Dhaka, Oct 20 (UNB) - Describing media as the mirror of nation, Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said journalists are responsible for ensuring its transparency.

He made the remark while addressing the 65th founding anniversary programme of the Jatiya Press Club in the city.

“Along with economic development under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, we want to build ourselves as a developed nation. The role of media is essential in flourishing human values, patriotism and love needed to this end,” he said.

Recalling memories of the Liberation War, he said Pakistani invaders carried out brutal attacks on all establishments that bore symbols of Bengalis.

“The Jatiya Press Club did not escape the attack,” he added.

Minister Mahmud recalled with deep respect the contribution of all leaders and members of the press club who contributed in building the nation.

He said the press club was involved with all historic events of the nation. “I hope it will retain its unique role in the coming days,” he added.

“The mass media is the mirror of society and it is the responsibility of the journalists to maintain clarity of that mirror,” the minister said.

Saiful Alam, president of the press club, Farida Yasmin, its general secretary, members of the management committee, and journalists attended the founding anniversary event of the Jatiya Press Club held amid much festivity.

Dhaka, Oct 20 (UNB) – Police arrested two Indian citizens in Chattogram and Tangail districts on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

In Chattogram, police recovered 20,000 yaba pills from a microbus and arrested five people, including an Indian woman, at Nasirabad area of the city.

ASP Tareq Aziz of Rab-7 said they stopped the microbus acting on a tip-off. The Indian was identified as Komol Kar, 28, hailing from Nanakmatha of Uttarakhand.

Others arrested from the microbus are - Rozina Begum, 52, her daughter Naima Begum, 28 of Dhaka’s Mohammadpur area; Shahnaz Begum, 50, and her daughter Sumaiya Islam, 21, of Munshiganj’s Bikrampur.

Rab said the women are members of an international drugs smuggling gang.

In Tangail, police arrested Indian citizen Rajesh Kumar, 22, son of Buddha Prasad of Hamirpur district of Uttar Pradesh. He was arrested from Sakhipur Upazila after he had failed to show his passport on Saturday night.

Amir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Shakhipur Police Station, said Rajesh was arrested from Nager Chala in the upazila for intruding the country.

A case was filed against him in this regard.

Jahangirnagar University, Oct 20 (UNB) – A group of the university’s teachers and officials have protested against, what they described as, conspiracies against Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Farzana Islam.

They held a programme at the Shaheed Minar premises on Sunday evening.

More than 300 teachers and officials, including Professor Bashir Ahmed, Director of the Teacher-Student Centre, Professor Rasheda Akhtar, Dean of Sociology, Professor Ali Azam Talukder, Professor ATM Atikur Rahman, and Proctor Feroz Ul Hasan, were present.

Dhaka, Oct 20 (UNB) – The High Court on Sunday directed the narcotics- related cases under the Code of Criminal Procedure section 5(2) until a separate tribunal for preventing narcotics related offence is formed by the authorities.

The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order on Sunday.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam, confirming the matter said according to the HC, until an alternative tribunal is formed through gazette notification the drug cases would be operated under the code of Criminal Procedure.

A new Narcotics Control Law came into effect on December 10, 2018 but the separate Narcotics Prevention Tribunal is yet to be formed.

On July 8, HC summoned high officials of the government to explain the matter that has been halting case proceedings in thousands of narcotics-related cases since July 9.

It came to the notice of the HC on August 25 while it was hearing the bail appeal of an accused in a drug case.

Dhaka, Oct 20 (UNB) – Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Iqbal Mahmood on Sunday said conviction rate in cases filed by the commission has risen to 70 percent.

He made the remark while addressing the inaugural ceremony of a week-long workshop at the DMP media centre in Dhaka.

Admitting that ACC has manpower shortage, he said a training section has been opened to overcome the situation. ACC arranges joint trainings at the commission with CID, Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit and other agencies.

Mahmood said conviction rate in ACC cases was once reduced to 22 percent due to weakness in investigation.

“But it has risen to 70 percent now,” he added.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam spoke at the programme as special guest while CTTC chief Monirul Islam was in the chair.