The New Nation - Internet Edition

Number of SSC examinees decreased in Barisal Board

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Number of Secondary School Certificate examinees scheduled to be held under Barisal Education Board from March 27 has been decreased.

Board authority organised thirty vigilance team to monitor fair examination in sixty-three SSC exam centers of the board.

BEB sources said this year 49,116 examinees would seat for SSC examinees under eighth SSC examination of this board.

This number was lowest in last three years and 2042 less than 51,158 of 2007.

Number of SSC examinees under this board in 2006 and 2005 were 56,339 and 52,316.

It was 51,446 in 2004, 63,415 in 2003, 62,389 in 2002 and 89,860 in 2001.

Prof. Hasanuzzaman and Shah Alamgir, chairman and controller of examinations of Barisal Board said that candidates from 1400 secondary schools including 19 government schools participating in SSC exam this year.

Due to devastating hurricane Sidr and restrictions about passing test examinations for seating in SSC final decreased number of examinees

They vowed to conduct copy-free fair examination smoothly with the help of examinees, teachers and local administrations.

Mass awareness to combat TB underscored

Our Correspondent, Chittagong

Health experts at a news conference here in the port city on Sunday emphasized the need for building public awareness to better combat reemerging tuberculosis in the country.

Chittagong Divisional unit of Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) hosted the news conference ahead of the world tuberculosis day (TB) 2008 was observed on Monday.

"I'm stopping tuberculosis" has been made the theme of this year's campaign against the disease.

Different private voluntary development organizations (PVDOs) undertook programs to mark the day. The programs included campaign rally, seminar, talk-show on the audio-visual outlets and satellite clinics for screening tuberculosis in the remote areas.

The anti-tuberculosis campaigners said that attention had largely been putting on the "Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS)" in eradicating tuberculosis from country since the ratification of the strategy in 1993.

Simple self care is enough to resist spread of the disease and matured tuberculosis is no more dreadful because of easy and accessible medication facilities made available at the doorstep of the grass root people. Dr. Ahmed Hossain, Dr. Sanjoy Paul, Dr. Abdul Ahad Talukdar, Dr. Nurunnabi and SM Bazlul Haque of the BRAC among others addressed the news conference.

5 killed in separate incidents in two districts

BSS, Chittagong

Three people, including an elderly woman, were killed in separate incidents in the district recently.

Police and hospital sources said the victims are Mohammad Shahidul Alam, 26, son of Abdus Salam of Chokoria upazila, Anwara Begum,56, wife of late Nur Mohammad of Sayedpur area under Satkania upazila and Mohammad Rasel,28, son of Abul Hasem, of Patiya upazila in the district.

Police said a group of robbers shot Shahidul as he tried to resist them from looting valuables from their house in Rajarbill area under Chakoria upazila in the district at 2 AM recently.

He was admitted to a local health complex and later shifted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) in a critical condition where he succumbed to his injuries at 8AM.

Anwara Begum sustained burn injuries while cooking at her house. Family members brought her to the CMCH, but she died there.

Rasel committed suicide by taking poison over family feud.

BSS, Gazipur adds: Two persons were killed and one injured in a road accident when a passenger bus collided head on with a autorickshaw at Rajendrapur Chowrasta on Friday last.

Police said the autorickshaw passenger Nurjahan Begum, 26, and its driver were killed on the spot and her husband Amjad Hossain, 35, was seriously injured.

Amjad Hossain was admitted to Gazipur Sadar Hospital.

The dead bodies were sent to hospital morgue for postmortem.

A case was filed with Joydevpur thana in this connection.

Sonamasjid Land Port realises Tk 121 cr revenue

BSS, Rajshahi

The Sonamasjid Land Port has realised revenue worth around Taka 121.91 crore till March 11 during the current fiscal 2008-09.

According to the officials concerned, the land port, major northwestern trade route with India, has already attained the total target of the current fiscal.

The success has been achieved due to significant reduction of corruptions and irregularities and increased close monitoring at all levels in the port.

Sources said, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) had fixed the target of revenue collection of Taka 120.64 crore for the land port in the current fiscal.

Officials concerned are optimistic about collection of Taka 40 to 50 crore more by June 30 next at the port.

In spite of making foodgrain import duty-free, the huge amount of revenue could be realised, the sources added.

Apart from the rice, different items like perishable fruit, stone, fly ash and china clay are being imported through the port.

Superintendent of the port Shafiqul Alam said, corruption in the revenue earning has been reduced to a significant extent during the current fiscal compared to the previous year that helped expected earning in the port.

2 poachers detained by Forest Dept in Bagerhat

BSS, Bagerhat

Members of Forest Department in Sundarbans detained two poachers from the Posur river when they were returning home after hunting deer on Wednesday.

The Forest Department personnel recovered 22 kilograms vension after scarching the boat of the poacher.

The arrested men were identified as Kamalash, 23, and Rafiqul Islam, 28.

The poachers were sent to Bagerhat Judical Magistrate's Court.

A case was filed under Wildlife Act in this connection.

Schoolgirl killed in Kishoreganj road Mishap

Our Correspondent, Kishoreganj

A schoolgirl was killed and two persons were injured in a road accident at Zatrish (Miela Bazar) in Kishoreganj town on Wednesday morning. The dead was identified Miss Lina Akter (15), student of class nine of Kishoreganj Vocational Training School and College.

Witnesses and Police said the accident occurred at morning as a truck ran over Lina when she was going to vocational school with her friend.

She died on the spot.

Police seized the truck but its driver managed to flee.

Police Super visited $ the spot. A case was filed in this connection with Sadar thana.

Body recovered

Our Correspondent, Baraigram

Baraigram Thana Police recovered unidentified middle aged woman from the field of Shri-khondi under Baraigram Thana in Natore district on March 23.

That unknown woman was dressless but she had only a frock in her body. She was short, fat and fair completioned. She was about 4 feet and 8 inches in height. Police said to the newsman that the women was raped and rapists killed her by suffocating with her scarf. Police recovered her body and sent it to Natore Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Information Advisory Centre set up at Madaripur Sadar Hospital

Our Correspondent, Madaripur

Transparency international (TIB) and Sacheton Nagorik Committee (SONAK) of Madaripur district established information and advisory centre at Madaripur Sadar Hospital in order to monitoring the standard of the service of the hospital on March 19.

TIB and SONAK in a joint collaboration monitored the system of admission in the hospital, ticket selling system, treatment facilities admission fee, etc.

The two organisations distributed leaflets in order to create awareness among the people.

2 navy personnel held in Rajshahi

Our Correspondent, Rajshahi

Boalia thana police on Sunday night arrested two members of Naval forces for their alleged involvement with motor bike lifting syndicate.

The arrested naval personnel have been identified as Able seaman Shafiqul Islam and electrician Nasir Uddin Kamal.

Police said, on Friday evening, electrician of Naval forces Nasir Uddin Kamal identifying himself as a lieutenant of Bangladesh Army booked a motor bike at the Continental Courier Service to the address of captain Shamim of Chittagong cantonment. Suspecting the motor bike as stolen, Manager of the courier service Rony informed Boalia thana police who rushed to the spot and took the motor bike to the thana.

Meanwhile, Shafiqul on Saturday afternoon went to Boalia thana and identifying himself as a member of naval forces tried to take away the motor bike when police arrested him. During interrogation, Shafiqul revealed the name of Nasir Uddin and another member of Naval force whom the police arrested around 11-30 pm Saturday from New Market area.

Police informed, the arrested persons revealed sensitive information about motor bike lifting syndicate of the city. Police have started a crackdown to arrest other members of the syndicate.

Miladunnabi observed in Gaibandha

Our Correspondent, Gaibandha

The holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi, marking the birth and demise of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (sm), was observed in all the seven upazilas of the district on Friday with due religious fervour and solemnity.

Hazrat Muhammad (sm) was born in Makkah in Saudi Arabia on this day in 570, the 12th of Rabiul Awal Hijri calendar with divine blessing and message of peace for mankind. At the age 63, he also passed away on the same day.

The academic institutions, various religious and cultural organisations took out the elaborate programmes marking the day. The programmes included discussion meeting, Qurankhwani and Milad Mahfil.

A Milad Mahfil was held of Sadullapur Girls' College of the district on Friday. A discussion meeting was also held on the occasion.

UNO of Sadullapur Upazila M. Farid Ahmed addressed the meeting as chief guest. Presided over by Zakaria Khandaker, Principal of the college, the meeting was also addressed among others, by Moulana Korban Ali, M Aminul Islam and Al-Haj Ramjan Ali.

A good number of students, teachers and members of the governing body of the college participated in the meeting and Milad Mahfil.

2 KG cannabis seized in Rangamati

Our Correspondent, Rangamati

Members of the Narcotic Control Department conducting a drive at the house of a drug peddler at Kawkhali upazila seized 2 kilogram of cannabis on March 21, police said quoting the case filed by the department concerned.

Acting on a tip-off, members of the Narcotic Control Department under the leadership of Tapan Kanti Sharma, Inspector of the department concerned raided at the house of Ashutosh Chakma, 30, son of Priyotom Chakma at Poapara area under Kawkhali upazila at 5.30 PM on March 21 and seized the hemp.

Sensing the presence of the members of the department concerned, the drug peddler managed to escape from the house, sources added. A case was filed with Kawkhali Thana in this connection, police said.

Body recovered

BSS, Netrakona

Netrakona Model Thana police recovered a body of housewife from her husband's house at Charpara village under Sadar Upazila on Tuesday.

The victim was identified as Rozina Akter, 25, wife of Rafique Miah.

Being tipped off, police rushed to the house and recovered the body, which was found hanging with a ceiling fan tied in rope in the bedroom.

The body was sent to Sadar police station for postmortem.

The cause of the death, however, could not be known immediately, reports BSS.

Open House Day observed in Brahmanbaria

BSS, Brahmanbaria

Open House Day was observed at Nasirnagar thana in the district on Wednesday.

Organised by Nasirnagar thana, the function was presided over by officer-in-charge of the thana M Samsul Islam while Assistant Police Commissioner Zahirul Islam Chowdhury was present as the chief guest.

Freedom fighter Abdul Baki, UP chairman Abdul Ahad and Dr Rafi Uddin also spoke on the occasion.