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Installation of digital telephone exchanges in Sailakupa, Kotchandpur and Kaliganj upazilas in Jhenaidah are likely to be completed soon.
   Development of infra- structure, setting up of machineries and replacement of cable lines have already been completed in the Kotchandpur exchange.
   Sources in the telephone and telegraph department said the system could be replaced by setting up of a digital exchange within a shorter period.
   The T&T authorities spent more than Tk 1 lakh for the analog exchange in the CB system a few years back, which is also abandoned now.
   Moreover, the machinery which were brought here from Magura and Jhenaidah are lying idle in the Sailakupa exchange as more money was required to remove the analog machinery, the sources informed.
   The analog system was introduced in the Moheshpur telephone exchange about three years ago. But the subscribers, still, are deprived of undisrupted services.
   Some subscribers of the Kaliganj telephone exchange alleged that their exchange was installed as a digital one about 10 years back. But they could not avail the facilities from the exchange since the very beginning.
   The subscribers most often cannot receive any incoming calls directly as they are compelled to receive the calls through operator trunk dialing (OTD) system, which is operated by an on-duty telephone operator.
   The T&T sources said a complete digital system has already been introduced at the Harinakundu telephone exchange.
   Rest of the upazila-level exchanges are operated through two OTD lines which often fails to meet the demand, the sources said, adding that all the exchanges would be brought under the digital system within a few months.

The Natore district Awami League arranged a meeting in Natore town on Saturday protesting against the increased price of essential commodities and demanding exemplary punishment to the persons involved in the countrywide killings.
   Organised at the Kanaikhali old bus stand in the town, the meeting also raised voice against the downslide of law and order in the country.
   Speakers in the meeting demanded immediate arrest of the killers of former finance minister, Shah AMS Kibria.
   They also demanded probe into the countrywide grenade attacks and immediate arrest of the attackers.
   The former education minister, ASHK Sadek, was present as chief guest in the meeting while the Natore Awami League president, Sajedur Rahman Khan, presided over.
   Sadek said the prime minister, Khaleda Zia, termed hartal as harmful for the people, but she called hartal for 300 days during the tenure of the Awami government.
   He said that some ministers of the alliance government said there was no trace of any Bangla Bhai or JMJB in the country, but after some days the government banned the JMJB and the Jamaatul Mujaheedin who reportedly created panic and killed some innocent people in the northern region.
   Many bombs blasted at many meetings, but, he said, the government failed to nab anybody.
   Sadek urged people to wage movement against the alliance government. Thousands of people participated in the meeting.
   Criticising the four-party alliance government, the speakers said the ruling government has failed in every sector.
   They said the prices of rice, pulse, oil and other essentials shot up significantly and went beyond control.

Over 3,000 cases have been pending with seven magistrate courts in Meherpur for a long time due to shortage of magistrates.
   Court sources said only one first class magistrate and three second class magistrates are working at present against 12 sanctioned posts.
   The acting first class magistrate Amena Begum has to discharge additional duty at local government department, treasury section and trial court because of insufficient magistrates.

A housewife in Pabna, Farjana Begum, has changed her lot and the condition of her family by making and selling fish feed.
   ‘I needed to do something to supplement my family income for the education of my children, which many in the area had opposed,’ Farjana, 28, of village Manidah in Sadar upazila, about 14 kilometers off the district town, told New Age.
   Farjana, who has got only primary level schooling, earns Tk 4,500 to Tk 6,000 a month by selling fish feed, which she adds to the income of her rickshaw puller husband, Kabir Uddin.
   They are a happy family with a daughter — Neshpa, 11, and a son — Mehedi, 8.
   ‘I was inspired by an elderly man, who, by profession, is a field supervisor of the Agriculture Extension Department in Pabna,’ Farjana said.
   ‘He advised me to set up a mini fish feed factory to fulfill the dream of higher education for my children,’ she added.
   ‘I bought a manual fish feed making machine for Tk 1,500 from one of my relatives.’
   The self-reliant young lady said she now prepares fish feed from oil cake, dry fish and other ingredients, that she purchases from the local market.
   She said she can produce at least 40 kilograms feed per day and sell those at Tk 20 per kilogram.
   Owners of hatchery and the local fish farmers are her main customers.
   There are about 20 fish farmers in her village and all of them collect fish feed from her, Farjana said.

The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), under the Ministry of LGRD and Cooperatives, has been implementing 280 projects in 9 upazilas in Sirajganj at a cost of Tk 28 crore during the current fiscal year.
   The LGED office sources said the work on the projects will be completed by next December. The projects include cons-truction and renovation of several roads and culverts in the upazilas, and two bridges across the Rivers Fuljor and Karatoa.
   The bridges are being constructed at a cost of about Tk 5 crore and 75 lakh, the sources said.
   On completion of the projects, the road commu-nication in Sirajganj would be developed to a greater extent, the sources added.