Himu's Window

Monday, February 1, 2010 Two renowned classical musicians were accorded reception at a two-day long Uchchanga Sangeet (classical music) Festival that ended in Rajshahi recently. Pandit Madan Gopal Das, a noted tabla player of Dhaka and Ustad AKM Shamsuzzaman of Rajshahi received the Ustad Mozammel Hossain Memorial Award, at the reception on the inaugural day. Dance guru Bazlur Rahman Badal inaugurated the function with Ustad Rabiul Hossain in the chair. Hindol Shangskritik Gosthi organised the festival in memory of Ustad Mozammel Hossain (1907-1976) who made an immense contribution to music in his lifetime. The festival began with a choral rendition by artistes of Hindol, Mukto Gharana, Shurotirtho, Dhruboshokha, Shoilee, Oikyatan and Padma Residential Sangeet School. This was followed by a performance of Lahora on pakhawaj by Shushen Kumar Roy of Shatkhira. Solok Hossain, Nagma, Pandit Amoresh Roy Chowdhury of Rajshahi performed Khayal. Renowned singer AKM Shamsu

Friday, January 29, 2010 A court here yesterday handed down death sentence to two JMB leaders for killing Rajshahi University teacher Muhammad Yunus five years ago. Of the two, Shahidullah alias Mahbub is married to a niece of Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai, now-executed JMB military commander. The other one, Shafiullah alias Tarek, is commander of Rajshahi district Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh, the banned Islamist outfit. Besides sentencing them to death, Rajshahi Speedy Trial Tribunal fined them each Tk 5,000. It however acquitted six other JMB men of the murder. They are Abu Isa alias Enamul Haque, Golamur Rahman alias Golam Mostafa, Abul Kashem alias Tufan, Abdul Matin alias Bomaru Matin, Abdur Rahman alias Arif and Zakir alias Jayed. Except Zakir, who has been on the run, all accused were produced before the court. Yunus, an economics professor at RU, was knifed to death while on a morning walk near the campus on December 24, 2004. The courtroom was ch

Thursday, January 28, 2010 A Rajshahi court hands down the verdict in the sensational Professor Muhammad Yunus murder case today. On completion of arguments in the case on December 31, Rajshahi Speedy Trial Tribunal fixed the verdict date on January 15. As the tribunal judge was on leave, the court deferred the judgment to January 28 (today), said Public Prosecutor Entajul Haque Babu. Prof Yunus of economics department of Rajshahi University was murdered while on morning walk near his Binodpur residence on December 24, 2004. Inspector Mohammad Helaluddin of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) pressed charges against eight militants of the banned Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh on September 10, 2007. The accused are Shafiullah Tarek (follower of Asadullah Al Galib), Shahidullah Mahbub (husband of the executed JMB leader Siddikul Islam Bangla Bhai's niece), JMB's regional commanders Abu Isa Enamul and Golamur Rahman Mostafa, militants Abul Kashem Tuf

Thursday, January 28, 2010 A fishing cat that fled from Rajshahi Central Zoo a week ago due to negligence of the authority was beaten to death at Haragram Sheikhpara area in the city yesterday. Fazlul Haque Bhulu of the area, his son Hikmat along with their dog chased the cat after he saw it near his house after Fazr prayers. Minutes later, the dog grabbed the cat's neck while Bhulu, Hikmat and other villagers beat it to death, said witnesses. The villagers declined to return the cat's carcass to the zoo authority. The cat managed its way out through a hole in the wired cage at the zoo last Wednesday, said Abul Kalam Azad, caretaker of the zoo. "We did not notice the hole beforehand," he said. On taking any legal action, Forhad Uddin, veterinary surgeon of the zoo, told The Daily Star they could not say anything until they got the cat's body. "In fact, the forest department is responsible for this." Afzal Hossain, officer-in-charge of