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The Sylhet City Corporation is yet to start canal reclamation drive to bring a solution to water logging problem even six months after allocation of funds by the LGRD and cooperatives ministry.
   The ministry allocated Tk 1 crore to reclaim the canals — major nine of them in Uttar Surma and one in Dakkhin Surma areas — which have remained occupied by the illegal encroachers for long, sources in the SCC said.
   Several thousands of illegal structures, including dwelling houses, multi-storey commercial complexes, shops and latrines have narrowed down the canals across the city causing sever water logging even after a short spell of rainfall, they said.
   The main canals — Malnichhara, Goalichhara, Dhubrichhara, Gavialchhara, Bhubichhara, Manglichhara, Kewachhara, Baithachhara and Baruthkhanachhara — have been fallen into the River Surma from Uttar Surma area and Rangichhara from Dakkhin Surma area in the city.
   But most of the canals now exist only in papers as influential quarters, by using their political influences during the regimes of political governments, have constructed permanent structures on and along the canals, sources said.
   ‘Most of the canals have no physical existence at present as they been encroached on over the years,’ Mokaddes Babul, a senior cultural activist of Mirza Jangal area in the city said.
   According to SCC sources, the local government and rural development ministry allocated Tk 1 crore to SCC in the beginning of this year to reclaim the canals and re-excavate them to bring a solution to the water logging problem in the city.
   The SCC invited tenders separately for reclamation and renovation of the major and small canals, but no contractors or farms dropped any offer even after inviting tenders for the second time as, according to the sources, the funds against the works mentioned in the tenders were too inadequate.
   They, however, received four offers after inviting tender for the third time in the last month.
   Talking to New Age, Syed Hosen Jamal, SCC acting chief engineer, said they had received four tender schedules last month after inviting tender for the third time. He also said that work on demarcation of two canals had already been started and the work on two more canals would begin soon.
   The canal reclamation drive will begin soon under the project, he said adding that the canals would then be re-excavated in phases.
   The SCC mayor in-charge, Azam Khan, said reclamation and re-excavation of the canals would be completed by this fiscal year to improve the drainage system of the city and free it from water logging.
   ‘Apart from the LGRD ministry’s grant, Tk 10 crore has also been proposed for the purpose in the corporation’s annual budget of the current year,’ he added.

The police on Friday arrested three people, including an expatriate in Singapore, in possession of about one kilogram of gold, worth about Tk 20 lakh, at Phulbaria Check Post in the city.
   The police said they had stooped a CNG-run auto-rickshaw to check the papers of the vehicle at about 10:30am and seized 249 gold chains after searching the three passengers on suspicion.
   The arrestees — Zakir Hossain, 35, Raju Bhuiyan, 25, and Abdul Baten, 26 — are from Palash upazila in Narsingdi. Of them, Baten is an expatriate living in Singapore and works at Well City Electrical Private Limited, as a technician, the police said.
   The police found the gold chains from an anklet sock of Raju and asked him for documents of the gold, but he failed, said Kotwali Zone assistant commissioner Syed Nazrul Islam.
   The police suspected that they smuggled the gold from abroad and were going to Tanti Bazar for selling it. Baten told newsmen that he knew nothing about the gold excepting for a couple of the chains.
   ‘On my way to Bangladesh, Munir, also works in Singapore, requested me to carry two gold chains and to hand over those items to his family members,’ said Baten who landed at Zia International Airport at 6:30am in the morning.
   ‘Zakir and Raju received me in the airport… we hired a CNG-run three-wheeler to go to Tanti Bazar and on our way to the Bazar, Raju opened my bag and brought out the rest of the gold chains. May be Munir kept the bag containing the 245 chains in the bag in my ignorance,’ he said.
    ‘We suspect that they are members of an organised gang. I hope, we will know the names of their leaders during interrogation,’ said Nazrul.
   A case was filed with the Kotwali police in this connection.

Production and selling of fake cosmetics go unabated despite drives by the law enforcing agencies in the city against fake and substandard products.
   Counterfeit products like shampoos, conditioners, lotions, cream, baby care and other items of popular brands are found in abundance in the city shops and markets putting the users in dilemma.
   Some of the retailers and shop owners, however, denied selling fake products. Many who admitted knowing about the counterfeit products said they sell those because of the comparatively low price. Replicated popular brand perfumes are easy to sell to customers who are not well conversant with the fragrance.
   Ratan Bhuiya, a shop keeper at Farm View Super Market at Farmgate said these products have demand among the low income group who cannot afford to buy the original. ‘You know, a original Hugo Boss brand cologne would cost more than Tk 4,000 while we are selling it for only Tk 300 to Tk 800’, he said.
   The shop owner informed that fake cosmetics and adulterate food products are widely produced in old Dhaka’s Chawk Bazar, Maulvibazar, Nawabpur, Bangsal and in the city suburbs of Keraniganj and Jinjira.
   Dermatologists warned that regular use of the fake and substandard cosmetics and perfumes may cause various skin diseases including itching, chronic or permanent sores, hair loss, dandruff and even skin cancer.
   Fake cosmetic producers often use chemicals that contain harmful acids and other elements which directly affect the skin, said dermatologist Dr Matiur Rahman. ‘Infants and young women are the major sufferers of these substandard cosmetic products as their skin remain too soft’, he added.
   Consumer’s unawareness and the practice to earn money selling old containers of cosmetics and perfumes to the hawkers lead to manufacturing of the fake cosmetics, sources said.
   Harun Mia, a hawker, said that he buys fresh old bottles of shampoo, lotion and other cosmetics at rates ranging between Tk10 and Tk20 each while perfume and body spray bottles range between Tk20 and Tk40.
   ‘We sell these mainly at the Chawk Bazar from where adulterated producers buy the fresh containers at high price for refilling them’, said Harun.
   According to sources, the law enforcing agencies have seized counterfeit cosmetics and chemicals worth more than Tk 30 lakh in past few months. The BSTI has a list of only 142 products and carries out drives only after receiving specific allegations from the consumers or producers, said sources.
   The government organisation, responsible for checking the quality of the consumer goods, fines between Tk7000 to Tk 1 lakh or even serves imprisonment for counterfeiting cosmetics products.

Academics and litterateurs paid their tributes to martyred intellectual Govinda Chandra Dev, a doyen in country’s philosophical studies, as they held daylong programmes in Dhaka on Friday marking his birth centenary.
   The committee to observe the birth centenary of Dev organised the programmes at the Dhaka University’s Teachers-Students Centre to mark the occasion, which fell on February 1.
   They recalled Dev’s contribution to shaping up the cultural mindset of the country’s intelligentsia inspiring them with secular and progressive ideals.
   Almost all the speakers at the programme, who are either his students or colleagues, said although Dev loved to be called as an idealist, he was actually much progressive in terms of thought process.
   Anisuzzaman, a professor emeritus of Dhaka University, said Dev was so popular among his colleagues and students. ‘Proper respect to him and his works can only be given by following his practices, ideals and the mindset.’
   Another professor emeritus Serajul Islam Chaudhury said Dev woukld always believe in secularism and had tried his best to separate religious activities from the state affairs through his works.
   ‘Many of the intellectuals from religious minority communities had migrated to India after the partition of India, but Dev stayed here as he would love this country a lot,’ he said.
   National Professor Kabir Chowdhury stressed disseminating the works of GC Dev for introducing him with the younger generation and asked the government to take initiatives to reprint his titles, which are out of print.
   Abdullah Abu Sayeed said it was the nation’s proud to have a personality like Dev, who had all the qualities to be called as a philosopher.
   Aminul Islam, the senior-most teacher at the department of philosophy, where Dev taught till his death, delivered a memorial lecture. The Dhaka University acting vice-chancellor, AFM Yusuf Haider, inaugurated the programmes.
   Later the in the afternoon, a commemorative session was held and a cultural show performed by the students of philosophy department.
   Born on February 1, 1907, GC Dev obtained his graduation in philosophy from Sanskrit College, Kolkata in 1929 and completed masters from the University of Calcutta in 1931. He taught for some time at Surendranath College in Dinajpur and joined the DU philosophy department in 1953. Dev has nine books to his credit apart from over a hundred articles in English and Bangla in national and international journals.
   He was awarded with the title, ‘Darshan Sagar’ by the East Pakistan Saraswat Samaj in 1967 for his contribution to philosophy. The Dhaka University established a research centre after his name — Dev Centre for Philosophical Studies.
   The government awarded him posthumously with the highest national award Swadhinata Padak in 2008 and the Ekushey Padak in 1986.
   He was imprisoned during the Indo-Pak war 1965. Dev was killed by the Pakistan Army on March 26 at his Dhaka University residence as they went on a brutal crackdown on the students and teachers of the university.

Members of the Hindu community across the country on Friday celebrated one of their religious festivals Rathajatra with due religious fervour and festivity.
   Thousands of Hindu devotes joined with full enthusiasm the ritual of pulling chariots to celebrate the occasion. Elderly and young, male and female, boys and girls together joined the ritual amidst much fanfare.
   The main programme in the capital was organised by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). Special assistant to the chief adviser on fisheries and livestock and vice president of Jatiya Hindu Kalyan Trust Manik Lal Samaddar inaugurated the Rathajatra at ISKCON temple at Swamibag.
   Despite inclement weather, thousands of Hindu community members joined in pulling the raths (chariot) by long ropes through various city streets.
   Many of the participants were seen attired in traditional Hindu costume and beat drums and played other musical instruments.
   Inaugurating the Rathajatra, Manik Lal Sammadar laid importance on upholding the heritage of religious harmony in the country. He urged all irrespective of religious identity to make their best efforts to build prosperous Bangladesh.
   The Rathajatra ended at Dhakeshwari Temple after parading different city streets. The ‘Ulto Rath’, return journey of the today’s chariots will be held on July 12.
   Earlier, Manik Lal Samaddar attended the Rathajatra programme at Manikyamadav Ashram at Bhowal in Gazipur as chief guest.

A two-day first photography exhibition on tourism began at the Jatiya Chitrashala of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka on Friday.
   Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation in cooperation with the academy is organising the exhibition with a view to projecting eternal beauty of Bangladesh to foreigners.
   Mobile phone operator Banglalink, Ekushey Television and Daily Samakal are assisting the BPC in this connection.
   Inaugurating the exhibition, the civil aviation and tourism secretary Syed Mohammad Jobaer said the exhibition would help encourage the people to attract tourism. BPC chairman Shafique Alam Mehedi, director general of Shilpakala Academy Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam, public relations and communication executive (marketing) of Banglalink Shamoon Muheb Chowdhury were present on the occasion.
   Two hundred photographs, selected from 3,000, have been put on display at the exhibition. A three-member panel selected the photographs.Three persons will be awarded for their best photographs, and the award carries a crest, a certificate and Tk 10,000.
   Besides, the BPC will buy some selected photographs, the BPC chairman said.
   The awards will be handed over to three best photographers at the concluding ceremony at 7:00pm on Saturday where special assistant to the chief adviser for civil aviation and tourism Mahbub Jamil will be present as the chief guest. A large number of people visited the exhibition on the opening day. The exhibition will remain open to all from 9:00am to 7:00pm today.

Untreated liquid waste from the capital is severely polluting the Narai Khal (canal), Debdholai Khal and the River Balu posing serious health hazards to the people living there, environmental activists said on Friday.
   Norai khal and Debdholai Khal located at Barogram village under Narisabad union parishad under Khilgaon police station are about to be filled up, a team of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan said after visiting the sites on the day. The team also held a meeting with the local people at Trimohini Bridge in the area.
   The locals alleged that their arable land was also being polluted due to the toxic waste and the environment in the areas had also become polluted. People in the areas suffer from various diseases, including of skin, due to the pollution of water and environmental, they added. They also called upon the government to take immediate steps in this regard.

Light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely at most places over Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka and Sylhet divisions and at many places over Rajshahi division with moderately heavy to heavy falls at places during the 24-hour period till 6:00pm today, the Met Office said.
   The day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, it said.
   The country’s highest temperature on Friday, 34.0 degrees Celsius, was recorded in Sayedpur and the lowest, 23.0 degrees Celsius, at Sandwip.
   The sun sets in the capital today at 6:50pm and rises tomorrow at 5:16am.

Leaders of plain land ethnic minorities at a workshop on Friday demanded establishment of a separate ministry for upholding rights of their communities.
   ‘Our demand is for a separate ministry for the plain land ethnic groups and we urge the government to incorporate the issue in the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper,’ the leaders told the workshop at the CARITAS regional office auditorium in Mymensingh.
   The workshop styled ‘Plain Land Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and PRSP: Strategic Advocacy’ was organised by the Centre for Indigenous Peoples Research and Development (CIPRAD), an NGO working for the rights of the indigenous people.
   The population of plain land indigenous groups is four times higher than the indigenous communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. But this huge population is enjoying fewer facilities than those in the CHT, the leaders lamented and called for mobilising leadership at social level to realise their demands.
   The leaders said their proposals should be sent for the PRSP and they should be watchful to see the progress in implementation of their proposals.
   Only because of our indifference, our legal rights are being ignored in the PRSP resulting in increased facilities for the CHT indigenous people, added the speakers.
   They stressed the need for incorporating the NGO’s and other organisations run by indigenous people in the PRSP to make their voice heard.
   The plain land indigenous people are also deprived of the quota for admission and job facilities, they lamented saying that the CHT indigenous people, despite being less in number, enjoyed more facilities in getting admission for higher studies.
   They demanded reservation of a ‘ tribal quota’ in the government educational institutions in the Mymensingh region for higher studies of the plain land indigenous students.
   Calling for easing loan facilities for them in the state-run banks, the speakers said the indigenous people had to take loans from the NGOs at high interests.
   They also underscored the need for setting up a special court in the country to settle the ‘social tribal disputes’.
   All the organisations of the indigenous people, including Tribal Welfare Association, should come under the same umbrella to establish long cherished rights of their communities, they added.
   Advocate Promode Mankin, chairman of the TWA central committee and former lawmaker, presided over the workshop moderated by Albert Mankin, director of the CIPRAD.
   The indigenous leaders of Mymensingh and Rajshahi, who spoke on the occasion, included Theophil Nokrek, Tushar Daring, Eunus Chiram and advocate Hillol Rema.

Veteran freedom fighters on Friday recalled the contribution of the late Indian army chief Sam Manekshaw in the independence of Bangladesh.
   They said Manekshaw had got it right in taking up the right strategy to liberate Bangladesh.
   At a discussion in memory of Manekshaw at the Women’s Voluntary Association auditorium in Dhanmondi in the capital, the veterans demanded the trial fro war criminals, particularly those that were involved with the Pakistani army in mass killings.
   AK Khandker, who was deputy commander-in-chief of the liberation war, said Manekshaw devised a strategy for liberation that forced the Pakistan army into early surrender. Manekshaw also underlined the need for proper training of the country’s freedom fighters.
   The then Indian army chief feared the war might have taken a turn for the worse if China had become involved in it, Khandker said. Manekshaw’s strategy saved the region from a worse war, the former deputy commander-in-chief said.
   The role Manekshaw played to create an independent and democratic nation would last forever in the hearts of Bangladeshis, Khandker added.
   Awami League presidium member Abdur Razzak said: ‘Manekshaw was an efficient war leader. He knew where and when to attack the enemy.’
   Razzak said Manekshaw had understood that it was not a war between India and Pakistan. It was a war of India and Bangladesh against Pakistan.
   President of the Workers Party of Bangladesh, Rashed Khan Menon said governments of West Bengal and Assam had asked India’s central government to intervene after Pakistan attacked Bangladesh.
   But Manekshaw opposed the proposal and devised a different idea that helped create an independent Bangladesh, said Menon.
   Manekshaw devised a unique strategy during the liberation war. His strategy
   saved many lives during the war, said Mujahidul Islam Selim, general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh. Veteran freedom fighter, Professor Ajay Roy said Manekshaw’s friends would always call him Sam Bahadur for his great courage.
   Roy said Manekshaw stressed three things during the war — bringing all freedom fighters under unified command, forming a joint command comprising freedom fighters and the Indian army and ending the war as soon as possible.
   AK Khandker vowed to ‘wage another liberation war’ to press for the trial for war criminals. He demanded nomination of war criminals be cancelled in the national elections.
   He said those who opposed the liberation of Bangladesh and trampled the flag of Bangladesh ended up driving on the city roads with that flag on their cars.
   ‘They want to turn democratic and secular Bangladesh into an Islamic state. It cannot be allowed,’ he said.

The poor and vulnerable groups, especially the families affected by cyclone Sidr, will have access to small-scale local infrastructure, assets and livelihoods under the $50-million social investment programme project funded by the World Bank.
   A $35 million project, disability and children-at-risk, will support the government in expanding the coverage, use, and quality of social services for the vulnerable groups.
   In all, the government will receive $85 million funding under the two projects, approved by the Washington-based multilateral lending agency in the past week, said World Bank officials in Dhaka.
   ‘Poor families affected by the 2007 cyclone Sidr, vulnerable children in urban slums, and people with disabilities stand to benefit from two new projects to Bangladesh,’ said a release.
   The $50 million project is designed to continue supporting the government in developing effective and efficient financing and institutional arrangements to empower the poorest and most vulnerable with an emphasis on Sidr-affected communities.
   The November 15, 2007 cyclone Sidr caused extensive damage to lives, property, livestock, and crops, with total damage and losses estimated at $1.7 billion.
   ‘This is one of the operations in a series of the World Bank’s planned support to respond to government of Bangladesh’s request for rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance in the aftermath of the cyclone,’ said Xian Zhu, the World Bank country director in Bangladesh.
   The two other interventions — a quick disbursing budget support, already approved, and the longer-term support for disaster management, an emergency recovery credit — are now under preparation.
   About the disability and children-at-risk project, Qaiser Khan, the World Bank human development specialist, said, ‘Lack of access to adequate education, health services, and safety nets does not only result in people with disabilities being excluded from social and economic participation, but it also leads to their family members having to forgo paid employment to stay at home to provide care.’
   Three components of the project are expanding disability services, improving awareness, and building capacity; establishing a network of child protection services and institutional strengthening knowledge and skills of the managerial and technical officials in the social welfare ministry to provide relevant and effective services for vulnerable groups, with a special focus on disability and child protection.

The Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh on Friday called on the interim government to publish a whitepaper on its activities in the last 18 months in order to ensure transparency.
   The central committee of the party from a meeting at its central office said that it was necessary for the incumbents to come up with a whitepaper detailing its activities for ensuring its transparency and accountability.
   The party alleged that corruption had not stopped following assumption of office by the interim government though it had vowed to eliminate the vice.
   The government also failed to ensure a level playing field for the political parties and so it would not be possible for the incumbents to hold free and fair elections, the party said in a resolution.
   Chaired by RWP president Khandaker Ali Abbas, the meeting was addressed, among others by its general secretary Saiful Huq, central leaders Nasiruddin Ahmed Nasu and Bahnishikha Jamali.
   The two-day central committee meeting will conclude today.

Auto-rickshaw drivers in Khulna called off their indefinite strike on Friday following assurances by the law enforcers of fulfilling their demands.
   They went on the strike from June 28 to press home their demands, including allowing them to carry four passengers in an auto-rickshaw at a time and stopping police harassment.
   According to Khulna Auto-rickshaw Drivers’ Union, about 1,400 auto-rickshaws ply the Khulna city and its peripheral areas.
   Zahirul Islam Pannu, general secretary of Khulna-Daulatpur Auto-Rickshaw Drivers’ Union, said, ‘We have called off the strike after the administration assured us of fulfilling our demands. We are now carrying four passengers at a time.’

Organisers of Berger Young Painters’ Art Competition that steps into its 13th year have invited entries from young artists for the meet.
   The first prize carries a cash award of Tk40,000, second prize Tk30,000, third prize Tk25,000 and the forth, fifth and sixth prizes Tk20,000 each.
   For oil paint category, the entries should be 24x24 inches and the last date for submitting a 5R sized color photograph of the paintings is July 26, 2008.
   The award giving ceremony will be held later this year, sources said.
   Artists have to be a resident of Bangladesh and must be aged between 18 and 35 years. Copy of SSC certificate attested by a first class gazetted officer along with an color photograph of the contestant should be submitted as proof of age. The Address for submitting the paintings is: Shah Waliul Manzoor, Unitrend Limited, House 49, Road 27, Block K, Banani Model town, Dhaka— 1213.

Hironmoy Pandey, former vice-president of Jagannath Hall Chhatra Sangsad of Dhaka University, died of kidney and heart diseases in a city hospital on Friday. He was 50.
   He is survived by his wife, one son and one daughter.
   Hironmoy was a Bangladesh Chhatra Union leader during his student life and later joined the Communist Party of Bangladesh.
   His body was taken to Jagannath Hall in the afternoon where teachers and students showed their last respect.
   The body will be taken to his village home in Gopalganj and will be cremated there, his family said. Hironmoy was serving as teacher of Mathematics in Jhenidah Governemnt College.
   Bangaldesh Chhatra Union president Khan Asaduzzaman Masum and general secretary Manabendra Dev in a message of condolence expressed their deep shock at the death of Hironmoy.

The Awami League’s organising secretary Akhtaruzzaman was admitted to Sikder Medical College Hospital after he had sustained injuries when his car met with an accident Nikunja in Dhaka early morning on Friday.
   Akhtaruzzaman told New Age his car had met with the accident at about 6:00am. He was going to attend an extended meeting of the Naogaon unit Awami League. His driver was also critically injured. Akhtaruzzaman said he was out of danger, but needed to be treated for a couple of days.
   Party leaders Zillur Rahman, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Syed Ashraful Islam, Abdul Manna and Mahamudur Rahman Manna, among others, visited him in the hospital.

Six people mugged at same place in city
Six people were mugged at West Dholaipar under Shyampur police area in the city over a span of one hour early Friday. Two of them were also injured critically by the muggers. According to the victims, five muggers intercepted Lovlu, 25, in front of West Dholaipar Bus Stand at around 3:30am and took away Tk 3,500 and two mobile phone sets from him stabbing him in the abdomen, chest and back, the victim said. Soon after, the gang members intercepted Abdul Kader, 35, as he got down from a bus of Meghna Paribahan from Barisal. They stabbed him in the right hand and snatched away Tk 3,000 and a mobile phone set from him. The two were undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. After about 10 minutes, they mugged Almas Hossain, his wife Asma Begum, and their daughter Happy after they had got down from the Meghna Paribahan bus. They took away Tk 5,000 and two mobile phone sets from them. The same gang snatched away Tk 8,400 and a mobile phone set from Mohammad Tariq, 30, at around 4:30am.
— New Age