The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mass awareness to prevent tuberculosis underscored

BSS, Rangpur

Participants at a meeting in Chilmari upazila town of Kurigram have expressed their firm commitments to bring all tuberculosis patients under direct observation treatment short-course (DOTS) for eradicating the disease.

They said this while addressing the meeting for the public representatives and members of the upazila DOTS committee organised by Rangpur-Dinajpur Rural Service (RDRS) under its social health project in Chilmari Upazila Health Complex auditorium Monday. Chilmari Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Moksed Ali chaired the meeting. UNO of Chilmari upazila M Enamul Haque attended the meeting as the chief guest.

Medical Officer of RDRS from Kurigram Dr Arif, principal of Chilmari Degree College Prof Abul Quashem and secretary of Chilmari Press Club SM Nurul Amin Sarker were present as the special guests. A total of 70 participants including chairmen and members of all six unions in the upazila, members of the upazila DOTS committee, government and NGO officials and employees, professionals and journalists took part in the meeting. The RDRS experts elaborately narrated the present improving TB situation, ongoing activities and progress of controlling and eradicating TB and added that a total of 50 TB patients were recovered in 2008 and more 67 are undergoing DOTS method treatments in the upazila.

They also stressed the need for creating mass public awareness through various programmes in making the ongoing tuberculosis eradication programme successful at the earliest possible time.

Poll campaign gains momentum in Narsingdi

BSS, Narsingdi

The campaign for the ninth Jatiya Sangsad and third upazila elections in the district has gained momentum with the declaration of schedules for both the polls.

The probable candidates from different political parties in five constituencies have prepared themselves to contest the elections. They are trying to get party nominations in the ensuring sangsad election.

They have started mass contact drives with the support of filed level leaders and workers to gain support in their respective upazilas.

Local election office sources said a total of 12 intending candidates belonging to different political parties, including independent candidates, have collected nomination papers from the returning office for five parliamentary seats while 15 candidates collected nomination papers for upazila chairman and vice chairman post till Sunday.

Among others, former Awami League MP Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju collected nomination papers for Narsingdi 5 constituency. Former BNP MP Sardar Shakawat Hossain Bakul also collected nomination paper for Narsingdi-4 constituency.

Meanwhile, the district election office has started massive preparatory work as per the directive of the election commission to make the polls transparent, the sources said.

People from all walks of life are eagerly waiting for December 18 general election and hope that the general election will be held as per schedule declared they the Election Commission with the participation of all parties.

UP chairmen, members urged to be dedicated

Our Correspondent, Gazipur

An opinion sharing meeting pointly organised by Democracy Watch and Samajik Unnayan Sangstha, Gazipur Unit, was held at Gazipur Zila Parishad auditorium on Saturday at 10 a.m.

Local elite, journalists, teachers, Imam and students participated in the function. Participants discussed on Union Parishad's activities and called upon all chairmen and members to be dedicated social workers for the greater interest of village development.

Executive Director, KZ. Nayem read out a keynote paper on Union Parishad Function. Central Officer, Democracy Watch also was present at the function.

One beaten to death in Madaripur

Our Correspondent, Madaripur

One's was killed by his paternal cousin on suspicion of theft of a mobile phone set which was actually stolen by the killer daughter is Shibchar upazila of the district on November 2.

Police and victim's family sources said the killer Sukur Khan's mobile phone set was stolen 3 days ago from the date of occurrence. Following the theft Sukur Khan beat up his daughter Moushumi 18. Seing the incident the killers cousins Shahin Khan and Shahabuddin Khan came forward to save their nice from the mercilees torture of her father. Sukur Khan's son Alamgir and his wife Khodeza Begum strangled Shahin Khan (50) and beat up on his genital organ. At this Shahin Khan died on the spot.

A case was lodged with police in this connection, the accused persons are absconding, police said.

Bombs, arms recovered in Khulna

Our Correspondent, Khulna

Khalishpur Thana police recovered two hand made bombs, a country-made gun with a cartridge from an abandoned place near a slum at Joragate railway crossing on Saturday.

Explosive experts of Khulna Metropolitan Police defused the bombs. A case has been registered at Khalishpur thana.

National Agriculture Day observed in Monirampur

Our Correspondent, Monirampur (Jessore)

National Agriculture Day was observed in Monirampur with much enthusiasm.

On the day, after a colourful rally a discussion meeting was held at Upazila Parishad auditorium, chaired by DAE officer Chaitanna Kumar Das, upazila Nirbahi Officer Mahabub Alam Talukder was attendent as chief guest at the meeting. Upazila Administration and DAE jointly arranged the function.

On the occasion Deputy Agriculture Extension Officer Umapada Ghosh. Abdul Haque, Enamul Haque, farmer Akram Hossain and Ershad spoke at the discussion meeting.

It may be mentioned that the chief guest handed over prizes among 4 successful farmers. Besides, he inaugurated paddy cutting at Mohanpur field on the occasion. A cake fair was also arranged at the upazila parishad in the afternoon.

Case filed against Bonpara poura mayor

Our Correspondent, Baraigram

A case has been filed on toll collection against Bonpara Pouro Mayor Md Sanaullah Nur Babu and his associate. Md Nazrul Islam recently.

Md Fazlur Rahman and Md Ataur Rahman Mridha jointly filed a case with the Baraigram Magistrate Court and said in the application that Bonpara Poura Mayor and his association collect 20/- Taka from each passenger carried by CNG per day at Bonpara bus stand. But Bonpara Poura Mayor did not make any passenger shed or latrine. Not only this, Bonpara Pourashava does not have any land at the bus stand. It is a place of road and highway. CNGs ply on the road but not on the land of pourashava. So toll collection of Bonpara Pourashava is illegal.

Low price cause stockpiling of potato worth Tk one cr in cold storages

UNB, Rangpur

The traders and growers are reluctant to release their stocks of potato worth about Tk 10 million (one crore) from different cold storages in the district due to low price in the local markets.

They have stockpiled a huge quantity of potato at the cold storages but are now reluctant to release the stocks ignoring the notices issued by the owners of the cold storages.

In the meantime, the owners of the cold storages have declared that they would realize all dues, including storage charges, by selling the potatoes in auction if the traders and growers do not take delivery of their stocks from the cold storages within 15 days.

As there was bumper production of potato last season, traders and growers in the district have preserved huge quantity of potato in 22 cold storages beyond their storage capacity of 2.2 million (22 lakh) sacks.

Although the traders bought potato at over Tk 1000 per sack (84 kg) last season, but they could not even sell those at the purchase rate, some traders informed.

Potato trader Rafiqul Islam from Chhoto Kallani in Pirgachha upazila said he incurred a loss of about Tk 100,000 as he had to sell potatoes at Tk 200-300 below the purchase rate.

Many growers, who stockpiled their potatoes in the cold storages last year, are also reluctant to release those due to low price in the markets.

Potato growers Abdul Barek and Mostafizur Rahman of Pirgachha upazila said they did not take delivery of their potatoes for fear of heavy loss despite a notice from the cold storage owners to release their stocks.

Mostafa Afzal Chowdhury Babu, president of Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry and also owner of a cold storage, said more than 1.6 million (16 lakh) sacks of potato still remained stockpiled at different cold storages.

News briefs

One sentenced to life in murder case in Habiganj

HABIGANJ, Nov 18: A court here has sentenced a man to life term imprisonment in a murder case. The Additional Sessions Judge Court also fined convict Shaheen Mia of Chunarughat upazila Tk 3,000, in default, to serve six months more in jail. According to the prosecution, the convict killed his co-villager Dipak Biswas, 55, at village Gavigaon in Chunarughat upazila on April 14, 2001 following previous enmity. Later, victim's brother filed a murder case with Chunarughat thana. After investigation, police submitted chagrsheet against Shaheen and his parents. Meanwhile, Shaheen's father died during the proceedings of the case. After examining records and witnesses, Judge M Awlad Hossain Bhuiyan found Shaheen guilty and handed down the verdict on Monday, reports UNB.

One held with arms, phensidyl in Sirajganj

SIRAJGANJ, Nov 18: Rapid Action Battalion arrested a man alongwith a revolver and 89 bottles of phensidyl syrup from the western part of the Jamuna Bridge on Monday night. Acting of a tip-off, a patrol team of RAB-12 intercepted a Dhaka-bound bus from Nilphamari at Gol Chattar area at about 10pm. After searching the bus, the RAB men caught Sohel, 40, of Dhaka, and recovered a revolver and the banned cough syrup from his possession. Sohel was taken into police custody. A case was filed in this regard, reports UNB.

Housewife commits suicide in Jamalpur

JAMALPUR, Nov 18: A housewife allegedly committed suicide under the wheels of a train near Norundi rail station in the district Monday. Family sources said Ramachha Begum, 25, with her two years old daughter Sonia on her lap jumped under the wheels of a Mymensing -bound goods train at noon, leaving her dead on the spot and the baby injured. Sonia was rushed to Mymensing Medical College Hospital where her condition was stated to be critical. GRP police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy, reports UNB.