was held at Kishoreganj in Nilphamari yesterday.

The course was organised by Rangpur Regional Centre of Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI) at Kishoreganj upazila parishad auditorium in Nilphamari district with a view to achieve self-reliance in producing quality jute seeds in the country.

Chief Scientific Officer of Rangpur BJRI Mohammad Aiyub Khan chaired the training programme while Kishoreganj UNO M Shamsul Azam was present as the chief guest. Agriculture Officer Fazlul Haque and Senior Scientific Officer of BJRI, Rangpur Zahid Al Rafique were present as the special guests. Scientific officers, experts of BJRI and Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) conducted the course. A total of 50 farmers and many field level officials and workers of the DAE and other government organisations took part in the training. The scientists and experts underscored the need for involving more and more farmers in producing high quality jute and 'kenaf' seeds by applying latest technologies for meeting seed demand by locally produced seeds. They also asked the concerned officials for organising frequent training courses for the field level officials, workers and farmers at grass roots to aquatint them with the modern technologies for producing and preserving jute and 'kenaf' seeds. They also asked the farmers for increasing jute production in reviving the past glory of the golden fibre as its demand in the international markets has been growing faster because of its eco-friendly nature against the harmful synthetic fibres.

News Briefs

Two arrested

Sylhet, Mar 11: RAB members seized 2,000 porno CDs from some shops at the Ana Mansion in Taltala area of the city and arrested two traders on Monday.

The arrested were-Bakul, 22, and Muhibur Rahman, 24. Acing on a tip-off, RAB members raided Sumi Video World, Sumi CD Centre ,SA Movie World and Balaka Audio Complex and seized the porno CDs. A case was filed in this connection.

BDR seize Indian cloths worth Tk 1.5 crore in Comilla

Comilla, Mar 11 (UNB) - Bangladesh Rifles, in separate drives, seized huge Indian clothes worth about Tk 1.5 crore from different border areas of the district on Monday night.

BDR sources said the BDR troops raided six border areas at night and recovered huge Indian sarees and three-piece sets, which were being smuggled into the country. But none was arrested in this regard.

Young girl slaughtered in Jamalpur

Jamalpur, Mar 11 (UNB) - Police recovered the slaughtered body of an unidentified young girl from a paddy field at Dewlabari village in Melandah upazila Monday morning. Sources said local people found the girl slaughtered in a paddy field and informed the police. On information, police recovered the body and sent it to the General Hospital morgue for autopsy. Police said the girl might have been killed after rape. A case was filed.

Two terrorists arrested

Jhenidah, Mar 11: Police arrested two outlaws alongwith arms from Harihara in Shailakupa upazila Sunday night. Meanwhile, one of the arrested sustained bullet injuries in police firing as he tried to flee after snatching a firearms from a policeman, reports UNB.

Touchstone statue seized

Savar, Mar 11: RAB members recovered a touchstone made shiblinga worth about Tk 20 crore from Bhabna village in Ghior upazila of Manikganj district Monday night. Acting on a secret information a team of RAB-4 raided the house of statue smuggler Motia Rahman and arrested him along with the 70 kg shiblinga at midnight. A case was filed, reports UNB.

Law student killed

Gazipur, Mar 11: A student of local Law College, wounded critically in a terrorist attack here on Sunday, died at a hospital in Dhaka early Monday. The victim, identified as Firoz Zaman Sohel, 27, had recently passed LLB from Gazipur Law College. Family sources said Sohel, elder son of Sohrabuddin, was attacked and injured critically by the armed hoodlums, led by Tithi at Chhayabithi area in the district town on Sunday evening. Sohel was first admitted to Sadar hospital and then shifted to a private hospital in Dhaka on Sunday night after deterioration of his health condition. He succumbed there early Monday. Victim's father said the same gang had also attacked and his younger son Masum Parvez last year. Later, a case was filed in this connection, reports UNB.

Drug peddler held

Shariatpur, Mar 11: RAB members arrested a drug peddler along with 22 grams of heroin from Charpatanidi village in Palong thana of the district Sunday. Acting on a secret information a RAB team went to the house of heroin peddler Nannu Kazi,22, in the guise of heroin buyers and arrested him along with 22 grams of heroin worth about Tk 2.20 lakh. Nannu was handed over to police and a case was filed under narcotics act., reports UNB.