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The Chittagong City Corporation has undertaken a Tk 41 lakh project to renovate the automatic traffic lights at 43 busy intersections aiming to bring order in vehicular movement on city streets.
   Mahfuzul Hoque, acting superintendent engineer (electricity) of the city corporation, said they had undertaken the project as an interim measure following repeated requests from the Chittagong Metropolitan Police.
   Implementation of the project would be initiated within a couple of weeks, he said, adding that they would also take up a Tk 1.5 crore project soon to install traffic lights at different intersections in the city.
   ‘We have sought Tk 3.88 crore from the government to install traffic lights at 43 intersections in the city, but the government has approved Tk 1.5 crore,’ he said.
   The engineer said the project was waiting for the approval of the Executive Committee on National Economic Council. ‘We will start implementation of the project soon after getting the approval.’
   It is very difficult for the traffic police to manage the movement of vehicles at different busy intersections, including New Market, GEC, Sholoshahar, Bahadderhat, Badamtoli, Chowmuhuni, Kadamtoli, Alangker and WASA as most of the automatic traffic lights have remained inoperative for a long time, the sources said.

The authorities concerned have yet to open the ethnology gallery even five years after they had set up the gallery at Varendra Research Museum in Rajshahi due to lack of expert and funds.
   Now the gallery is being used for other works of the museum run by Rajshahi University, museum sources said.
   The authorities constructed a two-storey building near the main building of the museum to put the artefacts on display and carry out research on culture of ethnic minority people, including Santal, Muda and Rajbanshi.
   The sources said they collected different types of artefacts but failed to put them on display in the absence of an expert. The artefacts lie now on the floors.
   The officials concerned held a meeting recently but they failed to take any decision about the appointment of an expert, the sources said.
   While visiting the museum on Wednesday, it was found that 80 statues are kept on the floors at ethnology gallery and other galleries.
   An official claimed that as the authorities didn’t allocate any budget for display works, the statues were lying on the floors. ‘The researchers cannot do research properly,’ he added.
   AHM Zehadul Karim, an anthropology professor of Rajshahi University, said, the authorities should open the gallery immediately to help carry out research on ethnic minority people and their culture.
   Mohammed Zakaria, acting director of the museum, said they couldn’t open the gallery due to lack of an expert. ‘As the authorities didn’t allocate budget, we cannot arrange the artefacts for the visitors.’
   They wrote to the authorities but didn’t get any response till now, he added.
   Mamnunul Karemat, acting vice-chancellor of RU, said the gallery would be opened soon after setting up the artefacts.

Students of the Sylhet Agricultural University formed a human chain on the university campus on Wednesday, demanding a computer lab.
   General students of the university gathered in front of the academic building at about 11:00am and formed a human chain demanding immediate step for setting up a computer lab.
   In a brief rally after the human chain, the student representatives claimed that the university authorities have long been negligent in setting up the lab although they already assured the students of addressing the issue.
   The students claimed that the university authorities following their demand had bought eight computers and initially allotted the 3rd floor of the academic building to be used as computer lab.
   ‘But the authorities recently have allowed the floor to be used as class rooms for students and the computers, which were bought for the lab, have also been removed to the office rooms of different departments,’ the students claimed.
   The student representa- tives said they are facing difficulties in preparing the assignments of their respective departments for lack of a computer lab.
   Dr Siddiqul Islam, student affairs adviser at the university, declined to make any comment on the issue.

Students of Sheikhghat Muk-Badhir School, an institute for deaf and dumb children, in the Sylhet city are being deprived of sporting facilities for lack of a suitable playground on the school campus.
   The school authorities said the school campus is spacious but the students cannot use it as playground as it is much lower from the ground level, the sources said.
   Talking to New Age, a teacher said there is sufficient land which could easily be turned into a playground if the authorities filled earth in it.
   MA Haydar Miah, headmaster of the school, said they have been requesting the higher authorities for long for earth filling on the ground to prepare it as playground for the children.
   ‘But any effective step is yet to be taken in this regard,’ he said, adding that physical exercises is very important for both intellectual and physical development of the organically challenged children.
   The lone school for the deaf and dumb children in Sylhet was established on 1.84 acres of land in 1984. Activities of the school run under supervision of the district social welfare department.
   The school offers primary education between Class I and Class V free of charge. A nursery class for the under-aged children was also opened in the school in 1998, sources in the school said.
   There are 45 residential and 20 non-residential students at the school in the current academic session. The social welfare ministry of the government allocates Tk 1,500 per month for each residential student for foods, dresses and relevant expenses.
   The assistant director in the district social welfare department, Anwara Begum, told New Age that they were aware of the problem of the school and they already have requested the higher authorities to allocate a fund for earth filling on the school compound.
   ‘We hope, the fund would be allocated soon and the earth filling would begin by the winter,’ she added.

The Bangladesh Railway has made arrangements to operate special trains during the coming Eid-ul-Azha to facilitate the journey of homebound passengers.
   According to a handout released Wednesday, the sale of advance train tickets will begin on November 25.
   It said seven pairs of additional trains will be operated from different railway stations while a number of trains will have 33 extra compartments.
   The decision was taken at a meeting of communications ministry on Wednesday with its join secretary Begum Nasrin Akhter in the chair.
   The advance tickets will be available at Kamlapur, Biman Bandar, Joydevpur, Sylhet, Chittagong, Rajshahi and Khulna railway stations.
   It said one will not able to buy more than four tickets in advance at a time.
   Director General of Bangladesh Railway M Belayet Hossain and its other high officials and representatives from BRTC, BRTA and RAB and police were present.

From kameez to kurta and punjabi, one can find everything at Adena Fashion Wear, which is going to hold its first exhibition on Friday to meet the demand of both the trendy and fashion conscious at a reasonable price.
   Adena, which means sensual in Greek, will hold the exhibition to showcase the dresses made of local fabrics with varieties in design and colour combination. The daylong exhibition will take place on the 3rd floor, House 504, Road 9 East Street: Baridhara DOHS.
   Adena is also introducing long fatua for girls titling Kurta considering the socio-cultural context of the country.
   ‘Our motto is to promote the local design and fabrics while keeping the price range low to make it more affordable,’ said Sabrina, co-owner of the fashion house. Adena will exhibit collection of cotton, silk and moslin kameez, punjabi and kurta with price ranges between Tk 600 and Tk 2,000.

A Dhaka court on Wednesday acquitted all the 32 accused in the case of the killing of Titas Gas labour leader Billal Hossain which took place at Tejgaon 16 years ago.
   KM Rasheduzzaman, the judge of the metropolitan second additional sessions court, gave the judgment in the presence of 30 people accused in the case.
   The court observed it
   could not be established that the victim was killed being pushed off the ceiling as neither the post-mortem examination nor the 18 witnesses could clearly narrate what happened.
   According to the prosecution, the accused, in collusion with others, pushed Billal off the seventh floor of the Titas Gas head office at Karwan Bazar in Dhaka.
   Bilal was hacked with sharp weapons before being pushed off.
   Titas Gas sales division employee SM Zillur Rahman lodged a case with the
   Tejgaon police on July 9,
    1992 and the police on November 24, 1992 pressed charges in the case against 34 people, including former Titas Gas labour leader Md Israfil Alam.
   Of the 34 accused, one died during the trial while charges against another were earlier scrapped by the High Court. The court tried two accused in their absence, said the prosecution.

Weather is likely to remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country in the next 24 hours till 6:00pm today.
   Night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, the Met Office said.
   The country’s highest temperature, 32.5 degrees Celsius, was recorded on Wednesday at Cox’s Bazar and the lowest, 13.0 degrees Celsius, at Srimongal. The sun sets in the capital today at 5:11pm and rises tomorrow at 6:18am.

Speakers at a discussion in Dhaka on Wednesday urged the interim government to defer the elections to January from the next month to ensure the participation of all major political parties.
   The government has already violated the constitution by not holding the elections within 90 days... It won’t be a major breach of law if the present schedule is deferred, the speakers told the discussion titled ‘Economy of Bangladesh and national election’ at the National Press Club.
   Industrialists and Businessmen Welfare Foundation organised the discussion with Professor Abu Nasser Muhammad Abduz Zaher, chairman of the foundation and also chairman of Board of Directors of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited, in the chair, said a news release.
   Former vice-chancellor of Dhaka University and VC of the University of Development Alternative Emazuddin Ahmed, former REHAB president Mukarram Hossain Khan, Professor Abu Ahmed of Dhaka University’s economics department, chairman of DU’s banking department Professor Muzahidul Islam and Naya Diganta editor Alamgir Muhiuddin also addressed the discussion.
   Speaking on the occasion, Professor Emazuddin said the government and the Election Commission should go ahead towards an acceptable election and take necessary measures to ensure a level-playing field for the sake of democracy. ‘There is no alternative to a democratic government to accelerate the economy activity,’ he said.
   Emazuddin also stressed the need for the practice of democratic culture to lead the country towards prosperity.
   Professor Abu Nasser urged the government to do whatever was needed for a credible election through the participation of all parties for financial enrichment.
   Professor Abu Ahmed mentioned that it was not possible to create an investment climate without any elected government and urged the present government to handover power through holding a credible election ensuring the participation of all major parties.

Top police officials in 10 districts under Khulna division on Wednesday vowed to strictly maintain law and order situation during the upcoming national and upazila polls.
   Exchanging views with journalists in the conference room of the superintendent of police, Khulna, they also warned that stern action against those who would make any effort to destabilise the law and order.
   Asaduzzaman Mia, deputy inspector general, Khulna range, superintendents of police of the 10 districts, Daily Purbanchal editor Liakat Ali, Khulna Press Club president Wadudur Rahman Panna and senior journalists Shahabuddin Ahmed and SM Zahid Hossain took part in the programme.
   Asaduzzaman said a good number of talented and experienced police officials were working in the division to keep the law and order in control.
   It was informed at the meeting that the law and order situation in the division was better in 2008 than the previous two years.
   Khulna SP YM Belalur Rahman said the police under the division had arrested 8,001 persons, including listed criminals, and seized 75 firearms, 126 rounds of bullet, 56 explosives and 16,073 bottles of Phensidyl during a special anti-crime drive between October 19 and October 28.
   Twenty-four policemen of the division were also awarded at the programme for their performances.

Adviser for foreign affairs Iftakhar Ahmed Chowdhury on Wednesday said Dr Mohammad Ibrahim became a legend for his social services.
   He said this while distributing ‘Dr Mohammad Ibrahim Memorial Gold Medal’ at BIRDEM auditorium in the Dhaka city.
   Noted physician and president of the Bangladesh Diabetic Association Dr AK Azad Khan attended the function as special guest while president of Dr Ibrahim Smriti Parishad Dr CM Dilwar Rana was in the chair.
   This year, the gold medal was given to director of Channel-i and producer of the popular television programme ‘Hridaye Mati O Manush’ Shykh Siraj for his contributions to agriculture.
   The adviser said BIRDEM, established by Dr Ibrahim, is playing a epoch-making role in controlling diabetes in the country.
   He praised the initiative of Smriti Parishad for giving honour to the worthy sons of the soil for their contributions to society.
   The foreign adviser said the agriculture sector mindfully or unmindfully was not given due attention over the last two decades, rather, the sector was ignored in some cases in the overall development planning.
   ‘Shykh Siraj is the pioneer, who is infusing ideas of agriculture and agricultural science in our minds,’ Iftekhar said and hoped that Mati O Manush will help bring revolutionary changes to the agriculture of Bangladesh.
   Chairman of the programme preparatory committee major general (retd) FR Khan and director general of BIRDEM major general (retd) Dr Ziauddin Ahmed, vice-president of the Smriti Parishad Dowlatunnesa and general secretary M Shamsul Haq, among others, addressed the function.

The Awami League-backed panel swept the elections to the executive committee of the Islamic University Class IV Employees’ Association, Kushtia on Tuesday, bagging all the 25 posts.
   Atiar Rahaman was elected president and Mostofa Kamal secretary.
   A total of 315 voters cast their vote in the elections held in the university club.
   Three panels, backed by the Awami League, Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jamaat, contested the polls.
   Abdul Manan, the chief election commissioner, announced the results the same day.

Shahnaz Malik Halen, organising secretary of the Chittagong district unit of Mahila Awami League, died in Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital in Dhaka on Wednesday at the age of 48.
   Also a former ward commissioner of the Chittagong City Corporation, Halen had been suffering from SLE and nephropathy for a long time, family members said.
   Halen, wife of Khizir Malik, a businessman of Chittagong, is survived by her husband, two daughters and a son.
   She was sister of Professor Khaleda Khanam, a former whip of Jatiya Sangsad and vice-president of the Mahila Awami League, Rasheda Amin, a news editor of the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha and president of the Bangladesh Mahila Sangbadik Forum, Professor Momtaz Begum of Dhaka University, Nazneen Amin, a social worker, and Nazib Hossain, a businessman.
   Her body has been kept at BIRDEM mortuary. She will be buried on arrival of her daughter and son-in-law from the United States, the family members added.

Today is the 37th anniversary of death of Shaheed Lt Abu Moyeen Muhammad Ashfaqus Samad Bir Uttam, says a press release.
   He embraced martyrdom in a battle on this day in 1971.
   A biography has been written on the life of Ashfaqus Samad. The publisher has arranged a function at Shaukat Osman Auditorium of the Central Public Library in Dhaka at 4:00pm.
   All friends and well-wishers of Ashfaqus Samad as well as freedom fighters have been requested to attend the function.

DU to celebrate Dhaka’s fourth centenary
The Dhaka University on Wednesday held a meeting to chalk out a programme to celebrate the fourth centenary of Dhaka City. DU vice-chancellor Professir SMA Faiz presided over the meeting. Members of the syndicate, deans of faculties, provosts of halls, proctors, chairmen of different departments, chiefs of different offices and assistant proctors were present at the meeting, a DU press release said. The meeting adopted an elaborate programme to celebrate the occasion. The programme includes decoration of university campus, discussion meetings, cultural functions, poster competitions and photography exhibition. A celebration committee was formed with chairman of history department Professor AH Ahmed Kamal and acting registrar Syed Reazur Rahman as convener and member-secretary respectively.
— BSS

Drug peddler held with 300 bottles of Phensidyl in city
Elite force RAB arrested a drug peddler along with 300 bottles of Phensidyl syrup from the Dhaka city’s Jatrabari area Wednesday morning. A team of RAB-10 conducted a drive at Madrasha Market on Jatrabari WASA road and arrested the drug trader Shafiqul Islam alias Jashim, 40, along with the banned Indian syrup at about 5:30am.
— UNB