Austagram (Kishoreganj), Sept 24 (UNB) – President Abdul Hamid on Monday stressed the importance of considering the environment aspects before taking any development projects to protect the haor environment.

He came up with the remarks while exchanging views with a cross section of people, including local political leaders and distinguished persons, at President Abdul Hamid Auditorium-cum-Community Centre in Austagram upazila in the evening.

The President came here today on a five-day visit to his home district Kishoreganj.

Asking all concerned to increase the use of modern technology in agriculture in the haor region, he said, “You should utilise the local potentials to change your fate and try to develop your own area. If it is possible to develop the overall condition of the poor, the whole country will be developed.”

He also urged all to work jointly with open minds and shun personal enmity for the sake of comprehensive development.

Abdul Hamid told the audience, who raised various questions at the meeting, that people should inform the problems to their representatives, including union parishad (UP) members and chairmen, upazila chairmen and local MPs. “If they’re unable to solve the problems, I’ll handle those if necessary,” he said after giving a patient hearing to various queries.

He asked all to work for the welfare of the country and its people keeping their hopes and aspirations in mind.

The President called upon all irrespective of their political affiliation to forge a unity for doing good things which would help build a peaceful society.

Several MPs, including Rejwan Ahammad Taufiq, and local elected representatives and secretaries concerned to the President were present there.

Before the meeting, the President opened seven development projects in the upazila and attended a mass reception accorded to him at Austagram upazila parishad playground.

The President arrived here by a helicopter which landed at Austagram Helipad Ground around 2pm. He was received by political leaders, local MP and senior officials of the district administration.

The President came here on a five-day visit to address several public meetings and hold view-exchange meetings in Austagram, Itna and Mithamain.

On Tuesday morning, the President will enquire about the progress of development works of Austagram-Nawga and Austagram-Kastul-Vastala Roads.

Dhaka, Sept 24 (UNB) - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the Bhasanchar Island project on October 4 to relocate Rohingyas, said Additional Secretary to the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry Mohammad Habibul Kabir Chowdhury on Monday.

A total of 1 lakh Rohingyas will be transferred to the island on completion of the work, he said while talking to reporters at his office.

Mentioning that 80 percent work of the project have already been completed, the additional secretary said the rest work will be done within next one and a half months. 

The Rohingyas will be shifted to the island in several phases, he said.

Dhaka, Sept 24 (UNB) – A female cabin crewmember of Biman Bangladesh Airlines who tested positive for a dope test before the VVIP flight carrying Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to London has been grounded.

Besides, deputy general manager of the flight service of the national flag carrier Nuruzzaman Ranju has also been grounded for negligence of duty as he hid the information about the dope test results.

The action was taken against cabin crewmember Masuma Mufti on Sunday while against Ranju on Monday, said Shakil Meraj, Biman general manager (PR).

The DGM was also served a show-cause notice over the incident, he said, adding that a departmental investigation was also on.

Shakil Meraj said Masuma failed the dope test before the VVIP flight of the Prime Minister on Friday last.

Although Ranju barred her from that flight, he did not inform the flight schedule department of the results of the dope test and went to London with that flight.

As the flight schedule department knew nothing about the dope test, it assigned Masuma as a cabin crewmember on Saturday although there is a provision of not assigning a crewmember for 90 days if he/she tests positive for a dope test.

As the matter came to light on Sunday, Masuma was grounded, Shakil Meraj said, adding that Ranju was grounded on Monday upon his return from London.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka for London en route to New York on Friday to attend the 73rd Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
 

Dhaka, Sept 24 (UNB) - The government has nationalised 43 more secondary schools in different districts.

The Education Ministry issued a notification on Monday in this regard.

No teacher of the newly nationalised schools can be transferred elsewhere, the notification said.  
 

Dhaka, Sept 24 (UNB) – Fisheries and Livestock Minister Narayan Chandra Chanda on Monday expected the Hisha production to exceed five lakh metric tons (MT) in the last financial year (2017-18).

The contribution of Hilsa in country’s total fish production is 12 percent and its contribution to GDP is more than one percent, said the minister while talking to reporters at his office.

Hilsa production was 2.99 lakh MT in fiscal 2008-09. The country’s Hilsa output has increased by 66 per cent in the last nine years, said the minister adding that the production is expected to exceed 5 lakh MT once final statistics is made available for 2017-18 fiscal. 

Market value of target production will be around Tk 18,000 crore, said the minister.

He said that Bangladesh is now holding the first position in Hilsha production. Around 70-75 percent Hilsas are being produced in Bangladesh. With this Hilsa output, the total fish production has been reached to 41.34 lakh MT from 27.01 MT in last nine years.

This fiscal’s total fish production will reach 42.77 lakh MT, expected the minister.

He said, 39,788 tons of rice was given to 2,48,674 fishermen families in 2017-18 under social safety net programmes.