The New Nation - Internet Edition

Electioneering campaign gaining momentum in Rangpur, Dinajpur

BSS, Rangpur

The election campaign for the upcoming parliamentary polls has gained momentum in 34 parliamentary constituencies in eight districts of greater Rangpur and Dinajpur.

A total of 27 candidates have so far submitted nomination papers for six constituencies in Rangpur and more candidates including those of the four-party alliance are expected to submit their nominations very soon, the Election Commission officials here said.

Mokbul Hossain Shahriar of Jatiyo Party (JP), Khairul Islam of Islami Shashontantro Andolan (ISA), Sharfuddin Ahmed Jhantu of Awami League (AL) and Anisur Rahman of Bikalpo Dhara submitted their nominations for Rangpur-1 (Gangachara) constituency.

Anisul Islam Mandal of JP, Ripan Sarker of ISA, Anisul Haque Chowdhury of AL and Azizul Haque (Independent) have so far submitted their nominations for Rangpur-2 (Taraganj-Badarganj) constituency.

Mohammad Afzal of Ganotantri Party, Jatiyo Party Chairman and former President Alhaj Hussain Muhammad Ershad, Shahadat Hossain of CPB, Abdul Kuddus of BSD, Advocate Rezina Razzaque of AL and Golam Mostafa of ISA submitted nomination for Rangpur-3 (Sadar and part of Gangachara) constituency.

Independent candidate Shah Alam, Tipu Munshi of AL, Alhaj Karim Uddin Bharsha of JP, Bodiuzzaman of ISA and Nazrul Islam Hokkani of Workers' Party has so far submitted their nominations for Rangpur-4 (Pirgachha- Kawnia) constituency.

H N Ashiqur Rahman of AL, Fakhruzzaman Jahangir of JP, Abdul Ghani of ISA and Mominul Islam of BSD have so far submitted their nominations for Rangpur- 5 (Mithapukur) constituency.

Former Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, Kamruzzaman of CPB, Humayun Ezaz Lebin of Ganoforum and Shahjahan Ali of ISA have so far submitted their nomination papers for Rangpur-6 (Pirganj) constituency.

BNP leaders Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Alhaj Rahim Uddin Bharsha and Nur Mohammad Mandal, BJI leaders Principal Abdul Ghani, ATM Azaharul Islam and Shah Mohammad Hafizur Rahman and Mohammad Ali (Independent) are expected to submit their nomination papers for these six constituencies, party sources said.

The concerned officials in the District Election Offices and Administrations have engaged their all-out efforts for completing the necessary arrangements of holding the polls in a free, fair, transparent, impartial and credible manner.

ICT turns Madhainagar into a model union

BSS, Sirajganj

With the touch of information and communication technology (ICT), Madhainagar has turned into a model union of the country ushering in new hopes for its people.

The most modern technology has brought about revolutionary changes in the life and living of 25,000 people of Madhainagar, once a neglected area of Tarash upazila in Sirajganj district.

The people of the union, two kilometres northeast off the upazila headquarters, now get all information about agriculture, education, health, business, sports through community-based e- centre (CeC) and make invaluable contribution to the socio- economic development.

The union has 29 villages and 90 percent of its people are farmers and workers and the Santal community constitutes 45 percent of the population.

The CeC is a pilot project under Democratic Government Thematic Trust Fund (DGTTF) and its work began in two unions in Bangladesh in May 2007. The unions are Madhainagar and Mushidhat under Setabganj upazila in Dinajpur district.

The first phase of the project ended in December last year and later the CeC was included in the Driver Project of Access to Information(A2I) Programme, Chief Adviser's Office, with the financial assistance of UNDP, said Manik Mahmud, a consultant of A2I Programme.

He said the aim of the project is to find out such type of model by which information services could be reached to the doorstep of grassroots people and the model will have all elements to sustain socially and economically.

The whole management of the CeC is being run by a committee headed by the UP chairman. Teachers, doctors, farmers, students, women, government and non-government field workers and UP members have also been included in the committee, Manik said.

He said people of the union now get both offline and online information from the CeC such as different government forms, information about agriculture, health, education, law, human rights, employment and marketing.

Besides, services like compose, printing, photo, scanning, email, internet browsing and multimedia projector are being provided to the rural people at a nominal price, Manik said.

Talking to BSS, people from different levels of the union highly appreciated the concerned authorities for setting up the CeC in Madhainagar, saying that they are being benefited immensely through the centre.

"The people of my union are being benefited immensely through the CeC as they get information easily about agriculture, health, education, law, human rights, employment and marketing," said Mohammad Waheduzzaman, Chairman of Madhainagar UP.

98 pc under-5 children immunised in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

Nearly 98 percent of the total 4.65 lak hunder-5 children of the district were immunised in the first round of the 17th National Immunisation Day (NID) on Saturday.

Deputy Commissioner Abdul Ahad and Civil Surgeon Dr. Shahadat Hossain inaugurated the day-long programme by administering two drops of Oral Polio Vaccine and feeding a Vitamin-A capsule to two children separately.

Upazila Health and Family Planning Officers, Medical Officers, Family Planning Officials, NGO activists and volunteers have actively participated in the programme in different immunisation centres in the district.

The District Civil Surgeon Office with the cooperation of the UNICEF and WHO, among other organisations, undertook various steps to make the 17th NID a success in all the eight upazilas of the district.

Officials of the Health and Family Planning Departments, UNOs, EPI Supervisors and concerned Medical Officers supervised the day-long campaign. The second round of the 17th NID will be held on January 3 next.

A total of 111,553 volunteers and field workers including 754 health and family planning workers and 250 trained first class supervisors were engaged at 2,244 centres throughout the district, officials said.

They said that the volunteers would make door-to-door visits and conduct the campaign at rail stations, bus terminals and other public places for more four days to ensure that all children are immunised.

Death anniversary of Bakul, Shaim observed in Rupganj

37th death anniverary of Shahid Bakul and Shahid Shaim was observed on the 28th November at Bhulabo Shahid Smrity High School ground of Rupganj in Narayanganj.

On the occasion a memorial meeting was held with Monir Hossain Dewan in the chair. Shams, Uddin Ahmed, engineer and chairman, Bhulabo Union Parishad addressed as the chief guest. The discussion meeting was addressed, among others, by Al Amin Dulal, convener of Thana Freedom Fighter Command Council, Anwar Hossain, General Secretary Upazila Jatiya Party, Shirin Akter, Mohila Upazila Vice Chairman candidate, Babu Gaurango Chandra Das, Headmaster of the said high school and Krishna Dayal Das, social activist.

Seminar on child health, held in Mymensingh

Staff Reporter, Mymensingh

A seminar on Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health was held at Dhubaura upazila health complex on 20th November last.

Civil Surgeon (Mymensingh) Dr. SM Shamsul Alam was present as chief guest. It was presided over by UHFPO Dr. Mrinal Kanti Pondit. DD, DAU, Md. Mozzanel Haque, UNO Abdul Awal and DPM, reproductive health, DGHS Dr. Shaibul Islam Helal were also present as special guests. Welcome address delivered by Senior health officer Md. Bazlur Rahman. Teacher chairmans, members, journalists were present on the occasion.

Boy’s ready wit saved him from traffickers

UNB, Benapole

An orphan minor boy, who was brought to Jessore town from Dhaka for trafficking to India, saved himself from the clutches of traffickers using his ready wit at dead of night Wednesday.

Human trafficker Liton with the help of his accomplices took Sagar, 9, of Mijmiji village in Siddhirganj thana of Narayanganj, to Gabtali in the capital from Jatrabari area Wednesday morning. Then Sagar along with his bicycle was boarded to a Jessore-bound bus where he was given apple for eating by the traffickers. They at one stage put a piece of cloth on his face that made him senseless.

When the bus reached Jessore, the boy was taken to a microbus which went out of order on Garikhana road in the town. Later, the boy with other passengers got down from the microbus along with his bicycle and hurriedly rushed to local police and informed the matter. Meanwhile, the traffickers sensing danger managed to flee the scene.

The boy at first was kept at Jessore Model Thana custody and later shifted to Dhaka Ahsania Mission's shelter home in Jessore. Recalling his past, the poor boy said he had lost his parents during his childhood. His elder brother Nur Nabi, a bus driver, brought him up.

Property worth about Tk 2 cr gutted

BSS, Madaripur

Eleven shops and two houses were gutted in a devastating fire at Shibchar Pourasabha Bazar in the district on Monday morning.

Local traders claimed that property worth about Taka 2 crore was burnt to ashes in the blaze that sparked from an electric short-circuit of the grocery shop of Shankar Saha at 6.45 a.m.

Grocery, sweetmeat, hardware, saloon, quilt and fruit shops were gutted in the fire that lasted for more than one hour. Local people brought the blaze under control at 8 AM, the sources said.

News briefs

Young man killed over extra marital affairs in Khulna

KHULNA, Nov 28: A young man was killed as he went meet his lover at her house at Arasnagar village in Dumuria upazila Thursday midnight. The deceased was identified as Rabiul Islam, 28, of the village. Sources said Rabiul had an affair with his neighbor Nasima, wife of Mohidul, since long. When Rabiul went to meet her at dead of night Mohidul and his brother Shahidul beat him mercilessly leaving him dead on the spot. Police this (Friday) morning recovered the body and arrested Nasima, Mohidul and Shahidul, in this connection, reports UNB.

Indian national held with arms in Dinajpur

DINAJPUR, Nov 28: BDR and RAB, in a joint drive, arrested an Indian national along with a pistol, some bullets and magazines from near Ghasuria BDR camp in Birampur upazila Wednesday. RAB and BDR members arrested Sudep, 25, of Dakkhin Dinajpur district of India, when he was roaming around the area suspiciously. They also seized a foreign made pistol, eight rounds of bullet and two magazines from his possession. Two separated cases were filed against him, reports UNB.

College student injured by

misceants

RAJBARI, Nov 28: A college student was injured critically in an attack by miscreants at Banibah west Brichatra village in Sadar upazila early Thursday. The victim was identified as Nurul Amin Russell, 20, son of Moslemuddin of the village, and student of Rajbari Government College. Local people said while returning home at about 1:00 am after attending a waz mahfil in the village some 4/5 criminals waylaid Russell and stabbed him indiscriminately. He was rushed to the Sadar hospital where his condition was stated to be critical. Family sources said previous enmity might be the reason behind the attack, reports UNB.

Trawler loaded with clothes seized in Patuakhali

PATUAKHALI, Nov 28: Detective Branch of police seized a trawler loaded with 250 cartons of different clothes from Paira River adjacent to Lebukhali in Dumki thana Thursday. Acting on a tip-off, a team of DB police raided the river, caught the river craft and recovered different saris, pants, shirts and jackets worth about Tk 50 lakh at about 8:30am. Smugglers managed to flee sensing the arrival of the law enforcers. Police Super Ashrafur Rahman said the recovered clothes were being smuggled out to India. A case was filed, reports UNB.

One killed in b'baria road mishap

BRAHMANBARIA, Nov 28: A man was killed and five others were injured in a road accident at Malihata on Dhaka-Sylhet highway Thursday. The deceased was identified as Helaluddin, 25. Police said a Dhaka bound private car from Sylhet ran over Helaluddin after colliding with a Sylhet bound pick up van. Five injured passengers of the private car were given treatment at Sorail and sadar health complexes. A case was filed, reports UNB.