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Most fire stations, government hospitals, primary and secondary schools and colleges in the Dhaka city stand vulnerable to even a moderate earthquake.
   The fire fighters who are the first to respond in any disaster are at risk and their activities will be hampered as most fire stations, officers’ quarters and barracks are vulnerable to moderate earthquakes, of magnitude between 6 and 7 on the Richter scale, said Mehdi Ahmed Ansary, an associate professor of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, who recently worked on the issue.
   Government hospitals, government primary schools, high schools and government colleges constructed before 2001 are also vulnerable to such an earthquake, he found. Many private schools, colleges, hospitals are also vulnerable to earthquakes.
   In the case of such an earthquake, people will be deprived of treatment if the hospital buildings collapse and people will not be able to take shelter in schools and colleges, usually used as shelter centres during such disasters, he said.
   There are 162 fire stations in Bangladesh, of which 119 were constructed during before independence and are extremely vulnerable, he said.
   Ten fire stations built in the 1960s, out of the 13 in Dhaka, at great risk, said Ansary.
   The fire stations that are vulnerable to such earthquakes are the headquarters at Phulbaria, Tejgaon, Mohammadpur, Plassey, Postagola, Khilgaon, Tongi, Kurmitola, Sadarghat and Mirpur.
   The condition of the fire stations at Baridhara constructed a few months ago, and Savar and Lalbag built about two to three years ago is better, he said.
   There is a plan to construct about 212 fire stations, some of which have already been under construction. The government should construct the station houses as earthquake-resistant, said another fire service expert.
   The fire stations along the coastal belt should be built not only as earthquake-resistant, but also in a manner that can sustain tsunamis so that people can take shelter there during such calamities, he said.
   He said most fire-fighting equipment are kept in the Phulbaria station, which itself is vulnerable to moderate earthquakes; such a situation might hamper rescue operation.
   The government hospital, school and college buildings, built before 2001, are also vulnerable to moderate earthquake, Ansary said. Many of private hospitals, schools and colleges have also been built without using proper materials and without any kind of protection from earthquake, he said.
   Ansary stressed the need for strengthening (retrofitting) the fire stations, hospitals, schools, and colleges.
   The government should initially take immediate steps to strengthen two fire stations, the headquarters and the station building at Mirpur, and two hospitals, Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Mitford Hospital. All other fire station and hospital buildings should be strengthened gradually, he said.
   Ansary said 30 to 35 per cent cost of the construction will be required to strengthen the buildings.
   Residential buildings should also be constructed as earthquake-resistant and it will increase the building cost only by 2 per cent, he said.

SYLHET SHERPUR BRIDGE
TOLL COLLECTION
Third tender demanded
ZAMAN MONIR, Sylhet

Some prospective bidders demanded a third invitation for tenders for toll collection lease of the Sherpur bridge on the Dhaka–Sylhet Highway in Sylhet.
   They said an influential quarter with the help of some Roads and Highways Department officials in Sylhet had been trying to lease out the bridge bypassing flouting related norms.
   They informed the higher authorities, including the ministries concerned, of the matter and demanded that a third invitation should be floated for the tender for the toll collection of the bridge.
   Sylhet Roads and Highways executive engineer Mostafa Kamal, in charge of putting out the job to tender, early this year floated a tender to lease out four bridges, including the Sherpur bridge, for the 2005-2006 financial year.
   Mostafa invited tenders for the three other bridges — at Shewla, Lamakazi and Fenchuganj — for a third time. But this was not done in the case of the Sherpur bridge, sources said.
   The commercial value of the Sherpur bridge increased after the implementation of a development project on the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway.
   But the Roads and Highways Department plans to lease out the toll collection of the bridge the on the basis of the second tender, which according to the sources would cause the government a loss of at least Tk 50 lakh.
   On February 8, Mostafa invited the second tender for the Sherpur Bridge when only two bidders submitted proposals.
   The authorities concerned have decided to lease out the bridge to the of the two for Tk 1,12,40,000, the sources said.
   Some prospective bidders sent letters to the offices concerned, including the communications and finance ministries, demanding floating a third invitation.
   They said they had earlier requested the executive engineer in this regard, but he had not listened to their appeal and finished all the required formalities.
   The highest bid of 2004 was Tk 1,01,00,000, he said. ‘Now, it all depends on the higher authorities and we have nothing to do.’
   Mostafa said there is no obligation to float a third invitation to lease out the toll collection of the bridge.

The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission is yet to hand its land over to the University of Dhaka.
   The deadline, fixed by the Prime Minister’s Office on November 29, 2004, expired in December of the year.
   The principal secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office, Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, at an evaluation meeting of priority project implementation, expressed his concern about t the delay in the handover of the land
   Sources in the Ministry of Science, and ICT told New Age that the prime minister, Khaleda Zia, gave a commitment of handing over the land to Dhaka University on a request from the university authorities on December 22, 2003.
   Considering the possible destruction of valuable equipment and machinery, the ministry did not take any initiatives to remove them, the source said.
   He also said that if the centre was shifted elsewhere, the laboratory of Van de Graaff accelerator and other nuclear apparatus would become non-functional.
   The Atomic Energy Centre of the commission is used as a research organisation where hundreds of university students and teachers use the laboratory, the source said.
   Apart from research, the centre also offers services in radioactivity monitoring of imported and exportable food items, monitoring workers vulnerable to radiation, radiation protection, non-destructive testing on heavy-duty pipelines and arsenic analysis of groundwater.
   The Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission’s acting chairman, Khadiza Begum, also a joint secretary of the ministry of information, declined to comment on the issue.
   The centre has documents of government allotment, made in 1961, said a group of scientists, working with the centre for more than a decade.
   The university source said the authorities have been planning to accommodate some teachers’ offices at the centre as there is shortage of office space.

Three residents of the Amar Ekushey Hall at Dhaka University Thursday night injured an activist of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal in a clash over the occupation a seat.
   The injured, Lincoln, was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and was given first aid.
   Sources in the hall said some 'influential' Chhatra Dal activists had a rivalry with Afzal, Azad and Royal, all residents of Room 306, over a vacant seat in the room.
   Some Chhatra Dal activists Friday night went to the room to house a student. At one stage, Afzal, Azad and Royal attacked Lincoln, a student of soil, water and environment department, and another student, who were in the group that demanded the lodging.
   The Chhatra Dal activists went the place, beat Royal and handed him over to the police. Two others managed to get away.
   The activists also vandalised Room 306 and damaged the belongings of the boarders, who are friends of the Room 306 boarders, of Room 302.
   The hall unit Chhatra Dal convener, Nurul Huda Bhuiyan Kanon, claimed that Afzal, Azad and Royal are drug addicts.

The police arrested eight suspected members of an inter-district robbers’ gang in and around the capital till Friday noon after a robbery in the house of a retired army captain, Zahur Ali Pathan, at Muradpur in the Dhaka city early Thursday.
   The police said they raided Demra and Shyampur in the Dhaka city and Tongi and Board Bazar in Gazipur after the incident.
   The arrested are Noor Hossain, Billal Hossain, Delwar Hossain, Abu Hossain, Mohammad Siddique, Mohammad Shakil alias Shubho, Shaheen Miah and Anwar Hossain.
   The police recovered a rifle, some ornaments, two mobile handsets, Tk 3,500 and some equipment used in robbery from them.
   Robbers on Thursday looted Tk 3.2 lakh in cash and other valuables and a licensed rifle from Zahur’s house on Rajab Ali Sarder Road.
   The robbers also blasted crackers, injuring a police subinspector, Nurul Huda, and a rickshaw puller.

A three-day national convention of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh will begin today in its Chittagong branch.
   The prime minister, Khaleda Zia, will inaugurate the 49th convention as chief guest in the morning.
   The Awami League president, Sheikh Hasina, also leader of the opposition in the parliament, will attend the concluding session as chief guest.
   The organisers held a news briefing in the Chittagong city Friday morning. ‘A national seminar, “engineering for millennium development goals,” will be held and papers on various national issues related to engineering and technology will be presented,’ said the institution’s central committee chairman, Professor M Anowarul Yazim.
   About 3,000 engineers, technologists and delegates of agencies are expected to join the convention from home and abroad.

The interschool merit contest of Surf Excel was held in the Rajshahi on Friday.
   Two hundred and eighty students of 14 schools joined in. Twenty students of each school in two groups contested in four categories.
   The participating schools were PN Government Girls’ High School, Rajshahi University School, Paramount School, Summit School, Lakshmipur High School, River View School, Ideal School, Mission High School, Bahumukhi School, Laboratory School, Lokanath School, Agrani School, and the Collegiate School.

The forensic medicine department of Rajshahi Medical College has been facing lack of modern facilities, adequate manpower, its own building, and equipment.
   The department students are deprived of proper training; and the attendants of deceased patients have been facing hassles in collecting reports.
   The department, which now has more than 300 students, began as the department of jurisprudence.
   It changed its name to the department of forensic medicine and toxicology in 1993.
   Three posts of lecturers remained vacant until recently when four teachers were appointed. Two men and a woman, and a clerk were also appointed as members of the support services.
   The condition of the morgue building has remained poor. Post-mortem examinations are hampered because of interrupted water and power supply.
   The only fridge to preserve cadavers has for long been out of order.
   The department lacks modern sterilisation equipment, autoclave, suction machine, electric saws, X-ray machine, pathology and serology centres.
   The only morgue attendant, Abinash, recruited as a voluntary worker two decades ago, is yet to be regularised.
   If he refuses to work, the operation of the department shuts down. His only earning comes from whatever tips he gets from the relatives of the deceased.
   The coroners also do not get any remuneration for post-mortem examinations.
   The department physicians said a project proposal involving Tk 2.96 crore was sent to the ministry concerned for its modernisation, including DNA testing facilities; but the proposal is yet to be approved.

The certificate award ceremony of a weeklong course on passenger fares and ticketing organised by the Biman Bangladesh Airlines was held in Sylhet on Thursday.
   Acting Biman managing director M Mahmoodur Rahman distributed certificates among 30 travel agents.
   Ataur Rahman, president of the Sylhet chapter of the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh, was present.
   It was the first of such courses on airline marketing and sales held in the division.
   The objective of the course was to improve services of travel agents and to bring discipline in the trade.
   Biman’s Sylhet region manager, chief instructor (marketing and sales) and resource persons from the Bangladesh Airlines Training Centre were also present.

The Hongkong and Shangahi Banking Corporation Bangladesh gave Tk 3.5 lakh to the Assistance for Blind Children in a function organised marking the 27th founding anniversary of the organisation working for the blind children.
   The money will be spent on procuring ophthalmic equipment for use at the ABC Complex Eye Hospital, said a news release.
   The bank’s chief executive officer, Steve Banner, spoke as chief guest in the programme at the ABC Complex in Gazipur.
   The organisation’s president, Rahim Asafjah, former president and the bank’s manager (marketing and public relations) Munir Husain were present.

The journalists of the Khulna city expressed their concern and anxiety as a Khulna journalist was threatened with death on May 10 over telephone.
   Gouranga Nandy, the Khulna-based staff reporter of the daily Janakantha, received a death threat for a report published in the paper on May 10.
   Gouranga filed a general diary with the Sonadanga police against one Nannu who issued the threat.
   The Khulna Press Club, in a release, said the threat on Gouranga is also a threat on the freedom of expression.
   They expressed their concern and protested against the
   threat. Mokbul Hossain
   Mintu, president of the Khulna Union of Journalists, also expressed his concern.
   The Khulna city and district units of the Awami League, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Workers Party, Udichi Shilpi Goshthi and Lal Baul Khelaghar Asar, Chhatra League and Bangladesh Chhatra Union slated the threat.
   The general diary lodged with the Sonadanga police said the caller, who claimed to be Nannu, assistant personal secretary to a whip, wanted to know why he had filed the report.
   As Gouranga replied that he would not answer the question, Nannu hurled abusive words and gave the threat, the general diary said. Gouranga claimed that he feels insecure.
   The Sonadanga police said they had been trying to trace the man who had threatened Gouranga.

The Rapid Action Battalion Friday morning arrested two drug peddlers in possession of cannabis from at Rajapur, Rupsa, in Khulna.
   The battalion said they had arrested Md Abdul Kalam, 26, and Md Jamal, 24, both of Rajapur, when they were selling drug substances.
   The battalion recovered 144 tiny packets of cannabis and Tk 123 of sales money from them, said the battalion.
   The Rupsa police said the battalion handed Kalam and Jamal to them and a case was lodged.

Non-governmental organisation Proshika decided to give Tk 25,000 to Asmani, a figure in poet Jasimuddin’s poem of the same title that describes the tale of the family of Rahimuddin at Rasulpur.
   In a recent newspaper report, another tale of Asmani was reported which attracted the attention of Proshika
   president, Quazi Faruque Ahmed.
   Faruque then decided to give the amount to Asmani, now 80-years-old, according to a news release issued on Thursday.
   The money will be spent on the renovation of the house that she lives in and on income generating activities for her.

At least five people were injured in a clash between the supporters of an elected commissioner and his opponent at Chairmanghata in the Bakalia police area in Chittagong Friday afternoon.
   The police said the clash took place when the supporters of the elected Bakalia ward commissioner, Jasim Uddin, brought out a procession.
   The supporters of Haji Ishaque, who was defeated, attacked the procession.
   Five people of both the groups were injured.
   The critically injured, Jabed, 20, Saiful, 17, and Abul Kalam Azad, 14, were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

Robbery at
Hatirpool
Robbers looted Tk 4 lakh in cash, gold ornaments and valuables in a businessman’s house at Hatirpool in the Dhaka city early Friday. The family members said the robbers had entered the first-floor residence of Mohammad Mostafa on the Crescent Road at about 3:00am. They immediately tied the members and confined them to a room. The robbers took away Tk 50,000 in cash, gold ornaments weighing about 20 tolas and other valuables.
— New Age

Iajuddin visits Atish Dipankar University
The president, Iajuddin Ahmed, visited Atish Dipankar Science and Technology University at Gulshan in the Dhaka city on Friday. He urged the authorities to take up programmes to make the university a ‘centre of excellence.’ Dhaka University vice-chancellor SMA Faiz and Atish Dipankar University vice-chancellor Anwara Begum were present.
— BDNews

Mayor opens chain shop in Dhaka
Dhaka mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka on Friday inaugurated a chain shop, Park and Shop, at Wari in the Dhaka city, said a city corporation news release. He called on the Old Town residents to take initiatives to expand civic amenities. BNP central leader Khondokar Mahbub Uddin MP was also present.
— BSS

Course on
journalism
A three-month course on entertainment journalism will begin today at the National Press Club at 4:00pm. The minister for communications, Nazmul Huda, will be chief guest of the inaugural function. The Television Reporters’ Association of Bangladesh has organised the course, said a news release.
— UNB

National conference of Khelaghar
A two-day national conference of Khelaghar Asar, an organisation of the juvenile, began in the Shishu Academy auditorium in Dhaka on Friday. Former chief adviser to the caretaker government Justice Habibur Rahman opened the conference. Khelaghar chairman Ali Asgar hoisted the organisation’s flag. Habibur Rahman also opened a photo exhibition. Central Kachi Kanchar Mela director Ibrahim Khaled, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote general secretary Golam Kuddus, Udichi Shilpi Goshthi general secretary Mahmud Selim, Lelin Chowdhury and Khelaghar general secretary Mokhtar Hossain Hridoy addressed the session.
— BDNews

Seminar on heard diseases
Physicians at a seminar Thursday night said checking hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipedemia and obesity and quitting smoking are precautionary measures to prevent heart diseases. Jamjam Islami Hospital, Rajshahi and the Bangladesh Heart and Chest Hospital, Dhaka in collaboration with Beximco Pharmaceuticals organised the seminar on in a Rajshahi community centre.
— BSS