Himu's Window

Police neglect led to outlaw regrouping Anwar Ali, Rajshahi Neglect by law enforcers and lack of proper supervision by higher authorities helped underground operatives reorganise in the northwest region, said locals and police officials. The May 2 attack on police in Taherpur was an outburst of reorganization, said police sources investigating the incident. Locals in Bagmara allege police had stopped regular watch and special raids since October last year following transfer of an officer allegedly for intensive drives and netting outlaws and militants simultaneously. "I have not seen any remarkable police raids recently, while the law enforcers harassed those who expressed anxiety over outlaws' presence," said a villager asking not to be identified. Another source said, "A businessman received threats over phone at the office of the officer-in-charge just days before the Taherpur attack. The OC asked him not to worry saying outlaws are no longer a...

Outlaw Attack on Cops High alert in 5 N-dists 21 arrested as combing operation launched in Bagmara Anwar Ali, from Taherpur (Bagmara), Rajshahi Security was put on high alert in five northern districts and a combing operation launched in Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi with arrest of 21 people yesterday, a day after killing of a policeman at Taherpur. The five districts are Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon, Pabna and Sirajganj. Meanwhile, Lal Pataka faction of Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP--Marxist-Leninist) has confessed responsibility of Friday's attack on police. Primary investigation found the attack, which left a policeman dead, four others injured and five of their firearms looted, was pre-planned, and that the underground operatives have regrouped taking advantage of police indifference to vigilante activities. The local police also delayed rescue of the victim policemen. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Noor Muhammad, who visited the spot yesterday noon...

Outlaws kill cop, loot firearms in Rajshahi   Suspected outlaws shot dead a policeman, injured four others and snatched five firearms from them in an attack on a police patrol team at Taherpur of Bagmara upazila yesterday evening. Constable Mizanur Rahman of Panchagarh was shot point blank in the head as a group of around 25 armed miscreants attacked the police team patrolling a weekly cattle market. His body was recovered from a pond near Taherpur Degree College. Nayek Shahinur, constables Samiul Kabir and Sarwar Hossain, and ansar member Abdul Aziz of the patrol team were also found lying near the pond. They were rescued after an hour of the incident and were rushed to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Officer-in-Charge of Bagmara Police Station Fayzul Islam said all the looted firearms were Chinese rifles. "The attackers may belong to some Sarbahara outfit since there are no other underground groups in the area," said Didar Ahmed, superintendent of polic...

Published On: 2008-04-24 Sports Cricket Rajshahi lights for tri-series Staff Correspondent, Rajshahi Four hundred flood light bulbs of Rajshahi Divisional Stadium are being taken to Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka for holding the day-night tri- series in June. The decision was taken in order to prepare the Mirpur venue eligible for the international cricket match in a low cost of about Tk 2 crore. For holding international cricket matches, there must be 2200 lax lights (light unit) from the floodlight towers, but the Mirpur venue now has only 800 lax lights, as it was prepared as a football stadium. "The present floodlights of Mirpur Stadium are eligible for holding football matches, not for cricket. This is why, floodlight bulbs of Rajshahi will be taken to Mirpur for a short period of time", said Badruddin Ahmed, deputy director, National Cricket Council of Rajshahi. "This would save around Tk 10 crore for fresh purchase of floodli...

Weary of the scorching heat, buffalos stream in towards the Padma River to quench their thirst and have a relishing bath. The photo was taken from Sreerampur in Rajshahi yesterday.   Heat wave, water-power crisis disrupt life in northern dists Mercury rises to 39.4 degree Celsius in Rajshahi: Weathermen say no respite in sight Anwar Ali, Rajshahi   The persisting heat wave, coupled with power load shedding and water crisis have disrupted life in northern districts. The hear wave may continue a couple of days more, weather men said yesterday. The mercury rose to 39.4 degrees Celsius in Rajshahi while humidity in air was recorded at 12 per cent yesterday, sending people on streets panting for water and cool air. Shahidul Islam, a senior weather observer said, "Such low humidity reduces possibility of rain". Meteorologist Sadekul Islam at the Met office here said, "Possibility of rain in next three days is bleak". Quoting from monthly weather repor...

Father kills 2 babies, makes suicide attempt A father drowned his two infant daughters in a pond and made a suicide attempt afterwards at Paschimbhag village in Puthia upazila yesterday. Locals retrieved the dead bodies from the pond and found the father, Bablur Rahman, 35, beside the pond in a critical state. He is currently undergoing treatment for poisoning at Puthia Health Complex. The victims are identified as Rehana, 1-½, and Sohana, 3. Bablu used to be a day labourer until he sustained back injury a few months back. As the injury rendered him incapable of supporting his family -- wife, a son and two daughters, he had been staying at his mother-in-law's house at Dasmaria, said his relatives and locals. The living child, Shajib, 10, is a student of local Brac School, they added. They also said remorse and guilt for not being able to provide for the family might be behind Bablu's actions. Asela, Bablu's wife, said he looked distressed in the past severa...

11 JMB men get life for sedition A Rajshahi divisional court yesterday awarded life terms to all 11 militants of Jama'aul Mujahidin, Bangladesh (JMB) in a sedition case filed for taking combat training to fight against the state in 2005. Judge M Sajedul Karim of the first court of Rajshahi divisional special judge also fined the accused Tk 20,000 each, in default of which they are to spend two more years in jail. The convicts include Enamul Haque and Golamur Rahman alias Golam Mostafa, both regional JMB commanders and followers of executed militant leader Siddikul Islam Bangla Bhai and arrested militant kingpin Asadullah Al Galib respectively. The others sentenced are – Rajshahi University Arabic student Ibrahim Hossain, madrassah teacher Jaharul Islam, madrassah students Merajul Islam, Shah Wali Ullah, Zakir Hossain, Mansur Rahman, Biplob Hossain, Abu Zafar and Mozammel Hossain. They were arrested from Mozammel's house at Puthiapara in Paba upazila on July 18, ...