The New Nation - Internet Edition

Fair price for sugarcane to be ensured: BSFIC Chairman

BSS, Rangpur

Chairman of Bangladesh Sugar and Food Industries Corporation (BSFIC) Mohammad Mokhles Ur Rahman here on Tuesday said that the government has taken all necessary steps for further ensuring fair price of sugarcane to the farmers. He also said sugarcane will be purchased only on payment of cash money and at fair prices with a view to further encouraging the enthusiastic growers in farming more sugarcane for the country's sugar industries.

Besides, the farmers will be provided with the latest agriculture technologies and inputs side by side with adequate subsidies for further increasing sugarcane productions and enabling the farmers in earning more and more profits, he said.

The BSFIC Chairman said this while addressing a views-exchange meeting with the sugarcane growers, officials and employees of Shyampur Sugar Mills Ltd (SSML) at the auditorium of the Mills in the outskirts of Rangpur city on Tuesday.

Managing Director of SSML Mahfuzur Rahman presided over the meeting while General Manager (Agriculture) M Yunus Mian, General Manager (Administration) Abdul Kaiyum and Administrative Officer of SSML Abul Kalam Azad, addressed, among others, as the special guests.

Local public representatives, sugarcane growers, leaders of the Sugarcane Farmers' Welfare Association of SSML took part in the meeting.

The BFSIC Chairman said that the government has been working very sincerely to increase the price of sugarcane at the mill gates from the upcoming season in a bid to protect the interest of the sugarcane growers of all of the mill zones in the country.

He urged the farmers for increasing production of sugarcane in increased land areas and called upon the officials and employees of SSML to work hard with utmost sincerity, dedication and commitments to turn the SSML into a profitable industry from the upcoming season.

He also visited a number of growing sugarcane fields in the adjoining areas, different sections of the SSML and talked to the workers and employees about their well-beings.

10-day computer training for visual impaired begins in Rajshahi

BSS, Rajshahi

A 10-day computer-training course for the visually impaired persons began here on Tuesday aimed at making them competent in computer literacy along with information technology.

Action on Disability and Development (ADD), working with disabled people to promote human rights, arranged the course at its training centre being participated by 15 visually impaired persons from different areas of the country. Main objective of the course is to make the disadvantaged persons skilled human resources so that they could involve themselves in income generating activities. With President of District Badhan Protibandhi Odhker Sangstha Sheikh Abu Tareque Mukul in the chair the inaugural ceremony was addressed, among others, by Deputy Director of Social Service Department Hamida Begum, Executive Member of Disabled Legal Empowerment Committee Sadar Ali, ADD Programme Associate Monzurul Islam, Area Coordinator Monwarul Islam and Human Rights Promoter Mustaque Ahmed.

Tree fair begins in Gopalganj

BSS, Gopalganj

A 7-day tree fair began here on Tuesday aimed at popularising the plantation programme to increase forest resources in the district. Deputy Commissioner SM Ashraf Hossain inaugurated the fair with a call to plant more saplings to maintain ecological balance of the country.

District Administration, Forest Department and Agriculture Extension Department jointly organised the fair. A total of 25 stalls have been set up in the fair including fruit bearing, woody, medicinal and other valuable saplings.

Need for Naogaon Town Flood Control Embankment stressed

Our Correspondent, Naogaon

Hundreds of people of Naogaon district town have been suffering greatly, in absence of Naogaon town flood control embankment for many years.

The waters of the two rivers Chhoto Jamuna and Tulshiganga are flowing jointly over the Chhoto Jamuna river on Trimohini in Raninagar upazila under Naogaon district, where the flood-water level is rising rapidly.The Chhoto Jamuna river of Dinajpur district is flowing over Yusuf union parishad in Dhamoirhat upazila in Naogaon district, which is crossing over the 65 KM long Atari river, while the Tulshiganga river is also flowing over Tilakpur union parishad in Naogaon sadar upazila, which is entering Jaipurhat district.

The Tulsiganga river connecting with the Atrai river is flowing about 25 KM over Naogaon district. The flood-waters of West Bengal in India entering over the Khushi Beel areas in Dhamoirhat upazila in Naogaon district, connecting with the Atrai river, which created havoc flood waters in several parts of some upazilas in Naogaon district, breaking some embankments of Power Development Board also, creating floods in Naogaon district. According to local district PWD sources, reported that if one regulator be constructed on Chakkuthub over the Tulshiganga river, the Tulshiganga river will regain the past life with full waters and then the flow of waters of Chhoto Jamuna will be controlled. As a result Naogaon district town will not be flooded.

Huge number of unauthorised houses and others are being built, occupying on areas of both sides of the said two rivers since a long time. The inhabitants of Naogaon district town will be benefitted if one district town flood water control embankment be constructed over the Chhoto Jamuna river, covering about 4 '33 K.M. Be noted a huge number of bridges, culverts, roads, houses, educational institutions and others are damaging totally or partially over Naogaon town, in absence of a flood control embankment, where 80 percent of the town is under flood waters ever year.

Consequently, it damages crores of taka including properties, live-stocks and others.

It is reported that one project of the said flood control embankment was presented to the past government on October in 2006, which had not yet been sanctioned by the past government.

Another one new project about the said embankment, estimated about 47 (forty-seven) crore 93 (Ninety three) lakh 50 (Fifty) thousand taka was also placed to the government which has been still pending.

Hundreds of people are urging upon the government to fulfil their long standing demand immediately for the greater interest of the locals.

Call to appoint more teachers in RU Anthropology Deptt

RU Correspondent

About 200 students of Anthropology department of Rajshahi University (RU) on Tuesday staged demonstration on campus demanding increase teachers of the department.

Agitating students of Anthropology department formed silent procession marched through campus demanding apopointment of more teachers.

They also formed a human chain in front of the administration building and gave a memorandum to RU Vice Chancellor to increase teachers and other facilities.

Agitating students spoke in front of the administration building.

BAU Astt Director Hamid Khan dies

Our Correspondent, Mymensingh

Md. Abdul Hamid Khan, Assistant Director, Bangladesh Agricultural University Research System (BAURES) died of massive heart attack at the Mymensingh Medical College Hospital on Saturday. He was 56.

He left behind wife, three daughters, relatives, colleagues, friends and admirers to mourn his death.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Akhtar Hossain, teachers, students, officers, employees and different socio-cultural organisations of the University Campus condoled the death of Abdul Hamid Khan and prayed for the salvation of the departed soul. They also expressed deep sympathy to the members of bereaved family.

His namaze Janaza was held in front of BAU Administration building and later in Jamia Islamia, Mymensingh after Johr prayers. He was buried at the Vatikashar graveyard.

Tree and agriculture fair began in Narsingdi

BSS, Narsingdi

A eight-day long tree and agriculture fair began at Sadar upazila parishad premises here on Tuesday.

Divisional Commissioner of Dhaka Aziz Hasan formally inaugurated the fair as the chief guest while Deputy Commissioner of Narsingdi Zillar Rahman was in the chair.

Narsingdi District Administration, Forest Department and Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) jointly organised the programme.

The function was addressed, among others, by Conservator of Forest, Dhaka Circle Mohammad Younos Ali, Police Super Narsingdi Mohammad Ali, Divisional Forest Officer Shireen Khaton, former Principal of Narsingdi Government College Mohammad Ali, president Narsingdi Press Club Abdur Rahman Bhuiyan and Agriculture Technologist Anwar Shahadat.

2 absconding convicts arrested in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

Police arrested two absconding convicts in two separate drives conducted at various places in the district on Tuesday, Police sources said.

The arrested absconding convicts were identified as Omar Faruk, 50, who was a bus driver and Chofula Begum, 57, from Sadar and Badarganj upazila areas respectively in the separate raids.

Bus driver Omar Faruk was sentenced to three years rigorous imprisonment by a Rangpur court in 1999 in a case filed against him following death of a person under the wheels of his running bus.

On the other hand, Chofula Begum was sentenced to six-month term and fined Taka three lakh by another Rangpur court in 2005 in a cheating case filed against her for grabbing money through cheating.

The arrested convicts were sent to jail hajat when the concerned thana police produced them before separate Rangpur courts on the same day, the sources said.

Postman arrested for selling postal

orders in Barisal

BSS, Barisal

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) led by Major Mamun arrested a postman of Barisal Head Post Office for selling postal orders by opening envelops. The postal orders were sent by job seekers who applied for jobs along with Taka 50 postal orders with their application as required by the concerned department. On interrogation, this postman said that he has collected over Taka 12,000 by selling the postal orders in the same manner.

He also admitted that he was not alone in this practice. His accomplice Onok Acharjya managed to escape witnessing the presence of law enforcers.

A case was lodged with Kotwali police station in this connection.

RAB recovers smuggled clothes worth Tk. 80 lakh in Ctg

BSS, Chittagong

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) recovered huge smuggled Indian clothes worth about Taka 80 lakh in abandoned condition from Fouzderhat area of Sitakundu upazila in the district in the early hours of today. The recovered goods included sarees, three pieces and unstitched garments, a RAB press release said. Following information that a group of smugglers was taking preparation to hand over a huge quantity Indian clothes brought from Dhaka to local traders ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr festival, a RAB team had laid ambush at Fouzderhat area on Dhaka-Chittagong highway in the early hours of today and intercepted a truck loaded with smuggled clothes.

Matee obtains GPA-5 in SSC Exam

Our Correspondent, Jamalpur

Faria Hossain Matee is only student in Jamalpur district who obtained golden GPA-5 grade from Humanities group in the SSC Examination 2008 from Melandah Govt. Girls' High School under Dhaka Board.

Her father. Farhad Hossain is an Assistant English Teacher in Charailder Zahanara-Habib Dakhil Madrasah and mother Yeasmin Ara Lovely is a housewife.

She wants to be an ideal English Teacher in future. She seeks blessings from all, says a press release.

3 members burglars’ gang arrested with booties

BSS, Chittagong

Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) arrested three members of an organised burglars' gang, including a woman, in separate drives in the city and Companiganj upazila in Sylhet district last night and today. The gang members allegedly admitted to police that they were engaged for long in burglary from the houses in the city in the guise of maid-servants.

Police said that they seized some stolen gold ornaments and clothes from the possession of the arrested female member of the gang during the raid, a CMP press release said. The police identified the arrested as Karim Uddin, son of Sohrab Mia of Amirabad in Lohagara upazila, Mohammad Yousuf of Tulatai in Bakalia thana in the city and Horijon alias Forijon, the 33-year-old female.

Police said they arrested a girl, Roksana Akhter from Alkaran in the city on Monday following a burglary case filed with the Kotwali police by Salahuddin of the area.

Roksana, confessed to police that despite her looks he is not a girl. His name is in fact Karim Uddin, he told them.

Like the other members of the gang, he said, he used to take jobs as a maid servant, bluffing employers to conveniently decamp with valuables from their houses.

Later, on tips, a police team led by Assistant Commissioner of CMP (Kotwali Zone) Babul Akter arrested Yousuf from Bakalia and Horijon from Rajarkhal village in Companiganj upazila in Sylhet district.

New CPA chairman takes over

BSS, Chittagong

Commodore Riaj Uddin Ahmed will took as Chairman of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Wednesday.

Outgoing CPA chairman Commodore M Faruk will hand over charge to the new chairman at a simple function.

Commodore Riaj was the managing director of Khulna Ship Yard before his new appointment.

Commodore M Faruk was transferred to Narayanganj Ship Yard as the managing director.