BANGLADESH

An army team recovered a number of arms and explosives, including mortar shells and hand grenades, from hill tracts in Thanchi of Bandarban late on Friday night.

However, none could be arrested during the drive led by Bandarban Sadar Zone Commander Lt Col Imran A Rauf, an army official told bdnews24.com.

The recovery from Nadiapara area included 30-40 mortar shells and two or three hand grenades, he added.

At least five people, including a child and four female workers, died when a truck ran them over on Saturday in Faridpur's Madhukhali area.

Sub-Inspector of Madhukhali Police Station Abdur Rab told , "The incident occurred around 6pm when a truck lost control and ran over the workers who were returning home from their work place Altu Khan Jute Mill."

The truck tumbled into a roadside ditch, he added.

Police identified the deceased as – 'Momtaj', 35, 'Anowara' (40), 'Aleya', 17, 'Amiron', 30 and her 7-year-old daughter 'Afsana'.

All of them were from Parikkhitpur, the police officer said.

Water crisis has gripped Gazipur District Prison as the underground water table lowered out of the reach of the facility's deep tubewell.

Prison authorities said the problem started on the night of Sep 5 and they were having to make do with the water fetched from outside.

Jailor Amzad Hossain told bdnews24.com that around 0.2 million litres of water is required daily to meet the demand of more than 50 officers and workers, and the 883 inmates there.

"We are able to supply only about half the amount of water to meet drinking and showering demands by bringing it in tankers from an adjoining pond, a milk factory and the district's police line."

Gazipur Public Works Department Deputy Assistant Engineer Mohammad Mizanur Rahman said that the prison's tubewell went only 140-feet deep.

"The water table has gone out of its range after a number of deep tubewells were set up in close proximity of the prison. It has to be made at least 350-feet deep."

Dhaka Public Works Department's Power Division engineer Mohammad Lutfol Aziz told bdnews24.com that the prison's water pump was fine and that they would be installing deeper pipes on Sunday.

The government has imposed a ban on catching and selling of Hilsa fish for 11 days starting from Sep 25 to boost production of the delicious fish.

The Fisheries and Livestock Ministry on Saturday announced the ban during the main breeding period of Hilsa and said the step would help create scope for free breeding and an environment to boost Hilsa fish production.

According to the the Protection and Conservation of Fish Act-2011, the ban will be from Sep 25 to Oct 5 -- five days before and five days after the Purnima( full moon) of Bangla calendar month Aswin. This year the Purnima falls on Sep 30.

All sorts of sale and stock of Hilsa and Jatka have also been prohibited during the period. The programme also aimed to protect and conserve Jatka – hilsa fry less than 23 centimetres in length, the announcement said.

The offenders would be jailed for one to six months with a minimum fine of Tk 1000. The punishment and the fine would be doubled if one one is charged for violating the ban second time.

Currently around 7,000 square kilometres of water bodies are considered as breeding ground of Hilsha.

Dr Nirmal Chandra Das, Assistant Director of the 'Hilsa and Jatka Protection and Rehabilitation of Fishermen Project under the Fisheries Directorate, told bdnews24.com on Saturday that earlier it was said in the law that the ban would be imposed from Oct 14-24 every year.

"But the law has been changed and now the ban is efective five days before and five days after the Purnima( full moon) of Bangla calendar month Aswin."

He said the Fisheries Directorate and coastal district administrations had already taken necessary steps to implement the decision.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has hinted of taking tough measures to tackle the recent 'troubles' in several top educational institutions of the country, if necessary.

"We always want to solve any problem through mutual understanding, but that doesn't mean we can't be tough. We know how to be hard," she said in a meeting with the leaders of the front and affiliated organisations of the ruling Awami League at her official Ganabhaban residence on Saturday.

Terming the standoff at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) and other educational institutions as 'regrettable', she said, "The Hounarable President appoints Vice-Chancellors to different universities. But a section of teachers were waging movement over their liking or disliking."

The Prime Minister also criticised the teachers for involving students in their their agitation.

The BUET students joined agitation launched by the teachers demanding resignation of the Vice-Chancellor and Pro Vice-Chancellor. The situation created stalemate at the premier engineering university where academic activities have been hampered for months over the issue.

The Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid last week assured to accept several of their demands including removal of the Pro VC. But the students were adamant not to go back to class unless their demands were implemented.

Prime MInister bitterly criticised the students who took blood from their own body using syringe and poured it onto the stair of the BUET VC office. "How come a boy takes blood from the body of a girl and pour it onto the stairs... this is perverted mentality."

"The lesson of arrogance that you've taught the student in the name of movement would not bring any benefit for the country in the long run. Who are teaching their students this they may also face the same situation," she said.

The Prime Minister regretted as the students lost valuable time of their academic life.

Sheikh Hasina also criticised the teachers for 'changing their face' after discussion with government. "Anyone can come to us and convey their problems. We never neglect anyone. Many make promises, but do not keep it. This is really deplorable."

Amid growing calls by the opposition to restore the caretaker government system, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday said politicians had not forgotten the 'repression and torture' inflicted by the military-backed caretaker government.

She said that politicians who were vocal for the caretaker system even would not be spared if a caretaker administration took charge.

The BNP and its allies have been demonstrating for revival of the caretaker government provision which the incumbent government annulled through the 15th amendment of the Constitution.

Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League chief, said this during a meeting with leaders of the party's front organisations at her Ganabhaban residence.

As the caretaker government provision has been scrapped, the upcoming national election will be held under a political government, in line with the Constitution.

The BNP-led 18-Party Alliance has been alleging that a free, fair and credible election under a partisan government was 'impossible'.

Hasina alleged that those who supported the emergency-time caretaker administration (January 2007 to December 2008) were campaigning against the incumbent government to create 'confusion'.