Kurigram
Shivering cold disrupts normal life in Kurigram
Shivering cold and dense fog has hit Kurigram district hard, disrupting the normal life of people.
Tuhin Mia, an officer of Razarhat Agriculture Weather observatory center, said they have recorded temperature of 11.4 degrees Celsius in Kurigram on Wednesday morning and the temperature may fall in the next days.
Read more: Hint of early winter in Panchagarh? Tetulia records lowest temp in Bangladesh
Vehicles have to move with headlights even in the daytime, and cold is forcing people to stay home.
The daily wage earners are the worst sufferer as they could not go out for work.
Some people were seen warming themselves in the morning after setting fire on husks beside the road.
Rahim Mia, a resident of Char Jatrapur area, said he had to work in his potato and paddy fields ignoring the bone-chilling cold since morning.
Read more: Chuadanga records lowest temperature in Bangladesh for 3rd consecutive day
Moazzem Hossain, another resident of Sadar upazila, said they are feeling the shivering cold for the last couple of days.
Abdul Hye Sarkar, Disaster and Rehabilitation officer, said already 38,000 blankets have been allocated for nine upazilas of the district.
Syed Shamsul Haq remembered on 87th birth anniversary
The 87th birth anniversary of celebrated writer and poet Syed Shamsul Haq was observed in the district town on Tuesday through various programmes.
Kurigram district administration and different cultural and educational institutions brought out a procession and placed floral wreaths on Haque’s grave on Kurigram Government College campus.
Later, Syed Shamsul Haq Smriti Parishad arranged a fair named ‘Syed Shamsul Haque Mela’ at the Bat tala of Government College premises.
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Saidul Arif, Superintendent of Police Al Asad Md Mahfuzul Islam, son of the poet Ditio Syed Haq, Principal of Kurigram Government College Mirza Md Nasir Uddin, Municipality Mayor Kaziul Islam, spoke at the opening ceremony among others.
The speakers urged the government to build a memorial complex around Syed Haque's grave as soon as possible.
The Ekushey Padak and Independence Award-winning writer, playwright and poet was born in Kurigram on December 27, 1935 to Syed Siddique Husain, a homoeopathic physician, and Halima Khatun.
He passed away on September 27, 2016 at the United Hospital in the capital, at the age of 81 after suffering from critical lungs disease.
He is survived by his wife Dr Anwara Syed Haq, son Ditio Syed Haq, daughter Bidita Sadi and a host of relatives, well-wishers, fans and admirers.
Kurigram mustard growers expect bumper yield
Mustard growers in Kurigram district are expecting a bumper yield as they cultivated more land exceeding the target due to low production cost and favourable weather.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), Kurigram officials said prices of soybean and palm oil have risen sharply in the last two years and increased mustard cultivation can be a solution to edible oil crisis.
Read more: Floating vegetable farmers in Pirojpur devastated by low prices
During a recent visit to the mustard fields in the district, the UNB correspondent found that a vast tracts of barren land have been brought under mustard cultivation .
DAE sources said, this year, a total of 16,400 hectares of land have been brought under mustard cultivation while it was 12,900 hectares last year.
Within two months of cultivation, mustard got matured for harvesting and the farmers have to spend Tk 4000-5000 per bigha of land. Usually 5000-6000 mounds of mustard are produced from one bigha of land.
Farmers said after harvest of Aman paddy the land remain uncultivated for 3/5 months and they cultivate mustard to utilise the land during the period. They will cultivate Boro paddy after yield of mustard.
Read more: BPC opens control room to monitor smooth supply of diesel farmers for irrigation
Deldar Hossain, a farmer of Uttar Nauabas in Pachgachi of Sadar upazila, said “Whatever I cultivate in this char land is often damaged by flood. So, I cultivated mustard after facing losses from Aman cultivation. I am happy now expecting a bumper mustard yield.”
Babul, another farmer of the area said “The lands of the area have remain under water for 3-4 months in a year and when farmers cultivate Aman they count a huge loss. The weather of the area is good for Boro and mustard cultivation. I have brought three bighas of land under mustard cultivation as I can earn some profit from it if weather remains favourable.”
Biplab Kumar Mohonta, deputy director of Kurigram DAE, said, “We are working to increase mustard production as mustard oil production is poor against the demand of the country. We have set a target to produce 50 percent edible oil in our country within several years.”
Road accidents in Kurigram, Savar leave 5 killed, 5 injured
At least 5 people were killed and 5 were injured in road accidents in Kurigram and Savar on Saturday morning.
In Kurigram, three people died and five were injured in two accidents that took place in Trimohini area of the Kurigram-Rangpur road and on Phulbari-Dharla road in Phulbari upazila.
According to police and locals, at around 8 am, a dhaka-bound bus of Aman Paribahan lost control and hit an auto-rickshaw and a nearby grocery store. The accident left the passenger of the auto-rickshaw and a passerby dead on the spot.
One of the deceased is Md Abdul Hannan, 45, but the identity of the other could not be ascertained.
Five injured passengers were admitted to Kurigram General Hospital. Abdus samad, one of the injured, was later transferred to Rangpur Medical College and Hospital due to critical condition.
Confirming the matter, Sub-Inspector (SI) of Kurigram Sadar Police Station, Zahid Hasan, said they seized the bus after recovering the dead bodies. The bus driver was sent to Rangpur for treatment.
Also read: 1 killed, 15 injured as 2 buses collide in Dhaka-Barisal highway
In another incident, a tractor helper, Shariful Islam, 16, fell off the tractor as the driver suddenly hit the brake.
According to locals, the teenager was in a critical condition as he was run over by a truck.
Shariful later died after being taken to the hospital.
Confirming the matter, Sarwar Parvez,In-charge (Investigation) of Phulbari Police Station, said legal action will be taken in this regard.
In Savar, two people were killed when a bus hit a motorbike at the Noyarhar area on the Dhaka-Aricha Highway.
According to Savar highway police, the accident left one person dead on spot. Another passenger later died after being taken to the hospital.
The identity of the deceased is yet to be known.
Also read: Tourist killed in Rangamati road crash
Kurigram SSC examinees form human chain demanding probe into question leak
Some SSC examinees formed a human chain in Kurigram demanding investigation in question paper leak and timely completion of their exams.
The students formed the human chain in front of Kurigram Press Club on Thursday morning.
“Despite repeated assurances from the Education Minister, questions got leaked at the Bhurungamari Nehal Uddin Girls High School center. We urge the authorities concerned to find out those responsible for the leak and take action against them,” said Zakiul Islam, a SSC examinee from Kurigram Government High School.
The students also said that the question leak occurred due to utter failure of the administration and the law enforcement agencies.
Read: SSC question paper leak: Three more held in Kurigram
They demanded for holding the postponed exam within October 1.
Copies of English 1st paper and 2nd paper of the ongoing SSC examinations went viral on Facebook and WhatsApp on Monday and Tuesday.
Lutfur Rahman, the headmaster and secretary of Bhurungamari Nehal Uddin Pilot High School, and two assistant teachers of the school- Zubaiyer Hossain and Aminur Rahman, Hamidul Islam, an assistant teacher of agricultural science, and Sohel Chowdhury, assistant teacher of Bangla and a peon of the school, Sujon have so far been arrested in this connection
SSC question paper leak: Three more held in Kurigram
Three more people have been apprehended in Kurigram in connection with the leak of question papers from the ongoing Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exams, police said.
The arrestees have identified as Hamidul Islam, an assistant teacher of agricultural science, and Sohel Chowdhury, assistant teacher of Bangla, at Bhurungamari Nehal Uddin Pilot High School and a peon of the school, Sujon.
Al Asad Md Mahfuzul Islam, superintendent of Kurigram Police, said that Hamidul and Sohel were arrested for their role in the SSC question paper leak on Wednesday morning while Sabuj was held later that night.
Read: Dinajpur Board postpones SSC exams on 4 subjects
With the fresh arrests, the number of people held so far have been risen to six. "All those involved in the scam will be brought to book," the SP said.
Earlier, three school teachers, including a headmaster, were arrested in connection with the question paper leak case.
The arrestees were identified as Lutfur Rahman, the headmaster and secretary of Bhurungamari Nehal Uddin Pilot High School, and two assistant teachers of the school, Zubaiyer Hossain and Aminur Rahman.
Read:SSC question paper leak: Headmaster among 3 school teachers held
Copies of English 1st paper and 2nd paper of the ongoing SSC examinations went viral on Facebook and WhatsApp on Monday and Tuesday.
Dinajpur Education Board chairman Prof Quamrul Islam, secretary Prof Zahiruddin, deputy commissioner Rezaul Karim, superintendent of Dinajpur Police Al Asad Mahfuzul Islam, and district secondary education officer Shamsul Alam conducted a probe and found evidence against the trio.
Human chain in Kurigram demands arrest of livestock thieves
Villagers formed a human chain demanding the arrest of livestock thieves in Nageshwari upazila of Kurigram on Friday.
The human chain on Matherganj Bazar Road under the upazila lasted an hour in the morning.
Villagers of Char Krishnapur organized the unusual human chain to draw the attention of the authorities to rampant thieves in the area targeting farmers' cows and buffaloes.
The farmers at the human chain said they were forced to mobilise such a programme after failing to get justice.
Read: 'Cattle thief' beaten to death in Noakhali
Rather they were subjected to attacks by the thieves when they appealed seeking justice.
On behalf of the villagers, farmers Anwar Hossain, Abdul Khalek, Habibur Rahman spoke at the programme.
Teesta banks erosion: Over 250 houses in Kurigram washed away in 3 days
More than 250 houses have been washed away by the Teesta River in Ulipur upazila of Kurigram in the last three days.
Erosion has started along the 2 kilometre-long bank of the Teesta since last a month in West Kalpani Bajra, Kalpani Bajra and Satalskar villages of Bajra Union of the upazila.
Due to the sudden intensity of erosion, the Teesta has also devoured 500 bighas of cropland, a community clinic, educational institutions, markets, mosques, temples, Eidgah grounds in the union.
Maulvi Refakat Hossain, superintendent of Bajra Paschim Para Dakhil Madrasa, said half of the madrasa has been devoured by Teesta since Wednesday. “The remaining part will also be washed away soon.”
The villagers requested the Water Development Board to take immediate preventive measures.
Read: Teesta erosion: Over 100 families left homeless in Kurigram, Gaibandha
Ulipur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Bipul Kumar said the union chairman and members were asked to list those affected by the erosion at the earliest. “Assistance will be provided once the list is received.”
“We also updated the erosion issues with the Water Development Board. They said that they are not able to do anything due to lack of budget.”
Meanwhile, Executive Engineer of Kurigram Water Development Board Abdullah Al Mamun said erosion has suddenly started here due to river management measures at the upstream of the villages.
“We have reported the matter to the higher authorities. Action will be taken soon.”
Hindu temple vandalised in Kurigram over land dispute
Miscreants vandalised hindu idols and torched a temple in Phulbari upazila of Kurigram following a land dispute early Tuesday, said police.
The crime took place around 1am in Nagdanga village of Naodanga union of the upazila in the temple adjacent to the house of local Ratikanto Roy, said Fazlur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Fulbari police station.
As locals sensed their presence and informed Ratikanto, the miscreants fled the scene.
About 40 percent of the temple structure was affected in the fire, Ratikanto said.
According to the locals, the miscreants committed such a crime following a land dispute.
Read:4 youths held for vandalising idol at Pirojpur temple
Ratikanto Roy's grandfather Shirish Chandra Roy sold 60 decimal of land to Abdus Samad Ghatial of Lalmonirhat district about 35 years ago. There was also a temple on two decimal areas of the land and Samad's family had been living there for a long time.
But Samad's two sons demanded two decimals of land somewhere else instead of that occupied by the temple.
Finally on May 6, the Union Parishad chairman asked Samad's sons two leave two decimals of land for the temple and road.
On Monday, Samad's elder son Shahidul had an altercation with Ratikanto's brother Shibcharan over cutting bamboo in the temple area, said Samad's another son Azimul.
"Then the temple was torched at night. This is done to frame us," he added.
Phulbari Naodanga Union Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad General Secretary Ratan Roy said miscreants may have committed this crime to create fear among Hindus. They also demanded immediate action.
However, no case has been filed yet, said the OC.
Superintendent of Kurigram Police Syeda Jannat Ara said legal steps will be taken soon after an investigation.
Seven years of enclave exchange: Dasiarchara residents' lives transformed
After waiting for 68 years, people stranded inside Bangladesh and India found their identities through the exchange of enclaves between the two countries on July 31, 2015.
It has been seven years since. On the seventh anniversary of the historic event, people living in Dasiarchara, the biggest enclave of Bangladesh, said that their lives have completely changed through various development projects taken up by the government.
A total of 55,000 people received their rights as the citizens of a nation on the day enclaves were exchanged. While 111 Indian enclaves were integrated into Bangladesh, 51 Bangladeshi enclaves were integrated into India simultaneously.
Due to the goodwill of the governments of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi, the enclave exchange agreement signed by Father of The Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Indira Gandhi saw a successful implementation.
Right after the exchange, the Hasina government took up massive development projects to transform Dasiarchara.
The government provided electricity connection to 2,000 families by laying down a 57km electricity network. 26km of roads and five bridges and culverts were paved. Three new government primary schools were built while four other educational institutions saw their inclusion into Monthly Pay Order (MPO).
The government has also built a resource center and three religious institutions in Dasiarchara. Pure drinking water and sanitation systems have been ensured at every house in the area, while irrigation systems in all the agricultural lands have also been made available.
Read: BSF handovers to BGB 5 Bangladeshis held in Fulbari border
Md Ratul, a resident of the area, said that they don’t have to hide their identities anymore to avail education as the educational institutions established by the government in the area are enabling them to become educated comfortably.
“The current government has taken up various steps to improve the food, communication, education and health sectors of the area, which are rapidly changing the lives of these otherwise backwater people,” said Md Altaf Hossain, another resident of the area.
Fulbari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Suman Das said that most of the development projects taken by the government have been implemented as of now.
“The development works won’t stop here. Rather, the government will keep on doing whatever it needs to improve the lives of people from Dasiarchara,” said the UNO.