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The Dhaka City Corporation on Saturday started distributing special containers among 50 kitchen markets for keeping dead fowls, if any, and slaughtered fowl wastes to ensure bio-security in the areas.
   ‘Although the corporation has 27 kitchen markets, we have identified 50 big markets, and started giving one container to each of the markets to keep dead fowls and slaughtered fowl wastes,’ DCC chief health officer Showkat Ali said.
   The corporation has also selected a place at Matuail landfill to bury the dead fowls and slaughtered fowl wastes, he added saying that the conservancy department workers would collect those from the markets every day.
   There are many small kitchen markets in different areas of the city where chickens are being sold, said Showkat adding that they were trying to motivate them to shift their business to the big kitchen markets to reduce the threat of bird flu. ‘If we fail to motivate them, we will go for action against them.’
   No virus of bird flu has been detected in the crows, which were found dead at Ramna Park and some other places in the city last week, in laboratory tests at the Central Disease Institute Laboratory on
   Sunday and Monday, he said.
   The corporation on Friday opened a control room at the Nagar Bhaban and the chief veterinary officer of the corporation, Azmat Ali, has been made its in-charge.
   ‘We request all to inform the control room (telephone No 9556014) immediately if they find any dead fowls, crows or other birds so that the conservancy workers can go for prompt action,’ he said.
   Showkat said they had also asked the sanitary inspectors and sweepers of the corporation to bury dead chickens, crows or other birds if they find it on the streets or other places.
   Some 4,083 chickens at a BDR poultry firm in Pilkhana area of the capital were culled and 2,389 eggs destroyed on January 30 following the detection of avian influenza at the firm, which is the third case of bird flu in the city.
   The first case of avian influenza was detected in the city in the first week of January at Mirpur central poultry firm where 19,000 chickens were culled by the livestock department.
   The second case of avian flu was detected at a firm of Nasir Uddin at 521/2 Shahidbagh, Shahjahanpur. Nasir built his poultry farm on the rooftop of his six-storey building and 1,000 chicks of the firm were culled, said the official.

The Ekushey book fair in Dhaka drew a large crowd despite inclement weather on Saturday, the ninth day of the
   month-long event.
   Ninety-one titles hit the fair on the day when 15 books were launched at the Writers’ Corner.
   Hundreds of visitors, many with children, visited the fair amid drizzles all day long.
   Many of them were seen carrying umbrellas to protect themselves from the drizzle.
   ‘It is inspiring that people have come to the book fair ignoring the rough weather,’ Udichi president and eminent writer Jatin Sarker said.
   Jatin’s collection of essays, Amader Chinta Chorchar Dik Diganta, published by Ankur Prakashani, has already hit the fair. Three more books will soon be available at the fair, he told New Age.
   Agamee Prakashani has brought two books of the recently-released Dhaka University teacher M Anwar Hossain — CMM Courte Jobanbondi and Kathgoray Dhaka Bishwabidyalaya: Remand O Karagarer Dinlipi. Anwar himself launched the books at the Agamee Prokashani stall.
   Anyaprakash has brought Mahadev Saha’s collection of poems ‘Kalo Megher Opare Purnima’. Mahadev has dedicated the book to his favourite leader and former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
   Professor Anisuzzaman launched Quantum Konika, a collection of moral sayings published by Quantum Foundation.
   Writers including Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Aslam Sani, Lutfar Rahman Riton visited the fair and launched books.
   Of the 91 titles that hit the book fair on the day include 20 novels, 19 collections of poems, nine collections of stories and four collections of essays.
   The Bangla Academy, as part of its regular programmes, held a discussion on ‘The achievements in arts and literature in 36 years: Language (1972-2007)’.
   Jinat Imtiaj Ali presented the keynote paper in the discussion presided over by Professor Mohammad Daniul Haq. Sourav Sikder and Syeda Airin Zaman took part in the discussion, which was followed by a cultural function.
   A discussion on ‘The achievements in arts and literature in 36 years: Folklore (1972-2007)’ will be held at 4:00pm today with Shamsuzzaman Khan in the chair. Abul Hasan Chowdhury will read out a paper at the discussion to be addressed, among others, by Jatin Sarker, M Saifuddin Chowdhury and Shahida Khatun.

Students of Barisal Brojo Mohon College brought out a procession blocking the roads and boycotting classes on Saturday demanding upgrading of the institution to a full–fledged public university.
   At present, this institution has 20 departments for honours and master’s level and also the infrastructure suitable for a full–fledged public university, said the students at a gathering, adding that the alliance government declared its decision to upgrade the college to a full-fledged university, but later changed the decision for an unknown reason.
   More programmes will be declared from the next day to press home their demand immediately, they said.
   The students had blocked the roads in front of the campus area from 10:30am to 11:30am.
   Additional police were deployed in the campus area.
   Eminent citizens in the city, however, expressed difference with the students demand, saying that they want a separate public university in Barisal, not upgrading of BM College into a university.

The Barisal City Corporation authorities from have launched a fresh drive against the rickshaw-pullers to be found harassing passengers by charging extra fares at their whims.
   The corporation at a recent meeting revised the fare chart for rickshaws to stop any altercation between passengers and rickshaw-pullers over fare, sources in the corporation said.
   According to the new fare chart, the lowest fare has been raised to Tk 5 from Tk 4, the highest to Tk 22 from Tk 18 and the fare for each one hour has been fixed at Tk 25 against Tk 22.
   The revised fare chart has already been pasted on signboards at 25 key city points, including rickshaw stands, in the corporation area, the sources said.
   Every rickshaw, as per corporation decision, must run with licence number plates fixed on its body and every rickshaw-puller must carry ownership document, driving licences and fare chart.
    The revised fare chart will be distributed free of cost among different professional organisations and passengers can also collect it from the corporation office by paying Tk 3 per copy.
   Seven teams each comprising corporation staff and Ansars have been deployed at seven points of the city to inspect licenses and execution of the fare chart with the help of the traffic police.
   Passengers can complain to the corporation against any rickshaw-puller to be found violating the fare chart but they have to lodge their complaints with the registration number of the rickshaw, said corporation’s chief executive officer Mehdi Hassan.

Setting up of research and fertility centres in the country may bring a number of patients from abroad as the treatment of infertility is very costly in developed countries, said Parveen Fatima, associate professor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.
   She was speaking at a scientific seminar at Sheraton Hotel on Friday on the occasion of the pre-launching ceremony of the ‘Apollo Fertility Centre’.
   Infertility Centre will launch its Super-ovulation and Intrauterine Insemination Programme on February 14.
   In the last few decades, knowledge on science had been expanded with introduction of many successful methods for the treatment of infertility, the expert noted.
   L Hansen, chief executive officer of Apollo Hospitals also attended the seminar. Mrinal Sarker, consultant and coordinator of Obstetrics Gynaecology, presented a keynote paper on the issues of infertility.
   Though infertility is not only a problem of women, they are often blamed for this, Mrinal pointed out. ‘Only one-third of the total infertile couples of the country are taking treatment,’ he said.
   The new centre of the hospital aims to give the infertile couple and neglected couple a better treatment and attract a large number of local and foreign patients. It has a hi-tech laboratory for testing semen and preservation of the semen to be used in the future.
   The scope for fertility treatment at the grassroots level is very poor. As the procedure is quiet lengthy, a number of patients go abroad to take medication.

A workshop on ‘institutional reforms of the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh’ organised by the commission was held at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University in Gazipur on Friday.
   The UGC chairman, Professor Nazrul Islam, conducted the workshop while UGC members Professor Abdul Hakim, Professor AHM Zehadul Karim, Professor Tajul Islam, Professor Amena Begum were present on the occasion, said a press release. The BSMRAU vice-chancellor, Lutfor Rahman Khan, and other high officials of the university, among others, spoke on the occasion.

Light rain or drizzle is likely to occur at a few places over Rajshahi, Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions during the 24-hour period till 6:00pm today.
   Light to moderate fog may occur over the river basins of the country during early morning, the Met Office said.
   The night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country.
   The country’s highest temperature on Saturday, 30.0 degrees Celsius, was recorded at Cox’s Bazar and the lowest, 16.6 degrees Celsius, at Rangpur. The sun sets in the capital today at 5:50pm and rises tomorrow at 6:35am.

People foiled a bid to abduct a female primary schoolteacher and detained one of the kidnappers at Bishwanath in Sylhet on Saturday.
   The detained youth was identified as Ayas Miah, son of Alfu Miah of village Rampur under Chhatak upazila of Sunamganj.
   Locals and police said that three youths stopped Shaheda Begum, 28, in front of the Dighli Heath Centre under Bishwanath upazila yesterday morning at about 9:30am, while she was going to the Moulavirgoan Government Primary School in sadar upazila.
   Shaheda is an assistant teacher of the school.
   The miscreants forced the teacher to board a four-stroke auto-rickshaw, which had no number plate, in an effort to kidnap her, said locals.
    The people of the locality, after hearing her frantic screams, went to rescue her and the scared would-be kidnappers fled the scene. However, the people managed to catch Ayas Miah and detained him.
   On receiving information of the kidnap attempt, Bishwanath police went to the spot and arrested Ayas. The rescued schoolteacher filed a case with Bishwanath thana in this connection yesterday afternoon, said sources in the police.
   Nothing more could be learned about the incident till the filing of this report.

Different organisations arranged a rally in court area in Rangpur on Saturday protesting at violence created reportedly by Islami Chhatra Shibir on the campus of Carmichael College on February 6.
   Leaders of the organisations blamed pro-Jamaat teachers for instigating Shibir cadres in vandalism, and hailed the government’s move to upgrade the college into a full-fledged university.
   The organisations also formed a human chain in the area to press home their demands, including gas supply through pipeline and upgrading Rangpur into a division comprising eight northern districts.
   Chaired by Rafique Sarker, the rally was addressed by district Ganatantri Party president Mohammad Afzal, district Jatiya Party secretary Mostafizur Rahman, Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mostafa Azad Choudhury, district Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal president Ekramul Hoque Swapan, former vice-president of Rangpur Carmichael College students union Khondaker Shahidul Khurram and district Sechchhasebak League convener Moazzem Hosain.
   Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha bureau chief Mamun Islam, Channel i correspondent Marina Lovely, New Age correspondent Zakir Hossain, Ittefaq correspondent Sazzad Hossain and Bhorer Kagoj correspondent Hasan Gorky also spoke at the rally.

Three people were killed and three injured when a bus rammed into a tempo at Garmati in Baraigram upazila on the Natore-Pabna Highway Saturday afternoon.
   The police said a Dhaka-bound bus rammed into
   the tempo standing on the roadside leaving six passengers wounded.
   They were taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital and nearby Banpara Amena Hospital.
   Of them, Samsul Alam, 60, and Jalil alias Khalil, 16, died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital and an unidentified man, aged around 25, at Amena Hospital.

Speakers at a roundtable meeting in Dhaka on Saturday urged all to work unitedly for the prevention of tube-
   rculosis.
   The call came from the roundtable on `Tuberculosis Control Programme: Partici-pation of Media’ at the BRAC Centre in Mohakhali, a press release said.
   Bangladesh Mahila Sangbadik Forum and BRAC Advocacy and Human Rights jointly organised the roundtable. The BMSF is a platform a Dhaka based women journalists.
   Programme manager of the National Tuberculosis Control Programme Mohammad Abdul Awal Mia attended as chief guest at the roundtable chaired by the forum president, Rashida Amin.
   Secretary general of NATAB Sakhawat Hossain and director of BRAC Human Resources Department Shipa Hafiz attended the roundtable as special guests.
   In charge of BRAC Advocacy and Human Rights Unit Sheikh Mazibul Haque conducted the roundtable.
   Rafiul Alam presented the keynote paper at the discussion attended by 22 women journalists.
   Deputy programme manager of National Tuberculosis Control Programme Viqarunnesa Begum, Asif Muztoba Mahmud, Akramul Islam, Saif Uddin Ben Nur and Sabera Sultana, among others, addressed the roundtable.
   Abdul Awal said messages on tuberculosis would be
   disseminated to all through journalists.
   He said it is essential for working and campaigning against tuberculosis, AIDS and Malaria in whole world.
   Rashida Amin stressed the need for taking government and private initiatives to prevent the disease.
   She said journalists could play a vital role in the prevention and cure of tuberculosis by raising awareness about the disease through their informative writings or reports.

A crime suspect was killed in a ‘gunfight’ with the police in a remote village at Mirpur in Kushtia on Saturday.
   The deceased was Akbar Ali, 42, suspected of leading a crime gang and accused in dozens cases related to murder, abduction and extortion, the police said. A Mirpur police team, tipped off, conducted a raid on a hideout at Naodapara of the upazila at about midnight.
   As the police approached, Akbar’s men started running away which prompted the lawmen to chase them.
   At one point Akbar fired on the lawmen who fired back. Akbar was hit with bullet at the Naodapara graveyard and died on the spot. The lawmen seized a shutter gun from his possession.
   Saleh, younger brother of Akbar and second-in-command of the gang, was killed in an ‘encounter’ with the police.

A 2-year old boy died in the hospital in an unknown disease that afflicted seven persons of a family at Jahabad
   village in Sonaimuri upazila on Saturday.
   Sajib died soon after admitted to the Noakhali General Hospital in the afternoon. Ripon, Abul, Fency, Sakib, Ripa Begum and Khadija Begum, mostly teenage, were lying in the hospital.
   They all fell sick today one after another with symptoms of vomiting, convulsion and bleeding through the nose, family sources said.
   Dr Farid Ahmed at the hospital said they could not ascertain the cause of the disease. A medical board has been formed to examine the patients and cause of the disease.

Workers Party faction general secretary Saiful Huq on Saturday urged the government to lift the state of emergency immediately.
   ‘Democracy cannot be established with curtailing the people’s democratic rights,’ he told a meeting of city unit leaders at its central office.
   The government must take steps for holding the national election by 2008 as per the roadmap of the Election Commission, he said, adding that it will also have to remove the confusions over the election.
   Chaired by Jubran Ali Jewel, central leaders Bahnnishikha Jamali and Khokon Mandol also spoke at the meeting.

Abdul Fattah, Bangladeshi nuclear scientist, died in Vienna on February 5 at the age of 64, his family said in Dhaka today.
   He is survived by his wife, two sons and one daughter.
   Abdul Fattah joined International Nuclear Agency under the United Nations as nuclear scientist in 1975 and he went on retirement in 2003.
   The deceased was associated with a number of international science organisations and agencies. Fattah will be buried in Vienna on February 13, the family said.

Dipak Dutta, a retired government official, died of old-age complications at his village home at Keshabpur in Jessore Saturday morning. He was 73.
   He is survived by one son and four daughters. Dipak Dutta was involved with various social welfare activities in his area.

Khulna residents form human chain, demand development
The Greater Khulna Development Coordination Action Committee on Saturday formed a human chain at the Picture Palace crossing in the city to press home their demands, including gas supply through pipeline and construction of Padma bridge at Maowa point. The demands of the platform of all political, socio-cultural and professional organisations in Khulna also include construction of an airport in Khulna, development of Mongla Port, revival of laid off jute mills in Khulna, preserving Sundarban and installation of floodlights at the Khulna Divisional Stadium. The leaders of the organisation also demanded enough allocation in the next fiscal year for the development of Khulna. The hour-long programme from 11:00am, which was attended by several hundred, was addressed by Khulna city Awami League president Talukder Abdul Khaleq, city BNP president Nurul Islam, general secretary Nazrul Islam Monju, CPB city unit president Firoz Ahmed, district Workers Party president Hafizur Rahman Bhuiyan and Gano Forum leader Hayder Gazi Salahuddin Runu.
— New Age