The New Nation - Internet Edition

Community policing activities to make crime-free society underscored

BSS, Gaibandha

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Bangladesh Police, Rajshahi Range, M. Mokhlesur Rahman said all the 131 thanas of the division have been brought under community policing activities to serve the people cordially.

"The law and order situation of the district has been improved significantly because of introducing community policing, a good and new concept of police department".

Mokhlesur Rahman said this while addressing an inaugural ceremony of website of district community policing committee (DCPC) at the hall room of the Circuit House of the town here on Friday night.

He urged the members of community policing committee (CPC) to gear up their policing activities by standing beside the people to make a crime-free society. Deputy Commissioner Abu Muhamad Yousuf and acting police super Mollah Nazrul Islam were present as special guests. The function was also addressed, among others, by Abdus Salam, convener of DCPC and its member secretary Advocate Sekendar Azam Anam.

The previous activities of CPC were also displayed in the screen in the function.

Later the DIG formally inaugurated a website of DCPC by pressing the buttons of the keyboard of the laptop. The address of the website is WWW. CPC gaibandha.org.

The members of the upazila and zila community policing committee, local elite and the journalists of electronic and print media were present on the occasion. On the following day, he inaugurated a newly constructed two-storied building of Gaibandha Police Lines High School of the town here this morning as chief guest. Acting police super Mollah Nazrul Islam, Principal of the school Fazlul Karim, ASP Faruque Ahmed, officer in-charge of Sadar thana Afizul Islam and local elite were present on the occasion.

Body formed to probe into death of Babuganj UNO

Our Correspondent, Barisal

A five-member probe body has been formed to investigate the death of Zahid Kamal, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Babuganj Upazila under Barisal district, in negligence of treatment at Barisal SBMCH.

Dr.M A Khalek, Director in charge of SBMCH, denying giving details, said that the probe-body started function from Thursday and will submit report within next seven days. Zahid Kamal, with severe chest pain rushed to Barisal SBMCH from Babuganj on Wednesday early morning and the doctor on duty of admission sent the patient to medicine unit instead of cardiac unit.

There the patient was put on floor without any treatment and attending by any physician and died after two hours at about 8:00 AM Wednesday morning almost without any treatment, alleged his family members, attendant staffs of Babuganj UNO office.

The assistant registrar of the ward was absent and only two internee doctors were on duty in that ward during the admission of the UNO.

Hospital Authority issued show cause notice on the brother and two internee doctors on duty of that ward in this connection and formed the probe body. Dr. Wahid Morshed, the medical officer in duty of admission at SBMCH on that period, said that as the patient was vomiting so he was send to medicine ward instead of cardiac ward.

Mentionable Zahid Kamal, 42, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Babuganj under Barisal district was son of late Abdul Kader of Godown Road of Gaibandha town and left behind his wife Poly Begum, a lecturer in a college at Khulna and two sons and a number of relatives and well-wishers.

Zahid Kamal joined as UNO of Babuganj upazila of Barisal district on December 3, 2007 and lived in official Bungalow at Babuganj with one of his schoolchild son Dhurbo, 11, and visiting his family members returned to posting place from Khulna last week . At 3:00 AM early Wednesday night, he felt severe chest pain and son Dhrubo contacted his mother at Khulna over mobile phone. From there wife of Zahid Kamal contacted with officials of upazila and District Administration seeking help for immediate treatment of her husband.

Later after passing more than three hours without any treatment, the UNO was rushed to Barisal Shere Bangla Medical College Hosp;ital at 6:00 AM and died there of alleged negligence of treatment at about 8:00 AM Wednesday morning.

Ferry movement on Paturia-Kazirhat route remained suspended for last 10 months

UNB, Pabna

Ferry movement on Paturia-Kazirhat route remained suspended for last 10 months causing sufferings to the truck drivers on the route.

Drivers of the goods-laden truck of the northern region are using Jamuna Bridge for going to Dhaka and other eastern areas but for that they have to spend additional fuel worth Tk 2,000 per trip. Suspension of the ferry service on the Paturia-Kazirhat route is also creating pressure on the Jamuna Bridge.

Over 200 goods-laden trucks used to ply on the Paturia-Kazirhat route daily even after inauguration of the Jamuna Bridge as the transport cost on the route is lower than the Jamuna Bridge. Truck drivers said cost of transport, from Pabna, Natore, Rajshahi, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj, Kushtia and Meherpur districts, through the ferry service is Tk 2000 less than through the Jamuna Bridge. Besides, the drivers also prefer the river route as they can take some rest in the ferry after a long drive.

BIWTA resumed ferry movement on the route on May 2, 2008 but again stopped the service after a day saying that the ferry went out of order.

BIWTA, however, said that they stopped the service on the route apprehending loss as a small number of trucks cross the route daily. Truck Owners' Association, Bus Owners' Association and transport workers held a meeting at DC office in this regard on May 18, 2008. The owners and workers demanded immediate resumption of the ferry service on the route, as it will help the government reduce the amount of subsidy for the fuel and also minimize the pressure of the Jamuna Bridge.

They said it is necessary to resume the service on the route as its suspension may cause the price hike of the agricultural products in eastern region.

Another meeting was held between truck owners of northern region and BIWTC on May 26, where they again placed the same demand and also called for introduction of RO-RO ferry on the route. DC Khandakar M Mokhlesur Rahman told UNB that he had already informed the matter to the BIWTC chairman.

Call to formulate time-befitting edn policy

BSS, Naogaon

Speakers at a meeting here underlined the importance of formulating a time befitting education policy in the country to cope with the challenges of 21st century. " A time befitting education policy and its implementation are necessary for betterment of quality education in the country," the speakers told the meeting.

They were addressing a review meeting on quality education in Naogaon.

The speakers demanded that politics and political interference should be banned in educational institutions for the greater interest of the nation as well as the country. Heads of about 150 educational institutions including madrasas of Naogaon sadar, Atrai and Raninagar upazilas were present in the meeting.

Chaired by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abu Zubair, the function was addressed, among others, by School Inspector of Rajshahi Education Board Dr Mohammad Mustafizur Rahman, District Education officer Haroon-ur-Rasheed and Sadar Upazila Secondary Education officer Wasir Rahman.

3 drug peddlers arrested in Ctg

Our Correspondent, Chittagong

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in a drive at city's South Patenga area, recently arrested three drug peddlers and seized a truck with 849 bottles of contraband foreign liquor from their possession.

The arrestees were identified as Abdul Jabbar (32), son of Abdul Malek of city's Firingi Bazaar area, Mohammed Raju (27), son of Siar Ali of village Maliria under Patiya and Ali Ajam, son of Nurul Alam of South Patenga under Patenga Police Station.

Sources said that acting upon a tip-off, a team of the RAB-7 conducted a raid at the said area at about 12:00 PM and arrested the three persons.

The RAB men seized a truck bearing number Dhaka-Ja-1756 from their possession and recovered 530 bottles of London Rum and 319 bottles of Royal Dry from the truck.

The arrested drug-peddler confessed to the RAB men that they had long been involved with the drug peddling at different city areas.

A case was recorded with Patenga Police station in connection with the incident.

Fisherman killed by tiger in Sundarbans

Our Correspondent, Satkhira

A fisherman was killed by the man-easter Royal Bengal Tiger on Friday at Simanakhali canal in the Sundarbans.

The victim was identified as Majibar Rahman, 35, son of Azim Uddin of village Tengrakhali in Shyamnagar upazila.

Sources said, the victim fisherman Majibar Rahman was catching fish in the Simanakhali canal when a Royal Bengal Tiger swooped on him and dragged him into the deep forest at about 3 PM. Local people recovered the body at about 6 PM.

KCC to begin tax assessment campaign soon

BSS, Khulna

Mayor (in-charge) of Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Mohammad Moniruzzaman Mony on Thursday said that under the five-year plan the KCC will launch a general assessment soon to assess tax of the new holdings in the city.

He announced this at a press conference at the KCC conference centre here this afternoon. Ward commissioners and officials of the corporation were present at the press conference. He said holding tax would not be enhanced in 2008-09 fiscal year from the present tax rate. The assessment would be applicable for new holdings and extended the structures, he added.

208,042 persons provided training in BARD

BSS, Comilla

Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD) has so far provided training to 208,042 persons in different fields since its inception.

The trainees included international level officials and employees, non-governmental organizations' officers, representatives of local government and persons involved with different projects, BARD sources said.

News briefs

347 barrels diesel seized in Sirajganj

SIRAJGANJ, May 31: A team of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) seized 347 barrels of diesel from two warehouses in two separate drives in the town on Thursday. On secret information, the elite force raided Kazipur Nokaghat and Nahar agency warehouses and seized 154 and 193 barrels of diesel respectively. RAB also arrested warehouse owners Sonaullah and Mahmud Hossain. RAB sources said the diesel was stocked for selling at higher prices in black markets instead of government's fixed price, reports BSS.

BDRCS Gaibandha committee formed

GAIBANDHA, May 31: The Gaibandha district committee of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BRCS) has been elected here for a three-year term. The election was held at a general meeting of the society at the auditorium of Zila Parishad in the town on Saturday. The elected members are M. Faruqul Islam, (vice-president), Fazley Karim Pallab (general secretary) Sheikh Samad Azad (member), Wahiduzzaman Titu (member), Gausul Azam Dollar (member), Sarwar Hossain Shahin (member) and Tabassum Muna (member). Azmal Hossain Token, deputy director of BRCS, central unit, conducted the election as election commissioner, reports BSS.

Four killed in Ctg

CHITTAGONG, May 31: Four people, including a woman, were killed in separate incidents in the city and district last night and on Saturday, police and hospital sources said. Ratan, 27, son of Abdul Kader and a worker of a ship breaking yard, sustained injuries as he slipped down from a scrap ship while he was working with some other workers at a yard in Sitakunda upazila at 3 pm today. He succumbed to his injuries at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) soon after admission at 4 pm, reports BSS.

Students accorded reception

SHARIATPUR, May 31: About 700 brilliant students, who got primary scholarships in 2007, were accorded reception by the Shariatpur Reporters' Unity on Thursday. Additional deputy commissioner (revenue) Mohammad Farooq Hossain was present as the chief guest at the function held at the local poura auditorium. ASP Mohammad Enayet Hossain Mannan, district primary education officer Ataur Rahman and senior producer of Channel I Raju Alim, among others, spoke on the occasion, reports BSS.

Two killed in road mishap

RANGPUR, May 31: Two persons including a truck helper and a minor boy were killed in a road accident at Paglapeer point on Panchagarh- Rangpur highway under Sadar upazila in Rangpur on Saturday Morning. Police said a Rangpur bound truck from Panchagarh hit another standing gravel-laden truck at the point from the behind killing two persons on the spot. The deceased were identified as helper of the standing truck Shuja, 18, son of late Azgar Ali of village Magura Sobuzpara in Kishoreganj upazila of Nilphamari and minor boy Ebadul, 12, son of Madhu Sheikh of village Rahimda in Bera upazila of Pabna. Kotwali police rushed to the spot, recovered the bodies. They also seized the ill-fated trucks and filed a case in this connection with Kotwali police station, the sources said.