Himu's Window

'Indigenous women should be vocal for rights'   Speakers at a discussion in Rajshahi yesterday said indigenous women should raise their voice to ensure their rights. The government had to step back from implementing the National Women Development Policy following movement against it, they said at a discussion on 'CEDAW and rights of indigenous and minority women' at the auditorium of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Jatiya Adibasi Parishad (JAP), Institute for Environment and Development (IID) and Bangladesh Nari Pragati Sangha (BNPS) jointly organised the programme. Constitutional status of the indigenous people is yet to be acknowledged and the condition aboriginal women is not satisfactory, said Workers' Party politburo member Fazle Hossain Badsha in his speech as the chief guest at the discussion. He suggested that the aboriginal women get organised to join the mainstream movement for ensuring women's rights. The government should

3 held for illegally running pvt universities   Police on Tuesday night arrested three persons for illegally running private universities and cheating its teachers and students for last one and a half years in Rajshahi. The arrestees are Jamilur Rahman Dulal, so-called country director of Oxford Trent University, Rafikul Islam Lattu, chairman of Rajshahi Institute of Business and Information Technology and its director Rakibul Islam Rono. Following requisition from Rajshahi Metropolitan Police, forces from Adabor Police Station in Dhaka arrested Jamilur Rahman Dulal from his another fake organisation -- Bangladesh Medical Institute at Shekhertek. He was taken to Rajshahi yesterday. Two others were held from their residences in Rajshahi city. Police said, the swindlers were running the organisations without any approval from University Grants Commission, Ministry of Education, Health Department or any other lawful authority. They admitted students without registrations,

3 traffickers get life in Rajshahi A court here yesterday awarded life term imprisonment to three persons for their bid to traffick four women and a child to India through Bagha border in 2004. The convicts are Sher Alam of Bagha, Rajshahi, Abdul Karim and absconding Kohinur Begum, both of Tangail district. AKM Sirajul Islam, judge of Second Court of Women and Children Repression Prevention pronounced the judgment. The convicts took the four women and the child of Tangail to Sher Alam's house at Bagha for trafficking to India, said Esmat Ara Begum, public prosecutor (PP) of the court, quoting case documents. Law enforcers rescued them and arrested two persons on July 18, 2004. The rescued persons are Nur Jahan, Marium, Nurun Nahar, Lal Banu and her seven-year-old daughter Rahima.

Nazrul birth anniversary -- the Rajshahi way   Artistes take part in the cultural event Photo: STAR   The 109th birth anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam was celebrated in Rajshahi on Sunday. Samilito Sangskritik Jote, Rajshahi organised a colourful cultural function at the open stage of Shahid Minar Mancha, Buban Mohon Park in the evening. Different cultural organisations rendered songs, recitation, and dances. Students from Shailee Art and Sangeet Biddyapit, Udayan Sangeetaloy, Sri Sangeetaloy, Sur-Dhoni Sangeet Biddyaloy, Silpasram Lalitakala Academy rendered Nazrul's songs. Students from Sundaram Shilpalok Academy recited Nazrul poems. Mancha Katha Theatre held a discussion followed by a cultural function at its premises. Nazrul exponents Abdus Salam, Aleya Mahmud, Abul Hossain, Mahmud Sarker, Monwar Hossain and Kajal Rekha participated in the discussion. Habib, Sohag, Amjad and Rakib recited Nazrul's poetry, while Ayen Uddin, Jyoti and Sharier