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In a precautionary measure to lessen the risks of accidents caused by overloading, the shipping ministry has decided to fine launch owners carrying extra passengers, and the extra passengers themselves as well.
   Passengers travelling on the roofs will be fined between Tk 200 and Tk 2,000 and the launch owners will be fined if they do not disconnect the staircases to climb onto the roofs, the ministry at a meeting with the launch owners decided on Thursday.
   The shipping minister, Akbar Hossain, directed the authorities concerned to inform the passengers of the decisions through public announcement systems at the launch stations.
   ‘There is no need to take risks by becoming the extra passengers as both the government and private owners have enough launches,’ Akbar told the meeting held at the ministry’s conference room to discuss safe and secured journeys during the Eid-ul-Fitr.
   He said the government would start operating a 150-cabin and 5,000-person capacity launch to reduce the ‘huge pressure’ and ensure their safe journeys.
   The owners will have to be aware of not making their vessels overloaded, he said and added that if any launch was found overloaded, its owners would also be punished.
   ‘The government along with the representatives of the launch owners will monitor the launch services during Eid.’
   To reduce crowd at the Sadarghat launch terminal ahead of Eid, the Barisal-bound launches will leave the capital from the terminals at Mirpur and Alibahar at Shyampur from November 1, Akbar said.
   He also directed the deputy commissioners of Chandpur, Munshiganj and Manikganj to take effective measures to remove all fishing nets from the main channels to avoid any accident.
   Close circuit television cameras will be set up in Sadarghat very soon to ensure security there, he added.
   About illegal toll collection by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority staff at Mawa and Paturia ferry ghats, Akbar directed the truck owners to inform it to the authorities.
   ‘We will issue orders of stand release against the BIWTA staff if found guilty,’ he said and added that a letter would be issued to the Rapid Action Battalion on Thursday asking it to take necessary action against illegal toll collection at different ghats.
   The minister, however, asked the launch owners not to take extra fares from the passengers during the Eid.
   To avoid traffic congestion at Mawa and Paturia, Akbar also directed the authorities concerned to provide wreckers at the ferry ghats.
   Nazimuddin Alam MP, shipping secretary Md Rafiqul Islam, BIWTA chairman Dr M Reaz H Khondokar, BIWTC chairman Shamsur Rahman Shimul Bishwash, director general of the Department of Shipping AKM Shafiqullah, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Passenger Carriers Association vice-chairman Badiuzzaman Badal, president of Launch Owners’ Association and Bangladesh Cargo Vessel Owners’ Association, KM Mahmudur Rahman, general secretary of the Bangladesh Truck Owners Association Rustam Ali Khan and representatives of BRTA and DMP were also attended the meeting.

Twenty-seven mobile courts on Thursday realised Tk 6,81,050 as fine and filed 237 cases for violation of traffic rules, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution laws, food act, Dhaka Metropolitan Police act and environmental act in 27 police areas except the Cantonment of the capital.
   A special mobile court led by metropolitan magistrate Rokon-ud-Doulah conducted a drive at Sadarghat launch terminal and filed 11 cases and summoned the managers of a restaurant, canteens of three launches and hawkers for giving short measure and selling stale and rotten food.
   The court asked them to appear before the court on October 23.
   The court also gave one month’s imprisonment to Md Alam for selling WASA water as mineral water in old bottles. The court also fined him Tk 1000 or, in default, one month more in jail.
   The courts began their operation on October 4 in view of Durga Puja and Ramadan to check fitness of vehicles, vehicle papers and ensure enforcement of traffic laws.
   The courts are checking food adulteration and use of chemicals and artificial colours in foodstuff. They are also monitoring the sale of foodstuff in open spaces.
   The courts are checking short measurement, sale of meat without licence, curbing drug business, stopping black marketers of tickets at bus and launch terminals, demolishing illegal structures and closing shows of obscene films at cinemas.
   The police earlier decided to initiate 35 mobile courts during Ramadan. Five courts will conduct special drives. The drives will continue up to Eid-ul-Fitr.

The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, Bangladesh on Thursday launched a premium banking scheme — HSBC Premier — for its most highly valued personal customers at the HSBC Gulshan branch in Dhaka.
   HSBC Premier is a global scheme designed to offer exclusive levels of service to high net worth customers.
   HSBC Premier customers will have access to a dedicated relationship manager, who will personally attend to their financial services needs.
   The customers will also enjoy a wide variety of additional and exclusive privileges including a preferential tariff structure, access to HSBC Premier Centre globally and priority recognition at other HSBC branches, free foreign exchange service, access to global concierge, travel and emergency services, higher ATM limits of Tk 1 lakh per day, and a host of other benefits.
   HSBC Bangladesh chief executive officer, Steve Banner, inaugurated the first HSBC Premier Centre at the launching ceremony. Personal financial services manager, Mamoon M Shah, and HSBC Premier manager, Rozina Razzak, attended the ceremony among others.

The home that was once swept with the bright aura of a young girl is today submerged in complete darkness. The family that used to be astir in the flow of never-ending spring of happiness with the mirth and lively moments of a girl is today in deep despair. How will they save this young spirited girl? How will they bring back the promise of life?
   Taj… Nazifa Taj is her name, a young innocent sprightly girl who had just crossed her teens the other day. Her father is Bazlul Lokman, a dentist, and mother, Mahmuda Lokman, a housewife. Among three siblings, Taj is the eldest. She was born on January 27, 1985. This year she has done her A-Levels from the Maple Leaf International School. Results are good. Can one even vaguely imagine that this girl’s life is balanced on a thin string?
   It was discovered in March 2003 that a terrible disease had built its nest in her body. The name of the disease is Hodgkin’s lymphoma nodular sclerosis. This illness was never before found in any patient in Bangladesh.
   As a result, a lot of confusion and complication arose in diagnosing the disease. And in the process, the girl became a victim of wrong treatment. Day by day, Taj was getting weaker and was losing immunity.
   She was then shifted to Bumrungrad Hospital in Thailand. There the parents came to know that it was a very rare type of cancer. Taj had to stay in the hospital for six months. She underwent medicinal treatment alongside chemotherapy.
   On her return to Dhaka, she was given radiation therapy. Scanning in Singapore and at Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai revealed that Taj was completely cured of cancer. And in the process, the family had spent its entire savings. Its loan is mountainous. Even then the biggest relief was that their Taj was cured.
   But luck did not favour her too long. Darkness has descended on her life again. The disease returned. She was again taken to Bumrungrad Hospital. Doctors sad she would have to undergo four months of chemotherapy and a month’s observation and check-up. The therapy would destroy her bone-marrow. She would require bone marrow transplantation. The cost would be between Tk 70 lakh and Tk 80 lakh.
   Taj was receiving support from TRY Foundation, a social welfare organisation. TRY contacted the National Institute of Health, Centre for Cancer Research, Bethesda, Maryland, United States.
   The research centre said that it would treat her free of cost as a research case. The primary requirement would be two donors for blood and bone-marrow, who have to be her brother and sister. The time required is one year. At least two of Taj’s relations would have to be constantly there with her during her treatment. One can easily imagine what amount of financial implication it means.
   Taj’s condition is fast deteriorating. She has to be taken to Bumrungrad immediately. And the Tk 70-80 lakh treatment also has to be started in no time. But to arrange this huge amount of money is absolutely impossible for the family. This is where Taj’s family is seeking support from the kind-hearted and the wealthy citizens of Bangladesh. There is no other way to save this girl.
   We have seen many instances where kind-hearted people came forward to support the needy patients. Amit, Suchi and Rhidoy are three of them. People from different strata of society came forward to help them. We are confident that Taj would also receive such benevolent support for her return to a healthy life.
   Eid is just around the corner. When she is supposed to be counting days for the arrival of the great day of merriment, Taj is fighting with cancer… because she wants to live. She is seeking help from her countrymen. Cannot we help her? Cannot we lend our support?
   Let us all come forward. We have to save Taj. Let us make our contribution, whatever amount may it be, to Md Bazlul Lokman, account no 34080094, National Bank Limited, Dhanmondi branch, Satmasjid Road, Dhaka.

Teachers and employees of non-government educational institutions on Thursday demanded that the government should allow for them a festival allowance similar to what the government teachers get.
   According to a government decision in 2003, the non-government teachers get only 25 per cent of their basic salaries as festival allowance while non-government employees get 50 per cent of their basic.
   On the other hand, government teachers get festival allowance equal to their basic salary.
   Leaders of non-government teachers’ organisations termed the meagreness of the amount a ‘case of severe unfairness’.
   The National Front of Teachers and Employees, a combine of 11 organisations of teachers and employees of non-government organisations, at a press conference at the National Press Club demanded that the government should disburse the festival allowance before the Eid-ul-Fitr. In 2004, they got festival allowance after the Eid.
   They will bring out processions at the district headquarters, carrying black flags on October 31 if their demand is not fulfilled by October 30.

The Workers Party of Bangladesh politburo on Thursday called upon the government to declare the monga-hit areas as affected area and to open gruel kitchens.
   The politburo in a meeting at its central office said the near-famine situation took a serious tern in the northern part of the country.
   The party will observe countrywide protest day on October 29 and hold march and rallies at the district levels, demanding permanent solution to monga.
   Chaired by the party president, Rashed Khan Menon, the meeting was attended by general secretary Bimal Biswas, politburo members Nurul Hasan, Fazle Hossain Badsha and Noor Ahmed Bakul.

Fund donated for memorial gold medal, scholarship
Khaleda Monjur-e-Khuda handed over a cheque for Tk 3 lakh to the vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, Professor SMA Faiz, on Thursday to set up ‘Khaleda Monjur-e-Khuda Gold Medal and Scholarship Fund’ at the university. The cheque was handed over at a function at the vice-chancellor’s office where, among others, former pro-vice-chancellor Professor Mohammad Shahadat Ali, arts faculty dean Sadrul Amin, world religion department chairman Professor Kazi Nurul Islam and Professor Azizunnahar Islam of philosophy department were present. A gold medal will be awarded every year to a student who will obtain the highest marks in masters final examination from the department of world religion out of the income of this fund and one scholarship will be awarded every year to a meritorious student of philosophy department of the university. Professor Faiz thanked Khaleda Monjur-e-Khuda and her family members for their initiative.

Sramik Jote demands reopening of Dhaka match factory
Bangladesh Jatiya Sramik Jote on Thursday formed a human chain at Muktangan in the capital, protesting at the decision of closure of Dhaka Match Factory. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president Hasanul Haq Inu told the human chain that the Dhaka Match Industries Company Limited authorities were shutting down the profitable concern without any cause. The owners had withdrawn their capital from the company and terminated the workers to shut it down, Inu said. He called upon the government to take step to reopen the factory immediately and pay all the dews of the workers before Eid-ul-Fitr. Sramik Jote general secretary Noor Khan and its leader Siddiqur Rahman also spoke.
— New Age