The New Nation - Internet Edition

Every inch of arable land to be brought under crop cultivation

BSS, Gaibandha

Adviser for Agriculture Dr CS Karim has said every inch of arable land would be brought under cultivation to boost production of crops including paddy to build a happy and prosperous country.

"The government will give all kinds of support and assistance to the farmers to raise the food production significantly to meet the increasing demand of food."

CS Karim said this while addressing an opinion exch-ange meeting with the farmers at Golapbagh Hatunder Gobindaganj upazila of the district on Friday as the chief guest.

Referring to this year's bumper production of Boro paddy the agriculture adviser said the trend of such growth in the agriculture sector must continue to the greater benefit of all.

He directed the local Administration and agriculture department to remain alert so that farmers are not deprived from getting fair prices of their crops.

Earlier, he visited the NCDP wholesale market in the town and talked to the farmers who came to the market to sell their produce.

Project Manager of DAE Dr Shahrukh Ahmed, Director General of Bangladesh Water Development Board Hossain Shahid Mozadded Faruque, Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kabir Al Asad, Gobindaganj Poura Mayor Principal Abul Kalam Azad and Upazila Agriculture Officer Mir Abdur Razzak were present on the occasion.

Much awaited bridge nearing completion in Gaibandha

Our Correspondent, Gaibandha

The construction work of the much awaited bridge over Katakhali, river of Shatitala ghat area under Shaghata Upazila in the district is nearing completion.

Local Government Engine-ering Department (LGED) is constructing the 220.20 metre long and 5.5 metre wide bridge at the cost of Tk. 4.6 crore under Greater Rangpur-Dinajpur Dev-elopment Project. Govern-ment of Bangladesh is providing the funds, sources said.

The work was started in the fiscal year of 2006-07. About 97 percent work of the bridge has already been completed and the rest will be completed at the end of the current month it is expected, said M. Sabiul Islam, Upazila engineer of LGED, Shaghata, Gaibandha.

With the construction of the bridge a long standing demand of the locals would be fulfilled and a new horizon would be created in road communication between Kamalerpara under Shaghata upazila and Mohimaganj under Gobin-daganj upazila of the district, said Shubash Chandra Shah Roy, Executive Engineer of LGED. The bridge would be opened for traffic movement in the first week of August next, sources said.

Deputy jailor of Jessore Central Jail suspended

Our Correspondent, Jessore

Deputy Jailor of Jessore Central Jail Abdul Hannan has been temporarily suspended from his service by the written order of jail authority due to negligence of his duty, corruption, nepotism and violation of the jail rule.

According to jail sources, Abdul Hannan joined Jessore central jail as Deputy Jailor in 2006. After some days of his joining he began to do under hand activities violationg the Jail Code which came to the knowledge of higher jail authority.

He reportedly started moving to the house of the family of arrested terrors. Particularly he was moving to some drug selling spots. He was a drenker and he himself supplied the drugs inside the central jail.

Some allegation was brought against him for stealing various valuable wealth and misappropriation of valuable items. In the first preliminary unqury the allegations were proved by the investigation officer causing higher authority of Jail, DG of jail Ministry issue this temporary suspension letter on 25th June. This suspension letter reached Jessore central jail authority.

When contacted the high official of Jessore central jail admitted it.

Road show in Comilla draws huge attention of locals

BSS, Comilla

The Road Show 'Esho Bangla-desh Gori' is staying here for the second day today after it entered the town on Friday.

A colourful rally was brought out in the town this morning on the occasion of the Road Show, jointly organised by the Ministries for agriculture, home, post and telecommunications, the Election Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission to motivate people towards nation-building activities and freeing Bangladesh from the clutches of corruption and terrorism. The rally was brought out from the Collectorate compound and ended at Comilla Stadium after parading different roads.

Later, Post and Telecom-munications Secretary Iqbal Mahmud inaugurated a fair at the stadium as the chief guest. There are 20 stalls in the fair. After inauguration of the fair, the secretary distributed awards among the winners of debate and essay competitions. He also gave away awards to five citizens of the town for their outstanding contribution to society. The five citizens are M Solaiman, Nurul Islam, Sunil Kumar Roy, Ashok Kumar Barua, and Jahanara Begum. Comilla Deputy Commissioner M Manzurur Rahman presided over the function while CMC Managing Director Lt Col Harunur Rashid, Admas Director M Fazlul Haq and Superintendent of Police Imtiaz Ahmed were present as special guests. There is a display of foods made of potato in the fair to motivate people in developing habit of eating potato side by side with rice. Per head two kilograms of potato were distributed among 500 poor people on the occasion.

Leaflets ware distributed and video films screened in the fair against terrorism and corruption.

Artistes from Dhaka and members of different local cultural organisations, including Shilpakala Academy and Nazrul Memorial Academy, performed in a cultural function on the occasion. A large number of people enjoyed the function.

JP will be number one political party: Ershad

BSS, Rajshahi

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad on Saturday catego-rically said his party would be the number one political party in the country this time.

"Ones upon a time the JP was the biggest political party and again after 18 years it would become the same with support from the people as the party took many welfare oriented steps for the countrymen," he said while addressing as the chief guest a meeting of his party at Zila Parishad auditorium here.

"Today, I am completely freed from grief and returning from here with joy that Rajshahi JP has become united and stronger and we are committed to taking our party to power unitedly to serve the countrymen again", Ershad added.

"Not power for power, we have seen power during the last 17 years that assists corruption and looting of public money, we don't want that rather, we want the power that can help the people standing beside them", he said.

The JP desires for power of development that would be helpful for cutting people's sufferings and their poverty. None can divide JP and can create conflict among its workers, he added .

"We had created upazila system for decentralisation of administration along with socio-economic development of the rural people, but the subsequent governments didn't continue the system", he said adding that the upazila election is going to be held after a long time of 18 years. In this context, he called for reestablishment of court and judicial process in the upazila system.

He said the two so-called parties become the major ones detaining him and many of his leaders during the national election through various conspiracies. But now, he said he would prove the JP was the biggest one after taking part in the forthcoming elections including the JS as a freeman for the first time.

"You had hatched conspiracies and filed cases against me and the JP one after another, but at present you are facing the same", Ershad said.

He said the JP has massive contributions in implementing various infrastructures and communication development works in the region and the people would not forget those.

In this regard, he called upon his field level leaders and workers to take full preparation for participating in all the forthcoming elections to prove the JP as the biggest one in the country.

With Rajshahi City unit vice-president Foimuddin Sarker in the chair, the meeting was addressed, among others, by JP Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader and central committee leaders Alamgir Sikder and Aminul Islam Sentu, Natore unit president Mojibur Rahman Sentu, Naogaon unit President Tofazzal Hossain and Chapainawabganj unit president Advocate Ekramul Haque.

Strict execution of laws in ship breaking industry stressed

BSS, Chittagong

Speakers at a seminar here today strongly advocated for formulation of a comprehensive policy and its strict execution side by side with undertaking measures for the ship breaking industry to check human casualty and lessen the environment pollution in the country.

They said the ship breaking industry has been contributing significantly towards the national economy, but its negative affect on marine environment and resources as well as human casualty are more grievous.

In this respect, the speakers stressed the need for updating the existing laws and proper compliance of the local and international regulations to restore discipline in this vital sector through upholding the workers' rights and using modern technologies in ship dismantling. Prestigious English Daily 'The Indepe-ndent' and YPSA, a voluntary organisation, jointly arranged the seminar on "Human Cost and Environment Pollution due to Unregulated Ship Breaking Industry: An Immediate Solution" at Chittagong Press Club auditorium.

Former Adviser to the caretaker government and Editor of The Independent Mahbubul Alam was the chief guest while Professor Emeritus Dr. Jamal Nazrul Islam and Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong Mohammad Ashraf Shamim were special guests on the occasion.

Professor Shafiq Haider Chowdhury, Dr. Maruf Hossain and Nasrullah Bahadur of Chittagong University, Divisional Director of the Department of Environment Nazmul Haq, Joint Director of the Department of Labour Abdul Khaleque, Advocate Iftekhar Saimul Chow-dhury, Trade Union leaders A M Nazimuddin and Comrade Tapan Dutta, Journalists Abu Sufian, Mohammed Shah Nowaz and Nazimuddin Shayamol and ship breaking yard worker Suruj Meah, among others, took part in the discussion.

Chittagong Bureau Chief of The Independent Nurul Amin moderated the seminar while the executive of YPSA Mohammad Ali Shaheen presented a key-note paper on the background and present condition of the sector.

The discussants said the local officials must carry out a thorough physical inspection of any ship before it enters the Bangladesh water territory for dismantling. This kind of inspection will help identify materials, detrimental to human health and environment.

Besides, they called for cleaning these ships and freeing them from the toxic gases before declaring such vessels for scrapping.

Dacoit killed in encounter with RAB in Ctg

Our Correspondent, Chittagong

An alleged bandit was killed in the Rapid Action Battalion shootout at Modhupur area in Feni district hours before dawn on Friday.

The bandit was identified as Nizam Uddin. The RAB sources said that Nizam had been accrued of 23 criminal cases including murder and robbery. He was the son of Mohammad Obaidullah, hailed from Chhagolnaiya in Feni. The RAB men arrested Nizam from city's Halisahar area on Wednesday last. Staff Officer of the RAB-7 Sheikh Sariful Islam told the reporters that a team of RAB-7 along with Nizam Uddin went Mirsarai and Chhagolnaiya to recover arms and arrest his associates on Thursday.

Later, the RAB men started for Feni Sadar Upazila where some gunmen at Madhupur area near Ranibazar stopped them. As soon as the gunmen came to know the presence of RAB personnel, they stepped back and started firing.

The RAB men also replied by opening guns. In the meantime, Nizam attempted to flee from the RAB custody and came in the line of fire. He reportedly died on the spot.

The RAB men recovered three country-made rifles, a single-barrel rifle.

6 fake SSC candidates under BOU held in Jamalpur

BSS, Jamalpur

Six fake examinees were arrested here yesterday while appearing in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination under Bangladesh Open University (BOU)for others.

Police said an on-duty magistrate arrested them from Reaz Uddin Talukder High School centre under Sarishabari upazila of the district.

The arrested are identified as Rabiul Islam, Mamun Miah, Wazed Ali, Abu Raihan, Shukur Miah and Abdul Alim.

2 killed in separate incidents in Ctg

BSS, Chittagong

Two persons died in the city and district on Friday, one run over by a lorry and another shot by a dacoit.

The victims, Ali Ahmed, 54, son of the late Sultan Ahmed of Fulgazi in Feni district and Nasir Uddin, 30, son of Sadrul Alam of Chandanaish upazila in Chittagong, police and hospital sources said.

Ali Ahmed, run over by a truck at Bayezeed Bostami in the city around 11 PM at night, was brought to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) by local people where the attending doctors declared him dead, said the hospital sources.

Police said Nasir Uddin was shot by dacoits as he resisted them from looting valuables from his house at Chandanaish in the district at about 1 AM.

He was rushed to the CMCH where he succumbed to his injuries at 8 AM, they said.

News Briefs

Phensidyl seized in B'baria, 2 held

BRAHMANBARIA, July 7: Police arrested two drug smugglers along with 850 bottles of phensidyl syrup and four kgs of hemp from near Ashuganj toll plaza on the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway early Saturday. Acting on secret information, police raided a private car at about 4:30 am and arrested Alam Siddique, 24, and Mizanuddin alias Farhad, 25, along with the drugs. Both Alam and Farhad hailed from Mirpur in the capital Dhaka. A case has been filed with Ashuganj police station, reports UNB.

Lightning kills two people in Narail

NARAIL, July 7: Two people were killed in lightning during heavy downpour at Gazirhat in Kalia upazila on Friday evening. Local people said rickshaw van driver Shimul, 22 and 'chanachur' vendor Kartik Shaha 35, died on the spot when a thunderbolt struck them while they were going to a local Rath fair of Hindu community. Both of them hailed from Bhombagh Hazrakhali village of the upazila, reports UNB.

Minor boy killed in Rangpur road crash

RANGPUR, July 7: A minor boy was killed in a road accident in front of Mahiganj College in the town on Friday. The victim was identified as Imran, 4, the only son of Shamsul Haque. Police and witnesses said the accident occurred when a stone loaded truck crushed Imran under its wheels while he was crossing the road at 12 noon. Police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy. Soon after the accident agitated local people put barricade on the road protesting the accident, reports UNB.

Housewife beaten to death in Jessore

JESSORE, July 7: A young housewife was beaten to death with a hammer allegedly by her husband at Kazipara in the district town Thursday midnight. The victim was identified as Putul, 22. Police said her husband Ali Hasan following a family feud hit Putul with a hammer, killing her on the spot. On information, police rushed to the spot and arrested the killer husband. The body was sent to hospital morgue for autopsy. A case was filed, reports UNB.

Bridge constructed by expatriates in Sylhet

SYLHET, July 7: A bridge has been built at Jalalpur on river Barobhaga under Dakkhin Surma Upazila of the district with the initiative of expatriates. Leaders of Jalalpur Association in the UK Thursday inaugurated the much-needed bridge, which has been constructed at a cost of Tk 50 lakh. Association president Hossain Ahmed, its Adviser Farukul Islam, Sajal Kanti Chowdhury, Habibur Rahman Lal Miah, Rajab Ali and Rafique Miah were, among others, present on the occasion, reports UNB.

6 dacoits arrested in Dhamrai

SAVAR, July 7: Elite force RAB arrested six suspected dacoits along with a firearm and huge lethal weapons at Wrishipara in Dhamrai upazila on Friday. Being informed secretly that a gang of bandits were preparing to commit a dacoity, a team of RAB-4 of Savar camp raided the area early in the morning and arrested Laltu Miah, Arafat, Makul, Manik, Shanto Rajbangshi and Forhad. They also recovered one shutter gun, four rounds of bullet, five live bombs, six machetes, four hammers and seven other sharp weapons from their possession, reports UNB.