The New Nation - Internet Edition

Barisal City Corporation polls: Mixed reaction created on non-deployment of army in polling centres

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Mixed reaction has been created among the candidates, officials and voters about non-deployment of army at vote centers on Election Day.

Khan Sayeed Hassan, deputy inspector general of police in charge of Barisal range and commissioner of Barisal Metropolitan Police, said that BCC election would be hold under a non-political government and without interference of political parties and candidates. So this time it would be easy for law enforcing agencies to maintain law and order to hold free fair election. Barisal City Corporation election would be limited in an area of 45 square kilometer and law-enforcing agencies would not face any manpower shortage like nation-wide election days. The law enforcing agency including Police, Range Reserve Force, Rapid Action Batalion, Ansar and Village Defense Force have sufficient strength to maintain the law and order situation and hold free fair election.

Help from near by police stations and districts would also be sought if necessary and services of plain cloth security agency men already activated, BMP commissioner and DIG in charge said.

In each of the 91 centers of BCC election at least 22 to 24 members of law enforcing agencies under an officer would be deployed and extra forces also be stationed at the vulnerable risk-prone centers, he added. Besides mobile vigilance and patrol teams and striking forces would also be deployed in election areas and surrounding the vote center. At least six check post in different entrance and key points of the city would also be opened within a short time. Manirul Islam, Deputy Election Commissioner in charge and retuning officer of BCC election said election commission appended that civil law enforcing agency could be sufficient for maintaining law and order during election period.

Mobile patrol and striking forces would be deployed from August 1 and forces at the vote centers would stationed on August 3. Besides movements of motorized private transports like motorcycles, microbuses, cars would be restricted, he added. On other hand Advocate Enayet Pir Khan, BCC Mayor candidate of Nagorik Parishad, called for deployment of army in vote centers and surrounding areas on Election Day. Advocate Pir said miscreants might take chances to interfere in election as emergency has been relaxed after long days and free fair election would become more vulnerable without deployment of army. So deployment of army at least mobile patrol and striking forces would be helpful for free fair election in a secured atmosphere.

Ahsan Habib Kamal, expelled city BNP president and another major Mayor candidate of BCC election also called for deployment of army at vote centers and surrounding areas on vote day. People have confidence on army rather than civilian law enforcers and absence of armed forces in the field may create risks of snatching ballot boxes, occupying vote centers or other kinds of law lessens, Kamal cautioned. However Ebaidul Huq Chan, former district BNP president and another Mayor candidate of BCC skipping the answer in this regard said we want free fair election. It is the duty of election commission to conduct free fair election and in what way they do it, is not concerned to others. If civilian law enforcing agencies work with competency, sincerity and honesty then there would be no need for deployment of army in election.

Relaxation of emergency power rule would be ended before the Election Day. However it would be better for candidates to extend this relaxation up to one day after the election to enjoy the joy of victory by the supporters of the candidates, Chan further said.

Advocate Shawkat Hossain Hiron, city AL convener and 14 alliance nominated BCC Mayor candidate also expressing the same views like Chan said that present election would be held in a different atmosphere that previous local government elections.

People are now more conscious about their duties and musclemen became absconding. So we hope that election would be free and fair even army would not be deployed, Hiron added.

On other hand like many general voters and most of the mass people Abdullah, a voter of a vulnerable center of Amanatganj area of the city expressed that deployment of army at least as mobile patrol team on election day could create confidence of security among the people and inspire more to go to election centers for casting their votes.

Beware of unknown phone caller

UNB, Sherpur

Falguni Begum alias Bristi, a pretty and smart young woman who has played as paramour in abducting a college student from Dhaka and extracting Tk 7 lakh in ransom was arrested Wednesday night from her father's home in Sherpur town.

A police team led by sub-inspector Ataur Rahman of Dakshin Khan thana of Dhaka stormed into the Madhya Nouhata residence of Syed Ahmed Suja at 10-30pm and picked up his daughter Bristi.

On her confessional statement, police on Friday seized Tk 50,000, a part of the ransom money deposited with the Islami Bank branch in Sherpur town. Immediately the bank cancelled SB A/c No.8304 opened barely four days ago in the name of Falguni Begum.

Police said SI Ataur was staying in plain cloths in the town for the last three days in search of Bristi following confessional statement of four abductors arrested from Satbaria Naruhati in Sujanagar upazila of Pabna district. They are Farrukh Kabir alias Babu (24), son of former AL MP late Ahmed Tafijuddin, former UP member Khalilur Rahman (45), Zilal Sheikh (45) and Sohrab Hossain Sorai (35). Three of them except Zilal who has fallen ill were undergoing intensive interrogation in Dhaka.

Police said Bristi, aged about 20, had developed romantic relationship with Mamoon Mia, a student of Titumir College in Dhaka, through mobile phone. Alluring to a joyous trip she took him to the residence of Khalil Member in remote Naruhati village of Sujanagar in the first week of July.

The four associates of Bristi confined Mamoon in the house of Khalil Member and demanded by phone a heavy ransom from his father to secure his release. Finding no alternative his father paid the ransom of Tk 7 lakh and secured the release of Mamoon from a char of Padma River under Ataikula thana on July 9.

Following description of Mamoon, police succeeded in arresting Khalil Member and three other abductors. They told the police that they are members of the dreaded bahini of Salam Molla, an underg-round outfit active in southwest districts of the country. They also named Bristi as the pioneer of abducting Mamoon.

Family sources of Bristi told UNB that she is known by different names - Bristi, Phalguni and Meghla. Pretty, smart and upstart she read up to Class IX in Alim Madrasha at Nouhata in the town.

While studying in madrasa she fell in love with a student of a vocational institute and married him in 2005. After a year her husband took a second wife and involved in cases. Bristi abandoned him.

Fifth of the eight children of Syed Ahmed Suja, a poor electric mechanic, Bristi could not fit in the poverty ridden family. Wayward Bristi came out of home about 8 months ago and informed parents that she works in a private clinic at Shakhipur in Tangail district.

Elderly Suja said his family has no relationship with Bristi who turned disobedient. She came home along with a woman in the town four days ago and left hours later. But she came home again Wednesday night just before police raided the house and arrested her.

Youth community urged to make movement against HIV/AIDS

BSS, Mymensingh

A day-long seminar on 'Awa-reness raising on HIV/ AIDS for Youths in Bangladesh' was held in the auditorium of Mukul Neketon High School here today.

Organised by National Association of UNESCO Clubs in Bangladesh in cooperation with Bangladesh National Commission for UNESCO.

Secretary general of UNESCO Club central body Dr. Mahmudul Hasan was present as the chief guest while principal of Mumennunnessa Women's College Faruque Ahmed, Principal of Ananda Mohan College Md. Shafiuddin, head teacher of Mukul Neketon High School Amer Ahmed Chowdhury were present as special guests. President of UNESCO club, Mymensingh unit, Ataul Karim presided over the opening session.

Teachers, students, journalists took part at the seminar.

They urged the youth community to come forward to make a movement against HIV/AIDS.

BDRB distributes Tk 10.54 cr loan in Narsingdi

BSS, Narsingdi

Bangladesh Rural Develo-pment Board (BRDB) under eight projects has disbursed easy term loan of Taka 10.54 crore among 38,640 small farmers in the district during the last financial year (2007-2008). BRDB sources said, of the projects, rural livelihood project is the main project.

Under this project, Taka 5.79 crore was disbursed among 19,590 beneficiaries in six upazilas.

The loan was disbursed to enable the creditors and small farmers to become economically self- reliant through different income generating projects including setting up of dairy and poultry farm, pisciculture, goat rearing, cow fattening, small trading and purchasing of agriculture equipment.

BRDB, at the same time, imparted short-term training on uncommon crops production to 1,343 members of the cooper-ative societies.

Smuggled sugar, soybean oil, phensidyl seized, 12 held in Chandpur, Joypurhat

BSS, Chandpur

Coast Guard members seized twelve hundred bags of sugar and 120 drums of soybean oil while selling those in black market near Kanudi bazar under Sadar upazila of the district on Monday.

A team led by Commander Daud raided a cargo launch-MV Jasmin-and found the stolen goods carrying from Dhaka for Jhalakati.

Six persons were arrested in this connection. A case was filed with concerned police station.

BSS, Joypurhat adds: Police arrested 12 people, including a female drug trafficker, and seized 37 bottles of phensidyl in separate drives in the district on Thursday night, police said.

They said a special team of police arrested drug trafficker Merina Parvin, 22, at Atapara village under Panchbibi upazila and seized 37 bottles of phensidyl from her possession.

Besides, Joypurhat thana police arrested five persons, two by Panchbibi thana police, one at Kalai, three at Khetlal and one by Akkelpur thana police.

The arrested were sent to jail after producing them before different courts on Friday.

Adulterated food destroyed in Gaibandha

BSS, Gaibandha

Adulterated food items seized by a mobile court were burnt to ashes on the premises of District Collectorate Building (DCB) here on Thursday. A mobile court led by Executive Magistrate Abu Rafa Md Arif conducted a raid at Jewel Biscuit Agency at Gown Market in the town on Wednesday and then sealed off the warehouse on charge of storing adulterated food items.

On the following day, the mobile court led by Executive Magistrate AKM Galiv Khan recovered the adulterated food items worth about Taka one lakh from the warehouse on Thursday and destroyed those through setting on fire.

The court also filed a case against the owner of biscuit agency.

Workshop on guti urea fertiliser held in Naogaon

BSS, Naogaon

A workshop on use of guti urea fertiliser was held at the auditorium of Sadar upazila parishad on Wednesday.

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) organised the workshop.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Abu Zubair attended the workshop as the chief guest while Upazila Agriculture Officer Mohammad Abbas Ali was in the chair.

The workshop was addressed, among others, by district crop production specialist Moham-mad Sirajul Karim, Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officer Afzal Hossain, farmer Dalilur Rahman, and Mahbub Hossain.

Later, the chief guest distributed guti urea among the farmers.

Narsingdi Zila Football League begins

BSS, Narsingdi

Narsingdi Zila Football League-2008 began at Birsherstra Motiur Rahman Stadium here of Tuesday. Zillar Rahman, Deputy Commissioner and president of Zila Krira Sangstha, inaugurated the match as the chief guest.

Additional Deputy Commis-sioner (general) Mostafa Kamal presided over it. A total of nine teams are taking part in the competition organised by Zila Krira Sangstha.

Tree-fair begins in Chandpur

BSS, Chandpur

A three-day tree fair began at Kachua upazila parishad ground on Monday.

Md Aminul Haq, Dy-director of agriculture extension department, inaugurated the fair as the chief guest. Nurul Basir, TNO, Md Amzad Hossain, upazila agriculture officer, Md Humayun Kabir, mayor, Kachua municipality spoke on the occasion.

A rally was brought out on the occasion.

One commits suicide in Barguna

BSS, Barguna

One person committed suicide by hanging himself at near his house at Choto Labongola village under sadar upazila of the district on Friday.

Police and family sources said the dead was identified as Abdul Jalil 35, son of Jhiraj Hawlader of Choto Lobongola village.

On Friday night Jalil came out at home and hanged himself with a tree near his house. Police recovered the body and sent it to Barguna Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Cause of the suicide could not be known immediately. A UD case was filed with Sadar police station in this connection.

News briefs

Heroin seized in C’nawabganj

CHAPAINAWABGANJ, July 21: BDR jawans seized 2 kgs of heroin from Kodalkathi frontier in Sadar upazila Wednesday midnight. BDR sources said some heroin smugglers entered into the Bangladesh territory from India through Kodalkathi frontier at dead of night. When the border guards gave them a hot chase the smugglers fled the scene leaving behind the heroin. The seized heroin worth Tk 2 crore was later deposited to the BDR headquarters, reports UNB.

One dies falling from bus in Sirajganj

SIRAJGANJ, July 21: An unidentified man died after falling from the rooftop of a bus on Dhaka-Bogra highway at Hatikumrul Gol Chatter under Solonga thana early Wednesday. Police said the middle aged man died on the spot when he fell onto the ground from the rooftop of the Dhaka-bound bus coming from northern region at about 4am. On information, police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy. A case was filed in this connection, reports UNB.

15 pirates sentenced to 17 years imprisonment

SIRAJGANJ, July 21: A court here on Wednesday sentenced 15 pirates to 17 years rigorous imprisonment each for looting huge clothes 18 years ago. The convicts are Kaimuddin, Kaniz, Shahj-ahan, Abdul Majid, Shamsul Haque, Mojibor Rahman, Noizuddin, Rowshan Ali, Abdus Sattar, Abdul Kuddus, Shahjahan, Chanu, Abul Bashar, Abdus Sattar Bulu and Shah Alam. Of them, Kaimuddin, Kaniz, Shajahan and Abdul Majid were tried in absentia while the others, except Abdul Karim, were present in the dock when the judge pronounced the judgment. Abdul Karim died in jail during the trial. According to the prosecution, the pirates looted clothes worth Tk 1.90 crore when some businessmen of Jagtala village in Shahjadpur upazila were shifting those by two boats on October 15, 1990. After examining the records and witnesses, Additional District and Sessions Judge AKM Nizamul Haque handed down the verdict, reports UNB.

2 killed in Madaripur road mishap

MADARIPUR, July 21: A middle aged man was crushed under the wheels of a bus at Somaddar in Sadar upazila on Khulna-Barisal highway Wednesday. Sources said the Barisal bound bus ran over Gafur Kazi, 50, when he was crossing the road at 12 noon. In Dinajpur, a lorry driver was killed in a road accident on the same day. The dead was identified as Shahidul, 26, son of Sadhu Miah of Goshaipur village in Sadar uapzila. Witnesses said when a jackfruit laden truck hit the lorry it fell into a ditch, killing Shahidul on the spot, reports UNB.

Makrampur Bridge in C'nawabganj opens to traffic

CHAPAINAWABGANJ, July 21: Makrampur Bridge over Mahananda river in Gomostapur upazila was opened to traffic on Wednesday after 13 years of starting construction work due to legal complexity. Major General Muhammad Ferdous Miah, GOC of 11 Infantry Division of Bangladesh Army and Area Commander of Bogra region, inaugurated the bridge by unveiling the plaque. Among others, Deputy Commissioner M Sirajul Haque Khan and Executive Engineer of Roads and Highways Department Rabiul Islam were present on the occasion. Roads and Highways Department started construction work of the bridge on Mahananda river in 1995 at a cost of Tk 3 crore to make direct road communication between Bholahat and Gomos-tapur upazilas. But the work was halted after a few days due to legal complexity, reports UNB.