The New Nation - Internet Edition

Call to carry out election duties with sincerity

BSS, Gaibandha

Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the district Abu Muhammad Yousuf in a meeting on Wednesday urged the officials who are engaged in upcoming parliamentary and third upazila parishad polls to carry out their election duties with utmost honesty and sincerity.

"The present government is fully determined to hold free, fair and transparent National and Upazila Parishad elections to build a corruption, terrorism, anarchy, influence of black money and muscle power-free society."

The DC said this at the inaugural function of a two-day election training for the presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers organised by Sadullapur Upazila Administration at the auditorium of upazila parishad as the chief guest.

Speaking on the occasion, the DC also directed them to be more serious, alert and assertive on the day of the election so that the voters could cast their votes peacefully and properly. Presided over by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Abdul Wahed, the function was also addressed, among others, by election monitoring officer Abu Rafa Md. Arif, assistant commissioner (Land) and acting Palashbari upazila election officer Jahanjir Alam and upazila election officer Shafiqur Rahman.

A total of 73 presiding officers, 382 assistant presiding officers and 766 polling officers are taking part in the training in different batches, office sources said.

Election campaign gains momentum in Netrakona

Our Correspondent, Netrakona

Election campaigning is gaining momentum in all the five constituencies of Netrakona as the voting day is approaching nearer, local election office sources said.

A total of 16 candidates are vying for the five seats. In all the seats, one each candidates are from Awami League(AL) and Bangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP), one independent and the rests are from other parties.

Reports reaching from different constituencies said, the candidates have geared up electioneering holding public meetings, processions, and other means of publicity using loud speakers.

They are also going door to door and making promises to the demands of the people to win the hearts of voters.

Election office said candidates of Netrakona-1 constituency are Mushtaq Ahmed Ruhi(AL), Barrister Kaiser Kamal (BNP), Md Siddiqur Rahman (communist party).

Candidates of Netrakona-2 are: Afsaruddin Khan, (BNP), MD Ashraf Ali Khan Khosru, (AL), Nayan Dutta (PDP) and Jafarullah Khan (Khelafat Andolon).

The candidates of Netrakona-3 are: Manjoor Quader Qureshi (AL), Rafiqul Islam Hilali (BNP) Ehsam Sarwar (IOJ) and Regan Ahmed Mamun (Krishak Sramik Janata League).

The candidates of Netrakona-4 are: Rebeka Momin(AL) and Syed Ataul Haque(BNP). The candidates of Netrakona-5 are: Mohammad Ali (BNP), Waresat Hussain Belal (AL) and Mohammad Abdul Hannan Khan (independent).

Controversially appointed RU staff on indefinite strike for regularisation of jobs

Our Correspondent, Rajshahi

About 200 fourth-class employees controversially appointed in the Rajshahi University are on an indefinite strike demanding confirmation of their jobs.

But the authorities of the University seems have turned blind eyes towards the striking employees.

The striking employees yesterday shut the administrative building and the main gate of the university.

They also shut the main gates of Science, Arts, Commerce Faculty buildings, central Library and Dean offices forcibly in presence of a large number of police.

The striking employees took position at different points, including the administrative building and asked the officers, employees and students to leave the campus.

The university officers and employees could not make their way to the administrative building. The scheduled examinations and classes could not be held yesterday.

In the afternoon, the striking employees held a protest meeting on the premises of the administrative building.

The leaders of the employees said they will continue their strike until their jobs were confirmed.

The teachers, students and the general students strongly criticized the authorities for not taking any action against employees.

Netrakona Jubo League demands arrest of killer of its leader

Our Correspondent, Netrakona

Leaders of Netrakona Awami Lubo League, Awami League( AL) and Chattra League at a memorial meeting at the local AL office recently demanded arrest and punishment to the killers of Jubo League leader Swapan Jowarder.

The party sources said Jowarder was allegedly shot dead by some gun-runners at Teribazar area in Netrakona district town at midnight of November 28, 2001.

Local Jubo League organised the meeting in observance of the 7th death anniversary of the leader of the Jubo front of AL.

Presided over by convener of the district Jubo League Prof. Omar Faruk, the meeting was addressed, among others, by AL, Jubo League and Chattra League leaders, including Mohammad Shamsuzzoha, Advocate Amirul Islam, Mazahul Anwar and Mojibul Huq Hira.

Reception accorded to Netrakona FFs

Our Correspondent, Netrakona

Martyred Intellectuals Day was observed here with paying glowing tributes to the memories of the martyred intellectuals who was brutally killed during the country's liberation war by the then Pakistani occupation forces. Different socio-cultural and political organisations chalked out various programmes in observance of the day. To mark the day, a reception was accorded to the local freedom fighters at the Medni government primacy School's playground in Medni union under Netrakona Sadar Upazila on December 14 last.

Netrakona Abdul Aziz Memorial Welfare Association organised the reception. Chairman of the association Humayun Ahmed, the function was addressed, among others, by Upazila Nirbahi officer of Netrakona Sadar upazila Faruk .Ahmed, prominent freedom fighter Anisur Rahman, president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (ROB) Golam Ershadur Rahman and commander of Muktijoddha Sangsad Netrakona district unit Haider Jahan Chowdhory.

2 killed over land dispute in Sherpur

Two brothers were killed allegedly by their rivals centering banana cultivation on a one decimal disputed land at the Bajit Khila Krishnapur village under Sadar Upazila on Tuesday last.

The victims are Arif (22) and Ashraful (18). The name of their father is Abdur Rouf. Police said dispute was continuing centering the land between Sekandar Ali and Abu Bakkar with Abdur Rouf and his sons Arif and Ashraful. Rouf's house was set on fire by his rivals on Sunday night in which Rouf and his wife Afroza were wounded.

On Tuesday the sons of Rouf went to the banana garden when a group of people led by Hasanuzzaman Sajjad, son of Sekandar Ali equipped with lethal weapons allegedly attacked them killing Arif on the spot and Ashraful who died on the way to hospital.

Another woman was also injured in the incident.

SP Mahbub extends support to AL candidate suspending his run

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Mahbubuddin, Bir Bikram widely known as SP Mahbub, who was on the run from Barisal-5 constituency as an independent candidate, suspended his run in support of AL Nominee Col. Zahid Faruk Shamim.

SP Mahbub with his supporters attended a function on Friday in which he announced he will not run in the parliamentary poll and extended his support to Col. Zahid Faruk.

Col. Shamim hailed the decision of SP Mahbub.

City AL leaders and BCC Mayor and a huge number of AL workers were present on the occasion.

Zahiruddin Swapan, a central BNP leader, who became an independent candidate from Barisal-1 constituency failing to win a BNP ticket also has decided to abandon his plan to run independently. . He abandoned his run in support of BNP candidate Engineer Abdus Sobhan after Supreme Court validated Soban's canidature.

Two convicts executed in Mymensingh jail

UNB, Mymensingh

Two convicts were executed in the district central jail here Thursday midnight.

Jail sources said Dulal, 46, of Sutiakhali village in Sadar upazilal, was hanged for killing his wife Hazera for dowry on April 30, 1997.

Besides, Kabir Hossain, 37, of Demra area of Dhaka, was executed for killing a woman after rape on November 6, 2000. ADC Rashida Ferdous, ASP Apel Mahmud, civil surgeon Shamsul Alam and jail super Mollah Nurul Islam were present during the execution.

After the execution, the bodies of Dulal and Kabir were handed over to their relatives.

News briefs

Fishing boats looted in Laxmipur

LAXMIPUR, Dec 21: Pirates swooped on five fishing boats and looted fishing nets and engines worth Tk 10 lakh in the river Meghna near Char Abdullah in Ramgati upazila on Thursday. The affected fishermen said a gang of armed pirates coming by a boat raided their fishing boats one after another in the afternoon and beat them up indiscriminately. They said the muggers then looted the nets and engines at gunpoint and fled the scene. A case was filed in this connection, reports UNB.

Auto-rickshaw driver killed

LAXMIPUR, Dec 21: Muggers stabbed to death a CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver and hijacked his vehicle at Rampur in Sadar upazila Wednesday night. The deceased was identified as Sabuj Hossain, 25, son of Abul Kalam Patwary. Police said on the fateful night Sabuj was intercepted by a gang of miscreants at Rampur at about 10:00 pm while he was returning to Laxmipur town from Dasherhat. They then stabbed Sabuj indiscriminately leaving him critically injured and took away his auto-rickshaw and cash. He was later rushed to the Sadar hospital by the pedestrians where he died at about 11:00 pm. Victim's father Abul Kalam Patwary filed a case with the police, reports UNB.

Shrimp enclosure owner killed

in Satkhira

SATKHIRA, Dec 21: A shrimp enclosure owner was strangulated to death at his enclosure at Dakkhin Gava village in Sadar uapzila Thursday night. The deceased was identified as Madhusudan Sarker, 70. Police said when Madhusudan was watching his shrimp enclosure at dead of night some miscreants swooped on him and strangulated him to death. Police recovered the body and sent it to hospital morgue for autopsy. The reason behind the killing could not be known immediately. A case was filed, reports UNB.

Drug peddlers held in B'baria

BRAHMANBARIA, Dec 21: Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members in a drive arrested two drug peddlers along with 250 bottles of phensidyl syrup at Rampur in Sadar upazila on Wednesday night. Acting on secret information, a team of the elite force raided the area and arrested Faiz Miah and Abul Kalam along with the contraband drugs. A case was filed against them under Narcotics Control Act. Another report from Rajbari adds: Police arrested a man along with 48 bottles of phensidyl syrup raiding a passenger bus at Daulatdia Ghat in Goalanda upazila early Thursday, reports UNB.

17 shops gutted in Gaibandha

GAIBANDHA, Dec 21: A devastating fire gutted 17 shops near Noldanga rail station in Sadullahpur uapzila on Wednesday night. Witnesses said the fire originated from a mobile phone shop at about 11:30pm and soon engulfed the adjoining shops. On information, fire fighters from the district headquarters rushed in and doused the fire with the help of the local people. The affected shop owners claimed that cash and valuables worth over Tk 8 lakh were gutted in the blaze, reports UNB.