The New Nation - Internet Edition

CS Karim tells 'Road Show’ function: Launch war with renewed spirit to build prosperous nation

BSS, Chittagong

Adviser for Agriculture and Water Resources Dr CS Karim on Monday morning called upon all to launch a war with renewed spirit to build a prosperous nation and march forward the country to a new height of progress.

Terming corruption as a stigma for the nation, the adviser said it holds back the progress and everybody should work together for combating the corruption.

The adviser as the chief guest was inaugurating the daylong programme series organised on the occasion of staying the Road Show "Esho Bangladesh Gori" at MA Aziz Stadium in the port city.

The Chittagong district administration organised the daylong carnival held amid much enthusiasm and festivity with the participation of all walks of people.

The Ministry of Home, Post and Telecommunications, the Election Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission have jointly organised the awareness campaign to motivate people to the nation-building activities. Deputy Commissioner of Chittagong Mohammad Ashraf Shamim presided over the function while Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Hossain Jamil and CEO of Banglalink Mohammad Rashid Khan attended the inaugural function as special guests. The motorcade of the Road Show reached the port city from Comilla Sunday afternoon and would leave the city for Cox's Bazar on Tuesday morning.

Dr CS Karim said the country was able to produce 1.75 crore lakh tonnes of rice worth about Taka 50,000 crore in the last Boro season due to whole hearted cooperation from people, particularly the farmers.

He said the country harvested over 80 lakh tonnes of potatoes in the last season.

As the prices of essentials have increased globally, the adviser said it is the high time to change the traditional food habit and develop alternate one replacing rice as a staple food. Apart from producing more rice and potatoes, the government has been providing all-out support for the agriculture sector to increase production in the country to achieve food autarky. Dr CS Karim said, "We should stress much on educating our future generations with information technology (IT) as it can be one of the most potential sectors to alleviate poverty."

Over 20 stalls have been set up at the venue by various public and private sector organisations to display attractive products.

The stalls set up by six ministries have been decorated with colourful banners and festoons inscribed with various slogans like 'change your food habit', 'eat potato with rice', 'grow more food' and 'build terrorism and corruption-free Bangladesh'. Later, the adviser distributed prizes among the winners of essay and debate competitions.

Five eminent personalities called "Sada Moner Manush" also received crests from the adviser for their outstanding contributions to society.

The persons who are honoured are acting mayor of Chittagong City Corporation Alhaj Monjur Alam Monju, President of Chittagong Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry Monwara Hakim Ali, industrialists M A Salam and Mohammad Shahjahan, and social worker Ehsanul Haider Babul.

Dr CS Karim also handed over potatoes among 20 destitute people.

Major rivers of Gaibandha flowing below danger levels

Our Correspondent, Gaibandha

Though the water level in all rivers of the district has risen sharply following incessant rain and onrush of waters from the upstreams for the last consecutive 5 days, the major rivers are still now flowing below their respective danger levels.

Local Water Development Board (WDB) sources said the Brahmaputra at Fulchari ghat point and the Teesta at Sundarganj point were flowing 1.23 metre and 1.32 metre while the Korotoa at Katakhali bridge point and the Ghagot at New Bridge point of the town were flowing 2.23 metre and 1.27 metre below their respective danger levels.

WDB office recorded 135 mm rainfall in the town during the last 24 hours ending at 9 AM on Saturday. Low lying areas of the district have been inundated due to heavy rain that also caused waterlogging in both rural and urban areas during the period.

Talking to the BSS M. Shaful Azam, Executive Engineer of WDB said there is no flood like situation any where so despite of rising water level in all major rivers of the district.

Erosion takes serious turn in Rajbari

BSS, Rajbari

The erosion of the mighty Padma at Rajbari has taken a serious turn and as a result Daulatdia ferry ghat is facing threat.

The erosion has been invading char Gopalpur, Char Bhabanipur, Debogram and Panoyer in Goalondo upazila. A vast area in the upazila has already devoured in the river and people of those areas have become panic stricken.

Many people have already shifted their houses and the people who lost their houses are living under the open sky.

The worst affected areas of Rajbari are Char Silimpur, Jowkura, Char Dunchi, Char Kathuria, Char Narsing-hodaho and Char Ramch-andrapur. Sources said, the three-freey ghats have been facing threat due to unchecked erosion at Daulatdia.

According to the Water Development Board (WDB), erosion continued along 1,300 meters riverbank at Jowkura, one kilometer at Goalondo and 800 meters at Pangsha in the district.

The town protection embankment is under threat due to river erosion. Safiuddin Ahmed, joint secretary of Water Resources Ministry along with Gias Uddin Ahmed, chief Engineer of South Western Zone of WDB, Gias Uddin, Superintendent Engineer of WDB, Mahfuzur Rahman, deputy commissioner (DC) of Rajbari, Md. Muniruzzaman, executive engineer of WDB visited the embankment on Monday. WDB Rajbari office sources said for the protection of the town embankment a total of Taka 3.50 crore has been allocated.

DND area now free of flood danger

BSS, Narayanganj

The Dhaka, Narayanganj, Demra (DND) irrigation project is now out of danger of flooding as the waters of the area pumped out following water logging caused by torrential rain during the last couple of days.

DND pump house sources said, a total of 24 pumps are now working round the clock to discharge excess water from the project site through a canal. Of the 24 pumps, four are main pumps each having the capacity of discharging 128 cusecs of water per minute while the rest 20 pumps each having discharge capacity of 5 cusecs of water per minute.

The source said, the water level inside the project is now 2.15 meter below the danger mark.

A concern of Bangladesh Water Development Board, DND project was established in 1968 covering 8,340 hectares of land.

39 nabbed on various charges in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

Police arrested a total of 39 persons including notorious criminals on different charges from various places of all eight upazilas in the district during the past 24 hours till 12 noon on Tuesday.

Police said the arrested persons included listed terrorists, drug smugglers, addicts, gamblers, absconding convicts and accused persons in different cases, rapists, drug-peddlers, thieves, extortionists and other anti-social elements.

Police also recovered huge quantities of narcotics substances including ganja, phensidyl, locally produced wine, smuggled cumin, stolen and robbed goods and other illegal things during the drives.

Police arrested absconding convicts Omar Ali, 48, bearing three years rigorous term and Suphola Begum, 57, bearing six months term and a fine of Taka three lakh, drug traffickers Mohsin, 26, and Manjur, 30, with 25 litres wine, Mithu, 36, with one kg ganja and notorious thief Idris Ali, 45, during the raids.

Kotwali police arrested 17 persons, Taraganj two, Gangachara three, Badarganj two, Mithapukur five, Pirganj five, Pirgacha three, Kawnia one and DB police arrested one person during the period.

The arrested persons were sent to jail hajat when police produced them before different Rangpur courts today, police said.

Rathajatra celebrated in Kishoreganj

Our Correspondent, Kishoreganj

Members of the Hindu community across the country on Friday celebrated one of the greatest religious festivals Rathajatra with religious fervour and festivity.

Thousands of Hindu devotees gathered at Sri Sri Gopinath Jeour Akhra in Achmitha under Katiadi upazila joined with much enthusiasm the pulling of chariot to celebrate the occasion. Old and young, male and female, boys and girls together took part in the ritual amidst much fanfare. A discussion meeting was held at its Akhra premise.

Inspector General of Bangladesh Police (IGP) Noor Mohammad attended as the chief guest. It was presided over by Gopinat Akhra Committee President Dilip Ghosh and it was addressed, among others, by chief executive officer Banomala Bhomik, police super Mizanur Rahman ADC (R) Tapan Ch. Bonik, Bar president Dolon Bhomik, Senior Advocate Miah Md. Ferdous, local UNO Doctor Golam Farook and Journalist Shaha Azizul Haque.

Indigenous housewife killed in Khagrachhari

Our Correspondent, Khagrachhari

An indigenous housewife has killed by another indigenous trader at early hours of Monday at Nakraipara, a remote village of Ramghor upazila in hill district Khagrachhari.

The killed was identified as Gola Marma 30, wife of Aprushi Marma from Nakraipara under Ramghor upazila in Khagr-achhari district.

Ramghor police sources said, Kayajai Marma, son of Paila Marma from Baraitali under neighboring thana Guimara went to Gola's jhum land for buying banana from Gola Marma. While Kayajai getting her alone trying to snatch her gold made necklace. He killed Gola Marma with her sharp knives (Which she took to work in jhum land) while she shouted but he was caught red handed by locals, he confessed to police after primary interrogation, police confirmed.

A case has field at concerned thana in this regard. He has beer sent to jail after producing before judicial magistrate, sources confirmed.

Robbery committed in Barisal

BSS, Barisal

Two robberies were committed at two villages under sadar upazila in the district in the early hours of Monday.

Police said a gang of robbers entered into the house of Nazar Ali at Bisarod village under sadar upazila by breaking open the door and looted gold ornaments, valuables and money from his house at midnight on Manday. Wife of Najar Ali and his daughter Muksuda were injured as the robbers hit them with sharp weapons.

They were admitted to local health complex.

In another incident, the armed robbers entered into the house of Alhaj Motaher Hawlader of village Dhobkathi under the sadar upazila at around 2-30 am on Monday and looted gold ornaments, valuables and money on gun point. They managed to escape the scene with the loot.

Separate cases were lodged with Kotwali police in these connections.

Application invited for plot allocation in Rangamati industrial area

BSS, Rangamati

Allotment of plots to set up industries at the industrial area at Manikchhari, eight km off Rangamati town is now going on.

Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corpor-ation (BSCIC) has urged the entrepreneurs to collect the prescribed application forms and submit those at the concerned office with requisite documents to get allotment of plot.

Sources said 10 plots have already been allotted among the entrepreneurs where industries for producing cloth, fertilizer and food will be established.

Any entrepreneur can apply for plot, however, local entrepreneurs will get priority getting plots, BSCIC engineer Samar Kumar Biswas said.

The allottees will have to pay Taka 29,000 per decimal of land in the industrial area, with facilities of making their payments in installment. There are 89 plots in the industrial area on a total of 12.50 acre of land.

Part of Feni submerged due to heavy downpour

Feni Correspondent

A large part of Feni district including Pashuram and Fulgazi Upazila on Thursday was submerged due to daylong downpour.

The normal life was paralysed and business operations were slow downed. The day labours suffered the most and had to remain in starvation for not getting any job. The inhabitants of the district are feared for flood, as no embankment has not still been set up on the bank of Mahua and Kashua.

According to the district met office the water of the Mahua river was flowing over the danger level on Thursday.

Bumper cucumber production achieved in Rugpanj

A Correspondent, Rupgonj

Cucumber production has broken all previous records this year at Rupgonj peasants are happy getting more profit. At the beginning of the season per kg of cucumber was sold Tk. 25/30. Now it sells, Tk. 16/17.

Peasants of the villages Mazipara, Kaloni, Poshi, Alampur Ragurampur, Pachbag, Kamta, Pinglan and Gobin-dapur, have cultivated cucumbers in 300 acres of lands.

Upazila Agriculture Officer Masud Reza has said, seeds to be sowed first of Chaitra month for preparing soil well. Later different fertilisers and pesticides are to be used properly to get bumper production of cucumber.

SUS holds press confce in Gazipur

Our Correspondent, Gazipur

A press conference on union parishad activities organised by Samajik Unnayan Sangstha (SUS) was held presided over by the executive officer, KZ Nayeem at Boro Boika Democracy Watch office on Friday last.

All employees exchanged views with local correspondents of different papers and explained the objectives of Democracy Watch. Nayeem said in his speech some union parishad chairman denied to declare open budget infornt of people. Because, they failed to do development work in their union according to their promise with the people.

In a question on democracy watch he replied, this organisation always ready to arrest UP chairmen and members but they do not accept our proposal.

Internship orientation programme held at BAU

Our Correspondent, Mymensingh

The Internship Orientation Programme of the Faculty of Veterinary Science was held at the Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin auditorium of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) on July 03.

Syed Ataur Rahman, Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries & Livestock was the chief guest while BAU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Akhtar Hossai was the chief patron at the inaugural ceremony. Krishibib Sunil Chandra Ghose, Director General, Department of Livestock Services was present as special guest. Professor Dr. Md. Motahar Hussain Mondal, Head, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, presided over the inaugural function.

Professor Dr. Md. Abdul Awal, Chairman, Organising committee, Professor Dr. AS Mahfuzul Bari Professor Dr. Nazim Ahmad and General Secretary of Bangladesh Veterinary Students' Association and Internee students spoke on the occasion.

Weeklong tree fair begins in Brahmanbaria

BSS, Brahmanbaria

A weeklong tree fair began on the premises of Poura Monch here on Monday.

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and Forest department organised the fair as part of the ongoing national tree plantation movement.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (revenue) of Brahmanbaria Azizul Alam formally inaugurated the fair as the chief guest while deputy director of the DAE Abul Kalam Mondol chaired it.

Among others, Sadar UNO Zohra Begum, Imran Ahmed and Habibur Rahman were present. A total of 23 stalls were set up in the fair.

Tk 53 crore Jamalpur pourasabha budget announced

BSS, Jamalpur

The budget of Jamalpur Pourasabha for 2008-09 fiscal year was announced on Monday. Mayor of Jamalpur Pourasabha Advocate Shah-Md Wares Ali Mamun announced the Taka 53,07,72,917 budget for 2008-09 fiscal year at a press conference held at the conference room of the pourasabha bhaban.

The revenue earning has been shown at Taka 5,25,25,000 while earning from water supply at Taka 56.45 lakh and from other sectors at Taka 47,26,02,917.

On the other hand revenue expenditure has shown at Taka 4,36,54,860, in water supply Taka 50.40 lakh and development expenditure Taka 42.80 crore.

The mayor said major portion of the budget will be spent for infrastructure development. Councilors of different wards, engineers, local elite and journalists were present on the occasion.

News briefs

Valuables looted

NOAKHALI July 9: Armed robbers looted cash and valuables worth over Tk 30.50 lakh from the house of an army officer at Mirwarishpur in Begumganj upazila early Saturday. Police said the bandits numbering 15/20 entered the house of Major Abdullh Al-Mahmud Iqbal, posted in Bogra cantonment, breaking the door open at about 3:00 am. Later, they took the house inmates hostage at gun point and looted Tk 8 lakh in cash, 100 tolas of gold ornaments and other valuables. Police arrested night guard of the house Jasim and housemaid Banu in this connection. A case was filed, reports UNB.

Housewife killed for dowry in Sirajganj

SIRAJGANJ, July 9: A housewife was allegedly killed by her husband and in-laws for dowry at Kuralia village in Sadar upazila Wednesday night. Police said Nurul Haque gave her daughter Sharifa Khatun in marriage to Swapan Mandal giving Tk 50,000 dowry one year back. After seven months of their marriage, Swapan and his family members were creating pressure on Nurul Haque for more dowry money. But on refusal, they started physical torture on Sharifa. On the fateful night, Swapan and his family members beat Sharifa, 19, indiscriminately leaving her dead on the spot and fled the scene. On information, police recovered the body Thursday morning and sent it to Sadar hospital morgue for autopsy. A case was filed, reports UNB.

Advocacy meeting to stop human trafficking held in Comilla

Comilla, July 9: An advocacy meeting to stop illegal human traffic was held in the district town on Monday. The Home Ministry in collaboration with USAID arranged the meeting with the Deputy Commissioner M Monzurur Rahman in the chair. Mizanur Rahman, National Program Officer of IOM, delivered the welcome speech at the meeting. The program was attended by representatives of law enforcing agencies, lawyers, journalists and officials of different organizations, reports UNB.

Mentally deranged man beaten to death in Jhalakati

Jhalakati, July 9: A mentally deranged man was beaten to death in Kolabagan area of the district town on Wednesday. The dead was identified as Tujammar Ali Bepari, 65. Police said mentally sick Tujammar mistakenly entered a lane at station road at about 5am on his way to a local mosque for Fazr prayers. Suspecting him a thief some local people caught him beat him up mercilessly, leaving him critically injured. He was rushed to the Sadar hospital where he succumbed to his injuries after sometime. Victim's son Nannu filed a case against five people, report UNB.

Child drowns in Jamalpur

JAMALPUR, July 9: A little boy drowned in a ditch at Muradabad village in Islampur upazila on Friday. The deceased was identified as Shahid, three-year- old son of Abdul Mannan. Family sources said while playing Shahid fell into the ditch near their house in the afternoon and met watery grave, reports UNB.

Schoolboy killed in Sylhet

SYLHET, July 9: A schoolboy, injured critically Tuesday in an attack by the rivals of his family at Kushighat village in Sadar upazila, died Thursday at Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital. The victim was identified as Sumon Ahmed, 15, son of Kalu mia and a student of class nine of local Haji Shafiq High School. Local people said Sumon's family had a dispute with the neighbours over the ownership of a small hillock, reports UNB.