The New Nation - Internet Edition

Anti-corruption drive to be continued even after JS election: ACC Chairman

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Lt.Gn. Hassan Mashud Chowdhury, chairman of anti-corruption commission vowed to continue anti-corruption drives even after JS election and said ACC would never be indifferent about continuing cases till final disposal during the next political governments.

The ACC chairman on Tuesday noon while addressing a program on occasion of completing re-construction of Rahamganj Model Secondary School-cum- Cyclone Shelter at Rogosri union of Bakerganj upazila of Barisal district said this.

The reconstruction was done under 'rehabilitation project of cyclone Sidr affected educational institution' funded by Bangladesh-American Association of Petersburg USA and implemented by Ayon Enterprise Dhaka at the cost of Tk.25 lakhs under supervision of ACC.

The ACC chairman answering the question about preventing candidature of the corrupted accused by ACC in the election said ACC has nothing to do in this connection as nomination of the candidate related with their respective political party and election of them connected with voters.

ACC could lodge case and investigate it while trial, bail and punishment is under jurisdiction of the court according to legal procedure and granting bail never mean end of trial, he added.

However if any accused became convicted for his corruption, then ACC will go hard against him under legal procedure even after he would be elected, he explained.

Shamsher Bakht, M E H Chowdhury, association leaders, Major Shahriar Amin, Barisal divisional director of ACC, Shah Abdul Tarik, UNO of Bakerganj, Munsur Howladar, headmaster of the institution and others present in the program.

The ACC chairman left Barisal for Dhaka on the same day and will attend a exchange of views program on institutional initiatives in prevention of corruption scheduled to be held on Sunday October 12, 2008 at Barisal SBC Auditorium.

Most signal lights in port city out of order for 2 years

BSS, Chittagong

Signal lights of at least 23 intersections in the port city remained non-functional for about two years due to negligence of the concerned authorities resulting in frequent road mishaps and traffic congestions.

Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) is the designated authority to install and maintain the signal lights.

However, CCC officials said non-availability of funds from the government delayed the repair work of the signal lights. Mahamudur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) of the Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) told BSS that it was difficult for them to maintain traffic system in the city as signal lights at most of the busy intersections remained out order for a long time.

He said besides vehicular movement in a disciplined way, pedestrians particularly the female, aged people and school-going students have been facing serious trouble due to traffic jam for disorderly movement of vehicles. "It is very difficult to maintain traffic rules and systems manually in a busy city like Chittagong," the DC Traffic said adding even the drivers of vehicles carrying high government officials are in a habit of crossing the intersections ignoring the traffic signals.

He said they have sent letters to the CCC authorities seeking urgent steps to the issue but the authorities neither reply their letters nor take any action to this effect. The DC Traffic said that they demanded to the CCC authorities to set up one-way traffic signals at Tiger Pass, New Market and Sholashahar Gate No: 2 and develop four parking lots at different places in the city to ease traffic congestion but the demand remained unanswered.

"It is difficult to follow most of the signal lights at several points in the city due to insufficient lighting which compelled us to violate traffic rules," Nurul Alam a driver of commuter service alleged.

Another driver of a human-hauler told this correspondent that drivers often met accidents due to dimly lighted signals at some points.

Police and Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) sources said at least three pedestrian get injured and one or two killed every day in the port city in road accidents. Abdus Sabur, an executive of a private company, said he lost two hours time every day due to traffic Jam from Bahaddarhat to CEZ crossing.

Talking to BSS, Executive Engineer (Electric Department) of CCC Mahfuzur Rahman said they had received letters from the CMP Traffic Department regarding the signal lights.

24 held on various charges in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

Police in separate drives, during the past 24 hours ending at 6 this morning arrested 24 persons, including criminals, from various places in the district.

The arrested people included notorious criminals, muggers, listed terrorists, cheats, absconding murderers, thieves, dacoits, drug traffickers, extortionists, absconding accused and warrantees.

Police also recovered good quantity of Phensidyl, locally produced wine, ganja, narcotic substances, stolen and other illegal goods during the raids, the sources said.

Kotwali police netted four persons, Taraganj police one, Badarganj police three, Mithapukur police six, Pirganj police four and Pirgachha police arrested six persons during the period.

The arrested were sent to jail hajat after producing them before different courts today, the sources said.

50 bottles of wine seized in Bandarban

BSS, Bandarban

Members of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR), in a special drive, recovered 50 bottles of foreign- made wine from Naikkhonchhari upazila of Bandarban district on Monday.

Syed Alam, a Myanmar citizen, was arrested in this connection. He was handed over to police. A case was filed with Naikkhonchhari Police Station.

10-day ban of catching Hilsha fish in Barisal from Oct 15

Our Correspondent. Barisal

Ten days restrictions on Hilsha fishing would be imposed by the directorate of fishing to make egg lying of Hilsha fishes safe from October 15 to 24 in 4 points of 7 thousand square kilometers coastal, estuary and river waters.

Fishing directorate sources said that at the pick of the breeding seasons lakhs of Hilsha fishes proceed from sea to coastal, estuary and river waters for laying eggs from October 15 (Aswin 30) to October 24 (Kartik 9) during the flow of full moon.

Lakhs of Hilsha could be produced from the laid eggs of every Hilsha and so full ban on Hisha fishing was imposed only for those ten days and successful execution of that ban may increase the Hilsha fish wealth of the country many folds every year, they added.

The four point selected for ban of Hilsha fishing for ten days included Shaherkhali to Haitkandi point under Chittagong district in north-east, Uttor Kutubdia to Gondamara point under Cox's Bazaar district in south-west, Uttor Tazumuddin to Poschim Syed Awalia point under Bhola district in north-west and Latachapli point of Kalapara upazila under Patuakhali district in south-west point.

Md. Abdul Aziz, Barisal district fishery officer and officials of other offices of the fishing directorates in concerned districts said they asked district and upazila administrations, naval forces, coast guards, police and other law enforcing agencies to monitor about the proper execution of that restriction and take hard action against the violators.

First time violator of that restriction would be fined Tk.1000 with six months imprisonment and it would become double for same offence repeated in next, they added.

Newly constructed bldg of Kishoreganj Shilpakala Academy inaugurated

Our Correspondent, Kishorgonj

Newly constructed building of Kishorgonj Silpakala Academy inaugurated on October 8 (Tuesday) with a colourful function.

Cultural Secretary of the Ministry Sarful Alam inaugurated the newly constructed building as chief guest while Deputy Commissioner of Kishorgonj ASM Mahbubul Alam presided over the function.

The construction of the Kishorgonj Silpakala Academy completed after 11 years with cost of Tk 2.50 crore.

Cultural Secretary Sarful Alam said that the local people would have practiced their own culture and heritage at the Academy.

Later, a colourful function was held at the Academy premises.

Teenage boy murdered, killer held in Pirganj

BSS, Rangpur

A teenage boy was strangled following previous enmity and police arrested the suspected killer at Chalunia village under Pirganj Upazila on Saturday, Police sources said.

The victim was identified as Shafiqul Islam, 14, son of hotel owner Hamid Ali of village Ramchandra Methor in the same upazila.

The sources said hotel owner Hamid Ali recently dismissed one of his employees named Al-Hadi, 28, son of late Rafiqul Islam of nearby Purbo Parul village for his misbehaviour. Enraged Al-Hadi caught hold of the hotel owner's son Shafiqul Islam finding an opportune moment, while Shafiqul was returning home from Pirganj bazar at Chalunia point and strangled him.

The other villagers, who were also returning home from the same bazaar, caught red-handed the killer and handed him over to Pirganj thana police.

Victim's father filed a murder case against the killer with Pirganj police station.

Dev coordination meet held in Joypurhat

BSS, Joypurhat

The monthly development coordination meeting of the district was held at the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner on Sunday.

Deputy Commissioner of Joypurhat Mohammad Safiqul Islam presided over the meeting.

The meeting discussed issues relating to development activities being carried out by different government departments in the district.

Concerned officials attended the meeting.

3 killed in Tangail road mishap

BSS, Tangail

Three persons, including a woman were killed and six others injured when a Dhaka bound passenger bus from Gaibandha collided head-on with a truck at Pakulla under Mirzapur upazila in the district this morning.

Two of the dead were identified as Asma, 24, and Ananda, 28, both from Gaibandha. Identity of another dead could not be known immediately.

Police sources said the passenger bus from Gaibandha collided head-on with the truck coming from the opposite direction at Pkulla at around 6.00 AM today. Two of the bus passengers died on the spot while another succumbed to his injuries at hospital.

Six injured passengers were admitted to Mirzapur and Kumudini hospitals.

A case has been filed with Mirzapur police station in this connection.

12 injured in Madaripur road accident

BSS, Madaripur

At least 12 people including children and women were injured in a road accident at Kamaldi bridge on Faridpur-Barisal highway under Rajoir Upazila of the district on Sunday.

The seriously injured were identified as Kali, 12, Anna, 11, Sumi, 20, Sanjida, 10, Akhi, 28 and Qaiyum 45. Police said, the accident took place when a passenger bus hit a Nasimoon (Bhatbati) from behind and all passengers of Nasimoon received injuries.

Local people rushed the seriously injured persons to Rajoir Hospital.

Thousands stranded at Kaorakandi Ferry Ghat in Madaripur

BSS, Madaripur

Thousands of people from 21 southern districts, who are returning to Dhaka after Eid holiday, were suffering trouble at Kaorakandi Ferry Ghat at Shibchar on Dhaka-Khulna Highway.

A long queue of over one hundred vehicles was seen on the southern part of the ferry ghat that caused a huge traffic congestion.

Official sources said shortage of ferry caused the congestion. Six ferries are being operated now instead of 12. Members of police and RAB were trying to ease the congestion, the sources added.

Youth dies after drinking liquor in Mymensingh

BSS, Mymensingh

A youth died after having liquor mixing with spirit at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) on Monday.

The dead was identified as Masum, 25, son of Manu Miah of Kristapur area in the district town.

Police said, Masum, 25, son of Monu Miah and Anwar Hossain, 30, son of Waziullah of Kristapur took liquor mixing with spirit on October 3. They fell sick and as their condition deteriorated, they were admitted at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. Of them, Masum died on Monday morning.

481 bottles of phensidyl seized in Madaripur

BSS, Madaripur

Police seized 481 bottles of Phensidyl from a car pulled by an ambulance of Faridpur Medical College Hospital (FMCH) at Kaorakandi Ferry Ghat under Shibchar Upazila on Dhaka-Khulna Highway on Monday night.

Shibchar thana police sources said, acting on a tip-off, police seized the bottles from the private car, which was being pulled by an ambulance of FMCH at the Ferry Ghat.

The ambulance driver Nishad, 28, and his brother Arshad, 22, were arrested in this connection.

A case was filed with Shibchar police station.

Goods worth Taka one lakh seized in Benapole

BSS, Benapole

Members of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) seized goods worth over Taka one lakh from Benapole Road on Monday.

BDR personnel, while on patrol duty, recovered 395 pieces of smuggled T-Shirts and four pieces of bag in an abandoned condition.

BDR sources said, some smugglers were trying to smuggle those items out to India. Sensing their presence, the smugglers escaped the place leaving behind the goods.

The seized goods were kept in BDR custody, the sources added.

Death Anniversary

Our Correspondent, Mymensingh

The 2nd death anniversary of Faisal Ahmed Imon will be observed on 13th October.

He died in a road accident in Nepal on October 13, 2006 last. He had been serving as general secretary of Bangladesh College of Textile and Engineering JCD unit of the college. He is the eldest son of Journalist AK Salahuddin Ahmed Belal. Doa Mahfil and feeding of destitute at Nowmahal Orphanage will be held on 13th October.

Durga Puja observed in befitting manner in Gouripur

Gouripur Correspondent, Mymensingh

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu Community, was celebrated in Gouripur upazila of Mymensingh district on Sunday to Thursday peacefully. Through the immersion of Goddess Durga, the Hindu devotees ended their puja on Thursday.

Hindu people of this upazila celebrated 28 Durga Pujas in different important places and Mandaps with enthusiasm.