The New Nation - Internet Edition

Number of voters reduced by over 1.53 lakh in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

The total number of voters has been reduced by more than 1.53 lakh in all eight upazilas of the district this time than that of the previous number of the year 2006, official sources said.

Sources in the District Election Office said after completion of voters registration in the district, the present number of voters now stands at 17,06,721 against the number of 18,60,300 of the year 2006.

As a result, the number of voters has been reduced by 1,53,579 voters in the district following preparation of the accurate voters lists during the recently completed process of voters registration with photographs and preparing of the national identity cards, officials said.

The present number of voters stands at 4,03,507 against the number of 4,32,965 of the year 2006 in Sadar upazila, 1,73,723 against 1,96,835 in Gangachara upazila, 79,896 against 85,085 in Taraganj upazila and 1,70,943 against 1,84,729 in Badarganj upazila. Besides, the present voter number stands at 1,35,110 against 1,49,485 voters of 2006 in Kawnia upazila, 1,90,411 against 2,23,009 voters in Pirgacha upazila, 3,12,838 against 3,38,726 voters in Mithapukur upazila and 2,36,293 against 2,54,473 voters of 2006 in Pirganj upazila, sources said.

Cops, UP chairman sued for taking bribe in Satkhira

UNB, Satkhira

A case was filed against three policemen, including officer-in-charge of Debhata thana, and an acting UP chairman on charge of taking bribe.

Sakhina Khatun, wife of Azizar Rahman of Bahera village in Debhata upazila, filed the case with Ashish Ranjan Das's District and Sessions Judge Court on Tuesday.

The case was filed against OC Lokman Hekim, SI Raziur Rahman and ASI Kamrul Islam and acting Kulia UP Chairman Abdul Hannan.

The court ordered a judicial magistrate to submit report after investigation within seven days.

In her complaint Sakhina said that the accused policemen arrested her son Shariful Islam and threatened to send him to the court in a drug case.

When relatives requested the OC to release Shariful, he demanded Tk 50,000 bribe from them but they gave him Tk 10,000 through the Chairman Abdul Hannan.

As the family members failed to give the rest of the money, the OC sent Shariful to the court with the allegation that they recovered six bottles of phensidyl from him.

Sakhina Khatun, in her complaint, also said that Shariful along with some local youths helped police seizing some consignments of phensidyl, which made Chairman Hannan angry as he was involved in it.

While asked, Abdul Hannan denied the allegation. Meanwhile, the OC refuting allegations against him said Shariful is a listed terrorist and wanted in a number of cases.

3 killed, 4 injured in separate road mishaps in B'baria, Rangpur

BSS, Brahmanbaria

A minor boy was killed in a road accident on Dhaka-Sylhet highway under Sarail Upazila of the district on Friday.

Police said the dead was identified as Sumon Mia, son of Abdul Hakim of Islamabad village in Noagao Union. The accident occurred when a Dhaka-Sylhet bound truck ran over the boy while he was crossing the road. He died on the spot. Police handed over the body to the victim family. A case was filed with Sarail police station in this connection.

Meanwhile, Two persons were killed and four others injured in two separate road accidents at different places in Rangpur and Thakurgaon districts on Friday, Police sources said. Five persons were injured when a Rangpur-bound truck from Bogra rammed into a roadside shop at Zamtola point on the Bogra-Rangpur highway under Pirganj upazila in Rangpur.

Of them, injured Tazul Islam, 30, son of Abdus Sohban of Zamtola village of the upazila succumbed to his injuries on way to Rangpur Medical College Hospital and injured Osman Gani, 30, Manjila, 6, Abdul Mannan, 30, and Sohel, 5, are undergoing treatment there.

In another accident, one Abul Hossain, 50, son of late Islam Uddin of village Mohishmari in Baliadangi upazila of Thakurgaon, was killed on the spot when a minibus hit him at Shimultoli point in the upazila.

Two separate cases were filed in these connections with the respective police stations, the sources said.

1,225 primary teachers get subject-based training

BSS, Gaibandha

Subject-base training for the teachers of primary schools of Sundarganj Upazila in the district was held during the last fiscal year aimed at creating teaching and professional skill.

Upazila Resource Centre (URC) organised the training under Primary Education Development Programme Phase-II. Under this programme, a total of 1,225 teachers of government registered and community schools of the upazila were imparted training on the subjects of Mathematics, Bengali and Social Science in 49 batches, URC sources said. Some 25 teachers participated in the five-day training course in each batch.

Funeral of FF Amol held in Jhalakati

UNB, Jhalakati

Funeral of septuagenarian freedom fighter Amol Das was held at his Bashbunia village in Kathalia upazila with state honour on Wednesday. Family members said Amol Das, 70, who was suffering from old age ailments since long, died on way to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital on Tuesday night. Childless freedom fighter Amol left behind his wife and a host of relatives and admirers to mourn his death.

3 miscreants held with arms, ammunition in Ctg

BSS, Chittagong

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in separate raid arrested three miscreants, recovered three firearms and six cartridges from separate places in the city and district on Wednesday.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of RAB raided Hotel Alisha at New Mooring area under Bandar Thana in the city and arrested Minhaj, 24, Manab Kumar Sarkar, 23 and Mohammad Shahparan, 35, along with one light gun, two cartridges and a knife, a RAB press release said.

In another drive, RAB personnel recovered two single barrel guns and four cartridges in an abandoned state from Baruakhali area of Cox's Bazar Sadar at about 1 AM on Wednesday.

Body recovered from launch in Barisal

BSS, Barisal

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) recovered a body from the cabin of a launch on Wednesday morning.

RAB sources said, a team of the elite force in a raid recovered the body later identified as Golam Rahman Khan, 50, Senior Operation Officer of Jamuna Oil Company Ltd, Chittagong, from the cabin of MV Parabot-11.

RAB also arrested three persons including a woman in this connection. It was suspected that Golam Rahman was strangled in his cabin at night. The arrested persons are identified as Fatema Rahaman, 40, wife of Mashiur Rahman of the town, Redwan Ahmed, 32, son of late Kabir Ahmed of Maijdi of Noakhali district and Mahamudur Rahman, 37, son of late Chandey Ali Mridha of the town, the source added.

RAB seized Taka 78,440 in cash, a cheque for Taka one lakh, two mobile phone sets from the possessions of the arrested persons. RAB sources also said the family feud and dispute over land between Fatema Begum and the dead might be the reasons behind the killing of Golam Rahman Khan. A case was lodged with Kotwali Thana police in this connection.

Seminar on earthquake held in Sylhet

UNB, Sylhet

A seminar on earthquake was held at Shahjalal Science and Technology University here Thursday.

Civil and Environmental Engineering Department (CEE) of the varsity and Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre (ADPC) jointly organized the seminar.

Varsity vice chancellor Dr M Aminul Islam was present as chief guest. Proctor Dr Golam Ali Haider and ADPC engineer Khaled Mashfiq, among others, attended the seminar.

Speakers at the seminar laid stress on making people aware about the earthquake risk as Sylhet region falls within the most earthquake prone zone of the country.

ADPC provided CEE department two computers, one digital camera and a modem for conducting research on earthquake.

Phensidyl seized in Brahmanbaria

BSS, Brahmanbaria

Police seized 25 bottles of phensidyl from railway station area in the town on Wednesday.

One person was also arrested in this connection who was identified as Babul Miah, 40, of late Rashid Miah of Uttar Pairtala under Sadar Upazila.

Opinion sharing

meet held in

Naogaon

BSS, Naogaon

A views-exchange meeting organised by BRAC Centre under its Education Programme was held here on Wednesday.

BRAC officials Manik Chandra Das, M Anwarul Islam, Farida Parvin, Shahina Akhter, Alta Parvin and Azlema Khatun discussed about early marriage, gender issues, HIV/AIDS, etc. Among others, teachers, journalists, imams were present at the meeting.

3 held, phensidyl seized in Lalmonirhat

BSS, Lalmonirhat

Police arrested three drug traffickers and seized 50 bottles of smuggled Phensidyl from Bishbari area in Sadar Upazila of the district on Friday.

Acting on a tip off, a special police squad from Sadar Thana raided the area and arrested drug traffickers Lovely Begum, 33, Lilly Begum, 25, and Abdul Hamid, 30, of frontier village Kornopur in Sadar upazila.

The squad also seized 50 bottles of Phensidyl after searching their bodies.

A case was filed in this connection with Lalmonirhat Sadar Thana and the arrested persons were sent to jail hajat after producing before a Lalmonirhat court,police said.

Five persons arrested in Brahmanbaria

BSS, Brahmanbaria

Police in separate drives arrested five persons including two drug peddlers at different places in the district on Friday.

Police said the arrested two drug peddlers were identified as Faruque son of Shamsu Mia of Nalgaria village and Swapon, son of Janu Mia at the same village.

In another drive police arrested Mehdi Hasan of Kazipara village, Miajan Chowdhury of Kawtali village and Ramzan Ali of Sutiara village.

4094 tonnes rice procured in Chuadanga

BSS, Chuadanga

A total of 4094 tonnes of rice and 380 tonnes of paddy have been procured from four upazilas of the district under the on going procurement drive of Irri-Boro paddy and rice till yesterday.

The drive was done through five procurement centres of the district.

According to an official source, the government has fixed up a target to procure 8,939 tonnes of rice and 2,261 tonnes of paddy during the current procurement drive from the four upazilas, Chuadanga sadar, Alamdanga, Damurhuda and Jibannagar. The procurement drive of both paddy and rice is going on satisfactorily.

The procurement drive is to be continued till last day of this month, the source added.

Youth crushed under wheels of train in Jamalpur

UNB, Jamalpur

A young man was crushed under the wheels of a train at Pashchim Nayapara on Jamalpur-Bahadurabad route in the district town Tuesday night.

The deceased was identified as Monsur Helal, 25, son of Jafar Ahmed of Panch Rasta More in the town.

Police said Helal suddenly fell on the railroad track at about 11pm when the Bahadurabad-bound train from Dhaka was crossing the area.

On information, railway police recovered the body and sent it to hospital for autopsy.

A UD case was filed.

Fruit, tree fair begins in Gaibandha

BSS, Gaibandha

A 3-day fruit-bearing tree fair organised by the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has begun on the premises of upazila parishad of the district on July 29.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Kabir Al-Asad inaugurated the fair as the chief guest and Officer in-Charge of Gobindaganj Thana SM Shiblee Noman was present as special guest. Presided over by Shah Alam Prodhan Maznu, Chairman of Shalmara Union Parishad, the function was also addressed, among others, by upazila agriculture officer Mir Abdur Razzak, agri-engineer Sarwar Morshed, sub-assistant plant protection officer M. Mostafizur Rahman and NGO worker AKM Amirul Islam. The speakers of the function stressed the need for planting more saplings of fruit-bearing trees with a view to maintaining the ecological balance and ensuring future savings.

Later, saplings of different fruit-bearing trees were distributed among the students of the schools free of cost.

A total of 20 stalls have been set up in the fair.

News briefs

One awarded life term for rape in Magura

Magura, Aug 1 : A special court here Thursday convicted a man and awarded him life term imprisonment for violating a minor girl. The court also fined the convict, Mizanur Rahman, 20, Tk 50,000, in default, to suffer one year more RI. According to the prosecution, Mizanur allured the 8-year old minor girl of giving toys and violated her at Rajarampur village in Sadar upazila on January 16, 2007. A case was filed. After examining the records and witnesses, Judge of Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal M Nazir Ahmed handed down the verdict, report UNB.

Phensidyl recovered in Jhalakati

Jhalakati, Aug 1 : Police arrested a man and recovered 130 bottles of Indian phensidyl from a rickshaw van in the district town Wednesday midnight. A police patrol team challenged the rickshaw van on its way to Barisal and arrested Shaheen Sarder, 23, from the vehicle while his two associates managed to flee the scene. Later, Shaheen was taken to the Sadar thana along with the rickshaw van and police recovered the phensidyl bottles from a box kept hidden in the van. Shaheen hailed from Rajapur village under Benapole thana of Jessore district. A case was filed, report UNB.

Two electrocuted

in Mymensingh

Mymensingh, Aug 1 : Two people, including a woman, were electrocuted at Tamat village in Bhaluka upazila Thursday. The dead were identified as Helim Uddin, 35, and his cousin Rahima Khatun, 26, of Tamat village in the upazila. Police said Helim and Rahima died on the spot when they came in contact with a live electric wire of Palli Bidyut Samity at 10am near their house. A UD case was filed, report UNB.

One killed in roof collapse in Patuakhali

Patuakhali, Aug. 1: A child labourer was killed and two other labourers were injured when the roof of an old building of Khepupara Radar Station collapsed Friday morning. Witnesses said the roof of dilapidated Generator Bhaban collapsed at about 7:30am when the labourers were breaking it, killing Gaffar, 12, on the spot. On information, fire fighters rushed to the scene and pulled out Gaffar's body from under the debris. Of the injured, Gaffar's father Anwar, 40, was admitted to Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in a critical condition while Nizam, 30, to Kalapara Hospital, report UNB.

2 killed in Faridpur road mishap

Faridpur, Aug 1 : A bus driver and his helper were killed and 15 people injured when a bus hit a truck, parked on Dhaka-Khulna Road, at Shibrampur area in Sadar upazila early Friday. Bus driver Fazlul Haque, 42, and his helper Alim Uddin, 29, died instantly. Police said the accident occurred at about 2am when a Dhaka-bound bus from Satkhira hit the truck in front of Aziz Pipe Limited. The injured persons were admitted to Faridpur Medical College Hospital. A case was filed with the police in this connection, report UNB.

210 sacks fertilizer seized in Patuakhali

Patuakhali, Aug 1: Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members seized 210 sacks of urea fertilizer from Subidkhali bazar in Mirzaganj upazila here and arrested two people on Thursday. The arrested are Abu Hanif, 44 and Nuru Mridha, 35. RAB sources said acting on a tip-off, they raided the market and seized the fertilizer which was allocated for distribution among the Sidr-affected farmers. The fertilizer and the arrested men were handed over to police. A case was filed, report UNB.