The New Nation - Internet Edition

Government sincere to protect rights of under-privileged people : Debashish

BSS, Khagrachari

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Environment and Forest and CHT, Raja Debashish Roy on Saturday said, the government is sincere to safeguard the rights of the under- privileged groups of people.

They would receive priority in sustainable development like education, health, agriculture, communication, medicare, power and water, he said during an exchange of opinion with the local elite and upazila administration at Lakkhichhari upazila auditorium in Khagrachhari district.

Raja Debashish stressed on upholding the traditional policies and ideals like management of land by the Headmen and Karbaris, own culture and farming, for which, he advised them to become democratic adhering to the present time, said a PID handout. He stressed that a united and coordinated endeavour was necessary to remove the gender inequality.

Presided over by Lakkhicchhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Salimullah, the meeting was addressed among others by ADC (Revenue) Manindra Kishore Majumder, UP chairman Debrani Chakma, Maunkaching Choudhury, former upazila chairman Dashrath Talukder, Headman Suprity Dewan and general secretary of Rangamati Press Club Mohammad Ali.

Earlier, Raja Debashish laid the foundation of Kushinagar Ban Vihar and visited Lakkhichhari Kali temple, Alutila Nabagrah Dhatu Chaitya Bouddha Vihar and Matiranga high land tenancy management project.

In the evening, the Special Assistant also exchanged views with district-level officials and the traditional and elected public representatives of the district at Khagrachhari town hall.

10,543 hectares of arable land remain fallow in Barisal

UNB, Barisal

Around 10,543 hectares of arable land out of 1,86,473 hectares in the district are lying uncultivated since long, causing an approximate loss of nearly Tk 25 crore annually. Sources at the local Agriculture Extension Department said ownership conflict, lack of capital, equipment and shortage of irrigation facilities are the major reasons for not using these lands for growing crops.

Besides, some 3,729 hectares of land, which is about 2 percent of the total croplands in the district, cannot be cultivated due to demarcation problem.

Nuruddin Ahmed, in charge of the local office of Bureau of Statistics, said the trend of setting aisles for demarcation is increasing as larger land plots are getting smaller day by day due to change of ownership and distribution among the heirs, shrinking the arable land.

Besides, agriculture officials said, many farmers are unwilling to cultivate their croplands in the dry session for lack of adequate irrigation facilities.

Recognizing the problem, M Mahbubul Islam, executive engineer (Irrigation) of Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation of the region, said in a bid to minimize the problem, they have installed 15 irrigation pumps in the region for boro cultivation. Apart from the irrigation problem, many small farmers, including 79,848 landless ones, cannot cultivate land for lack of capital. When contacted, a senior agriculture officials said, the present land demarcation system needs to be replaced with scientific one in addition to changing the conventional cultivation methods to boost agricultural production.

26 get life-term for double murder in Faridpur

UNB, Faridpur

Twenty-four people were sentenced to life term while two others to three years' rigorous imprisonment by a court here on Tuesday in a double murder and robbery case. The court also fined the lifers Tk 1,000 each, in default, to suffer two months more in prison.

The lifers are Alamgir Matubbar, Jamal Matubbar, Tabibar Rahman Sheikh, Abu Bakkar Munshi, Alamgir Sheikh, Hafez Talukder, Yunus Fakir, Hiru Mollah, Miran Mridha, Shahid Khan, Kubbat, Masum, Tipu Khan, Shah Matubbar, Rois, Alamin Talukder, Shada Miran, Farid Mollah, Giasuddin, Kiamuddin alias Kia, Haider Sheikh, Nuru Fakir, Mazibar Rahman Talukder and Rustom.

Two others - Biplob Das and Shyamal Chandra Pal - sentenced to three years imprisonment for keeping the looted goods - were also fined Tk 1,000 each, in default, to suffer two months more in jail. According to the prosecution, a gang of 30-35 robbers stormed into the houses of Subhash Chandra Saha, his uncle Balram Saha and neighbor Ratan Poddar at Rajapur village in Bhanga upazila at dead of night on March 22, 2001.

Later, the bandits looted money in cash, gold ornaments and other valuables, worth about Tk 6 lakh at gunpoint from the three houses. The gang while fleeing fired shots when the house inmates raised hue and cry, leaving Balram Saha and Ratan wounded critically. Both the injured later died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. After the incident, Subhash Chandra Saha filed a case with Bhanga thana. Police later submitted a charge sheet against 33 people. Of them, five gave their confessional statements. After examining the records and witnesses, Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Akbar Hossain Mridha handed down the verdict in the jam-packed courtroom.

Seven others - Moslem Matubbar, Shahid Mridha, Mannan Mollah, Aiyub Mollah, Mayur Mollah, Akrat Mollah and Tarek Mollah - were acquitted, as the allegation brought against them could not be proved.

Notorious terrorist held in Netrakona

Our Correspondent, Netrakona

Netrakona Sadar Thana police captured a hardcore criminal and gang leader of inter- district thieves and land grabbers popularly known as "Puttia Salam" from Malni area of Netrakona district town on Thursday.

Police and local people said, a police team of Netrakona Sadar Thana conducted a raid in Malni area of the town and caught the notorious terrorist Puttia Salam (35) red-handed.

The arrested Salam was allegedly involved in criminal and terrorist activities including theft, dacoity, extortion and land gabbing incidents for a long time, the sources said Meanwhile, many local people expressed their satisfaction over the arrest of the alleged kingpin of the underworld Puttia Salam and demanded his exemplary punishment.

Medical service camp held in Narail

BSS, Narail

A medical service camp was held at Mirzapur High School ground under Narail Sadar Upazila of the district on Friday.

The camp was organised by Mother Terasa Memorial Society Bangladesh (MTMSB) in cooperation with district administration.

Khulna Divisional Commissioner Mohammad Yunusur Rahman was present at the camp as chief guest.

A team of 14 specialist doctors provided medical treatment to about 1,000 patients of eye, ear, neck, heart and kidney at the camp. The camp also provided free medicines to the patients of worth about Taka 8 lakh.

Deputy Commissioner of the district Abdul Quyyum Sarder, president of MTMSB Captain (retd) Dr. Masudur Rahman, Police Super Rashidul Hasan, Civil Surgeon Dr. Rezawnul Haque, Adviser of MTMSB Kazi Khairuzzaman Shipon, high officials, public representatives and elite of society were present on the occasion.

Housewife found dead

Our Correspondent, Gopalganj

A housewife's dead body was found at her father-in-law's residence at Kaligram village under Muksudpur upazila of Gopalgonj district recently, police sand.

It is suspected that Shibani Rani Biswas (16), wife of Dilip Faria was allegedly murdered by Dilip's mother and sister.

Dilip Faria got married to Shibani in Dhaka about six months ago where they worked at a garment factory.

Bumper wheat production expected in Kurigram

BSS, Kurigram

Farmers of Kurigram have been expecting bumper production of wheat during the current season.

Favourable climate, timely supply of necessary inputs including quality seeds and fertilisers would contribute to good harvest of wheat, sources at Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said.

During the current season wheat was cultivated on a total of 12,790 hectares of land in Kurigram district and production target has been fixed at 26,300 metric tons.

Deputy Director of DAE Mohammad Mohsin Ali told BSS that if any natural calamity does not hit the wheat fields farmers will get a bumper production.

Eye hospital opens in Thakurgaon

BSS, Thakurgaon

The operation of an eye hospital began on Tuesday at the abandoned Shilpakala Academy building.

On the occasion a briefing was held with Civil Surgeon Dr Nurunnabi in the chair.

3 minor children of family drown

Our Correspondent, Jessore

Three minor children of a family drowned in a nearby pond while they were playing at the side of pond at village Pamchari under Keshabpur upazila in the district on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the victims of the family sources, Ali Ahsan (6) son of Belayet Shaikh Halima (5) daughter of Aktar Shaikh and Rahatoon Nessa (6) daughter of Zahor Shaikh were playing nearby their house. When all of them were not returning to their house in the evening the is guardians went out for searching them.

Two toll collectors with Tk. 20,000 arrested

BSS, Chuadanga

Police arrested two toll collectors and recovered Taka 20 thousand from their possession from Alamdanga Madrashapara area of Chuadanga district on Sunday.

Police said, while the toll collectors were counting their collected money at Alamdanga Madrashapara, a police team of Alamdanga thana of the district rushed to the spot and arrested them in cooperation with the local people and recovered the money from their possession.

Police said the toll collectors collected the amount from one Dr. Obaidullah of Alamdanga Madrashapara. The arrested toll collectors are Kashed, 32 and Murad, 30 both of village Gobindopur under Alamdanga Upazila of the district.

A case was filed against them with the Alamdanga Police Station in this connection.

Opinion sharing meet on Police Ordinance Act-2007 held

Our Correspondent, Monirampur (Jessore)

Opinion sharing meeting on draft Police Ordinance Act 2007 was held in Monirampur TTDC hall room on March 17 afternoon.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Jessore was the chief guest at the meeting while Upazila Nirbahi Office Md Rahat Anwar was in the chair.

News briefs

Tk 1.56 lakh distributed among 24 Sidr victims in Satkhira

Satkhira, Mar 20: A total of Tk 1.56 lakh has been distributed among the family members of 24 people killed in the district by cyclone Sidr that hit the coastal areas of the country on November 15. Two NGOs-The Hunger Project and United Bangladesh Appeal-have jointly given the financial assistance to the victims' families. Deputy Commissioner M Kefayet Ullah handed over the money to the family members at a simple ceremony at his conference room on Wednesday, reports UNB.

Youth slaughtered in Jessore

Jessore, Mar 20: A youth was slaughtered by some unknown assailants at Bharatpur in Monirampur upazila Tuesday. Sources said Masood Rana, 26, son of Mohiuddin of Per Khajura village of the upazila, went missing since a youth called him out of his house on Sunday night. Being informed by local people, police recovered the body from a garden at Bharatpur village on Tuesday and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy. Motive behind the killing could not be known immediately. A case was filed, reports UNB.

Tk 50,000, scratch cards stolen in Bogra

Bogra, Mar 20: Muggers took away scratch-cards worth Tk 25 lakh and Tk 50,000 in cash from the divisional office of mobile phone Company Teletalk in the town. Sources said the officials left the office locking its door on Tuesday evening and found the grill of a window broken on the following morning. Later, they found scratch cards of different values worth Tk 25 lakh and Tk 50,000 in cash missing from the office. On information, police rushed to the spot and also detained its two guards for interrogation, reports UNB.

Two killed in lightning in Madaripur

Madaripur, Mar 20: Two farmers were killed while another was injured in lightning at Amgram village in Rajoir upazila Thursday morning. The deceased were identified as Bishwanath Mondal, 40, and Bakul Baroi, 23. Local people said the thunderbolt struck them when they were working in a crop field at about 8am. The injured Sadhon Rai, 22 was admitted to the upazila health complex, reports UNB.

Headmaster arrested

Bagerhat, Mar 20: Police arrested headmaster of a government primary school from Pikepara village in sadar upazila Wednesday for embezzling relief goods. Sources said Asit Kumar Das, headmaster of Sunagar Government Primary School, took 25 packets of powder milk of relief to his house instead of distributing those among the students of his school. Local people recovered the milk from the kitchen of his house and handed him over to police. A case was filed. District Primary Education Officer Pran Gopal Nandi said that disciplinary action would be taken against the headmaster after necessary investigation.

Murder case filed against OC

Khulna, Mar 20: A case was filed against seven people, including officer-in-charge of Batiaghata Thana and four other policemen, on Wednesday for killing a man. Abul Hasan filed the case with the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court against OC of Batiaghata thana Delwar Hossain and Sub Inspectors Abdul Malek, Saban Ali and Akkas Ali, ASI M Sayed, police source Ansar Gazi and Moslem Gazi for killing his brother Abul Hossain in jail. In his complaint, Abul Hasan alleged that his brother Abul Hossain was arrested from Sallamari area in the city for possessing drug on March 7 this year and brought to Batiaghata thana. He alleged that a Sub Inspector as per the instruction of OC Delwar demanded Tk 1 lakh from his family over the mobile phone for releasing Abul Hossain, reports UNB.