Khulna Stalking: College teachers on strike

Teachers of Khalishpur Haji Mohsin College went on work stoppage for indefinite period yesterday in protest against stalking of a female teacher by a student of the same college.

Meanwhile, a five-member committee has been formed to probe the incident of stalking. Headed by former principal of the college Tofazzal Hossain, the probe committee has been asked to submit its report by Sunday.

Vice principal Nazmul Ahsan said that the work stoppage by all teachers would continue until expulsion of stalker Imran Hossain Shabuj from the college and arrest by police.

Imran Hossain Shabuj is a student of third year class and joint secretary of the college unit of BCL.

Source : The Daily Star

Ex-outlaw killed, 3 others arrested

A former outlaw was killed in Meherpur yesterday while three others were arrested in Jhenidah and Khulna yesterday and the day before.

A former activist of an outlawed outfit was shot dead at his residence at Mahajanpur village in Mujibnagar upazila of Meherpur yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Kadam Ali, 30, ex-member of Sathi group of Purba Banglar Communist Party. He was also known as a police informer in the area, reports UNB.

Police and local sources said a gang of 8/10 raided his house at about 1.00am and tried to kidnap him at gunpoint.

Being resisted by the victim, the criminal shot him point blank, leaving him dead on the spot.

In Jhenidah, police arrested two outlaws early yesterday from the house of Lutfor Rahman of Sreerampur village under Kotchandpur upazila, reports our correspondent.

The arrestees are Mejbah Uddin Mukul alias Rashed alias Tuhin and Shahjada alias Babu of Akhra Gilatala village under Khanjahan Ali upazila in Khulna district.

Police recovered some posters, leaflets and booklets, two pen drives, a motorbike and three mobile phones from their possession.

In Khulna, police arrested an outlaw from Bagmara village under Rupsha upazila on Wednesday evening, reports our staff correspondent.

The arrestee was identified as Nasiruddin Ripon, 32, operation commander of Janajuddho faction of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP), police said.

He was arrested in connection with an extortion case filed against him with Rupsha police station on July 26.

The arrestee was remanded for five days from yesterday.

Source : The Daily Star

Snaps And Snippets: AL man held with gun

An Awami League (AL) leader was arrested with a gun and three bullets in Jaliapara area under Ramgarh upazila of Khagrachhari district yesterday. Acting on a tip-off, an army team of Guimara zone arrested Abul Kasham, president of Halfchhari Union AL, at his house at Jaliapara at around 11:00am and recovered a gun and three bullets from his possession. After interrogation, the army team handed him over to Guimara police.

Source : The Daily Star

Prisoner dies

A district jail prisoner died at Adhunik Sadar Hospital yesterday morning.

Jailer Didarul Alam said, Enamul Haque, 45, an accused in a case under Women and Children Repression Prevention Act was gossiping with inmates. Suddenly he fell sick at around 7:00am. He was rushed to Chapainawabganj Adhunik Sadar Hospital where he died of cardiac arrest at around 7:30am.

Source : The Daily Star

Extortionists stab PP

Extortionists stabbed a public prosecutor (PP) in the town yesterday as he refused to accede to their demand.

The victim, Special Public Prosecutor advocate Delwar Hossain, came under attack in front of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Court at around 12:30pm

A gang of five stabbed Delwar, also the president of Jubo League Dinajpur district unit, as he refused to bow to their demand for Tk10, 000, Akramul Amin, general secretary of Dinajpur Lawyers' Association, quoted Delwar as saying.

Hearing screams, other lawyers and locals rushed to the spot, chased the extortionists and caught one of the gang members named Russel Munshi while the rest managed to flee.

Source : The Daily Star 

Snaps And Snippets: HSC examinee commits suicide

Failed in the HSC examinations, a girl allegedly committed suicide by taking poison at Majhiara village in Tala upazila on Wednesday evening. Sathi Dutta, 18, Daughter of Deddas Dutta, took poison after she came to know her results at around 6:0030pm. She died on way to Tala Upazila Health Complex at around 7:30pm. Sathi sat for the HSC examinations this year from humanities group from Tala Mohila College under Jessore education board.

Source : The Daily Star

Withdraw cases against Quader: Demand DU students

A group of Dhaka University (DU) students yesterday under the banner "Students Against Oppression" demanded withdrawal of cases against Abdul Quader, a biochemistry and molecular biology student.

At a press conference at Madhur Canteen, they also demanded Quader's release and punishment to police officers who tortured and filed false cases against him.

Terming the incident a recurrence of what happened to Limon, they criticised the DU authorities saying that it lacked responsibility and cooperation in this regard.

Source : The Daily Star

Ruhul Amin

Today is the fifth death anniversary of Principal Md Ruhul Amin, a prominent educationist, says a press release.

His students, colleagues, and well-wishers are requested to pray for the salvation of the departed soul.

Source : The Daily Star

Death anniversary

Today is the first death anniversary of Syeda Maksuma Aref, wife of Dr Margub Aref Jahangir and the eldest daughter of Syed Matinul Haq, says a press release.

On the occasion, a doa mahfil will be held at her residence in the city's New Eskaton after Asr prayers. Before her demise, Maksuma worked in Dhaka Ahasania Mission.

Source : The Daily Star 

Hearing in Koko's case deferred

A Dhaka court yesterday deferred till September 8, the hearing on charge framing against Arafat Rahman Koko, youngest son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, in connection with a tax evasion case.

Judge Mohammad Zohurul Haque of the Senior Special Judge's Court passed the order after Koko's lawyer, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon submitted a petition seeking adjournment of the hearing.

Source : The Daily Star

Sacrifice of 20,000 Indian soldiers helped achieve Indo-Bangla ties: Says Shahriar Kabir

Journalist Shahriar Kabir at a discussion here said Bangladesh-India relations were achieved by sacrificing the blood of 20,000 members of the Indian Army during the War of Liberation in 1971.

It was strengthened by the thirty crore people speaking Bangla in Bangladesh and in India states of West Bengal, Tripura and Assam, all cherishing the same culture, spirit and social values, he said.

The discussion styled "Bangladesh-India relations: From Bangabandhu to Sheikh Hasina" was organised by Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee Khulna unit in the city's public hall on Wednesday.

Nirmul committee Khulna President Dr Sheikh Baharul Alam presided over the discussion.

Shahriar said the Indo-Bangla friendship treaty is based on the commitment of the countries towards secularism and democratic norms.

Yet, there are some unresolved problems between the two countries including water sharing issue, trade deficit, transfer of enclaves and border tension which must be resolved reasonably and diplomatically, he added.

Khulna University Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammod Fayek-uzzaman and journalist Gouranga Nandi also spoke.

Source : The Daily Star

Hopes sparked as parents learn to handle autism: Workshop on autism ends today

When Dooye was three years old and his mother found that he had problem speaking and communicating, the mother rushed to different doctors, but they took long two years to identify it as Autism.

"Still I think, if it was diagnosed earlier, the chance of his improvement would increase", said Rokhsana Ahmed, mother of Dooye, who gave up her job only to spend time on her autistic child who is now six and a half years old.

Causes of autism are yet to be clearly known. Researchers, however, say abnormal birth presentations, foetal distress, birth injury or trauma, and maternal bleeding can play role in developing autism.

"I know some day science will be able to find out the reasons behind autism and its solutions. But we will not be there to see it", Rokhsana said.

But yesterday, she seemed so happy as she participated in the workshop on autism that will end today (Friday) at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in the city. The workshop follows an international conference on autism, which ended Tuesday.

Today's session will be participated by 230 psychologists, doctors, and students at the seminar room of BSMMU's Centre for Neurodevelopment Autism in Children. Saima Wazed Hossain, daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and chairman of the Bangladesh National Advisory Committee on Autism, will be present there.

A total of 363 parents took part in yesterday's session where experts from abroad were present as resource persons.

"We have learnt many things from the workshop that include techniques to improve their speech, control their mood, engage them in work without annoying them or to make them study", she exclaimed.

Similar feeling swept over mothers of Pian, Amethy, Tawsif and many more. The parents of these autistic children are happy to see that more and more people now know about autism. They all felt this conference should have been held before so that they could learn these important things earlier.

As many therapists, doctors, teachers and psychologists are learning about autism in detail, the diagnosis and schooling of autistic children will be easier gradually, they expect.

Autism is a complex developmental disability involving a biological or organic defect in the functioning of the brain, said AFMZ Haque, psychiatrist of CPC Behavioural Healthcare, USA.

"In the US where an estimated 1.5 million individuals are autistic, it is diagnosed at the age of 18 months normally", he said, adding that the education department takes care of these children and provides schooling in way that the autistic adult get suitable job. They make them to lead a quality life there, he said.

"In Bangladesh, autism issue must be taken care of by the ministries of health, education, and social welfare to reach a standard position. Otherwise, fragmented activities cannot help much".

Source : The Daily Star

CU BCL man beaten up by rival faction

An activist of Bangladesh Chhatra League at Chittagong University was wounded Wednesday night as the rival faction attacked him in front of Shah Amanat Hall.

The injured Kowsar Ahmed Fuad, a third year student of soil science department, is under treatment in Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

CU unit BCL President Mamunul Hoque denied that it was a rivals' attack among BCL men. The incident might have resulted from personal enmity, he said.

Source : The Daily Star

PM should apologise to nation: Fakhrul

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said yesterday Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has to apologise to the nation for curbing freedom of expression and snatching people's voting right by amending the constitution.

He said the ruling coalition dreams of the next parliamentary election excluding BNP, but they will not be able to stay in power if the poll is held without BNP.

Fakhrul was addressing a protest rally organised by Dhaka city unit BNP at Nayapaltan in the city as part of the party's countrywide demonstration against price hike of essentials and arrest warrant against the party's Senior Vice-chairman Tarique Rahman.

Several thousand leaders, workers, and supporters attended the rally with the party's Dhaka city unit convener Sadeque Hossain Khoka, also the city mayor, in the chair.

"You have to apologise for curbing freedom of expression and snatching people's right to vote. You have to apologise also for destroying democracy by the fourth amendment after the independence", he asked the prime minister, protesting her remark against Khaleda Zia.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday asked the BNP chairperson to apologise for her remark on the constitution that the present constitution would be thrown away if BNP comes to power.

Fakhrul said it is now clear to the people that the fifteenth amendment made the country's constitution contradictory.

Source : The Daily Star 

'Protect SC land'

Supreme Court (SC) yesterday upheld a High Court verdict directing authorities concerned to protect and maintain 55.5 acres of land on its (SC) premises in the city in accordance with the law.

Two SC lawyers Asaduzzaman Siddiqui and Aklas Uddin Bhuiyan, on January 31, jointly filed a writ petition as public interest litigation stating that different organisations are grabbing SC land.

Among the organisations, Roads and Highways Department (RHD) is illegally occupying around seven acres of land and Shishu Academy around 2.5 acres, they claimed.

The HC on March 10 this year directed authorities concerned to protect and maintain SC lands.

The HC also declared that the lands, recorded in the name of Bharat Samrat in 1910 under Central Survey (CS) Khatian No 16855 and CS Dag No 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 16/162, are now SC property.

The academy and RHD filed two seperate leave-to-appeal petitions earlier for staying the operation of the HC verdict.

A seven-member bench of the SC Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain dismissed the petitions and passed the order.

Manzill Murshid, counsel for the petitioner, told reporters on Thursday that authorities concerned of government and SC are to conduct survey to demarcate, restore and record the lands in the name of SC as per the apex court order.

Source : The Daily Star 

'One crore suffering from Hepatitis B, C in country'

Around one crore people have been suffering from Hepatitis B and C virus in the country, experts said at a seminar yesterday.

On the occasion of the World Hepatitis Day different organisations arranged programmes to make people aware of Hepatitis B and C virus, the leading cause of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, which are taking an alarming turn across the globe.

The slogan of this year's World Hepatitis Day is 'This is hepatitis……….'

Currently one in every 12 has been suffering from Hepatitis B or C globally and the burden is much higher than HIV/AIDS, said the speakers at the seminar organised by the Liver Foundation of Bangladesh at Public Library auditorium.

According to the World Health Organisation, around 35 to 40 crore people across the globe have been suffering from Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and 20 lakh of them die every year. The prevalence of HBV in the country is seven percent, they said.

Though Hepatitis B can be prevented through vaccination and has treatment, Hepatitis C doesn't. That is why it is important to create awareness in the society to prevent it, they said.

Hepatitis B and C can be transmitted sexually and through blood and blood products. New born babies also can be affected with HBV if their mothers are infected with the virus. Currently 3.5 percent of the pregnant women are suffering from HBV.

If a baby is given first dose of HBV vaccine within 24-hour of its age and then at the age of one month and six months, it could be prevented.

Social Welfare Minister Enamul Haque Mustafa Shahid was present as the chief guest. National Prof M R Khan, WHO representative to Bangladesh Dr Arun Bhadra Thapa, Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, Prof Anisur Rahman, Liver Foundation of Bangladesh Secretary General Prof Mohammad Ali and Prof Faruque Ahmed also spoke.

Source : The Daily Star

NHRC chief terms it an ominous sign

"The torture on Quader is an ominous sign for law and order in the country.... The state is responsible for incidents of torture of civilians by law enforcers."

National Rights Commission Chairman Prof Mizanur Rahman made the comment before the High Court yesterday during the hearing on a suo moto rule over police torture on Abdul Quader.

Law enforcers are accusing people in arms cases by planting arms on them after arrest, he said.

"We should be ashamed of such inhuman acts. We are worried by the action of law enforcers at the cost of people's rights," he said.

At this, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam reacted at the top of his voice, saying the whole state is not liable for any incident committed by a few law enforcers.

According to him, Prof Mizanur Rahman made the statement out of emotion.

Alam, however, expressed his gratitude to the journalists for finding out the facts upon which the court passes orders against any injustice.

Prof Mamun Rashid Chowdhury, chairman of biochemistry and molecular biology department at DU, told the court that he has been Quader's teacher from his honours first year. During the period, he found Quader to be modest.

Quader was never involved in any criminal activities, he added.

He alleged that police did not give Quader any food following the arrest. When Anis, one of Quader's friends, bought some food for him, a police constable at Khilgaon Police Station asked him not to give him any food.

Prof Mamun added that the constable advised Anis not to visit Quader any further, saying that he might face problem if Helal Uddin, officer-in-charge of the station, comes to know that they are friends.

Source : The Daily Star

Hijacked Ship: 3 Bangladeshis, other crewmen released

The three hijacked Bangladeshis along with 14 other crewmen of a UAE-flagged oil tanker were released yesterday.

MV Jubba XX and its 17 crewmembers were hijacked by the Somali pirates on July 16 from Umm Al Qaiwain port.

The three Bangladeshi crewmen are Mohammad Nurul Islam and Nurul Amin, two brothers Nunachhara village of Sitakunda, and Jahurul Alam of Mirsarai of Chittagong.

Nurul Islam's wife Baby Begum told The Daily Star that her husband telephoned her around 2:00pm after the release.

All the crewmembers are in good condition, she said.

Source : The Daily Star

'Mugger' beaten to death

An alleged mugger was killed and another injured in a mob beating at Kachikata village under Chatmohar upazila of the district early yesterday.

A gang of four to five muggers in the guise of passengers got on a locally-made three-wheeler from Chatmohar around 12:00midnight, police quoted the driver of the vehicle as saying. When the vehicle reached Kachikata, the muggers held the driver and passengers hostage at gunpoint. As they tried to rob the passengers and take away the vehicle, the passengers shouted for help.

Hearing this, locals rushed to the spot and got hold of two of the criminals while the others managed to flee, said Officer-in-Charge of Chatmohar Police Station Habibul Islam.

On information, police went to the spot and rescued the two muggers from mob beating, he added.

The two-- Sajib Rahman, 32, of village Munipur in Gazipur, and Nayan Das, 30, of village Nandanpur in Pabna-- were admitted to Chatmohar Upazila Health Complex.

Sajib, who was the leader of the gang, died early yesterday, said the OC.

Police recovered a sharp weapon from the spot. Driver of the vehicle, Shahdat Hossain, filed a case with the police station.

Source : The Daily Star 

Rajuk chief summoned: HC asks him to explain state of building safety

The High Court (HC) yesterday summoned Md Nurul Huda, chairman of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) to explain the state of building safety and compliance of rules.

The court asked the Rajuk chief and four police officials-- including Syed Ziauzzaman and Shahabuddin Khalifa, the officers-in-charge of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar and Pallabi police stations-- to appear before it on August 3 to give their statements in connection with the death of a college student.

The two other policemen are Ajit Roy and Ansar Ali sub-inspectors (SI) of Pallabi Police Station.

The court also directed Khaled Mohammad Jewel Mollah, managing director of Sagufta Group, Walid Mollah, its director and Md Osman Ali and Sazzad Hossain the building contractors to appear before it on the same day to explain their roles over the death.

On July 16, Habibur Rahman Munna, 18, an HSC examinee of Tejgaon College, died on the spot when a brick dropped on his head from the 10th floor of a 15-storey building, a construction project of Sagufta Group, on Panthapath in the capital.

On July 26, the HC ordered the OCs to arrest the builders, Khaled and Walid Mollah and summoned the OCs, the builders and Osman to appear before it two days later.

The two OCs appeared before the bench yesterday saying they could not arrest the accused as they were "not available at their residences".

Advocate Anisul Huq, lawyer of the accused, prayed to the court for more time saying they had failed to appear before the court as one of the accused, Khaled had "taken ill".

Meanwhile, Osman told the court that Sazzad, the other contractor was responsible for maintaining the safety of the under-construction building, following which the court summoned Sazzad.

On July 19, the court issued a rule upon the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, the two OCs and the builders to explain within two weeks why the company should not be punished for not taking adequate safety measures at the construction site.

Source : The Daily Star

Introduce school feeding scheme: DCs asked to check dropout of students

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the deputy commissioners to start school feeding programme to check dropout from primary schools.

"The DCs' conference elaborately discussed checking of dropout. The prime minister asked them to begin the feeding programme in at least one school in each district and monitor it closely," Cabinet Secretary M Abdul Aziz told newsmen after the conclusion of the three-day conference at the secretariat yesterday afternoon.

The meeting also suggested the DCs to take measures to stop coaching business, he mentioned.

"They were directed to engage themselves in every development and service-oriented activity and play more effective role to ensure people get their services timely," noted Aziz adding, "The main message of the meeting for them was to provide services without any hassle."

Programmes like help desk, public hearing day and e-service are being introduced in every district to serve the people, pointed out the secretary.

The government arranged the conference at the beginning of the new fiscal year to inform the DCs about its new development projects and other steps.

The conference discussed 321 issues including the dilapidated roads and highways, magistracy power of DCs, load-shedding management during Ramadan, removing tailbacks in the capital, monitoring social safety net programmes, appointment of dealers, enactment of land usage act and proper implementation of women development policy.

Aziz said the meeting reviewed the limitations of the Mobile Court Act, 2009, which may be amended in future.

According to him, the mobile courts play a significant role in maintaining law and order and checking food adulteration and stalking women. But it can only give punishment if the offence is committed in presence of an executive magistrate or the offender makes a confession.

The district administrators were advised to implement women development policy and take strong stance against women and children repression. They were also told to provide legal support to the victims.

Source : The Daily Star