The New Nation - Internet Edition

'Most launches plying on southern river routes without fitness certificates’

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Most of the motor launches plying on the river routes of southern areas of the country do not have fitness certificate. As a result lakh of people are traveling on these launches at the risk of their lives.

According to BIWTA, there are 88 river routes in the southern part of the country. Out of these 88 river routes, 38 are connected with Dhaka. On the rest of the river routes, small launches ply. According to official figures more than a lakh people ply on the 88 river routes every day. Though actual figures of launches are not known, but fitness certificates have been issued only to 106 launches, while hundreds of launches and trawlers are plying without any fitness certificate.

In addition to this drawback, these launches mostly are driven by in experienced unskilled serangs and drivers. Almost none of river launches has emergency life saving equipment. The rivers inside Barisal Division are mostly large and rough. Hence the passengers are always at risk.

Launches even having fitness certificate do not have sufficient life saving apparatus. To avoid income tax they show less carrying capacity and there is also absence of cleaness in obtaining fitness certificate. According to rules, each launch is supposed to have one life-buoy for each four passengers. But even none of the big launches plying on Dhaka-Barisal route has the required amount of buoys. Sundarban-7 has 153 buoys, Surari-6 has 125, Surari-7 has 107 while Kirtton Khola launch has 100 buoys only, but each of them carry more than thousand passengers regularly.

In dry season 14 hundred kilometres of river route of southern part of country become unfit for navigation due to back of depth while in monsoon time the routes become risky due to sunken chars and absence of signal lights.

Launches on Dhaka-Barisal route are plying on rotation system fixed by launch owners. According to this system, 4 launches leave every day from each end of Dhaka-Barisal route, though as per IWTA rules six launches are to leave every day from each end. Due to shortage of launches each launch is always overburdened with passengers. Security of passengers seems to be of no concern to anyone.

TK 25 cr loan scam: 2 Rupali bank officials sent to jail in Barisal

Our Correspondent, Barisal

More two officials of Rupali bank has been sent to Barisal jail after surrendering before the court their bail prayer rejected in 25 core taka loan scam of BNP leaders.

With these two five out of seven charge sheeted Rupali Bank officials sent to jail after surrendered before the court till this report.

Court sources said A K Shamsul Azad, manager of Inderhut branch of Pirojpur district and Biplob Kumar Ghosh, officer of Barisal regional office of Rupali Bank surrendered before the divisional special judge court on Sunday and applied for bail.

K M Zulfikar Ali, judge of the court rejecting the bail prayers ordered to send them to jail on Monday night.

Earlier Abdur Rob, suspended senior principal officer of audit and inspection cell of Rupali Bank, Shamsur Rahman, suspended manager, Makbul Hossain, suspended loan officer of Rupali Bank, Barisal Nathullabad central bus terminal branch also sent to jail on April 10 and 27, 2008 as another three out of nine charge sheeted accused including seven bank officials of the 25-core taka loan swindle of BNP leaders.

The court also issued non-bailable warrant against other four absconding charge sheeted accused including Abdul Khalek, former manager, Habibur Rahman, officers of audit and inspection section of regional office of Rupali Bank and Jannatun Nesa Nayon, secretary of Barisal city Jatiotabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (JSS) and president of ward no. 18 of Jatiotabadi Mahila Dal and managing director of Ambia Memorial Hospital and Diagnostic Limited (AMHDL), Syed Md. Yunus alias Tube Well Yunus,BNP leader, husband of Nayon and chairman of AMHDL and grantor of the loans.

These four absconding accused ordered to surrender before the court within June 8, 2008 and trial would be continued in absentia of them if they failed to appear.

Barisal district anti corruption commission sources said that AKM Fazlul Huq, assistant director and investigation officer of ACC, submitted charge sheet at Barisal chief judicial magistrate court on April 6 and the case sent for trial at district and session judge court of Barisal.

Mobile court realises Tk 8700 as fine

Our Correspondent, Rangpur

A mobile court realised Taka 8700 as fine from filling stations, hotel restaurant, bakery, stationery shop, departmental store and confectionaries on charge of selling adulterated and stale food items in Kaunia Bazar of the district on Friday evening.

The court led by UNO Kaunia Fakir Hassan started the drive on information that some business establishments which have no valid documents from BSTI were engaged in selling adulterated and date-expired edible oil and baby food items.

3 drug peddler held in Munshiganj

Our correspondent, Munshiganj

Police arrested three professional drug peddlers on Tuesday from Kalimullah College road area under Gazaria upazila of the district with huge amount of Ganja at 10am.

The arrested three persons have been involved in drug trade for long and was wanted by the police.

Acting upon a tip off, drug control directorate official in association with the police raided in their den and managed to arrest them with drugs.

The arrested persons are Kaium30, Sohel 26 and Sagir 24. All of them sent to the court and a case was filed against them under drug control act.

PSTU VC holds meeting with journalists

Our correspondent. PSTU

Newly appointed Vice Chancellor of Patuakhali Science &Technology University prof. Dr. Harun or Rashid held a meeting with the journalists on Sunday. Journalists congratulated the V.C of the University. A journalist association, internet service, a room for journalists were demanded by the journalists V.C committed to fulfil their demand. V.C to meet Journalists as the mirror of the country. They have a great impact on the society. The correspondents of Daily Amar desh, Daily Prothom-alo, The Observer, The New Nation, Daily Nayadiganta, Daily Jaijidin & about 14 correspondents of national and local news papers were present in the meeting.

Extremist killed in shootout with police in Jhenidah

UNB, Jhenidah

A leader of an outlawed party was killed in a shootout between his cohorts and police at Dhopabila village in sadar upazila early Tuesday.

The dead was identified Abdus Sattat,45, regional commander of Purbo Bangla Communist Party (Jonojuddha).

Police arrested Sattar from Garaganj area in Shailakupa upazila Monday night.

According to his statement, police went to his village for recovering arms early on Thursday.

Police said when they were recovering arms from a date garden Sattar' s cohorts hurled a bomb towards them, forcing them to fire that triggered a gun battle at about 5am.

After the gun battle police recovered the bullet-ridden body of Sattar from the spot.

Police said Sattar was wanted in six cases including a murder case.

Two bombs, three bullets and a gun were recovered from the scene.

Gender equality to expedite overall dev underscored

BSS, Comilla

Speakers at a workshop here today stressed the need for ensuring gender equality in every spheres of life to expedite the overall development of the country.

They said journalists could play an important role to create awareness among the people about gender equality.

The Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) has organized the national level training workshop on 'gender and media for the journalists' in assistance with CIDA-funded project Policy Leadership and Advocacy for Gender Equality (PLAGE).

Vice-chancellor of Comilla University Professor Dr Golam Mowlah inaugurated the four-day workshop at the seminar room of Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD) in Comilla with PIB Director General Mohammad Nazrul Islam in the chair.

Dr Golam Mowla termed the gender equality issue very important saying that a positive change should be brought to eliminate gender discrimination.

The function was also addressed, among others, by Socorro M Diaz, Field Manager of PLAGE-II and M Zakir Hossain, Director of PIB.

A total of 30 participants from different national dailies and news agencies are taking part in the workshop ending on Thursday.

Senior trainer of PIB M Aliur Rahman is working as coordinator of the workshop.

News briefs

Farmer shot dead in Sylhet

Sylhet, June 3: A Bangladeshi farmer was shot dead by Indian Khasias along the border at Bhirgul village in Goainghat upazila Sunday. The deceased was identified as Raihan Miah, 35,of Bhirgul village. Sources said when Raihan went near border pillar no 1251/9 for brining his cattle home Indian Khasias opened fire, killing him on the spot. Police recovered the body and sent to hospital morgue for autopsy. BDR sent a letter to BSF strongly protesting the incident, report UNB.

Man chopped to death by brother in Sylhet

Sylhet, June 3: A man was allegedly chopped to death by his brother at village Puthamara in Companyganj Saturday. The dead was identified as Ansar Ali, 48, Local sources said Ansar had an altercation with his brother Shamsher Ali in the afternoon over a trifling matter. At one stage of the brawl, Shamsher chopped Ansar, killing him on the spot. Soon after the killing Shamsher fled the scene and took shelter to Kazir Bazar in the city, report UNB.

Fisherman electrocuted in Jhalakati

Jhalakati, June : A fisherman was electrocuted while fishing in a waterbody at Fulpur village in Rajapur upazila Monday. The deceased was identified as Chunnu 35. Sources said Chunnu got electrocuted when he came contact with a live electric wire while fishing. He was taken to the upazila health complex where doctors declared him dead.

23 shops gutted in Pirojpur

Pirojpur, June 3: Fire gutted 23 shops at Dighirjan bazar in Najirpur upazila Sunday night. Fire brigade sources said the fire originated from electric short circuit in a battery shop and soon engulfed the adjoining cloth, jewelry, grocery shop and pharmacy. Fire fighters from district and upazila headquarter rushed to the spot and doused the blaze after four hours frantic efforts. Victims said the extent of loss could go up to Tk one crore, report UNB.