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The untreated water, industrial wastes and effluents dumped into the river Sitalakhya from several hundred mills and factories have polluted its water to a perilous proportion.
   Even washing and cleansing with the water of this river is highly detrimental to health, let alone taking bath.
   Over 100 salt producing factories and a large number of textile, dyeing and paper mills, jute godowns and workshops have sprouted on lands on both sides of the river stretching about 58 kilometres from its estuary at Munshiganj to Ghorasal. Many of these establishments have been built on lands which were occupied illegally.
   They have also encroached upon the lands into the river and built structures obstructing the flow of its water.
   The stone breaking factories have filled up the river at several points and grabbed them.
   These mills and factories are now dumping industrial wastes and untreated water into the river with impunity posing a threat to public health.
   Besides, wastes from over 300 mills and factories located at Narayanganj, Ghorasal, Polash, Tarash and Rupganj are regularly dumped into the Sitalakhya.
   The oil spill from the river crafts also adds to the pollution problem.
   The effluents of the mills and factories which have sprung up in the DND project area are
   also contaminating the water of this river.
   About 12 lakh people living inside the DND project are exposed to the hazards of the water pollution.
   The industrial wastes include chemical dyes, detergents, ammonia, lime, sulphate, sulphuric acid, soda, bleaching powder and many other harmful materials.
   Many of the people living beside the Sitalakhya in Dhaka and Narayanganj are likely to fall victim to cancer, waterborne and skin diseases for bathing in the river and using its highly polluted water for washing and other purposes, according to some health experts.

About 100 aged men and women in Lalmonirhat town are not getting old age allowance for their sustenance.
   The age of all these poor men and women ranges from 70 years to 102 years.
   Piyari Bashfor, 102, wife of late Jeut Bashfor, a freedom fighter, earns her living by making different bamboo made products at the Store Para Suiper Colony. She applied for the old allowance, but she is yet to get it.
   Piyari told New Age that she has lost her husband and two sons several years ago. She earns only Tk 15 to 20 a day by selling bamboo made products with much difficulty.
   Dhariya Bashfor, 80, Batoi Bashfor, 78, and Bipli Bashor, 82, and many other old men and women belonging to a Hindu community called Harijan in the town are not getting old age allowance for unknown reasons.
   When contacted, Mosharaf Hossain Rana, Chairman, Lalmonirhat municipality, said they were preparing a list
   of the aged people of the Harijan community for giving old age allowance of the government.
   As many as 13,600 hardcore poor men and women of this district are now getting the old age allowance.

At least 30 people were injured in clashes in Magura and Natore on Sunday.
   Fifteen people were injured in a clash between two factions of Juba Dal at Malikgram in Magura Sunday morning. Five houses were also ransacked and two shops looted during the clash.
   Of the injured, Nawsher Biswas, 40, Mozid, 42, Akter, 26, Sohrab, 25, Murad, 30, Habib, 45, and Sadek, 30, were admitted to Magura Sadar Hospital.
   The police said the clash ensued when two rival groups — one led by District Juba Dal leader Firoz and another led by sadar upazila Juba Dal leader Laltu — attacked each other following previous dispute.
   No case was lodged till filing of this report on Sunday afternoon.
   At least 15 people were injured in a clash between two groups of villagers over land dispute at village Mohorkoa under Lalpur upazila in Natore on Sunday.
   The police said When Firoz Ali of the village started wheat cultivation the supporter of Tufan Ali of village Bakna attacked them with lethal weapons.
   Of the injured, Kajal, 28, Kanak, 22, Ujjwal, 18, Khalek, 24, Malek, 20, Kamrul, 32, Rabiul, 18, Salam, 14, Tufan, 32, Ajibar, 30, Malek, 38, were admitted to local hospitals.
   A case was filed with the police.

The innovation of some low cost machines by a young man of Katnarpara in Bogra town has drawn appreciation of the local people.
   Amir Hossain, son of late Dhalu maker, has innovated low cost machines for moulding bricks, breaking stone and brick and producing vermicelli, noodles, oilcake, maize and other materials.
   His brick moulding machine has particularly earned him name and fame in the area. It costs Tk 8 lakh as against Tk 56 lakh if it is imported from China. The same moulding machine from south Korea and Malaysia will cost Tk 35 lakh, according to Amir.
   Amir said representatives from Germany, Belgium and the International Labour Orga-nisation visited his workshop and highly admired his machines and tools.
   He informed that his low cost machine for moulding bricks has high demand in several foreign countries. But he regretted that he could not exploit its export potential for fund constraint. He has sought financial help from the government and the non-government organisation for the expansion and development of his engineering workshop.

The Indian Border Security Force shot dead a youth near the Kantibhita border area under Baliadangi upazila in Thakurgaon early Sunday.
   Witnesses said patrol team of the BSF called Raju Miah, 18, of village Bamunia into the Indian part when he went to his field on the border.
   But when he went there, the BSF members spayed bullet on him and took away the body.

A bicycle rider was crushed under the wheels of a speedy bus while he was crossing the road in the Baliahalat area on the Pabna-Ishwardi Road under Pabna sadar upazila on Sunday.
   A bus hit Asik, 13, of village Chhatiany under sadar upazila, leaving him dead on the spot.
   The police seized the bus and sent the body to the Pabna General Hospital morgue.