The New Nation - Internet Edition

Call to boost food production in consistency with population

BSS, Satkhira

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Post and Telecommunications Brig Gen (retd) MA Malek today called for boosting food production in consistency with population.

Concerned authorities should be alert so that farmers could get agri inputs without any hassle, he said while exchanging views with government officials, professionals and civil society members in the conference room of the deputy commissioner here.

Malek said the country had to face food crisis last year due to floods and cyclone.

Lack of foodgrains and increasing of its price globally had intensified the crisis, he said. In this context, Malek said the government had attached top priority to raising internal food production which resulted in this year's bumper Boro production.

"We will have to maintain the trend of boosting food production, and for this timely supply of agri inputs should be ensured for the farmers," he said.

Terming post and telephone Departments as the two traditional organisations of the country, he said the government has taken timely steps for their modernisation to sustain those in the competitive world. Malek urged the officials of the departments to perform their duties with service-oriented attitude.

He said some NGOs have been engaged in misappro-priation of money by cheating innocent people and urged all to be aware of such organisations. The special assistant said the present Caretaker gover-nment is working sincerely for holding a free, fair and credible election by December next and called upon all to elect honest and patriotic persons as the public representatives.

Later, he visited Satkhira Head Post Office, Telephone Exchange and Government Shishu Paribar.

2 kidnapped girls rescued, trafficker held in Jessore

Our Correspondent, Jessore

Jhibongacha Thana police arrested one trafficker and rescued two teen aged grils from the village Dargadanga under Bankra union of Jhikonga thana in the district while the trafficker group trying to traffick them to India on the night of 12th June.

According to thana police soruces, in a secrate information Bankra out- post police arrested Fajar Ali, son of Ansar Ali of village Bankra while they brought two teen aged girl, Asma Aktar (18), daughter of Abdus Salam Mandol of village Aberpara under Panchbibi thana in Joypurhat district.

Now residing at Ghulsan-2, house No-27 Dhaka and Aleya Aktar (15) daughter of Shajahan Howlader of village Chatoir under thana Nazirpur and in Pirojpur district now residing at Agargaon area 116/2 under Kafrul thana in Dhaka.

The trafficker group brought them from Dhaka for giving them better job at Mambai in India.

At first trafficker Fajor Ali reached Pollerhat and confined them in a room.

Later while they were trying to traffick them to India after five days of abduction, police arrested them red handed and later handed over them to Jhikorgacha Thana police and filed a case with the Jhikorgacha thana police in this connection. Police said that Fajor Ali was a human trafficker and doing his business long.

5 killed in separate incidents in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

Five persons including a minor boy were killed in separate incidents at different places in the district during the past 24 hours till this morning, police sources said.

Truck driver Mohammad Faruk, 20, son of Abu Bakar of village Joydeb in Gangachara upazila was killed as his truck overturned while saving a goat at Habu Eidgah in the upazila last night. Minor boy Fahim, 8, son of Abdur Razzaque of village Ballov Bishu in Kawnia Upazila drowned in a canal when he went there beyond the knowledge of his parents on Sunday. Farmer Raja Mia, 35, son of Mandal Mian of village Khopati Betubari in Kawnia Upazila was electrocuted while giving electric connection to his water pumps at a nearby field. Housewife Marufa Khatun, 22, wife of Manjurul of village Mahmudpur in Mithapukur Upazila allegedly committed suicide by taking poison as she failed to tolerate the mental torture inflicted on her by her husband for dowry.

Another husband Kamrul Islam, 32, of village Shib Dowlpara in Mithapukur Upazila allegedly committed suicide by talking poison following an altercation with his wife. Separate cases were filed in these connections with respective police stations, the sources said.

Kaliakoir bypass road opened to traffic

BSS, Kaliakoir

Kaliakoir bypass road at the southern part of Kaliakoir bazar on Joydevpur-Tangail highway was opened to traffic on Monday.

Communication Adviser Major General (retd) Ghulam Quader inaugurated the bypass road at a simple ceremony here.

Department of Roads and Highways implemented the bypass road at a cost of Taka 70 crore with technical support from Japan and Bangladesh, an official handout said.

With a 435-metre long railway overbridge in it, the bypass road will ease traffic congestion at the southern part of Kaliakoir bazar on Joydev-pur-Tangail highway. The construction of railway over bridge will also save about half an hour transportation time of the plying vehicles, the handout said.

Speaking on the occasion, the Communications Adviser said agricultural development is a prerequisite for the country's overall development. He urged all to make contributions towards rejuvenating the national economy. Secretary of Roads and Railways Division Dr Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Masayuki Inoue and Chief Engineer of the Roads and Highways Department M Nihar Mia were, among others, present.

World Environment Day observed in Netrakona

Our Correspondent, Netrakona

World Environment Day was observed here recently. To mark the day, Netrakona District Administration chalked out an elaborate programme in line with the national programme.

The programme included bringing out of a colourful rally in the town, art competition on the environment for the children, screening of documentary film show based on environment affairs at the Shilpakala Academy premises and holding of discussion meeting at local Mohua Auditorium.

The discussion meeting was presided over by Additional Deputy Commissioner Netrakona Mizanur Rahman.

It was addressed, among others, by acting district education officer Mohammad Shafiullah, assistant forest officer Saiful Islam and principal of Netrakona Alia Madrasha Abdul Baten. Earlier, a colurful rally was brought out in the district town.

A large number of children from different educational institutions and juvenile clubs and people of all walks of life participated in the rally.

Reconstruction work of RU Matihar Hall inaugurated

RU Correspondent

The reconstruction of Matihar Hall of Rajshahi University (RU) was inaugurated on Monday.

RU acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Mamnunul Keramot inaugurated the reconstruction works as the chief guest while acting Registrar Professor M. Shafi, Students Adviser Professor Faridul Islam, Proctor M. Enamul Haque and other officials of Rajshahi University, were present on the occasion.

Source said, the reconstruction costs for the residential hall has supposed thirteen crore taka while allotted 1.4 crore taka on the last fiscal year. While contacted RU Acting Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Mamnunul Keramot expected that, the residential crisis will slightly be removed after completion the reconstruction. Sources also said that, the reconstruction will be completed by June, 2010. The hall was the oldest residential hall of the university that was prohibited for staying in 2006 because of its dilapidated condition.

Sensitisation workshop for journoes held in Panchagarh

Our Correspondent, Panchagarh

The sensitisation workshop for stake holders and journalists on health education and promotion March-April-08 organised by Bureau of Health Education Service and Bangladesh Centre for Communication Programmes was held at Panchagarh Adhunik Sddar Hospital conference room on Thursday.

Civil Surgeon Dr. Jyotirmoy Ich was present as the Chief Guest while Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr. DidarulIslam was present as special guest.

Meeting on food security , nutrition held in Rajbari

BSS, Rajbari

A views exchange meeting was held at Baliakandi Upazila auditorium of the district organised by Food Security for Sustainable Household Livelihood (FOSHOL) Project 'On Food Security and integrated Nutrition, on Saturday.

Sebani Bhattacharjee, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Baliakandi attended the meeting as the chief guest.

The meeting was attended, among others Md. Sajjad Hossain Mia, Area Manager of Practical Action Bangladesh Project. A total of 60 persons took part in the programme.

323 sacks fertiliser seized in Chuadanga

BSS, Chuadanga

Members of the joint forces seized 323 sacks of illegally stored fertilisers from a godawn of a fertilizer dealer at village Alokdia under Chuadanga Sadar Upazila here on Sunday, police said.

They also arrested four persons, including two Deputy Agriculture Officers of Sadar Agriculture Extension Depar-tment (AED).

The arrested were identified as fertiliser dealer Roni Biswas and his brother Modhu Biswas, and AED officers are Nazmul Haque and Abdul Hamid.

Workshop on reproductive health held in C’nawabganj

BSS, Chapainawabganj

A day-long workshop on Reproductive health, gender issues and HIV/AIDS was held at the police line auditorium here on Sunday.

Police Administration of Chapainawabganj arranged the workshop in order to create awareness about reproductive health and HIV/AIDS.

Police Super SM Mahfujul Hoque Nuruzzaman, Additional Police Super Sazzadur Rahman, Assistant Police Super Moniruzzaman Chowdhury, Dr Afzal Hossain and Dr Asit Sarkar spoke on the occasion.

A total of 40 members of police took part in the workshop.

Imam training course concludes in Narsingdi

BSS, Narsingdi

A three-day training course for the Imams of the mosques under the project "Involving Religious Leaders in the Human Resource Development" was organised by the Narsingdi branch of the Islamic Foundation, concluded here last week.

A total of 40 Imams from different upazilas of the district took part in the training course.

A number of resource persons gave briefing at the course on topics like 'Role of Imams on dowry, women and child trafficking', gender equality, reproductive health, tree plantation, population control, hygienic latrine, cleanliness, natural disaster, poverty alleviation and campaign against narcotics.

On the concluding day, a function was held at the auditorium of the Islamic Foundation with Monjurual Alam Majumder, deputy director of Islamic Foundation Narsingdi in the chair.

Mostafa Kamal, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) attended the function as the chief guest and distributed certificates among the trainee Imams.

HSC examinee electrocuted In Naogaon

BSS, Potnitola

A HSC examinee was electrocuted at village Chalk Aiyam under Potnitola upazila of Naogaon district on Saturday, Police sources said.

The dead was identified as Yusuf Ali Sobuj, 18, who had been appearing in the ongoing HSC examinations from Nazipur Government Degree College in the upazila.

Sobuj was electrocuted when he climbed up a palm tree in the village for collecting tender palms when he was caught in the high voltage electric cables of the Rural Electrification Board and died atop the palm tree.

Later, Fire Service and Civil Defense personnel rushed there and recovered his body with the help of the local villagers.

One gets life for keeping drugs in C'nawabganj

BSS, Chapainawabganj

One person was sentenced to life term imprisonment by a Court here on Monday for keeping heroin in Chapa-inawabganj.

The convict was identified as Abdul Latif, 52, of Ajaipur village under Chapainawabganj Poura-sabha. District and Sessions Judge Hrishikesh Saha delivered the verdict on Monday. According to the prosecution story, Abdul Latif was arrested by the members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) from a Dhaka bound bus along with 200 grams of heroin on August 1, 2007.

He was handed over to police and police submitted chargesheet against Latif. After examining witnesses and evidence, the Court pronounced the verdict on Monday.

News briefs

One killed in road mishap

CHAPAINAWABGANJ, June 18: One person was killed and four others were injured in two separate accidents in the district on Monday. The dead was identified as Naimul Hoque 45, a fish dealer of Mihonpur village under Godagari upazila of Rajshahi district. Locals said that the accident took place when a Chapainawabganj bound passenger bus from Dhaka hit Naimul from behind at Dariapur under Sadar Upazila, reports BSS.

Workshop on HIV/AIDS held in Chandpur

CHANDPUR, June 18: A day-long workshop on HIV/AIDS was held in the district headquarters on Thursday last. Organised by Bangladesh Human Rights Journalists Forum, the workshop was held at the auditorium of Chandpur Modernised Hospital. With Kazi Shahadat, President of Chandour Press Club in the chair, the workshop was addressed, among others, by Dr Sirajul Islam, BM Hannan, Nazrul Islam and Golam Kibria Jibon, reports BSS.

DAE trainers training course held in Narsingdi

NARSINGDI, June 18: Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Narsingdi, organised a day-long trainers training course on the technique of increasing production of paddy at its training room on Thursday last. A total of 30 Sub-Assistant agriculture Officers (block supervisors) and NGO representatives took part in the training course. The training was organised aiming at motivating the farmers to use modern agricultural knowledge and techniques for increasing the production of paddy in the country, reports BSS.

Valuables gutted

CHITTAGONG, June 18: Valuables of a motor-cycle workshop were gutted in a fire at Dewanhat in the city on Sunday afternoon. The fire was originated from an electric short circuit at around 2.20 pm on Sunday and extinguished by the Fire Service personnel after 40 minutes efforts, sources said, reports BSS.

Prisoner dies in Ctg Jail

CHITTAGONG, June 18: A prisoner in Chittagong Central Jail died at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) today. The prisoner, Mong Wah, son of Waithe Pru of Rangamati district, felt sick suddenly after having breakfast. He was taken to jail hospital immediately and later shifted to CMCH for better treatment, jail and hospital sources said. On-duty doctors at the Emergency department of CMCH confirmed his death soon after his arrival there, reports BSS.

Listed terrorist held

BENAPOLE, Jessore, June 18: Police arrested a listed terrorist with a country-made shutter gun and two bullets from Shamgachi village under Sarsa Upazila of the district on Monday. The arrested terrorist was identified as Golam Mostafa Minto, 35, son of Abdul Majid of the same village. Police said, acting on a tip off, a team of the police raided the village and arrested Minto with firearms, reports BSS.

Prices of vegetables lower in Netrakona

NETRAKONA, June 18: Prices of vegetables have started coming down in the district as the harvesting of summer vegetables including ladies finger, cucumber, amaranths, spinach, arum and bottle- gourd has been going in full swing in the district. Sources said people of low-income group heaved a sigh of relief due to lower price of vegetables in the markets. Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said, 25,000 metric tons of summer vegetables are expected to be produced in ten upazilas of the district where 1,700 hectares of land were brought under the vegetables cultivation this year, reports BSS.