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Speakers at a meeting on Friday stressed the need for using modern technologies to help reduce the impacts of climate change caused by global warming.
   They also held rich countries of the world responsible for climate change and demanded compensation for Bangladesh.
   Bangladesh Unnayan Parishad and Dharitri Foundation in association with Action on Disability and Development organised the meeting on the premises of Nagar Bhaban marking International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2009.
   It was addressed, among others, by the Rajshahi mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, BUP director Syed Shah Habibullah, foundation’s executive director Nilufar Banu and ADD’s area coordinator Sarker Helaluzzaman Liton.
   The speakers said although the poverty situation in the country had improved, it might worsen again due to impacts of climate change caused by global warming.
   If storms, cyclones, drought and heavy or little rain hit the agriculture, the country would fail to achieve the food security status.
   The mayor at the meeting blamed rich countries for climate change and demanded compensation for the country.
   ‘As rich countries are responsible for climate change, they should pay compensation,’ he said, and called upon the people to help reduce poverty and achieve MDGs by 2015.
   Habibullah urged the government to work out region-based plan to help reduce poverty in the country. ‘Without such plan, it will not be possible to achieve MDGs.’
   Several hundred people also took part in the meeting. They vowed to work for the country’s development and build the poverty and hunger-free country.
   After the meeting, artistes of Barendra Natya Dal performed Gambhira.
   Later, a colourful procession was brought out from in front of Nagar Bhaban. People from all walks of life including students of different schools and ethnic minorities took part in the procession and paraded different city streets.

Green activists, urban planners, architects and sportsmen on Friday staged demonstrations in the city protesting against a move to build stadium as well as business establishment at Dhanmondi playground.
   They also demanded that the authorities concerned should take necessary steps to keep the playground used by youths and children of the area in the original state.
   They made the demand at a public rally organised by Bangladesh Paribesh Andolan in front of the playground with former adviser to the caretaker government ASM Shahjahan in the chair.
   Former captain of Bangladesh National Cricket team Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, Institute of Architects’ Bangladesh president Mobassher Hossain, member-secretary of BAPA’s urban and good governance committee Iqbal Habib and Dhanmondi Environment Alliance joint convener Salma A Shafi and green activists of different
   environmental organisations attended the programme.
   ‘Besides occupying city’s lakes, canals and water bodies, encroachment on open spaces and playgrounds is going on in the capital,’ said Shahjahan, adding, ‘We cannot allow the traditional Dhanmondi playground to be used for commercial purposes.’
   ‘Tendency of grabbing the open spaces and playgrounds without keeping any spaces for the children and youths for organised activity would push the next generation towards drug addiction,’ he observed.
   He also demanded participation of citizens in the development activities especially in the city planning.
   The protesters alleged that the playgrounds and open spaces in the capital remain occupied round the year in the name of holding different fairs depriving the children and youths of their rights.
   They also demanded clearing all the occupied open spaces and playgrounds across the country immediately.
   The green activists put forward some demands including demarcation of the parks and playgrounds, formation of a citizen committee to ensure proper maintenance of city parks, open spaces and playgrounds, stoppage of holding fairs in the playgrounds and keeping sufficient parks and playgrounds in the city plan.

A student of New Government Degree College was stabbed to death by assailants in Rajshahi city Thursday night.
   The deceased was identified as Russell, 20, a second year student of the college. He came from Patnitala upazila in Naogaon.
   The police said a gang of miscreants indiscriminately stabbed Russell in front of Paramedical College Gate at about 9:30pm, leaving him injured critically.
   He came under the attack while returning to his mess after having dinner in the Lakshmipur area. Soon after the attack, the miscreants managed to flee from the spot as local people chased them.
   Russell was admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital where he died from his injuries at about 12:30am.
   The police suspect that he might have been killed following a sequel to love affair. Russell’s roommates claimed that one Nimo of Lakshmipur area threatened to kill him as he developed a love affair with his aunt.
   In protest against the murder, students of the college on Friday staged demonstration and blocked the road at Lakshmipur demanding arrest of killers.
   Several hundred students gathered at Lakshmipur at about 10:00am and brought out a procession demanding arrest of the killers. They also blocked the busy road at Lakshmipur holding up traffic for an hour.
   The agitating students threatened to launch tougher movement, if the killers are not brought to justice immediately.
   Victim’s uncle Golam Mostafa filed a murder case with the police station on Friday.
   The body was also handed over to him after autopsy carried out at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
   Additional police were deployed on the college campus to avert any untoward incident.
   Afzal Hossain, officer-in-charge of the Rajpara police station, told New Age that they are on the hunt for the killers.

No classes have been held at the tourism and hospitality department of the Dhaka University for the past four months as the department is running with only two teachers.
   The department cannot hold any class or examination since July, 2009 because of indifference of the university authorities in recruiting teachers, some students told New Age.
   ‘Although we have informed the university administration of the problem several times, but no initiative is yet to be taken in this regard,’ Joy, a student of the department, said.
   The 3rd semester final exam of the department was scheduled for May 2009 but it was held in August and after the exam, classes for the next semester are yet to begin.
   The department was launched in 2007-08 session. The second-batch students of the department have just completed the first semester but they are yet see any classes for their 2nd semester.
   ‘We have only two teachers including the department chairman Professor Afzal Hossain. Professor Afzal tried his best to start classes but failed for acute shortage of teachers,’ said Joy.
   ‘Some guest teachers had taken our classes but it is really impossible to run a department in such a way,’ Mizan, another student of the department, said.
   A group of 3rd semester students has recently met the business studies faculty dean, Professor Abbas Ali Khan, and apprised him of the situation, he said. The dean said he was unaware of teachers’ crisis at the department.
   ‘We also met the vice-chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique who assured us of taking immediate steps to solve the on-going problem.’
   When contacted, the vice-chancellor said the despite teachers’ shortage, classes at the department should not remain stopped. I will seriously look into the matter and take immediate steps in this regard.
   The business studies faculty dean said he had held a meeting with the chairpersons of departments under the faculty on Sunday and discussed the matter.
    ‘I will meet the vice-chancellor and request him to recruit some teachers at the department on emergency basis.
   ‘I will also request senior teachers of other departments to take classes of the tourism department as guest teachers’, he added.

Residential students of Samsunnahar Hall at the Dhaka University formed a human chain on the campus on Firday, demanding investigation into the death of their fellow Mafruda Haq Sutopa.
   Several hundred students participated in the human chain programme arranged in front of the hall to press for the demand.
   They called on the authorities concerned to probe the death of Sutopa, a resident of Samsunnahar Hall and a masters’ examinee of the mass communication and journalism department.
   Sutopa was found dead in her in-laws’ house at Mirpur in Dhaka on September 19. The in-laws claimed that Sutopa had committed suicide.
   The victim’s roommates said Suptopa could not commit suicide—she was killed.
   Some quarters are trying to divert Sutopa’s killing into suicide incident. But we will resist such move, Bornona Bhoumik Kotha, a close friend of Sutopa, said.
   ‘We demand arrest of and punishment for those involved in the killing,’ she added. House tutors of Samaun Nahar Hall were also present in the human chain programme.

The Dhaka University Teacher Student Centre was filled with cheers and fanfares by the alumni of mass communication and journalism department at their first reunion on Friday.
   More than 600 former students of the department along with their families attended the daylong programme.
   They recalled their memories in the department and at the university as well.
   Journalist ABM Musa, Dhaka University vice-chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique, minister for law, justice and parliamentary affairs Shafique Ahmed, state minister for housing and public works Abdul Mannan Khan, former vice-president of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union Akhtaruzzman, National Press Club president Showkat Mahmud, secretary of bridge department of communications ministry Zahid Hossain and Amader Shomoy editor Naimul Islam Khan were prominent among the guests and alumni.
   Teachers of the department also attended the programme which was followed by a cultural function.

A Barisal court on Thursday sentenced six persons including a woman to life-term imprisonment for beating a youth to death.
   The district and sessions judge, Md Shahidullah, handed down the verdict against Abdur Rashid Howladar, Sonar Ali, Abdul Khalek Howladar, Harun Howladar, Jasimuddin and Hasina Begum.
   The court also fined them Tk. 25,000 each or in default to suffer one year more in jail.
   According to the prosecution, Shohel Khan, 26, was studying at Maultala of Hizla upazila in the district residing in the house of his maternal uncle Ramizuddin.
   Shohel had fallen in love with Asma Begum, daughter of Abdur Rashid Howladar, neighbour of his maternal uncle.
   Enraged by the incident, Rahid Howladar and five other convicts took Sohel to Azimpur under Andharmanik of Mehendiganj upazila and beat him to death on May 31, 2001.

Light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty wind is likely at a few places over Khulna, Barisal and Chittagong divisions and at one two places in Rajshahi, Dhaka and Sylhet divisions till 6:00pm today.
   Moderately heavy falls are also likely at places over southern part of the country, Met Office said.
   Day temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country, it said.
   The sun sets in the capital today at 6:30pm and rises tomorrow at 6:58am.
   Country’s highest temperature 34.0 degrees Celsius was recorded on Friday at Jessore and lowest 23.2 degrees at Rangamati.