The New Nation - Internet Edition

Policy on fish breeding, controlling fish feeds soon: Samaddar

BSS, Mymensingh

Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for Fisheries and Livestock Manik Lal Samaddar on Sunday said a policy on fish breeding and controlling fish feeds will be enacted within a month for the development of the country's fish resources.

He called upon the fish scientists to develop new technologies to meet the animal protein by boosting fish production in the country.

There is no alternative to strengthening expanded programmes on pisciculture through reaching the benefits of the research to field-level fish farmers, Samaddar told journalists during his visit to the Sweet Water Centre of Bangladesh Fish Research Institute to see for himself the research activities there.

Earlier, the special assistant presided over the 31st meeting of the institute.

Addressing the meeting, he urged the scientists to evolve developed fish species and strengthen the activities of preserving endangered species of fish through artificial breeding.

Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Syed Ataur Rahman, Professor Dr Sirajul Islam of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Dr Khabir Uddin Ahmad of Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council and Director General of Bangladesh Fish Research Institute Dr MA Majid were present at the meeting.

50 people nabbed on various charges in Rajshahi

BSS, Rajshahi

Police rounded up 50 people, including a drug-trafficker, on various charges from different areas in the city and nine upazilas of the district in last 24 hours ending this evening.

Of them, 21 were nabbed in the metropolis while 29 others from nine upazilas in different anticrime drives, Police arrested drug-trafficker Kalac-hand Ali, 25, and seized 121 bottles of phensidyl, three grams of heroin and six liters of country-made liquor during three separate raids at different places in the city.

Traffic police lodged 65 cases under motor vehicles ordinance and seized four three-wheelers without registration during drives against the non-registered motor vehicles during the time.

Businessman arrested with Indian bidi in Sylhet

UNB, Sylhet

A businessman was arrested along with 14,000 pieces of Indian Nasir bidi from Singerkas Majhgaon village in Biswanath upazila early Thursday.

Acting on a tip off, police raided the house of businessman Tobarak Ali and arrested him along with the bidi at about 4am.

Police filed a case against Tobarak Ali, his brothers Afroz Ali and Rahman Ali in this connection.

In another incident, a drug addict son was handed over to the police by his father at Satpur village in the same upazila on Thursday.

Police said Monaf Ali handed his son Rahim Ali over to the police as Rahim used to torture his family members whenever they failed to give him money for buying drugs.

Anti-drug seminar held in Mymensingh

Our Correspondent, Mymensingh

An anti-drug seminar and death claim cheque distrib-ution programme was held at Shilpakala Academy in Mymensingh on 17th July. Popular Life Insurance Co Ltd organised the programme.

Md Sirajul Islam, Secretary President's Secretariat was present as chief guest and distributed death claim cheque among 35 policy holders while Abdul Awal Hawladar, President's Press Secretary was present as special guest. AKM Shahidur Rahman Additional Director, Narcotics department and ADM Md Najmul Ahsan Khan were also present as special guests. It was presided over by BM Yusuf Ali MD, Popular Insurance Co Ltd.

Erosion by Padma, Jamuna takes serious turn in Pabna

UNB, Pabna

Erosions by the rivers Padma and Jamuna have taken a serious turn in last one week due to sudden rise of water level caused by onrush of hill water and torrential rain.

The rivers devoured hundreds of bighas of cultivable field and a number of dwellings rendering some 100 families homeless.

While visiting the affected areas the correspondent found the people busy shifting their dwelling houses and other valuables. The worst affected areas are Protappur, Old Bharenga and Nagarbari in Bera upazila, Naowagram, Malfia, Indajitpur, Mohonpur, Mohabbatpur, Barkapur, Satbaria, Shyamnagar, Pakkirmore, Sarutia, Kalikapur, Gopalpur, Baliadangi, Kamarhat, Gulchandrapur in Sujanagar upazila.

3 students missing in Cox’s Bazar sea beach

BSS, Cox's Bazar

Three students went missing after a strong tidal wave swept them away into the sea waters at Seagal beach point here on Saturday.

Police said a total of seven students were swept away when they were having bath at the sea beach this morning. But, rescuers recovered four students in critical conditions after frantic efforts in the Bay of Bengal coast. They were admitted to the District Sadar Hospital. The missing students were identified as Robaiyat Hasan Rushdi, 21, son of Bakhtiyar Uddin, Rubel Dash, 20, son of Bikash Das and Rifat Hasan Shawan, 20, son of Nasimul Gani.

All of them are residents of GEC crossing area of Chittagong city, police said adding, rescue operations are on to find the missing students.

Heavy downpour creates water logging in Rupganj

A Correspondent, Rupganj

Dwellers of some areas of Murapara Union Parishad under Rupganj Upazila in Narayangonj are facing untold suffering due to serious water logging for several days for the cause of heavy downpour. Water enters in almost all thatched houses belonging to the poverty stricken people. All roads went under water and none can go out without a boat.

The locals are passing times in great distress. Locals inform, water logging has been a common phenomenon for some years past of these areas as some mills and factories of these localities cannot drain out water properly.

Mongal Khali Govt Priamry School, among other areas was submerged. Abdur Rahim, Secretary Rupganj Primary Teachers Association says, "Teaching and learning of this school in being hampered as water has entered into the classrooms and playground and roads now are under regularly knee-deep water Children cannot attend the classes.

In the meantime, wood made furniture including chair, table, benches were damaged for water logging. Locals demand of building proper drainage and sewerage system.

Ban of controversial 'Muktijoddha Parisad’ demanded

UNB, Chattagong

Speakers at a discussion meeting on Saturday demanded ban of Jamaat-backed 'Jatiya Muktijoddha Parishad' terming it as an organisation of 'fake freedom fighters' and 'killers' of 1971 liberation war.

Ekhattarer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee organized the discussion after forming a human chain at Shaheed Minar premises on the occasion of the death anniversary of seven youths killed in the city on July 26, 1994.

The youths were killed during a protest programme organized for resisting a visit of former Jamaat-e-Islam Amir Golam Azam.

The discussion meting also was demanded the trail of war criminals and punishment of attackers of freedom fighter Sheikh Mohammad Ali Aman at a programme of the so-called freedom fighters' organisation in Dhaka on July 11. They alleged that Jamaat-backed war criminals went beyond control and urged people to resist the war criminals unitedly keeping the spirit of liberation war in mind.

They also urged all not to cast votes for the war criminals and candidates of Jamaat-e-Islam in the coming elections.

'Projanma 71' convenor and teacher of Chittagong University Dr Gazi Saleh Uddin presided over the discussion while Dhaka University Teachers' Association (DUTA) general secretary Dr Anwar Hossain and Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee convenor Shahriar Kabir, among others, spoke at the meeting.

Former BAU VC dead

BAU Correspondent

Scientist of international repute, renowned teacher and former Vice-Chancellor of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) Professor Dr. Md. Zahirul Haque Bhuiyan died of old age complications at the Square Hospital, Dhaka on July 20. He was 77.

He left behind wife, three sons and one daughter, relatives, students, colleagues, and a host of admirers to mourn his death.

Late Md. Zahirul Haque Bhuiyan was born in a respectable Muslim family in Brahmanbaria on January 1, 1932. He did his B.Sc. in 1952 and M.Sc in Soil Science in 1954 from the University of Dhaka with distinction. He did M.S. from Toronto University in 1961 and Ph.D. from University of Florida in 1968. He joined as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Soil Science of the then East Pakistan Agricultural University on 1 August, 1963. He was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor on 1 July, 1965 and BAU Professor on 10 March 1973. Later, Dr. Z.H. Bhuiyan was promoted to the rank of Vice-Chancellor of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU)on October 23,1988 .

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Akhtar Hossain, former BAU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Mosharraf Hussain Mian, teachers, students, Officers, employees and different socio-cultural organisations of the University Campus condoled the death of former Vice-Chancellor Dr. Z.H. Bhuiyan and prayed for the salvation of the departed soul. They also expressed deep sympathy to the members of the bereaved family. His Namaj-e-janaza was held at Purana Paltan Mosque, Dhaka and he was buried at Banani Graveyard.

Body recovered in Sylhet

UNB, Sylhet

Police recovered the body of an auto-rickshaw driver from MC College ground in the city Thursday morning.

The dead was identified as Motin Miah, 26, of Krisnapur village in Sunamganj district.

Local people found the body lying on the college ground early in the morning and informed the police.

Later, police recovered the body that bore stab injury marks and sent it to hospital morgue autopsy.

The motive behind the killing could not be known. A case was filed.

Memorial meet held in Ctg

Correspondent Chittagong

Speakers at a gathering of reminiscence claimed that freedom fighter and journalist Mohammad Idris had been the icon of professional honesty, integrity and courage.

Recalling his uncompromising role in different democratic movements they said his leadership worked well in uniting journalist community against terrorism and injustice.

"Mohammad Idris's demise inflicted irreparable off to the society and in the arena of progressive thinking," they said while paying tributes to the torchbearer of the journalist community.

Professor Mohammad Sikander Khan, journalist Aurun Das Gupta, former CUJ President Ataul Hakim, Anjan Kumar Sen and brother of late Idris Mohammad Yusuf among others addressed it.

Tk 86 cr Rangpur poura budget announced

Our Correspondent, Rangpur

The Authority of Rangpur Pourashava has announce the proposed budget for 2008-09 fiscal involving Taka 85,37,31,000/- crore recently.

Poura Mayor AKM Abdur Rouf Manik announced the budget at a press conference at his office here.

The budget envisages a revenue income of Taka 20,52,06,000 crore while revenue expenditure 14,69,63,000 crore will be available for the develop-ment sector and Taka 19,05,52,000 crore will be spent from development of various infrastructures of the pourashava including maintenance of roads, culverts, reestablishment of children park and establis-hment of water treatment plant.

Obituary

A Correspondent, Rupganj

Tofazzal Hossain Bhuiyan, 62, father of Mashud Bhuiyan, Rupganj Correspondent of the Daily Jai Jai Din died of cardiac arrest on July 22 at his own residence of Ariabo village at Rupganj, Narayanganj.

He left behind wife, 4 sons, 4 daughters, a host of well-wishers and relatives to mourn his death. He was buried at his family graveyard.

Seminar on Thalassemia held in Mymensingh

Our Correspondent, Mymensingh

Thalassemia is a hereditary disease. This is not a contagious disease. This disease occurs due to genetic defect in parents. Normally human red cells persist up to 120 days.

But red cells of thalassemia patients destroy early. As a result they suffer from severe anaemia and many other health-related problems.

For the welfare of thalassemia patients Medicine Club has bee serving them for many years. Their activities include free blood donation, drug distribution, other essential materials distribution, etc. As the continuation of their activities Medicine Club, Mymensingh Medical College Unit organised 'Free Health Checkup Programme' for thalassemia patients on July 18 last.

This programme was cooperated by Dr. Nurul Alam Bashar, Registrar, Neuro Medicine, Mymensingh Medical College Hospital and Dr. Md. Badrul Hasan.

Total benefited thalassemia patients were 21 in number. From Medicine Club there were Md. Niaz Mostofa, General Secretary ad Ishrat Jahan Nitu, Social Welfare Secretary and other members present.

GAP-5 recipients accorded reception in Chuadanga

BSS, Chuadanga

Chuadanga district adminis-tration and Darsana Sugar Mills jointly accorded a reception to GPA-5 recipients in the SSC and Dakhil examinations from different schools and madrasas of the district on Wednesday.

The reception held at the local town Hall was presided over by deputy commissioner of Chuadanga Moklesur Rahman while divisional commissioner of Khulna Md. Eunusur Rahman was present as the chief guest.

Police super Md. Mofizuddin Ahmed, managing director of Darshana Suger Mills Md. Masudar Rahman were present as special guests.

Among others Prof. Siddiqur Rahman, Prof. Md. Israfil and Sonjoy Kumar Chowdhury ADC (general) spoke on the occasion.

A total of 217 GAP-5 recipients were present in the reception. They were given certificates and crests.

Touchstone statue seized, 3 held in Naogaon

BSS, Rajshahi

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) seized a touchstone statue and arrested three persons during an anti-crime drive at a remote village in Naogaon district last night.

Acting on a tip-off, members of the elite force conducted the drive at Bamanchhata village under Mohadevpur upazila and seized a 71-kilogram statue worth about Taka one crore, police said.

The arrested were Khademul Islam, 45, Mosharraf Hossain, 42, and Delwar Hossain, 36.

The arrested persons and the statue were handed over to the concerned police station.

News briefs

2 killed in Comilla road mishap

Comilla, July 25: Two people were killed and five others injured as a bus rammed into a CNG-run auto rickshaw at Tatara in Brahmanpara upazila on Friday. Witnesses said the accident occurred at about 12 noon when a Upazila bound bus from Comilla rammed into the three wheelers, coming from opposite direction, killing two on the spot and injuring five others. The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately, reports UNB.

2 killed in clash

Comilla, July 25 : Two people were killed and 20 others injured in collision between two trains at Laksham junction here Friday noon. Witnesses said an Akhura bound local train from Chittagong collided with Noakhali bound Upakul Express from Dhaka at about 12.30 pm, killing two on the spot. The injured persons were admitted to the Upazila Health Complex. Train communications between the district and other parts of the country remained disrupted till filling this report at 3pm, reports UNB.

One killed in Pabna clashes

Pabna, July 25 : A woman was killed and 10 other people were injured today (Friday) in an attack by rival group at remote Char Peerpur village in Sadar upazila over establishing supremacy in the area. The dead was identified as Saleha Khatun, 50, wife of Abid Ali of the village. Police said around 25/30 people of rival Gani Mollah group attacked the house of Abid Ali of Sattar Mollah group with lethal weapons at about 6am, killing Saleha on the spot. Of the injured, Bakar Biswas, Mahtab Biswas, Tipu Biswas, Ripu Biswas, Rojina Khatun and Milon were taken to Pabna General Hospital for treatment, reports UNB.

42nd annual planning conference ends in Comilla

Comilla, July 25 : The two-day 42nd annual planning conference of Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development (BARD) ended here Thursday. A total of 125 participants from government and non-govern-ment organisations, autonomous bodies, univer-sities and intern-ational organisations took part in the conference. BARD Director General M Khairul Kabir presided over the inaugural and concluding sessions at BARD auditorium. The DG said that BARD as a national institute for rural development has been performing its duties considering the priorities of rural development and poverty reduction programmes of the government through its research, training and project activities, reports UNB.

2 suspected smugglers held in C'nawabganj

Chapainawabganj, July 25 : Two suspected smugglers were arrested with one lakh Indian rupees by police from Octroy crossing of BRTC bus counter in the district town Friday morning. Acting on secret information, Sadar thana police searched Mintu, 36, and Rabiul, 38, both hailed from bordering Bakharali village in Sadar upazila, and recovered the Indian rupees from their possession, reports UNB.

Gamiblers held in Sylhet

Sylhet, July 25 : Thirteen suspected gamblers were arrested by police along with cash money and playing cards from Natunbazar in Bishwanath upazila Wednesday night. Acting on a tip-off, Bishwanath thana police raided Ahad Colony of Natunbazar at about 9pm and arrested them with Tk 15,875 in cash and two sets of playing cards. The arrested were identified as Abdul Ahad, 45, Majnu Mia, 28, Syed Ali, 25, Manfor Ali, 26, Amir Ali, 30, Helal, 22, Joynal, 45, Abul Kalam, 35, Yunus Ali, 21, Abdul Jalil, 40, Rustam Ali, 28, Sabuj Mia, 32, and Manir Ali, 26 reports, UNB.