The New Nation - Internet Edition

Loss of navigability in Barisal rivers: Communication with other parts of country disrupting

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Major parts of the waterways of Barisal division have already lost its navigability at eleven major points due to formation of numerous shallow water shoals and water level of the rivers going down creating problems for safe navigation.

BIWTA has only seven age-old dredgers to keep this long waterway network navigable with insufficient budget.

So river communication of 21 districts of south and western region including Barisal, Khulna, and Mongla river ports with mid and eastern part of the country including Dhaka and Chittagong and other major river ports is facing catastrophe. Operators of waterway transports blamed successive governments for turning a blind eye to the gravity of the problem for years while navigability of rivers have declined drastically on major routes blocking movement of vessels.

Since last four days hundreds of water transports plying on major river routes connecting east and northern parts with south and western parts of the country and carrying thousands of passengers stranded in different channels and points for hours due to narrowness and less navigability at the time of low tides.

The Kirtonkhola river sour riding Barisal Port, Ganeshpura river near Char Mohima of Sreepur- Mehendiganj, Lohalia river in Patuakhali Port area, Barguna, Shaheberhat, Saestabad, Bukhainagor River crossing channel, Badartuni-Hizla-Muladi channel, Maskata- Meherndiganj river, Char Kasrupi and Chandra Mohan channel of Bhola are rapidly losing navigability threatening the river routes with immediate closer.

Now at the time of low tide only six foot water remain in the river and stranded vessels have to wait for hours for high tide. With the advent of the winter season, the rivers are getting narrower and numerous new chars are raising their heads.

The dredging programme of BIWTA doing without any sustainable master plan and also often disrupted due to fund and dredger crisis. Majibur Rahman, master of triple deck passenger launch Sundarbon-7 plying on Barisal-Dhaka-Barisal route informed that new shoals has formed in the Kirtonkhola river. Hundreds of river vessels have to cross this channel of shoals every day on the way to Dhaka, Khulna, and Chittagong. In the same route shallow water shoals emerged near Ishanbala of Shariatpur and Alubazar of Chandpur. Abdul Barek, Sukani of the BIWTC coastal vessel MV Baro Awlia plying on Barisal-Chittagong route said their journey is almost regularly delayed by 4 to 6 hours due the shoals raised in the routes.

Different passenger launch crews informed that river traffics in Shaheberhat channel connecting rivers Kirtonkhola of Barisal and Megnha and Kalabador of Bhola and eastern parts of the country is also about to be closed due to new formation of shoals.

The water transports plying to Patuakhali, Barguna and other coastal area routes also have encounter countless number of shoals on their ways.

Golam Mawla, leader of local launch owners association expressed their views that, Bangladesh is urgently in need of a long term master plan for its river routes in order to keep its water ways navigable round the year. After spending about twenty crore taka in last 15 years in the names of such kinds of emergency dredging, it failed to give any long term sustainable result, water transport crew and river route pilots and launch operators opined.

Golden Jubilee of RU Physics Dept ends

RU Correspondent

"Moving ahead with Physics"-with this slogan the Physics Department of Rajshahi University has ended a two-day-long Golden Jubilee celebration on Friday with much enthusiasm and festivity on the Campus.

Prof. Azharul Islam, Convener of golden jubilee celebration and former Vice Chancellor of International Islamic University, Chittagong gave the welcome speech at the inaugural session with Prof. M Wabidul Hakim, Chairman of Physics Department in the chair.

The two-day-long golden jubilee celebration included colourful rally, scientific lecture, photo session, science exhibition, reminiscence and an attractive cultural evening. Over nine hundred present and ex-students from home and abroad, participated in the programme, sources said. At the celebration the renowned Scientist and former Vice-Chancellor of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Prof. S.A. Chawdhury attended the programme as the chief guest while Vice-Chancellor of RU Prof. Dr. Mamnunul Keramat was present as special guest.

Prof. Dr. M Aminul Islam, Vice Chancellor of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, former Registrar of RU Prof. Abdus Salam, Treasurer of RU Prof. Mozammel Haque, Prof.Saidur Rahaman Khan, former Vice Chancellor of RU and other registered 632 former and present students attended the programme, said convener of the programme Prof. A. K. M. Azharul Islam.

Earlier on Thursday morning, as the part of the programme a rally was held and paraded important streets on the campus. After the inauguration programme they organised an international seminar of "Contemporary Physics" where Prof. S.M. Qaim of Cologne University, Germany, Prof. A.A.Z Ahmed, former chairman of SPAARSO. Dr. Abdulla Sams Bin Tarik, Prof. Dr. AKM Azharul Islam presented their keynote papers in the seminar at the Kazi Nazrul Islam auditorium of RU.

Prof. Arun Kumar Basak, former teacher of the department and Gold medallist from science academy in 2003 and Prof. Shamsher Ali were also present as the special speakers at the seminar.

Department professor and joint secretary of organising committee Dr. F Nazrul Islam told the New Nation that the department was launched in 1958 with only 13 students but now the students are more than five hundred.

On the last day of golden jubilee programme on Friday, cultural function and reminiscence were held at the Kazi Nazrul Islam auditorium of RU. Present and ex-students of the department performed at the cultural function.

PBCP leader killed in encounter with police in Rajshahi

Our Correspondent, Rajshahi

Masud Rana alias Murgi Masud(26), a regional commander of outlawed Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP-ML) was killed in a crossfire with police of Bagmara thana at Pabnapara village under the same thana early on Friday morning.

Police said, Murgi Masud, son of Nur Muhammad of village Ramrama of Bagmara thana remained absconding since a crackdown started against the outlaws last year. Recently, the situation being comparatively relaxed, Murgi Masud returned to his village and started organising his party. He alongwith his armed cadres allegedly took part in police killing and arms looting incident at Taherpur recently.

On Thursday afternoon, members of RAB-5, Bagmara camp arrested Murgi Masud from his village and after interrogation handed him to Bagmara thana police.

Officer-in-charge of Bagmara thana Shahab Uddin Khalifa informed, according to confessional statement of Murgi Masud, police went for recovery of arms at Pabna para village at early morning on Friday. When they reached near the village, the outlawed armed supporters of Murgi Masud attacked police with gunfire when police also retaliated and Masud died in the cross fire.

Police said, there are over a dozen of case including police murder case and Goalkandi UP chairman Jahangir murder case against Masud. Two separate cases have been filed with Bagmara thana in this connection.

2 injured in terror attack in Rupganj

Our Correspondent, Rupganj

One Faruque, a notorious and unruly criminal of Pashiharar bari village of Rupganj union under the Rupganj Upazila in Narayanganj, attacked aiming to kill Md. Sarif, son of Md. Kabir and Dabir Uddin, son of Nurul Islam of same village along with his associates with lethal weapons following the dispute over land in broad daylight on the 16th October. They injured one now fighting with death at the Rupganj Hhealth Complex.

Sources said Faruq runs different illegal businesses of contraband drugs and Narcotics. He lives in the deep forest of the Purbachal suburb. None dare to protest against his misdeeds. The members of the victims lodged a case in this connection with Rupganj Thana. The police could not arrested any of the criminals, till writing of this report.

Huge construction works going on in Narsingdi

BSS, Narsingdi

Huge construction and maintenance works under different projects of health and family welfare ministry is going on in the district.

The projects included raising Shibpur Upazila Health Complex from 30 bed to 50 bed, raising Zilla Mother and Child Welfare Center from 10 bed to 20 bed, construction of doctors quarters of the 100 bed hospital complex, construction of Isolation unit, sinking of deep tubules in Raipur health complex, repairing of Shibpur health complex and family planning office and repairing of Zilla 100 bed hospital, official sources said.

They said major works of the projects have already been completed and rest are progressing fast and expected to be completed by June next year.

Concerted efforts for overall dev of Children underscored

BSS, Gaibandha

Child Rights Week-08 has begun in the district on October 14 amid much enthusiasm.

Upazila administration, different academic institutions and non-government organizations have taken up elaborate programmes in the district to mark the week. The programmes include arrangement of children fair, holding discussion, arrangement of sports, debate and general knowledge competitions for the children, staging drama, giving reception to the meritorious students and distribution of prizes to the winners. On the first day, Deputy Commissioner Abu Muhammad Yousuf formally inaugurated a weeklong children fair on the premises of Uddayan Women's College at Putimari under Shaghate Upazila in the district as chief guest and UNOs Gullal Singh and Dewan Md Abdus Samad were present as special guests.

With Executive Director of Udayan Shabolambee Sangstha M Shahadat Hossain Mondal in the chair, it was addressed, among others, by Principal of Banarpara Degree College Abdul Matin Khandaker and Executive Chief of Gana Unnayan Kendra Abdus Salam. Speakers called upon the guardians, child welfare oriented organisations to take more programmes for overall development of children.

One gets life-term for killing in Chuadanga

Our Correspondent, Chuadanga

A court here Wednesday convicted a man and awarded him life term imprisonment for killing a man in 2007.

The court also find the convict Nayanali (30), son of Aziz of Bailea under Chuadanga Sadar Upazila. Tk 20,000 in default, to suffer one year more R.I.

According to the prosecution, Nayan Ali killed Salim member (50) of same village on 18th May 2007. Victim son filed a case with this thana in the connection. Additional District and Sessions Judge Motahar Hossain handed down the verdict in the crowded court.

Two lakh children to be fed worm killer in Natore

BSS, Natore

As many as two lakh children to be fed worm killer this year in the district.

This worm killer would be fed from November 1 as part of marking the first 'National Worm Control Day. This was told at a meeting organised by district Civil Surgeon office on Wednesday as part of observing the day in a befitting manner.

Children aged from 6 to 12 would be fed this worm killer in all the government, non-government, registered primary school and kinder garden schools in the district with the help of health and family planning department and NGO activists.

Dr Md Habibur Rahman, Civil Surgeon of Natore, chaired the meeting while Monos Kanty Boral, ADC (general), Eliyas Ali Khan, Deputy Director of Family Planning Department and Dilruba Begum, District Primary Education Officer, spoke, among others.

News briefs

Boy killed in Dinajpur road mishap

DINAJPUR, Oct 19: An adolescent boy was crushed under the wheels of a truck at Bhushirbandar on Dinajpur-Syedpur road Thursday night. The deceased was identified as Anwar Hossain, 10, of Chirirbandar uapzila. Witnesses said, the speeding truck knocked down Anwar and ran over him when he was crossing the road along with his mother at 9.30 pm. His mother, however, narrowly escaped unhurt. Traffic on Dinajpur-Syedpur road was disrupted for two hours as local people protesting the accident damaged some vehicles, reports UNB.

Sub Registrar held for taking bribe in Joypurhat

JOYPURHAT, Oct 19: Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested a Sub Registrar and his assistant for taking bribe from a client in Panchbibi upazila Wednesday. RAB sources said, acting on secret information, they took position around the sub-registry office. They caught Sub Registrar Shambhunath Karmakar and his assistant (Muhuri) Narayan Kumar Ghosh red handed when they were taking Tk 1840 as land registration cost from a client instead of government rate of Tk 232. A case was filed, reports UNB.

3 clinics, two canteens fined in Mymensingh

MYMENSINGH, Oct 19: A mobile court raided three clinics in the town and two canteens of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital and realized Tk 1.75 lakh in fine on Thursday. Sources said the court led by district executive magistrate Ainur Aktar Panna, aided by RAB-9, realized Tk 20,000 in fine from Al Jannat private clinic, Tk 15,000 from Jamuna private hospital and Tk 20,000 from Shaon diagnostic centre during the three hours drive from 11am. Besides, Tk 50,000 was realized from class three employees welfare samity canteen of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital and Tk 65,000 from class four employees welfare samity canteen of same hospital. The private clinics were fined for non-renewal of their registration and not appointing full time physicians, technicians and nurses while two canteens were fined for not maintaining hygienic environment and for serving stale foods, reports UNB.

One stabbed to death in Bogra

BOGRA, Oct 19: A man was stabbed to death following rivalry over extorting money at Haispur village in Adamdighi upazila Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Rafiqul Islam, 35, son of Ibrahim Ali of the village. Police said there was an altercation between Rafiqul group and Badal group of the village in the evening over extorting money from vehicles at Chapapur bus stand and Koritola bus stand. Later, rivals attacked Rafiqul on his way home at dead of night and stabbed him indiscriminately, leaving him seriously injured. He succumbed to his injuries on way to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. A case was filed, reports UNB.

10 houses gutted in fire in Jessore

BENAPOLE (JESSORE), Oct 19: At least 10 dwelling houses were gutted in a devastating fire at Gilapole village in Sarsha upazila Thursday. Police said the fire originated from the oven of the house of Shimul in the afternoon and soon engulfed the adjoining nine houses. On information, fire fighters rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze with the help of local people. The extent of loss could not be estimated immediately. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Dr Abdul Hye said timely arrival of the fire service personnel minimized the losses in the fire, reports UNB.