Savar, Apr 25 (UNB)— A man, who volunteered in rescue operations after the Rana Plaza collapse, reportedly committed suicide by setting himself on fire in Birulia on Wednesday night.

The sister of Nowshad Hasan Himu, 27, said he was “deeply affected” by the tragedy that claimed the lives of more than 1,100 people six years ago. Himu was the son of Sarder Abul Hossain, of Babor village Patuakhali district in Barishal.

Himu was also an active member of left-leaning Bangladesh Chhatra Federation and Ganosamhati Andolon.

Former Chhatra Federation chief Saikat Mallik said that the man set himself on fire around 9:30pm on the sixth anniversary of the tragedy.

He was taken to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead, said Azgar Ali, sub-inspector of Savar Model Police Station.

His body has been handed over to his family after an autopsy, police said.

The 2013 Rana Plaza collapse put the spotlight on the poor working conditions at factories in Bangladesh, the second-largest exporter of RMG products. It took place several months after a fire killed over a hundred workers at another factory.

The government has since been working to improve the situation in the sector, which earns most of its foreign currencies.

Feni, Apr 25 (UNB) – A court here on Thursday sent Sonagazi upazila Awami League president Ruhul Amin to jail and placed Shahadat Hossain Shamim on a three-day fresh remand in the madrasa student Nusrat Jahan Rafi murder case.

Besides, Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) arrested another accused -- Mohiuddin Shakil, 19, son of Ruhul Amin of Uttar Char Chandia village in Sonagazi upazila, from Ukil Para area of the district town in the afternoon, said Md Shah Alam, PBI inspector and also the investigation officer of the case.

Ruhul Amin, also former vice-president of Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrasa, was produced before the court of Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Jakir Hossain on expiry of his five-day remand.

Later, the court sent him to jail. A PBI team arrested Ruhul Amin from his residence at Takia Road of the upazila on April 19.

The court also granted a three-day remand for Shamim after the investigation officer sought a five-day remand for interrogating the suspect.

Shamim, arrested on April 12 from Mymensingh, confessed to his crime before the court on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Law Minister Anisul Huq said the government has taken all measures to ensure swift trial in the madrasa girl killing case.

On April 6, Nusrat was set afire at an examination centre allegedly for refusing to withdraw a sexual harassment case against her madrasa principal in Sonagazi upazila.

She died on April 10 at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Dhaka, Apr 25 (UNB) – Law Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia does not meet the criteria for getting legal assistance from the government.

People who are poor and unable to get justice for various economic and social reasons can get such services, he told reporters at secretariat marking the National Legal Aid Day.

“But Khaleda does not fall under any such category,” he noted.

The former prime minister has been in jail since February last year after she was convicted of corruption. Recently, talks about her release on parole have surfaced but BNP leaders have clarified that it is up to Khaleda to decide.

When asked about Khaleda’s parole, the minister said: “I know nothing about it.”

Dhaka, Apr 25 (UNB) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the government is now focusing on protein production as the country has already achieved food autarky.

“We’ve achieved self-sufficiency in food. Now we're paying a special attention to protein production to fulfill the demand of nutrition,” she said.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing the inaugural ceremony of newly-constructed seven institutes and establishments under different projects of the Fisheries and Livestock Ministry.

The Prime Minister said people will have good health taking adequate nutrition and become workable ones to take the country forward if they have adequate nutrition intakes. “We want to develop such a system (of proper nutrition intakes) for the new generation.”

Sheikh Hasina stressed the need for enhancing production and processing of food after assessing the demand in different countries with a view to boosting the export of processed food items.

“Assessing the demand (of food items), we can boost the production of foods and process those for export,” she said.

Hasina said Bangladesh could increase the production of crop, vegetable, fish, meat, milk and egg as her government gives importance to research on agriculture.

The seven institutes and establishments opened by the Prime Minister are Fisheries Diploma Institute, Gopalganj; Fisheries Diploma Institute, Kishoreganj; Fisheries Diploma Institute, Belkuchi, Sirajganj; National Livestock and Poultry Management Institute, Gopalganj; Duck Production Farm including Hatchery, Kotalipara, Gopalganj; Government Veterinary College, Belkuchi, Sirajganj; and Multichannel Slipway Dockyard Fisheries Port, Chattogram.

State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Md Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru and Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Md Raisul Alam Mondal spoke at the inaugural function conducted by Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman.

Dhaka, Apr 25 (UNB) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said attempts are being made to carry out terror attacks in Bangladesh, but the intelligence and law enforcement agencies are on alert.

“Many efforts are being made to conduct attacks also in Bangladesh. But our intelligence and law enforcement agencies are taking adequate pre-cautionary measures,” she said noting that Zayan Chowdhury, 8, a grandson of Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, lost life in a terror attack in Sri Lanka.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing the inaugural function of a non-stop intercity train service, the Bonolota Express, on Dhaka-Rajshahi route through videoconferencing from her official residence Ganobhaban in the capital.

The Prime Minister renewed her call to  people to stay alert alongside the intelligence and law enforcement agencies against militant attacks.

“Not only the intelligence agencies, but also the country’s people will have to remain alert and immediately inform the law enforcement agencies finding out those who are involved in terror and militant activities. Because, we want peace in the country,” she said.

The Prime Minister   also urged imams (Muslim clerics) of mosques across the country to deliver sermons against terrorism and militancy before Jum'a prayers on Friday.

“I want you all to definitely speak up against militancy and terrorism, and highlight Islam as a religion of peace before people properly in the next Jum'aKhutba in every mosque throughout the country,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina also called upon the people of the country, particularly guardians, teachers, public representatives, imams  of mosques, clerics of different religions, to stand collectively against any suspicious militant activity in their respective localities.

Noting that Islam is fully a religion of humanity and peace, she said those who conduct militant and terror acts in the name of Islam, they are earning bad name for the holy religion across the world.

“So, those who are involved in such activities will have to remain away from these,” she said.

The Prime Minister urged the Imams of the country’s mosques to pray for Bangladeshis including Zayan Chowdhury and other people who were killed in recent terror attacks in Sri Lanka and New Zealand, after Juma prayers on Friday next.

“We lost eight years old Zayan Chowdhury. We don’t want to lose any more child in such attacks,” she said.

The Prime Minister criticised the BNP-Jamaat government for patronising terrorism and militancy in the country.

 Rajshahi was the stronghold of Bangla vai (militant leader) and militants during the BNP-Jamaal government as it patronized them. 

“The BNP-Jamaat government turned Bangladesh into a country of terrorism and militancy. We still see its impact,” said Hasina.