The New Nation - Internet Edition

32,000 city people to get eye treatment at nominal cost

UNB, Dhaka

Some 32,000 city people will get eye treatment, including cataract operation, at nominal cost in five years from October this year under Dhaka Urban Comprehensive Eye Care Project (DUCECP).

Among the target people, the poor will get the treatment free of cost, DUCECP officials told a two-day workshop here.

The workshop titled 'Planning Workshop for Dhaka Urban Comprehensive Eye Care Project' concluded at Islamia Eye Hospital yesterday. DUECP organized the workshop.

According to the organizers, people will be able to receive comprehensive eye treatment for cataract problems, low vision, refraction error, DCT, DCR etc.

Four eye hospitals, including Islamia Eye Hospital, will carry out the treatment under the project, assisted by Sight Savers International, Bangladesh and Standard Chattered Bank.

Forty representatives from government agencies and NGOs took part in the workshop.

Country Director of Sight Savers International Dr Wahidul Islam, Islamia Eye hospital acting director general Dr AFM Kamal Uddin, DUECP project manager Nurun Nabi, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Action against overloaded launches ahead of Eid

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Inland Transport Authority (BIWTA) is going to take stern action against the launches overloaded with passengers from the 21st Ramadan.

It was informed at a meeting at the conference room of BIWTA's Motijheel office Tuesday morning.

Presided over by BIWTA chairman Abdul Mannan Hawlader, the meeting was also attended by Director General of Shipping Captain AKM Shafiullah, acting president of Bangladesh Inland Water Passenger Carriers Association (BIWPCA) Al Haj Badiuzzaman Badal and senior officials of BIWTA and BIWPCA.

BIWTA Chairman said, "No launches will be allowed to carry passengers on its top deck as we want every home bound passengers to reach their destinations safely and timely".

The meeting decided to brief the launch masters about the decision and to deploy volunteers alongside the law enforcers at the launch terminals to maintain discipline there ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr.

Launches will not be allowed to anchor in midstream of the River Buriganga. Launch masters will anchor their launches only on the northern side of the river.

Number of the existing platoons and gangways will be increased before the Eid, which will be deployed to the specific launch routes.

The meeting asked the official concerned to hang chart of the launch fare. It also asked the launch masters to leave the terminal soon after the port officers ask them to leave.

AL iftar honours new mayors

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The Awami League held an iftar party yesterday in honour of the newly sworn-in mayors of four city corporations, at the Gulshan home of acting party chief Zillur Rahman.

Sylhet mayor Badruddin Ahmed Kamran, Khulna's Talukder Abdul Khaleque, Rajshahi's Khairuzzaman Liton and Barisal's Shawkat Hossain Hiron attended the party.

The four mayors took their oaths of office, earlier in the day, along with 157 councillors.

Zillur Rahman and AL's acting general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam greeted them with flowers.

AL leaders Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak and Tofail Ahmed were present.

The four mayors had resigned their party posts before taking their oaths, in compliance with new electoral law.

Kamran was president of the Awami League Sylhet city unit, Hiron was convener of AL Barisal city unit, Liton was general secretary of AL Rajshahi city unit and Khaleque was president of AL Khulna city unit.

Prisoner commits suicide in Ctg jail

UNB, Chittagong

An under-trial prisoner allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling of a bathroom at district jail early yesterday.

Jail sources said Jahangir Alam, 27, son of Ashraf Ali of Karaiya village in Satkania upazila was arrested on July 12 on charge of killing his wife.

Jahangir woke up during the Sehri and hanged himself in the bathroom

by using a towel, the sources said.

Jail guards later recovered the body by breaking the door of the bathroom and sent it to Chittagong Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

Justice Fazlul Haque granted bail in graft case

UNB, Dhaka

Former Law Adviser Justice Fazlul Haque was granted bail yesterday in a graft case filed against him by the Anti-Corruption Commission for amassing illegal wealth and hiding information about it.

The ex-Adviser surrendered to Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's court through his lawyers and submitted bail petition.

After hearing, Metropolitan Sessions Judge M Azizul Haque granted him bail on a security bond of Tk 20,000.

Charge-sheet was submitted to the court on September 2 accusing him of acquiring wealth worth Tk 1.8 crore beyond known sources of income and concealment of information of wealth worth about Tk 91 lakh.

The court had issued warrant of arrest against the former Adviser of President Iajuddin-led caretaker government. He was also granted three months ad-interim bail by the High Court.

Floods likely to be over by weekend: FFWC

BSS, Dhaka

The floods are likely to be over by the weekend as all the country's rivers, including the majors, the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, the Ganges-Padma and the Meghna are retreating, Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) sources said on Tuesday.

The situation in the northern districts continued to improve. The situation in the south-central districts remained either unchanged or improved slightly. But it is very much expected to start improving significantly during the next 24-48 hours, the sources told BSS.

The Brahmaputra-Jamuna maintained its falling rate at a fast pace and will keep it unchanged during the next 3-4 days. The Ganges-Padma also continued to wane at a fast pace and is likely to maintain it during the next 2-3 days. The Meghna, flowing steady yesterday, may start receding during the next 24-48 hours.

The situation in the northeast started improving. The Surma and the Kushiyara are falling down. The Kangsha in Netrakona is also flowing below danger level.

Rains are declining with no chances of higher rains, the sources said.

According to reports from Indian sources, the Brahmaputra at Dhubri has been falling fast and will maintain it. The reports from Farakka said the Ganges there is also on the decline and would continue to fall further, the FFWC sources added.

JMB cadre gets 10-yr RI in Ctg

BSS, Chittagong

The Speedy Trial Tribunal (STT) here yesterday sentenced a cadre of outlawed militant outfit Jamiaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) to 10-year rigorous imprisonment (RI) in the sensational series bombing case.

The case was lodged with Khulshi thana in connection with the bomb blasts at GEC crossing and 17 other spots at a time in the port city on August 17, 2005, that left two persons injured.

Judge of the special court Shafiqul Karim pronounced the verdict convicting the JMB cadre, Jabed Iqbal alias Mohammad, for his involvement in the bomb blasts, court sources said.

The court also fined the convict Taka 5,000, in default, to suffer another one year in jail.

It acquitted Ayub Mia and Delwar Hossain as allegations brought against them were not proved.

Earlier, the court dropped three kingpins of the JMB Sheikh Abdur Rahman, Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai and Ataur Rahman Sunny from charge sheet as they were executed last year following another court verdict.

The court examined 12 out of 22 prosecution witnesses in the trial process, the sources said.

Alliance leaders holding meeting at Delwar residence

UNB, Dhaka

Leaders of the BNP led 4-party alliance sat in a closed-door meeting last night to decide how to greet BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on her expected release from detention today and the next course of action to secure early election.

The meeting started at about 9-45pm at the NAM residence of Knandkar Delwar Hossain. Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid of Jamaat, Shamim Al Mamoon of BJP, Maulana Ishaq of Khelafat Majlis are present in while Abdul Latif Nezami of IOJ has not yet reached.

Alliance sources told UNB that the meeting would decide how former prime minister Khaleda Zia would be received when she is expected to set free from the sub-jail today.

Detained since September last year on charges of corruption and accused in a number of cases, Khaleda has been granted bail in all the cases.

The meeting will also discuss about sending abroad Tarique Rahman, elder son of Khaleda and senior joint secretary general of BNP for treatment. Tarique was accused in 13 corruption and extortion cases but set free on bail in all the cases.

The sources said the meeting would discuss future course of action to secure early election to Parliament.