The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reproductive health, safe motherhood for poor aboriginal community stressed

BSS, Rajshahi

Discussants at a workshop here today underscored the need for a concerted effort of all government and non-government organisations concerned and other stakeholders to ensure reproductive health and safe motherhood for the disadvantaged and poor aboriginal community.

They said that the aboriginal population is still unaware about the modern healthcare facilities and dependent on the village quack and the nearby medicine-shop owners for their emergency health-related affairs including the pregnant mothers delivery.

In this context, they stated that only the government or any single organisation is not capable to cope with the situation but a collective effort has become essential in this regard.

They were addressing the workshop on "Ensure the rights of safe motherhood among the poor and vulnerable Tribals" hosted by Partner, Rajshahi, an NGO, at the conference hall of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Regional Director of Bangladesh Betar Sultana Razia and Assistant Director of Social Service Department Hamida Begum addressed the programme as chief and special guests respectively with Director of Partner Gour Prasad Kundu in the chair.

Professor Dr Zohurul Islam of Medicine of Islami Bank Medical College Hospital spoke on the occasion as focal person while Programme Officer of Urban Healthcare Project Akter Hossain, Dr Golam Mostofa of Jatiya Tarun Sangha and Programme Officer of Family Planning Association of Bangladesh Maiser Hossain took part in the discussion, among others.

Terming the aboriginals as competent labour force in agriculture, the speakers said both maternal and child death among the tribal population could be reduced through providing reproductive healthcare services and ensuring safe motherhood.

The Partner NGO has been implementing a nine-month project in 20 villages under Dewpara and Gogram UPs of Godagari upazila of the district aimed at ensuring reproductive health and safe motherhood among 587 aboriginal families with the financial support from Australian High Commission in Bangladesh under its Direct Aid Programme in April this year.

In his address of welcome, Programme Officer of the organisation Niamul Bashir highlighted the activities and progress of the project along with the findings of a two-month health-related study on the targeted families.

Navy personnel asked to protect sovereignty, territorial integrity

BSS, Chittagong

Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam today inspected different operational activities of BN Ships at Chittagong naval area, an ISPR press release said.

Addressing the occasion Navy Chief urged navy personnel to work together to protect sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country as a vigilant operator at sea.

The navy chief admired the contribution of navy personnel in mitigating the recent crisis and also emphasised the need for total preparedness to face future challenges by developing technical and human resources for the protection of territorial water.

Bangladesh Navy deployed its ships since November 1 to face recent problems as Myanmar attempts to explore hydrocarbon in the claimed territorial water of Bangladesh. Meanwhile, Myanmar pulled back their floating gas rig from Bangladesh waters, the press release added.

Among others, senior officials of naval headquarters, Commodore Commanding Chittagong, Commodore Commanding BN Flotilla and Commodore Superintendent BN Dockyard were present on the occasion.

Downtrend of Barisal Stock Market protested

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Investors of Barisal stock market bringing out procession and holding gathering protested continuous downwards trend of stock prices on Monday morning.

Direct trading in Barisal stock market was hampered for half an hour due to these programmes.

Barisal Investors Forum organised the programme and after marching on city roads chanted slogans and demanded explanations from the authority about continuous down trend of stock business.

Mizanur Rahman and Md. Shahnewaj Shahin, convener and joint convener of Barisal Investors Forum, addressing the gathering in front of ICB Barisal office held after procession at 11:30 am , alleged that conspiracies of some brokerage houses in collaboration with the stock exchange authorities for manipulating the stock business to gain their target of profit going on.

They cautioned that harder programme would be thrown if such conspiracies continued.

Barisal capital market recently gained heavy rush due to direct on line transaction facilities and more than five than thousand investors are active in the Barisal stock market.

Hundreds of investors of stock market in Barisal sustained cores of taka losses since last some weeks due to often fluctuations and continuous downwards trends prevailing in the stock market.

Md. Ruhul Amin, assistant general manager in charge of Barisal office of Investment Corporation of Bangladesh, said that he heard about the programme organised outside their premises and ICB and its subsidiaries like ICB Securities Trading Company Limited (ISTCL) and ICB Capital Management Limited (ICML), have nothing to do about this.

He advised investors to invest by judging real position of the company, not on basis on rumours and maintain patience.

'People want efficient UZ chairmen in N-dists to augment dev process’

BSS, Rangpur

The common people in the greater districts of Rangpur and Dinajpur are almost in unison for electing honest and efficient upazila chairmen and vice-chairman in upcoming elections to augment the process of development.

The enthusiastic people are now busy talking about the probable chairmen and vice-chairmen candidates for 58 posts in all eight northern districts under greater Rangpur and Dinajpur.

They want educated, honest, corruption-free, dynamic and patriotic people to be elected as the upazila chairmen and vice- chairmen for ensuring smooth development of the rural Bangladesh.

At hats and bazaars, tea stalls, saloons, markets, hotels, restaurants, bus stands, terminals, rail stations and ferryghats, the common people are talking with each other about the probable candidates for the upazila elections.

They have been putting special emphasis on honesty, educational qualification and efficiency of the probable candidates irrespective of their political belongings.

The locals are of the opinion that political parties this time might have less influence in nominating upazila chairmen and vice-chairmen as they would be busy selecting MP candidates.

This time, a large number of independent candidates are expected to contest the third upazila polls and most of the probable candidates and their supporters have already started campaigning in the respective areas.

Candidates having political identities are getting support from their local leaders and activists while the independent candidates are making contacts mainly with the local elite, professionals, relatives, friends and the common voters with huge enthusiasm.

Acting Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC) of Rangpur Regional Election Office responsible for these eight districts Shubhash Chandra Sarker today told BSS that preparations are afoot to hold both the polls peacefully.

The DEC Office sources said that a total of 91,69,449 voters will cast their votes for the post of 58 upazila chairmen in all 58 upazilas of Rangpur, Kurigram, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Gaibandha, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon and Dinajpur districts.

In Rangpur, a total of 1,73,722 voters will cast votes for the upazila chairman post in Gangachara upazila, 79,896 in Taraganj, 1,70,943 in Badarganj, 4,04,834 in Sadar, 1,35,110 in Kawnia, 1,92,261 in Pirgachha, 3,14,060 in Mithapukur and 2,36,822 in Pirganj upazilas.

In Kurigram, a total of 1,37,818 voters will cast votes for the post of upazila chairman in Bhurungamari upazila, 2,27,044 voters in Nageswari, 96,652 in Fulbari, 1,80,979 in Sadar, 1,12,454 in Rajarhat, 2,41,170 in Ulipur, 71,730 in Chilmari, 1,14,404 in Roumari and 42,410 voters in Rajibpur upazilas.

In Nilphamari, 1,38,106 voters will cast their votes for the chairman post in Domar upazila, 1,50,368 in Dimla, 1,86,709 in Jaldhaka, 1,48,270 in Kishoreganj, 2,44,277 in Sadar and 1,45,865 voters in Syedpur upazilas.

In Lalmonirhat, a total of 1,40,271 voters will cast their votes for the post of Kaliganj upazila chairman, 1,28,678 in Aditmari, 1,98,228 in Sadar, 1,27,575 in Hatibandha and 1,15,494 voters will cast their votes in Patgram upazila.

5 get life-term for murder in Barisal

Our Correspondent, Barisal

A trial court in Barisal recently awarded life sentences to five absconding accused and fined Tk.25 thousand per head or to suffer more one year imprisonment in a murder case of Barguna.

The life term convicted five absconding accused were Shahid Pahloan, Abdul Latif Molla, Abdul Hakim Molla, Abdul Malek and Forkan Pahloan and the trial completed in absentia of them.

Md. Jahangir, another accused, was present on the doc and acquitted from charges by the court.

Rabiul Hasan, judge of the Barisal divisional speedy trial tribunal after examining 21 out of 23 witnesses and other evidences announced the verdict on Thursday afternoon.

The prosecution story in brief was slaughtered dead body of Hosneara, 28, a deaf and dumb woman, was recovered from her bedroom on May 15, 2000 in absentia of other members of the family at Purbo Lemua village under Patharghata upazila of Barguna.

A case was lodged by Hachan Howladar, brother of the victim accusing her husband Kamal Pahloan and his associates for the murder with Patharghata police station on next day.

Police at first gave final report of the case and then Sub Inspector Molla Shah Alam lodged a fresh case in this connection by the order of the court on January 30, 2001.

Sub Inspector Habibur Rahman re-investigating the case submitted charge sheet on May 30, 2001 against the aforesaid six accused.

RUET female students confine high officials

RU Correspondent

About 100 female student of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) on Sunday night confined students' advisor Prof. Sayeed Abdul Mafiz, hall provost Prof. M. Nizamudoullah for six hours demanding four point demands in a female hall.

The agitating students confined the officials from 6 pm to 12pm.The four point demands was -banning sun set law, establishing canteen at female hall, increasing quality of foods.

The confined officials were freed after 12 am with the help of a large number of police.

While contacted RUET Students Adviser Prof. Sayeed Abdul Mafiz did not want to make any comment on this.

Babul wants to contest JS Poll '08

Dhaka City Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Syed Badrul Alam Babul seeks nomination from BNP-led four-party alliance for Dhaka-14 (Mirpur) constituency in the forthcoming Parliamentary Election.

Also the President of Mirpur Thana BNP, Babul is involved in various social works in his locality since 31 years. He continued his different welfare activities when other party leaders went into hiding due to the Emergency, Government's anti-corruption drive, says a press release.

Committed to uphold the ideology of late President Ziaur Rahman, Syed Babul joined BNP in 1977. He wants to show his outstanding contribution by getting people's mandate, the release added.

UK varsity team calls on BAU VC

BAU Correspondent

A three-member team headed by Dr. R. Anne Pearson, Senior Research Fellow from University of Edinburgh, UK, called on Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Akhtar Hossain during their visit at the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU).

Welcoming the UK University team at his Office, Vice-Chancellor Dr. Akhtar apprised on the academic research, extension and other allied fields of modern agricultural education of the University to the faculty members of University of Edinburgh and explored the possibilities of academic exchange programme between the two universities in this age of globalisation. Professor Dr. Md. Ali Akbar, Dean, Faculty of Animal Husbandry, BAU and Professor Dr. M. Mokhtaruzzaman were present during the discussion meeting. Other members of the team were Mr. Jack Aim and Steort Cromer, E-Learning Specialists of University of Edinburgh.

Later, the faculty members and researchers from the University of Edinburgh visited academic departments and laboratories of the University.

Founding anniversary of Jubo Dal observed in Netrakona

Our Correspondent, Netrakona

The 27th founding anniversary of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal was observed here on October 27 last. To mark the founding anniversary, a discussion meeting was held at local BNP office here under the auspices of Netrakona district Jubo Dal.

Chaired by president of Netrakona district Jubo Dal Abdus Salam Salu, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Vice President of the district Jubo Dal Mustafa Masud, general secretary Masiur Rahman Moshu, joint secretary Mohammad Jubo Dal Bazlur Rahman Khan Pathan, general secretary Farid Ahmed. The speakers called upon the workers and leaders of the organisation to forge a greater unity among them rising above their self-interest for gearing up the organisational activities and strengthening the organisation at the grass-root level, a press release of the organisation said.

District Brick assoc election held

BSS, Natore

Golam Sarwar and Shariful Islam were elected as President and General Secretary respectively in the election of Natore District Brick Manufacturers Association here on Monday.

The election to the 15-member executive committee for two years was held at its office.

Other office-bearers are: Sr. Vice President Jainal Abedin, Vice President Md Abdul Aziz, Joint Secretary M A Alim, Assistant Secretary Abdur Rashid, Treasurer Md Akramuzzaman, Organising Secretary Md Mizanur Rahman, Office Secretary Md Shamsuddin, Social Welfare Secretary Md Abul Kashem and executive members are Md Shamsul Alam, Faruq Patwary, Taseruddin, Md. A. Kader Mridha and Ashraful Islam.

5 jute godowns gutted in Faridpur

BSS, Faridpur

Five jute godwns were gutted by fire in Kamarkhali bazar under Madhukhali upazilla of this district on Thursday.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Faridpur Aktaruzzaman Md. Mostofa Kamal, so far during last twenty days at least 25 such fire incidents occurred in different places of the district, particularly where jute godowns are located.

The DC describes the incidents as an act of sabotage and said that at Kamarkhali, Boalmari and Hat Krishnapur the fire occurred thrice. The DC said that the situation is very much alarming in the jute godowns area. He has asked the Police and Jute Directorate authorities to look into the matter on an urgent basis.

During this time he visited the areas and held meetings with the local people to be vigilant, but no tangible result was achieved.