Himu's Window

Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) is constructing a bridge on the Shibu River at Tanore upazila, Rajshahi at a cost of about Tk 4 crore without building any approach road on either side. LGED officials said the 210-metre bridge was designed during the BNP-Jamaat rule as the then prime minister pledged the construction of a 10-km road between Soipara of Mohonpur upazila and Gollapara of Tanore upazila. The Daily Star conducted a spot visit recently when columns of the under-construction bridge were seen in the middle of the 1.5-km-wide river. The bridge has no road link between Gollapara Bazar, one km from the bridge, and the road to Soipara which is 1.5-km away. Also the LGED does not own land around the bridge to be able to construct approach road. "The bridge is urgently needed for boosting local business and other convenience but without proper roads it will be nothing but waste of money," said Sukumar Roy, a local fish trader who was seen crossing the river o

Abdur Rashid Malitha alias Tapan alias Dada Tapan, founder of outlawed Janajuddha, was killed in a 'shootout' with Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) in the early hours yesterday. A woman reportedly from the 'women wing' of the outfit also died during the 'shootout'. The Rab recovered huge arms and ammunition including one AK47, books and leaflets of the banned outfit and also arrested Tapan's elder brother Akash. Operatives of the outlawed communist outfits see the death as another blow to their two-decade underground "armed struggle" in the south and northern regions to establish socialism after the death of Mofakkar Hossain, founder of Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP-ML), in 2004. Mofakkar was killed in 'crossfire' when Rab members came under attack in Kushtia on December 17, 2004. Read the report from Amanur Aman in The Daily Star

Staff Correspondent, Rajshahi Welcoming the proposed budget, business community and economists in Rajshahi have urged the government to formulate a separate plan for industrial growth of the northern part of the country. They also urged for setting up of a vocational training institute for overseas-job seekers, food storage and processing establishments, and special agricultural loan on minimum interests, something they demanded earlier during a pre-budget meeting with the finance adviser in Rajshahi. The proposed budget does not have any specific plan for industrial growth of the region, they said Wednesday. How to ensure a balanced inter regional distribution of resources was not made clear in the budget speech, said Professor of Economics at Rajshahi University Prof Dr Rafiqul Islam, who was also the former vice chancellor of Islamic University. Manjur Faruk Chowdhury, president of National Association of Small and Cottage Industries in Bangladesh (NASCIB), said tax

Rajshahi Mango Fair These mangoes were on display at a mango fair at Rajshahi Loknath High School field...

"River of sand"         The Padma appears to be a "river of sand" with water receding since September last. Experts blame the drying up of the river on the Farakka Barrage upstream in India. The photo was taken yesterday at Srirampur, Rajshahi. Photo: STAR     http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=41112

Top outlaw killed in 'shootout' Staff Correspondent, Rajshahi A regional leader of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) was killed during a "shootout" between his accomplices and police at Akna Banshbaria village under Raninagar upazila of Naogaon district early yesterday. The dead was identified as Abdul Majid alias Picchi Majid, son of Nur Mohammad of Bhatkoi village under the upazila. Acting on a tip-off, a police team from Raninagar Police Station raided an area near Banshbaria Bridge at around 2.45am where Majid and his accomplices were holding a secret meeting. Sensing the presence of the policemen, the outlaws opened fire, prompting the law enforcers to retaliate. Police sources said Majid received bullets during the shootout and died on way to Raninagar Upazila Health Complex, while his cohorts managed to flee. The body

Mango fair & Gambhira festival begins in Rajshahi Staff Correspondent, Rajshahi   A three-day Mango Fair and Gambhira Festival began in Rajshahi yesterday with a call for establishing sustainable industries based on huge mangoes produced in the region. Different local varieties of mangoes were put on display at 12 stalls set up by different government and private horticulture centres, nurseries and individuals of Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj on Loknath High School premises. Different cultural organisations from the two districts rendered Gambhira, a popular folksong and dance of the region, in the afternoon. Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner M Hafizur Rahman Bhuiyan attended the inaugural ceremony as chief guest while Abdul Matin Khan, president of Amra Rajshahi Basi, chaired the event. Banglalink, a major mobile network operator in the country, has sponsored it. President of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hasan Ali, Dr Tosikul Islam, vice-principal of S