The New Nation - Internet Edition

Farmers worried at low price of maize in Chuadanga

Our Correspondent, Chuadanga

Farmers are worried at what they said, an uncaused low price of their newly harvested maize, which witnessed an all-time bumper production in Chuadanga district this year.

Harvesting of the crop has already been completed in the region, farmers and officials of the Department of Agriculture Extension said.

Deputy Director of DAE pointed out that huge losses in the poultry sector occurred following the attack of bird-flu, sabstantially reducing the demand of maize in the poultry industries. Because of lower demand price of maize which has come down to Taka 400 per maund on an overage in recent weeks has made the farmers worried, he said.

Farmer and market sources said that price of maize was Tk 400 per maund on an average a month ago and the same was at Taka 500 per maund 3 weeks ago in the areas.

Several farmers of markets of Chuadanga, Alamdanga, Munshiganj, Sarajgonj, Asmankhali, Ghaldari, Zamzami, Hatbualia in the Chuadanga district told that they were not incurring losses but profit was not noticeable.

According to the farmers some middlemen and unholy businessmen might have formed syndicates to purchase the crop at a low price and stock it to sell at higher prices at an opportune moment to make profit highly.

42 held on various charges in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

Police in separate anti-crime drives arrested 42 persons including absconding criminals from different places in the district during the last 24 hours.

Police said the arrested persons include wanted criminals, terrorists, thieves, drug smugglers, addicts, gamblers, absconding convicts and accused persons in different cases, inter-district drug-peddlers and other anti-social elements.

Police also recovered huge quantities of drugs including ganja, phensidyl, locally produced wine, stolen goods and other illegal items during the drives.

Kotwali police arrested 25 persons, Taraganj three, Gangachara one, Badarganj one, Mithapukur nine, Pirganj one, Pirgacha one and Kawnia police arrested one person during the raids.

The arrested persons were sent to jail hajat.

Jamuna devours 40 feet of spur at Enayetpur

BSS, Sirajganj

About 40 feet of a protective spur at Enayetpur was devoured today by the swelling Jamuna river.

Water Resources Adviser CS Karim, during a visit to Enayetpur this evening directed the Water Development Board (WDB) to protect the spur. WDB director general Hossain Shahid Mozaddak Faruk and local officials accompanied him.

WDB already initiated action to protect the spur, WDB sources said.

They said that 10 families have already been shifted to safe places as their houses were eroded by the mighty river. The WDB, they said, could not earlier work to protect the embankment as their vessels could not approach it due to the fury of the river.

They said that they expect to "start very soon" the work on the town protection embankment.

The intensity of the high tides together with strong currents in the river breached and eroded the embankment at several places during the last few days, they said. The entire area close to the Jamuna bank at Khokshabari union would be eroded if the river swells further, they said.

Timbers, other valuables worth Tk 25 cr seized from Sunderbans in last four years

UNB, Bagerhat

Forest officials seized valuables, including Sundari timbers, worth Tk 25 crore while being smuggled out from the Sunderbans in the last four and half years.

They also arrested 484 forest dacoits and smugglers with firearms and ammunition who were engaged in smuggling valuable timbers and other forest resources since long.

East and West Zone Sunderban forest officials, in various drives, seized 2.56 lakh cft Sundari timbers and other valuables including firewood, shells, deer hide, venison, alive and dead deer, trawlers, boats, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, firearms and ammunition from July 2003 till now.

The forest department so far filed 7,668 cases in this connection against the smugglers. The smugglers with the help of corrupt forest department staff members have been smuggling forest resources including valuables timbers since long, sources said.

ICBAR confce at BAU on Aug 6

Our Correspondent Mymensingh

A two day International Congress on 'Biotechnology in Animal Reproduction (ICBAR)' will be held at the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) in collaboration with ICBAR, Japan on August 6-7, 2008, according to distinguished scientist of international repute Professor Dr. Md. Golam Shahi Alam of the Department of Surgery and Obstetrics under the Faculty of Veterinary Science.

Representatives from Japan, South Korea, China, India, Egypt, New Zealand, Canada, UK, Italy, Bulgaria, Sweden and other countries of the world will attend the conference on 'Reproductive Biotechnology' where 50 research papers and articles will be presented by the eminent scientists.

Interested Scientists who wants to attend the two-day conference were requested to contact local organiser Professor Dr. Md. Golam Shahi Alam or visit the website: http://icbarbau.googlepages.com/home for further details.

One kg heroin seized in Feni

Our Correspondent, Feni

Members of the Chittagong zone of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) in a drive on Tuesday seized one kg heroin worth about Tk one crore at Feni.

They also arrested two drug peddlers Abul Kashem (40) and Khaez Ahmed (35) in this connection, DNC officials said.

Additional Director of DNC at Md. Wohiduzaman led the drive. A case was filed with Feni police station in this regard.

Construction of health complex begins in Gaibandha

BSS, Gaibandha

The construction work of three-storey Palashbari Upazila Health Complex of the district has began on July 6 through a simple ceremony. Acting civil surgeon Dr SMA Jalil inaugurated the construction work of the building on Sunday as the chief guest and UNO of Palashbari Upazila M. Akteruzzaman was present as special guest, sources said.

Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr M. Fazlul Karim and assistant engineer of construction and maintenance management unit (CMMU) M. Saiful Islam were also present.

Sources said CMMU under the Ministry of Health is constructing the building at a cost of Taka 4.95 crore.

The construction of the complex is expected to be completed by December 2009, said Tapan Kumar Chowdhury, Executive Engineer of CMMU.

10-day tree fair begins in Joypurhat

BSS, Joypurhat

A 10-day tree fair began at Shaheed Dr. Abul Kashem Maidan in the town yesterday to popularise Tree Plantation Programme in the district.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Natipad Das inaugurated the fair as the chief guest while police super AKM Masudul Alam was present in the inaugural function as special guest.

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) and Forest Department jointly organised the fair.

FM's free seminar held in Moulvibazar

The first of the free seminars of FM Method now covering the Sylhet Division was held on Sunday in Moulvibazar district drawing a good number of participants. Poularly known as a widely acknowledged modal for easy learning of English, FM method is offering enthusiasts learners in the division with a couple of free seminars.

The free seminar in Moulovibazar started around 11 AM at the district municipality auditorium. Principal Mohammad Feroz Mukul, researcher-cum-inventor of FM Method conducted the seminar in an auditorium packed with interested participants mostly students. The seminar drew a very positive response, organisers said, says a press release.

2 killed in Lakshmipur road mishap

A Correspondent, Lakshmipur

An officer of Noakhali Subarnachar Office of Local Govt. Engineering directorate at (LGED) along with his menor child was killed under the wheels of a pickup van near Shadarghar bus stop on Lakshmipur-Begongan on Monday.

The victims Md Mezanur Rahman (48) and his son Mehraj (12) died on the spot after the pickup rolled over has motorbike. Two of his kids Anwar Hossain (10) and Amena Aktar (8) were also injured. Both of the injured were admitted to the Sadar hospital in critical condition.

The sadar police recovered the bodies and sent for autopsy in sadar hospital morgue. The killer pickup van was taken under police custody.

News briefs

River erosion

MADARIPUR, July 9: Over 100 dwellings went into the gorge of Arial Kha river in Shibchar upazila here in two days till Saturday as erosion has taken a serious turn due to incessant rain and rise of water level in the rivers. The worst affected areas are Khan Char Bachamora, Paschim Sonyasir Char and Guptekandi villages of the upazila. Chairman of Sonyasir Char Union Parishad Abdur Rouf said the erosion affected villagers took shelter on roads and embankments but they did not get any relief from the government so far, reports UNB.

Moderate tremor jolts Rajshahi area

RAJSHAHI, Jul 9: A moderate tremor jolted greater Rajshahi district on Saturday night, creating panic among local people. "A house at Chhoto Bangram in the city area partially collapsed, but none was hurt," says a spot account of the incident. Local sources said the quake took place at 10:46pm and lasted few seconds, shaking houses. "Many people came out of their houses onto the streets out of panic," reports UNB correspondent MA Razzak, reports UNB.

AGM of Chandpur Rotary Club held

CHANDPUR, July 9: The 35th annual general meeting of Chandpur Rotary Club was held at the Chandpur Rotary Bhaban. Mostafa Zaman Abbasi, eminent folk singer and former district governor of Rotary Club attended the meeting as the chief guest. Besides, Prof. Asma Abbasi attended the meeting as special guest. The meeting was addressed, among others, by Dr MA Gafur, Dr Md. Shahidulllah, engineer Joynal Abedin and Kazi Shahadat, reports BSS.

Workshop on AIDS held in Jamalpur

JAMALPUR, July 9: A day-long workshop for the members of Ansar and VDP on "HIV/AIDS, reproductive health and violence against women" was held at the training centre of Ansar and VDP t Pathalia in the town on Sunday. A total of 60 Ansar and VDP members including 30 female from seven upazilas of the district took part in the workshop. Deputy civil surgeon Dr. Mrinal Kanti Pandit, district adjutant of Ansar and VDP AKM Ali Ahad Khan, area manager of BRAC, Motiur Rahman and circle adjutant of Ansar and VDP Khondaker Lutfar Rahman spoke on the occasion as resource persons, reports BSS.

One held with phensidyl

BRAHMANBARIA, July 9: Police arrested one phensidyl trader along with 300 bottles of phensidyl from Champok nagar area here on Sunday. The arrested was identified as Akkas Ali, 20, son of Quader Ali, of village Singer. Acting on a tip-off, a team of the police raided the area and arrested Ali along with the phensidyl. A case was filed, reports UNB.

7 fined for doing business without licenses in Rangpur

RANGPUR, July 9: A mobile court fined seven business establishments with Taka 11,500 for conducting their businesses without trade licenses in the city in a daylong drive on Monday. Executive Magistrate Kamrul Hassan led the court that was participated by members of the joint forces, police, officials of the license section of Rangpur Municipality and other concerned officials, reports BSS.

2 minor killed in Chirirbandar accident

CHIRIRBANDAR, July 9: Two minor children belonging to aboriginal community were killed in a road accident at Khamar Krisnapur village under Chirirbandar upazila in Dinajpur on Monday, police sources said. The accident occurred when an unidentified truck hit Jotsna, 7, daughter of Khilimon and Laksmi Hawlader, (6 months), daughter of Shyamol Hawlader of the village at the point while they were crossing the road. Both of the babies were critically injured. They were rushed to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital where the doctors declared them dead, reports UNB.