Himu's Window

When renowned stage artist Shimul Yousuff descended from stage in an uncanny silence performing the last scene of Chaka, many of about 5000 spellbound audience surrounded her. They were dipped in memoirs of the deceased drama icon Selim Al Deen. Selim Al Deen's play Chaka (Wheel) relates a harrowing tale of an anonymous corpse that was compared with a state or life and needs to be buried for peace. The cart-driver of Chaka, along with two companions, started a journey to deliver the corpse. They carried it to far flung cities and villages and none acknowledged it. The body decomposes, rots, stinks - yet none agreed. Thus driven away from all human destinations, the cart-men bury the dead on a dry riverbed. By that time, the dead had already arisen in each of them. Like cart-men, entire Puthia audience of Shimul Yousuff too kept staring at her utterly flabbergasted for many minutes. Eminent litterateur Hasan Azizul Haque aptly caught their thoughts and told Shimul, "The more I ...

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) here yesterday sued Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) Mayor Mizanur Rahman Minu and six other officials for embezzling government corrugated iron (CI) sheets and rice while an individual lodged Tk 1 lakh extortion case with a Rajshahi court against 27 persons including former post and tele-communication minister Barrister Aminul Haque. ACC, Rajshahi regional deputy director Abdul Karim filed the case against seven people including Minu with Boalia police station for embezzlement of government CI sheets and rice misusing power under section 409/109 of Penal Code and Section 5(2) of Anti-Corruption Act. Six other accused RCC officials are the mayor's private secretary (acting) Manjur Rahman John, Research Officer M Mahbubur Rahman, inspectors -- Achinta Kumar Bhaduri, Ruhul Amin Raju and mayor's private assistants -- Nurul Islam Mamun and Saifuddin Bachchu. The plaintiff alleged that the accused persons allied with each other collected some 540 bund...

'Radio journalism can help ensure right to information'   Speakers at a conference yesterday called for development of radio journalism, saying that this media can play an important role in ensuring underprivileged people's right to information. Over 300 listeners from 32 districts across the country joined the daylong conference organised by the Bengali Service of Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) of Philippines at Christian Pastoral Centre in Rajshahi city. Those who cannot afford a television, cable TV connections or newspapers depend on radio for information, the speakers said. Father Eillers, executive director of Federation of Asian Bishop Conference's social communication commission, Father Boby, general manager, RVA, Philippines, Father PJ Joseph, director, Chitrabani, Kolkata, Robin Gomez, rector, Nitika, India and Komol Koraia, director, Banidipti, also attended the conference. RVA Bengali service council's co-chairman and Rajshahi Bishop Gervas Ro...

Cobweb of death Blood-chilling story of killers who preyed on foreign job seekers Cashing in on the rising zeal for overseas jobs, a group of people have invented a deadly method of swindling in the northern districts, inviting foreign-job seekers to rented homes and killing them after grabbing their money. The swindlers later tell the victims' families that they went abroad. The game was unearthed after Helal Uddin, a man from Bogra's Dupchachia upazila, was caught with a body tamped inside a sack in Natore Wednesday. He confessed to Detective Branch (DB) police that he is a member of an organised gang who look for potential foreign-job seekers. Headquartered in Bogra, he said their gang has set up a network across the northern districts. The gang members, he said, rent home in neighbouring districts, bring their victims there and kill them after taking their money. Helal, disguised as a madrasa teacher, rented a microbus for going to Bogra. The driver smelt s...

Process on to modernise BDR, raise its strength BDR chief says at Rajshahi flag awarding ceremony   Director General of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed yesterday said initiatives are underway to modernise the paramilitary force and increase its strength within a short time. A 'quick reaction force' is being raised in every BDR sector to face emergencies while each battalion will be equipped with an anti-tank platoon, he said. Armored Personal Carriers (a kind of vehicle) were already sent to some sectors to raise the special force, he said. Maj Gen Shakil was addressing 10 BDR Battalion's prestigious colour-flag awarding ceremony at Rajshahi BDR compound. The BDR chief also called upon the troops to dedicate themselves for the cause of the country with utmost honesty. He lauded the success of BDR-run 'Dal-Bhat Operation' and 'Fair Price Shops' in controlling prices of essentials. "You have done this beyond your duty of patr...

Natya Manchayan Parshad organised a condolence meeting in memory of Selim Al Deen, a legendary drama icon of the country, at Padma Manch in Rajshahi city yesterday. Litterateur Hasan Azizul Haque, theatre personality Nasiruddin Yusuf and Prof Moloy Kumar Bhowmik attended the meeting. Photo: STAR   Homage to Selim Al Deen A playwright who developed new drama form   Selim Al Deen, the legendary drama icon of the country, was remembered at a citizens' condolence meeting at Padma Mancha in Rajshahi city yesterday (Sunday). Speakers at the meeting said the death of Al Deen brings to an end the illustrious career of a man who made significant contributions to literature and theatre of Bangladesh. They said he is the only playwright in Bangla literature who developed a 'new drama form' based on the narratives of traditional indigenous theatre. Shakuntala, Kittonkhola, Keramat Mongol, Hat Hadai, Chaka, Joiboti Koinnar Mon, Horgoj, Bonopangshul, Nimojjon and man...

Bird flu spreads in 9 more districts BDR put on alert to check illegal poultry entry Since the outbreak of bird flu in nine more districts in the country this month, 41,620 poultry were culled so far, while the government beefed up its awareness raising campaign and tightened the bio-security measures in border areas. At a news briefing in Bangladesh Secretariat in the capital yesterday Special Assistant to Chief Adviser Manik Lal Samaddar, who is in charge of the fisheries and livestock ministry, said there are 11 points in the border areas where disinfectant is being sprayed regularly to contain the spread of the H5N1virus. Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) was directed to check illegal entry of poultry and eggs from India as in West Bengal the outbreak is currently at a severe level, he added. The already infected farms in the country are under continuous monitoring and the city corporations were directed to improve their waste management to contain the spread of the virus, M...