The New Nation - Internet Edition

Surma expedition against Tipaimukh Dam

From A Correspondent

The Surma, the lifeline of the greater Sylhet region,witnessed a significant event on 31 March, 2008 as a group of inhabitants of the Surma valley led an expedition of protest and indignation for four hours against the Tipaimukh Dam project, already accused of plotting to murder the Barak-Surma-Kushiara-Meghna river system.

The expedition was by a rivercraft along the 60 kilometer course of the Surma. The programme was a part of International Day of Action for Rivers and against Dams.

The River march started from Sunamganj at 12 noon and was concluded at the historic Keane's Bridge ghat at 4 PM. Engineer Muhammad Hilaluddin, chief executive of Angikar, Advocate Moinuddin Ahmed Jalal, Sylhet Division chief,

Angikar and Mojammel Huq Munim, Sunamganj district chief were among the expeditors.

At the Keane's bridge ghat, Sylhet, amidst emotion and high feelings, political and social leaders recieved the expeditors with applause and touching speeches. Advocate EU Shahidullah Shaheen, Public Prosecutor, Sylhet, Advocate Misbahuddin Siraj, General Secretary, Sylhet city Awami League, Barrister Arash Ali, President of Gonotontri Party and Udichi Shilpi Gosthi, Sylhet unit, Advocate Bedanada Bhattyacharjee, President, Communist Party of Bangladesh,Sylhet district, Lokeman Ahmed,General Secretary, Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal, Ujjal Roy, Chief, Sylhet district, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal, Dr.M.A.Goni of Shahjalal University, Advocate Kishore Kar of Bangabandhu Lawyers' Association, Advocate Hossain Ahmed, Joint Secretary, Sylhet District Bar, Advocate Samar

Bijoy Shree Shekhar and advocate Anowar Hossain Sumon of Sylhet Angikar among others greeted the Surma expeditors.

The speakers urged the Indian authorities to immediately refrain from going ahead with the controversial Tipaimukh Dam project which would spell catastrophic disaster to the riverine civilisation of the Barak-Surma-Kushiara-Meghna basin in India and Bangladesh.

They argued the Barak being a common river of both India and Bangladesh, the unilateral steps of construction by India was threatening lower riparian Bangladesh. The project was termed unjust and unethical and contrary to the UN

Watercourses Convention, 1997. The speakers stressed for massive peoples struggle along the Barak/Meghna basin in India and Bangladesh. The Surma expedition event created enthusiasm in the greater Sylhet region and the participants called continuing movement at the grassroots level in the greater Sylhet region in near future.

Over 2000 poor patients get free treatment in Satkania

BSS, Chittaganj

Over 2000 poor people of remote Nalua union under Satkania Upazila in the district have received free treatment facilities at a day-long medical camp.

Nalua Union Parishad Authorities organised the "Free Medical Camp-2008" on the union parishad premises on Wednesday to provide treatment and required quantity of medicines free of cost to the insolvent patients sufferings from various complicated diseases.

Organisers said the beneficiaries included a large number of women and children who have no ability and little chances to avail improved treatment from expert physicians working at different public hospitals in city areas and buy medicines.

A team of expert physicians of various disciplines, led by the head of the pathology department of Chittagong Ma O Shishu Hospital, conducted the day-long medical camp.

The organisers said the patients who received prescriptions from the doctors at the camp will also be given follow-up free consultation facilities if required by their respective physicians in the city.

On this occasion, a function was held on Nalua union parishad premises with UP Chairman Alamgir Mohammad Rashed in the chair.

UNO of Satkania Parimal Sircar attended the function as the chief guest.

Former president of Chittagong Press Club Abu Sufian inaugurated the function, while Chittagong Bureau-in-charge of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Mohammad Shah Nowaz was present as the chief discussant.

OC of Satkania Mahbubul Haq, Upazila Secondary Education Officer Humayun Ahmed Khan, Headmaster of East Gatiyadanga ASM Haq High School Mohammad Ferdous Qureshi, Headmaster of Nalua DL Karon High School Anupam Das and Headmaster of RMN High School Mrinal Kanti Dash spoke at the function, among others.

Seminar on local government held at JU

JU Correspondent

Speakers at a seminar said that though strong local government is one of the bases of democracy there is no strong and self-reliant local government in the Bangladesh in real term. " If we want to institutionalise democracy in the country, local bodies must be strengthened at the grassroots level" they observed.

They pointed out that the necessity of local government is increasing gradually and we must think anew to bring about a change to local government, they added.

The seminar was jointly organized by the department of Public Administration and Government and Politics at the social Science Faculty Building on Saturday.

The chairman of the Public Administration Professor Dr. Abul Kashem Mojumder presided over the seminar while the key-note paper was presented by Abu Taleb.

Prof Kashem underlined the necessity of updating the local government system and bringing transparency in it. He also urged the present caretaker government to implement the recommendations of the committee which was formed recently headed by Dr A M M Shoukat Ali.

Prof Dr Shamsul Alam, Chairman of Government and Politics Department called for strengthening reforming local Govt and keeping it free from the intervention of beauracracy and local MPs of the government.

He hoped that the incumbent caretaker government would take positive steps to effect a massive reform in the local government system. The seminar was addressed Prof Abdul Mannan, M Shamsul Alam and Mohammad Moinul Islam, among others.

Seminar on local government held at JU

News Briefs

Touchstone statue seized

Bagerhat, Apr 5: Members of the Rapid Action Battalion arrested a man along with a touchstone made statue of Lord Krishna worth about Tk 1 crore from Srirampur village in Kachua upazila on Wednesday. Acting on a tip-off, members of RAB-6 arrested Saheb Ali Shikder from the village and as per his statement, they recovered the statue weighing seven kgs from his house, reports UNB.

Two sea-boats capsized in Padma

Madaripur, Apr 5: Four people went missing as two sea-boats capsized in the Padma river at Charchanda in Shibchar upazila Wednesday night. Police said the two sea-boats with 18 passengers on board capsized in the river during a storm at about 7pm on way to Kawrakandi from Maowa ghat. Local people rescued 14 of the passengers but the remaining four went missing till the writing of this report at 11:10 am, reports UNB.

3 killed in road mishap

Mymensingh, Apr 5: Three truck labourers were killed and three others injured critically when a truck overturned at Ramgopalpur in Gouripur upazila Thursday morning. Police said three labourers died on the spot when the truck turned turtle while embarking on Mymensingh-Kishoreganj road after loading bricks from a brick-field at about 8.15am The deceased were identified as Faruq, 45, Liton, 32 and Rafique, 28. The injured labourers were sent to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, reports UNB.