The New Nation - Internet Edition

Water level fall forces suspension of launch services from Khulna, Barisal to Dhaka via Gopalganj

Our Correspondent, Gazipur

Launch services from Barisal and Khulna touching Gopalganj, Tekerhat and Sikerpur to Dhaka have been suspended following fall in water level of the river Madumati, Kumar and Ghagot.

The services in the Dhaka-Khulna river route via Gopalganj and Tekerhat and Khulna-Barisal route touching Gopalganj, Mollarhat and Sikarpur were suspended three months ago because of the unusual fall in water-level of the rivers and development of landmass following siltation rolling down from upstream.

Launches cannot ply through the rotes smoothly following unusual fall in the water level.

The situation has taken a serious turn because of development of the landmass in the river Madhumati, Kumar Ghagot.

Following suspension of launch services thousands of people living along the river routes have been suffering for their travel towards Dhaka and facing problem in carrying goods.

The Executive Engineer of Water Development Board(WDB) of Gopalganj said they have submitted a TK three crore plan to higher authorities to resolve the problems.

The sources in WDB said about a 15 feet layer of silt has developed on the river bottom.

Following suspension of launch services, mechanised boats are doing the job of launches doing brisk business transporting goods and passengers.

At least ten mechanised boats are running on these routes and doing the job of motor launches. But people complained the journey by such boats are risky.

People of the areas have urged the authorities concern to take steps for dredging the routes to make them navigable for lunches.

Cold weather coupled with dense fog disrupts normal life in Rajshahi

BSS, Rajshahi

The unabated cold weather coupled with dense fog has been continuing for the last few days in the northern region.

Cold spell with mild chilly wind and heavy fog has triggered cold-related diseases. Heavy fog overcast the whole sky keeping the sun invisible and the plying of vehicles on all routes without headlights has become impossible till writing this report.

The number of patients suffering from pneumonia, asthma and respiratory complications increased in the upazila and district level hospitals, including Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, with rise in intensity of coldspell, Hospital sources said.

According to the concerned sources, the unusual situation has been preventing people from going outside of residences in the morning along with creating negative impact on normal life.

Only a few people are seen going out of their houses on urgent need while the day labourers cannot work in fields due to the biting cold.

In addition to the sufferings of the people, particularly the poor, cultivation, especially potato, chilli and Irri-Boro and pisciculture has been affected.

Meanwhile, the overall cold-wave situation deteriorated further in Rajshahi region with the lowering of mercury level during the past 24 hours.

Sources said the temperatures marked further fall due to decrease in humidity and strong blowing of Himalayan winds from the north and northwestern directions.

Met Office recorded the lowest temperature of 14.2 degrees Celsius in Rajshahi today against the highest 18.7 degrees.

Five-day training for female entrepreneurs begins in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

A five-day training course for the female entrepreneurs organised by Thengamara Mohila Sobuz Sangha (TMSS) began at its Dhap office in the city on Saturday. Chaired by Deputy Director of TMSS Bazlur Rahman, the inaugural ceremony was attended by Mayor of Rangpur Pourasabha AKM Abdur Rouf Manik as the chief guest, who inaugurated the course.

Chairman of Rangpur Protibandhi Foundation Akbar Hossain, Deputy Director of BADC Asadur Rahman, Deputy Director (Training) Foyzun Nahar were present as the special guests. Senior Trainer of TMSS Ekramul Haque, Senior Director Shafikul Islam, Branch Manager Nazmin Jahan, Abdul Awal and Ashraful Alam have been conducting the course, which is being participated by 30 women entrepreneurs.

31 held on various charges in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

Police in separate drives during the past 24 hours ending at 6 AM on Sunday, arrested 31 persons, including suspected criminals, from various places in the district. Police said the arrested included notorious criminals, muggers, listed terrorists, cheats, absconding thieves, drug traffickers and peddlers, extortionists, absconding accused and warrantees.

The police also recovered good quantity of Phensidyl, locally produced wine, ganja, narcotics substances, lethal weapons and other illegal goods during the raids, the sources said. Police recovered 67 litres fermented wine in abandoned condition from a village in Pirganj Upazila last night and none could be arrested in the raid. Kotwali police picked up four persons, Gangachara two, Badarganj one, Mithapukur seven, Pirgachha five, Pirganj 10 and Kawnia police arrested two persons during the period. The arrested persons were sent to jail after producing them before different courts on Sunday.

Election campaign gets momentum in Jhenaidah

BSS, Jhenaidah

Election campaign got momentum in Jhenaidah-4 Constituency (Kaliganj) as all the candidates are moving door to door to attract the attention of the voters. AL-led Mohajote candidate Abdul Mannan is visiting the voters and asking for their votes saying to forgive him if he had done any wrong to them before.

Abdul Mannan was defeated two times by former BNP lawmaker Shahiduzzaman Beltu, who is a candidate of Four-party alliance. But Mannan is hopeful that he will win this time as people are supporting him for his announcement of freeing the area from drug and terror.

On the other hand, Shahiduzzaman Beltu is a formidable candidate who was elected in 1996 and 2001 elections. He believes that people will elect him in the upcoming election, too, as during his last two tenure he had done a lot of development works in the area.

JS poll: Ctg-4, 6 constituencies: Neck-to-neck fight between Mahajote & 4-party alliance

BSS, Chittagong

Political observers here forecast a tough fight between the candidates of Mohajote and Four-party alliance in Chittagong-4 and Chittagong-6 constituencies in the upcoming parliamentary polls.

Chittagong-4 constituency (Hathazari and two CCC wards) has 3,27,913 voters while Chittagong-6 constituency (Rangunia and two unions of Boalkhali) has 2,00,193 voters.

BNP central leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury is contesting in Chittagon-6 seat as a Four-party alliance candidate while special assistant to AL president Sheikh Hasina, Dr Hasan Mahmud is contesting as Mohajote candidate.

On the other hand, acting president of Jatiya Party Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud is vying as Mohajote candidate from Chittagong-4 constituency while former whip Syed Wahidul Alam is contesting as Four-party nominee.

According to reports reaching from the areas, candidates of both the alliances have been putting full efforts and running vigorous campaigns to attract public support in their favour.

In Chittagong-4, though BNP leader Syed Wahidul Alam won 1991, 1996 and 2001 parliamentary elections defeating the AL candidates, observers said it would be a tough contest for him this time as former foreign minister Anisul Islam Mahmud has already emerged as a powerful candidate. Wahid has been focusing on development works in the areas during his tenure while Barrister Anis making appeal to vote for him highlighting the failures of Wahid.

Barrister Anis also is trying to mobilise the public support recalling them a number of development schemes implemented in the upazila while he was the foreign minister during Jatiya Party rule. Anis was elected MP from the constituency in 1986.

Observes said Barrister Anis is hopeful of his win this time if he gets full support of AL leaders and workers. On the other hand, Wahid is in an advantageous position for his soft approaches and maintaining good contact with the local people.

In Chittagong-6 constituency, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury was elected in 1996 and 2001 elections while CPB leader Mohammad Yousuf was elected from the area as AL-led 15-party combine in 1991.

Dr Hasan Mahmud is competing in the parliamentary polls from Ctg-6 constituency for the first time, but already appeared as a big challenge for Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, who simultaneously contesting from Fatikchari constituency.

Observers opined that the latest delimitation of constituency which included two unions of the neighbouring Boalkhali Upazila will give the Mohajote candidate some advantage as the new area is dominated by AL voters.

Salahuddin Quader is trying to drum up public support in his favour for his position is national politics and family influence while Dr Hasan Mahmud has been carrying day-night electioneering capitalising his close connection with AL President Sheikh Hasina.

AL leaders are hopeful of securing the seat this time as their candidate is a polite man with clean image. On the other hand, supporters of SQ Chowdhury are trying to secure third consecutive win for him to continue the past development trends in the area.

Promoting Electronic Cash Registrar in business establishments stressed

BSS, Rajshahi

Speakers at a workshop here on Thursday called upon the business community to extend whole hearted cooperation in using Electronic Cash Registrar (ECR) machine in the business establishments for the sake of speedy disposal of accounts side by side with accurate collection of Value Added Tax (VAT).

Highlighting the salient features of the machine, they viewed that the manual process in the business activities especially accounts should be replaced with the modern technology to bring dynamism along with making the trade activities profitable.

Rajshahi Commissionerate of Customs, Excise and VAT arranged the workshop on using ECR machine at Nanking Darbar Hall. Some 100 persons including businessmen and customs officials and staff attended the workshop and exchanged their views on successful promotion of the machine.

Customs Commissioner Lutfor Rahman, Additional Commissioners Dr Golam Muhammad Monir and Hafizur Rahman and Joint Commissioner Wahidul Alam addressed the workshop as resource persons.

The speakers urged the business community to help make the process successful so that the government could achieve the VAT collection target for implementing the development programmes smoothly. "Businessmen are the driving force for strengthening foundation of the state economy," they said.

They said that the government had launched the process for the first time in the country aimed at brining transparency in the tax-collection system in the businessmen level along with making the relation between the tax collectors and the taxpayers more closer and cordial. The businessmen are solely responsible for making the process a complete success.

"Businessmen are the main driving force for strengthening foundation of the state economy which is essential to operate its machinery smoothly," they further said.

They said increased tax collection depends on the enhanced income of the businessmen and the Customs Department bears positive attitude towards their benefit. "We have no intention to put the businessmen in trouble for collecting tax," they said.

They further said that businessmen have been contributing a lot in the nation building process although they have been facing many problems.

News Briefs

Phensidyl seized in Benapole

Benapole, Dec 20 : BDR jawans seized a private car along with 1,166 bottles of phensidyl syrup at Kagmari village here on Saturday morning. Acting on a tip off, the border guards raided the house of one Shahid and seized the car loaded with 1,166 bottles of phensidyl. The value of the contraband item was estimated at Tk 17 lakh. None was arrested in this connection. A case was filed, report UNB.

Two pirates held in Bagerhat

Bagerhat, Dec 20 : Local people caught two forest pirates along with two rounds of bullet and a sharp weapon at Amurbunia village in Morelganj upazila on Thursday night. The arrested were identified as Anwar Hossian, 35, and Tauhidul Talukder, 34, hailed from Kachubunia village in Mongla upazila of the district. Police said villagers caught the two pirates of Sundarbans when they along with their two accomplices were trying to flee through the village. The other gang members managed to flee the scene. Later, the villagers handed them over to the police, report UNB

AL leader held in Shariatpur

Shariatpur, Dec 20 : An Awami League leader was arrested from the district town on charge of extortion on Friday night. The arrested was identified as Iqbal Hossain Apu, assistant secretary of an AL central sub-committee. Police said they arrested Apu, also a candidate for the post of chairman of the upcoming upazila election, from DC road in the town at night. Apu, wanted in a number of cases, was arrested in an extortion case filed with Ramna Thana of Dhaka, police said, report UNB.

One slaughtered in Narsingdi

Narsingdi, Dec 20: A middle aged man was slaughtered by unknown assailants in Sadar upazila on Friday night. The deceased was identified as Nazrul Miah, 45, son of Nowaz Miah of Kalai Gobindapur village in the upazila. Police said Nazrul Miah went out of his house on Friday noon and since then he remained missing. Local people found the body of Nazrul in a paddy field of nearby Dari Nabipur village this (Saturday) morning. On information, police rushed to the spot and sent the body to Sadar hospital morgue for autopsy. Reason behind the killing could not be known immediately, report UNB

12 fall sick after taking tea in Meherpur

Meherpur, Dec 20 : Twelve people, including children, fell sick after taking tea at a local tea-stall in Hijolbaria village in Gangni upazila Thursday night. Locals said some people, including children, took tea in the tea-stall of Kitab Ali at night. Soon after taking the tea, Sobuj, 8, Shah Alam, 9, Muntaj Hossain, 60, Kamal Hossain, 25, Mahtab Hossain, 45, Abdul Mannan, 28, Saharul Haque, 11, Lalon, 18, Joynal Haque, 26, and Aziruddin Haque, 48, became sick. They were admitted to the upazila health complex, report UNB

5 injured in bomb explosion in Munshiganj

Munshiganj, Dec 20 (UNB) - Five people were injured in bomb explosion during a clash between two rival groups of Awami League at Moheshpur in Sadar upazila on Friday night. Local people said several bombs exploded when the clash ensued between the supporters of Mostafa Mollah and Shah Alam over election campaign at about 9 pm leaving five people injured. Of the injured, AL workers Nasir, 26, and Atikur, 28, were admitted to a local hospital, report UNB.