The New Nation - Internet Edition

JU classes suspend till Jan 1

BSS, Dhaka

Jahangirnagar University (JU) authorities have suspended all classes till January 1 next, due to parliamentary election to be held on December 29.

The classes of the university will resume on January 3, a press release of the university said here on Friday.

The university has been remained closed from December 3 to 24 on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha and winter vacations.

BSS goes online

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the national news agency, formally launched its online English news service on Thursday.

English subscribers of BSS will get all kinds of news, including national, international and sports, at www.bssnews.net/new or www.bssnews.net.

After going through the first page, subscribers can get the news items by using user name and password.

News as well as photo service will be available round the clock. The agency's online Bangla service is under process. Non-subscribers can read front-page news only.

Subscribers and others can contact BSS IT section for more information about the online news service.

Call to discharge election duties with sincerity

BSS, Gaibandha

Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the district Abu Muhammad Yousuf in a function on Thursday urged the officials to discharge their duties with utmost honesty and sincerity during the upcoming parliamentary and upazila parishad polls.

"The present government is fully determined to hold free, fair, credible and transparent elections wherein people's hopes, aspirations and expectations will be reflected properly".

The DC said this at the inaugural function of a 3-day long election training for the presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and poling officers organized by Sadar upazila administration here on Thursday as the chief guest.

Presided over by Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Arif Nazmul Hasan, the function was also attended, among others, by assistant commissioner (Land) and acting sadar upazila election officer and other upazila election officers of the district.

A total of 97 presiding officers, 716 assistant presiding officers and 1472 polling officers are taking part in the training in different batches, the sources said.

55 agriculturists urge countrymen to vote for Mohajote

BSS, Dhaka

Fifty-five agriculturists on Friday urged the countrymen to cast vote for Mohajote candidates to ensure food for all, keep prices of essentials within the people's buying capacity and make the country self-sufficient again in food.

In a statement, they said Bangladesh turned into a food surplus country with 26 lakh metric tons of foodgrains in 2001 from a food deficit country with a deficit of 40 lakh MT foodgrains in 1996 due to the effective and time-befitting agriculture policy formulated by the past Awami League government.

As a result, the statement said, 77 percent landless marginal and small farmers lived their life with solvency due to stable prices of essentials and their buying capacity.

But, unfortunately, Bangladesh turned into a food deficit country again after 2001 because of massive plundering, corruption and inefficiency of the Jamaat-BNP alliance government, it said.

The signatories to the statement included former vice- chancellor of Bangladesh Agriculture University Prof Moslehuddin Chowdhury, Scientist Emeritus Kazi Badruddoza, former secretary Mirza A Jalil, former secretary Dr Zahurul Karim, former executive chairman of BARC Dr Matlubur Rahman, former director general of DAE Ayubur Rahman, President of Bangladesh Agriculture University Teachers Association Prof AKM Saidul Haq Chowdhury, former vice- chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agriculture University Prof Ashraful Kamal, agriculturists Abdul Mannan, AFM Bahauddin Nasim and Mashiur Rahman Humayun.

4 muggers held in Savar

UNB, Savar

Local people caught four muggers while they were fleeing after robbing off a vegetables trader in Imandipur area here yesterday morning.

The arrested were identified as Azad, Rony, Sohel, and Shohel.

Police said five muggers hacked vegetables trader Salam early in the morning while he was going to his business establishment in Genda Bazar, leaving him injured. Later, they took away Tk 5,000 from him.

Hearing his cry for help, local people rushed in and held four of them after a hot chase.

Later, they were handed over to police after giving them a good beating.

Three sharp weapons were also recovered from their possession.

A case was filed in this connection.

Khaleda addresses Paltan meeting today

UNB, Dhaka

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia addresses a public meeting at Paltan Maidan at 2pm today (Saturday).

Organized by the 4-party alliance the meeting will also be addressed by leaders including Jamaat chief Maulana Matiur Rahman Nizami.