At least 57 varieties of sweet water fishes in southern region are now on the verge of extinction.
   Barisal divisional fisheries office sources said the varieties were disappearing every day as open sources of sweet water like rivers, canals, ponds and enclosures are being silted every day which become threat for the extinction.
   A total of 4.5 lakh hectares of river, 2.84 hectares of river estuaries, 20,000 hectares of beels, 1.45 lakh hectares of polder and enclosures in Barisal division to produce 1.37 lakh tonnes of sweet water fishes where the regional demands is 1.57 lakh tonnes.
   More than 260 varieties of sweet water fishes were available in Barisal division which now decreasing every day while 57 varieties of regional sweet water fishes have almost disappeared.
   The varieties are Nandina, Ghora, Swarna Puti, Moha Shoul, Rita, Kajli, Ghaura, Bacha, Shilong, Pangas, Bagha Aier, Chenua, Gila Shoul, Foli, Bao Bain, Kash Khoira, Tat Kini, Golsha, Bash Pata, Gang Magur, Kucha, Nama Chanda, Lal Chanda, Bish Tara, Veda, Raga, Tara Bain and Shal Bain, Chitol, Joya, Khoksa, Sefatia, Kala Bata, Kali Boush, Ghonia, Dhela, Boal, Darkina, Beti, Rani, Aier, Tengra, Pabda, Ek Thotha, Kota, Kumirer Khil, Napit Koi, Neftani, Gojar, Boga, Ram Sos, Chaumma Chingri, Taki, Khoilsa, Molanti, Deshi Koi and Magur.
   Bankim Chandra Biswas, Barisal divisional fisheries officer, said production of these varieties of fish has decreased to 59.68 percent in last five years, adding that they had preserved photo description of 86 local varieties of sweet water fishes of the region.
   He feared if the falling trend continued the production of sweet water fishes in the open water sources would be almost zero percent within the next 10 years.
   He said they had placed different proposals and suggestions to the higher authorities to save the disappearing fishes and also to increase production in the last five years.
   The suggestions and proposals are excavation, dredging, preservation of sweet water sources, creating fish-sanctuaries, cultivation of local varieties, creating awareness and encouraging fish farmers, controlling use of chemical fertiliser, pesticide, banning catching of all varieties of fishes during egg laying season.
   However, steps on this regard yet to be taken for bureaucratic complexity and fund crisis, said one of the officials of Barisal divisional fisheries office.

water crocodiles at the country’s lone safari park near Cox’s Bazar tourist resort has flopped apparently for high temperature in the locality, officials concerned said.
   Bangladesh received 40 fresh water crocodiles donated by India from its reptile bank in Chennai by the end of 2005. Of them, 29 crocodiles were released in the lake of safari park while five others sent to Dhaka Zoo and six to Khulna respectively.
   As fresh water crocodiles became extinct in Bangladesh long ago, the authorities concerned brought 40 crocodiles from India for breeding, the officials added.
   ‘We are really concerned as the move for breeding these crocodiles failed although the female ones numbering about 12 at the safari park laid around 300 eggs this year,’ said Moklesur Rahman, an expert on wildlife.
   Moklesur, also a divisional forest research officer, said they had to work hard to procure these sweet water crocodiles. Female crocodiles laid eggs during breeding season between March and June every year but they failed to hatch the eggs, he added.
   ‘It is subject to research as to know the cause of failure in breeding. It may be due to temperature and other climatic problems,’ he said.
   Suklal Das, in-charge of the safari park, told New Age that high temperature in the locality was not suitable for breeding of these fresh water crocodiles. ‘We made efforts to help the eggs, laid by the crocodiles at this safari park, to be hatched but it could not produce any positive result. Temperature fluctuation may hinder breeding.’
   He said they had been trying to procure incubators for hatching the eggs under required and controlled temperature. ‘We wrote to the higher authority to provide incubators,’ he added.
   ‘We are hopeful of successful breeding of fresh water crocodiles, if we get incubators and other infrastructural facilities in this park.’

Seven persons were killed in separate road accidents in Rangpur, Comilla and Jhenaidah.
   New Age Rangpur correspondent reports a van puller, Pekowa Oraw, 50, killed in a road accident on the Dhaka - Rangpur Highway at Mithapukur Bajar on Wednesday morning.
   The police said a Rangpur-bound knocked down a van from behind killing the van driver on the spot.
   The police said he was an aborigine leader who was an inhabitant of village Rasulpur under Nankar union of the upazila.
   A case was filed with Mithapukur police station.
   According to UNB reports, six persons, including two of a family, were killed and five others injured in separate road accidents in Comilla and Jhenaidah on Thursday.
   The police said a covered van rammed into a CNG run auto-rickshaw on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway at Suagazi in Sadar South upazila at about 6:30am killing its two passengers, including driver, on the spot while injuring two others.
   Critically injured people were sent to Dhaka for better treatment.
   In another accident, two persons were killed and three others injured when a car hit railing of a bridge at Noabazar in Chauddagram upazila and was badly damaged today.
   The accident took place when they were returning home by the rented car at about 4:00pm after receiving one of their foreign-return relatives at Dhaka International Airport.
   Identities of the deceased could not be known immedi-ately.
   Another report from Jhenaidah adds: Husband and wife were killed when a tractor hit their motorcycle at Boyratala in Tekari Bazar road in Sadar upazila at about 8.30am.
   Abdus Sattar, 50, and his wife Shaharan 40, were going to their village home Baliadangi in Sadar upazila from the town by the motorcycle.

Three persons of a family died and four others fell sick after taking poisonous food at village Saidabad under Sirajganj sadar upazila early Wednesday.
   The deceased were Karimon, 65, wife of late Momtaz Ali and her two grandsons Monirul Islam Moni, 30, and Kaoser Ali, 10.
   Locals said seven members of the fell sick after taking their supper at about 8:00pm on Tuesday.
   Local people took them to Sirajganj General Hospital where the three died at about 3:00am.
   Four others, Karim Mollah, 40, his wife Selina Begum, 35, her son Shahin, 10, and daughter, Karuna Khatoon were admitted at hospital.

The Taras upazila land officer in Sirajganj was suspended on Wednesday on charge of bribery.
   Taras upazila nirbahi office sources said the Rajshahi divisional commissioner suspended Al-Mahmud, 40, the surveyor of Taras Upazila Bhumi office.
   The sources said he was caught in red-handed by the member of the Rapid Action Battalion on Monday while he was taking Tk 600 as bribe from on Mahmud Ali Babu in exchange of his transfer.