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Dhaka started wearing a deserted look as hundreds of thousands of people left for homes on Thursday, the last working day before Eid to enjoy the festival vacation with their families.
   The surge of people onto the Sadarghat launch terminal and bus and railway stations on board different modes of vehicles caused severe tailbacks on the city roads, mainly in areas around the terminal and stations.
   Transport workers said they are gearing up fro handling the final rush of the homebound people today.
   Rickshaw-pullers as well as auto-rickshaw and taxicab drivers are having a heyday from the huge rush of the city people, mostly leaving Dhaka while many of the remaining busy doing their last moment shopping that will continue till late night before the Eid day.
   Traffic congestion from Gulistan to Sadarghat launch terminal caused immense sufferings to the people as the nagging congestion forced many of them to go the terminal on foot carrying their luggage.
   The traffic police were facing difficulties to tackle the situation and many of them were apparently helpless.
   The other parts of the capital also experienced similar traffic jam.
   The city people at different points also suffered a lot as the helpers of city service local buses that ply Jatrabari to Gabtali or Jatrabari to Mohakhali routes did not allow short distance passengers in their buses.
   Sufferings of the people mounted as the rickshaw-pullers, CNG-run auto-rickshaws and taxicabs charge extremely high fare capitalising the huge rush. The nagging traffic congestion was also one of the reasons for charging high fare.
   According to Babu Lal Baidya, traffic inspector of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, around 120 launches left Sadarghat terminal on Thursday and the number is likely to be 150 today to.
   Reinforced security was marked at Sadarghat terminal.
   Most of the launches were jam-packed before coming to the pontoon from the middle of the River Buriganga where they are usually kept anchored after their arrival at the terminal from different routes in the morning.
   The deck passengers started coming to the terminal at dawn to get some space for the long-journey, mostly on the southern destination, and used boats to reach the launches in the mid river.
   Apart from the launch services, BIWTC launched special steamer service for Eid passengers.
   Huge crowds were also witnessed at Kamalapur Railway Station. Although many of the train passengers collected advance tickets, people who could not collect those thronged the station to head home on board the trains — be it inside the compartments or on the roof.
   Bangladesh Railway was selling tickets to the people, who will agree to travel without having any seat.
   Imran Bhuiyan, an Akhaura-bound passenger, said, ‘I have bought a standing ticket at Tk 75 for my journey to Akhaura.’
   A total of 22 inter-city trains left Kamalapur station on the day. The railway authorities also started operating a pair of special trains on the Dhaka-Dewanganj and Chittagong-Chandpur route and it will continue till October 24 excepting for the Eid day, said Shafiqul Alam, director, public relations of Bangladesh Railway.
   Besides, extra coaches were also attached with all the inter-city trains to tackle the rush.
   Sayedabad, Mohakhali and Gabtali inter-district bus terminals also experienced huge rush of the homebound people and there were severe traffic congestion in areas surrounding the stations.
   The transport operators added extra buses with their regular fleets to tackle the huge rush. The passengers alleged that the bus operators were charging fare at their will.
   The law enforcing agency members were seen patrolling the bus terminals.

People rushed for buying attar and caps at different markets in the Dhaka city on Thursday in last-minute shopping before Eid.
   Different shops of attar and caps in the city drew a
   large number of customers ahead of the Eid — one or two days away.
   The Baitul Mukarram market is the popular place for attar and caps. Local as well imported caps and attars are available here.
   There are over 100 cap and attar shops at Baitul Mukarram Market. Caps were selling here the prices ranging between Tk. 7 to Tk. 450.
   Attar and caps of various designs are also available in different markets in the capital.
   Jasim Miah, a customer the market, said, ‘I came here from Tongi to buy caps and attar to give them to family members and relatives as gift.’
   ‘This is the place where caps of various designs are available. Their prices are also comparatively lower,’ he added.
   Jahangir Hossain Rana, a shop owner at the market, said, ‘The quality of attar and caps at Baitul Mukarram market is good. A buyer can trust the products.’
   A tiny bottle of attar is selling at the prices ranging between Tk. 20 and Tk. 2,500. Attars from different countries like Spain, China, France, Holland, Switzerland, Cambodia, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran are also available in different markets.
   Some sellers told New Age that France’s Kachibell and Bokul, India’s Madina, Tibbet and China’s Charlie attars are attracting the customers this year.
   The world’s most costly attar is made at Sujanagar village in Moulvibazar in Bangladesh.
   This product is mainly exported to Saudi Arabia. One can also buy it from Baitul Mukarram, but the price is very high. The price of a mini bottle is Tk. 20,000.
   Rush of people were also found at other markets including New Market, Gausia, Mouchak, Sadarghat, Basundhara City, Eastern Plaza, Karnaphuli Garden City, Mirpur and Elephant Road for buying attar and caps.
   Sale of attar and caps will continue till the Eid day, a seller at a market said.

Five more dengue patients were admitted to the hospitals in the Dhaka city on Thursday, raising the number of dengue-infected people to 551 since July.
   Four of the dengue patients were admitted to Holy Family Red Crescent Hospital and another to Central Hospital.
   A total of 551 dengue patients have been admitted to city hospitals since July 1 and 44 of them are still undergoing treatment, said an official of the Dhaka City Corporation.
   Chief entomologist of the corporation Nasim-us-Seraj said they have taken various measures including publishing advertisements in different dailies in order to make the people aware of dengue.
   The adulticiding and larviciding have been going on in
   the city as usual, the entomologist said. ‘In addition to larviciding, we have been conducting adulticiding at every ward
   since the beginning of September.’
   Two fogger machines are being used at each ward for adulticiding in the afternoon and the drive will continue till the end of Ramadan, he added.
   The first case of dengue was detected in 2000 when at least 93 people died and 5,551 others were infected.
   At least 11 people died of dengue and 2,198 contracted the disease in 2006 while four died and 1,048 were affected in 2005 and 13 people died and 3,934 contracted the dengue in 2004.

The police have taken measures to keep law and order situation under control in the district during Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community, coinciding with Eid-ul-Fitr.
   Sources in the Khulna Metropolitan Police said they held several meetings with leaders of Puja Udjapan Parishad and decided to deploy additional police for maintaining law and order in the district during the festival.
   The biggest religious festival of Hindu Community beginning on October 17 will be held at 631 temples in the district, including 60 in the Khulna city.
   According to the sources, 166 temples out of 631 in the district were identified as risky while 159 as less risky.
   Extra police and members of Ansar and village defence party will be deployed at all the temples from the very beginning of the festival, they said, adding that the members of Rapid Action Battalion will also be on vigil during the festival.
   Sources in Puja Udjapan Parishad said volunteers from local people would also be deployed at all temples for ensuring security.
   The police have already been deployed at different markets in the city and outskirts of the city as people have rushed to the markets for their last-minute shopping for Puja and Eid-ul-Fitr.

A fake ghee factory was unearthed in Foy’s Lake area of Khulshi in the Chittagong city on Thursday.
   About five tonnes of spurious ghee and butter oil and 5,000 empty containers were also seized during the raid conducted by a mobile court at the factory of Kohinoor Commend and Mamun Company in the morning.
   The Chittagong Port Authority magistrate, Mohammad Munir Chowdhury, led the anti-adulteration drive. He sealed off the factory and issued warrant for arrest of the owners, said a press release.

Beauty parlours and salons witnessed a huge crowd on Thursday apart from shopping centres and markets in the Dhaka city ahead of Eid and Puja festivals.
   Fashion enthusiasts, particularly the young generation, rushed to different parlours and salons to decorate themselves with new hair style and make-up in preparation to celebrate the festivals.
   Long queues were seen at most of the beauty parlours and salons in the capital city. Not only boys and girls but also old men and women went to parlours and salons.
   Almost all the shopping malls and fairs were abuzz with customers on the day. Huge crowd was mainly found at New Market, Mouchak Market, Elephant Road, Dhanmondi and Malibagh this year.
   Ahsan Reza, a corporate office employee said, ‘I will buy some shirts for myself as well as my relatives.’ ‘It is easy for me to collect them from the branded shops, but I will visit some other shops before making the final choice.’
   A large number of customers were found at fixed-rate shops set up on the open spaces in Gulistan and Baitul Mukarram area. The price of a Punjabi is fixed at Tk. 150 while a shirt is at Tk. 200.
   Akbar Ali, a middle-aged man, who was shopping in Baitul Mukarram area said, ‘I am a low-income group man. I have no ability to buy Eid items at a shopping mall or a branded shop.
   ‘I will buy a Punjabi and a shirt. And I am to here to buy them at lower prices.’
   Delwar Hossain, a salesman at the market said, ‘This is a peak time for our business. We have no time to talk.
   Shopping malls on Mirpur Road at Dhanmondi, Bailey Road at Gulshan, Banani were found crowded with customers.
   The shopping centres in Gulshan and Banani are the most favourite for the shoppers opting for international brands.
   Other shopping malls like Bashundhara City, Rapa Plaza and Eastern Plaza also offer both local and foreign branded clothes and accessories.
   Shoes from China, Thailand and India have flooded the shoes market this year but locally made shoes like Bata, Gallery and Apex are attracting people most. Bata has introduced a number of new design shoes for children, men and women targeting the Eid festival.

   Intern doctors at the Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barisal went on strike early Thursday in protest against the assault on their colleague.
   They, however, postponed their strike programme after 14 hours at about noon following a meeting with the hospital authorities.
   Hospital sources said the intern doctors began the strike after Dr Sukla Sen of cardiology department was assaulted by the relatives following the death of their patient.
   Kabir Gazi, 65, was admitted to the medicine unit-1 of the hospital at 12:30pm on Wednesday and later transferred to cardiology unit.
   The relatives of the patient tried to find out a doctor to give him treatment following deterioration of his condition at 4:00pm but they failed and subsequently the patient died, witnesses said.
   The angry relatives then entered the ward of the patient and assaulted Dr Sukla Sen.
   The striking doctors called off their programme after the hospital authorities had assured them of taking action against the person responsible for the attack on one of the interns.

Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely at a few places over Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions in the next 24 hours till 6:00pm today.
   The day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, Met Office said.
   The country’s highest temperature on Thursday, 34.0 degrees Celsius, was recorded at Ishurdi and the lowest, 21.8 degrees Celsius, at Saidpur.
   The sun sets in the capital today at 5:35pm and rises tomorrow at 5:55am.

Afghan security forces arrested four suspects in connection with the abduction of BRAC aid worker Nurul Islam, the foreign office said on Thursday.
   ‘We have already arrested four suspected people in connection with the abduction of Nurul Islam,’ the Afghan foreign minister, Rangeen Dadfar Spanta, was quoted as saying in a letter written to his Bangladesh counterpart, Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury.
   Bangladesh’s foreign affairs adviser received the letter on Thursday, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
   Spanta said his country’s security forces would do their utmost to free Nurul Islam.
   Spanta’s letter came in reply to Iftekhar’s second letter to the Afghan foreign minister dated October 9.
   The chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, met the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, on the sidelines of the 62nd UN General Assembly to request the Afghan government to take measures to get Nurul Islam free.
   Unidentified assailants abducted Islam from an Afghan village on September 15.
   Two days before his abduction, another official of the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee, believed to be the largest NGO in the world, was killed by miscreants.
   Islam’s wife Parvin Rani told reporters that her husband had been kidnapped for ransom.

Various political parties and organisations on Thursday greeted the countrymen on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.
   The parties greeted the countrymen in separate messages and expressed the hope for a better and prosperous future for the country.
   The general secretary of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Khandakar Delwar Hossain, will offer fateha at the grave of the party’s founder, former president Ziaur Rahman, at 10:30am on Eid day. Leaders and activists of the party and front organisation have been asked to attend the programme.
   The Awami League has not chalked out any programme for Eid as their party chief is now behind bars.
   The parties which greeted the people are BNP, Awami League, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Bangladesh Muslim League, Bangladesher Samajtanrik Dal, Samajtanrik Sramik Front, Bangladesh Chhatra Moitri, Unity for Political Reforms, etc.

Several hundred people, affected by Bhabadah sluice gates, queued in Jessore town in search of zakat and fitra ahead of Eid-ul Fitr.
   They were seen taking temporary shelter on footpaths of the town’s main roads at night and waiting for the well-off to come and distribute zakat and fitra in the morning.
   During the day time, they crowd in front of market places and mosques for help.
   Bhabadah sluice gates badly affected about 10 lakh people of six upazilas of Jessore, Khulna and Satkhira districts as their homes and lands became waterlogged.

BAU admission forms available from
Oct 31
Admission forms for level-1 and semester-1 in Session-2008 of Bangladesh Agriculture University in Mymensingh will be available from October 31. The admission seekers have been asked to collect the forms and prospectus from the Pubali Bank branches on the BAU campus and at Motijheel in Dhaka and its Bogra and Jessore principal offices. The last date for submitting applications for admission is December 2, said a BAU press release. The admission test will be held on January 5, 2008 and the results will be published on January 8.
— UNB

Bangladesh Scouts to attend confce
in Japan
A 10-member delegation of Bangladesh Scouts will attend the six-day 22nd Asia-Pacific Regional Scouts Conference to be held in Japan from October 18. The chief national commissioner of Bangladesh Scouts, M Fazlur Rahman, will lead the delegation. Two Rover-Scouts and 2 leaders have already left Dhaka for Japan to attend the APR Youth Forum and course for leader trainers.
— UNB