A Rajshahi court on Thursday sentenced seven activists of banned Islamist outfit, Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh, to life term imprisonment for their involvement in bomb blasts in Chapainawabganj district town on August 17, 2005.
   The Rajshahi Speedy Trial Court’s judge ATM Mesbauddoullah also fined them Tk 10,000 each, in default, to suffer one year more in jail.
   The convicts are Shahidullah alias Selim, Shakhawat alias Jiad Hossain, Tufan alias Abul Kashem, Abdullah Al Mamun alias Nasim, Hafez Ali Akbar alias Riaz, Shahfiullah alias Shahid and Hafizur alias Dalim.
   Of them — Shahifiullah and Hafizur were tried in absentia.
   According to the prosecution, a rickshaw-puller and two others were injured by bombing when the JMB activists attacked in the Biswa Road mor area in the Chapainawabganj district headquarter on August 17, 2005.
   The rickshaw puller, Rabiul Islam alias Rabi died after being admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
   Abdullah Al Masud Chowdhury, sub-inspector of Chapainawabganj sadar police station filed a the case on August 19 of the same year.
   Hafizul Islam, police inspector of detective branch, also the investigation officer submitted charge sheet on November 10, 2005 against Shaikh Abdur Rahman, Siddiqul Islam Bangla Bhai, Abdul Awal and seven others after investigation.
   Of them — Sheikh Abdur Rahman, Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai and Abdul Awal were executed in last year.
   Three jailed for five years for robbery in Barisal
   A Barisal court on Thursday sentenced three persons to five years of rigorous imprisonment and fined them Tk 5,000 each, in default, to face more six months in prison in a robbery case.
   First assistant district and session judge Year Ali Mir handed down the verdict.
   The convicts are Montu alias Chora Montu, Ismail Sharif and Sirajul. All were tried in absentia.
   According to the prosecution, the convicts took Tk 20,000 as toll from the house of one Abdul Jabbar Howladar at Agorpur of Babuganj upazila in Barisal district identifying themselves members of the Rapid Action Battalion.
   Later, their false identities were revealed by the local law enforcing agencies. Next day, Abdul Jabbar lodged the case. The police submitted charge sheet against them on April 20, 2006.

Four persons, including a union parishad member, were held on charge of misappropriating VGF (vulnerable
   group feeding) relief rice at village Vadai under Aditmari
   upazila in Lalmonirhat on Thursday.
   The four persons are Faruk Ahmed, member of Vadai union parishad, Shamsul Alam, Moslem Miah and Riyazul Haque. All are the inhabitants of the same union.
   Tipped off, a team of joint forces arrested them while they were smuggling 40 kilograms of VGF rice from union parishad office.
   Locals alleged they had been involving in selling of VGF rice in black market since long.
   Our Rangamati correspondent reports a team of intelligence agency nabbed a forest official on charge of taking bribe at Rawangchari Bazar under Rawangchari upazila of Bandarban and recovered Tk 20,000 from his possession on the same day.
   Tipped off, a team of Field Intelligent Unit of army arrested bit officer of Tarasa Forest Bit Mukul Chandra Sarkar immediately after taking bribe from a bamboo trader.
   The arrested official was handed over to Rawangchari police station.
   A case was lodged with Rawangchari police.

People of Nagarpur upazila in Tangail have been dreaming for a long time to build a bridge over the River Dhaleshwari. But their dream hasn’t yet come true awaiting a court verdict.
   After independence people of Nagarpur had demanded this bridge, 37 years ago when Sheikh Mujib visited the area. Isolated by mighty river systems it was a storm centre in the liberation war. With a view to capturing state power political leaders of different parties gave false hope to build the bridge. But getting state power, nobody implemented their commitment. At last to win the parliament election ex-prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia laid the foundation stone of the bridge on 27 December, 2005. But building of the bridge never started.
   For communication and to alleviate sufferings, people of Nagarpur have formed ‘`Dhaleshwary Bridge Implementation Council’. Under the leadership of this committee, people frequently demonstrate forming human chains in order to draw attention of the government.
   The distance of Nagarpur from Tangail is about 20 kms. But due to the river barrier it takes long to cover this distance.
    Everyday several thousand people come to district town crossing the river by boat or ferry which takes at least two hours, moreover it needs one hour for only crossing the river. During the monsoon, people cross the river risking their lives.
   Due to lack of transport facilities the prices of many commodities are higher than that in other upazilas. This is the cry of Triuri meeting point of three rivers which gave birth to the democratic movement with the South Tangail bye election of 1949 when the founder general Secretary of Awami League, Shamsul Huq defeated the Muslim League candidate Khurram Khan Panni. Sheaf of paddy was his election symbol against the hurricane of the Muslim League.
   A businessman of Nagarpur Upazila Bazar Mr Seraj, 40, told New Age representative that the country should recognise Nagarpur’s contribution both to the democratic movement and the liberation war by building bridge for them on Dholesawari river.
   Teacher of Nagarpur Sadar Govt Primary School Mariam, 35, observed pregnant women needed delivery services from healthcare hospitals available in the district.
   An official disclosed that it was planned to construct the bridge in the year 2000 and a tender was called in this connection. But there was a conflict between two construction firms, as such the government stopped to build the bridge. Again the ECNEC approved the plan for building the bridge and allocated its fund in 2005.
   Subsequently, a tender was recalled in 2006 to build the bridge having 687 meters length over the river of Dhaleshwary at the cost of Tk 67 crore 56 lakh.
   A construction firm named DCL was selected for its construction on the basis of the lowest rate at 28.83 than its scheduled rate. The 2nd lowest construction firm Abdul Momen Co filed a case in the court against DCL. The court finally ordered to hold up the construction activities.
   The executive engineer of R&H department in Tangail Mr. Zamilur Rahman Paramanik said the bridge of the Dhaleshwary river was yet to be constructed as the court was yet to pass its verdict.

A man was killed and 10 others were injured in a clash between two groups of villagers at Degree Para in the Mymensingh district headquarter on Thursday.
   The deceased was Alal Uddin, 24, of the village. The police said there had been a long-standing dispute between one Amjad Ali Khan and another Alal  Khan over a piece of land.
   On the day, supporters Alal Khan attacked the house of Amjad Ali Khan with lethal weapons at about 8:00am, killing Alal Uddin on the spot and injuring 10 others. Alal Uddin was belonging to Amjad group.
   Of the injured — six persons were admitted to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. Amjad Khan filed a murder case with the Kotwali police station.
   Meanwhile, the police also arrested Dulal of Alal Khan group.