The New Nation - Internet Edition

Eid shopping getting momentum in Barisal

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Eid Shoppers are crowding the big shops and streets of Barisal city to purchase clothings, apparels, fashionable goods, shoes and other footwears and even ornaments for their dear ones. After cessation of rains a fine weather is prevailing in Barisal encouraging the people from outside the city and even from other districts to come to Barisal city for marketing on the eve of Eid and Puja festival. But the festive mood of the intending buyers is somewhat paled by the high and exorbitant price of goods. A jeans pant of moderate quality is sold at taka 1000 or more while a three piece apparel of some what quality for a young girl is selling at Taka 1200/-or more. Price of a somewhat good quality shirt is more than taka thousand while a metre of pantpieceof mediocre quality is Taka 600 or more. Price of saree, however seams to have passed all others. Georgete saree favourite for the ladies surused to sell at taka 1000 or arounds last year but this year it is being sold at Taka 2000 in the minimum. Ordinary cotton web sarees are sold at taka 500 or more.

Shoes or footwears are another burden on parents and guardians. Shoes of moderate quality sell at Taka 1500 or more while an ordinary pair of sandals sells at Taka 400 or more.

Price for household materials like wooden cots, chairs, furnitures has also increased considerably and also that of crockeries and utensils.

Festival mood may prove expensive for other reasons also. Price of rice used for preparation of polao was about taka 80 to 85 per kg two months ago but this year selling at taka 110 to 115 per kg. Broiler chicken sells at taka 120 per kg. There has been however a slight reduction of price of soyabean oil.

There is another worrying factor for people. All the price, which has gone high up, ever come down after festival.

100-day job generation programme inaugurated in Natore

Our Correspondent, Natore

100-day job generation programme launched at Baraigram Upazila Parishad Auditorum in Natore on Monday last. Deputy Commissioner of Natore Shahin Ahmed Chowdhury attended the function as the chief guest, while Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Baraigram Pronob Kumar Ray presided over the meeting and Upazila Agriculture Officer SM Quamruzzaman, Education Officer Md Abdul Latif Molla spoke at the function. Among others Engineer Md. Jahurul Islam, Fishery Officer Md Rezaul Islam, Project Immunisation Officer SM Shamim Ehsan, Youth Development Officer Md Umirul Islam and Election Officer Md Mahmud Hassan attended the function.

The speakers said, one person of family having five members on an average will get Tk 100 per working day against his labour to be utilised in different types of rural infrastructure projects like canal digging, embankment building, earth filling, etc. Deputy Commissioner, Natore urged all to work unitedly for development.

12 bombs recovered in Shariatpur

UNB, Shariatpur

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members recovered 12 bombs from a shop at Nolta in Noria upazila early Friday.

Acting on secret information, a RAB team at around 4:00am raided a shop in the area and recovered the bombs which were kept inside a carton.

RAB sources said there was a gunfight between two terrorist groups-one led by Chunnu and another by Nasir - at Nolta on August 24 that left 10 people injured, six with bullets.

The elite force suspected that one terrorist group might have kept the bombs at the shop to use during further clash.

Huge contraband drugs seized, 8 arrested in 3 N-districts

BSS, Rangpur

The law enforcing agencies in separate drives arrested eight criminals and seized huge quantities of contraband drugs from Rangpur, Dinajpur and Gaibandha districts during the past 24 hours till Saturday morning, police said.

The RAB arrested drug trafficker Hanif, 24, of Durgapur village under Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha from Modern crossing in Rangpur city and seized 20 bottles phensidyl from his possession.

The elite force arrested drug traffickers Shafikul, 26, of village Pauria and Nurul, 28, of village Dangapara in Hakimpur Upazila and seized 44 bottles Phensidyl from Bhaduria Raniganj Bazaar in Dinajpur.

The RAB arrested cheats Sona Mian, 35, and Amir Ali, 32, of Moharazpur village under Nagar Kandi Upazila of Faridpur district, from Noyapara village in Ghoraghat Upazila of Dinajpur and seized Saudi currency from him.

Police seized 156 bottles of Phensidyl and arrested drug truck driver Ekramul, 35, and helper Shahidul, 30, of Mohatpur village of Dinajpur, from their truck in front of Gobindaganj Thana on the Dinajpur-Dhaka highway under Gaibandha district.

The DB police seized 48-bottles Phensidyl and arrested drug trafficker Azizul, 35, of Fulbari upazila in Kurigram from a coach at Modern Mour on the Kurigram-Dhaka highway in Rangpur during the period.

After filing separate cases, the law enforcers handed over the arrested persons and seized goods to the concerned police stations.

Compost fertiliser being made from water hyacinth in Gaibandha

BSS, Gaibandha

Compost, organic fertiliser, is being made in all the unions of Gobindaganj Upazila of the district from water hyacinth under 100-day unemployment programme of the government.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abdul Mannan formally inaugurated the scheme at Masta village under Kamardaha union in the upazila on Monday.

With chairman of the Union Parishad Abdul Mottaleb Sarker in the chair, it was addressed, among others, by Assistant Commissioner Anwar Hossain Akand, Upazila Agriculture Officer Mir Abdur Razzak, Project Implementation Officer Sharful Islam and Youth Development Officer Golam Rabbani. Mir Abdur Razzak said fertility of soil is decreasing day by day because of using chemical fertiliser on a large scale. He also urged the farmers to use compost fertiliser to boost agriculture production.

He also asked the field level officials of DAE to motivate farmers to use the compost fertiliser. A large number of people including farmers, local elite, public representatives, DAE officials, and journalists were present.

Extremist slaughtered to death in Pabna

UNB, Pabna

An extremist leader was slaughtered to death by terrorists at Bongram village in Chatmohar upazila on Thursday night.

The dead was identified as Arman Ali, 40, district commander of Purba Banglar Communist Party (ML Janajudha).

Police said 10-12 terrorists took Arman Ali to the area from the bazaar at night and hacked and slaughtered him to death and later threw the body in a canal under its bridge. On information, police recovered the body on Friday morning and sent it to district general hospital for autopsy.

Arman, son of late Nazir Uddin of the village, was wanted in 15 cases, including murder.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Chatmohar police station Abdur Razzak said Arman might have been killed by his rival group. A case was filed with the police.

Free eye camp held in Rupganj

Our Correspondent, Rupganj

A day-long free eye treatment held at Hazi Nur Uddin Ahmed High School, Rupganj in Narayanganj on 18th September last. Md Shahid Ullah Bhuiyan, Headmaster and the Managing Committee of the said school organised the camp considering the unprivileged persons including females and children.

Dr SM Asraful Islam, Syed Arifuzzaman Liaison Officer, Nur-e-Alam Shamim, OT Brother and Prosanta Kumer Paul OT Brother of the Bangladesh Eye Foundation and Research Hospital, Dhaka led the by camp and provided treatment to the patients. A total of 69 patients got treatment on that day.

Heroin trafficker gets life-term in Natore

Our correspondent, Natore

District and Session Judge court of Natore sentenced a young man to life term imprisonment in the sensational 5o grams heroin trafficking case on Thursday. Judge Md. Abdus Samad declared the verdict in his crowded court-room in presence of the convicts Abdus Salam (20).

The accused is identified as son of Abdus Sobhan at Damkura, Binda Rampur village under Paba Upazila in Rajshahi district. Members of Drug control Department caughtSalam with 50 grams heroin red handed from the bank of Babu's pond at Ekdala area in Rajshahi - Natore high way on 27 July in 2007. After Assistant Inspector of Drug control Department Abdul wahab filed a case against him with this connection in Natore Thana.

VDP training ends in Fulchhari

BSS, Fulchhari

A 10-day training for the members of Village Defence Party (VDP) concluded on the premises of Udakhali Women's College under Fulchhari Upazila in the district on Thursday.

A concluding ceremony was held on the occasion. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Dewan Md Abdus Samad addressed the function as the chief guest while Principal of the college M Shafiul Azam was present as the special guest.

Presided over by Upazila Ansar and VDP officer Abul Kalam the function was also addressed, among others, by trainer of Ansar and VDP Tajul Islam, union team leader Abdul Hamid, trainees Shampa Akter and Akteruzzaman.

The speakers said members of VDP can play a vital role for the overall development of the society side by side with keeping the law and order situation under control. Later, the chief guest distributed cash and certificates to the trainees.

A total of 64 VDP members took part in the training.

Rapist gets life in Magura

UNB, Magura

A court here Thursday convicted a man and awarded him life term imprisonment for violating a girl.

The court also fined the convict, Robin Biswas, Tk 1 lakh, in default, to suffer one year more RI. According to the prosecution, Robin violated a girl at Seojgati village in Salikha upazila on the night of January 1 in 2006. Police later arrested the rapist and a case was filed against him.

After examining the records and witnesses, Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Nazir Ahmed handed down the verdict.

Guardians’ meet held in Zamaidighi Govt Pry School in Baraigram

Our Correspondent, Baraigram

A meeting of guardians of the students was held at Zamaidighi Govt. Primary School in Baraigram Upazila on September 14.

Md Zahidul Islam presided over the meeting. While Upazila Education Officer Md Abdul Latif Mollah was present as the chief guest and Assistant Upazila Education Officer Md Jalal Uddin was present as a special guest. It was addressed among others by Md Swapan Ali, Mrs Bilkis Khatun, Mrs Morzina Khatun, Mrs Rekha Begum, Journalist Md Saifur Rahman, Teacher Md Abul Kalam Azad, and was conducted by Head-teacher Md Nazrul Islam.

Speakers spoke about different problems of the school such as dropout of the students, absence of the students, birth registration certificate of the students, examination and stipend card.

3 commit suicide in Habiganj

UNB, Habiganj

Three people allegedly committed suicide in separate incidents in the district on Thursday.

The deceased were identified as Abdul Hannan, 40, of Millikpur village in Nabiganj upazila, Sebok Sarker, 18, of Andiura village in Madhabpur upazila, and Anwar Hossain, 20, of Montoil village in Lakhai upazila.

Police quoting local people said poor Hannan, father of five children, hanged himself as he could not maintain his family due to abject poverty.

In another incident, Sebok Sarker took his own life by swallowing poison following a family feud. However, the reason behind the suicide of Anwar could not be known immediately. Separate UD cases were filed with the police.

17 held, drugs seized in Joypurhat

BSS, Joypurhat

Police in separate drives arrested 17 people on various charges from different places in five upazilas of the district on Friday night.

Police said, the arrested were warrantees, absconding accused in different cases, drug-peddlers, drug traffickers, thieves and anti-social elements.

Police also recovered 86 bottles of Phensidyl and other illegal substances during the drives. Joypurhat Thana police arrested four persons, Panchbibi two, Kalai three, Khetlal five and Akkelpur thana police arrested three persons.

The arrested were sent to jail hajat when police produced them before different Courts on Saturday.

Woman killed by snakebite in Barisal

BSS, Barisal

A woman was killed by snakebite at Gournadi Upazila of the district on Friday.

The victim was identified as Kutubun Nessa, 80, of Diashur village in the Upazila.

A UD case was lodged with Gournadi Thana in this connection.

News briefs

Readymade garments

worth Tk 4 crore

seized in Jessore

Jessore, Sept 21: Local taskforce seized Indian readymade garments worth Tk 4 crore from a godown at Dharmatala in the town on Sunday night. Acting on a tip off, the taskforce team, led by magistrate Shafiqul Islam, raided the godown of Modhumoti Traders at Dharmatala and seized two trucks loaded with huge Indian readymade garments. BDR sources estimated the value of the seized valuables at Tk 4 crore. According to BDR, Madhumoti Traders brought the clothes from India illegally and were selling those in the market showing fake auction receipt of the customs authority. Owner of the Madhumoti Traders Alhaj Sirajul Islam, however, claimed that the seized clothes were purchased legally in auctions from the district customs house. The seized clothes were deposited to the BDR headquarters, reports UNB.

Boy killed after

abduction in

Jhalakati

Jhalakati, Sept 21: Body of a minor boy, who was abducted on Monday, was recovered from Analbunia village in Kanthalia upazila on Wednesday. The victim was identified as Manjur, 10, of Pashchim Aura village of the upazila and a student of class IV. Police said a gang of miscreants abducted Manjur when he was going to the upazila headquarters from his house. They demanded Tk 60,000 as ransom from his family over mobile phone. Later, police recovered the body of the boy from Analbunia village. Police arrested three people - Abdul Kuddus, Mamun and Russel in this connection. Police Super Shafiqur Rahman visited the spot, reports UNB.

Woman killed by

husband for dowry

in Sirajganj

Sirajganj, Sept 21: A woman was beaten to death allegedly by her husband for dowry at Moheshrouhali village in Tarash upazila on Wednesday afternoon. Police said Moslemuddin married Sharifa, 19, five months back taking a handsome amount of dowry money. Later, he started demanding more money from the parents of Sharifa. On the fateful day Moslem asked her to bring dowry money from her father. But on her refusal he with the help of his family members beat Sharifa to death at about 1:00 pm, reports UNB.

Month-long fair begins in Nilphamari

NILPHAMARI, Sept 21: A month-long small and cottage industry fair began here on the premises of Domar Upazila Parishad on Thursday. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Nazmus Sadat Selim formally inaugurated the fair organized by Domar Press Club. Presided over by Domar Pourashava Mayor Al Azahar Hossain, the inaugural function was also addressed by freedom fighter Abdul Zabbar, UP chairman Mansurul Islam Danu, Khairul Alam and press club president Mozaffar Ali. Around 50 stalls have been set up in the fair, reports UNB.

Top terror arrested

in Narsingdi

NARSINGDI, Sept 21: Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested a top terror from his residence at Kauriapara in the district town early today (Friday). Acting on a tip-off, the elite force raided the house of top terror Mamun, 28, at 1:00 am and caught him with a pistol and three rounds of bullet. They said his father Abu Siddik, another notorious terror, remained fugitive since long. Police said Mamun was wanted in a number of murder, robbery and extortion cases, reports UNB.