25-10-2022

TUeSdAy, oCToBeR 25, 2022
6
Cremation diwali festival was held in Barishal amid tight security on Monday.
Photo: Zihad Rana
Cremation Diwali festival held in Barishal
ZIhAd RANA, BARIShAl BUReAU:
Subcontinent's biggest Cremation
Diwali festival was held in Barishal
amid tight security. On this occasion,
Hindu devotees lit candles and lamps to
pray for the peace of the souls of the
deceased relatives at the Barishal
Crematorium in Kauniya of the city on
Sunday evening. Like every year, people
have gathered at the crematorium to
pray for the peace of their souls.
Relatives believe that offering prayers
at the graves of the deceased will bring
peace to their souls. Along with this
time, many of the dead's favorite foods
are offered in the grave. So someone
lights candles and lamps in the graves of
relatives. Still others make offerings of
the deceased's favorite food to wish for
remembrance and peace of mind.
The graves of those whose relatives do
not live in the country have been
marked with different colors by the
committee. Besides, candles, incense
sticks and lamps are lit on the evening of
Diwali festival at the initiative of the
3 Titas staff attacked
in Gazipur
GAZIPUR: At least three
members of Titas Gas
Transmission and
Distribution Company
Limited were wounded as
some assailants attacked
them while they were
disconnecting the illegal gas
connection of a garment
factory in Gazipur's
Kaliakoir, reports UNB.
The injured officials are --
Atiur Chowdhury, assistant
engineer of Titas Chandra
region, deputy assistant
engineer Sabinur Rahman
and manager Mustafa
Mahabub.
Freedom Fighters
get smart ID card
in Manda
ShAZZAdUl TUhIN, MANdA
CoRReSPoNdeNT:
Digital certificates and smart
ID cards have been
distributed among the brave
freedom fighters of Manda
upazila of Naogaon.
On Monday in the hall of
Upazila Parishad under the
chairmanship of Upazila
Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md.
Abu Bakkar Siddique,
Chairman of Upazila
Parishad Emdadul Haque
Molla formally handed over
certificates and smart ID
cards to the brave children.
Women Vice Chairman of
Upazila Parishad Mahabuba
Siddika Ruma, Upazila
Social Service Officer
Shakeel Ahmed, Upazila
Public Health Assistant
Engineer Enayet Hossain,
former Commander Hero
Freedom Fighter Afshar Ali
Mondal, valiant Freedom
Fighter Khoda Box and their
children were also present.
On this day, certificates
and smart cards were
distributed among 152 brave
freedom fighters of the
upazila.
In addition, digital
freedom fighter certificates
have been distributed
among 113 heirs of the
deceased brave freedom
fighters.
cremation committee. However, apart
from traditional religious people, many
people come to crematorium to see the
Diwali celebrations. Meanwhile, like
every year, relatives have come from
India, Nepal and other parts of the
country to light lamps and candles at
their relatives' graves.
The leaders of the cremation
committee said that the
crematorium is located on 5 acres
and 59 Shatak land in the 200-yearold
city of Kaunia. Where there are
about 70 thousand graves and
tombs. Candles are lit at tombs
during this festival which has been
going on for almost two hundred
years. CC cameras have been
installed in the crematorium area to
ensure security in this crematorium
of 70,000 graves. Law and order
forces including Metropolitan Police
and RAB are working in undercover
to control law and order. One
hundred volunteers of the
cremation protection committee are
also performing their duties. Tamal
Malakar, general secretary of Barisal
Crematorium Preservation
Committee, said that apart from the
law and order forces, own volunteers
are also engaged in the overall security
of crematorium. However, due to
Covid, everything is being done
according to health rules. On the other
hand, Barishal Metropolitan Police
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad
Zakir Hossain Majumder said that all
measures have been taken to make
this religious event smooth. He said,
the entire crematorium area is
covered with security blanket.
Meanwhile, Barishal Metropolitan
Police Commissioner Saiful Islam and
departmental and district
administration officials inspected the
security activities during the festival.
Incidentally, poet Jibananda Das's
father Satyamananda Dasgupta,
grandfather Sarbananda Dasgupta,
anti-British leader revolutionist Deven
Ghosh, Manorama Basu Maasima and
many famous people are buried in this
crematorium.
four country land port Banglabandha has been declared closed for 2 days
on Monday and Tuesday due to Kali Puja.
Photo: Asraful Islam
Banglabandha land port
to stay closed for 2 days
ASRAfUl ISlAM, TeTUlIA CoRReSPoNdeNT:
On the occasion of Kali Puja, the Hindu
Bengali religious festival of India, four
country land port Banglabandha has been
declared closed for 2 days on Monday and
Tuesday. Import-export activities are closed
since Monday morning. However, transit of
passengers through the immigration check
post will be normal.
On Monday morning, Banglabandha
Import Exporter Group General Secretary
Kudrat E Khuda Milon said that on the
occasion of Kali Puja celebration, the Fulbari
Exporter and Importer Welfare Association
and Fulbari 2 Border Local Truck Honors
Welfare wrote a letter, according to the
coordination decision of the two countries,
the port's import-export activities will be
closed for two days. Import-export
operations of the port will be operational
from Wednesday morning.
Port officials said that despite the closure
of import and export, customs and port
activities will continue.
Banglabandha Immigration Officer-incharge
Nazrul Islam said that even if the land
port's import-export activities are closed for
two days during Kali Puja, the immigration
will continue to be normal.
digital certificates and smart Id cards have been distributed among the brave
freedom fighters of Manda upazila of Naogaon. Photo: Shazzadul Tuhin
Barguna ready to
face the cyclone
'Sitrang'
BARGUNA: Barguna
district administration has
completed all the
preparations to face the
impending severe cyclone
'Sitrang', reports BSS.
District Commissioner
(DC) Habibur Rahman said
that 642 cyclone shelter
centres are being prepared
in all coastal upazilas of the
district.
It has been drizzling in the
district since last night.
Meanwhile, the district
administration in an
emergency meeting this
afternoon has taken up brisk
preparations comprising all
public utility departments
and relevant agencies to
cope with any eventuality of
the cyclonic storm Sitrang.
People of the coastal
upazilas of the district are
expected to take shelter in
those cyclone centres.
Earlier, leaves of all
officials, employees, doctors
and nurses of the areas have
been cancelled and kept
ready to face any eventuality
of the Sitrang, Habibur
Rahman, deputy
commissioner, told BSS.
A total of 8,460 volunteers
with health workers have
been kept ready apart from
the district administration
monitoring the overall
situation round the clock,
DC said.
The six upazilas
administration are
campaigning in the areas to
inform people of the
precautionary measures to
deal with the severe cyclone.
The DC also said a total of
25 tonnes of rice, 1000
cartons of dry food, 700
packets of biscuits and 190
bundles of tins are ready.
SSC candidate becomes
symbolic SP in Kurigram
BAdShAh SAyKoT, KURIGRAM CoRReSPoNdeNT:
Kurigram's SSC candidate struggler Ila
Barshan performed symbolic duties as a
superintendent of police for one hour.
Kurigram Superintendent of Police Al Asad
Md. Mahfuzul Islam welcomed her with
flowers and seated her in his seat and
handed over the responsibility to the newly
appointed symbolic Superintendent of Police
through the girls takeover ceremony.
On Sunday officials of government and
private institutions, journalists of various
print and electronic media, civil society
leaders, teachers, parents and members of
district SCTF were present during the
handover of responsibility.
After taking charge, the newly appointed
Superintendent of Police Ila Barshan
presented the recommendations of the
police to take effective measures to prevent
child marriage and child abuse in Kurigram
district. The Superintendent of Police has
also assured that those recommendations
will be implemented as far as possible by the
police. Later NCTF president Kho. M.
Zakyul Islam Rudra presided over and Yes
Bangladesh Kurigram district branch
president KM Rezwanul Haque Nurnabir
moderated the program where Additional
Superintendent of Police Ruhul Amin,
Kurigram Police Station Officer-in-Charge
Khan Md Shahriar, editor of daily newspaper
Mahfuzar Rahman Khandkar, Guardian
Ismail Hossain Badal and others spoke.
An adolescent, girl child or young woman
is supported to take on a leadership role
through the unique 'Girls Takeover'
programme. It boosts her confidence and
makes her committed to fulfilling his
dreams. The Girls Takeover program was
launched from the belief that girls can
change their lives, the society around them
and the people in society if they get equal
opportunities and equal rights.
On the occasion of International Day of the
Girl Child 2022 and World Children's Week,
the event was organized by the nongovernmental
organization Yes Bangladesh in
collaboration with Plan International
Bangladesh, Aparajeya Bangladesh, Youth for
Change and District Police Administration.
Kurigram's SSC candidate struggler Ila Barshan performed symbolic
duties as a superintendent of police for one hour. Photo: Badshah Saykot
Sonagazi prepares for cyclone Sitrang
JABed MAMUN, SoNAGAZI CoRReSPoNdeNT:
Due to the impact of Cyclone Sitrang,
moderate and heavy rains with gusty
winds have continued in Sonagazi since
Sunday night. As a result of the strong
winds, there has been extensive
damage to Aman paddy and vegetables.
The Meteorological Department has
asked to show danger signal number 7
from Monday morning to evening.
All preparations have already been
taken by the upazila administration. 43
cyclone shelters have been prepared for
the shelter of people in 9 unions of the
upazila. Four unions have been
identified as high risk.
In addition, educational institutions,
public and private multi-storied
buildings will also be kept ready if
necessary. Apart from this, safe shelter
has also been arranged for domestic
animals.
Feni Deputy Commissioner has
ordered all government department
officials to stay at work by canceling
their leave. Feni Deputy
Commissioner Abu Salim Mahmud
ul Hasan held an exchange meeting
with members of the Upazila Disaster
Management Committee, public
representatives, journalists, officials
of various government departments
in the conference room of the Upazila
Parishad in the morning. In the
meeting, he allocated 10 tons of rice,
400 packets of dry food, 400 kg of
chira, 400 kg of puffed rice, 400
packets of biscuits, 200 kg of jaggery
and two lakhs in cash for the people
of the affected areas. After the
meeting, he visited Charkhondkar of
the riverside Sonagazi Sadar Union
and South East Charchandia village
of Char Chandia Union. Upazila
Health Department has formed 3
medical teams to provide post
cyclone emergency services.
Red Crescent, Police, Fire Service and
CPP members are miking the public in
coastal areas to go to safe shelters or
cyclone shelters.
Apart from this, the workers of local
voluntary organizations are also
campaigning about the severity of the
disaster and preparing to help the
victims after the disaster.
Sonagazi is prepared to tackle cyclone Sitrang with rationed food, shelters for
people and animals and medical teams.
Photo: Jabed Mamun
Char people expanding pumpkin
cultivation to change fortune
RANGPUR: After getting repeated
bumper output with lucrative prices in
recent years, many people are expanding
pumpkin cultivation on char land and
dried-up riverbeds to change fortunes in
Rangpur agriculture region this season,
reports BSS.
Officials of the Department of
Agricultural Extension (DAE) said char
people and farmers affected by recent
floods are farming pumpkins with other
winter crops adopting mixed-relay and
intercropping methods to reap more
profits. "Char residents, farmers and
riverside people are sowing seeds of
pumpkin and other Rabi crops on char
lands and dried-up riverbeds,"
Additional Director of the DAE for
Rangpur region Mohammad Shah Alam
said. The DAE, Bangladesh Agricultural
Research Institution (BARI), RDRS
Bangladesh and other NGOs are
extending assistance to char people to
promote crop cultivation on sandy char
lands and dried-up riverbeds this time
like in the previous years. Responding to
the direction of Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina to bring every inch of land under
crop farming amid the global crises
caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and
Russia-Ukraine War, char dwellers are
bringing more char lands under crop
cultivation.
Tender plants of pumpkin are
growing superbly amid favorable
climatic conditions on char lands
predicting its bumper production this
season to bring more profits to char
people and make them self-reliant.
"Harvest of early varieties of pumpkin
will begin from late November next on
char lands and dried-up riverbeds where
sowing of seeds of winter crops,
including vegetables, still continues in all
five districts of the region," Alam added
According to officials of RDRS
Bangladesh, Solidarity, Plan Action
Bangladesh and other NGOs, many char
and riverside families have changed
fortunes through farming pumpkins
with other crops on dried-up riverbeds
and char lands in recent years.
Char people are cultivating pumpkins
on more char lands and silted-up beds of
the Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Dudhkumar,
Teesta, Dharla, Kartoa, Ghaghot and other
rivers to complete harvesting of the
crop by May next before the start of the
rainy season. Talking to BSS, Anwar
Hossain, Abdur Razzaque and Mahbub
Alam of Char Paschim
Mohipur village in Gangachara upazila
of Rangpur narrated their success stories
of winning poverty through farming
pumpkins with other crops in recent
years.
They are expanding cultivation of
pumpkin with other crops like onion,
garlic, banana, vegetables, green chili,
squash, potato, brinjal, sweet potato and
other Rabi crops on the sandy char lands
and dried-up riverbeds this season.