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Tuesday, July 10, 2012

B'desh to lose most marine fish population for global warming

Experts said Bangladesh is poised to lose most of its marine fish population as a result of climate change, dealing a big blow to thousands of people dependent on fishing in the sea, reports UNB.

"Bangladesh has a long coastal belt of 710 kilometres with abundant marine resources. We have so far found some 475 species of marine fishes, 400 of mollusc and 200 species of sea-woods. Unfortunately, some of them have disappeared and many more are on the verge of extinction," Prof Nani Gopal Das of Chittagong University's Marine Biology Department told the news agency.


The scientific names of some of the marine fishes of various countries, including Bangladesh, which have been included in the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are Johnius coitor, Nematalosa galatheae, Pseudapocryptes elongates, Thunnus albacares, Thunnus obesus and Xiphias gladius.


He said monsoon variations, frequent droughts and severe storms would also kill the fish in inland freshwater bodies and affect their breeding patterns. "When there will be a significant effect on the ecosystems, this would also endanger a vital food source in some coastal areas."


"Several fishes as we mentioned will be eliminated from these areas if they cannot quickly adapt to the changing salinity levels. Fishes are very sensitive to temperature too and some species - those that cannot swim very far - may go locally extinct", he added.


Prof Gopal pointed out a number of reasons behind the ecological degradation of the Bay of Bengal. These include increase in sea temperature, increase in salinity, habitat conversion of the marine fishes, massive resource consumption, introduction of exotic species and commercial exploitation or over-hunting.


According to an international study conducted by WorldFish with support from the UK's Department for International Development (DFID), both coastal and landlocked countries in Africa, including Malawi, Guinea, Senegal and Uganda, four Asian tropical countries - Bangladesh, Cambodia, Pakistan and Yemen and two countries in South America, Peru and Colombia, are the most economically vulnerable to the effects of global warming on fisheries.


Source: thefinancialexpress-bd.com


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Monday, July 9, 2012

Realistic step to make barind tract free from desertification

RAJSHAHI, Nov 30 (BSS): Speakers at a discussion unequivocally called for undertaking a need-based step to make the vast tract of barind area free from the possible desertification.

They said that enriching the surface water resources by re-excavating the existing ponds and canals across the area could be the means of preventing the desertification process.


The speakers made these observations while addressing a discussion meeting.


Agriculture Sustainable and Socio-Economic Development Organisation (ASSEDO) organised the discussion at its office Sunday.


The speakers said importance should be given to renovating and preserving the derelict ponds and canals through proper re-excavation to ensure sustainable livelihood of the poor farmers.


ASSEDO Executive Director Rabiul Alam, NGO leaders Syed Salah Uddin and Benzamin Hasda, chairman of Fisheries and Aquaculture and Fisheries Department of Rajshahi University Dr Akhter Hossain and Journalist Meer Hassan Abdullah addressed the discussion, among others.


They said that the rights of poor and marginal farmers on the existing natural resources including khas ponds and canals are gradually receding due to various reasons especially the climate change impacts making their livelihood vulnerable.


Source: thefinancialexpress-bd.com


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BNP 'holds' 70pc district councils, leaders 'to be handpicked'

BNP has held 70 per cent councils to elect new committees in the districts, BNP's Office Secretary Rizvi Ahmed said at a press briefing in the city Monday, reports bdnews24.com.

"The district councils are being conducted amidst various barriers and opposition."


Councils of many local chapters of the main opposition party could not be held due to internal clashes.


Mr Ahmed said that the policymaking forum would decide about including as councillors in the national council those districts that did not have councils within the deadline.


The office secretary at the party's Naya Paltan office said, "The subcommittees are working to make the national council successful. On the last day Monday, our central leaders are joining the district councils including those in Narail, north Mymensingh and Kurigram."


BNP's national council is to be held at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre on December 8.


Answering to a query, Mr Ahmed said, "The party's election commission will declare the election schedule for the election of chairperson. The voters' list will be published immediately after the completion of district councils."


Among others, Jubo Dal Vice-president Qayum Chowdhury, Joint General Secretary Abdus Salam Azad and former student leader Asadul Karim Shahin were present at the press briefing.


Meanwhile, leaders of the BNP would be handpicked by the party's chairperson this time too like all former councils.


"According to the constitution, there is no provision for voting and there will not be any voting in the national council," BNP's Joint Secretary General Goyeshwar Chandra Roy said Sunday.


"In this council, the chairperson would be elected through direct vote of the councillors in accordance with the previous constitution of the party," he told reporters at the party headquarters in Naya Paltan.


"The old committee would be automatically dissolved after the election."


"The newly elected chairperson will present the national executive committee, including the new standing committee, before the councillors."


According to the structure of the organisation, the highest position of chairperson will be put to vote only if there is more than one contender.


An election committee has been already formed led by the party's senior leader, TH Khan. The election schedule for the post of chairperson could be declared on December 1 or 2.


Source: thefinancialexpress-bd.com


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Kohinoor Villa still bears memories of 16 Shaheeds

KUSHTIA, Nov 30 (BSS): Rabiul Huq and Arshadul Huq, owners of Kohinoor Bakery at Faiz Market, repatriated from Hoogli district of India before the partition of India in 1947.

The two brothers bought a house with a high hope at 19 Rajab Ali Chowdhury Lane in Kushtia town and started living there with their family members.


The two brothers in fact set up their business with an oven inside the house and started to sell bread and biscuits to the local people.


The entire family was very popular in the locality because of their humble and gentle behaviour. The business of the two brothers was thriving along with their goodwill and family reputation.


At the beginning of War of Liberation in 1971, curfew was imposed in the town at night. But the two brothers knew that a group of Freedom Fighters had taken position at Chhoto Wireless area of Arua Para.


At the dead of every night, the brothers used to take food from their bakery for the Freedom Fighters to a place where they were hiding. Some times they used to send their bakery employee Asad with the food.


Arshad's and Rabiul's supports to the Freedom Fighters enraged the Biharis, living in the neighbourhood, who planned to kill the entire family whenever they would get the first chance.


At the onset of the War of Liberation, the town took a deserted look as most of the inhabitants fled the areas. Agents of the occupation force took this opportunity to go for vandalism in the town, looting people's deserted houses and carrying out torture on those who continued to live in the town at that time.


When the inhuman atrocities were on, Rabiul's and Arshad's families left Kushtia town and started to live in Kamalpur Upazila with one of their relatives.


But the Biharis with their killing plot in mind wanted to bring back the families and kill them. With their evil design in mind, they went to Kamalpur and requested Arshad and Rabiul to come back to the town and assured them of security.


The families believing the plotters without any hesitation came back to Kushtia town on September 18, 1971. Hearing news about their return, two more guests also came to stay with the families at Kohinoor Villa.


The family was a bit relaxed after coming back to their own place and at 10:30pm, they went for sleep after family gossiping. And at that time, the terror descended on the innocent people.


At the dead of night, the Bhiharis crashed the main doors of the Kohinoor Villa and entered into the house with lethal weapons in their hands shrouding their faces with red scurf.


"The bandits stormed all the rooms of the Khohinoor Villa and took all the members to a room in the backside of the Villa," said Abdul Kader, who was an eyewitness to the gruesome murders.


The hooligans then dug up holes in the vearanda of the Villa to construct makeshift earthen stoves, arranged for cooking a big feast and started playing songs loudly to create an atmosphere of picnic.


The whole atmosphere created a decoy so that nobody would have the hint of an incident of gruesome killing to take place in a few moments.


The hated butchers took drugs heavily and then went to the room where the inmates of the Kohinoor Villa were kept. They dragged out two young women and pushed them into another room, where the doors and windows were closed.


Soon they started indescribable torture on the women and then slaughtered them together. The savages then took the male members out of the room and chopped off their heads.


They also killed children by bayonet charge and then slit the abdomens of two pregnant women, took out their babies from the womb and killed those along with their mothers.


The eyewitness said the killers at the veranda quite merrily had their dinner that was cooked in the makeshift stoves and left Kohinoor Villa.


After 38 years of the atrocities, Kohinoor Villa still stands silent bearing the horrifying experience of that dreadful night. The Biharis killed 16 of the family members who were later buried in a mass grave behind Kohinoor Villa.


The Kohinoor Villa was not maintained as it ought to be and it was now in a dilapidated condition while the mass grave collapsed at many places. However, there is a signboard in front of Kohinoor Villa with a monogram of Freedom Fighters and names of the Shaheeds.


Those who were killed by the savages are Rabiul Huq, his first and second wives, son Abdul Hannan, Mannan, brother Arshadul Huq and his wife, their daughters Anu and Afroza and son Ashraf, relative Razia Begum and guest Mohammad Rezaul and shopkeeper Asad, Batasi and Jarina.


Source: thefinancialexpress-bd.com


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Sunday, July 8, 2012

Police recover beheaded body of a farmers

KHULNA, Nov 30 (UNB): Police recovered a beheaded body of the farmer from the bank of Saltha River under Dumuria Upazila Monday.

The deceased was identified as Ashraf Ali Moral (35), husband of Jesmin Nahar, a woman member of Ghutudia Union Parishad.


Police said Ashraf went missing from the day of Eid-ul-Azha and did not return home.


On information from his wife, police recovered the beheaded body at about 11am.


Police suspected that the miscreants following a previous enmity might have killed Ashraf.


Source: thefinancialexpress-bd.com


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Excessive intake of red meat increases risk of heart attacks

Experts said that excessive consumption of red or processed meats significantly raise the risk of heart disease.

The experts representing public and private heart disease treatment centres said the number of patients with heart complications increases at least by 10 per cent during the particular period of Eid-ul Azha compared to other times, reports BSS.


The intake of red meat becomes a fashion almost in every house as at least 2.5 million of cows and goats are sacrificed every year across the country on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, the second biggest religious festival of the Muslims in the country.


This particular period is a major source of red meat and high intake of red meat ultimately invites diseases like heart ailments, sources at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) said Monday.


The sources said this time is very crucial for those who are already having high pressure and high cholesterol in blood as intake of red meat increases the risk of heart attack.


The physician advised the people including heart patients not to take excessive quantity of red meat in everyday menu.


Heart diseases has emerged a threat to health in the country as latest survey on cardiovascular diseases revealed that around 35 per cent of the country's adult population are exposed to heart related diseases. Labaid Cardiac Hospital sources said around 1,800 heart patients are being treated every week at its outdoor and 120 indoor wards.


Hospitals including the NICVD and National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh have taken special measures to handle the higher number of patients during this particular period of time.


Source: thefinancialexpress-bd.com


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