The New Nation - Internet Edition

Govt urged to execute dev programmes in Barisal

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Barisal Division was founded on January 1 in 1993 and the people of the division hope that the new government would meet the hopes and aspiration of the people and urge the incoming government to executive development programmes in the division.

Then prime minister Khaleda Zia inaugurated the division consisted of six districts.

The people urged the government to complete the trail of series bomb blasts in 2005, hold the City Corporation Election at the earliest.

Golam Mawla and Advocate Nazrul Islam Rajon, convenor and member secretary of Barisal Divisional Interest Protection Council, former BSS mayor Advocate Mojibur Rahman Sarwar and MP elect said it was a matter of pity that the division saw little development compared to other divisions.

They hoped that the new government will place development fund in line with the size and the population of it with other divisions.

Awami League leader and Mayor of Barisal City Corporation Shawkat Hossain Hiron the Barisal Municipility was made City Corporation in 2002. He called upon the new government for sanction of adequate development. He assured the city people about transparency of the use of fund in the new year.

He said priority would be given for development of the 45 square kilometers city area during the tenure of the new government.

He said he would try to give a new look to the city corporation. Sarwar said the new government should place development budget in line with the size of the people and the areas of the corporation.

Ebadul Huq Chand, former president of Barisal Chamber of Commerc and Industry(BCCI) and director of the FBBCI said Barisal had potentiality of being a tourist spot, fishery, but the potentialities were not properly utilized.

They urged the government to set up an Express Processing Zone in the divisional headquarters for development of the city and create job opportunities of the division.

Effective social participation for preventing HIV/AIDS underscored

BSS, Gaibandha

Speakers at a function on here said, the fearful threat of spreading HIV/AIDS could be prevented by raising effective participation and concerted efforts of all stake-holders in the society.

"It is essential to disseminating proper knowledge to the people, especially the vulnerable people, about the dreadful disease, to check its further spreading".

They said this in a workshop on the awareness of HIV/AIDS organised by Gana Unnayan Kendra (GUK), a local non-government Organisation, in cooperation with Oxfam-Navib at the training room of the organization at Nashratpur under sadar upazila in the district on December 30.

Civil surgeon (CS) Dr M Shamsul Haque addressed it as chief guest and medical officer of CS office Dr M Rafiqul Islam and upazila health and family planning officer Dr Prodwip Kumar Karmaker were present as special guests while programme associate of GUK Surajit Kumar Mohanta was the moderator.

They said that joint efforts of all stake-holders including the youth community, members of the civil society, government officials and teachers are needed in a coordinated and concerted efforts to achieve the ultimate goals.

They stressed the need for conducting massive awareness building campaign at all levels of the people including the vulnerable groups and floating sex workers in both urban and rural areas to work against the silent killer disease.

A good number of people including government officials, social workers, NGO representatives, public representatives and the journalists participated in the workshop.

14 JS candidates lose deposited money in six Rajshahi seats

BSS, Rajshahi

Fourteen out of total 28 candidates have lost their deposited money in six constituencies of Rajshahi district in the 9th parliamentary election held on Monday.

According to district returning office sources, excepting the winners and their respective nearest rivals, all the contenders have lost their deposited money in four out of the six constituencies as they failed to score one-twelfth of the total cast votes counted in their respective seats.

The candidates who lost their security money are: Salah Uddin Bishwas (Bangladesh Kalyan Party) of Rajshahi-1 constituency, Akhteruzzaman Bablu (Bikalpadhara Bangladesh), Enamul Haque (Communist Party of Bangladesh) and Sayeed Muhammad Iliash (Islami Andolon Bangladesh) of Rajshahi-2, Advocate Abdul Hai (PDP) of Rajshahi-3, Zinnatul Islam (PNP), Atiqur Rahman (BSD) and Muhammad Mohsin (CPB) of Rajshahi-4, Shawkat Hossain Khan (PDP), Mokter Hossain (Bangladesh Tarikat Federation), Abul Kalam Azad (CPB) and Shafiul Azam (LDP) of Rajshahi-5 and Nurul Islam (PDP) and Maskawath Ahsan (Bikalpadhara Bangladesh) of Rajshahi- 6 constituency.

On the other hand, a total of 9,184 voters cast 'no votes' in six constituencies. Of the total no votes, 1,130 were cast in Rajshahi-1, 4,591 in Rajshahi-2, 1,214 in Rajshahi-3, 422 in Rajshahi-4, 699 in Rajshahi-5 and 1128 in Rajshahi-6.

The EC for the first time has introduced the provision of no votes in the ballot paper of the parliamentary election.

AL led Mohajote (Grand Alliance) has achieved massive victory in the district wining in all six seats, which were bagged by BNP in 2001 general election.

Highest No vote cast in Barisal-5 constituency

Our correspondent, Barisal

Highest number of 'No Vote' was cast in Barisal-5 constituency among the five seats of the division giving the message that they do not consider none of the contestants were competent for being a lawmaker.

A Total of 8,789 voters cast 'no votes' against the candidates in their respective 21 constituencies.

Most of the users of their no franchise believed were apparently too much conscious and like honest candidates. These voters also might not like corrupt persons, said Abul Kalam Azad, district Communist Party of Bangladesh(CPB) Secretary, who earlier had called for casting 'no vote' against whom they will consider corrupt, anti-liberation force and war criminals.

Though the number of users of 'no vote' is not significant, but the political leaders should take mote of the message they voters gave to the leaderships, said Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, leader of an election watchdog body in the Barisal city.

A total of 3,738 voters used the 'no vote' option in six constituencies of Barisal district of the total 1144,731 used across the country.

Highest 1,496 'no vote' were used in Barisal-5 constituency alone while the lowest number 283 votes was cast in Barisal-4 and in Barisal -4 the number of no vote users was 202,888.

A total of 327 'not vote' was cast in Jhalkathi district while the number was 453 in Barguna district. In Bhola district the number of 'no vote' users was 1,681, in Pirojpur the figure was 1,393.

Notorious thief held in Rangpur

BSS, Rangpur

Police arrested an absconding convict and notorious thief bearing five warrants of arrests from village Jharbishla under Pirganj upazila here in the small hours on Wednesday, police said.

Acting on secret information, a special police team from Pirganj Thana conducted a sudden raid and arrested the thief from his house in the village.

He was identified as Golzar Hossain, 45, of the village and five warrants of arrests of the years 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2003 are pending against him and he was also sentenced to one month imprisonment in a theft case.

The arrested criminal was sent to jail hajat when police produced him before a Rangpur court on Wednesday, the sources said.

Year's last weekly sale sees buoyant trend

BSS, Chittgaong

The year's last weekly tea sale held here on Wednesday experienced a buoyant trend following active participation of all segments of the internal market resulted in moving up the prices in favor of sellers. According to market sources, good liquoring varieties were a bright feature of the sale and often advanced substantially.

There was some inquiry from Pakistan buyers for the plainer varieties. Best liquoring dusts were a very strong feature of the sale.

CTC Leaf: 27,787 packages on offer met with a stronger demand at generally higher rates.

Brokens: Good liquoring BOPs were a stronger feature following keen competition and advanced by Taka 1 to Taka 3 and these could be quoted between Taka 124 and Taka 127. Medium and smaller types were also in good demand and mostly firm. Plainer types met with a selective demand with some withdrawals.

Fannings: Good liquoring types were again a stronger market and dearer by Taka 1 to Taka 3 and these could be quoted between Taka 125 and Taka 129. Medium and plainer types were also stronger feature and mostly dearer often by Taka 2 to Taka 3. CTC Dust: 4,223 packages on offer met with a stronger demand at dearer rates. Select few lines of best liquoring types were keenly competed for and were dearer by Taka 10 and more while all others were fully firm to dearer following quality.

Best lines of CDs, were however, slightly easier. Both blenders and loose tea buyers lent strong support, the sources added.

Bumper mustard production in northern dists expected

BSS, Rangpur

Farmers are expecting a bumper mustard production in the country's northern region this season as the blooming crop is growing well and the farmers brought more land than the fixed target under farming of the oily crop.

The vast tracts of blooming yellow mustard fields have created an eye-catching look everywhere including the char areas while seed formation now progresses in the fields where the early variety seeds were sowed.

Officials in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said that a bumper production of the crop is expected as the prevailing climatic conditions are completely favourable this time and the farmers exceeded the farming target.

Harvesting of the early variety mustard will begin from the end of the current month and it will be completed by February in the region, officials told BSS.

The DAE has fixed a target of producing 2,45,250 tonnes of mustard with one tone production rate per hectare during this rabi season, which is 57 percent higher than that of the fixed target of the last season.

However, the farmers have brought over 2,55,000 hectares land under mustard farming during this season in the region.

Last season, the farmers got a bumper mustard production when the DAE had set a target of producing 1,56,262 tonnes of mustard in 16 northern districts and sold mustard at rates between Taka 1,400 and Taka 1,600 per 40-kg maund. The DAE sources said farmers of the region have cultivated the crop soon after harvesting the early variety of T-Aman and vegetables almost everywhere in the region including vast char areas.

The DAE, BADC, BARI and some NGOs have timely distributed adequate quality mustard seeds and the commercial banks provided agriculture loans among the farmers to achieve the target. Besides, the farmers have cultivated the crop in the huge char areas on the Brahmaputra and Jamuna basins where the crop is in full bloom that predicts a bumper production of the oily seeds.

Mustard farming has been increasing every year in recent times because of its low-cost and easy farming with maximum profits and adequate trainings on the latest technologies, inputs and quality seeds are being provided to farmers, officials said.

Book distributed free of cost in Magura

Our Correspondent, Magura

Distribution of books free of cost began in Magura district on December 31 in the primary schools, sources in the District Primary Education office said Wednesday.

They said a total of 351,433 copies of text books will be distributed among 108,439 students of 488 primary education. Of them books will be distributed among students of 97 government primary schools of the Sadar, 65 registered primary education schools and 11 community primary education schools. The books will be given to 37,438 students of the Upazila, while 52 government primary schools, 18 registered primary schools and 12 community primary education will be distributed the books among 17,539 students of Sripur Upazila of the district, a total of 32,170 students of 69 government primary schools,, 58 registered primary schools and seven community primary schools Mohammadpur Upazila will receive 96,795 copies of text books.

A total of 21,292 students of 49 government primary schools, 45 registered primary schools and five community primary schools will get 63,811 copies of books.

Besides, 25,583 copies of books will be distributed among the students of the primary schools run by NGOs on the first day of January.

Upazila Nirbahi Officer Meena Masuduzzaman opened the book distribution programme at Sripur Upazila Model Primary School.

Upazila Education Officer Hosne- Karimi and others officials were present on the occasion.

Woman’s body recovered in Noakhali

BSS, Noakhali

Police recovered the body of a beggar woman, 48, from the side of Maijdee- Sonapur Road near Datterhat in Noakhali Municipality on Wednesday. Local people said the woman was mentally disordered and she begged here since last two years.

The cause of the death was not known and the body was sent to the Noakhali General Hospital for autopsy, police sources said.