Dhaka, Aug 18 (UNB) - A milad and doa mahfil was held at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Sunday, marking the 44th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Mourning Day.

Prime Minister's Economic Affairs Adviser Dr Mashiur Rahman, Energy Adviser Dr Towfique-e-Elahi Chowdhury and Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman spoke on the occasion highlighting the life and works of the Father of the Nation.

PMO Secretary Sajjadul Hassan and other officials and employees of the PMO were present at the milad mahfil held after Zohr prayers.

A special munajat was offered seeking the eternal peace of the departed soul of Bangabandhu and other martyrs of the August-15 carnage, and continued peace, progress and prosperity of the nation.

Director of the Islamic Foundation Mufti Waliur Rahman Khan conducted the munajat.
 

Dhaka, Aug 18 (UNB) -Terming the dengue outbreak a big problem, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday urged the people of the country to remain aware about the mosquito-borne disease and keep their houses and surroundings clean to check the breeding of aedes mosquitoes. 

“The dengue prevalence is still there…it used to be believed that these elite aedes mosquitoes are seen in posh areas… now they’ve spread elsewhere …to many districts. So, we'll have to remain more alter about it," she added.

Sheikh Hasina said this while exchanging Eid greetings with officials at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

Dengue is not only seen in Bangladesh, but also in many neighbouring countries in South Asia and even South East Asia, the Prime Minister said.

In other countries like the Philippines, it has turned epidemic forcing them to declare emergency, Hasina added.

The Prime Minister extended thanks to her office as it has always been active over the dengue issue.

She said the Health Ministry, the Local Government Ministry and all other agencies concerned remain active to deal the dengue problem.

The city corporations have also been trying to rein in the dengue, Hasina said adding that all the authorities concerned have taken proper measures to deal with the problem.

About the country’s economic progress, the Prime Minister said the GDP growth reached 8.10 percent and the government has fixed a target in the national budget for the current fiscal year to achieve an 8.2 percent growth. The government has a target to reach the double digit, she added. 

Mentioning that it is tough to accelerate the GDP growth from 8 percent, Hasina directed the government officials to work harder to do that.

The Prime Minister stressed the need for the revival of some pro-people programmes like ‘Ghore Phera Project’, Shanti Nibash Project’ and ‘Oboshor Project’ introduced by her previous governments.

“We had taken these schemes for the welfare of people. But their tenures have expired. So, we’ll have to re-launch the projects in the interest of people,” she said.

While talking about her government’s steps for curbing corruption, the Prime Minister said those who take and give bribe both are equally guilty.“We could have accomplished many works faster if steps had been taken keeping that in mind.”

She asked her office to strengthen its monitoring so that the physical works on development projects can be started right after the recession of floodwater.
 
"Since we've a good set-up, I think our office will have to strengthen the monitoring so that every ministry can prioritise works holding meetings right now.... and we can start the physical works (on the development projects taken for this fiscal year) immediately after the flood," she said.
 
She said the Prime Minister's Office should give a special attention to taking preparations so that the projects can be implemented timely.
 
Noting that the government has undertaken various development projects in the current budget, Hasina said different ministries should now prioritise works as per the development projects keeping it in mind that they get time to take preparations during flood.
 
The Prime Minister said the country witnesses flood every year right after the national budget is placed. “So, paper works on the development projects can be completed during the period of flood.”

Prime Minister's advisers HT Imam, Dr Mashiur Rahman and Dr Tawfique-E-Elahi Chowdhury, Principal Coordinator on SDG Affairs at PMO Md Abul Kalam Azad, PM's Press Secretary Ihasanul Karim, PMO Secretary Md Sajjadul Hassan and PM's Speech Writer M Nazrul Islam were, among others, present at the function moderated by PM's Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman.

Dhaka, Aug 18 (UNB)-Two people were killed in road accidents at Turag and Uttar Badda in the city on Saturday night and Sunday.

Shahidul Islam, 45, son of late Saidul Islam of Charikumarpara in Kamalkanda upazila of Netrakona district, was killed in a road accident at Uttar Badda in the city on Sunday. 

Locals found Shahidul critically injured being hit by an unknown vehicle under Badda over bridge around 7:30 am, said Inspector Bachchu Mia of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) police camp.

Later, he was taken toDMCH where doctors declared him dead. 

In another incident, an unidentified sexagenarian woman was injured being hit by a bus of ‘Ekata Paribahan’ at Kamarpara in Turag area around 11 pm on Saturday.

She was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared her dead.

Jhenaidah, Aug 17 (UNB)- Two Bangladeshi citizens who went to neighboring India for treatment were killed in a road accident in West Bengal’s Kolkata early Saturday.

The deceased were identified as Moinul Alam Sohag, 35, son of Md Khalilur Rahman of Vutiyargati village in Jhenaidah municipality area and a senior official of Grameenphone; and Farhana Islam Taniya, daughter of Md Amirul Islam of Dhaka’s Lalmatia area and an official of City Bank’s Jhenaidah branch.

Kazi Shojib, a cousin of deceased Sohag, said two private cars collided head-on in Shakespeare Sarani of the city at 1:50am on Saturday. At one stage, one of the two cars hit the duo who was waiting beside the road stuck amid heavy rainfall, leaving them critically injured.  

Later, they were rescued and taken to The Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education and Research and Seth Sukhlal Karnani Memorial Hospital (locally called as PG Hospital) where doctors pronounced the duo dead.

The Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Kolkata started the process of sending the corpses home, said family sources.  

Dhaka, Aug 17 (UNB) – Two schoolgirls have reportedly been raped in Satkhira and Shariatpur districts while two people, including a teacher, were arrested in Barguna and Sylhet for repeatedly violating two other girls.

In Satkhira, a nine-year-old girl was raped by a neighbour at Gobindakati village in Sadar upazila on Saturday.

Accused Saju Sardar, 22, son of Alamgir Hossain of the village, went into hiding soon after the incident. 

Victim’s family said it was raining in the morning when all the family members were busy in the kitchen. 

Saju took the girl to a nearby school in the name of giving her food and violated her there. 

The girl was bleeding profusely when she returned home and disclosed the matter to her mother. 

Later, she was taken to Sadar Hospital for treatment, they added. 

Mustafuzur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said legal action will be taken after receiving complaint in this connection.   

In Shariatpur, a sixth grader was raped by a miscreant at Chatiani in Damudya upazila on July 30 last.

Police went to the spot on Saturday to investigate the matter after a case was filed in this regard.

The alleged rapist, Momin Bepary, son of Joynal Bepary of Chardhankati village in the upazila, had been on the run since the incident. 

Victim’s mother filed the case with a court here against Momin and his cousin Abu Bepary which was recorded at Damudya Police Station on August 7.

According to the case statement, the 15-year-old girl, a student of Koneshwar SC Edward Institution, was raped by Momin while she was going to school.

He took her to the house of Hasan Bepary at Chardhankathi village blindfolded by a boat and violated her.

The local influential took Tk 7,000 from the victim’s family in the name of lodging a case but they did not file any case, alleged the victim’s father. 

Imarat Hossain, officer-in-charge of Damudya Police Station, said the girl was sent to Sadar Hospital for medical test and they were trying to arrest the accused. 

In Barguna, police arrested a schoolteacher from Chowrasta of Amtali upazila on Saturday morning for repeatedly raping a student whereby she became pregnant.

The arrestee was identified as Jahirul Islam, a teacher of Dakshin Kathalia Tazem Ali Secondary School.

Locals said Jahirul violated the girl, who used to take tuition from him, several times from December last threatening not to give her pass mark in examinations. Following the repeated rape, the victim became pregnant.  
 
He also took the girl to a Patuakhali hospital and made her have an abortion.

As the matter came to the fore, locals on June 30 last formed a human chain on the school premises demanding his arrest. However, he went into hiding.

The victim’s grandfather filed a case with Amtali Police Station in this connection on July 1.

Md Abul Bashar, officer-in-charge of the police station, said a team of police conducted a drive at Chowrasta and arrested Jahirul around 10am. 

Later, he was produced before the Judicial Magistrate Court which sent him to jail, the OC said.

In Sylhet, police arrested a youth for repeatedly raping a teenage girl after confining her to a house in Jaintapur upazila.

The arrestee is Rezwan Miah, 25, son of Ahmed Ali of Shukoinpur in the upazila.

A team of police picked him up from Balipara around 3pm.

Three months after the incident, the victim on July 17 filed a case against Rezwan.

According to the case statement, Rezwan took the girl, his distant relative, to a house at a nearby village and raped her repeatedly keeping her confined to it four months ago.