The New Nation - Internet Edition

Two lakh tons sweet potato likely to be produced in N- region

BSS, Rajshahi

Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has fixed a target of producing 1,80,600 tonnes sweet potato from 12,900 hectares in the country's 16 northern districts during the current season.

Sources said the DAE and other government and non-government organisations concerned have taken necessary steps to make the onion cultivation a success in the region.

Under the programme, 200 hectares will be brought under farming in Rajshahi, 850 hectares in Naogaon, 500 hectares in Natore, 250 hectares in Chapainawabganj, 1500 hectares in Bogra, 350 hectares in Joypurhat, 500 hectares in Pabna and 1850 hectares in Sirajganj under Rajshahi Agriculture Zone this season.

Similarly, a total of 800 hectares will be brought under the cultivation in Rangpur, 1000 hectares in Gaibandha, 2000 hectares in Kurigram, 500 hectares in Lalmonirhat, 900 hectares in Nilphamari, 700 hectares in Dinajpur, 1,600 hectares in Panchagarh and 600 hectares in Thakurgaon districts under Rangpur Agriculture Zone.

Additional Director of DAE Abul Basher told BSS that the sandy lands and the riverbeds are suitable for the sweet potato cultivation. So, people of the Ganges and Brahmaputra basins and the remote char areas are widely habituated in the farming along with consuming it. Production cost of the crop is very low, as it requires less fertiliser and irrigation.

Talking to BSS, DAE Deputy Director Braja Hari Das said nutritive value of the crop is similar to rice and its taste is delicious. It contains vitamins A and C and expected mineral elements, which are absent in rice. It is also enriched with protein, carbohydrate, calcium, iron, carotene and vitamin B1 and B2, which are essential for human body.

An adult person needs 13 grams vitamin-A per day that can be fulfilled after consuming only a single sweet potato. Braja Hari mentioned that people of Philippines and Papua New Guinea consume sweet potato as alternative of rice while in USA and Japan it is used as food widely.

He also mentioned that different types of tasty foods like halua, payesh, bread, pauruti, biscuit, pastry and cake could be made through processing the indigenous potato.

"If we can make the people habituated to sweet potato consumption the nation can reduce its dependence on rice to a greater extent," Braja Hari said adding that steps should be taken to make people aware in this regard.

In this context, he also said importance should be given to providing adequate training and technical know-how and agri-loans among the farmers to make the farming more popular and profitable so that the farmers could be encouraged to enhance its production.

External project management review team visits BRRI

A Correspondent, Gazipur

The external project management review team led by Dr Robert Tripp New Zealand and Dr Edmeades visited Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) in Gazipur on Monday last.

BRRI Director General Dr Md Nur-e-Elahi welcomed the team, and briefed them about the research activities and achievements of BRRI. He prioritised the areas of international cooperation, especially in the field of adverse conditions like salinity, submergence, cold and drought. He also stressed the need for quick dissemination of BRRI developed technologies including seed quickly to farmers' level, and human resource development on frontier technologies and capacity building for strengthening research in the context of climate change.

Later, the team visited the Bangladesh Rice Knowledge Bank (BRKB), a website-based rice technology transfer system started for the first time in this region in 2004. They also visited the experimental plot on submergence tolerant rice and on-going training on marker-assisted selection breeding.

During inter-active session, IRR Liasion Scientist for Bangladesh Dr M A Hamid Miah, BRRI Director (Research) Dr M A Salam, Director (Admin) Dr A W Julfiquar, Chief Scientific Officer Dr Md Zahirul Islam, Principal Scientific Officers Dr Jiban Krishna Biswas and Dr Md Helel Uddin Ahmed, and senior scientists and officials were present.

The team expressed their satisfaction about the progress so far achieved by BRRI.

Special drive to nab hijackers launched in Barisal

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Model thana police has started special operation for rounding up hijackers and law breakers. This special operation has been taken up in the face of increasing incidents of hijacking and extortion.

Police has already rounded up some members of organised gang of hijackers. Every evening police squad in plain clothes go out in operation on motorcycle. They carry out raids at each place of hijacking or indiscipline. Police source informed that operation will be continued.

Recently number of incidents of hijacking is on rise in the city which has caused panic among the city dwellers. To thwart acts of hijacking model police has taken up special operation for last week under the supervision of Hayatul Islam Khan, assistant police commissioner of Model police station. Several police squads on motorcycle take part in operation every evening. In addition to the task of chasing and nabbing the hijackers police also quell any unruly mob using hockey sticks. There have been several incidents of using hockey sticks by police which appears to have an impressive effect.

One sentenced to 18 years, another to eight in Sylhet

UNB, Sylhet

A court here on Monday sentenced a young man to 18 years rigorous imprisonment while another to eight years for possessing illegal arms.

No. 6 Tribunal Court Judge Abu M Aminul Ehsan handed down the verdict to Mazharul Islam Sumon and Collins Singh.

According to the prosecution, RAB in a drive held Sumon and Collins along with one revolver loaded with bullet from the house of Collins at Subid Bazar area in the city on December 23, 2004.

Later, they were handed over to police and a case was filed against them in this connection.

In another case, a court here on Monday convicted a man and sentenced him to five years imprisonment for selling fake stamps at district treasury office on January 1, 2002.

Additional District and Session Judge handed down the verdict to Ripon Chandra Sarkar acquitting another accused Suruj Miah.

Terrorists termed poison of society

Our Correspondent, Baraigram

Natore district Police Super Choudhury Monzurul Kabir said "Terrorists are the poisons of society. They are the enemy of the people. There is no room of them in our country. You help us to catch them," in a meeting at Koyen bazar under Baraigram upazila. This meeting was held under the auspices of Nagar UP Community Policing Committee in the evening on November 24.

This meeting was presided over by Md Mizanur Rahman. Natore District Police Super Choudhury Monzurul Kabir was present as chief guest and Baraigram Circle's ASP Md Syed Musfiqur Rahman was present as special guest. About 2 thousand people were present in the meeting.

Dacoity committed at Palli Biddut office in Rupganj

Our Correspondent, Rupganj

A group of dacoits robbed cash money Tk 60 thousands 5 transformers, 10 mobile set, including important records from the Sawghat Palli Biddut office of Rupganj, Narayanganj on the 23rd November night making the on duty staffs hostage on the gun point.

According to the officials Bandits attacked the on duty staffs weapons when they came to prevent the dacoits. As a result Zakir Hossain Engineer 25, Al Hayat lineman, 26, Asraful Islam 26, Nazrul Islam 24, Sheikh Abul Kalam 30, officials and workers and Driver Ajit Sen, 50, were seriously injured. The wounded were sent to the Hospital including Dhaka Medical. Among them the condition of Zakir Hossain, Al Hayat, Asraful Islam, are Stated to be critical.

Kabir Hossain, one of the officials of the said office, filed a case with the Rupganj Thana in this connection.

Tauhidul Islam, Assistant Police Super Narayanganj, and Abu Mohammad Fazlul Karim OC of the Rupganj thana visited the spot.

A RU female student passing insecure life

RU Correspondent

A residential female student of Rahmatunnesa hall of Rajshahi University (RU) passing her insecure life for last 18 days as the hall authorities ousts her from the hall over a trifling matter.

Sarfin Sultana, a second year 1st semester student of Management department told a group of reporters on the campus that on November 7, she involved an altercation with her roommate in a private matter.

Following the incident, on November 8, hall provost Prof Bilkis Begum ousted me from the hall for a temporally period without any reason, she said.

'My roommate did not complain to the hall provost about our altercation', she also said.

Later, I submitted a regret letter to hall provost with my roommate recommendation, she mentioned.

But the hall provost did not receive my regret letter and not give permission to stay in the hall, she said.

The hall provost also did not mention the reason in my letter, why I was not stay inside of the hall, he said crying.

Later, residential hall students met hall provost at his office but she did not response their request, she said.

Tk 50 lakh smuggled goods seized, 4 held in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) seized huge quantities of hundi money and smuggled goods worth about Taka 50 lakh and arrested four criminals from Dinajpur, Joypurhat and Gaibandha districts last night, RAB sources said.

Acting on secret information, a RAB team from Joypurhat camp raided at frontier village Nakorgachi under Panchbibi upazila of Joypurhat at 10 PM last night. The RAB seized 725 bottles of Phensidyl and a private car carrying the phensidyl in a carton.

The elite force also caught red-handed drug smugglers Nazrul Islam, 30, of village Dashar under Kalkini upazila in Madaripur and Masud Alam, 21, of village Shiladi under Senbagh upazila of Noakhali district.

The same RAB team arrested two hundi traders and seized Taka 31,83,900 and Indian Rupee 50,000 from their possession at the house of one Shakhawat Hossain at Chaulpotti area in Hilli frontier town under Hakimpur upazila of Dinajpur. The arrested hundi traders are: Anil Kumar Agarwala, 35, son of late Ramlal Agarwala of Joypurhat town and Shahidul Islam, 44, son of late Abdul Gafur of village Jagadishpur under Sadar upazila in Joypurhat district.

Anil Kumar Agarwal was caught by BDR with Taka 16 lakh hundi money from the same border two months ago. The RAB seized 20 sacks Indian mixed fertilisers 'Naborotna' from Kandia Bazar in Gaibandha and 76 sarees, 22 shawls and 15 pieces of three-pieces from Shailotti area and 40 bottles of Phensidyl from Raipur under Panchbibi upazila in Joypurhat in abandoned conditions last night.

After filing separate cases, the RAB handed over the arrested persons to the concerned police stations this afternoon, the sources said.

Mother, son sentenced to life for killing woman in Habiganj

UNB, Habiganj

A court here on Tuesday sentenced a woman and her son to life term imprisonment for killing her fellow-wife. The court also fined Momena Khatun and her son Kamal Hossain of Olipur village in Azmiriganj upazila Tk 20,000 each, in default, to suffer one year RI more. Both the convicts were present in the dock when the judgment pronounced the judgment. According to the prosecution, Momena with the help of her son Kamal killed Shamima Akhter, 35, second wife of her husband, following a family feud on January 17, 2002. Victim's husband Kafiluddin filed a case with the local thana. After examining 15 witnesses, Sessions Judge Miyazuddin Miah handed down the verdict, reports UNB.

News briefs

Indian clothes seized in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI, Nov 25: A taskforce comprising BDR seized Indian cloths worth Tk 54.45 lakh from RDA Market in the city on Monday night. Acting on a tip-off, the team raided the market and recovered huge three-pieces and sarees during a three-hour drive till 8:00 pm. The seized cloths have been deposited to the local customs office later, reports UNB.

500-seat dormitory to be constructed for students of SUST

SYLHET, Nov 25: A 500-seat dormitory for the female students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) will be constructed involving around Tk 10crore. Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury laid the foundation stone of the dormitory on Monday. Divisional Commissioner Dr Jafar Ahmed Khan and Vice-Chancellor of the University Prof. Dr M Aminul Islam, among others, were present. VC Dr Aminul Islam said the work will start very soon, reports UNB.

10 hurt in C’nawabganj clash

CHAPAINAWABGANJ, Nov 25: At least 10 people were injured in a clash between two groups of people at Batasir More of Narayanpur in Sadar upazila on Monday. Police said on Sunday, two groups-one led by Narayanpur UP chairman Habibur Rahman and another by Humayun clashed with each other following an altercation over harvesting 'Kalai' (pulse). On Monday morning, both groups again clashed with each other over the issue and hurled some bombs, leaving at least 10 people injured from both sides. On information, police and RAB rushed in and brought the situation under control at noon. Of the injured, Humayun, 40, was admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital while Mokter, 45, to district Sadar Hospital, reports UNB.

Mortar shell found in Brahmanbaria

BRAHMANBARIA, Nov 24: A mortar shell was recovered from Debgram village in Akhaura upazila on Monday. Police said the shell, weighing 10 kg, believed to be brought here during the Liberation War in 1971, was found while labourers digging the soil. Police recovered the shell and informed an expert team of Bangladesh Army for testing, reports UNB.

Drug peddler held in Naogaon

NAOGAON, Nov 25: Police arrested a drug peddler along with 505 bottles of phensidyl from a humanhauler on bypass road in the town here Monday. The arrestee is Shariful Islam,28,son of Azhar Hossain of Sheikhtola village of Shibganj upazila. Acting on tip-off, police halted a humanhauler and arrested it driver Shariful Islam,28, along with the bottles of phensidyl who was carrying the phensidyl hiding under plastic goods. A case was filed, reports UNB.