Purulia, Kolkata, 24 October : Security forces were conducting combing operations in several parts of Purulia district Sunday looking for an Intelligence Branch (IB) officer and an NGO worker who are believed to have been abducted by Maoists, police said.IB officer Partha Biswas and NGO worker Surojit Bose have been missing since Saturday. Purulia police superintendent Rajesh Yadav told Bengal Newz, joint forces along with the Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (COBRA) personnel were carrying out the search operations.
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CM Gogoi urges Patel for flights to Jeddah for Haj pilgrims
PTI, Guwahati, 24 October : Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi asked Union Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel to ensure flights from Lokopriyo Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport here to Jeddah for Haj pilgrims.
Gogoi, in a letter to Patel, said 700 pilgrims whose passports were cleared by the Central Haj Committee in Mumbai were still waiting for departure from Guwahati to Jeddah as flights were unavailable. The chief minister thanked the union minister for taking the initiative for the passage of 3100 pilgrims of the North East, particularly Assam, by providing special flights from LGBI to Jeddah.
PTI, Guwahati, 24 October : Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi asked Union Minister for Civil Aviation Praful Patel to ensure flights from Lokopriyo Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport here to Jeddah for Haj pilgrims.
Gogoi, in a letter to Patel, said 700 pilgrims whose passports were cleared by the Central Haj Committee in Mumbai were still waiting for departure from Guwahati to Jeddah as flights were unavailable. The chief minister thanked the union minister for taking the initiative for the passage of 3100 pilgrims of the North East, particularly Assam, by providing special flights from LGBI to Jeddah.
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Govt to extend social safety net programmes, increase food subsidies : AMA MuhithUNB, Dhaka, 24 October : Bangladesh government has opted for an extension of social safety net programmes, further defying the apprehension of budgetary pressure.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith Sunday hinted at this while addressing the ‘State of the economy’ discussion at the Jatiya Press Club. Economic Reporter’s Forum (ERF) organized the programme with its President Monwar Hossain in the chair.
“Commodity prices in the international market have increased a lot, and that is affecting the local market. We are looking forward to extending the social safety net programmes to address this, and that may put pressure on the budget,” Muhith told the economic reporters.
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Shortage of Bitumen affects road construction in Tripura
UNI, Agartala, 24 October : Authorities have expressed their concern over inadequate supply of bitumen owing to transportation bottlenecks that were hampering the road construction work in Tripura, Chief Engineer, PWD Sunil Bhowmik said here.Bhowmik said Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar had reviewed the progress of road development activities in the state yesterday and asked the officials to explore alternative options for transporting bitumen. The state government is targeting to connect about 800 habitations having population less than 250 by next three years. All the habitations with more than 250 people would be connected under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) scheme.
''Despite our sincere efforts, the supply of raw materials, including bitumen, stone chips and quality bricks, has become inadequate thus hampering the road building works,'' Bhowmik added.
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Trial of 105 alleged BDR mutineers adjourned till 6February
UNB, Satkhira, 24 October : A special court here Sunday adjourned the trial proceedings of 105 suspected BDR mutineers of 41 rifles battalion till 6 February.
All the accused were produced before the three-member Special Court-1, headed by Rajshahi Sector Commander Lt Col Yahiya Azam. Prosecutor Lt Col Enayet Karim read out the allegations against the mutineers. After hearing, head of the judges’ panel Col Azam Khan declared the trial procedings adjourned till on 6 February ordering the prosecution to bring all the accused before it when the trial resumes.
UNB, Satkhira, 24 October : A special court here Sunday adjourned the trial proceedings of 105 suspected BDR mutineers of 41 rifles battalion till 6 February.
All the accused were produced before the three-member Special Court-1, headed by Rajshahi Sector Commander Lt Col Yahiya Azam. Prosecutor Lt Col Enayet Karim read out the allegations against the mutineers. After hearing, head of the judges’ panel Col Azam Khan declared the trial procedings adjourned till on 6 February ordering the prosecution to bring all the accused before it when the trial resumes.
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Massive plan to boost fish production in BD's northern dists
BSS, Gaibandha, 24 October : Bangladsh government has taken massive plan to boost fish production through best uses of water bodies of the northern districts under the project of 'Poverty reduction and livelihood security for the people of economically backward areas'.
Department of Fisheries will implement the project in 23 districts, including six northern districts -Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Gaibandha - under Rangpur division till 2013, official sources said. Under this project, development works will be carried out for the betterment of fishermen through creating working opportunities. The works include establishment of fish sanctuaries in open water bodies for stalking fingerlings and mother fishes, nets distribution to the fishermen, excavation and re-excavation of ponds and other water bodies, training for the fish cultivators and fishermen and formation of community base organization (CBO) and arrangement of tours for the members of CBOs.As part of the on going programmes, a day-long workshop on 'Role of fish sanctuaries and fingerlings stalking in enhancing fish production in open water bodies' was held at the conference room of district fisheries officer of Nilphamari on 18 October.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) M. Zillur Rahman attended the workshop as the chief guest and project director (PD) Mohammad Nazrul Islam as the special guest. With district fisheries officer Shah Imam Jafar Sadeque in the chair, it was addressed, among others, by assistant director of the project M. Shafique Uddin, Jaldhaka Upazila fisheries officer Badruzzaman Manik and fisherman Aghur Nath Das.
All fisheries officers of the district, fish cultivators and public representatives including the journalists took part in the workshop.
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