The New Nation - Internet Edition

Latest cancer treatment technology at Sirajganj hospital

UNB, Dhaka

Khwaja Yunus Ali Medical College and Hospital (KYAMCH) in Sirajganj, the country's largest private hospital, has installed the latest Electa Synergy Model equipment, which helps locate any cancer-affected tissue accurately and then cure it with radiotherapy.

The Electa Synergy Model equipment has been procured from Electa Ltd, a world-famous medical equipment producer that first manufactured the cancer treatment machine, 'Linear Accelerator'.

The equipment, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, is used to take a 3-dimension (3D) image of a cancer-affected tissue. The image helps locate the cancer-affected tissue accurately and cure it with radiotherapy without affecting other tissues around it.

Since setting up of the cancer unit in September last year, 50 patients have so far been treated successfully. The unit is run under the supervision of country's leading oncology specialist Dr Md Abdul Hai.

Besides, the hospital has been providing all kinds of treatment, including world-class open heart and bypass surgeries, at a low cost. Set up in 2004 under Khwaja Yunus Ali Trust, the 500-bed hospital is run on no-profit basis. It has set up the cancer centre to offer world-class cancer treatment at affordable cost to the country's cancer patients who cannot afford treatment abroad. The KYAMCH cancer centre, comprising departments like medical oncology, radiation oncology, surgical oncology, palliative and terminal care medicine, has four blocks-two of male and two of female for cancer patients apart from 10 cabins. Talking to reporters at the hospital recently, Mohammad Yusuf, director of the hospital, said the digitally- controlled linear accelerator solutions can apply radiation on the only cancer-affected cells, keeping the unaffected ones unharmed.

He said no cancer patient needs to go abroad for treatment as their hospital offers the state-of-the-art treatment.

"Medical institutes like Dhaka Medical College are sending graduate doctors to our hospital for internship seeing our cancer treatment facilities. And we hope cancer patients will come to us for treatment instead of going abroad," he hopes.

Yusuf said KYAMCH is in the process of building collaboration with top-ranking medical institutions in different countries to keep abreast with the latest technology in cancer treatment.

River embankment protection begins in Chapainawabganj

BSS, Rajshahi

Embankment protection work has been started in Chapainawabganj district to protect the vulnerable areas from river erosion.

According to the officials concerned, Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) has been implementing the project at some parts of Chapainawabganj sadar upazila and Shibganj upazila of the district at an estimated cost of Taka 143 crore.

Under the project, embankment protection works would be executed on 8.5 kilometers area of the left side of the river Padma that would help protect around five lakh people from erosion.

Executive Engineer of Chapainawabganj BWDB Khalilur Rahman said geo- bags would be used in the water while the river embankments would be constructed through using CC blocks on geo- textiles under seven groups of the project. Works of the three groups were started and the rest four would be started as soon as possible.

He said the erosion had been started in the area in last 90s that turned into havoc and the river intruded into 15-kilometer inside left around 1.5 lakh people of Narayanpur and Sundarpur UPs under Chapainawabganj sadar upazila and Pankha and Uzirpur unions under Shibganj upazila homeless.

In 1995, government had allocated Taka one crore to protect the area from the erosion but the effort had gone in vain. The then Awami League government had also undertaken a project involving Taka 74.84 crore but it had been declared abandoned with the rise of floodwater.

In last 2002, the subsequent BNP government had enhanced the project cost to Taka 117 crore. But due to preparation of a wrong design, the strong current of the river devoured four out of total eight newly constructed spars just after one year of inauguration that led to massive river erosion.

Within the last couple of years, the river came about 12 to 14 kilometers inside the catchment area damaging resources of about Taka 3,000 crore including 15 educational institutions, many mango orchards and vast tracts of croplands.

Touchstone statue recovered by RAB in Madaripur

Our Correspondent, Madaripur

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) -8 of Madaripur recovered two idols of touchstone acting on-tip off from Takerhat area under Muksudpur Upazila and Dignagar area under the same upazila of Gopalgonj district on March 20.

RAB-8 sources said, a team of RAB-8 in disguise of buyers went to the house of one Eshak Sheikh at Dignagar area to buy the idol. When Eshak Sheikh (82) brought the idol weighting 5 kilograms before the disguised RAB members, they (RAB) arrested him on the spot. The idol is valued about one crore Taka, RAB said.

On the otherhand, another team led by Captain Salehuddin arrested Sri Ankan member (32) from the same place and recovered same valued of idol of touchston separate cases were filed with the Police Station in this connection.

Voter registration begins in Rangpur

Our Correspondent, Rangpur

Voter registration began in Mithapukur Upazila of the district on Sunday. A total of 776 information collectors, 193 supervisors and 15 assistant returning officers have been appointed for the purpose.

Mithapukur upazila of the district consists of 17 unions. Voter registration in Mithapukur upazila is expected to be completed within 15 days.

Minor boy dies of rabies in Gouripur

Our Correspondent, Gouripur

A minor boy (6), named Khoka, son of Mohammad Ismail Hossain died of rabies on Ap;ril 4 last.

He was inhabitant of Chakpar, Ward No-1 Gouripur Municipality of Gouripur upazila in Mymensingh district. Family sources said two months ago, a mad dog bit him seriously.

3-day agriculture fair begins in Brahmanbaria

BSS, Brahmanbaria

The three-day agriculture fair has began on the Nasirnagar upazila parishad premises in the district on Sunday.

Organised by Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), the fair was inaugurated by deputy director of DAE Abul Kalam Mondol.

A discussion meeting was also arranged on the occasion chaired by UNO Shawkat Ali . It was addressed among others, by Dr Zianul Islam Selim UP chairman Farukuzzaman, agriculture officer Mohammad Abbas Uddin and Oliur Rahman.

A total of eight stalls were set up in the fair.

Police asked to be more closer to people

Our Correspondent, Narsingdi

Inspector General of Police, Noor Mohammad said Police has started Community Policing Service to be more closer to people.

He was addressing a gathering of local people and members of the law enforcing agencies as a chief guest at Shaheed Motiur Stadium Narshingdi, District town.

Noor Mohammad said that the main objective of police is to protect public interest and their properties. It was not happened duly in the past due to various reasons. A reformation is going on in the police force he said, adding that community policing is a social movement. It was presided over by Shahabuddin Khan, Police Super of Narsingdi.

DC of Narsingdi, Zillar Rahman, DIG Dhaka Range, Amir Uddin, Commander of Joint Forces, Narsingdi, Major Afzal Hossain Tulukdar, Chairman of Narsingdi Municipality, Md Lokman Hossain, Convenor of Community Policing, Professor Mohammad Ali, among others, were present.

Injured FFs accorded reception in Satkhira

BSS, Satkhira

A reception was accorded to the mothers of the martyred freedom fighters and those injured during the liberation war at the Satkhira Sadar upazila auditorium on Friday.

Satkhira District Shrimp Fry Businessmen Association (SDSFBA) organized the reception on the occasion of Independence and National Day. Shaheed Muktijoddha Siraj's mother Saleha Khatun was present at the function as the chief guest while president of SDSFBA Sheikh Shafiuddin Sabu presided over the function.

Former member of Parliament Habibur Rahman, Satkhira Pourasabha chairman Sheikh Ashraful Haque, advocate Syed Iftekhar Ali, president of Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Satkhira Sheikh Nurul Haque, injured freedom fighter Mohammad Abdur Rahim, among others, spoke on the occasion.

News Briefs

Housewife burned to death in Sirajganj

Sirajganj, Apr 5: A housewife was burned to death as a fire broke out in her house at Enayetpur village in Ullahpara upazila early Saturday. The dead was identified as Kulsum,22, wife of Omar Faruq. Sources said the fire broke out in the house from a coil at about 1 am when Kulsum and her eight month old daughter,Marjina,8, were asleep. Kulsum was burnt alive but the neighbours rescued her daughter after breaking the door of the burning house. Kulsum's husband was not at home when the accident occurred, reports UNB.

Touchstone statues recovered

Brahmanbaria, Apr 5: Two statues of touchstone were today recovered from the home of former RAJUK chairman Humayun Khadem and the caretaker of the house was arrested. A team of RAB-9 on secret information raided the home in Kharampur village of Akhaura upazila and found two statues weighing 177kg. Caretaker of the house Dulu was taken into custody. RAB intelligence sources said the raid was conducted following confirmation that a network of smugglers used the house of Humayun Khadem as transit point of their activities, reports UNB.

Police-Robbers trade gunfire in Chuadanga

Chuadanga, Apr 5: An alleged robber leader was killed in a gun battle between police and a gang of robbers at Jagannathpur in Alamdanga upazila Friday midnight. The dead was identified as Mahir, son of Jalaluddin, of the village. He was wanted in a number of cases, police said. Acting on a tip-off, police cordoned off a graveyard near Jagannathpur School at about 11.15pm where the gang was holding a clandestine meeting, reports UNB.

Indian saree seized

Comilla, Apr 5: Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members in separate drives recovered huge smuggled Indian sari and three-piece worth about Tk 2 crore in Sadar and Chouddagram upazilas early Saturday. In Sadar upazila, RAB-11 on a tip-off, raided Raghupur area at about 4:00am and seized a pick-up van loaded with 53 bales of Indian sari and three-piece, reports UNB.

Housewife strangulated to death by husband

Cox's Bazar, Apr 5: A pregnant young housewife was strangulated to death by her husband following a family feud at Shikderpara village in Tecknaf upazila Thursday night. Police quoting local people said an altercation took place between Golbahar Begum, 20, and her husband Ali Hossain on Thursday night over a trifling matter. But at one stage of angry argument Ali Hossain strangulated her to death and then hanged the body to prove that she had committed suicide. Finding the body hanging from the ceiling of the house on Friday morning local people informed the police. Later police rushed to the spot and sent the body to hospital morgue for autopsy. Police also arrested Ali Hossain and his mother in this connection. A case was filed, reports UNB.

3 killed in separate incidents

Sylhet, Apr 5: Three people, including two minor boys, died in separate incidents in the district on Thursday. Local people said, two years old Roni, son of Nizam Uddin, drowned in a pond at Dalurpar village in Jakiganj upazila. On information, police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy. In another incident, the body of an unidentified young man was found packed in a sack at Talibpur village in Biswanath upazila at noon. The body that bore some injury marks was sent to the hospital morgue for autopsy. The reason behind the killing could not be ascertained immediately, reports UNB.