The New Nation - Internet Edition

Govt working with sincerity to ensure nation’s welfare: Ramesh

BSS, Rangpur

Water Resources Minister Ramesh Chandra Sen said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government were pledge bound to ensure welfare for the nation through sincere efforts to achieve more progress and prosperity in the days ahead.

"The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is working with sincerity, honesty and accountability to ensure smooth and equal development in all parts of the country," he said. While exchanging views with officials, journalists and leaders of the district Awami League (AL) at the local Circuit House Saturday evening, the minister urged all to work with dedication and sincerity in the greater interests of the people, country and the future generation.

"The present government wants to ensure well being of the people to make the hard-earned independence meaningful," he said and asked the WDB officials to complete the ongoing works for protecting the vulnerable points from river erosions and flash flood before the rainy season. Deputy Commissioner Abdul Ahad, WDB's Chief Engineer Aminul Haque and Superintendent Engineer Jahir Hossain apprised the minister of the overall river erosion situation in the region.

The minister said the government would try to resolve the river erosion problems permanently all over the country to save the people and their property from floods.

"I will have a meeting in Dhaka tomorrow with the experts, who visited the anti-erosion project of the Mississippi, and discuss strategies for permanent solution to the erosion problems," he added.

He asked the WDB officials to construct the anti-erosion structures, which should last for at least 50 years. "The ongoing second phase works of the giant Teesta Barrage Project (TBP) must be completed to provide irrigation water to the farmers of greater Rangpur, Dinajpur and Bogra districts," he said.

Replying to several queries, the minister said all discriminations in the tender process of the WDB would be removed as early as possible.

Barisal people frustrated for having no representation in cabinet

Our Correspondent, Barisal

General people in Barisal are frustrated as the division has no representation in the cabinet of the democratic government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

People of different professions expressed their reaction as the current cabinet has no representation from Barisal Division.

Abdur Rashid, an AL supporter giving his reaction told New Nation after watching the oath taking ceremony on television that he was frustrated seeing the cabinet had no representation from the division, which has sent 18 lawmakers out of 21 to the Grand Alliance's total.

Enayet Hossain Chowdhury, a freedom fighter giving his reaction on the cabinet formation said there is none in the cabinet to speak about the need of development and existing problems of the division is facing.

Dilip Dey, a jeweler artistes, expressed the satisfaction saying the cabinet with new faces had no corrupt elements. He said the cabinet formation cleared the strong stand of Sheikh Hasina that she does not want any corrupt element in the cabinet.

Hosene Ara, a school teacher expressed the hope that this government would be a honest, transparent and accountable in meeting its election pledges. She suggested the new government to include representation from Barisal division, if the cabinet is expanded.

96 fire incidents in Barisal last year

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Ninty six fire incidents occurred in Barisal cityin 2008, which damaged property worth one crore taka, officials said, but unofficial sources claimed the damage would be more than double.

Barisal Fire Service officials said they saved property worth Taka 62 lakh by dousing fires timely and quickly. Md Alauddin, station officer, said electric short circuit, open ovens and lamps, sparking from chimney and cigarette but were the causes of the fire.

Failure to inform the fire service increased damages from fire.

The officials said there was no casualty in the fire incidents, only several persons were injured.

The highest number of incidents occurred from short circuit followed by cooking oven 32 incidents.

Woman missing at Rupganj failing to repay NGO money

Our Correspondent, Rupganj

A house wife and a mother of four has gone missing for the last three weeks with her baby girl failing to repay installments of NGOs.

The woman Noorjahan, 40, is wife of van puller Ruhul Amin of Raiganj Municipality.

The woman took some money from a local NGO to bring some sort of solvency in her family and following suggestions of NGO officials. After repayment of 6-7 installments of the NGO she took some money from another NGO as she fell into hardship. In such away she took money from three other NGO and her loan amount stood at Taka 54,000 thousand. To repay the NGO money, she sold her cow and a jackfruit tree to lessen the loan money, but all her efforts went in vain.

Meanwhile, pressures from NGO officers mounted to clear their money. At last she fled her home on December 19 with her six year girl for unknown destination.

Her husband Ruhul Amin told NN that Noorjahan cannot flee leaving her adolescent girl and three children. He fears his wife might have committed suicide. Amin could not trace her after hectic a search in the places where she likely to go.

Barisal AL chief resigns showing personal grounds

Our Correspondent, Barisal

The acting Barisal district Awami League(AL) President Dr. Moklesur Rahman has resigned from his post on personal grounds.

Local party sources said Dr. Rahman has sent his resignation letter to the party President Sheikh Hasina on Sunday last, but it was not known if his resignation was accepted or not.

Dr. Rahman, who replaced Mohiuddin Ahmed, after his death in 1993, said the age has reached such a stage in which he cannot work more, but the responsibility as a district president has increased manifold following return of the party to power.

A private physician, who runs a private clinic and a pathological laboratory has made him unable to discharge the responsibility of AL district president.

CPB leader comrade Dilip Dev passes away

BSS, Rangamati

Comrade Dilip Dev, General Secretary of Rangamati district unit of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), died of cancer at Chittagong Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) on Thursday at the age of 60.

The body of the CPB leader was brought to his residence at Kalin-dipur in the town Thursday noon.

He had been suffering from rectum cancer for a long time, family sources said. Comrade Dev left behind wife, one daughter two sons and a host of relatives, party colleagues and well-wishers to mourn his death.

On hearing the death news, leaders of different political parties, journalists and businessmen rushed to the residence of the late leader to pay last respect to him.

Winter clothes distributed in Barisal

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Barisal district administration has distributed warm clothes to the cold wave affected people of different areas of Barisal city on Thursday night with a view to mitigating sufferings of cold hit people of the region.

Office sources said, a total of 300 pieces of blankets and wrappers have been distributed to the worst affected floating people at launch and steamer ghat areas of the city.

Officials of district and upazila administrations along with local representatives of concerned wards were present during distribution of the warm clothes.

Prisoner dies at SBMCH in Barisal

Our Correspondent. Barisal

A convicted prisoner Addus Sattar, 73, died of old age complications at Barisal SBMCH on Friday afternoon.

Barisal Jail and hospital sources said Abdus Sattar of Napit Khali village under Pathartghata upazila of Barguna district was serving his 14 years sentences under arms act at Barisal central jail became sick on Friday morning.

He was rushed to Barisal SBMCH and died their at afternoon and his dead body was handed over to his relatives after post mortem, said jailor.

Falling trend in Aman price in Jessore, uncertainty in Boro cultivation

Our Correspondent, Jessore

The farmers of Jessore preserve their Aman paddy as they need money in the beginning of Boro cultivation, which is dependent on irrigation and fertilizers.

They start Boro cultivation with the money come from the sale proceeds of Aman paddy, but this time the picture of Jessore is completely different. The farmers are not getting even Taka 500 selling a maund of their carried-over Aman paddy, which was Taka 750 per maund after harvesting. Due to lack of cash money, the farmers are unable to cultivate Boro timely.

Hoarding of paddy is a good business in Jessore region for long time. They preserve the paddy and sell those whenever necessary. Usually the price of carried-over paddy is always higher at the time of cultivation of new paddy.

Traders also practice the trade with farmers. But this traditional trade faced a difficult situation this time as the price fell by Taka 200- 250 per maund, but the cost of irrigation, fertilizer, pesticides and labour was up. Cost in Boro cultivation is almost double than Aman paddy. They farmer are thinking how to start the costly Boro cultivation.

News Briefs

Rice, cash allocated for road repairing

KURIGRAM, Jan 12: The government has allocated 2,127 metric tonnes of rice for the development of rural infrastructure of the district during 2008-09 fiscal. The government also sanctioned Taka 2,12,697 for repairing of damaged embankment and rural roads, development of grounds of different educational as well as religious institutions of nine upazilas of the district. Under the programme, saplings of fruit bearing and other valuable trees will also be planted on both sides of the roads of the upazilas, reports BSS.

21 shops gutted in Ctg

CHITTAGONG, Jan 12: Twenty-one shops were gutted in a fire at Gocchi Noyahat under Raozan upazila in the district in the early hours of Thursday. Fire Service and Police sources said the fire originated from an oven of a tea stall at about 1.20 AM and it soon engulfed nearby commercial establishments. Firefighters extinguished the flame in cooperation with police and locals at about 3.25 AM. Police, fire service, local people and shop owners said estimated loss in the fire would be about Taka 40 lakh, reports BSS.

Two killed in Jhenidah road mishaps

JHENIDAH, Jan 12: Two people were killed in separate road accidents in Sadar and Kotchandpur upazilas here Tuesday morning. Witnesses said a driver of a three-wheeler Nasimon was killed instantly when his vehicle turned turtle on Dhaka-Khulna highway at Tetulia in Sadar upazila.

The deceased was identified as Asgar Ali, 45, hailed from Naihati village in Kaliganj upazila. In another incident, an old beggar was killed when a pick up van ran over him at Bazrapur in Kotchandpur upazila while he was crossing the Kaliganj-Chuandanga road. The deceased was identified as Bisharat Ali, 75, hailed from Solemanpur village of the same upazila, reports UNB.