The New Nation - Internet Edition

Price of mangoes still high in Rajshahi though bumper production achieved

BSS, Rajshahi

Like every year, people from across the country started arriving in Rajshahi city to buy quality juicy mangoes produced in the area. Now the city's markets are abundant with all varieties of mango except Fazli and the wholesale buyers as well as the retailers have been pouring in the wholesale mango markets and bargaining to settle the price.

But whatever the price is, mangoes are much dearer to the common people this season. With the increase almost every essential item, the price of mango has also been shoot up. Sources said there has been a bumper production of mango in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj districts this year and supply of mango are also abundant.

The number of mango stalls in the city has also been increased than the previous years. About 250 stalls have been set up at Banessar, Shahebbazar, Bus station, Rail station, Kazala, Binodpur, Shadur more and Court Bazar areas. There are heavy demands for Lengra, Gopalbhog, Mohonbhog, Lakkhanbhog, Krishanbhog, Khirsapat and Chandr-amallika variety. The per kilogram mango of these variety is selling at Taka 40 to Taka 50.

Despite high price, consumers are seen trying a good buy choosing mangoes from one stall to another. Home-bound students from the city are buying mangoes to give the near and dear ones the taste of quality mango of Rajshahi.

However, most of the buyers do not bother whether they are buying quality mango or adulterated ones. Some conscious buyers alleged that a section of unscrupulous mango traders are mixing quality mangoes with low quality mangoes to make extra profit.

ABL officials asked to provide excellent services

BSS, Rangpur

Senior Bankers asked branch managers and field level officials of Agrani Bank Limited (ABL) in Rangpur Region to provide excellent and quality services to the clients with a view to achieve all business related fixed targets. They also urged for making better savings deposits, disbursing more loans among the good entrepreneurs and agri-loans, increasing recovery of classified loans, bringing qualitative change in the overall banking managements for achieving more and more successes of the bank. They provided the directives at branch managers and filed level officials meeting of ABL of Rangpur Region held at the conference hall of Rangpur regional Office of the bank in the city on Friday. Presided over by Rangpur regional Chief and Assistant General Manager (AGM) of ABL, Rangpur Region ABM Golam Hafiz, the conference was attended by all senior officials, branch managers and field level officials of 16 branches of the bank in the region.

Senior bankers, branch managers and field level officials, among others, spoke on the occasion.

The senior bankers instructed the branch managers and field level officials for achieving their respective targets at every branch through providing their excellent services with dedication and utmost sincerity at this competitive time in the banking sector.

They also stressed the need for realizing the classified loans and urged the managers and employees to work with utmost sincerity and dedication utilizing their skills for further development of the commercial bank.

Tributes paid to Shaheed Asad

Our Correspondent , Narsingdi

A discussion meeting was held at the Narsingdi Town Hall Auditorium on Tuesday to mark the 66th birthday of Shaheed Asaduzzaman Asad who was the hero of masi upsure of 69.

The speakers at the meeting recalled the contribution of Asad and said he made the sprit of people through sacrifice his life to mobilise the movement. They hoped that the nation would evaluate his contribution one day.

Prof Surja Kanto Das, convener of Asad Parishad of Narsingdi District, presided over the programme where Marami Kabi Sabir Ahmed Chowdhury was present as chief guest.

Besides, Prof Jasim Uddin Ahmed, former Jahangirnagar University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Shakhawat Ali Kahn, teacher of Dhaka University, Apel Mahmud, former Director General of Bangladesh Betar and Engineer FM Rashiduzzaman, elder brother of Asad participated the programme.

2 dead bodies recovered in Nababganj

BSS, Nababganj

Two floating dead bodies were recovered from a pond at Zat Bhabanipur village under Nababganj upazila in Dinajpur district on Sunday.

Police said, the deceased persons were identified as Sarker Tudu, 61, son of late Rengta Tudu and Som Hazda, 60, son of late Laksmiram Hazda of Jhimlai village in Nababganj upazila of Dinajpur district.

According to family sources, the deceased persons had enmity over land disputes with some of the local influential people for a long time and they had been missing since last Thursday. Nababganj police recovered the bodies and sent to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

A case was filed with Nababganj police station in this connection.

150 arrested on various charges in Rangpur

Our Correspondent, Rangpur

Police arrested one hundred fifty persons involved with murder, snatching, road robbery and terrorism from eight upazila of district in four days.

According to information, on the night of June 3 police arrested three persons on June 1 night, thirty seven persons and may thirty one forty nine persons.

Joint forces arrested three leaders of BNP and labour union. The arrested persons are Masud Khan leader of BNP SM Kamal, leader of Jubo Dal and Sajahan Mojumder leader of Motor Sramik Union. Joint forces and police informed the drive will be continued crackdown the crime.

One killed in Chandpur road mishap

BSS, Chandpur

One person was killed and 20 others were injured when a passenger bus skidded off the road and fell into a ditch on Thursday at Suarul Petrol Pump under Kachua Upazila of Chandpur.

According to police sources bus helper Abdul Hannan, 15, died on the spot.

The accident occurred when the driver of the Comilla bound passenger bus lost control and the bus fell into a ditch. The helper Abdul Hannan is an inhabitant of village Shalakhali under Kachua upazila. The bus driver managed to flee. A case was filed with Kachua thana.

Islami Bank opens new branch at Bandarban

Our Correspondent, Bandarban

The Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd opened their new branch at Bandarban Sunday the 8th June. It was the first private non-profit earning bank at Bandarban. The main function was started at 11.00 AM by Telawate-i-Quran. Md. Abdul Mannan DMD Islami Bank B/D. Ltd delivered welcome speech. He said at the (Cht) B/Bank their Bank would deliver customer services to the people of all classes.

It may be mentioned here that in the absence of chief guest hill district council B /Bank Chief Executive Md. Helal Uddin was present in their function as chief guest. He also request the authorities of I/B to delivered customer services at other Bank keeping their Islami Bank philosophy to all class people of this district. The function was presided by Md. Iskander Ali (Eng) Director of this bank. He assured the attended Invites that although their Bank name Islami Bank. However they would deliver service to the people of all classes keeping their ideology. He requested the people of (Cht. Bandarban to receive different Banking facilities of Islami Bank.

Five villages flooded due to collapse of dam in Sherpur

UNB, Sherpur

A portion of a dam on Chellakhali river collapsed at Takimari in Baghber union of Nalitabari uapzila Saturday, flooding five villages of the union.

Sources said about 300 feet of the dam of Water Development Board collapsed in the morning due to strong current in the Chellakhali river caused by onrush of hill waters.

Over 200 houses of Takimari, Nayapara, Sonnashibhita, Baghber Dikpara and Akhrapara villages went under water. Standing Aush crops on vast areas also submerged.

Local people said the dam collapsed as the Water Development Board did not start the renovation work timely.

Drug addict commits suicide in Syedpur

BSS, Syedpur

A notorious drug addict allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself after failing to manage money for purchasing drugs here on Sunday, police sources said.

Anwar Hossain, 40, of Noyatola area in Syedpur pourashava town in Nilphamari district had been taking heroine and other drugs for a quite long time.

On Sunday afternoon, he hanged himself in his bedroom after failing to collect money for purchasing heroine and the other inmates rescued him in critical condition at his shout and admitted him to Syedpur hospital where he died.

A UD case was filed with Syedpur police station in this connection, police said.

18 dev schemes taken in Meherpur

BSS, Meherpur

The district council has taken up 18 development schemes in three upazilas of the district here involving Tk. 60.50 lakh in the current fiscal year. According to an official sources, ADB has been financing these schemes. The schemes included road carpeting, construction of passenger sheds, public toilets and dustbin, renovation and repairing of Zila Parishad Bhaban, Dakbanglo, rest house of Mijibnagar Upazila, union parishad Bhaban and also construction and repairing of bridges and culverts.

Works of these schemes will be started in this month and completed within next two months, official sources said.

3 electrocuted in Feni

BSS, Feni

Three labourers were electrocuted in a rubber factory at Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries (BSIC) here on Sunday night.

Police said the labourers were electrocuted on the roof of Royal Rubber Industries while constructing a water tank in the evening. The victims were identified as Nabiul Haque, 23, Delwar Hossain, 28, and Mahbubul Haque, 26.

Eighteen others were also injured in the incident. They were admitted to Feni Sadar Hospital, sources said.

Rickshawpuller slaughtered in Naogaon

BSS, Mohadebpur

Police recovered a slaughtered body from a filed in village Bhanderpur in Mohadebpur upazila of Naogaon district on Sunday morning, police said.

The dead was identified as Atikul Islam, son of late Osman Ali of nearby Bijoypur village went out on Saturday for pulling rickshaw and never returned home again.

Local people informed Mohadebpur police station after discovering the slaughtered body of Atikul Islam lying in the filed when police rushed there, recovered the body and sent it for autopsy to Naogaon Sadar Hospital.

A case was filed in this connection with Mohadebpur police station and police has been investigating into the case, the sources said.

Workshop on food habit held in Chandpur

BSS, Chandpur

A workshop on 'Modern agriculture inputs and serve potato dish along with rice' was held at Matlab South Upazila Parishad on Friday.

District information office organized the workshop. District Information officer Md. Nurul Haq presided over the workshop. The workshop was addressed, among others, by TNO of the upazila AKM Benzamin Rijvi, Former MP AB Siddique, Upazila Agriculture Officer Saiful Islam and Fisheries officer Ferjana Akhter.

The workshop aimed at creating mass awareness to develop the habit of potato consumption.

A large number of people and union parishad chairmen and members were participated in the workshop.

News briefs

Minor boy drowned

RANGPUR, June 12: A minor boy of Rangpur city was drowned in a pond in Polashbari upazila of Gaibandha district on Saturday noon, family and police sources said. Rabi, 8, son of Reju Sarker of Shalbon area in Rangpur went to his maternal grandfather's house in village Giridharipur under Polashbari upazila of Gaibandha along with his mother and two brothers some three days ago. At one stage of playing near a pond at Polashbari Duck Bungalow area with other babies, Rabi suddenly drowned in the pond water when local people rushed there at the shouts of the other babies, reports BSS.

One killed in Kahalu accident

KAHALU, June 12: One person was killed in a road accident at village Kashimala in Kahalu upazila of Bogra district this afternoon, police sources said. The victim was identified as Achir Uddin, 35, son of Siraj Uddin of village Jogarpara in Birkedar UP of the upazila. The accident took place when the victim tried to climb up atop of a brick-laden truck at the point and unluckily crushed under the wheels of the vehicle that caused his death on the spot, the sources said, reports BSS.

61 held in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI, June 12: Police in separate drives arrested 61 persons from different places of the city and nine upazilas of the district on Saturday. Police said the 13 were arrested from the city area and rest 48 from nine upazilas. Police also recovered 20 sacks of smuggling urea fertiliser from the possession of an UP member Akbar Ali, reports BSS.

Govt scheme to protect Pura Bazar

CHANDPUR, June 12: Government has undertaken a scheme to protect Chandpur Puran Bazar, important commercial center at a cost of Tk. 4 crore during the current season. Work is going on to protect Puran Bazar from the erosion of the river Meghna by dumping blocks and sandbags, reports BSS.

Cash money

distriuted

RANGPUR, June 12: The joint forces distributed a sum of Taka 42,000 as grants among 71 trainees including women in the BGMEA Training Centre at Begum Rokeya Smriti Kendra (BRSK) in village Pairaband here Sunday. The grants were distributed among the trainees of the current second batch now undergoing their training courses on sewing ready-made garment for becoming experts in the garment sector, officials said, reports BSS.

7 alleged dacoits arrested in Jamalpur

JAMALPUR, June 12: Police arrested seven persons for their alleged involvement in a night coach robbery from a house at Dhanua Kamalpur under Bakshiganj upazila in the early hours of Monday. Acting on a tip off, police arrested them from the house of one Zabed Ali of the area. The arrested were identified as Lal Chan, 45, Nur Jamal, 28, Rahim, 30, Monirul, 30, Mofiz, 27, Nur Islam, 27, and Motaleb, 30, reports BSS.