December 30, 2009

Fake note factory busted, 2 arrested


Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members busted a fake currency note factory in the city's Uttara area early Wednesday and seized fake notes worth over Tk 2 lakh. Rab also seized some equipment and chemicals used for making fake notes during the raid at Dakshin Khan area and arrested two people for their alleged involvement with the misdeed.

The arrestees were identified as Jahirul Islam, 27, and Ayasa Akter, 25, who had been allegedly making fake notes of different denominations for the last one and a half years, Rab claimed.

Maj Mohammad Mahabubul Haque of Rab-3 told that the unscrupulous spread their network in the capital and their supplied fake notes worth around Tk 1.5 crore are still in the market. Rab conducted the raid around 12:00am at the third floor of a four-storied building at Faidabad Maddyapara of the area.

Huge amount of note making papers, half-printed fake notes, two computers, four printers and several scanning machines were found in the hidden factory.

December 23, 2009

88.84 pc pass primary centre examinations

Students of a city school jubilating on Thursdayafter the publication of Primary Centre Examination results.

The percentage of pass in the primary school center examinations- 2009 stood at 88.84, according to results announced by the primary and mass education ministry here on Tuesday.

The Center Exams at class five were held for the first time in the country on November 21, 22 and 24.

Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr Afsarul Amin and State Minster Motahar Hossain announced the results at a press briefing in the conference room of the ministry. Dr Afsar said earlier Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated publication of the results switching on a computer in her office today. The results are now available on http://www.dpe.gov.bd/

Announcing the highlights of the results, he said, a total of 18,23,465 students appeared in the Center Exams of which 16,20,054 passed in all subjects. Among the successful students, 7,51,465 are boys (90.44 per cent) and 8,68,589 girls (87.51 per cent). As many as 41.77 per cent students secured first division, 37.98 per cent secured second division and 20.25 per cent third division.

The exams were held on six subjects of 600 marks.

According to the merit list, Sadia Sikder secured the first position in the country from Monohardi Model Govt Primary School of Narsingdi district. She got 593 marks.

Deepanwita Tithi secured the second position from Aarpara Shibnagar Model Primary School of Kaliganj Upazila, Jhenidah district. She got 592 marks.

Hasin Tanvir secured the third position from RK Govt Primary School from Tangail Sadar upazila.

The minister said Viqarunnesa School and College is in the top position as hundred percent students passed from there. Monipur High School is in second position while Ideal School and College was placed in third position. Country's highest percentage of pass is in Uzirpur upazila of Barisal district (99.94 per cent) while lowest (60.97 per cent) in Sarail upazila in Brahmanbaria district.

About the failed students and 1,937 schools from where none passed, Dr Afsar said the government would make queries about their failure and take necessary steps to improve their conditions.

Replying to questions, Motahar Hossain said people of all strata have appreciated introduction of public examination system in primary schools.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directed the ministry to ensure quality education for all through introducing welfare-oriented systems, he added.

He said at present 50,000 primary students get scholarship but his ministry made a request to increase the number and amount of scholarship, which is handled by the Ministry of Education.

Motahar said the students who passed the Centre Exams would be given certificates soon. But they will be able to get admitted to class six collecting mark sheets and testimonial from the primary schools concerned. He said grace marks were given in Mathematics and English subjects.

December 2, 2009

Koko-4 launch tragedy - Death toll from launch capsize rises to 83

Five more bodies were recovered on Wednesday raising the death toll from Friday's launch disaster in the river Tentulia to 83. Today, rescue vessels MV Rustam and Hamza jointly started salvage work from 10:00am in the morning.

Koko-4 capsized in the river near Nazirpur launch terminal about 40 kilometres from Bhola district town under Lalmohon upazila on Friday. Over 100 passengers are still missing, local administration sources said.

Rescuers fear many more might be trapped inside MV Koko-4, which capsized near Nazirpur launch terminal in Lalmohon with around 2,000 passengers on board.

The chairman of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority said overloading and mismanagement are the main reasons for the accident. He blasted the owners for what he said was their callousness leading to the disaster.

To collect ticket money, the Koko-4 authorities had stopped the vessel around 20 yards off the bank and tried to offload the passengers with the help of a wooden plank. They even locked the collapsible gate and kept open only one exit. Soon, the passengers panicked and gathered on one side, making the launch droop and capsize.

The Koko-4 was carrying four times its actual capacity, said AKM Fakhrul Islam, chief engineer and ship surveyor of the shipping department. A case was filed with Lalmohon Police Station Monday night in this connection, accusing eight persons. Kamal Hossain, a local politician, filed the case.

BIWTA has suspended its three officials for negligence and giving false information. They are Abdur Razzak, director of BIWTA (reservation and operation), Rafiqul Islam, senior deputy director and also port officer for Barisal port, and Shahjahan Khan, senior deputy director and also commander of Hamza.

Joint Chief of the shipping ministry Jayanta Kumar Nandi, convener of the seven-member committee formed by the government to investigate into the launch capsize, visited the spot and talked to local people including relatives of missing persons.
DATE EXPIRED SURVEY REPORT
The date of survey report on the launch expired on November 5, 2005. According to existing rule, every water vessel must renew survey certificate annually. But the launch was plying on the route for long without such certificate.
OWNERSHIP CHANGED
Tarique Rahman was the first owner of the launch. Then his friend Giasuddin Al Mamun became the owner. Nowadays, Fazlur Rahman alias Bachchu Mollah, brother-in-law of Mamun and also UP chairman of Sachra Union Parishad under Borhan Uddin upazila, is running the operations in Mamun's absence. Bachchu Mollah could not be reached for comments.
COMPENSATION
The BIWTA chairman said they are giving Tk 2,000 against each body and also granted Tk 20,000 for the family of each victim from a BIWTA fund. Families with more than one victim will get Tk 30,000 each, he said.
Bangladesh Today