Man gunned down
RANGAMATI. Apr 3 : A man gunned down his colleague mistakenly while hunting at Bainnachhora in Kaptai thana on Sunday, reports UNB.
Police said Palhar Moni Chakma. 35. and Athai Pru Marma. 40. employees of Ghagra Textile Mills, went to Bainnachhora area at night for hunting. But Moni. thinking as a pig. shot Athai who was entering into the area from the opposite side. He died on the spot. Later police recovered the body and arrested Moni with his rifle. Another source suspected that Moni killed Marma due to previous enmity.
Reception to meritorious students
RAJBARI. Apr 3 : Meritorious students of Pangsha thana were given stipends and prizes at a reception accorded to them at a local school on March 31. reports APB.
Thirty students were given Tk 300 stipend each for good academic results and seven others were given crests for extraacademic activities including agriculture and social welfare. Chief Election Commissioner Mohammed Abu Hena was the chief guest at the function, organised by Pangsha Student Welfare Organisations. Prof K M Mohsin of History Department of Dhaka University and some local elite also addressed the function. held in the premises of Machapara School and presided over by UP Chairman Jillur Rahman.
Community centre in memory of Salam
FENI. Apr 3 : A community center has been built in the town after the name of Salam, a martyr of the Language Movement, reports APB.
It was Inaugurated by local parliament member Jainal Abedin Hajari recently. The two-storied community centre was ’built by the Feni District Council at a cost Tk 18 lakh.
Credit disbursed
KISHOREGANJ. Apr 3 : Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) disbursed credit amounting to Taka One crore and 22 lakh among 83 entrepreneurs in 13 thanas till May '98 to alleviate poverty, reports BSS.
According to BSCIC official sources, these loans have been disbursed in projects like sewing, pisciculture, poultry, basket making, making of jute goods and other small items. About 120 unemployed persons have started their own business with the loan money. The board has recovered Tk 9 crore and 44 lakh arear loan. The percentage of recovery is about 27.
Barracks for destitutes
CHUADANGA. Apr 3 : Under the Prime Minister's "Ashrayan Prokolpo'' the construction of two barracks at Dhutur Hat vil-lage in Chuadanga sadar thana has just been completed, reports
According to an official source, a total of 20 shelterless destitute families will be rehabilitated in these two barracks. The barracks have been constructed by the Engineering Corps of Bangladesh Army. The barracks have been handed over to the Deputy Commissioner of Chuadanga by the Army.
Internal strife in ruling party
SHARIATPUR, Apr 3 : Internal strife in the ruling party has been growing following the municipal elections in the district, reports UNB.
One faction of Awaml League alleged that Bacchu Saial. backed by Water Resources Minister Abdur Razzak. was declared elected chairman of Damudia municipality depriving Ali Azam Saial. Police admitted tension was growing in the area threatening the law and order situation. Crimes, terrorism, clashes have increased to an alarming rate. Rival groups have been filing cases against each other causing social tension. Local people alleged police are silent spectators in the face factional strife resulting in the rise of crimes.
Boro farming on 1,24,469 hectares
NETRAKONA. Apr 3 : A bumper production of Boro crops would be achieved in Netrakona district this year if the Climate remains suitable for the green Boro crop fields, Netrakona District Agriculture Extension Department (AED) office sources said, reports BSS.
According te'Wefeourc^S’ma&sive programme for the cultivation of Boro crops has been taken up in all the 10 thanas of Netrakona district in the current season. Under the programme, a total of 1.24,469 hectares has been brought under Boro crops cultivation programme. Of the total land 92.718 hectares have been brought under High Yielding Variety (HYV) of the crops and 31.751 hectares under the local variety.
Ration goods distributed
BANDARBAN. Apr 3 : Bangladesh Red Crescent Society distributed a huge quantity of ration goods among the 1947 members of PCJSS who returned to their normal life following the signing of CHT peace accord, reports UNB.
These included pulse, salt and soybean oil. The organisation at a time handed over 104 kg of pulse. 52 kg salt arid 52 liter soybean oil to each member as a six-month ration in February and March. Deputy Director of the society Afsar Uddin told that same quantity of pulse, salt and edible oil are ready for distribution among the members for next six months and the distribution will be started from July-August this year. Of the 1947 former insurgents, who came to the normal life, 931 were rehabilitated in Rangamati. 985 in Khagrachhari and 31 here in the district. Afsar Uddin added.
Clashes leave 20 hurt
S1RAJGANJ. Apr 3 : At least 20 people were injured in a series of clashes between two groups at Mahmudpur area in the town on Tuesday and Wednesday over sharing of toll money, reports UNB.
Police said two groups of youths of the area chased each other and attacked with lethal weapons in two phases in the afternoon and night on Tuesday following the conflict aroused with the sharing of tolls collected from the gamblers. The feuding groups created a reign of terror the following day by resorting to loot and arson. Police lathi-charged the groups to bring the situation under control and arrested six'of them from the spot. Of the injured, seven were admitted to Sadar Hospital and different clinics and one to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital in a critical condition.
2 killed in bus accident
NARSINGDI. Apr 3 : Two people were killed and 50 others injured in a bus accident on Narsingdi-Kaliganj road near Batpara Here on Sunday, reports UNB.
Witnesses said Mahmudur Rahman. 35. of Ulukandi village in Banchharampur thana and his nine-year-old daughter died on the spot when the overloaded minibus carrying them plunged into a ditch after losing its control. The injured were admitted to the Sadar Hospital and different private clinics in Ghorasal. Police seized the bus. but the driver lied the scene. The bodies were sent to the hospital morgue, for autopsy.
Jute farming on 1,82,000 hectares
RANGPUR. Apr 3 : A total of 1.82,000 hectares of land will be brought under Jute cultivation in 16 districts of the country's northern region during the current season, reports UNB.
The districts are Rangpur. Kurigram. Gaibandha. Nil-phamari. Lalmonirhat. Dinajpur. Thakurgaon. Panchagarh. Bogra. Joypurhat, Pabna. Sirajganj, Natore, Naogaon, Rajshahi and ChapainawabganJ. Agriculture officials said of the total land, some 71,000 hectares will be brought under local variety cultivation while 1.11.000 hectares under Tossa variety. The production target has been fixed at 17.53.000 bales of raw Jute in all these districts.
Acid thrown on beggars
COX'S BAZAR. Apr 3 : They are not beautiful teenage girls but beggars, victims of acid throwing, reports APB.
Police said a middle-aged woman beggar. Begum, and her daughter Humaira Begum, were injured when acid was thrown on them by some unidentified persons in front of a jewelry shop in the town on Sunday. The were admitted to the sadar hospital with burn injuries in different parts of their bodies.
Aromatic fine rice farming scheme
PABNA, Apr 3 : The Barendra Bohumukhl Unnayan Authorities (BBUA) has undertaken a programme to encourage farmers to grow aromatic fine rice in the Barendra region, reports APB.
Special arrangements including supervision by Block Supervisors of the Agricultural Extension Department have been made for the purpose, sources in the BBUD said. Aromatic fine rice has good export prospects. One kilogram of this variety of rice is being sold now at Tk 300 in London, they said. Produc-tion of aromatic varieties like Kataribhog, Chini Atob, Chin! Gura, Kaljlra, Biroi. Khankani (BR-38). Basmati can be increased substantially in the Barendra region, covering Rajshahi, Dinajpur and Pabna districts, which will be a good source of income for the farmers, they said.