A FACTION of the Patuakhali BNP on Monday demanded immediate removal of Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, minister without portfolio, from the cabinet and formation of an inquiry committee to investigate into his alleged corruption, misuse of powers, and irregularities.
   BNP leader Mustak Ahmed Pinu, also municipal chairman of Patuakhali, made the allegations while he was addressing a gathering in front of the deputy commissioner’s office.
   The meeting was organised after a Patuakhali court on Monday granted bail to Pinu in the Juba League leader Mahmudur Rahman Palash Mridha murder case.
   District BNP vice-president Shahjahan Khan, district BNP joint secretary Delwar Hossain Khan Nannu, joint secretary of Mahila Dal Sajeda Mahmud Esha, district Juba Dal vice-presidents Ahsan Munir and Solaiman Khan and district JCD secretary Gazi Ashfaqur Rahman Biplob, among others, attended the meeting.
   Pinu alleged that Altaf along with his family members and relatives earned a huge amount of money through a syndicate of businessmen, black marketers, smugglers and hoarders, and distribution of tender works.
   Not only he had tortured the opposition activists, but also the party men by filing false cases, Pinu alleged claiming that he was made accused in the case as he did not support to corruption and illegal activities of Altaf.
   Palash was killed in a factional clash on July 11, 2005 over the formation of the district Juba League committee. Later victim’s father Advocate Sultan Ahmed Mridha, also an AL leader, filed a murder case with the Patuakhali police against 19 people, including Pinu.

THE four hundred and fifty-seven workers under golden-handshake programme of the Qoumi Jute Mills on Monday laid siege to its head office in Sirajganj town demanding immediate payment of their dues.
   The workers staged a demonstration at the main
   gate of the mill and held the senior officials and worker leaders hostage for about three hours.
   As a meeting between workers leaders and officials entered into negotiations on payment of the dues by June the workers withdrew their agitation programme.
   Their dues amounting to Tk 58 lakh remained unpaid since long and the workers had been staging demonstrations to realise their dues.

At least three persons were killed and 13 injured in separate road accidents in Kishoreganj and Jhenaidah on Monday.
   In Kishoreganj, two persons were killed and 13 injured in two road accidents.
   Locals said a pedestrian was crushed under the wheels of a bus on Kishoreganj-Bhairab Road in the Perojpur area early Monday. The deceased is Renu Miah, 35, of village Munsikanda under Bajitpur upazila of the district.
   The police sized the bus and arrested its driver Maznu Miah. Later a mob ransacked the bus.
   In another incident, one person was killed 13 were injured near Bhatgaon under sadar upazila when paddy-laden truck skidded off the road.
   Siraj Mia, 35, of the area died on the spot. Of the injured, eight were admitted to Kishoreganj Adhunik Sadar Hospital.
   The police seized the truck, but could not arrest its driver.
   In Jhenaidah, a mentally retarded person, aged about 30, was crushed under the wheels of a vehicle near Rajhunathpur on the Jessore-Jhenaidah Highway, about 25 kilometres from the Jhenaidah district town.
   The police recovered the body and sent to the Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital morgue.
   Separate cases were filed with the police.

THE Border Security Force of India again shot a young man to death along the Bangladesh-India border at Laxmidari in Satkhira early Monday.
   The deceased is Harun Gazi, 35, of village Laxmidari under sadar upazila and he was a trader. He went to the no man’s land early Monday when the Indian border guards shot at him. He died on the spot, the locals said.
   The locals said they brought the body to his home. The police said they were informed of the killing of Harun.

One of the accused in Satyaban Hajong killing case was arrested at Badda in the Dhaka city Sunday night.
   Hajong, general secretary of Bangladesh Hajong Unnayan Parishad of village Manikpur under Kalmakanda upazila in Netrakona, was killed at Durgapur upazila in the district on April 23 allegedly by Rahimuddin, Kazimuddin and Suruj Mia, the police said.
   A case was filed with the Durgapur police accusing 10 persons including seven Hajong leaders. Rahimuddin, Kazimuddin and Suruj Mia went into hiding after the case had been filed.
   A police source appointed by the Durgapur police found out Rahimuddin at Badda.