The New Nation - Internet Edition

Distribution of subsidy on diesel begins in Netrakona

BSS, Netrakona

The programme for dis-tribution of subsidy money on diesel to the small and marginal farmers of the district was started on Tuesday under the supervision of Dstrict Aministration and Ariculture Etension Dpartment.

Agriculture and Water Resources Advisor Dr. CS Karim formally inaugurated the programme at Takurakona Rahimuddin High School playground by distributing subsidy money among the 50 small and marginal farmers.

Deputy Commissioner Netrakona Aiyatullah Majumder, Director General of Water Development Board Mujadde AI Faruk, Director of Agriculture Extension Department DR Sahidul Islam, Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension Department Netrakona Aminur Rahman and Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Netrakona Sadar Nurul Alam, local elite, newsmen and a large number of farmers were present at the inaugural function.

Inaugurating the subsidy money distribution programme, the agriculture adviser DR CS Karim called upon the farmers to grow more food by bringing every inch of fallow lands under cultivation to help the country attaining self-sufficiency in food.

He hoped that the bumper Boro production in the current season would help the farmers to make up their losses caused by the last year's floods and SIDR side by side meeting the country's food shortage.

Later, the agriculture adviser DR CS Karim attended a farmers rally at Chesrakhaki Bazer in Mahanganj Upazila of the district.

Harvesting of Boro paddy begins in Gaibandha

Our Correspondent, Gaibandha

Harvesting of Boro paddy has begun in all the seven upazilas in the district. Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) ANM Mizanur Rahman Amin formally inaugurated the harvesting programme by cutting BRRI dhan -28 in a field at Refaietput area under Badiakhali union of Sadar Upazila in the district on April 22 as chief guest, sources said. Sadar upazila agriculture officer M Mojaffar Rahman, sub-assistant agriculture officer M Shafiqur Rahman, UP Chairman Amanul Haque and farmer M Enamul Haque Bhola Miah were also present on the occasion.

After crop cutting it is learnt that 25 maunds of paddy were produced in one bigha of land, sources said. Office sources said DAE had fixed a target to cultivate 1,08,200 hectares of land against the production target of 4,30,648 mt of rice. Later the target has exceeded and 1,12,519 hectares of land have been brought under Boro cultivation with the production target of 4,48,886 mt of rice in the district during the current season.

DAE officials expect bumper production of Boro paddy here in the current season as seeds, fertiliser, insecticides, electricity supply and other agriculture inputs at fair prices had been ensured for the farmers to produce Boro paddy smoothly.

Woman held for selling minor girl to brothel

Our Correspondent, Jessore

Abhoynagore thana police arrested a woman identified as Khadija Begum on charge of selling a minor girl at Jessore brothel recently. Arrested Khadija was the wife of Akbor Molla of village Buaikora under Abhoynagor upaizla in the district.

According to Police sources, on 13th March last she brought a neighbouring village girl alluring her to give better job at Dhaka. On the way they went to Faridpur brothel and sold her to sex trader Tania against Tk 10,000 and fled away.

This minor girl when understood that its brothel she tried to come back from there the following day Minor girl managed to flee away from that brothel and came back to her father's house and she narrated the story to her parents. The mother of the victim filed a case with the Abhoynagore Thana police in this connection accusing Khadja Begum and pross Tania. Abhoynagore thana police arrested Khadija and sent her to upazila court.

10 killed in separate road mishaps in dists

BSS, Sirajganj

At least eight people were killed and seven others injured in a road accident on Dhaka-Bogra Highway at Ghurka Beltola area of the district on Wednesday night.

Police said, the accident occurred when a truck hit a straw-loaded truck from behind and both the trucks skidded off the roadside ditch leaving seven persons dead on the spot. Another person succumbed to his injuries at Sirajganj General Hospital.

The deceased were identified as truck driver Lal Mia, 40, Ershad,30, Ratan, 32 of Dariyapur village under Shahzadpur upazila, Rezaul, 27, Rahim Uddin,35, Jahangir, 30, Moslem, 34, of Kalkhamari village under Shahzadpur upazila of the district and Faisal,60, of Shariatpur district. The injured persons were admitted to the Sirajganj General Hospital. Police seized both the trucks. A case was filed in this connection.

Meanwhile, two alleged burglars were killed and two others injured in a mob beating in Uttar Barawlia area under Sitakunda upazila Chittagong early in the morning today.

The dead were Mohammad Harun and Zahed of Fultala village under Sitakunda upazila, police and local sources said.

The identity of the injured, who were admitted to the local health complex, could not be known immediately.

The sources said local people and security guards of an under-construction building caught the four when they entered the project site to steal.

At one stage, the people and security guards gave them a good beating. Two died on the spot and two others were injured. Ayesha Begum, a relative of Harun, went to the local police station to file a murder case in connection with the killing. She claimed that a group of local people called Harun and three others at a solitary place and beat them in a planned way with the help of security guards because of previous enmity.

More fund allocation for disabled emphasized

BSS, Rajshahi

Cross section of people today observed a two-hour human chain programme in the city to press home their demands including increasing fund allocation for disabled persons.

Under the banner of Action on Disability and Development (ADD) and District Badhan Protibandhi Sangstha, around 300 disabled persons including businessmen, NGO representatives, journalists and other professionals attended the human chain programme held at Shaheb Bazar.

They also submitted a memorandum containing an eight-point demand to the Deputy Commissioner.

On the occasion, speakers said the disabled people are facing disparity in the fields of education, healthcare, employment and social security.

The government should increase fund allocation in the upcoming national budget to solve the problem.

The nation could not be developed keeping disabled persons beyond the development process, they added.

Seminar on health edn held in Kishoreganj

Our Correspondent, Kishoreganj

The sensitisation workshop with stake holders and journalists on Health Education and promotion March-April-08 organised by Bureau of Health Education Service and Bangladesh Center for Communication Programmes was held at Kishoreganj modern hospital conference hall on Tuesday noon.

Civil Surgeon Dr Abdul Haq was attendant as chief guest and Deputy Civil Surjeon Dr Deen Mohammad presided over the seminar.

Navy Chief visits activities of Naval contingent in coastal districts

Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam visited the coastal districts of Bhola and Patharghata of Barguna to observe the ongoing activities of naval contingent deployed there on Wednesday.

Addressing on the occasions Navy Chief expressed his satisfaction for the active role of the naval personnel for helping the cyclone victims and to take up the project "Operation Nabojatra" beside their professional duties at sea. He monitored the development activities of Naval Contingent at Bhola in co-ordination with local administration.

Earlier, Navy Chief formally handed over voter ID cards at Barguna and inaugurated voter list and national ID card registration project at Patharghata. Among others, Commodore Commanding Chittagong, Commodore Commanding Khulna, senior officers of Naval Headquarters and local elites were present on the occasion.

Current nets seized in Chandpur

BSS, Chandpur

A large quantity of current nets worth Taka five lakh was seized by TNO Haimchar of Chandpur on Monday from the river Meghna used for catching of Hilsha fish fries called "Jatka".

The raid was conducted by Jatka Resistance Task Force, Haimchar, in co-operation with Fisheries Department.

The task force seized twenty thousand metres unauthorised current nets used in the river to catch jatka.

The seized nets were burnt on the bank of the river in front of the public.

Arms, ammunition seized in Satkhira

BSS, Satkhira

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in a drive recovered three pipe-guns, two powerful bombs and two rounds of bullets near the shrimp farm at Kaliganj upazila of the district on Tuesday.

RAB sources said, getting a secret information, a RAB team raided the area of Gani Chairman shrimp farm and recovered the firearms, bullets and bombs in an abandoned condition.

The recovered firearms were handed over to Kaliganj police station. A case was filed with Kaliganj police station in this connection.

News briefs

Motorcyclists killed in road mishap

JHENIDAH, Apr 24: Two timber traders were killed when a bus rammed into their motorcycle at Ishwarba on Kaliganj-Chuadanga road Wednesday morning. The deceased were identified as Bashiruddin, 38, and Rezaul Islam, 35, hailed from Gannah village in Sadar upazila of the district. Police said the accident took place when Bashiruddin and Rezaul were returning home from Kotchandpur Upazila Sadar at about 10am. On information, police recovered the bodies and sent those to the Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy, reports UNB.

Under-trial prisoner dies in Bagerhat

BAGERHAT, Apr 24: A female under-trial prisoner of the district jail died of breathing complications at Sadar hospital here early Monday. Jailer Abu Zahed said Kulsum Begum, who was in jail for five years, fell sick late at night and was taken to the hospital where she died after admission. Kulsum was arrested on April 17, 2003 in connection with the murder of her husband Abul Kalam Azad. She was suffering from asthma, hospital sources said, reports UNB.

3 killed in road mishap

SAVAR Apr 24: least three people, including a truck driver, were killed and 20 others injured in a head on collision between a bus and a truck on Dhaka-Aricha highway at Bathuli bus stand in Dhamrai upazila Wednesday morning. he dead were identified as the truck driver Karim, 30, bus passengers Masum Billah, 25, and Mujibar, 27. Police and witnesses said the fatal accident occurred at about 5.30am when the Dhaka bound bus from Barisl collided with the goods laden truck from Dhaka, killing the three people on the spot. Of the injured four were sent to Pangu hospital while others to local health complex and clinics, reports UNB.

Two held with fake notes in Gopalganj

GOPALGANJ, Apr 24: Police arrested two people along with 42 fake notes of Tk 500 denomination from Boro Bazar in the town on Monday night. The arrested were identified as Babul Sheikh, 27, and Rahmat Chowdhury, 28. Local people said the two men purchased watermelons at Tk 21,000 from local traders Proshanta Biswas and Provash Biswas at the bazar. On payment of 42 notes of Tk 500 the traders found the notes fake and on information police rushed to the spot and arrested them. A case was filed, reports UNB.

Septuagenarian dies in boat capsize

KISHOREGANJ, Apr 24: A septuagenarian man died in a boat capsize at Fulpur in Mithamoin upazila on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Musalli Mia, 70, of Khoisar village in the upazila. Police and local people said the Katkhal-bound overcrowded passenger boat from upazila headquarters sank in the river Dhenu at around 4:00pm. All but Musalli Mia managed to swim ashore. On information, firefighters recovered the body and salvaged the boat, reports UNB.

Boy killed following feud over cricket match in Jamalpur

JAMALPUR, Apr 24: A teenage boy, seriously injured by another boy following altercation over a cricket match, died at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital Tuesday. The dead was identified as Jamil, 14, son of Aynal Haque of Dariabad village of Islampur upazila. Sources said Labon, 14, son of Korban Ali of Kingjolla village hit Jamil with bat at one stage of altercation while plying cricket at Dariabad Primary School ground on Monday, leaving him seriously injured. Jamil was first rushed to the upazila health complex and later shifted to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries the following day. A case was filed, reports UNB.