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Mother of Birshrestha Jahangir passes away

Mother of Birshrestha Jahangir

Barisal Correspondent

Safia Khatun, mother of Birshrestha Capt Mohiuddin Jahangir, died of old age complications at Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College on Hospital Saturday night.

She was 80. She left behind a son Bachchu Howlader, daughter Nurjahan Begum and other relatives and well-wishers to mourn her death.

Safia Khatun became sick Friday morning and was rushed to Hospital at 9:30pm. She was admitted to coronary care unit of the hospital and died at 12:10am Saturday night.

She was laid to rest at the family graveyard at Jahangirnagar (Rahimganj) of Babuganj upazila in Barisal. Her namaz-e-janaja was held at the recently inaugurated Birshrestha Capt Mohiuddin Jahangir Museum premises yesterday.

District officials including Parvin Akter, Barisal District Council Secretary, attended the funeral.

Political leaders including Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, leaders of 14-party and four-party alliances, Barisal Reporters Unity and Metropolitan Journalist Union, Sangskritik Sangathan Shamunnay Parishad, Babuganj Pathak Mela, Barisal District Muktijoddha Sangsad expressed condolence at the demise of Safia Khatun.

Willes’ science fair ends today

Students explaining scientific project to visitors
at a stall at Willes Little Flower Higher Secondary School
and College in the city yesterday. NN photo

Desk Report

Kazi Md Aminul Islam, Secretary to the Chief Adviser's Office urged the students to expand their mental horizon and creativity through various extra curricular activities besides their study in the classroom.

He was speaking as chief guest at the inaugural function of the two -day long Science Fair of the city's Willes Little Flower Secondary School yesterday.

"One day these 'little scientists' would be great scientists and dedicate themselves to the betterment of humanity, said Aminul, also the chairman of the Adhoc Committee of the school.

He went round different exhibits in stalls of the students along with Principal Lt Col Mohammad Moinul Islam Chowdhury.

University Grant Commission Chairman Prof Nazrul Islam is expected to distribute the prize among winners on the concluding day of the fair today.

River Kalindi devouring village in Satkhira

The new course of the river Kalindi is flowing
through Bangladesh land at Kaliganj Upazila in Satkhira
dividing the village Banshjharia into two parts-island in
western side and the mainland on other side. NN
photo

Rafiqul Islam Azad, back from Satkhira

The border River Kalindi is devouring the village Banshjharia in Bangladesh as its main channel has shifted due to reported construction of spars and groins on the other side in West Bengal, India.

The midstream of the river is taken as the Bangladesh-India border in the area has changed course reducing Bangladesh territory. Bank erosion is continuing due to lack of protection on the Bangladesh side, local people said.

On the other hand, Bangladesh may lose the Kalindi Island comprising about 700 acres of char land, which emerged on Bangladesh territory due to erosion for several decades, to India if erosion cannot be checked and the Kalindi Island linked up with the mainland of the country.

The Kalindi Island, now under control of Bangladeshi people, is also called as Kalindi char and Kalindi forest, which looks as like a part of the Sundarbans.

The mainstream of the 40km long River Kalindi is still flowing by its western side while the new course curved its way by its eastern side through Bangladesh. The length of the shifted course is about one kilometre.

Local people said the forest department turned the Kalindi Island into a green land after independence. Now, Bangladeshi people go there to catch fish and crab and collect wood.

Talking to visiting team members of the Water Reporters Forum, Bangladesh, Mansur Ali Gazi, 45, said that the Kalindi Island is still under control of Bangladesh.

He, however, apprehended that the control might not be persisted if the government cannot link the island with the mainland immediately.

Mansur Ali, a resident of the village Banshjharia under Kaliganj upazila, said they are facing erosion at the bank of the shifted river and losing their farm land and houses one after another. On the other hand, he alleged that the main river is being silted day by day since India is dumping bolders and constructing spars and groins on their side.

He emphasised the need for taking government measures to prevent erosion and protect Bangladesh land by linking up the Kalindi Island with the mainland.

Meanwhile, Water Development Board sources said Bangladesh could not take measure to link up the Kalindi Island due to objection from India.

According to sources, the then Water Resources Minister Maj (Retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed paid a visit to Kalindi Island in 2004 and asked the authorities concerned to stop the shifted course of the river. Work order was given to a contractor and partial construction work was also completed but finally the government had to take a "U" turn due to objection from the Border Security Force of India.

Lutfor Rahman, Executive Engineer of WDB, Satkhira-1 told this correspondent that a land survey is needed to settle the issue and protect the Bangladesh territory both from erosion and occupation.

According to him, the area of the Kalindi Island is about two sq kilometres.

He said the most vulnerable area for erosion is Ghurshi Raja Rampur at the village of Banshjharia.

The Executive Engineer said they have submitted a proposal to the ministry concerned to construct 5.75 kilometres of permanent embankment to protect the rivers Kalindi and Icchamoti from erosion.

Study finds arsenic threats in SE Asia

Agencies

Myanmar's cyclone-devastated Irrawaddy delta and Indonesia's Sumatra Island face high risks of arsenic contamination in groundwater that could cause cancer and other diseases in residents, according to a new study.

Using a digitalized model that examines geological features and soil chemistry in Southeast Asia, researchers writing in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Geoscience mapped several likely hot spots that had never been assessed for arsenic risks.

"Obviously, there is concern," said Michael Berg, one of the five authors, who is a senior scientist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology in Dubendor, Switzerland. "If you look at our data, there is risk of arsenic in the ground water."

Arsenic, especially in drinking water, is a global threat to health, affecting more than 70 countries and 137 million people. The country worst affected is Bangladesh, where hundreds of thousands of people are in danger of dying from cancers of the lung, bladder and skin.

Odorless and tasteless, arsenic enters water supplies from natural deposits in the ground or from agricultural and industrial practices. Arsenic is poisonous when consumed in high doses, but even smaller amounts can cause cancer, skin problems and abnormal heart rhythms.

Berg and the other authors determined a high risk of arsenic contamination exceeding World Health Organization guidelines in Myanmar's Irrawaddy delta, a low-lying area hit by a May cyclone that killed at least 84,537 people.

Their models also found that 38,610 square miles of Sumatra's east coast was at risk as well as the Chao Phraya river basin in central Thailand - although the dangers in the Chao Phraya were lower because residents in the area tap deeper aquifers.

Researchers said regions with organic-rich sediment containing silt and clay have a higher likelihood of arsenic contamination.

"These are very young sediments. Only in young formation do we find that arsenic can be released from the sediment," Berg said Friday, adding that arsenic in soil that is much older has been mostly washed away.

Berg said he hopes the maps they developed could serve as "a red flag" for authorities to take precautions before building wells or other water facilities in areas deemed at high risk of arsenic contamination. Until now, testing for arsenic has been rare in many regions because it is costly and time consuming, he said.

Lex van Geen, a geochemist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory who has studied arsenic contamination in Bangladesh and did not participate in the study, said it should be lauded for drawing attention to areas where little research has been done on the arsenic threat, such as Myanmar. But he said the digital models do not identify areas well below the surface where water quality is good.

"Using the mapping based on surface geology will identify settings where arsenic could be high in shallow groundwater," van Geen said. "What it can't tell you is how deep you might have to go to reach the low arsenic water, which is really what matters from a mitigation point of view."

Delwar for release of Khaleda

UNB, Dhaka

BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain Saturday reiterated the demand for immediate release of detained party chairperson Khaleda Zia to make way for joining the dialogue with the government and the general election.

"Give up all other thinking, devote everything to holding elections," he urged the government.

Delwar said BNP is a pro-election party and wants to participate in the general election.

"But, the election must be held without any condition," he said, adding that the atmosphere for the dialogue and the election must be created by releasing Khaleda Zia and her two detained sons-Tarique and Koko.

He said the Khaleda Zia's release is in the hand of the government. BNP leaders and workers and the people in general question why the government is not releasing her following the suit of Sheikh Hasina.

Questioning the government intention, Delwar alleged that they want to see split in the nationalist forces as they think if the nationalist forces could be destroyed it would be possible to implement their blueprint.

"Today, people have understood the government's conspiracy and blueprint," he said, adding, "The 4-party alliance along with the people will face all the conspiracies."

About the local elections, Delwar said the decision of the 4-party alliance remains unchanged and disciplinary action against those who will participate in the election will be taken timely.

Earlier, Prof Abdul Mannan Khan, a former Chhatra Union leader from Shibpur, joined BNP formally.

Accord with Hollywood film Documentary on ulluk

UNB, Dhaka

Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh has reached an agreement with Global Science Production, a Hollywood film company, to produce a documentary on hoolock gibbons (Ulluk), an endangered species.

Filming for this documentary is scheduled to begin soon, WTB sources said. Footage will be gathered from forests throughout Bangladesh, which were once a favorite abode of the hoolock gibbon.

However, deforestation and human encroachment have brought these animals to the verge of extinction.

Dr Elliott Haimoff will produce this film supported by co-producer Corrin La Combe, cameraman Sam Oldham, and gibbon expert Alan Mootnick who will be flown in from the United Kingdom and the United States.

The team will spend several weeks in Bangladesh shooting and interviewing local people, conservationists, and authority figures to unravel the current situation of the remaining hoolock gibbon populations of Bangladesh.

The hoolock gibbon is considered to be a valuable member of the forest ecosystem as they disperse seeds encouraging forest regeneration. The release of this film to an international audience will help create awareness about the plight of these animals and the need for saving them.

Rajshahi 14-party unit extends support to Liton for mayoral candidate

UNB, Rajshahi

In a quick turn of events, the local unit of 14-party alliance Saturday extended support to Awami League candidate Khairuzzaman Liton for mayoral post in Rajshahi City Corporation election.

The alliance centrally nominated Workers' Party leader Fazle Hossain Badsha as its candidate.

However, Awami League presidium members will sit in an emergency meeting at 11am today to discuss ways to overcome the crisis, party leader Amir Hossain Amu told UNB.

Ignoring the central leaders' decision, the local 14-party at a press conference in the morning recognised Liton as their candidate.

Except the Workers' Party, the other leaders of the allies, including Rajshahi 14-party Awami League general secretary Shafiqur Rahman Badsha, JSD president Pradip Mridha, JSD general secretary Abdullah Al Masud and Gonotantri Party president Masud Rana attended the press conference.

The alliance leaders alleged that the central leadership took a wrong decision nominating Badsha ignoring the opinion of the grassroots leaders.

The central leaders, however, said Badsha is their candidate and would request Liton to withdraw their candidature. Liton reportedly said he would not stay away from the race even if party chief Sheikh Hasina requests him.

In Sylhet, a crisis is looming over the nomination for the mayoral post as Awami League leader Babrul Hossain Babul stood against 14-party candidate Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran, also an Awami League leader and ex-Mayor.

Babul is campaigning that Kamran is an accused in a corruption case and urged the inhabitants of Sylhet City Corporation not to vote for him.

Iftekhar on Pinak’s transit proposal: Anything against sovereignty won’t be accepted

UNB, Dhaka

Foreign Affairs Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury Saturday made an unequivocal and firm resolve regarding the question of transit to India, saying the Foreign Ministry will never ever agree to any arrangement which is contrary to Bangladesh's sovereign national interest.

Responding to some reports related to transit to India, he said, "I wish to announce unequivocally and firmly that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will never, under any circumstances, agree to any arrangement that is contrary to our sovereign national interest."

"We are prepared to negotiate with any country on any subject, but no solution can ever be imposed on us without our consent," Iftekhar said adding, "This is an axiomatic truth of our diplomacy."

The Advisor said, "I wish to apprise all concerned about this in the clearest terms, and reassure the nation in this respect."

On Thursday, after a meeting with the Foreign Advisor, Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakrabarty was asked whether the transit issue would come up at the Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi. Pinak had said India has been discussing the matter at all forums as "we are interested in transit."

He said, "We believe it's purely an economic issue, not a political issue at all. But here it is made a political issue though I don't see any reason for that."

Pinak, however, dismissed the idea that India has set any timeframe to get the transit facility from Bangladesh.

UP member killed by robbers: 'Dacoit’ lynched

UNB, Chittagong

An alleged dacoit was lynched after he killed a UP member at Burungchhara in Anwara upazila here early yesterday.

Police said a gang of robbers swooped on the house of Burungchhara UP member Nurul Islam at the dead of night and looted valuables at gunpoint.

At one stage, the robbers stabbed Nurul Islam to death.

Hearing screams of the inmates, villagers rushed in and chased the robbers while they were fleeing.

They caught nine of the robbers and beat one of them to death. Police arrested eight dacoits who were injured in the mass beating.