Dhaka, Jan 15 (UNB) - A commemoration was held at Jatiya Press Club on Tuesday in memory of prominent Awami League leader and former public administration minister Syed Ashraful Islam.

Bangabandhu Poor Welfare Association arranged the event where leaders and activists of Awami League and its allies recalled Ashraf’s role in tough times of the party.

Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, the chief guest, lauded Syed Ashraf’s patriotic nature, his political career and devotion to the party.

“His victory in the last parliamentary election despite being severely ill proves his popularity,” he said.

Mozammel said Syed Ashraf dreamt of a Parliament free from anti-liberal powers.

Ashraf breathed his last on January 3. “His death is indeed untimely,” the minister said.

Dhaka, Jan 15 (UNB) - State Minister for Shipping Ministry Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury on Tuesday said the government is committed to the overall development of the shipping sector.
 
“We are also committed to providing all the facilities for the welfare of the sailors,” said the state minister.
 
The newly appointed minister came up pledges at the conference room of the secretariat while distributing checks to the families of the on-duty sailors who died in a ship capsize incident in the China Sea.
 
The ministry is always cordial to provide compensation to the victims of marine accidents as well as solving their problems, he said.
 
Encouraging the victim families to move forward by overcoming pain and grief, Khalid said the humanitarian issues of the deceased’s families will be under consideration of the government.
 
Earlier, on January 6, 2018, two Bangladeshi sailors died after an Iranian oil tanker engulfed in flames after being collided with a Chinese freight ship in the East China Sea.

Dhaka, Jan 15 (UNB) – Journalist Abu Bakar Chowdhury, acting editor of Dainik Manobkantha, passed away at a private hospital here early Tuesday. He was 54.

Abu Bakar suffered a heart attack early morning and was admitted at Ibne Sina Hospital where he breathed his last around 5:15 am.

His namaj-e-janaza will be held after Zohr prayer at Taqwa Mosque in Dhanmondi.

Meanwhile, Islamic University Journalists Association expressed profound shock at the death of the journalist.
 

Gazipur, Jan 15 (UNB) – Welcoming the revised wage structure workers of all the readymade garment factories in the area have started to work at their workplaces since Tuesday morning.

There was no report of any untoward situation or agitation among the workers, reports UNB Gazipur correspondent after visiting several factories. 

However, additional members of Industrial Police, Gazipur Metropolitan Police and district police were deployed in the area to avoid any untoward situation, said Inspector Mominul Islam of Special Branch.

The RMG workers said that they have welcomed the revised wage structure and looking for immediate implementation of it.

In the wake of widespread protests by RMG workers for the last few days over the disparity in their new wage structure, the government on Sunday revised their wages.
 

Thakurgaon, Jan 15 (UNB) – A bridge over Amsara canal in Pirganj upazila remains useless for around 32 years as there was no approach road on both sides of it.

Locals said the approach road was washed away during floods in 1987, but no repair work has been done since then.

Farmer Abdul Khalek, a residence of Kharipara village, said several thousands of people, including school and college students, from nearby villages were suffering because of this.

“In rainy season, there remains waist-deep water. We have to suffer a lot while crossing the area,” he added.

The villagers knocked the doors of different concerned departments of the government for taking initiatives to repair it, but in vain although received repeated assurances from them, he further said.

As there is no approach road, students need to use a bypass route during the rainy season to go to their school and colleges, villagers said.

When contacted, Engineer Ismail Hossain of Local Government Engineering Department in Pirganj upazila, said that he will visit the spot and will inform the higher authorities to take necessary initiative.

However, Pirganj upazila Chairman Ziaul Islam Zia said the road will be repaired soon.