The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rice Procurement

THAKURGAON, Nov 22: Government rice and paddy procurement drive may be hampered in the district this season due to lack of space in its 12 food centres. Food officials said they are going to face serious problem during the next procurement drive, scheduled to begin on November 25, as some 44,140 mts of rice, paddy and wheat that procured during the previous boro season, have already been stored in the centres against the capacity of 28,000 mts. Of the total, 43,821 mts are rice, 314 mts wheat and six mts paddy. The officials said that it would be difficult to procure new food grains if the stored rice, wheat and paddy are not removed from the centres immediately, reports UNB.

Auto-rickshaw drive killed in Sylhet

SYLHET, Nov 22: An auto-rickshaw driver was killed by robbers at Angura Mohammadpur in Bianibazar upazila on Wednesday night. Local people said the bandits looted valuables worth Tk 2 lakh from the passengers of four auto-rickshaws putting barricade near the bridge no-3 at about 9 pm. They hacked auto-rickshaw driver Kalimuddin, 22, to death when he tried to resist them. On information, police recovered the body and sent it to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy, reports UNB.

Substandard fertilizer factory unearthed in Narayanganj

NARAYANGANJ, Nov 22: Police unearthed a factory of substandard fertilizer at Aliganj in Fatulla thana on Thursday night. They detained its four workers for interrogation and also seized low quality TSP worth Tk 22 lakh from the factory. The factory was sealed off on Friday morning in presence of local UNO Motahar Hossain. The arrested were identified as Pasha, 45, Dulal, 30, Alamgir, 34, and Yakub, 46. Police said Harishankar and Adinath Babu, owner of Moitri Trading and Sons of the district town, rented the godown of Nizam Iodized Salt Industry at Aliganj. They used to package the date-expired and low quality TSP in a new packet and sell those at high prices, reports UNB.

Fishing boats hijacked in Laxmipur

LAXMIPUR, Nov 22: Pirates injuring 17 fishermen took away their three engine boats along with nets and other valuables worth Tk 10 lakh in Meghna river near Char Abdullah in Ramgati upazila on Thursday night. Local people said the gang swooped on the three engine boats when the fishermen were fishing in the river at dead of night. They said some 17 fishermen were injured when the muggers beat them up on the boats and took away the boats throwing them into the river. Villagers later caught one of the pirates and handed him over to the police. A case was filed, reports UNB.