The New Nation - Internet Edition

Handloom factories facing setback in Narsingdi

BSS, Narsingdi

Hundreds of handloom factories including Jamdani, Katan and Benarashi in the district are facing setback due to high price of yarn and dye and unhindered smuggling of Indian fabrics in the local markets.

Local entrepreneurs said, a group of dishonest yarn and dye traders are making the yarn and dye market unstable with an ulterior motive for earning more money by creating crisis of yarn and dye. In this adverse situation, a large number of handloom factory owners have compelled to close down their factories rendering about one lakh weavers and workers jobless.

According to District Handloom Training Center, there were over 25,000 handlooms factories in the district and have been producing saris, lunges, napkins, bed-sheet, scarfs etc. But high price of yarn and dye and flourishing of smuggling Indian fabric compelled about fifty percent weavers to leave their traditional job. Abdur Rahim, a katan and benarashi factory owner of Karimpur village, told BSS that he started the factory with 10 looms in 1982. But price hike of yarn and dye and an uneven competition with smuggled Indian saris shrunk his business into two looms at present.

Lunge producer Lal Miah of Raipura, bed-sheet producer Alamgir at Patchdona had also face same problem and closed-down their factories.

RUET JCD activist assaulted by BCL activist

Our Correspondent, RU

A Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) activist of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) was seriously injured by the attack of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists on Thursday when he remarked on AL Chief Sheikh Hasina and 21 August.

The injured JCD activist was identified as Sujon, a third year student of Mechanical department of RUET. He was under treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Campus sources said that the BCL of RUET unit observed the day of '21st August' in the campus on Thursday at about 12.30 pm. At that time, a group of JCD activists led by Sujon, Lalon, Rasul and Ahmed were going beside the meeting now and commented bitter on the 21 August day and Awami League Chief Sheikh Hasina.

BCL activists protest the remark and chased the JCD activists. Later, BCL activists caught Sujon and beat up him seventy with iron roads and bamboo sticks and others JCD activists managed to flee.

On information, police rushed on the spot rescued JCD activist Sujon. Two platoons of police have been deployed on the campus to avoid untoward incident. Nobody yet to file any case in this connection till on Thursday afternoon, sources of Matihar Police Station said.

One sentenced to 17 yr RI for possessing illegal arms

Our Correspondent, Barisal

A trial court in Barisal on Thursday sentence one Harunur Rashid Patwari alias Shipon Patwari to 17 years rigorous imprisonment under two separate sections of arms act for possessing illegal arms ammunitions.

Prosecution said a patrol team of Rapid Action Battalion arrested Shipon after chasing from Abdur Rob Serniabat College area of Kawnia region of the city on October 27, 2007, when he tried to flee away seeing the patrol team of RAB.

A shutter gun with 5 rounds arms ammunitions were recovered from the possession of Shipon and Abul Kasem, a RAB official, as complainant lodged a case against Shipon under arms act with Barisal Kotwali police station in this connection on the same day.

Sub Inspector Shahabuddin of Kotwali police and Sub Inspector Ataur Rahman of RAB-8 investigated the case and charge sheet against Shipon submitted on November 17, 2007.

Md Shahidullah, judge of the district special tribunal no. 1 and district and session judge of Barisal handed down the verdict under section 19(a) and 19(f) of arms act after examining 8 out of 13 witnesses.

Training on women rights held in Gaibandha

BSS, Gaibandha

A two-day-long training for the leaders of family clubs on "Women rights and family law affairs" ended at Rahman Nagar Technical School and College under Gidari union at Sadar Upazila in the district on Thursday. Manusher Jonno Foundation provided financial assistance. A total of 25 women of the union took part in it.

Aug 21 carnage: Capital punishment to attackers demanded

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Barisal district and city Awami League held a meeting at district Bar Association Auditorium on Thursday afternoon demanding fair investigation, speedy trial and capital punishment of the attackers and their godfathers of the August 21 grenade blast.

The meeting was presided over by Muhammad Hossain Chowdhury , city AL president in charge and addressed by Manirul Ahsan Khan, district AL secretary in charge, Advocate Talukdar Md. Yunus, Syed Anis, AKM Jahangir, Afzalur Rahman, Mashiur Rahman Mintu, Principal Faridul Alam Jahangir, Kohinur Begum and other leaders of district and city AL and front organisation.

Call to elect honest candidates in nat'l poll

Our Correspondent, Gafargaon

Gafargaon Theatre and Sujan jointly organised a discussion on citizens role in electing honest and qualified candidate in nationaly polls on 14th August at local Dakbungalow premises. Chairman of the Medona Group Akteruzzaman inaugurated the meeting.

On the occasion, chief guest Prof Mozaffar Ahmed said, we should elect honest and competent people for the betterment of the country. The meeting was presided over by Dr HA Tafa Golondaz. Among others, Prof Mohini Mohan Chakrabarti, Prof Nurul Huda, Prof Altaf Hossain, journalist- columnist Faizus Saleheen, cultural activist Noor Abedin and H Kabir Titu also spoke on the occasion.

One slaughtered in Madaripur

Our Correspondent, Madaripur

A Young man was slaughtered to death by terrorists at village Purbo Rasti under Sadar Upazila on the night of August 15.

Police and local sources said, some identified terrorists called a businessman named Al Amin (30), son of Syed Ali Sarder, out of his house at dead of night and slaughtered him and left the body in a nearby paddy field.

Majida Begum, the mother of the victim, filed a case implicating 3 persons in this connection.

Eye-witnesses said that one eye of the victim was gouged out and there was signs of slaughter in the throat of the victim. The murder might have been committed due to previous enmity. Meer Abdus Sattar, the Officer in-charge (OC) of Madaripur said, two suspected persons have already been arrested in this connection. They are identified as Pagla (35) and Uttam (25). The body has been sent to Sadar Hospital for post mortem. It may be mentioned that another youth named Arif was killed two kilometres away from the spot two months ago.

Young girl commits suicide in Rupganj

A Correspondent, Rupganj

A young girl of village Bangshi Nagar of Rupganj Upazila in Narayanganj committed suicide by drinking poison on 19th August last after being raped by an unruly youth of the same village.

The police sources said, one Nomita Rani Biswas 22, daughter of Sree Niran Biswas was taken out form the house alluring her with a job in a garment factory of Niran Biswas 34, son of Sashi Boshon Biswas of the same village on the 5th August last.

He took her to an unknown house of Karnagoap area and raped her overnight. Later she was taken to unknown places of Sonargaon Thana and raped for some days. Being informed her father rescued her and filed a case with the Sonargaon Thana in this connection.

Niran Biswas started threatening her father to withdraw the case otherwise his daughter again would be raped. In this phase Nomita Rani committed suicide by taking poison.

Tawhidur Islam, Assistant Police Super of Narayanganj District and OC of the Rupganj Thana visited the spot and registered another case in this connection and the dead body was sent to morgue for autopsy.

News briefs

Views-exchange meet held in Netrakona

Netrakona, Aug 23 : A views-exchange meeting on "open house day" was held at Telegathi Degree College campus at Atpara Upazila in the district on Thursday. Atpara Thana organised the meeting to discuss the matters related to crime control methods and role of police in maintaining law and order. Acting Police Super Saidur Rahman Khan attended the meeting as the chief guest with Telegathi union parishad Chairman Jahangir Hasan in the chair, reports BSS.

Clinical seminar held in Rajbari

Rajbari, Aug 23 : A day-long clinical seminar and general meting organised by Bangladesh Diploma Medical Association (BMDA) of Rajbari district unit was held at Shilpakala academy on Friday. Dr M Shaheedur Rahman, President of BMDA central committee, attended the function as the chief guest. It was addressed, among others, by Dr Biswas Sawpan Kumer, former central committee general secretary, Dr Samir Kumer Hira, secretary of Rajbari district unit, Dr Narul Islam, of Rajbari and representative of Magura, Khustia, Faridpur districts. A total 100 Diploma Medical Association activists and journalists took part in the seminar, reports BSS.

39 persons held in Rajshahi

Rajshahi, Aug 21 : Police, in different anticrime drives, picked up 39 persons on various charges from different areas in city and nine upazilas of the district on Monday. Of them, 17 were arrested from different areas in the metropolis while 22 others from nine upazilas. Traffic police lodged 17 cases under the motor vehicles ordinance and seized a motorbike during drives against non-registered motor vehicles and other document related malpractices in different parts of the city, reports BSS.

OMS of rice starts in Jamalpur

Jamalpur, Aug 21 : Rice in open market sale (OMS) started in the district yesterday. A total of 84 OMS centres have been set up in the district of which 21 in district headquarter, 9 in Jamalpur Sadar Upazila, 10 in Sarishabari, 9 in Madergonj, 8 in Melandah, 9 in Islampur, 9 in Dewangonj and 9 in Bokshiganj upazila. District food controller G.M. Faruk Hossain Patowari inaugurated the OMS centre at Nayapara in the town yesterday morning, reports BSS.

Body Recovered

RANGAMATI, Aug 21 : Police recovered a body on Wednesday from Kathachhara village under Baghaichhari upazila in the district and arrested three persons in this connection. The dead was identified as Ladu Moni Chakma of Red Gobachhar village under Baghaichhari upazila. Previous enmity might be the reason of the murder, police said.Chikon Poti Chakma, wife of the victim, filed a case yesterday with concerned police station in this connection accusing the arrested persons-Nur Alam, 28, Mohammed Ali, 30, and Zahur, 36 reports BSS.

Reception accorded

to GPA-5 students in Kurigram

Kurigram, Aug 21: Kurigram Pourasabha accorded a reception to GPA-5 students in the district at Town Hall auditorium here on Wednesday. Deputy Commissioner of Kurigram Mohammad Jalal Uddin attended the function as the chief guest while pourasabha Mayor Abu Bakar Siddiqui was in the chair. The function was addressed, among others, by Additional Deputy Commissioner Mir Johurul Islam, Editor of the daily Kurigram SM Sanalal Bakshi, Kurigram press club president Mominul Islam Monju, Principal Mozammel Huq, Dr Aminul Islam and Kurigram government high school Headmistress Farida Yasmin, reports BSS.