(1) Bangladesh National Cricket team skipper Mohammad Ashraful gives away a crest to a physically challenged child at a prize giving ceremony of talent hunt programme titled Protibandhi Prativa Annyeshon '08 jointly organised by HSBC and Centre for Disabled Concern (CDC) at Institute of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB) auditorium on Saturday. (2) Increasing number of rickshaws often adds to traffic jam in the port city. The photo was taken from busy Bahodderhat intersection on Sunday. (3) Recipients of gold medal pose for photograph with social scientist Dr Anupam Sen and revolutionary Binod Bihari Chowdhury at a reception marking the silver jubilee celebration of Aboshar Sangskritik Gosthi on the DC Hill premises on Saturday. Twelve scholars of Chittagong received the medals at the reception. Photo: STAR

Sandhani distributes Hepatitis B vaccine
Sandhani, Chittagong Medical College (CMC) unit gave Hepatitis-b vaccine to 250 people on Friday at a cheaper rate.

Speakers at a daylong vaccination programme said the children are being attacked with the hepatitis B in a large scale.

About two to five lakh newborn babies are born with diseases and later they bear the diseases like hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and other dangerous diseases, they said.

Sandhani President Muhammad Irfanul Alam, Publicity Secretary Mohammad Shariful Islam Sajib, Finance Secretary Tareq Imam, Habibullah Tamal, Dr Nadim and Dr Shuvo were present in the programme.

Call to help epileptics lead normal life
Physicians on Friday called upon the people to extend their helping hands to help the epilepsy patients for leading a normal life.

They were addressing a meeting organised by Sanofi-aventis Bangladesh, a medicine manufacturing company, for creating awareness on epilepsy at a city hotel.

Iftekharul Islam, managing director of the company, Prof Khokan Kanti Das, Dr Mohammad Hasanuzzaman and Prof Mahmud A Chowdhury Arzu spoke at the meeting.

Speakers said epilepsy is a disease and nothing but a physical problem.

“They said an epilepsy patient can lead a normal life if he or she gets cooperation from society, siblings, neighbours and teachers.

Bangladesh Cricket Team Captain Mohammad Ashraful and Vice Captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza attended the meeting to encourage the patients.

'Save Halda river'
Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon President and Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Chairman Prof Muzaffer Ahmad underscored the need for permanent solution to Halda river, the natural fish-breeding centre, through scientific analysis.

“Halda is not only a river but a mega industry. Government should take proper initiative in this regard,” he said.

He was addressing as the chief guest a view exchange meeting on “Way of Saving Halda River” jointly organised by Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon and Nawzuwan, a non-government organisation, on the Madina Shopping premises at Madunaghat under Hathazari upazila on Thursday.

Economist Prof Dr Sikandar Khan was the main speaker at the meeting with Raozan Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mohammad Jasim Uddin in the chair.

Chittagong University teacher Mohammad Manjurul Kibria, Nawzuwan Chief Executive Mohammad Imam Hossain, journalist Mohammad Ali, Hathazari UNO Helal Mahmud Sharif, Paribesh Andolon General Secretary Dr Abdul Matin, Raozan Municipality Chairman Shafiqul Islam Chowdhury and Hathazari Press Club Vice-president Shimul Mahajan spoke at the meeting.

The speakers called upon the government to declare the river as the world heritage and placed some recommendations, including steps to save the mother fishes and fish fries, develop the livelihood of the local people, dredge the river, make alternative source of income for the fishermen and create awareness among the locals.

6 bankers awarded
Six managers of Sonali Bank Chittagong (Northern Region), have been awarded for the year 2007 on the basis of business at their branches at the Managers' Conference at Sonali Bank Bhaban at Agrabad on Thursday.

Chittagong Divisional General Manager MA Baten Khan was the chief guest at the conference with Deputy General Manager Masrurul Huda Sirazi in the chair.

The recipients of the award are Khatunganj Branch Assistant General Manager SM Abul Kalam Azad, Court Hill Branch Manager Manir Ahmed, Fatikchhari Branch Manager Mohammad Rafiqul Kader Talukder, Chaktai Branch Manager Mohammad Harun, Jamal Khan Road Branch Manager Mohammad Nurun Nabi and Kalurghat Industrial Area Branch Manager Mohammad Abdur Rahman.

Chittagong Northern Region Deputy General Manger Nani Gopal Nath and Assistant General Manager KJM Omar Faruk also attended the conference.

Separate budget for women demanded
Speakers at a rally on Saturday stressed the need for introducing a separate national budget to solve the problems of women in the country.

It will ensure the participation of women in national policies, planning and programmes, they said while they were addressing a rally organised by Institute for Environment and Development (IED), Chittagong Centre to mark the International Women's Day on the Chittagong Shaheed Minar premises.

Ward Commissioners Shahidul Alam, Eyachhin Chowdhury, Rekha Alam, Rehena Kabir Ranu, Afroza Kamal, Monwara Begum Moni, cultural organiser Rashed Hasan and social worker Jahangir Mostafa spoke at the rally with IED, Chittagong Centre Manager Mohammad Ferdous Ahmed in the chair.

The speakers also put up some other demands including separate and full-fledge ministry for women and budget for running the ministry properly, investment for women empowerment, and allocation for encouraging medium and small entrepreneurs and developing them as skilled manpower through education and training.

Earlier, a colourful procession was also brought out from Chittagong Press Club that paraded the main thoroughfares of the city.

'Fight poverty to eradicate corruption'
Speakers on Friday urged the people to fight the poverty to eradicate corruption from the society.

They said everybody will have to increase their income and buying capacity to resist corruption.

They were addressing a certificate giving ceremony of a training course on sewing jointly organised by Raozan Club and Rotary Club at Raozan Shishu Sadan and Matri Sadan auditorium.

Centre for Good Governance (CGG) Chairman Prof Syed Ahsanul Alam Parvez was the chief guest at the ceremony with Raozan Club Life-term Member Mohammad Taslim Uddin in the chair.

Chittagong University teacher Muhammad Tayub Chowdhury, also charter president of Rotary Club of Chittagong Sagorika, was present as the special guest.

Books distributed among school students
Mostafa Hakim Welfare Foundation distributed books among the students of different schools in the South and Middle Halishahar areas in the port city on Wednesday.

The Foundation Executive Director and Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) Acting Mayor M Manjur Alam handed over the books among the students at the ceremony.

Local Ward Commissioner Abul Hashem presided over the function at Ahmed Mian City Corporation Girls' High School auditorium.

Woman Ward Commissioner Afroza Kalam, Headmistress Ferdous Ara and former Commissioner Nurul Alam also spoke at the ceremony.