The New Nation - Internet Edition

Quality pry edn to make nation free from illiteracy underscored

BSS, Rajshahi

Speakers at an advocacy workshop here on Wednesday unequivocally called for improving the scale of primary education through intensifying the grassroots supervision.

They said, quality of primary education must be ensured for the sake of making the nation free from the curse of illiteracy.

They viewed that level of the education in the government primary schools especially in the rural and remote ones could not be reached to the acceptable stage as yet due to lack of vigilance by the officials concerned.

Terming the role of the district and the upazila level education officials as vital for watching the teaching and learning process in the schools, the speakers asked them to render their service wholeheartedly to take the primary education towards cherished point.

They said, the government has been implementing the second of phase of the Primary Education Development Project (PEDP) throughout the country with the main thrust of taking the standard of primary education up to the expected level with a collective effort of all concerned.

Rajshahi divisional office of the Primary Education Department arranged the workshop titled "National Students Assessment in the light of class-based achievable fitting" at the conference hall of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Some 40 education-officials and teachers representatives attended the advocacy meeting. Director of Primary Education Directorate Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Divisional Deputy Director Golam Mostofa, District Primary Education Officer Yousuf Ali and Statistician Mukter Hossain addressed the workshop, among others.

They urged the teachers to put in their best efforts to make the primary education qualitative and quantitative to take the nation to its cherished goal of success. The primary schools should be brought under strong supervision and vigilance to bring a sound academic system.

They emphasised the need for creating awareness among the guardians and social elites in this regard.

Discussion on National Youth Day held in Baraigram

Our Correspondent, Baraigram

A colourful rally and a discussion meeting were held on the occasion of "National Youth Day-2008" in Baraigram upazila of Natore district on November 1.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Pronob Kumar Roy was present as chief guest while Assistant Commissioner (Land) Md Toufiq Imam and senior Upazila Fishery Officer Md Rezaul Islam were present as special guests in the discussion meeting. Upazila Youth Development Officer Md Umirul Islam presided over the meeting.

2 held with forged notes in Shibchar

Our Correspondent, Madaripur

Detective Branch of Police recovered counterfeit notes and arrested two persons from Sadar upazila in Madaripur recently.

On information, police raided the hotel and arrested two persons with a fake note of Tk 500 and 26 notes of Tk 100.

The arrested were identified as Sumon (18) and Rubel (22), active members of a forged note supplier gang.

Cop commits suicide in Narail

Our Correspondent, Narail

A police constable committed suicide in Kalia Police Station under Narail district on Thursday night (13 November).

The deceased was identified as Golam Mostafa, (32) of Mondolgati village under Mohammadpur Upazila in Magura district. He was working in Kalia Police Station.

Mehedi Hasan, OC of Kalia Police Station said, Mostafa was rescued from the toilet of thana compound breaking its door open. He was found critical as there was a serious wound in his throat. He was rushed to the Kalia Upazila Health Complex.

Finding his condition critical doctors advised to send him to Khulna Medical College Hospital. He was rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital hurriedly. Later he succumbed to his injury there at about 7-20 PM.

Committee formed to assess losses to Sundarbans by Sidr yet to start functioning

UNB, Bagerhat

The committee formed by the government to assess losses to the Sundarbans caused by cyclone Sidr, is yet to start functioning due to fund crisis.

Official sources said the committee could not start its operations even after a year as the government not yet approved its budget proposal.

After Sidr hit the country, a 10-member investigation committee with forest conservator of Khulna Range Amalendra Saha as convener was formed on December 12, 2007 to assess the extent of loss. The committee was asked to submit its report by 15 days.

When contacted, Amalendra Saha said after getting the government instruction, a meeting was held at his office on December 19, the same year.

The committee submitted a budget proposal to the government soon after the meeting but did not get any response from the authority concerned, he added.

Sundarbans East Range DFO SM Shahidullah, however, said they had prepared a primary assessment of loss worth about Tk 1,000 crore after the cyclone that pounded on the world's largest mangrove forest.

"Forests on 1.52 lakh hectares were damaged by the cyclone," he said.

Besides, different outposts, camps, office and furniture worth Tk 17 crore were also damaged by the super-cyclone, which killed about 50 deer, one Royal Bengal tiger and different other animals.

Some 908 people were killed by Sidr in the country's coastal areas on November 15, 2007.

One killed in Rajsbari road mishap

BSS, Rajbari

An elderly man was killed in a road accident on the Pangsha-Kustia highway at Moishala bus stand area in Pangsha upazila of the district on Thursday, police said. The victim was identified as Hossaen Ali, 85, son of Ehasan Biswas of Kulutia village of Pangsha upazila.

Witnesses said, a truck hit him from behind and ran over him while he was crossing the road. He died on the spot. Besides, another two persons were killed in the same upazila when a passenger bus turned turtle into a road side ditch on Thursday.

Electioneering campaign gaining momentum in Netrakona

Our Correspondent, Netrakona

An electioneering atmosphere has started prevailing throughout the district as all the probable candidates of different political parties have already accelerated their electioneering campaign programmes since after announcement of the Jatiya Sangsad and upazila polls scheduled by the Election Commission and relaxation of the state of Emergency Power Rules by the government.

Meanwhile, many probable candidates for Jatiya Sangsad elections have started gearing up their electioneering campaign in all the five constituencies under the Netrakona district side by side making lobbying to their respective parties nomination boards seeking nomination.

The five constituencies are Netrakona-l (Durgapur upazila-Kalmakanda upazila), Netrakona-2 (Netrakona sadar upazila Barhatta upazila), Netrakona-3 (Atpara upazila-Kendua upazila), Netrakona-4 (Mohanganj upazila-Madan upazila-Khaliajury upazila) and Netrakona-5 (Purbadhala upazila and Mougathi union of Netrakona sadar upazila).

The aspirants have started door-to-door electioneering campaign, inquiring about their well-being and exchanging pleasantries. Netrakona District Election Office sources said, there are 12,35,370 voters in the five constituencies of the district.

United effort a must to check neo-natal death

Our Correspondent, Mymensingh

Accelerated Intervention in Maternal, Neonatal and child health dissemination meeting was held at Bhaluka upazila health complex auditorium on 11th November. It was organised by reproductive health programme ESD, DCHS and assisted by UNICEF.

CS (Mymensingh) Dr SM Shamsul Alam was present as chief guest while it was presided over by UHFPO, Bhaluka Dr Md Shahjahan Deputy programme Manager, Dr Humayn Kabir, regional co-ordinate BRAC, Dr Md Moazzem Hossain, MOCS Dr Anwarul Islam Chowdhury senior health education officer Md Bazlur Rahman were also present. The speakers stressed on Maternal, Natal and child health.

Loss due to mortality should be reduced during pregnancy and delivery. Many complications arise during pregnancy period. So we should care about mother and neonatal child and come forward unitedly to cheek neo-natal death. Teachers, journalists, health workers, chairman and members were present in the meeting.

2 trampled to death by wild elephants in Jamalpur

BSS, Jamalpur

Two people including a college student were killed and two others wounded as wild elephants trampled them in Dewanganj upazila of the district on Wednesday night.

Police quoting local people said a herd of around 22 wild elephants came to Makhoner char and Baghar char of the upazila from the neighbouring Meghaloy state of India and started destroying crops.

As the villagers were trying to drive out the elephants, the frenzied animals trampled Ahsan Ali Hasan, 22, and Abdul Motaleb, 40, to death, wounded Sohrab, 40, and Abdul Hamid, 40, and ransacked ripe paddy on five acres besides razing down several houses.

Ahsan Ali Hasan of Makhoner char was a student of Sanandabari Degree collage while Abdul Motaleb was from Baghar char.

News briefs

Fire burns 10 shops in Sherpur

Sherpur, Nov 13 : Fire gutted 10 shops at Bhimganj bazaar in Sadar upazila Thursday morning. Fire brigade sources said the fire originated from an electric short circuit in a laundry and soon engulfed the adjoining shops at about 5.30 am. Witnesses said the fire burned down valuables of different shops including a pharmacy, cloth store, welding factory and grocery. Fire fighters from the district town rushed to the spot and doused the blaze after one hour of frantic efforts with the help of local people. Fire brigade sources said the extent of loss could go up to Tk 8 lakh, report UNB.

10 sentenced to three years each in Barisal

Barisal, Nov 13 : A court here on Tuesday sentenced 10 women, including seven of a family, to three years imprisonment each for defaulting micro credit given by Proshika, one of the leading NGOs of the country. The convicts are-Rita Rani Biswas, Kabita Rani Biswas, Gandhari Rani Biswas, Moyna Rani Biswas, Urmila Rani Biswas, Rina Ranii Biswas, Manju Rani Biswas, Nupur Roy, Gita Rani Roy, Tilu Rani Roy, of Molla Para in Agoiljhara upazila of the district., report UNB

Housewife injured in acid attack in Sirajganj

Sirajganj, Nov 13 : A housewife sustained severe burn injuries in an acid attack allegedly by a UP member at Bakail village in Raiganj upazila on Tuesday night. Police quoting family sources said Union Parishad member Abdur Razzak following a longstanding land dispute with Forman Ali threw acid on his wife Asma Khatun, 25, through the window when she was sleeping in her house at about 10 pm. Hearing screams, other family members rushed her to the local upazila health complex from where she was shifted Sadar Hospital. Later, Asma was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital following the deterioration of her condition, report UNB.

2 pirates held with firearm in Bhola

Bhola, Nov 13 : Police, in a drive, arrested two pirates along with a shutter gun and three rounds of bullet at Mirzakalu cross-dam in Borhanuddin upazila on Tuesday. The arrested were identified as Zakir Hossain, 25, of Chapali village in Tazumuddin upazila and Kalam Majhi, 45, of Hasannagar village in Borhanuddin upazila. Police received information that a gang of pirates were taking preparation in Meghna river for committing a dacoity at night. But before the Tazumuddin and Borhanuddin thana police reach there, local people surrounded the gang members and caught one of them, Zakir, from the spot while others managed to flee the scene. Zakir was later handed over to the police. As per his confessional statement, police also arrested Kalam Majhi along with a country-made shutter gun and bullets, report UNB.

Mobile court closes three clinics in Barisal city

Barisal, Nov 12 : A mobile court here on Wednesday ordered to close three clinics and realised Tk 20,000 in fine for not having necessary documents. The court led by ATM Mahbubul Karim, administrative magistrate of Barisal, ordered to close Khadiza Eye Clinic, Mamata Kidney and Dialysis Center and Barisal Physiotherapy Center of the city within 24 hours. Each of the first two clinics was fined Tk 10,000 and 24 hours time was given to discharge the patients admitted there., report UNB.

Chargesheet submitted

Natore, Nov 13 : Police Wednesday submitted a charge sheet in connection with killing of three Ansar members and looting of Bamihal police outpost in Singra thana three years back. The charge sheet accusing 26 people, including regional commander of an outlawed outfit Ismail Hossain, local UP Member Farid and Hafizur Rahman Happy, was submitted to a local court. Police Super Chowdhury Manzurul Kabir said all 26 accused are members of an outlawed outfit. Armed miscreants swooped on Bamihal police outpost and gunned down three Ansar members and looted one SMG, 10 rifles and 398 bullets in the evening of December 28, 2005, report UNB.